Dear Calvin and Vicki,
I’ve come full circle with my stories as your wedding day, June 26, 2011, marks the one-year anniversary of the day I began this blog.
I think the week leading up to your wedding encapsulates life so well that a backward glance at several stand out moments offers me an opportunity to share my perspective on commitment and marriage.
Monday “Snoopy” Our sweet puppy dog has cancer.
Expect the unexpected. Marriage is about weathering storms together. When life brings bad news, give each other permission to adjust to it in their own way. Be each others' rock, shelter, shoulder to cry on, comforter, advocate. Hold each other. Help each other. Be there for each other.
Tuesday “Taking the Red-eye” Some nights are not meant for getting enough sleep.
Sleepless nights. They happen to everyone due to sickness, worry, anxiety, emotions, work, babies, teenagers. The frequency of these nights seems to escalate once you have children. Strive to stay healthy—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Do it for yourself first, then your mate. Marriage is about diplomacy and resolution. Try not to let the sun set on an argument. Talk to each other when something is bothering you. Honest communication without judgment is key for a long and happy marriage.
Wednesday “Homecoming” Calvin and Corey both arrived home today.
Marriage is about becoming a family. Starting new traditions. Marriage is about balance, consideration, respect and kindness. You are two unique people who have chosen to spend the rest of your lives together. Accept that you will think, feel, believe and behave differently from each other. Rejoice in the differences. Count your blessings. Stay close to your parents and siblings—they are your roots. Love your children unconditionally—they are your branches.
Thursday “Spicy Wings” Calvin and Corey order fifty wings with too much kick in the wing sauce at BWW. They manage to eat most of them.
Marriage is about romance and spark. Life gets routine, predictable. Sometimes you have to work at having and being fun. A successful marriage is not always up to the other person. Do things together but develop separate interests too—then you’ll always have something to talk about!
Friday “Bachelor Party” Henry, thankfully, volunteered to drive the bus. Enough said.
On a day when most responsible acts went out the window, it’s worth remembering that marriage is about responsibility and commitment. Take ownership of your actions; never make something out to be the other person’s fault when it’s really yours. Marriage is about forgiveness and giving grace to your spouse daily. Apologize when you’re wrong. Learn to let go.
Saturday “The Wrong Direction” After leaving the wedding rehearsal early, Henry and I head west on I-70 instead of east, all the way to Hagerstown before realizing our mistake. We, the hosts, are the last to arrive at the rehearsal dinner.
You’ll make plans. You’ll have ideas about your future. You’ll predict life’s path. And then it all turns out differently. Marriage is about flexibility. I’ve learned to appreciate the saying “Know how to make God laugh? Tell him your plans!” because it is so true. Uncle Kenny also has a favorite: “It’s not a problem. It’s an adventure.” So make plans, but embrace your adventures.
Sunday “Wedding Day” What a beautiful, perfect, fun day!
Marriage is about love and today we celebrated love! I’m so happy for you both and very proud of my son and new daughter-in-law. I think you are both well prepared to fly far.
Love,
Mom
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Mother's Day, Seattle Style
A flight from the West Coast on the red-eye is brutal, especially if you head for work after landing. But it is completely worth it when you are getting back from a wonderful Mother's Day gift trip spent with your son and his fiancée; that vacation high keeps you going through the next day!
I went expecting cool weather, cloudy skies and drizzle. After all, it’s Seattle! What I got was blue skies and sun and days warm enough for short sleeves. The weather couldn’t have been better for late May. Calvin met me at the airport and our first stop was Pike’s Place Market for clam chowder and Beecher’s macaroni and cheese. We bought scallops and shrimp and fresh English peas for dinner. We made a dessert stop at Confectional for cheesecake and then headed home.
It’s not too amazing that I came home from this trip without gaining a pound, because I walked off every bite I ate! Touring around Seattle means walking—up hill both ways. Plus Calvin and I spent a lovely day Friday walking and taking pictures at the Seattle Arboretum and Japanese Gardens, the Bellevue Botanical Gardens and Lake Sammamish Park. The stop in Bellevue included a side trip to Trophy Cupcake—where I tried Vicki’s favorite—the salted caramel. The day was beautiful and it was a great way to visit with each other.
Since we were at a halfway point between Calvin and Vicki’s birthdays, we celebrated with dinner at the Pink Door Friday night—an Italian place with no advertising or sign—just a pink door in the middle of a brick wall on Post Alley. The food was very good—the gelato alone was certainly worth the visit.
Saturday we headed downtown to the Seattle Art Museum and then Lunchbox Laboratory for a the kind of cheeseburger that is too big to bite, but once you do, the juices from Kobe beef, six slices of bacon, cheese and extras run down your fingers and you can’t even think about putting it down. Thin crispy fries and an incredible chocolate shake served in a beaker put this burger joint at the top of my list of favorites.
