The last day of September....

It feels like it's been raining for 40 days and 40 nights. I'm sure after 3 weeks of drought, that a few people were praying for rain. Be careful of what you pray for.....you just MIGHT get it. I'm not in the camp that prays for what they want, I'm more comfortable in the prayer of gratitude camp. Nothing beats a troubled mind like a through review of the things in your life to be thankful for- starting with INDOOR plumbing and HOT water that comes straight from a small metal devise in the centrally air conditioned and centrally HEATED house that you live in. I could go on and on about all the things that I am grateful for, but I'm sure we would part ways down the gratitude line. Live happy! Be GRATEFUL!

WOW!

Tj was astounding today. Good humor - good eater - took naps - sits very well, all the usual stuff, but his understanding of his toys and what he could do with them kept him occupied. He seems to have grown in physiology 50 years. Before he would play a few short minutes with the object near him or handed to him. For some reason I just gave him his toy [shoe box size] and it enthralled him. Tj's brain took a huge leap toward child and away from "baby". Ann and I were amazed at the skill he acquired in one day. Speaking of Ann...she phone interviewed VERY well for a position in Charlotte NC. Friday is a conference interview. Keep your fingers crossed.

yesterday & today

Well yesterday was catch up on "normal" life. Tim is working one hour overtime some days, so my day job is one hour longer. I would stay and visit with Tim till 5pm, but he was there to take care of TJ. Now I am out of there as soon as Tim gets home so I can start recharging my batteries for the next day. There was no recharging last weekend when Tim and Ann left after work Friday and came home @ 6:30 pm Sunday. They took an anniversary weekend in Charlotte NC. There is a pretty good reason that mother nature [god] doesn't give infants to single 60 year old women....... [even 60 year old woman with a 60 year old man]...... we don't have the stamina a younger woman has. My right [non dominate] wrist hurts and I figured out why when I tried to hold TJ under the arms to facilitate his dancing to the music....oh my g _ _. I told you 60 year old women are fragile. While I was at Target tonight, I purchased a wrist brace....hoping that it will help the situation. TJ ate like a lumber jack today.

Autumn

There was a big pink/orange full moon low in the sky at 6:50 this morning. It reminded me of harvest moon except I thought harvest moon was in October. It doesn't FEEL like fall - it's 90+ degrees today. Thank goodness it's not humid and that it cools down at night now. We set a lot of high temperatures records this summer and it was HOT ---- HOTTER than usual. There is NOTHING you can't find on the Internet. Well, except for some good tips............like putting a ice cube into a baby bottle before you put it in the refrigerator for later, freezing baby yogurt is like ice cream, teaching baby to hold/drink from a cup [not sippy] in the bath is less messy, when changing a diaper...putting clean diaper under dirty diaper keeps baby's bottom off surfaces, an inch of water in the kitchen sink is enough to make baby smile and splash, giving baby a wet baby wash cloth while feeding him/her helps keep the food mess down. I'll keep posting new hints as I think of them. Enjoy LIFE!

Happy Anniversary

Tim and Ann are going away this weekend to celebrate their wedding anniversary. They asked me if I would take care of TJ while they rest and play. Of course I said yes and I'll watch him at my house because I want to sleep in my own bed. TJ is back to waking up once or twice during the night, but he goes to bed at 8pm and gets up about 6am. TJ and I have been spending a couple of hours at my house so it won't be too strange for him. And in about 3 weeks Tim and I will fly with TJ to Michigan to attend a family wedding. Our family can't wait to meet him. I'm sure we won't lack people that want to hold, feed and change him. It will probably feel like a vacation for Tim and me. TJ is so animated, that I'm always surprised when he wants to stop playing and take a nap. My days are zooming along. Happy baby...pictures on facebook.com.

Discovery......

As you know, every day is about discovery when you are over 4 months old. But even a 60 year old feels alive and invigorated by learning something new. I try to discover SOMEthing new every day. Watching TJ discover new things [everything is new to him], is like rereading a favorite book. Yesterday it was watching him try to hold running water in his hand. Today it was learning that balls come in very different sizes. Some how TJ communicated to me that he wanted to catch the medium size ball 'in the air' instead of 'catching' [two hands on ball] it from a rolling position. TJ sits so well that we have much better playtime. The fun has begun.

Flu shot

Target had a big ad for flu shots-no appointment $ 24.00. Dr Angell told me to get a flu shot this year because I am taking care of a baby. I didn't get a shot last year, not even the swine flu shot. I didn't get the flu either. It makes me very happy that the swine flu scare was not any where near the epidemic that 'they' were fearing it would be. I bought myself a rare treat [for getting poked in the arm] - fruit snacks. I love the intense flavors in my mouth and the chewiness of the treat. I could have bought an entire 1/2 gallon of ice cream for the cost of a box [10 small bags] of fruit snacks, but that would have clashed with the double chocolate cheese cake that Ann baked yesterday! NEVER have I had such delicious chocolate cheesecake. Well I've eaten four of the 10 bags of chewy treats; that is enough reward for getting a very large needle poked into my arm. Ouch!

The day after Friday....

