The First Step

She said she knew she would marry Everett the day he rode his horse up into her front yard.  She was sitting on the porch.  She did indeed marry him and thus became Aunt Betsy to a young man, named Bill but she called him Sonny, who belonged to Everett’s sister, Lera.  Betsy was an easy person to love.  She had a wonderful smile and Sonny always liked her a lot.  She liked him a lot too and whenever he visited the cousins Aunt Betsy would bake him home-made breads and pies.  They had an understanding. (:

Life doesn’t stand still and while Sonny finished school and went to serve in the Navy, got a job and started a family,  Everett became ill and passed away leaving Betsy alone.  She relocated to West Virginia about a four hour drive from her nephew.  He had not seen Aunt Betsy for a number of years.  His wife had only met her once.  Sonny wanted the girls to meet her.  They planned a drive to see her.  Cautiously, he warned his wife and the three daughters to wait in the car as he walked up the steps to the back porch and knocked at the door alone.  In a moment Aunt Betsy came to the door.  Instantly we heard her shout his name as she threw her arms around his neck.  He reached for her and embraced her too and they both turned and motioned for us to join them. Our eldest daughter, watching closely began to cry happy tears.   You know someone has to take the first step.  It’s almost always worth it.  There might even be pie.  (:

 

 

 

 

The Story of Cooper

I have a story to tell.  Storytelling, someone has said, is one of the most elemental escapes of all.  I escape now to write hoping that you will escape to read and to enjoy.

The year after I became a widow I took an 8 week old Golden Retriever into my home and heart. The first night that I met him I wrapped him in a towel and held him up on my shoulder like you would an infant and rocked him and sang to him.  The bond and the song would last for ten years.

When the day came for him to cross over the Rainbow Bridge we both knew it.  I put my face in his beautiful neck of golden fur and reminded him that he was the very best puppy ever.  I reminded him of all the fun we had had together and said lots of other things but , well, that’s just between us.

I missed him like crazy.  I still do……….but

Fourteen months ago I saw a notice in our local paper about a yellow lab puppy.  I inquired as to where to find him and went there the same evening.  As I walked into the house an 8week old golden ball of fluff was placed into my arms.  Instinctively, I lowered my head and kissed the top of his head, and instinctively he picked his head up and kissed my chin.  That was it.  Cooper and I spent the rest of the evening when we got home in the rocking chair.  I sang a new song.

Cooper is 16 months old now and everyday when we awaken I put my face in his beautiful neck and remind him that he is the very best puppy ever.  He is.  I scratch those beautiful ears and rub that indentation between them  that “grows” when he is confused or worried. I say lots of other things too, but, well, that’s just between us.

 

 

I Took The Second Bus

I turned six years old in the middle of Kindergarten, but by then I had already quit attending.  I was eight years old then as a second grader in a Catholic elementary school and was taught by a Roman Catholic Nun of the Sisters of Notre Dame.  She was a “born teacher” as the expression goes and she loved teaching and all twenty-seven of us.  She also loved music.  I didn’t know then if I did or not.  Just before lunch time everyday she would pass out red song books and we would push our desks together and share the music  as we sang the Folk Songs and Rounds that children sing.  She separated us–the boys from the girls- and then some higher voices from the lower.  That involved some changing of seating just for that half an hour of the day and some directing on her part but some harmonies did appear.

In our particular school district there were bus challenges and in order to bus all of the children home there were two routes after school as there were in the mornings also.  One bus left the school grounds just a few minutes after dismissal, and when Bus 1 had delivered all those children, it would come back for the remainder.  The procedure took approximately 30 minutes as I remember.  I volunteered to wait for Bus 2.  As soon as the walkers and the Bus 1 riders left our classroom, Sister would send someone to the back of the room to bring those wonderful red books up to the front of the room where we  would gather around her desk and sing away our wait. I thought it was great fun.

I chose Bus 2 and I learned to sing.  I learned about harmony and the making of music.  One decision made such a difference in my life.  Some of the most precious joys of my life have been in the making of music and watching those I love do the same.  If you get a chance, take the second bus.

The Struggle

Louis L’Amour in his memoir entitled “Education of a Wandering Man” says that if you want to write, and if you aspire to BE a writer, you must keep the spigot at a steady drip so that it is always ready.  There is some cost of course to the steady drip, but in the end it is best.   Louis was right.  I’ve neglected my blog for 3 months.  I thought when I was ready I’d just “speak to the rock” and the words would gush.  Not so.  The waste basket is full of scraps of white paper, but I have no blog.  Life has not stood still.  Fall has come and Summer has snuck away and it appears that Winter is closeby.  Cooper has grown taller and learned some more “manners” and “tricks”and he sure hasn’t quit shedding. He is still the best yellow lab ever.    The blue-eyed, freckled little boy turned into grown man I introduced you to in August has moved away.  I’ve had leaves to rake and air conditioners to have removed and stored.  I’m still studying Spanish and still working out at the gym and working in the office at church when they call.  Like all of you I am looking forward to Thursday with a thankful heart.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving.  Be blessed.

changed…and yet not

The blue-eyed, freckle-faced boy stood behind my husband.  He was wearing a striped tank top and solid blue shorts and tennis shoes tied up by his Mom.  He grinned as he watched Bill paint…..one board at a time…. on the side of our house. Always wanting to start a conversation he asked ” Do you know how they make  white paint?”  Bill admitted that he did not and the little guy explained how “they start with milk and….”.

Last night as I was out walking my dog a blue-eyed, freckle-faced man stood before me.  He asked about my family and especially my daughters as he played with Cooper.  Looking around my yard he spoke of my husband’s always keeping everything so neat and of his always being his patient listener.  He grinned as he remembered some of his stories.  I reminded him of his telling my daughter that she was his “best fwend”.

He told me of his current job and what his brother and sister are doing.  He gestured toward his dad’s house next door and started explaining to me how you add a porch and how he could bring out the livingroom and add a porch.  This time he really does know.

He gives me his phone number before we part and says call if I need him at all.  In some ways he is still that little boy……….and yet not.

Good Morning…….I’ve had this blog for a few weeks. I love to write, but I like to know that someone is reading what I write. That certainly makes it more interesting, doesn’t it? So if you are reading this please just let me know that and we’ll go from there. Thanks.

From time to time I see things around my community, or even just here at home in the course of the day’s events, I come across something of note that I’d like to share. If that makes you curious, stop back. This is my very first blog post. My almost one year old yellow lab, Cooper and I will be watching for you.

First blog post

This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.