Thanksgiving weekend

I really need to be a little more faithful to this blog . . . time seems to fly by. Besides, each entry would be me gushing about my grandkidlets and who wants to read that, right?


It must be in the grandma hormones or something. I can't help myself. I am over the top madly, deeply in love with them. They fill my world, my very life, with so much joy.


A non-profit organization in town dedicates their time and talent to a holiday light display at Lake Shore Park. $5 a car load to drive through and it gets better each year. I was providing childcare for a couple of hours yesterday (BLACK FRIDAY) and made a plan in my head to take the kidlets to look at the lights. A friend drove us and it immediately became clear that the kidlets couldn't get the full effects of the lights while strapped in the 5 point harness of their carseats. I asked my friend to pull over and let others pass us. I turned in my seat and quickly released Buckaroo from the harness, lifted him onto my lap in the front seat then turned around to release Baby Girl and lift her onto my lap also. (shhh. Don't tell their parents) We drove ever so slowly,allowing them to see and take in all the displays. We weren't very far into the park when I heard Buckaoo say, "I love these lights". It gave me soooo much joy to hear that . . . and all of their expressions of awe and pleasure! Upon exiting the park, we immediately pulled over and buckled them back into their safety seats before heading to my house where jammies and a movie awaited us.

When the Mommy arrived, they excitedly shared the experience with her!

That was an evening I will never forget as long as I live. Hopefully it is a "Gramma" memory they will hold onto also.

Tomorrow is church. I love my church. I love my church family.

Ciao.

Work on Saturday?

It's rare, but yes, that's what I did today. Only 3 hours. And it's cool, cloudy and dreary outside so I might as well work, right? Besides, it's the fisal year end. My boss thought yesteday's check run was my last for the fiscal year, but I begged him to allow me to do a small run, paying attorneys, security monitoring service, some retirement incentives - things I needed to get off the books by 6/30.

Every year part of my duties in June is to pay/reduce the encumbrances against general fund down to $200,00. A large carryover in general fund negatively impacts our cash carryover balance. I've been doing this for 20 years and for each of those 20 years my treasurer starts to panic around the middle of June - forgetting that I pay May invoices in June. Payment of May invoices lets the large general fund encumbered balance take care if itself for the most part. I then (what I did today) go over the open purchase order list to see which ones can be reduced and/or eliminated. 2 weeks ago the general fund balance was in excess of $600,000. I ran a report before I left which shows the final balance $256,000. There are probably some purchase orders that I could still delete or at least reduce. I put the report on his desk before I left today, so we'll see what he says Monday.

Since yesterday was payday, it's time now to pay my own bills and reduce my bank balance.

Ciao

Summer Daze

My oh my! I haven't blogged since Christmas! It was a strange spring. I found I'm still growing. Still finding myself. Who knew I was so lost? It's been quite a jorney with a lot of bumps in the road.

I just glanced out and its raining again. It's been a horrible spring/summer for motorcycle riding. Chance of rain most days. That's what really prompted this blog entry . . . rain.

Yesterday Pam and the kidlets were here when I got home from work. She wanted to get groceries so I offered to keep them so she could get in and get out more quickly. They are going camping this weekend and she had lots of preparation. While she was gone it poured buckets of rain. Hard pounding rain. When we get a large amount of rain in a short time, the end of my driveway temporaryily puddles. Well, yesterday it was pretty much flooded! I was outside with Pamela & John when I got an idea. I asked the mommy of course, then ran inside and grabbed the kidlets and towels. We (the 2 kidlets and their Gamma) went splish splashing in the LARGE puddle. They were a little timid at first but Buckaroo was soon jumping and splashing, getting all 3 of us wet. We carried on, waving to the neighbors as they went by. I have a corner lot and there was a lot of rubber-necking whilst they turned the corner! Baby Girl soon started shivering, so John and I wrapped them both in towels while Pam headed to Vacation Bible School. John cleaned up Buckaroo's shoes, I dried the kidlets off and changed them into dry clothes. The only admonisment we got was the buckaroo should take his shoes off "next time he goes splashing in the rain and puddles with Grandma".

There is something freeing about playing in a sprinkling rain and jumping it the puddles! Not sure I'd do it without the kidlets . . . something about being admitted to the hospital's behaviorial unit for observation frightens me. It's kind of like making snow angels in the winter. Staying young at heart, I guess. All I know is I can't wait to do it again!

Ciao.

Christmas Vacation!!!

I haven't taken vacation time during the holidays in a long time. I decided it would be nice to not have the stress of work to take away from the peace and joy of the holidays. I LOVE Christmas, and I must say, this was the best Christmas I've had in a number of years. I think the biggest difference is that I've been worshipping regularly this past year . . . and in doing so, have found a fabulous faith community that I have officially joined - Jefferson United Methodist Church. I felt the love of God this Christmas that He meant for us to have - along with His gifts of peace and joy. I enjoyed worship Christmas Eve better than I have in years. A traditional candlelight communion service. This probably comes as a shock to those of you who know I attend a very non-traditional service every Sunday in a biker bar. All I can say is that we each need to worship where our spirit is fed. The service at the biker bar feeds my spirit weekly, but for Christmas Eve I need a more contemplative worship experience.
This Christmas Eve we went back to a "no gifting" policy. The gatherings on Christmas Eve of my childhood were all about the gift of fellowship - family and friends being together. Food and laughter in abundance, then attending a worship service (midnight mass in our family). Christmas day (and the following days) allowed for other kinds of gifts. I think this helped my Christmas be more Christ-centered too.
And of course my grandkidlets make any day special and fun - just watching them takes my breath away . . . I fall deeper in love with them each time I see them.

