Sisters

All my life I wanted to have a sister. When I was little I begged my mom to bring me a sister. She refused and said that I would have to happy with brothers. I always knew I was missing something wonderful. I have had many girlfriends across the years, but really only one who has shared so much of my life that she is like the sister I always wanted. Her name is Dot.

We met at church almost forty years ago. Across the years we have helped to raise each others children. We have shared the good times and the bad times and all the in between times. We have laughed till it hurt and cried till the tears were gone. We have held each other when there no words to be said. We now go long periods of time without seeing one another, but we always know that we are there for each other. I am blessed to have her in my life.

Her husband, Mark, did indeed have a stroke on Tuesday night. The CT scan done that night in the emergency room missed it, but when an MRI was done the next morning the large bleed into the left cerebellum was obvious. He has been transferred to a rehabilitation hospital where he will have to teach the right side of his brain to do the things that were formally done by the left side. He should recover. I will again share this hard part of the journey with my friend.

This video describes how we share life with our sister friends.

Two AM

It was a wonderful day in history. I was overwhelmed at the enormous crowd who braved the cold and the crowd to bear witness to this moment in history. It was a day of great emotion and joy. The crowd was happy, patient and well mannered. They had all waited so long for this moment that a few hours of cold and crowd seemed to be a minor inconvenience. President Obama gave a short eloquent speed. Aretha sang that beautiful song wearing that wonderful hat I loved the closing benediction by Dr Lowery who ended the benediction by saying, “let those who love justice and mercy say ‘amen.’”
Amen, Dr Lowery, Amen and amen.

The phone rang in the early evening. My best friend's husband had collapsed and she couldn't get him up off the floor. She called 911. He was taken to the ER by the paramedics who thought it might have been a stroke. After several hours of tests and waiting Mark was admitting to the hospital for more test. The CT scan said there was no acute problem, but something unknown is going on. Sitting on a straight chair at a friend's bedside was not how I had planned to spend the evening. He was looking a bit better when they finally took him upstairs to a regular bed and his wife and I came home to get a little sleep. We neither one had been invited to one of the inaugural balls so we didn't have other plans for the evening anyway.

Tomorrow will be a new day.

Dreams

I was awakened last night to my husband's screams. My husband does not scream so I was startled and afraid. He was dreaming that some “bad guys” were removing the window over our couch and were breaking into our house. He was screaming in fear. We do not have a window over our couch. We've never had a window over our couch. No one has ever broken into our house. So can anyone interpret that scary dream for him?

This morning he said had had a second dream last night. In this one he was going out to lunch with some of his coworkers from NASA. While they were waiting for a table his brother who is alive and well and some of his long dead uncles and grandmother came into the restaurant to eat. They had just been on a tour of NASA. He went over to visit with his relatives while they waited. He woke up before they had talked very long. Can you explain that dream?

Just thought I would give you something to ponder besides the inauguration of our new president. I am planning to watch TV all day tomorrow and enjoy this moment in history.

Swim Meet

Yesterday I watched my son in a swim meet. The last time I watched him compete in a meet he was a senior in high school. Now he is now the father of a high school senior. He swam in two events, the 500 yard freestyle and the 100 yard butterfly. He was really tired after the 500 free. That's a long race. He said he could tell that he was no longer seventeen. The 100 fly was better for him. Even though his time was ten seconds slower than his high school time he made the cut off time and qualified for nationals this summer. I was very proud. I think he looks pretty good for an old guy.

Inauguration

For those of us who live and work near Washington DC, the inauguration is local news. We hear new details daily about how this very big, historic, and exciting event is going to affect our lives. I am thrilled that Barack Obama is about to become president, but there is no way I would go anywhere near Washington on Tuesday. Here is a list of my reasons to stay home to celebrate.

1.It is cold. There have been multiple articles about how to dress to endure hours of standing in subfreezing cold. I hate being cold. I don't own enough clothes to survive that long outside.

2.It will be crowded. Millions of people packed in shoulder to shoulder for as far as the eye can see sounds scary to me. It makes me claustrophobic to think about the crowd.

3.I might need to use the toilet. Every port-a-potty east of the Mississippi will be lining the Mall and the parade route and there will be long lines for all of them. They will not be heated and the seats will be too cold to sit on.

4.It will be nearly impossible to drive into town. All of the bridges across the Potomac will be closed so driving will be only possible from the Maryland side. The traffic will be unbelievable. If you do manage to drive downtown there will be no parking anywhere near anything.

5.Metro will start running trains at 4AM. Metro hopes to be able to transport about 100,00 people per hour. The waits will be very long to move the millions of people expected. Parking at all metro stations will be gone by 5AM.

6.Security will be on high alert. If you do manage to get to the Mall you will have to endure long lines to get through security. Carrying enough food and water to survive the day and still make it through security will be a challenge.

I plan to enjoy the day at home with a few friends, but millions of people are planning to endure all the hassles of the day just to be there for this moment of history. There is great excitement. The sense of celebration and history is drawing million of people.

If Washington DC were your hometown would you endure the cold and the crowds and the problems to be there for the celebration?

Nixon

We went to see the movie Frost/ Nixon last night. It was very well done and was a very entertaining movie. The character of both men was well portrayed. I highly recommend it.

I grew up in Whittier, California, Nixon's home town. When I was in the sixth grade Nixon became Vice-President. My teacher that year had been Nixon's teacher when he was a sixth grade student. She was extremely proud. Our school did not own a television set, but the inauguration that year was a must see experience for us. She arranged for a school bus to take all of us to the home of one the rich kid's in class. His parents owned a big TV (24inch screen) and we all sat in their living room to watch that historic moment. I was very proud of our hometown hero. Earlier that year my dad and I had stood in line for several hours to meet him. I actually shook Nixon's hand and refused to wash it for several days. After his famous “Checkers” speech I went with my dad to the Western Union office to wire a message of support for Nixon. Nixon was our man. There was a large sign as you entered Whittier proclaiming our fair town to be the home town of Richard Nixon. Later I voted for Nixon both times he ran for president. The whole Watergate affair broke my heart. It seemed impossible that this man I had so admired had behaved in such a dishonest way. The polls all showed that he was far ahead in the polls. He did in fact win by a landslide. Watergate was so stupid and so unnecessary. It was a sad and painful time for our country.

