Somewhere In the Sound…..

Yesterday, at 5:00 pm I had a "proud grandmother moment". I was sitting in the West Bend High School auditorium as my grandson filed by with his viola in hand. Black slacks, white shirt, black tie - he looked every inch the accomplished musician.

Keep in mind that this is the SIXTH grade orchestra at his school. JUST the sixth grade. I have to applaud the school system's commitment to their music program and I hope it continues. Music and art are often the first part of the curriculum to suffer when a school board faces budget cuts. But for now at least, West Bend seems to have a healthy and BIG music program. The sixth grade also has a band! And the students don't have to carry instruments back and forth from home - they have one instrument at home and one at school. (This is especially nice for the bass players in the orchestra and the tuba players in the band.)

Of course there is a parental part of the equation, but I still applaud the school system for giving students the chance to participate in such a strong and varied music program.

Anyway - the music started - the sound filled the big auditorium and the lump formed in my throat. Somewhere in the mostly lovely noise was my grandson. I'm not saying there weren't a few flat notes because, after all, this is a SIXTH grade orchestra with students who have only been studying music since September! Watching the string players' bows moving up and down, seeing the serious concentration on the bass and cello players' faces - it was great.

And somewhere in the center, left of the conductor, was our grandson. A very nice grandparental moment!

A Special Woman…..

We have one son and one daughter, both are adults married with children. Therefore we have one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law. Our son, Todd, is our oldest child so we "got" the daughter-in-law first.

I can remember Todd coming home from college with talk of a student who caught his eye, then during other school breaks and vacations we heard more….and more about this young woman.The one who "stole" his heart from his mother.

And then there was the discussion that they planned to get married right after graduation and our concern that they were both SO young…only 21. But Todd's reminder, "Mom, you and Dad were 21 when YOU got married!" put an end to that discussion.

We welcomed Kelly into the family…..and off they went to Boston to start their lives as a newlywed couple and later as parents of two boys of their own.

Sadly they now live even farther away from us….north of Seattle. But they love it there and so all is good. They are busy, both working, boys doing well.

We look back at their history and wonder, again, where did all those years go?? Today is Kelly's 46th birthday….and what is she doing to celebrate??? She's driving one son (or maybe both were in the car) for HOURS across Washington home from another soccer competition when we caught up with her on the cell phone.

She works full time, she's an excellent and creative cook, she keeps a well-organized home, she supports both her sons as they compete in high school and traveling soccer teams. She drives…..and drives….and drives. And she loves our son.

So…..happy birthday to our only daughter-in-law. Todd saw something special in you all those years ago…and he was right.

Mother Nature Dictates Our Plans…..

We've been packing our little RV for about a week - putting things out there that wouldn't freeze and gathering the other things into tote bags to put in place just before leaving for Florida. We originally planed to leave on Wednesday, visiting family and friends along the way. We had it all set up…..but then I talked to my cousin.

The long road to her long dirt driveway leading to the farm was impossible to negotiate without a four wheel drive. That leaves us out. So we said we'd try to stop and see her on the way home.

Then another storm roared through Kentucky and Tennessee and we all saw news footage of icy roads and cars, buses and trucks spinning out of control.  So we waited. We heard from our friends south of Nashville who said their driveway had over 2" of ice on the entire length and was basically impossible to negotiate. We can't see them on the way down. So….maybe on the way home?

Then again more cold set in and we re-discussed everything on Thursday….and again on Friday….and today is Saturday. Today is pretty mild up here but the deep freeze is on its way back tomorrow. And the weather map is bright with colors showing lots of interesting weather along our planned route.

So….now we are going to sit down, look at the map and talk about this all over again. It may be that the RV stays put, we bring everything back inside and just wait for a spring trip.

Sigh…..Mother Nature is in control…..but then again, I have lots of quilting to do!

The Little Dog Next Door…..

When you move into a condo you are moving into a communal space. You share common areas and the walls that define your rooms may "back up" to someone else's walls on the other side. That's a given.

Of course when you live in a single family home you live in a neighborhood - and sometimes the people next door are not exactly your best friends. We've always been lucky with our neighbors. Moving many times and owning many homes, I can't think of anyplace where we were at "war" with our neighbors. We may not have been best friends….but we got along, and often shared time together.

Here in the condo we have neighbors next door, neighbors above and neighbors below. The construction of our building somehow quiets any kind of neighbor-noise. Frankly we often think there is no one else around. We don't hear footsteps upstairs….sometimes, when I am in the kitchen I can hear a drawer close in the kitchen next door. And infrequently we hear the friendly Bassett hound downstairs howling mournfully because his owner is gone for too long. Her crate must be below our TV room because if we are sitting there and Fenway's ears perk up we know that June is sadly remonstrating from her space below us. But it's muted…..and not really a bother.

