Gramps is on the Roof !

There's an old joke that goes like this: A man called his sister and said, "The cat died." She told him that he should have broken the news to her in stages---the cat is on the roof, the cat is looking over the edge, the cat fell off the roof and finally, the cat died. He agreed to be more sensitive next time and hung up. Two weeks later, the sister answered the phone and heard, "Mama's on the roof." This joke is significant in our family because several years ago, my 90 year-old father climbed on the garage roof to remove a tree branch and his ladder blew down. Rather than wait for a neighbor to rescue him, he let himself down gently but landed with a jolt and suffered a compression fracture to his back. Four months later he was dead. So imagine my concern when I glanced out the kitchen window and saw the DH on the roof cutting down tree branches. I stayed out there until he was finished with his chore and safely on the ground. I don't want to call anybody and report, "Gramps is on the roof."

Live it up!

Who decided we need to age gracefully? It must have been a young whippersnapper because a senior would never say that! If you don't like your grey hair, dye it. Your husband may not recognize you for a couple of days, but just introduce yourself as a new love interest. If you want to sit on the porch and smoke up a storm, it's your business and your lungs. Tell your sister-in-law to back off. If you want to stay up half the night in a casino, it's your Social Security (and the children's inheritance) that you're spending. The kids will have to support themselves. If your name isn't in the morning obituary column, say "Thank You, Lord, for another day", and go have some fun!

Rich and Famous

Attaining fame and fortune is not necessarily a guarantee of happiness. Consider the politicians cheating on their wives, the actors and musicians hooked on drugs, the greedy tycoons stealing from the working class to keep up their own extravagant lifestyles. And then there's Michael Jackson, the man-child. He was one of the most recognized people on the planet, a talented singer and dancer who could buy anything but happiness. He became obsessed with plastic surgery, was addicted to prescription drugs, spent millions of dollars foolishly, all in an attempt to find inner peace. Maybe we're fortunate to be ordinary people, making our own happiness with friends and family. Michael Jackson's riches couldn't prevent his untimely death, but at least he's finally found his happy place.

Countdown to the 4th

Next weekend we'll all be celebrating our independence. Parks and backyards will be wild with excited kids waiting for darkness to arrive so the fireworks can start. Our cabin will be busy with little ones running in and out, begging for boat rides and convincing Gramps to make funnel cakes. We'll be forced to make a stop at a fireworks stand on the way up so he can buy a bunch of explosives "for the kids". We enjoy the company and the excitement, but breathe a sigh of relief when the weekend is over, and thank God that it only comes once a year!

Listen to Your Elders

Seniors have a lot to say---some good and some not so good. Age does not necessarily bring wisdom, but we seem to think it does. We're always ready to offer advice when asked and try not to give opinions unless they're solicited. Life experience is a wonderful education, one that we're willing to share with the youngsters, although they usually need to go through their own school of hard knocks to learn their own lessons. It's too bad we aren't born with blueprints in our hands, so we don't have to make so many mistakes. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way, but if you kids would listen to your elders, you might avoid some of the pitfalls. There are times that we do know what we're talking about!

Tut! Tut!

King Tut's treasures are on display in South Dakota. It reminds me of the time my late husband and I took our family to Chicago to see the child king's belongings. Our car started acting up about half way there and after we finally limped into the motel parking lot, the thing died. Then, to make a bad situation worse, our reservation had been cancelled and we had no room. The desk clerk finally sent us to the motel next door, which was being remodeled rather noisily, but at least we had beds. The next morning, we headed for the Museum of Natural History and were shocked to see huge lines of people waiting to get in. It was obvious that we weren't seeing any treasures that day, but I refused to give up and said I wasn't going home until I'd seen them. So, my husband went back to the museum after hours, talked to the guard and discovered that if we bought a seasonal family pass, we could walk right in the next morning. That's exactly what we did, and it was worth every bit of trouble to see those wonderful things. I can't help but wonder, though, if King Tut really DID put a curse on his treasures!

Summertime

It's summertime and the goin' is easy. If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale! Summer is a very busy time for most families. Relatives come to visit, lawns need mowing, weeds need pulling, gardens need tending. Children are swimming or playing ball or driving their parents crazy. The temperature is climbing every day now and the humidity rises accordingly, wreaking havoc with hair-do's. Perspiring becomes a way of life. On the other hand, flowers are blooming, birds are singing and the sunsets are awesome. I guess we can hold on for another 4 months until we head south for the winter.

