Keeping the right company-
There are people in my life and then there are people in my life. I used to wonder why I had so few friends. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of aquaintances. But I have very few friends. And only lately I have realized that I am rather like an over full sponge. My life is already full of exactly what I want and there isn't much room for developing deep friendships.
I think most women my age are busily building the second stage of their life since the kids have now gone off to college. I on the other hand haven't let go of the first stage. I have my adult daughters and they fill every crevice of my friendship needs. I have my two young sons and they fill all of my desires to mother and nurture. I have my husband who keeps me emotionally filled. There just isn't anything left for others.
My youngest daughter lives a ways away. A big enough city to widen her horizons but she makes sure to come back home frequently. And when she does, we put everything aside and we just enjoy being together. I absolutely love being with my family. You know you are with the right people if you can: go nowhere, do nothing, eat leftovers and laugh like there is no tomorrow.
So what did we actually DO this weekend?
This weekend we made a special trip to the yarn store and picked out yarn for a scarf for each of us. Each person pretty much knew what they wanted. Tiffany selected a knobby mint green cotton, Tatiana chose a super wispy black, Armando settled on a sparkling black with a ball of red for contrast, and Amarante - I wanted to do a teal, chocolate and cream scarf for him but Amarante is a child that does his choosing for himself. He chose, and changed his mind and chose and changed his mind. I really got tickled watching him fondle the yarns. He would choose a color he liked (chartreuse green was a recurring fave) then rub his nose back and forth over the yarn, then squish his fingers into it a few times, then rub the yarn up and down over his arms, then place it against his stomach. "Sweetie, the ladies don't want you to rub the yarn all over your body" I told him. "I gotta make sure it is soft enough".
I worked on Amarante's scarf while we watched the telly.
I finished his scarf last night but don't want to show it to him until the weather cools - he will insist on wearing it in 100 degree heat if I know him.
We also watched an old movie. If you haven't had the pleasure you should check out "Murder at the gallop". It is a 1963 version of one of Agatha Christie's books starring Margaret Rutherford.
We spent one morning painting our faces like dolls and doing pictures. I had this great idea that we would have family pics - don't you know one child refused to have his face painted and that was the end of it being a family pic...but still it was fun for the rest of us.
We made gingerbread men. Well not exactly gingerbread men. But gingerbread cookies in hallowe'en shapes. I let the boys use cookie cutters so they could do bats and pumpkins etc. The girls and I cut out skulls and decorated them like the Day of the Dead calaveras. They turned out gorgeous and it was kind of a neat "blending" project using traditional Day of the Dead cookies but combining them with our Anglo favorite - gingerbread.
And what did you all do this weekend?
I can totally relate to being satisfied with what you have, friendship and family wise. I still have young children and don't want to go hang out with the folks that don't. I would rather stay home.
by the way your children have beautiful names, are you Italian?
No lol, not Italian. My husband is from Mexico.
My first (eldest) is Tarragon. Not my daughter by birth but my daughter by choice she and Tatiana look very much alike.
pictured with Tiffany.
Tiffany (often called by her other name - Adriana which means dark one)
and Tatiana (I was reading a lot of russian literature through that pregnancy),
Armando is actually a junior and happily I like the name also (it means to arm or to put together -which absolutley fits his personality)
and Amarante (Spanish for the plant Amaranth)-reflects my more recent turn toward the earth.
And I suppose for good measure I should include husband and I.
I can see why you say your children are your best qualities! And Adriana is stunningly beautiful!
I was hoping you and your hubby could give me a good recipe for chile verde with pork? It's one of my favorite dishes, but all the recipes I've found have been a disappointment.
Rain, glorious rain today.
I awoke to awesome thunder, the house trembling all around us. Lightening flashing and illuminating the dark room. And rain. The skies opening up and pouring down rain in torrents. We lifted the curtain and looked out. In seconds the streets were covered and the water was rolling up and over the curbs.
My husband and I laughed, delighted. I woke the boys up. "It is raining, it is raining - get up to see."
Amarante "Will the television still work?"
That really says it all right?