Love is colorblind

Ian Johnson and Chrissy Popadics were married on Saturday despite threats made against them. He proposed to her after a college bowl game on television. I don't know how I missed hearing about that, I'm a hopeless romantic. The threats of course were regarding him being black and her white. I'm not sure why people think it's any of their business to become involved in their lives. In their own mind, if they don't like it, then keep it to yourself and don't inter racially marry. Leave others alone that choose to do it. For the people that don't like it or are against it, they better get over it. It is happening more and more in our country. Interracial marriage is defined as people marrying outside of their own race. According to the 1990 census 17.6% of African American marriages were interracial. Within that number 239,477 were black men married to white women and 95,831 white women married to black men.* Since 1970 the number of black and white marriages have increased from 65,000 to 422,000 in 2005. The opposite is true for Asians marrying whites. There are more Asian women married to white men then Asian men married to white women.* I don't have a reason for this, just found it curious.

As for me, if my boys choose to marry outside of their race I would accept it. Their happiness is what I am most concerned about. As long as the person they fall in love with is kind to them, respects them , makes them happy and loves them for who they are then who am I to argue with that. Their life together will be more challenging as would their children's but I feel love is colorblind.

Both kids have friends from different cultures. Number one has a group that call themselves the "United Nations" with kids from Russia, South Africa, China, Pakistan and Korea. Number two's best friend is black. We need the world to be much more tolerant of each other.

*wikipedia.org/wiki/interracial_marriage

Someone I love was nine months pregnant with her first child and at a family picnic. After dinner she didn't feel well so she asked her husband to take her home. On the way home she said, "maybe you should take me to the doctor's office". At the office the doctor took one look and gave her shot of something to slow down her labor and said, "I'll meet you at the hospital in Fremont." (Ohio). So off they went and ended up with a police escort. The husband has always said that he would've gotten there sooner without the cops. Anyway, just 15 minutes after she arrived at said hospital, her impatient baby came into the world...
and that baby was me!

What about Harry?

Are you wild about Harry Potter? I'm not at all. While I enjoy the movies and the special effects, I'm not a fan of the books. They just aren't my cup of tea, not the genre of book I like. Both boys are H.P. fans. They say that the books are soooo much better than the movies but enjoy both. For books 3,4&5 we took them to Barnes and Noble for the midnight release of the books. Especially for the early books it was a special treat because they were much younger and to be out at midnight was the best thing ever. (at that time!) By the time book 6 rolled around Number one was driving so he and his brother went without us. (Oh darn! insert eye roll here).

For the release of the final book we were on Cape Cod. Number one found a B&N about 50 minutes away that was having the H.P. festivities and midnight release. At first we were going to let them go alone but me being the mother I am, decided that since it would be late coming home, the roads are very dark, twisty turny and unfamiliar that they better not go alone. SO, it turned into a family affair, all four of us went and made a day out of it, well afternoon and evening. We went to the book store, they got their wristbands, went to dinner, shopped around Hyannis and at 10:00 took them back to B&N. How lucky were we that at the other end of the mall from the bookstore there was a movie theater. We saw "Chuck and Larry" while they "partied" awaiting witching hour or should I way wizard hour. Long story short, as we were walking out of the movie they called at 12:08 and said they had their books.

The eight hour drive home the next day was very quiet since they both read the entire way.

I hope they always have these fun Harry Potter memories.

This was the line outside of Barnes & Noble when we left after getting the books.

How does your garden grow?

The gardens in Cape Cod are just beautiful, very lush and filled with brilliant colors. I'm not sure why that is because the cape is made of sand, not much good topsoil.

I think it must be the sea air or perhaps the foggy mist that keeps them looking so gorgeous.

Hydrangeas grow abundantly on Cape Cod. Everywhere you look you see colors ranging from pink to almost Burgundy to light blue to deep purple.

Strangely enough I enjoy walking through cemeteries, the older the better. There are many on Cape Cod. I found one in Chatham and spent some time there. The old headstones tell you a story and you can fill in the blanks, they will usually tell you how old the person was down to the day they died. Some tell you how they died. Many sea captains lost at sea, civil war casualties and I even found a man who served in the War of the Revolution as it was called on the stone. I didn't have my camera with me at that time and when I returned I'll be damned if I could find it again. I did find this pretty stone with just her name on it

Many stones had a few words about the person carved on them. One in particular that I liked was "Those who knew her the best, loved her the most"

Modern headstones just seem to have the name, year of birth and death and maybe wife or mother on it. I'm picking mine out before I go so I can see what it will look like!

The Beach

A wonderful vacation was had by all although I'm always glad to return home to my king size bed and my own bathroom. Plus I missed my dog terribly. The weather was warm all week, sunny just the first half. I've been to Cape Cod at least 15 times and this visit was the dampest most foggy its ever been. At least your skin doesn't dry out.

I'll now regale (read bore) you with some vacation pictures. This is the beach at the Chatham lighthouse.

These pictures were taken different days from from the same spot.

