diaryofanut

Did you ever notice that there are moments in your everyday life when a totally unplanned, spontaneous and often quite surprising event seems to dictate your next move???  One such moment actually occurred just a couple of days ago as I had finally decided that, given the dreariness of a very rainy day, I would drag out the steam mop to clean my dingy hardwood floors.  But then, as my luck would have it :), the phone rang and on the other end was my “producer” sister-in-law, Maria who asked if her crew could use the front of my house for a portion of the film they were making to be entered in the Columbus 48 Hour Film Project.  Each film entrant is given a character,(Dennis or Denise), a prop (an extension cord), a line of dialogue (“That’s not a real word”), and a genre (dark comedy) on Friday night and all writing, shooting, editing and scoring must be completed and submitted 48 hours later.  A few years ago, Maria was involved in the making of a Halloween commercial for Wendy’s and set up production at our home with our front door area as one of the main props, so to speak.  It took a mere eight hours to produce a thirty second commercial and the only thing you could see of my front door after the final edit was a single window pane!!!!  And so, having had this previous experience and looking for any excuse to avoid the drudgery of mopping floors, I told her of course, to come right over.   As I was awaiting their arrival (steam mop safely stored away!), I secretly envisioned a grand replacement of the dear grandchildren’s pictures, which currently adorn the mantle, with an Oscar, a Golden Globe, or at the very least, a Golden Raspberry for “Best Scenery” award. LOL  To provide a bit of background on The 48 Hour Project……it began in 2001 with a mission to advance film-making and promote filmmakers, and has spawned over 700 competitions around the world.  Once Maria and her crew arrived they decided to film not only outside of the house, but inside as well!  Do you think anyone will notice my dirty floors???  Actually, the one camera shot of the female “victim” needed to be a super close-up view of her face, so, like my door scene in the Wendy’s commercial, I should not worry my little OCD mind.  LOL!!  The pictures below show the bloodless (ha, ha) deaths of two of the characters……I know not how they died nor why as I was only privy to these two brief scenes, and so I will have to wait the unveiling of the final edit when it is released at the screening at the Gateway Film Center in downtown Columbus sometime this week.  I am rooting for you Maria!

Interestingly, I just so happen to have a potential competitor for Maria and her crew.  It was, in fact, scripted, filmed, edited and previewed in 48 hours…………just not consecutive hours (would that be cause for elimination??).   At any rate, the film does have three of the required elements….a character – weather girl, a prop – slinky pop toob and a line of dialogue – “today’s weather is partly cloudy”.  Let me know if you think we have a winner :)!!

I seriously love my family (both Clark and Schultheis) and all of their quirky, entertaining, dramatic, eccentric, amusing, ingenious, unpredictable, inspiring, resourceful and engaging personalities…………..with soooooo much material, maybe I should be writing a mega novel……..I am sure there is a great story line that would speak to our family traditions……….. War and Peace comes immediately to mind!!  In fact, over the years I have amassed quite a repository of hand-written reflections from certain members of the family which could provide a treasury of data to be incorporated into a, dare I say……………best seller??!! It is no wonder that Crick tried, at times, to pressure me into throwing away the hundred or so letters stored away in my closet from his two years in Korea as well as his “hope this gets me out of the dog house” explanation notes from subsequent years.  I was just mentioning to someone last week that after Crick and I had been married about ten years, I suggested (coerced would be more precise!) him into attending a Marriage Encounter weekend with me.  M.E. is a religiously based program designed to help married couples improve their relationship with God as well as with each other.  My thinking at the time was that this effort might just possibly save Crick from the clutches of the “nut” as we explored more civil means of “dialogue” (ha, ha)  At the beginning of the weekend (this, I believe, was the allurement that drew Crick in…………..two days away from not only four small, young children, but from that infamous “pot of boiling water”!), each of us were given a notebook in which we were to write our personal reflections on the various presentations that were given throughout the day.  We would then return to our room to exchange notes and play back, in our own words (“dialogue”), what we felt was our spouse’s reply and then attempt to clarify the feelings that went along with their written words.  I know, I know…………it is still difficult for me to believe that Crick agreed to this and I am certain that the Kings Island Main Street incident is significant evidence that we did not “dialogue” long enough!!!  And you know what???  I still have those notebooks stored away as well…………….Jenn, Meg, Steph, Chris…………should you stumble upon this “ancient history” you will probably discover a wealth of information as to which parent you choose to blame for any of your personal shortcomings.  Now where was I going with all of this talk about writing and notebooks and thoughts and feelings??  Oh yes, I wanted to share a few “priceless” items from my latest housecleaning day at Jennifer’s …….the first three have Natalie’s affection for her brother, Sam written all over them……..I see a future advice columnist in the making!!!!

