Princess Laura

Princess Laura has selected her china pattern. It is absolutely fabulous! I knew I liked this girl!! Can't wait to see what else she puts on her registry! Not only is she smart -- getting a PhD; not only does she have great taste -- choosing my son. But she's beautiful too!

Wedding Season

Wedding season has begun! The first of the bachelorette parties and showers took place in the last couple of weeks. I'll be invited a total of five weddings between May and August. One I won't be able to attend because it's in Delaware and I need to save the money for Prince Dan's. It's the wedding of beautiful bride Lori, daugther in law to be of my friend Amy. Lori just finished med school and will start her residency in Philly just after the wedding. Amy's son Mike will move there and Amy will be very empty nested. Her daughter Kate moved to Nashville and will be married there next year.

My friend Correen had a shower for her daugher Jenny last night. Jenny and younger daughter Stephanie are gorgeous girls. Jen is marrying a Beverly Hills Cop, BH MI that is. Correen has four sisters and their names are Cathleen, Colleen, Maureen, and Noreen. They were all there, and we had a grand time playing bride bingo.

Stephanie (on the right side of the bride) graduated from high school with Prince Dan and her best friend Jenna Z. went all through school from kindergarten with him. Jenna is also in med school. I'm so proud of these girls! Big fashion item of the night: giant gold hoop earring. I think the queen needs a pair!

Leaving Las Vegas

Spent last week in Las Vegas. YAWN. I always thought if I ever got married again I would do it with an Elvis impersonater wearing a leopard jumpsuit. Not gonna happen. Couldn't possibly wear a jumpsuit, I didn't find any of the all-night wedding chapels or Elvis impersonators, not to mention the lack of a groom. It wasn't my kind of place. Gambling's not fun to me. I thought I'd love the lights and the hotel decor -- I did, it's just all so far apart. Those hotels are freaking HUGE! My feet ached every day, and I never got through it all. Check out the pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/home. I actually took more pictures of the lion than anything else.

Little Motown, Lotta Blues

Watching the grammys last week I heard a couple of amazing songs performed by this crazy looking girl. She appeared to be a screaming punk rocker, but she sounded like janis joplin. I'm haunted by her music now, bought her CD at meijer and keep playing the video on youtube. Apparently she has substance abuse issues; which is a shame. Wonder why this happens to talented people? Also read she writes most of the music and lyrics. There's a little motown beat, her voice is pure blues, and lots of horns! I told my drummer boy he should learn her songs. Take a listen to Amy Winehouse.

My Role Model

I finally had a chance to meet my hero, the queen who started it all, Jill Conner Browne, THE Sweet Potato Queen. And don't you know she's in town the ONE day I'm busy - on a MONDAY for heaven's sake. Jill was in Birmingham at Borders and I drove over there after class. It was nearly 10 at night, blowing snow and freezing cold. But the Big Ass Bus was still in the parking lot. I parked my car so the lights shined on the bus, propped my camera on the roof of the car, set the time and ran over for the first picture. Inside the store the clerks told me to knock on the door, that she was probably inside. Sure enough. I knocked on the door of the Big Ass Bus and out comes the cutest boy in the world saying "Well there you are, we've been waiting for you." Jill's husband has been well-schooled in how to make a wind-blown tired middle aged woman feel all warm and welcome. He gave me a HUGE hug before I even got up the steps! Inside Jill was making sandwiches, and asked me if I wanted one. Of course I said no, but just wanted a couple of pictures when she was done. Kyle took the pictures and Jill gave me a pair of her signature sunglasses. Now, here I am ON THE SWEET POTATO QUEEN WEBSITE! It just doesn't get any better than this.

Welcome New Year - And A Look Back

It is the first day of 2008. Ten years ago in my early forties, I couldn't imagine being over 50, or being single this long. I would never have guessed that my ex would have died. Ten years ago Mikey went to live with his dad in MD. I was devastated and I thought he would never be back. Joke's on me, he's been living here with his dad's dog for the past three years! Adding further irony, the dog often sleeps on my bed with me.

My goals in 1998 for 2008 were to have a new job - done. Make a lot more money - done, but not enough.

My biggest goals were to graduate both boys from high school with...

• no sexually transmitted diseases - done, I'm pretty sure!
• no incarcerations for more than 30 days, none - not even an arrest!
• no children - none!
• no addictions - none -- and continuous warnings of a predisposition to alcoholism.

That was my job and I'm done, everything else they accomplished was their own. Though neither has graduated from college yet, I'm still hopeful they'll finish. I'm very proud of them both, they are good people and will lead good lives, taking good care of their families.

I've got a lot to do in the next ten years. I have to stay healthy because they don't deserve to lose another parent too early. I have to get my finances in order because I don't want to be poor. I'm nine credits into this master's degree, so it would be good to finish - and keep the 4.0 I've got going so far.

I'd like to move to a warmer climate and hope the boys won't be too far away so that we can always be together at holidays. I hope to go to Paris or Rome or both. I'd like to visit Las Vegas and Honolulu too. I would really like grandchildren, and I'd like to still have my parents around. They are 76 and 78 now, and going strong! I'd like my brother to get his act together - that would certainly increase the life expectancy of mom and dad. One thing I learned during his past rehab was the serenity prayer and I greatly respect and rely on it:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

I'd add strength to that too, because it's hard to make changes. But here we go... and here's to a great 2008!

We celebrate Chrisgiving in the Jewell Family. Gaga and Papa Jewell now stay in Floriday through the holidays. Thanksgiving became a dual holiday for us. We love to laugh!

Make a free ecard - it's easy!