Old Age

When I started this blog I named it “The Best is Yet To Be” because I wanted to see if old age really would prove to be the best part of my life. So far the adage is holding true for me. In spite of aches and pains that make me grumble, my beloved and I are both healthy and able to do the things we love. Life is good.

I have spent time with several friends this week who are a little older than me. Their life is not good right now because the problems of old age have caught up with them. As the body wears out life can become very difficult. One dear friend has recently had to give up driving. Her body has become frail with chronic health issues and life is hard. I did a little grocery shopping and a few household chores she is no longer able to do. She needs help that she cannot afford and resents needing. Another of her dear relatives died this week. She grieves alone because she has outlived so many family members. This is not the best part of her life.

I took lunch to an older couple I know. They are sweet people with a bright outlook on life, but they have become frail. They need to move to a place where they can have more help and not be alone. They don't want to move. They don't want to give up driving. They want to be able to do what they have always done, but it is no longer safe. Their children worry about them, but they refuse to move just yet. This is not the best part of their life.

Another dear soul fell this week. When they took this ninety year old man to the hospital it was discovered that he has pneumonia and is quite sick. He has some dementia and is confused and afraid. His wife of many years sits with him all day to keep him calm, but she is also ninety and is completely worn out. This is not the best part of their life.

The list goes on, but you get the idea. Old age can really be awful. It is lonely,undignified and depressing. My beloved and I will be old like these dear friends one day not too far away. We have made plans and prepared for that time, but it is not a time I look forward to.

The top picture is of my sweet grandparents shortly before they became really old. They had lived a long and happy life. Don't they look happy?
Shortly after that picture granddaddy became blind. The picture below is of him and my grandmother in their backyard, “walking the line.” My uncles stretched a clothesline across the yard so he could have a guide to walk safely around the yard. He was able to stay home until my grandmother's death. He spent his last years in a nursing home. It was not the best part of his life.

The last picture shows me with my mom and dad and brothers the day before we moved dad to the nursing home. He spent four years there before he died. Those were very hard years. It was not the best part of our life.

Have you made plans for the days when you become really old?

Joe

My brother Joe was born on New Year's eve, 1937. I can't remember him ever having a birthday party. Every Christmas we got a big package full of presents from our Texas relatives and there would be one wrapped in birthday paper that Joe had to wait and open on his birthday. On New Year's eve we had an end of the year party with noisemakers and confetti, but I don't remember anything about it ever being a party for Joe. Maybe he had a party and being the little sister I just don't remember.

When we were little Joe teased me and made me cry. It seemed to me that he took pleasure in making my life miserable. He shared a room with our older brother, Bill, who was always reading a book and ignored our squabbles. One time I remember that Joe would not allow me on his side of their bedroom, but Bill would allow me on his side. To get to Bill's side of the room I had to run across Joe's side. Naturally I only wanted to play with Bill when Joe was there so I could taunt him from the safety of Bill's protection.

Something strange happened when Joe was in high school. He started being nice to me. When I got in trouble he would sit and talk to me and tell me things would be OK. On a few occasions he asked me to join him and his girlfriend for a day of hiking. He became my friend.

The picture is Mom with baby Joe

Updates

I glanced through my posts from the past year and thought I would give a few updates on things I have talked about in 2008.

Thank you for all your comments and prayers for DQ. I just talked to him and he is doing OK. His acetone levels are near normal. His sugar is still high, but the doctors want to bring it down slowly as they adjust his insulin level. He sees the doctor again tomorrow. DQ says diabetes is annoying.

I talked with my brother Bill today. He is not doing well. His beloved Jean remains in the rehab facility with injuries from her head injury last summer. She is completely paralyzed on the left side with no hope of improvement. After being in a coma for two months she awoke to a world of pain and dependence for all her daily needs. They are both suffering from overwhelming depression and unable to find much joy in their life. It is difficult.

Our number one granddaughter is searching for a job. Due to the poor economy Disney had to cancel their professional intern program. She had planned to continue her internship through June, but her job, like many others, was eliminated. She is hoping to remain in Orlando and is looking for work there. With tax season approaching she is expecting to find an accounting job soon. We are praying that she will find something quickly.

The company my daughter and son-in-law opened last spring is growing. 2008 was not the best year to start a new business so the growth is slower than they had hoped, but it looks like it will soon be a successful, money-making company. They are working hard and are hopeful for the future.

We are making a few plans for adventure in 2009. It will be hard to top last year's trip to the Galapagos Islands, but we are looking forward to wherever the future takes us.

Diabetes

After a wonderful Christmas celebration, our sixteen year old grandson DQ came to stay with us for few days. He didn't seem to feel quite right. He wasn't hungry, very unusual for this boy. He couldn't get enough to drink and he couldn't sit through a meal without getting up to use the bathroom three or four times. He was tired all the time and he had terrible fruity smelling breath. I knew before his dad took him to the Urgent Care center Sunday what the diagnosis would be. He had all the classic symptoms of diabetes. When the lab report came back his blood sugar was 1100, about ten times the normal level. He spent the next three days in Children's Hospital while trying to get his sugar under control. The doctors say he will be on insulin the rest of his life. DQ will need to make some major life style changes to get this disease under control. It will be a hard thing for this boy and for his family. He came home after dinner on New Year's eve. The new year will be a year of big adjustments for him.

Happy New Year to all my blogland friends. I am looking forward to all the good things God is going to send our way in 2009.

Christmas

The highlight of our holiday arrived during our Christmas Eve service at church.

We were all feeling a hole in our celebration because our eldest grandchild could not get off work. Christmas is a busy day at Disney World and she was in Orlando working. We were trying to accept that she was grown and this was a normal part of growing up, but we were all a bit sad. The worship service had just begun. My son-in-law was the liturgist for the evening and was preparing to read the scripture when I noticed my tall, handsome grandson walk into church. He had a girl with him. I wondered who this girl was when I recognized that it was my sweet granddaughter smiling at her brother's side. I left my place in the bell choir to hug this beautiful girl who had surprised us all and was not working at Disney World after all. When I looked up at her dad he was grinning and crying. This girl was the best present this family could receive.

