Category: 2018

First birthdays first…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Birthdays, Winter at Sonnystone2 Comments

I planned to start Blogging Birthday Week yesterday in my Usual Sunday Wrap-up.  A beautiful oops! occurred and I ended up spending the day playing with Samantha while her Mom, Dad, and Sis worked a Girl Scout cookie booth over at Rural King.  We rode our Magic Carpets to Disney World using our maps.  She was full of music and wrote several songs, accompanying herself on the piano….I especially enjoyed “Do you wish you had red hair like me?”

We watched The Little Mermaid because Samantha had never seen it before and we are using Ariel as her birthday-party theme.  She took the phone on a picture-taking adventure around the house and she’s a pretty good little photographer.  I love seeing things from 3-feet-tall perspective.

Michael told me that when she got home she went straight to her room, lay down and took a nap!!  I did, too!!

When I checked my email post-nap, I got a notice from Ancestry.  I guess I didn’t put my Mom’s year of death on my tree.  They sent a “Happy Birthday to Ruby Mayne!” congratulating her on her 88th birthday, February 18, 2019… It kind of shocked me to see that she would be only 88.  I want to live to be 90 or so and by my way of thinking, she should still be here.  Her birthdays stopped at 71, not so far from my age, and I try not to think about that.  But I did think about it and it made me moody…and broody…and not at all inspired to write…

When I pulled out this picture, I thought of Samantha’s song… Mom’s hair never turned gray, staying a lovely strawberry blonde without any help from Clairol.  I think she would have joined right in singing, “Don’t you wish you had red hair like me”…

This was probably a birthday celebration with her Bridge Club. From l-r Marlene, Mom, Millie. I have no idea which birthday!!!

…I miss her every day…

So I didn’t get the Grand Opening of the 66th Birthday Celebration Week blogged, but it does seem appropriate to start the Week with a Celebration of Mom’s Life, too.  Here’s my 2013 post Happy Birthday, Mom…    

This week I will be re-blogging Past Birthdays, culminating in our Party on Saturday.  I hope you’ll enjoy these Blasts from the Past…

Peace

Looking Back…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Holidays at Sonnystone, New Year's Eve Special EditionLeave a comment

Another year done gone…

No matter how well you’ve left the Past behind, Christmas to New Year’s Day will bring the Ghosts back.  We remember the Christmases when we were kids, when our kids were kids, when our kids’ kids were kids…  We remember the Disastrous, the Magical, and forget the mundane…  We count our years and our lbs. and compare them with Other Celebrations…   We Wonder just how we got this Old…

And we tell ourselves what a Great Life we’re Living.  We look through our pictures and reassure ourselves that we are Still Going Strong…

View from our camper, Presnell’s Marina, Port St. Joe FL

I’m ready to put 2018 to bed now, sending it out with Hoppin’ John and Old Crow.  We’re planning on starting the festivities on London Time, about 5pm here at Sonnystone, so I’ve got to get…

But should Old acquaintances be forgot and never brought to mind?  I think not.

For Old Time’s Sake, I’ll drink a cup of Kindness to You!  And another to You…and You…*

Peace

*You know who You are…

Annual appeal for Peace on Earth…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Christmas, Christmas at Sonnystone 2018, Winter at SonnystoneLeave a comment

The shepherds didn’t hear the angels say “Merry Christmas”, they heard them sing of Peace On Earth, Goodwill toward All. I’m no angel, but Peace is my Prayer, every day.

I have a dream that one day men will rise up and come to see that they are made to live together as brothers. I still have a dream this morning that one day every Negro in this country, every colored person in the world, will be judged on the basis of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin, and every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. I still have a dream that one day the idle industries of Appalachia will be revitalized, and the empty stomachs of Mississippi will be filled, and brotherhood will be more than a few words at the end of a prayer, but rather the first order of business on every legislative agenda. I still have a dream today that one day justice will roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. I still have a dream today that in all of our state houses and city halls men will be elected to go there who will do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with their God. I still have a dream today that one day war will come to an end, that men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, that nations will no longer rise up against nations, neither will they study war any more. I still have a dream today that one day the lamb and the lion will lie down together and every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid. I still have a dream today that one day every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill will be made low, the rough places will be made smooth and the crooked places straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. I still have a dream that with this faith we will be able to adjourn the councils of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when there will be peace on earth and good will toward men. It will be a glorious day, the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy. —Dr. Martin Luther King.

