Black Beauty And Amelia

I was standing at the kitchen counter this morning getting my breakfast ready...(one Thomas's Whole Wheat English Muffin lightly buttered with Fleishman's olive oil spread, a glass of orange juice and coffee in my Davey mug) realizing I really do not feel good. I turned to look at the thermometer outside the kitchen window to see how cold it was. It said it was somewhere around 20 degrees fahrenheit...warmer than it has been for a while now.

In that insignificant moment I went back in time....mostly because we have an important event to go to tonight whether I feel good or not.

Tonight Amelia, my 11 year old granddaughter, is going to be performing in her church production of Godspell. I can't miss it. I won't miss it.

You see, when I was a little girl...I can't remember exactly how old...the movie Black Beauty was playing at our local theater. It was the dead of winter and I was sick. It was the last night Black Beauty would be showing and I just had to see it....I just had to! It was so cold out that night. It was in the days when winter came with a vengeance. I asked if I could go see Black Beauty. I had to see Black Beauty. My mom didn't think I should go out. It was too cold and I was too sick. I could see my dad was considering it. Finally, he said, "Well, I think we could bundle her up nice and warm and that would be ok." He would take me.

I was happy. I got so bundled up I doubt I could hardly bend my legs to sit in the car. We only lived a short ways from the movie house so the car really didn't have much time to warm up. My dad took me to see Black Beauty and what I really remember is coming out of the theater, getting in the car, my dad walking around the car to get in himself and my teeth chattering I was so cold. I couldn't stop them. With the cold on my cheeks, my arms wrapped around myself to keep warm and a blanket on my lap we headed home and it is one of my nicest memories.

I will be there tonight Amelia. And, I think I will call my dad and say, "Thank you!"

Irish Singalong At Joe's House In Ireland In 2006

In 2006, Tom and I went to Ireland to visit our friend Joe. One of the funnest nights we had was the night Joe's friends, Pat and Greta, came over to Joe's house and we had a singalong. I can't remember if it was impromtu or if we had planned it. I am thinking we planned it because we had song sheets with words printed out. I guess that would say planned wouldn't it?

I have had some requests from friends to put the audio that Tom recorded of our fun night on my blog. So, here it is guys!!! It is pretty long, but oh so nice to listen to.

I listened to the whole thing a couple nights ago and it brought back so many memories. I smiled, I laughed and wanted more. I didn't want it to end. You might as well pull up a chair and imagine yourself right there with us.

Here is a picture of all of us. From the left.......Tom, Judy, Greta, Joe and Pat. If you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall, now is your chance.


Pull up a chair, sit back and let yourself be transported to Ireland!

Oh My Gosh! Snow In Nenagh!

When I talked to my friend Joe in Nenagh, Ireland this morning, he said to me, "We had snow last night Judy!" Now, while they used to get lots of snow in Ireland, they don't get much any more. So, this was kind of a big deal. I waited patiently to hear Joe say, "I took a picture of it for you.

Remember, I live in Minnesota!

Here is the picture of Joe's snow in Nenagh. I am sorry Joe! Most of you know that Joe is a very important part of my family's life. He is the Godfather to my 9th grandson Jackson.

Remember, I live in Minnesota. When I saw the picture of the snow in Nenagh, I think I laughed for five minutes. I am sorry Joe and I really, really do appreciate you taking a picture of your snow for me!

Snow in Nenagh

The Deer

Tom and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking today and I said, "Do you think the deer come out on days like this when it is sunny and bright?"

Most of the pictures we have of the deer that visit our back yard are on the days that are gray and overcast.

Then, all of a sudden, I saw the reflection of a little white tail in the window and I said, "Oh, there is a deer!" Sure enough, there was one deer, then two deer, then three deer, and four deer, and five deer, and six deer, and seven deer and then finally EIGHT deer!!

It was so beautiful and exciting. Below are several pictures of the deer and then two videos. I so hope you enjoy seeing the deer!

December Highlights Part 2

Here are two little videos from the night Davey, Derek and Jackson stayed overnight. I have several more coming but Tom has to resize one for me. It was a fun overnight.

