2009 Christmas gift exchange

My son is the absolute greatest!! He did good with his Christmas gift choice for me. Our gift exchange day was wonderful! He got what he wanted, which was the new DROID phone. And I got an unexpected surprise. He bought me just what I wanted-- an IPod Touch! Woo-Hoo!!

Merry Christmas to you from the Lochead man and his simply beautiful mom.


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Guess who's coming ( or not ) to Christmas Dinner

December 18 update:
Well, dad has come to me saying he wants to go to dinner next Friday. I don't wanna. I told him I'm thinking about it. He said okay. I don't wanna go. Really. I don't. But,I'm thinking about it anyway.

(cheerfully singing) Deck the halls with boughs of holly....fa la la la laaaaaaa....awww who am I kidding?!!!
Right about now, I'm ready to deck some family members with the back of my hand! Yep. You guessed it. Family issues brewing once again.

As you know, Christmas day is just around the corner. We've been invited to my cousin's for dinner. And everyone's got their eyes on my dad, mom, my son and me. Why? Good question. Well, let me take a stab at an answer. As I've posted before, my parents are separated...they really don't admit it...but it's going on three years now. Although separated, they continue to go to some family functions together. They don't do holidays, though. But all the brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews are waiting with baited breathe to see whether the family's longest married couple is going to show face at Christmas dinner together...or will one show without the other...or will they both be missing in action?

So in an effort to keep peace, last week I asked each one individually, "Will you be going to the family dinner?" You see, I need to know because they'll depend on me to drive. Dad said something to the tune of, 'that's interesting'. So I'm like, "OK-- JUST WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!!! Is that a 'yes' or is that a 'no'"?!! And Mom said, 'no one told me anything about Christmas dinner'. OH-EM-GEE!! Can I buy a straight answer here?!!

So fast forward to today. Mom asked me what I'm doing for Christmas. I said 'I don't know. I can't seem to get a straight answer from you or your husband about going to the family gathering or just having dinner at home''. Just before I had to break the bank to buy a clue, she graciously gave me her answer--an emphatic 'NO'--she won't be in attendance.
Well, at least I have one answer. As for me, I don't want to go no way ( see May 2009 post "Here we go again" )--and that's a totally different story that I might get to later. But for now, I'll just plan a small Christmas dinner at the 2412 (my house).

Any ideas for a menu anyone?

Family.
Gotta luv 'em.
Can't kill 'em.
You get jail time for that.

Merry Christmas!
simply beautiful
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10 Days til Christmas

I'm feeling a bit more festive than usual now that it's 10 days before Christmas. The holiday season has been difficult ( to say the least ) for me since I lost my older brother in 2007. I don't allow that to stop my celebration...it's just takes me a while to get in a festive mood. I'm always ready to celebrate Jesus--no matter what season it is.
My dilemma is this...my son wants to take me shopping tomorrow for my Christmas present. Bless his heart. He has been working part-time for the most part of the year and has saved his paycheck and wants to buy me something. His problem is that he doesn't know what to buy me. He says I'm hard to shop for and he doesn't want to disappoint me nor waste his money. Smart guy. I love the presents he's picked for me in the past, but he says that the process leaves him drained and confused. I don't want him to feel this way, so I've agreed that he can supply the funds, and I will allow him to take me shopping and pick out my own gift. SWEET!!!
Why is this a dilemma? I hate to admit it...but...I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT!!!
What I found out this evening is that he has put his head together with his grandmother. They will pool their $$$ and he is suggesting that I will be pleased with the gift he is planning for me. How ingenious. I can hardly wait.
So what we've decided to do is have our personal Christmas gift exchange on December 16th...just my son and I. This is because of commitments to our extended family on the 25th. Didn't buy that one? Okay. That's not the whole truth. Here's the rest. He can't wait until the 24th or the 25th for his present and neither can I.
So-- I'll let you know how it goes later this week.

Merry Christmas!!

with love
simply beautiful
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Single and Seeking

It's the end of the year. In twenty-one days it'll be 2010. And guess what? I'm still single. Oh, don't get me wrong. I love the freedom that single living affords. I come and go as I please. I spend my money as I see fit. I wear what I want...eat what I want..sleep as late, as much or as little as I want. I have none to answer to but God. Good deal. Right?
Ye-ea-ah, right. It's a good deal to a certain extent. Yous see it would be great--- if I didn't have this deep-seated desire to be boo'd up, coupled up, have a man, a significant other, or also known as a huz-ban. I am single and seeking....companionship. A man to love me, to hold me and during these long cold lonely nights...to keep me warm--by all means necessary! ( if you get my drift).
I'd hoped 2009 would be the year I'd be found by Mr. Right. I try not to push it--just to let things flow and happen in its own time. But here I am again at the end of the year--wondering if I will ever have a boo. After waiting so long, it would seem I'd give up hope...but no I just keep holding on, keeping hope alive.
So as 2009 winds up ( or down ), and I look ahead to 2010, I ask God with a sincere heart...
Send my man, Lord
the one you fashioned for me.
To have and to hold to cherish,
and love and keep me company.

