Guys and Their Toys

When I was old enough to get my driver's license, I was so excited.  Even though I knew I was only going to be able to drive my mother's vehicle (an old station wagon) on the weekends, I was still glad to have something to drive.  My father told me that if I wanted my own car that I had to work for it.  So I got a job and within a year was about to save up for a 1971 Ford Torino.  It had no power steering, no power breaks, and no air conditioning....but it was mine and it was fine.

Now-a-days we tend to spoil our children because we want the best for them; but apparently my best isn't good enough.  You see, I have a fifteen year old boy that is obsessed with automobiles.  He wants every kind imaginable.  His father (God rest his soul) had an 89' Chevy pickup truck that I saved especially for him.  I had it repainted mid-night blue after I added a cowl induction hood and a corvette ZR-1 roll pan to it.  Plus, I got him 4 new rims (with tires) and shaved the tail gate handle to the inside.  So why are guys so fixated on their toys?  Isn't one enough?

Turning Thirteen

My daughter will be turning thirteen on October 21st.  Since she'll be considered a "teenager", I've decided to throw her a slumber party; but I'm not sure what kind of activities she and her friends would like to do.  She wants me to rent an inflatable bouncy house; but I think that is too childish.  So I sat and thought about when I turned thirteen and what my friends and I did.  We played games like: Light-as-a-feather, Stiff-as-a-board; Truth or Dare; and Charades.....but that was back in the early 80's.  Now-a-days, teenagers have a lot more stuff to choose from.  So my question for this week is:  What did you do for your thirteenth birthday?

A Grandmother's Advice

When I was young I had a conversation with my grandmother (God rest her soul) about life in general.  She told me that we all have a destiny--a role to play in this chess game that God calls life.  All we have to do is make the right moves.  Should we reach a dead end, we need to trace our footsteps back to where we've been and remember the lessons that were learned.  I never bothered following this advice until recently when I realized that the path that I was on took me no where.  I didn't like who I became or how I felt about myself.  When I remembered where I've been and what I've learned, it gave me the strength to wipe the cobwebs from my eyes so I can change my ways.  In other words, I've been given another chance to make things right.  Have you ever been given a second chance?  If so, please share.

Should single Parents Date?

Being a single mom isn't easy.  Not only do I have many shoes to fill (i.e. father, mother, friend, mentor, etc), I have to deal with the normal trial and errors of life......one in particular is loneliness.  As a woman, companionship is very important to me because I need to feel that I belong to someone.  Someone who will stand by me through thick and thin.  Someone who would take care of ME for once.....But when you have children, it's really hard to find that one person who can complete you.  So my question for today is, should single parents date or just deal with the hand that has been dealt to them?