the end of the year

I've shown this picture before.  It is a school picture taken of me in the first grade.  Look at that hopeful, smiley face.  Every day was an adventure.  And that is the way this year went, too.  Everyday was an adventure.  I traveled from coast to coast and saw a lot along the way.  Being with people (family) is special and full of excitement.  Being alone has its rewards, too.  That is when I am able to reflect on "things"--anything, everything.  And so I close out this year knowing that in two weeks I will no longer be seventy.  I will be "in" my seventies.  I've crossed the threshold into the next decade of my life. I'm excited to see what this new decade has waiting for me.  I will find out a bit at a time.  Goodbye to 2018.  Hello 2019.

the twins at Christmas

This picture was taken in about 1970.  We are living in the parsonage on Alabama Avenue.  Here's a fun fact about those stockings that Susan and Steven are holding.  They are made of a lightweight plastic and the white cuff is a puffy quilted plastic. There is a candy cane trim around the edges and our names are written in permanent ink on the outside.  The stockings came with a chalk pen that was used to write a "wish list" for Santa on the outside of the stocking.  Certainly Santa would see the lists on Christmas Eve as he filled our stockings hanging from the mantle above the fireplace.  The thing is this.  Those stockings were first used in the mid 1950's and this picture was taken at least fifteen years later.  Plastic stockings hold up well IF you take care of them.  And, we did!!  (I believe I still have mine although it has been hidden in a storage box for years. Shame on me.  Perhaps it's time for a retro remix.)  Anyway,  this is a very nice picture of my sister and brother captured on a Christmas morning long ago (yet, in my memory, not so long ago.)  merry, merry

tinsel on the tree

Look at all that tinsel hanging on the tree!!  It was put there strand by strand.  No throwing it on the tree.  Every piece of tinsel was placed on that tree individually...and with care.  And, guess what.  When the tree was taken down after Christmas was over (well into January), each strand of tinsel was removed one by one and placed on the original cardboard holder and then that holder was then tucked into the original cellophane wrapper that the tinsel came in from the store.  We were a thrifty bunch.  Waste not, want not.  Norwegian thrift, we called it.  That same tinsel lasted for years.  The only pieces that didn't make it back into the package were the shriveled ones that got too close to a Christmas tree light bulb and semi-melted.  Looks like my brother and I are having fun there inspecting an opened gift.  Christmas on Brookside Avenue.  My childhood remembered.

Christmas morning

Anticipation!!  Can't wait to attack those presents under the tree.  That's the five of us sitting under the Christmas tree that was set up in the office area of the parsonage on Brookside Avenue.  The tree location rotated each year between the office and the living room.  One year it was set up in the basement.  There were, also, two little trees that were set up in each of the kid's bedrooms (boy's room, girl's room) in the upstairs of the Cape Cod style house.  Yes, we got to decorate our trees, including lights, and we had a decorating contest of sorts.  We basically tied for first place.  Fair is fair.  But, here we are, sitting under the tree, waiting to open our gifts on a cold winter's morning in December of 1955.  Look at our bare feet.  When our Uncle Ed saw this picture he commented that he wanted to tickle our toes.  He chuckled about that!  What a lovely memory this picture brings.  Merry Christmas, everyone.

poinsettias in the chancel

During the Christmas season poinsettias always filled the chancel area of the sanctuary in the church  I attended.  The church was built in the 1950's and was constructed in a mid century modern style.  The alter area was broad and at Christmas and Easter it was filled with flowers.  I loved it.

my first grandchild

My Christmas present for 2010 (and forever) is my granddaughter, Ana.  Her birthday is exactly one week before Christmas.  She is the one person that officially made me a grandmother because she is the first of her generation in my family.  I love you Ana Bear.  I always will.

wedding day--2009

The big day arrived and here I am, being escorted down the aisle by my younger son, Jeremy.  It was a beautiful ceremony and a very lovely day.  Best wishes to Jason and Sandy.

the rehearsal dinner

Here we are, my oldest son and me, nine years ago on the night before the big night.  We are in Boerne, Texas and we are enjoying the festivities of the wedding rehearsal dinner.  Jason and Sandy are getting married the next day.

fourth grandchild

Here we are--Miss Evelyn and me.  She just turned one and is walking now.  Time passes so quickly.

thinking of my mother

It has been twenty five years now.  It's been that long.  I wish I could have that time back.  I miss my mom.  I would like to talk with her.  I would like to spend more time with her.  I really miss her.

trick or treat

Halloween night on Brookside Avenue was magical.  Anytime a kid can walk out into the dark of night, whether it is to catch fireflies or to gaze into the starry sky,  there is a wonderful spookiness to it all.  But the best night ever for walking around in the dark has got to be on October 31--halloween night.  If trick or treating occurred during a weekday it was nearly impossible to concentrate during the day at school.  There was a party at school, of course, but just thinking of the candy and other goodies that we would receive that evening caused a very sweet distraction in the classroom.  Oh, look!!  It's Robin Hood, Elvis, a French Foreign Legionnaire, a gypsy woman and even red riding hood.

