Chilly Blast from the Past: January 6, 2015

January 6, 2015: 

Frozen in DC with the parental 

"Powerless" to stay warm

A lap full of yarn keeps you busy and warm.

What a fun way to kick off a fun visit.

From Style Pinner

So we had VERY warm hearts!

~ photos by iTouch

Long Distance Christmas E-Cards

After all the years that I was able to take an extended vacation to Utah/Arizona/Nevada and then Idaho during Christmas breaks, it has been interesting to NOT for this particular holiday. Having Thanksgiving is one thing, but Christmas is another. (In all honesty, it was ... better to have a break this year. I needed it.)

Thankfully, with the immediacy of modern technology, I can still experience it in more real-time than my poor grandmothers could not that long-ago.

A few branches of the tree came together for an early Christmas. Grandmary and Grumpa were able to spend time with the Nevada crew before Kelli and the Kids peeled off to see the paternal step-side of the family.

Grumpa reports with his iPhone photos:
Jed was at work but after soup and crackers we opened the gifts from you, mom, and Idaho family. The following are just a sample of what we saw. Cannon was running a fever, but staked out his spot and spread out. [Your] sunglasses were a hit. Drew loved all your little items and will be using them as soon as he can. After things settled down, I caught one of the cat lover. 

 (I'm sorry Grandmary, but the squirmy twins look like they want to bolt.)

I missed the initial FaceTime request while the parentals were there, but I got to FaceTime all of them much much later that night. I was already make-up free and ready for bed, so we had a FaceTime chat where I had my sunglasses on. (I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can, so I can ...)

Sarah and Cannon got sunglasses from me because Sarah had spent so much time when I was there in November wearing mine - I had to! (And if you get one twin one thing, you better get the other one something similar.)

Oh, the smudgies I had to get off of my glasses.

On Christmas Eve, Grumpa sent me photos of the parentals' present to themselves and their neighbors to the south. A HUGE 110ft long fence, so you couldn't see out the back of the house, down directly into the neighbor's pool, hot-tub, and house. They've been planning this and some xeriscaping for years, but somehow they saved enough money on their mission that they were able to afford. Add in some of the exterior/interior renovations they had to make because of the burst pipe, it just made sense.

It's imprinted on both sides, so as Mr. Frost is attributed: "Good fences make good neighbors."

Just so I wouldn't be left out, on Christmas morning, he sent around photos of how the house was decorated this year. They may be making up for last year's apartment-sized Christmas. (Hey, I don't even decorate THAT much, so their decorations can count for mine.)

Actually (as Nathan would say), the exterior decor, particularly the tiny tree by the door, is more for the lady, Doris, across the street. Because it came from her, so it has to be put to use.

 Every year there is loot under this tree, and every year Pop makes comments about how "we weren't going to do this" and "it's all for your mother." But then he's happy to have the loot. Every year. TRADITIONS! (But there was no, I hope it's not what's in the box insider family joke.)

Per Pop:
Mom reading the role of grandparents before seeing the goofy picture of ME. (Good gift, family!)

Dad's gifts. It seems that if you repair a zipper pull with glue you get two new fleeces to cover the mess you make. I am trying to get through the Book of Mormon again and got two large reading books to distract me again.*

Mom's gifts. One of which has to be exchanged for 24" size. Thanks to the little birdie for the suggestion.

End of event! "Beagle" for breakfast and then to get ready for lunch in Zion Park.

[You are welcome, Mom. I listen. Next time Dad, we'll find out the right sizing. But I have to be subtle in my information gathering.]

On "returns" Monday, there was a replacement for the "you know, one of these days, I'd like pearls" half-off-handed comment. 

With interest.

Apparently there was no "next size up" available. Oh shucks darn shoot.

The folks then took themselves to the Zion Lodge at Zion National Park for Christmas Day 2015. While I had to turn on my a/c, there was snow in them there hills.

From Pop:

Just outside the Zion Lodge

There were a lot of visitors from around the world, and lots of people who didn't know what snow was.

 With just enough white to make the red rocks stand out and red/white/blue for Mary.

They took pictures from the car of a the canyon and of a snowstorm coming in through Springdale.

Aside from some complaints about speed limits, needs for new connectors to by-pass around the valley closer to their house, and meal prices, I THINK Dad had a good time. Even though he said he needed a Christmas Day nap.

Who doesn't need a Christmas Day nap? I think it's part of the day.

Hope you enjoyed this Long Distance Christmas E-Card.

~most photos via Grumpa


*Hey, I just realized. I didn't get one single reading book for Christmas. Odd. That has to be rectified.

Photo of the Day: Mother Nature is Mixed up

c. Grumpa

This is a shot of the parents' house in St. George, UT yesterday morning. 

The desert of southern Utah, mind you.

Yesterday in NYC it was in the 50s.

Today, supposedly, it was in the 60s, foggy, and balmy. 

I never made it out of the office during the day, 

but I only wore my spring jacket on the commute.

Tomorrow it is to be also in the 50s.

Mother Nature is seriously mixed up!

No Place Like Home

Auntie Nettie will be away for a few days.

She's "leafing" town and heading "home" to visit the folks, friends, and some of the old stomping grounds.

It's going to be a "berry" bittersweet weekend in ye quaint Connecticut as Auntie Nettie passes down Memory Lane.

