Four more Mondays

Tomorrow is May.  I don't know if I should cheer that the school year is so near over, or cry because I am wishing my life away...but I do look forward to a few weeks of freedom from stress when it is all over for another summer. 

Yesterday, I went to the memorial service of a teacher friend of mine.  Joan was one of a small cadre of teachers who was so instrumental in helping me get along in life just prior to and after my divorce from Joe.  I was a brand new teacher in the Monroe-Gregg School District, teaching in a self-contained classroom at the elementary level for the first time in many years.  I suspected that my husband was having an affair, and after I confided in my new colleagues, I found a posse of support that I could not have hand-picked better if I had been given the chance.  Joan was one of these.  I was blessed!  There were a lot of tears for Joan, but a measure of celebration, too. 

When I got home, I decided to go to Muncie to visit the kids.  If I were to keep track, I don't think we have gone more than a week in the last year without their coming here or my going there!  With two young'uns in the house, there are cleaning issues.  When Gramma Peggy shows up, we start cleaning!  It was a rainy weekend, and I feel bad that we didn't do something special with the children just to keep them from being bored, but there were things to do.  Everyone pitched in.  In the end, I feel good about what was accomplished, but--as always--there is more to do.  Summer approacheth.  We can do more then! 

Next weekend, I will be working the Indy 500 Mini-Marathon for ham radio.  It's quite an event!  Hope the weather cooperates.  The rest of May will be busy.  I need a housewife to take care of things when I am doing other things!

 

 

I fought the lawn...

...and the lawn won!  It wasn't in my plans to mow this evening.  The grass actually didn't need it, but the blasted dandelions keep rearing their heads, and the rains are supposed to come tomorrow...so I bit on the bullet and mowed.  Every time I do, I am chagrined at how bad the yard looks.  Last year, one or more moles played havoc with the back and side yards, making a bumpy mess out of the topography, and the weeds continue to threaten to take over.  Still, the newly-mowed green stuff thrills me.  I love the springtime!  (And I think dandelions are pretty, but my neighbors probably don't agree...)

School begins the big wind-down now, which actually heats up for teachers.  May is typically a busy month--especially with the Dayton Hamvention in the offing for radio operators--so I have resorted to using a pocket calendar to keep track of my comings and goings.  Helps also with the senior moments of forgetfulness that happen more and more frequently these days!

Meg posted an ad with her church folk in search of a new home for the Fro-Dog.  There are a couple of nibbles.  I have mixed emotions about it.  I have never given up on a pet before, and I'm not giving up on Frodo, but I do think she deserves a more interesting life than she has here with me.  I love the purp--I just don't WANT her.  I am at that stage of life at which I don't need another responsibility.  She doesn't add to my existence, but is, instead, something else to worry about.  I also worry that my grandchildren will miss her if she goes to another home.  See why I am done with the pet business?  I can't win!!!!

Megan had the "stranger talk" with the children today--about not talking to strangers, even if they offer ice cream.  Robin seemed to get it.  Ryan, however, is apparently too young.  He told his mother that "ice cream with a stranger is yummy".  Then later said he would get into a car with a stranger all by himself and go for ice cream.  Uh...I think he missed the point!  (He is so doggone articulate that it is easy to forget that he isn't even 2 1/2 yet!)  Guess she will have to revisit the lesson at a later date!

Looks like I will be teaching summer school this summer.  The summer school proposal hasn't been approved by the Board yet, but the principal has been given the go-ahead to plan...and I am, apparently, the only teacher who has asked to teach it.  (I'm not proud.  I need the money!)  The proposal covers 8:00 AM -12:00 Noon over two weeks in the latter part of summer.  I can do this!

To my sister, if you are reading this, Shari:  Ryan was playing with his trucks tonight and said the trucks were going to "Illinois".  He mentioned seeing Aunt Shari, Uncle Roger, and Cain.  Truth be known, he talks about you guys a lot--almost daily.  (Cain more than you...sorry!)  He must have been impressed with our Christmas trip to your estate.  He knows quality folks when he sees them!

