Making Myself Nervous

I am not sure why I just can't be calm and confident when it comes to entertaining.

We began hosting the Thanksgiving dinner in 2006, the first year I was at Ivy Tech.  I offered to host and before I could finish speaking the words, my dear mother-in-law jumped at the chance to NOT have it at her house.

Hosting the big family dinner at our old house presented challenges.  Not too much dining room space for a sit-down meal, which is what I preferred to have.  Not enough counter space for everything.  Fortunately I had just about the entire week off from classes so it was easy for me to cook in stages and have everything ready.  But on the Big Day?  Crowded was the word.

Gary always insisted that no one came to check the house and no one cared about the crowded conditions.  Clay even said later that he never thought it was too crowded. 

But I did.  There would be a huge pile of shoes by the door to step over and around.  Tables had to be moved after the dinner to clear a space for card playing and Tripoley.  There were enough seats for most of the family, but we had to use both rooms and that meant that some people sat in the fireplace room chatting and others were in the living room watching football and others were in the kitchen/dining room playing games. 

The coats had to be on our bed upstairs because we had no room in the closet.

The toilet handle had to be jiggled because if it were not, then the water would just keep running in the toilet and running out as fast as it went in.  Then it wouldn't flush.

The last year we were at the old house, Mike, Angie, and Nick stayed with us.  I wasn't prepared, really, but we made it work.  Lack of communication was what happened.  Showering presented another challenge with the water situation.

The only three years in those 12 that we did NOT host the dinner were these: the one when Hilary, Blaine, Landon, and we went to DisneyWorld for Thanksgiving, the year I was diagnosed with pneumonia and the doctor said "NO THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR YOU!", and in 2016 when Agnes died and we had one last Thanksgiving dinner at the old house.

It was no surprise then that Rebecca, our realtor, learned quickly that having a bigger kitchen, a larger dining room large enough for at least 18 people, and a nice sized living room and family room were criteria for our new house.

In fact each time we would look at a possibility, she would ask if I could see hosting Thanksgiving in the kitchen and dining room and if I knew where we would put the Christmas tree.  For you see, hosting the large Siemens Family Christmas on Christmas Eve was something that came to us too after Hilary declared she did NOT want to host the family gathering any more.  Two years were enough for her, and we totally understood the disruption in her house with extra overnight guests, readying the house for 22 of us, and trying to plan their own gift opening around the overnight guests and Blaine's work schedule.

So here we are.   Last year I was SO excited to host both events.  Mike, Angie, and Nick had rooms for themselves.  We had two nice spare rooms that we made sure were ready for company.

We have two bathrooms, one connected to the master bedroom upstairs and one on the main floor, both with showers.

The water pressure is superb.  The water supply is even better.  We can run the dishwasher, the washer, take a shower, and flush the toilet, all at the same time and still have water and pressure!  Talk about being spoiled now!  We have yet to run out of hot water.

Overnight guests are no problem; in fact, Karen and Clay, Greta, and the kids have stayed several times over the past 19 months.

There is plenty of room in the dining room for two tables.  When the leaf is added to our dining room table, it will seat 8, maybe 10 if the extra two are children.  There is plenty of room for another table to be set up between the dining room table and the island.

The island is perfect for appetizers and desserts.  There is plenty of counter space for all of the food to be spread out.  The new refrigerator holds much more than our old one so cold storage is not a problem either.  Plus there is an oven with the stove and another built in double oven if needed.

So what is the problem here?  Why is my heart racing and my chest hurting?  Why am I so tired? 

Part of the problem I know is not being able to see correctly.  With the cataract surgery on Tuesday, the vision in my left eye is much better, but the right eye is still the same.  That throws off my eyes working together.  When I wear my glasses, the right eye is a little better, but the left eye is messed up.  So I just can't see--and I won't be able to see well until after the next surgery on Dec. 4 and when new glasses are ordered.

But my chest hurting and just wanting to sleep?  The same thing happened with Owen's adoption party.  I was so nervous about everything, and it wasn't even my party!  Hilary and Blaine took care of the food, the decorating, the cleaning out of the Party Barn, the set up of tables, the mowing and trimming outside.  None of it fell to me.  None of it was my responsibility.  It wasn't until the party began that I relaxed.

I finally told Gary that I was making myself sick and my chest was hurting and he was not happy with me.  He said that the house was clean, and it is.  Everything is ready.  And it is.  The food just needs to be prepared.  And it will be when the time comes. So why be nervous?

The bedrooms are ready with clean sheets and air fresheners to sweeten the smell up there.  The bathrooms are ready.  I still need to mop the floor of the main floor bathroom but I won't do that until Wednesday morning. 

The family room is clean. 

The living room needs to be swept and dusted, but that will be done tomorrow.

I need to clean off the kitchen counter, but that is a continuous duty. 

All of the groceries have been purchased and the menu items delegated.

All will be well.

So what is with me?

Why is my chest hurting....again?

Will it be like this when we are getting ready for Christmas too?

I need to relax.  I need to pray about the anxiety.  I need some help with my mind.

All will be fine.

It will be a memorable Thanksgiving for all of us.

Just relax, Beth.  Relax.

Is There Traditional Thanksgiving Food? You'd Better Believe It!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  No secret about that.  And I like certain foods for Thanksgiving.  No secret about that either.

In fact when I taught the Evaluation Paper during ENGL 111 at Ivy Tech, I used Thanksgiving as my example for setting up criteria, which is essential in evaluating anything.  This was one of my favorite lessons to teach, and as a result, the papers were usually pretty good (due to the excellent teaching of how to write one, of course :) )

I used Thanksgiving as my topic and set up the criteria of Customs, Food, and Activities.

Especially the food.  The food is sacred.

As I told it when I was teaching this particular criteria, Thanksgiving food is very traditional. In fact the menu is Thanksgiving Food according to Grandma Greta.

She fixed the BEST Thanksgiving dinner ever.    Turkey.  Stuffing.  Scalloped oysters.  Mashed potatoes and gravy.  Green beans.  Corn.  Sweet potatoes.  Cranberry relish.  Cranberry salad.  A relish tray including all kinds of pickles and olives.  Pies --- pumpkin, pecan, apple, raisin.  Yummmmmmmy.  And the rolls?  Hot rolls with real butter  and homemade strawberry preserves.  It didn't get any better than that.

Thanksgiving 1975 I stayed in Indiana to spend the holiday with Gary and his family.  We weren't engaged yet, but we had talked about it and had looked at rings.  It was time to meet the extended family and spend a long weekend with the love of my life!  I volunteered to bring something and Agnes agreed to my suggestion of sweet potatoes and scalloped oysters.  During the meal Leo and Uncle Bud were raving about both of those dishes, and I learned later that these two items were not usually on the Siemens family Thanksgiving menu.  Later Gary asked me what I thought about the day, and I said I had enjoyed it and meeting his aunts and uncles, but I was a little surprised at some of the food.  I had never had goulash at Thanksgiving before.