The first video I call "NO BATTERIES". You will see why. The second video I call "PANCAKE ON MY HEAD". It was a fun time.

Christmas Highlight 2

Today has been a really nice day. First of all, I slept until 8:00 a.m. which I never do. When I came down to the kitchen the kitchen window was framed in frost, and through it I could see the back deck railing with the greenery and lights and red bows gently covered with yesterday's snow. I stood there and thought how beautiful it was.

At 9:00 a.m. our friend and plumber, Don, came to fix a problem with our water softener. When he was finished I said, "Shall I write you a check now, Don?" To which he said, "Noooo, I was going to be out this way anyway." Don is a good man!

The rest of the day has gone just like that. I made some of what we now call, "Judy's Hearty Soup," which was delicious. I can hear the hum of the washer and dryer as I am getting some laundry done and the dishwasher is full to the brim and my cooking dishes are getting clean.

In between all these wonderful sights and sounds I watched a really nice movie on the Hallmark channel. I don't know if I could count on two hands the number of Hallmark and Lifetime movies I have watched this month. They have been wonderful and filled with love and beauty and romance and Christmas spirit...people caring about people and a spirit of giving.

I think I might be a romantic.

But, to your surprise and mine, I didn't intend to write all these things in this post. The real reason for the post has to do with a beautiful message on a Christmas card we received today from my sister Linda and her husband David.

I put this picture of Linda and David in my post because I wanted you to see them. Every year, for years, they have come to our home to share a part of Christmas day with us and our family, Linda's and my dad, and Linda and David's daughter and her son. I didn't have a picture of Linda and David from Christmas day but this one will do. It is a picture taken on the day of Jackson Toby's baptism in July.

Linda and David's Christmas card was beautiful. But, the most beautiful part of the card was what was personally written.

Tom and Judy,

Thanks for the beautiful time on Christmas Day. We love to see your precious family, and to watch them "in action." There is something very special happening when you are together. Every year we look forward to the hamburger and kidney bean dish.

In His love,

Dave & Linda

I thought that was so nice and how fortunate I am to be in a family that loves and cares and gives with abandon. Thank you Linda and David!

I seem to be working my way backwards through the month and the highlights. Funny, sometimes I read magazines from back to front too. I think I like remembering events and when I write about them I get to revisit them. I am in a happy place today. I can tell because I want to keep writing : )

More later.............it is a nice day!

Starting The Christmas Highlights

December was a full month. I am going to start posting some photos and videos (in no particular order) that will mark the highlights of the month and our Christmas season. This little video features our grandson Derek, who is 3 years old, and felt the need to sing a song on Christmas Day. Here are the lyrics as best I understand them. Makes me laugh it is so sweet!

On top of pasketti
All covered with cheese
I lost my poor meatball
When somebody sneezed
It rolled off the table
And onto the floor
And then my poor meatball
Went right out the door



With Derek are our grandson Christopher (16) and our grandaughter Amelia (11). I think this boy has a future in music!

Merry Christmas

The stockings are hung on the chimney with care

It is 7:30 a.m. and there are two very excited little boys on the phone. Davey and Derek called me to share their fun Christmas morning with me.

I am a lucky gramma!

Somehow leaving them to go clean bathrooms just doesn't seem like something I want to do.

The family will be arriving around 2:00 this afternoon for our gift opening and more family will be coming around 4:00 for our big family dinner.

One of the most fun things this Christmas is I have bought my dad a Christmas stocking. It will be his very first ever Christmas stocking in all his 96 years. I said to him, "I will hang your stocking on the mantle with everyone elses. Yours will be the 18th stocking this year." He said to me, "I want it hung in the middle so I can be surrounded by the whole family."

That is exactly where his stocking is hanging! Right in the middle of the family!

Merry Christmas everyone! Adam, Sara Beth, Joseph, Kallsen and Parker....we miss you so much and wish you were here!

Love from us to you!

Main Street Walhalla SC

Last Thursday, December 11, Tom and I flew to Walhalla, SC to visit our son, Adam and his family. In these videos Sara Beth, Kallsen , Parker, Tom and I are on our way to see Adam perform in The Nutcracker.