Curiously, “brother Sam” seems to be following in his Papa’s “hope this gets me out of the doghouse” footsteps as is demonstrated by  this note which he chooses, for some reason, to leave on his bedroom desk.  I am wondering if he figured he would just write one note, for all time, covering a multitude of sins, for which he would always be sorry to “everyone”, thus never having to say he’s sorry in the future

Now lest you think I am only picking on the grandchildren, I will share a couple of Christopher and Megan’s “blasts from the past”  …………..I so wish that I had been able to find the note, probably now lying underneath a gazillion pictures, which Christopher had floated down the stairs to Crick and me after we had sent him to his room for some now long since forgotten transgression.  He must have been about seven years old and as Crick and I were sitting in the living room (probably enjoying the brief respite from Chris’ misdeed!) Crick sees this piece of paper drop down from over the second floor railing.  The penciled note read, “I am naver goin to tok to Mom & Dad again…….Chris”.  As his “luck” would have it, he had prepared himself pretty well for the future.  Fast forward ten years…….there is no “pot of boiling water” for the evening meal and so a rather heated discussion erupts between Stephanie and Christopher as to who is going to get up from their respective positions on the sofa to drive to the nearby McDonald’s…………Stephanie held her ground (no surprise there) and so Christopher grabbed the car keys to our brand new car, stormed out the front door and seconds later as he backed the car out onto Weber Rd. there was heard a loud screech, a boom and the sound of shattered glass!!!  Needless to say, that was one expensive cheeseburger LOL!!

And then there was this gem from Megan which she actually dated (1983), making her ten years old at the time.  Once again Crick and I were witnesses to another folded note dropped from the upstairs “prison”…….Megan however, was much harsher than Christopher as you can read from her “will” LOL!!!

I do always smile over the part in her note, “except God”………….way to cover all of your bases Megan!!

I can hardly believe that I am now over my self-imposed 1200 word limit as I have plenty more, shall I say it?????????………….”ammunition”, “stockpiled” and waiting to be “discharged”.  Am I teasing you all with a political lead-in here??  It is soooooooooooooooo tempting and I also have soooooooooooooo much to say on that topic.   One of these days……………………………………………………………………………………..

I wasn’t sure with which devotional prayer, Bible verse or inspirational quote to use in closing out today’s blog and so I walked into my bedroom to pick up my Jesus Calling devotional.  As I glanced over at my bedside table, I saw one of my books called Bedside Prayers which a very dear friend from grade school had recently sent to me.  I brought each of the books downstairs, and as I turned the pages of the bedside prayer-book, my eyes settled on the Prayer of an Unknown Confederate Soldier written over one hundred and fifty years ago.  It has always fallen upon our brave soldiers, past and present, to make the formidable sacrifices of bearing the burden of long separations from loved ones, enduring extremely forbidden and hostile environments, and risking severe bodily injury and even death to preserve for us Americans the freedom to effortlessly enjoy life and liberty in the pursuit of our individual happiness.  This seems especially important to bear in mind in our current cultural and political environment which seeks to strip all mention of the Almighty from every public and military forum. This prayer is rich with faith, wisdom, trust and hope………all of which our world, and each one of us, so desperately need.

Most Richly Blessed

• I asked God for strength, that I might achieve……
• I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey……
• I asked for health, that I might do greater things……
• I was given infirmity, that I might do better things……
• I asked for riches, that I might be happy……
• I was given poverty, that I might be wise……
• I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men……
• I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God……
• I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life……
• I was given life, that I might enjoy all things……
• I got nothing that I asked for——–but everything that I had hoped for…..
• Almost despite myself, my unspoiled prayers were answered……
• I am among all men, most richly blessed.

