time flying by

I haven't posted since October. The days fly by. Josey is now 15 months old, and is more fun daily. She loves to get dressed a bit earlier than her mom in the mornings, and then go with me out in the garage or the yard (depending on the weather) to play. She loves the dogs, and if she's sad, all I have to do at my house is let dog Gracie come in the house. Josey understands more every day, and sometimes will follow commands, like "bring me your shoes", but not always. She also communicates her wants better, and knows to point now, thank God. Yesterday we lunched with Lana, and Riley was there. It's easy to see Josey's going to wart Riley for years.

my favorite little spook

Seeing Our President!
When I learned President Obama would be in College Stations speaking in October, I tried several ways to get tickets and had no luck. Then on Thursday, 10/15, I got a call from Sondra Haltom at the Texas Democratic Party saying I had the opportunity to have 2 tickets. I was so excited. My daughter Laney wanted to take 1-year-old Josey, but they wouldn’t allow that – too distracting. So I took the 18-year-old granddaughter of Lois Brown, a strong local Democrat who also had 2 tickets, for herself and her daughter – so 3 generations of that family saw Obama. I later learned that I got my tickets because Bill Holcombe, of Crockett, couldn’t use his and asked that they offer them to me. I’ll owe him always.
It was a long afternoon. We picked up our tickets at the College Station Mall by 12:30 p.m. and got in line for the buses that would take us all to Rudder Tower. The buses started running at 2. At Rudder we surrendered all hand-held items to be searched, and we walked through scanners. I was glad I’d left my pocket knife in my truck. We were in our seats by 3, and Rudder Auditorium was full. I was lucky in that we were very close to the stage, only about 12 rows back.
We were first entertained by a delightful Aggie a cappela singing group called Apotheosis, and that alone was worth the trip. At the end of everything, I think it was the Aggie Singing Cadets that sang patriotic songs, and again, that was wonderful.
George Bush Sr. talked first. I was amazed at how tottery he was, and he walked with a cane. Then President Obama spoke. Neither dwelt on politics, and both were very complimentary and supportive of the other. They talked about community service and giving of oneself. One of my favorite things came at the end. They were on a raised platform, stepping up or down about a step above the stage – and Bush and Bob Gates had been seated to the left of the microphone on that platform while Obama spoke. They began exiting to the right, with Obama ahead. After he stepped down, he paused and waited for Bush Sr. and took him gently by the elbow to steady him, and they walked off the stage that way.
It had been a very long afternoon – we weren’t allowed food or drinks in the buses or Rudder. As we left Rudder, most of us were disappointed that the buses weren’t waiting. We waited impatiently for about 15 minutes, getting crankier. Then from behind us to the left we heard sirens on that street, and we turned to see 3 police escort vehicles followed by 2 SUVs with flags on the corners, and then more vehicles – and we realized it was our President and Bush, and we then understood why the buses weren’t there yet. Security had closed down the streets until Obama and Bush Sr. had departed campus. Everyone relaxed more and waited.
There were protestors across the street and to the right, but I’m not sure if they were ever seen or heard by the President. There were also Aggies protesting the protestors. One sign said, “Free Nelson Mandella” (a little late) and another, my favorite, said, “Make awkward inappropriate sexual advances, not war.”
It was a truly grand day.

a symbol of my youth has died

Mary Trevors, of the 1960's singing group "Peter, Paul, and Mary", died last Wednesday, Sept. 16, of leukemia - age 72. The group's songs used beautiful harmonies despite the turmoil of the protest movements. To me, lots of their songs are classics for my generation.

fun times

Josey is gradually getting over her latest respiratory infection. She's getting so mobile! She's really not too happy unless she's down in the floor moving around, and I love to be there with her. She eats supper at my house pretty often, and I love it when she does -- I hope that continues throughout her life. She is so much fun, and I really love it when I pick her up and she lays her little head down on my shoulder! Last night she was standing on the floor in front of the couch, beside her mother, and she leaned over against Laney's leg and let go with both hands, standing there probably for a minute and a half with no hands! Watch out world, here she comes soon!

blessed rain!