Saturday was a gorgeous day, sunny and clear, but breezy and cool. We even saw Mt. Rainier driving into Seattle and according to Calvin, any day you see Rainier is a good day. We thought about patio dining for lunch but opted to eat in. Not those Seattleites—the patio was crowded by the time we left. Suffice it to say that sixty-five degrees is their version of eighty-five on the East Coast. No vacation is complete without seeing a movie, so we took in Pirates of the Caribbean on Saturday night followed by a stop Red Mango.
Sunday we crossed the Cascades to visit Leavenworth, a small Bavarian style village set in some pretty nice wine country. A couple winery stops complete with tastings were the highlight of this day although it was pretty neat to cross cold, snow-capped mountains to the pleasant seventy-five degrees that waited for us in the valley. Perfect sit-in-the-sun and sip your wine weather.
On Memorial Day we had no plans but to stay home and play games and have a cook out. I got to play Kinect, Power Grid, and Guillotine. We went for a walk before enjoying our cook out of burgers and pineapple on the grill with Vicki’s pasta salad. We laughed a lot and ate a lot—it was the perfect end to my Mother’s Day gift.
Calvin asked me to name my favorite part of the trip. The answer was easy—“just spending time with you”. Although we had fun going places and I’ll remember this trip fondly, it’s the time spent together that comes home in the heart and that is the gift I will always treasure.
I went expecting cool weather, cloudy skies and drizzle. After all, it’s Seattle! What I got was blue skies and sun and days warm enough for short sleeves. The weather couldn’t have been better for late May. Calvin met me at the airport and our first stop was Pike’s Place Market for clam chowder and Beecher’s macaroni and cheese. We bought scallops and shrimp and fresh English peas for dinner. We made a dessert stop at Confectional for cheesecake and then headed home.
It’s not too amazing that I came home from this trip without gaining a pound, because I walked off every bite I ate! Touring around Seattle means walking—up hill both ways. Plus Calvin and I spent a lovely day Friday walking and taking pictures at the Seattle Arboretum and Japanese Gardens, the Bellevue Botanical Gardens and Lake Sammamish Park. The stop in Bellevue included a side trip to Trophy Cupcake—where I tried Vicki’s favorite—the salted caramel. The day was beautiful and it was a great way to visit with each other.
Since we were at a halfway point between Calvin and Vicki’s birthdays, we celebrated with dinner at the Pink Door Friday night—an Italian place with no advertising or sign—just a pink door in the middle of a brick wall on Post Alley. The food was very good—the gelato alone was certainly worth the visit.
Saturday we headed downtown to the Seattle Art Museum and then Lunchbox Laboratory for a the kind of cheeseburger that is too big to bite, but once you do, the juices from Kobe beef, six slices of bacon, cheese and extras run down your fingers and you can’t even think about putting it down. Thin crispy fries and an incredible chocolate shake served in a beaker put this burger joint at the top of my list of favorites.
Saturday was a gorgeous day, sunny and clear, but breezy and cool. We even saw Mt. Rainier driving into Seattle and according to Calvin, any day you see Rainier is a good day. We thought about patio dining for lunch but opted to eat in. Not those Seattleites—the patio was crowded by the time we left. Suffice it to say that sixty-five degrees is their version of eighty-five on the East Coast. No vacation is complete without seeing a movie, so we took in Pirates of the Caribbean on Saturday night followed by a stop Red Mango.
Sunday we crossed the Cascades to visit Leavenworth, a small Bavarian style village set in some pretty nice wine country. A couple winery stops complete with tastings were the highlight of this day although it was pretty neat to cross cold, snow-capped mountains to the pleasant seventy-five degrees that waited for us in the valley. Perfect sit-in-the-sun and sip your wine weather.
On Memorial Day we had no plans but to stay home and play games and have a cook out. I got to play Kinect, Power Grid, and Guillotine. We went for a walk before enjoying our cook out of burgers and pineapple on the grill with Vicki’s pasta salad. We laughed a lot and ate a lot—it was the perfect end to my Mother’s Day gift.
Calvin asked me to name my favorite part of the trip. The answer was easy—“just spending time with you”. Although we had fun going places and I’ll remember this trip fondly, it’s the time spent together that comes home in the heart and that is the gift I will always treasure.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Gettin' Spiffy
None of the following happened because of the impending wedding. It just seems that way. But right now—my house is looking pret-ty goood!
It began with replacing the toilet in our powder room and then escalated from there. I’ve learned that the four most dangerous words in home improvement are “While we’re at it…”
My house is almost twenty years old and it shows. Most of it needs to be refinished, refurbished or replaced. So once we decided to replace the toilet, we determined we should replace the floor, which encompasses the bathroom, laundry room, kitchen and breakfast room.