Author Unknown

Peace Out :)

TNT

TGW

P.S.  Welcome back Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter…………….A-Rod stay away from my Yankees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.S.  This darned font issue……….aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!  Today I decided, after spending much time researching through Google and WordPress on how to correct the ever changing font size to upgrade ($$$$$) to the WordPress Custom CSS Editor……..don’t ask…………. technology is like learning Chinese (no offense intended)!!!!  Anyway, having done so, I think I may have a better looking font, but all throughout the blog it still randomly changed from larger to smaller all on its own………..”Calgon take me away!!!” (you will have to be really, really old to appreciate that line!!)  LOL

I will have to write to Bill Watterson one day and thank him for creating Calvin and Hobbes and for sharing elements of his life, beliefs and values with such humorous candor!!  I find it curious that when I read many of the cartoons, I can totally relate with Calvin’s sentiments, and yet at other times I can totally see the Calvin character come alive in Crick.  For instance, I once explained to Crick that I would probably be most content alone on a desert island because then there would be no one around to disagree with my philosophical view of the world.  I am imagining many of my family are vigorously shaking your heads in agreement, in which case I should presume that some of you are remembering this picture of the mug that Christine gave to me.

Apparently, as this mug reveals, there has always been some consensus among my family that I bear a resemblance to the Calvin in the above cartoon!  However, the Calvin of the next comic strip reminds me so much more of Crick’s philosophy of life:

As has been well showcased in this blog, Crick’s reality always, always, always focused on the positive, sometimes so much so, that TGW (The Good Wife/a.k.a Hobbes) often had to shoot (oops, are there any PC police around??) down DH’s (Dear Husband/a.ka. Calvin) “glass half-full” optimism with her own “glass half-empty” opinion on the perceived consequences of his idealistic thinking.  Having spent the better part of forty-seven years pondering and analyzing our sometimes complicated relationship, I still find myself reflecting on certain events……the King’s Island Main Street incident comes quickly to mind where we had a verbal face off witnessed by a few embarrassed family members (Jo…please accept my belated apologies!), and who knows how many amused onlookers!   It is conceivable that because I held onto such a stubborn streak of pessimism (oh, how I can picture Crick calling over all of the angels and saints to read that stunning admission of mine!!!) and he held on to his equally stubborn streak of optimism, that we inevitably spent a good bit of our married life “hashing” out our own reality of the moment.  Fortunately for us,  we were always committed to the very same values so that in the “hashing” out of these two very different perspectives we were always able to keep our eye on the prize which was our mutual trust and love for each other, the values we wanted to instill in our children and our Catholic faith.  Now why on earth did I ever get off on this subject???  I suppose it had something to do with the fact that these comic strips continually illuminate for me just how eerily similar, and yet how unlike, we all are in our own view of the world around us and how we must merge those philosophies and perspectives when we forge our relationships with one another.

As I have now brought the Catholic faith into this post, this would seem to be the opportune time to showcase another short video I took one day while watching three of the grandchildren.  Just one little note before viewing – I did not prompt Tommy, Mayce or Josh – they chose this activity completely on their own.  I simply had my camera ready and decided early on that it was worthy of archiving LOL!!!!

Of course, after all of my “careful” editing of this video, I realize now that I spelled Tommy with an extra “m”, but as I am trying to tamp down my “OCDness”, I am not going to re-edit, save and upload it again.  See Christine……..I really am working on myself :).  Just last week as Christine and I were walking out of church after morning Mass, I was explaining (or maybe I was actually confessing!) what had delayed me once again from arriving on time.  I rationalized that my perpetual tardiness stems from all of those things that a little voice inside my head says to me “make the bed, straighten those pillows/pictures, organize one last item on the dresser, open/close the blinds, make sure all of the doors are locked, etc. and ad nauseam; coupled with a repetitiously bad habit of hitting the snooze on the alarm, more often than not, causing me to hurriedly “put two feet on the floor”so that my habitual “ten minutes late routine” will not become……”Mass over”!!  So anyway, (sorry……unfortunately, I write exactly as I speak – tortuously long and meandering!!!!!!) as Christine and I were walking to our respective cars and I was bemoaning the status of my OCD as it related to my lateness, I pointed to a weed popping out of the shrubbery and admitted to her that I had to make a supremely conscious effort to resist reaching down to pull it out.  Now, don’t anyone reach for their phone to call the men in the white coats as I really am quite harmless, I assure you, and besides, my “OCDness” makes me an excellent Cinderella (before she met Prince Charming)!! LOL

I wonder if Cinderella ever found any notes, such as the one inserted above, in the bedrooms of her wicked step-sisters??  Cleaning houses can be quite an interesting experience as one can certainly learn a lot about the occupants, even when they happen to be family!!!  As I was at Stephanie’s last week, I came across this strangely worded note in Luke’s room.  Curious, and wanting to toss it out if it was just some type of scrap paper, I called for Luke and asked him if he wanted to save it.  He explained to me that he had had a friend over and they decided to try their hand at song writing………this note was the outcome of their endeavor!!!  What do you think, should I send it on to Taylor Swift or Blake Sheldon??  They would only have to fix some of the spelling………oh……..and find some more words to rhyme with coal and know LOL!!!

