My Son

Last night had the distinct opportunity to attend church with my son while he was in uniform. He is in training to be deployed soon and I came to his camp to visit with him before he leaves.
I was so proud to walk into this foreign church with him. If felt great to sit beside him in the pew and feel so much at home. I cried at the sign of peace when strangers around him shook his hand and thanked him for his service and he replied to them, "It is my honor."
My heart is sadden with the thought of not being able to see him for a year but I know it will rejoice when I get to give him that giant hug when he comes home again.
I am proud of all of my children and the endeavers that they go through in their daily tasks. I can't take any credit for how well each and everyone of them have turned out because they have earned each and every accomplishment. THEY make me look good. THEY make me a great mom. Thank you!

Veteran's Day

It is the time of year that we pay tribute to our Vererans. Parades, speeches, and flags are in order for November the 11th. My father, who was in the Navy in World War II, never failed to honor this day.
So, on Thursday if you can please wear something red, white, or blue. Wave or wear a flag. And tell a Veteran, retired or still serving, thank you for what they have done.

Time Change

I am of the old school and I can remember a time when we didn't have to worry about changing our clocks back and forth. Then when they first started to do this it was about half of the year you were on fast time and the other half on slow, except for Indiana which stayed the same. Since my husband worked in Indiana and we banked in Indiana, we stayed on their time. My children and their friends got very well at telling the correct time in our crazy house.
After awhile, we got to move the days to change to the first of April and the end of October and at this time Indiana had to change and so did our house. Now we are the second week in March and the first of November for the fall back and the spring forward.
My question in all this is why do we even bother? The only thing that I can see that it does is to mess up our sleep patterns. Last year when we "fell" back, we had just gotten a new clock and I was afraid that it wouldn't automatically change like it said it would. So I laid there in bed and made sure. So much for that extra hour! I just don't understand why they don't leave it on the fast time all the time. Wouldn't that make sense?

Halloween

Last night I finished my last Halloween costume of the year. I had a couple to make for grandchildren. I always look forward to Halloween because it brings back many happy memories with my children. Some years it seemed like I had plenty of time to get the costumes together and they ended up looking great. But some years I just couldn't come up with any fantastic ideas and my kids went Trick or Treating looking like a bunch of lost children. I do apologize for this and try to hide those pictures. But no matter what, my kids made many older people happy by going around to their doors and just talking with them for a little while.
One very special memory of Halloween was my daughter's senior year in High School. She had a group of friends that wanted to go Trick or Treating in a neighboring town. I think there ended up being ten or twelve girls all together that met at our home and they all made ghost costumes out of sheets. I can still hear the giggles echo in our rooms as they got their outfits together. One girl had never gone Trick or Treating before and it was wonderful to see the excitement. Thankfully, most of the people in town didn't mind the "older" children coming around to get candy. I am sure the it made each and everyone of them smile. I know that I am right now just remembering the day.
I try to have candy around my house the last couple of weeks in October just in case there happens to be a child or two or more that happen to stop by. We live too far out for most, but hopefully one day a bunch of ghost show up on my door step for a treat.
P.S. Don't forget to carve your pumpkins from the bottom so that your top doesn't drop in on your candle or light.

I'm back!!!

I can't believe that it has been a month since I have written on my blog. So much has happened; yet so much has stayed the same.
My mom is doing well now and is back at home. Her pace maker seems to be working fine and she is healthier than she has been for a very long time.
The down side to this is that we came very close to losing her two weeks ago. She had a large TIA (stroke) while I was in the room with her in the nursing home. We called the family in because she couldn't speak, move, or open her eyes. We also had Last Rights given to her. That is the closest that we have ever come to not having Mom around anymore.
We are back to our regular routine now and are getting along just fine. She can get up and down from a chair and dress herself on her own. But most of all, she is once again sleeping in her own bed.
But with the good news there always seems to be some bad. Just as we were rejoicing in the fact that Mom was going to get to come home, her sister traveled home to heaven. Although it was very hard for mom to lose another family member, she was happy that my aunt didn't have to suffer any more. You see her sister had a major stroke a year and a half ago and she was confined to a wheel chair. It will seem strange not to go visit with her and my uncle every week, but I too am glad that she is singing with the angels.

It is apple picking time!

What a wonderful time of year, to be able to walk out your door and pick a fresh apple or pear! My pears are almost done for the year and we have enjoyed them greatly, but our apples are still going strong.
Nothing smells so good as homemade apple butter cooking on the stove, unless it is accompanied by some homemade bread.
And then there is apple jelly, pie, and apple sauce. Too much to make in too little of time.
But I think that my grandchildren love it best when I just peel and slice some. I can't keep ahead of the little hands reaching in for more. Happy Autumn!

Road Construction

I have never seen so much road construction going on at one time in my whole life. It seems no matter what road I take to anywhere, there is road work going on in one form or another.
I live in a rural area where it takes fifteen minutes at least to get to any of the towns. Every main road to every town is closed for construction. I went to the town East of my home today and had to detour. So, I took the route specified and had to detour on that road also for a bridge being out. Taking the third road in what should be a fifteen minute straight shot trip, I come across workers patching the road and making it a one lane street. By this time I am ready to just turn around and go back home, but I am not sure which way to go and I am not sure that it won't be under construction by the time I get there!