Lovely Laura, The Bridal Shower on 4-10-2010

Last Saturday, I went to Sacramento for the bridal shower of the very special girl who is going to marry my son, Alex.  Laura has been part of his life since they met when they were both studying fire technology at American River College ( both hoped to become fire fighters ).  They had their first date six years ago.  In April 2009, they bought their home, adopted my two granddogs from a Yolo County animal shelter and, with his grandmother's diamond solitaire in hand, Alex asked this beautiful young woman to marry him.  When Laura phoned me, second's later and said, "Hi
Mom," I couldn't stop crying.  She is an incredible person, a wonderful partner for him, a hard worker ( she is a paramedic ), loyal, beautiful and  so thoughtful.  I was deeply touched when she called and invited me to go with her and her maid of honor to shop for her wedding dress.  She commented that, since I had three sons, I might not ever have the opportunity, otherwise! 

The shower was given by her maid of honor, Mandy, who did such a beautiful job of decorating the house.  It was a girl's only event and Mandy's husband, Dave, seemed happy to vacate the house for a few hours.  We played fun games and I loved meeting Laura's grandmother and aunts and friends.  Of course, I knew her mom and a couple of other relatives, some of who were at Alex and Laura's for their first Thanksgiving dinner in their new home.  Alex and Laura just flew to Georgia with my other son, Jeremy, and his girlfriend, Katie, so they could meet the boys' grandmother.  Sadly, of course, she won't be at the wedding.

The beautiful table

Mandy, maid of honor, hard at work

Beautiful Laura

Laura's engagement ring which was my mother's

Laura and her mom, Christine

Laura and her grandmother ( don't they look alike?

The gifts pile up

Laura and Trish

Wrestling with a box

Laura's only lingerie gift - from Grammy - who said, "I may be old but I'm not senile!"

Aunt Shirley and Aunt Patt

Lots more to open

A beautiful cake plate

Laura, with her ribbon bouquet

The cake expresses all our wishes for Laura

Flowers in Mandy's window box

At home after, flowers in Laura's new bridal shower vase

The groom-to-be, Alex, Taffy, and my oldest son, Shawn, listening to the shower details -

Alex is trying to understand why they need another set of mixing bowls when they already had two - I will be interested to see if Laura convinces him!

Dim Sum - Flash 55 Friday, 4-16-10

Stuffed tofu skin rolls

Sticky rice in lotus leaves

Spinach and shrimp dumpling

Barbecue pork bun, beef rice noodle roll, fried calamari

I love these little morsels,
I gaze at every cart,
This parade of Chinese tidbits,
Gives my day a special start!

Around me, chopsticks click,
There is chatter as I bite,
The restaurant’s completely full,
And I’m the only one who’s white!

I look about and see,
Welcoming faces smile at me.

Food formed friendships.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2010 by Carmen Henesy
All rights reserved.

"M" Is For Madeira Islands - Alphabe Thursday, 4-15-10

I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday

Twice now, I have had the incredible good fortune to stop for one day on the island of Madeira in the north Atlantic, about 325 miles from the coast of Africa.  After six sea days, crossing from Florida, it is a magical stop, with its subtropical climate and incredible beauty.  It is easy to see why so many European vacationers choose this Portuguese island as a destination.  It was a favorite of Winston Churchill who stayed at the famous Reid Hotel and enjoyed painting Madeiran scenery.

The island rises from the port to incredible cliffs with glorious vistas of the ocean.  At one point,
Cabo Girão, one of the highest cliffs in Europe is over 6.000 feet above sea level.  Cable cars are used to transport people from Funchal to areas higher up the hillsides.  You can do the cable car up to Monte - see incredible views, then take a toboggan ride down in the traditional wicker basket that once was used to transport vegetables and items from upper elevations down to the port area.  It's a bit pricey - about 25 euros per couple but I thought it was great fun, careening down the streets with the two men in white, braking with their shoes.  I kept my eyes closed and screamed until we came to a halt about halfway down!

Just as in Bali, every inch of land is terraced and farmed.  Flowers bloom everywhere.  The island justly deserves its nickname, "pearl of the Atlantic."  It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and I hope to win the lottery one  of these days so that I can go back, like Winston Churchill and stay at least a week.  A one day stop on a cruise ship just isn't enough.  I am thrilled, though, that I got to visit twice!  Madeira is off the beaten path and, unless you've had their famous wine, you may not even have heard of it at all.

Sadly, in a computer crash several years ago, I lost all of my beautiful pictures of this wonderful island.  The photographs shown here are all from various photos on flickr, with a creative commons license.  I am so grateful to these photographers for being able to show you their work.