His response was classic - "You have never had goulash at Thanksgiving?  Doesn't everyone have goulash at Thanksgiving?"  Well, no.    I discovered later that goulash is served not only at Thanksgiving, but at Christmas and Easter and at various other holiday get-togethers.

That was new to me!

The next year we went to Grandma Greta's for Thanksgiving dinner.  Now, I thought, he would see how a Thanksgiving meal really should be!  The turkey,  Mashed potatoes.  Sweet potatoes.  Green beans.  Homemade rolls with real butter.  All of the pies.   Then Aunt Joretta arrived with her contribution to the meal---taco salad.

Well, I never heard the end of that one.

No more laughing at goulash when our very traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's including----taco salad.

When I taught that lesson to my Ivy Tech students, they always had to chuckle at my story.  Every year I would see someone who had been in my class the previous year who would ask me if we were having goulash for Thanksgiving.

I wish I could say no, since we host the holiday dinner now.

When we began to hose the Thanksgiving dinner in 2006 I did not include goulash on the menu and I did a lot of the cooking.  I asked people to bring certain things, and goulash was never something that I thought about including.

It was missed.

On the second year Leo was raving about the food at the end of the meal, but he mentioned there was one thing missing----goulash.

The third year Leo and Agnes came early, as they always did, and brought the pies and relish trays as I had asked her to do.  But then Leo asked for a hot pad----and lo and behold, he came in with a big casserole dish of....goulash.

 Every year after that, goulash was on the table for our Thanksgiving meal.

Now that Leo and Agnes are gone, the making of goulash has fallen to Karen.  She can duplicate the dish fairly well.  There is no recipe for it---we just know what Agnes always used to make it.

So this year the Siemens family Thanksgiving will continue on with the traditional foods.  Turkey.  Ham.  Stuffing.  Mashed potatoes and gravy.  Green beans.  Corn.  Relish trays.  Pies.  Cranberry salad.  No sweet potatoes or oysters this year.  

But there will be goulash.

The Bedrooms and Bathroom Upstairs

After we came home from Grandparents' Day at Clinton Prairie, Gary went to Delphi to fill up the gas cans for the mowers, then he went to Hilary and Blaine's house.  Hilary was subbing, and Blaine had to leave for work at 3:30 so Gary was staying with Owen until Hilary, Landon, and Tessa returned home.

That gave me some uninterrupted time to clean the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs.

Now since we have moved to the new house, it has never been really dirty.  Sweeping and dusting happen nearly every week.  Little clutter has happened.  I tend to take care of everything because people drop by often and I want to be ready.

But.....we have lived here for over a year now, and some things have accumulated.   The cedar chest is a perfect spot to stack clothes that I am just too tired to put away.  Or Christmas gifts that have been purchased but not wrapped yet.  Or books that haven't been read. 

Neither of the guest rooms was really dirty or cluttery.  The kids have spent the night there several times recently plus Clay and Karen stay over when we have parties in the Party Barn.  Greta was here also one weekend.

But there are cobwebs.  There are dust bunnies that grow.  There is always some spiffing up that is needed.  Those two rooms were easy peasy to clean up, and I decided to plug in the essential oils diffuser in one room and put an air freshener in the other.

Next I tackled the bathroom.  Once again, spot cleaning had been going on for a few months.  But I really cleaned everything, including wiping off the light bulbs (who knew that light bulbs would be so dusty!).  The only thing I couldn't tackle was the shower because Gary uses The Works shower cleaner on it to remove the rust and he has more elbow grease than I do.  I also tossed the rugs into the washer so they will be fresh as well.

Finally the master bedroom.  This one took the most time. I didn't realize just how much had been stacked on the cedar chest and on the shoe rack next to it.  Plus there were bags of things that had been carried upstairs and just set down.  Why?  Not sure, but laziness comes to mind.  Plus there is the feeling of  "out of sight, out of mind" and if it is upstairs, not too many people will see it.

The most interesting task, though, was one I had put off for over a year.  There was a box in Gary's closet that contained items from the top of my dresser in the old house.  What had been placed on my dresser for the past year were two jewelry boxes, both of which contained old jewelry that I never wore.  I am not a big jewelry person anyway, but there are some things I do like to wear.  All of those were in the box in Gary's closet, including my newest jewelry box, the one that contained earrings and necklaces and pins that I actually would wear.

Cleaning off the top of the dresser found me tossing lots of items and sorting others into piles for other places.  Some cards, a picture frame, pictures from the last cruise (which was over a year ago), school pictures of Landon and Tessa, several cards and a few recipes.  Gary's belt.    Now, though, the top is nicely organized, well, kind of, since there are many small boxes that contain various earrings and necklaces and a few bracelets.  I also found my great-grandmother's lavalier that my grandmother, my mother, my aunt, Greta, Sherry, and I. plus Megan and Hilary each wore on our wedding days.  I have the box marked LAVALIER and put it in my pajama drawer.  It will be there for Tessa and Lynnlee and for the brides of Landon, Cooper, and Owen.

I also found the Bible that my great-grandmother gave to my mother.  I put it on my dresser also.  I am not sure why, except that it means something to have something from my great-grandmother.

The new vacuum that Gary gave me for Christmas last year got a good work out today. 

On the schedule for tomorrow?  Going to Logansport to pick up a pumpkin roll, then a stop at Rural King and a couple other spots, then home to clean the family room and laundry room.  Cross those off the list tomorrow!

All that will be left will be the living room (Sunday) , main floor bathroom (Monday), and sprucing up the kitchen/dining room (Monday).  

But for now---basking in the cleanliness of the upstairs rooms.  Smells, looks, and feels good!

Lost in the Parking Lot at Meijer

After my doctor's appointment today (post-op for Cataract #1), we drove to West Lafayette to enjoy lunch at the new Freddie's restaurant which is in front of Menards.  The first time we ate at a Freddie's was in Orlando last January.  It was across from the resort and near the Publix where we always shop for groceries.

After lunch we went to the Meijer on the west side which is MUCH better than the Meijer on 26.  It seems cleaner, the groceries are better organized, and there seems to be a better selection of items on the shelves.  The produce and meat also seems fresher and there is more variety.  Maybe the influence of Purdue is evident in the items stocked at this location.

After finding nearly everything on our list which will put our menu items on the table for Thanksgiving, we checked out and walked to the Escape.  As Gary was putting the bags of groceries in the back, I moved two trash bags of Goodwill donations to the back seat and placed my purse in the passenger side of the front seat.

