Point Taken

Ok Blogland,

You got me. Your comments really got me. I have been amiss about blogging and you both know why. But you are so right, dang right.

Thank you for letting me share your comments -

"Now that's what I'm talking about!!!! What a wonderful way to start my day. I look so forward to your blogs and have missed them so much! Your blog is the first thing I go to before I even check my emails. DO NOT LET ANYONE or anything ever take your beautiful or creative writing ability away from your mind and spirit AGAIN because if you do they WIN and I will have to kick your ASS and sit on you and you know that will HURT!!!! luv ya. xoxo P.

And Stacy, thanks for your heartwarming comment.....I'd print it, but I can't find it right now :(
Love to all.

Simple Things

The best things in life are not things at all.

And for me, it really is all about the simple things.

Like yesterday, when I came home from visiting my Dad at the Rehab and found that you fixed my

"white picket fence".

Those are the "things" that make me smile from the inside out.

Insert Interesting Post Here

Believe me.

I'm working on it.

Smooches.

Not again.

Why is there never enough gas in my car? I swear the gas fairy takes it out my car while I sleep. Let me set the scene. I swore many years ago after a very embarrassing moment with a police officer that I would always put clothes on (bathrobes don't count) when driving children to school and I have been damn good about that until last week....

Now that Chelsea has her driver's license, a few days a week I let her drive to school and then I hop over into the driver's seat and drive off. I know this fascinates the "parking monitor" who watches me in amazement as I bend myself into a pretzel and roll into the other seat. I've perfected this so I don't have to exit the car in front of the high school wearing the "outfit". So as I am driving out of the parking lot, I notice the gas light is on and by observing the "needle" buried below the E, I realize I do not have enough gas to get home. I now have two options...

I can turn this car around and enter the high school campus and retrieve Chelsea so she could pump my gas, thus risking running into staff and heaven forbid her friends who otherwise think I am a normal human being. That option might just scar Chelsea for life....that and enduring the endless ridicule of having a troll for a mother or I could just suck it up and pump the gas myself.

So I choose my second option. I will just drive to the closest gas station, hide behind my car which is not hard to do when you are only 5 feet tall and pump my gas. I arrive at the station and strategically park at the farthest pump away from the station. I jump out and then realize, I don't have my ATM card to swipe at the pump, it is in the back pocket of the jeans I was wearing last night which are now in a heap on my bedroom floor. CRAP, CRAP, CRAP. I am now going to have to walk the walk of shame INTO the gas station.

Let me describe the "outfit". Grey sweat pants that cut off at the knee, baggy black t shirt with no bra, (that item of clothing is next to the aforementined jeans), bedhead hair with not one, but two bird nests from last night's hairspray, not an ounce of makeup, and morning breath that would stop a charging buffalo at 50 feet. Oh yeah, and I am barefoot. This is what one looks like when they take 49 seconds to get ready in the morning and hop in a car still rubbing sleep from their eyes.

The only cash I have is the loose change in the ash tray. It totals $1.92.

Please Lord, don't let me see anyone I know. I am begging you. (did I mention my town is about the size of Mayberry?) So me and my $1.92 enter the store. Have you ever tried to mumble....."$1.92 on pump 12 please" with out letting your dragon breath escape your mouth and then throw your grimey change on the counter and run? Do you know what type of clientele is at the gas station at that time of day? Construction workers, plumbers, electricians and commuters. I slink out of that gas station. I don't even have a pair of friggin sunglasses to hide the hideousness. If only I could be invisible. I pumped that $1.92 as fast as possible and rolled quietly out of the gas station.

At least I wasn't wearing a bathrobe this time....that my friends is an entirely different blog post about a policeman, an elementary school and a black hefty bag.

My lack of dignity never ceases to amaze me.

Christmas came early.......look what appeared on my door step. It's barely past Halloween.

Are you the same person(s) that took the HUGE Christmas wreath off my house last year and replaced it with the gawdy Fall Harvest wreath?

Who ever you are, I love your sense of humor..... my roommate and I were hysterical when we opened the door and found this. You really made my day!

Halloween.............

