by jphilo | Mar 4, 2014 | Family, Top Ten Tuesday
10. He gave rabbit kisses. No way to describe them. You had to be there.
9. When I was home sick from school, laying on the couch, he would park his wheelchair beside me, and we would watch Captain Kangaroo together. He laughed as hard as I did.
8. Having Dad close by in his wheelchair made me feel safe.
7. He picked Mom’s birthday and Christmas gifts carefully. He looked through the newspaper ads and phoned the store to quiz the clerk for a long time about whatever gift he wanted to buy. Once he made his decision, he arranged to have the gift delivered when Mom was at work.
6. Dad loved to play cards with friends, but he didn’t play to win. He played to talk.
5. He was never, ever a picky eater. He ate with gusto whatever was served and always complimented the cook.
4. Dad never allowed discussions about politics to become cut throat. His most barbed political statement referred to his right arm, severely weakened by multiple sclerosis: It’s my Republican arm. Not good for much of anything.
3. His thousand-watt smile and sense of humor.
2. He was always happy to see people. Always.
1. Dad rarely showed bitterness during his 38 year battle with multiple sclerosis. He was 29 when it was diagnosed, 31 when he required a wheelchair and retired, 54 when he entered a nursing home, and 67 when he died. I am so grateful for his example, his influence, and the years his life intersected mine.
Oh, Dad, I miss you!
In memory of Harlan John Stratton: May 11, 1928–March 4, 1997.
by jphilo | Feb 25, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
10. Hopefully, it’s the perfect time to cut slips from the heritage geranium and root them in water.
9. The sun starts doing it’s morning thing around 6:30,
8. and the light doesn’t fade completely until after 6:00 in the evening,
7. because the 2–3 inches of sunlight gained daily since December 21 starts adding up this time of year.
6. Our taxes are done, and a refund’s coming.
5. The sun coming in the south kitchen window feels warmer, even when the outside temp is in the single digits.
4. The month is 3 days shorter than January, but retirement checks aren’t any smaller.
3. No matter what the ground hog indicated earlier this month, the first day of spring is only three weeks away!
2. The birds are singing again.
1. The man-of-steel’s birthday is in early March. Which means he will be older than the woman of aluminum until her birthday in July!
What do you like about the last week of February? Leave a comment!
Photo credit: KROMKRATHOG at www.freedigitalphotos.net
by jphilo | Feb 18, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
10. Writing often feels like Show and Tell felt in elementary school…when you knew your show and tell item would be the talk of the playground at recess.
9. Having our books on library shelves is as exciting as meeting Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, or Derek Jeter is for basketball, tennis, or baseball fans.
8. Writing in the afternoon produces a sweet feeling akin to when elementary teachers read aloud to their students after lunch.
7. Writing in the evening is akin to snuggling with our kids when reading them a bedtime story.
6. Writers who work from home never stress about drive time weather.
5. Writing is one Bilbo Baggins adventure after another: “Go back?” he (Bilbo) thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!”
4. We writers absolutely must travel to unusual and interesting places to conduct research.
3. We have to remind ourselves that we are working when “work” involves hours and days of reading.
2. People buy our words. How cool is that?
1. Writers meet the most fascinating people in unexpected places.
What would you add to the list? Leave a comment!
Photo credit: Thaikrit at www.freedigitalphoto.net
by jphilo | Feb 11, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
10. When taking an 85-year-old woman out for lunch in zero degree weather, Panara’s has the best soup and coffee.
9. But Applebee’s has the most abundant, safe, close-to-the-door handicapped parking spots.
8. Snowblowers are worth their weight in gold.
7. As are handwarmers tucked inside mittens designed to hold them while snowblowing.
6. Laura Ingalls Wlider’s children’s classic, The Long Winter, looses its childlike appeal after a string of days below zero.
5. Bitterly cold Saturdays offer the perfect opportunity to declutter the house and purge closets.
4. Cold winter days are the perfect time for novelists to write touching, heartrendingly sweet summer scenes. Conversely, sparklingly bright winter scenes are best written on hot summer days.
3. Soup is always a good choice for supper.
2. There’s no such thing as too many pairs of warm, woolen socks.
1. Central heating is a blessing taken for granted far too often.
Photo Credit
by jphilo | Jan 21, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
The winter of 2013–2104 has been a cold one so far. It came early, and from the looks of things, intends to stay late. So Down the Gravel Road is posting this top ten list as a public service announcement for the inhabitants of the frozen tundra. Keep in mind that the list is more metaphorical than practical, the contemplation of which should offer enough food for thought to get you through Ground Hog’s Day when Punxsutawney Phil tells the northern hemisphere how much longer this winter will last.
10. Car seat warmers. The Man of Steel and the Woman of Aluminum are far to steely (and cheap) to own a car with these. But the Woman of Aluminum is adept at finding out if the cars of acquaintances, with potential to become good friends, have them.
9. Mouse traps. Those of you who live in old farm houses where the frozen tundra meets the edge of town know why this item made the list.
8. Happy lights. One way to fight back against the lack of daylight hours in the winter.
7. Chocolate. This item is self-explanatory.
6. Hand lotion.
5. The ability to day dream. Specifically, the ability to day dream about warm places like Florida, Hawaii, and the southwestern United States. To watch an instructional video on how to gain this ability, go to your local movie theater’s showing of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
4. TV and movie DVDs. Visit your local library’s selection for free or purchase a subscription to Netflix.
3. Friends and family. Those long winter nights go by faster when you have company over to supper and play games afterward.
2. A Bible. It promises that our present sufferings can’t compare with future glory. (Romans 8:18). While Paul is referring to future glory in the next life, the new life that bursts forth each spring is a type and shadow of what’s to come. The middle of winter, when all seems dead, is the perfect time to meditate upon the promise of the life to come.
1. Books, books, books. A good book is good company any time of year. But they are essential in winter. The best book I’ve read so far this winter is The Book Thief. You?
by jphilo | Jan 14, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
Winter, even when the weather’s mild, is not my favorite season. This winter’s been a hard one so far, requiring constant doses of positive thinking. Today’s dose of the top ten positives about winter should be taken with a full glass of water…or hot cocoa in front of a blazing fire.
10. Staying indoors out of the cold means there’s plenty of time for those household tasks so easy to procrastinate about during spring and summer. Like cleaning the refrigerator or behind the stove.
9. Also time to clean closets and take stuff to Goodwill, so when it’s time to move after decades in the same house, the task won’t be quite so daunting.
8. Winter’s a good time to learn to do something new on the computer or to take figure skating lessons. Though a smart pill would make this item much easier.
7. This is the perfect time to day dream about summer without having one’s hair go wonky from the humidity.
6. Now’s the time to play the board games given as Christmas presents…while the games still have all the pieces.
5. Trying out new baking recipes makes long winter nights shorter and keeps the house warm and cozy.
4. Book research is much easier to concentrate upon when the weather outside is frightful.
3. During winter, a person can to go to bed when the sun goes down, read for hours, and still turn out the light at a decent hour.
2. Winter is the absolute best time to check out DVDs and catch up on TV series missed during busy child rearing decades.
1. A winter like this one is long enough to write a book…a mystery novel, to be exact.