Saturday is the memorial service for my dear friend and colleague, Joan Russell, who didn't last a month after being diagnosed with liver cancer.  Joan and my friend Phyllis were responsible for getting me through my divorce with some semblance of dignity.  Both of those women were/are excellent teachers whose professionalism I revere.  I will go to Joan's service out of respect for her memory, but I have no hope that anything that can happen there will come close to honoring the true legacy of Joan. 

Bedtime for Bonzo.  I am Bonzo!  Nightie!

 

 

 

Inventure, The Sequel

What a beautiful weekend it has been!  Yesterday, true to expectation, my daughter, grandchildren, and I headed for Putnam County again to have another look for a cemetery or two that we missed on the first round, and also got a good look at the mansion home (first door north of Putnam County Hospital) that was built by one of Meg's great-grandfathers.  (Don't know how many "greats".  I can't keep up!)  It was a gorgeous day, and we just played the day out by ear.  The children were good.  (At one point, Robin told me that she would help me look for the "ancestors who are buried," and Ryan would help his mother.  I chuckled.  Obviously, neither one of them can read!)

One of the cemeteries is just a family plot.  We looked for it last trip but never did find it.  This time, with some clearer directions, we did--but what a disappointment!  The plot is a few hundred feet north of the intersection of state roads 36 and 231, right in the middle of a golf cart and horse trailer business!  Alexander S. Farrow, one of Meg's "greats," is buried there, along with several of his children.  He left the plot and surrounding land to the township, wishing for it to be maintained for posterity.  The man was a county "notable," with lots of creditable military service (the War of 1812, and more), plus rumored to be one of the authors of the Constitution for the State of Indiana.  He was admired and well-respected in his time, but--sadly--his place of rest is overgrown and in disrepair, surrounded by a business that obviously sees it as a liability rather than something to take care of.  It's a shame!

We stopped at the Brick Chapel Cemetery on our way back toward Greencastle, a place I've been by a zillion times but never saw up close.

We trudged all over the Putnamville area looking for another cemetery which, with advice from a fellow changing the letters on a church sign, we thought we finally found, but located no relatives there.  (Many of the stones were unreadable, so we weren't sure.)  Upon return home, Meg discovered that we weren't even at the right cemetery!

Today, I mowed the lawn and generally enjoyed the day.  Grades are due for midterm reports on Tuesday, so it will be a hectic beginning of the week, but then should settle down.

Great weekend!

The Family Bed

Grandma's queen size "bumpy bed" (water bed) provides some fun and comfort for grandchild "sleepovers".  Sometimes we even get to sleep!  When I woke up this morning, we were all cozy:  Robin, me, Strawberry Shortcake, and Frodo (the dog).  Funny thing--when I'm in that bed by myself, it seems plenty big--but add the rest of the fan-damily (plus the kitchen sink) and it gets smaller in a hurry!

I am up by order of the dog, listening to the birds sing their hearts out.  Have I mentioned that I love morning?

Another Friday....Payday!

I don't know where the time goes, but we are on the march to the end of the school year without much let-up.  The weeks fly...

Megan IMed me at school today to ask if I "wanted company" this afternoon.  That soon became what Robin calls a "sleepover."  The problem is that hardly anyone sleeps!  Meg has finally crashed with Ryan, with Ryan kicking and screaming all the way.  Robin--my bedmate--is showing no signs of giving up for the night.  It will take my going in there to get her to settle down.

After Meg and the children arrived this afternoon, we went up to Avon to my bank, then stopped at Fazoli's for some supper.  We had sort of promised the children a trip to the park tomorrow...but it was still warm enough and light enough after supper to do the park thing today.  On the way there, Robin said, "Maybe tomorrow we can go find some more of our ancestors who are in the ground."  Huh??  How many 3-year-olds do we know who use the word "ancestors"????  Of course, we DO plan for another "ancestor" trip to Putnam County tomorrow, although not as extensive as the last trek.  One stop:  the lovely bed-and-breakfast house which once belonged to Meg's grandparents (don't remember how many "greats")  next to Putnam County Hospital.  It's supposed to be a pretty day...

Tomorrow is another day.  Guess I should get started on it by settling my granddaughter down.  God Bless the Children!

