Monday, August 29, 2011

I'd Like You To Meet Fred

I have "borrowed" a thing or two from my daughter's blog before and posted them here. That was easy enough and worked well enough for me that I am taking my blog filching a little farther afield in the family.  Fred is my daughter-in law's Dad. He is also a great guy and a terrific writer. He doesn't write often but he writes very well. You can find his blog here: Upper Middle Age Guy, and you can often find Fred here, at a local lake paddling one of the many canoes that he makes himself.


Since Fred and I share something as important as grandchildren, a little blog sharing seems like a good idea.

This is a post Fred wrote last spring about ROAD RAGE.
Oh yes, there was a time when I would not easily forgive the fellow who cut me off or tailed my gate. It never led to fisticuffs but words exchanged were heated. The wife and kids would make themselves as small as possible, waiting for the storm to subside, while I used my horn, my lights, my loudest voice and my longest finger to explain to that poor fellow exactly what he'd gone and done wrong.


The over-reaction was one more trait I can trace right back to my old man; he drove mad, worked mad, watched TV mad, and often got very mad at being so mad. Some of that rubbed off on me. But then, somewhere along the way, I began to question the sense of getting angry at every stupid driver. Several things helped me change my ways. I realized that if I had gotten my behavior from my father, I was possibly passing it on to my kids. Duh. Then there was that incident right here in town where someone had expressed his displeasure with another driver's style and the other driver replied with "bang, bang, bang". And finally, somewhere between middle age and here, I admitted to myself that I was -- infrequently and totally accidentally -- a stupid driver!


I put away the loud voice and the longest finger and took on a new identity, replacing rage with age, and the wisdom that accompanies it. I looked back another generation to find a gentler role model, and found a good one: my father's father. He'd been feisty in his youth but turned the corner when his hair turned gray and became wise and patient and peaceful. Why not, I thought, be like him.


So now I drive the same routes but in a different way. I give people all the space they need to cut corners in front of me, I slow down responsibly when the guy behind comes dangerously close to my back bumper, I wait quietly for the guy ahead of me to realize that the light's turned green, and whenever somebody does something truly stupid I strain my brain and remember that time when I did exactly the same stupid thing.


Wish I'd wised up sooner.

If you enjoyed Fred's writing as much as I do you can read more at Upper Middle Age Guy.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Freewheeling Friday/Friday Fragments



A busy week of days at work and late nights (well, late for me is not getting home until 7:30 or 8), requires another quick catch-up post of some little pieces of my week.

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Our little town was just named  #1  in Money Magazine's list of Best Places to Live.


Image from Bing Images

The town has grown from about 7000 to over 18,000 since I have lived here. There was a time when I always saw someone I knew wherever I went. Even though that is no longer the case, I still agree that it is a pretty great place to live. 

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The Merriam Webster Dictionary has come out with the list of new words added to the dictionary for 2011. 
Included in the list are these words"

Tweet-used as both a noun and a verb.  
I have never Tweeted. 

Helicopter Parent-parents that are overly involved in their children"s lives.
I don't know if I was a helicopter parent or not, but I'm working on being a helicopter grandmom, and enjoying every minute of it. 

Cougar-an older woman that preys on younger men.
I have never been a cougar, but I was accused of it once when I patted my son's backside as I passed by him when he was playing in a band.

Bromance-a very close, platonic relationship between two men.
This, fortunately, doesn't apply to me.

Boomerang child-a  child that returns to live in their parents home after graduating from college.
As we speak, mine are all happy and healthy in their own homes.

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A man and his dog



Doc was lying on the floor and I asked him why he was on the floor. He said that he wanted to take a nap and that Dodger was on the bed and he didn't want to disturb him.(Yes, he really said that)  The next time I walked by, Dodger had joined him on the floor. (Not a great picture of Doc, but Dodger looks pretty cute). Those two always keep me entertained. 

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I'm  looking forward to a weekend of birthday parties and soccer games. I hope yours is a good one.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who are in the path of Hurricane Irene.


Friday, August 19, 2011

Freewheeling Friday/Friday Fragments




To participate in  Friday Fragmants visit here. 


Just a few snippets from the week that was......


