I am temporarily (as in the next few hours!) leaving behind the political world of the “right-wing nut” (although I guess I do have Neil Cavuto on my television screen right now :) ) so that I may focus on the day-to-day life of just a “regular nut”!!  As my poor, weary, harassed family and a few “lucky” friends are all too well aware, the looming election has me revved up and stuck in overdrive!!!!  LOL  So, I am forsaking politics for the moment to pull out of my hat some hopefully entertaining topics to take all of our minds away from the seriousness that surrounds us.  I was asked recently how I remember from one blog to the next what went on in my life a week, two weeks or even a month ago, and the fact is,  that I can’t remember.   For instance, I might have forgotten all about Tommy, Stephanie and the “shark tooth incident” if I hadn’t put a “note to self” in a word document that I keep on my computer desktop.

One thing that I can quite vividly remember is that I celebrated my 64th (oh!! that kinda hurt to write that) birthday on the 19th, a date which I now share with Mayce who was born on my birthday two years ago.  Josh turned two on the 12th and so the three of us celebrated several times with cake and ice cream over the course of the week.  By the time we had arrived at my celebration, the candles (minus about 54!!!) were placed on a half eaten birthday cake which was what was all that remained from the day before when Dr. Lori and Dr. Ira had thoughtfully surprised me with the cake at the office.  Jenn, Meg, Steph, Chris, Jim, Joe, Jess and all of the grand-kids made certain that my birthday was a joyous one.  I received a pair of much-needed shoes (athletic, tennis, walking, aerobic…………..not sure what to call them…………………I just know not to call them “running” shoes!!!!!), a “Go Bucks” Pandora charm, and a Jewel Kade necklace (JK is a  Party Plan vintage jewelry company that Jennifer began selling for part-time).  As you can see the two-sided charm has the S monogram on one side and our wedding photograph on the other.  Now I can always have Crick’s  “goofy”, but always engaging smile close at hand :).  My grandchildren also honored my birthday by restraining themselves from commenting on my “short, poofy” hair, my boring “black and white” wardrobe and my “wrinkled” face!!!!! (each of these telling observations have been highlighted in previous blogs).  And………………..speaking of grandchildren …….they continue to prove to be quite an entertaining group.  Since the beginning of the new school year I have added a couple more TGIFriday kids and now have to switch cars with Jessica or Stephanie as my Altima cannot safely accommodate eight of them.  I actually only have six of the grand-kids at I.C., but Tori (my niece and Christine’s daughter) is in Sam’s class and Tommy (the “shark tooth in the head” almost five-year old) didn’t want to miss out on the action.  Given their varying ages (from 13 down to 5) and their very different personalities (Sam, the “teaser/instigator”, Natalie, the “actress”, Olivia, the “unflappable”, Sophia, the “director”, Tori, the “commander”, Luke the “mastermind”, Sydney, the “informer”, and Tommy the “rookie instigator”) it usually isn’t too long before battle lines are drawn!!  LOL  The other day when they were all here, they found any number of plastic baseball bats and a few badminton rackets in the garage and were seen circling the outside of the house with bats and rackets raised……………………..no one was crying and I saw no blood……………………..and so I remained inside to enjoy the temporary peace and quiet.  I later learned that they had been playing “Hunger Games” (??????????)………………..and yes, in case you are wondering, I was puzzled as to the purpose of their “game”, but I decided, for once, to remain blissfully ignorant and asked no further questions. LOL!!!