Happy Easter!

After several days of preparation, the Easter Bunny came to my house!  The weather was warm and cooperative for an outdoor egg hunt for the grandchildren--which was nice because my house is too small for everyone to be inside.  The kids were adorable, of course.  Pictures on:  http://family.mamabeararts.com.

Megan, Nathan, and the children arrived just prior to 2:00.  Nathan's father arrived right after that, then shortly thereafter came Nathan's brother Dan and his fiancee' Sara.  (Nate's mother is still in Atlanta helping to care for the Heffelman's newborn fourth grandchild.)  Everyone contributed to our meal, and it was good! 

When the meal was over, we discovered that the Easter Bunny had hidden eggs in the back yard, so we all went out to watch the children find them.  Things sure have changed since I was a kid!  We used to color eggs and the E. Bunny hid them.  We might have gotten a chocolate bunny out of the deal.  But for my grandchildren, it was Christmas in April!  They got candy and books and rain slickers (that are pretty slick!) and princess things and paints and sidewalk chalk and plastic eggs filled with money, jelly beans, and chocolate eggs...  Poor underloved little kiddies!

The dog was the only down side to the day.  She had a digestive upset and ended up with...shall we say...the "scoots" all over the furniture.  (We aren't out of the woods on that, yet.  She still isn't feeling well.)

Everyone left in shifts.  The kids were the last to go, hoping to beat some severe weather headed our way from Illinois.  They got home safely, and the storm fizzled out before it got to Hendricks County (although we did put up a stand-by net on our repeater).

It was a very pleasant day.  I enjoy having folks around in my humble abode.  Thanks to everyone for making it such a lovely Easter! 

 

Weather net...

My radio club's repeater ran a Skywarn (severe weather) net tonight, and tracked more than one funnel cloud through the county.  The sirens sounded four times in my neighborhood this evening, although nothing was in sight.  At one point, I considered heading to the bathroom with the dog, for safety, but kept looking at the radar thinking there was surely no need to.  Thankfully, I didn't have to take cover, but it was getting pretty interesting!  (For the uninitiated, Skywarn is a function of amateur radio.  Trained weather spotters go out in the field to look for severe weather/funnel clouds, and report by radio to the network, which then reports by radio to the National Weather Service.  NWS was busy last night!)

Meg told me that our radio reports were two minutes ahead of what was being reported on television. Well, DUH!  They are taking their reports from us!

One of our spotters had us pretty scared.  He reported 72-mile-an-hour winds, measured, and was getting pelted by hail.  He asked, at one point, if anyone could tell him what he was in for.  Net control told him to get out of there!  The National Weather Service wants reports, but we never want any of our folks in harm's way. 

Meantime, I just finished deviling 1 1/2 dozen eggs for Easter, and will continue to prepare for having the family here.  I just hope that the storms for Easter will be late in the day.  Hope my grandbabies can hunt eggs outside!

God bless, and hugs!

 

At last!

I have tried several times to post here, but the site wasn't working.  We're up and running again!

Not much fun has gone on since the cemetery expedition.  I spent the last weekend of spring break in Muncie babysitting so Meg and Nate could go to see the Narnia movie. 

On a sad note, one of my long-time school colleagues died on Monday of liver cancer that began somewhere else in her body.  She hadn't felt well for a long time but couldn't get doctors to pay much attention.  Sometime late in March, she had to go to the hospital because she was so unwell...and they found the cancer.  They started chemotherapy to gain some time...but didn't work.  She didn't even last a month.  May God bless and keep Joan Russell.

The Easter dinner will be here this year.  I will entertain Meg and Nate and children, plus Nate's father (his mother is still in Atlanta helping with the newborn grandchild, Jackson), and Nate's brother Daniel and his fiancee Sara.  I think my kitchen will just fit everyone...barely!  Meg and the children came down yesterday to bring the ham and some other things that we will be using for the family celebration.  The weather was beautiful, so we took the children out to the patio and colored eggs.  Well!  The children are used to water color paints, so the egg dye was just fun to play with!  Meg and I were trying to make the eggs "pretty" while the kids were just enjoying the play process.  There was stray dye everywhere!  When I found myself scolding the children for mixing colors, etc, I finally had to scold myself.  Who cares what the eggs look like?!  It's all about the children!  Toward the end of the process, Ryan said that one egg was hatching...and he squished it.  Hard boiled egg everywhere!  Even the dog wouldn't eat it!

