ONE HAND WAVING

There are just times when you realize that our children or grandchild have grown up just a little more than we were expecting.

Around September, three years ago, Luke was 3 1/2 and Devon and I were in CVS to pick up a prescription.   As we were walking down the aisle, there was lots of Halloween items on display and one in particular, began to talk.

I am sure you have seen this often.  It is a bowl with the hand that moves and talks as you try to retrieve your treat.

Well, the hand moved and chattered and Luke was scared to death.

We both laughed and continued down the aisle and while we waited for our script to be filled, Devon sat down and put his arm in the hole that takes your blood pressure.

Luke wanted to do it too, but poppa told him, "This is where all them hands in the bowls come from, wanna try?"

Luke, bent down and poked his eyes into the hole and decided not to.  The Pharmacy Tech laughed and told Devon how awful he was as they just giggled.

Fast forward to three days ago.  Luke is now 6 1/2.  I had to pickup some scripts and he came with me.  I asked him to sit in the chair next to the Blood Pressure machine.  It seems that they now have a new one, but the armhole is still the same.

Luke stooped way down (he is getting much taller), and looked in the whole.  He proceed to put his left arm in and waited.  As his arm is not big enough, nothing happen, but he looked at me, smiled and ran over to the counter. "Nana, poppa lied.  He told me a bold face lie about where them hands come from!"

Who would believe that he would remember that story at all!  Well, the same Pharmacy Tech and I sure did have a great laugh over this one.  Luke went home to tell Devon that he had caught him in a lie!  Poppa just laughed.

He sure is growing up way to fast!

CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Tonight, I was making one of my favorite meals.  As a child, we had homemade spaghetti every Sunday.  Mom would make the dough before we went to church, and put on the sauce.  It would simmer on low till we got home.

I loved to cut the noodles up.  Even as a very small child, we would get to turn the handle.

On these Sunday's, we were also allowed to drink pop!!  Wow.  Thinking back we never felt slighted that mom and dad could have pop anytime.  We knew that we had ours with our pasta!!

We would also have leftovers on Wednesday.  Every Wednesday.  I don't think we ever tired of eating it!

Then my nana moved in with us.  No matter what what day it was, there was always sauce in the refrigerator.  My brother Bob really took advantage of that!  Mom was not happy, but to nana, the men got what they wanted.

Just smelling that sauce cooking and having Luke come running in to say he knew what we were having for dinner must have given me the same pleasure my mom and nana had.  Luke ate two full bowls and said his heart hurt cuz he "ate so much"!

There are just some smells that bring back memories.  This is definitely one of my favorites.  Fresh Bread, is another.  All make me smile on the inside and the outside.

TWO ANGELS

This is a story of two Angels. One was born on December 14, 1942 in Atkinson, Nebraska. Her folks named her Helen Louise. She was their first child. She was a beautiful blonde baby with blue eyes and she stayed that way all of her life. On her first Christmas,  her parents bought the second angel.. Pretty much state of the art for that time. It had a wand with a star in it’s hand and some plastic pieces that extended inside where there was a small light that made the wand glow and the plastic pieces that stuck out shine… It even had hair and was hand painted. Probably a bit expensive for those days considering the economy and trying to live on a soldiers salary, But it was for their “Angel”.

The little blonde angel grew and from the time she was able to speak she never wanted to be anything but a nurse. There are many family stories of her medical and patching up skills even as a child. The years flew by but each year her Christmas angel topped the family tree.. A sister was born, then a brother and finally me the baby brother…They tell me first word was “Hela” before Momma or Dada.. I followed her everywhere… She took me with her much of the time. She eventually joined the Army so she could get her nurses training.. She never had to go anywhere bad like her father did, even so she dealt with plenty of the aftermath of damage war does to people. 

   As I grew I don’t remember a Christmas that my sister’s angel wasn’t on our tree though she’d had a few rough times in her life too... Dropped a few times and glued.. Burned some from too hot of a light bulb being used. Some melted plastic and the colors are not the same anymore. 

