One favorite restaurant is a family sports bar and grill, Kat’s Pour House, which is located close to home. The food is wonderful, and it’s just a fun place to hang out with family and friends. I love their buffalo burgers, fish and chips, and quesadillas. But since I have to be careful with my food choices, I do not eat my favorites very often. But I do enjoy their salad selections too. It’s just a relaxing place to catch up with old friends and family.
One of the best lessons I learned in high school was the joy of making friends and the importance of those lasting relationships.
One of my favorite tales occurred after Leslie and Aaron started their lives together with their six children, who ranged in age from three to thirteen. The couple had their hands full with their sweet crew, but everyone pitched in when it came time to complete their chores. Still, the best-laid plans can still go awry.
One spring, my daughter did her usual seasonal cleaning, going through closets and donating items to the local thrift store. And yes, she made the kids help.
A few days later, while I visited with my daughter on the phone, she was shopping at this local thrift store. She was going through the clothes when she stumbled across her favorite denim jacket, which she could not find. One of the kids had placed it in the donation bag! She told me she had to buy it back! At that moment, I laughed until I cried. I couldn’t speak as tears ran down my cheeks. She hung up on me since I could no longer communicate because I could not stop laughing. The clerk witnessed her actions and chastised her for hanging up on her mama. When Leslie explained what happened and how the kids “helped” with the spring cleaning chore, the clerk told her to call her mom back and tell her, “Haha, I didn’t have to pay for it.” Good Times!
One special and influential teacher was my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Lewis. She taught at Paden Elementary School in Alameda, California in 1967. She was such a kind and loving soul, and she made learning so much fun!
During my junior year of high school, I returned to Mrs. Lewis’ classroom as a teacher’s aide. It was another wonderful experience, an endeavor that pushed me toward my own dream of teaching. I often think about her and the impact she made on so many children. She was a remarkable educator who left her heart imprinted on so many little lives. Thank you for your inspiration and bless you for touching my life.
“I hate this stupid thing, and I am sending it back!”
Sigh! My first “real” cell phone was a nightmare, and I hated being stuck with this new contraption! In the past, I had cheap flip phones to take on vacations that I would pay on a monthly fee. They were simple to operate and nothing fancy. Sometimes, I would keep them for a short time until I forgot about them and stopped paying the bill.
One time, some of my sixth graders asked if I were a drug dealer since I had a burner phone. I shook my head, gave them the “look,” and told them, “They watched too much TV.” At that point in my life, I did not want a phone at my hip 24/7. And I still thought phones belonged on the kitchen wall; you wouldn’t lose them, and it was easy to ignore them. And I never worried about leaving home without it.
Well, nearly two years ago, circumstances changed, and my sweet daughter told me it was time to get a phone or she would get me a life alert. This Grammy was not a happy camper, although I briefly contemplated all the fun I could have if firefighters showed up at my door each time I pushed the button on the life alert. However, Leslie reminded me that, eventually, they would send the sheriff. For some reason, that didn’t hold the same appeal. Finally, as much as I hated to admit it, it was time for this dinosaur to move into the 21st century. Still, I didn’t have to like it. Besides, to add insult to injury, my stupid smartphone proved to be much smarter than me.
My family and my students laughed at my struggles, but they also helped this Grammy out when I needed help maneuvering this strange device. While we had issues in the beginning, I eventually came to like my phone. And even love it…just a little.
Who wouldn’t love to have a camera nearby or enjoy audiobooks at a moment’s notice? And forget the alarm clock; this one is easier. I now do not get lost as often when I am taking road trips. With a touch of a button, I have favorite tunes ready to listen to at a moment’s notice while driving or working out. And, of course, I love receiving texts from my kiddos, and I enjoy ….uh oh… it’s official…my phone has become my sidekick and companion. And well, what can I say? Nobody puts Baby in the corner, or in this case, back on the kitchen wall!
Photo by Mihai Moisa on Unsplash
As a woman in my sixties, the way I view the passage of time has evolved. Each significant event or rite of passage provided memorable moments and offered wondrous memories. However, I look forward to a simpler lifestyle as I have slowed down.
Even my thoughts on travel shifted. I wanted to visit various countries and famous faraway cities when I was younger. Now, my take on holidays has presented itself with a different point of view. My idea of the perfect getaway shifted to quiet mountain cabins, redwood forests, trips to wine country, lazy country backwoods, and quiet sandy beaches. In truth, I have always enjoyed the outdoors, and any time I can spend in nature has always been a day well planned. The quiet and the beauty have constantly refreshed my soul. I love the sound of the wind in the trees and birds chirping, calling to one another. I love to watch the careful steps of deer with their graceful movements and spellbinding eyes ever on the watch while taking in their surroundings. Walks along dirt roads or sandy beaches have always been my favorite activities, and now, I have found those are the ways I long to spend my days.
For future holidays, I have longed for the sound of surf and the cry of seagulls as the sun sinks into the ocean. I want to laugh with my girls while enjoying a Chardonnay or an Aromella. I want to trek with my dogs along dusty dirt roads, explore old ghost towns, and witness all my state offers. One more time, I want to stand in a grove of redwoods with my head tilted to the skies while taking in the enormity and grandeur of ancient trees. At this stage of my life, I want to enjoy the simple beauty that nature so graciously has offered.
Time has altered my views, and even now, I look forward to my next mountain retreat. My days will be planned with an early morning coffee and writing on the back patio. I will take an afternoon hike around the lake with my pups in tow. In the evening, I will sit on the porch during the magic hour right before the sun sinks behind the Wet Mountains. In the evening, I will sit beside the fire, listening to an audiobook with my Muttley Crew curled beside me. Before I fall asleep, I will watch the dark skies and glimmering stars peer through the Pondorosas as pinecones fall and dance, their presence echoing on the rooftop. And in my sleep, I will dream of new adventures in my mountain hamlet.
Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
When I was a child, I enjoyed our holiday traditions. My sweet mother, Dotty Allen, made sure our childhood days were the best that they could be. Each holiday we spent together held so much magic and warmth and I have missed those days.
For every holiday and a few special Sunday mornings, Mom would make us those Pillsbury Orange Rolls to go along with our breakfast. We thought they were heavenly! As a child, my bedroom was right off the kitchen, and I loved to wake up to the sounds of mom singing in the kitchen while preparing breakfast.
The day before Easter, we would dye eggs, a family tradition my brothers and I looked forward to each year. Mom would buy the Paas Easter Egg Dye kits, grab coffee mugs from the cabinet, and make the colorful concoctions. I loved how the dye stained the inside of the cups, and I was always a little sad when the colors finally faded.
In the evenings after the boys went to bed, Mom and I would hide eggs in the house or in the backyard. On Easter morning, it was fun to watch my little brothers find the colored eggs. We even filled plastic eggs with jelly beans or chocolates and hid those little gems too.
Mom always made a special dinner for Easter too. She always made a ham with all the fixings. I loved it when my grandparents could visit too. Now, one year, I will never forget was when my Grandpa came into our kitchen laughing with my Grandma. When we heard their laughter, my brothers and I ran to greet them. On that rare occasion, they were affectionate with one another. It was the first and last time, I ever witnessed them kissing. Grandpa leaned down and sweetly kissed my Grandma. Then he stood up, wrapped an arm around my Grandma, and asked, “Isn’t she a sweet Honey Bunny?”
I have always cherished those special moments with my family.
Photo by Євгенія Височина on Unsplash
If I could make my pets, my Max and Mitzi, understand one thing it would be for them to know how much I love them. This furry pair has brought so much joy to my life. Dogs should really live long lives….
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