The Housewife Monologues

5x7 Folded Card

2011-11-28T21:09:00.001-05:00

Colorful Joy Christmas Card

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Happy Post-Apocalyptic Halloween, Everyone!

2011-10-31T09:27:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T09:02:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was Easter Sunday and when I called each of my sisters in the morning to wish them a Happy Easter, I could tell that we were all feeling the same way. We were all longing to be "home" for Easter. Home was mom and dad's house - the central gathering place to celebrate holidays, birthdays, good report cards or just a sunny day.

Easter at mom's house always meant coffee and Pillsbury cinnamon rolls in the morning, a big egg hunt for the kiddies in the afternoon and a ham dinner with all of the trimmings...right down to the lamb-shaped butter.

Mom worked magic in the kitchen and she always cooked enough to feed our hungry army...with take-home doggy bags to keep our husband's happy. Even if we stopped by unexpectedly, mom was able to whip up a feast in her magical "Fishes and Loaves" kitchen where a simple roast beef dinner for two could instantly turn into a banquet if someone showed up. To be honest, I think she and dad often took less for themselves to accommodate for the added mouths to feed but it pleased them to do so. Besides, dad was more than happy to follow his dinner with a slice of Wonder bread, slathered with butter and peanut butter if he was still hungry:)

Yesterday, Easter in my house fell short of mom's Easter Extravaganzas but we still had a nice day. I did start the day with Pillsbury cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee but not at the crack of dawn since Zach and Eric slept in until almost 11:00. Now that they are teenagers, the excitement and wonder just isn't there...or so I thought. Before going to bed Saturday night, Eric stated, "I hope the Easter Bunny doesn't forget to hide our baskets like he did last year." At 13, he certainly doesn't believe in the Easter Bunny anymore, but this was his not-so-subtle way to say, "Hey mom, I'm still a kid. Don't drop the ball like you did last year!" Oops! I guess I forget that my video game and zombie junkies are still kids after all. Trust me, the Easter Bunny didn't forget to hide their baskets this year...in fact, they didn't find them for nearly an hour! It was so good to see them laughing and having fun, I think I'll hide eggs for them next year...just like grandma used to. :o)

Russ had to work yesterday so he didn't get home until close to dinnertime. Unfortunately, he and the boys decided they didn't want the traditional ham dinner that I was looking forward to cooking, so instead we had filet mignon with mom's mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, Au gratin potatoes, Easter bread, and frozen mixed veggies (for Eric). In the evening, we took a triple-chocolate cheesecake over to my sister Patty's house for dessert since she was still melancholy when I spoke to her after dinner. We had some laughs, along with coffee and yummy cheesecake so it was the perfect end to the day.

Maybe it's ok to start new traditions as long as we hold onto the memories of the old ones with all of our might.

My One and Only Shot

2009-09-08T08:20:00.008-04:00

Today was the first day of school. Today was the last first day of school for Zach. Oh sure, he'll have first days each year of college but today was the last first day that I will be giving him a quick hug and sending him off to school from home sweet home.

He knew better than to argue when I pulled out my camera and I knew better than to push my luck by taking more than one picture. I had one shot and one shot only...literally. I forgot to charge my camera battery and was only able to take one picture before the battery died. It's not quite a smile but I'll take it. I can't say I blame him for being less than chipper - I guess I wouldn't be too thrilled if I had to tackle AP Physics first thing in the morning.

Lucky for me, Eric leaves for school a half hour later than his brother so I had time to quick-charge the battery. Unlike Zach, Eric is more than happy to oblige his mother when it comes to posing for pictures.

This is my 8th Grader - Student Council president and goofball extraordinaire.

It's not even 9:00 and I miss 'em already.

Wear Gold for Chidlhood Cancer Awareness Month!

2009-09-07T09:49:00.010-04:00

My name is Candy and I ♥ bald kids.

We all know what the pink ribbon stands for but do you have any idea what color ribbon represents childhood cancer? It's GOLD. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and it would be a dream-come-true to see cars and shirts emblazoned with gold ribbons all over the world.

Yes, KIDS GET CANCER! Each year, more than 12,500 children are diagnosed with some form of cancer. That's nearly two classrooms full of kids EVERY DAY! Kinda makes your head spin, doesn't it?

How many of you have seen St. Jude programs on TV and changed the channel because they're "just too painful" to watch? You're certainly not alone. I've been working as a cancer-support volunteer for 7 years now and my own friends and family ask me how I can visit the websites of sick kids and send them mail every day. "Isn't it depressing?" "Don't you get upset?" Yes, it's depressing. Yeah, I absolutely get upset. I cry almost every day. But you know what? I smile a hell of a lot too. Following the journeys of these amazing kids has inspired me to be a better person. Just knowing that the care package I sent took a child's mind off their illness for a fraction of a second is a pretty incredible feeling. But I don't do it for me.

Most of us know (or know of) a child who has been stricken with cancer. Maybe it's the little girl down the street. Or that sweet boy who used to deliver your paper. Your friend's daughter. A fellow church member. Your boss' son. Your cousin. Your niece. Your grandson. Many of us have shed tears over the news of a young cancer warrior's passing, whether we knew and loved the child or simply read about him in the paper. Cancer has touched each and every one of our lives.

