Monday, May 27, 2019

MOMENTS and MEMORIES

As a child, every other Sunday, I accompanied my mom and pappy to a place called Sylvan Retreat. First we would stop at The 7-Day Market picking up a hoagie and an ice cold bottle of Tab for Mom and a Pepsi and pint of Sealtest chocolate ice cream for my mom's mother. Mom called her Mother. I called her my mom's mom. I was always excited to see Pappy and Mom's mom on those bi-weekly visits. First Dad would go to Midlothian to pick up Pappy and bring him to our house. Mom dreaded those Sundays when she'd feel obligated to drive to Cumberland to visit with her Mom and I remember her complaining a lot on that day. But she was faithful in her visits and I'm sure that meant a lot to my grandma AKA Mom's mom, even tho 'Gram' didn't quite understand what was going on around her.
We would sit in the car and visit. Mom and Pappy in the front seat and Mom's mom and me in the back. Excited, I could not wait to open the special gift that Mom's mom had for me, a bobby-pin and a piece of gum or maybe a simple piece of colored paper, folded snuggly inside a thick beige stocking and tied tightly with a piece of string.
Feelings of sadness yet intrigue oozed from my every pore as I watched the delicate, frail, gray haired woman spooning the creamy melting chocolate from the cardboard container and rambling on about nothing. She was a simple soul, carrying a lifetime of sorrow within her wrinkled exterior.
I'm not sure if her belly would be full or if she just liked saving the last of the ice cream for me, but to my delight, I would always be given her leftovers. Then Mom, Pappy and her would chat about nothing for a while and I would ask Mom if I could go for a walk.
My walk took me just down over the hill from our parked car and to a field where beyond the fence lived a herd of cows I referred to then as my friends. My imagination allowed for deep conversation with these black and white cows and I could tell by those trusting eyes staring back at me that these cows got me! "I'll be back in 2 weeks," I would say upon my departure... and they understood.
Our drive home was one of relief for Mom I'm sure, for she had put in her time and had done what was right putting aside her weariness of working full time and taking care of 7 kids.
Sacrifice is a showing of true love. It's easy to do something when you want to do it. But it can seem an imposition when it is something that pierces your daily routine and takes you from your comfort zone of peace.
Mom's sacrifice on those visits to her mentally ill mother back then taught me a lot. There was so much giving! Pappy would come armed with little black licorice sugar coated babies to hand out to us kids. Mom would give her mom ice cream and pepsi and even more importantly - her time! Mom's mom would give me a gift and then she'd save the last of her ice cream for me. Those cows gave me a friend and a listening ear. And now that I am an adult, my hope is that those role models from yesterday have impacted me to where I too, can be a role model for those around me.
Never underestimate the power of a moment.
For in that moment, you just may see God working in a life, or two or three.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

MOTHERS DAY POST

I am moving over some posts from another blog that I started... so this might seem overkill for a while with the posts, but I am trying to simplify things for myself.  Ha!  Fat chance, right?

MOM

You have been gone for over twenty years now.  I still miss getting you a card on this special day.  I miss talking to you on the phone, taking you to dinner, and just hanging out with you.  You were such fun to be around and you had a good heart.  I will always remember you with love.


Monday, May 20, 2019

ReConnecting and Poor Gracie

It's been a week of re-connecting with old friends.  

Socks was Gracie's buddy from when she was a wee-one.  Heidi (socks mama) and I used to take Gracie and Socks for walks together.  I had lost touch with Heidi for about five years.  It was good to find her home, finally!  We had a nice time catching up.


And then there was dinner with some 'old' school pals... tho they (we) are anything but old!!  Quite the contrary.

Our memories may not be as sharp as they once were and just maybe a couple of us have an ache and pain or two or three.   But still...

We remain young at heart....


Mother's Day flowers from the kids remain just as fresh as they were a week ago.


And I am still enjoying their beauty.  Each time I walk through my house I'm like, "Wow, I can't believe how pretty these flowers have stayed".



Gracie has one very nasty ear infection and I am suspect that it is another case of otitis media.  Her hearing is about 75% impaired at this point, and so I will be loading her into the car shortly for another visit with Dr. Fox.


We don't laugh enough.  And so, I leave you with this:


Hope you all are having a great start to the week!

Monday, May 13, 2019

The Candlestick

Some complain about the rain we've been having...  but I'm seeing lots of lovelies as a result of that rain.


Fairer weather marks the start of busy times for our gang.  Lots of goings on...  Like this fun play we went to with some friends on Saturday.


It just so happened that Summer's karate instructor was playing the part of the candlestick so hugs were in order.


Beauty and The Beast was per Marissa's request.  And so it was.  And we had great seats, VIP tickets that got us up close and personal with the cast.



On Sunday my daughter gave me the gift that means the most - she attended church with us.
Then it was off to IHOP for some food and laughs.







Monday, May 6, 2019

TAKE ME AWAY, CALGON

Sometimes life can really beat you up.  The more you try to do things the right way, the more frustrated you get when all around you falls apart.

Okay, let's put things in the first person now.  What has been happening with me lately that has me in a frazzle, you ask?

Well, first and foremost is TAXES!  I was dumbfounded to have my business license renewal form come back stamped 'forfeited Oct 2018'.  Seems my simple assessment taxes were not filed in 2017 but were filed in 2018 ... so  really?  SERIOUSLY?

I have always had total faith in my tax guy - but when he refused to return my calls or emails when I reached out for HELP and REASON as to why he hadn't filed this when he was supposed to have filed it - I lost that faith.  All I needed was "I'm working on it," or "I'm sorry - we will get this taken care of" but nah, nothing.  I talked to his wife 2X and his secretary 2X and was promised a phone conference with him on Wednesday of last week but...  NOTHING.  (oh, and as a side note:  shortly after I sent him an email titled:  I will no longer need your services - He writes back - making it sound like I was impatient.  what?!  Very disappointed in him).

So on Friday I met with a new CPA and we spent a couple of hours filing what we needed to file and talking about what needed to be done next in order to get my business license reinstated etc.  Oh, the red tape!!!  Today it was here and there and everywhere trying to get answers and the correct thing to do.   One person says one thing, another says just the opposite ...  and it seems nobody really knows what the correct steps are.

I will do my best to follow the procedure that I at this time understand to be the correct one, and I will write out some more checks.  Then I will cross my fingers and hope for the best, because that is where I am with this mess.

*sigh*

All other irritations are secondary to this one at this point so I will stop there.  It's no wonder I escape to camp and nature and serenity each chance I get.

*Getting *Too *Old *For *This *Aggrevation  !!!!