Make The World Go Away

Eddy Arnold was a giant. Here's Martina singing and if I could I would to make you smile.

I'm A Country Gal And It Was A Good Day

Sitting here watching the ACM's, that's the American Country Music Awards for you city folk, I'm a happy camper singing along and tapping the computer keyboard in time to the music. There's a big grin on my face. I've had a pretty good day, and I can't ask for anything more because the DB was with me for part of it smiling, shooting some hoops and even tangoing his mom across the gym floor without an ounce of embarrassment.

It's funny how other people pick up on how you're feeling. Well, with me it's kind of obvious. OK, it's almost unavoidable to know how I'm feeling if you're near me or even talking to me on the phone. It's also neat to see how people are attracted to you when you're happy.

I went to pick up dinner tonight and a guy who works there was ready to pay for it for me, not to mention a single homey from Kansas who was flirting with me while I was at work and trying to find out if I was divorced or dating anyone. Then there was the customer who told me I had a great smile and wanted to know what hours I was in the store.

And I got a bonus today, a bracha from Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski for DB and he added on one for me too.

Earlier in the day, Bubbi was complaining of the noise her car was making. When I let her know it was just her muffler she told Zaidy that it was a little bit loose he asked, "How do you know?"

"CR told me."

"OK, we'll get it fixed," was what he replied, and it made Bubbi laugh because he didn't even question her once she told him that I was the one who diagnosed the problem.

It made me laugh too, when she told me. In case you haven't figured it out, Zaidy/Abba questions everything, and anything, and anyone's opinions. But not my judgement on car problems... too funny!

The bris was lots of fun and we had a huge family picture taken which didn't even include even 1/4 of the family, but still amounted to a whole bunch of people who love each other smiling next to one another.

OH! And when I got home from work Bubbi/Mom handed me a bag with some jewelry I had thought was lost forever; a signet ring, I got on my 16th birthday, my dad's watch that he got when graduating high school, he gave it to me when I did the same, plus some other pieces that had sentimental value. I have a ring on each hand right now, and it makes me feel so girly and fancy even with my fingernails that are bitten down to nothing.

All in all it was a good day.

Of course, the music and familiar accents just add even more to it. I hope you all had a good day too.

btw-how could I forget all the hugs and kisses from little ones and their parents.

Singing In The Car,

in the shower, and while dancing at home. I usually get a couple of smiles from people driving by when I'm singing on my way to work, to take DB to school, to go food shopping... y'all get the idea I sing in my car.

But strangers aren't the only ones giving me those smiles and strange looks. DB laughs and giggles and has started to roll his eyes sometimes especially when I grab him and dance him around the apartment.


Sugar Sugar The Archies

Build Me Up Buttercup The Foundations

I Just Want To Fly Sugar Ray - Exactly what I want to do like these people.

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone Bill Withers

Ticks Brad Paisley

Strong Enough To Be My Man Sheryl Crow

They Can't Take That Away From Me Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

I get so blown away...



It's missing the first part of the song with Louis' trumpet playing, but I liked the ending to this movie. I just love kisses.





La Vie En Rose Louis Armstrong - the whole song

Hotel Room Regina Spektor

Loving You Elvis Presley

btw- music makes me happy

Smiling

. The words are all jumbled so I'll just ramble.

I'm smiling at people I don't know, and they're smiling back. It's evident that I'm happy... ugh! no, what an understatement... Joyous... no, that's not it. aaaah... this is it, dancing with laughter and twirling in amazement. I want to share it. how... why would I want to stuff this away? It bubbles up in my walk and my steps are singing with love.

There's a smile in my eyes too.

Can't Get It Out Of My Mind

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands....

I'm sure all of you now have that tune playing in your heads. I don't mean to have anyone else suffer, but that's what I've been hearing in my head. OK, OK, I'm happy and I know it so it is an appropriate song. BUT it's driving me bonkers.

It reminds me of the time that I dropped DB off at school. He left the car singing Bertha while I drove away singing that dreaded tune, If You're Happy... Let me just explain. We were listening (and yes, singing) to The Dead on the way to school, and when I dropped him off he just continued.

I always turn the music off when I tell him, "I love you, DB. Have a great day." This time he looked back at me and said, "I love you too, Mom." That and seeing him with a smile on his face just brought that song to mind, and it stuck. The way it always does.

Is there a particular song that gets stuck in your head? And what do you do to "change the station"?

Good Shabbos!! Time to light

BTW- in case you couldn't figure it out DB is with me for the weekend

Something So Sweet

Thursday night as DB was falling asleep he was hugging our cat, really, his cat and singing to her. "Everything is gonna be alright, alright, alright...." He even sang the word every like I do in the next line of the song. "Evvvvvv ry little thing is going to be alright."