Happy Father's Day 2009

Today we honor our fathers---alive and passed on. Fathers have a large impact on our lives from the moment we're born. It's true that most mothers are the nurturers and the sources of sympathy, but fathers often teach by example. If your father was a good provider, you learned that hard work pays off. If he treated your mother with respect, you learned that respect is a virtue. If he treasured time with the family, you learned the importance of keeping in touch. And if he took the role of disciplinarian at times, you learned to behave! Happy Father's Day to the fathers in our lives.

A Family Reunion

Sometimes it seems like families get together only at weddings and funerals. Well, 50th anniversaries work too. The brother and sister-in-law had their party today and it was wonderful, with guests coming from as far as Missouri, Nebraska and Montana. The DH and his two brothers don't see each other that often, so they had some catching up to do. The appearance of long lost relatives can trigger many happy memories of younger days and, as a result, there's a lot of hugging going on. Reunions are good for the soul.

Watch What You Say...

Several years ago, my sister-in-law reminded me that I had made special cakes for everybody but her, so I promised, "When you make it to your 50th anniversary I'll make your cake". Well, guess what! The 50th has arrived and she has a memory like an elephant. As a result I've spent the last 3 days baking and decorating cakes and making mints. Now everything is ready for tomorrow's party and I'm pleased with the result. It turned out to be a labor of love.

Hoot! Hoot!

Thank Heaven eyeglasses have become smaller. Back in the 70's, we all looked like huge birds, peering through specs that covered half our faces. Somebody must have thought we could see through our cheeks. When my son was a little boy, he liked to draw pictures of the family. One day, he very innocently stated, "Mama, every time I draw a picture of you, it ends up looking like an owl". Well, hoot, hoot!

The Tree

One of my very favorite books is, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", by Betty Smith. I've read it many times in my lifetime and will probably read it again. I was talking to my daughter about it just yesterday and when I awoke at 4:30 AM today and turned on the television, voila!, the movie was on....another example of synchronicity. It's the story of an impoverished family struggling to survive in the early 1900's and the indomitability of the human spirit. A determined tree, surrounded by cement, becomes a symbol of hope. Even though the economy is bad right now, we're still better off than our ancestors, and a story such as this becomes a reminder to be thankful for what we have.

Growing Pains

The grandchildren are growing up way too fast. I swear they shoot up a couple of inches every time we see them. One of the girls is driving, another is crocheting and yet another is painting furniture. The 14 year olds are into sports, the 6 year olds are anxious to enter 1st grade and the 3 year olds are trying to stay out of trouble. It's wonderful that they have such a zest for life. I hope they can keep it forever!

Quest Completed

The quest is over. Hurray! The DH came home with several ground cherry plants and they are safely ensconced in the garden. Thank Heaven. He also made an elderly lady's day by visiting and giving her a big hug. The plants don't look like much now but I'm told they will bear wonderful fruit and produce delicious pies. Well, after this hassle, let's hope so!

Lucky 13

Yesterday, June 13, was our 13th anniversary. Our son-in-law stated that he didn't remember going to our wedding. Well, nobody did, because we went to Las Vegas and were married in the Little Chapel of Flowers, then came home and had a big reception at the VFW. Some members of the families weren't too thrilled with the marriage,so we made it easier on everybody. Now, 13 years later, everybody is fine and we're still happily married. We definitely hit the jackpot in Las Vegas!

The Quest

The DH is on a quest, like the knights of yore. Fortunately, he's not seeking to slay a dragon or rescue a fair maiden. He's tracking ground cherry plants. The ground cherry is a small yellow-husked fruit that is used in pies and jam. This is a memory from his youth and he's been trying to grow them for several years now, with no success. Seeds are expensive and rare. The ones he started in the house shriveled up when transplanted to the garden. Now, through searching and questioning friends and relatives, he's found an old lady in a small town who says they're growing wild in her back yard. He has permission to dig, so he's on his way west, armed with a shovel, a bucket and the GPS. Hopefully, this dragon is put to rest, once and for all!

