DARLIN LYNN, I AM IN LOVE WITH DOMINO - HE COULD BE MY CAT 'SCOOTER'S' BROTHER. COULD I PLEASE HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO PUT HIM ON MY 'MUST PAINT IN 2012' LIST. LOVED YOUR POST - NOW I'M STARVING - OFF TO 'THE COFFEE CUP' FOR A LITTLE MORNING SNACK. XOXO JULES

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK!!! XOXO JULES

My Dearest Marianne, I am so touched by your comment to Kristi - you expressed my thoughts of Kristi's gift for recognizing and finding beauty in each moment. I am so happy that you are one of our friends. XOXO JULES

WHAT CAN I SAY - YOU ALL JUST MISSED OUT ON FIVE PARAGRAPHS OF MY RAMBLINGS THIS MORNING - THEY ARE OUT IN CYBERSPACE SOMEWHERE. I THINK I LOVE YOU! XOXO JULES

My Precious Kristi, I loved your post today. You have not traveled far from that 8 year old little girl that always had my heart captured in your daily stories shared with me. What a lucky MOM I was to have witnessed your presence. It is good for you to flounder around in the dirt, surrounded by your empty pizza boxes held down with old vine stumps. This is building your 'Garden Character' which is the secret to all great gardeners. As a Mother my heart yearns to be with you to wipe away the twigs that cling to your hair. I am so emotionally tied up with todays photographs and your thoughts - I feel a pull to be with you more than ever so I can ease you into this new path in your life. You need some helping hands, Thank God you have all of your friends here at FWAD to encourage you in your infancy. Keep studying the garden video's on Youtube, you are doing great. As always I am so proud of you. XOXO MOM

Hi Julius, I am always so happy when I see you are reading Kristi's posts. Let me tell you, she really perks up when facing another blank screen, knowing who is out there (possibly) reading her work. I hope you will come by Le Coin Commentaires more often - please share yourself with Kristi and I and all of these wonderful friends we have made here. XOXO JULES

lost my last comment $&#!

Thank You Kristi for helping me to put into context what I have been feeling for the last few days, feeling so helpless, your post seemed to round up all of my wild thoughts and press them into a more complete expression - one I had been searching for to go along with my deepest prayers. I am so proud of you Honey - I know I tell you this all of the time, but I am always most proud when you share your true inner thoughts. I LOVE YOU MOM

GOOD MORNING JACKIE, Grandma is here to cheer you up! You thought your Mom and Dad were the only ones in the world who didn't understand you!!! Now you know what the real world is like outside your protected home. There are rules of conduct out in the world Honey, some of the rules are silent, but the silent rules and judgments are built over thousands of years of experience accumulated by people who have been through the war of 'growing up'. They have all experienced what it is like to be a teenager. Grandma has always worn a lot of make-up. One of the reasons I was able to get away with 'my look' was that I was born with 'Artist Blood'. Of course in the beginning I had to learn all of the steps (some people call steps 'rules'), it is much easier sometimes to think of your life in steps along the path you are traveling on this journey called 'life'. Right now you are learning the 'two-step'. This is a term in America that relates to dancing - two steps to the left, and two steps to the right. This is part of the dance of life that teaches us how to dodge bullets. Bullets hurt, bullets come in all kinds of camouflage. A wise traveler here on Earth has learned many lessons throughout his or her journey. One is if you draw too much attention to yourself you become a target...once you are a target you become an object that could shine too brightly in front of a trigger happy fellow traveler. All of the comments you have received from the above people have come to you in LOVE. They love and care for you or they would NOT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY LIVES to try to warn you about the pitfalls (that means falling down and scraping you knee til it bleeds and you fall in a ditch.) All of these commenter's are just trying to warn you to take life slowly, and carefully at this time in your life. They were all teenagers - they have been exactly where you are. Make-up is an art-form. The true artist learns through practice how to create images that catch another's eye and transport the viewer to another place. Your face and your body style are your own personal canvas... HAPPY PAINTING HONEY!!! TAKE SOME ART LESSONS !!! BE GENTLE WITH YOUR MOM!!! ALWAYS SPEAK SOFTLY!!! RUN AROUND THE PERIMETER OF VINEYARD A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE YOU PUT ON YOUR MAKE-UP...! XOXO GRANDMA

