did you know i believe in fairies?
at least, i think i do. sometimes i forget the difference between real and imaginary. this comes in handy when you're raising three fairies of your own. or shoplifting.
i haven't been sleeping much lately. plus i've been reading american gods before bed, which is pretty trippy. and i've been having bad dreams. they're. horrible.
so for the past two mornings, i've woken up absolutely wrecked. the girlies three are each helping in their own...special...ways.
i always have bad dreams about {here gracie raises her eyebrows and nods her head toward oblivious lill, who happens to be singing to her toast at the moment. and then toward equally as oblivious esmé, who happens to be caught in a stare at her over-easy. no need for subtlety, grae. no. need.} being killed. and i can't save them.
oh. she and i are more alike than i sometimes remember.
lillie joins the world, sees grae's little face and my matching one, and wants in on the moment. i have bad dreams, too! she chirps, with her wattage at full force.
she wisely stops before she starts. because, in this family? it is very. very. very. uncool to hop into someone else's nightmare. not big fans of borrowing drama.
i'll ask mrs. peabody to help. this from mémé, which surprises us all. that thing doesn't speak before ten am.
mrs. peabody is an imaginary friend of their grammy's. ever since the girlies came to be, my mom has told them stories about her. when they wouldn't eat or couldn't sleep or just whenever. mrs. peabody is a naughty old lady who wears floral dresses and gorgeous hats and buys one egg at a time and rides escalators for hours and loves the feeling of fresh cement between her toes and eats chocolate before bed to be sure her dreams are sweet.
all of us smiled. all of us. for very different reasons, but smiles are smiles and i'll take them anyday. i'm sure i believe in fairies. i also believe in chocolates.
does this portrait by sue rubira scare you or make you smile? it's a painting, did you know? i think this one looks just like mrs. peabody.
22 comments:
god, I love your writing....love it so very much. I know, if you wrote a novel(oh, yes you could, should)I would read it all in one night, unable to put it down. *sigh*
no need for subtlety, right? :) I cannot believe that is a painting....unbelievable. I hate to admit, it scares me a little but, knowing it might be Mrs. Peabody? Makes me feel much better. :)
xoxo
Melis
what a fantastic painting. i'm always amazed at the detail in older people's faces. it might be creepy, but i would love a collection of real photos (or paintings) of seniors. it's as if every wrinkle tells a story...
hope you sleep better :)
a painting? never would have guessed that. i smile until i scroll down to just above her chin...then the whole face goes freaky for me.
a painting? really? what incredible detail. i love the idea of mrs. peabody. my mother frequently created imaginary figures when i was young (there was black bart, the easter bunny's scheming brother), but no one as interesting as mrs. peabody.
at first the photo scared me but now I think it says real life.
can I come live in your house? I'll be a nanny/housekeeper because your house is SO much more interesting than mine. I'll print you up notecards in my down time and teach the girls art in their daily lessons. deal?
plus? I don't eat much... or rather I cook well and am partial to choc chip cookie dough before bed so that I have dreams of kisses in my sleep, which I had last night but don't tell chris...it wasn't him.
the painting scared the daylights out of me, i jumped in my chair when i saw it. i might be terrified of mrs. peabody.
last night i dreamed mr. darling left me, i woke up crying in my sleep. and this morning i kept making him promise over and over to love me forever. he did promise, of course. good thing he's used to my awfully dramatic mornings.
grae and i have a lot in common...i always dream i can't save someone i love. it's almost as scary as mrs. peabody's painting.
scared the crap outta me.
can't believe it's a painting - what incredible detail.
She makes me smile because I can see the chocolate she eats at bed time makes her dream blissfully - just like when she chooses one perfect egg at a time!
thank you for the oh so nice comment you left this morning! xoxo
Karey - loved this one! That Mrs. Peabody painting reminds me of the lady in that movie where they age backwards...what was that?
Plus also, I have a fun little gifty for you. Email me your address again and I will post it right away!
Amanda
I love Mrs. Peabody, and you and your girlies, but this painting (really? a painting?) creeps me out a little.
When I was young and encountered my first really grumpy, mean old lady, my mother enlightened me with the fact that "Not all old people are nice. Not all old ladies are your grandmother." This painting looks like one of the not nice old ladies. I think she'd pinch you, and she might have a knife in the pocket of her housecoat, a dead mouse, and crumpled tissues, and a key on a length of frayed white string.
What do the girlies think of her?
xox,
Susan
confessionsofasineater.blogspot.com
I know we would be friends if I really knew you...because I believe in fairies and of course chocolate too. Sometimes I feel like people think I am a little out there with my imagination, except for my sister of course, she is far more magical. And Mrs. Peabody..... I like her already. This really explains why I must eat chocolate every night before bed... no I have a reason!
x Trina
Gawd, I love your writing. Sorry for fawning, but I can't help it. You are fabulous.
Now I must address the first comment. As I clicked on comment button, I had those very words swimming in my brain. First comment pops up and there they were. Weird. Seriously. My heart jumped into my throat.
Okay, now that that is out of the way. The painting is beautiful. Frightening. But beautiful. And its a PAINTING(!), seriously, a painting!
xx-nelya
i kind of like to think that's what my daughter will look like when she's old.
I love, love, love Neil Gaiman and think American Gods is one of the most stunning, well-written novels I've ever read. I love that you are reading it right now. I'd love to talk to you about it when you finish. I so love that book.
Anyway, that photo of Mrs. Peabody is downright scary. But, I'd love to meet her. Your Mrs. Peabody, I mean. I wonder if we can arrange for her to visit Casa Lawson?
And, yes, I do believe in fairies. And chocolate. And magic flying carpets. I got one for Christmas, you know.
Well, duh. I had to go and write photo when I knew, had even marvelled over the fact that it's a painting. Oh well... just a slip of the fingers.
Scares! Sorry, Sue:( I mean, it's hauntingly beautiful, there's no question. But something about it terrifies me.
Those eyes! I love it.
And I love your writing, so.
And every time I come here, I find myself leaving with a little twinge of desire for a girl.
-elizabeth
your writing alway makes me think that no matter what else i am reading at the moment is inadequate and that i should ditch it all and stick with you. you make me believe in faries...you are that good! xo t
Thank you for reminding me of American Gods. It is masterful.
Thanks for a wonderful blog! I always enjoy hearing about your adventures.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. See the link below for more info.
#dreams
www.inspgift.com
Pretty good post. I found your website perfect for my needs. Thanks for sharing the great ideas.
Sherra
www.imarksweb.org
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