The Silent Acrobat Entertainer......

I've really missed my evening postings (relaxation reports) better known as "Fruit Salad Family"  for the last few months due to the fact that I just can't find the stop button on the roller-coaster (explanations on later post).  Anyway, been at ER once, several ex-rays, MRIs, 2 procedures, and 11 doctor-visits....intermingled with working two days at Carrie's office, and our daily trips to the parks and exciting antics with Clark.  Also, the first of our two Georgia grandsons, Thomas, has been here since the first of July. (Mark arrived earlier this evening.) 



 
All of our grandchildren have a quick sense of humor and keep us waiting for the next shoe to fall. Thomas and Braiden have been bantering back and forth generously for the past few weeks.... and Clark is pulling up a close third.  Clark keeps Irwin and I flabbergasted at his quick wit, imagination, and challenges.


We took Clark with us to Irwin's doctor's visit on Monday. Irwin was busy filling out the usual stack of paperwork while I was flipping through a magazine.  I was aware of an elderly couple sitting across the room snickering.  I glanced up and noticed them punching each other and laughing at Clark.  I leaned around Irwin and caught a view of our "perfect little angel!"  As the snickering developed into giggling and on to an audible chuckle....followed by Mr. saying, "Watch!  Watch!  There he goes again!" 

I never heard any noise from Clark so I didn't feel he was being disruptive....definitely not drawing as much attention as the cute little elderly couple across the room. 






 The nurse called Irwin's name and as he exited    Clark appointed himself supervisor of his appointment.  I diverted his direction back to his chair.











Then the lady sitting next to Clark got up and moved across the room....also, snickering.  I immediately asked apologetically, "Ma'am, was my grandson disturbing you?"


"Oh, no, no!" she replied, "I just wanted to move over here so I could watch your little fellow."











Now, I decided that I had better watch "my little fellow" a little closer.  "My little fellow" was moving in slow motion while cutting his eyes at his elderly audience.....almost flirting! 

I pulled my phone/camera out of my pocket behind the shield of my magazine and this is "My Little Fellow!"

When Irwin returned, he patted Clark on the head and said, "That's my Good Little Fellow!"

A Serious Note.....

I  AM  SO  BLESSED!  

Thanks, Dear FaceBook Friends, for covering me in prayer during my emergency episode last night immediately following a freaky backwards fall off a ladder onto our tile floor, and my head going through the wall.  Even while being strapped and taped to a board by the paramedics, our oldest daughter, Dianna, was kneeling over me praying for God to heal my body.  The rest of our children were not only in prayer but soliciting prayers from their FaceBook friends.  A great peace passed over us that we ARE children of The Creator & the Master of Healing......and HE is in charge....that HE had instructed us to pray.

I will not even pretend that my concerns about my condition were due to the severe pain in my back’ neck and head ..….but I was quickly comforted .... reminded that God is faithful.  Also, God lives richly in the hearts of our children and grandchildren (I include their mates as our children).  Then each of our children brought their cell phones, reading their endless responses from FaceBook friends offering prayers and encouragement…filling the ER with the Holy Father’s presence....and witness to doctors, nurses, and other patients.

Following four hours of test, scans & x-rays it was confirmed that God’s hand had touched me.  I was released to go home after 2:00 A.M.....and I walked out with my family. 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“… whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—“  (1 Timothy 2:1)

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

“…. no one can snatch them (ME) out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)

I thank each for your love, concern & prayers -- “..I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)

And to your prayers, just add that this incident was not in vain and that lives were touched and to God be the glory!

A Thousand Pictures is Worth a Giggle.....

Our precious (four-year-old grandson) Clark is NOT licking KFC’s finger-lickin’ chicken off his fingers;  and it’s NOT sugary glaze off Sunday morning’s donuts;  and he’s NOT cleaning up the last bit of cherry Lick-um-Ade off his fingers!  It’s another daily episode  of JOY in OUR RETIREMENT YEARS!

 Anytime we have Clark, I always ride in the back seat, next to Clark, while Irwin chauffeurs us about town, running our errands…and we usually end up sharing our treats….which today, was my favorite 44-oz. “gut-buster” of iced cold tea.   

I hopped out of the back seat at Home Depot to do a quick exchange of handy hardware, leaving Clark in the perfect care of his granddaddy (who happened to be in the drivers’ seat) leaving Clark playing with his games, in the back seat (in his child safety-seat). 