A conversation between my daughter, Joanna, and my granddaughter Hope (borrowed from Joanna's FB page)

Hope: Was I alive when Michael Jackson was alive?
Joanna: Yes, he only died a year or two ago.
Hope: Sweet! When I grow up I can tell my kids that I lived in the days of Michael Jackson!


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These little feet are about to be walking feet. My grandson, Beck, who will be 1 in September is taking a few steps. So far he can get to where he wants to go faster by crawling, so after a few steps he is back on his hands and knees.

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Dodger could choose to take a nap here...

or here....

or even here, in his own comfy bed.


I don't know why he chooses here....in the garage, on the concrete floor, by the trash cans, when it is 95 degrees outside.
As usual, I can ask all I want but he's not talking.


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Image from Google Images


I'm going to London to visit the Queen. Well, the invitation to tea at the palace has not actually arrived in my mail box yet, but there's time. I'm going to London next month for a week so I will be available if she wants me to stop by. I know she has been very busy lately with weddings and queen stuff and such, so I'll understand if she doesn't have time to find a stamp and put the invitation in the mail. I'm very excited and looking forward to my trip anyway and I'm sure I can have tea some place near the palace at least. 

Monday, August 15, 2011

The New Kid



My oldest granddaughter, Hope, started school today, the 4th grade. Her family moved over the summer so she started 4th grade in a new school as The New Kid.


She has been nervous but started the day with a positive attitude.


I'm sure it must have been a little hard walking in that door as The New Kid.


I talked to her after school while they were going for their traditional 1st day of school ice cream. She told me she had a great day, that she liked the school and that the kids were friendly.

After she got home, the brave 4th grade mask came off and the tears started.

I'm sure she will go back tomorrow with a smile on her face and her fears tucked deep in her backpack. I know from where I sit that it will get a little better each day and that soon it will be as "awesome" as she tried to pretend it was today.

In the meantime, I know it is not much fun for a 9 year old girl to be The New Kid.


Were you ever the new kid? How long did it take you to feel like you belonged?

Friday, August 12, 2011

Maybe My Crazy Day Wasn't So Bad



Okay, maybe my recent  Crazy Day wasn't such a bad one after all, at least compared to these guys.


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I hope your day is a good one.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Crazy Day

Whew! Put some wine in that cup instead of coffee and this guy looks sort of like I feel tonight. It has been a crazy day.


First, I work in a brokerage and I am by myself in the office this week. The market volatility has not made it a fun place to be. Of course, nobody is blaming me for anything, but it is no fun talking to people who are in a bit of a panic.

Second, my daughter-in-law, Leah, took her kids for an outing in the mountains today. When they were leaving the place where they had stopped the car right beside them pulled out and hit a lady on a motorcycle. My almost 6 year old grandson, Wil, saw the whole thing . Thankfully, 3 year old Anna didn't see as much from her side of the car. Leah got out and sat with the woman, who was conscious and knew her name,  while they waited for the ambulance. The woman had at least one broken leg but will hopefully be okay. Will has been telling his mom all day that he will never ride a motorcycle.

My son-in-law, Brandon, had back surgery today. He is now out of surgery and out of the recovery room and awake (sort of) in his hospital room. It seems to have all gone well and he should be fine after six weeks in a back brace with no bending or lifting. That will be hard when his two youngest kids are 3 yrs and 11 months old, both in the "hold me Daddy" stage.

And, of course, when I started to write this post Blogger was "unavailable" due to maintenance. Sigh!

Oh well, on the whole all is good and tomorrow is a new day and I'm sure it will be a wonderful one.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

I Think I'd Better Pass On This Fashion Trend



From what I have seen this summer both blue and black nail polish have become an increasingly popular fashion trend. There are blue and black fingers and toes everywhere.


Image from Bing Images

I am not above following a fashion trend here or there, but I think this is one I had better avoid. At my age blue finger nails or toe nails would probably look more like oxygen deprivation than trendiness. And black, well, let's just say that women of a certain age should probably avoid that look.

As much as I hate to seem behind the times I think that at my age, to avoid looking like I might be gasping for air, or worse,  I will have to stick with red or pink polish, or maybe orange if I'm feeling really daring.

Do your wear "trendy" polish colors?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Boy, Have Things Changed



Things sure have changed
for women




And for kids