I never thought I had too much trouble making new friends.  I chew with my mouth closed, I don’t insist on doing things my way… all the time,  I am patient and kind, and I rarely smell bad! Of course I have friends!

While my children were growing up, I was an active parent in their social lives too.  I got to know the other “Moms”.  If the “Mom” seemed OK to me, my kids had new playmates.  If the “Mom” was weird, my kids moved on.  I was sneaky…and the kids always thought they were in control! HA!

But wait!  My 3 little darlings are young adults now (although I AM still 29 years old myself…please don’t do the math!) No longer am I someone’s “Mom” in the social arena.  I’m just ME! 

So, like the rest of the world, I’m blogging, I Tweet on Twitter, and I have a Facebook page. You can find me on LinkedIn, I know how to upload video to YouTube, and believe it or not, I’m making new friends yet again.  The old friends are still around, and they love me with all my faults (what few I will admit to). I love them too…couldn’t go a day without them in fact!

But I can go worldwide now with the help of the internet.  Soon I will have “Peeps” on all seven continents, I’ll have more followers than “Sockington“.  I will know everyone in the Universe and never have to be alone again! And they will make a movie of my life…gee, I wonder who I should request to play me?

Just kidding.  To begin with, I had to verify that there were indeed “7″ continents (not 6 or 8), Sockington is WAY too popular for me to even think of challenging his number of followers, and the movie?  It would never be made…  they would fight for years over who could play me and do me justice.

So, it’s a good thing that I haven’t embarrassed myself too much yet in this social-cyber-web, and have actually found people who will talk to me…you know who you are! (Names have been withheld for your protection.)

As my blog name implies, I am all about making memories and celebrating whatever there is to celebrate. We need to find the friends who can help us do just that. But  don’t worry, I’m not one of those “Happy-all-the-Time-Smiley-Girls”.  I’ll be happy to get depressed with you, or pissed off, or just be lazy because…well…that’s what friends are for.  

So, to my new social-cyber-web friends, I’m thankful for you already.  And it feels good to be able to introduce myself as “not someone’s Mom”, but instead as….well….hmmmm….maybe as…….. ME….

OH MY GOD! IT JUST HIT ME!  I WAS PROBABLY THE “WEIRD MOM”.

On March 30th, 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for a cool 7.2 million dollars.  Do the math… we paid about 2 cents per acre.  Good deal you might think?  More like a STEAL in my opinion!

My husband and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary in Alaska several years ago… A week long cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas. I will spare you the descriptive passages…majestic…breathtaking…awe inspiring…WOW!  There’s nothing worse than a day by day accounting of someone else’s vacation.  I doubt that you are interested in what we ate or how cold we were while whale watching. But I will tell you it rained most of the week (Alaska is a rain forest…did you know that?  I didn’t until I went there!), but even with the rain and subsequent bad hair, it was the best trip I have ever taken. We returned with over 800 pictures, 4 hours of video, and a love and admiration for a part of our country that most people know nothing about.

If you add one thing to your “Bucket List” this week, add “Trip to Alaska”.  I can’t describe it to you, because Alaska has to be experienced. You have to go see it for yourself.  Then you will understand. 

I’m glad our government was smart enough to see the diamond in the rough 142 years ago. Happy Birthday Alaska! ♫ http://blip.fm/~3ktdk 

I would love to visit Italy, see the Parthenon, perhaps ride a camel, maybe even go on safari in Africa.  

But I WILL go back to Alaska someday soon.  And I do hope to see you there! It’s worth the trip!!!!!

I HAD NO IDEA!  How could I get to be this old and NOT KNOW that March is Adopt-A-Rescued-Guinea-Pig Month?  I could have been celebrating all month long and didn’t even know it.  Well, in reality, this holiday was founded in 2006, so I guess I’m not as out of the loop as I think I am.

I had a Guinea Pig.  His name was “Pug”.  It was December and I was in Kindergarten.  My teacher made the announcement that the classroom Guinea Pig would need to find a home over the Christmas vacation.  All I had to do was be the first one at school the next morning with a note from my Mom saying I had her permission to become a Guinea Pig Parent and he would be MINE!

 It took some persuasion, but she finally agreed.  The note was written and packed safely in my  bookbag (they weren’t called backpacks back then).  I barely slept all night, anticipating the overwhelming joy of brining home my new pet.  

The next morning, I was up early, ate breakfast in a flash, and set off to school.  I could feel it…that Guinea Pig was MINE!

Nope!  Mark K. beat me.  

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?????

Needless to say, I was hearbroken.  The remainder of the day was a blur, but like the single-minded 5 year old that I was, I hatched a plan.  If I whined about it long and hard enough, my parents would have to give in and get me my own Guinea Pig.  And that’s exactly what happened.  