For years the blonde angel with the bright blue eyes worked as a nurse at the Veterans Hospital.. As she began to get a few years on her, she began to have medical problems.. A bad back which many nurses get.. Diabetes, leg and knee trouble. Always cheerful and always there to love and help out anyone even if they didn’t ask. Finally, on January 10, 1999 very ill and in much pain, she left us to go home to Jesus.. Not old at all, only 57. It took me months before I finally let it out and cried... I cried till I was sick.

A year or two later when I came home for Christmas, I walked into my parents house and there atop their tree was a bright, gaudy, tinsel looking star with flashing lights and I was aghast.. “Where is she? Where is Helen’s angel?” My mother looked at me as though it was nothing and said “I threw her away.. She was just too far gone and ugly to use any more.” I was heartbroken.. “When did you throw her away?” I sadly asked.. “Why didn’t you at least save her as a keepsake?” “She was just worthless and falling to pieces” says mom.. “She’s in there in the box by the kitchen trash if you don’t believe me.. If you want to keep her, take her.” “No I don’t want to take her, I want to save her” I took her out of the box and with a bottle of glue hid in my bedroom for a while.. I managed to make her stay together! But, mom wasn’t having anything to do with me taking down her pretty star.. I wrapped her in tissue and put her in the ornament box.

Daddy passed away in 2004, then mom followed him in 2007. While back home with my brother and sister, trying to make some sense of what to do with all the things mom had in a rented storage, I saw the old wooden ornament box and I wondered if it could possibly still be there.. Surely the next year after I was gone Mother would have thrown it away. I opened the box and for some reason right on top.. Still in the very same tissue I’d used, was Helen’s angel. My sister and brother had no objection to my tearful request of that one item from the old box.

Now it’s nearing Christmas of 2011. In two days Helen would be 69.. Still not old.. I still miss her, her kindness, and gentle spirit. People may look at our tree a little funny every year but I don’t care. This is my family and we make the decisions. Sleep well my angel sister.. Your birth angel will top my tree till I pass her to one of my family that will never think she’s too old or ugly to be there every year.
                                                                                                                             By:  Brother, Devon Etherton

OUCH.....

This would not be the way I would want to start off the New Year, but Luke finally was getting back to a routine and school.  That did not last long at all.  It was his first day back and I got a phone call at work to say that "Luke was not acting like himself.  He is very quiet and not chatty at all."  When I asked the school nurse if there were any other symptoms, she told me Luke had a fever of 99.2.

Well, in my day, mom would have given me two aspirins and sent me on my way.  But, we are way to progressive for that today.  At 99.0, they no longer call that elevation in the schools, they call that "sick".

Mom picked him up from school and gave him something for the fever and sure enough, he was jumping and playing around like he was never sick.

That night, around three A.M., Luke comes into our bedroom and tells me that his "BRAIN HURTS".   Now, since Luke has not only, never really been sick, he also has not ever had a headache.   He actually did not have a word in his vocabulary to explain it.

Like most fevers, it went up to 102 at night, and with meds, came down after being treated.

We decided he should just stay home the next two days and recoup and have the weekend to get himself back to normal.

By Friday, he came into the bedroom while I was on the computer to tell me he felt better, but he had "OLD LIPS"  Okay now, what exactly does that mean??  Wrinkled maybe??  LOL

On further inspection, I can surely see that his lips were all cracked and blistered!!  Wonder where this way of describing things started.  All I know is that I will truly miss these experiences as he gets older.

P.S.  Note the declarations painted on the wall behind him...that was when he was younger and drew picture of his friend.  Papa and I decided they could stay up for awhile!  An artist in the making.

WHO IS SELFISH

We are born by nature to be selfish, demanding and all about 

ourselves. Some people never change. Some people work very 

hard at making others think they are not,  but therein they get 

a self serving satisfaction from others saying how nice or good 

they are. The good feeling without the humility is useless in 

the eyes of the carpenter.

Beware of any person that 

professes to be a "Good Christian" 

We are humans and sinners, Nothing is good enough to keep 

us continuously in grace but constant devotion. Even Jesus 

Christ himself never claimed to be good enough while in the 

flesh. He prayed and worked hard every day to be humble and

to teach and please his father.

As we get older we mellow we become kinder and more 

tolerant of things we never were before...It's not

because we've become better people from our good acts as 

much as we've learned from the pain we've caused and that 

which has been brought upon us. Usually from our own poor

judgment and decisions.

~Devon Etherton 12/21/2011 Peace and Blessing to Everyone.

 December 21, 2011 at 10:00pm · 

Welcome 2012

I grew up in a time when we were taught......no, drilled into...how 

to hide under our desk, or use covering of any kind, to try to save

ourselves, during a nuclear attack!  They had us all pretty well 

convinced we were going to get it ...... Just a matter of when.

Younger people don't know much about the words "Duck 

and cover" but it still stirs some deep emotions in my older 

friends...

Yes, Welcome 2012, because if the commies or the nukes

didn't get me, I am sure as heck not afraid of the Mayan's

or their calendar!

                                          

 Peace, Love and many Blessings to everyone.

~Devon Etherton 1/1/2012~

Merry Christmas Nana and Papa

There is nothing like Jesus's Birthday and having young grandchildren.  It seems that you want them to have everything, beginning with memories of the Baby Jesus.

This year, Luke is five and he is so into the Spirit of Christmas.  Did he make a few mistakes?  You bet he did! And they were lots of fun.

The season began with him being in the Christmas play at church.  We just have an awesome congregation that rallies around all the little ones.  Luke is a born ham, so you can only imagine how that went.

At school, they had a little Santa Shop.  It is here, that for one dollar, the children can make their own purchases.  The real problem is that they are only allowed three presents.   Luke bought a present for me (nana) and for Uncle Dyllie and one for himself.  He had it all figured out.  He would buy everyone else's at the Sock Party at church.  But, circumstance do not always turn out like we expect and the Santa Shop at Church was cancelled!

What to do, what to do!  Okay, he asked his mom for a date night.  He proceeded to ask me for the collateral to fund this date.  I asked him if he had a job.  He told me that his job was school, and he was going everyday and doing his job!

Then, he asked his mom to take him to one of his favorite stores.  JUST A BUCK!  Oh yea, you may have guessed it, everything is one dollar!  How wonderful is that for a five year old boy.

He bought a few more gifts.  One for Magoo (the future Aunt Dyllie) and Papa and another one for me(the nana)!

This just brought back so many memories.  My first gift is a change purse.  It is actually kinda cute and practical and I was very impressed.  I remember things I used to give my mom and dad.  I made ashtrays out of clay and bought my dad ties he never wore.  The man worked as a welder for General Motors and did not need to wear one.  I remember jewelry that was pretty gaudy!

Well, the second gift that Luke gave me did not disappoint me!  Yep, gaudy jewelery.!  It has iconic pictures of Jesus around the entire bracelet.  Of course, I have had to wear it on numerous occasions when he is with me.  If I don't have it on, he asks about it.

What I did discover, is that the bracelet flips over and on the other side is a very nice black onyx bracelet.  So, I wear it often and do the flipping thing from time to time.

Uncle Dylan got a car.  You know the kind you put in your pocket.  He let him have it for a few days, than made sure he asked to borrow it!  What a con artist.

Now, it was Papa Devon's turn.  He waited for Papa to get home from work and had him open it up.  After what papa had already heard, he was a little apprehensive!  What he found was a little, pocket size FIRST AID KIT.  Yep, Luke was good at predicting who should get what gift.

He also got Uncle Jason a trophy that says he is #1.

The best thing about this Christmas was that he remembers whose birthday we are actually celebrating.  We keep reminding him that Jesus loves those who give of themselves!  I am sure each one of use remembers these kind of gifts, the ones that were actually given with enthusiasm and love.

May God bless your Spirit of Christmas and may it last for a lifetime.

I SAID I WAS SORRY

I had gone to a Children's Mission program at the Bedford Church of the Nazarene.  It was a wonderful day of educating our children and how the children of Haiti have to work so hard to even have water to drink.  Many of them do not even have the opportunity to go to school.  I find it hard to believe that so many of them want an education and we have children who are trying to get out of going to school.

One of the things that they gave me was a Flipper.  It is used as an Evangelism tool for children.  I listened to the instructions carefully and just knew someday, I was going to be asked "What is that?".

Sure enough, I got my opportunity from my own grandson Luke.  Luke was still 4 in February and would not be 5 till the end of May.  I was not sure I could explain it to him, but he wanted to see it work.

