My granddaughter has more toys than she needs. She also has more clothes than she needs. That always poses a problem for me when it comes to gifts for birthdays. I don't want to add to the excess. Giving only money may be fine in time, but this is my granddaughter who still uses her imagination in ways that make me smile!
Gemma recently turned seven years old. She loves playing with me. We make up all kinds of games to play. However, she had to have something tangible as a gift, but not something that would add to her excesses.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Remembering Dad: Lunches with Ron MacDonald
Dad was proud to be a Marine. He would defend the Marine Corps against all other branches - except when we had lunch with Ron MacDonald. Ron was a client who worked at Westop Credit Union, and had retired from the Army as a Sergeant Major. Like Dad, Ron served during the Korean War. He also served during the Vietnam War.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
The Census Taker
Though I understand the reasons that the census must be taken as it pertains to representation in Congress, some of the questions that are asked seem to me to be totally irrelevant to knowing how many people live where I live. That is likely why I had put off filling out the census form in 2000 and failing to fill it out and send it back drew a knock on the door from a census taker.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Mr. Grumpy (2014-2019)
Mr. Grumpy was found dead at the age of five in the front yard on the evening of October 10th.
Grumps was rehomed in 2014 when he was about six months old from a lady who was unable to keep him. It took a while for him to lose his edginess around people, but he was quite the charmer once he did! He went from hiding in a closet all day to the cat who would come regardless of which cat you called. Sometimes he would amble up just to make sure you knew he was available to pet.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Prancer (2001-2019)
On the afternoon of August 10th, a car pulled into the driveway. Unfortunately, Prancer had found a piece of ground to sun upon in the tire tracks of the driveway, and the visitor who pulled in did not see her. Her death was immediate.
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Remembering Dad: He Loved Trivia, But Not Trivial Pursuit
The most difficult speech I ever gave was Dad’s eulogy. He told me he wanted me to do it shortly after learning he had cancer on the night the funeral director came over so he could get his and Mom’s arrangements out of the way. He wanted it to be light, and he wanted it to be about him.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Remembering Dad: The Rice Salad Standoff
Dad always sat at the head of the table with Maureen to his left and me to his right. I don’t remember everything we had for dinner that evening, but rice salad was part of the menu.
Dad had the bowl of it in his hand when Maureen spoke saying she didn’t want any. I added, "Me neither! It looks yucky!"
There were two quick plops of it, one on her plate and one on mine. Dad’s instructions were succinct: "Eat it."
Now there were certainly times and places to pick battles with Dad, and this was one of those times! Maureen and I could sit united in defiance of his instructions, and go on a partial hunger strike!
Dad had the bowl of it in his hand when Maureen spoke saying she didn’t want any. I added, "Me neither! It looks yucky!"
There were two quick plops of it, one on her plate and one on mine. Dad’s instructions were succinct: "Eat it."
Now there were certainly times and places to pick battles with Dad, and this was one of those times! Maureen and I could sit united in defiance of his instructions, and go on a partial hunger strike!
Monday, April 17, 2017
Remembering Dad: He Always had a List
I cannot say for certain that the stock value of the company that owned those spiral topped, pocket sized notebooks fell when Dad died in December of 1992, but it is a cinch that the number of sales of that particular item dropped.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Remembering Dad: His System of Cycling Junk
Dad was a collector of many things. He had his old cameras, his library, his painted engine collection, and hundreds of his favorite movies on VHS tapes. He was highly creative at using junk in wonderful displays, like his magic garage. However, he also was organized, and did not like junk hanging around the house.
Mom enjoyed many of his collections, and tolerated others. She also does not like junk hanging around the house, but her definition of junk differed from Dad’s definition of junk.
Mom enjoyed many of his collections, and tolerated others. She also does not like junk hanging around the house, but her definition of junk differed from Dad’s definition of junk.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Uncle Rudy: The Fix-It Man
Uncle Rudy was sort of a philosopher, a decent story teller, and somewhat a comedian. He certainly was a fix-it man, though. He didn’t even need the correct parts to accomplish many of his repairs.
I used to kid him that Jerry ought to be happy that he came first. If he hadn’t, we would call it "Rudy-rigging."
I used to kid him that Jerry ought to be happy that he came first. If he hadn’t, we would call it "Rudy-rigging."
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Remembering Dad: The Newspaper Beating
I don’t know what compelled me to sit on the porch and yell "Mr. and Mrs. Elephant" at Mr. and Mrs. Anderson as they were leaving their house and getting into their car that day. I do know, however, that I regretted it the moment I saw them heading across the street toward our house.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
That Endearing Moment with Tickle Belle
Candace was a normal child in most ways. However, her ability to communicate as a young child was phenomenal! She could say intelligible words by the time she turned one, and could speak in thoughtful complete sentences by the time she was two.
Tuesday, August 31, 1999
The Kids Are Back! (August 1999)
Note: This was originally an article in the Newsletter that our company published. This particular article was in Issue 286 from August 1999.
* * * * *
As hard as it is to raise two daughters (one a teenager, and the other on the verge), it is always harder for me when they leave for the east coast to visit their mother during the summer. The 46 consecutive weeks of "I need this" and "I want that" should probably prelude a welcome 6-week break, but there's a hollow feeling when the kids are gone.
* * * * *
As hard as it is to raise two daughters (one a teenager, and the other on the verge), it is always harder for me when they leave for the east coast to visit their mother during the summer. The 46 consecutive weeks of "I need this" and "I want that" should probably prelude a welcome 6-week break, but there's a hollow feeling when the kids are gone.
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