The High And Lows Of May 30, 2020

The year 2020 is setting all sorts of historic records.  As if the Covid virus is not enough we had more history making actions yesterday.  First of all Black Lives Matter - they do but in reality ALL lives matter!  With that off my chest let’s get on with it.  Yesterday we saw something truly amazing.  We watched a rocket with humans being sent into space.  I remember as a child watching this kind of a launch quite a bit on tv in my classrooms.  We would stop everything to watch.  NASA was space exploration and they were doing a good job.  Yes there were tragedies but they have triumphs too!  Watching the launch yesterday gave the county a break from the Covid crisis and the rallies so I thought. It gave ya a positive history making moment.  Then I change channels to see coverage of the riots, not rallies in Chicago, LA and in my own city of Jacksonville.  Another history making moment. Really people?  I have one question; how is destroying property and hurting other people physically helping?  Is it going to bring the lives that were were taken to return? No, instead of peacefully making a statement we bring violence into it.  Dumb!  Martin Luther King brought change through his actions and his words.  All that is happening now is showing the world how violent a few of us are.  Seeing the pictures and watching live actions of police vs protestors just makes me mad.  The police are human and mistakes can be make.  The people who were responsible for the injustice that happened are being charged.  Rioters stealing from a store that is not involved in anyway does nothing but create loss for all.  Wake up people!  Think before you react! If you want to make things change then do it but not at the expense of others, especially the innocent ones.  It was a great day and a terrible day; May 30, 2020.

A Scary Moment For A Mom...

As I was making preparations for my youngest daughter’s birthday last Wednesday, her birthday was Thursday, something very scary happened to my daughter.  The day started very strange with her still being asleep when I left for work.  It stayed that way when I came home from work and she was very distanced with me and it seemed whatever I did it was annoying her.  The afternoon went on with me on the edge trying to not be annoying and after dinner she left for her tennis clinic.  Around 8:00 pm she came home, driven by a friend, saying she left her car at the tennis club and felt like she was in a dream and was very confused.  I knew it was not dehydration because she drinks over 100 oz of water a day.  She had a decent meal before she left but she is a calorie counter and with her work out she may have been low and did not have enough fuel.  Then the headache started and after talking with a friend who was an ER doctor he told her it sounded like ACM - Acute Confusional Migraine.  It can be triggered by heat or stress; she had both.  The real concern here is that my daughter has lost all memory of this day.  She woke up on her birthday with a slight headache and no memory of the day before.  Now that I look back on that day I realize she was not herself.  We are praying that it was a migraine and not something more serious.  As a mom it is always tough watching your child hurt and also very scary for something like this to happen and not know if it could or will happen again.
We celebrated her birthday with family and friends, staying with in the Covid limit, and she has recalled everything except what happened on the day before her birthday.  A scary moment for a Mom!

Memorial Weekend Day Four

As we wrapped up the final day of our Memorial Day weekend it once again was a day where everything was changed.  Our Emmy came home early and so it was decided to take our BBQ over the her house  and celebrate her getting better and spend time together.  We had burgers and dogs and it was good to see Emmy but she was so exhausted that she was not making sense.  After a nap she began to feel better and became the Emmy we love.  Rory was so good balancing keeping Caroline busy and helping Emmy out.  We came home and Rory and I watched some YouTube together until bedtime them Jenny, Nate and I played two games of Phase 10; one of my favorite card games.  I lost both games but still had fun!  We did not do our last movie night but will try to squeeze it in today.  I hope you all had a nice weekend too!  I have one more day off so I will be doing everything today that I should have done all weekend!

Memorial Week end Day Three

Our day started quiet and lazy.  That is what the plan for the day was.  It was suppose to be stay in our jammies day.  We built a Christmas present that Aunt Pam gave Rory but we had not had the chance to built.  It was a Lego Frozen Jewelry box.  I have never put together a lego kit before so Rory and I had our challenge.  It was fun and fairly easy if you follow the directions.  It is really cute and it only took about an hour.  We were planning on our next craft when we got a call about our friend Emmy who had fallen and broke her arm.  Emmy’s parents and Rory’s parents were up in Savannah for the weekend.  I was asked to go take care of Caroline, Emmy’s little sister, so her grandma could take her to the ER.  Just as Rory and I were about to leave we got another call to stay home because all the parents were coming home.  Rory and I picked up the house, we were a little messy playing, and waited for mom and dad.  Emmy had to go the the children’s hospital to have surgery.  She had three pins placed in her arm.  She is doing well and headed home.
Today is Memorial Day and all our plans are up in the air waiting to see about Emmy.  However, I would like to thank all those who served and did not come home.  This day to honor them is not enough for what they and their families gave to our great country but I do appreciate you  and your love and dedication to us all.