Yesterday afternoon we received just a hair under 2 inches of rain, in less than an hour's time! I celebrated by burning feed sacks. I'd been reading Elmer Kelton's book, The Time It Never Rained, and it was so realistic and true-to-my-daily-life that I had to put it away for a while - maybe now I can finish it. I really like his writing and can't believe I've never read any of his work before. We got .3 of an inch more of rain during the night, and it looks like today will be wet too - thank God!

Laney and Josey arrived during the rain, since the wind was blowing hard. Laney had pulled off her denim blazer and wrapped it over Josey in her arms to keep her dry - but Josey didn't like her head covered so had uncovered the top of her head. When she came in the door, her little head was soaked and her hair so cute and curly, and she had such a grin on her face - it looked like she too knew the rain was a wonderful thing. Lana decided Sunday to teach her to raise her hand and give folks a high five (and then we clap and cheer), and she's doing it constantly now, and loves it. She's such a joy!

36th year in education

Monday, August 24, marks my 36th one to begin as an educator - hard to believe. It seems like at least half of the parents that come in to register students were also students of mine before.

Josey, Laney, and I went to B/CS yesterday to the annual horsemen's market & to shop. Josey has 2 new top teeth. It was a fun day.

Readers' Digest

Laney called this morning to give me bad news - that Readers' Digest is filing bankruptcy. I was so glad she realized the importance. My Uncle Fred started giving me a subscription to Readers' Digest before I was 10, so I've been enjoying the magazine for almost 50 years now, and I'm thrilled that Laney too enjoys it immensely. Like I have before her, she uses it at school often. Hopefully it can hang in there so Josey too can read and enjoy it. I have so many plans for Josey to read things. Hopefully she'll be the 4th generation of our family to enjoy the Lonesome Dove trilogy, and other McMurtry books. That's jumping ahead quite a bit, but I believe in planning ahead!

Josey in new hat!

Josey looks like she's about to say, "I can ride him - open the gate!" She gets more fun daily.

Sunday I put Josey in the pool for a while, and she really was fascinated by the hose - I think she's learned how good water tastes right out of a hydrant or hose! Her little earrings are so cute - she had her ears pierced July 31. Sunday we went to B/CS for a bit and I really like her black and white dress you see in the 2nd photo. YOu can tell I really adore her no matter what she's wearing!

my summer over

Technically my summer has been over since Tuesday, when I came back to work at school. I worked in Abilene all last week, doing public relations for the Texas State 4-H Horse Show. It was almost dark Saturday when I got home. Sunday we had lunch at Lana's to celebrate Mother's 80th birthday, and I kept Josey on Monday while Laney had a workshop. Josey and I had great fun. I bought her a palm leaf hat in Abilene, and she seems to like wearing it. I can't wait to post photos, but so far haven't gotten any.

Like Abra says on her blog, I'm a book lover. It's hard to decideon favorite books, I love so many. For kids, my favorites are Jennifer, Hecate, McBeth, Willliam McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, and also A Wrinkle in Time. It'll be a long time until Josey will be ready fo rthose. Some of my favorite adult books have been Gone With The Wind, Lonesome Dove, The Streets of Laredo, Comanche Moon, Fried Green Tomatoes, amd Water For Elephants. I really enjoy anything Dick Francis writes, but his books aren't what you call great books. For a while I really liked Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, but I don't enjoy them as much any more. I read to escape, I think. I've lots of ideas for writing, and hope one day to sit down and write a book.

There are so many things I wish I could do. I'd love to know how to :
1. make pottery
2. paint and/or draw artistically
3. weld
4. cut and lay ceramic tile
5. upholster furniture
6. take better quality of photographs
7. Do wood working and build furniture and things

Summer is waning fast. Day after tomorrow I go to Abilene for the State Horse Show, leaving here July 26 and returning August 1. Then I go back to work pretty quickly. This summer has been great. I'd hated that we didn't vacation anywhere, and I told Laney I'd call this Ice Cream Summer, and try to make a freezer of homemade ice cream weekly. I've fallen down on that some, only making 4 freezers, but that was better than ever befroe. The season has been best because I've spent lots of time with Josey and Laney. Laney's such a good mother that I sit and marvel at it. Josey has such a little personality of her own already, and I think she knows me and recognizes me now. You can be emy heart melts when she reaches for me!

rain

The community at which I live is called Laceola - once about 80 years ago there was a post office on the corner. This morning we received 2.2 inches of rain! It fell nice and slow, over about 3 hours time, and as of noon the sun had not shone on it yet, so maybe it won't just bake right back out. Thank God.

