grape leaves in the spring

blah. . .

The winter blahs are nasty.

Yesterday the wind was stronger the speed limit on “the avenue.” Lots of things got moved around. Tumble weeds were crossing the empty field behind our house like cars heading for work.

But I wasn’t working, well not for money, at least.

I’m not very good at this cooking thing, and I am not smart enough to leave it all alone. I keep trying to create dishes way over my skill level. Sometimes I win, sometimes I am like a new bride.

And this week I lost a very good friend. As the family was going through pictures for his service, I was reminded so often of the guy I knew so long ago. He was always short on public confidence, but long on good judgement.

One family member said that if he hadn’t made a “deal” for every customer he ever had, he would have died rich. They may well have been right.

Last week Miriam and I loaded my big trailer full of firewood we got from a family that is moving to another location and didn’t want to take their stash with them. We worked hard for several hours, and it felt so good.

But it is winter now, officially, and practically. Even a walk is a bit of a hard sell. Leo the Italian Greyhound has mastered the first rule of being a good pet: sleeping 20 or 21 hours a day. But he misses his walks outside. He really misses his good runs.

Spring is on the way, I hear, and granddaughter Emily has been here to visit for a few days. That is good.

But that dish of scalloped potatoes may be less than the combination of the ingredients. It may be a bust.

And I may just stay inside and pout.

It is winter, and I am blah, after all.

emily and linda last year

Emily attends a charter school that was studying old Spain that year. She was costumed as one of the early queens for a play.
The costume, of course, was designed and made by her very talented mother.

hmm 2008 already?

This is a new year.

I am pretty introspective by nature, but of late I have not written very much in that vein.

Last year I spent a lot of time with friends: David W and I spent months together daily working on the church remodel; David H went camping with us often, but not often enough; I was blessed to be able to spend a lot of time with Jim who passed on last year. I also made a whole group of new on-line friends.

My hand written journal suffers, but that is OK. It will catch up. Winter seems to change my metabolism.

Last year was not a bad year in our house. I am thankful, and am trying to build up a big pile of “good year” points to be used for years when it isn’t so good.

Our oldest grandson, also a David, got married, giving the family a reason to get together.

We spent a long weekend camping with our second daughter's husbands mother’s family, (got that?) and as long as I make a pineapple upside down cake in my dutch oven, I was told we would be welcome to further family events. They are a good bunch.

The time I spent with Jim was such a blessing to me in so many ways. It also was a bit scary. One day my beloved will be as incapacitated as Jim was at the end, but without the mind. That thought frightens me. I am not sure I can do it.

Dave W lost his wife to MS some years ago, and his new wife lost her husband and mother to cancer. Now her father seems to have cancer, and she is hurting big time. This year does not look good for them.

I spent a good bit of cash and energy getting guardianship of Miriam, and of getting her on a medication that controls her anger. She has been such a sweetheart all of these years. The anger was so out of character.

I have a grandson who is developmentally challenged. My daughter has spent countless hours and weeks with him in hospitals and clinics. There is so many really sick kids out there, it makes us thankful for small blessings.

I expect to have huge blessings poured out on my head this year. Blessings are always a bit mixed, but that is for our good, I am sure.

In 2008, I expect to:
Loose 6 or 7 ounces, maybe more, but no bets
Spend next christmas with all my kids and grandkids
Do some decent wood work
Make some fair sculpture and prints
Bicycle a few blocks now and again
Grow a good garden, free of all weeds (wanna take bets I lose on that one?)
Continue to love and accept love.

Best to all of you, may 2008 have truly good times.

Emily ten years ago

One of those happy pictures that grandpas always like.

flag?

I have heard that in the navy. . .

. . . (I was the wrong age to serve), that when the admiral is on board a ship, there is a special flag that is flown.

I have long thought I should have a similar version here. When Lady Emily is in residence, we fly this special flag, so the world knows and understands.

That not suggesting any flag would work, or that I do not like/love my other grand children, but Emily visits and stays over much more than the rest of my grandkids combined.

Part of the reason is because she is an only child, and she grew up half an hour away from our house and spent almost every weekend with us. But, she flew in yesterday from Portland for a few days and it is great to have her here.

The big change in Emily’s life is that this year she discovered the joy of learning, the necessity of getting daily work turned in on time and the wonderment of a good report card.

Of course, grandpa is delighted.

Naturally!

self portrait

Linda (#4) and Emily a dozen years ago

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! Stef tells me that the Italians have lentil soup the beginning of each new year, for wealth.

I certainly crave wealth, but not the kind we may have come to think of. It is the wealth of family and friends and good work that I crave. I’ll ask for some cash later on, maybe.

Today is cold and sunny, here in Idaho. We have a little snow on the ground, but not much. We did have a White Christmas, the first one in a dozen years.

This is the beginning and the end both. How many more friends will we bury this year, I don’t want to know. We have a new pastor this week, and since I work very closely with the pastor in my church work, that is an unknown. We had the last one for 10 years and we got used to each others foibles.

My dear friend David, who has driven to Nicaragua and back this fall, is due today, and my excess sleeplessness is catching up with me today.

Miriam, my beloved, is making cookies, and I will make lentil soup when she is finished, I don’t want to risk loosing that wealth! Miriam is well, except for Alz and I am so glad. The quality of our life is good and that makes me glad, but we aren’t young any longer and we are going a bit slower each year.

But, to each of you: may you have the best year.

he's gone

Jim went to rest this morning about 5.

Rest in peace, my friend, you were one of the good guys.

I have been asked to speak at the Memorial Service. I guess I knew him as well as any, I am told. I will do my best to honor you, Jim.