Laid to rest...

Daddy was laid to rest this afternoon at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA. He received taps and my Mother was given the American flag. The ceremony was beautiful. His wake, funeral and burial were well attended and he was loved by many.

My Dad was born in Orrville, AL in 1931. He attended a Lutheran church and school as a child. He left home at an early age and traveled as a migrant farmer through various states to Canada. He later joined the Army and at the end of his service met and married my Mother Juanita Dukes in 1954. They had 6 daughters. Debra, Karen, Stephanie, Rosina, Pamela (me) and Marcia. My Dad was an advocate for education and always impressed upon us the importance of getting our education and being seif sufficient. He leaves behind 15 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, 13 brothers and sisters and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

I have been thinking of him all day today. I keep saying his name. Daddy, pronounced Daiddy

Goodbye Daddy. I'll see you in heaven.

Daddy 6/17/1931- 8/18/2009 Rest in Peace

This is my Dad, General Dukes. He had stage 4 stomach cancer which spread to his liver. I haven't blogged at all about it but it has been on my mind daily. He's at home now. He passed away yesterday, Tuesday August 18, 2009 at 6:50am.

We picked out his casket today and chose the flowers for the funeral which will be held this Saturday August 22nd at 12:00pm EST.

We cried and laughed talking about him in the funeral home conference room this afternoon. It felt good to release some of what I have had bottled up inside me.

My Dad was kind. He always had a kind word for me and was always concerned for my well being. I know that he was proud of me and my accomplishments with my business. He was also an entrepreneur which is where I get my entrepreneurial spirit.

He's in a better place now and his pain is gone. Rest in peace Daddy, I love you and you will always be in my heart.

Ode to the Pound Cake

My sister Karen bakes the most scrumptious pound cake I have ever tasted. It's the kind of cake that long after you have eaten it you think of it. Reminisce about it. Dream of it. I have thought about it 3 times today. I ate the last of it this afternoon. I only had 2 slices. I don't understand why she only brought 2 slices to my house when I have 6 members of my family. She baked a whole cake and left it at her house. I have thought about reporting her to her personal trainer and boot camp instructor but that would be mean of me.

I have decided to blog about the pound cake. Pay tribute to it....~

Ode to the Pound Cake

It lies there, my heart aches
Yellow like the sun filtered through my blinds
Coy, shy not like just any cake
It's special~one of a kind
***
It has many admirers, it tempts
Tender crust so tan, so sweet
When I think of it I get ferklempt
It's one pound cake that can't be beat
***
One bite or two, three or four
One slice or two is not enough
After I've eaten it I want some more
I can learn to make it if I get off my duff
***
So the pound cake is gone I have none to ponder
The sun will rise again, it is dawn
I will ask her to bake one for me, will she? I wonder~
***

I meant to take a photo of the cake in hopes to remind me of its decadent flavor. I did not. All I have now are memories.

Decorating - Benneconomy 101- part 5

This is my diningroom. I have taken before and after photos. I knew that by painting this room the furniture and artwork would POP~ and it did. Check out the difference.

Here's the room at a different angle.

Nice but look....

It looks like a completely different room.

It's texturized and up close it looks like really thick sandpaper with sparkles here and there. Gorgeous I think:)

It really warmed up the room.

And POPPED the wainscoting.

Here it is in the daylight - the blinds are closed but you get the idea~


Okay, now just a few more accessories in this room and then onto the livingroom.

Michael Jackson is gone...

Stop, stop, stop you better save me.
I'll be there...
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Clause...
I'm talking bout the man in the mirror
I wanna Rock with you...all night
Cause it's the Thriller, thriller night
Ben the two of us need look no more. We both found what we were looking for...with a friend to call my own - I'll be alone and you my friend will see you've got a friend in me.

When I think of Michael Jackson immediately those lyrics pop into my head. Growing up my family listened to the Jackson 5 Christmas album during holidays. It was a regular album played along with Nat King Cole. Michael is gone at 50. So young. I'll always remember him and his music. All of his songs are the bomb. All of them.

When he did the moonwalk did you try it? How many times did you try to do his dance moves? All is different looks. Wow! I still cannot believe it. I will miss his music and I look forward to any albums he had not yet released.

