Mama Always ~ L.A. Brown, Author

As we come into the 2012 celebration of Memorial Day, I wonder how many of us actually stop to remember someone who served in our Armed Forces during any of the wars in our lifetimes. Today, I actually did. You see, I have several members of my family who served during World War II; Korea; Vietnam and now Afghanistan and Iraq wars. I fully intended to stand up in church today representing my Son-in-Law, Stephen, who is a Marine and has served both in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today was bittersweet and difficult. Last night, my Father-in-Law, MSGT Howard T. Brown went to be with the Lord, and today's service was difficult to sit through, to worship through without breaking down in tears. MSGT Brown was born in New Hampshire and lost his parents when he was just a child. He was raised by his Grandmother who was raised in the late 1800's and raised her grandson in like manner. He grew up into adulthood with the common sense that came from that era, and probably, I'm guessing, g...

Once upon a time, when imagination was still in vogue, there was this Camel named Spitster. Spitster was a fun loving, practical joker who loved to see people smile and enjoyed the fellowship of the population of The Pond. The Pond used to be a place where people could gather, have a picnic or two, a bonfire or just relax in one of the many hammocks that were there specifically for reflection, peace and communing with Abba. Spitster, if he wasn't the instigator was involved in more than one water pistol war, snowball fights and whatever else he could have fun doing. Spitster is also a well travelled camel. He has been all over the world. Sometimes its just for fun, sometimes its for business (what kind of business does a camel have??), and sometimes its for the furthering of God's Kingdom. Of course, somehow he always had a hand, or rather, a hoof in some of the discussions....I am quite sure that he managed to start the "briefs vs thongs" conversation at The Po...

Ever since I got off of the plane in Okinawa I have had allergies like crazy. Zyrtec has become my best friend lately, sorry Sandy and Christopher, but you guys seriously cannot clear my sinuses no matter how hard you try. As it is, Zyrtec is having its issues clearing this up. The allergies when I got to Japan took a wickedly weird turn for me....they made me look like a wino. Peachy. I first noticed that my nose was being attacked when it felt as if my nose was going to explode right off of my face, literally. I could physically feel my nose getting bigger. I could finally say that I knew how Pinocchio felt when he told a lie, except all I was doing was feeding my granddaughter powdered donuts. I took a look in the mirror and behold, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer stared back at me....well, at least his nose did. Praise God there was Zyrtec in my purse. Thirty minutes later, again I could physically feel my nose changing and low and behold! my nose was its normal shade and shape aga...

Its amazing. People love this ugly thing I call the Beast. When one looks up and sees nothing but grill in their mirror, I've seen more than one person either get wide-eyed at the monstrosity staring at them in their rear-view, or they get this look of abject appreciation. The first reaction I get, the second, well, not so much. The Beast has been all over my neck of the woods since it came home to Houston. It's seen a mechanic, but only for a safety inspection....well, actually, its seen like three mechanics. Two of them are friends who have come to take a gander at it and wow and speak in almost reverent tones. They run their hands along the side of the bed, check out the dual exhaust and take a peek under the hood at its 302 V8 engine. They are, in effect, amazed. Parts dealers like the salesmen at Auto Zone and O'Reilly's have come out to gawk at the Beast that came from  a farm in Arizona. Hmm, actually, its seen four mechanics. It saw a glass guy today at Pl...

Yeah, I said ow. Apparently somewhere between Arizona, El Paso and home I managed to take on a hitchhiker. This bug is really annoying. It keeps turning the faucet called my nose on and off at its whim, which sometimes causes it to back up and then go out wherever there is an escape. My nostrils, my throat....ugh! This nasty little beastie also is thinking that making my eyes water is fun, oh, and for giggles keeps tickling my throat to see how much I can cough and if I can cough enough to gag a few times. I hate cold bugs. Really, I do. No one really knows where this bug comes from. Sometimes he rides on the wind when someone sneezes or coughs. Sometimes he chills on a doorknob or another type of handle.  Sometimes he hitches a ride with the airborne pollen. This critter I think did a little of all three. And he's mighty handy in his profession, I might add. This critter apparently got to the Mom-in-law and niece before it got to me, or perhaps the Hubby brought it home from w...

Let me tell you, they have not been entirely pleasant, either. Of course, there is the fact that I got to go overseas for the first time in my life to Okinawa to see my newborn granddaughter and my oldest granddaughter. That was amazing and I am totally in love....until the oldest started crying uncontrollably...then it was time for Grandma to beat feet, my baby Girl and Son-in-law were awesome, but beat feet I needed to do. Of course, the fact that my visit was over with anyway really wasn't the issue, I needed to get home to get Andrea. I left Andrea in Arizona to stay with mom and dad for basically two reasons: she doesn't have her passport yet and the Kid's apartment was pretty much too small for all of us as it was, add in Andrea and tempers might have flared, especially with a newborn at the helm. Pretty much it was OK for her, she was a help to mom who was having major troubles with her back, and she got to spend time with the Grandparents. I love my folks, they wo...