My Little Drummer Boy

My fourteen year old grandson, Elliot,

is a drummer boy in the lst Oregon, 20th Maine volunteer Infantry Civil War re-enactments. He is totally immersed in this part of our history and has been doing this for two years. He tends to zero in on one thing and it becomes the focal part of his life for a few years.

Twelve years old--his brand new uniform for which he saved $100 to pay for it.
You can tell he takes all of this very seriously!

The groups meet all through the summer and act out battles. Little Elliot and all of these grown men, are play-acting a battle, which looks and sounds pretty real with cannons, fake gun fire and so on. (You get the picture). I didn't enjoy watching. It was too real for comfort. They were tending to their wounded, which Elliot does when he is not drumming! But for right now, he loves it and he is counting down the days until his first re-enactment of the year in 14 days! I should add that his mom goes with him to all of the re-enactments. She dresses in period costume to fit in with all of the other ladies of that era.

At times they have overnight camps, set up tent cities and it is all quite realistic. Groups of family and others used to follow the men and set up shop in tents where they camped.

The men and boys all have their 100% wool uniforms on, horrid old black boots that hurt, I'm sure, and 100% cotton shirts under their jackets. The shirts are a wrinkled mess as soon as they put them on.

In January I let him order some civil war stuff off the internet which he keeps here and plays with when he visits.
He visited this week-end and had a great time planning battles, etc. He runs to the computer to look up some fact from history, then comes back and sets it up for his imaginary battles. He took about twenty five photos. I chose a few as he will be disappointed if I don't "publish" any of his photos!!

Before it was the Civil War, trains were the top interest for many years, and before that, it was vacuums! When he out grew his trains, we brought them up here to my garage. This week-end I asked him to set up the train table. So he did, and of course, had to take more pictures.

All of you with boys will be familiar with Thomas the Tank Engine and all of his other engine friends, whose names I used to know, but have forgotten.

I do remember "Sir Topham Hat" who ran the railway!

Do these look familiar to any of you?

Here's the whole train yard ready for play by my little visitors!

Another week-end with my sweet Elliot boy is over for this time. He returns home to continue school. This week will be his last track meet and I didn't get to one of them this year! I can't believe that he will be a freshman in high school next year.

I miss the toddler years. We spent so much time together having all kinds of adventures. Alas, we cannot go back, except in pleasant memories! ...and below are some of my memories!

P.S. Elliot's daddy sent me this email this morning. "We just received a letter from Elliot's unit and he was awarded "Rookie of the Year." Way to go son!"

I haven't lost my touch!

Is there any thing cuter than a sleeping baby?

Last week four of us (two at a time) kept these little guys in our church nursery for the day in order for their Mom to have the day getting things in order at home. She is overwhelmed, at times, with her four boys, so we decided to give her the gift of a day to herself.

I rocked the little guy to sleep and just had to take a picture! He is so sweet. Almost forgot how rewarding it is to rock a little one to sleep! There is nothing like it!

The four year old is a busy little guy. He was in the bathroom a long time, had shut the door, and so I went to check on him. He told me to get out, he wanted "privacy"! Indeed he did! He was having a ball with the soap dispenser and a little water--all over the counter top! A few good wipes with a paper towel took care of that problem.

We read together, which he loved!! He is a busy, very active little boy, so he kept my partner and me on our toes!

It was a fun time for me. I have spent time with the two older boys. They haven't been to my house to play yet, but are dying to get out here. I'm going to set up the Thomas the Train table before they come out.

Children really make life interesting. I am so glad for these little people, who, by the way, call me "Grandma Joan". I like that.

Bible Study is over for the year.

I am completing my fourth year of inductive Bible Study using Kay Arthur’s study guides. I have fallen in love with this method of study, and especially love the marking on our study scripture pages and the note taking on our observation worksheets.

***********

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25

Weren’t those wonderful verses with which to close our study of I and II Peter and Jude?

You can double click to see the pages better if you choose.

We learned so much this year--so many reminders of character qualities, warnings of false teachers in the end time, promises of what is to come, and the glorious promise of Who He is Who keeps us and will one day cause us to stand in His very presence.

Indeed, to Him be glory, majesty, dominion and authority in all areas of our lives for now and for eternity!

Enlightened Perspective

NOT by Andy Rooney,

as I was told....Snopes says so--still good, however!

My comments, if any, will be in blue.

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
That's a nice thought....
I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.



I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.
There's nothing like an honest affirmation, is there?

I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
Especially when he is your first grandchild and only twenty minutes old!(I am sixty pounds lighter today!)

I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.as well as the nightly baseball games in the summer with all of the other dads and kids.

Those were the days!!

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. I'm learning that day by day!! One week melts into the next!!

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
Amen to that! I know that from experience!