Ciao

SNOW DAY!!!!

Well, well, well. We are having our first snow (calamity) day this school year. The state wisely (?) decided to reduce (across the board) the number of calamity days from 5 to 3. If a district closes for more than 3 days, the days will have to be made up someplace in the school year calendar - usually at the end of the year. It is my humble opinion that consideration should be given to the local climates. Districts in southern OH have entirely different winters than those of us up North, especially those of us on Lake Erie. One good snow (ice) storm and we could us up our 3 days. It doesn' matter to me because I work all year anyway, it just seems unfair.

I've mixed and baked a batch of cookies, made some yummy candy things out of pretzels/hershey kisses/m & m's - all before 8:00. I'm ready for a warm blanket and a short nap. I may go into the office and take care of some things while it's quiet there. Then again, I may not... I'd like to get the tree in from the garage and at least put it in the stand, maybe string the lights. We'll see. With Mom's passing this past April, I fear some of the emotion of some of my decorations . . stuff she gave me from my childhood. Good memories. Happy memories. But emotional nonetheless. We'll see.

I am amazed that some folks continue to whine about the cold and the snow. This is Northeast OHIO in December. It's supposed to be cold and snowy. If you don't like it . . . MOVE. Otherwise shut up and enjoy the beauty of the different seasons. God planned it this way for us to enjoy - the changing seasons help us to not get too comfortable in our life....just as we go through different changes in our faith journey to keep us from getting too comfortable and take our salvation for granted. We need change.

OK. enough ranting. Time for a short nap before I make some more cookies. Maybe I'll whip up a crock pot of Brunswick stew!

Ciao.

I'm back!!!!

I've been having a lot of "moments" lately....mostly relating to my grandkidlets, and I thought I'd use this blog as the vehicle with which to share these.

My CMA chapter helps the Salvation Army ring the bell during the holiday season. This year we had 2 locations that were both indoors - always a plus as the weather in North East Ohio this time of year can be chilly. Since it was only an hour and it was indoors, I offered to take D, grandkidlet #1. He's 2-1/2 yr old and is like a little sponge, soaking up things he hears and sees. He also likes to ride in Gamma's Jeep.

So off we went to ring the bell. When he noticed folks putting money in the red bucket, I decided to make it a teaching moment. I explained in toddler terms about boys and girls that don't have peanut butter & jelly and are not able to have P B & J sandwiches. The kind people that put $ in the bucket are helping these children to have things they need like peanut butter & jelly. So we rang the bell, smiled and greeted the generous folks in Jefferson, OH.

This was on Saturday after Thanksgiving. On Monday I get a text message from my daughter : So, your grandson has his sand pail and is going around saying, "put money in my bucket" I'm believing his intention was to give the money to needy children! The afore mentioned sponge!!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
From infancy I've been telling him the same 4 words. I have continued repeating this same sentence to his sister, now almost 11 months old.
I LOVE YOU IMMENSELY
Last week I picked him up to hug and kiss him good-bye and I said my usual, "I love you immensely, Buckaroo". He hugged me and said, "I love you immensely, Gamma". My heart swelled, my feet felt like lead and my leggs felt like jelly. I couldn't move. Nor did I want to. I wanted to hang on to that moment (and him)forever.

I've explained to him how much "immensely" is. Someday he will comprehend and fully understand that there is no concrete measurement to the love I have for him and his sister. It is infinite. What can I say? It's a Gamma thang.

Ciao

GOSSIP

Does this bother anyone else??? I work in an office with 4 other women. At one time there were 7 of us and the gossip has always bothered me . . . to the point where I have picked up my lunch from the table and went to sit in my car to eat. That was a quite few years ago. My solution was to avoid spending time with these ladies so I wouldn't have to be subjected to thier gossip. When my son-in-law wanted to talk to me about marrying my daughter, he took me to a local establishment for a drink and one of my co-workers was there with a group of her friends. I knew that within 24 hours I would be the talk of the school district. By 10 a.m. the next morning, word was out in my office that I was seen out on a date with a much younger man. This woman went to everyone else in the office pumping them for any info they might have on my personal life. She never came to me. The one person in the office that I am friends with told "Ms Gossip" that he was someone I met online and the "drink date" was our first actual meeting! It's what Ms Gossip wanted to hear. Juicy gossip. So we fed it to her.

I'm older and bolder now. I let my intolerance be known. Recently our CMA treasurer was sharing "in Christian love". She was repeating what she heard from another chapter secretary - about their road captain's son becoming a member of CMA and how he wasn't even saved and was living with a woman before he was divorced, etc, etc. Our treasurer doesn't even know the young man personally . . . let alone what's in his heart. I was livid. This was in our chapter's officer's meeting. I seethingly asked her to stop becasue what she was saying was gossip. I now regret the seething part, but not having asked her to stop. In retrospect I could have been a little gentler . . . but the young man's parents are friends of mine with whom I had spoken regarding this matter and felt I needed to stop the poison from being spread any further.

A wise lawyer friend provided this test to me: Think about what you are about to say and ask yourself these 3 questions.

1. Is what I'm about to say kind?
2. Is what I'm about to say true?
3. Is what I'm about to say necessary to be said?

If the statement you are about to make doesn't pass this test with all YES answers, dont' say it.

If what you're about to say would hurt someone if they knew you were saying it, if you don't have first-hand knowledge that what you're saying is true or if the statement could be left unspoken without dire ramifications . . . don't say it.

It's not rocket science and gossip hurts. Enough venting. Until next time and topic at least.

Ciao