In case I can't get back here until then, may you have a Holy and Blessed Easter! 

Cemeterying

Is there a word for going from cemetery to cemetery looking for the grave markers of ancestors?  Word or not, that's what we did on Wednesday.  Megan and my grandchildren (Robin, 3 1/2, and Ryan, 2)--and me behind the wheel--headed out of Plainfield on US 40 west toward Putnam County before noon, with lists of cemeteries and names, hoping to find the final resting place of quite a few of my daughter's ancestors (on her father's side), going back four or five generations.  (Meg is very organized and thorough.  She had a notebook with maps, lists organized by last names and cemeteries, etc.  Pretty impressive!)  It was a beautiful day with abundant sunshine and jacketless temperatures--a good day to be outside instead of doing housework!

We stopped at cemeteries in Stilesville, two in or near Fillmore, two in Greencastle, one near Belle Union, and looked for one (a family plot) up near the Brick Chapel area...but never found it.  But what adventures we had along the way!  (Robin called it an "inventure".)

Just because a cemetery is located in or near a town doesn't necessarily mean that it is easily located; and even when it is located, there isn't always a way to approach with a vehicle.  Then, each grave marker has to be read in order to find the names in question.  Sometimes, the markers are so deteriorated that the names can't be read at all.  We tried to be somewhat systematic about our search, but that wasn't always possible.  Sometimes, the names just jumped out at us.  Other times, we walked and walked and were about to give up when a familiar name would emerge from a clump of unfamiliar ones.  Meg took pictures of all, and when we had checked off the names on her list, we moved on to the next cemetery.  (There were some challenges along the way.  Suffice it to say I am SO thankful that the Fillmore Cemetery has an outhouse!)

Some notes of interest:                    

Fillmore, Indiana, is the homeplace of many of the McNarys and Bryans that we were looking for--but the town is in the middle of nowhere.  We couldn't find a restaurant or a public restroom in the whole burg!

One of the cemeteries in Greencastle (Hanna Street) is landlocked. It is an ancient plot with no new burials taking place, so it is fenced with no street access to it, being surrounded now by DePauw University.  The only way we could get to it was to park illegally.  MOST of the stones in that cemetery were so worn as to be unreadable, and we found that doing rubbings on worn stones was futile because the surfaces were so rough with pock-marks and lichens and moss.  It's a shame!  We finally found who we were looking for there, but it took longer than it should have.

When we arrived at Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle, Meg and I looked at each other and said, "No way!"  The cemetery was huge compared to the others we had been in.  We were looking for the marker for Pearl Bryan, the relative that was murdered by decapitation back in the 1800's--and only a base, at that.  There had been two markers erected for her but both had been vandalized over the last 150 years, so the markers have been buried on the property somewhere, with only a base remaining at her grave--a base with pennies left on it by visitors as lucky tokens that she may find her head in the afterlife.  (It was never found.)  In any case, locating one grave marker base in that sea of tombstones was going to be impossible; nonetheless, it was a pleasant cemetery, so we took a drive through.  I noticed some older-looking stones up on a hill so took the road in that direction.  As we neared the top of the hill, I said, "There's a Bryan."  Meg asked which one.  I had to move the car a few feet in order to get past another marker in the way to read the names off to her, but only got one name out before she started yelling, "That's one I couldn't find any records for!  I didn't know where they were!!!!"  We stopped.  Meg was ecstatic.  Quite by accident, we had found some grandparents (I forget how many "greats") who were the parents of Pearl Bryan.  And, since many families were buried together, we found Pearl's be-pennied marker base nearby.  What are the odds???