I picked it up and started to explain it to him.  The yellow is Heaven.  This is where Jesus lives.  The black is sin.  We sin when we do bad or naughty things.  When we sin, we can not go to heaven.  It is like when you get all wet and dirty, you can not get into bed.  But, we can ask Jesus to forgive us.  We can say we are sorry, and if we really mean it, the red, which is the blood of Jesus, covers our bad things.  Jesus really loves us and wants to do that for us.  When that happens, our hearts are clean, just like this white heart.  Then, I flipped back to the yellow and explained that when that happens, Jesus will make sure we can go to heaven someday.

Luke seemed to be excited.  I think he was more excited that it flipped to different colors.  He took the flipper and went away.  I just figured, it was way to early for him to understand.

Oh yea of little faith!

A few weeks later, it was one of those yucky days.  It was really gloomy outside and rainy.  There would be no time to play outside.  It was much to cold.  I told Luke that maybe later in the day it would get better.

As the afternoon progressed, Luke was making a mess in his room and I knew mom was not going to be happy.  I asked him to start picking his things up and I want back to reading my Kindle.

Luke came running in with the little flipper and said, "Nana, I told Jesus I was sorry, and look"  he pulled back the blinds, " and he gave me his son!"  Just as he said that, the sun came out, not for long, but long enough for Luke.  He really did understand.

I hugged him, thanked Jesus and cried!

Now, it was close to Easter and we were making cardboard testimonies!  You know the kind that say, I was dead to sin and now I know Christ....etc...

Luke wanted me to help him make one.  I did help him and Luke shows everything on his face...Don't ya think????










 five colored pages to represent Heaven and God's love, the darkness of sin, the blood of Christ, a clean heart and Christian growth. The new Gospel Flipper-Flapper and Gospel Turnaround uses these colors and symbols. Each evangelism tool comes with a free instruction leaflet. Select your preference of the Instruction Leaflet in English or Spanish.

GO FISH AND OTHER FUNNY STUFF~

Luke is now almost five and he feels like he is a big boy.  He often says some really funny, memorable stuff that I want to remember...  One, I recently posted on Facebook.  The other came as we were driving home in the car from a Wednesday night service from church.

I had come home from work very exhausted,  I like to play Country Life because it is such mindless stuff, it is easy to relax.  All them crops and little animals are so cute.

Luke comes in the bedroom and says "Nana, let's play GO FISH, I promise you, that your farm will be there when we get back!"

Out of the mouths of babes.

One more!  Papa Devon and I were driving home with Princess Em and Lukie in their booster seats in the back seat.  Emily was staying until mom got home from work.  Devon and I said we would just keep her and not give her back to her mommy.  Luke was all for that, he loves his cousin Emily and they are the same age!
He said he would be glad to let her sleep in his bed.  I said that he would have to sleep on the couch with Uncle Dilly and he said, "I don't like sleep next to someone snoring in my ear all night!"...

OKAY, that settles that!

Be vewy vewy quiet wukie is hunting wabbit

I have probably told most people this story, but it is so incredible, that I just want to keep it alive for Luke forever.  It just makes me think that this young man has a real sense of adventure that I hope, he will keep forever.
He truly has no fear at this point in his life and thinks everything is a treasure.  What a clean heart!

Well, here goes.

A few Saturday's ago, it was still very cold, but the sunny was shining bright enough on a February day for everyone to want to be outside to get a little sun.  If you know anything about Cleveland, OHIO, you know that February has the least amount of sunny days for the entire year.  Many have sun deprivation!  So, it was no surprise when Luke asked if he could go play outside.  He put on his warm, winter coat and boots and headed out to see what he could find.  He usually brings home long sticks and even has a collection of pet rocks that he carries in an old pet box.

After a little while we heard Luke rushing into the door of the apartment.  He was yelling that he had found a bunny and he wanted to share it with everyone.  At this point, in my mind, I am thinking "Bunny"!



Uncle Dylan was the first one to intercept Luke at the door and I hear him say, "He buddy, you do know that that Bunny is dead!?" and I hear Luke say,  "Yea Uncle Dilly, but look at his neat eyes!"  At this point, Melissa goes out to see the bunny and I hear her screaming, telling him to take it back outside.  Mom often exaggerates.  She hates Luke to even get dirty.  All she wanted him to do was go wash his "gloved" hands!  Three times!