Pug and I were very close.  He had long hair…orange and white…and sometimes you couldn’t tell the front of him from the back. My dad made him an awesome cage and he lived in our basement.  He “squeaked” when you came down the stairs to visit. He smelled pretty bad a lot of the time, and he bit me once.  I still have the scar…man he had sharp teeth!  But I loved him and was devastated when he passed on to the big Guinea Pig cage in the sky at the end of 6th grade.

I never felt the need to get another Guinea Pig.  Sometimes a special relationship can’t be replaced. But “Pug” lives on in my heart to this day.  

So, it’s not too late to make a child happy and adopt a Guinea Pig for them this month.   Or next month either!  There is no better way to celebrate childhood than with a smelly, squeaky, hairball that lives in your basement.  

And Mark K…if you are out there…I forgive you.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+2041&aid=3465

OH NO!  IT’S OUR SNOWMAN!!!

Snowman Burning Day is celebrated on March 20th and is a festival to mark the end of winter and welcome spring. It has its roots in Germany’s Rose Sunday Festival. There they burn straw snowmen if the children have been good that year, to help usher in the coming of Spring.   This holiday is also celebrated by the Swiss, along with , of course, we  Americans.  (Hey, we always seem to like a good bonfire!)  In some cultures, they even look at the burning patterns to determine the type of summer they will have. (CSI Stuff I’m sure).

As far as we can tell, the first snowman burning in the U.S. occurred at Lake Superior State University in 1971 and has continued to this day, with the exception of one year in 1992 due to environmental concerns.

If you are going to be joining any of the numerous Snowman Burnings held around the country, you might want to go prepared.   It is suggested that some original poetry be read during the burning.  Since poetry can be tricky for some, please feel free to use my VERY original poem found here if you don’t have the creative language skills that I obviously have…I would be most honored!

Roses are red,

Violets are blue.

Is that really a Snowman Burning?

Step aside, you’re blocking my view!

Hey, what can I say.  When you are desperate for a party, you have to grasp at whatever you can!

Happy Spring Folks!!!!

(Important Note:  PLEASE STAY SAFE OUT THERE!!!!!!!!! Only Professional Snowman Burners should attempt to organize their own events.  If you feel the need to ask the question  if you might qualify as a Professional Snowman Burner, then you are NOT ONE!!!))

I will be Kissing all day long today because, well of course, I am Irish!  But I’m happy to take a break for a few moments to give you the lowdown on this special holiday.

St. Patrick’s Day actually has a real history.  SERIOUSLY.  St. Patrick was the Patron Saint of Ireland.  You are all with me so far, right?  He was actually credited with formalizing Christianity and used the Shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity… The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Yes, even the Shamrock has historical value.   And poor St. Patrick died on March 17th, which is why we celebrate that day, although it is not certain as to how he met his demise…lots of different stories about that.  

 I’ll be honest though. I really am not sure where the pots of gold, dancing leprechauns, and green beer comes from, but being a good Catholic Girl with Strong Irish Roots, I have my theories.  

I actually think it might have been my direct anscestors who had some influence in the common day festivities. Let’s look at the facts:

We are Irish. I won’t mention names, but there are some in my family who drink…and Green Beer is not a problem for them.  We are Catholic.  We recognize the difference between a Shamrock and a regular rock.  We tend to sing louder the more we drink. We are not snake lovers, so like to believe that St. Patrick DID banish all the snakes from Ireland, whether he did or not.  At least half of us will SWEAR on the BLARNEY STONE that we have seen Leprechauns. (Green Beer may have been involved, but I dare you to prove it!)  One of my aunts makes a MEAN Corned Beef and Cabbage.  I have the piano sheet music for “Oh Danny Boy”. None of us has ever marched in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but we would be happy to do so if asked…we are good marchers from way back! And most of us do enjoy Kissing Total Strangers…for a good cause of course!  

So It’s Obvious.  We fit the mold too well.  My family HAD to have had input on exactly how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Only part of it that doesn’t make sense is…Where the heck is the Family Pot of Gold!  Someone is holding out and I want to know who it is!

I’m going to need more Green Beer if I expect to get answers!  

Until then…

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

“Paraskevidekatriaphobics“.  Seriously!  That’s the word for it…Fear of FRIDAY THE 13TH!  (And I think if you suffer from it, you should at least be able to pronounce it and maybe even spell it!!!!!)  You know who you are! And we all know you are reading this from the safety of your bed today, because you won’t chance the horrific possibilities that might await you on this Day of Doom!!!!!

Friday the 13th Superstitions have many roots.  Some believe it all started in Biblical times… there were exactly 13 present at the Last Supper and the 13th guest, Judas, betrayed Jesus Christ, setting the stage for the Crucifixion. 

Don’t believe that theory?  Ok, how about finding the origins of Friday the 13th in Numerology. The number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the 12 months of the year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 hours on a clock, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 days of Christmas…even 12 eggs in a dozen! The number 13 was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness.

