It takes a village......

Hillary Clinton's African proverb, It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, is spot on.  We often hear criticism about living in a small town...everybody knows (or think they know) everybody else's business.  OK, maybe a slight downfall of small town America....But I've always tried to look at the glass (of beer) half full.  ANYtime I've needed a helping hand or a brainstorming session on how to get something accomplished.... our small town pals have been there.  When we needed a bookcase put together..they were there. When we needed a huge outdoor playyard put together...they were there. Today we "turned on our thinking caps" (as Bailee taught us to do.....I guess teaching strategies have have held firm throughout the years) and constructed Rapunzel's tower for Halloween. Uncle Jon began the ball rolling with the perfect medium for the tower itself.  Grandma located the perfect size. "Uncle" Mike (Powers) used his construction mind, Grandpa wisdom and executed the openings and the cushioning. Jayson offered moral support. Papa provided the tools and Grandma found the flagstone paper covering, giant braid and ivy to wrap around the tower......Not only only does it take a village to raise a child....it takes one to make their Halloween costume too!!!
more pictures to follow.....
Have a great week-end and GO BILLS !!

It's official

It's official....Lee's old! ( I already knew I was)  This week-end while heading to camp at Sampson, we stopped in Union Springs for gas.....which happened to be right next to a produce market.  Lee remarked that we should get some pumpkins to dress up our site. OK, who are you and what have you done with my husband?  I told him we'd be fine without pumpkins but he insisted.  So over to the market we drove... He wandered through the quilt of colors (they were beautiful) and found 2 pumpkins and 2 huge mums.  Couldn't go wrong as the mums were only $5.... I pay more for a bloody mary!!!  Off we go loaded for bear with landscaping and holiday decorations.  Now, preHA (heart attack), flowers would be the last thing he would worry about transporting for the week-end.. Scotch maybe, but flowers....no way.  In fact I would have been harshly criticized if the idea had originated with me...but I have big shoulders (and everything else) and had I wanted them....they'd have been loaded in Jerome before we departed.  We arrived at our site (#69 btw) and set up our decorations.  He was quite proud of how spiffy we looked.... and I was slapped with the realization that we're indeed getting "up there."  We didn't have a sign to hang on our week-end digs but I'm thinking I'll find one that says "Two old grumps live here...speak up!"

Another Full Moon

Wouldn't you know that for the past 4 nights we've had clear, perfect for star gazing, nights.  Tonight, when the full Hunter's Moon is upon us.....in roll those good ole NYS clouds. Near midmonth, on October 11, shines the full Hunter’s Moon, which follows autumn’s Harvest Moon.In pioneer days, after the vegetables were stored for the winter, it was time to go farther afield looking for wild game. Deer were fattening, and Native Americans and farmers sought a store of good venison for the cold winter days to come.Unlike the buffalo or the antelope, the white-tailed deer is estimated to be roughly as numerous today as it was when the Pilgrims joined the Native Americans on this continent.  Many of them live in the woods surrounding our home.  With the leaves falling quickly, I'm approaching my most favorite time of the year.  Soon, I'll be able to see into the woods and watch the deer (ok, not the antelope) play.  On nights with clear skies and a glowing moon, I can watch them descend the hills and head across the road for a midnight snack.  Unfortunately, a few don't always make the trip but there are plenty left.  Personally, I'm not an avid fan of hunting. I understand the concept and the reasoning behind diminishing the herds but they are such a beautiful animal it makes me sad. I probably married into the wrong family to be a deer lover but I put the "other side" of my brain into action during hunting season and remember that it brings Jeff home for a couple weeks......I still have a month to enjoy the beauty of fall before the gunshots interrupt my life @ EIEIO and wreck havoc on my sanity. What little is left.............

                                             

Off to Sampson

Off to Sampson State Park for the week-end.  Should be a fun week-end with lots of family and friends. Joy extended her visit for a day so she will be coming along too. So, we'll have 4 of the 6 "kids" together. I think Wendy is off camping w/ Jill and Jim and who knows where Kim is??? :-)  The weather has cooperated and we're to have sunny skies and temps in the 70's.... Sounds perfect. Taking Jerome and going "away is the only stress-free time Lee seems to get.  We should really be getting things winterized but what the heck.... it'll get done!! I don't believe I've ever been to Seneca Lake so it will be a fun new venue and mini vacation.

