Rosemary, For Remembrance

Wow. It has been a LONG time. No, I have not forgotten you. Any of you. 

The thing is, I kind of want to rearrange things here but I can't seem to remember how to work on my blog in HTML. Yea, I know I haven't tootled around Blogger since, hmmmm, December? Now I can't seem to update any of my "widgets" even through HTML. Half of this blog, I've changed through HTML, the other through Blogger widgets. Guess they are a thing of the past? There are ALL kinds of different changes here. UGH. Even the spacing is wonky. As much as I'm terrified to go in to operate, I truly need to. If for only my own sanity. (OCD much?) If Living as Rosa disappears, all I can say is, "ooooopsy." Momma tried. But yea, that would suck.

The big news of the year is that the kid graduates from university this December! Where has the time gone? It just flies. So happy and proud of him.

Things are good in the household. Bella and Baby Dave are still delivering "babies" to us every night. Frankie is turning more grey; but hey, aren't most of us! All of us are healthy and happy. Can't ask for anything more.

Ok, after this post, I'm going in. Fingers' crossed. Let's hope I see you on the other side.

Labels: Blogging, Cats, Dogs, Kid

Thank You

So amazing that I've been blogging, on and off, for over ten years. My first post in February of 2005 was written after returning home from Ukrainian Christmas in New York. My sister-in-law told me about this thing called "blogging." I also learned about YouTube on that trip. Oh dear. I think I must have been living under a rock. Naw, I was just mothering. Happily.

I had no idea where this little journal would take me. I certainly didn't expect to find so many wonderful friends through this medium.  Many I have met, many I have exchanged happies with and many I correspond with to this day.

This blog gave me "my time," which I am eternally grateful. Rearing two teenage boys and watching as my mom regressed with dementia was a challenging time in my life. I am so happy that I made the time to write each one of these one thousand, five hundred and three entries.

I was going to print each page and bind them for the boys to have. I gave up on that pretty darn fast. ha.  Perhaps there are two or three volumes printed and bound, somewhere. That's it. The only intention I had of this "Living as Rosa" blog was to have a journal, of some sort, for the boys. It turned out to so much more.

With all of that said, I must add a beautiful photo since photography was a whole other aspect of LAR. (And, yup, I'm kinda digging this app.)

Thank you to all who have followed and enjoyed this journey with me. Cheers to many more delightful years ahead.

Labels: Blogging

Polaroids

I can't believe that Polaroids are coming back! I think I took the last of the cameras to Goodwill just last year! Yikes. Not a problem, though. There's an app for that. Pretty darn cool, eh? 

Self Portrait Puerto Rico 1978

While this one? It's an original. This is one of my all-time favorite original Polaroids. The oldest one I was looking for was of me at my Aunt Ollie's, wrapped in a fur rug when I was about four years old. I can see it; I just can't find it. The following aren't quite as old, but they are pretty darn old, kids!

This is probably about 1975 at work. I would have to walk over to the bank every Friday and get cash for payroll. I was the banker! No, really. My father paid our employees CASH every Friday! Nice!

This is at the Grant Memorial at the Capitol where our photographs were taken. After I finally got my diver's license, I'd have a little freedom to drive up to the Capitol, pick up the film and then take it back to the shop to develop and print. I must be killing time here waiting on a shot. This looks like a "dad" pose to me! Too funny. Note the Dr. Shoals!!! brahahahahah I had just got my first pair of glasses--hippyish, of course, no frames. My dad said they looked like granny glasses. :( 1978

Here I am at the shop. Looks like I was cutting a small mat for a print. Where's the print?? Perhaps it's a practice piece for my photography class. 1979

 

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

1977

El Yunque National Rainforest, Puerto Rico. 1978

Posing perty in the L.A. hills. HA! 1982

     Skiing in the Poconos. 1983

Twenty-fourth birthday with my mom's new English Bulldog, Brittany--better known as "The Brit." I miss her handwriting.

The Brit has grown in a year! Twenty-fifth birthday.

1985

Hey Kell!

