Back to Guntersville

In the fall of 2011, the family went to Guntersville, Alabama, for a week while Jeremy was fishing a tournament.  This year, Grandpa and I went back again with the Yorks...for the same reason.  Jess had to work and we missed having her along.  The first day or two the weather was on the very cool side, but the sun came out long enough for Grandpa and the kids to go out for a while to shoot hoops on the basketball court or take "rides" in the hammock.  Then each day became colder and windier. 

  One day wasn't quite as bad, so we ventured out for some fresh air in the afternoon.  We checked out beautiful downtown Guntersville.  It really is a nice city.  It is spread out over quite a large area with the lake in, out and all around it.  It has some beautiful public buildings.  But the "downtown" area didn't take long to cover.  We went into an antique store.  The grandkids had never been in one, so they were kind of interested in all the "weird" old stuff.  "Old" to them is anything from the '80s.  (The 1980s that is...not the 1880s!)  Savannah fell in love with a couple of old teddy bears she saw.   After looking around downtown for a little while, we went out to the Walmart shopping center.  They have some other stores in that area and one that we went into was Claire's Boutique.  Savannah didn't remember ever being in one and I told her how her mom and aunt Jessica used to love to go in there.  She did, too!  She was trying on hats, glasses and all kinds of glam and striking a pose in the mirrors with each one.  Emery even got into the act with the glasses.  Especially those that were a little "different"...like with attached moustaches. 

   We passed the time for most of the week with school work (like studying the phases of the moon with Oreo cookies), craft projects (the girls made hand "painted" silk scarves), games like Pick up Sticks, Dominoes and Mancala during the day...and Rummikub at night and home-cooked meals for the cold and hungry fishermen.  And watching the new season premier of Duck Dynasty was a shared experience.  :)

 Papa Jim came up to watch the weigh-in on Thursday and Friday afternoons.  When we were there last time, we went about 45 miles northwest to Huntsville to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.  Since there wasn't anything much to do while waiting for the weigh-in on Friday afternoon, we decided to go back up there and let Papa see it and see how much the kids remembered.  We were very surprised at how different it was.  Last time there was a lot of construction going on  and all that was open now.  The kids spent a lot of time in the area about black holes.  They could get "passport cards" and record their experiences in each interactive exhibit and they can check them on the computer when they get home.  Emery scaled the rock wall all the way to the top 3 times and after he and Savannah went into the "Mission to Mars" simulator, they both came out beaming and made Papa go in with them a second time (Grandpa chickened out).  We left there and got to the lake just as Jeremy was about to weigh in.  The timing was perfect because they got to go up on stage with him again, but we didn't stand around in the cold wind for more than a couple of minutes.  After that, we ate at Wentzell's Oyster Bar, which is a York family tradition.

  

    Friday night and Saturday morning we saw just enough snow flakes to make everyone very excited.  Jeremy cam

e in 37th place and got a check, so everybody was happy, happy, happy. 

Here We Go...Again

   Last January I wrote a blog post that I titled, "Reignited".  I said I was fired up to write in my blog more.  Then about 10 days after that I blogged about napping.  Then I must have taken a nap...because I didn't write again until March!  That was hardly the commitment I had in mind.  Full-time retirement is very bad for my pre-existing condition:  procrastination. 


 In that March post I was writing about cousins.  My focus was on a couple of days that Savannah and Emery got to spend with their second-cousin, Kimberly.  But why didn't I write again in May when my Berry cousins came for a visit and we had such a great time?  Why didn't I write about the trips we took, the fun things we did during the year (taking a new route home from Streator and finding an out-of-the-way winery, a pool party for the grand kids' friends, time out for a girly tea party, the two-tent campout), my thoughts on jury duty or the good family times we shared?  It all happened...but I didn't write about it.  So now I have no record of my feelings about each of these things.
   I don't think many people read and write blogs much any more.  Facebook is just so much easier.  But here I am in January again and while I'm not going to make a "New Year's Resolution" (only to fail and beat myself up about it) to write in my blog this year, I do have that intention.  I don't want these "Days of Our Lives" to go by and not be commented on.  So here goes...