It was then that I noticed her.

An older lady was pushing a cart around the parking lot, back and forth, looking intently at the cars, and holding out her hand with her key fob, pushing buttons. Her hood on her coat was up which was good since it was misting and the wind was blowing as well.

As I watched her for a few moments, I knew that she was lost.  She had misplaced her vehicle.  

I asked her if she needed help finding her car, and she responded by saying that she knew her car was out in the parking lot somewhere, she just couldn't locate it.  

I asked if she had pushed the button to sound the horn.   She had, but she couldn't hear the horn anywhere.  She pushed it again and she was right  - no horn sounds.  

I asked her the color of her vehicle.  Gray.  Of course there were many vehicles that were gray in the parking lot--none of them hers.

Then I asked what type of car it was.  A Buick.  

Did she remember where she had parked, such as close to the doors or in the back of the lot?  She replied that she always parked close to the cart corrals because her car would always be easy to find and she could return her cart easily.

So I wandered.  By this time Gary had finished moving our groceries to the back of the Escape and had returned our cart to the corral and he was joining in the search.

Suddenly I spotted a gray car straight out from the other entrance to Meijer.  The trunk lid was up.  No one was around the car.

The lights then flashed.  As I approached the car, I noticed that there were no people, no carts, no groceries, no one around at all---just the gray BUICK with a trunk lid open.

I waved at Gary and pointed at the car, then he directed the lady in my direction.  Her face lit up as she realized that I was standing next to her car and she was no longer lost!

When she stopped her cart behind the car, she said she realized what she had done...something stupid.  She had entered Meijer in one door and exited the other door.  Therefore she was on the wrong end of the parking lot to find her car.   She put her hands in front of her face and shook her head.  Then she reached out and hugged me and thanked us for helping her.  

I told her that I had done the same thing, and that is why I tried to always park in the same area each time I went to a store like Meijer.  

She said she did too, but somehow today she just got turned around.

I gave her another hug, asked her if we could help her move her groceries into her trunk, she declined and thanked us again, and we wished her a Happy Thanksgiving.

Later as we were talking about it, I said that I remember that at some time Mom had relayed that she had been lost in the parking lot at Walmart in Wooster.  I have seen other people wandering around the parking lots, usually in pairs or in small groups, searching for their cars and pressing the alarm on their key fobs to help with finding the location.  I have done the same thing ---not very often, but it has happened to me.

Today, in the drizzle, we helped someone, and it felt good to know that we could be of assistance.

A Missed Phone Call

I don't like to answer the phone if I don't recognize the phone number of the caller.

With so many scam calls, and so many of those coming from numbers that appear to be local but really aren't, I usually just let those calls go to voice mail and check them later.

Late this afternoon one of those phone calls came through on my phone.  It was a Lafayette number. I didn't recognize it.  There was no identification with the number.  I didn't answer it.

However, the caller left a voice mail.

It was Dr. Larue.  He performed the cataract surgery yesterday morning.

He was calling to check on me, to see how I was doing, how I was feeling.  He reminded me that I could call him if I had any questions or needed anything.  He also said he would see me at my appointment in his office in the morning.

Two things -  I always think of doctors and other professionals as a step above me, for some reason.  I never think of them as 'real people' who live in houses, eat dinner, drive cars, shop at Walmart, and have families.  I am always surprised at any type of communication with them out of the office where my appointment is or in the realm of a hospital.  I have seen Dr. Hart at a CVS, Dr. Lipp at South Newton as a music contest, Linda his nurse at a Chinese restaurant.  It just seems odd.  So I was surprised to hear Dr. Larew's voice on the message, that HE actually called me.

The other thing is that for a long time I did not like Dr. Larew.  Gary saw him and so did Agnes.  Both of them liked him as a doctor.  But I didn't. I felt like I had to sit and wait forever when I had an appointment.  I felt like he was always abrupt with me.  Being abrupt made me feel like he didn't really care about me and my issues with my eyes.

At the first recent appointment that perception changed somewhat when we were chatting about his granddaughter and her American Girl dolls.  I guess that ties into the first 'thing' also since he does have a granddaughter!

Anyway....I was thankful for his call, and part of me wishes that I had answered it.  But because I didn't, I do have a voice mail to remind me that he is a caring, compassionate doctor.

On another note....my vision in my left eye IS improving.  The glob of junk in the corner seems to have disappeared.  The discomfort is gone.  Plus I can see much better now.  For a while I was seeing better with my right eye than my left.  Now that has shifted.

Gary said I will be very surprised tomorrow when I wake up and can see SO much better and that the colors will pop!  I hope so.

For once I will be excited to go to the doctor---and THAT NEVER happens!

One Down, One to Go

This morning was the surgery for the removal of the first cataract.

We were awake at 4:30, I showered and ate a bagel, then we left the house around 6.

We arrived at the outpatient surgery center by IU Arnett before our scheduled 6:30 time, but that was good because there was no line and we were checked in quickly.  Kathy, the person who checked us in, was a former student of mine, so that made the process easier and more relaxing for me.

Before we could finish the paperwork about medications, Hilary arrived and we were called back to the pre-op room.

Pre-op was extremely easy.  No gowns.  No removal of my shoes even.  Hilary reminded me that my stress about removing the polish on my toes was not needed because my shoes and socks never left my feet.  Note to self- no removal of toe nail polish the next time.

Lots of prep work on my eye from gooey stuff, drops, and cleansing.  Some pads were attached to my chest and back to monitor my heart rate.  I was given a liquid under my tongue to relax me, and I think it did because I really don't remember much of what was happening.  Well, some...but not many details.  All a blur.  Was that a pun?

The actual procedure seemed relatively simple from my viewpoint (another pun?).  A sticky tent on my face to isolate my eye.  Lots of water dripping in my eye and on my cheek.   I could hear talking about the remodeling of the house of one of the nurses.  She was changing her living room, which one would enter from the garage to her kitchen and making her kitchen, which one would enter from the front door, into her living room.  Someone had finished priming the walls last night and she hoped the painting would be today.  She was talking about new cabinets and something that happened outside that cost her $15,000.    Other than that, I really don't remember much.

When I returned to the room, Hilary and Gary were there.  More drops put in the eye.  Pads removed.  Directions given.  Dr. Larew came in to see me.  Then we left.

We arrive there around 6:15.  We left at 9.  

It really was easy.  

Now I am waiting for the fuzziness to clear.  i am scared to even reach up to my eye because I don't want to damage anything.  I felt like there was a blob of something in the outer corner of my eye.  Gary looked and saw it, so he touched a kleenex to the corner and removed it.  Now I am waiting for my pupil to un-dilate. I  am hoping that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I can see really well.  Because I can't now!!