Memorial Weekend Day Two

Day Two started like every other day with a great big “Good morning Gammy.”  Something I will never stop loving to hear.  We did our typical breakfast in bed, Rory, watched a little YouTube, then got ready to start our day.  Aunt Carrie came to clean then once she was done we all headed to Target; with a couple of stops along the way.  I had to go to Kohl’s and Michael’s to pick up my curbside orders.  After that we were headed to Target where Rory was going to spend one of her gift cards she received on her birthday.  After looking through the Dollar Spot and the toy department Rory made here choice.  She bought a high hair for her new doll, a Trolls sippy/snack cup and a watermelon flavored candy bottle.  She spent her entire card but was very happy with her purchases.  We headed home where Aunt Carrie surprised Rory with a gift from a friend and a bonus gift from her.  Rory received a Cinderella doll and a toy slingshot.  She has been eyeing that sling shot for a while so she was thrilled!  Thanks Aunt Carrie!  We finished watching the live action “Lion King” and had a nice afternoon crafting and playing dolls.  Our Saturday night movie was the old classic “It Takes Two” staring the Olsen twins, Kirstie Alley and Steve Gutenberg.  One of my Children’s favorite when they were little.  After the movie it was bedtime!  It was another great day and we are ready for day three to begin!

Memorial Weekend First Day

Rory and I are on our own this weekend.  Mom and Dad went away for a birthday weekend.  So Rory and I have planned the whole week end.  Day one was shopping at Hobby Lobby with Aunt Carrie.  We left after  Mom and Dad left, picked up Aunt Carrie and headed to Hobby Lobby.
Once we got to Hobby Lobby we were surprised at all the clearance deals they had.  We got some good stuff but also had fun checking out the store. Rory had a great time looking at the huge flowers and other big items.  She also discovered how much she likes to shop.  We did find a hair bow maker so we can make our own hair bows similar to the popular JoJo bows; Rory has about 7 of those.  With this bow maker we can make another 5 and more if we get more ribbon.  We will be trying it today.
After Hobby Lobby we stopped at Wendy’s for a well deserved Frosty.  Yum!
When we got home a huge thunder storm happened and Rory saw here first official hail. She was excited but a little scared too!  We ordered pizza and then made brownies.  One thing we planned every night was a movie.  Last night we watched the live action “Lion King” and made it about halfway before Rory started to fade.  It was a good first day.  Day two starts soon!

Rory is Six!

It is so hard to believe that the baby that made me a grandma is six years old.  I am very blessed to be able to watch her grow up and be a big part of her life.  For the past two years we have been together and it has been wonderful.  Rory keeps me young and I am able to act like a kid and not look strange while doing so.  I love that little girl and all of her ideas, pranks, activities, and so on.
Rory had two birthday parties, each within the government guidelines with groups, and she loved both. Saturday was her doll party with her best friend. Blueberry picking was included.  She got so many new things for her new “American girl doll” knockoff aka Target brand.  I am very happy with their Our Generation dolls and accessories.  They are affordable and so playing with the doll and accessories is fun!  Sunday was her family birthday with grandparents and aunts & Uncles.  She got some nice stuff and playing with her cousins was a plus!
All in all, Rory had a great birthday.  Thank you to all who helped celebrate her day and who had sent birthday wishes.  My girl is six!

Last Day of Being Five

Today is the last day that Rory will be 5 years old.  Tomorrow is her birthday and we are having two parties for her.  One with a friend, that we have been with through the whole coved thing and one with family members which we have been with during covid.  Both parties will be under 10 people and outside in the backyard,  We are going blueberry picking tomorrow too so that will be fun!
Rory, from the day I was told about the pregnancy, through the day she was born to even today, has been the joy in my life.  I am not discounting my kids, family or friends but Rory stole my heart!
There is something about a grandchild that gives you new life and you get to experience growing up again for the third time (my childhood, my children’s childhoods and now Rory’s) except wiser than the first two.  So Rory, let’s enjoy your last day of being 5 and see what kind of mischief we can get into.  You and I together can usually find something.  Love you Rory!