While we were at it, we took down an oak railing that separated our breakfast room from our family room. Removing it left a narrow gap of family room flooring uncarpeted. Our floor people (who replaced our family room carpet a few years ago) said they could stretch it to meet the new kitchen floor. Of course, to stretch the carpet and install the new flooring, all the furniture and appliances had to be removed. While we were moving our old beast of a TV, we decided to move it right out the front door to benefit the Vietnam Veteran’s Association. A new television is now on the list, but not a priority (at least not till football season). So with an empty kitchen, breakfast room and family room, we decided to paint—all that trim and woodwork was probably the worst part of the entire job!
Since we were updating the flooring, we decided that while we were at it, we would replace the refrigerator and stove and install a microwave over the stove, all to match our relatively new dishwasher. Fortunately, our cabinets are in good shape but new counter tops are slated for another day! Then there are the little things: a new laundry room door, new fixtures in the bathroom, new cabinet hardware and new curtains.
It’s all slowly coming together, but what a job! We have to find that magic stopping point before the wedding so the house isn’t in an uproar. I’ve worked harder over the past month than I have in years, but without Henry’s help, the job would have been impossible. Although, working together on home improvements as a couple opened up a side of our personalities that we don’t often see. Enough said.
This Thursday, I’m off to Seattle to spend a long weekend with Calvin and Vicki—our chance to visit, relax and have fun before the wedding. Calvin has planned a whole itinerary of things to do. I’m fine with anything as long as it doesn’t involve spackle and a paintbrush!
It began with replacing the toilet in our powder room and then escalated from there. I’ve learned that the four most dangerous words in home improvement are “While we’re at it…”
My house is almost twenty years old and it shows. Most of it needs to be refinished, refurbished or replaced. So once we decided to replace the toilet, we determined we should replace the floor, which encompasses the bathroom, laundry room, kitchen and breakfast room.
While we were at it, we took down an oak railing that separated our breakfast room from our family room. Removing it left a narrow gap of family room flooring uncarpeted. Our floor people (who replaced our family room carpet a few years ago) said they could stretch it to meet the new kitchen floor. Of course, to stretch the carpet and install the new flooring, all the furniture and appliances had to be removed. While we were moving our old beast of a TV, we decided to move it right out the front door to benefit the Vietnam Veteran’s Association. A new television is now on the list, but not a priority (at least not till football season). So with an empty kitchen, breakfast room and family room, we decided to paint—all that trim and woodwork was probably the worst part of the entire job!
Since we were updating the flooring, we decided that while we were at it, we would replace the refrigerator and stove and install a microwave over the stove, all to match our relatively new dishwasher. Fortunately, our cabinets are in good shape but new counter tops are slated for another day! Then there are the little things: a new laundry room door, new fixtures in the bathroom, new cabinet hardware and new curtains.
It’s all slowly coming together, but what a job! We have to find that magic stopping point before the wedding so the house isn’t in an uproar. I’ve worked harder over the past month than I have in years, but without Henry’s help, the job would have been impossible. Although, working together on home improvements as a couple opened up a side of our personalities that we don’t often see. Enough said.
This Thursday, I’m off to Seattle to spend a long weekend with Calvin and Vicki—our chance to visit, relax and have fun before the wedding. Calvin has planned a whole itinerary of things to do. I’m fine with anything as long as it doesn’t involve spackle and a paintbrush!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Countdown…A Wedding Update
We all know how quickly time goes by. It doesn’t seem possible that Calvin and Vicki’s wedding is less than two months away. I ordered a dress back in March, which just came in. I have a fitting scheduled for next week, which is good because I leave for Seattle May 26, so now I’ll know how much I can eat during my trip (I’m thinking a stop at Trophy Cupcake is in order). I’ve ordered shoes and a wrap as the dress is sleeveless. Always a good idea to be prepared for a chill even though the wedding ceremony will be late afternoon on a patio that faces west. (Reminder: bring sunglasses—which will be good not only for the sun, but because I’ll probably cry.)
The entire event is at Musket Ridge Golf Club in Myersville, MD. The reception is indoors, after the ceremony—dinner and dancing which should be fun, although I think Henry and I need some pre-wedding practice! The kids decided one venue for both the ceremony and reception would work the best given the accessibility issues some of our older family members have. After all the months that Vicki and her mom have spent planning, it will be fun to see it all come together.
The mother of the groom really doesn’t have too many obligations. Throw the rehearsal dinner and show up on the big day. Vicki just got dates and times to have a rehearsal at Musket Ridge and the minister’s availability decided it: Saturday at around 1:30 pm. I have the rehearsal dinner scheduled at Dutch’s Daughter in Frederick Saturday afternoon following the rehearsal. I still need to firm things up with the planner, because we don’t have the times quite pegged. Dutch’s Daughter is one of our favorite places and a Frederick icon. I wanted to host the festivities at one of our local restaurants because it’s a great way to introduce any non-local guests to our community.