Typing this has been an ordeal.  I can't see the keys so I am trusting my knowledge of the keyboard and the back space key to get me through the post.

I have been isolating myself in the bedroom, relaxing on the bed and taking naps when I want to.

Sometimes when I think that I can go ahead and resume activity as normal, it backfires on me and I have another day to recuperate.  I thought it would probably be best to rest today, then hit the ground running tomorrow in the Thanksgiving prep work.

At the appointment on Thursday morning, which is my first follow-up, I need to tell the doctor that we will be gone at the end of December and most of January so the second eye can be scheduled soon.  I want to be able to see!

Won't it be great to be able to sing "I can see clearly now.." and really mean it?

 

Prep Work for Tomorrow! Cataract #1 Be Gone!

I am more than ready for the cataracts to be gone.

I am not sure if this is usual, but sometimes my vision is so blurry I really can't see much of anything.  Then at other times, I can see, not 'just fine' but better than the blurriness when it happens.

The longer I use my eyes and the more the day progresses, the blurrier the vision becomes.  Sometimes if I shut my eyes for a while, then the vision is better.

Anyway...by this time tomorrow, Cataract #1 will be gone.

Today's prep work is putting drops in my left eye, three times today.  Once in the morning, once at noon, once in the evening.  Plus i need to add ointment to the lash lines on each eye

Tomorrow we will be at the surgery center at 6:30 a.m., ready to check in.  The surgery is supposed to be quick and I can return home soon after it ends.  There is no anesthesia, so that is a good thing.  I don't like the feeling of not being aware of things.  Drifiting off to sleep, then awaking with nurses staying at you from overhead---ugh.

Soon I will be singing 'I can see clearly now.....the rain is gone....."

Let the Countdown Begin!

Two weeks from today will be the day after Thanksgiving.  The big meal, the family gathering, the overnight guests, the drawing of names for the Christmas gift exchange---all over.

But before then....the preparations.

Last year the prep work was easy.  We hadn't lived in the house too long, a little over 4 months.  There had been so many activities and events in the Party Barn in those first months that I was constantly cleaning, ready for anyone who popped in and wanted to see the house.

This year, however, we have lived in the house over a year and this will be the second year for the Siemens Family Thanksgiving.

Now...don't get the wrong idea.  The house is NOT dirty.  I clean, sweep, mop, dust, straighten up all the time.  People are streaming in and out constantly.  The sign that I found at Paula Deen's last year on our New Years Eve trip to Pigeon Forge is true - our house is really 'The Gathering Place:  where memories are made with family and friends.'  And that is what we wanted---and why we moved.

But with a year of living in the house, some things get stacked up, furniture isn't always moved, dust gathers behind things, and cobwebs appear.  Daily living caused dirt to appear.  So here we go with cleaning for company on Thanksgiving.

And I also know that as soon as the first people step in the house, all of that 'clean house' will disappear!  It always does. But it has never stopped me from cleaning before a big event.

Today was the start.

Do we need to have five or more jackets hanging on the hooks inside the door? No.  The season has changed and the coats hanging there should also.

The rug under the table.  Dirt and spots have been treated with carpet cleaner.  All of the chairs have had the seat cushions removed and all of the chairs have been polished. (and moved into the living room while the floor is mopped and polished)

Items gather on the hutch.  Extra get well cards to be sent that haven't been.  Information about a new church that I know we will not attend.  Extra Halloween candy that can go into a candy dish for Thanksgiving Day. About a dozen of Gary's hats that can be put somewhere else.

The island needs to be cleared off - even more the day of Thanksgiving when it becomes the dessert island.  But for now all of the sales slips and receipts, the bills to be paid, the information for the cataract surgery.....sorted through and put where they need to be (and some of it will go in the trash). 

The kitchen counters.  Cleaned off and polished.  The tray in the microwave put in the dishwasher.  The stove top - cleaned off and polished.  The window sills--cleared of the little things that Gary seems to put there (he seems to think that all available spaces should be covered with something).  

The curtains have already been washed, ironed, and returned to their proper spots.  

Floors.  The dining room floor has been mopped and is drying now, awaiting the polish.  I hope the kitchen floor can be mopped too and drying while we are staying with the Yaggie kids this evening.

After everything is cleaned and returned to its proper spaces, the Thanksgiving decor can be placed and enjoyed for the next two weeks.

After this room is finished, the living room is next, then the family room, then the bathrooms and the guest bedrooms.

Touch ups will be needed before the BIG DAY, but the heavy work will be done.  Yeah!

Bring on the holiday.  And even though I am thinking of the work that needs to be done, there would have been lots more if we had stayed in the other house.

I love this house.

I like entertaining here.

I am so glad we moved and have a place large enough for the entire family to be comfortable and to enjoy the holidays this season.

Easy Peasy

A few weeks ago when we were in Sam's Club we spotted the ready made meals available in a refrigerator case.

The chicken enchiladas looked interesting, so a pan made its way into our cart and we enjoyed the entree for dinner that evening.   Hilary and the kids were here too, and I think they liked it as well.

Today we went to Sam's specifically to find the Pepperidge Farms stuffing mis.  When we purchased the television a few weeks ago, the lady who checked out behind us was buying a box of the stuffing mix and she said it was THE BEST she had ever made and she would never use anything else.  She said she added some celery and onion and it was absolutely the best.  I even took a picture of the box so I would remember it.

I take that back on the 'specifically for stuffing' statement  Gary renewed the Sam's Club memberships in person this time because last year we mailed the money and renewal in and there was such a mess that it took several visits to straighten it out.

In our cart today were several items:  chicken tenderloins, another bag of parmesan encrusted tilapia for Gary's air fryer, and a few bags of ready-to-eat popcorn.  A bag of caramel corm.  A bag of the chocolate drizzled variety.

While on the mission to find the box of stuffing mix, we came across the ready-to-pop-in-the-oven meals.  Hmmm....I planned to make stuffed shells for dinner tonight.  Lo and behold, there was a man of stuffed shells already to pop in the over. Into the cart it went. 

My intention for tomorrow night's dinner with the three Yaggie kiddos was to make a hamburger/tater tot casserole with lots of cheese on top.  In the same case as the stuffed shells we found a pan of macaroni and cheese, sprinkled with shredded cheddar.  Into the cart it went, plus another pan of those infamous chicken enchiladas.  Easy peasy dinner for tomorrow. Plus we have lots of shredded cheddar in the fridge which can be easily added to the top of the pan of mac and cheese.

After searching for the item we went in for, I asked a worker for assistance.  She directed me to Aisle 28 which was full of coffees and creamers.  Along one of the endcaps though a few rows away, we found it. Hooray!

