Stay Strong, and Blow Bubbles by darylo

Stay Strong, and Blow Bubbles

Wow, what a day, and yes, yes, yes, those are REAL bubbles, and I caught them with my Canon Powershot D20 Waterproof Camera (old now).

Today is my birthday. I'm 52. I am tired. I am a fighter though. Always.

I woke up at 6:45 am to get my daughter up for the SAT; she then wanted me to review her previous SAT essay before she ran off--I wanted to go back to bed, but I did it--she did start off with a sweet "Happy Birthday Mommy" before she launched into the "can you read my essay...?"

By 7:30am, I was downstairs, and daughter 2 made me dutch pancakes, which I topped with the Chicago sugar Junko and Taffy gave me last year--gosh time flies!

At about 9 am, the rain came. Lot's of rain. The big question in my mind was "Do I March?" Cake? March? Can I really resolve to say "Let her eat Cake?" No. No. No.

So I go to CVS to buy ponchos. Ponchos for me, for my daughter not taking the SAT, for my daughter's best friend--both of them are passionate about going to the March. #WhyIMarch spins through my head. I'm 52, 52, 52, My mom is 80, 80, 80. They are 14, 14, 14. This is just crazy that the span of years still means we MUST MARCH??!!!

We decorate our ponchos, my friend's mom thanks me for including her daughter with us--I want her to come too, of course, but it's not in the cards today. And it's raining--I mean buckets. I tell myself, "one hour, just go one hour."

We load into the car, we drive through the sheets of rain and the puddles pull my tires to the sides, we feel the tension. I keep saying in my head, "just get to the station."

And we do. And then we get in line. And then we wait, we wait, we wait, and people say "happy birthday!" (my poncho said, "it's my birthday and this is still MY body"--lame, I know). My daughter and her friend have much better ponchos. So proud of them!

But how nice was it to have people wish me happy birthday -- some even came over to tell me so! It was lovely.

So many nice people on the train. I rode down with a Roman Catholic Priest sitting next to me, obviously on his way to the airport. We had a very deep conversation--a decent one and it is too long to get into here. I will not forget Fr. Daniel of Calgary. :)

Oh, I'm tired. I'm 52. 52. 52.

So much more to share, but all I have is my favorite shot for now. Real bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles. I'm so glad my camera caught them.

HotDog? Can you read this babble? Stay Strong.
You made it happen, and despite the exhaustion, I hope you feel really really good. What a way to spend your birthday, with hopes it's the start of a legacy for good.
January 22nd, 2017  
hot dog! What a memorable way to spend your birthday. Fabulous picture of it too
January 22nd, 2017  
HOTDOG Daryl !
Happy New Year with apologies for lateness.

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday. Sounds like it was a very long, tiring day but a very memorable one. Don't blame 52 on being tired, 52 is just a combination of single numbers, re-mix them and a 2 and 5 will give you a whole look on life. Anyone asks me, with a straight face I say " I am nearly 23, I was 21 for a long time, but recently I feel I have matured just a tiny bit."

I think the photo is wonderful, and your capture of the bubbles just fantastic. It's a shame I can't click the Fav button 25 times.
January 22nd, 2017  
Happy Birthday, Daryl!
January 22nd, 2017  
@taffy I don't know how you keep going at the pace you do. I'm so beat!!! Thank you dear friend.
January 22nd, 2017  
@grammyn hot dog indeed! And all with a point and shoot. I am glad I wasn't in full gear mode!
January 22nd, 2017  
@markp Happy new year to you too! Oh, I'm just using 52 like it's old or something. It's the new 21! Ha! Thank you for the lovely comments. This bubble shot was a real pleasure to see worked! I love the eye in the middle of a bubble! Lucky I am!
January 22nd, 2017  
@cathieg Thanks! Oh, I love the march photos from Portland!!!!
January 22nd, 2017  
@darylo Me too, actually, but I'm also not raising 2 daughters!
January 22nd, 2017  
Love this. Great capture.
January 22nd, 2017  
@sarahdphoto thanks!
January 22nd, 2017  
just awesome - and Happy Birthday
January 22nd, 2017  
Happy Belated birthday. But next Saturday I will be 69 - Cancer took it from me last year. But I will defend your right to make choices. And anyone who wants to save the unborn please take as much interest in what happens after they are born. Have known too many that were not really wanted and it is heartbreaking.
January 22nd, 2017  
@joansmor thanks for your comment. And Happy Birthday early! I went to the march as a participant and as an observer (when camera was in hand). Personally, I believe a woman's body and it's state medically are discussed between the woman and her doctor and any other person she wants in the room. The rest, none of my business! :)
January 22nd, 2017  
@darylo I can remember the horrors before it was legal. How does anyone want to go back to that.
January 22nd, 2017  
Happy Belated Birthday! What a great way (despite the rain) to make the day mean something above and beyond "52". I love the bubbles!
January 23rd, 2017  
Stay strong and nasty and what a drag to feel so tired on your birthday and what an awesome experience to share on your birthday
January 23rd, 2017  
Happy Birthday. I think many of us can relate here..
Fortuneatly we had nice weather here in FL for the march. My daughter (17) went too with her friend. Not cool to hang out with mom. Glad she went though.. even though we did not march together. It's the small things sometimes.
January 23rd, 2017  
@lisainstpete at 14 she had to be with me, but she actually wanted to go and so did her friend. It was nice to know I ushered them into a peaceful place to have their voices heard!
January 23rd, 2017  
@jgpittenger Thanks so much. Tomorrow, I take off for Chicago where I will see Taffy and Junko again! Birthday continues. Wish you were there! It WILL happen one day. :)
January 23rd, 2017  
@joansmor my mom can second that.
January 23rd, 2017  
@mcsiegle Thank you! Honestly, catching the bubbles was my greatest photographic accomplishment that day! Ha!
January 23rd, 2017  
A wonderful way to spend your birthday! And a VERY happy belated birthday to you!! Wow, what a day it must have been!
January 23rd, 2017  
@kwiksilver It was quite the day filled with plenty of photo fodder! Thanks for the well-wishes!
January 23rd, 2017  
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