It’s beginning to look like the groom will have more family in from out-of-town than the bride. That’s not saying much, as my family is quite small, but I don’t often get to see my close childhood cousins as we are spread out over the country, so this wedding will be a mini family reunion for us as well. I think most of the wedding guests will be friends of the bride and groom, so I expect it will be quite the party.
And anything that is destined to be quite the party deserves a certain amount of “spiffy”.
Up Next: “Gettin’ Spiffy”
The entire event is at Musket Ridge Golf Club in Myersville, MD. The reception is indoors, after the ceremony—dinner and dancing which should be fun, although I think Henry and I need some pre-wedding practice! The kids decided one venue for both the ceremony and reception would work the best given the accessibility issues some of our older family members have. After all the months that Vicki and her mom have spent planning, it will be fun to see it all come together.
The mother of the groom really doesn’t have too many obligations. Throw the rehearsal dinner and show up on the big day. Vicki just got dates and times to have a rehearsal at Musket Ridge and the minister’s availability decided it: Saturday at around 1:30 pm. I have the rehearsal dinner scheduled at Dutch’s Daughter in Frederick Saturday afternoon following the rehearsal. I still need to firm things up with the planner, because we don’t have the times quite pegged. Dutch’s Daughter is one of our favorite places and a Frederick icon. I wanted to host the festivities at one of our local restaurants because it’s a great way to introduce any non-local guests to our community.
It’s beginning to look like the groom will have more family in from out-of-town than the bride. That’s not saying much, as my family is quite small, but I don’t often get to see my close childhood cousins as we are spread out over the country, so this wedding will be a mini family reunion for us as well. I think most of the wedding guests will be friends of the bride and groom, so I expect it will be quite the party.
And anything that is destined to be quite the party deserves a certain amount of “spiffy”.
Up Next: “Gettin’ Spiffy”
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Penguin Patrol
Henry loves to tell stories. And after a 20-year career sailing around the world as a naval officer and aviator, he has plenty to tell, although some get told more often than others. One unique story centers on the native inhabitants of one of the coldest places on Earth. This story became the subject of Corey’s most recent video project: a documentary titled Penguin Patrol about Henry’s exploits as a penguin wrangler in Antarctica.
While in the Navy, Henry was stationed in Antarctica twice to support research scientists. Support consisted of piloting the scientists around to various locations to do their work and helping them when necessary. One of the projects bestowed upon this group in the mid 1970’s was to collect the penguins that would establish the new exhibit at Sea World in San Diego, California. I think making the video was equally as adventurous as chasing these feathered tuxedoes across the ice.
Henry has boxes of slides, photos and Super 8 home movie reels that document his Antarctic journeys. Corey borrowed this collection and sought to edit pieces and parts into a video using Henry’s narration of the story as the voice over. One weekend he came home to film and record Henry narrating the story. Before coming home, he purchased a used movie projector online in order to digitize the old movie reels. He had the projector shipped to our house thinking it would be there the weekend he came home, but of course, it arrived the following Tuesday.
Corey needed to digitize the film Wednesday so the projector had to get from Frederick to Richmond by Tuesday evening. Easily resolved by “meeting in the middle” at Panera Bread in Dumfries, Virginia. We tracked the package all day Tuesday hoping it would arrive by late afternoon, which it did. Henry and I left the house after work and Corey left Richmond after class. Neither had too long a drive, and the stop in Dumfries yielded good food and another opportunity to see my kid, so that worked for everybody.
Then Corey called and said part of the audio wasn’t working out. So the next Sunday Henry and I tried re-recording a couple sentences using a professional mic and jerry-rigged sound booth. After several failed attempts due to mic problems, we accidentally discovered that the mic on Henry’s computer camera worked better than the one we were using so we were finally able to send a couple audio files to Corey. Which still didn’t work out. On to Plan B, which was to use graphic text instead.
The final result turned out great. Henry loves to tell the story about capturing the penguins and now it’s immortalized on film forever! Now if he wants to tell it, we can all just say, “Stop right there, we’ve seen the movie.” His daughters, budding movie critics and undoubtedly his biggest fans, shared their comments with him. Kimberly wrote from college, “It was really cool—very interesting and informative. It kinda makes you seem pretty old, though.” But Angela delivered the icy blow, “Gee Dad. I forgot you kidnapped penguins."
Life is tough when you’re a star.
While in the Navy, Henry was stationed in Antarctica twice to support research scientists. Support consisted of piloting the scientists around to various locations to do their work and helping them when necessary. One of the projects bestowed upon this group in the mid 1970’s was to collect the penguins that would establish the new exhibit at Sea World in San Diego, California. I think making the video was equally as adventurous as chasing these feathered tuxedoes across the ice.
Henry has boxes of slides, photos and Super 8 home movie reels that document his Antarctic journeys. Corey borrowed this collection and sought to edit pieces and parts into a video using Henry’s narration of the story as the voice over. One weekend he came home to film and record Henry narrating the story. Before coming home, he purchased a used movie projector online in order to digitize the old movie reels. He had the projector shipped to our house thinking it would be there the weekend he came home, but of course, it arrived the following Tuesday.