He glanced over at me to make sure that I couldn't hear him. He was singing so softly. So I pretended to be very occupied with the book I was reading even as the tears were blurring the words on the page in front of me.

I hope that song brings him the comfort it has brought to me. I cannot express how much I love my boy and that I hope his life is filled with joy and laughter. He deserves it.

Oh!

What a beautiful morning!

btw-it's a link... click on it

Everything Is Going To Be Alright

When I was little (and not so little) my mother used to sing a song to me. She would only sing it when she was holding me and rocking me back and forth while tears were dripping down my face. I sing this song to DB when he's crying, and it calms him down. I hold him in my arms and rock him.

Everything is gonna be alright
alright, alright
Every little thing is going to be alright

My mother told me something that really touched me. She said that she used to sing that song to make herself feel better while she held me or my brother and was comforting us. I completely understand.

My heart aches when DB cries. I'm not talking about the crying because of scraped hands or that his lego creation broke. I'm also not referring to the fake tears he sheds (very rarely) when he can't get some new Yugioh cards or the like. The crying I'm referring to is sobbing, break your heart frustration, hurting, help me mommy, tears. These are usually the ones you can do nothing about except to hold your child, and in your heart ask Hashem to take away his pain.

I find it difficult not to cry when I sing DB the song my mother sang to me. I sing it not just as a comfort to him. It's a prayer that I am saying asking for everything to be all right for my child, and to make his life better.

I have tears in my eyes slowly dripping onto my cheeks while I write this, and it's hard for me to swallow. Sometimes my throat catches when I sing this to DB. I think of my mother and my son.

I went through some very difficult times as a child and teenager. Now I know what it feels like from the mother's side, and I can still remember what it felt like as a child.

This post is not a sad one even though it's about pain and tears. It's about comfort and love. It's about relief and knowing that everything will be "alright." I can hear my mother's voice singing it to me right now.

Spring Ramblings

Spring....in my step.... almost a skip.... A soft breeze and a damp smell of growth... melting snow watering new buds...

I missed skiing again this year. The skis were in Kansas, along with my boots and all my other gear. DB is itching to get on the slopes and he's never skied... Next year!!!! He'll pick it up very quickly and we'll race down the mountain, no stopping and quads burning. But for now the bike tires have air in them and we'll be doing some riding. I'm not looking forward to lugging the bikes back and forth from Oz to Kansas, but it will be worth it when DB and I go riding together.

I love the outdoors. What I love the most is the wind in my face. It brings to mind a dog hanging his head out the window in ecstasy. It such a sense of freedom to me. I love the wind whether it's from skiing a run down a mountain, a ride on a horse, biking, running, sailing, and of course the window open while driving with the music blaring singing my heart out and smiling.

Squeaky, my minivan, is slowly falling apart. I try to keep her in good shape, but I've put a lot of miles on her and she wasn't new when she came to me. The next car will also have to be a minivan. It's necessary for carpools, playdates, and traveling with DB and the cat. She goes with us to Kansas and has been since we got her when she was 4 months old. DB has been traveling back and forth to Kansas in the car since he's been three months. They both behave beautifully and there is no DVD player. I'm kind of old school in that respect. I would rather DB read, draw, look out the window and notice the world around him, sing with me, talk to me, and connect with me.

DB and I talk about getting a new car and we're in agreement that the next one must have a sunroof. He's definitely his mother's kid. My first car had a sunroof, and in every season it was open. The only time I drove with it closed was when it was raining (drizzling and it would still stay open) or snowing very hard. For about year I took care of three of my younger cousins (all under the age of three) and even if they couldn't ask for the sunroof to be opened they would point at it.

I've got to schedule an oil change for Squeaky, and I really do have to replace the spark plugs and wires. Dad has been on my case about it. It doesn't take all that long, but I really want to do it with DB so that he can learn how to do these things for himself the way I learned with my dad. He's definitely not going to do anything like this with is father. I still feel a sense of accomplishment in the fact that I replaced the battery. It's not a hard job to do and lord knows I do own enough tools to get it done, but the best part was talking to my dad about it after and being able to tell him something he didn't know. Just in case any of you ever need to replace your car battery always disconnect the negative cable first. It's obvious my dad is proud of me, but when I told him about the cable and then when he saw the new kitchen floor I put down I really felt it. Talk about being confident in my abilities... he wants me to do his kitchen floor next. WOW!!! Ultimate compliment.

I love to work with my hands and enjoy the feeling of knowing that I can take care of myself. BUT, I wish that I didn't have to. It would be wonderful to give over some things to someone else or to even have someone else share some of the responsibilities. It's hard being mom and dad. It's also hard having to be the one to discipline all the time. DB's a great kid so it really isn't all the time, but his father doesn't discipline at all, and so he's the fun one in DB's eyes.