It was wonderful to have my children and grandchildren together for Christmas. We enjoyed presents, food , conversation, games and laughter. In the afternoon we all enjoyed a nap and then settled in for more fun, laughter and conversation.




Tomorrow we drive to West Virginia for two days to visit with grandchild number eight. We have not seen her for many months and it will be good to see how much she has grown.

We do feel blessed with the love of our wonderful family.

Merry Christmas

God bless us, everyone!

Party

This weekend I am hosting my first annual Christmas blog party. You are all invited. It's an open house potluck so do come any time. I'll be providing some delicious home made eggnog, both with and without the brown liquid flavoring, and of course my world famous gumdrop cake. You can bring whatever you think we need to make it a real party.

The tree is decorated and I have all your presents wrapped and waiting by the prettiest tree we ever did have. I bought them all at the alternate gift bazaar I recently attended.

For my kids, grandkids and my Fowler cousins I purchased a gift of sight by paying for cataract surgery and eye care for someone who would otherwise be blind. This gift is in honor of Granddad Fowler and Gramma Byrtle, who lived their last years in blindness.

I next purchased training for a village health care worker and midwife in a village where there is no health care. I am giving this to my nurse friends, Cazzie, Julie, and Rosemary. I just knew you all would like it.

Sling, I got you something special. I paid for kitchen and bathroom cabinets to be used in a Habitat for Humanity home. I doubt they will be as beautiful as the ones you can build, but they will be appreciated by a family moving into their own home.
For my quilter friend ,Anne, I bought two warm blankets to keep a homeless person warm. They are not the beautiful works of art you create but they are warm.

I next bought some school supply kits to help needy children. I picked these for Lorraine and Jeannie and Tracy who work so hard to see that their kids have a good education.

Greeny, I knew this was just perfect for you. I picked garden tools and seeds to help people in the third world grow a garden so they can have good food to eat and to sell.

Middle Child, I had to think a bit before I picked your gift. Then I remembered you once said rain water was your favorite drink. For you I bought the gift of fresh, clean, safe water. You are helping people in Guatemala enjoy cool, clear water. Yolinna, thank for helping me pick out this gift.

John, I bought you a flock of chickens. I figured in your busy, full household you wouldn't mind having a bunch of chickens running around and laying eggs. Or maybe you can throw them in the back of the truck and tell a wonderful story about them. I know they will be appreciated.

I am giving Craig and Diane the gift of nutrition education and good food for the hungry to say thank you for all their work in bringing food to our tables.

Just Me, I am giving you a donation to the interfaith food pantry. It just seemed like the right gift from this Christian lady to the rabbi's wife.

Now that the gifts have been opened, enjoy another round of eggnog and enjoy the company of friends here at our blog party.

Merry Christmas. God bless us everyone.

Concert

One of my favorite things is being part of the senior chorale. Almost a hundred of us old folks get together every Thursday and practice singing. I had never been a part of a singing group until I retired and I find I really love it. My fellow chorale member are a lively bunch of people who love life. We have a great time together. Our young director is quite demanding and works us hard. I think we sound pretty good when we finally get ready to perform. Our holiday program this year was all hallelujah music. All the songs were based on that wonderful word, hallelujah. It was great fun to perform before an audience of over 500 people.

Gumdrop Cake

I have just put the gumdrop cake in the oven. Now Christmas can come.
This cake was made by my mother-in-law every Christmas and I have made it now for the past forty-seven Christmases. My daughter has been making one for the past twenty-four Christmases. It takes a little bit of time because you have to cut up two pounds of gumdrops into small pieces. It is hard because the pieces always stick together and the knife gets all sticky. The effort is worth it and the cake is part of what makes Christmas really Christmas. It looks like a fruit cake but tastes much better.

What food makes you know that Christmas is almost here?

Gumdrop Cake
By Gramma Kay

1 lb. seedless raisins
2 lbs. Gumdrops – No black ones (Buy lbs. ‘cuz we always snitch)
4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-cup margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbs. hot water

Cut up gumdrops into sifted flour.
Add nuts and raisins. (If you don’t mind picking them out later)
Add all other ingredients

Bake in big wax paper lined pan for 2 hours on low oven (250 – 275 degrees)

A family tradition every Christmas !

Cell Phone

I have lost my cell phone. I really don't use it a lot, but I do feel incomplete without it. What if I need to call someone? What if someone needs me? If I can't find it I will have to recreate my whole phone book. That will be hard. I do hope I find it soon.

Could you get along without your cell phone?

Holiday Eating Tips

I received this in a recent email. It contains important advice for this time of year.

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit.  In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately.  Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can.  And quickly.  It's rare.  You cannot find it any other time of year but now.  So drink up!  Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip?  It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something.  It's a treat.  Enjoy it.  Have one for me.  Have two.  It's later than you think.  It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it.  That's the whole point of gravy.  Gravy does not stand alone.  Pour it on.  Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes.  Fill it with gravy.  Eat the volcano.  Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk.  If it's skim, pass.  Why bother?  It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating.  The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free.  Lots of it.  Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's.  You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.  This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge.  Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention.  They're like a beautiful pair of shoes.  If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies.  Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat.  Have a slice of each.  Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin.  Always have three.  When else do you get to have more than one dessert?  Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake?  Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost.  I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.

Astronomy

My astronomer took this picture as he left work one evening this week. He loves it when the night sky does something spectacular. Seeing the moon between Venus and Jupiter fits his idea of spectacular. He called to make sure I went outside to see this unusual sighting. It is unusual to see such bright stars in the evening sky. I was glad he made me look skyward.

According to Bob Ryan, our local TV weatherman, if you took one trillion dollar bills and stacked them end to end, they would reach from the U.S. treasury building to the planet Venus. Venus is far away. One trillion is a very big number.

Kennedy Center

Last night we completed a lovely holiday week-end with a trip to the Kennedy Center. I always enjoy attending performances there. It is such a glamorous place and it touches me with a sense of history. Last night we sat in the beautiful concert hall and listened to some outstanding music, a performance by the honors musicians in our local county schools. The band was excellent, as was the orchestra. After the intermission the elementary school honors chorus sang. In the center of the front row was my beautiful young granddaughter. The concert hall was filled with their sweet, young voices and I began to cry. My grandbaby was singing on stage in the Kennedy Center. It was a lovely moment that just overwhelmed me.