You know, my wise, very wise Mother once told me when I was probably “whining and complaining” too much about the frustrations of motherhood that you can try to mold your child’s personality, but you will never change that personality.  Oh my gosh, she was dead-on!!  I have been an over-anxious, OCD  “nut” my entire life…………………..I have told this story on myself more than once………………….when I was about eight or nine years old we were living on Chatham Rd. in Clintonville and I was walking with some of the older neighborhood kids to the rec center which was just down the street.  We were waiting to cross High Street and when the traffic cleared, they all started to cross, but I wouldn’t budge.  They came back to get me, but I said that I wasn’t allowed to cross there because there was a sign that read “Presbyterian Crossing” and I, of course, was a Catholic.  Now I don’t remember exactly what they said, but I am quite certain it was something like, “Ma-ry Mar-ga-ret……..you are…………. a “n-u-t”……………………. a “nut“!!!  That sign reads Pedestrian Crossing, not Presbyterian!!!”  I don’t think I was even embarrassed, more like…………relieved………imagine what my life might have been like if I would have had to become a Presbyterian just to get across that road!!!!!!!

Another little observation about the “from birth” differences of my entertaining grand-kids concerns the communication skills of Mayce vs Josh (there are, of course, exceptions to this but you know the saying…………………………basically, men are from Mars and women are from Venus!!!)  Mayce and Josh are the youngest of three in each of their respective families……………Josh started walking at eight and a half months, was running by his first birthday and climbing all over everything in sight shortly thereafter. Mayce on the other hand didn’t start taking steps until she was beyond her first birthday and running came quite a bit after that, as for climbing….well, let’s just say she is still very cautious.  However, when it comes to verbalizing……………Mayce was all over that milestone………………..she was talking in coherent sentences at just about the time Josh had figured out how to climb out of his crib!!  Meanwhile we were all left wondering when Josh would finally begin to let us know what exactly was going on inside that head of his.  Until a couple of months ago, he spoke in some foreign language known only to himself but now, he is slowly revealing those innermost thoughts to all of us (hint………it’s short and swe………………well, it’s short!!!)

After watching that video if you are curious as to whether Josh has any words other than “Dad” in his vocabulary, I can assure you he has acquired quite a few now.  Just last week Jessica picked up Josh after I had been watching him for a short period and she said that when they returned home, Josh blurted out this entire sentence to Christopher…………………………………”I had fun with Nana……………………..I cleaned” (ya’ gotta’ get them when they’re young………………after age seven, they’ve learned that “cleaning” is no longer any fun!!!!! LOL).

One last reference about my age……………………………….. I was given a survey from Bob Evans this week to receive a free coffee, and when I got to the end of the survey, one of the last questions you are asked is what age group you are in………………I was appalled to learn that I am teetering on the very edge of the last and oldest group!!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously though, when you are fortunate to live over sixty years in this world, you discover that God blesses you the most with lasting personal relationships which impact you all throughout your earthly life.  As I have stated many, many times over the course of the past two years, I have indeed been richly blessed!!!   And as my life continues to unfold in unexpected ways, I have grown more attuned to seeing how God works in the world each and every day to reveal Himself to us through the kindness and goodness of those around us.

I am perpetually with you, taking care of you.  That is the most important fact of your existence.  I am not limited by time or space; My Presence with you is a forever-promise.  You need not fear the future, for I am already there.  When you make that quantum leap into eternity, you will find Me awaiting you in heaven.  Your future is in My hands;  I release it to you day by day, moment by moment.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow.

I want you to live this day abundantly, seeing all there is to see, doing all there is to do.  Don’t be distracted by future concerns.  Leave them to Me!  Each day of life is a glorious gift, but so few people know how to live within the confines of today.  Much of their energy for abundant living spills over the time line into tomorrow’s worries or past regrets.  Their remaining energy is sufficient only for limping through the day, not for living it to the full.  I am training you to keep your focus on My Presence in the present.  This is how to receive abundant Life, which flows freely from My throne of grace.               from Jesus Calling

So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.                         Matthew 6:34

TNT

TGW

P.S.   The narrow Buckeye win not withstanding…………it has been a very good sports week…………………I am 3-1 in my FFFL league and in second place!!!  The Yankees have at least clinched a play-off berth and still lead by one game over the Orioles!!!   If the Reds and the Yankees end up, by some miracle, in the World Series, I am going to have to re-mortgage my home to get tickets…………….Crick against me…………..what could be more of a contest?????!!!!!  LOL