For The Ladies

A few weeks back, almost two now, I was in a house full of nearly all the women of my family tree. We were at the home of a friend for my sister's wedding rehearsal dinner, all in town for the big day. Gathered up for the din-din were Ellen (bro-in-law's mom), My Grandma Sunny, Aunt Judy (dad's sister from Georgia), my Mom, Aunt Sandy, Aunt Sue, Carol (brother-in-law's sister), cousin Julie (also from Georgia), Katie (hermana), cousin Sonya, my amazing wife Alicia, cousin Jenny, Journey (Julie's daughter), and Dakota (Sonya's daughter). Also there were the ladies of the graciously-hosting family, including Gay, Tammi, Kim, and Grace.

Four generations of women 'round the Lott/Rider/Hennessey tree. Three 'round the Fout's. A little bit after dinner, I looked around the room and got choked up, like the big baby I can be when I realize a Life moment. The room was full of, literally, hundreds of years of life and lessons and stories and love. Kids. Kid's kids. Mother's mothers. It may never happen again in my life so I took stock of it.

In that room were the strongest women I've ever met. The most Faithful, Intelligent, Loving, Gracious, Funny women I have spent time around. Dynamic and yet normal. Realized and Optimistic.

Wives. Ex-wives. Wives-to-be.
Mothers. Grandmothers. Great Grandmothers. And those "to-be."
Caregivers of ailing husbands. Caregivers of ailing children.
Teachers. Students.
Survivors of addiction.
Survivors of divorce.
Survivors of breast cancer.
Survivors of the weight of Life.

And they have each come through the stories of their lives with tales to tell. We all sat and smild and laughed and moved around the room to send more time with each other. I didn't get to make the toast that I had wanted to make, the timing of the weekend all seemed a bit accelerated.

So I'll make it now:

Your strength is a cornerstone, your love the mortar, and your wisdom the roof. It is our blessing as men that you grace our lives, and that we may work to provide and protect you in our words and deeds. We become better men because of the amazing women you are. Thank you for your presence, your gifts, and your grace.


Thank you all for all you are. This blog can't do justice to all you've been through in your lives, and how strong you all are to this day. I am blessed to share love, family, blood, and stories with you. I would totally give you a kidney. Maybe even mine.

=0=0=0=0=0=
Take Me Home

My Blog About My Dad

We Can All Agree On Food That's Free

In the kitchen at work, which has two vending machines and - if you're quick - a "surprise buffet" known as a refrigerator, there are some randomly-donated food items.

Somebody left a plastic freezer-bag full of "snack mix" on the counter for general consumption. Made almost entirely from cereal, it features multicolored rings of cereal, chex-type cereals, and cranberries.

Those dark spots are the cranberries. It's fuzzy because I was stifling a Vomiggle, a cross between throwing up and vomiting.
This picture was taken at 2pm. This bag's been countertopped since the morning.

Free Food.
Workplace.
No way should this have gone so long.

I work in a very diverse work environment, with people from as far away as Iowa. But this attempt at sharing should be pointed out as a shameful excuse for emptying the cupboards. Either somebody's kid is wondering where all the breakfast went, or somebody's kid just got their car-seat cleaned out.

Chex -like cereal, which I tend to love.
Frooty Loops, which I understand the appeal of.
Cranberries, fantastic through the mid 1990s before faltering around 1999. Did we have to let them linger?

So let me explain this to you, in case you're thinking of "brightening up" the workplace with a donation of free nibbles.

DO THE RIGHT THING...
Candy. Chocolate. Cake, Pre-Cut. Pizza, always good. Donuts will rocket you to sainthood in Accounts Payable.

Just a primer. People are pigs, they'll eat what's there even if you dropped a donut, sprinkles-down in baby diapers. Just run it under the Purell and eat up. Don't drop the randomly assembled burnt popcorn, lime Tootsie Rolls, and a barrette in the breakroom and then pat yourself on the ass for a job barely noticed.

What a shameful attempt at impromptu workplace catering. That second handful tasted terrible.

Take Me Home

My Blog About My Dad