Graduation celebration!

14 07 28

My card from Annette

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Barry and I at the Blood Mobile. Always his idea. Never mine. He always asks them how much blood we have to give before our family will get blood for free if they need it.

14 07 28

Working on my writing shack.

14 07 28

Writing shack, after we pulled out the carpet.

14 07 26

14 07 26

14 07 26

14 07 28

All the boys were somewhere else on this Saturday night. We called Holly to come to bed with us, but she went to their room, looking for them.

14 07 28

I thought for sure this Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow had died of neglect. "Bless its heart. It's alive!"

14 07 28

It wasn't the first time work has kept Brit from Goodtimes, but somehow when I was buying the snacks, and saw the brownies, which I always chose for Brit because she didn't like the nuts on the other brownies, I just felt sad. So, I pulled one out of the box and sent her a text, letting her know that I was saving one for her.

17 07 28

Tyler has fun in the pool, getting his hair wet and flipping it back to look like Elvis. Here, we were going for Doctor Spock. 

24 07 28

Deep sigh of comfort at starting routine.  I had thought, Sunday, or rather felt, a kind of a burden at going to the gym and getting back in routine. But this morning, when it was time to start doing things, it was kind of a comfort. 

Sun high and hot pool good temp breeze. Took my exercise in the pool, and you could not have asked for a perfect combination of sunshine, breeze, and pool temperature. 

14 07 27

We had Goodtimes today. Beverly and JA were our playground duty. 

Angela coming for one more hug. She had hugged me bye in the house, and then I had come out in the backyard. She and Ryan walked through a few minutes later, on their way to their car, which was in the back. She smiled and walked over, "One more hug."

Willo to Skyler: I like your pony tail. Willo was on the pool step. Skyler was in the pool near her, faced in the same direction as Willo. Willo said, "I like your ponytail!" After Skyler said, "Thank you," Willo asked, "Do you like my ponytail?"

Willo asking Evan to sit by her. It was 5:00, and almost everyone was gone. Willo sat down on the sofa, and then asked for "that boy." 

You mean Evan?

She nodded.

He was standing by the kitchen table, and came to sit down beside her when I relayed her message.

What do you want? Do you want me to sit beside you?

She nodded, and leaned her head on is arm.

Are you tired, Willo.

One more nod, before she nodded off, I think.

Willo wanting to be called by a different name. "Call me Elsa." apparently a character in Frozen.

Evan helping with the kitchen. I was cleaning up the house, getting ready for Goodtimes, and Evan asked if I would like him to do the kitchen.

Card from Annette. I will have to find a way to save the words on this. Touched my heart.

Noah sitting beside me on the sofa. And long about 9:00, Noah came and sat beside me, and leaned on my arm. 

17 04 26

Ryan: you can just count on us every time. Ryan came in so that I could write out my check to A Sharper Image and I asked if he and Angela were going to be at Goodtimes. He said, "Yes." After a tiny pause, he added, "You can just count on us being here every time. My grandmother used to do the same thing."

Bridge over troubled water. Barry and I were on our way home from having had supper at the houseboat, and were listening to the radio. This song came on, and I remembered being 20, and in that little apartment off Springhill Avenue. Singing that song out loud, loving the song, thinking that I sang it well, which I probably didn't. A good moment though. 

Mike and Maria. Maria is from Argentina. I'm not sure if her husband's name is Mike, but I think so. Her daughter is due to have twins in just a few weeks. Her daughter and her son-in-law are both doctors. When she left Argentina, they didn't say anything to her about her being pregnant, but as soon as she got here, "Surprise!" I got the feeling she would have stayed in Argentina if she'd had any idea grandbabies would be coming so soon. 

17 04 25

Coffee with Beverly and JA. 

14 07 14

I need you Uncle Rodney!

14 07 14

14 07 26

John posted a comment on my Facebook.

14 07 24

Intuit payroll said I made her day.

14 07 05

14 07 05

14 07 07

Calling Derek to tell him we'd gotten the Great Lakes job.

14 07 05

14 07 23

Beverly and J.A stopped by. They couldn't stay long --- they were meeting Mike, to talk about doing some work to Molly's shop, but I got to see them, and get hugs, and that made me happy. 

14 07 07

14 07 17

Tori goes to Alaska!

14 07 19

Fordhook limas for Beverly. 

17 07 24

Andrew posted something on my timeline. "Thought of you!"

13-11-19

Beth and Sonya liked my Facebook writing.

13-11-21

Barry calling just to tell me that he loves me.

13-11-30

Barry really liked my Italian wedding soup!

14 07 22

Getting to see Beverly

Beth said my fingernails looked pretty.

Beth and I are going to take a course together.

December 24, 2013

For years, cranberry sauce has been the opening salvo in my Christmas cooking. This year, it is the only thing I am making. Weird.

December 31, 2103

Beverly called to check on me.

January 16, 2014

The way Barry smiled at me when I came home from the gym.

January 17, 2014

Barry, when I wondered how Chris was doing, telling me to call him. We were driving, and I didn't know what Chris might be doing, so I shook my head. When we sat down in the restaurant, he placed a call but wouldn't tell me what he was doing. Then I heard him say, "Mama was wondering how you were doing and wanted me to call you."

January 14, 2014

Angela asked me to look at her sore.

The house is straight again, and that makes me happy.

14-04-21

I was happier after I got to talk to Daddy.

14-07-14

How fast Barry fixed the bathroom light!

14 07 22

14-06-25

JA got the job.

Kennedy came to see us.

"Noah pay n pay part." (I have no idea what I meant by that.

14-03-10

Barry helped me get ready for Second Sunday Supper.

14 07 19

Saturday. Neither one had to be at work on Monday. Out loud, they agreed that if they saw anything that interested them, they would stop. Unspoken, they agreed that they would be driving through. Home, a magnet.

Tori josh Bentley canoe.  Beverly said that Tor, Ange, Josh, and Ryan were going to go out in the canoe, but Bentley changed that. Josh said, "He's mad at me for taking his seat," so they set up an inner tube for Josh to float in. And then Tori got out of the boat and swam to Josh. And there was some kissing, which prompted Ryan to say, "I don't like that." Beverly said protective, as he is of his own little sister.

14 07 18

Houseboat! So, Barry and I made it to the houseboat on a Friday afternoon. 

14 07 17

14 07 14

Duplicate?

14 07 15

Zak reading his card.

Beth invited us to join them at Blue Gill for a birthday celebration for Zak. It was their family plus two of Zak's friends, and Shawn, Barry and I. We were on the deck, and the weather was nice, and Beth went to look for alligators. And the music was good, and Barry bought a CD from the guy who was playing that night. And Beth ordered a dessert for Zak, and then gave him his card. (He did not want any singing). But Beth had written in the card, and he read it carefully, and then his friends read it. 

14 07 13

Skyler showed me these things, which she had made, when she came in for Second Sunday Supper. "Where did you get the idea to do that," I asked. "YouTube," she said. It just kills me the things ...that YouTube is just such a nonchalant reference for her, and I still think it is a brand new thing. Very interesting gadgets.

14 07 11

So....this is Tyler. Eating a bowl of cherries. All by himself. Really wishing for some company, I think. 

14 07 15

Josh, figs, 2nd favorite fruit. Our fig tree is loaded down with figs, and Barry picked a bowlful and put them out with everything else for Second Sunday Supper. Josh said it was the first time he'd had fresh figs, and that they were now his second favorite fruit. 

I think he said his Grandmother made fig preserves, but I'm not sure about that. 

July 14, 2014

Angela hugged me likes she misses me.

Angela, "It's good that Willo is talking to us all."

Willo looking for Tori when she got here. Telling Tori something about her being a big kid and a little kid. A big kid at the table and a little kid when she's outside, I think.

The little kids gathering up first at their table in the reading room.

Evan, Zak and Shawn, hanging out.

Laughing and listening to the kids.

Annette, that one of her favorite memories is sitting by Kim at Mardi Gras.

