TIME: What is it and where has it gone?

It just can't be possible that I have not blogged in two months. Yet, I stare at the last blog date and know it is true. A writer now, working on my book, the saying  "life interrupts writing" does not fit. In my case--- writing has interrupted life.  I have not recorded all those priceless moments with Poodles in my Poodle Parlor.

The socked feet pitter-pattering along, dusting my wooden floors these last days, has been a treat.  I love listening to Britton and Kenley, with their Swedish dialect, bossing their demands on each other,.  Of course, I understand their language perfectly, since the "unrecognizable vowels and consonants"  passed down from the Kuersteiner side of the generation pool is familiar.  Once again, I am transcended to years gone by when Garrett and Sara Britton spoke this same language. Someone once asked me if they talk in tongue. I smiled and told them it was a new language.

Allie Boone is pulling up, her little padded toes in perfect point, as though she just slipped off her ballet slippers. I predict she will walk before she is ten months old. Her infectious smile radiates our room-- beaming love to our hearts. We are more than blessed. 

The last day of Summer has passed and we are gazing through a haze of heat towards our Fall. Our family beach week over July 4 was filled with sand, surf, shopping and sharing poodle love with Sassy and Pop. All nine of us, piling into a charming condominium, worked better than we thought. Estrogen and Testosterone neatly packaged in a bundle, tied with the pink bow of little girls. 

Sassy Oh So Fun Day!

    I began what came to be called "Sassy Oh So Fun Day" over a year ago. It is a day when I pick up one or both of my "older poodles" after school for spoiling and treats. I remember the very first time and the anticipation was like the county fair, coming to town. I knew, it had to be grand.
    It is September and the new school year is only six weeks in. What can I do? I know--we will go to Walmart and get our Halloween costumes. You know, the ones imported from China that smell flamable and look as though they have been stitched with dental floss.
     I give them the big plan when they land in my car--tired, smelly and hungry. They can't wait! We stop, pick up a snack and race over to this once Made in America store, which I now call Where is America store. I begin to look for the colorful aisle and can't find it. Where is it? We are running around looking- as I cling to their sweaty hands. What the heck; the space has been cleared out, the signs are up but their are no hangers: no witches, skeletons, princesses, or vampires. I find the manager and ask him where is Halloween? "Lady, those don't go out until the end of the month". "What?", I say. "You put Christmas out in July". He walks away and I am left with two poodles crying.
       No problem-the toy section is calling their names. The problem with that is you have no where to go, when the first Sassy Oh So Fun Day is toy purchases.
      But... it has survived and the rules have been set. Do not ever ask me for a toy and I may surprise you one day and give you one. If you ask; it will not come.Sometimes we have art day, in my studio.  Other times, manicures at Art Nails, yogurt parfaits at the local Fusions and my personal favorite, the dollar store$$.
     It really does not matter because I know they will remember it..the special moments. They are like sponges and time is fleeting so I want to fill them with memories that will be passed down to their "teacup poodles" one day.
       Grandparents...find the time to do this!. It replaces bookclubs, luncheons, bridge and gyms. If your children are living out of town, no problem. Use the webcam and let them see you, hear you and your life stories.
      I am fortunate to have my poodles here but if they were not, I would try to find a way to infuse myself into their memory. After all, I believe children are our greatest legacy. 

Happy Mother's Day.....with a Blast!!!

So, after enjoying my evening slide into the epson salt bath, drizzled with just a splash of Vitamin E, the most horrific event occurred. I am drying off and look over-crawling on my limestone floor is the largest creature I have ever seen. It looked like an mini octopus but I realize it was a spider who must have mated with a dwarf teacup poodle.
 Daleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I scream! He came running, thinking I have "fallen and can't get up". I show him this
thing. The Marlboro Man graps a papertowel and lays it on top to lift this creature up for transfering to the outside world. There is a blast, looking like brown dirt; we realize that over 200 baby spiders have birthed right there and then. That is HIS count, not MINE so you people who think I exaggerate, listen up. It looked like 2000!!!!!!
Never again, in this life, will I tip toe in the night to take a pee. I will be looking for the daddy of that mommy who inpregnated such a heffer. He must be HUGE!!!
Happy Mother's Day to all!

