7/41: Grandpa Peedink

My Grandpa Peedink (Sidney Lee Mahaney) was a cool old guy. He was predictable, stubborn, down-home and set in his ways. He was the kind of guy that would get stuck on something he liked (he could eat bacon & eggs for every meal if he felt like it).

He had the greatest gray hair. I don't think I ever knew him before he was gray and he had a great head of hair.

The only time he wasn't wearing a jumpsuit was if he was going to a wedding or a funeral (then he wore a suit).

He fought in the war. As a young soldier he climbed Eagles Nest in Germany (Hitler's hide-away...Hitler was gone by then). He came home to his wife a baby daughter (my mom). Had two more kids (my uncles). Started a second career as an upholsterer.

I can remember sitting on his front porch in Cisco, Texas...hot, dry, prickly Cisco...playing with the wild kitties, hearing the swamp cooler switch on, popping open black-eyed peas that we'd picked from the garden across the street. (The photo is Grandpa with my niece & nephew on that front porch).

I went to junior college in Cisco (CJC) and I can remember one time my roomate and I went over to visit Grandpa. We'd asked if we could come use his clawfoot tub (there's only showers in college dorms!). He said sure. As we took turns soaking in the tub, Grandpa cooked us bacon and eggs (and he made the best!) and had slices of melon (he always had that in his fridge). It was so nice to be pampered.

Of course, the end of any visit with Grandpa was a trip to the White Elephant. Everyone knew Grandpa. They greeted him when he walked in (a la Cheers). I think that years later, when he wasn't able to drive anymore, his fellow White Elephant buddies would pick him up! He practically outlived all of his friends (I think he was 96 when he passed away in 2002).

I miss ya Grandpa...you were one cool dude!

First Day

Today was My Girl's first day of kindergarten. She did not let the icky weather dampen her mood - she was so excited. So much in fact that she gave herself the hic-ups (poor kid). She insisted on riding the bus today (I wanted to drive her to school on her first day).

We drove to the corner to wait for the bus - everyone sitting in cars because no one wanted to stand in the rain. We got out about 5 minutes before bus time (but of course, the bus was about 10 minutes late!). We stood in the rain talking and watching for that big yellow school bus. My Boy went to the neighbors house to sit on their porch and get out of the rain.

Abby was too excited to sit still. She paced and played with her umbrella. She grinned from ear to ear. A big contrast to My Boy's first day of kindergarten. He was frozen with fear. I guess it helps to be the second child...it's not as scary to do things that you've seen your older sibling do first.

My Boy's first day of school was yesterday. It's just as hard to believe I have a fourth grader as it is to believe my baby is in kindergarten!

He was not as excited as his sister was for the first day (well, he said he wasn't...but I could tell he was). It was a rainy day for his first day too. I think this year was the first time that it was a rainy first day of school.

He was ready to walk out the door WAY earlier than his bus. I was even finished getting ready yet and he was out the door. We walked to the corner 10 minutes in advance (and the bus was 10 minutes late that day too!). We found out that he must have started a trend last year because they changed the bus route and everyone on our street now has to come to his corner. Hopefully everyone will be nice to each other this year.

My goodness my kids have grown up fast! I can't believe they are now both in school. And yes, I did tear up after the bus drove away today. It all happened so fast that I didn't get a good photo of them climbing the steps into the bus. Oh well, there's always next year!

Time Travel

I started reading The Time Traveler's Wife (also a movie) last night. A couple of chapters in, it tells of his first experience with time travel - he travels back in time to when he is 5 years old & interacts with his five-year-old self. This all happens at bedtime and when the boy returns, he goes to bed and in the morning tells his mom about his "dream".

This reminded me of a reoccurring dream I used to have when I was around 6 or 7 years old....

I used to visit my Grandma Sally as often as I could. But of course, that would require a drive to Pennsylvania (we lived just over the border in Ohio). My grandma lived in a little apartment above a garage owned by her in-laws (my great-grandparents). We used to sit in big squishy chairs on the little screened-in porch (well, they seemed like big chairs, I was pretty little!). It was definitely one of my favorite places to go - I just loved being at my grandma's house.

I can remember always asking to go to grandma's house...and many times my parents would tell me, we can't right now. We'll go soon. Maybe next week. Etc, etc.

One night, as I was lying in bed, I remember being frustrated because I wanted to go visit my grandma...and I wanted to go now! So I got up out of bed and knelt down in the corner to "wish" myself there. I squeezed my eyes tight and I wished really hard. My whole body was tense with anticipation. I really believed I could do it.