Ten family members rented a house in Chatham. We'd never been there before and soon realized that it's a pretty wealthy community. The houses are so gorgeous with manicured lawns and gardens. I felt under dressed walking down Main Street, most people were wearing designer clothes and carrying expensive bags. The shops were pretty upscale but nice.

We usually go to North Truro out at the end of the cape and that's where my heart is. It's very unpretentious and down to earth. Both towns are wealthy, you'd have to be to live there but there is a difference. In Chatham you see the money. I think it's new money. In North Truro; old money. The homes are not gigantic architectural marvels, just down to earth, no lawns, just sand, gardens and sea grass. The residents walk around in shorts and shirts that they've probably had for 20 years. There is no Main Street. On the outer cape there are no chain restaurants or stores just small individually owned places.

Friday night we went into Hyannis so the boys could get the newest Harry Potter book at midnight. On the way there as we got closer I could see it becoming more commercial especially when I saw a Walgreens. That's not the Cape Cod I know and love.

I'm leaving but not on a jet plane

I’ll be away for a while relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod. For those of you not familiar with Cape Cod here are a few facts.

Cape Cod is the part of Massachusetts that reaches out into the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by water on three sides it resembles a bent arm. The upper arm is the upper cape, the lower arm is the lower cape then there is the wrist bent at the end and last is the fist. For many years we’ve gone camping out on the end at the wrist in North Truro. (If you ever saw Men in Black II Agent J finds retired Agent K working at the post office in North Truro.)

I love it out there; if you’re looking for an action packed vacation with theme parks and malls and people, don’t go there!! It’s quiet, rustic and beautiful. Nothing but beaches, lobsters and scrub pine trees but of course it has restaurants and hotels but not the typical resort type. There are hiking and bike trails, The National Seashore, whale watching and people watching. Visiting Provincetown is lots of fun unless you’re homophobic then I wouldn’t suggest that vacation spot for you. It attracts many, many gay and lesbian couples and singles. You never know what you will see, from the flamboyant to the reserved. I was raised in a non-judgmental and tolerant home and have been going there for about 30 years; it doesn’t phase me a bit.

For the first year ever we are not camping on Cape Cod but renting a house with 6 other family members. We will be staying on the elbow of the cape. It will be different; more thickly settled with people, more vegetation and less sand everywhere but I’m sure I will love it. Just point me to the beach and I’m happy.

Many people believe that the pilgrim’s first landing spot was in Plymouth, Massachusetts but au contare. The Mayflower first landed on November 11, 1620 in what is now Provincetown harbor and while there, the Mayflower Compact was signed. After trying to live there for 5 weeks and with winter coming they left Provincetown due to the lack of fresh water and farmable land. They found Plymouth and the rest as they say, is history. Eventually Portuguese fisherman settled Provincetown and today remains a fishing town with heavy Portuguese influence. We always hit the Portuguese bakery there or as the kids called it, pork and cheese, when they were little. I could go on and on about the history of the area but I’m sure this is enough for you.

The Mayflower

Catch you when I return with sand in my shoes and a sunburn.

I really dislike Wal-Mart for many reasons, some being that no matter when I go there the parking stinks, the store is always busy, it seems to attract rude people and it is taking over the world. There are more reasons why that I won't go into here. I broke down and moved one of my prescriptions there. I tried not to but its a drug that's on their $4 per refill list. How can I not? We do go grocery shopping there every other week or so. They are significantly cheaper than Wegmans. http://www.wegmans.com/ where I normally grocery shop.

Tonight I had to make a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up some meds before I leave on vacation Saturday. As I walked up the pharmacy counter, surprise, no line but no one behind the counter either. I see an bank envelope laying there. I pick it up, it's sealed, nothing written on the outside. I open it up and hello Andrew Jackson X 10. Inside, two hundred dollars and nothing else. My first thought; someone is going to be pissed that they lost this. My second fleeting thought; wow, vacation money! For 10 seconds I was in the money! Then I thought,"what if this is some old lady's life savings who has to eat cat food now that her money is gone.

I decide to write on the envelope where I found it, the date and time. After I pay for my prescription I tell the clerk that I had found this at the counter. It must belong to the last person she rang up. I asked her what will happen to this money if no one calls to ask about it. She didn't know. I then told her that I don't think it should go into Wal-Marts coffers. They make more than enough money. So what to do with it? Donate it to a charity, a good idea but I doubt that will happen. I certainly hope someone claims it as they're kicking themselves for being so careless. Oh well, who knows but this will bother me for a bit. I wish my kids were with me because this was a huge teachable moment on several levels. What would you do??