Tonight I felt just a little bit guilty about not making the stuffed shells from scratch.  I haven't made them since we moved into the new house.  I really like the recipe and it is not very hard to make, even though it is much easier with Gary's help as I stuff the pasta with the meat and cheese mixture.

I also feel a little guilty for not making the tater tot casserole for the kiddos for tomorrow evening.  However, they probably will like the mac n cheese better, and I know they enjoyed the chicken enchiladas a few weeks ago. 

But the final thing is this ---for the cost of the entress, which all were under $10 each, we have two meals, with some leftovers besides.  Plus fixing the meal is extremely easy - take out of the wrapping, cover with foil, pop in the oven.  Done.

At this stage of my life, I am ready for the 'easy peasy' method of cooking.  I wish I had taken advantage of it when I was teaching, but we weren't close to Sam's Club then, and I am not sure the entrees were even an option then. 

While people are becoming more time conscious  and don't really want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, these types of meals will become more popular.

And I shall take advantage of the opportunities to enjoy them!

Bon appetit!

Sometimes It Just Doesn't Come Out Right

Sometimes I say something and instantly regret it because it came out differently than what I intended.

It doesn't happen very often.  I try hard not to say something that might be hurtful to a listener.

But sometimes it just happens.

I try hard.  I really do. I try to choose my words carefully.  I try to say what I mean without any types of hidden meanings that might be interpreted differently than what I meant.

But sometimes it happens.

And when it does, I know my words have hurt, even though the thoughts in my mind weren't hurtful.  
It just didn't come out right.

I taught junior high, high school, and college classes for 43 years total.  

I gave in-service presentations to other teachers in other schools.

I chaired committees where I had to speak in front of people including my committee.

I announced senior nights and starting line-ups.

When I was in front of people, other than my students, I always wrote the script because I was always afraid of saying something wrong and hurting someone or making myself look silly and stupid in the process.

With my students I tried to plan what I was saying, but sometimes student questions and circumstances in the classroom necessitated impromptu responses.  Still I tried not to be hurtful and not to say the wrong thing.

I always tried to plan what I said, watch my words, and tried not to hurt anyone with what I said.

But sometimes it just doesn't come out right.

When it happens, and the person hurt is someone you love with all your heart, the pain is intense and the heart breaks,

I never would hurt someone intentionally, especially someone I love.

But sometimes it just  doesn't come out right.

And I hope for two things - That I am forgiven and it is forgotten.  And that I don't do it again.

I am so sorry.  I will try harder to watch my words.

Pray, Wait, Trust - Happy Birthday, Tessa Rose

Today is Tessa's birthday. She is 7. 

I remember her first birthday--but she wasn't with us. She had been placed with Blaine and Hilary in foster care toward the end of October. She had been removed from the home of her birth grandparents due to abuse at the hands of her birth father. She was with us through Halloween, then she returned to her grandparents.

On her first birthday I prayed for her, as I did every single day that she was apart from us. I prayed for her safety. I prayed that her grandparents would be able to care for her. I prayed that her father be prevented from abusing her. I prayed that she receive the food, the shelter, the clothing, the love that she needed. I prayed that if God saw the need, that she be returned to our family. 

On Christmas Eve Hilary and Blaine received a call that she had been removed from her grandparents' home again and they were asked if they would take her into theirs. On December 26 she arrived---permanently this time. It was a tough road to her adoption, with visits with her birth father, the appeal of the termination of parental rights, and the final adoption day when she was 4. But through it all I continued to pray for her and for Hilary and Blaine. 

Now I continue to pray because there are issues that we know had to come from that time she was with her birth family. We know that some of the issues are hereditary. We know she needs help in some areas. But we also know that she needs love. And prayer. 

When I looked at the title of today's devotion that I share with Rhonda in San Antonio, I feel like there is a special message for me. I must continue to pray for Tessa and for Hilary and Blaine as they try to do what is right for her. I need to be patient and wait because the therapy will not help overnight. I need to trust that God will answer our prayers, will walk with her every day, and will give Hilary and Blaine the patience and love they need to lead her in the right direction. With God all things are possible. She is with our family. She has more love than she knows. And God will continue to protect her and work with her as she grows into a beautiful young lady, ready to take on the world and do great things.

Baking with Landon

Just another Baking Sunday!

Yesterday we went to Barnes and Noble to find the Wimpy Kid book, Wrecking Ball, that just came out last week.  We found it.  We bought it.  He started reading it in the store while I was looking at books.  He finished it last night.

This morning we worked on two baking projects - pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.

This kid is getting to be pretty good!  He is learning more about the types of measuring cups, checking liquids at eye level, using a straight edge to level off dry ingredients, and using a church key (his mommy didn't know what that was) to open a can of evaporated milk.

He can grease and flour a pan with the best of them.  Cracking eggs?  A little shaky on that.  We had only a little bit of egg white dripping down the front of the cabinet and a little bit of yolk on the counter after he whisked the four eggs together before adding them to the batter.

He can open a can without leaving too much of a jagged edge at the last little bit where the lid is still attached.  He knows how to  dig into a box of baking soda and level off the spoon against the cardboard top.  He knew that when the teaspoon didn't fit into the little jar of pumpkin pie spice, that he could use the 1/2 teaspoon measure four times for the 2 teaspoons needed.

He knows that we needed to set the oven temperature at the very beginning of our work so that the oven could pre-heat.  If we put the breads into a cold oven, they baking will be skewed because they will start baking before the oven is fully heated.

He also learned that clean-up is part of the process. When one is a messy cook (and he is somewhat), the remnants of one's work must be wiped off the KitchenAid and the counters.

And the best thing?  He likes baking! 

Hey! My Time Is Valuable, Too!

Today was the pre-op for the cataract surgery appointment. 

I was to be there by 10:30 to check in, then the appointment was at 10:45.

I arrived at 10:29, checked in at the desk, verified by address and phone number, confirmed the Medicare and Medico for insurance.  Then I sat in the waiting area.  Four other people were also sitting there.

Through the next 45 minutes we watched those people move to the doctors' examination rooms, more people arrive for appointments, and some of those same people leave following their appointments.

And we sat. 

Finally at 11:40 (and I know this because we were watching The Price Is Right on the waiting room screen) I was called back.  The nurse said they had been swamped and she felt like 'a chicken with my head cut off.'

I was in the waiting room for over an hour.

Plus I sat in the exam room for probably 15 minutes before Dr. Larew came in to talk to me.

I know he is the only opthamalogist in the building right now and that they are expecting another doctor to join him in January.  But to sit in the waiting room for over an hour is inexcusable. 