When I opened my eyes, I stood up and I was no longer in my bedroom. I turned around and saw grandma's bed and her things. I didn't notice that the room was not familiar to me (I was young and not that observent). I walked around to the foot of the bed. I looked out the bedroom door and could see all the way into the kitchen. I saw my grandma, standing at the sink, washing dishes. I thought to myself, "she's busy, I shouldn't bother her right now."

I walked back to the corner in her room, knelt down and wished myself home. When I opened my eyes, I was back in my own bedroom. I was tired from my travels, so I crawled back in bed & went to sleep.

I had this same dream a couple of times...but never gave it too much thought. It just always made me feel good to know that in my dreams I could visit whenever I wanted.

Flash forward, years later. I was 16 years old and visiting my grandma. It was a cleaning day and I was dusting the top of a tall dresser when I dropped the rag. I leaned down, into a corner to pick up the rag. I noticed there was something behind the dresser so I pulled the item out and went to go tell my grandma about my find. I stood up and backed out of the corner. I walked around to the foot of the bed. I looked out the bedroom door and could see all the way into the kitchen. I saw my grandma, standing at the sink, washing dishes. I thought to myself, "she's busy, I shouldn't bother her right now."

I promptly became dizzy and sat down on the bed. That had to be the biggest déjà vu I'd ever had. I immediately recalled the dream I used to have. I couldn't believe that the dream had come true! While I sat there thinking about it, I looked around the room and realized, grandma didn't live in this house when I had that dream. She'd only moved into this house a few years ago. How on earth could I have dreamed this room, this experience, when she didn't even live here yet?

It's still a mystery to me...but it's a fun story to tell! I would love to have someone that's an expert in dreams explain it to me sometime.

Out of the mouths of babes

"I am not having a baby," my 5 year-old exclaims after watching a baby born on a TV show.

"Why not?" I ask her.

"Because it will hurt!" she says.

LOL - sounds just like I did as a kid! Glad I changed my mind.

14 years...wow time flies!

Tomorrow is our 14 year anniversary. Being the last minute shopper that I am, I of course have not bought him a gift yet. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I even bought him one last year (bad wife!).

Here's what my reminder email (which only came 4 days ago!) suggests...

Traditional 14th wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of Ivory.
A contemporary or modern 14th anniversary gift has a theme of Gold Jewellery.
The flowers associated with this anniversary are Dahlia.
The Gemstone list shows Jewellery and Moss Agate associated with this Wedding Anniversary.

This is the same email My Man received, but I'm sure he'll be much better at coming up with a gift idea for me (he's so good at this!)....me on the other hand, I suck at this. So basically my choices are ivory or gold jewelry (who spells it with 2 l's??). Neither of which makes sense for a gift for him.

Someone suggested I get him a frame for his desk (with a photo of me in it of course!) and I'm thinking, if I can find one with ivory in it, that would satisfy the traditional gift idea. BUT, that would mean I would need to (1) go shopping and (2) successfully find what I'm looking for when I go shopping. Have I mentioned how much I hate shopping?

Summer Camp & School Days

Just cannot believe its August already!! Thank goodness for summer camp - I have no idea what I'd do without it! Well, yes I do - I'd be bald from pulling my hair out from having the kids at the office every day!

Thankfully I discovered (just last Friday) that the YMCA would be willing to take My Girl (who wasn't old enough) for the next 3 weeks of camp (score!). So both rugrats are now enrolled for sports camp (My Boy is jazzed, My Girl, not so much). But My Man & I are happy because the idea of having them at the office for the next 3 weeks was not something we were looking forward to!

But, with August, comes time to get ready for school. That means I have 3 weeks to squeeze in some school shopping (for clothes, shoes, backpacks and lunchboxes) before Meet the Teacher Day (August 25th). Meet the Teacher Day also means we'll be picking up the rugrat's school supplies. Take it from last minute shopper mom, buy your school supplies from the PTA in the spring. It not only costs pretty much the same as shopping on your own - you save gas & time by not having to run all over town looking for stuff! And it keeps you from buying those impulse items that inevitably end up in your basket when you to to office supply or discount stores!

To celebrate the beginning of the new school year, another mommy blogger I like to read is having a contest to give away a laptop (yup, an actual laptop!!). So if you don't already know Owlhaven - check her out...and register to win a really cool laptop! Just visit her website.