Spent my Halloween with a siamese pumpkin, two zombies and my darlin' Jeffrey Perez.
Jeffrey is a Michael Jackson tribute artist who lives in Phoenix, but flew to Santa Barbara and did an AWESOME Halloween show at the Velvet Jones nightclub.

Thank you Jeffrey, you do him proud.
It was a THRILLER of a night!!

Paranormal Activity...

Someone, sshhhh, we won't mention any names went to see this Movie with her friends. Someone was so frightened she called me from the theatre to make sure I was home before she was dropped off by her friends.

Someone stayed within arm's reach once arriving home. Someone asked if we could watch TV together (even tho it was after midnight). Someone then followed me upstairs and sheepishly asked if she could sleep in my bed......with the lights and TV on. While nestled in bed, someone asked....."Mom are you awake? Please don't go to sleep before me, let me go to sleep first". It was all I could do to stay awake. Every time I moved in that bed, I would hear "Mom, where are you going"? I am simply turning over, I replied. Also in my bed that night, were 2 cats and a yorkie, perhaps for additional protection from the "spirits". A few hours later, I awoke to a heaviness on my chest. There were two arms drapped across it as to hold me in place.... I already had a cat sleeping on my head. At one point, I tried to grab my camera, I just had to get a picture of this, but didn't take one, as I knew the flash would just send her into orbit. She would have thought it was a poltergeist or something! It's been 3 days now and she still sticking to me like glue...in fact, she just hollered from downstairs....."Mom, are you awake".......yes dear....I am. Here's rare footage of what one looks like the next day with little sleep and

SC H A I R ED straight!

Oh What a Month.....

What have I been doing you ask? Welp, October is a busy month filled with lots of birthdays and work related stuff. Miss Rona and I just celebrated our birthdays, they are a week a part. We are both Libra's, and truth be told, I think that's why she hired me :) Rona just closed her show "Nothing but the Truth" on the eve of my birthday and I was treated afterwards to a scrumptious dinner and cake at the Root 246 restaurant. When not doing her show, we are off to speaking engagements. Last Saturday at one such event, I was seated at a table with Steve Ford, President Ford's son. Steve is also an actor, his claim to fame was Meg Ryan's boyfriend in "When Harry Met Sally". He had us in stitches telling us stories about the Secret Service while his Dad was in office. My favorite story he shared was about his Dad's college education. Gerald Ford was not planning on attending college as his parents could not afford it. His high school principal was adament that he attend college and gave him $100 to get him on his way. Seventy years ago, that was a heck of a lot of money but that principal saw something in that young man and helped him out. Little did he know, Gerald Ford would go on one day to be the President of the United States. Sadly, the principal did not live to see that, but what an incredible story of someone believing in you.

Today while driving with Miss Rona to LA, I mentioned that someone I knew was having a birthday. So what does she do? She calls them and sings "Happy Birthday" to them in her Marilyn Monroe voice. Do I have a cool boss or what? Did I mention I love my job....how often do you get to have dinner with the son of a president?

I'm just saying.....

The Birthday Boy....

Meet Kyle, my son, who just turned 27!

I remember during my labor, the doctor and nurses were all huddled around the TV in my room glued to the world series and Kyle interupted the 8th inning with his arrival.

My most mellow child of the three, he is sandwiched between his two sisters, Carly and Chelsea. From a young boy playing with power rangers to a young man now with power tools. By 25, he already had his General Contractor's license and his own home.

Happy Birthday young man, you done made your momma proud!

Love you to the moon and back!

It's me.....again.

Officially, as of right this very minute, I have returned to the original me.

Back to my given name, back to just being me.

.

Meet Ms. Tracy Coppin.

.

It's good to be home.

Tap Tap, Is Anyone Awake?

It's 3:15 a.m.

I can't sleep.

It's amazing the clarity you have at 3:15 a.m.

I can hear rooster's crowing, yet it is dark outside. My yorkie is snoring at my feet.

I thought I could write a a new blog post, as I haven't been able to write one for reasons I am unable to share.....but just know, that if I could put into words right now what is really on my mind it would be a best seller.

I will be blogging again soon after this little bump in the road we call life.

I just sent a text.

And now I will write that email while it is so clear in my mind.

Nite. Nite.

Ooohhh Nooo, you didn't.

