Most Commented Family Blogs (545)

Can a first cousin, once removed, be attached again? If so, I want to exhume his body. Just to tell him about the scandalous way in which his daughter and her married-on family left my house after I had to reprimand them (the twin brothers) for settling an argument in my front garden during the early hours of the morning. But I don’t feel like talking about them now.

My father phoned very early this morning to inform me that he‘s not feeling well and won’t be having lunch with us, so I won’t be going either. I stayed in bed until a short while ago. And while I was in bed, my guests left without a thank you or a good bye. Now they are gone and I have to continue living next to my neighbors… but I said I don’t want to talk about them.

Anyway, my father skipped lunch two weeks ago as well and when I called on him that afternoon he was not in. His neighbor apparently knew something I did not know; for he made a discreet phone call, and me old man arrived some ten minutes later. And he could not wait for me to depart. I think he’s got a new girlfriend.

This leaves me with a dilemma. What do I eat today? I have been emptying my freezer because I’m going to shoot my yearly kudu shortly. I’ll be leaving on Thursday but I won’t be away for long, I normally go for two weeks, but I have a medical check-up scheduled for the 7th. Maybe I can have it postponed for a few days.

I’m not fond of chicken and I don’t eat burgers, so KFC and McDonald are out. I depleted my steaks last night and only have a few pork chops left in the freezer. Not exactly my favorite food, but they are quick to prepare. I’m going to try my new stick free pan today. There should be some salads left over from last night.

At least my far-off cousin makes a decent potato salad... Damn it, man! How many time must I say that I don't want to talk about them.


I wish you all a grand Sunday. Yea, you too!

I first heard this line from the late Elizabeth Taylor and when I heard her reasons, didn't make any sense to me at all.

I must have been 33 years old and I felt at that time that my life truly began way before that. From her perspectives it didn't hit on me then what she truly meant until 20 years ago.

I was born from a very poor family which made me look at things very differently from others. I worked hard, didn't follow cultural values of getting married to someone chosen by my parents and elders who grew up with arranged marriages. Complete with selection from suitors who is subject to scrutiny as far as providing a good life for me. No romance, no love to consider. I figured if I would go to school and get me a good job, I'd be more than capable to do that myself without being a dependent on anyone. My father and mother agreed. With their support and scholarship I was able to graduate with honors from elementary, high school, college and masters' degree.

To cut the story short, I succeeded in materializing my dreams. Achieved my goals and at 24, my life truly started as I planned. Traveled the world and very happy and felt very blessed. My children were born and had so much fun. I felt blessed and thought life was complete.

When I heard this saying, for the first time, I didn't understand at all.

Fast forward and after so many ups and downs, losing houses and investments, getting divorce and overcome not one but two cancers, it finally makes sense to me.

Life truly begins at 50, or at least for me even 60.

A friend of mine has been having a right whinge about her daughter-in-law using her as an on-tap babysitter without so much as a by-your-leave. Her DIL is now throwing a strop because my buddy (who has a full-time fairly stressful job) said no when she was told she's going to be looking after 12 year old granddaughter plus two schoolfriends from straight after work Friday through to Saturday afternoon. Both of them are furious with each other.

And I'm cringing because I remember when I was first setting up my function catering business and working 60 -70 hours a week I asked my mother to collect my daughter from school umpteen times, keep her overnight umpteen times, and I took it completely for granted that I could ask.

In fact when I was going out with friends for my first social evening in about 4 months and my mother complained that I was being selfish, I was really indignant. Didn't she realize this was my first time-out in months ...

(I'm so sorry it took this long to see it from your point of view. I'm so sorry that it's too late to say I now understand.)

So this blog is for those who give and give and give again

Those who take and take and take from patient friends, family, loved ones: say thank you. They may do it willingly but it's no buzz to be taken for granted.

Incredibly beautiful here today - hard frost overnight rimming everything with white, blue skies, and the temperature climbed to the dizzying heights of 1 degree C.



I went shopping, stocked up, bought cards and a couple of gifts and was bombarded with cheesy carols throughout.

So - decided to push the boat out and actually do some decorating for the season. Let's see, now, where is everything?



I know I had everything in 3 packing cases. Basic, half-hearted, and the whole shebang. I can find the tree. And I can find the whole shebang box. Don't want the whole shebang, but I cannot find the other 2 boxes, which is a pain because one contains the tree decorations.



They might, oh dear, be in the attic. Anyone prepared to pop round and go up into the dark cold scary attic (I will hold the wobbly ladder) and get them for me?

Something very special happened to me this morning. This is something that happened only sixty two times before today. I became one day older. At 2:10 AM this morning (GMT-2) on this 23rd day of February (for the first time in my life ) I turned 63.

Yes, I know that most of you already wished me on Saturday, which technically was a false alarm but a dear friend here in Blogland was not sure if she would be able to wish me today so she though it prudent to do it on Saturday. This blog is only to set the record straight re my actual birth date and to thank each of you for the early well wishes.

I’ll had a late breakfast with some of my friends (thanks Hans) and will be entertained by the other at one of their homes for the rest of the day and early evening where we plan to make merry and to grill two large snoek (baracuta – not baracuda) on a bed of charcoal in the process.

I expect to be home by 9 PM and I will drop in for a few minutes if I am not too ‘tired’.


May your day be as wonderful as my day promises to be.

Do you think is normal that your boyfriend although is keeping you by hand but looks after other women?