Change is Coming!

Large pink bows and jewelry too
Little girls is what I do

Princess gowns with heels peeped out
It’s all I really know about

But change is soon to visit me
Another poodle is not to be

A little boy with chubby hands
I know he'll make our life so grand

Sassy's poodles will make some space
Once God completes his perfect face 

Soon we'll learn to play some ball
Running dirt filled trucks along our halls

Together and happy-2 poodles

Sassy welcomes her third poodle into her arms..

Allie Boone Poodle

Poodle #3 and her precious fingers

Poodle #3 Allie Boone and a precious one she is

Kenley looks exactly like her mother did at this age

Lesson by Pops..a bible verse a day

Poodle #2 with my i-phone

Poodle #2 Kenley

Poodle #2 Kenley with Poochie

Poodle #1 Britton

Poodle #1 Britton

Poodle #1 Britton

To my daughters: The most important thing I have ever done is play a part in creating each of you. You inspire me, make me whole and are God’s greatest gift.

Keep your sense of Humor and don’t take ANYTHING I write PERSONALLY

  “I am ME and so it BE”  

Sassy’s Poodle Parlor

AND HOW IT CAME TO BE

April 25, 2011


I am not going to art today either, though I wish I could.

 As soon as Garrett gets here, I will tell her how WONDERFUL her children were; kiss her on the cheek and say welcome home. I was glad to do it...blah, blah, blah. BUT, here is the truth
Dale and I might get drunk, as she drives off with the two car loads of crap these two poodles brought over here last week. I will begin clean up of all debris from my house: wash 14 loads of laundry, sweep a gallon tub of dirt off my floors and make sure all of the 99 Easter eggs are out of my yard, so they don't ROT.  Be warned ALL GRANDMOTHERS OR GRANDMOTHERS TO BE... A full week is a very long time to keep offspring's offspring.....just saying!

Have fun without me! 

______________________________________________________________________

            After sending this email to my artistic friends, one of them told me I should start a Blog about the NEW generation of grandparents. You know who you are, the one with car seats sitting in the backseat of your luxury car, picking up carpool AGAIN and taking that sweaty, cranky, “can we go get an icy?” lamb of Jesus grandchild to one of their many after school activities.

             Where were MY PARENTS when my children were small? Let me think- oh yes, THEY were playing golf, bridge, having “mad men” parties in the evening; while by day, lunching, as their homes were being cleaned by THE HELP.

Please don’t judge me from the above email; I was very tiredJ

I simply adore my grandchildren, as does my husband Dale, whom they call Pops.

I am known as Sassy to our three granddaughters. They are known as my poodles. Were any of them boys, they would be my mutts.  I use their legal names too, but they like it when I call them Poodle #1, Poodle #2 and Poodle #3.  I started using the name Poodle Parlor when talking about my home, since when they arrive- THAT is what it is.  Their stuff and the stuff I continue to by them; it becomes their poodle pen, but parlor sounds better to me.

My poodles are the offspring of two beautiful daughters: Garrett and Sara Britton

Garrett has Poodle #1 “Britton”, age 7, and Poodle #2 “Kenley, age 5.

Sara Britton has the youngest of the litter; Poodle #3 “Allie Boone”, as we call her, only four months old.  Soon, there will be another poodle (possibly a mutt) when Garrett delivers a new life.

These are our stories; hopefully some of yours too!

Thanks Gayle, who encouraged me to do this.  She also suggested that if her name came up anywhere in my writings, I should describe her as very tall, with long skinny legs and a size 6 figure.

 You are beautiful, just as you are!