Corey needed to digitize the film Wednesday so the projector had to get from Frederick to Richmond by Tuesday evening. Easily resolved by “meeting in the middle” at Panera Bread in Dumfries, Virginia. We tracked the package all day Tuesday hoping it would arrive by late afternoon, which it did. Henry and I left the house after work and Corey left Richmond after class. Neither had too long a drive, and the stop in Dumfries yielded good food and another opportunity to see my kid, so that worked for everybody.
Then Corey called and said part of the audio wasn’t working out. So the next Sunday Henry and I tried re-recording a couple sentences using a professional mic and jerry-rigged sound booth. After several failed attempts due to mic problems, we accidentally discovered that the mic on Henry’s computer camera worked better than the one we were using so we were finally able to send a couple audio files to Corey. Which still didn’t work out. On to Plan B, which was to use graphic text instead.
The final result turned out great. Henry loves to tell the story about capturing the penguins and now it’s immortalized on film forever! Now if he wants to tell it, we can all just say, “Stop right there, we’ve seen the movie.” His daughters, budding movie critics and undoubtedly his biggest fans, shared their comments with him. Kimberly wrote from college, “It was really cool—very interesting and informative. It kinda makes you seem pretty old, though.” But Angela delivered the icy blow, “Gee Dad. I forgot you kidnapped penguins."
Life is tough when you’re a star.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Spring Break!
When I was in college, the big spring break destination was Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I never went because I spent most of my spring breaks working extra hours at my job and being basically a no-life college student. To be fair though, I went to Oklahoma one year, but that was with my brother, so I’m not sure it counts.
When Corey announced that he was going to New Orleans for spring break, I had two thoughts: “Oh no!” and “How wonderful!” Typical mom worries influenced one thought and envy the other. Corey’s roommate Brian has a good friend who goes to school at Loyola and the boys wanted to go down for a little R&R. Brian doesn't drive and I wasn't so crazy about Corey taking his 94 Honda Accord for a 2,000 mile spin. Then he told me that his friend and classmate Michele, who lives in New Orleans and drives a newer model Subaru Outback, would be going home for spring break along with a friend and he and Brian were going to ride along and share gas and driving. Great plan!
New Orleans is 1,000 miles from Richmond, a trip that would take about 16-17 hours. They wanted to do it in one day and with three out of four driving it didn't seem like it would be too bad. Pretty much a straight shot down I-85. And since Michele lived in New Orleans and had made the trip back and forth a number of times, I felt comfortable knowing that she would be familiar with the route. But somehow, after Atlanta, this group ended up heading down I-75 to Florida.
The mishap was a combination of group dynamics (a polite way of saying that Michele’s friend turned out to be a controlling feminist Nazi type), which allowed irritation and frustration levels to max out, and not using the GPS, which was in the car the whole time. (Go figure.) I had to wonder though, how someone who lives in Louisiana doesn't realize for almost 300 miles that they weren't going to Louisiana. I guess Michele didn't know her way home as well as I thought she would. So when they didn't arrive in New Orleans at the expected time, I was a little concerned. Especially since Corey's cell phone was dead and I didn't have any one else's number. OK, I was a lot concerned.
I found Brian's mother's number, called her, and that's when I discovered they had taken their five hour detour. Eventually, they landed in New Orleans, very tired, but safe. A week filled with a crawfish boil, beer, the French Quarter, skateboarding, and just hanging out with friends turned out to be a pretty good time. The trip home was far less eventful; at least they didn't see any "Welcome to Florida" signs. Dumping Michele’s friend at the Greyhound bus depot in Atlanta also helped. Smile.
When my brother and I went to Oklahoma for spring break we visited family and saw bison, big horn sheep, prairie dogs, oil wells, tornado weather and even received a “police escort” to the local station in Anadarko for doing 30 in a 25mph zone. (Go figure.) We didn’t get to Oklahoma by way of Florida, but we still had fun. After all, spring break is spring break!
When Corey announced that he was going to New Orleans for spring break, I had two thoughts: “Oh no!” and “How wonderful!” Typical mom worries influenced one thought and envy the other. Corey’s roommate Brian has a good friend who goes to school at Loyola and the boys wanted to go down for a little R&R. Brian doesn't drive and I wasn't so crazy about Corey taking his 94 Honda Accord for a 2,000 mile spin. Then he told me that his friend and classmate Michele, who lives in New Orleans and drives a newer model Subaru Outback, would be going home for spring break along with a friend and he and Brian were going to ride along and share gas and driving. Great plan!
New Orleans is 1,000 miles from Richmond, a trip that would take about 16-17 hours. They wanted to do it in one day and with three out of four driving it didn't seem like it would be too bad. Pretty much a straight shot down I-85. And since Michele lived in New Orleans and had made the trip back and forth a number of times, I felt comfortable knowing that she would be familiar with the route. But somehow, after Atlanta, this group ended up heading down I-75 to Florida.