Television

Ice Road Truckers; the most boring show on TV. So they drive a truck across frozen water. How exciting can that be. To be honest I only watched it once for 30 minutes, that was enough. If I want to watch a bunch of unkempt guys in need of a shower and shave I'll go watch Deadliest Catch. I will say that I am addicted to this show. Yes, it seems to be the same thing over and over... throw in the pot, pull out the pot, sort the crab, try not to get washed overboard etc. But, at least there's some action like huge waves, big ugly crab and they all seem to have a personality as opposed to Ice Road Truckers. The little I saw, they just bitched and complained.
Another show I've found since The Soprano's has ended and Desperate Housewives is on hiatus is Gene Simmons Family Jewels. In case you don't know who he is Gene is the founding member of the 1970's group KISS. (My teenage decade) I stumbled upon this show by accident but was hooked immediately. I guess I was expecting something flamboyant but like Ozzie Osborne, Gene Simmons is remarkably low key at home.





Neither one of them are loud and for the most part calm. A far cry from their frenetic stage presence. That's where the similarity ends. More of Ozzie's hard rocker persona is evident in his home life from the way he dresses to how their home is decorated. Sharon runs the house and his empire. Gene Simmons runs every aspect of his business and is always looking for ways to make more money. Shannon Tweed his partner of 23 years and mother of their 2 children rules the roost but like any smart women lets Gene think he does. He's a very hands on dad, involved with his children, going to their activities and is a very protective (maybe too much so) father.

So that's my television review for today. Nothing else is new and exciting around here.

I can't wait for Peter Pan Peanut Butter to be back on the grocery store shelves.

I'll admit it, I'm not a choosy mom, I don't like Jiff or any other brand. I've tolerated them but they didn't convert me.

I have eaten P.P.P.B. my entire life, I'm not giving it up now.

Creamy only though.

4th of July

Happy Independence Day!

Despite the trials and tribulations that this country is

going through there is no place on this Earth that I

would rather live than in the United States of America.

Celebrate the day!

I couldn't decide which picture I liked the best so I put them all up.

This reminds me of Cape Cod where I'll be in two weeks.

The George Washington Bridge in another favorite place, New York City.

This looked like a birthday party.

Park City, Utah

You can't get more American than baseball. I prefer the baseball pants that come to the knee, they look more traditional. I'll be at a game tonight with fireworks after if Mother Nature cooperates. It looks iffy right now.

Finally fireworks in New York City, that's the Chrysler Building

Hope you have a great holiday.

FATE

Do you believe in Fate? I do, fate plays a factor in our lives everyday, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes horrific.

A week ago this evening, five 2007 high school graduates ages 17 and 18 from the next town over, lost their lives in horrible car accident. A group of 9 girls traveling in two cars were on their way to a family cottage of one of the girls. They left later in the evening at 9:30 because they waited for one that had to work. About 10:08 the first car, actually an SUV passed a slower moving van. After the driver reentered her lane the SUV went back into oncoming traffic and slammed head-on into a tractor-trailer for reasons we may never know. Maybe she overcorrected, maybe went off onto the shoulder of the road and was trying to get back in the lane and lost control. Right now it is estimated that the two vehicles were both going about 55 mph when they collided. Upon impact the fuel lines in the SUV and the semi ruptured and burst into flames. The truck driver escaped and tried to help the girls but the heat was too intense. Flames reached 50 feet into the air, burning through telephone and cable TV wires. No one could be saved.

The five girls were a group of best friends; popular in their high school and 4 were members of the cheerleading squad. Their squad had placed first in a competition in Florida this school year. These girls were all active in service clubs at school, gave back to their community, some were active in their youth groups at church, some held 3 jobs, some were in the National Honor Society, one hoped to join the Peace Corps, one visited India volunteering during her spring break, one had a full scholarship at the college they were going to attend in the fall, one was scheduled for cheerleading tryouts at her soon to be college this past weekend and one was an only child. By all accounts they were kind, generous, well rounded, students, not the stuck up stereotyped cheerleader. They had their whole lives ahead of them.

I didn’t know these girls but I have children, one the age of these girls. This tragedy has taken hold and affected the entire surrounding communities. I don’t think they had time to even know what hit them but for the girls behind them that witnessed the crash and for their parents and families it must be unimaginably soul crushing. As a parent I would die for my children and I don’t know how I would be able to go on if this had happened to mine. Family, friends and even strangers will help them cope. I am heartbroken for them all.

Now reading back on this and if you could read the local articles about these young ladies, you can see they had everything going for them and seemed to have led a charmed life. Does that make their lives any more valuable than others? (I’ve pondered this question and child killers come to mind but that’s another blog topic.) No, any loss of life is sad. I would like to think that everyone has some redeeming qualities and everyone has potential. Some may have not chosen the right path in life or made poor decisions for themselves but everyone has loved ones left behind to mourn them.

Getting back to the title of this post, Fate. Fate is a funny thing and the “if only” can make you crazy. If only the one girl could have gotten out of work earlier or if they had hit several red lights or left 3 minutes later this may not have happened. Everything had to work in favor of this fiery crash happening, from the truck driver, to the slow moving van to the girl’s vehicle. Everyone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. As I said, I believe in Fate and that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you just don’t understand why or know what the reason is. It’s hard to justify the loss of life especially in ones so young.