Bailee did well yesterday. She played Barbies with me yesterday and a few games of Candyland and we read some books.  Her tummy is still off a bit but Dr. suggested she pass on the Tylenol w/ codeine and stick to rotating Ibuprofen and reg. Tylenol. She's such a good little patient and apologizes each time she throws up....Hope she's better by Sunday so she can help me cheer on our Buffalo Bills!  She's become their number 2 fan:-)

Happy Indian Summer

Tonsils are history

The only ones stressed out by today's tonsillectomy were Mommy and Grandma.  Bailee was a trooper !!!  No tears when they wheeled her into surgery and none when she came out.  She even told her recovery room nurse (who will remain nameless)that she didn't want her IV taken out.  They'd never heard that before..... She was; however, a but miffed at her Mommy for bringing her there.  She felt good when she got there and crumby when she left.  Isn't a hospital supposed to make you better????  I'm not sure but I think my kiss that she "hid in her ear" last night made things all better... That's my story and I'm stickin' to it ♥♥

Words with Friends......

There are certain things that people in their 60's need to sustain life.... water (or some form of drinkable fluid), food (whether it be pizza or hummus), sleep, grandchildren (family, if you're able to pick and choose) and technology.  At least those are the things that sustain me!  If someone were to take away my T.V., my computer, my phone and my Kindle, I would be in a Kevorkian state of mind.  I've extolled what I believe to be the virtues of Facebook and I stick by it.  I don't usually care who's going to bed when or who's made at whom but I love the connection and the equal ground on which it puts us all. I justify the games I've recently begun playing as my form of use it or lose it!  I can sit in my jammies with my diet soda and be stimulated.......above the neck at least.  Other parts have seen far less stimulation in the last few years..(TMI).  I play Family Feud with friends and a few months ago began playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire too....My new brain tease is Words with Friends!  Not once in 60 years did I play Scrabble but this game, which is virtually the online version, is fun.  You can have as many games going as you choose and it slips your brain in overdrive.  I have vowed that I will not use a dictionary so I am somewhat limited to my gray matter vocabulary and I do believe that some of my opponents do peek but I'll remain true and reach into the storage compartments of my cerebellum in hopes of bringing out something usable worth as many points as possible.  I have relagated myself to a few "hi's and to's and if's" and even marveled that il and phi and id are indeed real words. I shamelessly might add an "s" or an "ed" to someone else's word while remembering that an old brain gets tired too.  I thouroughly enjoy playing Words with Friends, even if I can't remember their name!

No Place Like Home

 

Saturday morning was the formal dedication of the new Millard Fillmore Elementary Gymnasium in honor of Lloyd VanNest. Lloyd was a Phys. Ed instructor and coach in Moravia for over 30 years.  He was also a neighbor and family friend.  Shirley, his widow, has been a dear friend of mine since my memories began.  We have campaigned, travelled and "exerted our public opinions" together for nearly 35 years. She taught me when to properly use effect and affect and that only living "objects lie down..all others lay down.  She taught me to always place myself second...(Shirley and I...not me and Shirley.)  She was always my "go-to" grammar gal!  Not slighting the dedication, it also facilitated Shirley coming home!  Since 1997, Shirley has lived in Boston. She sold her home in Locke and moved to be nearer her son Jeff and his family.  Jeff and Anne have 2 gifted and talented boys....both in the academic world and the sports world.  Andrew is a student at Harvard and is 7 feet tall....He comes from it naturally. Duncan is over 6 feet and graduated his high school with the highest cumulative average ever accomplished.  With the boys being off to college now, Shirley wanted to come home...... and that's just what she did... All of her family was on hand Saturday for the dedication and then spent time settling Shirley's apartment at Walden Place in Cortland....yep, the same place my Mom lives!  Already she's had visitors from Locke and Moravia and I think she will be one happy camper back here in New York State.  There really is No Place Like Home!