Sao Laurenco, Madeira 

by tumsdebab

Beautiful flowers

by markwoodbury

Botannical Gardens

by nwillsey

Breathtaking view

by vigour

Cable cars

by Leo -seta

Church in Madeira

by mark woodbury

Cliffs of Madeira

by mark woodbury

Funchal, Madeira

by ahisgett

Homes on Madeira

by anybooker

Incredibly blue ocean

by jenschapter3

Ocean waves

by mark woodbury

Madeira sunset

by mark woodbury

Wicker basket toboggan ride

by mark woodbury

Madeira cliffs

by jenschapter3

Watery Wednesday & Wordless Wednesday- April 14, 2010

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Jamaican Rainbow

Magpie Tales, 4-13-10 Harlot Red

He barely glanced at her as he sipped his coffee and read the New York Times.  She had gotten up early to fix a nice breakfast and to put on a bright sundress, with makeup skillfully applied.  She was even wearing eyeshadow and a new shade of fire engine red lipstick.  She fought back tears.  What had happened to their marriage?  They used to talk over breakfast,

enjoy their few minutes together before he headed off to work, discuss plans for dinner, kiss each other goodbye. with fervor, at the door.  They seldom spoke at all anymore. 

Once Jared left for college, it was as though their life had ended.  Paul stayed later and later

at the office.  He never called to say he wouldn't be home for dinner.  The lovely meals she planned would sit, artfully displayed on the dining room table in a congealed mess, until she finally gave up and put the food away.  Then, when he did come home, he would berate her for not having dinner ready.

Alissa stayed trim and fit, using her days to exercise, jog, enrich her mind.  She could discuss current events, politics, world affairs.  She was well read and the consummate hostess.  Paul no longer wanted her to entertain and they gradually withdrew from their circle of friends.  Alissa felt as though she was losing her mind.

She tried to reach out to him this morning.  He lowered his newspaper and looked at her scornfully, "I'm leaving now.  I have to get to work.....and, really, that lipstick makes you look like a whore!"

She waited until his Mercedes pulled out of the garage, then she went down to the basement and took out her suitcases.  Once they were packed and put into the car, she returned to their glittering bathroom with its floor to ceiling mirror.  She took out her new tube of lipstick and wrote firmly in fire engine red on the mirror - "I'm gone!"

Mellow Yellow Monday - 4/12/10 - Cocoaland Mango Gummies

Cocoaland Mango Gummies

I first discovered these mango gummies from Malaysia at my neighborbood grocery, Manila Market, in Daly City, CA where they cost $3.99 a bag.  They are absolutely addicting.  I started taking them with me on cruises, giving them out to the crew, in little plastic bags, along with their tips and, now, whenever I get on a ship, they come up and ask me, "Miss Carmen, where's our candy?"  I finally located a wholesaler in Oakland who sells them to me by the case so I end up paying a dollar less a bag but I have to get $200 worth.  In the last five years, I know I've bought 25 cases of 24 bags each.  The Royal Caribbean crew love them and so do all my friends and family.  If you ever come across a bag, try them.

Here's Sanjay Dicholkar, one of the finest bartenders ever, with Royal Caribbean - holding up one of the mango gummies. I sailed with him on the Mariner of the Seas and on the Serenade of the Seas. He's one of my Indian "sons" and a good friend. I love it when he calls and leaves me a message and says "Mother India." He has the warmest smiles and is the epitomy of good service!

This is my mellow yellow Monday offering.

The Meaning of LIfe

From the time we make our debut,

And emit that wailing lusty cry,

Until our days on earth are over,

And we accept our fate and die,

Whether we manage to be happy,

Or our time is filled with strife,

It seems we all are searching,

For the elusive meaning of life.

There don’t seem to be directions,

Or a book to point the way,

Some of us will seek it,

When we turn to God and pray.

Others will look elsewhere,

In dark depths and lose their souls,

Some may battle every day,

And try to reach their goals.

As we take our dying breath,

Will we have our answer then?

If we didn’t find life’s meaning,

We won’t go around again!

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2010 by Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved

A Poem in My Pocket

There’s a poem in my pocket,

It’s worth more than gold,

I’ve made several copies,

For the original is old.

I carry it with me,

To countries afar,

It keeps you beside me,

Wherever you are.

You wrote words of love,

That was fifty years past,

We knew, even then,

It was destined to last.

You talked of our dreams,

Most have come true,

Because of goals shared,

Between me and you.

We’re full of wrinkles,

And our walk is now slow,

But, whenever you smile,

Your face is aglow.

I know it by heart,

This poem that you said,

For me and for all,

On the day that we wed.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2010 by Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved