FALL 2013 HAS ARRIVED IN NORTH GEORGIA

Every October, our beautiful grandkid turns another year older and at the same time Fall arrives to inspire and invigorate.  It's the best time to be alive and experience grandparenthood, framed by great weather and the prettiest blue skies of the whole year.

Okay i'm a weird old cheerleader, no doubt about it!

Wholly Guacamole!

The best parties of my life are with my little family, when we welcome Terrific Grandkid for the weekend and go out to the current favorite restaurant, Tacos and Tequilas, and have a blast!

This past Friday there was an orchestra rehearsal and Grandkid was there with her upright bass, Jojo, right on time.  She and Jojo always emerge from practice glowing and enthusiastic, the energy shooting out in all directions.  The lady conductor just brings out the best in everyone, I think.

We headed for our favorite eating spot and it was crowded with families, babies and kids everywhere, loud and happy.  We waited a few minutes and got a corner table right behind the guys playing and singing, and we could see right into the kitchen - very clean!

The service and food are excellent, I had wonderful tamales.  They make the salsa fresh there every day, and it's so good.  When my entreé arrives I always pour the bowl of salsa on my plate.

I don't drink and drive, and they don't have non-alcoholic beer, so I get the lemonade which goes great with Mexican food. 

We laughed and talked and hugged each other and shared tastes from our plates.  We have fun together.

Busy Summer, Now Back To School

My terrific grandkid is starting 8th grade very happily, and excited to be back in school.  The first day was great, so I heard.  I am so glad! 

The three times she was with her mom for two week increments, and thus able to visit with us too, were incredibly fun and exciting for us, her Papa and Grammaw.  We made sure to have her favorite meals at home here, eat out at her favorite restaurants, shop in her favorite stores, and let her have down time to watch her favorite tv shows.

Early in the summer she got enrolled in an orchestra camp, and we bought her a double bass to use.  She did so well, she was awarded a scholarship for the orchestra camp in 2014!  She loves playing the bass.  We found a teacher who is happy to provide lessons whenever she can be here, and now the kid is playing Bach. 

She also worked with her Papa planting a vegetable garden and he harvested some sweet 'taters just a couple days ago.  We had lots of cukes and squash.  There were hardly any tomatoes, it's been so rainy there wasn't enough sunshine.

There has been a problem with one of her teeth for a long time, where an infection was resistant and she needed surgery.  We were able to get that done and taken care of, and the antibiotics were over with by the time she had to go back to her father's place.  It was such a relief to get it all behind us. 

She had a good time shopping for school supplies and a few clothes.  We always end up in the bookstore and the comic book store while she's here. 

She is happy to help her mom with all kinds of chores and her grammaw too.  We make sure she has lots of rewards! so she's always motivated.  Not only do we love her like crazy but our funny cat won't leave her side.

I can't think of anything more wonderful than being the grammaw of this extraordinary, lovely and intelligent person as she grows into a fabulous individual.  I only hope she will cherish her own self the way we cherish her.

Five Minute Friday: PRESENT

Five minute time was last Friday but better late than never, so I'm always saying.

"Present" is the topic.  They didn't say what kind.  But I assume they meant THE present, as in Right Now.  Much has been written about the need to live in the present.  But I think living in the future would be a great skill for people to learn at an earlier age.  As in, planning what to get at the grocery store for the week ahead.  Starting in with meal preparation BEFORE it's time for supper - that sort of thing.  If we're not thinking ahead, about the future, all the time, life becomes uncomfortable and everything is in a mess.

Five Minute Friday: Rhythm

 

Rhythm of the seasons grows our food.  Birds flying use a rhythm easy to see.  Rhythm is everywhere and necessary to everything!  Like a dancer and the music accompanying.  We depend on the rhythm of our hearts our entire lives.  Even our guts have rhythm (if we're lucky)!

Whenever we are working happily we're sensing a rhythm.  The hippies used to call it getting into a groove.  It makes everything easier to accomplish.  The rhythm of typing is so satisfying.  Walking along at a regular pace, sometimes i realize how easily I'm moving and i think, I'd love to keep going like this all day.

Listen: 5-minute Friday

Listen - do you want to know a secret?  do you promise not to tell?

I have gotten better at keeping secrets the older I get.  I guess there's more discipline now except when it comes to food!

I means so much to be able to tell someone about something private and know that they can be counted on to keep it secret.

Now I want to treat people as I would wish to be treated.  So there's a huge motivation to keep any commitment I have made to someone who has put their confidence in me. 

Five Minute Friday - FALL

DON'T fall - that's what I think every time I go up and down the stairs.  In March of '09 I tripped and fell in the living room, just days after closing on a house with stairs.  As I rushed around packing to move, my sandal caught on a rug and BOOM!  I fell full length and felt a horrible burning pain in my knees. 

For several years I had trouble walking and put on about 50 pounds.  That didn't help!  These days it has become easier to walk, with the help of a lot of glucosamine and chondroitin and other supplements.

But the fear of falling and losing my freedom never leaves me.  I'm always aware and making sure of my balance before I take a step out of the car or off of a curb.  So that just chips away at self-confidence.  Even though I don't walk fast, I'm flying towards my elderly years.