Ramblings. . .

Sunday morning, March 3rd. . .

I am all ready to leave for church in a little while, my last Sunday here in North Carolina.  There are always mixed emotions about that since, after all these years, I have become comfortably familiar with the nice folks at Hope Mills United Methodist Church, whom I lovingly refer to as my "other" church family.

Finally! a little bit of a warmer day.  The sunshine is welcome, too.  However, the extended forecast indicates that the warm spring-like days that are typical here at this time will not begin until the day I leave.  That is also typical and has become our running joke.

The banana bread Daniel made last night hits the spot with a fresh, hot cup of coffee.  That was our second cooking session; the first was pancakes made from scratch.  I'm glad he and Ian like to cook.  Ian's specialties are tacos and calzone. 

To be continued. . . 

 

Fast-forward to Tuesday morning, March 5th. . .

Bright sunshine this morning but looking like it might cloud up and there is a 'nip' in the air.  There were snow flurries Sunday morning.  Enough about weather!  Who cares?  Besides, dwelling on our preferences accomplishes nothing but a waste of precious time.

 

The countdown has begun, meaning that my visit here is dwindling since I will be flying home this Saturday night.  My feelings are mixed.  While I have more or less settled in here, I find myself beginning to turn my thoughts toward details of home.  Have my plants been watered?  What mail has come?  Any important phone messages?  Has Clementi eaten himself into oblivion?  But most importantly, I hope someone has remembered *litterbox detail*!!!  I'm sure they have...but, can you imagine?  =^)

 

Lately I've had the opportunity to hone my amateur barbering skills and, to my surprise, am not as rusty as I thought I'd be after such a long time.  (Bob always liked joking about the fact that I came from a long line of Italian barbers.)  John had requested a back-to-school haircut last September and I have been 'in business' ever since.  John, Michael and Ian had faith in me but as for Daniel - not so, at first.  He was in dire need of a 'shearing' but whenever I offered, his response was to eye me skeptically and say, "I have my own barber."  He finally relented, though, and looks like a different person.

 

How I love my grandkids!  I count them one by one every day and ponder their individual ages and stages...all sixteen of them (including three "greats").  Their growing up seems to be happening so fast.  Were their parents really children for such a short time?  I have the sensation that I have merely turned around to find a passage of time has taken place while I blinked. 

 

How thankful I am to be part of all that! 

 

Especially the part where I am once-removed from the stress of parenthood.  Payback! Ha!!