This is the first time my brother Johnny met the hub-to-be. 1986 

This could be the first time my father met the hub-to-be in my first apartment! New furniture had just arrived--finally something to sit on!! Oh, and by the way, I literally JUST got rid of the set this year. It held up pretty well until the last couple of years! Here we are with my dad. 

Freshly back from our honeymoon at one of my oldest friends' wedding, Larry. 1987

I didn't like the size of this Polaroid film. I got it right before the Kid was born. He wasn't even a month old here! Little Boo. And the Teenager! Ahmazing! This was a test shot for a Christmas card with the kids. 1993.

Ok, now that this has taken WAY too LONG to write, I have to get back to my photo sorting! Geesh. I am out of practice here!           

Labels: Brother John, California, Dad, Dogs, Family, Hub, Kid, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Teenager

My New Fave

Today, The Dead Weather released their new album. So, you know where I was -- at Third Man Records, of course. Along with other new goodies, they were selling this gorgeous 6-fingered hand necklace (from the album cover in which Little Jack has six fingers). The artist is Vera Meat; and I'm "needing" a lot of her stuff! ha

The details are amazing.

Of course, there were mini cupcakes.

And champagne. But, I swear they pump oxygen into this tiny store. Every time I visit, I get absolutely giddy. I suppose it could just be over stimulation. Right? No people, it wasn't the champs. Whatever it is, love love love.

One of Jack's Grammys on display. 

Another fun day, dragging the hub to places he'd never visit if it weren't for me. This is what empty nesters do. Am I right?

PS Hey Kell!

Labels: Hub, Music, Nashville, New Stuff

Photo by Bill Ivey

I've been concentrating on scanning my father's negatives this year after receiving a new scanner for Christmas; and yes, I've been busy. Only thing is, ya see the box to the bottom left? Each one of those envelopes contains the negatives of up to 36 exposures. Ooooof. This is a job! You can't tell, but I AM making progress. And, I'm finding some long-lost family shots to boot! This week, I switched over to scanning his photos.

L-R Bill Ivey, Faron Young, Tom 'Cat' Reeder 1970s

As many of you know, my father, by trade, was a photographer. His passion was country music. During the week, he would concentrate on his business, but when the weekends came, he and my mom were somewhere listening to someone. After befriending a local disc jockey in the late 1960s, Tom 'Cat' Reeder, the two were inseparable. Given carte blanche at the shows, Bill would not hesitate to get up close and personal.  Tom once said to a friend, "That damn Bill Ivey. He's always up in my face with that DAMN camera blinding me with that DAMN flash. But, thank GOD he is!" Yes, indeed. Thank goodness he shot all of those photos. Wonderful memories--now that I'm old enough to appreciate it all. A pre-teen? Oh how I hated having to go to all of those shows then. I was too young to be left at home with my brothers; so I went--kicking and screaming. Normally, I would sit in the car, listening to the radio . . . all night. (I, to this day, wonder how I didn't run the battery down? Hmmmm.)

There were times, however, when I did "participate." Here we are on someone's bus -- with mom and Bobby Stephenson. Look how styling my mom was. WHO KNEW??? lol

Tom signing a photo for Connie Smith. Me looking awkward. Who's the looker on?

Here, dad may just be cramping Jerry Lee Lewis' style. Note his bandaged hand. The Killer truly WAS a bad ass back then, and I loved it! Ahhhhhh, rebellion! YES!

"Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lewis, please LOOK at ME!" hahaha. I finally did catch his attention, fangirled and got his autograph and a photo with him. Hmmmm. I put the photo somewhere really safe, as this was quite a moment in my life. Can I find it? Nope. LOL

Different night, yet another bad ass,  Merle Haggard. Hmmmm, there's a correlation here, I think. (Check out his boots. Python, perhaps? DANG.) I shoulda grabbed him. HAHAHA. Never. Can you tell I was terribly embarrassed by just being there???!!