A Nice Mother’s Day!

I had a very nice Mother’s Day and once again it was a lot different from all the other Mother’s days due to the Coronavirus. Both of my girls honored me with some great gifts.  A new chair for my room, a great picture and a grandma’s pillow.  I was also treated to breakfast, lunch and ice cream!
It did seem weird that I did not go to church and celebrate with all the other moms but I watched my church service on line.
We went to St Augustine, an unplanned but fun outing, and it was weird to walk around an always busy historical area and have it so quiet.  The shops and restaurants had their social distancing in place and people in general were all considerate of social distancing.  It is a weird new normal and kind of sad because people just seem colder and not even greeting or making eye contact. Some shop owners seemed rude and I am not sure if it was because it was Mother’s Day and they were working or if they just didn’t care.  No greeting, no do you need help, not even a smile.  Needless to say, those shops did not get our business.
When we got home I tried out the hot tub for the first time and it felt wonderful.  Very relaxing and fun to sit, watch Rory play and enjoy a soda.  It was a great day. Thank you Jenny, Nate, Rory, Carrie and Pam for making it so special!

Distance Learning

One of the new catch phrases from the Pandemic is Distance Learning or what use to be called home schooling.  Rory is only in Kindergarten and it is a challenge to keep it up.  I do not like the new math and it really seems like it is making it tougher to learn math but hey, I am old fashioned.  1+10=11.  However, it can also be called 10 and one.  So, I cannot pass Kindergarten math.  The rest is pretty easy to follow.  Yesterday we took a Distance Learning field trip.  Rory had an assignment to find a body of water, observe it and then write a paragraph about it.  We decided instead of using one of the ponds in the neighborhood that we would go to Doctor's Lake.  I took Rory there a couple of years ago to the boat dock and she loved watching the boats launch.  So we went back to observe the lake.  We did have our first lunch in a restaurant since this whole Covid started too.  It was kind of nice to feel a little more normal.  I know we have to cautious and we were.  It was good day spent with Rory and Jenny thanks to Distance Learning and getting an extra day off from work!

The New Hot Tub

With stimulus checks arriving we are making sure we spend it to boost the economy.  Jenny and Nate used a portion of their check to buy an inflatable hot tub.  Now that may not seem like much but I have to tell you, this hot tub is really something.  For being inflatable it is solid as a rock; you can even sit on the sides of it.  They built a deck in the yard for the hot tub and have just finished the yard with white rocks to dress up the area.  They did a great job working on it and they were rewarded by enjoying a glass of wine in the hot tub last night.  Great job Jenny and Nate!
I am using my stimulus check to buy a desk top computer.  I have not had one in ten years so I am really looking forward to having one again.  My laptop and iPad have been great but I am ready to have a desk top again.  My SIL Nate is an IT guy so he is building my desk top for me.  The parts are now starting to arrive and pretty soon I will have it put together; hopefully by next week end.  Along with the computer I am also getting a new corner desk which will give me space to have the computer on it and still be able to use the desk for crafting, etc.  I just have to wait for IKEA to open back up.  Since retails stores are allowed to open up again tomorrow I am hoping that IKEA will be too!
Enjoy the pictures of the hot tub; it really is a very good item for the money!

A Walk With Rory

My granddaughter is one terrific kid and watching her grow up and being a part of it is something I was always hoping I could do and now I am totally involved.  We started to do some morning walks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays ( my off days).  Rory rides he bike and I walk.   I am in a StepBet competition right now for the next four weeks and I have daily goals that I must make or I will be out.  Rory helps keep me going.  We took a really nice walk this morning to her school, then the park (we did not play at the park) and then home to get busy on her school work for the day.  Rory was infatuated with the magnolia trees that are really blooming right now.  The white flowers are beautiful and they smell even better.  Every tree we passed, there are quite a few in our neighborhood and sub division, she had to stop and look at.  We took a few pictures too!  There is one portion of the walk where she likes to hike so I get to take care of her bike.  I love our morning walks together.  I never know what topics she will bring up or new sights she encounters but it is always fun and exciting especially seeing it through her perspective.  She is quite a kid!❤️