Then there are the two little dogs who live next door. Lucy and Ricky are small poodle/mix types. Very cute and small….but a bit "barky", as small dogs can be. However, the only time we ever hear them is when we are in the common area - stepping off the elevator and opening our door. They must hear us and hope that it is their mom and dad coming home. The high-pitch barking stops after a while and once we close our front door it honestly doesn't bother us at all.

Things changed on Tuesday. Little Lucy had been sick for several weeks….I'm not sure what was going wrong, but her lungs were not functioning well and the vet ran all kinds of tests. I talked briefly with her owners….and you could tell they were facing a difficult decision.

On Tuesday our neighbors had to put their dog to sleep. Dave and I have had to face this difficult decision and, for dog lovers, we know how hard it is. The four-footed family member depends on you, loves you, wants nothing more than to be with you and to please you. And so, if and when they are sick, or in pain…..they look to you to make the tough call and to give them peace. It's so hard. It's like cutting out a small piece of your heart.

It's a bit quieter in the hallway now. We still hear Ricky when we come home or go out - and maybe he's now barking for not only his owners, but also wondering where his best friend Lucy can be. No way to explain it to him….but I have to think that his furry little body is absorbing a few tears about now and providing some comfort for his owners.

Fenway and Friends……

Our son once told us Fenway was a dog with a "battleship personality in a rowboat body". Hmm….since he is our first small dog, we weren't quite sure what to expect with a Boston Terrier. Both Dave and I had boxers when we were growing up….and we had our own boxer, Daisy, for 12 years while our children were growing up.

So we were BIG dog people. But then, as "elders" who were planning to spend time traveling either in a small sailboat or a small RV we knew, if we got another dog, it needed to be a smaller breed. So, after meeting neighbors who loved their Bostons, we decided that was the perfect breed for us.

When we first brought Fenway home our daughter said, "Mom….you've reincarnated Daisy!" Fenway's markings echoed Daisy's. Maybe that's why he appealed to us in the first place. At any rate, Fenway keeps us active, makes us laugh and loves to play with his big dog friends. I guess Todd was right - in his mind he has a "battleship body" to go along with the personality.

Sunday Morning……

We usually start our Sunday with coffee and the television show Sunday Morning. Today's focus featured stories about love…..a nice set of segments chosen because of Valentine's Day. Couples who had been married for 80+ years, high school couples who re-discovered each other years later and re-fell in love. It was a nice, quiet hour.

As it ended I was on the floor doing my back-stretching exercises and Bob Schieffer came on to introduce the topics for his show Face the Nation. One of the discussion was to be about the fact that "gridlock returns to Washington" and I found myself thinking: "….returns?"

I will never forget, the day after President Obama's first inaugural speech, when the leader of the Republican Party stood in front of reporters and said (I'm paraphrasing a bit here) "Our main objective for the next four years is to make sure this is a one-term President." And I though to myself…."now that's a great way to find ways to work together to address the problems facing America."

Gridlock returns……sorry, it's been sitting in Washington for at least six years.

Boring Views…..but No Wind Chill

Today is Valentine's Day. And frankly it's one of the coldest days we've had so far this winter. The sun is out, but the wind is just awful. I went out the back garage door this morning to walk the dog and the wind almost knocked me off my feet. Fenway had never moved so fast. I don't even want to guess what the wind chill might be.

I came back in and changed all my plans for the day. I was going to run over to Target and the grocery store and then stop at the YMCA to use a treadmill and do my stretching. A few minutes out in the wind convinced me I didn't even want to drive in this and needed a plan B.

So….down to our condo building's heated garage. I paced it off the other day and did some calculating. If I walk a circle around the inside parking garage 16 times that means I've gone a mile. So round and round I went. The view is so boring, but every time I got next to the garage door end I could hear the wind howling outside so I just ignored the setting and kept on walking.

Keeping track of how many times I'd gone around became a bit of a problem. So each time I passed our poor dirty car I made a light "slash mark" in the dirt just below the back window. Five, ten, fifteen…..the one last round and I was done. I wiped the car a little bit clean - but we plan to take her to the car wash in the next two days.

I'll have to figure out another way to keep track. Pencil on the cement wall maybe???

Finding the Perfect Card……

We have a gift shop in town that has terrific greeting cards. Not your typical cards, but really inventive and fun and unique greeting cards that cover almost any occasion.  They aren't cheap - but sometimes I just feel like spending $3.00+ to send a special card to a special someone. Or I just like to spin the rack and read the cards.

Some of my favorites have black and white photos, probably from the '40's or '50's. Nothing written inside so you can say whatever you want….but clever sayings on the cover with the photo. I bought one today that says: "Behind every successful woman are a lot of other women." The photo shows four friends all hugging each other. It's going off to a friend who needs a boost.

Then, as we age, there are a lot of funny birthday cards…and I've gotten my share.

"Chillin' with the girls never gets old……the girls may get old, but not the chillin'. Happy Birthday!"

"Lots of laughing, maybe a tiny bit of pee, then lots more laughing…..Have that kind of birthday!"

"Age doesn't matter if you have money……Crap!   Happy Birthday!"

