Confessions of a Grandma

Ready for the water slide.  Verdict...AWESOME! Grand daughter liked the faster slide. The slower one was fine for me. We also visited a garnet mine. Lake George public beach--quiet in the afternoon. We had a fun three days and two nights in Lake George.  I took the kids and their mom stayed home and painted and cleaned although she would have enjoyed going to the lake as well.  Moms have to choose the responsible things and grandmas can have the fun.  It really was a fun time.   The kids wondered why Mike didn't come with us.  I had to ask if they really thought they would have got to spend six and half hours at Water Slide World if it had been up to Mike.  He had fun, too, enjoying his quiet time.

Irene swished her cape over Vermont yesterday.  We didn't have the terrible winds that were predicted, but it sure enough did rain.  Fortunately for us, we live high on a sandy hill so we are not flooded.  Unfortunately for those who are along the river beds, there was a great deal of flooding elsewhere.  We had stocked up on food and water when it became apparent we would not be making our planned trip to Rhode Island, which was a good thing since so many roads are closed.  We didn't have a power outage, but that is a wide spread problem to the south of us.  I am anxious to get in touch with my daughter because they are in flood and power outage central. I went out for my walk this afternoon, and, honestly, you would not know the area is under a state of emergency within my usual route--except that I was asked by passing motorists how to get there from here with all the closed roads.  Not easily, maybe wait til tomorrow if you can--that's about all I...

August Birthstone - Peridot It's hard to believe that thirty-eight years have gone by.   Now my baby girl has babies of her own.  Just a couple of weeks ago she asked why I hadn't told her that having kids was so hard.  (Payback, I replied) But, of course, she has two delightful children to light up her life and keep their old granny feeling happy. Happy Birthday, Amykins.  I love you.

Some where...and I have completely forgotten where exactly...creeping decrepitude is set on getting me...some where I was reading about the phrase "cat-lady crazy." Now I loved my cat to pieces, but I am in no danger of becoming a cat lady--crazy or otherwise.  I was, am, and shall remain a one cat kind of person.  Sure, it's possible that I'll get to a point where I don't remember this rule I've made for myself and I'll be tempted by a cute little kitten face, but I think it most unlikely that I would adopt cats willy-nilly.  That's just not in my make-up. I mean, the cat part is not in my make-up.  I am afraid the crazy part just might be a part of my DNA. Actually, I can see myself becoming a bit of a crazy herb lady. [Oh, wait!  I do remember.  It was Chris Bohjalian's column in a Sunday Burlington Free Press.   See.  A little crazy, but not completely senile just yet!  I take my little victories where I can these days.] Sinc...

August is the time for relaxation." Designed by Monica Corduneanu from Romania. One minute August is shouting "Summer!" and the next minute it is "Autumn is coming!"  There has been a noticeable shift in the quality of light and we have started to lose minutes of daylight, but there is still time for a bit of relaxation. I went out to a movie last night.  We saw The Help.   It has been a while since I read the book, but I recognized scenes and story lines.  I thought it was well done.  Although, I remember the book driving home the idea that the young writer, Skeeter, was forced to learn that she was not the center of the maid's who raised her existence--which kind of brought the concept of racial bias permeating a society beyond just the outward racism of segregation. I'm planning to take the grand kids for a vacation stay at Lake George next week.  Then I will need some serious relaxation time.  We plan a few days in Rhode Island the following...

Susan Adcox who writes about grandparents  at About.com had the love/luck of chocolate going for her name in my hat.    So, Susan, e-mail me an address and I will send you Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life as part of the Pass-the-Book.  And check out Sian's blog-- High in the Sky --to get the full rundown on how it all works.  The author is way too young to be a grandparent, but she has an interesting blog and some good recipes. *********** Mike has surprised me big time!  He has cut way, way back on salt.  I never thought he would even try.  Here is a man who put liberal shakes of salt on pepperoni pizza, sausage, Chinese food and tacos.  I guess a night in the hospital made a believer out of him.  And, he is even talking about getting himself a pair of pajamas! *********** Can you tell how swollen my left big toe is from my graceful tumble down the stairs several weeks ago? I have not been able to wear sandals with a ...

I missed the meteor shower the other night, but I did get to see the full moon rising last night as I put the grand kids to bed.  That was good for "one more" hop out of bed to see. My daughter and her husband were planning to drop the kids off at noon and go to the Stowe car show.  Her car broke down (timing belt problem) on the way and they had to get it towed, then get home to take his car, the Mister Cruiser, a honking big 60's Mercury.  The kids arrived here around 3 p.m. and then daughter and son-in-law went on to Stowe, where his car broke down.  Not a good day for them. I drove to Stowe today to get them and take them to Burlington where they could get a car rental for the trip home.  I do wish life was a bit easier for my children, but I seem to have misplaced my magic wand. Pass-the-book is coming soon.  Let me know if you want your name in the hat for A Homemade Life .