Those funny things we say

   Today I told someone "Blessings on your head" for some kind comments she made about my book. I have been saying that for years. This kind reader said that someone she really liked said that a lot. This reader didn't know me, but I bet she reallllllly likes me now since I remind her of that special someone who says that unique phrase!  wink wink
   We have a large number of those funny little phrases in our family. We call them Bridges-isms. Before I was married we called them Marks-isms. "Californicated" is what my Montana brother Ken calls me. Cheap little gifts you pick up are called "gee-jaws" at my house. (That one comes from John's dad who grew up in North Carolina.) My husband calls underwear, "shorts". Shorts are called..."shorts".  I don't know how he keeps the names apart but that is clearly his very own Bridges-ism. (yes, it makes me a bit nutty but I love him and usually check his wardrobe of "shorts" before heading out the door...just in case!)  My older sister used to respond to "have a nice day", by saying, "I always do!". I liked that and still use it. People ask me how I'm doing and I usually answer with the comeback "Dandy!". It almost regularly gets a response and a smile. My family could easily weigh in with dozens of others that make the ism list!  Let me know some of your favorite little isms so I can put it in my arsenal when I head out the door each day.
   Life is certainly not dull at our house. My husband said being married to me is anything but dull. :)

Emerald green

   A few years ago my husband John and I were strolling through our favorite local antique mall and I paused at the jewelry counter. I spied a lovely older marquee cut emerald ring in the case. Just a lovely piece with extra emeralds surrounding the main stone. I had broken a similar one several years before and inquired about the ring with the clerk. It was about a month before my 50th birthday so John said why don't you try it on? I told him right then and there that if it fits... then we have to buy it! With a wink he said okay! Wellllllllllll you just know that the ring fit and I'm staring at it right now as I type! Happy birthday to me. So, today I put the ring on again and remembered that it is Earth Day. The "green" emeralds helped me make the connection! They never celebrated Earth Day when I was a kid. Growing up in Montana as a child, EVERYDAY was Earth Day! In my family we were taught not to litter and to pick up litter even if it isn't yours. My sister Cheryl wouldn't even let me spit my sunflower seed shells onto the trail when hiking cause others would see them later who passed by the same trail! She was teaching me to not leave a footprint of any kind!  We had a garden and mulched too. We recycled long before it was the chic and popular thing to do. Ask anyone who came to my house about how we slid the pop cans down the basement banister railing into a box for recycling!  We were "green" back then. Our local paper said the best modeling for children on Earth Day comes from their parents. Our oldest daughter called most plants broccoli bushes when she was little. I always tried to learn and teach them names of plants.  Middle child Whitney cared for the snails in our yard with deep passion. She loved those first radishes we harvested too. Son Grant spent the most time in the garden with me weeding and mowing. He loved the dirt.  I love that all my children have a garden of some size and plant vegetables! I must of passed good conservation thinking along without even knowing I was! As the old Crosby Stills Nash and Young song says...Teach your children well. Recently I started carrying a latex glove in my pocket when we walk our dog in the mornings so I can pick up trash along our gorgeous scenic coast. My husband teased me about it at first but now he's joined in. I believe he knows the latex glove is protecting that lovely emerald  ring he bought me. I'm the one winking at him now!

Big day!

Big day for me. I feel kind of numb. I have wondered what this day would feel like. I have logged hours of writing, not writing, re-writing, and endless editing.  My book Wet Mittens was released today on Amazon. My husband hugged me as I choked back the tears when the proof copy arrived in the mail for final edits about 2 weeks ago. He whispered, "Your dad would be proud of you". As I talked to my father during his final week of life, I was so determined to do something remarkable and achieve a goal I didn't think possible. I will never forget his hand reaching for mine as I sat at his bedside and his blue eyes locked mine and said, "Write that book". That vote of confidence is what drove me to finish. Thanks Daddy. I have champagne chilling in the frig and I will toast to you and celebrate!