The mishap was a combination of group dynamics (a polite way of saying that Michele’s friend turned out to be a controlling feminist Nazi type), which allowed irritation and frustration levels to max out, and not using the GPS, which was in the car the whole time. (Go figure.) I had to wonder though, how someone who lives in Louisiana doesn't realize for almost 300 miles that they weren't going to Louisiana. I guess Michele didn't know her way home as well as I thought she would. So when they didn't arrive in New Orleans at the expected time, I was a little concerned. Especially since Corey's cell phone was dead and I didn't have any one else's number. OK, I was a lot concerned.
I found Brian's mother's number, called her, and that's when I discovered they had taken their five hour detour. Eventually, they landed in New Orleans, very tired, but safe. A week filled with a crawfish boil, beer, the French Quarter, skateboarding, and just hanging out with friends turned out to be a pretty good time. The trip home was far less eventful; at least they didn't see any "Welcome to Florida" signs. Dumping Michele’s friend at the Greyhound bus depot in Atlanta also helped. Smile.
When my brother and I went to Oklahoma for spring break we visited family and saw bison, big horn sheep, prairie dogs, oil wells, tornado weather and even received a “police escort” to the local station in Anadarko for doing 30 in a 25mph zone. (Go figure.) We didn’t get to Oklahoma by way of Florida, but we still had fun. After all, spring break is spring break!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Things happen in threes, right?
When your house is nineteen years old, be prepared for anything to happen. First we noticed a water spot on the kitchen ceiling, right below the upstairs bathrooms. There was no evidence of a leak in either bathroom, such as water on the floor, so we figured something was going on inside a wall. Henry removed the toilet, cut out a large chunk of drywall, and sure enough—there was a leaking pipe. Then, while preparing dinner on a recent evening, I heard an odd sound that I first thought was the microwave—sort of a squeaky wheel sound. On closer inspection, I discovered the sound was actually coming from the basement, from the furnace fan motor to be exact. The same fan motor which decided to quit and leave us without heat that weekend. One plumber and one furnace repairman later, I walked into an upstairs bedroom, hit the light switch and nothing. Two rooms were without electricity. After replacing the circuit breaker and still no juice, it was time to call an electrician. So, we’ve had a lot of unexpected company recently. They were all very nice and they all left with their wallets a little fatter.
Random household repairs aren’t the only things you’re faced with when your house is nearly twenty. As a single mom, busy raising two boys with limited financial resources, there just wasn’t money, time or know-how to keep the house repaired and up-to-date. My house has a lot of character but it also has old appliances, worn carpeting, shabby flooring, outdated kitchen and bathrooms, a deck and porch that desperately need refurbishing, and walls that are begging for a fresh coat of paint. Where to begin?
Now that Corey and Kimberly are winding down their college careers, Henry and I are thinking about the next step—retirement from our current jobs, relocating and finding new endeavors to keep us engaged. So for the next two to three years before Henry can retire, our goal will be to update my house for our own use and enjoyment, but also to make it more marketable, all without investing a fortune. (Sounds like a topic for another blog.)
Step one: a new kitchen floor.
Random household repairs aren’t the only things you’re faced with when your house is nearly twenty. As a single mom, busy raising two boys with limited financial resources, there just wasn’t money, time or know-how to keep the house repaired and up-to-date. My house has a lot of character but it also has old appliances, worn carpeting, shabby flooring, outdated kitchen and bathrooms, a deck and porch that desperately need refurbishing, and walls that are begging for a fresh coat of paint. Where to begin?
Now that Corey and Kimberly are winding down their college careers, Henry and I are thinking about the next step—retirement from our current jobs, relocating and finding new endeavors to keep us engaged. So for the next two to three years before Henry can retire, our goal will be to update my house for our own use and enjoyment, but also to make it more marketable, all without investing a fortune. (Sounds like a topic for another blog.)
Step one: a new kitchen floor.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Years in Review
Recently I've had several reasons to go through some old photos. It's been a part time project since last August to sift through the thousands of photos I've taken and collected over the years, saving only the best in order to have them digitized. Also, I've been looking for a photo of Calvin when he was little to use for the childhood portrait I want to do for Calvin and Vicki's wedding. Then Corey called the other night and needed "as a huge favor" photos to complete a video project about Home.
Looking at old photos is both pleasure and pain. Pleasure in the fun and memories. Pain in watching my smooth-skinned, youthful appearance "age gracefully". Every year there are a few more wrinkles, especially neck wrinkles and this chin thing that my brother so delicately refers to as the turkey wattle. Where did that come from?
One thing that is quite evident from the past twenty years or so, is that my kids have had some very good times! Birthdays, holidays, vacations, summer fun in the pool, winter snow piled high, Easter baskets, crazy homemade birthday cakes, beach trips, Florida trips, poses with the dog, friends, each other, year after year after year and always with big smiles on their faces.