She beamed from the stage and waved to her family. Many of the big family who love her were there. Besides her grandparents, her mom and dad, her sister and brother, her dad's girlfriend, her mom's boyfriend, and her mom's boyfriend's mother came to share her moment of glory. She is loved by all of us. We are a modern American family.

25 Blessings

I've been challenged to name twenty-five things for which I am grateful. Here's my list in no particular order.

1.The aroma of coffee first thing in the morning.
2.Baking cookies with my granddaughter.
3.The telephone. I would miss so much without my phone.
4.My family. We come from a long line of love.
5.My happy bell place. I love my bell practice sessions. Laughter and music make a good combination.
6.Old pictures that bring back a lifetime full of memories.
7.My country. I love that this nation is able to change it's leaders peacefully with the voice of the people being heard.
8.The Bible. I love the lessons I learn every time I study this book.
9.Water aerobics. It is wonderful to find an exercise that I enjoy and does not make my knees hurt.
10. Chocolate
11. Blogging. I love the community of friends that I have found in Blogland.
12. My washer and dryer. Never let me forget that laundry means I have clothes to wear.
13. Sleeping with the man I have loved for more than forty-seven years.
14. I love the gift of time that comes with being retired. I have time to play.
15. My hearing. I love that I can listen to music and the giggles of my grandchildren.
16. Good books that make me think and carry me to faraway places.
17. God's amazing grace.
18. Long conversations with good friends.
19. A big world full of interesting, beautiful paces yet to be explored.
20. Lilacs, and roses, daffodils, gardenias, sweet peas, petunias ,tulips and all the flowers that make the world so pretty.
21. Eagles soaring high in the sky.
22. Children's drama and music productions, and the people who work so hard to make them possible.
23. Modern medicine and good medical facilities nearby
24. Family reunions.
25.Faith that gives me hope for tomorrow.

What are you thankful for today?

Pierce Butler

This picture was taken in 1939, the year Pierce Butler died. The baby in the photo is my beloved husband. He is being held by his Uncle Pierce. It was not until the family gathered at my mother-in-law's funeral that I learned the story of why Pierce received his name.

During World War I my husband's grandparents lived in a small town in Minnesota. They, like most of the country, were caught in a patriotic fervor caused by the Great War. When it was learned that the local banker was a German sympathizer many of the townsmen, including Grampa Charles, became very upset. They were indignant that a prominent citizen sympathized with the enemy and decided to teach him a lesson. One night a vigilante group kidnapped the hated German sympathized and took him outside of town where they tarred and feathered the poor man. Grampa Charles ended up in jail for his participation in the incident. A young lawyer in town volunteered to represent Charles. The lawyer was Pierce Butler. Grampa promised the lawyer that if he could get him out of jail then he would name his next son after the lawyer. Grampa was released from jail without being convicted of any crime. A year later Grampa became the father of child number eight. As promised the boy was named Pierce Butler.

A few years later the lawyer was appointed to the Supreme Court by Warren Harding. Pierce Butler served on the court for sixteen years. He was known for his conservative views and was part of a group referred to as the Four Horsemen for their opposition to most of FDR's New Deal policies.

Got any good stories in your family history?

16

Tonight our family gathered to celebrate DQ's sixteenth birthday. We had steak, baked potatoes and Caesar salad at the birthday boy's request. Of course we had chocolate birthday cake. I love that my family lives close enough that we can frequently celebrate together.

DQ was adopted into our family when he was three years old. We love this boy and rejoice that he is ours.

How did you celebrate turning sixteen?

Old Pictures

I have been going through old pictures for the past week. It is a bit overwhelming to wade through this treasure of memories. They are stored in boxes, drawers, and old albums. There are at least a million of them, maybe a billion. Some are of people and places long forgotten. Some are priceless treasures with powerful memories. What do you with all of your old pictures? What shall I do with mine? There are just so many of them.

This pictures was made in 1992. It was taken on my mom's last visit here, the visit where she first met her great grandchildren, Ashley, John and Samantha. This one is obviously a treasure that should be passed on to the next generation of my family.

Christmas Cards

For more than sixty years my mother-in-law sent out her Christmas greetings on postcards. She wrote a little note that reflected what was going on in her family and in the world. Her brother the printer made them for her at no cost. Postcards were only a penny each when they began sending these notes in 1941. Reading through them now I see her life unfold. She writes of her boys and how they grew. She writes of the world and how it was. She talks about the joy of grandchildren and the travels she and Bill enjoyed in retirement. At the end she talked about the loneliness of widowhood and her hope for the future. We always looked forward to her Christmas card, eager to see what she had to say each year.

I looked through these cards last week and was stuck by how little the world has changed. Her card from 1952 could have been written this year. She talks about the big changes coming to Washington, about the economy, about climate change, about her hope that the war would soon end, and how she hopes that all the changes will be good for America.

As we go through today's big political and economic changes, I find comfort in knowing that it was all going on in 1952 and we are all still here.

Lucerne Valley

While going through a box of old pictures this week I found this one that I had never seen before. This is a picture of my husband as a boy with his brother and cousins near his Aunt Ruth's cabin in the desert near Lucerne Valley in California. You just have to love this picture of boys gathered around the skeletal remains of some animal they had found while playing near the cabin.

The cabin was a favorite vacation spot for my husband's family. It was a twenty by forty foot concrete block building with a shady porch and an outhouse that my husband remembers building. There was no electricity, no running water and no neighbors for miles. He and his cousins spent hours roaming the desert. He learned to shoot a rifle there, although the rabbits he tried to hit were relatively safe. He learned to shoot a bow and arrow and then to hunt for arrows all over the desert. At night everyone dragged old mattresses out from the cabin and slept under the stars. It was dark and clear. You could see shooting stars falling out of the sky.
It is a place full of wonderful memory.

Where did you play when you were a child?