This one, I just had to throw in. I love this photo in so many ways. This was the usual scene behind the stage at the outside shows. Someone always had a complete bar in their trunk--that person would also be Bill Ivey. Look at the face on the beehive lady. If looks could kill. And the tall man next to her cracking up. Then, if you look to the left, the gent with a pipe has a tie wrapped around his head. And, of course, my mom, posing with a soft smile.

Now you see why I sat in the car and listened to the radio?!! These "old" people were having a good time! How embarrassing.

Labels: Childhood, Dad, Mom, Music

The Dog

Frankie is enjoying the last days of summer. I'm anxiously awaiting fall.

End-of-Summer Soirée

How seriously Seersucker fabulous.

We were happy to see the fundraiser was successful for the O'More College of Design's student scholarship fund. 

I didn't know there was going to be a silent auction. DANGER! Yes, we bid on some rare bourbon for the "teenager" who is now 26! I also bid on an Manuel skirt for my niece. About a size 1. ha. People must have thought, "Ah, hun, you don't think that will fit you, now do you? Bless your heart." I haven't heard back, so I probably won nothing. Which is probably a good thing!

G&G sponsored! (No, I did not bid on this, thank you very much!)

 Hub bidding on a cigar holder. Just what every Southern gent needs, right?

Robert Hicks--host, Southern author ("The widow of the South") and bourbon extraordinaire--offered his new Battlefield Bourbon. Yum. (not) You know I'm a vodka gal. Oooooh, which reminds me, there's a new local vodka on the block! Lookie, Sarah!!

As the evening wore on, Mr. Hicks arrived with his sidekick, awwwww. And .... dinner, drinking and dancing commenced!

My cutie pie.

I need to find these Seersucker chocolates. I didn't even taste them! Wait. WHA??? What is wrong with ME?

The school is housed in an old Victorian mansion which I had to tour on my own. I LOVE!

I had my hair pulled together by someone else. I wish I could do THIS! Damnit. I could get used to this primping stuff! HAHAHA. No, not really.

Ok, can we move on into the fall now so I don't have to pull my hair up? Please?

Newbies

I'm no fashionista, but I can pull it out when needed!

The hub is getting all into the new Nashville fashion scene; and now we're on lists. LOL. LISTS!  I have to put my introverted self away and work on the my social skills. Funny when you've been a stay-at-home mom for so long and begin getting a life after the little ones leave the roost. Ugh. This is tough stuff for me.

So, tonight, we are going to a Goodbye to Summer Seersucker Party! Wha??? Ahhhh, don't ya love the South?! I pulled out a beautiful white dress I've had hanging in the closet since forever then found this wonderful clutch for the garden party. I have to admit, I'm very excited about going. What? Being the extreme introvert and painstakingly shy, I'm surprised with myself. Social settings KILL me. But, perhaps since I won't know a soul there; I'm good. Right now, anyway. Ask me about a half an hour before we leave, and that will be a whole other story! UGH.

Will keep you posted.

Autumn? Please.

This makes me very happy.

xoxo

Photos

I need a place, like here, to start posting my photos again. You think I've stopped taking photos every day because I don't blog any more? HA! Wrong. Once a photog, always a photog.

Maybe I'll stay around for a while. But, I've been known to say that before.

The kid is beginning his senior year at university. Wait. Wha? Yup. Really. So, we made a terrarium for him to take back to school. A cheery little spot to enjoy while doing work, right? 

All is well on the Southern front! Hope you all are doing great. Who's looking forward to Autumn? ME! BRING IT!

Counting Crows at The Ryman

So happy to see the Counting Crows back. Adam looks great. Heart the hair. I just want to scrunch it!

We're normally not in Nashville in the summer months. I believe this is the first time I have been to the Ryman where the sun is still shining through the old church windows. (Thought I had the stained glass windows in my viewfinder--obviously not--a photographer's angst.) 

 Toad the Wet Sprocket opened for the Counting Crows. They were great!

 Adam came out chillz. Just sat down and took it in for a moment.

This was my first, and hopefully not my last, time seeing them live.  What a beautiful soul, that Adam is.

  Cutie. 

 Texting? Really, woman?

Hugs, all around.

Labels: Music, Nashville