Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do ...
Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Monday, October 11, 2021

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 ...


9 comments:

A :-) said...

So glad you decided to keep blogging :-) Esk is darling - I really did think the two of them were going to go right over the edge into the pool a couple of times :-D Dog time cannot be discounted. I wish I had a dog . . . I think about it a lot now that I'm retired. Confess I'm a little gun-shy, though, after being bitten this summer. We'll see, I guess. It won't be any time soon, that's for sure.

happyone said...

So nice to see a blog post from you and get caught up. Your granddaughter is adorable and getting so big!

Michelle said...

That little video is good tonic for sure! Loved your post; keep on blogging. :-D

Becki said...

I keep looking for posts from you, so I'm glad you've decided to keep posting. I really enjoyed the video. Will seemed, for the most part, to be oblivious to being watched - which made it all the more fun. Esk is a cutie - and obviously a sharp little girl. :) Yep... you've got plenty to share with us for another 10 years at least!

Leigh said...

What a great update! So glad you and your loved ones are well and happy. Your pictures and video made me smile! So did the conversation snippets from Esk and Will. Priceless!

Leftycrafter said...

I love your blog. Just so you know, in 2030 I will be 77 and plan on still blogging too. Your grand daughter is a smart one. Her replies to Will are priceless. When Indog sit for my kids, I also consider it a day trip alone. Your grand dogs look like a sweet pair to be with too. Looking forward to seeing and reading about Aja.

Lynne said...

Blogging . . .
I go through a similar stop/go/continue . . .
And staying with it, “if and when!”

Loved seeing your three year old granddaughter.
And the video brought huge smiles! Such energy.
I was waiting for her to twist about into the pool!

Grand dog sitting must be our “speed” these days.
We are asked often . . .

Nice to see you . . . not many find me anymore.
Happy to see your place/face . . .
(Well I guess I didn’t see your face, I will go back and check!)

Happy Days, 🍂🍁🧡🍁🍂
love
lynne

Mama Pea said...

I know I comment infrequently but please know I, too, am very glad you keep blogging. You have a full life with a lot of responsibility so sometimes it is hard to "make" oneself sit down and compose a post, but yours are always good reading . . . and the pictures add so much. That video was a chirker-upper, for sure. Where do those little ones get those dance moves? AND the energy???

Anonymous said...

I will be 85 in 2030 (yikes!), also have an adorable, hilarious 3-year old granddaughter and we have been spending this entire weekend grand-dog sitting (what were the chances!). Have really enjoyed this satsfying post. Have a sometimes painful left Hand and have been practicing Portuguese knitting which utilizes only your left thumb (but you might be able to train yourself to use your right thumb which amounts to knitting left-handed). The thumb-only technique creates the purl stitch which you can use to knit garter stitch (flat) or stockinette stitch in the around. (There is also a knit stitch but it’s more complicated.) Just something to consider down the road. I don’t crochet so have no alternatives there, I’m afraid. Sending best wishes to your left thumb. Chloe