As we have now moved past the magical summer marker of the 4th of July, the Ohio weather seems to be suffering from a bad case of amnesia.  With the temperature being the one exception, every day of the past two weeks has seemed like an Ohio fall/winter/spring, the weather has simply forgotten that summer is supposed to mean sunshine and longer days.  Lately, the cloudy, grey skies have even made the evening darkness seem to appear sooner than is normal for early July.  Oh woe is us!!!  Of course that hasn’t stopped us from engaging in the usual plethora of summer activities (we just have to work them in around the pop-up thunderstorms!) and goodness knows that with seven grandchildren playing summer baseball there are always ball fields calling out my name (if only their games could be played in a climate controlled dome somewhere, away from the gnats and mosquitoes and the humidity!!!).  On those days and evenings when the weather has been uncooperative, the grand-kids have found other ways to pass the time, such as a cousin-friendly game of Black Jack (what in the world ever happened to Crazy-Eights??).   And just where in the world did my grandchildren learn how to play Black Jack?? (Jim/Joe/Christopher?)  At least the almost 3 year-olds found something innocent to occupy their time (well, except for the “kicking”, to which Josh took a great liking!!)

I have one more picture I found of Tommy that I took one day while Stephanie and I  were out talking with one of her neighbors.  I happened to look over to my left and saw Tommy sitting under a tree and so I walked over and asked him what was he doing sitting cross-legged under the tree all by himself.  Barely bothering to look up at me, he simply replied, “I am meditating.”  I was too afraid to ask him any more questions, so I just took out my phone and snapped the picture.  This is the very same grandchild who wanted to call down his Papa’s spirit to instruct us as to how to operate Crick’s ham radio because I, mere mortal that I am, was unable to get any clear signals.  He is, coincidentally, the same child who was recently observed telling Mayce that if she would just fold her hands and pray to Papa, she would receive anything she asked for!!  I am thinking that one of us will be having a little talk with Tommy…………and sooner rather than later.  I believe he may have gotten a bit confused by my video which I gave to the grandchildren titled “Papa’s Father’s Day Message from Heaven”.  It appears that Tommy has completely embraced this concept. :)

As it was a rather tongue-in-cheek statement from Calvin regarding being at peace with the world that initiated this blog, I will turn now to the Author and Lover of  true peace in order to bring the post to a more fitting close.  This particular message seems to speak directly to my OCD mind…………….perhaps I should tape it to my forehead!!  ha, ha, ha, ha!

The Peace that I give to you transcends your intellect.  When most of your mental energy goes into efforts to figure things out, you are unable to receive this glorious gift.  I look into your mind and see thoughts spinning round and round: going nowhere, accomplishing nothing.  All the while, My Peace hovers over you, searching for a place to land.

Be still in My Presence, inviting Me to control your thoughts.  Let My Light soak into your mind and heart, until you are aglow with My very Being.  This is the most effective way to receive My Peace.               Jesus Calling 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.                         Phillippians 4:6-7

TNT

TGW

P.S.  I had a scary dream not too long ago, actually, it was more like a nightmare!  I dreamt that there was a drone hovering outside my bedroom window and I woke up in a panic thinking it must be the government and wondering how I would ever survive in a re-education camp!  And then just the other night, the news was showing what the different types of drones looked like, and I drew in my breath as I noticed that one of the smaller versions they displayed was uncannily similar to the one that was in my dream!!!  Do you think I should remove the “I don’t believe the liberal media” bumper sticker from my car????  Is it too late?????  Perhaps it wasn’t a dream??????  Ohhhhhhhhhh noooooooooooooo………………………. my thoughts are spinning round and round!!!!!  Come to think of it, maybe someone should call the men in the white coats!!!!!  LOL

P.P.S.  That. Is. All.