Fall in my little neck of the woods...it was over 80 degrees today when my peep, Wendy and I set off for a "girl" day. I haven't had some "girl" time in many a week. I'd tell you what has been going on, but then your brain would explode, so we'll revisit that at a later date. We headed up the coast to San Luis Obispo, where we dined on some of the best clam chowder around at "Splash". Kinda a hot day for chowder, but what the heck? Next on to one of my favs, the Avila Valley Barn and the Pumpkin Patch.

.

.

.

.

.

.

My gal pal Wendy carrying my corn stalks or as she calls them, my "weeds"

.

.

.

.

.

There was fresh, hot corn on the cobb dripping with butter and then the entire reason for the trip,

the mouth watering carmel apple rolled in chocolate fudge, out of this world until the wasps landed on my apple...

This looks like a good one, now who's gonna carry it to the car? Maybe we could just roll it there.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And my pumpkin' friends...

Such an awesome day, filled with yummy food, girl talk and giggles. So, so needed. Thanks Wen, I can always count on you and your wisdom.

Now off to a busy week. Stay tuned.

Phone Home

SAM ONE, DO YOU COPY?

"the ALIEN is Code 4 on Bradley Street in Orcutt"

OVER.

Wilson.

(just a little Neverland talk)

I Gave it Away

There are some moments in life where you have to chose between good and evil.
Speaking up or keeping quiet.
Sacrificing for the better or settling for the worse.
These moments can be really hard. And troubling.
I know we have all faced them, whether with people, circumstances or events and we all have chosen one or the other.

As I get older, I realize the importance of people's characteritics and how they play a key role in my life.

And a big one is T R U S T.

If you can't trust someone, there is no solid ground, no foundation to really base the relationship off of. You can pretend it is there, but a day will come when you realize it is hurting both of you.

T R U S T is hard.

How many people with the exception of your family do you trust with your whole heart?
It takes a lot to earn my trust. And when that trust gets broken, it breaks my o'l heart, too.
I believe there are two kinds of people.
People who you have to earn the trust from gradually
and
People who you trust until they give you a reason not too.
I tend to fall into that second catagory.

But isn't it wonderful to know you have some people in your life that you trust completely?
Like your Dad, my kids, your peeps, your sisters and sometimes that special guy in your life?

Then there is L O Y A L T Y.

Being loyal is HUGE to me.
I love knowing that I have sooo many loyal friends and family who have my back always. I admire people who are so loyal to their friends and family, that never a harsh word is spoken. I admire relationships where the loyalty is so strong that you are never alone because you will always have that person. And I am especially lucky, because I have some amazingly loyal friends and family.

So my dear ones, look for these qualities in others and in yourself. And if you find them, consider yourself lucky. They are out there, I know, I've met a few of the good ones in my travels. Even some that were solid gold.

Sometimes even when surrounded by these gems, we are faced with things that seem more than we can handle, but even during those times, when I feel I am facing something all alone, I STILL know who am, I know what I've done, I know my truths, and I know I don't need to PROVE myself to anyone because.... guess what......the Man Upstairs knows ALL of that too.

He, I and the Universe had a mightly long talk recently and I've decided to hand it all off to them, because I know I've done all I can and its time to let it go. What will be, will be....and I am at peace with that cuz it's time for a "cool change"........

M E X I C O

Mr. Moto and I went to the Mayan Riviera, it's just an hour south of Cancun. We stayed at an amazing all inclusive resort in the jungle on the caribbean. I think I laughed more in a week than I have in months. Neither one of us speaks a lick of spanish which only added to the entertainment. It took us 5 days until we finally figured out how to get back to our building the correct way. I cannot tell you how many times we got lost trying to find our way back to our room. This resort had 7 restaurants, 3 swimming pools, including a swim up bar, a private beach, a disco, a sports bar (no motorcross, poor Andy) though he did catch a few minutes of it in spanish at one point....and cool paths in the jungle to explore. This all inclusive trip included airfare, bus from Cancun to resort and back to airport, all meals 24/7, and alcohol. Yes I said alcohol. I have never been anywhere where the alcohol was free. 7 days of Corona's and Margaritas and beaches and hammocks and monkees, oh my.