I couldn't help but think--so much joy! I must have done something right. Something that makes the wrinkles seem worth it.
Looking at old photos is both pleasure and pain. Pleasure in the fun and memories. Pain in watching my smooth-skinned, youthful appearance "age gracefully". Every year there are a few more wrinkles, especially neck wrinkles and this chin thing that my brother so delicately refers to as the turkey wattle. Where did that come from?
One thing that is quite evident from the past twenty years or so, is that my kids have had some very good times! Birthdays, holidays, vacations, summer fun in the pool, winter snow piled high, Easter baskets, crazy homemade birthday cakes, beach trips, Florida trips, poses with the dog, friends, each other, year after year after year and always with big smiles on their faces.
I couldn't help but think--so much joy! I must have done something right. Something that makes the wrinkles seem worth it.
Friday, February 11, 2011
A Rose by any Other Name
My brother sent me an email this morning. He had written today's date and remembered that our parents were married on this day sixty-one years ago. He said moments like this always left him feeling a bit sad. Just prior to getting his email, I had remarked to my co-worker that today was my parents' anniversary. My brother and I had the same thought at practically the same time.
A shared thought is not so unusual for us. It's happened before. Mom's name was Rose--short for Rosella. Often, for her birthday or Mother's Day, I would choose a card with roses on it. My brother would do the same. On several occasions, she received the exact same card from us even though we purchased them separately. After she passed away, we even found that our dreams about her were very similar.
Over the years there have been isolated moments when I've really felt her presence. I've built a tradition of making a wreath of roses and ribbon to take to the cemetery every Christmas since she passed away. Usually, my children, Henry or my father would go with me, but one year I went by myself, which was very unusual. Cedar Hill Cemetery is old, with narrow winding lanes and huge trees and large granite stones. As I turned a corner and went up the hill to the family plot, I was met both visually and aurally by the largest flock of crows I have ever seen. As I drove past, they slowly lifted from the ground into the air and just as slowly settled back down to the earth like a rolling wave. I really felt my mother's spirit in their greeting. I knew she was there.
For most events and experiences that I think Mom would have loved to have been a part of, my way of including her memory is to wear a necklace that my Dad gave to me the day she died. It's a simple gold chain with a miniature replica of a gold dollar coin. He said it was the last piece of jewelry that she wore.
Memories are the only thing that we can both hold close and share at the same time. But nothing changes the fact that we will always miss her.
A shared thought is not so unusual for us. It's happened before. Mom's name was Rose--short for Rosella. Often, for her birthday or Mother's Day, I would choose a card with roses on it. My brother would do the same. On several occasions, she received the exact same card from us even though we purchased them separately. After she passed away, we even found that our dreams about her were very similar.
Over the years there have been isolated moments when I've really felt her presence. I've built a tradition of making a wreath of roses and ribbon to take to the cemetery every Christmas since she passed away. Usually, my children, Henry or my father would go with me, but one year I went by myself, which was very unusual. Cedar Hill Cemetery is old, with narrow winding lanes and huge trees and large granite stones. As I turned a corner and went up the hill to the family plot, I was met both visually and aurally by the largest flock of crows I have ever seen. As I drove past, they slowly lifted from the ground into the air and just as slowly settled back down to the earth like a rolling wave. I really felt my mother's spirit in their greeting. I knew she was there.
For most events and experiences that I think Mom would have loved to have been a part of, my way of including her memory is to wear a necklace that my Dad gave to me the day she died. It's a simple gold chain with a miniature replica of a gold dollar coin. He said it was the last piece of jewelry that she wore.
Memories are the only thing that we can both hold close and share at the same time. But nothing changes the fact that we will always miss her.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Looking for the Sunshine
This winter has been too cold, too icy and too long. We passed through January in hibernation mode. It is the month of paying Christmas and tuition bills, assembling tax info, preparing for the FAFSA, and gathering financial documents for scholarship applications. One word sums it up nicely—UGH! With Corey entering his senior year in the fall, this is the last year for scrambling to meet FAFSA and scholarship deadlines. There is some measure of sunshine in that thought.
Another studio session started at our local art center, the Delaplaine. I opted to do color pencils again since I’m still working on a portrait of my mother that I started at the end of the last session. Once I finish, I’ll start on my idea for Calvin and Vicki’s wedding. I want to take an image of them both at around four years old and do a combined portrait to display on their wedding day and to have as a keepsake.
The wedding has definitely been on my mind. I’ve been thinking about the rehearsal dinner and getting a dress to wear to the wedding. Rehearsal dinner ideas have ranged from an informal gathering at one of our local wineries to a sit down dinner at one of my favorite Frederick restaurants, Monocacy Crossing, or perhaps one of Frederick’s wonderful downtown restaurants. I’ve even thought about breakfast or brunch—we don’t really know when the rehearsal will be and probably won’t until about April.