Kay

Today is my mother-in-law's ninety-eighth birthday. Kay's life was dedicated to her family. She loved her husband and three sons enormously. Her grandchildren were the light of her life. She delighted in them. When they were little she taught them all the songs she had sung to her boys when they were little. She was a wonderful grandmother.

Shortly before my father-in-law died Bill helped her to tape-record all the nursery songs she had sung with the little ones. They are both gone now. We miss them. This recording is a priceless treasure. Here is the voice of eighty year old Gramma Kay singing one of her favorites,Red Wing.

Happy birthday, Gramma Kay.

Church

Sunday is my favorite day of the week because it is church day. I love going to church for all sorts of reasons. I'll talk about yesterday to see if I can explain.
I slipped into a pew next to my daughter and looked around the room and smiled. People I love are everywhere I look. I feel a sense of community and belonging. In the four years since we came here this group of believers has become family. I feel like I am part of a lovely family reunion where all the generations come together to celebrate that we are family. It is a warm, safe feeling. Then the music began and we sang,

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
Let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand,
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

The music and words began to fill me and seemed to thin out the space between God and me. God felt near. We prayed together. I love to hear the voices of this family when we pray. I think God smiles at our worship.
Yesterday two children were baptized. It was awesome to see this young family dedicate themselves to teaching their children to learning about a loving God and then to hear the congregation promise to help to show these little ones that God is love. It was a moment of sweetness.

After worship service we all met again in the fellowship room. Coffee is an important part of becoming a family. We talk and share life with one another. Yesterday we had something extra, The Christmas Gift Market. This was a chance to see some of the different mission activities people in the church support. Instead of buying trinkets to give as Christmas gifts we are honoring others with a gift to a worthwhile charity. There were all sorts of opportunities to help others in need. I went shopping for all of you, my blog friends. I will wrap up something for each of you to put under our blogland Christmas tree.

I am a Christian. Church helps me to worship the Almighty. I feel blessed.

Emotion

This has been an emotional week for our country. It is hard to not be touched by the euphoria and excitement seen over and over again on the faces of people from around the world. It is touching to see the tears of people who have seen an impossible dream come true. There have been spontaneous celebrations everywhere. It is an amazing thing to watch. So much emotion and joy is a wondrous sight

Today I sang in a Veteran's Day program at the local senior citizens center. It was a day meant to honor those men and women who have served our country in the military. At one point in the program we sang an armed forces medley. As we sang the veterans in the room stood to be honored. These men are now elderly. They need canes and walkers to help them move. They are mostly veterans of World War II, men who are proud of their service. Many were overcome with emotion as we honored them and thanked them. One little old man stood with difficulty as we sang the Marine Corps Hymn. He stood as tall and as straight as his frail body would allow and he cried. I missed a couple of notes as I watched this man. This man and the others in the room did what needed to be done to protect and to serve this nation. It is because of what these men have done that we are able to vote. Our celebrations of post-election victory come because brave men and women like these have been willing to serve their country. I wanted to cry with thanksgiving as I watched them.

May we always be thankful for those who have been willing to serve our country.

Prayer

Almighty God,

Today I am praying for this nation of mine, this country that is my home. I am thankful for this country and all the good things that come to me because I am an American. I love this country. Today we are ending a long, difficult presidential election. I am thankful that this campaign has been fought with words and ideas instead of with war and guns. The words, though, have been painful. This long period off emotional campaigning has left us tired and fearful. I pray that when tomorrow is over we can begin to heal. I pray that we can grant one another grace and forgiveness. I will be disappointed if my candidate does not win, but I promise to pray for whoever wins tomorrow. I will pray that our next president has the wisdom, the courage, and the good health to lead this country to a better place.

God, heal our land. Bless us with grace peace.

My eleven year old granddaughter celebrated her October birthday last night with a Halloween party. It was great fun. Her friends gathered in their costumes in time for pizza and a few games before heading down into the very scary basement. Her thirteen year old brother and his friends had created a haunted house there complete with the body parts of an old witch. I'm not sure how scary it was, but there were lots of screams and excited kids running in circles. After being thoroughly frightened the kids settled down to watch Michael Jackson in his Thriller. Most of these eleven year olds had never seen it. Then it was time to get flashlights and head out for an evening of trick or treating which was well chaperoned by my devilish daughter and her beau, George W.

I hope you all had a delightfully devilish Halloween

Happy Halloween

Thriller

I go to a water aerobics class several times every week. We usually do a lot of walking, jogging and jumping jacks in the pool. It is a fun class full of energetic senior citizens. Our instructor decided that today we would celebrate Halloween by dancing in the water. The dance we tried to do was Thriller. Picture a group of about twenty gray haired white ladies, most of them in their seventies and eighties, trying to do the zombie walk in the pool. The life guard nearly split his sides laughing. We got so tickled with ourselves that we had tears of laughter running into the pool. This was one of those moments when being old was pretty fun.
I can assure you that we looked nothing like this.

Pictures of Life

We have one of those digital picture frames sitting next to my computer. I look at it a lot. It contains random pictures of my family and some our many adventures. There is picture of my granddaughter being inducted into the Honor Society followed by a picture of my daddy when he was young and handsome. There is a picture of me at a Halloween party in a bright orange dress and then a picture of my infant son. There are several pictures from our cruise to Alaska and one of us by Niagara Falls. A photo of us with all our kids and grandkids gathered around a Christmas tree comes up after an image my young mother in the funny hat she often wore to church. I have a picture here of my great-grandparents who died before I was born and then one of my grandsons playing at the beach. It is a very random collection of memories. I like that I never quite know what will come up next. It is like my memories of life. It is not a nice, neat series, but just a jumble of life with all sorts of emotions. Life is just a messy collection of moments that add up to make us who we are today. I love my random collection of pictures.

Ashley

Today is granddaughter #1's twenty-second birthday. I find it hard to believe that I have a grown up granddaughter. She was a baby just yesterday. Now she is living in Orlando working in an accounting internship at Disney World. She is a self-supporting grown-up young lady. Time really does fly.
The picture is of her standing in front of Casey's Corner, a hot-dog eatery on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. She worked there for four months before getting in the the accounting internship.
Isn't she beautiful?

Who?

Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, Ralph Nader, Chuck Baldwin. What do these people have in common with Barack Obama and John McCain? They are all running for president of the United States of America.
We received a sample ballot in the mail this week end. I was surprised to see that there were actually six candidates on the ballot plus a write in option. If you are still one of the undecided voters it seems that there are more options than I realized.
Our ballot also has two proposals to amend the state constitution. The first question is whether or not to allow early voting in Maryland. This is obviously already being done in other states. It seems like a good idea to me. Do you have any opposition to early voting? My neighbor says it increases the probability of voter fraud. What's your opinion?
The second question is whether or not to allow state sponsored slot machines. This idea is being pushed by the horse racing industry as a good way to increase funds for public schools. I'm not sure what I think about this one. It seems like lower income folks would be the ones who spend the most here and I'm not too comfortable with the whole idea. I know a lot of people love to play the slots. Bus loads of senior citizens travel to neighboring states to spend a day with the slot machines. What do you think? Are slot machines a good way for the state to raise money for the schools? Or is this just a way to enrich the racing and gaming industry?

Today is my firstborn daughter's forty-fifth birthday. We went out to lunch and had a lovely time celebrating together. Today's lunch was nice, but not nearly as memorable as her twenty-first birthday celebration.

Laurel had been married four months on her twenty-first birthday. She and her sweet young husband were living in Nashville Tennessee. She was far from home and a bit homesick. Her husband and I decided to surprise her on her birthday with the thing she was wanting the most, a visit from her mom. He told her that he had invited a classmate home and to prepare a little extra for dinner. A friend picked me up at the airport and just before dinner I walked into their little apartment. She screamed and jumped up and down for a long time. She just couldn't believe I was there. During the night she tiptoed into the living room to check and make sure that I was really there sleeping on their couch. She was very excited. The next day she had to go to work and I set about making birthday dinner and a birthday cake. Laurel loved spice cake and I came prepared with the ingredients for her favorite cake. I had made birthday cakes for her and her sister and brothers every year. I was a good baker. My cakes were always good – except that year. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but that was the ugliest cake I have ever made. When I started to spread the icing the cake started to split down the middle. I tried to repair the split with toothpicks and more icing. The split widened. There was a large gap that just grew beyond fixing. There was no time to bake another cake so we just celebrated with the world's ugliest cake. My beautiful daughter loved it. We ate every ugly bite with gales of laughter. That birthday cake is remembered with more smiles than any other I have ever baked.

Happy birthday my beautiful girl. I love you.

Autumn

We had a lovely day Saturday. Our son and grandson joined us for day of play. I'll share a few pictures
The color was not quite at it's peak, but the trees were still beautiful as we walked in the Catoctin Mountains.



We rested at Cunnigham Falls.


This covered bridge near Thurmont Maryland reminded us of quieter, more peaceful times.


You had to hold your nose to take a picture of 15,000 turkeys. They really did stink.


The day was topped off with a chance to go pumpkin chunkin'.

The Gift of Music

After water aerobics this morning I went to chat with a couple of my classmates. Their words left me feeling sad, angry and frustrated. They were telling one another why they were voting against Barack Obama. One said the only reason his mother got him up at four-thirty in the morning was to pray. His mother was a radical hippie who was teaching her son to be a Muslim. His mother had never really married his father and she was just going from one Muslim man to another. They were afraid of Obama because he is black and he could never understand how white people feel. I wanted to say many things, but there is no rational argument that is effective against bigotry and racism. I did say I thought they had some misinformation and that I would vote for Obama. They changed the topic and I soon left. I found their words disturbing because they were just a representation of the irrational fear they felt. It depressed me.

This afternoon I went to practice singing with the senior chorale. We are preparing for our holiday program which will be a set of ten hallelujah songs. There is quite a variety of music, everything from Handel to Ray Charles. The music we sang today was all happy, foot tapping , clapping music. It made me feel good to sing it. The room was filled with a happy sound that pretty much washed away the sadness of the morning.

I love that God has given the gift of music.

This is not our chorale singing, but it is one of the songs we are practicing. How can you not be happy singing this?

Weddings

I love weddings. They are such happy, hopeful occasions. Love is in the air. The bride and groom are overwhelmed with romance and wonder. Families celebrate the joy. Friends share the love and the excitement. People travel from around the country to be together for the celebration. Weddings are just fun. Of course there is the whole serious side of the wedding that this couple is promising to share a lifetime together. It is a serious commitment. It is just a beautiful occasion.
This past weekend we joined our good friends Tim and Julie as their son Cory married his sweetheart. He and Brittaney seemed so happy. It was wonderful to see two families come to bless this young couple and to celebrate together.
Congratulations Cory and Brittany! God bless you on this new journey of life.

The bride and groom and Ava share a dance


Ava, the flower girl, daughter of the bride and groom


Drew and Mary Kate, brother and sister of groom


Tim and Julie, the groom's parents

The election next month will mark the twelfth time I have voted in a presidential election. Six times I cast a vote for the winning candidate. Three times I voted for the Republican. I voted for Nixon, as did most of the country, and I voted for George H Bush. I will vote with the Democrats this election, meaning that nine times in twelve I voted Democrat. My first presidential vote went to Lyndon Johnson. LBJ for the USA was the chant around the country. It was shortly after the Kennedy assassination and LBJ was still riding JFK's popularity wave. He won in a landslide against a senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater. I thought Goldwater was as scary as the current candidate from Arizona. I was afraid that he would take away social security and I was afraid that he would lead us into a nuclear holocaust. The times were scary. I remember lines stretching several blocks to vote in that 1964 election. People waited for hours. This is one of the ads run by LBJ that year.



I am more excited about and interested in the current campaign and election than I ever remember before. It is the first time I have ever felt strongly enough to donate my money towards a campaign. It has been a long, arduous campaign. I will be glad when it is over.

Who was the first person you voted for to be President of the United States?

Debate

I watched tonight's presidential debate. Truthfully I thought it was a bit boring. It was serious and civil and just a repetition of things they have both said before. This was no game changer. I still like Obama. I suspect those who liked McCain before the debate still like him afterward. I will be very glad when this election is over and we can talk about something else. It has just gotten meaner and dirtier lately. It is hard to listen to any more.
Today I went to class at church, went out to lunch with my husband and a good friend, went shopping, got a haircut, ate Chinese food for dinner and went to a deacons' meeting at church. What did you do today?

