Sweet Summer Memories

Big thanks to Kim,  Dawn, Angie, Kat, and Janna who dropped by while I was on vacation last week! I knew that I was leaving The Velvet Room in good hands with these talented women holding down the fort!

Why is it that it takes so much work to get ready to go on vacation and so much time to get caught up with everything when we return? I think there should be some kind of vacation grace period - just a few extra days tacked on to the beginning and the end to provide time to handle these things.

So, my body went back to work this morning, but my mind was still back with the family in Canada. As I watched my grandchildren experience summer last week, I couldn't help but be struck by the wonder of the circle of life. I recalled my own endless childhood summers, the summers when my children were young, and now these precious days seeing it all again through the eyes of Jaxon and Makiya.

The delight of enjoying a simple ice cream cone.....

Learning to ride a new tricycle.....

The swimming pool on a hot afternoon.....

Sweet smiles....

Sidewalk chalk...

Drinking cold water out of a hose...

And my favorite....Grandma love....

Do any of these pictures bring back special summer memories for you?

Share some of your own favorite summer moments from the past or present with us.

Grandma Time

I was out and about yesterday running errands. It was a pleasant day - no rain for a change - and I enjoyed listening to the light jazz playing on NPR as I made my rounds. First stop: the post office, I had a fresh batch of books to mail to SCBR reviewers. I am finally learning to navigate my way around the convoluted road system in downtown Auburn and made it in and out without getting lost or turned around. Chalk one up for me!


Second stop was the Natural Food Store in Federal Way. We are working on making changes in our diet both for health reasons and because we think it is the right thing to do. I stocked up on fresh organic produce, eggs, tofu, and a few other odds and ends before heading upstairs where they have a deli and other natural products like lotions and things of that sort. As I browsed the aisles (where I found a gorgeous cotton shawl that followed me home) a little girl and her grandma came running over to the essential oil section.

She must have been about two years old and her eyes sparkled as she reached up toward the oils. Grandma had promised that her good behavior would earn her the opportunity to smell each different fragrance. I smiled at the pair as I heard Grandma tell Little Miss that “Grandma has made pretty bottles like this at home. They must be thirty-five years old.” I doubted that the words meant much to Little One, but I considered that day-after-day, month-after-month, year-after-year, as Grandma told these stories to Little Miss they would become a part of her.

From the Natural Food Store I continued on to Barnes and Noble. I had learned that they had a Dummies book specific to the fancy schmancy camera that Gerry bought a few weeks ago. Though we have attended two classes, honestly much of the instruction was way over my head. I hope that the Dummies book will be remedial enough to help me to begin using this camera the way it’s intended.

I found the book and then headed over to the children’s section. How sweet it is to have a reason to browse in the children’s book section again! There, sitting on a tiny chair was another Grandma reading to her grandson. Little Guy was younger than the Little Miss at the Natural Food Story, and in typical boy-manner was having trouble concentrating fully on the story that Grandma was reading. Grandma continued to read, gently drawing his attention back when in wandered. I knew what a gift she was giving to Little Guy on that day as she read to him, and I suspected that she read to him often.

As I traveled home the longing for my own grandchildren intensified. Jaxon had his second birthday this week! It seems like yesterday that I held him for the first time! Now he likes Manny the Handyman, and hockey (true Canadian child that he is!), and even sleeps in a “big boy bed”.

Makiya is eighteen months old and can point out a plethora of animals and colors and shapes in her picture books, she says sweet little things like ‘tickle, tickle, tickle’, and best of all knows how to say “grandma”.

As a child I didn’t have the blessing of a grandma in my life who would read to me and take me shopping; it will be different for Jaxon and Makiya.

I am feeling very homesick this morning. It’s time to head back to the “old country” for some grandma time.

