Sweet gift of song…

Sweet gift of song…

July 17, 2014 / 4 Comments

I was relaxing on the playroom sofa engrossed in the novel by Ree Drummond with the grandchildren playing happily all around me. I noticed movement to my left barely above the back of the sofa. It was Larry-Boy, the Veggie Tale puppet. Suddenly, “Larry-Boy” broke into the happy song “Veggie Tales”. The sweet and tender voice of my just-turned-three-year-old grandson was perfectly carrying the tune.

My heart melted, and tears came to my eyes, as I thought about what a gift this sweet child is…and how different his life might have been. I’m thankful beyond words that God picked this precious child to be a part of this family…all the way from Ethiopia.

And I’m especially thankful for his sweet gift of song…

Note: for the “re-enactment”, it is “Bob the Tomato” playing the lead role. My little grandson believes in giving all of the actors a turn at their five minutes of fame.

He loves Curious George! (age 3 & 1/2 here)

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time at all, then you know that I dearly love my grandchildren. I found this little post gem while browsing through my previous blog of four years, My Southern Heart. My little charmer is five & a half now but just as loving and entertaining as ever…

Dianne
I dream of puppies…

July 16, 2014 / 4 Comments

There are some mornings that I awake thinking I must take the dog out…and then I remember: I don’t have one.

I visit my daughter and my sons and I love each of my granddogs: Annie, Bernie and Kiana. When I visit, I’m faithfully followed around, kissed and slurped on, enlisted in a game of fetch (I throw, they fetch) and have my lap turned into a pillow for each of them – even the big ones! The problem is when it’s time to go home – they don’t come with me. For now, I cannot have a dog based on the condo rules.

So how do I comfort myself in regards to longing for a pup? I do a little research and plan for the future. I’m nothing if not positive you know. So if/when I can have a dog, what kind do I want? There’s the question. I’ve always thought that I wanted TWO yellow labs, but I’m not so sure now. I thought I wanted a large dog – but that was when I was younger and maybe a tad more energetic. Maybe I should get a “lap” dog?! You think?

Maybe I should just volunteer at the pet rescue center? Oh, no. That won’t work. I’d want to bring them all home with me…

Ah, the Border Collie (above & below). The most intelligent dog in the world. They MUST have a job. Period. They will round the children or you up if there is no livestock. Devoted family dog. Sweet and loving.

I love the Miniature Dachshund! They are beyond adorable! However, they are very fragile and bark a lot! Don’t think I want a “yapper”. But you have to admit – they’re cute!

The ENGLISH Cocker Spaniel. Again, very cute! They have a great reputation as a family dog.

Well, hello, cutie pie! Boxers make good pets from what I’ve read. What a cute face!

Then, of course, my sweet Labrador Retriever. This time in chocolate! I can vouch for this breed.

Smart as a whip, devoted and loving.

I saw a little fellow just like this one below, along with his gigantic parents, at an AKC national dog show.

The Newfoundland is amazing. I would take you in a heartbeat, big guy! Would you just look at that face?!

Granted, when he’s full grown he will take up a lot of room but that’s okay with me!

If you don’t have room for him, you can purchase the adorable poster here.

Below: Don’t let appearances and that innocent face fool you.

Oh, yeah, he’s little and cute now but this English bull dog gets BIG and bossy!

And they insist on their share of your bed according to my friend Shirley who has two!

A friend of mine loves this breed below: the Blue Heeler or Australian Cattle dog!

I have to admit he’s really, really cute.

Photos courtesy of the internet.

Dianne
“baby everything”…

July 14, 2014 / 3 Comments

I’ve been accused, on more than one occasion, of loving “baby everything”. What can I say? It’s true. I do. I realize that there are some animals that grow very quickly (i.e. piglets) but, oh when they’re babies, they’re so cute! Give me a state fair – pretty much any state fair – and the first place I’ll head will be the barns. It may be too late in my life for me to have a horse, but I still love them…especially little colts or fillies. Be still, my heart.

And now, for those of you who also love “baby everything”, enjoy the photos!

Above: If I had these two adorable yellow lab puppies, I would name them Emma & Darby!

Dianne
Happy Fourth of July…

July 4, 2014 / 4 Comments

Happy Fourth of July! Today has been a quiet day with more than my share of reflection. The 4th of July always brings back memories for me. Mama’s birthday was the fourth of July. It was always a time of reunion and a big celebration for our family. Now, my parents are in Heaven and their descendants are scattered – mostly across the South except for my family which are in Montana, Iowa and Texas. (My youngest keeps reminding me that I gave them roots and wings.)

“The Patriot” with Mel Gibson came out in the year 2000. I did not/would not/could not see the movie until, finally, earlier this year I watched in tears. Somehow I knew that the movie would have a profound effect upon me. It did. I had been searching my family’s history back through the generations and knew that several of my ancestors had fought and died in the American Revolution.

