Answer: Blue Skies, Blue Caps and Gowns, Blue Lips, Pomp and Circumstance

Question: What Did Friday, June 25th have?

My 4 1/2 year old grandson graduated from Pre-K on Friday along with 23 other adorable preschoolers in blue caps and gowns. When I saw the actual gowns lined up on a table in one of the classrooms earlier that day,I knew it was going to be a 5 hanky afternoon. Because along with caps and gowns comes the Pomp and Circumstance march; I have never made it through that song without a few tissues when each of my kids graduated. But this was a first for a grandchild. I mean, he was just born a few years ago! And here I was with wet eyes and cheeks as Pomp and Circumstance played throughout the classroom.

I was standing in the back of the room right near the door where the kids would come out in their caps and gowns and walk down a short aisle to take their places in little chairs up in the front of the room. My little one caught my eye and he smiled as I clicked a whole bunch of pictures to send to everyone and carry around with me. Of course, having never used a digital camera, I didn't realize that the flash had to go off, and before that, a red light would come on. So 7/8 through the ceremony and exercises, I realized that I had nothing to show. Luckily my daughter and son-in-law have a record of this momentous occasion.

The commencement exercises were very adorable along with a slide show as a record of each child's 2-1/2 years at the Wonder Years Pre-School. Pictures were taken of all the graduates and then it was on to another classroom where parents, grandparents, younger toddlers and friends all indulged in delicious cake and drinks. It didn't take me long to spot my little 2 year old toddler sitting in a chair, minding her own business and devouring the blue icing of the cake all by herself. She was her own picture of blue: blue lips, face and hands. What a delicious day for her and all of us!

blue skies, blue cap and gown, pomp and circumstance and blue lips

Buddy can you spare a dime?

One Friday night last month I was coming out of my temple from Friday night services when my friend noticed that his car (an Infinity) wouldn't start. He kept trying to turn on the ignition many times and so did each person who came over to give him a helping hand and who each had a new suggestion on what to do. I had to be up at 7:30 a.m. the next day, which is a time that I only observe as a wake up time with my grandkids when I'm up at their house. It's an ungodly hour for me. That said, I wanted to get out of the temple parking lot as soon as possible. So I called my housemate to see if he could come down to the temple and give me a ride home. My friend called his girlfriend to do the same since he figured that AAA would tow his car off somewhere for the night. So 20 minutes later I'm picked up, we drive up Jamboree and right before we exit, there's a sign that says Jamboree exit. But, I must admit, it's a little confusing at the turnoff point and many times it's a natural inclination to want to go one exit more before we REALLY have to get off before the toll. Well, we were talking and naturally missed the exit. So there's a toll fee we have to pay for just literally ONE BLOCK. My friend asks me how much change I have (the toll is .75 cents!) Together we've come up with .55 cents. Yes, we each have dollars on us but, believe it or not, this particular toll station doesn't make change at all; nada, zippo, zilch! Now there are 2 lanes for the toll road, one is for the Fasttrak, the other is for putting your money in the basket. No one at all was coming behind us in the change lane. Everyone was zipping through with their fasttrak passes. Finally I hailed down a lovely man who barely spoke English. He pulled over from the fast trak to check his coins. Nope, he didn't even have .20 cents to his name. So while I'm talking to this foreigner , who really could have been the grim reaper for all I know, my friend was literally on his knees outside the car checking in the front and back of the car to see if he could scrounge up .20 cents more maybe from under the mats or in between the seats. He found 2 dimes. Twenty minutes later we were home free having gotten the green light to pass through. Thinking my other friend was still at temple waiting for AAA, I gave him a call to find out how he was and to laugh about our adventures; he was already home. When his girlfriend arrived, she suggested he start the car again and lo and behold, it started! Boy I hang around with some doozies, huh? One floods his car over and over again and the other is scrounging for change under the carpets of his car! There's something wrong with this picture.

Shopped 'Til I Dropped

Last weekend the SEARS ESSENTIALS closed in my neighborhood. Ever since I knew the store was closing I'd visit it regularly to see how the merchandise was selling, what percentage off was being given, and was there something I had to have. So I missed out on the wine rack that I'd been touching, feeling and measuring for about 6 weeks, I missed out on some toys for my grandkids, there was no jewelry that interested me, basically nothing but a few bras. After I purchased one bra at 50% off, I waited until the line would go down more. But alas, when the 75% sign went up, the brand that I liked had nothing to offer me but 2 sizes larger. So, had to have the bargain, and bought it at 2 sizes larger. Then last weekend, I went in early Friday morning, just to scout out the store for the last time. Not much left. Saturday, after work, I was so tired but had to go in again. Even less left. I decided that was enough. I'd touched everything, tried on what was slightly interesting, and just went home. No more, don't go back; you've seen it all. Except that Sunday night, the last hour of the store's existence, I just couldn't drive home after work without giving it one more shot. I'm now completely exhausted having worked and been on my feet the whole weekend. So with painful heel spur and all, I park my car and with 45 minutes left until closing, I decided to try on a few blue jeans in Omar the Tentmaker size. The clothes were 80% off with an additional 50% off of that. Can't beat that. So I figured I'll buy one size larger, just to get me through this overly fat, outrageous BMI number that I've earned. And for $3.50 I walked out of Sears Essentials with my new oversized jeans that I can throw out after I stop eating walnuts, yogurt, M&Ms, chocolate and all the other midnight snacks.

Younger than springtime, am I

When two of my grandkids were very small but old enough to sit up and hold onto objects, one of the first animated things that each of them did was to hold up an adult shoe to their ears and make believe they were talking on the phone. Of course I thought that each one of them was so creative and brilliant. I marveled how they could substitute a shoe for a cell phone. Sometimes they would just pick up anything that was more or less rectangular and hold it to their ears and pretend to be talking.

This image came back to me this afternoon as I dried myself off from the shower. I always bring both my cell phone and landline to the bathroom area (God forbid I should miss a call from my gallery!) So I'm all dried off, have put my clothes on and go to return both phones to their proper places in my bedroom. Only as I was going to put my landline phone back in its cradle I realized that I had picked up the Dove body lotion which is also white and sort of rectangular in shape.
Now either I am younger than springtime like my grandkids or older than dirt. Unfortunetly it's the latter.

"I'm Not A Snake."