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
That's so true! flowers bursting into bloom, a child running with arms up to be taken, a sudden shaft of sunlight breaking through the clouds, finding a little head on your shoulder for a cuddle when you are reading to him/her...and millions more

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved. Sometimes its sure hard to get by the shell....

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I 've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds. so true

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am. Well, I think most people around me are smarter than I am, so I must be growing!

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.


I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away. I've thought that thought over and over again in the last eight years......

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them. I think this is one of life's hardest lessons to learn!


I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life. Oh my, but this one is true. Just breathing the smell of that little head snuggled on your neck starts the addiction!! and you never get over it!

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.


I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
I achieved so much more with my time when I worked full time and had a house full of kids to care for, than I have in the last eighteen years of retirement!

That's it for today, folks!! Have a good one.

Snow at the Beach

This is a sight you don't see very often here in Oregon. Today chains were required to get to the Northern Beaches. This picture was sent to me from a friend, who knows the guy that lives in this house at a Southern Beach.

Our weather has been crazy. Yesterday we had hail storms, thunder, lightening, and torrential down pours of rain.

We Want SUNSHINE!

But then I remember.............

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Sunshine always follows the rain eventually!

Oh, My Achin’ Back!

Having been plagued with upper back pain for the last thirty four years, and since I am just finishing up with a seven day acute phase, its on my mind....so bear with me!!

When it is acute, I suffer. When it is chronic, I am thrilled.

Much of the time I control the pain with a TENS unit which sends electrical shocks to four patches which I place on my back. This is supposed to “scramble” the pain messages to the brain. Well..................sometimes it doesn’t work. I pump it up to level ten, my back and shoulders jump in protest, but, alas, it doesn’t do its job.

This looks like my unit, only I use square patches. I own three of these machines, and sometimes wear two of them (8 patches) when my pain level is past bearable.

The acute phase is awful! I just hunker down in my “nest”, turn up the heating pad with a wet cloth on it,don’t move to avoid the spasms, knock myself out with muscle relaxants and pray for the pain to abate. (Pain meds do not work--doesn’t even phase nerve pain)


I become a little more intimately acquainted with my family room, every time I have a flare-up, My view from the “nest” follows................

 I wish I felt more like reading, better yet, using the cookbooks!

A nice fire would be nice........too much work

I watch too much television during these times--Fortunately a friend brought me the first series of Tale of Avonlea, which turned out to be a great bunch of simple little stories and helped pass the time.

Since 1988 I have been with a pain-management clinic and they have sent me to every kind of specialist, had many tests, x-rays, bone scans, mri’s, cat scans, you name it----I’ve had it.

I’ve had botox injections at the site, facet injections, trying to kill the nerves with radio waves, facet steroid injections, and a trial implant for a spinal cord stimulator. All have failed and I’m through exploring further avenues. Prior to this latest episode, I went six weeks relatively pain free, and had eleven days not wearing my TENS unit which is a record!

Today this latest acute phase is winding down and I am thrilled, looking forward to getting back into “action” and thankful it is a new week beginning. I am learning to “be thankful in all things”, to count my many blessings, and rejoice with pure joy on the days that are pain free.

This week, Lord willing,

Monday, I will have my weekly lunch date with sister, Carol
Tuesday, Bible Study and errands
Wednesday, care for two little boys to give their Mom a break
Thursday, lunch with my sibs and spouses, since brother, Bernie, is in town
Friday, to be announced

So, in the scheme of things, these flair-ups are just blips on the timeline of my life, but I do fret against them when they happen.

Sorry to be sharing my bad back woes, but it is such a big part of who I have become, and it is very much on my mind today and the last few days, so........

Tomorrow will be the beginning of many good days to come, I trust.

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the River

Entrance

On the sixth, we celebrated the three April birthdays, Cristin, Leah, and little Ben all celebrated their birthdays together. We were at a long table together and enjoyed a nice view of the river, as well as the lovely antiques, many from England.

Here we are! I'm the matriarch at the end, working on my iced tea.

Scott, son Tanner, and Ben, the birthday boy.

Ben, who is 10.
Willamette River in the background with Oregon Grape in full bloom.

Afterward, we were all enjoying the sunshine and the view of the river, and a man and a little boy walked by me and said, “How nice to see a family enjoying one another like yours is.” I told him we always celebrate all of the birthdays and holidays, so we see one another pretty often.

This is a marvelous bike/walking path which stretches for miles along the river.

The man's comment started me thinking of the word Family and some of the facets it covers.

relatives--by blood, by marriage, by adoption
nearest and dearest
extended family
informal folks.
• a person or people related to one and so to be treated with a special loyalty or intimacy

Isn’t Family really just a group of people brought together and bound by love?

I think it is.

......on the lighter side

Some people just have too much time on their hands!!

I cannot credit anyone with these. I do not have a clue who did them.