Emaistace

So far… it looks Good

Yesterday I turned 42.

I had a good day. I spent it with my husband, son,siblings and their children. We used the opportunity of being together like this and called in a photographer to take some professional family portraits. I can’t wait till they are ready.

My friend Helen showed up and that topped up the day some more. I love seeing Helen.

Today was an amazing day. I’ve been in search for something new and I think I found it…today.

My sisters and I visited a friend of theirs, this friend has a small garden, she nurses plants and sells them off…but she keeps most of them. It started small, like a joke, and now she has over a hundred kind. The moment I walked into her space, I knew I wanted to have and care for one of them. I’ve never had a plant before.

Lately I’ve found myself so amazed by Derrick Knight’s garden. I think the universe is telling me that it’s time to get a plant.

For my birthday, my sister’s friend, Domitila, gave me three plants from her garden. I insisted on paying for the fourth.

I took a few photos of her garden to share.

I loved being there.

This is the trunk of the car just before we left.

42 isn’t going so bad, so far, it looks good.

Different strokes

I remember, I think it was two years ago. I logged into a book club I belonged to, as I tried to catch up on all I had missed for the duration of my absence, I noticed a comment from the anchor, she said “If anyone suggests anything by Colleen Hoover I am going to have to remove them from the group”.

I was startled. Why would she say that? I didn’t bother to find out why. I just went on ahead with my life. I didn’t participate in the group so much anymore.

I had never read anything by Hoover before this time. Shortly after that, I came across one of her books from her ‘Maybe’ series. ‘Maybe Someday’ was an interesting read for me, I think it was a good book. It left me with mixed feelings but I think it was well written.

I attempted the other two in the series but I didn’t quite feel it. I never finished any of the two.

A couple of weeks ago, I realized that a book I had been meaning to read for a while was being made into a film and I recently made a habit of reading books and then seeing the films, so I jumped on the book.

The book is a novel by Colleen Hoover; ‘It Ends With Us’.

There are a lot of mixed reviews about this book and the film too.

It’s from these reviews that I realized why the anchor of that book club had spoken that way. A lot of people believe Hoover writes as though she favours the wrong that has been done…I don’t think so.

A few days ago I wrote on Zoom in and how Tyler Perry movies usually left me sad, so I know how people must feel about Hoover’s writing, but they can just be like me… If it bothers you that much, just avoid it.

Yeah, I don’t watch Sci-fi, horror or anything that breaks me mentally…but I don’t condemn it. I just avoid it.

My review of the book will come when I’ve seen the film… I would recommend it though. It’s good. It’s got a few good lessons…for me.

Zoom in

“You are just a funny woman”, my husband said as he laughed at me. You could see so much amusement in his eyes. He was really amused.

It’s not like I actually said something funny, I only stated a fact.

“I think Tyler Perry tried to please us with a happy ending in his new movie but it’s still just another sad story”…that’s what I said.

I love Tyler Perry, I think he is a very talented and ambitious man. He has good looks too and I love good eye candy.

I just don’t feel particularly excited when I watch some of his movies. The endings usually leave me quite low. So when his new movie ‘Divorce in the Black’ was recommended by a colleague, I didn’t hesitate to give it a try. The motivation was what he said as he recommended it, he said “You will love it, it ended well for the woman”.

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but “ended well” for him still feels sad to me.

It actually did end a tad better than the others though.

At the end of the movie, I realized I had zoomed in on Rona and Jim. Somehow, the couple was best friends with the main couple of the movie. What drew me to them was the way they addressed the issue(s) that came up in their marriage.

It’s two days since I saw the movie and I woke up with thoughts of Rona and Jim… I think Tyler can write a good and happy story about this couple based on the conflict they had in the movie ‘Divorce in the Black’… after all, we never really saw how or if it was properly resolved.

Taylor Polidore and Shannon Wallace as Rona and Jim

Something New

It’s Tuesday morning and I’m home, playing hookie. I’m not particularly proud to be doing that but I’m glad I picked me first today. Son is at my bake shop, he’s one of the students for the summer holiday baking class for kids. Husband is at work, so I’m home alone… suddenly I have a craving.

It is a weird one. I love to cook and try out new recipes but I’ve never tried this one. I begin to wonder if it would be any good.

First thing I wonder is; has anyone done this before? I check online and there it is…people have definitely made this dish before.

I begin to formulate my own recipe in my head… I’ve got a left over fish pepper soup in the freezer, I will just add it to it.

Then I think of fresh curry leaves…and I remember, Jacob has a small garden by his room. Jacob is the guy who manns our gate and he’s got a small room just by the gate.

I help myself to some curry leaves and some fresh pepper from his garden…I love pepper…hot pepper

One hour later, my dish is ready. I sit back with some cheesy mills & boon to match the mood.