When she insisted that he take the bunny back outside, she realized a picture is worth a thousand words.

Not sure you can see it clearly, but he is holding a rabbit that its ears are at his shoulder and his feel are down past his knees and he was so very proud of this ole rabbit!!

He actually wanted to take it over to his Papa Bill's house (Melissa's Dad's) and put it on his porch.  Papa Bill is a hunter and Luke wanted to share it with him.  Melissa was willing to drive it over there, but only if Luke would put it in her trunk.

Well, we did not share it with Papa Bill, but just ask Luke anytime about his pet rabbit and he will be glad to share a complete description of it.

YOU CALL THIS TOAST!

It seems that Devon and I have stories that just keep coming to mind.  There used to be a Denny's Restaurant on the corner of our street and we would go there in a pinch.  It was never a very busy restaurant, and we enjoyed the quite times together.

One late evening, we were sitting in a booth, and an older couple (older than us anyways) were seated in the booth in front of us.  Devon was facing them, as he is more of a people watcher.  I had my back to them, but it was easy to hear their conversation, as they were quite loud.

The husband was complaining that his wife was suppose to go to the bathroom when they got to there.  She informed him that she had changed her mind and had gone at home!  He was not happy that she was not doing what she said she was going to do and the conversation continued to this end.

The young waitress, came and took their order.  The man had ordered his eggs with a toasted English Muffin. You can imagine the conversation as he complained about what his wife was ordering and insisted she would not eat everything.

A few minutes later, the waitress brought their food and set it on the table.  You could hear the man was not happy again and why would he...he did not seem to be happy with much of anything.

This young waitress came back and asked them if everything was to their satisfaction.  Oh my, what a question to ask.   The man picked up his English Muffin and said "You call this toast?'

The young girl looked at it carefully and said, "No sir, we call that an English Muffin!".  The poor thing was just caught off guard and in her innocence, answered honestly.

I could not control myself and was laughing out loud..  Since Devon and I continued to talk about it and we were both laughing, I'm sure that man had no idea we were laughing at him.

After they left, we joked with the waitress about the entire conversation and felt it necessary to leave her an extra tip, since we concluded that the angry man probably did not!

Now, every time things are not what we expect, we use the line "YOU CALL THIS TOAST!"

IT'S FUNNY NOW, BUT IT WASN'T THEN Part two

As scary as Choking Charlie was, it did not compare to this next event.  Seems the older I get, the more gullible I am too!!

My boss is a wonderful woman and great to work with.  But like most woman today, she is always in a rush and has a million things to get done.  That is how our day was when we decided to just look everywhere for a missing item.  We certainly were not going to take anyone's word that they had already looked in those places.

We rushed from one location to another.  In and out of rooms and looking over and under in ever conceivable place.

As we rushed into OR Suite 4 and began looking everywhere.  As we turned to leave the room, hanging right near the light switch on the wall was the biggest, darkest, spider we had ever seem.

Now, I am a real outdoors kinda girl and I normally am not afraid of no "little ole spider".  But, wow, this was not little and you could see ever single leg from a distance.  And, its body was full and plump!!  It was very scary!

You can imagine what happened next, or maybe not!  We where both screaming.  You would think there would be someone else around to help, but no.....Now, my boss decided it was my responsibility to take care of it.  All I wanted to do was to sneak by the thing and get out the door.  I figured, I could look for a big strong man to come to our rescue, but there was no way my boss was 1) going to walk past that thing; 2) let me leave her there with it alone;  3) going to let it out of her sight till it was gone.  It was going to be our responsibility to get rid of it.  Oh, did I say OUR.  I'm sorry, let me rephrase that!!  MY RESPONSIBILITY.

First, I prayed...you know the kind!!  "Oh God, Oh God!"  I am quite sure He could interpret what I was saying.  I grabbed a big blue Chux's (a disposable under pad that goes under a person).  It is about 17 inches by 23 inches.  It is big enough to wrap a small dog in.  I wadded it up and approached the spider very slowly as my boss continued to KEEP SCREAMING AT ME!  