Josey on Casey for the first time

Josey rode Casey for the first time this morning, and she seemed to enjoy it. I think if she'd have ridden any longer she'd have fallen asleep, which I can remember that her mother did a lot. The saddle they rode today had a high swell so it didn't work well, and we'll use one of the other 2 that have lower swells next time. Yesterday Josey had her 9--month doctor's appointment and got a shot. The doctor came into the exam room and told Laney that Josey is in the 95th percentile in height and weight, and said, "They must have mis-measured her head, there's no way her head is as big as what they measured." Laney told him, "I saw them measure it and I'll bet they're right, we just have big heads in our family." He masured and said, "My goodness, you are right - her head is 48 centimeters, which puts that at over the 100th percentile on our charts!" I wasn't surprised either. When Laney was born she weighed 8 lb. 6 oz, and there was another baby in the nursery with her that weight 11 1/2 pounds - and her head measurement was bigger than his!

our Corgi, Leon

This morning I had to have our Corgi, Leon, put down. We'd have had him 14 years if he'd lived to Thanksgiving. He's been great company and I will miss him terribly. He loved baths and water. When he swam in tanks it always scared me that he'd start floundering and I might drown trying to rescue him. When it got to be stormy weather, he always wanted to get in the bathtub - somehow I think he knew that was the safest place to be in a storm. He was so pretty and so soft to touch. We got him at Rose Palace at the Greater Houston QHA Thanksgiving Circuit in 1995 - when I got him in my hand, I wouldn't give him back to the Snows, I was afraid they'd sell him before I got back with the check. With Laney riding in the arena warming up and them knowing her, they trusted me to bring the check back. Of course Georgia Snow had told me I could register him, but with him being a fluff I learned I couldn't and I'm sure she knew that. I always thought he was worth every penny of the $400 I paid for him, and much more. Marcus Petri always said Leon was my first son, and Marcus said he himself was my other son.

I'm very happy to say that I have a new rug in my den. My old one was so worn and dog-chewed around the edges, I'd gotten so that I hated to have anyone come in the house! Also I didn't like Josey sitting on it. She seems to like the new one, and she stood up on it last night, leaning on me as I sat beside her. I bought it at auction on-line and got it for a good price, I thought -- at www.swicoauctions.com. My problem now is that I've been having to call to try to find election judges for all 8 of the Madisonville voting boxes for next year, and folks are quite reluctant!

wonderful summer

I love these long summer days, though I'd really appreciate some rain. I love being able to go outside at 9 p.m. and it's still light. Sunday I saw Leigh Ann's Rustyn, and he is such a cutie! Josey was jealous, which is no surprise. Last night Nathan git a call at 10 p.m to go haul some cattle so then Laney and Josey came and spent the night with me. I loved having her, but she didn't look rested this morning. We ate lunch at the spot behind the doughnut store, and had a great meal. I've bought a new rug at www.swico.com, and will go pick it up this afternoon, from Tom Gibbs -- can't wait, it'll look so much better than my ancient den rug.

June flowers

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I really love having so many flowers blooming in my yard now!

57 summers

This week I've been thinking about trying to do something to make this summer memorable, with no great success so far. This makes my 57th summer, and summer has always been my favorite season, but mostly they all blend together into a heavenly time. I remember the summer after I graduated from college, moving to Huntsville, attending SHSU classes, etc. I remember the summer I graduated from SHSU, breaking an engagement, getting hired to teach in Madisonville. I remember the summer I met Laney's dad, how I was sick with hepatitis, etc, and the summer she was born - how it was so hot, how perfect she was in every way, and how I hated to ever go back to work. Then there was the next summer, when she was 1, taking her to Waco to the State 4-H Horse Show, and to the Hill Country to watch Lindy show Jan. After that summers pretty much became a blur of horse shows, wonderful times all, but none set apart much from othe other. The summer we moved into our house, I spent it all planting grass and watering to try to get it to spread. This summer is grand because Josey is part of it for the first time.Maybe it should be the summer I first publish a newsletter at State 4-H, or when I start The Grat American Novel, or ??? I need inspiration.

althea photo was left out before