The last "inventure" of the day came in trying to find the New Providence Cemetery.  The instructions we had said that it was south of Mount Meridian which isn't even a town.  There is no town of New Providence, but I remembered singing Easter cantatas out of a New Providence Baptist Church in the country when I lived in Cloverdale, so we decided to look for the church, hoping the cemetery would be nearby.  I turned south where I THOUGHT the sign said to turn.  ("Go 3/4 mile and turn right.")  Well!  I turned onto a narrow country road which became a narrow, wooded, hilly, gravel road with a "dead end" sign on it, but I was thinking the church would be before the dead end.  Right!  The road narrowed to one lane and became rutted; the hills got steeper; the woods closed in.  I'm thinking this is no place for my car, but there was nowhere to turn around.  We crossed a "bridge" that was made of planks and a dry cement ditch meant to lead runoff water in a certain direction--then came to a steep hill.  By now, I was just looking for a place to turn around to go back to civilization!  When we crested the hill, a clearing opened up with four or five nice houses and people in their driveways and yards.  Here, at last, was the dead end!  We looked around for another way out, but didn't see any.  We turned the car around and asked a young fellow--about 14-years-old, I'd say--if there was another road out besides the way we had come in.  He just grinned and said, "Nope.  Only one way out."  The way we had just come in!  The folks there had a sign calling their little piece of heaven "Sunshine Praise Point".  The "praise" part should be "Praise the Lord that we made it home again!"  There is no way that those folks can get in or out of that area in the winter, and Meg and I mused that the residents really must want to be left alone by the outside world--although the homes looked new and nice and normal.  Did we happen upon some small religious community?  We won't know because I will never drive back up there again to find out!  (We eventually did find the New Providence Cemetery...the NEXT road down from where I had originally turned south...and yes, it was across the road from the New Providence Baptist Church.)

I don't know how many miles we traveled, but the children were really good in spite of the fact that there really wasn't anything for them to do.  Both had car naps and both played with my blanket and flowers in the cemeteries.  At one point, Ryan found a grave that interested him because there were "toys" on it.  He stayed by it, quietly on his knees for a LONG time, totally out of sight of the rest of us.  It got kind of spooky, actually, because when I finally got back to him to change his diaper, he said he had found a "mice" but it wouldn't wake up.  "I wouldn't hurt her," he said.  Huh?  (Meg went back to the grave hoping she wouldn't find a dead mouse or something.  Nothing, thank goodness!)  And yes, we changed diapers in three cemeteries, around the graves of great-great-great-great-grandparents.  (And perhaps another "great" in there.)  Somehow, I don't think the old folks would mind if they knew their grandbabies were there for a visit! 

We got a little sun and had an interesting day.  We didn't run into a single other live soul in any of the cemeteries, and no funerals.  Meg worried that I would be bored because the folks we were looking for weren't my relatives, but I love doing that sort of thing.  We got home about 7:30, tired and hungry, but feeling like we had really accomplished something!  Meg's heritage website will be a lot fuller now!

Tuesday already?

I didn't get much done yesterday, and have only worked in fits-and-starts today.  Still, the "guest room" got cleaned just in time for it to get messed up again!  Meg and the children are coming down late tonight so we can go "cemeterying" in Putnam County tomorrow.  She is seeking the final resting places of her ancestors as part of her genealogical research (which has been phenomenal, by the way).  It is supposed to be a pretty day, so we should have fun as long as the children's moods hold up.

In spite of all, SOME things are getting done.  One of my ham friends is doing maintenance on my lawn mower.  (He did it last year, too.  New spark plug, air filter, oil change, sharpened blades...etc.  This year has a new problem:  the gas tank had a crack in it which leaked gas every time I mowed last year, causing me to worry that it would blow up.  He found the crack and has found a source for a new tank--for free!  Mike is also my oil-changer and general nagger about things I SHOULD be doing with my car, since it has over 100,000 miles now.  Thanks, Mike!  (I should also mention that Mike has a nose for finding restaurants with good crab-leg deals.  He treated me on Friday.)  Yum!

The cemetery searching tomorrow is for pictures of gravestones for Meg's website.  She has done an absolutely excellent job!  The gravestones are for her father's side of the genealogical tree, made somewhat easy by the fact that they went to Putnam County and stayed there for many generations.  The most interesting story is the murder of Pearl Bryan.  This would be a cousin on Grandma Helen (Bryan) McNary's side of the family.  Apparently the murder took on legendary proportions.  There are ballads written about her murder, etc.  We will find her grave tomorrow!