I put the chux over it with one hand and scooped it up with the other and immediately rolled the thing into the center.  I did not want to feel one part of its body.  Not that that would be enough, I rolled it up and secured it with tape.  That thing was not going to eat its way out of that wad!!

I tossed it into the trash.  I am not sure when my heart rate went down.  But, my boss immediately went to a meeting and I proceeded back to our Central Service department.  What were we looking for anyways!!  It just did not seem important at that very moment.

Of course, my boss could not keep this thing a secret.  She proceed to share the incident at her meeting.  The men of the group decided that they needed to check it out.  They had concerns, and rightly so.  What is that thing had friends...or worse, what if it had babies!!  There is not place in an OR Suite for any type of critter that is not wearing a mask!!

I am not quite sure of the events proceeding them bringing that wadded up chux to my area.  But, one of them was holding the chux and walking toward me.  He tried to be really, really, serious, but I could see there was just a hint of ..."LOL" in his eyes.  He held open the chux for me to see... You are not going to believe this...
A large plastic spider.  Someone had put it on the wall as a joke for them.  But for us, it was one of those scary moments that will make everyone laugh for a long time to come.

 





IT'S FUNNY NOW, BUT IT WASN'T THEN Part one

Most people would not think you could find adventure at work, but I have to tell you, there were two occassions where I can laugh now, but it was not funny when it happened.

The first one actually happened when two of us were working the midnight shift.  We had often been told to keep the doors locked, but that just made the job more difficult.

There was all kind of noise in the Central Service Department that night.  All the washers and sterilizers were humming away, phones were ringing and doorbells were too.  As the night wore on, we turned out the lights in rooms we were not in.  Yes, I still try saving electricty, even at work.

My mind was on the add on surgical case and all the items that needed to be cleaned in decontam and I pushed the door open and flipped on the light.

Standing right in front of me, no more that inches from my face was chocking Charlie at eye level.  His mouth almost touching my nose.   

I have to tell you, Charlie is not cute, especially when he is not wearing a shirt!! 

I immediately started screaming and I am not sure if my hand or feet were moving faster.  I felt like I was running in place.  I was frozen in that spot. 

Before I realized what was happening, my co-worker ran in when she heard the screaming.  I think she was planning on rescuing me, but if I was scared by this, you should have seen her...Well, I did she her...and hear her...screaming, waving her hands and running is place.

It only took us a second to catch our breath and start laughing.

My question to her was..."Wouldn't it have been better for you to call someone, rather than something happening to both of us."

Hindsight is always 50/50~~

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

The Joys of Camping

Every year, Devon and I venture out on a camping trip.  We try to make them eventful, restful and memorable.  This year was no exception.  First, we find a mascot.  Yea, sounds strange, but it helps to make them memorable..  One year there was a sign that was a little scary.  It is near the Tionesta River in Pennsylvania.  We had decided that day to venture farther out than just the deep woods and cliffs around Minister Creek.

Seems Devon had way to much fun and went swimming in a mud hole.  It was very cool outside, but we washed him down and then he proceeded to dance around the campfire to try and dry off and warm.  It was a memorable site and I'm sure his boys remember it fondly.

Another time, we spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker.  Biggest thing I ever did see.  Unfortunately, like the fish that got away, I did not get a picture, cuz it scared me as much as I scared it.  Till this very day, when we camp at Findley State Park, we are ever watchful for those big Woodpeckers.

One time, we dug up a princess.  Yes, she was buried deep in the ground, but Devon is a hawk for things that don't belong.  Sure nuff, he dug her out, cleaned her up and she become our mascot.  She continues to have a place in our lives, sitting on the top of Devon's computer.

Wow, she sure did clean up good, don't you think.  Devon has a better image of her here then she actually looks.  But, is that not true of most princesses!!

We do take her still on trips and give her a place of honor when she comes with us.

Then there was the shoes Devon designed just for me.  And I wore them, but had a bit of a problem traveling in them!!  I will be glad to share them with anyone who would like to try them out!  Unlike the princess though, we do not take them with us!  We simply get a new pair when we buy firewood at the State Park.

