I'll Love You Forever, I'll Like You For Always

Loosing someone you love is never easy. I wouldn't wish the loss of a loved one on my worst enemy, but the sad and unfortunate reality is that death is part of life...children loose parents, grandchildren loose grandparents, parents loose children, siblings loose siblings, friends loose friends, and no matter how many times you've been through the heartache of loss, it never becomes something easily dealt with.

To one of my most dearest friends: My heart aches at the pain you're feeling. Nothing I or anyone else can say or do will make the pain and sadness go away, but you're strong, and you will persevere. I have never had the opportunity to meet your Nan, but from the stories you tell, and those members of your family that I've met, I can tell she is a wonderful woman, and raised a beautiful, kind family. Your family is her legacy, and one I can imagine she is proud of.

Eight years ago I lost my Grandmother, my Grams, and the pain, though no longer as prominant or consuming, never really leaves. Your Nan will live forever in your memories, and those of your aunts, uncles, cousins, your children and theirs. Although your girls are young, and your youngest will likely not have lasting memories, your oldest probably will, and she'll hold onto the memories she made at the cottage forever. Memories that would never have been possible without your Nan.

My Grams has been consuming my thoughts lately, either she's haunting me, which she would totally do, or all these thoughts about what you're going through has been reminding me of what my family went through with my grandmother. So in the spirit of remembering, and not letting memories be forgotten, here are some of my favorite Grandma memories:

She had a pole at the end of her driveway and would, without fail, yell as you're pulling away "mind the pole", even to my Mom, who had lived there her whole life. My siblings and I teased her mercilessly about it.

"Did you eat?" "Did your friend eat?" "Did you ask your friend if they were hungry?" "Did you see the donuts on the counter?" - My Grandma would and could feed a small army on any given day. Although her other favorite quote was in answer to the question "What's for dinner?", her response being (every time) "dry bread and pull it."

If you pissed her off, or miss behaved: "I'm going to string you up by your toenails and whip you with a wet noodle"

In reference to the make up I started wearing MUCH too early, and MUCH too much of "clean off that war paint"

Her nickname for my little brother, because he had a speech impediment that made him sound like he had an accent "...you little Dutchman". Sounds meaner in theory than it was in practice. She didn't have a mean bone in her body.

When bringing food from the kitchen into the dining room she would yell "coming around the corner!", so that no one would bump into her.

"pull up those pants, I can see your knickers" - self explanatory

And maybe one of the funniest things about her: the 10 pm. phone calls my mom had to make each night to wake her up in time to watch Cops and Jerry Springer.

This past February I got a tattoo in memory of my Grandparents that I have lost:

3 Lily's - each in different stages of blossom to represent the three generations, Lily's because they are both my Grandmas and my favorite flower, and the words I'll Love You Forever, because I will, and because my parents read that story and said that line a millions times to us when we were kids.

Sky Rockets In Flight...Afternoon Delight

RATED R : Explicit Content, Possible Offensive Language, Not Appropriate for my Mother...or Sister (she's too pure)

I'm just going to go ahead and get it over with...S.E.X....sex, specifically that which occurs in the summer...there, that's what this whole post is about, so avert your eyes if reading that word makes you, a) uncomfortable, b) light headed, or c) nauseous. If it doesn't...lucky you, you get to hear about my sex life and my random suggestion for yours, I can tell you're excited - I would be if I were you,  reading a random blog making suggestions for my sex life, so excitement is totally natural.

Anyhow, moving on...

Spontaneity, it's good for any relationship, and summer always offers SO many more opportunities for it, for both sexual and non-sexual activities, however I'm speaking specifically of activities of a sexual nature. I don't know if it's the heat or the lack of huge sweaters and long pants, or what, that gets the hormones raging, but summer sex is oh so different from winter sex. Not that I'm complaining about sex in the other seasons, but there's something exciting and thrilling about it in the summer. It's different, and each year I forget how great it is until the summer comes and we get to enjoy it all over again.

Now I'm not exhibitionist by any means. Not like the couple I once saw parked on the front row of a drive in movie, RIGHT in front of a light, so their whole car was illuminated for all to see. That shits just too crazy for me. But since the warm weather has come the BF and I have taken advantage of the hot nights, and the deserted roads etc. And let me tell you, if you want to ignite some passion in your relationship, take a drive and let your hormones take over. It's good for your relationship and as far as I'm concerned, good for the soul.

I would suggest to all couples out there, if you want a good time with your "other half", to drop the kids off  to play with their grandparents or something, and take a drive as a couple. Call it "team building" or whatever you'd like, but theres nothing like pretending your 17 (not that I was doing anything like this at 17 Mom, if you're still reading this) and cramming yourselves into the back of a car. Just don't park in front of a large group of people in direct lighting...no one needs to see that. Believe me, it's not as hot as you might think it is.