Happy Christmas, ya’ll.

Peace

 

The last 2 weeks…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Christmas, Christmas at Sonnystone 2018, Photos, Sonnystone at Christmas, updatesLeave a comment

It seems like forever since I’ve blogged, but with good reason.  I always feel a little guilty when I don’t keep ya’ll up-to-date with the latest coming and goings around the Acres, but sometimes life is just too full of Now to stop and write about it…and that’s all right with me.

Olivia played the piano beautifully at her recital on the 8th.  The grandkids are sure growing up fast… I have a lovely video of her performance of “Belle”, but WP makes it difficult to upload videos, so all you get today is a pic…

We flew to NYC on the 11th…remind me not to take the earliest flight on earth next time.  We arrived early enough to pick up Eliza from school, the first time I’ve visited there.  She took the next two days off to hang around with us…

Early our first morning, we took the subway to Rockefeller Center for the NBC Studio Tour.  It was so incredibly cool.  At the end of the eye-opening tour — who knew the SNL set was so small? — the do a video of a “late night talk show”.  I can’t take the time to upload it to wordpress and you probably wouldn’t watch it anyway, but Eliza was the announcer and I was the guest.  It is hilarious.  So fun.

We spent Thursday hanging out, decorating the tree and playing games.  Emma was there, too, but Emma will be 13 next month…if you know what I mean…

Friday both girls were back in school.  Eric, Melissa, PawPaw, and I spent the day traipsing through the Oculis and over to the Whitney to view the Warhol exhibit.  It was as good as Warhol, but I thought there might be more…  Seems like I had seen many of them already…am I getting jaded?

Or maybe it’s because NYC surrounds a person with art…like here on the High Line…

Saturday morning found us at Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, our annual tradition.  This was the 14th visit for my daughter and me, and the show has changed for the better.  I told them last year we needed to just concentrate on the dancers and they took my advice.  They added new music, new choreography, more light-show stuff, while keeping the old favorites…though they don’t do the Santas with mirrors anymore.

 I just realized that my obsession with the Spectacular is as strong as my obsession with Disney….okay, not quite, but I do tend to repeat my good experiences again and again.

 

 

We flew back home Sunday and spent Monday doing laundry and at the grocery store.  We’ve had Samantha for the last 2 days and that’s as much a workout as walking NYC.  Olivia’s out of school now, so they’ll be here for a sleepover tonight.  I still have to buy gifts…and get these witch nails manicured…and get more food…

Our Christmas with the Jrs. will be this Sunday and by Monday the sound of the silence will be strong…  I’ll have plenty of time to write…

 Jingle All the Way…

Peace

First December Post

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Autumn at Sonnystone Acres, Christmas, Holidays at Sonnystone, Photos, Weekly Wrap-Up2 Comments

Casey had a birthday last Friday, his 64th.  I usually post something mushy about him, so if you are interested in knowing just how much I appreciate him read here and here and here ….just go check all the November archives!!!

This year’s celebration involved the traditional gifts of underwear and socks, but instead of a flannel shirt I found a shirt just like the one I gave him 10 or 15 years ago, the one that is really ragged now, though it pops into his clothing rotation every so once in a while.  I don’t imagine he’ll actually toss the old one, but I can sneak it into the rag bag soon.

After piano lesson on Saturday, Olivia and Samantha came over to put the decorations on the tree for us…

I’ve been shopping and I still need to do more shopping and it’s awfully tiresome.  I do make friends standing in line, and always chat up the cashier, so it has its fun moments.   When I got down my Christmas-y clothes this year, it was sad and pathetic, so I’m on a quest for some Holiday togs.  This week-end is Olivia’s Piano Recital at EMA and in just a week we’ll be flying into NYC for our Christmas celebration with the Jose’ Family, so I must have all my frocks in a row.