Drive-Thru Rage

It is hard to believe it's been one week since I updated my blog.  I am heading back home today after an unexpected trip to Canada to help my daughter as she has battled a health issue.  I'm greateful to have been able to come and help her with caring for my granddaughter and everything else that young moms have to take care of.  Thankfully Laurinda is on the mend, though the doctor says it will be an up-and-down recovery.

It has been a blessing for me to spend time with both of my grandchildren this week though.  They grow and change so quickly, and Gerry and I have made it a priority to visit as often as possible during these early years. 

Only one experience somewhat marred what has been a blessed week.  One afternoon I had taken my granddaughter to visit our son, his wife, and our precious grandson at their home to give Laurinda an opportunity to rest.  I was on my way back to Laurinda's house and stopped to get an Iced Capp at Tim Hortons for her and, as Makiya was in the back seat, I decided to go through the drive-thru.

I followed the arrows; I thought I knew where I was going; but it turned out that when I reached the end of the parking lot where I intended to turn into the drive through there were three cars blocking the way and they were also going to the drive-thru.  When the car immediately in front of me pulled forward, and the one behind stayed back to leave a gap, I could have driven through, driven down the road, turned around and joined the back of the queue.  I didn't.  I assumed that the driver was waiting was giving me an opportunity to join the queue, so I waved in a gesture of thanks, and turned into the line-up. 

I assumed incorrectly and the woman driving the car that I turned in front of was not happy.

She rolled down her window and began spewing obscenities at me and calling me names.  When it was my turn to place my order at the speaker she blared her horn.  She made gestures toward me that left no doubt about her state of mind.

I felt bad that I had misjudged her intention but it wasn't like she was going to have to stay in line that much longer because of it.  There was also only one car behind her when I turned in front of her so it wasn't like I was affecting numerous other people either.

When I got to the window to pick up and pay for the Iced Capp I had ordered for Laurinda, I told the girl that I also wanted to pay for the car behind me; it turned out that she had also ordered just an Iced Capp. 

For the sake of thirty seconds and a couple of dollars she lost her temper and spewed anger.  I wondered what her day had been like up to that point and what she had ahead of her for the rest of her day.  My hope was that my gesture of paying for her order would diffuse some of her anger so she wouldn't carry it with her and direct it toward anyone else.  My fear was that she would feel justified and entitled. 

I glanced in the rear view mirror and smiled at my granddaughter who was humming a little tune, said a quick prayer for the angry woman, and continued on with my day.

Through the Eyes of a Child

Oh, to see life through the eyes of a child again!

What causes you to feel a sense of wonder and awe?

What makes you feel the joy of childhood again?

For me it's being with my grandchildren,

playing with my dogs,

watching my garden come alive in spring,

the ferocity of the rainstorm that is currently passing overhead,

the peace of nature when I stood at Manderley,

the expectation of going on a trip (usually to see the grandchildren!),

the love of my husband.

Tell me, won't you, what brings joy to your heart?

What Matters Most

We're Off!

We're about to begin another road trip!  It makes me feel sad when we are getting ready to go somewhere and the girls aren't coming. The way they look at us with their beautiful big eyes, I am sure they sense we're leaving them behind. I know that they'll be well taken care of and have lots of fun with their pal Lisa though!

This time tomorrow I plan to have a granddaughter on my lap, and I'm looking forward to snuggling my grandson a short time later.  We're blessed.

We're heading off to Manderley on Sunday morning.  Stay tuned for pictures and perhaps much more!

A Sweet, Sweet Sound

While I was Skyping with Laurinda and Makiya today something precious happened. 

Makiya said "grandma"!  Then she said it again!

She made my day!

Zoo Day!

It was a beautiful day here in Baby-Land and we all went to the zoo!

Going to the zoo for the first time as a grandma was a different experience. I'm vaguely remember seeing some animals, but what captivated this grandma the most was the smiles and giggles of my grandchildren.  And that's just the way it is meant to be.

