Day 14 of 15-Day Photo Challenge

Continuing with my 15-Day Photo Challenge -- and what a challenge it is! Who knew?

I thought I'd mix it up with a video, so turn up the volume (haven't mastered sound techniques yet) and take a tour around my room.

Day 13 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

Did you ever notice that sometimes in large families (I have seven siblings!) alliances are formed between two or more of the children? Sometimes siblings closest in age will be close in life; sometimes the only boys in a family of women will forge a bond, but sometimes, an older sibling will "adopt" a younger one.

That is my story.

The picture above is of me and my Big Bro. He is the oldest (16 years between us), I am the youngest, we are the closest. He is my confidante, my best friend, my biggest supporter, and has rescued me on several occasions.

Once, when I was in Jr. High, I had received a scholarship to Westlake School For Girls, a school that children of celebrities attended (It's now called Crossroads). I was part of an experiment called Project Open Future where they plucked the top girl and boy from about five inner city schools and sent them to various boarding schools, ostensibly to give them a leg up on life, open up their future. At the time, Westlake was an all-girl's school and everyone there treated me kindly, even though I surely looked like the odd-man-out, especially when Friends and Family Day rolled around. I didn't know if anyone would show up for me. My dad had three jobs, my mom didn't drive the freeways, but I dressed up in my best dress (Easter outfit) and waited outside anyway.

I saw many chauffer-driven Hollywood stars come and go visiting their children, but no one came for me. The girls were starting to feel sorry for me, as it was getting late in the day and I was feared that I'd become known as the only girl for whom no one showed up.

Until suddenly, against the backdrop of a setting sun, pulling dramatically into the parking lot at the last possible moment . . . came my Big Bro like a knight in shining armor, except he was driving a sky blue Triumph. "Happy" seems inadequate to express how I felt at that moment. He rescued me, and our bond got even tighter. We are still close after all these years, and I am so happy to have him in my life.

Day 11 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

We interrupt this program for an important message!

This is Day 11 in my 15-day photo challenge, which is number 2 from the list on the side bar: Your outfit for the day & a description.

Today, I walk two miles, and this is my uniform:

Tennis that Sarge bought me (I haven't bought any for myself since the day I married)

Sweatpants (a souvenir from the NBA All-Star game

A shirt, nondescript

My iPod to listen to my audiobooks (right now it's Laura Lippman's I'd Know You Anywhere

Shades, so I can protect my eyes (and look cool, too.)

Day 10 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

Just because there's been a short hiatus in my 15-day Photo Challenge, don't think for one minute that I am overwhelmed. The fact is, I am perfectly whelmed. And to prove it, I've selected Number 6 from the list on the sidebar as my Day 10:
A Sentimental Item & the Story Behind It


This is my keepsake box. In it, I keep my sakes. . . and by that, I don't mean Japanese fermented alcoholic beverages. I mean things that I keep to consider, regard, respect for a cause, account, interest or benefit. This box, with its romantic flowers and frilly colors, holds memories of everything near and dear to me. Selected handmade arts from my children throughout the years, if you sent me a birthday card for my 50th B-day, it's in there, plus a couple photos, awards my children garnered, but most of the ephemera bulging from the box are love letters from Sarge to me over the span of 30 years. One day, I plan to put them all in chronological order (because I dated each and every one of them) in a scrapbook for my grandchildren to see the great love we have shared and still share. Notice I skipped my children because, well, some of the letters are a bit racy and they may toss their cookies upon reading them. Then again, it might be entertaining to watch that.

Strolling towards the finish line of Number 139 on my Bucket List. . . which one would you like to see me do next? Get out the scales and weigh in!

Day 8 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

Where did you go and what did you do today? Asks Number 9 on the 15-day Photo Challenge(Check out the sidebar to your right).

For the 17th year in a row, Sarge and I were guests of The Diva and the Doctor at the Playboy Jazzfest held annually at the Hollywood Bowl. Sarge brought a picnic of his world-famous BBQ (Okay, maybe only city-famous) and the Diva brought Diva-tinis. We ate and drank and enjoyed the best jazz has to offer...even into the night when we put on our light-up bunny ears.

Day 7 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

For those of you just tuning into our program, I'm smack in the middle of Number 139 on my Bucket List, Complete a 15-Day Photo Challenge. Today's challenge, selected at random from the sidebar to your right, is number 10, Take a Photo With Someone You Hung Out With Today.

These are two of my BFF's, and the ones I've known longer than any other BFF. We try to manuever around our busy schedules and meet for lunch before too much time goes by. That's what we did this day; we met for lunch at Tokyo Grill, which is a Benihana style restaurant. We always enjoy ourselves when we're together and do things like rub a random Buddha's belly. We always vow to do it more often (meet for lunch, not rub a Buddha's belly!).

What's on your Bucket List? Are you up for a 15-day photo challenge? What about a 5-day challenge? Maybe a 30-day challenge?

Day 6 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

And in other news . . . WARPED WEDNESDAY has been pre-empted.
Instead, we have Day 6 of the photo challenge (see sidebar).
As a gift for our 33rd wedding anniversary, I made Sarge's favorite dish, seafood gumbo.
What did I get, you may ask? I got to make Sarge's favorite dish, seafood gumbo.



I also made a peach cobbler with my signature stars.

Day 5 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

Number 7 on the sidebar is Take a Picture with a Family Member and Write About a Memorable Experience Together.

This is a pic of me and my sister. We were born a year apart, but she reminded me yesterday that people used to think we were twins. I hadn't remembered that, and so I asked, "Why?"
"Probably because Mama used to dress us alike." She laughed.
I had forgotten about that! We'd always lamented the fact that our mother bought "twin" dresses for us, maybe only differing in color. You see, our parents didn't have a lot of money (even though my father never had less than two jobs at a time), so we could only afford to get two (2) new dresses per school year, and only from Sears Roebuck where he had an account. That meant we couldn't switch up clothes, or share outfits, and trick people into thinking we had four new dresses. How young we were to think we could fool people like that! Thank God we can laugh about it now. We've come a long way, Sis. Glad we journeyed together.

DAY 4 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

As you can tell by now, these challenges are in an order of my choosing, which is allowed if you read the details on the sidebar to your right.

DAY 4 - A view outside your bedroom window
No, we don't have a an outdoor living space. That's the old couch from Sarge's man cave, which he gave to his brother five (yes, 5) weeks ago so his brother could pick it up at his leisure. Said brother has yet to retrieve said sofa. It's been rained on, neighborhood cats have stretched out on it, Sarge sits on it while watering his flowers on the other side of the pool.
On second thought, maybe we do have an outdoor living space.