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Last Sunday we enjoyed a most pleasant time at a local lake-side park.
A park rife with pecans the children were eager to fill their bags with.
But hanging out water-side with the minnows and turtles soon eclipsed the thrill of hunting for free pecans.
Chit-chatting and looking extra-cute became the the order of the day and…
the nut-collecting bags were put to alternate use.
When’s the last time you ran around with a bag on your head? 🙂
Wednesday a big storm knocked out our power from 6:30 to 9:30. p.m.
After the initial shock of no t.v., computer or microwave meatballs wore off, we tried conversation — yes, actual human-to-human interaction (weird, I know). It felt kinda neat, like we were pioneers or cave people or something. We were even reading books! I’d heard of books. They are quite lovely.
As thunder bullied, lightning taunted and water flooded our garage again, oy (Jim’s working on a new drain,) we roasted “spider dogs” * on a screwdriver over 5 candles. I ate four, ’cause the potentially life-or-death emergency called for stored up motherly Meat Power!
As a little kid I loved storms too. Candles. Sandwiches. Beer. Ahhh, good family times sitting around the kitchen watching the light show back on the hill, we kids always a little scared, but Mom’s ever-present quiet smile reassuring us we were safe.
How ’bout you? Any power outage or storm stories to share?
Ever been camping during a storm?
Ever been hit by lightning?
Ever eat a spidie dog?
* A spider (spidie) or “octopus” dog is a wiener you slice the ends into the shape of +signs. (I did a bad job of cutting those in the dark.) When sliced correctly the ends curl up real cool-like during roasting.
Nothing but the finest of delicacies for my family!
And now, everybody — to the tune of Spider Man, sing…
Spidie dog, spidie dog…
Straight from a cow, not from a hog.
Can you munch them? Listen man,
You can munch them from a frying pan.
Life is a great big hang-up.
Wherever there’s a hang-up
You’ll find some spidie dogs.
For all your hotdog purposes, I recommend these…
I know I have tons of amazingly wonderful comments to answer here and tons of your wonderful blog posts to read. And I will. You know I will. But I want to share a little vacation story of sorts first.
(my beach feets)
Despite the cottage and beach and on-going party that was Canada, I’m just a little bit sad about my visit as Dad is a little white haired guy in church now. His hands sometimes belie just a hint of shakiness. He says this may be the last year he makes hay. Says he’s going to get rid of the 3 horses too, (tho both his mares may be pregnant! He left them with Howie’s stud for 6 weeks, so how serious can he be about giving them up? Dad’s had horses since he was 10.)
But those are just fleeting images in time. Not who Dad really is. He’s strong. Vibrant. An amazing 72.
I don’t know. I should be so glad to have happy healthy parents. Many of you have already lost yours. I’m not complaining, just realizing a little deeper that we all aren’t all going to be here forever. Not in this capacity anyway.
(Dad & Mom, 50th wedding anniversary party, last week)
Time is marching on and hasn’t stopped for me. What’s up with that?
Oh well, I guess I’m doing a little pre-grieving at how things will change. How Mom and Dad will pass on. My remaining aunts and uncles too. Jim. My brothers and sister. Kelly. Kelly’s kids. All of us. And I don’t want to be a downer but gee, I want more than ever to move back home and spend as much time as I can with the ones I love. And I don’t want to be a further downer but I really don’t want to die. Ever. I believe in God and a happy heaven but as time goes by, heaven’s getting closer and closer — not that nebulous “someday” of before.
And is it just me or does everybody feel their parents are the last of a dying breed?
So that’s where my head’s at today as I re-enter this Texas life, thousands of miles from all my relatives. As I wonder what the hell I’m doing here so far away from them anyway. I feel like the bad one in the family for letting my wanderlust carry me so far. And for staying away all these years, nineteen years in Texas now.
Thus I leave you for now and probably for several days, until I catch up with your lives.
But please don’t worry ’bout my overall state of mind — I’m sure I’ll be back to bra-flinging and / or other assorted crazy crap here soon enough.
xo
Hey all! Here’s where Jannie’s been hanging out — the Bay Of Chaleur at Mom & Dad’s cottage.
Last year they added on a little porch with 5 windows. Put in solar panels too.
We likes it a LOT.
Love hearing the waves splish and splash.
Great place for young kids…
and bigger kids, like my sister and me.
Mom has it fixed up real cute inside.
Sunsets are not bad here.
Neither are the bon fires at night.
We’ll be back home one week from today! I hope to post again in the meantime. If not, ’cause I’m enjoying my coffee and favorite beach chair and such, I’ll see you back in Austin.! xoxoxoxo
Dad and Mom — August 20th, 1959.
Yep, we’re heading today to the Home & Native Land for Mom & Dad’s Golden Wedding Anniversary. Wait – they can’t be married FIFTY years — that’s for OLD people isn’t it? Ahh, but they’re just babes of 72 and 70.
Speaking of babes, here’s one. (shhhh, he’s only 2 and 1/2 years younger than my mom.)
Regrettably this handsome husbandly type can’t join Kelly and me on this trip. The deal to sell our car biz fell through, so Jim’s staying behind to work, making sure Kelly and I can travel and party in the posh style we’ve grown accustomed to.
Miss him so much already, but that’s the way it goes in the real world sometimes. He’s the sweetest man I know.
And just for fun… as suggested by a very very wonderful blogger, Chris, here’s my Jim in a few retro dos. Oh. Dear. Lord.
Sorry, Hon, couldn’t resist. And I’ll be 1000 miles away by the time you see these and the neighbors call 911 at the sound of your screams.
(Friends, If you missed Kelly and my retro hair post the other day, you can check it out here.)
Oh, and we can’t leave Blue Bunny out, now can we?
But wait! Isn’t Blue Bunny a boy? (I can’t quite tell. ) So here…
For something else funny, see how Thomma Lyn Yearbooked her cats too!
Well, it’s 4:05 a.m. Gotta get Kelly up, first plane of 3 today lifts off at 5:45.
Leaving my laptop here (yes, a wild move, I know) and will have limited Internet access in Canada, but I plan to post at least a few times from my brother Harry‘s over the next 2 weeks — so be sure to check back here for some kick-ass pictorials and vacation antics, okay? Okay!
Promise I’ll get around to your blogs as soon as I can.
AND DON’T YOU ALL FORGET ABOUT ME , OKAY!?!? OKAY!!!
