Dry docked

Many years ago when my family was younger we bought a boat. It was an ordinary boat with a cantankerous motor but you would have thought we had a yacht. My late husband hadn't learned a lot of patience yet so it wasn't unusual to hear, "You're all a bunch of gilligans." My kids still laugh about that because he was the biggest gilligan of all! Sadly, the boat has been in dry dock for several years now and was beginning to look rather like a derelict. So, one day we hauled it home from the lake and my DH has given it new life. He's been scrubbing, painting and polishing all week in preparation for sale. It's time to pass the "Minnow" on to younger gilligans.

Grandmas Aren't What They Used To Be

When I was growing up I had the world's most wonderful grandma. Her name was Jennie Cecelia. She hated her name because when she was young the kids would tease her by chanting , "Jennie Cecelia, I'd like ta steal ya." Grandma was always home because 50 years ago, that's what grandmas did. They didn't work. They made cookies and embroidered tea towels and planted flower gardens and made watermelon pickles. I spent as much time with my grandma as I possibly could. This was easy because she lived less than a block from our house. Now life has played an unfortunate trick on me and all of a sudden, I'm the grandma. I love my grandchildren dearly but don't see a whole lot of them because I'm busy running around the country living my life. Grandparents are no longer sitting on the front porch in their rocking chairs---we have things to do and places to go. Heck, most of the time my grandkids don't even know where I am!

Hang- ups

One of these days I'm going to have to introduce my DH to the clothes closet. He's quite familiar with the dishwasher and the stove, knows the washer and dryer well and has a passing acquaintance with the vacuum cleaner. Alas, he has no idea where the closets are located or what they're used for. He doesn't seem to grasp the concept that door knobs, chair backs and tables perform different functions than clothes hangers and coat hooks. There are certain folks that are encouraged to come out of the closet but I'm trying to get him to go in!

Sisters

I've never had a sister but I've always wanted one. It seems to me that a sister must be the best relative a girl could have; somebody to confide in who understands completely because she has the same hang-ups as you. I see the special bond between sisters and I get a little jealous of their closeness. I've had lots of sisters-in-law and they've been great but it's not the same as having a real live SISTER. It must be fun to reminisce about the time Mom took a bath with flea soap or Dad mooned you while camping in the Hills or torturing your little brother until he called Mom at work. So, if you have a sister, cherish her. She's a wonderful gift.

June is Busting out all Over

The spring flowers were late bloomers this year but they're making up for it now. The sweet little petunias, haughty lilies and fragrant lavender are all strutting their stuff. My favorite, though, is the lowly daisy. Daisies are the floozies of the flower world. They flaunt their wares all over town and bloom in places no self-respecting flower would even grow. You've just gotta love 'em!

A day in Mexico

While wintering in AZ we make frequent day trips to Mexico. We soon learned that you never, ever pay the asking price of anything. Because of this I was appalled when I observed a tourist (definitely a first-timer) asking a young Hispanic what she could buy for her children. She said she had three and wanted to spend $10 on each of them. Well, his eyes lit up like the Fourth of July as he offered her cheap trinkets, stating , "These each cost $10." I couldn't keep still any longer. I pointed out another stand where she could get a lot more for her money. After she left I asked the young man the price of his ceramic peppers. His quick reply was, "For you, lady, $100."