Merry Christmas!!!

simply beautiful
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What a (Black) Man Wants...

Well, I never thought I'd do it, but I'm jumping on the Tiger Woods bandwagon. I've got a bit of a different spin, though. Well, maybe not so different. It's the age old song and dance. Black man--white, Asian, or Latina woman. A very loaded subject.
My question of the day is why? Why is it that our black men, the wealthy athlete, musician, singer or politician...a fine brotha chooses not to be with a sistah? Why is it that the lady on his arm can not use his mama's comb? Is it that we ( black women) are pushing them away? Is it that we don't give them what they need? Are we not exciting or exotic enough? Do we talk too much? Are we not smart enough? Not refined? Or maybe just the opposite--Not trampy enough? What is it?
I'm all for loving who you choose to love. There's no fault in having a preference. But I find it kind of odd that African-American men, who were once the white woman's biggest fear (i.e. Emmit Till), is now the white woman's choice for a lover. And her dad is not trying to kill the black man for it. I wonder if some of these women purposely make themselves available to satisfy the fantasies and whims of these well-built, wealthy, and talented black men. And what about her family? Do they endorse these relationships....for the money? Mmmm?
Does that bother you like it bothers me? It actually makes me afraid for myself and my sistahs. We can't seem to find decent men to date, let alone marry. So it seems sistahs are doomed to be single. That being the case, exactly what does a sistah do with her dreams of marrying and having children? Find a sperm donor? Adopt? My. my. my. That's just not the way God intended for us to be fruitful and multiply.

In Loving Memory

His life began: April 25, 1914 Departed this life for the next: November 9, 2009

Mr. Joe Columbus ...he's my "Big Daddy" (grandfather)

He's been the patriarch of the family--the oldest surviving son of Joe and Manerva. He lived all 95 of his years in the same area where he was born. Matter of fact, his father was born there too. Although most of his 9 brothers and sisters moved away from the area, he never did. He raised 13 children plus some of his grandchildren, nieces and nephews and helped his wife care for her elderly step-daddy. He never attended school beyond 3rd grade--and yet he was a smart man.
Big Daddy, you told me a few years ago that you were ready because all your friends had passed on. The love of your life, Katie Mae had passed. Your cousins, brothers and sisters, save your baby sister, were all gone too. And you said you were ready. There was no one left in your age group with whom you could relate. Well Big Daddy, you are finally home....rest in peace.

He Like to Flirt

Hi Gentle Readers,

It's been a while, huh? Well, I've been around--just keeping myself busy. Did you miss me? I hope so. Today's title is "He like to flirt". And exactly what man doesn't? You see, I've had this situation now for 2 years. Yes. He smiles and says"hi", I've caught him staring at me, he sings in my ear. He even follows me. But nothing further. Readers...what do you make of that? I'm not sure what's up with it, but I'd appreciate a male point of view. So I checked out a peace written by A Man's Mind. He says that it's an ego thing. Men like to flirt to see if they still got it. Okay. I can handle that. But who would do that for years?

Well, I don't know...but I've given this situation some thought. Maybe he's waiting on me to make a move. Maybe he just likes what he sees. Maybe he's just trying to see if he's 'got it'. I've considered all of that. But I still feel like there's something I've missed. I guess you say why don't I just confront him? What?!! I'm an old fashioned girl. So I did what any old fashioned girl would do. I played coy an ignored him. I stopped speaking and smiling. Guess what happened? He's still flirting.
So an window opened up that allowed me to put him thru a sort of 'test', to see where this brothah's head is at. You know, we all have a tendency to run from adversity. I let a brothah know that this sistah is currently unemployed. What?!! A single mom AND word in the motherland is she ain't got no job?! Not a good combination even though I'm as cute as I am.(smile) So, I thought I'd get to see what he's made of. Truthfully, I wouldn't blame him if he ran away--stop singing in my ear, stop speaking and smiling, you know...bust a trot. But he showed me something different. He's still flirting. So gentle readers, what do you make of that?

I'm trying to figure out: What does the brothah want? Or does he want anything at all? What should a sistah do? Or should a sistah do anything at all? Should the old fashioned sistah just get with the times and go after a brothah? MMMMmmmm...

Decisions...decisions.

Take it light.

simply beautiful
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