Because of that delay, Hilary and I cancelled our plans to go to Peru today for the Christmas Open House at Down on the Farm.  I thought it would be too far to go for a short amount of time and we had to be back by 5 because Amanda was coming to pick up tables and chairs.

Oh well. 

Three Years

I miss her every day.

Maybe this is why I have been feeling so blue lately.

Three years ago I was spending the days and most of the nights with my mother-in-law.  Gary was trying to harvest the corn and soybeans.  Hospice was stopping in frequently.  We knew it was only a matter of time.

On Wednesday evening Gary and I went home to sleep in our own beds.  Sandy stayed overnight with her mom.  In the middle of the night the phone rang.  Sandy said she needed us to come immediately.  She had already called hospice.

When we arrived, Agnes was vcry close to taking her last breaths.  The hospice nurse was so kind, so understanding, so compassionate. 

I will never forget --- Sandy was spooning ice chips and turned to say something to us.  Then she turned back and said "I think she is gone."  She was.

Why do I miss her so much?

Because she was my mother-in-law.

Because my husband was her first born and she taught him well how to take care of himself and to help around the house.

Because she taught him how to be a good husband by the relationship she had with his father.

Because she never once treated me like an outsider, but always like her daughter

Because she was the best grandmother I could have ever wanted for my daughters.  She babysat both of them from the times I returned to school to teach after they were born until they were ready to go to kindergarten.

Because she never said no to their getting off the bus at their house after school or getting on the bus there in the morning

Because she never missed a school program, a musical event, or a basketball game

Because she helped with foods projects, especially those involving yeast, and supported the girls through their many 4-H projects

Because she understood what I was going through with my mother and she was there to fill the gaps when I needed a mom

Because she taught me what a mother, and a mother-in-law, and a grandmother should be

I miss meals that she used to make.  Turkey salad.  Salmon patties.  Beef and noodles with mashed potatoes.  Goulash. 

I miss things she used to say.  "It's always something."  "We have lemons."  "You just never know"

I also remember the look in her eyes when she realized that there was nothing they could do for the bladder cancer and that hospice was coming in because her days were numbered.

I miss her.

I miss her on holidays. We must have goulash!

I miss her every time I walk up the sidewalk at Hilary's and see the rose bush she gave to Tessa on her adoption day, one of the last times she was 'out' with the family.

But her legacy lives on.

In her first born son, my husband, and her other three children.

In her three grandchildren.

In her great-grandchildren.

And in me, her daughter-in-law.

I miss her.

Who, Me?

I have written before about my visits to the Miracles Fitness Center and how that came about.

I am the MOST unlikely person to be going to a gym.  I am NOT athletic at all.  I walk, well, I did walk, but my painful left knee prevents that from happening much anymore.  I don't do all of those things that one will see on a fitness commercial.  That is just not me.

And then there is the thing about actually going and carrying through with the 'well, it sounds good' plan.  Hard as it is sometimes to get up and going at 6:00 a.m. I haven't missed too many sessions.  If I do, it's because of a conflict with something else.

I like going to the fitness center for several reasons:

• it caters to those 55 and older
• the trainers are super to work with .  They are very encouraging and never make us feel like we are old (even though we really aren't that old)
• the routines vary from day to dat - rarely do we do anything the same each day, or even each week
• Going in the morning gets me going for the rest of the day
• I like Megan the Trainer very much.  She knows us and works with us in our weak areas.
• New friends!  I am meeting people that I obviously didn't know before and forming some friendships.
• I like going to the west side.  Payless.  Meijer.  Much better than the east side Meijer and the best Payless in the area.
• Mike's Crew Carwash is just across the street.  I am really using the Unlimited Washes that we are paying for each month.  Plus the Escape is always clean.  I like that.
• I feel more energetic.  My knees don't hurt as much as they did, at least most of the time!
• I feel more flexible and agile, and that is important.

On Monday at the end of the session Megan gave me the 'high five' like she always does, then touched me on the back and said "You know, you have really improved since you started coming here." 

WOW!  That made my day!  Sometimes I feel a little discouraged because my left knee still hurts occasionally and some of the things she wants us to do are difficult for me.  But to know that she thinks I have improved means so much.

Who me??  Working out?  Improving my balance and agility?  Lifitng more weight?

You bet!  That's me!

Seeing Old Friends

Today Gary and I spent some time in Pulaski and Cass counties.

First up - haircut appointment with Lindsey.  Lots of laughter and conversation.

First up for Gary - a stop at the bank for some cash and to visit with Karen

On the way to Winamac, we saw Mark in the combine and Riley in the tracrot in one of their fields across from where Malchows lived.  We found out later that Riley knew it was us going by and waving and that she responded!

Second stop - Hague Insurance to pay for the vehicles coverage.  I am trying to pay more bills online or in person, and since we were going to be in the county, driving to Winamac was no big deal.  When we walked in to the office, TJ was there!  I hadn't seen him for several years, so it was nice to chat with him and catch up on family and what he had been doing.

Lunch time was approaching so we drove home by way of Logansport and stopped at West Side Diner.  What a warm greeting from Terry! Even a hug!  Nice chat with him after he showed us our booth. 

When we were ready to leave, I looked across the room and spotted another familiar face.  Jack Baker.  Jack and I met at the old building that Ivy Tech used before our new campus was built.  He knew me at first as Gretchen's office partner, then as the "Cookie Lady" because I gave him extra cookies to distribute to his students after I had used cookies to teach a lesson about setting up criteria for an evaluation paper.  When we moved into the new building, Dad had just died.  Jack stopped to  offer condolences and asked about Dad. When I told him he had retired from Babcock and Wilcox, he is one of a handful of people who knew what type of business that was when I mentioned it.  I was impressed.  He and his wife also expressed their sympathy by donating to the Wayne County Hospice in memory of Dad.   Jack is no longer teaching as an adjunct for us.  I remember Gretchen telling me she didn't know how she was going to tell him that he didn't meet the new credentialing requirements and could no longer teach for us.     It was good to see him.

Tomorrow I am meeting my first program chair for breakfast. If it weren't for him, I would not have made the move to Ivy Tech.  Tom's mother collects decorative and commemorative spoons.  When we were cleaning out Mom and Dad Siemens' house, I had posted on FB that we had a spoon collection if anyone were interested in adding to theirs.  His was the only response I received.  In the nearly three years since that, I have not connected with Tom, even though we live much closer now.  It was time to remove the box of spoons and the three spoon racks to their new home so I am meeting him after the fitness center tomorrow. His idea for buying me breakfast.

It's always good to see old friends, discuss memories, and catch up on what is happening in their lives since we have last seen each other. 

Today was a good day for that!

To Self-Checkout or Not To Self-Checkout

We stopped at Meijer to pick up three prescriptions for Gary and to check on one for me. Because mine would be ready in an hour, we tackled the short shopping list for groceries and a few other items.

