Friday, March 30, 2012

Laughin' and Cryin' Stuff

Hey, Y'all,
Well, some of the best times people can have is when families get together, especially when they are loving and caring for each other. We had some of those enjoyable hours this week, when we got to see family from Illinois. The reason for their being here was the result of a sad occasion of the passing of Whitney's maternal grandmother. We were surely aching for her and her family. Daniel and Whitney and their four children had come down for the funeral and decided to stop by this way for a couple of days. We were so glad to be able to spend some time with them.

Here are some pictures to share with you all.
Grandma Carol sitting at children's table thoroughly enjoying herself
Yum! Good lasagna, Grandma!
Daniel, Whitney, Andrew (Enjoying lunch, too)
Grandpa Daryl, Julia, Amy and Matthew
Uncle Daniel holding baby Josiah (Andrew and Julia's new son)
The Cousins all together in the back yard (aren't they adorable?)
 Well, those are the pictures I took while we were all together. There was a lot of laughter and good fun, as there always is when we get together. Memories were made and hugs were shared.

It is important to laugh a lot every day and I do so, even when I am alone. It helps to keep me on an even keel, and I think it is much easier to be a laugher than a grumbler. I know for sure it makes life easier. It would be easy to become depressed. Oh, yeah, speaking of being depressed, I promised to take part in a sad songs blogfest today. 

My mom was always singing sad songs when she was having what was one of her "blue" days. I think she must have suffered from days of depression. We all grew up (my four brothers and my sister, and I) hearing and learning the sad songs she sang.

One of the songs was "Please, Mr. Conductor" and was about a young boy (or man) traveling on a train and trying to make it to his mother's bedside before she died. He didn't have the money for a ticket, and was pleading with the conductor not to put him off of the train. I don't know if he made it home or not. 

Another was the story of two little children whose mother and father were gone and they were barefoot and hungry sitting on the steps of the church and the church warden found them the next morning, dead, and the song ends with, "the angels found room for them to dwell with their mama that night."

Then there was the song that tells of a little girl who is calling on the telephone to speak to her mama who is under neath the golden stair in heaven. (Back then there were telephone operators that spoke to the person using the telephone) The operator spoke to the girl and pretending to be the mama said, "yes, dear heart, I'll soon be home, kiss your mommy, kiss me darling, through the telephone."

Don't forget about the song that tells of a little boy who is dying, and he tells his mama to give his toys to his playmates, but "put my little shoes away." Dubby, (my hubby who passed away nearly two years ago) used to say his mom would sing that song, too, when he was a little boy and he would cry and say, "Mama, don't sing that song."

One of mama's favorite songs was about the Little Mary Fagin, who worked in a pencil factory and was killed by the foreman. 

Another sad song was about the miner that got trapped in a coal mine and died there. I think his name was Floyd Collins. 

Well, folks that is about it for today.  On Sunday, I will be writing my first post for the A to Z challenge. I am looking forward to it. I am going to attempt to write a serialized story. It will definitely be a challenge for me, since I don't have a skeletonized plan for it. It will be WAIG story. (Woven As I Go). 

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later. 

Friday, March 23, 2012

March is Drawing to a Close

Hey, Y'all,
Well, it is nearing the end of March and you all know what that means! Yep, almost time for the A to Z Challenge. I have been thinking about what I want to do this year to face the challenge. Something different, for sure. 

On Tuesday evening, our Texas family gathered to visit with granddaughter Emily before she takes off for Colorado to live. She will be coming back in May for a family wedding. Her cousin, Amy, will be getting married then. I will just be back from visiting family in Tennessee at that time as well. 

As we sat around the table I was remembering times that I sat around that very table when it was part of my household belongings in Tennessee. I shared meals with my friends and family back there and then gave the table and hutch to Carol and Daryl when Dubby and I moved to Florida for a few years back in 2004. The table has become the gathering place for food and fellowship here in Texas. 

Emily leaves tomorrow for Colorado and a few of us will be visiting with her this evening at Carol's. We are going to miss her and Ben for sure, but knowing she is happy will be worth it all. 

I pressed cloth all day Wednesday and most of Thursday, getting it ready to use when it is needed. I also went through the storage (under the bed type) plastic boxes of cloth I have and sorted it out according to uses I have planned for it. That makes it easier to locate what I want when I need it. So much to do, so little time. Ha. Organization is so necessary for a job, isn't it? 

I was checking my appointment calendar and realized that I have several doctor's appointments in April. They seem to be all kind of bunched up together for the last two weeks of April. In fact, two of them are for the same day, one morning and one a few  hours later. Good thing they are close together geographically. I may have to change the first one to a later date. hmmm.

Oh yeah, I got my Birkenstocks on Wednesday. One of my fellow choir members told me that they are ugly. Ha ha. Maybe so, but I am hoping they will be really comfortable. They are made to fit my feet. Hmmm. Maybe it is just my feet that are ugly....

Well, I can't think of much else to write about right now. I have several projects in the works, along with some house work to attend to, so, this is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later. 

 

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Another Quilt Completed

Hey, Y'all,
Well, it is Sunday afternoon and I have just returned from having lunch with three of my friends from church. We always have a great time when we get together. We went to a little hole in the wall Italian restaurant, that has really good authentic ethnic food. 

On Wednesday, I went to a Christian Women's Club meeting and we all wore green (of course) in honor of St. Patrick's Day. (I wore the same outfit today to church). One of my friends, Billi, took part in the entertainment then and sang, "Singin' In the Rain". She is the one in the picture sporting the fake mustache. 