I asked Annette if she needed me for anything when she called me while I was in Chicago. She said, "No." Called just to talk. :-)

And so we did.... have almost everyone here. Beverly and JA, Kennedy and John, did not make it. We pulled out the stretch table and the older grandbabies sat there. I did that because we were also having a lot of grandbaby boyfirends, and I knew they wouldn't all fit at the square table. I set the little table up in the reading room, but with only four chairs. I wasn't even sure we'd need them. The little kids tried to pile in there, but we told them they could sit at the square table. It took them a minute, but they did move in there.

The macaroni and cheese was a lot better last night. I don't think I'll do that boston butt again. It just wasn't that good. The boys gave me a kind of a blank look when I suggested it might be a substitute for the roast.

14 07 14

Nick and I thinking the same thing about daddy walking kathi down the aisle at Kelly's wedding.

14 07 12

Mr Wonderland. Barry had to go to the tag office about the tags for the electric car and the dune buggy. They have a new manager now, and after she had talked to him for a minute, she said, "Your Mr. Wonderland, aren't you?"

Barry put my chair together AND got it to the writing shack for me. 

He did a lot of things for getting ready for SSS... Cleaned the sugar glider cage without my asking, and went through his box of miscellaneous stuff.

Barry and Tyler watching tv

14 07 11

The happiness I feel about the list growing for SSS.  I keep that list on the piano... as I begin to hear from people as to whether or not they will be able to make it for Second Sunday Supper. I have learned to be happy with whoever is here, and less fraught over those who don't come, but still, when the list grows, and most of them are coming, I get a distinct settling --- a physical sensation of comfort.

17 04 11

Big smile and hug. How Barry started my day. 

Enjoyed talking to you last night. Ryan's stepmother, Wendy, --- to me, Friday night, after our visit at the BBQ Thursday night. 

Hoped I'd get to see you. Sandy's siter-in-law, Linda, when I saw her Friday night. Hearkening back to our visit at Sandy's wedding.

Daddy wrote me back. So maybe we can get this going. 

Beverly called

14-07-10

Just enjoying my pretty fingernails. It was just so much easier than I ever imagined. I'm not even really sure what the turning... well, I know it was the manicure and the fingernail polish that I liked and wanting to wear my rings at Kelly's wedding, but I think those things have all existed before. 

So many requests for that book. Nick, when Valerie was talking about their wedding book, said, "We've had so many requests for that book! We have given all of ours away." 

14-07-09

Did a document in Excel. Actually, Virginia had created it, but I was able to figure out how to edit it. I had never done that before. 

Mark said he admired what we'd done with the business.

My pretty fingernails!

The boys did a good job on the kitchen last night.

Morgan said that she missed grocery shopping when she was in Rome.

We are going to have almost everybody here for Second Sunday Supper!

Virginia and I laughed together after work yesterday.

Tyler said his shoes fit him. 

14-07-09

Beth came to see me.  Christie re Goodtimes.

Beth said she needed a mama hug, and that she hoped when her kids were grown they would need her hugs as much as she needs mine. She was leaving with Lori to go to Florida on a trip, and so drove out here early in the morning ---- 7 --- for coffee, and we just had a nice visit. 

She said that she had seen Christie Bowen the morning they'd been headed out for Goodtimes, and told them about Goodtimes, and that Christie sent her a text later saying she was going to do that for her kids, and to appreciate family, because not everyone has that. 

24-07-02

Beverly called. We had a nice visit.

14-07-01

Tori planning to help the mattress movers.  Just kind of tickled me. She was talking about them having the mattress delivered, and how she worried that the one person was going to have to try to get up the stairs alone, the one her daddy sometimes does, so she had gone out so she could be ready to help them,but they sent two people. 

I made it through all the laundry yesterday, and most of the HH bookkeeping. 

Chris got another moving job booked on his own site. 

Tyler's shoes came in. 

Little text conversation with Kelly. 

Went for a swim. 

Barry called just to hear my voice. 

14-06-30

Andrew stopped by to see us. He was out in this area for a wake, and stopped by. It just made me happy that he reached for us.