Memorial Day

A good quality hot dog on a soft, cheap bun with a little mustard and relish. That is my favorite. This one has ketchup and pickles on the side for my granddaughter. Maybe next year I will go to the folk festival with my family, but this year I am babysitting at home and pretending my hot dog was cooked over a camp fire.

Maybe later I will dig out some pictures of my father to post. He was a Navy medic in WWII and served with the Marines at Tarawa. He didn't talk about it much. I need to spend time with my brother and compare notes. My brother served in the Army during the Vietnam years, but he was stationed in Germany, not in a fighting zone. My brother found our grandfather's tombstone at a military cemetery in Johnson City, Tennessee. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War. His name was Robert Zell and his brother's grave is in the same cemetery. Jaime's fiance, Aaron, served in Iraq. Thank God, he is here with us now. I am thinking of all the strong, young soldiers who have served our country today.

End of School Party

Mia - Preschool - 2010

Jonah - 4th Grade - 2010

Jill - Second Grade - 2010

There was an end of school party the other day with music, hula hoop contests, pizza and cold drinks, two bouncy houses and Dippin Dots ice cream. Jaime and I took Jonah, Seth, Jill and Mia and we participated in everything except the Dippin Dots which were $3.00 and $5.00 each. Luckily the pizza slices and drinks were only $1.00 each. Jill did very well at the hooping contest. Jaime hooped a little, too. Jonah played football in the field with his friends. It was hot, but fun. I don't remember doing anything like this when I was in elementary school.

Then yesterday as I was sitting on the front porch 4 children biked by and made a circle in my front yard. "Hi, Grandma!" Jonah called as they rode away. These moments make me happy.

Jonah's Bear

Found this in Jonah's book bag and thought it was great.

Mother on Mother's Day

July 1, 1948. The date is on the back of the photo. I didn't even know they had color film back then. (I am the baby in the picture.)

Grandma and Jaime

Mom at work posing with what looks like an empty file folder.

Mom relaxing. She loved to fish.

Jaime, Mom and me at Christmas. 1980

Me and my mom and dad about 1957.

Mom in a great coat. I think she was still single. Don't know what year this was. Maybe 1938?

Mom and Dad. Don't know the make or model of this car.

Rick, Uncle Glen, Mom, Dad and me at my Aunt Esther's farm house.

This blog is linked to Sepia Saturday - a blog featuring great old photographs. Click on the link to see more.

My mother. I'm remembering her on Mother's Day. I have written before about her childhood at the Grandfather Children's Home in North Carolina. She was slim and pretty all her life. She never learned to drive but could walk for miles in high heels. She was a professional woman and an excellent cook. She loved movies and movie stars and taught me to appreciate movies from her era, Hitchcock such as "Rear Window" with Jimmie Stewart and Grace Kelly, "Gone with the Wind", "Rebecca" -- all the old classics remind me of her. She liked Gayle Storm and Nat King Cole. Her favorite hymn was "Old Rugged Cross." She loved to play Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit and taught us all how to play poker. She made sure we had great birthday parties and Christmas presents. Her grandchildren adored her and still do. I need to find a good picture of her and Cory because he loved his grandma so much and she loved him. She died only a few months before her first great-grandchild was born, but she "saw" a sonogram of him even though she had cataracs and suggested the name "Jonah" before she left us. She was close to all of our friends when we were young, including Darlene, who became my brother's wife after my mother was gone. My brother waited till late in life to marry. I just wanted to call my mom so bad and say, "Guess What?????" But I'm sure she knows. I can't say I exactly miss her because she feels like such a part of me and of my daughter, Jaime. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Neighborhood Pizza Beach Party

Alan and Karin

Amanda and Daniel

Aaron and Mia

Jaime, Amanda and Daniel

Elliot (wearing Mia's hat)

Our friends' neighborhood beach party with free pizza and music! We had a great time. No pictures of Jonah. He and Seth spent their time hanging out on the dock (and jumping off into the water). Some people said they were flirting with some girls, but that is probably just a rumor.

Picnic and Fishing at the Park

New camera and lots of fun activites. Picture Overload! Can't help myself.

A Happy Birthday for Me

Thai Buddhist Temple - Wat Mongkolratanaram

Amanda, Jill, Jaime and Mia

One of the beautiful bird lanterns that surround the temple

A dock on the river with lots of hungry fish in the water

Roger and me

Jaime

Rick and Darlene

Aaron

Jaime, Mia and Jonah

Aaron, Irma, Elliot and Mark. It was a special day for Irma, too.

Cory, Steph and Jill

A birthday dinner at a Mexican restaurant with friends and family. Karin and Alan were there, too. Another friend was missed. I had a pedicure with Jaime and Mia got a manicure. I also got to go to the nearby Buddhist Temple and sample the Chai tea and the Thai food. Roger and I went out to my brother's house for a steak dinner and a look at their new place. Stephanie, Cory and Jill went to a lot of trouble to upgrade my Christmas camera. Now there is still lunch with a friend tomorrow. I am a lucky woman who has more riches that I deserve. But I am very grateful and happy (and a year older).

Explanation: All that eating! These activities took place over a weekend -- not in a single day. Just wanted to clarify that.