Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Too Many Tears

My dear friend from childhood surprised me with a phone call today. She was like a ray of sunshine on a cold, rainy and gloomy day. We started talking like magpies, as we always do. Being at the same stage in life_____happy grandmas , we are so very proud of the little people in our lives.

Bets is a very positive and uplifting person. however she has had a very sad loss in 2008. My heart hurts and aches for her. We talked about how everyone has situations that are worse than yours, but when you are trying to cope it is not much consolation. I listened to her express her feelings and I honestly wanted to take her back to our old neighborhood where summers were spent collecting lightening bugs in mayonaise jars and winters caught us making snow angels on days off from school after a storm.

They say time heals all wounds but time cannot patch up cracks that remain on a person's heart. That is where the Lord comes in and ministers to our needs even before we know what they are. My friend knows that and waits for time to take her tears away for a season. It is my prayer for many days of happiness and joy that she needs to fill those cracks. I love you, Bets.

Monday, January 26, 2009

The Magic Words

If you read my daughters blog, today she wrote about Jack finally saying "thank you". Now I am one who thinks the world would be a better place if everyone used their manners. Some people, I realize may have not had the good fortune to be told or showed the proper manners as a child . But that is were I come in. When I was growing up, my parents made sure I was taught and also made sure I used my manners. As a payback I made sure my children had the same teachings.. That is only fair don't you think? Now as I see my grandchildren coming up in this world where social graces just are not expected, I am glad my influence is still there. Honestly, don"t you think saying "please" and "thank you" can make even the hardest request sound pleasant? For instance, what if you said to your husband "take me out to dinner". That would not go over very well in my house. But if I said "honey, please lets have a date tonight and go out to eat". I still may have to settle for a "take-out" but that is still one of my four food groups.
I would say "thank you very much".

The world is so much more pleasant to live in when manners are used. One time recently, I went through a drive-thru to pick up some lunch. I pulled up to the window after placing my order at a first window to a person who looked at me and said nothing. Zip. Nada. Well it was not the day that I was willing to overlook rudeness. She literally flung the bag at me still not speaking and through clenched teeth I said "your welcome". She said "huh"? Then I took it upon myself to teach her what her Mama did not. I looked at her and said"your welcome" again. She had such a puzzled look on her face. I told her that when someone says" your welcome," that usually means someone has thanked that person first. She said grumbling "oh thank you". I don't know if she learned anything that day but I sure did feel better.

We teach our babies the "magic words" but we need to remember to use them ourselves. Oh, by the way, thank you for reading my blog.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Focusing On Ellie Mae

The gold in my life has nothing to do with fine jewelry or gold bars of precious metal. It is a four legged golden retreiver. She came into my life in 2001 (one month after 911). Ellie Mae is my ever faithful golden retreiver service dog. I have multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system that (in my case) causes difficulty in walking long distances. She was trained to walk beside me at my gait and to be a stablizing force in my life, in more ways than one. When I first received Ellie Mae she became important to me for walking. Yet the longer I have had her she has become a part of my life that is a constant. She is faithful when I need her and faithful when I think I can do things on my own. She never changes unlike humans. Did you know that a dog is the one animal that totally depends on her master to take care of her every need? She only asks that you treat her like one of the family

At almost 9 years old now, Ellie has some issues with arthritis and getting around. She has become more content to lay around and watch me take off in a new power chair that I received in the fall for distance traveling. She looks at me as if to say "Mom if it is ok, I will just wait here for you til you get back". She knows I will return.

Dogs add so much to the human life span. We all need to feel needed. When children grow up and leave the nest, as is the way it should happen, a dog will remain faithful to the one who has cared for her. My sister gave me a painting when I got Ellie Mae. It is a picture of a golden in a down position. The quote says "my goal in life is to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am." Oh I hope that is true.

Monday, January 19, 2009

A Recipe Worth Saving

Last night my motherinlaw came to have dinner with her son and me. As she most always does, she brought something to add to the meal. In our very fortunate case last night, it was her pecan pie. Now let me tell you her pecan pies are legendary. There are many bakers out there but it is the little extra secrets that make hers stand head and shoulders above all others.

When my father-in-law was alive, during Christmas I was visiting. It had been a day of baking and cooking at their home, Mamaw had produced several pecan pies that were stored in the unlikely place at the time, the pie safe. Now originally these cupboards were called that because food storage was at a premium in most kitchens. Mamaw had used hers to store linens and items unrelated to food. Except this day when my fatherinlaw summoned me to come and see where the blue-ribboned pies were waiting for us. There was only one other person who loved her pies as much as I did and that was Pop. That day we had a secret that only we knew. I was fortunate to be in on the pie-hiding caper.

