Friday, October 30, 2009

Shades of Red in the Face

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Shades of red. I love red. This photo would be drab without splashes of red, don't you think?

The other day I thought, Gee, my available cash balance before the end of the month paycheck is $180. Extra cash! What will I do with it? My hair needs a cut and color, I need fitness shoes, some new workout clothes, and I could stock up on food for the birds. It was as if someone clunked me on the head and warned: You need to pay that $140 speeding ticket. How could you possibly forget about THAT? Dammit! The officer gave me a break and wrote the ticket for 40 in a 35 when I was really traveling along at 49. I’m thankful. I’m also busted and red in the face about it.

This all happened a week ago on my way to the auto dealership to trade in the good old black Honda Accord I’ve had for two years. It’s a wonderful vehicle and I would recommend a Honda to everyone I know if their buttocks can deal with its fit into a plywood driver’s seat for an eight-hour drive. Good-bye Honda. There is a pattern to this madness here. We trade our cars before the original windshield wipers wear out. I prefer vehicles in white, black, or red. Classic.


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Water hibiscus is a shade of pink but it'll do. I can’t keep my eyes off red. Ever.


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Fits nicely in there with hula hoops that decorate the garage walls, doesn’t it? Michael found this gem for me in Barcelona Red Metallic.

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Parked at the grocery store pond. Is that cute, or what? It’s a Venza - a new crossover from Toyota with cargo space in the back.

Ya’ll are thinking: Hmmm. That car... Mary’s in a mid-life crisis. She joined a fitness center, too, and man, she has it bad. Well, guess what, folks? Mary is well beyond her mid-life and has already owned and driven an impractical two-seater a long time ago, just before she turned forty. Forty... sa-WEET!

Gina thinks I’m funny. My daughter has been laughing at me before she could talk, twenty-seven years ago. I don’t think there’s anything that brings more joy to a mother than hearing your baby, toddler, or young child in fits of laughter at something you did or said.

Early eighties, in the kitchen together after dinnertime on a regular day, there was Gina in her high chair and I at the sink. My wild search for a missing lid to a Tupperware bowl (lids flying like Frisbees across the kitchen counter) kept me so busy that it took a minute or two before I heard her explosive giggles at me on my mission. A pretty one-year-old with huge blue eyes and thick, wavy, golden brown hair rested her head on her dinner plate of sweet peas, as the entertainment was just too much for her little self to handle. When I found a mirror she cackled louder at the sight of her own reddened funny face speckled with sweet peas. That’s a day I’ll always remember. One of many.

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A few days ago I took her for a ride in my new, red car. I felt brave enough to comment, “Gina, I think people are looking at this car. Or, are they looking at me?” She threw her head back with a belly laugh and I joined her until we were red in the face.

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I was thinking of Christy in that Ferrari...


We took a Hip Hop class and a Zumba class together this week. At the end of the classes, there is a very good cool down exercise when you bend at the waist with knees slightly bent and feel the floor with the palms of your hands. Hold it for five seconds and feel the cool music. It’s a welcomed, feel-good stretch but I teetered a bit when it was time to lunge – oh lawd, humpty might tumble and bounce and how embarrassing that would be. When I look around during that nice stretch, I see buttocks facing the moon, sweaty heads and hair and red faces …and then there was Gina with her upside-down ponytail across the way and our eyes met. I knew immediately why she was laughing so hard. It’s that damned gravity. My facial skin was being pulled towards the floor. The force was pulling my cheeks over my eyes! I felt a strong urge to stand upright, put my face back where it belonged, and I laughed out loud.

Moments in time. Sweet memories.

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Oh, well. Not Christy - but a girl can dream, can’t she?

26 comments:

Susan Gets Native said...

Jeez, Mary. Gonna get a tattoo and a young Italian pool boy next???

I love your new car. It suits you perfectly. Tiny, bright and FUN!

Julie Zickefoose said...

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous is all I can say. Make that last one your new profile pic for FB. Oh, the car's nice too.

You look mahhhvelous!!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Sa-weeet May! That's a great looking car, but you my dear make it look FABULOUS!

You are such a hotty.

and you crack me up like no one else!

Wendy said...