   I've been looking forward to Janaury for the last several weeks.  January 9th, to be exact.  On that day I had an appointment to see a neurosurgeon to get some expert advice on what can be done to take care of the horrible back pain I've been having for the past 4 months.  What started out as simple sciatica became much worse.  At times unbearable.  After a couple of doctor visits, one trip to the emergency room, two screw-ups at the pharmacy, x-rays, a month of 3-times-a-week visits to the chiropractor, and many, many drugs, my doctor finally said it was time for an MRI.  I've always been afraid of having to have one of those, but it was no big deal.  (See....why didn't I write about all this??)  After the results of that MRI, she said it was time to check in with a neurosurgeon to see what the next step would be. 
   So on Wednesday, January 9th, Jerry went with me to see what Dr. Walpert had to say.  We both liked her very much and although she is a surgeon, she sees surgery as a last option.  She wants me to try some physical therapy first.  Many people with back issues have great success with that.  Next week I'm scheduled to go to a physical therapist here in town and get an evaluation.  Hopefully, I'll get a schedule and can start trying that approach.  And, hopefully, I'll take time to write about the whole thing. 

Cousins

I was lucky to grow up having lots and lots of cousins. My mom was the middle of 13 children and all but one of her siblings married and had children. One of them had 11! So that meant lots of first cousins...and almost all of us lived in the same town. Our annual family reunion picnic was something we looked forward to all year and it is one of the sweetest childhood memories for many of us. Several of those cousins were the same age as me, or close to it. Many of us went to school together. It was great!

My kids were not so lucky. On my side they only had two cousins and they were younger and lived out of town. On Jerry's side, they had 5 that were older and lived out of state and 8 that lived out of town, too. So they missed that great experience.


Moving on down another generation, we have the grand kids. They only have 3 first cousins. They live nearby but are older, too.

But there are other kinds of cousins. There's "kissing cousins", "shirt-tail cousins", cousins "once (or more) removed", etc. I'm never sure how the second or third-cousin thing goes. But Savannah and Emery recently had a great time with a girl they just call their cousin. Actually, her mom is one of Jodi's first cousins. Their grandfathers are brothers. I'll leave the math and "removing" to you.

Kimberly is 2 months younger than Savannah and they both think that is pretty cool. They first met when they were only about 6 months old. They stared and poked at each other as babies do. They then saw each other about 6 months later and, again, were curious about that other baby. Kimberly lives in Illinois and Savannah lives here in Georgia, so that's why their contact has been minimal.



When they were about 2 years old, Kimberly's family stopped on their way home from Florida and the girls played together for a little while. I don't know if they remember hearing about that or seeing pictures, but they have remained fascinated with each other ever since then. This year, again, Kimberly's family was stopping by on their way home (It's a good thing they go to Florida from time to time!) and the kids got together. Emery was excited, too, even though the last time they saw each other he wasn't even born yet.
They went roller skating together in the afternoon and then had a movie and slumber party on the living room floor. Even though they got to spend less than 24 hours together, they all had a very good time and I'm sure they'll be ready to see Kimberly again whenever she comes back by this way.

I Need a Nap

Actually, I've never been much of a napper. I'm not a morning person, so taking a nap means having to wake up twice in the same day. Not something I can get excited about. There is a picture of Jessica taking a nap that has always made me laugh. It was taken the day after her 9th birthday party. It was a "slumber" party and so, as is usually the case, there wasn't much "slumbering" going on. So that next afternoon she got her silky comforter and settled in on the sofa to take a nap. Wrapped in the slick blanket, she slowly slid off the couch onto the floor...head first...and never even woke up! Now THAT'S a nap!


A few years ago I saw a picture frame that I liked. It says, "Nap like you mean it." I laughed and bought it and thought immediately of the picture of Jessica. But looking at it again, I was reminded of how poor the quality of pictures from the 80s are compared to what we take today. And I got looking at the pictures we have now and realized I had plenty of candidates for the picture frame. I've always liked this one of Jeremy and Emery taking a very serious nap. But I have so many others that I love, too. I'll post a few here. The last one is a little blurry, but it cracks me up. That is Emery sleeping in the bookcase! He got in there when he and Savannah were playing hide and go seek. She got distracted and didn't go looking for him and he fell asleep.