This year was no exception.  We have great memories of not only spending a great time together but also of our bikes.  Devon was gracious enough to get me a new bike for my birthday.  Now, it has been a few years since I road one, but "one never forgets". Actually, although Devon warned me of the suspension on the new bikes, it did not dawn on me how different it really could be. 

Ahhhh, you guessed it!  The first time I go on, I went directly to the ground!  I have not had skinned knees and elbows in at least 40 years.  But, as any adventure, we did get back up on them and I am gradually getting used to it again.

My hopes are that my children children will get outdoors as much as we enjoyed it and have as much memories.

Recently, I saw some camping pictures with our grandchildren.  The very thought that it is in their blood and they are enjoying it as much as we still do crossed my mind. 

Now I do realize some people just hate sleeping under the stars and seeing a bear or some bugs, but all God's creatures big and small are important.  Just learn about them and enjoy them.  We even got an education on bats this year.  I now have a healthy respect for them.

Hurry out and camp, summer is almost over.

NOT IF I EAT THEM FIRST

Our daughter Melissa received a Giant Reese's Easter Egg from a very special friend.  Who else would buy his woman such a gift and not worry about "...once on the lips, forever on your hips..".  Got to be a man in love.

Melissa brought the treasure home expecting to eat just one small piece at a time.  It was like sugar plums dancing in her head all day long as she worked with all those sick children.

When she arrived home, she found an emply box on her bedroom floor.

Mom made some inquires to son Lucas.  "Luke, where is mommies chocolate egg?"  I'm guessing it was no lieing about this one.  "I was an accident (not said very well for a 3 year old)."  "How can it be an accident to eat mommies candy!" was moms reply.

"Uncle Dilly wouldn't feed me today and I was really, really hungry!"  says Luke.

Now you have to know that Lucas eats about two eggs, sausage and a glass of milk for breakfast, followed by an apple.

By lunch time, he eats yogurt, a PBJ sandwich, including the crust and a glass of water.

So, Its 6p.m., maybe he was hungry.

Mom was not real happy.

I'm in the kitchen, watching all the sugar ants wandering around Lucas's apple core.  "Melissa, I'm sure he this little boy could not have eaten that entire egg.  Here let me try."

Luke comes into the kitchen and is facinated with all the sugar ants, as any little boy would.

"Luke, where is mom's candy egg?"  I inquired. 

"Nana, I was really hungry!" was his reply.

"Luke, sweetie, if you have any hidden candy still left in your bedroom, these ants are going to eat you alive!"

Luke looks at the ants and quickly puts them on his little fingers and swipes them on his tongue..and says,

"Not if I eat them first!!"

UGGGG.....

Jesus, are you here?

Lucas had a bit of a bad day yesterday.  Seems that he is again, touching things that are just not his.  Really hard for an almost four year old to only touch with his eyes. (Now that is another story all in itself).

Papa Devon came home to find that one of the two Walkie Talkies that were charging on the kitchen sink was missing.

It is bright gold and stands like a soldier, one behind the other.  Now, I know that is tempting, even for me.  Papa has been trying to charge them, so we will have them all ready when we finally get to go camping.  We used to use them in the grocery store before we both had cell phones.

"Clean up on isle 4!"... lol... and "Fish slapping on isle 8". 

Well, papa asked Lukie if he know where it was.  Luke told him it was in his room and a not to happy papa asked him to go get it and return it to its proper place.

Today, Luke was having a ruff day.  He said no one likes him and I told him that when you are nice to everyone, they will like you.  He said its not easy to be nice and he had already talked to Jesus yesterday about it.  I told him he might want to try again.

I was telling Uncle Dylan and Uncle Tristan about it.  Tristan said that they had put the Walkie Talkie in Luke's room and pretended to be the voice of God.  Luke was on his knees, by his bed, praying and looking around. 

"LUKE"...."LUKE"

The poor boy kept looking around.  He keeps telling everyone he talked to Jesus.

Pretty funning having uncles who mess with you!!  Wonder how long he will remember this story.

Mrs Doolittle and her Tale of Housesitting

Devon and I live in a two bedroom apartment with two grown sons and a grown daughter, and of course, our grandson Lucas.  There are some days that you feel very closed in.  So, when our friends asked us to house sit for a few days, we jumped at the opportunity.