I’ve traced my genealogy about as far as I can go using the free library version of MyHeritage, so I decided to sign up for a 2-week free trial.  It’s true that Ancestry has a larger database, but I see many of my family folks are on MyHeritage, so I think that’s the way to go.  Except…I don’t have time for it right now.  I think it’s going to make a great January hobby…

I’m within 1 book of meeting my goodreads challenge for the year, cruising through some old-time mysteries by the likes of Dorothy L. Sayers and Josephine Tey (thanks, Sippora!)

I managed to write for an hour every day in November, but I can’t brag about how much I accomplished.  I’m stuck in the middle of the beginning of the Grandmother story, so I left it and did some editing of some old stories I’d forgotten about.  I found a poem that I wrote on our trip to Brown County and it wasn’t too bad, so I fixed it to  good.  Overall, I think I’ve gotten a habit going…just in time to break it for Christmas..!  I don’t think I’m good for routine much longer than 30 days anyway, so I really don’t mind at all…

Peace

 

Scenes from the week-end

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Photos, Thanksgiving, week-end wrap-upLeave a comment

We danced through Thanksgiving…

Friday we brought Everything Christmas down from the attic, raising dust, destroying cobwebs and sneezing.  We had made a fair dent in the decorating on Friday, but stopped Saturday to see a matinee of Ralph breaks the Internet with the Jrs.  We returned to our mess that evening and again this morning.  We have vacuumed up so much cat hair that I’m ashamed, but it’s pretty much done except for the tree…and maybe more Mr&Mrs Clauses….possibly some new pillows…

Now my week is free to catch up with my hair and nails and shopping.  I am closing in on my Reading Goal for 2018, too.  I’ve had to get my Grandmother story out of my mind and on paper, or air, or wherever these words go, before I can go on with the genealogy project and I’m getting verrry close to finishing.

I can’t get a good picture of our new wreath yet, but here’s a bad picture……use your imagination as your filter…

Peace

 

The Thanksgiving Edition 2018

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Autumn at Sonnystone Acres, Holidays at Sonnystone, Random, Special EditionLeave a comment

I started in on Casey as soon as we turned the calendar into November:  What do you want to do about Thanksgiving?  I don’t feel like cooking this year.  Should we take a trip?  We’d better figure out what to do before it gets here, ’cause I hate just it when a holiday becomes just another day…

You see, we have no regular tradition to celebrate the 4th Thursday in November.  Back when everybody was still alive, we blithely went from one big meal to another, savoring the kind of cooking that is the stuff of legend.

In the years since Melissa moved to New York, we’ve bounced around, even visiting for the Macy’s parade a couple of times.  She hasn’t been home at this time of year for at least a decade now and isn’t in New York, either.

The Regional Oirachtas, a very big deal to an Irish Dancer, takes place in Philadelphia over the holiday and that is their tradition now.  Michael’s wife still has a grandma who lives up in Dale, so they always go up there with her family.  That’s an evening meal, though, and I have occasionally done up the turkey-dressing thing for them at lunch.

So it was that I found myself going into a rather bitter rant at the dentist’s office Tuesday.  All the poor girl did was ask what our plans were and I announced that my theme for Thanksgiving was “blank Thanksgiving”…I carried on a little ways about not having any family to celebrate with, not liking to have to make so much food for just us…She suggested a turkey breast and I sort of snapped at her that it sounded like a TV dinner…I went on that not every family was a Rockwell painting, when I caught myself, moved by the crestfallen look on the face of my sweet little dentist.

I’m a pro at turning it around, so I changed my vibe to Every Day is a Day to Be Thankful, and I’m thankful for you all…and I thanked my way out of the office, beaming gratitude throughout and into the waiting room…  When I got to my car, I gave myself a stern talking-to…

Just what is this all about?  Are you sabotaging your own happiness?  Why the griping and complaining?   I won’t take you through my entire process, but it was clear that I needed to plan a Thanksgiving Day Celebration, and my favorite part of Thanksgiving, the part that has always been a constant as I’ve forged through the day, is the Macy’s Parade.   And what’s the best part of the parade?  When the Real Santa and Mrs. arrive at the end.  So what do I need?