This was the guest speaker on the program. She had a very inspirational speech.
On Saturday I finished Daryl's quilt, and presented him with it just before supper. He and Carol came over and did my yard for me (and it looks really great - thanks, y'all!) then came back here for supper after they went home to clean up after the yard work. Emily also came and had supper with us. She has been packing up to go join Ben in Colorado. They are trying to lease their apartment, so if any of you all live in this area, let me know and I will let her know. I live in Bedford, Texas, in case you didn't know. 

We played Farkle after supper and you know who won. (Big smile here...ha)

Daryl's new quilt
 I plan on making a sham for it in the next few days. I also have other shams to make, plus a project to be finished on my desk. I think I may have a nap to take in a little while, too. Ha. We are supposed to have some thunder storms over the next few days, so I know I will probably be inside for a couple of days. Our church for the evening today was cancelled because of so many leaders for the children being on spring break. 

That is about it for today. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. More later. 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Ain't Laid Up (sick); Ain't Laid Out (deceased), Ain't Gone Nowhere

Hey, Y'all,
Well, here I am, and ready to post. Please forgive my absence. I have been busy just living, doing stuff. I have some pictures to post. :)

Banquet honoring Widows and Widowers at our church

Me and some of my friends who were there
More friends
Another good friend
Not a widow but a good friend, too.
Our Pastor spoke
Children's choir sang
Men's Quartet Sang
 Well, these are some pictures of our banquet which took place last Friday evening at our fellowship hall. The widows and widowers were honored at the banquet. I think maybe the women outnumbered the men by at least 6 to 1. All the tables were beautifully decorated and the food was delicious. We had a really great time together. I have more pictures but just selected some to illustrate what a good time we had.

Also, here are some pictures taken when the family got together to have a few last minutes with grandson, Ben, before he took off for Colorado, where he has a new job. Emily will soon follow him around the last of March. We are certainly going to miss them. 

Big sisters Brooke and Alyssa and baby brother, Josiah
Emily and Ben
Emily holding nephew, Josiah. They seem to have drifted off together.
 As you can see, I have been busy just doing things and living my everyday life. One reason I had not posted in a week and a half, I was just not in the mood. I am working on a project and I am somewhat singleminded when it comes to doing projects.

Today, I went to a Christian Women's Club meeting and had a great time there. Pictures and story tomorrow. :) Tonight is Choir Practice at church. I have to find something to eat after while, before going out to church. All kids are on Spring Break this week, so we are not eating at church. 

I did some laundry yesterday, but haven't folded it yet. I'll get around to it soon. :) I have some bills to pay and will do that after while, I guess, when I remember where I put them. Ha. 

Well that is about it for today. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later. 

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Happy Birthday, Roman!

Hey, Y'all, 
Well, not a lot accomplished on this front this week, but I have enjoyed the week. I did read a book that is nearly 800 pages in length. It was "The Land of Painted Caves" by Jean M. Auel. I had read the first trilogy of her writings of the Earth Children. When I found this new one at the library, I was quite excited. It just came out last year. I love reading about the early prehistoric peoples of Jean Auel's. She certainly brings them to life and fires the imagination of the reader.

Which reminds me...those of you fellow bloggers who did the ABC Challenge last year and those who didn't...are you getting ready for taking part in it? I certainly am...and have been thinking about my upcoming subjects. 

Also, I am planning to visit East Tennessee in May around the time of my 79th birthday anniversary. I am really looking forward to the visit and have purchased my ticket already, trusting that American Airlines will still be in business.???? If not, I guess I will be out some money.  OOPS.

I took another walk this week with my walker and met a very nice lady who was sitting in front of LePeep's waiting for her mother. Her name was Michelle and she has four children who are all school age. We sat there and chatted for about fifteen minutes and I got to tell her all about my new great grandson that I had held that day. 

Oh, yeah, on Wednesday, I mailed a birthday gift to great grandson, Roman, who lives in Las Vegas now. His birthday is today. Happy Birthday, Roman!
Paper Mache Box covered with cloth
In case you don't know what a "Booger Box" is...that is what my Sweetie Pie, Dubby, called his wooden chests in which he kept his collectible memorabilia. So, for Christmas, I made one for each of Daniel's two boys, and for his Birthday today, I made one for Roman.

I began working on the pillow shams for Carol's quilt this week and am close to finishing the top for one. It only takes a little while to whip one together, after the planning of it.

They had a lot of tornadoes in the South and Midwest yesterday. Several hit close to where Teresa and Tom live in Alabama. Seems they can't quite get away from violent weather. When they lived in Florida, it was hurricanes. They moved to Alabama and there it is tornadoes. 

I reckon we are going to be in the 70's for a couple of days more. It is really wonderful to have it so warm in March. Probably around the first of May, I will plant flowers in my flower beds. 

Little Josiah is doing well, and should be taken home probably on Sunday. I look forward to seeing him again. I did get the label embroidered this week for his baby quilt. Oh, yes, more news. Granddaughter Emily and her sweet husband, Ben, will be moving to Colorado in about four weeks. I know they are excited (along with Ben's parents and family who live out there). We are really going to miss them, but knew this day might have to come, eventually. Ben got a really good job offer out there and just couldn't pass it up. They will be happy, I know. 

Well, that is about all the news that I know of for right now. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later.