Monday Morning This and That

Not all of your decisions will be correct. None of us is perfect. But if you
get into the habit of making decisions, experience will develop your judgment
to a point where more and more of your decisions will be right. After all,
it is better to be right 51 percent of the time and get something done,
than it is to get nothing done because you fear to reach a decision.

H.W. Andrews

Ah, another Monday has arrived, another week begins...although I do have to admit, since I retired each day seems to run into another as each day feels like a weekend.  Followed true to my plan for my weekend plan and didn't veer off course. Weather wise, the humidity was back in full force, and it felt pretty nasty. On Saturday I stayed in the entire day.  Had gone to the fruit stand on Friday so there was nothing I needed.  On Sunday morning I went to church. During mass, an elderly woman entered dressed in her Sunday best, a bonnet, white gloves, and carrying a nice little bag.  Stirred up memories of the was church used to be when I was growing up.  Now, people think nothing of going in jeans and shorts and tank tops.  Why, even the priest said, one day during the summer heat, that no matter how hot it is, one should always dress respectful for church.

Part of my yield from my trip to the fruit stand, my favorite all-time grape--Baby Thompson grapes.  They are so sweet and yummy that I really have to be careful not to eat them all in one sitting.

I am so proud of my son.  I don't usually brag about my kids, but he did something special yesterday worth talking about.  Most here probably don't know that my son is a wrestler and an actor.  He appears weekly as an undercover officer on Elementary and Blue Bloods.  Well, he happened to see this story about a young boy who is dying of a rare disease that doctors have been unable diagnose him. At the present time, his brain is deteriorating, and doctors only give him about two years to live. The child's story can be found at Cole's Cause. My son, wanting to do something for this child spent months promoting and eventually producing a charity wrestling show which turned out to be a big hit.  Both stars and wrestlers got together in what was also a tribute to my ex husband, who was also an actor and wrestler.  All proceeds went to a fund for the child.  Tears welled in my eyes when the child's mother posted that this was one of the best weekends her family has had in a long time.

Have any of you been following the incident between the motorcycle gang and the SUV? I am not making any judgements because I wasn't there, but  I can empathize with the driver of the SUV because I've been through it and know the fear these motorcyclists can instill when the mob mentality takes over. A few years back hubby and I were headed for our weekly  jaunt to the beach. It was our day to unwind. The morning was lovely, and we were both looking forward to the day when  we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of motorcyclists.  There were so many of them it was impossible to count, and they were obviously getting a kick out of intimidating the drivers on the highway.  They weaved in and out of traffic, slowed up to look in the windows, laughed, and then pulled onto the next car, sometimes weaving in and out in front of cars.  It seemed to go on forever, and by the time we pulled off the road to go into the beach area, I was so afraid that my entire body was trembling and tears rolled down my cheeks. On that day all of our joy was taken away.

So, I can totally understand where the driver's 'flight or fight' response kicked in.  It is a very frightening situation, and he had his wife and daughter in he car as they headed out to celebrate their anniversary.  As per the hero who stepped in to help, six men pulled him from the car and were beating him and they were starting to pull his wife from the car.  Mob mentality.

Now,  don't get me wrong. I have nothing against motorcycles or their riders. In fact, when I was in my late teens a friend of mine was a rider, and me and my friends fought for the chance to ride on the back of his Harley.  There was nothing like it.  I used to feel like I was riding with the wind. Oh, how he loved his bike and took care of 'her'.   A few years later, long after I had moved to the city, I found out he had been killed in a motorcycle accident.  So sad.  He was so young.

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth forever.--Ecclesiastes

I  received my DNA test on Friday, and it is already on its way back to Ancestry. I am so excited. My previous DNA test traced my maternal lineage only, and though it was exciting to learn which Haplogroup I descended from. This new test will focus on my genetic ethnicity.  Can't wait.  Who knows what new secrets will emerge.

We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies. 

Shirley Abbott