The Kingston Trio

A man who was an important part of my life died this week. I never met him, but he was a big part of my coming of age. His name was Nick Reynolds. He was the lead singer for the Kingston Trio. The music sung by this group filled my world in the years when I left home and began life as a young adult. It was the music I heard in the dark little cafe, the Ly Bayou, where my husband and I would hang out with a bunch of our college friends and talk about all the big, important issues of life. It was the music I heard on the radio at night in my dorm room. It was the music I played on my record player. Today when I hear these songs I am once again a nineteen year old girl filled with sadness for poor old Tom Dooley and wondering just Where Had All The Flowers Gone. The big question for all of us was whether or not Charlie would ever return.

Lexie Sue

Eleven years ago today I was in the delivery room with my daughter as she gave birth to her third child. It was an unbelievable experience to be present with my little girl as she went through labor and delivery. I can find no words to adequately describe what it felt like to be present at that time. When the moment of birth finally arrived her husband stood on one side and I stood on the other as she delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl. My little girl cried with relief and joy as she told me this baby would be named Alexandra Susan. This baby would carry my name. I cried at that and felt overwhelmed with joy. The new father and I stood gazing at this new life when I became aware of a commotion behind me. The obstetrician began barking commands. I heard words like hemorrhage, her pressure is falling, turn up the IV, may need to do surgery. My little girl was in trouble. I was overwhelmed with different emotions as I watched doctors and nurses rush to help her. Scared does not begin to describe the emotions surging through me. I don't know how long it was before the doctor finally said that it looked like everything was under control. They would keep my girl in the delivery area overnight where she would be monitored closely. If she was still OK in the morning we could assume all would be fine. All was well in the morning and the joy again overwhelmed the fear.
Lexie Sue is now a beautiful and talented young lady who brings this family great joy. Happy birthday Lexie Sue.

NASA

This week NASA is celebrating its fiftieth birthday. For forty-five of those years my rocket scientist husband has been involved with NASA and the exploration of space.He has many memories of his years there. He remembers launching rockets from White Sands, New Mexico. He worked with astronauts Grissom, White and Chaffee and was stunned with grief when they were killed in a fire on Apollo I. He has worked with projects little know to the public and with one project that won Nobel Prize. He studies the outer reaches of the universe and looks at the light left over from from creation. He loves his job. He is a lucky man.

NASA has given us many advances in science and technology. For me the moments I remember are moments of great human emotion. Do you remember these words?

“Houston, we have a problem.”
“The Eagle has landed.”
“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
“The Challenger has exploded.”

Happy 50th NASA

Choices

Near our house there is a busy highway interchange. The merge lane from the small road onto the highway is two lanes wide. Traffic is merging off the highway and onto the highway in the same merge lanes. The merge lanes are rather short so it is necessary to move into the oncoming traffic quickly and avoid being hit by one of the cars exiting the highway. It is one of those places where you have to pay attention. My husband and I have different strategies for this problem. He moves into the far right merge lane so he can observe the exiting traffic and then crosses both lanes of the merge area into the main flow of cars. I move into the left merge lane so I am closer to the main highway. That way I have less traffic to cross before I am in the main flow. He thinks his way is better. I think my way is better.

This little scenario is similar to the way people in this country are making political choices this fall. We all look at the same problems. We study what is happening and choose the route that seems like the best solution to what we see is going on. We don't always come up with the same solution to the same problem. I do not think my husband is wrong because he has chosen a different way to behave when merging into traffic. He understands that I think another way is better. We respect each others opinion and each of do what we think is best.

I wish we could be that civil about politics. I have looked at the big problems this country is facing and have decided that Obama and the Democrats are the better choice for my vote. I resent being called an assortment of bad names and having my intelligence questioned by those who disagree. We live in a very diverse country. Different opinions are normal. I just wish we could respect one another and not stoop to childish name calling when we come across people who have come to a different conclusion. It would be nice if we could respect one another and behave in a civil manner.

Fall

Today at 11:44:18A.M. EDT it officially became Autumn. I can tell by a quick glance in my backyard that Fall is here. My dogwood tree is covered in red berries and leaves are starting to change from green to yellow and red. The air is crisp and clean. I love this time of year. I love the colors. I actually like raking leaves into giant piles. Sometimes I still jump into those crunchy brown piles and am filled with laughter. I look forward to pumpkin pies, and drives through the colorful mountains to buy crispy apples and maybe a bag full of apple donuts.
My first memory of Fall came the year after we were married, 1962. We went to Sequoia National Park in California that September. Growing up in southern California I had never known any change in the seasons. That Fall the mountains were covered in bright yellow aspen trees quaking in the breeze. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. I stood mesmerized by the color. The pictures we took then still remind me of that sense of awe I felt that year seeing those magnificent colors.
What memories do you have of Fall?

Byrtle

My mom's name was Byrtle. Today is her birthday. She would have been 103 years old. Mom has always been my hero and the example of the kind of person I want to be. Now that I am a senior citizen I am still looking to her for examples of how to behave. This picture was taken when my mom was eighty-five years old. She was posing for a picture to advertise the church basketball team. If Byrtle could shoot baskets at eighty-five I guess I still have a lot of living left to do.

Happy birthday mother.

Sarah Palin

My daughter AM recently posted this on her blog. In my opinion her words need to read by more people,so I am copying her post for you reading pleasure.

Monday, September 15, 2008
Rinsing the second tub of brown soapy water out of the tub where I was washing my son’s lacrosse gear, I was prompted to think of pitbulls with lipstick. Was I, as lacrosse mom, willing to call myself a bitch like Sarah Palin? Isn’t that what she meant when she called herself a female dog?

In order for a woman to get ahead in the world of business, politics, and even church, women have to have a little ferocity. What is called power and ambition in men is often called bitchiness in women. That reaction is so common, that women have taken back the word. I have received chain e-mails defining bitch as a Babe In Total Control of Herself. One of my favorite songs is by Meredith Brookes on her “Blurring the Lines” CD simply called “Bitch.”

