The May Blues

Welcome to May! I know that I'm over a week late, but it's been so busy that I have had to hit the ground running every day.

I dislike May.

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that this is a yearly lament. All I hear is the gentle flapping of money flying out the window--gentle as a disturbed flock of pigeons in Central Park, that is. May is a month of proms, graduations, birthdays, and Mother's Day.

Now I know what you are thinking, and it's true: I no longer have my mother to celebrate with. But I still can't cross that off my list since I do still have a mother-in-law, and I also try to get cards for other close to me mothers. So no, I won't travel 2 1/2 hours down the road, stopping at the grocery store for a full meal, dessert, beer/wine, candy and cigarettes, or order a gaggle of Avon Imari anymore. But the holiday is still not forgotten.

Of course there are proms and graduations to contend with, both high school for the proms and graduations, as well as college graduates. This year, I am seeing 2 gents off to their prom--the oldest godson and one cousin. However, I had 2 more cousins--one in Baltimore and one in my hometown--attend their junior proms. Sadly, it was on the same night as another event, so I couldn't attend those. The godson and other cousin, who both live in Maryland, thank God, are also both graduating. As the godson's graduation is only doling out 5 tickets, it's doubtful I'll be able to make it to that one. But the cousin's will more than likely be at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center. Also, this year, I am happy to say that my little apple scrapple, my mini me, my niecey Pooh, received her college degree from Valdosta State this past weekend!

And that entailed so much more than making sure that I made it to the graduation and gave her a gift. This involved travel for three and an overnight stay at a hotel. And there's the little matter of my newest cousin's graduation--and I mean newest because she has now married into the fold that is the Laws/Jones clan.

And then there are the birthdays. There are a lot of May folks--more than I ever wanted to account for. First and foremost, there's my Dad, whose birthday happens to coincide with Mother's Day week. Alas, some days, it fell on Mother's Day, and there was no coin toss on who won. Dad's birthday would get celebrated early and down the road I would go. But that's not all. That oldest godson is in May, along with a couple of cousins and uncles. But I couldn't just stop there. I had to marry into a family of May birthdays! My husband's birthday is in May, as is my mother-in-law!

So, yes, May, I still dislike you, even though I love all the people I have to celebrate.

But to honor it nonetheless, I'm going to do a few Facebook posts to mark the special occasion that is this month. Some of them May be backdated a bit as it is 9 nine days in. But I figured this is a good way to honor some special people and get some writing in. If you'd like a shout out, leave a message on my wall or in my inbox and it will be posted to your wall on the day you request.