She anticipates that more than these kinds of teardrops will fall.

Thanks for visiting. We'll* be back after the moon travels through the nightsky a phase or two.

* Auntie Nettie and The Shushing Librarian

Happy 42nd Anniversary!

Auntie Nettie's parents in 1967,

around the date of their wedding.

You crazy kids! Another year. Another Anniversary. What an example for us to emulate.

We love you.

(Yes, we do ... despite that look there, Grumpa!)

Retroblog November 26, 1981

Today is Tursday Nov. 26th 1981. Time 1:29 PM

My family was going to my grandma's for Thanksgiving, but something told dad that we shouldn't go. So we didn't I cried when he told us. I wanted to go so bad. I love my parents all they do to me.

I actually do remember this event. I did cry. We were all excited to go to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving, and were pretty much all packed for the journey. The prompting that Dad got was serious enough that we didn't go, at practically the last minute. He and Mom were really somber about it when they told us. I don't know if it was a gut feeling, a dream, foreboding, or what, they were freaked and not moved by the crying or whining of their kids.

This was back in the day when there were no cell phones, GPS devices, internet, CNN outlets, etc., plus there were no iPods, or electronic games to distract the three of us kids from the crowded conditions of the backseat. The drive from CT to NC was almost a whole day, with Mom and Dad trading off the highway driving, with napping and refereeing the three of us.

Who knows what might have happened? I don't remember there being any news of major accidents on 95. If Dad shared with Mom what might have happened if we took that trip, I've never found out. We went down plenty of times over the years -- even journeys that I undertook as a solo driver. It's a mystery I look forward to finding out the answer to. It's on my list of questions for "the other side."

Happy Anniversary!

In the rush of the hollydaze I always seem to almost forget another very important date, my parents' wedding anniversary. This year I didn't want to forget, so I "banked" this blog post months ago for release today.

Happy 41st Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Auntie Nettie's parents in 1967, around the date of their wedding. They were both in their very early 20s, but Mom was the "older woman." You go Dad!

Many years ago for a Church bulletin, my mother wrote a little essay on how she and Dad met. It's not quite the story that my brothers and I grew up hearing, but it's pretty close.

Which version of this courtship do you want? Dad tells the children that Mom chased him, he tripped on his untied shoe lace, could not get away, and then Mom caught him. Mom remembers that she was blown away when Dad asked her on bended knee to marry him because most of their time together previously had been spent listening to Dad’s problems with girlfriends in Corpus Christi, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. [Go Pop! You dog, you!] Whichever version one believes, the facts are that Mom was teaching junior high school English in Norfolk, Virginia and Dad was transferred to Norfolk by the Navy for a three month school. They met at the Norfolk Ward after Easter. This was the Vietnam era; therefore, there were as many as twenty LDS single service men in the ward at one time. They had firesides, dances, group activities all the time, as many of the group as could getting together and getting to know one another. They all got along well and were friends helping each other to grow in the gospel and careers. Most of the servicemen were not officers nor returned missionaries but were faithful to the Priesthood and the Church. Those who were not did not look up the Church and got lost on the bases of ships. Anyway, Mom and Dad became friends, did a lot of talking, and after Dad either got on bended knee or tripped on that shoe lace and Mom caught him, they have continued to be friends and to do a lot of talking for the last [forty plus] years.

Thanks to my colleague T*** for this lovely present for last year's anniversary; the infamous shoe lace is at the bottom of the art work. It's done up here -- to symbolize their lasting tie.

Vacation Photos - Grandparents

One of the best parts of vacation was watching my parents be grandparents. Since I haven't blessed them with this opportunity (and let's be frank, probably never will) and they live far, far away from the grand kids, Grumpa Max and Grandmary will spend HOURS with the kids when they can. Since visits can be months (or in my case, years apart), sometimes the kids can be shy, but they gradually warm up enough that they pull no punches or conceal the temper tantrums or tears*.

Grumpa Max and Grandmary

Amber playing with Grandmary

Grandmary being double teamed by Elle and Amber

Grandmary and Elle

Luckily Christina is a very patient, generous, lovely, and caring person and let all of us strange people a) invade her house b) stay for hours on end c) scare one kid and d) abscond with the other. Eventually she did have to rescue Elle, just to make sure the maternal bond was in place.

Looks like it still is

Drew got to spend time with Grandmary and Grumpa Max too, when he wasn't making me play endless round of Candyland**, cars, and put puzzles together, all while I was fighting off allergies to the original grandcat, Tippi.

Tippi, it must be said, was aloof from it all ... as only an aging cat can be.

Gosh darnit, isn't he just the cutest thing?

I did finally figure out why kids have to take so many naps. My theory is that they are very cute, very adorable, energy sucking vampires. They sap energy from the grownups, who try and cover up the "real story," by saying that naps are "good for kids."

Max2 napping

When asked why I had to take a nap too, Mom said: "I said so, that's why."

(I blame it on the allergy medication.)

She'll never it admit it, but they just wore out Grandmary completely.

* For my own protection, I didn't take many photos of tantrums or tears. Let's keep up some kind of illusion for future generations, I mean, really.

**Candyland rules with a 3 year old are non-existent. It's only about finding the Candy Character cards. It's Drew's World and we just exist to play games with him.