Inspiration cometh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well, sort of.  (did I just end another sentence with a preposition? was that even a sentence??? oh no, and I am just getting started….not a good sign ha, ha).  I really have so much going on that perhaps I should write this particular blog utilizing the bullet point feature as I won’t have to worry about making my paragraphs flow in any particular order.  (Oh no…………….did I actually say “bullet”??????  Mea culpa, mea culpa, I certainly am not known to be politically correct!!!  Ha, ha!!!)  

•  If you are a Facebook friend of mine you may have already seen this picture.  A couple of weeks ago it was suggested to the TGIF grandchildren & their cousins Tori and Grace that the victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes were in need of a lot of help and that the Mercury One Charity was guaranteeing that 100% of any donated money would go directly to the people of Moore and the surrounding area.  And so on a Friday instead of gathering at my house, the kids all walked to Christine’s house from school and immediately pitched in serving lemonade and distributing the brownies, cookies and fudge to the many “customers” who had heard about their disaster relief effort.  It was quite a spur of the moment decision, but we were all astonished at the amount raised in only a couple of hours ($300.00) and we sincerely thank all of those who stopped by and gave so generously.  When we open our hearts in humble obedience to God’s commandment to love one another as God loves us, there is no limit to the good that can God can produce in each one of us. 

I must make mention before continuing, that I began this blog on June 8th………what in the world has become of my self-discipline????  It is now the evening of June 20th and tomorrow is the first day of summer and then the days will start growing shorter and the sky will grow darker earlier and then my birthday will arrive and I will turn sixty-five (can’t write it numerically as seeing it that way makes me twitch!) you do see what happens when I turn my OCD mind loose, don’t you??  Anyway, with any luck I may be able to stay focused long enough to reach the magic 1200 word marker.

• Speaking of OCD…….Tommy decided that he was going to have his Mom throw him a “graduation” from pre-school party and so Stephanie, always ready for a party herself, readily complied.  They invited everyone over to their house for a cook-out complete with light sticks, smores, a bit of wiffle ball and some basketball…………all in all a pretty good “party”!!  Well Mayce was having one of her…………shall we just refer to them as………..”moments” (please see a previous blog post regarding her manner of disciplining her dolls).  At any rate, she was being very particular about the way her plate was situated on the table and so someone mentioned that she was acting a little OCD (popular catch word in my family these days!) and Mayce immediately picked up on that and shouted out, “It’s not OCD, it’s ABC!!!!!”  Thank goodness for her that she can make us all laugh, otherwise her stubbornness would be getting her in a whole lot more trouble!     
• As you know I am a great admirer of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip and receive a daily e-mail from the Calvin archives which I then forward to my sisters and to Jenn, Meg, Steph and Jess.  Last month I sent the following Calvin cartoon stating:   I think Calvin & I are related…………………wait……………………………..no, I don’t think, I know!!!!!! 

• Below is the cartoon that prompted the ensuing e-mail replies:

Christine: …doors left open, lights left on, gnats, empty toilet paper rolls, toothpaste in the sink, I could go on and on and on….

M.M.:  ….overgrown euonymus, cracks in walls, peeling outdoor paint, siding fallen from garage walls, phone calls from 800 area code, semi-full water bottles from unknown drinkers, expired food products hiding in refrigerator, endless litany of mail regarding  medicare & advanced funeral planning,  I could go on and on and on……..

Cecilia: …..trash overflowing, dirty clothes NEXT to the hamper, dirty dishes NEXT to the dish washer, husband asleep clutching the remote, no gas when I finally get my car, grocery store, fixing dinner for four and four extras show up, cooking for eight and two show up, oh, and did I mention the grocery store, and I could go on and on and on and on………..!

Guess Calvin really is related to me……….. and my sisters as well LOL!!!!!!

•  I often wish we could adjust the speed or slowness to which we get through our days………push a button to accelerate the days that are too painful or too anxiety ridden or too hot or too cold or too dreary; and slow down the days that are filled with sunshine, moderate temps, warm, gentle breezes and joyful occasions which bring together family and friends.  I was looking for that “slow down” button last week as our family made a trip back to the OBX along with 33 extended family members.  We were fortunate to find two houses in Corolla directly across the street from each other and so we placed 24 family members in one house and 26 in the other………our own version of “Survivor”!  LOL  Each family group was assigned a day and were charged with the responsibility for purchasing, preparing and cleaning up the evening meal.  This worked great as it meant you only had one day out of six that you had to think about putting on that “pot of boiling” water for dinner.  The weather was cooperative so that everyone was able to get in adequate ocean and pool time, the houses were complete with many amenities pool tables, air hockey, hot tubs, fire pit, volleyball and theater/media rooms….a little something for everyone no matter their age or their personality.  And……..we had plenty of personalities :)!!  Just a little picture gallery of those “personalities”:

The “boogie boarders”
Natalie & Nicole

 

I can hardly believe that I am just thirty words away from my target blogpost number…………..egads……….I used another politically incorrect word……..do you think the IRS, the NSA, the CIA, the FBI are monitoring me????????????????????  You will all vouch for me………..won’t you?????  I am, after all, just a harmless nut who seeks nothing but limited government and religious freedom and the right to bear arms and…………..oops, forgot myself there for a minute!!!!  One good thing about being with 49 other family members all week long was that I didn’t have time to keep up with my political e-mails and occasional Facebook postings, so hope everyone enjoyed the break :)!!

Well, now wouldn’t you know………a couple of weeks ago I had bookmarked a reading from my daily devotional that I had decided was perfect for my next blog, but as I opened my book for the reading today I recognized that perhaps Jesus was “calling” me to write  “diaryofanut” on this particular day, as the reading is especially fitting:

I speak to you continually.  My nature is to communicate, though not always in words.  I fling glorious sunsets across the sky, day after day after day.  I speak in the faces and voices of loved ones.  I caress you with a gentle breeze that refreshes and delights you.  I speak softly in the depths of your spirit, where I have taken up residence.

You can find Me in each moment, when you have eyes that see and ears that hear.  Ask My Spirit to sharpen your spiritual eyesight and hearing.  I rejoice each time you discover My Presence.  Practice looking and listening for Me during quiet intervals.  Gradually you will find Me in more and more of your moments.  You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me above all else.           Jesus Calling

When you call Me, when you go to pray to Me, I will listen to you.  When you look for Me, you will find Me.  Yes, when you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me with you, says the Lord, and I will change your lot.    Jeremiah 19: 13-14

 

I truly do see more and more evidence of God’s presence in this world and in my life through not only the miracles of His creation such as this beautiful beach sunset, but also through the “faces and voices” of my loved ones.  I believe I have been richly blessed in this regard because the circumstances of the past several years have literally brought me to my knees in prayer, seeking God’s wisdom, comfort and hope.

You know, a few days ago I found myself in a rather pensive mood and I was thinking about the blog and that maybe it had run its course in my life.  I thought about some of the pictures posted on Facebook asking for a million “likes” so that a kid’s parents would consent to taking him to Disney World.  And I thought, maybe that is what I should do……..see if I could get 50 “likes” on the blog and that would mean I should keep at it.  But as I write, I realize that I am actually reinforcing for myself all of the things that really matter to me………..family, faith, friends.  So I will just stumble along as the Spirit guides me for as often as I am drawn to this, I will keep it going.  Maybe one day in the distant future, one of the grandchildren will read through it all and decide that Papa was right all along……………..Nana really was a “Nut”!!!!

TNT

TGW

P.S.  I thought I should add this sentimental picture I took at the beach house.  The second morning we were there, I turned around from the dining room table and saw this picture of Crick that Jennifer had placed on the sofa table.  It was a wonderful gesture as it kept him ever close in our thoughts that week…….especially when Stephanie and Christopher both went out to buy Duck Donuts and didn’t tell each other they were going and we ended up with over sixty very expensive doughnuts!!!!!!!

P.P.S  Again, for anyone who is not a Facebook follower and might be interested in this short video I put together as a Father’s Day remembrance for all of the grandchildren I have added it to the blog:

Knowledge is learning something new every day, wisdom is letting go of something every day.  Zen proverb 

I seem to be learning plenty of new things everyday………….I just can’t seem to let go of anything every day and so my OCD has kicked into overdrive and for at least the past two weeks whenever I have tried to sit myself down to post my next blog, my “own words” tend to look just like Calvin’s!!