Even if it’s been made by someone before, It’s new to me; Nigerian Jollof Rice/potato and fish

Daddio

I had a little thought and I risked waking my husband up just to scribble it down.

“what’s going on” he says when I turn on the lights in the bedroom at 11:34pm, just twenty six minutes to midnight, I should be asleep… It is Monday in the morning after all…another new week for the hustle and bustle.

…but I sit up and I’m writing this.

Earlier in the day I had a conversation with my cousin. She wanted to know if she should see the movie I had just put up on my WhatsApp story.

Her exact words were “Is it a must watch?”

I’m going to say exactly what I told her:

“It Depends…I loved the chemistry between the characters…it wasn’t romantic but they clicked.
The conversation is top notch.
The expressions are on another level…they take you deep into their thoughts with them.
It’s just the two of them…
…No one else…
1 hour and 39 minutes.
Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson.
I love it”.

We talk a bit more and she wants to know:

“Do I need a drink for it?
Do the girls need to be sleeping to concentrate?”

She’s got two girls under ten years of age.

I tell her “You don’t necessarily need a drink… but it’s not a bad idea…and yeah, you need full focus…no distraction….some of the stuff they talk about may get you thinking about some of your own stuff and decisions”.

It sure got me thinking about my relationship with my dad…and a few other stuff…

This is more or less a review of the movie Daddio.

I’m a lover of movies with conversations…so you bet I love this one. It’s a beautifully written script.

It left me with a lot of questions though, and no answers …I guess we can’t always have the answers to our questions… life’s questions.

Classic

Out of town

One of ours lost her mom

We’re here to mourn with her.

Body is laid to rest…six feet under.

Idle night before we depart

Me and the rest of the staff from the bakery…the family

Wondering…

What can we do?

Movie night we say

After much thought…

We decide…but…

They let me decide

Have you seen pretty woman?I ask…

They all say ‘no’

Pretty women it is

They loved it

I’m glad they loved it

Classic

Dilema

I recently came to a conclusion

Maybe twenty minutes ago

That almost ninety percent of the world’s population

Focus on problems

Rather than the solutions

I feel deeply saddened about this…

The focus on problems,

Brings more problems

Rather than solutions

…and peace.

Daddy

I overheard a video clip from my husband’s phone this morning. It was the voice of Steve Harvey, it was about fathers’ day. Immediately it hit me and I said “oh my goodness, it’s fathers’ day”.

My husband chuckled and said “I don’t even have your time…it’s one day in a year and y’all always forget”.

Honestly I’ve always wondered how come, but Women get celebrated a lot… and men… fathers…we kind of forget/ignore.

One role my husband has never ignored is his role as a father.

It’s why I’ve chosen to celebrate him today.

Eleven years of fatherhood and he has proven himself true.

You are an amazing dad darling.

I love you.

I Know SonTer loves you more

Knowing me, knowing you

A couple of days ago I had a conversation with my older sister and at some point in that conversation, I tried to say a few things to her and in the process I got misunderstood somehow. Trying to explain my point left me a bit distraught and then of course teary. The more I opened my mouth to speak, the more I teared up. I need to add, that isn’t unusual at all. That is typical Mimi.

Now, the issue was that my sister became shocked and might I say, upset. She told me she didn’t expect tears and she was beyond shocked, as our conversation didn’t warrant any tears.

I’ve spent almost forty eight hours thinking about this. I have wondered how she never knew this about me. Then it hit me, we have never had a conversation where my emotions were spread out on the table. I realized that when I am with her, I always try to be a strong pillar for her, hiding any issues or problems, if I had them. I have always felt she didn’t need to add my own worries to hers.

My mind began to wander, wondering how many people really knew the people around them or what they were capable or incapable of, what they like or don’t like, what scares them and what makes them happy.

Do people know that I can’t bear to watch a traumatic news item or movie? Haunts me for days. Do they know that a romcom book or movie can completely reset a bad day for me? Do they know that I love it when people are happy and it breaks my heart when I see someone hurting?Does anyone know that I bother myself about the most trivial issues? worrying that I’ve upset someone about this or that? Do they know, that at the slightest sign of conflict, my heart begins to beat faster that usual?I guess not…

My question is, are we to tell people about ourselves and make them aware of who we are or do they get to find out as we get to know each other and as the bond thickens?

If we don’t let them know, we can’t blame them when they appear not to know. Right?

Mother…hmmm

I’ve spent a bit of time alone in the car after I get home

A meal or more away from my son

A few minutes by myself…to relax

Movie time, alone to hear every word without interrupting sounds of ‘mommy this’ and ‘mommy that’

A girls night out every once in a long long while

That’s okay…I’m guessing

But Sasha… Sasha will fight her babies off for hours to make sure they eat nothing off of the plate

Sasha, you are supposed to be a mommy.

Cut my grand babies some slack…

Sasha is my son’s dog …