....And This Time He Sent His Daughters and They Are Mothers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And this time He sent His Daughters and They are Mothers

A Musical

Picnic-Father opening back of SUV as the children jump out of vehicle.

Grandma drives-up as father is unloading the Karoke machine.

Parents continue unloading (food/picnic supplies)
Grandmother and children hook-up Karoke machine and 5 year old girl takes mic and starts singing Brick HOUSE..... HO HO.
here

Grandmother takes mic and breaks into "Stand By Me" as all the children chatter that it's their turn next.
here

As lyrics "stand by me" is belted out, grandma motions to each of her three children and then spouses and children.

Parents return to unloading and setting up picnic as g'ma keeps children occupied with her tactics.

"Good Morning Viet Nam" rings out as g'mother 'pumps up the volume'.
here

G'ma gives over mic to kids and checks on progress of the 'feast'. (Mothering all the while as she glances at the safety of the Karoke machine as the g'kids toss mic around.)

G'mother meanders back to the machine as she realizes her children have the feast under control and as the kids let her know, IT'S their turn to organize.

Child in charge of machine hands out 'Run Thru The Jungle' lyrics as Gram re-enters the fantasy world she's built. She dons her fatigue hat and jacket and marches and sings to the lyrics.
here

A solumn moment brought on by G'mother's tears brings on 'Abraham, Martin, and John' by an empathetic and loving G'daughter.
here

The kids are loving every minute of this as many other children from neighboring picnic sites have wandered over as the kids seem to be having so much fun.

*** Red and white table cloths are blowing in the wind as the feast is set up.

Tea, coffee, sodas, and cider is passed out to all visiting participants.

Chris Gaines sings out on the machine.. (Garth Brooks alternate)

"Right Now" is the song chosen by G'mother leading the crowd at this point. Son takes the mic and belts out the lyrics as he reads from hand out.
here

"Time to eat," parents call out in unison........ HO HO asif anything at a picnic is that organized.

"One more, one more, please... please, please," the kids holler out.
Gram, being the old hippie that she is fires up the lighter as in olden days for 'one more'.

Gram's oldest takes over the mic and asks that "Wake Up Little Suzie" play for the last song before chow.
here

The food is smelling yummy by now and Gram claps that it's time to eat and a triangle bar is sounded by sappy son-in-law to get all to sit down to lunch.

Neighboring crowd is growing and laughter is abounding around Grammie's table.
All is hunky dorie as food is eaten and children are hurrying everyone up as they want to return to the Karoke fun.

Grandson runs over the SUV and grabs his guitar as he is learning new songs. He is drowned out at first as the younger crew is taken with the NEW karoke machine.

He walks away from the youngsters with his older sister and some of the neighboring kids walk over and asks him to play. He is happy to play a tune. Older sibling takes this opportunity to walk back to the SUV and call her friends and complain about the juviniles in her family. (She has her CD on now and listening to her own brand of music..... which pretty much says the same thing only in HER hip hop version.)

Famous radio host parks close by and Gramma recognizes him/her from when Cindy Sheehan was in town. She walks over and introduces herself and invites him to join her family for a cider/coffee.

He is cordial but not sure about the others as NO one else seems to know who he is...... HE HE, Gotcha!!!

Gram excuses herself as he/she (Famous host/hostess) gets involved in family conversations re: cuts in school budget and redistricting.

Gram takes the mic from a reluctant ten year old and sings "IMAGINE" to the growing audience as audience joins in.

The kids are growing tired of the singing now and grab up soccor balls and skate boards and head out for new territories and other kids sites to see what's up with the neighboring families.

Cal's son takes the mic and starts to sing Dear Mama by 2Pac. (He'd sung it to her years earlier and remembered how much she liked it and decided now was as good a time as any to dedicate it to her in front of his two siblings and all his nieces and nephews.)
here

One of the young neighboring mothers who joined the crew deems it time to nurse her baby. She excuses herself and walks over to her picnic site and sits down to suckle her child.

Gramma excuses herself and asks the new mommie if she minds if she sits with her while she nourishes her babe. (New mom a little embarassed agrees to company.)

Gram shares her own experiences as the new mom, 'Tasha' modestly goes about her business. Gram's daughters and daughter-in-law walk over to the duo and asks if they can join as they all cherished the time in their lives when nursing was a part of their every day schedules. (Tasha is relaxed now as it seems that all involved in this bonding have nursed their children.)

It seems that someone new has joined the crowd of singers. A man in a Harley T-shirt is now holding the mic and belting out..."Power to the People" as the kids give the PEACE sign.
here

As he winds up the song his female friend walks up and takes the mic. "Working Class Hero" is her choice as she chimes in.
here

Another biker....... (duh, like the new additions are from a bikers group sitting at a near-by table) saunters over and tells of his new DVD that his wife has bought for the family car. He shares that her first movie she wanted was "Norma Rae". Hence, 'Working Class Hero'.

Another biker is now joining and asks his accompanying BUD........ (a Viet Nam vet) to suggest a song he might like someone to sing.

Cal notices that the bikers may be of the anarchy agenda and suggests: Why Can't We Be Friends by War........ she closes her eyes and remembers back in the day at the Madera Speedway that they sang this song. It makes her happy to think that here in the now, they all can come together and remember.......
here

Bud, (the biker friend)suggests 'Four Dead in Ohio' as he remembers times long ago.
here

Gram noticing the tone of the crowd is becoming morose, walks over and asks for the mic and breaks into an old 'WAR' tune....... "Why Can't We Be Friends".

The vets laugh at the coincidence of the group's name and begin to sing out with the group as bonding is now the theme of the day.

As the song ends, Gram goes right into "Another One Bites the Dust" relaying to all that the Bushes are now close to the Nixon times and ready to fall from grace with Americans.
here

As the sun sets and the babies tire, it is decided by all to start packing up the left overs......... but wait, dessert hasn't been served yet.

Plastic forks, paper plates, napkins, cakes, pies are spread out. Kiddies run screaming to the tables as the parents smile on.

"Give Peace a Chance" is sung quietly by Gram as she watches over the whole crew and smiles softly to herself. The day was indeed a huge success and her journey is indeed a pleasant if somewhat erratic and sorrowful place.
here


PEACE
Cal