Mas Mexico

Here is what the paths looked like at the resort. We were in Building 21. Our first day we ended up at a time share. We went because we wanted the 2 free Tickets to Xcaret, a real cool water park next to our resort. We ended up with 2 free tickets, a beach bag, a t-shirt and a bottle of Kahlua (which was confiscated at the Cancun airport). By the time, the time share people got done with us, they had dropped the price significantly and offered us two weeks in Costa Rica to join. They asked Mr. Moto what he thought and he said....."I'd rather go jump in that pool outside".
We used our free tickets to go to the Xcaret park. I have never walked so much in my life. My blisters had blisters. The humidity was insane. My hair became 4 inches shorter and 4 inches wider. I looked like Bozo the Clown. Thank goodness for hair clips. I took a million outfits but lived in flipflops, a bikini, and a sarong.
There was a stow-away. Ever since Troy got his passport, there has been no stopping him.
We loved the Chel-Ha park. Thats where discovered "Hammock Island". As you can see, we spent a lot of time there.

First time we went to an ATM, we asked for $100 and they gave us $100 pesos. We couldn't stop laughing, we had no idea what the heck a hundred pesos was worth. We bought a $9.00 bottle of hair conditioner and got just a little change back. So that's what $100 pesos will buy.

We got to know the staff real well at the resort, one fella in particular named Sergio. One day during one of our many conversations, Sergio says .. "Are you two married"? Nope we replied. More conversation passed. Then Sergio says "Do you two live together". Nope, we replied in unison.

More conversation passed. Then Sergio asked " Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?" And I said "we are just dating" and "this is a 7 day date". There was dead silence.....and then Sergio exclaimed.... "NO WONDER YOU BOTH LOOK SO HAPPY"!! PRICELESS, ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS. Something to be said for the single life!!

Here's Mr. Moto wondering how he can extend this vacation........hmmm.

They found their Star.....

First there were 24 semi-finalists who performed last night at the Clark Center. Approximately 600 guests filled the theatre, and saw some incredible talent. And then there were 10 finalists, and then there were 3. The crowd had found their favorite.

Chelsea performed "Maybe this Time" by Liza Minelli from Caberet. She was on her last verse and my heart was beating out of my chest, her voice was becoming more and more powerful as she worked towards those final HUGE 3 notes.......I overheard my Dad say "I can't even breathe" and then she delivered them. As she hit that last note, the crowd screamed and began applauding madly before she could even finish. You couldn' t even hear her last note completely over the applause. She stood in front of the mike stand and raised her outstretched hands as she belted out those last three notes. She nailed it and she knew it. She was in her element at that moment and had the crowd in the palm of hand. The last 5 words of that song were "maybe this time, I'll win". And then I felt the warm tears roll down my cheeks......that was my baby girl up there, living her dream.

There were five judges, and one that was especially important to Chelsea. He was the casting director of the PCPA (Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts). He was blown away. He told Chelsea that in his role of a casting director, that on the rare occasion that they discover her type of talent, they base their plays around her kind of talent, not the talent to fit the play and she was one of those rare finds. After those words and several more glowing accolades, I don't think Chelsea heard anything after that. She was on cloud 9. She basically had just had her own private audition with the conservatory she had hoped to apply with next January. It doesn't get any better than that.

Chelsea was awarded 3rd place. First place went to an amazing woman who sang her own material and played the guitar, 2nd went to a young man who played piano and does Irish dancing (like River dance). Chelsea was beaming, and we were all so proud.

What a night, what an incredible night. I am still tingling. As soon as I receive the DVD, I will post Chelsea's performance so you too can have goosebumps...

Oh and P.S. American Idol is taking on line auditions this year and Chel plans to try out....

Hola, I'm baaaaaack!

Complete with a monkey on my back!

Lots to share. Had an incredible time in the Maya Riviera.

Post real soon.

Stand by.

P.S. I love you

I can not tell you how much it warms my heart, the response I have had about this blog and the fact it is now going private. It will take a few days until that happens.

Thank you so much for all your emails, the texts, and the phone calls of concern. Please rest assured that you will all have access and I will continue writing. You have no idea how much it has meant to me.

Time for a group hug.
.
Now go out there and be good to one another.

Smooches,

Trace