Pictures will be following in future posts.

Until then, enjoy the videos showing the main street of a small town in America, Walhalla, SC.

Jackson And Joe Talk On The Phone

Sarah called tonight and said while she was feeding Jackson his cereal Jackson asked if he could talk to Joe. (Sarah has very very good ears) So, I got things set up...meaning I put the phone on speaker, had Joe on skype and hooked up the microphone and speakers so Jackson and Joe could talk.

Now, mind you, Jackson is 5 months old so this is the beginning of the kinds of phone conversations Joe and I have had with Sarah's little boys, Davey and Derek, for a long time. It is now Jackson's turn.

Below are two pictures of Jackson as he was talking to Joe while he was eating his cereal. A video of our conversation follows the pictures. For those of you who don't know, Joe lives in Ireland, and he is Jackson's Godfather.

Jackson listening to Joe

Jackson reaching for the phone

And, now the video...

And, later tonight then, I decorated the mantle in my basement. Merry Christmas everyone! I have never had a mantle to decorate in the basement before. We have lived in this house over 29 years. It is nice to get to do it this year.

A Beautiful And Peaceful Christmas Movie

The link below is a link to a Christmas movie that is done by my favorite musical artist, Tami Briggs. I am hoping when you click on the link you will be able to view her beautiful movie and will also visit her website.

It is my pleasure to introduce Tami Briggs Christmas movie! May peace and joy be with all of you!

http://www.musicalreflections.com/christmas08.cfm

I Was There And It Feels Incredible

I received this link in my email and when I played it I was so overtaken with emotion to realize that I was IN the Basilica of St. Peter's with my grandson, Christopher, when he and I visited Italy and Greece in June 2007. I have seen this ceiling and the sculptures and the paintings on the walls. I was there! I don't even know how to describe how it feels. The music and the place temporarily, as I listen and watch, transcend the here and now. Those of you who know me well, know that I tend to live in the moment. But, this little video transports me to another place...a place of beauty.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v6g5X2hGab0

The Buck Stops Here

You just never know what you will see when you sit at our kitchen table. I read something yesterday about .... no, wait a minute. I think it was a power point show I received in my email. It had to do with the importance of touching and being one with nature.

I love living here!

A Good Day

Yesterday was a nice day. It was cold, crisp, sunny and eventful I guess one might say. Tom and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking and Tom casually said, there is a deer in the back yard. Then, he said, "Oh, my goodness, there is a big buck in the back yard!"

We see quite a few doe, but rarely see a buck. The buck we saw yesterday was beautiful and majestic. It was really exciting!

Beautiful buck

I think he is so majestic

We also purchased Tom a new car. He has been driving his late father's car for a number of years and, sadly, it has to be replaced. The heat no longer works and it has been running pretty rough for a while. Minnesota winters just aren't the time for no heat and possible breakdowns and to fix it would have cost more than the value of the car.

So, we bit the bullet and we will keep the memory of the car in a photograph and Tom will get to drive his new car that has lovely heat and doesn't make funny noises that make me think it is going to break down. It is a beautiful car. We chose a Toyota Avalon.

Tom in his dad's car. I think it was a 1992 Cadillac


Tom's new car...2008 Toyota Avalon

Here is a short video of the buck

Brothers Playing

The videos were taken Monday, November 17th. Jackson Toby is 5 months old now and he is a lucky little boy to have such nice brothers.

Great Neighbors

I have been starting to decorate for Christma this weekend as you can see by this first picture. I love the tree in the shadows with the light coming in the curtains. My day was going to get a little more fun though when I looked out the window. I saw my neighbors outside in their yard and to me this presented an opportunity to have some fun.

The story and video follow...................

Scene if my front room where we have the Christmas tree

Ben and Joan out in their yard with their ladder

They are such great neighbors. They are nice, fun, kind, playful, hard workers and good sports! Meet Ben and Joan who live next door to us. I saw them outside today looking like they were about to do some serious business on their house. I couldn't help but find my camera and turn this scene into a little fun. Not only are they all the things I mentioned above, but when our friend, Joe from Ireland was here in June and July, they invited us to dinner and served us a great steak dinner after which we all walked down to the cul de sac and looked at the moon. Now, how nice was that! Yep, Ben and Joan are neighbors you want to have! And, yes, they know I am putting this on my blog. Thanks guys!