I was inside a little longer than the five minutes I had expected, due to eight involved excuses in the exchange line.  When I finally exited the store, I noticed a interesting cloud of white dust moving low across the parking lot, like the results of some kind of explosion.   As I approached our car, for some strange reason, I got a ravenous urge for a tall cup of my favorite Vanilla-Caramel coffee.  When I opened the back door of the car, behold “the source of the white cloud” wearing a most adorable contented smile!

  

My “gut-buster” of iced tea was overflowing with Vanilla-Caramel coffee creamer (which WILL NOT dissolve in iced tea).  Clark had obviously attempted to stir the full content of my Vanilla-Caramel coffee creamer with his finger.  And when it did not dissolve….he then tried to push the creamer powder under the liquid with his fist.  When his desire was not accomplished he pushed with both hands into the cup.  With nowhere for the powder to go but up…and up …and up….and out the windows..….thus the cloud of white dust!  The failure to dissolve was not a disappointment to Clark in the LEAST.  It stuck to his fingers, hands and melted down his arms.  Wow!  What a treat as he began to lick his fingers.  His mouth went through every imaginable variation as his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and his tongue attempted to push it's way to the outside of the powder.  His lips looked like he had kissed a snow-drift.  His eyelashes were like fairy dust on a white cupcake as he blinked as he repeated over and over, "It's good!  It's very good!"

 The old saying goes, "As the dust settled...," his very cute and very short hair became the target of several teaspoonfuls of white creamer.  (How do I know the almost  accurate  measurement ??? …..because this had been my brand NEW $4.50 container of creamer and there was at least a cup of white powder in the back seat and floor of the car…..and another cup and a half floating across the parking lot and down the interstate!)

I gently blew puffs of air across Clark's face, through my giggles.  I  grabbed my ever-present camera for historical (and hysterical) proof.  It turned into a burst of laughter as I used up  ¾ of a package of handy-wipes  cleaning up the seat as I let Clark finish up his own “clean-up”.  When I gained composure, I tapped Irwin on the shoulder and pointed toward home.  He was listening to the radio and had missed the whole episode.  After all, how much noise does Vanilla-Caramel coffee creamer make?

"It's A Dog's Life....."

 My rancher granddad frequently made reference to a “dog’s life” as he booted Ole Pup from in front of the screen door on the back porch, “Lazy hound dog! What a dog’s life!”

Granddad got Old Pup to follow him closely to chase snakes, where they (and Mutt Neely) were the only ones to ranch, up on Comanche Peak, near Granbury, Texas, back before there was a resort lake, retirement homes, or a nuclear power plant…. Back when the peak was covered with Caliche rock, scrub Mesquites, Cedars and was miles from town.

Again, when Granddad would stomp past Ole Pup and thump him on the ear to wake him up, point to that beat-up old ’54 Ford pickup as he was getting ready to go to the pasture to feed the sheep. 

While at the sheep pen, drenched from sweat in that Texas one-hundred plus baking sun, Granddad would yank that half-chewed unlit cigar from his mouth and give a shrill whistle, wave his sweat-stained wide-brim straw hat in a circle and mumble under his breath, “What a dog’s life!”  Ole Pup would uncoil from the front seat of the pickup truck, slink down to the ground, stretch his legs and trot off to circle the sheep to bring in the ones that had strayed too far away from the flock. 

 

Then as Granddad would wind down the day by re-lighting his soggy half-smoked cigar, head to HIS faded brown plaid overstuffed chair, and would give a yank on Ole Pup’s collar to drag him down onto the floor.   

As a youngster, I never knew just what he was referring to, “Dog’s life!”  However, I’m beginning to understand what Granddad was talking about now that we host our three oldest grandkids and their three small dogs that live inside the house and sleep on the sofa; sleep on the love seat; sleep on the overstuffed club chair; sleep on the wicker chest in front of the living room window, and often sleep on our dining chairs. When you sit down to visit or watch TV, inevitably one of the little ones reclaims their title of “Lap Dog!”  Within two minutes she’s snuggling & snoring!  Then there’s Gentle George, our 23 year-old grandson’s Cinnamon Lab that sleeps on the patio, right outside and up against the back door.  Without fail, when I go to my computer in the office, George ambles to the door, unwinds three circles, relaxes and slips off into “a dog’s life!”    