My point? Cancer is running rampant and NO family is immune. Cancer is not selective. Cancer doesn't care if your little boy is getting ready for his first day of kindergarten. Or if your daughter was just asked to prom by the coolest guy in school. Cancer is blind to the fact that you don't have health insurance or your your husband/wife just lost his/her job. Cancer doesn't ask permission before it uproots your life, threatens your marriage, devastates your finances, tortures your child...cancer just doesn't care.

PLEASE, I beg of you, do something to honor these young heroes this month. Donate blood. Wear a gold ribbon. Join the National Marrow Registry. Make a donation to cancer research. Spread awareness. Support a cancer organization. Run a 5k. Walk a 5k. Send a pizza to (or make dinner for) a family who is living with cancer. Offer to babysit the siblings of a sick child or take them out for a day of fun. Volunteer at your local Ronald McDonald House (cooking a meal, donating pantry items, etc.) Buy a t-shirt that raises funds for cancer. Sit down with your children and draw colorful pictures and drop them off at your local children's hospital. Buy a glass of lemonade at a lemonade stand that supports childhood cancer. Hold your own lemonade stand. Send a card. Hug a cancer mom. Make eye contact and smile at that bald in Target. Pray. Pray again. And when you're too tired to pray, pray a little more. (See links>>>>>)

Just do SOMETHING.

Doing Something = Big Smile. See?

40 Used to Seem So Old

2009-04-07T14:00:00.007-04:00

As I draw nearer to that milestone of turning 40, I am reminded of days when I used to dread ever being that (ahem) old! Lately I've been attending birthday parties of high school friends who are also turning 40 this year and somehow it no longer seems so daunting. I figure if I can still stay awake past 9:00 and shake what my mama gave me without breaking a hip, I must be doing ok.

Last week I had the privilege of surprising my friend Andrea at her 40th celebration. I've known Ann since 6th grade but have only seen her a handful of times in the past few years, due to "life" getting in the way. Considering that we grew up directly around the block from each other (we used to cut thru my neighbor's woods to get to each others' houses), it's really sad that we hardly see each other anymore. Luckily Ann is one of those friends who makes it easy to pick up right where we left off. She's also one of those friends with whom I share a million memories with so we never run out of things to talk about. There's also no shortage of inside jokes when we get together. Number one being the boyfriend that we shared, who later became Ann's husband and is now her ex-husband. He just sent me a friend request on Facebook. I couldn't hit that "ignore" button fast enough...after giggling at his balding head of course.

Here's a picture of Ann and me on her birthday...

Not bad for two old ladies, eh?

A Friend Named Ellen

2009-04-03T08:27:00.010-04:00

It's been a nostalgic week around here. Last week, I began a search for old family photos so I could share them with my cousins on Facebook. That sparked a week-long retrospective of my life. I don't know if it's because I'm turning 40 this year or because I've recently reconnected with some old friends and relatives. Maybe it's because certain places that bring up memories of my childhood are now gone...the school I went to for 12 years, the mall I hung out at every weekend with my friends, my childhood home. Actually, my parents' house is still standing and well taken care of but mom and dad are no longer there so the house might as well be gone.

My walk down memory lane also has me missing special people, even moreso than usual. Easter is just around the corner so it's understandable that I would be missing my mom a little more fiercely - the holidays were just her thing and they'll never be the same without her - but lately I've been thinking about other people from my past who are now gone.

My friend Ellen has creeped into my thoughts quite a bit. Ellen was one of my closest friends in grade school and she died tragically in 1996 during a scuba diving trip at Whitefish Pointe on Lake Superior. Ellen's funeral was the first time I had seen her in probably ten years or more. We lost touch after she went to an all-girls high school and I stayed at St. Agatha. Why is it that we let important people slip out of our lives?

Ellen was one of those sweet girls who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. She had a quiet, uplifting spirit and a gentle heart, much like her parents who were good Christian people with strong family values. They had five children and all of their names started with "E"...Evonne, Ellen, Eric, Erin and Eddie. I remember when Eddie was born; I was so excited but a little disappointed that he was a boy:) They were a close-knit family, much like my own, so I'm sure that's why I felt so at home with them.

Ellen and I spent the night at each other's houses often and I would go to her Saturday morning tennis practices. I had never known anyone who could play tennis so I remember sitting there, desperately wishing I could play as well as her...or play at all for that matter! Ellen's family was the first of our group to get cable TV and HBO and I begged my parents for months until they eventually caved. I also remember crying with Ellen when her beloved sheepdog Chauncey died and her father buried him under a bush in the yard.

