Just Breathe

Christina and Winker

Just getting home from a night out on the town with my friends Winker, Danny, René, Stuart, Hilary, Joy, Calvin and others. We went to Jax's and then to "The Mean Eyed Cat." It was a fun night of taking funny photos and even funnier jokes. Unfortunately, none of the good photos were with my camera. A great ending to a  much less stressful Memorial Day weekend than last year.

Where do I start with the craziness of  last year? I rented a van to take Tony and his band to Ruidoso, New Mexico to play at the Bottle House Cabins. That in itself was fun. I knew the owners, my brother, Phillip had performed their wedding years earlier.  As I stepped out of my house, locking the door it dawned on me that leaving Christian, his friend Stefan and Tony's cat, George, at my house was a less than desirable decision and with that thought, I slipped off of the front door step and fell on my shoulder. I just recently stopped physical therapy for the injury. I had a migraine all the way to New Mexico. Thank God for Steve who took care of me and drove simultaneously. By the time we got to Lincoln County, I was feeling better and enjoyed the whole Billy the Kid experience that Steve, Will and I had been looking forward to. I also loved listening to the wind blowing down the mountain, through the trees every evening. Probably my biggest feat of the trip was having the guys get in touch with their feminine side in the hot tub by telling each other one thing they loved about each other. What I didn't know was that back home, Christian was having a 5 day party at my house and after George sprayed all over my new bed and every rug in the house, he disappeared for about two weeks only to be found coming out of the closet to eat at night. My cat still gets nervous when she sees me leaving.

My Peace Rose Bush In Full Bloom!

In great contrast, this Memorial Day weekend was peaceful. I painted, worked in my garden and watched "In Love And War" It's a true story set in WWI. Ernest Hemingway fell in love with a nurse named Agnes. She later sent him a "Dear John Letter." In his unforgiveness, he used her as the basis for several characters in his novels, not always flattering to her. There are a couple of morals to this story. Don't break the heart of a writer, they will write about you and .... here is the important moral.... forgiveness is essential. Hemingway never forgave Agnes. He married 4 times and then committed suicide.

Mom & Dad's grave, Llano Cemetery, Amarillo

This time of year is always bitter sweet. May starts out great with my birthday on May 12, celebrating with all my other Taurus girlfriends, we have lots of parties, cards, cakes and presents. Then Gilbert's birthday is May 21.... but then comes May 26, my dad's birthday, May 27 my nephew Jeran passed away and just 3 short years before that on May 28 is Jeran's birthday. Then Memorial Day falls in there somewhere and then May 31 is my mom's birthday.

Felipe Montoya Fajardo WWII, Normandy, France

I spent more time this Memorial Day thinking about the memory of our war heros. My dad used to take me to the cemetery, wearing his American Legion hat but he never explained to me why we were there. Now I know. I honor him way more now than I did when I was 12.

I have always said that there is a Willie song for every event in my life. This time I have a Pearl Jam song that is on Willie's new CD "Heros" perfect for what I am feeling today. "Lucky to count on both hands, the ones I love."
Watch this video,
it will make you cry, in a good way!
  -->Just Breathe<--

Just Breathe

Yes, I understand that every life must end
uh-huh
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go
uh-huh
Oh I'm a lucky man,
to count on both hands the ones I love
Some folks just have one, yeah, others, they've got none
uh-huh
Stay with me...
Let's just breathe...

Practiced all my sins, never gonna let me win
uh-huh
Under everything, just another human being
uh-huh
I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world
to make me bleed

Stay with me
You're all I see...

Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
As I come clean...

I wonder everyday, as I look upon your face
uh-huh
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take
uh-huh
Nothing you would take
Everything you gave...

Did I say that I need you?
Oh, did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
And I come clean, ah...

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave
Love you til I die
Meet you on the other side...