Hi Jackie, You are my special 'Angel' - I think you are so beautiful and creative...I love that each day you are growing and changing into all that you are meant to be. XOXO' GRANDMA

Hi Suzanne, this is such a small world, yesterday I was looking at photo's of your goddaughter on your FB page. In a way she reminded me of Jackie while I was admiring her photo's - she is indeed beautiful, classical, exotic, and European beauty all mixed up into one beautiful young lady.XOXO JULES

Hi Honey, It's Thursday morning, thought I would check in and see how you are doing. Keep your chin up, I know you are stressed out over asking for support for your WORK - but this is a step you must take in your path up the mountain of "RUNNING A BUSINESS". All people face this hurdle sooner or later in their life, there are certain steps in your path that must be set in a strong foundation and this is one of them. I am so proud of you - you are now a real woman with a business.. you are now at the helm of your enterprise running it with style, humor, and BRAINS. You are 43 years old - it is your time. I'm not seeing many comments today - where is everyone? XOXO JULES

AS BRAISE gazes out the window she calls to Smokey: "Remember that old lady with the crazy hats I used to tell you about, the one who would sleep on the floor with me because MOM wouldn't let her keep me on her bed?" SMOKEY - 'The one who would sneek little pieces of cheese and crackers into her bed and share with you?" BRAISE - "I think her name was GRANDMA." SMOKEY - "Can you tell me another story."

"Coucou" Kristi, I am so happy you tied on your pretty little ballet slippers at 6:00 a.m. this morning. TURN ON THE MUSIC!!! I'm already dancing because your words always wake me up and bring the 'BEAT' of life and love into my heart. Of course I have been supporting you since birth - and the first thing I taught you was: 'there's no such thing as a free ride'. All MOTHER'S are always pleased when their kid's finally start listening to them. XOXO MOM

Kristi - You are so funny, it's so nice to watch you open up and share your sense of humor via your inner thought process... NOW - if only you would really let go like you do during our telephone conversations everyone would be rolling on the floor. You are the greatest - how about the rest of the story?

OH LA LA!!! xoxo MOM

Kristi - my little Angel, You were so smart to put this section on your blog. You have found another way to bring all of us together where we are reinforcing our bonds of friendship in a new way. I think I will have so much fun over here, this section of yours has granted all of us the gift of freedom to grow...among our wonderful friends who will help us along the way. I was so touched by Joan's comment....I know there are so many others out there that feel the same way as she does (even I do at times)- secretly wishing that I had a special friend to share my feelings about not only travel, but the big beautiful world out there for all of us to enjoy. I am overwhelmed with the different directions this section could possibly forge for all of us lucky friends of Kristi's. Once again the freedom to ask those questions we have always wondered about regarding France, Kristi, travel and also the anticipation of knowing someone out there is going to bless us with a question or thought we hadn't even realized would benefit us along this delightful journey we are all on TOGETHER. Alastair opened my eyes to an idea and presentation that had never entered my thought process before....in one moment of time he has shown me that even I can become one of the gang instead of riding along on my free pass as KRISTI'S MOM. As you all know the only reason I hang around here is to find out what Kristi is up to and see photo's of Max and Jackie...and of course the most important for a Mother, I have to always know who Kristi is hanging out with. Lucky for me - I adore all of Kristi's friends. XOXO JULES

Hi Alastair, I absolutely love your post - what a great idea. I hope you will post it again on MONDAY'S POST of FWaD. Be sure and put it in that days comment post as I don't think very many people will be stopping by here - it's too late in the day. XOXO JULES

Kristi, I will never forget this post, I remember when you shared this moment in your blog back in 2006...I knew then that you 'had arrived.' I always see your moment as a painting...you know how I love to paint Jean-Marc...time to start the sketch. XOXO MOM

The time logged in on my little note is wrong, it is really 7:09 a.m. here in Mexico. I will be happy when they come up with a computer that I can talk to - Mr. C. please fix my clock...and while you are at it please fix my filing system so I can understand what I have done in Picasso. XOXO JULES