I’m sure I have been called a bitch. I heard it when I was a teacher. I imagine it happened behind my back at work a time or two. It may have entered my children’s minds. There have been a few romances gone badly that may have inspired someone to utter the word in reference to me. I’m sure Hillary Clinton has been called a bitch.

As I laid the dripping, Crisp Linen scented lacrosse pads out to dry in the sun, I considered what has moved me to snarl through my lipstick and call someone a bitch. I don’t think I’ve ever called someone a bitch to her face. When someone takes an offensive position, choosing to bare their teeth and overlook a host of more civilized responses, she is being a mean bitch. When a woman behaves offensively, saying cutting words that are impulsively stupid, I might call her a dumb bitch. There are equivalent terms for men who are mean and stupid, but that is another essay. Bitch means mean.

I know some women joke around and call each other bitches as part of their friendship culture, but I don’t joke around like that. Isn’t that the same double standard as black people calling each other nigga? They are both derogatory terms. It wouldn’t be funny if Obama used that word to describe himself. I didn’t think Palin was funny either. She undercut herself with that comparison after have risen so unexpectedly to this height. It was disrespectful. Although we are accustomed to a mean vice president, I don’t think we necessarily need meanness to be part of the job.

What ever happened to diplomacy? How about dignity? I’m tired of leadership that behaves embarrassingly. I want a leader for my country who can reach a hand out to the world without his or her middle finger raised.

I am so glad that we as a country have opened up enough to have women taken seriously enough to run for major political offices. I just wish it was a woman who was valued for her intelligence, diplomacy, compassion and experience.

The choice of Sarah Palin bothers me as a feminist because she seems to have been chosen for her appearance. It seems youth and beauty still trump experience. The same women who faulted Hillary for “only” being the First Lady and a freshman senator are waving around Palin signs with lipstick on them.

What about Senators Hutchinson, Mikulski, or Madeline Albright? Does a woman’s appearance still count for more than her experience? Does she have to be a bitch in high heels? Can’t she just be qualified? I see the answer to those questions in the paper every morning.

I know, I know that Obama doesn’t have any more experience than she does, but he has the dignity and intelligence I think a president should have. I think Hillary would have been better, but it seems that America wasn’t ready for a woman with authentic strength. McCain is too outdated, not to mention Republican. His back up plan, Palin seems ill-equipped for the job. If you took away all the personalities and appearances, I would still vote Democratic. I’m sure that when the Democrats win, Palin will use those eight years to get some authentic experience and study up. Now that she has been yanked into the spotlight, she is here to stay.

Choosing a woman because of the emotion she incites is not exactly the reason I would vote for a woman. When the excitement has subsided, I want someone who can take this country to new heights. We have been brought low these last eight years. This lacrosse mom is looking for a new leadership that will make us a winning team again. I’d love a woman to be in command, but not a bitch.
Posted by AM Kingsfield at 9:22 PM

John

Today is grandson number one's nineteenth birthday. Happy birthday to my sweet, compassionate guitar hero.

The Evening News

Watching the evening news is depressing. I don't mean all the depressing stories about the bad economy, never-ending wars and catastrophic weather events, it's the commercials that depress me. During the thirty minute broadcast I saw ads for products to help my osteoporosis and ads for men with an enlarged prostate. There was one for men who are concerned about their gray hair and one telling the wonders of vitamins for the mature adult. There was of course the ad with a couple sitting in two bathtubs on the beach, which always seemed a bit odd to me. The product they advertise is for erectile dysfunction with the caution about calling the doctor after four hours. These ads are a break from the constant barrage of mud-slinging politics, but they did make feel old.

My assumption from the ads is that only old people watch the evening news.

Sofie

Today we celebrate my fourth grandchild's fifteenth birthday. Sofie is a sweet young lady with many talents. She has a beautiful voice and sings in the chamber choir. She does well in school , making mostly good grades. She is a queen bee in her church youth group. She is constantly surrounded by a group of friends who are nice kids. She is a master at texting. I have watched her and her friends text each other on their cell phones while they are sitting next to one another. This beautiful girl loves me. She is one of God's great blessings.

I love you, Sofie. Happy birthday.

Enough

I'm sick of political sound bites and mud slinging. There are many issues that need to be discussed in this campaign. I understand that this country of ours is a very diverse place and we will have different opinions on which candidate will do the best job. It would be good to discuss those issues. But instead all I heard about today was lipstick and silliness. Enough is enough! I refuse to listen to any more of this garbage.

Magic Kingdom

We have just returned from a lovely visit with our granddaughter, our Disney princess. She is loving working in the Magic Kingdom. It was great fun have her as our guide through this place that she feels is her own The picture is our Princess Pixie Dust with some girl named Cinderella.

Disneyland and Disney world are places full of magical memories for us. Every place we turned we were reminded of other times when we were there.

May 15, 1960 was the day my beloved asked me to marry him. We celebrated by going to Disneyland where all the lights and magic were just for us. The Peter Pan ride is always a wonderful romantic memory for us. As the years went by we were blessed with four children. We took them to Disneyland, all dressed in matching shirts so we could find them more easily. Seeing it all through their believing eyes was one of the best moments of parenthood. The children grew up and blessed us with eight grandchildren. We took them all to Disney World. Watching them bubbling with joy at the sight of Mickey Mouse and all the other characters was such fun. Now our oldest granddaughter is working for Disney and as a young adult still enjoys the magic.

For our family it really is a Magic Kingdom.

Princess Pixie Dust

Greeting from Orlando, Florida.

We arrived here Sunday night after driving south on I-95 for two days. Our purpose was fulfilled when our beautiful granddaughter, Princess Pixie Dust, got off work. She has been working here in the Magic Kingdom since May. She is having a wonderful time, but was in great need of a hug from her gramma and grampa. It has been wonderful to listen to the high drama of a genuine Disney princess. She is sharing an apartment here with six twenty-one year old women, so life is full of great drama.

Tomorrow she is taking us to Disney's Animal Kingdom so grampa can see birds. Thursday she is taking us to see her Magic Kingdom. It is wonderful to be here with her.

I'll post some pictures when we get home.