Now while a blog is not a test of my knowledge, it is hopefully a cogent and satisfying telling of the events in my life………still…………..Yakk4 Foob Mog. Grug Pubbawup ink Wattoom GazoRk. Chumble Spuzz won’t keep any readers around for long!  Fortunately, I was just beginning to put a few coherent thoughts together after weeks of procrastinating and had logged on to WordPress and had gotten so far as to click to the new post page when the phone rang.  I obediently answered it and suddenly the act of talking to a real live human being seemed way less stressful than, much like Calvin, trying to rack my feeble brain searching for captivating words with which to create an interesting and engaging blog.  The very next day however, while “grandchildren watching” (as a “doting” grandparent, I dislike using the term “babysitting”……….in truth though, I cannot think of one grandchild who would describe me as “doting”………….. Crick, definitely!!……………me, not so much…………more along the lines of………………………….”drill sergeant”…………..well, I am my Father’s daughter after all!! For those who may not know, Dad was the youngest soldier promoted to a Major during WWII), Mayce and I were both engrossed in our own little worlds……..she in her Dora (de nada) world and me in my laptop world listening to GB (that would, of course, be Glenn Beck).  As I now, take a little cue from our President, (oh no, I am venturing closer and closer into forbidden territory!!!)!!!, I will place the blame (wink, wink) for this next stroke of misfortune on our local talk radio station, as they had just recently replaced the 9 AM to 10 AM time slot with “local” news and so I had to log on to the internet in order to listen to GB.  I was using my earphones so as not to disturb Mayce’s Spanish lesson :), and so that I could concentrate on the days’ breaking news.  Everything was working out just fine………….the two of us were quite content, (I do allow the grandchildren some R&R when our chores are completed!), but then Mayce made a decision to move to a larger screen TV in another room and after I had her re-situated, I went back into the breakfast room to get my laptop and closed the lid slightly to carry it into the living room with Mayce.  When I opened the laptop back up, I discovered a bunch of skinny rainbow-colored lines appearing on the screen both vertically and horizontally.  After repeated, unsuccessful attempts to correct the situation by shutting down and rebooting the computer,  I became quite distraught and immediately went out in search of a computer repair shop.  Dragging poor little “Maria Cecilia” away from Dora we set out on Nana’s mission to restore her lifeline to the world.  I eventually received two similar repair estimates and discovered that laptop screens are extremely fragile, and that even though I had only slightly closed the lid, the earphones, which had been left on the keyboard, came in contact with the screen and irreparably damaged the pixelation.  The repair, while not cheap, was way less expensive than purchasing a new laptop, and besides, I am very sentimentally attached to this “Oscar” as it is the one Mike Baird had so generously purchased for Crick.  Well………………………that was a short story told long, I guess my verbiage must be back on track!!  LOL

For the next several weeks as Stephanie is getting acclimated to her new position on the oncology floor at Riverside Hospital, I have been trying to help out with the kids a few days a week (working around my half-day/week job!!)  and not being as young as I used to be I have been “enlisting” (an appropriate word for a “drill sergeant”) the Baird children’s’ assistance in trying to keep a sense of order in their home.  Tommy and Mayce (Luke is lucky to be at school all day……..Tommy just gets a two-hour pre-school reprieve) are quickly learning the army method of bed making (sheets tucked in tight enough to bounce a coin!!! learned that one from “Sgt.” Crick believe it or not!!!,  the correct method of taking apart and cleaning the vacuum cleaner as well as how to best utilize the attachments, how to slip a white tube sock over your hand to dust the table tops, and also,………..that walking across the kitchen counters with your shoes on is expressly forbidden!!!!!

The other day found me also lending a hand to Chris and Jess who placed me “in command” of two and a half-year old Josh while Christopher was putting in more study hours in preparation for the firefighter Lieutenant’s test which he  is taking this week.  I “recruited” Josh to help me pull up some of the rapidly multiplying weeds in the front yard and to tackle the task of raking up some of the left over winter debris.  I eventually discovered a landscape railroad tie that had become dislodged and so I gave it the old heave-ho and managed to return it to its proper position.  When I stood up and stepped back I heard Josh mutter, “You are strong!”  Well, I guess I can still impress a two-year old!!!  (anyone feeling a bit sorry for my grandchildren yet???)   Speaking of firefighter’s, I am reminded of a comment Sydney made to me the other day.  I am not quite certain what we were discussing, but it had to do with the timing of Christopher returning home from work as he had taken on an extra shift that day.  She looked at me rather forlornly and said sadly when I told her that Christopher wouldn’t be back until the following morning, “Nana, did you know that my Dad had to work two days in a row!!!??!!”  What????!!!!  Somewhat startled by her proclamation, I pointed out to her that there were many parents who, because they worked eight to ten hours/day went to work every single day.  But since her Dad was a fireman he had to be on duty for twenty-four hours straight and then had two days off.  Yikes!  Their young minds are always, always, always working and never cease to amaze me :)!   OMGosh, I wonder if their minds think all Grandmothers give their grandchildren a rake, garden gloves, an old sock for dusting and teach them how to use the vacuum attachments??!!  If not, I could be in big trouble!    