As we meandered through the store, we picked up some shampoo, a birthday card, some essential oils to help with sleep, and a few items for making Stuffed Pepper Soup and other things we needed.

Then.

Time to check out.

Only four lanes were open. Lanes which had a cashier who would ring up the items and bag them too.

Three people were checking out in front of us.  All four lanes were full of shoppers with overflowing carts.   While we were standing there waiting, we noticed several shoppers with baskets or carrying a small number of items who were stopping, checking out the lines, sighing, then moving to the next line... and the next line...and the next line....

By the time we were finished and heading toward the door, it was well past the hour needed to fill the prescription.

Oh...but self-checkout lanes were open.  Why not use one of them?

I boycott self-checkout lanes for several reasons.

One is that checking out items and bagging them is not my job.  If I wanted to work at Meijer as a checker, I would have applied for a job there.   Now granted, maybe the hourly rate is not that much, but if someone is eager to work, then the self-checkout lane is taking a job away from that person. 

Reason two is that every time we have been in a hurry and have only a couple items to purchase and decide to go through the self-checkout because the lines are very long otherwise, something goes wrong and assistance is needed.  If the checker is coming to help us anyway, then why not let that person do the entire checkout process for us?

The third reason is similar to reason #2.  Each time I have used the self-checkout if reason #2 doesn't happen, then the machine is telling me to bag the item or not bag the item or can't read the barcode or some other issue.  It is frustrating, I don't have enough hands to do it all, and I feel clutzy when trying to manuver the items, the cart, the bags, my purse, and my debit card. It is much less stressful to stand in the line and let the cashier do his/her job!

Finally, if I am doing the tasks of the cashier, then I should receive a discount on my purchases to compensate me for my work.  As far as I know, none of the stores with a self-checkout that I visit have offered such a discount.

There you go!  My thoughts on the issue.  When I posted something similar on FB today when we were standing in line behind three other people, one of the comments was that she used self-checkout because her time was more valuable and she didn't want to waste it standing in line for a long period of time.  My time is valuable too, but I don't think I need to do the job that someone else should be paid to do.

And it should be noted---a manager was standing behind the check out lanes with an iPad or tablet and watching the lines and their movement.  He didn't open any others though!

Sunday Funday?

I have seen so many posts on FB lately about 'Sunday Funday' and the pictures show all kinds of super activities with kids and extended family adventures.  While Gary and I are not really super 'Funday' people, we did have an awesome Sunday AWAY from our house.  Not don't get me wrong....we love that people come to our house to visit and enjoy our new home and the Party Barn and feel comfortable being here for meals and even staying as overnight guests.  But every once in a while it is nice to be the ones that are visiting others.  And believe me, I can't imagine my saying that since all we did for many years was travel around from place to place to see relatives and friends.  It needs to be noted.....the key words here are 'every once in a while.'  Not a permanent desire by any stretch of the imagination.

First stop - the new pancake place in Logansport.  Shelby and Caleb had invited Karen and Clay to meet them there for breakfast, then K and C invited us to go along.  The restaurant was called Braves, and it is located in the old Fireside Restaurant which was in front of the old Ivy Tech building.  I had never been IN the restaurant even though I spent a lot of time driving into the parking area and in the building next to it when I first began teaching at the Logansport campus and before our new building was finished.  The restaurant had a varied menus, many interesting breakfast and lunch items, and the prices were very good.  It was fun to enjoy a meal with Caleb and Shelby and NOT have anyone focused on their phones.  

Next on the way out of town we made a trip around the new Ivy Tech campus.  I had been there maybe twice since I retired, but I wanted to just drive around and check out anything new or notice any changes in the three years I had been gone.  Observation?  Nothing had changed.  Not a thing.

On the drive back to Delphi, we checked with Megan.  They were returning home from a grocery shopping trip so we waited for them to arrive home.  We spent a few hours just catching up with them and playing with Cooper and Lynnlee.  Lynnlee is so much fun, and she really enjoys adding new words to her vocabulary and playing with new toys.  She is much more independent now, and I think because she sees us more often, she is really comfortable with us.

Our next stop was a late lunch/early dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Even though there were many cars in the parking lot, we were able to secure a table immediately.  Our timing was great because when we left there were people sitting in the waiting area and cars cruising through the parking lot, looking for an empty spot. Our waitress was great, and the food was superb.  I ordered my usual 6 oz. sirloin, medium well, with a baked sweet potato and a side salad with no croutons.  Gary ordered an 11 oz sirloin with baked potato and a salad.  Gary usually doesn't like going to Texas Roadhouse, but he said this steak was the best he had had in a while.  Good to hear because I really enjoy going there.

Final stop for the day was at Pyrmont.  We knew that Hilary was working on cleaning out the kids' closets and that they had been home all day.  It was good to visit with the kids and see Blaine when he returned home from work also.  Tessa was getting herself into trouble, again, and she and I had another heart-to-heart talk.  I am not sure that anything sunk in, but I have to keep giving it a shot; otherwise, I will become complacent and feel like I am shirking in my grandmother duties.   Long story, but I am hoping that sometime something will click.

And now we are home again.  I am done with eating for the day.  Gary just fixed himself some fries in the air fryer.  I washed my face and turned down the bed, hung up my clothes from the day and donned my pajamas.  I am ready for bed.

Sad thing is...it was a little after 7 when I began this.  7:00 and I am ready for bed!  Time change yesterday put the clocks back one hour. But even so.....ready for bed at 8.    That is early, really early for me. And to think that just a couple of months ago we were sitting on the deck in the sunlight until 9:00.  Not anymore!

Today was a good Sunday.  The only thing missing really was going to church this morning.  Hopefully we can find a new church home soon and put attending a service into our Sunday morning routine.

Can't Go Wrong with Books

One just can't go wrong with buying books.  

I know, I know.  It is much more cost effective to borrow books from the library, and I do like to do that.  

It is much more cost effective to use Overdrive and borrow books online to read on my Nook.

But sometimes, I just like to have a book in my hands, to turn the pages, to feel the thrill of checking to see how long a chapter is or to see how many more pages until the end of the book.

Landon and I have taken a few trips to Barnes and Noble, just to look for books.  I have taken Tessa and Cooper also, but I really like to take Landon.  

His interest in books lies in those relating to history, which I think is a cool thing for a boy of nearly 10 to enjoy.  Part of his interest is connected to Grandpa Norm because he likes books about World War 2 and the Navy.  But his Papaw likes history also, so I think there is a connection to him as well.

Today we spent about an hour at the store in Lafayette.  He headed to the back to the children's section immediately, but he stopped along the way to browse at a few of the tables.