"LE COIN COMMENTAIRES" - There is nothing like waking up to this little corner of my world on a beautiful Sunday morning in Puerto Vallarta. I just knew there would be a few of my friends here waiting around to see what happens while they sip their coffee. Robyn - I love how you describe my little Angel Kristi's writing....ha-ha...I think she has us all fooled. Kristi has the special attention of that big man ABOVE, therefore He has placed her in all kinds of situations to refine her senses in regard to all things out of her comfort zone. Yes, as an innocent child she was fully connected to all the wonders of nature, that is why I would find little frogs stuffed under my sheets as she passed by my bed in the morning. She was the one who was out at dawn skating up and down the path in front of our little trailer...singing her own special tune. Because of your kind words Robyn, I know, as only a mother can know, that your words are feeding her writing spirit on this beautiful new day. Now I'm off to read the rest of the posts I have missed out on since yesterday...I'm sure I'll be back later on today. If I knew how to put one of those links in for a song it would be singing "Yes, I think I love you". I'm sure one of you 'guys' can pop that in for me. Oh how Kristi and I fuss over the male commenter's when we are on the phone. I can remember when we had only one BRAVEHEART - who was our first Kristi? I'll have to check. Big confession!!! I have my first internet crush...I saw this guy giving a speech and he just stole my heart away...maybe it's because he looks a little like John and has the same tone of storytelling. I'm off to get another fix. XOXO JULES

Hi Larry, I second Kristi's observation: I LOVE YOUR STORY. Next time JM is in your neighborhood, watch out, he will be dragging you and your wonderful dog (what is her name?) down to the creek. XOXO JULES

Kristi, This is the funniest story. I laughed and laughed. I guess you must not have had the comments box at this time...I'm sure we would have heard a lot of funny comments and stories from all of your friends. XOXO MOM

Don't forget to put the story of my lilac bush. I love that photo of us, when I see it I am flooded with all the memories of that special day. I remember every second (in detail) of that day. XOXO MOM

Sorry about all of the mistakes etc. I went to hit the "edit button" and hit post by mistake. I am getting better at this, at least I am trying to correct, even if I failed once again. Who knows how advanced my comments will be in another few years. I have decided to study ENGLISH on the computer, so I can clean up my grammar and spelling. I received an 81% and a 51% on two tests I took yesterday. NEWFOREST AND a another friend has been throwing around the word 'conjunction' or some word that sounded like that. I had no idea what they were talking about - hence the English class. I am so elated about this new path in my life, as you all know I was literally KICKED OUT of High-school when I was 16 and have always carried the burden of shame regarding my education....that is why my two girls received from birth the mantra "When you begin college...." Both Heidi and Kristi rewarded me with their diploma's - of course this was one of my happiest days. As always, I am so thankful that I have had Heidi and Kristi to give my life meaning. Yes it's Tuesday in Mexico, looking forward to another 78 degree day plus an outing with my camera on the beach. This is what you get now that I am drinking coffee again after a two year drought. Kristi has been admonishing my 'coffee high' as now when she calls me she can't get a word in edgewise. Ever since JM put in some kind of new phone system we are able to talk free...this has ended up in two-hour conversations for the past three days. Of course I am in heaven, we are both acting like best-friend teenagers on the phone. Our conversations cover alot of ground - Kristi's career (that's what Mom's call their daughter's passions) - raising two teenagers in todays world - the comments box - and how to tackle the task of finally decorating their house. I personally am appalled with the circumstances they live in - Kristi has no sense of 'real-time, real-life design of hard objects in her own life...she actually has just draped an ugly brown blanket over the couch Smokey ate this past year. I (in our phone conversations am still trying to "Mother" her with the planting of seeds regarding directions of her life." How strange and connected you all are, because you have started sending in receipes (which coincides with exactly what I have been preaching to Kristi on the phone. I have been encouraging Kristi to lock up her office after 11:30 a.m. each morning (she arrives there promptly at 6:00 a.m. each morning to begin her day). God only knows how many e-mails she answers, photo's she files, notes she enters to all of the different facets of this blog. Back to what I am talking about - I had advised Kristi to lock her office door at 11:30 each day and retreat to her new command center "THE KITCHEN" where she will be more able to monitor the two 'teenagers' and all of their friends. O.K. now you all know what the coffee has done to me - I will stop this post right now. I am sure in another few weeks I will be more thoughtful about the effects this new drug is having with my blabbering. Kristi, you have my permission to DELETE my last two posts, even though no-one may be up reading this #$!@ so early in the morning. XOXO MOM