It's Official

(Dante's Prayer) Please click to play

Yep, it's official. I am now fully 65. While I have been 65 since March I have, as of today, completed my "Get down and take care of the old people stuff" stuff. Yep, this morning I had my phone conversation with the Social Security office to apply for retirement benefits.

I will be 66 in March of 2009, but I can start collecting my social security checks starting in January. Where did the time go? How can I feel so young and yet I now qualify as an old person. Every time I write that kind of thing I laugh!

I know that age is just a number. I know that our lives are determined by how we feel on the inside and whether or not we keep our "spirit" alive. In fact, I love my age. I love being 65. I love all the good things that come with being this age. Gosh, I get a senior citizen's discount at Perkins restaurant and drugstores and department stores have senior citizen days which means if we can toddle on in there we can get 15% off lots of stuff we really don't need and some that we do. I love the confidence and wisdom that come with having lived life for this many years.

It was a short 15 minute phone conversation. It dealt with a significant life transition. I had been looking forward to it. It is over now and I feel oddly and happily excited and elated. Does this mean I am finally an adult? Now, that makes me laugh! Somedays I wonder what it will take to make me feel like an adult. This wasn't it!

I think I am going to be waiting and watching for a long time!

It Keeps Getting Better

New email from Kara............WOW WOW AND WOW

"Christopher came home with a letter from his art teacher today letting us know that some of his artwork has been chosen to be on display in the Chaska High School Art Show at the Chan Rec Center. This particluar piece is a casserole dish with a lid to go with the dinnerware set that he made. The show runs from Nov 19 - Jan 1. They are having an opening reception on Nov 20 from 6:30 - 7:30. You are all welcome to come! (Adam - I know you won't be able to make it )"

Kara

Email From My Daughter Kara

"A reporter from the Chaska Herald came to the high school yesterday to interview Christopher about his pottery!! He took some pictures, too, of Christopher throwing and one of him and his 50lb pot. How cool is that!?!

I will let you know when the article gets printed!

Kara (the proud mom!)"

Christopher Age 16

My response..........

"WOW WOW AND WOW...........that is terribly exciting and
this is written by the PROUD GRANDMA.........can I put this
on my blog?.............your email? I would really like to!!"

Kara's response......

"Sure!!!"

I am so happy and excited for you Christopher! What wonderful recognition for something you love doing so much!! I love you! Grandma

Early Morning

It is almost 6:30 a.m. and I am up for the day. I woke early. I think it was 4:45 a.m. and I did not go back to sleep. Sometimes, when that happens, I wish I could go back to sleep. Usually I don't. I guess that is OK. It gives me time to think....kind of like when I am at a stoplight.

I think of these things, waking early and stopping at stoplights, as pauses in my day and they give me time to think, contemplate and maybe even figure things out that are on my mind. I see them as opportunities to be in the moment and for the most part I enjoy my own company and internal conversation. (As my family knows, it is not always internal!)

I got a quote in my email this morning that got me to thinking. It made me smile and that is what prompted my early morning thoughts. The quote is....

"We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." Carlos Castaneda

It is all about attitude. Life happens especially when we think we have control. Then I think about the old saying, "Control is an illusion!"

As I head into the holiday season I am ever so aware that I hope for some control of things like money, time and mood to name a few. I know I have some control but it is so hard when I start looking at Christmas things in the Christmas section at Target. There is something that happens to me and I think it is the magic of Christmas that still captures me. I look, I touch, I smile, I go into little scenes in my head. I want to buy the feeling I get while I am standing there. Sometimes I do.

The simplest way to say it is, my senses wake up and come alive in a special way standing in the Christmas aisle at Target. I don't ever want to lose the magic. I can't imagine ever losing the magic.

Welcome to my world! Welcome to my early morning world! I am going to get some breakfast now. I am going to get some coffee now.