The mother of the groom dress hasn’t been more than a thought at this point. I’ve looked at some websites, checking out styles and colors. Not sure if I want to go long or short or something in between. I’m not very motivated by the thought of shopping, but I am motivated by the idea of having nothing to wear to the wedding!
January took Corey and Kimberly back to college and Angela off to her new job with the Richmond ballet. It’s nice to have two kids in the same place for at least a few months. This past weekend we headed to Richmond to deliver a much needed bed to Angela, see her new apartment and meet her roommates. We took a few things to Corey as well. Lunch at the Village Café with both kids and Corey’s roommate Brian was the day’s highlight. The food was great and the company was even better. It just felt good to be sitting there with the kids, visiting, eating and enjoying a break. It was definitely a sunshine moment.
Another studio session started at our local art center, the Delaplaine. I opted to do color pencils again since I’m still working on a portrait of my mother that I started at the end of the last session. Once I finish, I’ll start on my idea for Calvin and Vicki’s wedding. I want to take an image of them both at around four years old and do a combined portrait to display on their wedding day and to have as a keepsake.
The wedding has definitely been on my mind. I’ve been thinking about the rehearsal dinner and getting a dress to wear to the wedding. Rehearsal dinner ideas have ranged from an informal gathering at one of our local wineries to a sit down dinner at one of my favorite Frederick restaurants, Monocacy Crossing, or perhaps one of Frederick’s wonderful downtown restaurants. I’ve even thought about breakfast or brunch—we don’t really know when the rehearsal will be and probably won’t until about April.
The mother of the groom dress hasn’t been more than a thought at this point. I’ve looked at some websites, checking out styles and colors. Not sure if I want to go long or short or something in between. I’m not very motivated by the thought of shopping, but I am motivated by the idea of having nothing to wear to the wedding!
January took Corey and Kimberly back to college and Angela off to her new job with the Richmond ballet. It’s nice to have two kids in the same place for at least a few months. This past weekend we headed to Richmond to deliver a much needed bed to Angela, see her new apartment and meet her roommates. We took a few things to Corey as well. Lunch at the Village Café with both kids and Corey’s roommate Brian was the day’s highlight. The food was great and the company was even better. It just felt good to be sitting there with the kids, visiting, eating and enjoying a break. It was definitely a sunshine moment.
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Weather Inside Is Frightful
I am a planner. If twenty people who know me best had to come up with one word to describe me, it would be “organized”. This rings very true at work and makes my job easier. Plus my vendors tell me they love me for it. At home it’s somewhat of a different story. I’m still a planner. And I’m still somewhat organized, but I call it organized chaos, because my once neat and tidy home has become a receptacle for massive quantities of “stuff”. Now most of that stuff is there for reasons that are quite acceptable. Henry moved in two and a half years ago so we have all of his stuff. My father downsized when he moved in with my brother so I have stuff that belonged to him and my mother. My kids accumulated stuff throughout college, which somehow found its way into my basement. Plus I have all of my own stuff that I’ve acquired over the years.
My basement is like an obstacle course. Henry’s office is in the basement so that’s one corner. I have an area that I’d like to call an art studio in another corner, but between Corey and me, we have so much “art stuff” lying around that there is no room to work. There are boxes and bins filled with photos, frames, books, kitchen ware, personal trinkets, gadgets, games, toys, clothes plus extra furniture like chairs, lamps, desks, tables, all held onto just in case one of the kids needs something for an apartment. My Christmas stuff fills up about ten big bins plus four boxes for the artificial trees. There are an untold number of boxes that have “Henry stuff” in them that have never been unpacked. And one grand piano, which simply won’t fit anywhere upstairs.
It’s definitely time to put a new face on our basement. I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but the proliferation of “stuff” has become overwhelming. I have been thinking about it for far too long. It’s time to start doing something about it, even if it’s just one square foot at a time.
Hmmm…Sounds like a plan.
To be continued…
My basement is like an obstacle course. Henry’s office is in the basement so that’s one corner. I have an area that I’d like to call an art studio in another corner, but between Corey and me, we have so much “art stuff” lying around that there is no room to work. There are boxes and bins filled with photos, frames, books, kitchen ware, personal trinkets, gadgets, games, toys, clothes plus extra furniture like chairs, lamps, desks, tables, all held onto just in case one of the kids needs something for an apartment. My Christmas stuff fills up about ten big bins plus four boxes for the artificial trees. There are an untold number of boxes that have “Henry stuff” in them that have never been unpacked. And one grand piano, which simply won’t fit anywhere upstairs.
It’s definitely time to put a new face on our basement. I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but the proliferation of “stuff” has become overwhelming. I have been thinking about it for far too long. It’s time to start doing something about it, even if it’s just one square foot at a time.
Hmmm…Sounds like a plan.
To be continued…
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