"With YOU, it feels perfectly NORMAL to NOT be normal……Happy Birthday Fellow Freak." (Perfect for a certain kind of best friend.)

I saved one of my favorite birthday cards - my youngest grandson created it. His design, his printing, his crayon coloring, his sentiment. Hard to describe…but on the front is a birthday cake with LOTS of candles….and the question: "Are you one hundrid and four?" Open the card and you find a fun drawing (not quite sure what it IS) with the statement:  "104 is NOT you. 65 IS you!" Then off to the side is another comment: "104 yer old person = to old to egsist."  Hmmmmmm….??????

Anyway - lots of greeting via email when you celebrate a special day, or on Facebook, or by telephone or text. But it IS still fun to get real mail…..in spite of the cost of the card and the stamp. Some things are just worth it.

Three Out of Four…..Everyone Go Read A Book!

We have four terrific grandsons. They range in age from almost 10 to 17 and driving! (We married YOUNG.) Two live close by and two live way cross country. All are active and busy and talented and creative and energetic and smart…..who me prejudiced???

But in the past few months three out of four have suffered sports-related injuries. Two almost full-time (it seems) soccer players on the West Coast have gone to physical therapy for shoulder, collar bone and other injuries. They attend rehab…and then start playing again. Both love the sport and both are very good at it. So we hear the reports of success on the field combined with injuries sustained and do a little worrying from afar.

Then there was the most recent adventure with a third grandson, one living close to us. He fell out of his tree house last weekend! It was a cold Sunday, but boys with energy need to bundle up and GO OUTSIDE. So he and his brother were messing around….and suddenly an idea didn't quite work out the way it was planned and youngest grandson, who had just been up IN the tree fort, was lying ON the snow, face up looking at the sky. Yikes!

Parental interaction, supervision, questioning - ice pack, kids' pain reliever, heating pad, quiet time. And then on Tuesday a trip to the doctor to just check things out - X-rays and results showing this grandson suffered a very small "hairline" fracture on one of his vertebrae. Gulp. Now I get to worry close by.

Seems that he is healing well and there is not much prescribed except rest, ice, heating bag…..just what his parents were doing. But still……three out of four.

Everyone just go lie down on the nearest couch and read a book.

Artist in Training….Artist at Work

We knew Meg was destined to be creative from a very young age. She loved her crayons and markers…..but she did struggle with the concept of confining her ideas to a sheet of paper. Sometimes crayons would "drift" over the edge of the paper, across her play table and then up the painted wall.
She was probably four and I remember we had many "discussions" and "explanations" about the proper use of artistic materials. (Some of those explanations were probably much louder than others.)

She had finger paints, she used clay, there was Play Doh. Art class at school was a favorite and early on her teachers told us she had talent and imagination. We encouraged her by finding art teachers after school so that she could take lessons. In high school she was an art major - that meant she enjoyed two classes of art every day, a select few students who did so.

Meg's interests helped her decide on a college and also decide to major in graphic design. But after graduation and working in the field for a few years she found that she did not enjoy the computer-generated-art that was graphic design. So she moved on.

Raising a young family her art took a "back seat" for a while…..but it was always part of her life. Her home decor reflected it. Her imagination came out in creative ways with her boys. And then, as they started school, she began to move back to exploring her artistic muse.

She found new ways to express the ideas floating around in her imagination and now does some wonderful pieces with multi-layers and ephemera put together to create collages. We love them and have several pieces hanging around the condo (no surprise there)! And she now has a studio space in West Bend and a piece hanging in an exhibition at MOWA and pieces at a gallery in Cedarburg.  Yesterday she was one of the guest artists invited to create a piece in real time at the Cedarburg Cultural Center. One of six artists displaying their creativity to the public as people wandered through the center. The goal was to have the pieces finished for a future fund-raising event.

We walked into the Center at the beginning of the busy day, and there was our daughter putting her ideas to canvas, creating a one-of-a-kind piece that will live in someone else's home. Crayons wandering off the edge of the paper - creativity spilling out - our artist at work.

Where's Waldo Quilt…….

We have a new baby in the family! Our niece, who lives in New Hampshire with her husband, has a brand new baby girl. She came home the day BEFORE the big snow storm recently hit New England. I'm thinking they are still stuck in the house…..but then that's a nice place to stay warm and safe with a new little one.

And her arrival gave me the chance to make another of my "throw-on-the-floor-and-let-the-baby-drool" quilts. I just use lots of different non-matching fabrics and add some three dimensional elements for baby to finger as she begins to explore. The quilts are fun to make, let me use up some of my stash and bring color to a very cold, grey, windy day here in Wisconsin.

So the little quilt is finished, the little girl is just starting her adventure….and this one goes in the mail on Monday. It's actually made for her grandparents. They get to keep it at their house so she can explore it with them. Where's the butterfly? Where's the flower? Where's the dinosaur?

:-)

Welcome to the world baby girl!