I grew up back in the day when candy bars were full size,  the big bowl of candy corn was dipped into by the neighborhood kids (barehanded),  popcorn balls and caramel apples were served on hugh platters (unwrapped) and kids were invited into the homes to pick from a wide assortment of goodies from cupcakes to candy.  Everyone knew each other and the adults knew where all the kids on the block lived.  There were so many kids living on my block that there was no need to travel far for that once a year haul of sugared goodies.  And, always, ALWAYS, we brought our UNICEF cans with us. Every house we visited had a large bowl of pennies to scoop up and place in our containers.  When we got home we put our Unicef cans on the kitchen counter and then went into the living room and emptied out our baskets in order to inspect our haul.  Our mom let us keep it all in our rooms and she was actually glad when we consumed everything over the next few days.  Then it was done.  No dragging out the candy rush.  We still had to eat supper each night--full tummy or not.  Rules are rules.  And, fun is fun.  That was halloween night on Brookside Avenue and it was one of the best nights of the year.

mom's piano

My Mom wanted to learn how to play the piano.  So, she bought a piano.  Some of us kids took lessons.  Mine didn't go so well.  But, I always think of this instrument as Mom's piano.  I am very glad it is being used again by a new generation of budding pianists.  I hope Mom would be happy.

my third grandchild

Where has the time gone?  This little boy turned three years old today.  He still loves to be held, though.  He calls me grammy.  Happy Birthday, Ben Ben.

family gathering

I believe this picture was taken about ten years ago.  We were gathering to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal at my Dad's place.  Only Dad was not there.  He had just passed away in October.  My sister had wanted to fix him a traditional holiday meal and we followed through with the dinner.  It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since he left us.  Thinking of you, Dad.  (same hair)

the sand box

When we lived on Brookside Avenue we had a small sand box to play in.  The sand box was built next to the garage but within eyesight of the kitchen window.  Mom kept a pretty close eye on us kids.  This picture was taken during the summer of 1949.  I am enjoying my sand box playtime with my brother.  Looks like one jolly baby, I'd say.  I wonder if I am singing or am I just a constant talker.  I can see where the jelly rolls landed in the family.  Not on my brother, that's for sure.  Ahh, simple summer fun.  Cool sand on a hot day.

I'm back

This was a difficult weekend.  Lots of travel and I'm exhausted.  Off to bed.  Goodnight.

wake up call

I've shown this picture before but it needs another run.  Busy plans for this weekend.  I might need to rest all next week.  Hope this coffee jolt works!!  And this is how I feel about early morning flights (5:45 a.m., to be exact)  all. blacked. out.

purple hats

This is the time of year that I knit purple colored hats for babies.   The hats are then sent to hospital maternity wards and distributed to new babies during the month of November.

dive in

I think I am about to enjoy a good meal here.  Wow, pancakes and eggs and bacon and grapefruit juice and a cup of coffee.  Yum, yum.  Everyone should start their day out with a good breakfast.  I't the most important meal of the day, right?  (same hairstyle)

birthday dinner with Dad

My favorite Mexican restaurant in Venice, Florida always did the birthday honoree proud.  The hat, the serenade, the food--all this and more--made the evening especially fun.  Here I am with my Dad fourteen years ago enjoying the moment.  A nice memory.

ordering out

Just me and three of my friends from high school/college hanging out for the evening.

dinner mates

Somewhere hidden in this very dark snapshot are eight hungry people gathered around the table on the ship we were all sailing in along the western coast of Norway.  The year is 2004 and I am traveling with my sister.  It is another one of our adventures and this was only the beginning.  The sailing part took one week and we were safely tucked away on our ship.  The next three weeks brought more adventure "on the fly" as we made our way from northern Norway, through Finland (scary trains), Sweden (beautiful farmlands) and back to Oslo.  But about our shipmates...Americans and Tasmanian/Latvians.  We bonded over dinner each night and talked of our daily adventures.  This is a very good memory.

family photo

This is just one of those quick candid pictures like the one that everybody has tucked away in some old file drawer, somewhere.  The two bookends (in the picture) got together and authored the two noteworthy epic novels in the middle.  Good work!!  p.s. I'm the short one.

in good company

I took this picture while I was visiting Mt. Rushmore National Monument during the month of July in 2016.  It is amazing to be standing in the shadows of these huge stone carvings in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.  Do I look like I'm having a good time?  Yes, indeed-y!!

random J

Whenever I see the letter J written, painted, stamped or scraped into a surface, I can't help but take a picture of it.  Random J's.  No reason.  Perhaps no purpose.  Just random J's.  The cover background for this blog is a picture of a J.B. (how convenient) that I saw carved into the sidewalk on a street in Ocean Beach.  The letter seems so out of context to the surroundings that I am always surprised to see it there.  Anyway, I spotted this one on a sidewalk as I was walking by and--snap--I had to have a picture of it for my collection.  That's it.