Sunday, May 22, 2011

The Last Twenty-Four Hours- Such Sweetness


Last night Lis sat in my kitchen and played her father's old tenor guitar and sang me a song she'd written.
Heaven.

Today was filled with going to Mother's for cake and ice cream and going through a few things and we have begun and she actually enjoyed herself: Jessie trying on her African skirt and the dress she'd made for herself one Easter and cries of, "I remember this!" and it was sweet and it was good.

And then the birthday party.
We were all so tired and yet, possibly because of that, we had so much fun.
For some reason, a doll's wig which has been floating around ended up on everyone's head. I took pictures.

Hank.

Jessie.

The birthday girl.

Me.

Melissa.

Anna.

Lily.

Taylor.

Owen.

Zeke.

Jason.

Mr. Moon

And then we got serious and Taylor, BLESS HER BELOVED HEART, cooked the fish for us. It was so good and there was such relief for me in just saying, "Here, Taylor. You do it." Oh Taylor. Thank-you a million times over.
Here's Melissa teaching Owen to fold napkins:

And here's Owen, decorating May's pie. We let him. We think he did a great job.


I didn't get the camera out in time to take the candle-blowing out picture but here's right afterwards:

Mmmm.
Key lime pie.

It was such a good night. Sweet people here in our house, celebrating our sweet, sweet May. I told about how she was born at dawn and how that same night I dug potatoes from the garden, just as Taylor and I did today, and I cooked them with peas and made oven barbecued chicken and how my oven in that trailer had no thermostat and so I had to turn it on and off, on and off. And yet, I cooked some damn fine food in that thing.

What a day. What a twenty-four hours. All kind of sweet things to eat and sweet words and sweet times and some good old collards with pepper sauce and okra and tomatoes and the best salmon and tuna (yes, that's what I ended up buying) and salad too to balance out the sweetness and Owen following May around with wide-eyed adoration and then being a pill because he was so tired but at the end of the night he stood on the steps and sang Ooh-oohs with Jessie while she played her guitar and I swear, they were in harmony and their voices rose up to the ceiling of this old house and those notes will float around here forever with all the notes of all the voices of all the celebrations which have been held here.

I can't even begin to tell you how unbelievably blessed I feel tonight.

And now, to sleep.

20 comments:

  1. Well, now I think I can sign off the computer and feel happy. Happy Birthday, May and happy birth day to you, Mary Moon. What a beautiful family you have --

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  2. That doll wig! It sort of blends into my facial hair. May, Tay, and Zeke look best in it. Anna looks unimpressed.

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  3. This is just the best damned post ever and like Elizabeth I think I can shut down the computer and go into night feeling connected and bright.
    love,
    Rebecca

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  4. how is it possible that it's the THIRD birthday i've virtually celebrated with miss maybelle.

    time flies

    i think the wig looks most appropriate on Zeke.

    xoxoxo

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  5. Love the wig. Can't decide whether it looks best on Zeke or Hank! Happy Birthday May (and Happy Giving Birthday to you Ms Moon) x

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  6. happy b day may:-)

    hmm..i think hankn looked best in the wig....not something for every day use but...you never know when a doll wig comes handy...imagine jessica alba for example would announce how much she is into a dude in a doll wig...dont ask mewhy i write that..^^

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  7. Best in the doll wig: zeke, then Owen, then Mr. Moon. Oh yeah-- the first shot--Hank--mde me laugh out loud especially because i said "What the. . .is up with his hair!?" then i laughed to sed it was a part of musical wig. Apologies Hank.

    Key Lime is my 100% favorite and I know it wad delish because I know there was love all up in it. Please save a slice for me.

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  8. The doll wig photos cracked me up. Mr. Moon looks like a big grumpy doll. Laugh.

    Key lime pie is wonderful. Somehow my sister-in-law fucked one of them up, royal. It was tart as all get-out. Yankees shouldn't make key lime pie. NO.

    I wish May-May shitloads more Happy Birthdays. I adore her.

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  9. Everybody looks so happy (except Mr. Moon in the wig) and May looks so much like her beautiful mom.

    I think the wig prizes go to Hank, Melissa and Zeke. So far it seems like Zeke is the grand winner!


    What a busy, fun day:)

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  10. The doll-wig portraits just made my morning.
    Yes they did.

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  11. I'm laughing a big belly laugh this morning at the wig. It's hard to choose but I have to say that Mr.Moon rocked that red hair...but it looked the most natural on May.

    Happy happy day and happy belated birthday to May. (Oh, that rhymes...it wasn't my intention but I'm not deleting it.)

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  12. HA! May is Shirley Temple :)

    Happy Birthday May x

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  13. Elizabeth- We are a whack family! But it works and it's so nice that we are so extended.

    DTG- Anna cracks me up.

    Madame King- And how would you have looked with that wig? Gorgeous, I am sure.

    michelle- Yes. Zeke carries that wig off the very, very best. So if you've been here for three years- oh honey- think of all the birthdays you've celebrated with us!

    Sandy- Thank you!

    Pieces of Me- I believe I understand completely...

    gradydoctor- Hee-hee. It takes so little to amuse us here in Lloyd. There was not a bite of pie left. No way, no how. There is some whipped cream though. Oh dear.

    Ms. Bastard-Beloved- In trying to get my pie tart enough I ended up putting in too much juice. The flavor was good but it was soupy. Oh well. We used spoons and were happy. Wish you'd been here.

    lulumarie- Yep. Zeke is the favorite. My favorite was Taylor. I think she could have been a saloon girl in Deadwood.

    Lisa PR- Glad to help with your morning!

    Mel's Way- Rhymes are always appreciated! And May's "real" birthday isn't until tomorrow.

    Jo- May's sweeter than Shirley Temple. And meaner, too. We like 'em mean around here. And sweet. Sort of like Key Lime Pie.

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  14. I hope y'all kept that doll wig. Just the ticket when you need a laugh. The portraits certainly tickled up my morning.

    Another great birthday celebration at the Moon House. O-boy did a great job decorating -- such a good decision letting him do it himself.

    Birthday kisses to May and hugs to Y'all. x0 N2

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  15. That was a fun party! I loved seeing Taylor in her element. I feel very lucky to have found your family.

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  16. oh my gosh, that wig fest just made my entire day!!! GREAT PHOTOS!!!! Happy Birthday to beautiful, brilliant May.
    Lovely writing MS Moon, so sweet.

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  17. Dearest Mary, what a wonderful night. How lovely to have Lis and Jessie playing their guitars.

    The wig cracked me up. Zeke definitely carries it off best. Love the pictures of Owen and Mr M too.

    Love you very much xx

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  18. Those doll wig photos are great. Definitely something to keep and remember. Glad that the birthday was fun.

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  19. Thanks for the laugh at the wig pictures, and the warm fuzzy feeling inside from Owen's pie decorating skills and the thought of him singing with Jessie. Happy Belated Birthday to May. So glad you had such a night of laughs and love.

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  20. I thought Owen looked the best in the wig. You could tell he was getting into "the moment." Little kids are so good that way.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.