Those were the days of regret

I was in the 8th grade in '71/72. Yes, I'm exactly the same age as Michael Jackson. The first time I heard the Jackson 5, I was hooked! I had very eclectic musical tastes even then. My first two albums that I bought were Hank Williams (yes, that would be senior) and the Supremes. Jackson 5 came along not too much later.

I was in the 8th grade. It was a troubled time. It was after the flower children, and before Watergate. I was a 12 year old, living with an alcoholic stepfather (am I oversharing?) in a small town in Arizona, of all places..

I was in the 8th grade. I had a best friend named Susan. She was wonderful. And she wasn't allowed to come to my house.

Because I owned Jackson 5 records.

On another note, I wonder if Farrah Fawcett's family and friends are happy that the spotlight has moved, leaving them to some well-deserved peace and quiet. I always loved Farrah. I wanted her hair, but then so did every other girl in my class.

I remember one episode of Charlie's Angels (I wasn't in 8th grade anymore) where they visited a circus...some kind of murder had happened there (big surprise, right?). The family that owned the circus was the Bakaleinikoff family! They used my name!

I'm sure they got it out of the Hollywood archives. But it was so cool.

May Michael and Farrah rest in peace. They brought much joy to our world.

Grand Old Flag

So, apparently I missed Flag Day....first time ever. For your viewing pleasure, may I present:

Happy Birthday

to my mother, on the anniversary of her birth.

I miss her.
I love her.
I wonder how life would have turned out had she not died when I was 10.



p.s.

I'd have put in a better pic of her, but my scanner doesn't seem to want to work this evening.

These times, they are a'tryin'

It's the last week of school.

Emotions run high with first grade girls the last week of school. There's a chance that their mothers will be SO MEAN that they will never, ever see their best friends again until school starts THE. MIDDLE. OF. AUGUST. That's like FOREVER.

They also become very attached to their teacher, who is THE. MOST. BEAUTIFUL. AND. SWEETEST. WOMAN. IN. THE. WORLD. EVER. And she's never, ever going to be their teacher again.

And it's a party every day - today, the Aquatic Center, tomorrow a pizza party, Wednesday is a field trip to Turtle Bay Exploration Park, and
Thursday is the Summer Stampede - a family BBQ for the whole school. That's a lot of fun and excitement for one week.

So, I guess that's why tonight's dinner went like this:

Jelly Bean Princess: Can I have some ketchup on my pasta? (Yes, I know it's gross, but their dad does it).

Me: Of course.

I then put ketchup on the pasta.

JBP: I was wrong....I don't want ketchup.

Sobbing ensues. I scrape off every bit of pasta that has ketchup on it, and give it back to her.

She takes a bite.

JBP: Mom, I think I would like ketchup after all.

Argggh.