I have good news.... and not so good news. The good news is the the garage sales were great today.... I even found a Scrabble game that my sister asked me to look for. Now for the not so good news - I'm writing this blog at 11:55 pm, when I should be in bed sound asleep. And that is because I napped off and on from 12:00 - 5:00 pm. I had the kind of dreams about not being able to see clearly, because I should not have been sleeping in the middle of the day. Most of my napping is from boredom, but I had enough 'projects' that could have used my attention. Lily and I had a good walk this evening and I'll try not to nap tomorrow! Happy Sunday!

The day after Thursday [a little late]

TGIF... Friday always has a holiday feel about it. Even if you love what you do every day, Friday is the gateway to the weekend. The weekend, when there is no structure to your day, all things are possible and it's possible to do nothing if that is what you want to do. My Saturday 7:00 - 11:00 am is the only structure I have for the weekend...........garage sales! My hobby, my muse, my entertainment, my folly, my "I love garage sales" Oh what bargains I can find..... a perfectly wonderful large microwave oven $5.00. [for Tim's work]. Fun, Fun, Fun.....

The day after Wednesday......

I'm a pretty much live and let live kind of being. I do have a few things that bother me, but usually they have to do with the helpless [human or animal] getting mistreated by the stupid on two feet. Then there are few pet peeves.......smokers....and the greedy retail stores that want you to use 'their REWARDS cards' to get a better deal/price. It's making me crazy to have to carry around 70 'REWARDS' cards to shop at the grocery, drug, membership, clothes, shoes, airline, cleaners, dentist, doctor, etc [you get the point] WHY CAN'T WE ALL BE 'VALUED' COSTUMERS JUST FOR WALKING IN THE DOOR????? Done - got that off my ????. TJ is 5 1/2 months old and can sit for long periods of time without falling over. He seems to 'sing' [everyone is always singing to HIM]. We're having lots of fun and he naps well. Tomorrow THIF

The day after Tuesday

What a glorious morning for a walk with TJ and Lily. It was soooooooo nice that I added a 1/4 mile to the usual route. It made me sad though, to say; " Hi, do you have a dog?" to a young boy standing alone waiting for the school bus. Never looking at me, TJ or Lily, he turned away from us and mumbled under his breath, "I'm waiting for the bus." We all know why he chose aloofness instead of friendliness. But it never ceases to sadden me that we have to be so caution. TJ is growing up in that world. And the parents of the little [9?] year old boy, what were they thinking leaving him alone on a street corner. On a happier note, my hour walk everyday keeps my spirits up and worry never solved anything or make it go away.

The day after Monday

Monday is for baking bread -yum - hot homemade bread with real butter. It has been too hot to heat up the whole oven/house just to bake one loaf of bread a week this summer....so I have tried very unsuccessfully to make a decent loaf of bread in the 'bread machine' - I give up......yesterday. It worked once when I used ALL 'Bread' flour, but it had the consistency of Wonder bread- yuk! So.... I am just going to have to bake bread the way I was taught when I was knee high to my mother. Mix, kneed, rise, kneed, shape, rise again and bake in real oven. We didn't have 'bread machines' when I was learning to cook. Come to think of it, I see a lot of them in garage sales. Speaking of garage sales....my favorite words are clearance - sale and 'garage sale'. Give my a few yard sales on a Saturday morning and I am happy as a 'clam'?????? [Why clam???] Today Ann stayed home from work because she was up all night with the baby. Nothing wrong - just fussy/teething. TJ does new captivating [to us] things every day. So much fun to watch. Enjoy life!

The day after Sunday.

We [ Ann & I ] went to an ESTATE Sale Saturday. The plantation of Colonel Wayland Jones Jr of Clayton NC est. 1810 was being emptied out after 200 years of continuous family occupation. I don't think that there was anything 200 years old left in the house except the floors and wood trim. It was exciting to be in a dwelling that was 50 years old when the civil war started. But 200 years is very young. Tutankhamen of Egypt had 2000 years of Egyptian history to study and lived/died 1000 years BEFORE Christ! We are here but for a short time........lets enjoy it to the fullest.

change is coming - again

Ann's company is pulling up shop and moving to Florida in March 2011. If she wishes to stay with Ceridian, she would have to apply [just like any Joe/Jane off the street] to get hired. It looks like we will be moving to where ever Ann lands a job. The last word was Charlotte NC, although Ann, Tim, TJ and I are willing to go anywhere Ann gets a good job. Ann's sister just moved back to Michigan. Beth lived in NC for a few years, but wanted to return to a former position in her chosen field. Tim can weld any where Ann gets a job. Me - The closer we get to Jim [grandson], the happier I will be. Charlotte is two hours closer to Jim and family. I can Granny Nanny anywhere. I prefer NOT to get involved with snow. TJ is great! Getting to be a lot more fun! We walk/stroller/Lily [dog] one hour every morning. Great for the mental/physical health. Keep smiling - it's good for you.

Every day is special.

Today is my first day back to Granny Nanny Child care. What a great day it was. TJ and I started the day with music videos, then a hour walk with Lily (TJ fell asleep), eating and nap. TJ has changed since I last saw him 10 days ago. The trip to Michigan was wonderful. Not too short not too long. Although I would love to see Jim everyday. He started High School today, but had an orientation while I was there. I got to see his beautiful Detroit Country Day School. We stayed at the new house in Beverly Hills, three blocks from DCDS. What a blast for Jim to live so close to his new school. My sisters were glad to see me, as I was to see them. Dee was very sweet and made sure I had everything I needed. Even the ex was helpful, lending me a car to drive. Yeh!