It was also during sleepover at Ellen's that I learned the cruel truth about hasenpfeffer:) Her mom took all of us kids down to Eastern Market in Detroit with her mom to buy spring flowers and fresh produce. I remember being so excited for Ellen when her mom stopped at one stand and told her to choose a rabbit. I had always wanted a pet bunny so I couldn't wait to help Ellen care for hers! I was shocked when we returned to the booth at the end of the day [presumably to pick up Ellen's new pet], only to have the woman hand over a small package wrapped in white deli paper. I asked when we were going to get the rabbit and Ellen replied, "This is it. My mom's cooking hasenpfeffer for dinner tonight." I asked, "What is hasenpfeffer??" She replied, "Rabbit stew." WTF?! No way in hell was I eating dinner at their house that night!

Ellen, I don't know how we ever lost touch but I wish you were here so I could tell you how much I cherished your friendship and the good times we shared. I'm sorry the wedding day you were planning never came and that you were taken from us way too soon. You are truly missed and forever loved.

This photo was taken in one of those old photo booths (circa 1983?) in Kresge's at the above-mentioned mall that is now, as of two weeks ago, a pile of rubble. Ellen is the beautiful girl on the left and I'm the one sporting the Farrah Fawcett coiff on the right:)

One Year...

2008-11-13T08:37:00.004-05:00

One year has passed since I saw my big brother.

One year ago today, he died due to the neglegence of a hospital that was more concerned with their policies than the care of a human being.

One year ago today my brother had outpatient surgery and stopped breathing in the car on the way home.

One year ago, my two nieces had to rush their dad back to the hospital, only to be told that they had to wait for an ambulance to bring him into the ER.

Seriously.

One year ago, my nieces and a security guard had to perform CPR until EMS arrived because the doctors and nurses had to follow hospital protocol. They reluctantly watched as my brother died in the parking lot.

One year ago, I lost my only brother. My friend.

Life can be such a kick in the ass sometimes.

I miss you, Richie. Give Mom and Dad a hug for me, k? ♥

Moments

2008-08-14T17:28:00.009-04:00

There are many moments in my life that I hold dear and there are other moments that I consider to be utterly sacred. The dear moments are those that are etched into my heart. Like the times when someone went out of their way to do something special for me. Times when I laughed so hard I cried. Times that made me stand back and say, "Wow, that was amazing."

One of those such moments was my 17th birthday. I don't know why that day popped into my head today since my birthday's not until October, but it did.

It was an ordinary day and I was a senior in high school. I can't remember the specifics of the morning except the fact that my parents appeared to have forgotten that it was my birthday. I sat at the kitchen table in awe. How in the heck could my own parents forget my freakin' birthday?! I hopped into my '81 Cutlass Supreme and drove the mile to school in a huff.

When I got to school, I was greeted with birthday wishes from my closest friends in the hall. My mood brightened a bit. Until.....I was late for first hour and received the first (and only) detention of my high school career. To say that I was ticked off would be an understatement.

The school day for seniors ended sometime around 1:30 and I couldn't wait to get out of there. Knowing me and my hot temper, I'm sure I was planning to give my parents a piece of my mind when I got home. All of that was forgotten the second I opened my car door. Tucked lovingly into one of the openings in my steering wheel was a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a small, clear ornament that held a tiny teddy bear inside.

I can't tell you what kind of flowers they were -most likely carnations since they were my favorite - but I still have the little teddy bear in the plastic ornament. I only wish I could find the card that was attached because I remember it saying something like, "How could we ever forget our baby's birthday?" (No matter my age, I will always be "the baby" of the family.)

That was my mom. All day long I had felt like Samantha Baker in Sixteen Candles...except my mom really didn't forget my birthday. She had probably been planning this for days and I know it had to kill her not to sing Happy Birthday to me the moment I woke up.

Gosh, I miss hearing mom sing to me on my birthday.

Attempt at blogging - take 2

2008-04-29T15:01:00.004-04:00

I've made an effort to add to my blog several times over the past eight months but could never get past the intimidation of the blank screen staring back at me. Where do I start? What should I say? Will anyone care? I finally decided that I care because a blog is a great place to sort out all of your thoughts and ideas. The weird part about blogging for me is the thought that other people, people I don't even know, might actually read it. Yikes.

In my initial post, I said that I'd be back to tell you a bit about myself. Well, I lied. Instead, I decided to add the boring stuff to my profile over there on the right. That way you can read it if you're interested or skip it if you're not. I still plan on talking about my life but I'm just skipping over the singles' ad-type info (ie: Married, white, SAHM who lives for laundry, packing lunches, washing windows, swiffering up dog hair ten times a day....) Ok, I lied. You can find all of that info on a nifty little list over there on the right.

Why a blog?

2007-08-27T15:51:00.001-04:00

To tell you the truth, I've asked myself the exact same question a hundred times since setting up this page. That's probably why it has taken me so long to actually write my first entry. I guess my decision to blog came partly out of boredom, partly out of curiosity and partly out of desire to spread the word about organizations that are very near and dear to my heart. (See links)

I'll be back again soon to tell you a little bit about myself. Be sure to bring a large, strong cup of coffee next time you visit. Trust me, you'll need it since my life is anything but exciting. And since you're grabbing one for yourself anyway, I'll take a tall black decaf. If you prefer tea, that works for me too. I'm easy.