Hurry...It's Coming......

Every weekday Irwin and I meet Carrie at her work and pick up Clark.  We usually go to the park; do a few projects; feed him his lunch; read a few books; take a nap; grab a snack; and drive back to meet Mommy.

As we are trying to move Clark along to meet Mommy before the traffic gets too busy on Loop 820 around NE Mall.  Not aware of our constant reminder to "HURRY before traffic gets too BAD"...Clark was taking it all in with concern.

Yesterday, Clark asked, "Where is the traffic?"
I quickly answered, "It's coming our about 5 o'clock (p.m.)."
Is Grandaddy going to go with us?
Not today, Grandaddy has something else to do.  I'll drive us today.  But we need to hurry and get going before the traffic gets too bad."
Are we going to see traffic today?
Where is traffic?
It's not here, yet?
He put his head down and closed his eyes.  "I don't want to see traffic!"
Then it began to dawn on me that I had frightened him of something big and bad that he didn't know what it was.
So, the rest of the trip to Mommy's work was spent in a very detailed explanation about traffic!
....and again today we talked about TRAFFIC in a more calm manner.

The Art of Snuggling......

The cold days are great for snuggling!  Snuggling breaks the chill....whether snuggling with a one of those sleeve blankets seen on TV & a cup of hot moca-coffee;  or with a your favorite movie & a box of chocolates; a good book; a big furry dog; your handsome sweetheart & a nice fire in the fireplace; or a soft fuzzy blanket while you watch the snow fall with the kids & talk about walking to school barefoot in the snow...etc..   However, IF you try to snuggle up to a WET blanket....it just won't work....Hang it out to dry and finish the book by the glowing fire!!

"The Happy Song"

Listen to this very brief & happy song....sung by Clark.  Come on!   Sing along if you like! .... If by chance you've forgotten the words & tune from when you were three years old, just watch & listen the first time through...... then click on "Replay"..... On the 2nd play,  you really should be able to join right in ..... it will possibly bring back memories of when you have had your own "Happy Song" .... Guaranteed to bring a smile anytime you repeat it.  

Caution: It can become addictive!  The more you play & sing along, the closer your smile becomes a chuckle & then a giggle & who knows you might even show some teeth!  

Perhaps sometime during the day when you or your friend needs a "Happy Song" you could share it with them.   Can you imagine what this world would be like if we all carried this little "Happy Song" to keep it ready just in case of an emergency? ....such as: 

• On a long and tiring flight that is non-stop and so is the passenger next to you .... Just softly begin to sing "The Happy Song."  Your smile will work it's way to your face and before long the whole plane is singing and happy.

• In traffic, on the Interstate,..... begin "The Happy Song" and your commute could be contagious!
   
• In the waiting room of the dentist.....B-I-N-G-O! ...and you could have created yourself a new job encouraging the anxious patients!
• Shopping those horrific isles at the supermarket when everyone is in the "me first" mode, break out in full voice with your "Happy Song" accompanied with your very best Sunday smile... guarantee the isle you're on will either empty or you will be joined with a chorus!
• At the Ball Park in those long crowded corridors leaving the game, you may have to sing "The Happy Song" through a couple of times, smiling and gesturing with your arms for the guys to join in, but before long you will ..... (well, I'm not sure the results; I've never been in that situation.) 
   
•  Payday-Saturday at the mall.... when the families of eight are pushing twin baby-strollers up the wrong side into on coming traffic.  Lead your family in "The Happy Song" and everyone will immediately back up to the walls, take out their picture-taking I-phones thinking you are beginning a Flash Mob experience....(wave, smile, and enjoy the clear path).
• Husbands!  In the delivery room (oops!) .... On second thought, this might be when you would want to sing silently to yourself and wait to do your giggles when that blessed bundle arrives you will be ready to teach him/her their first song.... "The Happy Song."  And just wait until you hear your little precious eventually sing it back to you!
   
• One of my favorite movies is "The Unsinkable Molly Brown",  with Debbie Reynolds.  She portrayed a woman who definitely refused to focus on the dangers and troubles, but kept her sights and heart on "The Happy Song" saving an dangerously overloaded lifeboat.
  
  "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms."  (Psalm 95:2)
  
  "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." (Psalm 98:4)
  "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)
  
  " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)