Looking Forward

I have this picture on the wall beside my desk at home. There is a caption under it that reminds me to "Take care of this girl's grandma!" It serves as a reminder for me to try and eat right, get some exercise, and deal with stress more effectively.  I love this baby girl very much and I want to be around for a long time to watch her grow up and contribute to her life.

Starting tomorrow, Gerry and I are off on a journey!  It's been much too long since I have had this much time away from work and believe me when I tell you that I am long overdue!

I am looking forward to a visit with my BFF on Friday - time spent with her is always food for my soul.  There is no one quite like her and I know we're going to have so much to talk about (and not enough time to get it all in).

I'm looking forward to a road trip with my husband that provides lots of time for us to talk and listen to music that we like. And when he wants to turn the satellite radio to the 60's station, I'll have my iPod tuned into some SCN Podcasts.  I've got my SCN tote bag packed with all sorts of necessities like lotion, lip balm, special pens and pencils and my notebook.  I've tucked in a few chapters from my book and plan to get some editing and rewriting done as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing Brandon and Nicole and Jaxon and Laurinda and Gord and Makiya!  Words can't express how much I love this family of mine.  The babies (well, I guess they're actually toddlers now) will have grown so much since I saw them a few months ago.  Skype is wonderful, but it's no substitute for the real thing.

I'm looking forward to standing on the prairie, closing my eyes, and taking a deep breath. I'm looking forward to gazing over the vast prairie landscape and just letting go. I'm looking forward to seeing the property that we have been looking at only in pictures for the past few months.

I'm looking forward...Oh how I'm looking forward....

Gratitude on a Spring Afternoon

Do you remember a hot summer day when you were a kid and your best friend gave you just a lick of a her orange Popsicle? Remember how sweet it tasted and how you wished you could have more?

That's how I felt today. The sun has been shining all day, there isn't a cloud in the sky, and the temperature is almost 60 degrees.

This afternoon I put on a pair of capri pants, dug out a pair of flip-flops, and took the girls for a walk around the neighborhood. As we walked I heard the drone of lawn mowers as the first cut of the year took place, I saw cherry blossoms beginning to bloom and women puttering around in their gardens.

I breathed deeply and slowly trying to take it all in - trying to get enough to satisfy me in case this was to be the last day like this for a while.  The weather man tells me that we will enjoy similar weather for the entire weekend but he's been known to be wrong.

When I got home I grabbed my camera to take a few pictures around the yard to share with you.  The crocus and daffodils are blooming!

The heather has been blooming for a while now - hardy creature that she is.

Even the clamatis I planted last summer is beginning to show signs of life.                                     

I took a broom and swept away cobwebs and stray dead leaves from my entry way.  It's all ready for pots of flowers now!

Meanwhile back in Baby Land where my heart truly is, Makiya was out for a walk with her Mommy!

So much to be thankful for....

Seeing Clearly

They're everywhere and I spend a small fortune buying new ones.  Corrective lenses.  I've written about this subject before but last night I saw something with a whole new perspective (pun intended). 

During the day I wear contact lenses.  The problem with that is that, while my distance vision is good, I can't see well enough to read anything close to me or to clearly work on my computer.  So, I have computer glasses that I keep at my desk, and another pair of fancy schmancy glasses that I take to meetings that allow me to read paperwork in front of me but still clearly see other faces in the meeting.

I have a (very expensive) pair of progressive lenses that I wear when I'm not wearing my contacts.  With those babies I can see far and I can see near.  I usually only wear those at home though. 

I carry a pair in my purse so I can read menus and labels when I am shopping.

I have a pair in my home office, a pair in my knitting box, a pair in the bathroom, and a pair in the kitchen. 

Last night as I was getting ready for bed I took out my contact lenses stood for a moment looking at the orchid that Gerry had given me a few days ago. Without the benefit of corrective lenses of any kind, I saw those beautiful blooms with a clarity that I had not seen before. They were stunning!

With my aging eyes naked, so to speak, I found that my vision for things right in front of my face is crystal clear.  Being the introspective sort that I am I wondered if there was a lesson there for me.