It’s one thing to read about this nation’s history and fight for freedom in a textbook’s black and white, but to see the bloody sacrifice orchestrated across a screen is another thing altogether. The fight for our freedom continued through other wars down through the years. That fight continues today. I’m thankful for those who have given and continue to give so much that we may enjoy the freedom that we have.

My daughter and her husband and their family are in Kentucky visiting his parents, so I spent the afternoon and early evening with my friend and neighbor downstairs who was also alone for the day. She prepared a delicious meal of garlic rosemary chicken and potato salad. I’ve been battling a bulging disc in my neck with the pain that accompanies it, so she insisted that I come empty-handed and hungry. There were strawberries and ice cream for dessert. When I’m feeling better, I will reciprocate with a meal she will hopefully enjoy as much.

Dianne
Rethinking my “Bucket List”…

July 2, 2014 / 5 Comments

If you’ve seen the movie The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, you’ll remember these two memorable characters hospitalized with terminal cancer who set out to fulfill their unrealized dreams before they “kick the bucket”. I think each of us has a “list” of experiences we hope to have:  amazing places we want to see, people we want to meet, things we want to accomplish, dreams we want to fulfill – all before we “kick the bucket”.

Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in the movie, The Bucket List

I was born in 1945, so next year will be a “big birthday” for me. Well, okay, December is almost the end of the year, but 2015 will still be a milestone. I occasionally get a tad depressed when I think of what a big milestone it will be, but then I remember the alternative. I want to enjoy my life as long as God gives me breath. I especially want to enjoy watching all of my precious grandchildren grow up!

So, I have been thinking about MY “Bucket List”. I confess that I have shortened it significantly. Let’s face it, there’s only so much time left and I don’t seem to be making a whole lot of progress. Of course, there is the little factor of completing my “Bucket List” on a fixed income. Ever the optimist, we’ll see how it goes. Of course, if I would hurry up and finish #1 and #2, that might help!

My Bucket List 2014

1. Publish my children’s books…

2.   Finish my family history and publish it…

3. See Scotland…especially the highlands and the Isle of Skye…

4.   See Ireland and England…especially Cornwall

5. Visit Anne Of Green Cables’ Prince Edward Island…

6. See Niagara Falls and ride the Maid of the Mist…

7. See New England…preferably in the Autumn

? Cruise the inside passage of Alaska – DONE!

? See the Caribbean on a cruise – DONE!

? Spend time on the Pacific Coast – DONE!

Originally, I had placed building sandcastles with ALL of my grandchildren together at the top of my bucket list. I decided that was going to happen without a bucket list! I’ll work on that one for sure!

What’s on YOUR Bucket List…?

This post was edited from its original publication in My Southern Heart…

Dianne
Miss Glorioso…

July 1, 2014 / 6 Comments

Have you noticed that the older you get, the sharper your long-term memory becomes? (We won’t talk about the short-term memory!) A few of my classmates and I have been together since the 6th grade at Kingsbury Elementary School. That is a very long time. All the way through graduation at Kingsbury High School.

Memories are amazing when you think about it. I can remember my sixth grade teacher, Miss Glorioso, like it was yesterday. She was beautiful. Italian with coal black hair and big, dark brown eyes. I believe we were her first class to teach after graduating from a university in Mississippi.

Miss Glorioso actually made learning fun and I think that is about the highest compliment one could bestow upon a teacher. She smiled a lot and loved teaching. If she couldn’t get a point across, she’d act it out in front of the class – like action verbs. I think she is the one to thank for my strong grasp of grammar. I remember once, much like the American Girl movie, Molly – An American Girl on the Home Front, her handsome fiance came for a visit to the classroom. The rest of the girls and I were in love with the romance of it all!

My classmates and I have been wondering what happened to Miss Glorioso. Using our sleuthing skills, a few online sites and the help of a classmate’s 6th grade report card, we determined that her given names were Jennie Marie. Through Ancestry.com, I found that she grew up in Mississippi. We just don’t know her married name. We don’t know if she’s still alive. I’m guessing she was about 11-12 years older than we were at the time, so she would be 79-80 now. I have no idea how long she taught or if she would remember her class from 1956-57…but the class remembers her quite fondly. It would be wonderful to know if she is still alive and how she is doing. We would love to tell her how much she meant to each of us all these years later.

If you know Miss Glorioso, would you email me at the contact link above? There are a bunch of us “sixth-graders” who would like to say Hello and Thank You!

Speaking of long-term memory, I believe the dress I was wearing in the photo above was lavender. I was wearing the “crinolines” beneath to make the dress stand out! Such was the style way back then…

GREAT NEWS: I found Miss Glorioso!!!

We just had a nice telephone conversation,

and she was so happy to learn that we remembered her!

Dianne