I'm Growing Older But Not Up

This is one of my favorite Buffet songs, so thought I would share it with you to get this next post rolling.

It speaks to me, especially as of late. 

I'm probably the silliest sixty year old woman you'll ever meet.

 There's nothing I like better than laughing, and doesn't matter in the least if it happens to be at my own expense.

There's never a reason, to ever be an Ole Fart.

I love laughing at my own jokes, stories and memories. I can be brought to tears in the drop of a hat, and strive to do just that, on a daily basis...several times a day. (if I'm lucky)

Being a server for forty years and a mother for over thirty, has given me more ammunition than you could ever imagine...trust me.

I've had a pretty great run in life; with a few minor hiccups, a couple of major losses, but a whole lot of LOVE. 

Sometimes Love is all you need.

The even greater thing about Love, is the more you give, the more you receive.

"The redemptive power of Love."

We took our kids to Disney World every February for a few years when they were little, with our tax return. There's no better way to blow two grand, than to let your kids feel like they  have two ultra/ awesomely cool parents for thirty six hours...once a year, for as long as you can keep up the facade. Disney in February and a week at the beach every summer.

So we did just that...for our kids.

Then seemingly just as suddenly, we were broker than my weakest jokes. And it lasted longer than just a few years.

We went from life without a care

to living on a scare.

He went totally gray and I became permanently shrinkled (shrunken up, with wrinkles).

The highlights I force Massey to put in my hair every few months (we both hate doing it) cover all my gray hair, so at least there's that...and if I could put back on ten more pounds maybe a few wrinkles would be stretched apart and away, like a free face lift.

A girl can dream.

It took well over ten years but we are finally not only caught up but just a tad bit ahead of the game...

after thirty two years of trying.

Or at least vowing to.

When we first met, we were total opposites from jump. He grew up in a house with a twelve foot deep swimming pool, pool house, tennis courts, a shuffleboard court and an underground game room with pool tables, air hockey, pinball and video games; walls surrounded by granite from the roots of Stone Mountain, complete with a kitchen, bar and restrooms.

He was a rich Peter Brady.

 I was from a totally (above blue but just a bit  below) white collar family.

 It was awesome.

I grew up in a modest but absolutely respected household, rich with love and laughter...and a magnet for frequent visitors. People loved to be at our house, and so did we. I never wanted for one single thing...although like most brats I probably bitched a lot about nothing.

I was the baby, and like a hair in my siblings' biscuits. I know I had a lot of boogers...always pointed out to me, and was a total and complete pest.

It's a wonder I'm still alive.

Thank God for Love.

I could never imagine our family taking a photo like this.

We had ones like this:

Wait...What?!

Or this:

Ole Jed was strictly  Republican when I first met him.

I was so far to the left I was almost back around to the right. 

But things just clicked. 

(I think it was his Casio...or maybe his mullet)

We fell in love with each other pretty much from about the second date for him, third date for me, and bonus points for my ridiculous self, he was absolutely head over heels for a hick like me, regardless of my political affiliations or financial status.

Next month we  celebrate our thirty year wedding anniversary, after having lived in sin together for two years first.

Neither of us vote a straight party ticket... never have.  How absurd would that be?

Bad guys are everywhere.

Over the years we've mellowed, leaning one way on some things but can swing towards the other side on others. The only place any of this matters though, is in a polling booth, which we both frequent for each and every election. We do not debate politics with each other. That is a strictly private matter once you insert that ballot...as it should be.

But now none of us can get along?

Really?

How sad a statement is that?

All good questions.

V.O.T.E.

And I don't mean just every four years. We can't get rid of the big crooks if we keep letting small time local crooks sneak in during an off year election...one by one, office by office...level by level.

Ole Jed and I do not agree on a lot of issues, and that's okay. Most are finance or foreign policy related.

But we both agree that Trump is not a morally good person, and in fact is a bully of the worst kind.

Unrelenting and inept at the task in front of him, even if he could move his massive ego out of the way with his tiny arms for just one hot minute.

Unfortunately he can't, hasn't and won't.

We'll have to live with the results of the election and so will you.

Think about it. Is it about you, or is it  about all of us?

Till next time,

COTTON