I wonder, as we get older, if we're meant not to focus more on what's "out there" but to turn our eyes and our attention to that which is right in front of us. Important things like family, friends, and that which we were meant to spend our time on.

Could it be that there comes a time when we are meant to stop driving so hard to attain some of those goals we had when we were younger? 

Could it be that it's okay to take the time to play with a baby, read a book, take a nap, and marvel at the beauty of an orchid?

Retirement?

A few days ago I mentioned two words that I was looking forward to - retirement eligible. Lately, I have been thinking about retirement in general. At one point in my life, when I was much younger and more naive, I looked at that stage in life very differently than I do now. I thought that one got to the magic retirement day, was awarded the proverbial gold watch, and slipped off into a life of relaxation and perhaps travel, and that may be the case for some.


My grandma (the only grandparent who lived long enough for me to get to know) never retired. She was widowed and left alone with three young children, destined to live a life of hardship as she struggled to raise her children in the Great Depression years. She lived in the same tiny house for the remainder of her years and there was never a formal retirement time.

My father never really retired because he was forced to stop working due to illness and the few years he had left after that point were filled with hardship. He had planned all of his life for retirement, carefully saving and planning, but in the end what should have been his "golden years" were not to be.

My mom, a housewife for most of her life, never retired. During the years that she should have been enjoying life with Dad, she was taking care of him and visiting him in hospital.

My own dreams of retirement are most definitely not of a life filled with leisure. In the same way that young people attend post-secondary school for a number of years to prepare them for the life ahead, that's how I'm partly considering my experiences right now. I see writing as something I'll spend a lot of time on in my retirement years, so now I'm taking the time to practice and learn and prepare myself for the day when I can call myself a full-time writer. (Sounds good, doesn't it?!)

Gerry and I also are spending a lot of time talking about what we what those years to look like. We envision a simpler, more self-sustaining lifestyle in a rural location where our children and grandchildren can spend time with us. I've just started reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and I'm vowing that my grandchildren will understand that their vegetables come from farms and gardens not from perfectly manicured displays in a supermarket. I want them to have the opportunity to eat organically grown meat that isn't pumped full of hormones.

The point is that when I say I am looking forward to being retirement-eligible in four years, it's not so I can ride away into the sunset and live a life of leisure. Lord willing, it's so I can begin the next chapter.

Tell me, what does retirement mean to you?

A Bittersweet Evening

My heart is filled with happiness and yet burdened with sadness this evening.

I have had such a good time over the past few days here in Grandbaby-Land!  It's such a joy to see these beautiful babies grow and change.  It astounds me how much difference just a few weeks and months can make.  They're both leaving behind the baby stage and entering the toddler stage already.

I consider myself so blessed in that Gerry and I have been able to spend time with them regularly since they were born.  Yet each time we leave to go back home I leave a little piece of my heart here with them.

The birth of these babies has caused me to reflect much on my life and my priorities, and I've made changes as a result of that personal reflection. 

What's important in my life?  Are my actions in line with what I say my priorities are?  Am I making progress toward future goals?  What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind for these little ones?

 My reflections continue this evening as, once more, I prepare to say good-bye to my precious grandchildren.

Sigh.

Welcome, we've been waiting for you!

My granddaughter celebrated her first birthday on Saturday.  It's astounding to think about all of the milestones that this little one has passed over the past twelve months.

I could not help but reflect on that day when she was born and the anticipation we felt as we waited for her to arrive.  After she was born, her proud Dad came smiling into the waiting room proclaiming "It's a girl, and she's beautiful!" and I cried and hurried down the hall to meet her.  My first words to her were "Welcome, we've been waiting for you!".

Imagine just for a moment, that glorious day when you and I arrive in our heavenly home; we will have passed many milestones by that time as well.  There will be Someone there proclaiming those words over us as well.  "Welcome, we've been waiting for you!"  What a thought!