rough and rowdy ways

fatigue overcame me so i sat down to rest, but my mind wouldn't stop downloading information so i decided to look through some photos. my eyes stopped at these.

taken by a boy. of two girls who happen to have 10 boys between them. "lord have mercy on our rough and rowdy ways." 

these photos, a reminder from a few weeks ago when this dear friend came for a very quick visit because she knew i needed it.

she and i go way back. like before kids, before husbands, before stillborn babies and lay offs, before the death of a father and loads of moves. we have a history, but one that was begun and stands on one truth. 

i gave my camera to the 11 year old who got cheeky. then the 8 year old decided to photo bomb in the form of jumping out in front doing the splits. and high society ladies walked by looking at us and murmuring something under their breath. i am not quite sure what it was as i was literally crying with laughter. and it felt so good and so right. 

to be there in front of that display of mums laughing our hearts out. a suspended moment of bliss. forgetting all the worries of the moment to just laugh.

and as we did that rascally boy chronicled it all with the click of a camera. 

please tell me this is something that you do too. dropping everything. taking a break to laugh. especially now with thanksgiving on our heels.

laughter really does make the heart glad like good medicine. and when life feels daunting and unmanageable, good medicine helps. in the form of laughter. or a good cocktail. 

laughter has a way to break through.sometimes it sneaks up and surprises us like a boy who jumps in a photo at just the right moment.sometimes it's the reminder from a friend that you are worth dropping life for just to come.for a few hours. 

however it comes, may we always break for laughter. life is full and tragic and wonderful and messy and blissful. might as well laugh when you can. 

xo,

gf

god save the queen!

where's harry?...

it is not traditional, but the older i get the more i realize...what was i saying?

o, yes. once upon a time there was a woman who worked really hard to make a perfect home. 3 kids in, she lost her steam. 4 kids later. and well, S.O.S.

so today is thanksgiving. a rather radical holiday really. progressive notions led those infamous pilgrims to hire the likes of one rebellious miles{or was it myles}standish to float them across the pond where they, depending on your take on history, made some new friends, claimed land and made a home. 

here's to making this day whatever it needs to be for you to be aware of all there is to be grateful for. stressed from emphasizing the stuffing and not remembering the grace? haggard from basting the turkey, but forgetting an extra measure of kindness to the ones who will be eating said basted{blasted}turkey? yes. i know the feeling. so this year we are rewriting our history, taking a little detour from tradition.

you see i make about 325 suppers a year. here's one that is worth outsourcing, you know so that i can enjoy what matters. not the food{lovingly prepared by not me}. not the papier-mâché turkeys. not the fake leaf-lined cornucopia. what really matters is my 5 men. so this year, my course is charted not for my kitchen, but for the local restaurant.

here's hoping you find peace in a heart full of thanks. pass the salt and the love.

...off dissecting crayfish

xo, 

gf