Wordless Wednesday---Dragon Fly Summer

Writers Post- A memory that brings a song in with it

Holding hands in the living room Billy told me he had a surprise for me.  I was so excited yet had no idea what he could have in store for me.  Billy was always so romantic.

 We had dated in high school and had just gotten back together while I was in college. He was my first love.  I had gotten a internship very close to his apartment. He had called me during the summer knowing I was home. 

He wanted to take me on a date to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis MN. What a great way to start up our relationship again. I had no idea where this would take us, but hey, you only live once.  We had such a lovely time at the Walker art center.  They had paintings up all along the walls  that you had to figure out the psychological significance. Billy knew I would love this as I was a psychology student at UW Stout.  He knew I loved anything psychological. We dissected each and every painting on the wall.  He exposed me to something I had never seen before.  I now had a love for the arts. I mean, I had always been creative and loved writing but this was different. 

Pulling me out on the patio as the sun shone over the Minneapolis skyline, Billy kissed me softly. "I will be right back. Sit here Laura." Feeling excited sensually and intellectually, I just thanked God for this moment in time. Billy came back with a wonderful bottle of blush wine and a plate of the best cheeses, crackers and fruit.  We sat there on that deck for hours. Billy fed me cheese and fruit as we indulged in each others presence.  We laughed, talked and brought each other up to date on our lives since high school. I did not want this day to end. It was perfect. 

There we were at his best friends house one month later.  Billy proclaimed his never ending love for me. He told me he had a surprise. " Laura, I have a song I dedicate to you.  I am so happy we are back together. This is the best way I can tell you how happy your my girlie again. 

He put on the record.  " Laura, I dedicate this Bob Marley song to you. I don't ever want you to forget this moment. I love you and always will.  No matter what ever happens Laura, this is from my heart to yours." 

I sat there in awe, in love and in the presence of something bigger than myself. Bob Marley sang " Waiting in Vain for Your Love".  Billy just stood there while I listened and bopped back and forth to the music that stated  volumes about our reconnected relationship. I cried, laughed and felt so happy, as if everything in the universe was just as it should be. I was humbled at this beautiful gesture.

 Billy was right, I will never forget that moment in time. He is now in heaven after being struck by lightening at the 1991 US Golf Open.  He still comes to me when I need him most. He is my angel. He is my soul mate. 

Midnight-Post for GBE2 Blog

When I heard we were to write something about midnight, I smiled.

 I live in Minnesota.  Yes, it gets hot in the summer. It gets cold in the winter.  Now let me take you back to our winter. It was unbelievably cold and snowy. We were quite the butt of the joke all over the nation this past winter. I do not remember winter ever being as snowy in Minnesota since I was a small child.

Well, we Minnesotan's all waited so patiently for spring and summer to come. We pretty much went from winter straight to summer.  Who's complaining?  I really feel I can't complain but do let me fill you in on the details.

Last night at MIDNIGHT it was a whopping 89 degrees out. The dew point was at 90 percent. The humidity was all consuming.  It is still humid and the dew point is even higher than yesterday.

Google thermometer image

Minnesauna your a treat. You heat my buns and warm my feet.
Your bitter cold is hard to take
Winter summer shake and bake
Your spring was loads and loads of rain
My heart calls out in utter pain

Your crazy wild but I love you so
Please just make my veggies grow!!!

Wordless Wednesday

The Bakery- GBE2 Topic

Google image

I can still see him, my dad, pulling up at Holy Name of Jesus Church on my wedding day.  Smiling as he pulled in, I noticed my dad was in a brand new red hot rod. Wow, did my dad look like a classy chap. He wore an English hat, posed a cigar in his mouth and looked quite excited for the upcoming nuptials. The car he was sporting  was a Red hot  Eagle Talon. My dad looked perfect in it. I was his baby girl. I come from a family of five. I am two minutes younger than my identical twin sister. I know, but I am still the baby technically.

Your probably wondering what this has to do with the word Bakery.  Well, let me take you back to my dad's childhood.  He grew up with about eight close very connected buddies.  These friendships lasted  till death. These guys lived in North Minneapolis. All of them became quite successful in their adult lives.  My dad was an airline pilot and flew B52's in WW2. All of the other guys also found great success in different occupations.

One of those friends was  Burt MCGlynn.  His family started the MCGlynn bakeries that have now been around for decades. Burt was now the CEO of MCGlynn bakeries. Burt was the man who gifted that red hot Eagle Talon to my dad when my father retired and was struggling financially.  Wow, I thought, I wish I had a buddy like that. He is also the man that donated the most beautiful cake at my wedding.

My wedding party wore soft peach dresses.  I wore peach baby's breath in my hair.  My cake also had lovely soft peach baby's breath in it and was five layers deep. Pure white in color this cake was amazing by most standards.  It was the most beautiful cake I had ever seen. 

I am so thankful to Burt for being so kind to my father and to me.  How thoughtful to donate my wedding cake and how about that red sports car?  When your friend is down, you do whatever you can to help him out. I hope my generation will show their love in a great way.

Wordless Wednesday- 4th of July

The Empty Chair

The empty chair stood proud and stately in the baby's parlour. Vintage oak, this rocking chair reeked with character. The smell of baby powder filled the air. The diaper rack was filled with all needed  baby supplies like cloth and disposable diapers, ointments, safety pins,wet wipes etc. On the wall hung family pictures with mom,dad and baby.   Colorful cute animal wall hangings looked out onto the wooden floor splashed with a large primary colored rug.

Safely tucking baby into her crib, mother heard the doorbell and looked one last time at her precious child. Shutting the door quietly she walked to the front door.  Outside stood a friend of Ann's who had not seen her in a while.  "I was worried, as I have not heard from you forever.  As she handed over a large pile of mail into her friends hand she asked, " How are you Ann?"

A faint smile covered her face.  Ann invited her friend Erin in.  "Erin, may I get you some tea?" "Oh yes, I would like that very much thank you."  The two friends sat in the kitchen nook sipping tea and sharing baby stories and cookies.  

Not fifteen minutes into their visit, Ann told Erin she needed to check on the baby.  "I will be right back, I believe I hear Courtney."  When Ann came back she was cradling her bundle of joy in a pink,hand-made quilt.  "I am so sorry Erin, I will have to end our visit as any small noise can disturb Courtney and she really does need her sleep."  Could you let your self out, as I need to lay Courtney back down into her crib?" " Oh, I understand Ann, no problem.  Be sure to call me soon ok?"    Erin gave Ann a kiss on her good friends cheek.  Again, Ann's smile was a sure sign of contentment and happiness that only comes from loving a precious child.

Walking out towards the door and waving to Ann, Erin stopped in the bathroom before the half hour trip home.  " I must stop drinking coffee she said to herself."  Thinking it might be a while before she gets to see Ann and her newborn baby, she turned to peek into the baby room where her friend was singing  a sweet lullaby.

Confused, she saw the babies rocking chair empty. She looked onto the other side of the room where the crib stood.  Ann was standing over the crib singing this lovely lullaby to an empty blanket, the one that she thought held Ann's new baby.

My Friday Night Adventure

Friday night was so adventurous. I decided to take the neighbor kids to the Dairy Queen. My nine passenger caravan was packed full.  As we headed down the road, rain began to fall in sheets. There was an ominous cloud that hovered above.  "Kids, this is our fourth of July weekend adventure."

I pulled right up to the Dairy Queen window, ordered ice cream and drove right back home. Laughing and eating, The children admitted how exciting that Dairy Queen drive really was. " I told you this was our big fourth adventure." The smiles on their faces were my reward.