The 15th of the month is here. I look forward to this day, a few moments of catching up with my family and all the memories/warm feelings that rush through my mind as I read the family newsletter.
This past month I have watched the new flowers bloom and my old bird families’ return home to rebuild their homes and raise new families. Grandma McGowan always loved her flowers. This time of year she could be seen tending to her flower beds around her small, oval, trailer home. Eddie and I would begin to bring her flowers home from our walks to and from the corner store. Bachelor Buttons (blues, pink and violet) were abundant in the ditches along the way. They must have a very shallow root system because we always seemed to bring the whole plant back. She planted those in her flower garden that butted up to the north end of her trailer. I still see them sway in the wind in mind’s eye.
Melvin could be seen preparing his garden. The one I am most attached to was in the lot between his land and the neighbor to the west, Mrs. Sherman. Mrs. Sherman owned the land and “rented” the land to Melvin. I am not sure if money was ever involved or if she was just a great lady.
Mrs. Sherman is the only lady I remember Grandma stopping by to visit. They often sat in Mrs. Sherman’s back yard under the huge shade trees talking the afternoon away. Later in the evening, it was not uncommon to see Grandma and Mrs. Sherman sharing a few words across the fence that separated Melvin’s garden and his land.
I miss them all.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Why?
Why are the people I love the most able to hurt my feelings easier than anyone else?
Why is it so easy for tears to fill my heart and eyes when a person I love hurts my feelings?
Why is it so easy to unknowingly hurt the feelings of a person I love the most?
Why do I feel so disappointed and hurt when I find out I have hurt the feelings of a person I love?
Why can't my brain just understand all situations thoroughly? Then the pain can be avoided.
Why is it so easy for tears to fill my heart and eyes when a person I love hurts my feelings?
Why is it so easy to unknowingly hurt the feelings of a person I love the most?
Why do I feel so disappointed and hurt when I find out I have hurt the feelings of a person I love?
Why can't my brain just understand all situations thoroughly? Then the pain can be avoided.
Monday, November 1, 2010
1368.02 miles apart
Daily conversations with my daughters are the highlight of my day. Yes, I even visit daily with the one that lives three interstate hours away. Daily conversations with my mother and mother-in-law, neither live a stone's throw away, reassure me of their safety and keep me abreast of any needs.
Shopping: wow! Saving money and time has always been a favorite of my husband. And, boy can I save that gas money by shopping online. Just last week I bought a few Christmas presents. Surely I saved more in gas than I paid in shipping...but I don't think so.
Smart Phones and email accounts keep me up-to-date on work, even when I am taking a few days off. How does one spell oxymoron?
Add the texting feature we all cannot do without, and my spouse can contact me any second, any minute, any hour daily with suggestions: entertainment, food, transportation, how to fill my day, who I need to talk with, what I need to drink...
Did I say connected? What was I thinking? Connected, really? It's more like being cyber-linked, having a cyber-umbelical cord.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Waiting
Staring out my window. Looking at the cloudy fall sky, the plants gently shaking back and forth whispering to the west wind. And, I wait.
Flipping channels. Vampire reruns, zombies from isolated islands and ghosts from weddings' past dominate my big screen. Is Halloween near? And, I wait.
Driving. Listening to American Country on XM radio. Singing, howling along. Tears begin to stream down my cheeks. And, I wait.
Checking Facebook. Pushing a random "like" button. Spotting off about the positives to the "fair tax" proposal. And, I wait.
Waiting for friends. It is hard. It is painful.
When is the next blog going to be posted?
Flipping channels. Vampire reruns, zombies from isolated islands and ghosts from weddings' past dominate my big screen. Is Halloween near? And, I wait.
Driving. Listening to American Country on XM radio. Singing, howling along. Tears begin to stream down my cheeks. And, I wait.
Checking Facebook. Pushing a random "like" button. Spotting off about the positives to the "fair tax" proposal. And, I wait.
Waiting for friends. It is hard. It is painful.
When is the next blog going to be posted?