 You can find 2 links below for the paperback and the Kindle.
Being honest here...I think I've logged on to Amazon about a dozen times just staring at the page listing my book! I keep thinking it's just not real. It's just so cool. I'm putting "author" down on all my forms from now on where they ask you your occupation! Thanks for sharing my joy with me. I hope you enjoy the book.

Lorrie- author.   :)


http://www.amazon.com/Wet-Mittens-Lorrie-Bridges/dp/1496103807/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396974502&sr=1-1&keywords=Wet+Mittens

http://www.amazon.com/Wet-Mittens-Lorrie-Bridges-ebook/dp/B00JGVZ1KI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396975229&sr=1-1&keywords=Wet+Mittens

Just Swing the Bat!

   About 25 years ago we were first time parents entering the world of organized recreational sports in our community for our eldest daughter Noelle. My husband played baseball and I played softball so we naturally encouraged our daughter to play a sport we were enthusiastic about. Her first season after T-ball was with an all girl softball team in our small town. Like any team there were some players that out shined others in their athletic abilities, and some who lagged behind with lack luster. We parents collectively cheered and encouraged all the girls as they all overcame their fears and nerves at the plate or consistently hit the ball. Late into the season some of the girls on the team were still not getting the whole concept of swinging the bat to get on base and eventually score runs. One young girl named Melissa stood time after time in the batters' box with the bat on her shoulder frozen in time. Her parents were patiently encouraging her to try and just swing the bat! Exasperated one day from weeks of seeing her daughter just stand there, Melissa's mom took a crisp $5 bill from her wallet as her daughter strolled up to the plate...again. She walked up to the fence waving the money behind the umpire and yelled out to her daughter, "$5 for you if you just swing the bat!". Melissa was stunned by this bit of news from the stands. Again her mother repeated her desperate plea. With a shocked look on her face she asked her mom, " Really?!". "Yes, just swing the bat!", her mother replied. All of the parents were giggling and laughing and wondering how Melissa would respond. First pitch over the plate, she swung the bat and connected with the softball! She found herself on first base grinning from ear to ear as she met her mother's expectation. The stands full of parents were cheering wildly and laughing hysterically. I will never forget the next girl in the batting order coming up to bat and asking Melissa's mom if she could get $5 for swinging the bat too! Ahhhhh good times... I was recalling that memory to several friends this week as they wade through scary uncertain circumstances in their lives They find themselves frozen at the plate and not sure what to do. Maybe it's time to just "swing the bat", I tell them. What have you got to lose? Just try something new, break through the fears that have your feet in blocks of ice. Make one small step toward a goal and get yourself moving in a direction! God will redirect if He needs to. Maybe we just swing the bat.
   P.S. Melissa went on to be an all star player for our local high school/county in softball. All because one mom, with one $5 bill asked her to "swing the bat."

Fun Friends

   I received a cardboard wrapped package yesterday in the mail. I couldn't recall what I ordered and opened the package quickly.The content inside took my breath away.  It took me a bit by surprise. I loudly blurted out, It's my book!!!!  The proof copy had just arrived for my final approval. I cannot begin to tell you all the emotions that flooded over me at that moment.  John kissed and hugged me and then I cried while I read aloud  the acknowledgement page to our 4 visiting friends standing nearby. Crying all over again. John whispered into my ear as he hugged me again, "Your dad would be very proud of you". Yes dad, I know you are smiling from heaven and proud as punch with me.  We took pictures of me staring at the proof copy with my silly big grin. Somebody pinch me! This is really happening. Any author reading this KNOWS how I feel right now! Relief. Accomplishment. Fear. Pride (the good kind). I was thankful to be standing there sharing my special moment with others. I was standing there with some "fun friends". We coined that word combo several years ago when we met some new friends who we quickly enjoyed friendship and fun times with. I starting referring to them as our "fun friends". (Thanks Richard and Trudi) xoxo  Vacations, trips in their RV, movie nights, wine tasting weekends, sea glass hunting, chasing our children to college together, prayers & tears, a Europe trip, the cabin and much much more has filled our lives. I am so very grateful  I have been blessed with so many "fun friends" who season my life. It was only appropriate that 2 sets of "fun friends", Ed & Michelle and Duane& Delene were there to share in my tearful, joy filled moment when the book arrived in the mail. Later after dinner we sat around the fire pit recalling our favorite moment of the action packed day. Delene's was finding a gorgeous piece of  light blue sea glass. Michelle savored the girls winning in bocce ball against the boys. Duane loved the hidden beach we took them to for lunch. Ed loved holding a sea animal in his hand called a chiton.  It was no surprise to anyone what my favorite moment was.  :)