Mothering Sunday in the UK, hope all the UK mums are being spoiled with, at the very least, a lie-in and a tidy house when they get up

Not a word from my daughter. Oh well. She's furious about me moving to Spain but she's been furious with me for a few years now. Becoming a full-time writer was bad. Joining a dating website was bad. Having an LDR with lots of holidays together was really bad, she was hugely relieved when that was over and she thought I would settle down and become normal again. (As if)

We came over for a week's holiday last year so she could see the Casa Eccentrica before I bought (she's my only heir, she'll be inheriting it) and she said she hated Spain and absolutely hated the house and that's sort of been it.

It's a very odd feeling, having your kids disapprove of you. Anyone else experienced it? Almost a role reversal, where she's the tut-tutting adult and I'm the unruly teenager.

Parenting of older kids is a background support role, parents should be waiting patiently in the wings until and if needed, and I am, I really am. It's just that while I'm waiting patiently to be needed I'm getting on with my life my own way.

Since I was young and able to see and understand the roles opposite sex can do, I was so thankful that I was born or God made me a woman.

My loving brother was made to do so many physical works in the farms that I didn't have to do. Meaning he's in the scorching sun or in the heavy pouring rain farming while I helped my mother do woman chores in the comfort of our home.

In the old traditional values and Filipino culture, women didn't need to go to school and dream of becoming anything than that of a house wife and raise children. My father was different. He asked me what I wanted to do after mandatory schooling and I said: " I want to be a lawyer". So he let me pursue my career against the expectations of my uncles and aunts. But with the support of my great grandmother from Spain and my mother, I rose above that traditional value. And so I became a University professor and traveled the world. I could only be thankful that my father deviated away from such a limited thinking and yet never heard of feminism.

In today's society, it's a fact that women are now entitled of rights that were not available before.

I, too am thankful of that, but I don't use it to ever claim that I'm better without a man and or I can do it all without a man.

Still I'm so grateful that I am a woman. Wear skirts and cry whenever I want to if I have to.


Thanks all for your peruse and comments if any.

...on the 31st Mrch I sent my son off to the Uk for a 2 week break to see his mates, it was the first time he has flown on his own so old dad was a bit worried.

Louis has always been a shy and not very confident lad, but he managed to get to the UK fine, his mate picked him up and not heard from him really.

Today on Facebook he posted a photo..its the first time I've seen him smile in a photo as normally he hates having his photo taken.. He booked a train ticket to London and found his way via a tube to meet a Girl he met last time he was in the UK.

Seems I've lost my son as he's all grown up and don't need his dad to take him places anymore...been sat here crying my eyes out..times flies.

It's funny that I say I have returned from vacation because in Bullhead City I am unemployed. But nevertheless time with my family and wonderful children and grandchildren was just to good to be true!! But it was!!

My son picked me up from the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink station after getting off Amtrak (the railroad system). We hugged and took off for his home where I spent the day. I walked into his home and "Weenie", his Dachshund came smothering me with licks and love. Then "Tommy" his cat sauntered up to me and rubbed against me. It's as if they knew I have been gone for a longtime and they were glad to see me.

My Grandson Leo ran up to me and I picked him up and hugged hugged hugged him. He puckers his lips up real smoochy and he gave me a slobber kiss! Then my new Grandson was carried to me by his wonderful and precious mother, my gorgeous daughter-in-law, and I gave him a tender smooch on his cheek. He is now 2 months old.

I spent a wonderful day there and later on that evening I went to my sisters home. I was glad to see them. Merc, the younger one at 80 years old, was relieved. My arrival meant I would "sit" the older sister, Martha, who is 91 y.o. and she could kinda relax.

We sat and yakked and laughed at old times and ate and desserted (we're sweets freaks) and we "snoozle doozled". That's what we call napping while watching TV then we wake up and laugh at the silliness of all of us snoozle doozing and we have some more dessert.

My sisters are famous for not cooking. Neither one was ever talented in the culinary area but I have never been fussy in that area also. They had leftovers and I enjoyed them all.

Merc and I discussed their possible move since they are both so old that their home has become sort of a hassle in that it is too big to care for. Then there's the fact that our relatives are all old so they have no visitors because everyone stays home.

I know, your wondering why I don't help. My sisters, you see, are suspicious of everyone and since they have sizable savings they think they will be cheated "by someone". I have offered but their stubborness has taken control of their lives and they are too old to change. But we did discuss this and I know one day they will have to do something for their proper care. It will be too soon to ignore.

I walked my older sister and sat with her gabbing. She's 91 but she's not feeble. However, her stress and worries of life, whatever they were, have been too much for her and she has come down with Alzheimers.

I see the result of the loneliness, but they never will. So, they are caught in a web of struggle trying to maintain their life between themselves. And, again, age is closing in on them rapidly.

THEN!!!! My first daughter and her family from Oregon arrived and me and all the kids and grandkids laughed and ate and laughed some more and ate some more til it was finally time to get ready to go home.

Parting was sad but we know we will do this again and soon. My youngest daughter drove me home and she spent the weekend with me. This town is built up on the casino industry. SO!!! We went to the casinos where she and her pal spent the days flirting "with all the cute guys" and gambling. We ate and partied until that evening where I went to the club and listened to bands and danced.

My daughter and her pal continued to flirt and flirt some more. She filled me in on all the guys hitting on them on the way home to go to sleep and we had a good chuckle and we had one last meal.

The next morning we prepared for her departure. We ate breakfast and we promised that I would be seeing them again and soon. Finally it was time for her to go and much too soon. As she drove down the road and away from Poppa (me) I developed a lump in my throat.

Six hours later I called them all to see if they had arrived home safely and thy had with one more promise of getting together and soon.