I can never eat a pecan pie without remembering those special times at my inlaws home. Mamaw wrote down the recipe one more time and added her little tips for a delicious success.
My motherinlaw's handwriting (age 85) is exactly the correct penmanship that we were all taught but few mastered. Her recipes are even more special because of that. If you want a wonderful (not on your diet) pecan pie to bake only on special occasions I will happily share.

Here's to tried and true recipes to delight any palate.....

Pecan Pie----

1 cup sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
3 lg. eggs
2 tbsp. butter (not margerine)
2 tbsp. flour (plain)
1 T vanilla
1 pie crust
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (if toasted they are easier to cut small)

Mix eggs. sugar, karo, butter. Add flour. Mix until mixed well. Add vanilla. Add pecans. Fold in to mixture. Add to pie crust.

Bake @425 for 15 min. Then at 325 til browned and set in middle when touched lightly with finger maybe 30 min.

LET COOL & grab a glass of milk and test before giving it to your company. (that is my suggestion)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Tagging???????

Well I have been tagged. Now in the blogging world I understand what that means finally. Prior to that, I thought tagging was the thing I tore out of my clothes so no one knew what size I wore. People, you do not know how old I am. None of my friends blog. I don't know if they are to lazy, or have nothing to say or can 't figure how to set it up on the computer. I think it is the latter Maybe you younger women cou ld take it upon yourselves to teach your Mom's and grandmas. We really need to know. We still want to play. Remember we grew up with typewriters.
Now I am still going to answer the question which was write six quirky things I do in my life.
Well where do I start?

1. I am a stickler for being on time. Just ask my children. We were never late. I wanted to see everyone who came into church first. When dropping off our children in Sunday School I made my husband stay with them until their late teacher showed up while I ran to choir to be first to get my music. (I was obsessed) Sorry I did not mean to carry on. Then there was the time my daugter got married in October and in March I was concerned when in the service I would be walking down the aisle. (I just wanted to prepare)

2.When I get a new magazine, I go through and tear out all the cards for subscriptions and other nonsense. Once I counted 19 in one magazine. Now that is overkill.

3. After a night time bath or shower, I can never get right in the bed. I need to watch a little more TV to "chill" before retiring.

4. When grocery shopping I usually buy one more can good than I need just in case!

5. I often wish I had studied writing in school. That is why blogging appeals to me. No one is telling me it is wrong.

6. I watch Dancing with the Stars and secretly wish I could dance like those women can.

I'll save the rest for the next tagging game. Isn't there someone out there more my age that I could play tag with? Blog me and tag, your it!

A Good Day For Soup

Burrrrr! "Baby its cold outside!" As almost all of us are saying today. Even with the sun shining(thankfully) I want to stay close to the gas fireplace, which does put out some heat. All I can think of is eating soup. Now I am not an expert on soup ,even though I know what I like. ... Campbell's tomato soup is my all time favorite, as well as, Lipton's Noodle soup. (Have you seen that lipton's now makes it with extra noodles? umm good!

When I was growing up my grandmother, "Gam", (she was the original Gam), made the best homemade vegetable soup. Even as I was a young Mom, she was making and sharing a take home container with me. My kids called "it Gam's homemade Campbell soup." It was a meal in itself.

I have tried to make vegetable soup and it's ok,but it just does'nt taste like Gam's did. Maybe it was'nt so much the soup that I liked ,as much as ,my Gam's time and company.
I only hope that my own grandchildren, Will , Jordan Ann, Connor and Jack will have sweet memories of me, their Gammy. When they come to my house I may open a can of Campbell's tomato soup, but it will be the good time they had here at Gammy's that they remember when they are grown.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Friends for Life

Two years ago I got on Classmates.com and looked up an old childhood friend. Never thinking that I would find her after sending a message, my (you've got mail ) button rang on my computer. My dear friend Betsy from 4th grade was answering me. I was so excited I could hardly answer back with my shaking hands. We planned a phone call and we talked like two magpies. She told me she was in touch with a third friend, Sherry and she called her in another part of the country to say that I had been found. Apparently they were looking for me over the years. I was the one who was lost and did not know it!