Still not so sure?  Did you know that in ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12? The 13th was believed to be the devil!  (I’m still not sure why no one was concerned about the FIRST 12 witches, but we can delve into that in another blog.)

I could go on but all you have to do is Google “Friday the 13th” and you will find more theories than you want to read about…but just in case you do, check this out….  http://tinyurl.com/ysmcd

There are over 21 MILLION PEOPLE who actually Fear FRIDAY THE 13TH, to the extent that they totally change their daily routines and behavior on this day.  It is estimated that $800 - $900 million is lost in business on this day alone.  Heaven help the stock market now!!!!!!

Personally, I’ve never been tooooo concerned about this day.  I follow some simple rules and all seems to work out just fine. I don’t walk under ladders…unless I am chasing AT LEAST a $10 bill blowing in the wind.  If I spill salt on the table, I refuse to dip my french fries into it…who knows how many germs might be lurking there…ICK!  I take every precaution to not run myself over with the car,  set myself on fire, or inadvertently amputate an important limb.  And if I have the good fortune to be on the golf course, I ALWAYS quit after 12 strokes on any given hole.

My wish is that you are safe and happy this FRIDAY THE 13TH and you celebrate the day by spreading CHEER and HAPPINESS to all you encounter. Stare SUPERSTITION in the face and FEAR NO MORE!

One piece of advice though….DON’T GO GET A HAIRCUT LADIES!  Just in case there is more to this Superstition than I think, Bad Hair is not worth taking a chance on!  Trust Me!  Why do you think Jason had to wear that Hockey Mask in all the Movies?  

Bad Hair Embarrassment!  Don’t let it happen to you!!!!!!!

On March 12th, 1912 Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Guides in the United States.  While she had lived in England, she had been a Girl Guide Leader herself.  So on this day, 97 years ago, she gathered 18 girls together to register the first troop of American Girl Guides in Savannah, Georgia. The name was changed to Girl Scouts of America the following year.

The sale of Girl Scout Cookies began as early as 1917 and the first sale was probably that of the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Moms and daughters baked and sold cookies in it’s high school cafeteria as as service project.  Well into the 1930’s these simple sugar cookies were baked, packaged , and sold for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. (Check the bottom of my Blog for that early recipe)

Now we can buy them by the caseload in front of our favorite grocery store or Walmart.  I guess all things considered, 35 cents to $3.50 a box isn’t too bad an increase over 90 years…and it’s for a good cause.

Of course, that cause is ME!  I LOVE these Girl Scout Cookies and therefore HATE this time of year!  Those sweet little girls haunt me…I can see them from across a large parking lot and as I get closer, the voices in my head keep getting louder and louder…thin mints…tagalongs…thin mints…tagalongs…THIN MINTS…TAGALONGS!  Can you guess which ones are my favorites?

So, on this beautiful sunny day, I must venture to the grocery store for the staples of life…bread, milk, eggs, toilet paper…I’ve put it off as long as I could…and yes, I will be bringing home some Girl Scout Cookies as well.  I don’t have a choice.  Those cute little girls will POUNCE on me with there their evil marketing ways.  Never before has the phrase “Would you like to buy some cookies?” created such fear in the lives of middle aged women trying to watch their weight.  Boy,  those smart young entrepreneurs have sure found their “niche”.  

I just have one question though…Do they REALLY think there are NINE servings in that  small, teeny,  tiny box of  Thin Mints? Get Real!

I’d love to hear from you…What is your FAVORITE Girl Scout Cookie?

The Full Moon…you either Love it or Hate it!  But if you are a true Moon Watcher, you Love it, despite all the strange things that happen during the Full Moon.

Check out one of my Twitter Friends cool Blog (Connections for Women) on tonight’s Full Moon at http://www.c4womenblog.com/.

The Worm Moon…Seriously!

Do you have a weird Full Moon story?  Let me know…

It’s “NAME TAG” DAY!  Thank Goodness!  March 5th…A Holiday that can help me celebrate my worst personal fault!

I can’t remember names.  Period.  My husband remembers people from 30 years ago when we run into them in Walmart, but not me.  (I celebrate if I can remember where I parked my car at Walmart.)

I’ve tried all the games…try to associate the person with another word starting with the same letter…say their name 3 times while you talk to them…introduce them to someone during your conversation.  I’m telling you, it doesn’t work for me.

NAME TAGS… Now THEY were a wonderful invention.  Sad that we only celebrate Name Tags on one day of the year.  I plan on wearing mine all day. Hopefully after assuming I am some mindless individual who forgot to take it off after a morning seminar, someone will be polite enough to suggest I remove it.  Then I can pass the good word…IT’S “NAME TAG” DAY!  WOULD YOU LIKE ONE TOO?  

Maybe since it’s a Holiday, and if I have a good supply of “Name Tags” and a nice new Sharpie to write your name with,  I might have a chance of remembering your name when I run into you again later in the week.

Yeah, I doubt it too.  But it was worth a try…