Testing, Testing....

Okay. So. Here I am.  My lovely daughter, Brooks, has been telling me for a loooong time that she was going to create a blog for me and this is my Christmas present! Why? She seems to think I have some important things to say.  Brooks will one day be our family historian. Of my five fabulous children, she has always been the one to ask the questions. She's always been the one to wonder about the obscure and, consequently, is the only one of my kids who knows a lot of the stories she apparently wants me to share.

The name of the blog is also courtesy of Brooks.  While she loves to hear stories about my life, and seems to think I know something of love, her favorite stories, the ones that always  make her laugh out loud, are the ones I share of her dad.
My thirty-eight year relationship with the man has had its ups and downs, a good portion of frustration and tears, but yet there is always laughter.  Whether in the moment or in the memory, when faced with a choice of whether to laugh or cry, laughter wins with me every time.  I hope you'll choose to laugh too.

So.  Along with the blog, which was apparently designed by Brooks' wonderful husband, Josh (no doubt under her watchful eye), I received this nifty book with four chapters in it: The Early Years, Young Adulthood, Married Life and Life Now. The chapters are comprised of nothing but questions. 84 of them to be exact. And I'm supposed to answer them. And you, lucky friend or family member, get to read them! I have been given permission to write about other things as the mood hits me and I invite you to share requests for additional stories.

Some of the questions bring back fond memories. Some will probably humiliate me (or someone else from my past---yes; be afraid). Some promise to make me write with tears in my eyes. But hopefully all of them will entertain or inspire as I write with my (according to Brooks) witty candor!

So, buckle up and come along for the ride! Not sure how this will all turn out, but Cruisin' Grandma is in the driver's seat and we're going on an adventure!