I need a little Christmas Now…  With that song as my theme, I swept in and announced that we’d be having a little Thanksgiving Day luncheon, Wolf’s BBQ and some sides;  that Olivia and Samantha would be spending Wednesday night so that we could get up and watch the whole parade together;  that then we would haul out the holly and put up the tree before my spirits fall again…

So That’s what we are Doing!!!

We’re up to catch the Parade, eating cinnamon rolls that PawPaw baked, drawing pictures and singing songs….  Who could ask for more?  I can, so we will facetime Emma and Eliza later and I can watch the kids share the cousin love.

After Mr. & Mrs. Claus have arrived, we can start the decorating…   I’ve been playing We Need a Little Christmas on piano, but remembered a small part that is only in the musical, Patrick says something like, but it’s a week before Thanksgiving…and The Great and Wonderful Auntie Mame says…

Well, once I taught you all to Live Each Living Day…

Live Every Day like it’s Thanksgiving Day…

Live Every Day like it’s Christmas Day, too, but maybe not so much tinsel…

Peace

 

 

 

 

Another Birthday Day…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Autumn at Sonnystone Acres, BirthdaysLeave a comment

It was on this day in 1928 that Mickey Mouse was born when the first sound-synchronized cartoon to attract widespread public notice, Walt Disney’s “Steamboat Willie,” premiered in New York at the Colony Theater. The black and white cartoon featured Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Pegleg Pete and lasted seven minutes. With Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey, the cartoon met with great success. … from Garrison Keillor’s Writers Almanac…

I grew up watching The Wonderful World Of Disney (started in 1954 and ran under various names until 2005!!) every Sunday evening, featuring Walt Disney as our host.  Walt introduced the feature film each week and there was always a lesson in there somewhere.  There was Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and a lot of real-life animal shows, and sometimes some “Silly Symphonies”, but Mickey cartoons were not the main feature.

The Mickey Mouse Club, with Annette and the gang, ran from 1955 to 1959, with reruns shown every day right after American Bandstand…I was there.  Mickey always hosted, of course, and often one of the Mousketeers would go to the Vault (Meeska, mooska, mousketeer…mouse cartoon time now is here) and we’d be treated to a Mickey cartoon.  Still, the members of the Club were the stars, and though I wore my mouska-ears, it was Karen and Cubby that I came to see.

(To be honest, Mickey and his friends Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, Pluto and all the rest, were not my favorites.  In the 60s I was an avid fan of “The Bugs Bunny Show”, loving on Bugs, Daffy, Wile E. Coyote, and my particular favorite, Pepe LePew. )

Walt Disney World in Florida opened in 1971, but our family didn’t make it down there until 1984, and that’s when I Really fell in love with Mickey.  The Disney Channel debuted as a premium cable channel in 1983, and now Minnie, Mickey and the gang are good friends with my grandchildren.  Our family has been to WDW over a dozen times and we’ll be back in March, 2019.  For us, the Magic is Real…Every Time.

It has always been the Man himself, Walt Disney, who is my Hero.  What a legacy this guy has, and what an inspiration to us all.   Yet he gives all the credit to Mickey Mouse, so I will, too.

Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse!  See ya real soon!

Peace

 

 

 

 

HB, Prince Charles !!

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Autumn at Sonnystone Acres, November Challenge, November Writing ChallengeLeave a comment

When I was 10 years old I saw a picture in the newspaper of Prince Charles…he was attending Gordonstoun, and I think he was wearing a kilt..  Nonetheless, I immediately fell in crush.  It seemed clear to me that the Royal Family needed an American to add some colour..(way ahead of my time).  I started a scrapbook, combing the magazines and newspapers for more pictures,  reading and writing up bios on every member of the Windsors.  I can still tell you, from memory, that his full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, that he is the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, the blahdy blah of blah, etc.