It will be a late night tonight because the grandchildren may not be able to sleep once they get here.  I'm on vacation.  I don't care!

Spring Break!

As of today, I am officially on "vacation".  I stayed up too late last night and fell asleep in my computer chair.  Woke up and retired to the waterbed for what was left of the night, then slept until I woke up naturally this morning.  (9:15!)  Did the SATERN/SAROF nets on HF radio for the rest of the morning, then puttered around the house some.  I wasn't in too big a hurry to accomplish anything.  I'm on vacation, remember?

The only real order of the day was getting the resident dog to the groomer.  I had allowed her to get overgrown, then suddenly noticed that I was finding--how can I put this nicely?--little bits of dog excrement all over the house.  Huh?  On closer inspection, I discovered a huge clump of dried feces on her backside that was preventing her from "going" cleanly.  Ugh!  Fortunately, Petsmart could take her today.  

Meg and I were on the phone earlier in the day.  She suggested that, while the dog was away, "we" should shampoo the carpets.  (They were badly in need of it!  I own a shampooer, but had never used it.  Mostly, the kids did, in their house...because of--guess who?--Frodo the Wonder Dog!)  Thus, the Heffelmans pulled in my drive about 5:30.  Meg and the children went to a McDonald's PlayPlace while I vacuumed the rugs, and Nathan followed behind me with the carpet shampooer.  The kids also visited with Grandpa Phil (Nate's dad--his mom is doing new-grandchild duty in Atlanta).  I was mostly pleased with the way the carpets turned out and had a nice little visit with my grandchildren.  What pleases me the most is that TWO big tasks were accomplished on the first day of vacation:  the dog and the carpets!

Frodo, having been through the trauma of the groomer's, is now sleeping like a dead dog.  Poor princess!  She doesn't look like the same critter at all!

Robin discovered that Grandma Judy was away from home, in Atlanta to help with Baby Jackson, and immediately became concerned that Grandpa was alone.  She didn't like that.  When I reminded her that I live alone and don't mind it, she reminded ME that I have Frodo!  She settled on the fact that Grandpa has Chewy and Graypaws (cats) so he isn't alone either.  She was okay with that. 

I find it interesting that Megan first expressed concern over someone else's feelingswhen she was the same age.  Great-uncle Mac died.  (This would be her Grandma McNary's sister Mary's husband.)  We were Illinois residents at the time but went to Greencastle, Indiana, for the funeral.  We took Meg to the funeral home for the visitation, but arranged for a babysitter for her for the actual funeral.  When I was tucking her into bed after the visitaiton, she asked about what was going to happen the next day.  I told her that she would be with a babysitter while the rest of us went to the funeral.  She said, "Is that when they put him in the ground?"  <Gulp!>  I said yes.  Tears welled up in her eyes:  "Then Aunt Mary will be all alone."  I was totally blindsided!  I didn't know that my 3-year-old had a clue about death, much less aloneness!  I said, "Yes, she will be alone, but she will still have us."  With that, she brightened and smiled, content to think that we could make a difference in dear Aunt Mary's life.  I have never forgotten the moment.  Think of it: age three!  So much learning, so fast!

Tonight, Indiana joins the rest of the country in moving to Daylight Savings Time.  Governor Daniels made a big deal of it in his election campaign, but it almost didn't pass.  For some reason, the state has resisted, successfully, for the last 45 years.  Well...it finally passed, but with consternation about what time zone to be in.  We are so close to the time meridian here, we really need to be in the Central Time Zone in order for daylight hours to be "normal," but each county was allowed to decide for itself what time zone it wanted to be in.  Consequently, SOME counties are in Central, but most of the rest are in Eastern...now Eastern Daylight.  Thus, you will STILL need a compass to figure out what time it is in Indiana!!  In any case, once I go to bed, it will be an hour later than usual when I wake up.  Translation:  the clock says 12:40 AM, but it equates to 1:40 AM.  Time to hit the sack!