And to learn now that he really had Vitiligo, so sad....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMGcJFCmnCg

Summer is almost over

My best friend Ruthie spent her vacation in Georgia this week. She flew down with her niece and a girlfriend. They stayed at the Chateau Elan in North Georgia. It had been 2 years since we had seen each other. She looked great. Of course I was all self conscious about my weight and how it has not changed since I had last seen her in New York 2 years ago. We spent the day at the Georgia Aquarium which is marvelous. It was the first time she met my girls. She had not seen the boys since they were 3 and 5 years old. All in all it was a great visit. My nephew Jamad also spent a week with us during that same week and the week before my eldest sister Debra spent 10 days with us.

My Dad is sick. Four of my sisters flew down from new York/New Jersey to spend time with our Father. He has stage 4 cancer and was to be home in time for his birthday on June 17^th and to see everyone. The surgery did not produce the results we hoped for. I’m not quite ready to talk about this at length so I’ll stop here.

The 2009-2010 school year is about to begin again on 8/3. Summer flew by. Wesley will be leaving for Band Camp Sunday the 19^th. When he returns from camp we all leave for a quick family vacation to Buffalo, NY. I plan to take a lot of pictures and will share them perhaps while on the road.

~If you dislike clutter as much as I do~

Donate Your Clothes

Open your closet and quickly look through all your clothes.
Do you have outfits from 1970? If so, then you must get rid of some clutter. First pull out all the clothes you currently wear, leaving them on the hangers and lay them on the bed. Don't put a dress you haven't worn since 1980 on the bed. Be honest with yourself and only include clothes you have worn in the last 9 months.

Now pick out anything that has holes, stains, is faded out, or has anything wrong with it from your closet and throw them away. Next take any clothes that you feel others can wear but you know you will not and put them in a box to give away to the good will or other charity. This includes the pair of pants that are 3 sizes to small that you've been keeping for the past 5 years for when you get skinny again.

Next tackle your drawers. Go though your underwear drawer.
Get rid of any bras with the wire missing or broke, underwear with holes or any other item in poor condition.
Toss them out!

How many Pairs of pants do you have in your drawers that don't fit? Toss them out! Do you have old T-shirts from before your kids were born? Toss them out. If a T-shirt is faded, torn, has holes, or the seams or hems are coming out . . . Toss Them!

You will find it ten times easier to get ready to go out now because you won't have to go through so much clutter just to find something to wear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stop Being Embarrassed by Your Messy Home

This method of de cluttering works in every situation, without fail. You will see results in as little as 15 minutes. Start now and stop spending your time trying to find things. You can be organized and regain your sanity.

This is how you can GO GREEN

I am the fundraising chairperson for Halle's school ABC Montessori. We are selling these great grocery bags that are recyclable. Check them out and order 2 or more.

http://fundraise4abc.com

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday

Justin on Pride Walk day onward to 9th grade


Dutchess at the vet.


Daddy spending time with the girls.


Sandy posing.


Kyra smiling for the camera.


The girls with Auntie Karen. They love Auntie Karen:)

Decorating - Benneconomy 101- part 4

Decisions, decisions~My kitchen counter top is speckled shades of gray with a hit of what looks like tan. With the cabinets being cherry wood and the stove and frig being black it is difficult to find a color for the kitchen. I really do not like this kitchen. I wish it were a different shape. If you do through that doorway and go to the right is a short hallway which leads to the great room on the left and the stairwell to the right, in front of you would lead to the guest bedroom and bath and to the right of the stairs around the corner is the foyer leading to the front door, livingroom and dining room. The stove and the frig will be changed to stainless steel at some point. These are just some pics to show where we are so far.

Since the counter tops are speckled we are experimenting with this gray color. It matches the counter tops.

And we are looking at these shades of gray as well

You can see 3 patches of gray on this wall. The lighter one at the top is my favorite one even though it may be a little light but the darker one at the bottom is the color that is shown above by the sink. This is the opposite entrance or exit to the kitchen which leads to the family room. If you remember we painted the family room sweater green. The picture hanging there on the wall was painted by our resident artist, Halle.

I have ZERO decorating skills and I am learning so much through these projects. We finished painting the dining room this evening so stayed tuned for the pics of that room. I would post them tonight but I would rather you see it in daylight.