During the summer of my 11th year (1964) I wrote him a letter and asked him to be my pen pal.  I wrote lots of letters back then, but this one my Dad thought was so funny.  In it, I lied about my age and told him I was 12 !!!   While I was visiting Grandmother, he mailed the letter without my knowing.  A few months later I received a letter, on Buckingham Palace stationery, from the Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting, expaining to me that the Prince would not be able to correspond with me.  I still have the letter and scrapbook here somewhere.  I was so excited!  A few years later I discovered Real Boys, but always kept a keen interest in Charles.

Anyone who knew me back then was aware of my crush and I planned to go to England as soon as I was old enough. (unfortunately, that did not happen and I still haven’t visited)

Anyway, after the whole Di thing, I have been steadfastly defending him.  I think he accidentally married a young lady who had serious mental health problems, ignoring his heart and being faithful to his “position” as the future King.  Everything good about the Princes William and Harry has been attributed in the press to their mother, and I’m not going to try to malign her mothering.  However, Prince Charles started the Prince’s Trust way before he married her and has always been a true “working” royal.  His relationship with his sons appears to be strong, proven because they make fun of him like any adult child does, and also because they give him a lot of credit for the people they are today.

I still follow the Royals very closely.  BBC has been showing a lovely documentary that finally gives Charles his just desserts.  He and Camilla share loving looks and it’s quite clear they are still very much in love with each other after all these years.  I approve…but always did want him to be happy, since it didn’t work out between the two of us.

Dear Prince Charles,

Today is your birthday #70.  Geez, PC, we have grown old together…

Love, Peace, and Happy Birthday Wishes…

From your Loyal Fangirl…

Dance like nobody’s looking…

Peace

P.S.  I wrote about this in 2012…  if you are counting…

Delay Tactics

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Autumn at Sonnystone Acres, November Writing Challenge1 Comment

Okay, I admit it…I’m procrastinating again…  I picked up a book,

…and decided I need to read up.  Here’s what Amazon says about the book…

 In Process, acclaimed journalist Sarah Stodola examines the creative methods of literature’s most transformative figures. Each chapter contains a mini biography of one of the world’s most lauded authors, focused solely on his or her writing process. Unlike how-to books that preach writing techniques or rules, Process puts the true methods of writers on display in their most captivating incarnation: within the context of the lives from which they sprang. Drawn from both existing material and original research and interviews, Stodola brings to light the fascinating, unique, and illuminating techniques behind these literary behemoths.

Oh, I wanna be like them!  Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, F. Scott Fitzgerald…not Hemingway, though.  (hemingway was an ass)  The author goes through each individual’s process, many of whom procrastinate like crazy before they finally sit down and put pen to paper, so I feel like I’m in good company.

Nearly all of the more current authors have methods to keep themselves from falling into the black hole of the internet.  Zadie Smith first used apps to monitor her time online and eventually withdrew completely.  Margaret Atwood has two computers in her office:  one with internet, one without.  She allows herself 10 minutes each day on Twitter, which she thinks is the best social media platform,  and is involved with some online writing forums, but otherwise has disciplined herself to look away.

It covers a lot of oldtimers, too. Edith Wharton famously wrote in bed every morning, tossing each full page of writing on the floor for the help to pick up and take to the typist.  F. Scott wrote for $$ and revised or even rewrote when Max Perkins suggested.

Fascinating stuff, I tell you, and a perfect way to avoid writing, but hey, Toni Morrison usually has most of her books written in her head before she sits down to write.  Yeah, I’m just like her.

In the guise of research, I have googled 1890s and 1900s so often that Mr.G blithely fills in the blanks for me:  fashion, morals, entertainment.  I am immersed in imagining life at the turn of the 20th century, what they wore, how they traveled, what music they listened to…   It’s a sure-fire distraction, as I sit tapping my foot to Ragtime…

But ultimately, people are people in every decade or era.  They grow up to be products of their culture, but inside they struggle, just like me, to figure out how to rise above their circumstances.

So, I gotta get back to the actual writing…or maybe dance…

Peace