by jphilo | Nov 27, 2012 | Top Ten Tuesday
November’s 30 days of gratitude project will be over in just a few days. For the past two Tuesdays, because I seem to have trouble following the rules, I’ve listed ten reasons to be thankful per week rather than one per day. Today, I’m back with ten final reasons (in no particular order) to be grateful.
- Mom’s love of reading and history which she passed on to all her children.
- A public library that turned our kids into avid readers, and offered books, audiobooks, and DVDs that provided endless free entertainment.
- Our seven years in Camp Crook where we were loved, supported and made life long friends among the hearty people in cowboy country.
- My dad had a great sense of humor he passed on to his kids and grandkids.
- Burgie’s Coffee Shop in Ames.
- My Uncle Jim and Aunt Donna. They added adventure and love to my young life.
- Family Camp in Idaho every summer.
- The best group of high school friends ever.
- A solid public school education thanks to dynamite teachers.
- The television show, Parenthood.
That’s the last of this year’s thankful lists. But it wouldn’t be hard to think of more. What about you? What are you thankful for today? Mention one thing or two or ten or even thirty in the comment box.
by jphilo | Jun 15, 2011 | Out and About
This week’s look back in the archives comes from June of 2009. I wrote it after Mom and I took a quick road trip to the town where she taught school for over 30 years, the town where I grew up. Two years have passed, and I’m even older enough to be a grandma, but our kids have not yet added that role to my job description. Since I still feel too young for the job, I’m really and truly okay with that!
Coffee Club Update
Mom and I have returned from our travels. In our 36 hours away from home the grass grew exponentially, much to Hiram’s chagrin, and the weeds did, too. Mom went to bed early and slept in late, and this morning she mentioned again how much she enjoyed the trip.
The highlight of the excursion was the impromptu coffee my Aunt Donna (second from the right) hosted. Our former neighbors dropped what they were doing when they heard their former neighbor (third from the right) was in town and stopped in for a lovely chat. Not only was Mom their neighbor, she taught most of their children. She’s now completely up to date on the lives of her former students, their children, and in some cases, their children’s children.
I am still in shock over the update, since many of Mom’s former students are my contemporaries. So how can they be grandparents already? I mean, I understand the mechanics involved. But are these people, my age and younger, old enough to be grandparents of children in high school?
A good look at the women who attended yesterday’s coffee reveals the truth. We’re all old enough to be grandparents, and some are old enough to be great-grandparents. But Mom, bless her heart, did not complain about the dearth of great-grandchildren in her family quiver.
And to make things perfectly clear to my own children, I am not complaining about my empty quiver, either. No need to rush on my account. I’m in for the long haul, ready to wait until you are ready for the joys and responsibilities of parenting.
Until that day comes, I’ll keep pretending I’m not old enough to be a grandparent. Denial is a wonderful thing.
by jphilo | Jun 25, 2009 | Out and About
Mom and I have returned from our travels. In our 36 hours away from home the grass grew exponentially, much to Hiram’s chagrin, and the weeds did, too. Mom went to bed early and slept in late, and this morning she mentioned again how much she enjoyed the trip.
The highlight of the excursion was the impromptu coffee my Aunt Donna (second from the right) hosted. Our former neighbors dropped what they were doing when they heard their former neighbor (third from the right) was in town and stopped in for a lovely chat. Not only was Mom their neighbor, she taught most of their children. She’s now completely up to date on the lives of her former students, their children, and in some cases, their children’s children.
I am still in shock over the update, since many of Mom’s former students are my contemporaries. So how can they be grandparents already? I mean, I understand the mechanics involved. But are these people, my age and younger, old enough to be grandparents of children in high school?
A good look at the women who attended yesterday’s coffee reveals the truth. We’re all old enough to be grandparents, and some are old enough to be great-grandparents. But Mom, bless her heart, did not complain about the dearth of great-grandchildren in her family quiver.
And to make things perfectly clear to my own children, I am not complaining about my empty quiver, either. No need to rush on my account. I’m in for the long haul, ready to wait until you are ready for the joys and responsibilities of parenting.
Until that day comes, I’ll keep pretending I’m not old enough to be a grandparent. Denial is a wonderful thing.