Lyaaf

I'm letting you in on a little family secret between my husband and I.  He loves acronyms. His work helps him love them too, but he LOVES them. That is why I use them too. He even named a cove near our house the BC (Bridges Cove).Teachers have their own set to confuse us.The insurance business is famous for them-EOB (explanation of benefit). The military branches have their own code book as well.   I am the MIL(mother in law) John's work involves an EIR (environmental impact review) I am LEB ( Lorraine Estelle Bridges)  and the world of IM (instant message) brought out a raft of new ones too. BFF, LOL, ROFL and BTW... and the TV remote is AWAL! Us older kids can remember SWAK (sealed with a kiss) on the back envelope of our snail mail. BYOB-Bring your own bottle is another familiar old one. It's a language within our our language you are required to learn! 
   It all started when that heart tugging children's book came out titled "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch and we read it to our children numerous times. If you don't own it or need a great baby gift for someone then this is the book for you. We choked back tears each time we read it. Our parents cried when they read it to their grand kids too! I have proof of it with photos of a crying grandmother Ann reading it. I found out recently that Mr Munsch wrote the book after the tragic loss of his set of twins. It was because of love the book was written and it led to a new acronym for us. LYAAF- (Love you always and forever). I like to sign cards, notes and emails with it from time to time. Sometimes people ask me what it means and they are instantly wrapped up in a hug of love when I tell them. I learned to just take a little bit of time and energy to say I love you and show care to those around me. So for today...just know I really do LYAAF even if I don't see you often enough to tell you face to face. 


LYAAF,

LEB  :)

Feel free to share some of your favorite acronyms with me!    

I've added an email subscribe button below so you can be notified by email when I post new thoughts.  xoxoxo 
thanks for reading

The new Lorrie

   I'm just about ready to publish and print my first book. It's called Wet Mittens. Soon to be on Amazon. It's taken me over 7 years to write and finish it. That mere fact embarrasses me, but will someone please throw me a party!?  I've been busy getting kids through college, then their marriages, untimely deaths of loved ones, traveling and now some grandchildren have arrived on the scene. So many excuses I offer but I've learned many lessons along the journey. However, this year I decided it was a new day for finishing those annoying goals that have been nagging me for way too long.. If you liked the old Lorrie then I promise you will love the new Lorrie 2014  version God is working on a whole lot more. I figured I'd better find a place to write about other stuff that rolls around in my head. Maybe it will make great copy for my next book. Be careful what you say to me...you just never know if you will be quoted or used in a story I tell.
   Today I recalled to my eldest daughter Noelle an event that occurred years ago in our local drug store. It prompted me to start the blog and cross off my list another annoying goal I hadn't completed in my life (that goal to start a blog!). So here's the story:
   I was a busy mother of 3 and I stopped in the store for ONE greeting card. I hauled all the kids in with me and was trying to read cards and keep a motherly eye out for them at the same time. The task was easy but my 3 children made the task more difficult that day. Not having a good day with the kids. You get the picture? Another woman shopper was eyeing me when my middle daughter Whitney came up to me and tugged on my jacket. Whitney just looked up at me and said, "I love you Mommy".  The woman shopper nearly broke into tears as her eyes met mine. I smiled and told my daughter I loved her too. I needed that love reminder from my daughter at that moment. Maybe that woman shopper needed it too. I got a lot of mileage that day to continue my challenging 24/7 job as Mommy to my 3 children. It wasn't always easy but I will never forget that incident and how it impacted me to keep at that mothering thing.
   Okay. Check. Off the list. Blog started. Hope you enjoy my writings or ramblings!

lyaaf  (next blog meaning to be revealed!)

Lorrie