Maybe a New Title

 I am thinking of changing my blog name to

 “My Next 20 Years of Living: A Year at a Time.”  

I am slipping into the habit of posting only a few times a year!  I often think maybe I should just close the blog down.  I can see how it will all play out in my mind.  Do a graceful exit speech ...  you know ... taking a bow, wishing everyone well, throwing kisses to the crowd (if anyone is still out there reading - ha!), heading off to new but unidentified adventures, and drawing the curtains on this blog.  Then I remember, when I started in 2010 I thought 20 years was forever into the future.  But from where I am standing now - my “next 20 years” from 2010 takes me out to 2030.  Wow, that is pretty darn close.  It isn’t “forever.”  And I will be 83 in 2030.   83!  Hard to wrap my mind around that number.  hmmm .... isn’t 83 the “new 63?”  haha! Nope, not even I believe that.

So I talk myself out of quitting.

After all I still have things going on.  My wonderful kids are in the prime of their lives.  Professional and personal success.  Living comfortably, raising an amazing new generation and just generally improving the world with their presence.  I still have a life partner of 52 years and counting.  Turns out he needs me now more than he did when we first married.  (Its hard to express just how important vision is until you lose it.). Then there is Aja, our adult 'Covid Cat adoption.' God knows she keeps us amused and engaged.  And I still have not knitted through ALLLL my yarn stash yet (which means - if that is a goal - I will need to live to 115!)  Topping all that off, there is this amazing grand daughter in my life who is 3.  Now that is one little human being who is going to change the world.  If I live to be 115 - I might just get to see it.

Nope!  Not quitting.  

So what has been happening since July.

First off my darling, amusing and smart-as-a-whip grand daughter is a regular part of my life.  

Here she is carrying her Minnie Mouse leather purse her father (my talented son) made for her.  She thinks her dad can do anything (and I am hard pressed to disagree with her. 😁)

Here she is getting ready to go out on a boat with her dad.

 Her honorary uncle owns the boat is putting her life vest on. 

(That face says: Yah! I am cool.)

And here is a special cookie her grand mother (me)

 got for her loaded with icing.  Yummy - so she says.

A sugar high (and low) in the making!

And here is her first day of preschool picture - the first of many!

What to say about this little person!  She is not only smart and can talk circles around you, she is a competitive 3 year old.  In August she went to the beach with family and extended family for the first time.  In that group was Will, her cousin, who is 4 years old.  The age difference of 6 months was nothing in their relationship.  Some conversations that were overheard were:

Will:  I am 4 years old.

Esk:   Well, I am 5!  (Poor Will lost that one - even though it was based on an exaggeration of the

           truth. Ok, a lie. But still ... )

Will:  My dad can jump on one leg.

Esk:   Well, my dad has 2 legs!!!  (Sorry Will.  Looks like you lost that one, too.  But the dads had

           fun with it.  My son reminded Will’s dad ALL week, that HE had 2 legs.  And Will’s dad has 2

           legs as well, but let’s not let a little bit of logic get in the way of winning one!  Right, Esk!)

I wish I could have been there.  Watching and listening to the 2 of them together would have been truly priceless.  My first video upload is below and I sure hope it works for you.  This is a movie of Esk and Will dancing together by the pool.  When I am feeling low, I watch this 1 minute and 20 second video and I feel myself smiling and laughing.  Hope you feel that way too.

So I guess the question is why wasn’t I there?  Well the Outer Banks is 5-6 hours away from home and I feel uncomfortable being so far away leaving my husband with no back up (both my kids were on this trip.). So I made myself useful and stayed with my son and daughter-in-laws two dogs.  A dog week for me - I used to do that kind of house and dog sitting all the time before the pandemic - but the pandemic changed all that.  So here are my pictures from that same week.

They like to stay close.  

Very close.  

Sometimes it is a little claustrophobic, but they need more attention when “their peoples’ are gone.

They have a beautiful side porch that the dogs and I completely enjoyed sitting on.

This bulldog is Ragnar - Rags for short.  

Getting a front picture of him is hard when he was determined

 to put his butt on my lap keeping me close.

This is Olivia - Livvy or Beansie for short.  

She isn’t quite so clingy but loves attention just as much.

Yes, that is 60+ pound Rags running full out down the hill in their fenced in yard - directly at me.  I have learned never to move when he does that.  He darts to the side at the last minute and invariably he darts in the direction I have chosen to move - taking me out!  He hasn’t master stopping all that well! He is such a character.

 

The location of their house is wonderful - acres between houses, lots of green and trees, neighbors are far enough away that there is tons of privacy and lovely silence.

I did lots of reading and knitting and crocheting and TV Netflix watching - and mid-day visited my husband till after dinner.  Sort of a mini-vacation for me as well.

This was a long post and I’ll close it for now.  I’ll be back because I have pictures of my projects to share and Aja pictures to include.  And who knows, maybe some other stuff as well.

Nope - not quitting yet.  Who would I bore with my pictures if not you wonderful people!

Till next time ...