Falling In Love All Over Again

It is quite a tender moment when a Grandmother meets a new Grandchild and falls in love all over again.  For me it happened Sunday while holding Jack in Sacrament  and Sunday School Meetings.  He was peacefully sleeping in my arms.  Mouth so cute I just wanted to kiss it and kiss it, again and again.  Eyebrows furrowed, was he having a bad dream?  I knew he was mine.  He was a link in our family.  And in that instant I fell madly in love with the little guy.  He belongs to us and we belong to him.  It is wonderful, is it not?

'Curious' George

Having a daughter and son-in-law live back east (D.C. area) provided us with the wonderful opportunity to visit many historic sites.  One of those sites happened to be Mount Vernon.  Which was absolutely beautiful.  Such a gorgeous view of the Potomac River.  Undescribable.  Below is a photo of the home, but not a photo of the gorgeous view.

"Mount Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington, is the most popular historic estate in America. Situated along the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, Mount Vernon is just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C. For more than 40 years, George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of American forces in the Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States, called Mount Vernon home.

Today, guests to Mount Vernon can visit the Mansion, more than a dozen original structures, Washington’s Tomb, and nearly 50 acres of his extensive plantation. The estate also includes a working blacksmith shop and the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, a 4-acre demonstration farm with a reconstructed slave cabin and 16-sided treading barn."

As beautiful as this site was I had difficulty visiting it.  Why? Because it was built by slave labor.  My son-in-law tried to  enlighten my mind with the fact that slave labor was part of that time in history.  But to  my mind that still did not make it right.  During our tour we were informed how often President Washington and  his wife entertained visitors.  It was frequent.  We were asked how we women would like to entertain that often and my thought was:  "Well, if someone else was doing all of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry  than yes I could entertain quite frequently."  Slavery disturbs my inner being.  The irony of it all...They fought for freedom, their freedom, my freedom, your freedom, and yet they were slave owners.

I am grateful to President Washington and all of the early patriots who fought for my freedom, but I do have a question to ask when I get on the other side.  Did your conscience ever speak to your heart and soul that slave labor was wrong?  Just call me 'Curious' George.

A 'Rose' By Any Other Name Is Still A 'Rose'

It was 1978 when I married and moved to Delta, Utah.  I promptly found employment at the Extended Care Center where I would meet some of my most favorite people of all time.  One of the  first to endear herself to me was Rose.  Rose was about 4' 9" tall and about 3' wide.  She was a delight!  Not your typical LDS woman,  but then neither am I.  Her vocabulary was most colorful and very upfront.  Which was one reason I found her so endearing.  I brought her home one evening to enjoy a meal with my husband and myself.  My mother in law was aghast to think that I would do such a thing.  You see Beulah and Rose both grew up in this area and both grew up on totally different sides of the tracks.   None the less Rose came  and we had a marvelous time together.  But my favorite memory of Rose took place in Fast and Testimony meeting.  For my readers who are not of the LDS faith the first Sunday of every month is Fast and Testimony meeting.  We fast for 24 hours, donate the cost of our meals to the needy and then whomever feels inclined bears their testimony during Sacrament meeting.  A typical testimony might go like such:  "I know the church is true.  I know President Monson is a prophet of God, etc., etc."  Remember Rose was NOT your typical LDS woman thus her testimony was NOT your typical testimony.  Hers went something like this:  "The  blankety blank Bishop would not give my blankety blank husband a Temple recommend because he had a blankety blank affair with another blankety blank woman."  It was quite a lengthy testimony but that is my memory of the event.  Most of the members in attendance were either sleeping soundly or to deaf to hear.  I, thank goodness, fell in to  neither one of those categories!  It is a testimony I will always remember and cherish.  Why? Because of the dear little woman who gave it. I look forward to seeing Rose again when I part this life.  For now I enjoy my memories of her and a relationship with her most wonderful granddaughter Myrt.   Lesson learned...make friends with people from all walks of life, from all sides of the tracks.  If you don't you may miss out on some of the most cherished friendships and memories.  "Memory is the power to have 'roses' in December."  Thanks for the memories Rose!

FIRST KISS!

She had never been kissed.  He was a pro.  He strode towards her knowing full well what was about to take place.  She was clueless.  He grabbed her adorable face, looked her straight in the eye and planted one on her.  She squealed with delight!  Then just like the man he was he walked away.  My only regret.... I did not have my camera in tow.  Yes, Matthew Bud kissed a pig at the Homecoming Half Time last night here in Delta.  Is this one of the  perks that comes with his new job?  Oh, to be the new kid on the block at D.H.S.!

"The Office": Season One , A Sordid Affair

He was strong, a man of steel.  Was that what attracted me to him?  Or was it his gray coloring?  Strong, distinguished, a man of few (if any) words.  A man of mighty action.  A man I used and took advantage of.  I needed him for a certain time period in my life.  Then as quickly as it began it ended.  Yes, "The Office", season one introduced me to him.  Below is his photo.