Feathered Friends

We love to watch the antics of the birds at home and at the lake. They're kept busy from dusk to dawn feeding their offspring. Some of the babies are nearly as big as the parents now, but they sit with their mouths open and Mom stuffs in a tasty bug or a wiggly worm. The purple martins have been having a veritable banquet feasting on the mayflies. They'll soon be so fat they won't be able to get into their apartment houses. My brother-in-law built a new deck at his lake house and is a little upset because he says the birds have turned it into a poop deck!

A Blue Moon

Once in a blue moon the universe lines up and something amazing happens. Well, it happened a couple of weeks ago in South Dakota. A young cattle rancher won the 232 million dollar Powerball. His family had been struggling financially, so this win was a miracle. It does my heart good to see deserving people have such good fortune. God's still in His Heaven, all's right with their world.

Energized

If I could figure out a way to harness the energy of youngsters, I'd be a billionaire overnight. Grandchildren never seem to settle down---they just go, go, go forever. If one is behaving, a sibling comes up and starts the cycle all over again. When they nap, they're only charging their batteries for another onslaught. It's too bad we can't store that energy for old age when we really need it!

Howl at the Moon

When everyday trials and tribulations get you down, it's time to do something out of character. Howl at the moon, dance in the rain, dress up like a floosie. Have some innocent fun. Our souls were created to enjoy life, and taking responsibilities too seriously can turn you into a drudge. Assign some time each week to do something that makes YOU happy even if the people in your house don't always agree. They can have their turns too. Retirees often make the mistake of settling into a sedentary lifestyle and fail to realize that they can splash through every mud puddle and howl at the moon every night!

Buddy, Can I Have a Smoke?

It's great when parents can be friends with their grown children. It makes you feel like you did something right. The DH and his son are fishing buddies, smoking buddies and beer drinking buddies. They can sit and reminisce for hours, laughing like loons, hashing over their myriad trips to the river or family vacations. When our children make poor choices, we have a tendency to question our parenting skills, but must remember that they need to make their own mistakes. All we can do is hope that they will be as wise as we are someday!

On Strike!

Owning a lake cabin has its pros and cons. Having a getaway is nice, being close to nature is wonderful, the peace and quiet is appreciated. On the other hand, there's an old saying that "fish and guests start to smell after 3 days" and I have to agree. By the fourth or fifth day, the stress begins to build as I get tired of waiting on everybody hand and foot, cooking all of the meals and doing most of the dishes. I finally reached the end of my rope last evening and announced that I'm going on strike. If they want to eat, they'll have to fix their own meals---the tavern is closed. The DH usually gets up before dawn, but today he slept in. When I commented on it, he stated, "I was afraid to get up!" Well, maybe he should be...

Going Buggy

Somebody should inform the Mayflies that it's actually June, because they are driving us crazy. The air is alive with a constant whine, something like the Taos buzz. They're the size of a large mosquito but could just as well be dragonflies, as annoying as they are. The little buggers hide in the grass and then rise in an undulating cloud of moving insects. Thank God they only last for a couple of weeks and they don't bite. If they did, we'd be eaten alive!

Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You

All too often we have a tendency to take our partners for granted. It would be a good idea to stop every once in awhile and assess your relationship. Show appreciation to the husband who nursed you through an illness, the wife who stood by you during the tough times. Tell your spouse you love him/her even though you may not like him/her at the moment. Marriage is like a flower---if it's fed and nourished and carefully tended, it will flourish and produce beautiful blossoms. If it's ignored and unappreciated, it will wither and die. It takes two to make a partnership work and if you think you'd be better off alone, just talk to a widow.

Gone Fishing

The men are off on a fishing trip today, so it's only fair that the women go shopping. We can't sit home twiddling our thumbs while they're out baiting their hooks. So far, their forays have been pretty much unsuccessful but old fishermen never give up, they just lose their worms. Time will tell whose day produced the most bounty, but I'm betting on the women!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

It's no secret that life can be a bummer. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and be unable to pull yourself out. That's the time to change the scenario. If your spouse is the problem, get away from each other for a weekend. If your grown children are the problem, don't answer your phone. If you're the problem, find some quiet time to reflect on your attitude and make plans to improve it. More often than not, we reap what we sow. A poor attitude on your part effects the people around you and they're soon as bummed as you are. Life is too precious to be spent in a continuous funk. Get creative---find ways to have fun. It's much more rewarding to make your loved ones happy than it is to make them miserable!