Gee, I was all set to comment on how pretty that pink hib was and then I saw the CAR!!! Wowie - zowwie!! To die for.
And the driver doesn't look too bad either!! LOL! Mid-life, schmid-life - enjoy your life, that's what counts!

Susan Ellis said...

Well, I have never met you in person, but I gotta say, great pic...and the car is just an nice accessory. Attitude is all!

jane augenstein said...

Wow Mary!!! What a sweet ride you have, gorgeous red! My daughter had a red sports car once, she called it "arrest me red"....LOL Keep the lead out! Great picture of you in your beautiful car!!! WeeHaa

KGMom said...

I just saw a Venza next to my Toyota RAV4 tonight. Hadn't seen them before.
I was about to say--Honda, huh, looks like you switched to Toyota, but you owned up right away.
But bright red--Mary, do you WANT the cops to stop you? Especially if you are heavy on the gas?
Jeez--my RAV is blue and I got stopped. Not for speeding, but for going through a red light. I told the officer it was AMBER when I entered the intersection. He was the humorless type and didn't flinch.

Mary said...

Susan - no pool boy, no...hmmm... Definitely no tatts.

Julie, thank you but this is not profile pic material. I'm hard to please but I'm working on it.

Linne, I'm glad I crack you up. I like cracking up, too. This post made me crack up a few times :o)

Wendy, laugh when we can, right?

Susan, you know, attitude is the power.

Jane, "arrest me red" - Oh, my! No! Not for me! LOL!

Donna, I am very surprised at you. Running a red light? Well, I never! Cops are humorless when making traffic stops, I know. :o/

TR Ryan said...

Well I have met you in person and I am so grateful!!!! Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby! What a great post. I laughed with both of you all the way through. That last pic, you look like a Charlie's Angel.

Uhhh, surprised no one commented that you could actually EAT of your garage floor. What an immaculate garage.

Mary said...

Tim, you always make me laugh. Thanks. You're an angel ;-)

A New England Life said...

You're damn right a girl can dream! You look HOT Mary! I'd love a car like that.

Glad your daughter gets such a kick out of you. At least she's not rolling her eyes and saying, 'Oh Mom!'

jason said...

Too much fun, Mary! You're stylin' in the new car. You look great!

(I bet the police officer gave you a break because you flashed that million dollar smile and gave him a sly wink--and he just melted... Don't worry, we won't tell.)

Jayne said...

Not Christie? Well, darn close, you hottie you! :c) LOVE the new red car!

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Your new car looks to be just perfect for quick stops and turn abouts! I just bought a Volvo sedan. Something practicle for road trips.
Laughing with our daughters is the best. I miss my kids.....
I am so happy you are enjoying "working out" and you feel good...I like being slim and trim and strong but most of all I like feeling good!
Looks as if new car and healthy you fit perfect together.
Happy Halloween,
Sherry

Caroline said...

When we car shop, he does all the research and tire kicking and then I say, "I want the red one!" regardless of the maker!
I am driving a white Highlander, the closest "red one" was in Des Moines.
Huge bummer!!
Have fun with your new wheels.

Beth said...

Mary, you are one hot mama! Go gurrrl!

Beth

Anonymous said...

Oh, I LOVE it! When we finally have our meeting of Mary bloggers, YOU drive! Okay, we'll just meet, but I'm not parking my navy Volvo station wagon next to your hot car.

Are the dogs allowed in it?

Robin's Nesting Place said...

You go girl! You look terrific! That hibiscus is stunning!

Mary said...

Mary Lee, of course. Dogs allowed ;-)

Cicero Sings said...

Nice car ... if we didn't have a whiteSubaru Outback ... I would probably go for one just like that! Gotta love red.

Appalachian Lady said...

That car is so cool--love the red color. You look great too.

You know the cops always want to give you a break on a ticket like that. You feel better as they are writing the ticket but then you get home you realize it's $140!

RuthieJ said...

Sa-weet Ride Mare! You rock girlfriend (and you look hot in that car!)

Anonymous said...

Your car is sexy. It suits you to a tee.

Angie said...

YOU are an absolute doll, funny as hell, and the car is awesome too! :) LOVE that color, you go, girl!!! LOL

Murr Brewster said...

Look how adorable you are. Those dimples get any deeper, you'll have to floss them.

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