For me it was fun to just watch Landon explore.  He wandered from shelf to shelf, perusing titles.  He would pull a book off the shelf, flip through it, then replace it.  Occasionally he would pull it and keep it, then return it later when he found a title he liked better.

What he decided on today were two classics---Moby Dick and Robinson Crusoe.  He spotted RC first and mentioned something about reading it or hearing about it in class.  I recommended Moby Dick and suggested that he think about several others, like The Last of the Mohicans, Tom Sawyer, and Huck Finn.  He left those on the shelf and continued to browse.

Since he can usually select three books, he moved from shelf to shelf looking for another.  One that he selected was written in comic strip format with boxes, illustrations, and speech bubbles.  I wasn't thrilled with that selection, but it was what he wanted so we went with it. 

Next we wandered to the front of the store and Landon settled on the floor to look at his books while I perused shelves for me.  Did I need a new book?  No.  I have a huge bag of books that still need to be read, but as Landon said...."Mamaw can't go to Barnes and Noble and NOT buy a new book."  This is true.

I finally found a book that I liked, but he wasn't ready to go yet.  He wanted to return the book with the comic strip format and select a different book (I was secretly happy with that decision!).  What he found was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  (and I was secretly happy with that decision too!)

His mommy was surprised when she saw his selctions.  I think his Aunt Megan was surprised also.  

I am thrilled that he enjoys reading.  I am thrilled also that going to Barnes and Noble to look for books is a special time for the two of us.

And it helps also that we stopped at Culver's for ice cream after!

I need to add this....when we left B & N, he was flipped through his new books.  I told him to open Moby Dick and I would tell him the first three words in the first chapter.  He was surprised that I knew they were "Call me Ishmael."  He thought I looked at the page, but I told him I was driving and besides that my vision is so blurry right now that I couldn't see the words on the page, even if I wanted to!  I think he was impressed, and even more impressed when he told  Papaw on the phone and he said the same thing!

I think I told enough about Captain Ahab and the Pequod to pique his interest.  I hope he likes it. 

I'll keep you posted....

Heart-Warming Moments

It is no secret that Papaw and his grandchildren have a special bond.  It began with Landon, has continued through Cooper, then Tessa, then Owen, and finally Lynnlee.

Owen and Papaw spent a lot of time together this past summer, especially during the weeks preceding the Carroll County Fair as the Yaggie family worked with the goats and pigs in preparation for Landon's first year of showing livestock.  Then during fair week, it was much easier if Owen stayed with Papaw during the busy show days so Hilary and Blaine didn't have to keep an eye on him and focus on Landon's first year of actually being a 4-H member and showing his own pigs and goats.  

Although the idea was for Owen to stay with Papaw because it was better for him and for them, the reverse was an even better reason.  Owen needed to be with Papaw to help him cope with not being at the fair to help and to witness his first grandson's actual experiences in the 4-H judging activities.  It was hard for Papaw to stay at home; however, having Owen with him and as another focus was therapeutic for him.  

Recently with Owen spending a half day at the Rossville pre-school, five mornings a week, his time with us has been limited.  He comes and goes with his mommy, and evenings when the other kids are with him, it is just that, the other kids are with him and everyone is busy or coming and going and he is blending in with everyone else.   The Owen/Papaw time that was so special has evaporated.

Yesterday Blaine and Hilary helped with Landon's fall party in his classroom after the Halloween Costume Parade.  Owen was not happy that he wasn't walking with his pre-school teachers and some of his friends at the beginning of the parade line-up, and he didn't understand that since he isn't in the afternoon class, he wasn't part of that group yesterday.  He was a spectator with his mommy and daddy and me.

After the parade ended, Hilary and Blaine settled him into the carseat in the Escape. He and I made our way back to our house for a few hours until his folks and siblings could pick him up after school.

Despite my singing along loudly with Queen on "We Are the Champions," Owen stayed asleep in his carseat all of the way home.  He was cutting them off and didn't notice that I stopped at the mailbox at the end of the lane to check for mail.  He didn't notice that I pulled up to the house and opened the garage door.  He didn't notice that I unbuckled and unspapped the closures on his carseat and pulled him out.  He didn't notice that Papaw was waiting for him at the door from the garage to the house.  He didn't notice when Papaw settled into the recliner;  he just snuggled into Papaw's shoulder and snoozed.

Owen slept that way for a good hour or more.  He was wearing his Buzz Lightyear costume (from Toy Story) and his coat.    He was wearing his outdoor shoes and hadn't changed into the indoor shoes he wears with his leg braces in the house.

As I sat in the other recliner watching him, Papaw was smiling.  He said this was the best.  He had missed those moments with Owen.  Through the summer he had grown up just a little bit and didn't like to sit still on Papaw's lap and snuggle himself into a nap.  Instead they had been stretching out on the bed in the master bedroom and he would eventually fall asleep.  

Memories are made of those special moments.  Even more important, bonds are strengthened by those special moments.  Years from now Owen will remember snuggling with Papaw in the recliner.  He will remember Papaw being there to catch him when he jumps off the steps of the school bus after pre-school.  He will remember that when he comes in the house, he heads straight to the pantry and he knows where the good snacks are located.  He knows that the fridge will have applesauce pouches and string cheese and there will always be juice.

Why do the kids have to grow up?  Why do these moments have to change? Part of life?  We wouldn't want them to really be little for 20 years solid, would we?  

But for now.....cherishing those heart-warming moments.  Each and every day.

And one of my own.....watching Cooper sitting at the island the other night with his bowl of chicken and noodles and hearing him say, "Mamaw....this is really good.  I like the chicken and noodles."   High praise coming from a 6-year-old who is a picky eater!

And Here We Go!

Oh, boy.  What a Negative Nellie I was yesterday.

My apologies.

For the last week I have felt crummy.

Why?

Not sure.

I just didn't feel very good.  Not peppy at all.

No energy whatsoever.  Just getting out of the chair or off the bed was a struggle.  I was beginning to worry about myself.

I just didn't want to do anything.  Nothing.  I felt like I was going through the motions of just getting through the day.

But today I woke up more refreshed, more energetic, more lively.  Why?

Not sure.  But I will take it!

Maybe it is because there is a new month, and it is a month that I really like.

November.

Thanksgiving----and you know that is my favorite holiday!

Family gatherings.

Comfort food.

Warm and cozy blankets for snuggling with a good book and a mug of hot tea.

Quiet Sunday afternoons (which I always say I love but which rarely happen).

So...here we go again!  Another November.  Getting ready for the holiday seasons.  It will be a fast track through Thanksgiving, on to Christmas, then New Years Eve in Gatlinburg.

And you know what comes after that?  DISNEY WORLD in January!

Woo Hoo!