02.17.2015 Tim has inspired me to return to this blog!

02.17.2015

I contributed to this blog fairly regularly for awhile...and then when I was hanging with my grandson on a daily basis, I also posted on a daily basis.  But then, I stopped.  and it's crazy, but 2014 was full of changes and adventures for me and this blog would have been a good place to write all about it.

But I was living it and didn't really have the time to write it all down properly.  Maybe I'll blog about it all in my next post, because THIS post is about...

50 Shades of Grey.   I read the first book.   I took the book out from the Greenwood Library, using the automated checkout lane so nobody really knew I had it ( not the reason I used the auto checkout..I always use it)  but I DID find myself a little embarrassed when I turned it in and one of the nice women who work there commented on it...."ooooohhhhh you've read this, hmmmm?" with a sly little grin.

And really, as I used to tell the boys, " if you can't stand there with pride on your face and tell your grandfather or me exactly what it was you did or are planning to do...well, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place  at the LEAST think long and hard about it to see if it's all gonna be worth it because I will find out."

so maybe I shouldn't have read it in the first place, but I really wanted to know what all the fuss was about.   I read it and was darn happy I was not sitting on a bus or on a couch next to a kid while I was reading it because  "sheesh" and "whew" and "just what is she thinking?"  I didn't bother to go on to book 2 or 3.   I figured it just would be more of the same and I didn't care enough about the characters to find out how it all ended.

Anyway - last night I was reading online a few articles written by people who are completely outraged by the movie.  And I get while they're outraged... they say young impressionable people will view the movie and think it's all a good thing, perhaps leading each aforementioned impressionable person down the path to wrack and ruin.

And I get it.  But you know?  It's a movie.  A movie based on a book.  It's a book.  It's not real.  And I know that lives can be changed for better or worse by a book...but when you get right down to it, it's fiction.

I was a middle school librarian when the first Harry Potter book came out.  Witches!  Sorcery!  Dark Magic!  OH NO!  And was I gonna put it into the library?  Yep.  And each elementary put that book on the shelf as well.  The kids READ.  Did any of them become witches or warlocks?  I do not know.  But sheesh.  FICTION.  It's a book!  Fiction!  and wow, look at all those kids reading, zipping thru those enormous books!  They're Reading!  It's a MIRACLE!  Where's book 2!!!??/

One night I was at choir practice and there was a great brouhaha going on about the new movie coming out based on a novel titled  The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.  I'd read all 3 of his Dark Materials books and really enjoyed them.  I never thought any of them were based on fact, but the brouhaha?  Oh my goodness people!  It's FICTION.

I understand the power of the written word.  I understand that some people can't tell the difference between right and wrong, between black and white, BUT a talking armored polar bear or a talking lion (let's just go ahead and drag Narnia in here) is fiction.  And if the writing is good and the book starts people talking or omg, THINKING...well it's ALL GOOD.

So 50 Shades of Grey?  No, I won't go see it...it'd be a waste of my money.   And really, MEH...it's FICTION!  If you want to read the book or see the movie?  Go ahead!  It's NOT REAL..  Just don't get into somebody else's face if they want to read or watch.  Sheesh.  It's NOT REAL.

Meh.

12.24.2013 Christmas Eve...have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

12.24.2013

Christmas Eve.  So I worked a few hours this morning - they let us go at 11.  Did a few errands and then Scott and I went to the movie theater and saw the Desolation of Smaug ...it was REALLY good!

Christmas Eve - it's an interesting one..just me and Scott.  No boys, no girls, no grands.  Just Scott and Me.  Sam and Jenna are with Josh and Megan.  I'm glad of that.  Tim and Mary and Clark are with Mary's parents, but we'll see them Saturday at my Aunt Diane's house.  We'll go to Jessica's house tomorrow around noon - Christmas is so different than it was years ago.  I've always understood how Mom and Dad felt when the holidays were spent on their own in California, without kids waking up in the house... but now I really KNOW it.

 Merry Christmas to my Mom and Dad and my Grannie and Gramps and my Grandma and Grandpa and my Uncle Red and  Zuzu...Merry Christmas.

Christmas can be so hard.  I'm going to try to NOT become all melancholy.Thank Goodness for my Scott. We will make each happy and cuddle on the couch with the Christmas lights glowing.

12.24.2013 Merry Christmas 2013 Newsletter

12.24.2013  I took the easy way out as far as my newsletter this year.  Instead of mailing it out to everyone I know - I sent it via facebook or an email.

Bad I know.  But I ran out of time!

I did send a hard copy to a few people - My Uncle Bill and Aunt Nan, my Aunt Ruth, My Auntie Flo, Carole and Moose Cameron (Josh's in-laws), Lynn and George Davis (Tim's in-laws,) Ruth and Jerry Kelly (Sam's in-laws) and one of my earliest friends Laura Michalik.

Merry Christmas 2013 and Happy New Year 2014

I know that Christmas newsletters are hardly needed anymore.  News is shared fast with Facebook, email and cheap cell phone plans.  But there are twenty years of Christmas letters in my computer and I can't stop now! 

I’m living in Greenwood, Indiana with my wonderful traveling companion Scott Smith. He retired in January after 34 years with the Post Office but still gets up each morning to eat oatmeal with me for breakfast.   Many weekends we drive the back roads of Indiana in the quest of completing my ongoing photo project – there are 92 counties in Indiana and I want to take a picture of each county court house.  I’ve only a few left. What will I do with all those pictures?  No idea, but it gets us out of the house and we travel well together.  Without me, Scott journeyed to Maine with his son-in-law AND enjoyed a North Carolina beach vacation with his daughter, grand girls and Auntie . 