Just think, an entire house all to ourselves...

NOT... LOL...

One of our big responsibilites was to take care of the animals in their family. 

William is a big orange cat who loved being around Devon.  He would run in and greet us at the door when we arrived home.

Otis is a big fury cat.  Otis has asthma and it was just the beginning of the pollen season.  Cats don't weeze like you and me, they cough.  Sounds more like furball season. It was my job to make sure that Otis got his meds every morning and evening.   The first day, he was so hard to catch.  Devon suggested that I throw a towel over him to stop him in his tracks.  But, after the first day, he realized I was going to be relentless.

Earl is Earl!! 

Devon describes them as follows:  William is clingy Otis is a pill popper and Earl is his own man!  Devon is a man of fewer words than I am.

Then we have the two turtles, one Beta Fish and one Bird named Joe!!

Not that each one does not have a personality, but Joe, now he is an adventure.

Joe puts cocky into the name Cockatiel... With a beak like case hardened steel he crushes sunflower nuts as though they were Al-Qaeda tanks yet never misses a chance to wolf whistle at a fine young maiden.



...and the dog is awesome...big and fury and shedding like a clipped lamb.  Her fur made it into more places than I knew exsisted.  Of course, it molting season and was getting warm outside.  I'd brush her and brush her to make her feel better, but I think it only made me feel better.  I felt like I was helping her out of her winter coat.  But she is wonderful.

Ah yes Chloe... Ever watching and listening....Ready to protect the floor from any damage the slightest bit of food might cause by touching it.....Ready to warn you if the mailman or squirrel gets too close to the house....Bravely barking if anyone knocks then stealthily positions herself behind the bed ready to attack if they are carrying dangerous cheeseburgers...Sweet,kind and loving...


Always eager to wash your hands and keep your feet warm.
 
Keeps the cats in check by promising them that one day she will knock over Joe's cage for them...
 
Devon and I surely felt like we had everything under control.  Having a full house of critters was much better than a full house of messing children.  As the days went by, we got into a routine and everyone seemed happy.

Devon and I decided that we would barbecue.  We don't get that many chances and we do enjoy the flavor.

One evening, two minutes before nine p.m., I ran into JUST A BUCK to look for a wire brush to clean off the gas grill that had not been open yet from the winter storage.

Devon brushed and cleaned it off and then lit is up to burn off the bad stuff.  It was not difficult to light.  As a matter of fact, it lit right up.  Flames reached as high as the garage roof.  Smoked filled the air.  All I could think of from inside of the house was, this smells like a good barbecue..

When I went outside to check, I saw rolling black smoke like a tire factory hit with napalm that smelled like porkchops....With the roar of a 757 jet and the heat of a blacksmiths forge.

Okay, it really did not go that high!!  Devon turned off the gas and put the lid down in order to smother the fire.  Twenty minutes later, the fire was still burning.  We actually cooked steak and burgers with no gas on.  Good thing to, as we were not sure how much gas was in the tank.

We truly enjoyed out time there.  Peace and quiet.  Just the two of us.  Okay, two of us, one grandchild, one fish, three cats, one dog, two turtles...and OH, By the way...there were 5 crabs no one told me about!!

Children may be short, but their memories are not...

It has been almost a year since we had VBS (Vacation Bible School) at State Road Community Church.  If you were there, you have met my grandson Lucas.

Lucas was three at the end of May and he has energy that we all wish we had.  The boy ran a mile and talked about dinasours the entire time and then went to VBS.

As an incentive to settle down and listen, one of the adults told Lucas, for every right thing he did, she would give  him a sticker.  But if he acted up, she would take a sticker back.

Everything was going great that day and Lucas was racking up the stickers on his right chest.  He was very proud of them.  Them the unthinkable happened.  He yelled at his momma.

The worker proceeded to come up to Lucas and had the audacity to remove ONE of the stickers.

Lucas was furious!!  He has been furious for almost a year.  No talking would loosen his lips to where she was concerned.

Tonight, almost a year later he not only talked to her, but he asked her where she was going and suggested she come back!!

WOW...times heals all wounds and the worker and I are jumping for joy!!

...maybe turning four at the end of May means he is growing up a little.