Along with the pictures, I'm writing the lyrics to a song called, "I Need a Nap". It is from a wonderful CD called Dog Train that the grandkids love to listen to. We like it, too. This particular song is a duet sung by the unlikely duo of Kate Winslet and "Weird Al" Yankovic. The tune is terrific and I wish you could hear it...but here are the words:

Well, the sun is still high in the afternoon sky,
but the morning seems so long ago.
I was happy before and I'm not any more,
though why there's a change, I don't know.

I'm so tired of this day and I don't want to play

and I' don't want a story to read.

But I look in your eyes and at once realize

that I know what it is that I need...

(Chorus) I need a nap! I just can't take any more.

I need a nap! Can't stay awake any more.

No more running around I just need to lie down and sleep!

I don't know what to do.
I just can't make it through.

I want something,

or nothing, right now.

I am mad and upset.

What I want, I don't get

I don't know what I want anyhow.

I've been doing my best,
now I just want to rest --

on the rug, on the floor,

I don't care.

Now the feeling's so strong,

but the song is too long --

it's the wrong kind of song --

and it seems to be going nowhere.

There are times in your day

when the going gets tough,

when you just have to say

you've done more than enough.

I can't think of more stuff

that will rhyme with "enough"...

So enough is enough...is enough

is enough...is enough is enough! (Chorus)

Why does this song go on?

When all my strength is gone?

Please let me close my eyes.

I don't want to...harmonize!

I just can't take any more.

Can't stay awake any more.

You can follow my lead

as the song loses speed

now I need an immediate

NAAaaappppp.....................

Reignited

Sadly, there hasn't been much "progress" on the Work in Progress blog this past year (or more). I'm going to blame it on Facebook. It's just so much easier to jot a note on what you're doing on there than to get into your blog and write. If it takes more than a sentence or two, then it gets put on the back burner until it's old news...and too old to write about. Except for our trips last year, I barely posted once a month. Well, things are gonna change!

The fire was relit under me this morning. I got an e-mail from my life-long friend, Jackie. She's getting ready to retire. (In Georgia they would say she's "fixin'" to retire.) She's getting old and will be going on Medicare this year and all of that.

For the past several years she has been very busy. Besides being a wife, mother and grandmother she has had a full-time career which required her to travel a great deal. In the time she did get to herself, she has been indulging in her hobbies of cooking, reading, painting and her latest -- jewelry making. This morning I got an e-mail from her that said she is starting a 2nd blog (!!). Her first one is where she posts all the beautiful jewelry creations she makes. That one is http://www.crowsfeetcrafts.blogspot.com/ Check it out -- she's amazing!

This new blog is http://www.ayearofdefiningnormal.blogspot.com/ She will be writing about this year of transition for her as she leaves her "business suit" behind to discover who she is without it. She started by sharing a Yiddish folk tale about a young man and his suit. I was glad she didn't choose the story of the Emperor's New Clothes! I can't wait to follow along with her this year as she shares this adventure. I have a feeling she will be equally as talented at writing as she is at painting and jewelry making.

Her energy puts me to shame and looking at her blogs made me miss my own. So here's to a year of better (at least more frequent) blogging for me. Thanks, Jackie, for getting me fired up to write again.

Before going, I wanted to share this picture. We collaborated on a project for charity a couple of years ago. With the help of some of my friends, I made a bright quilt with tulips on it as a donation to a fund raiser for the hospice that Jackie was associated with in Mt. Vernon, Washington, where she lives. Mt. Vernon is known for its tulips. She did a group of painting to go with the quilt to make a "package" item for the the auction. I thought she did an awesome job!

Best of luck on your new venture...and adventures, my friend.

What is it - Part 2

Haha. No, you're all wrong! (Doesn't ANYBODY read my blog any more???).

I would have thought it would be some kind of a weapon. Probably a laser-type thing to send out deadly rays to foil the bad guy.

But no.

In Emery's mind it's a sandwich maker! He held it by the smooth part (on the right) and aimed it like a weapon of mass destruction, but then explained to me that the WHITE bread hangs on the hooked part in the center and the peanut butter comes out of one side and the jelly out of the other side.

So there you have your answer. Now you can sleep again.

What is it?

Okay...obviously, it's a piece of a tree root. But in the hands of a 6-year-old boy with an imagination who comes across it while hiking in the woods -- as Emery recently did -- what do you think it "became"?

Answer next week.