With me?  Well, we had two weeks in Great Britain!  First we were going to drive ourselves around, and then we saw a YouTube video on the MAGIC ROUNDABOUT OF SWINDON.  If you get a chance, watch the video.  You’ll see why we threw out the idea of renting a car and instead, signed up for an 8 day Trafalgar bus tour.  We were driven all over England (Stonehenge! Bath! York! Stratford upon Avon!) with a side trip to Wales and a few days in Edinburgh, Scotland. When the tour was over, we still had 4 days in London on our own.  Scott had us nipping on and off the Tube like locals as we saw the Tower of London and Big Ben, attended The Mousetrap, roamed cathedrals – we even saw Prince Charles by chance AND took the train to Paris!  Scott sampled the beers of Great Britain while I developed a fondness for bangers and mash served at Mabel’s Tavern.  This trip was simply fantastic and I enjoyed every minute of it.  

We  flew west to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for Thanksgiving week with my Josh and his wife Megan.  The week before our visit, Josh and Megan's step-dad Russell drove from Idaho to Indiana and back again...in FOUR DAYS...to pick up a truck Josh has been working on with his Dad.  A Very Tiring Adventure - FOUR days, 3600 miles, and they're still friends.  :)  Josh and Megan are doing great; he works from home for HP, programming for the state of Ohio, and Megan works as a counselor at Fernan Elementary, just a few minutes from the house.  They live in a beautiful area, just about 10 minutes from Lake Coeur D’Alene.  Beautiful yes, but too far from me, that’s for sure.  

What are Tim and Mary up to?  Both teachers at local Lafayette schools, they’re also dealing with Diapers and Bottles;   my Grandson Clark Davis Franklin was born on August 7, 2013!  I was lucky enough to see him when he was only a few hours old. Luckier still, I was his Granny Nanny Oct. 14 - Dec 20.  I'd drive up to their place on Sunday and stay until Friday afternoon.  I'm not retired - my Boss allowed me to support my clients via cell phone and laptop.  Clark is a cute little guy and I miss him already!  It's back to the office for me and Clark starts at a day care in January.  I posted a picture each day I was with Clark on my blog http://whats-next-onthe-todo-list.blogspot.com/

Sam married his fiance' Jenna Kelly this past May.  Two days later, she took off for a summer job in Normal, IL at the Shakespeare Fest and he worked in Terre Haute.  After returning to Sam in Terre Haute, she found another theater job at the Cardinal Theater in Bloomington Indiana.  After teaching a semester of freshman English at ISU, Sam packed up their gear and moved there as well.  He starts a new job soon; more on that in Christmas Newsletter 2014.

So Tim, Mary and Clark are 90 minutes north of me.  Sam and Jenna are 60 minutes south.  Josh and Megan?  29 hours northwest.  Five out of seven fairly close at hand – could be worse!   :)   My kids are simply the Best.  I've posted some  pictures on my Flicker  photo account -  http://www.flickr.com/photos/99288886@N04/sets/72157638924131573/

I was really hoping that 2013 would be a year without sorrow, but that was not to be.  My Brother Steve’s little girl died this past spring; a stupid accident, she drowned in her bathwater.  Zuzu was only 4 ½. Every time I think of her, with her sweet little face and big smile, I’m SO sad and my heart breaks for my brother who loved her so much.    

What will 2014 bring?  ONLY good things (knock on wood!) I’m thinking lots of travel with Scott and lots of time with my boys and girls. I hope to see some old friends and perhaps meet some new ones.   Love and hugs to you and yours from me and mine!  Have a wonderful Christmas 2013 and a 2014 full of adventure, love and hugs!                 

12.20.2013 Nine Weeks With Clark

12.20.2013

Today was my last day as Granny Nanny to Clark.  So many emotions today!  Yes, I'm ready to get back to my own life but am I ready to NOT see Clark every day?  That's got to be a BIG NO, i am NOT ready.   And the bigger question, is Clark ready for day care?  We'll all find that out as he starts day care in 2 weeks, after the Winter Break is over.

Today was a busy day; when he was awake he was practicing his rolling, shrieking, raspberries, etc.  When he was asleep, I was busy washing clothes, packing up stuff, loading up my car.

I wish they lived just down the road from me.

12.19.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.19.2013

Hard to believe I only have one day left of these Nine Weeks with my Grand Boy Clark.  It's been hard, exhausting, and mind numbing and I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Actually, he slept most of the day today.  I kept peeking into his room to see just what was going on in there - and each time, he was peacefully sleeping.  I'm not used to him sleeping for so long - it made me anxious!  But when he was awake, he was busy, legs moving, arms waving, turning over and over and over, lifting himself up on his arms to better see his world.  And of course, the Shrieking for the joy of Shrieking and the constant raspberry practice.  :)  He's getting pretty good at that actually!

Just chillin' in the kitchen

12.18.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.18.2013  a Stellar Day!  made even better by the fact that Tim didn't go to work until around 10:30.  He attended a training class today, and therefore had a substitute for his normal classes.  So I had 2 of my favorite boys to hang with this morning!

Shrieking along with The Who on the radio Teenage Wasteland!  

He's been practicing the highly prized skill of producing a Raspberry..
...he finally did a few Most Excellent Raspberries!
Complete with Copious Drooool!

and he was VERY proud of himself!  

12.17.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.17.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

I'm REALLY going to miss this kid.  He's such a PERSON now... ornery, cute, cheerful and crazy and WONDERFUL...I'm so glad that I've been able to do this and honestly, I'm ready to get back to MY life, but wow, I'm going to miss being a daily part of his!

Scott gave Clark some cool socks for Christmas.  You'll see them in the below pictures and video - very colorful, Clark could hardly take his eyes off his feet today!

Clark has become VERY vocal, shrieking with glee at the top of his lungs! 

More Gleeful Shrieking!