Handsome, is he not.  How did we meet? How did it all get started? Let me share that with you.  I went to work in 'the office'  in 2007.  The school came in to being in 1983.  All records during those years were still stored in a supply room.  One only needs records for the past 7 years.  Thus I went to work.  Box after box after box.  Shredding 17 years of records.  It took one full week.  One week to reminisce about Beth Brown.  The first secretary.  Her signature was everywhere.  Beth was a wonderful woman.  She loved her grandchildren!  She loved to spoil them.  She also enjoyed spoiling the employees at Delta South.  She would quite often bring corn pops in to the faculty room.  A treat we all enjoyed.      Beth was with me as I shredded those records.  It was a melancholy moment in time.  A time when I could see, feel, and hear Mrs. Beth Brown.   As for our supply room.  Well, it only has 7 years worth of records.  At the end of each school year I re-acquaint myself with my old flame. 

"The Help" Immigration Then and Now

"The Help" finally made its way to Delta.  After reading the book I was more than ready to see the movie.  Which I loved and which I would highly recommend.  But it did have some statements in it that caused me to think.  Some days I am amazed that I am able to do so! 

Quote #1:

Aibileen Clark: I was born nineteen eleven, Chickasaw county, Piedmont Plantation.

Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan: And did you know as a girl growing up, that one day you'd be a maid?

Aibileen Clark: Yes, ma'am. I did.

Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan: And you knew that, because?

Aibileen Clark: My mama was a maid. My grandmama was a house slave.

Enter thought number one.  Was that considered legal or illegal immigration when the white man brought the blacks to America?   Which then led to the thought of the white man who came to the Americas and took the land from the native Americans?  Who was the legal verus illegal immigrant?  My ancestors came from France, Sweden and who knows where (perhaps I would if I would do my geneology) were they legal immigrants?  And, my mormon ancestors who came out west and settled in Utah, which was  not a state at that time, were they legal in taking the land from Mexico?  For the answers to these questions I need to do a lot of studying or perhaps I shall just ask my intelligent legal advisor (a.k.a Ben) to answer them for me.  All I know for sure is that:

1. In my small world in Delta the hispanic families work terribly hard for low wages.

2.  In my small world in Delta the hispanic families have well cared children.

3.  In my small world in Delta the hispanic parents love their children and want a better world for them.

In my heart I know  that:

1.   "... the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare;"

2.  Because I have been given much  I too must give.

3.  "For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?"

Politics and religion perhaps not a good mix, but my religion defines me and my thought process so I will not apologize for it.

I do believe in honoring and sustaining the laws of the land, but some laws need to be closely looked at and revised.  While I wait for that to  happen I just have to worry about myself and  how I treat my fellow man, whether he is here legally or illegally.

I Have An Opinion and I'm Not Afraid to Voice It

First came depression, then came anxiety and panic attacks, followed by Celexa.  20 milligrams daily.  This introduced me to the easy going, whatever, happy to be here person I became.  Actually, that sounds like the me in High School!  Lately, I have decreased the dose to 10 milligrams daily (following the Dr.'s advice).  Now I introduce you to the new me.  I have an opinion and I am not afraid to voice it.  Just check out some of my comments on Face book.  I get a little touchy concerning illegal immigrants and politics. Please do not take any of these comments personal.  Depression, anxiety, illegal immigrants, politics all posts for a future day and time.  For now I think my husband prefers the 20 milligram wife to the 10 milligram wife.  (Is that anything like Johnny Lingo and the 10 cow wife?  Won't give you my feminist opinion of that movie!) Oh well, in my opinion...Scott gets what he gets and he doesn't throw a fit.  Well,  he can  but I am not sure it will  do him any good! 

"Season of the Witch"

Scott and I went to Gifts Unlimited to rent the new Jane Eyre movie.  As we drove up I noticed this poster on the front of the store window. 

I turned to my husband and said:  "Season of the Witch, a movie about a woman going through menopause!"  Scott chuckled and thought that was funny.  But it gets better...he thought I was being serious!!!  Yes, I think  he was ready to rent that movie and go home for a comedy!  Then again he has lived through it and I do not know how funny he found it.

Rekindling an old flame

Many years ago I fell in love.  It was an autumn relationship.  A relationship that took my time and money. There were times when it was a sticky situation, very sticky.  Other times it was  hot, sweaty-boiling over you could say.  Then they were the times I got myself in to a pickle or jam with this relationship.  One fall it abruptly came to an end.  I could provide you with many excuses as to why it ended.  Going back to work outside the home.  Depression.  Osteoarthritis. Laziness.  The list could go on and on.  I 'cleaned out' so to speak and moved on, but I never let go of this love.  This fall I became involved once again with the relationship.  And I remembered how much I enjoyed it, loved it, and how fulfilling it was.  Yes siree it can't be 'beet'!  I have scaled it down, but even on a smaller scale it was a most wonderful time.  Below is a photo of the end results of this relationship.  Though it is not over yet.  The fruits are yet to come.

Thou Shalt Not Steal

For your information I am going to break the eighth commandment.  Right here, right now.

I 'stole' the above three photos from Melanie's blog.

Photo #1:  A picture of our newest grandchild,

Jack Jonathan Bassett.

Photo #2:  The Dr. who delivered Jack (proud dad)

The woman who did all the labor (proud mom)

Photo #3:  The family who welcomes Jack into their home and hearts.

Left to Right:  Jonathan, Sofia, Livy, Jaedon, Mel

For your information Jack broke commandment #8 right along with his grandmother.  Must be a genetic trait.    He stole our hearts!