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Relatives
Uncle: one who helps, advises, or encourages (www.merriam-webster.com)
Aunt: used as a form of address for an older woman, especially by children (www.thefreedictionary.com)
Cousin: a relative descended from a common ancestor (www.merriam-webster.com)
My first son-in-law was born in Laos and immigrated to the United States at the tender age of five. His mother and father brought with them many old family traditions and native language, Thai, from their homeland.
Our children were lucky enough to be married twice! The first time in the church both attended as youth. The 14K diamond ring was placed upon the bride’s finger in an evening ceremony. The second time was in the Laos tradition which included tying the knot before the noon hour. The traditional 18K gold rings were exchanged. The Buddha priest blessed their first home.
Upon his arrival, my oldest grandson received the traditional 18K gold ankle bracelet from his father’s family. He asked for kin cow, rice, when he was hungry and jump, dip, for his French fries long before he could say grandma. He addresses all children that are frequent visitors to his other grandparents’ home as cousin, all young adults are aunts or uncles, and all old folks are grandparents.
My family has respectfully laughed at my son-in-law and his family when they call all Laotians cousin, aunt, uncle, grandma or grandpa. But after reading the definitions above, maybe I have not educated my daughters correctly.
Aunt: used as a form of address for an older woman, especially by children (www.thefreedictionary.com)
Cousin: a relative descended from a common ancestor (www.merriam-webster.com)
My first son-in-law was born in Laos and immigrated to the United States at the tender age of five. His mother and father brought with them many old family traditions and native language, Thai, from their homeland.
Our children were lucky enough to be married twice! The first time in the church both attended as youth. The 14K diamond ring was placed upon the bride’s finger in an evening ceremony. The second time was in the Laos tradition which included tying the knot before the noon hour. The traditional 18K gold rings were exchanged. The Buddha priest blessed their first home.
Upon his arrival, my oldest grandson received the traditional 18K gold ankle bracelet from his father’s family. He asked for kin cow, rice, when he was hungry and jump, dip, for his French fries long before he could say grandma. He addresses all children that are frequent visitors to his other grandparents’ home as cousin, all young adults are aunts or uncles, and all old folks are grandparents.
My family has respectfully laughed at my son-in-law and his family when they call all Laotians cousin, aunt, uncle, grandma or grandpa. But after reading the definitions above, maybe I have not educated my daughters correctly.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Master and Me
Recently, the master took me on a trip. She describes the trip as wonderful, fascinating, exciting and thrilling. I, myself, would beg to disagree. I thought the trip bordered on boring and minimal.
The master quickly made new national colleague type friendships. I was spent a great deal of time babysitting my best friend's great-grandfather and various cousins of other old friends.
Together they laid the ground that will determine the state’s future secondary language arts teachers. I was excited to be a major part of this group! Without me, the master would have been an ineffective panelist.
They saw the amazing architecture on Princeton’s campus, visited the shops, and stood on the same ground past presidents and statesmen occupied years before! Being along only for the ride, I did not find anything thrilling here.
New York, Broadway, and Wicked were other highlights of the master’s journey. Places and events just are my cup of tea.
Then she immersed both of us in the local food scene. FOOD! Just the word perked my interest. The word was the highlight. The expensive soft drinks, cupcake, cheese cake, pizza, omelets, seafood dishes, and sauces just weren’t up to my standards.
The master quickly made new national colleague type friendships. I was spent a great deal of time babysitting my best friend's great-grandfather and various cousins of other old friends.
Together they laid the ground that will determine the state’s future secondary language arts teachers. I was excited to be a major part of this group! Without me, the master would have been an ineffective panelist.
They saw the amazing architecture on Princeton’s campus, visited the shops, and stood on the same ground past presidents and statesmen occupied years before! Being along only for the ride, I did not find anything thrilling here.
New York, Broadway, and Wicked were other highlights of the master’s journey. Places and events just are my cup of tea.
Then she immersed both of us in the local food scene. FOOD! Just the word perked my interest. The word was the highlight. The expensive soft drinks, cupcake, cheese cake, pizza, omelets, seafood dishes, and sauces just weren’t up to my standards.
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