We immediately started planning a reunion. They came to see me the first year. I picked them up at the airport . I do not think I slept the night before. I was so excited! They had been getting together over the years but I had not seen them in 26 years. I remember waiting at the airport gate wondering if Iwould recognize them. More importantly, would they recognize me?
I stood waiting for such a long time anxiously hoping to see a familiar face. All of a sudden I see arms waving above the crowd. And there were my two best friends from childhood. They had not changed. Their walks and talk and laughs were everything I remembered from 26 years ago.
After alot of hugging, crying and laughing, all at the same time, we spent three wonderful days together. We needed to catch up on alot of life that we had experienced over the years.

We have since met again last summer for another round of girl talk and sharing adult life. Now that has turned into three grandmothers getting together sharing what their grandchildren mean in our lives.

I believe that if you have been fortunate enough to still have your childhood friends in your life, then you are indeed a very blessed person. Stay in touch and connected with your friends since they are the only ones who knew you when...

In two short years we have packed decades of life experiences talking and sharing. Some have been happy, some sad but all of our stories have been so much more enriched since I have found Betsy and Sherry. I hope we can continue our visit time this summer.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Looking Ahead With One Eye On The Rear View Mirror

Ah! January. The month after December where we had so much fun baking. cooking, tasting, and eating until our hearts were content. Now it is PAYBACK TIME! Like so many of us do, I dusted off the scale so I could read the dreaded number that would come up in the window. Well I hopped up on the scale (well actually I lumbered up I don't hop anymore) and peered through my dirty bifocals to see a shocking sight. My scale window said LO. Now WHAT does that mean? LO because I weigh too much to register a true weight or LO because it had to register LO to get a running start to get way up there again, or LO because the battery went dead because of decades of inactive use? I don't know. But I was depressed. Here I had committed on a new me in 2009 and the first thing I had planned on doing was get an accurate weight privately and my attempt was foiled. Well I did not dispair. I had a doctors appt. that week for a checkup. I was going to do what I have absolutely NEVER done before. I was going to ask to be weighed. Oh the horrors. So I put on my "big girl panties" I mean really big girl panties and told the nurse my plan for the new year and that I wanted a true weight. ( I even kept my sweater and shoes on)
Well when she gave me the verdict with a smirky smile on her face, I wanted to smack her. Nevertheless, it is what it is, and I am dealing with it.



It's times like these that it is never good to look back with regret at the way your life has turned out. But to look forward to the future and what and how you can make it better for yourself or your loved ones. The Lord always forgives and gives us a second chance if we are sincere in our efforts. All the fudge I snarfed up is all my fault and there sure was no one forcing it down my throat. Now I need to forgive myself and go forward.



I would love to continue visiting with you, but I have to go throw a scale in the garbage and go dust off my pilates machine. Gee I sure hope I don"t need any batteries.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Imagination Runs Amuck or Wild

When I was a little girl about 3 or 4 I had two imaginary friends. Their names were Peano and Clooney. They were my constant companions and are a part of my life to this day. Not that I am talking to them and all that, but when I think of that imaginary play time I had as a child, it is comforting to remember something that brought me so much pleasure. As an adult I have read about imginary friends and what positive benefits it can bring to a child. Now my granddaughter is constantly in an imaginary world of play when she is by herself. She does not like to be disturbed or interrupted either. Her world is her own and she would not let Peano or Clooney invade it.

Years ago my husband and I owned an inn that we had built after I had a very wild hair to operate one. We named one of the rooms after my friends Peano and Clooney. After telling our guests the meaning behind the bedroom's name they would play along with me and come downstairs the next morning filled with wild stories about the antics of my friends. Laughter would start and we honestly could hear Peano & Clooney giggling hysterically.

I guess what all this mean is that I have not or will ever grow up completely. But that's O.K. If Jordan Ann lets me into her imaginary world, I just might introduce her to Peano & Clooney.

This is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Well, just call me a late bloomer, but I feel the need to blog. Yes, it is strange, I know. Ever since my daughter began the internet diary, I have enjoyed reading, commenting and learning new links. It seems that so many bloggers are women, newly married or have young children. None of the above applies to me. I have been married to the same man a very long time in today's standards. My children are grown and gone and are constantly teaching me the internet life. The little people in my family are my precious grandchildren. However, the creative side of me was drawn to this form of recording thoughts, ideas and hopefully suggestions for oneself or anyone else who may be a "blogging fiend".

I have always enjoyed walking or riding by homes where the lights are on and it looks so inviting, you wish you knew the occupants inside. I imagine what their life may be like. Blogging is somehting like that. Sharing your life to the ones who peer in your computer windows.

Everyone has a story to tell and who's more qualified to tell my story than Pat Allen?

My desire is to share from a (young) grandmother's perspective. A life who has "been there and done that" but who still has more to say. Please join me on this journey, as we learn from one another.