Two weeks ago was a very special day for Sophia as she made her First Holy Communion at Immaculate Conception, one in a very long line of Clark family children/grandchildren/and now great-grandchildren going all of the way back to 1955.  I think our deacon, Bud Campbell perhaps said it best when he told Jessica’s RCIA group last night in speaking to us about the sacrament of the Eucharist, that if anyone has not attended a First Communion Mass, they are missing something very, very special.  He explained that there is a very appealing and uplifting sense of spirituality that is witnessed as one watches as these inspired second graders innocently, yet intensely focused, process to the altar to receive the Blessed Eucharist.  I could not agree more with Bud…………………even if you do not personally know of a First Communicant, do your weary spirit a favor and plan to attend one of the many occasions next year.  I promise you, you will come away with a smile in your heart :).  I offer this little video as a preview:

One last item on my blog “agenda” concerns a very special Mother’s Day.  I truly do realize how very fortunate I am to have my children close by to celebrate so many of life’s events.  This past Sunday proved to be no exception.  Among the many thoughtful & generous gifts that I was privileged to receive (e.g.  two huge bags of M&M’s, flowers, an address book to replace my dilapidated twenty year old book, a speaker set for my Kindle, and a brand new wicker porch swing!!!) was a canvas wall hanging (produced by Jewel Kade, Jennifer’s other “career”) given to me by Jenn, Jim, Meg, Steph, Joe, Chris & Jess.  They incorporated a few of Crick’s most infamous sayings and created yet another beautiful reminder of their Dad’s impact in each of our lives.

Do they all still miss him?…………………..as Macye would say……………..”you betcha”!!!!  Do I still miss him??  “You betcha”…………………………..every………………..single.…………….day!!!!!!  

As I continue along life’s journey without my “better half”, I am comforted by this passage from Jesus Calling:

You are on the path of My choosing.  There is no randomness about your life.  Here and Now comprise the coordinates of your daily life.  Most people let their moments slip through their fingers, half-lived.  They avoid the present by worrying about the future or longing for a better time and place.  They forget that they are creatures who are subject to the limitations of time and space. They forget their Creator who walks with them only in the present.

Every moment is alive with My glorious Presence, to those whose hearts are intimately connected with Mine.  As you give yourself more and more to a life of constant communion with Me, you will find that you simply have no time for worry.  Thus, you are freed to let My Spirit direct your steps, enabling you to walk along the path of Peace.             Jesus Calling

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your lifespan?  If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest?       Luke 12: 25-26

TNT

TGW

P.S.  Still haven’t figured out the changing font size…….another problem for another day :)

P.P.S.  That. Is. All

Well, I have got to hand it to the groundhog, he is honest, if not accurate.  February 2nd there was the promise of an early spring, but instead we have been left craving, needing, wanting, yearning for, and dreaming about sunshine, warm air, green grass, flowers, and budding trees for nine long, bleak, cold, dreary, colorless, monotonous, dispiriting, dismal, forlorn and depressing weeks (did I overstate the obvious??!!)   And so, Punxsutawney Phil, our furry, feckless, floundering “friend” you may continue to hold up that sign until your prognosticating has been perfected………………..as in when hell freezes over (which might be soon given our recent weather forecasts!) !!!  If it has not been made abundantly clear that I am suffering from a bit of “spring fever” or as my family would probably redefine it as…… “spring madness”, then let me take a few paragraphs to explain.

First of all, I am racking my brain trying to figure out how someone like myself, who only has a half day/week job (from which I am currently in the second week of a four week hiatus………LOL………….courtesy of vacationing employers), can not find a couple of hours here and there to put together a bi-monthly blog!!!  What exactly is it that I do all day??? (a question Crick once dared to ask me without ever considering the consequences of the wrath of  “a nut”!!) In looking back over the past few weeks, I have been able to reassure myself that I am not a complete slacker. For instance, during the past couple of weeks, I, along with a host of family members, was caught up in the excitement of the State high school and NCAA basketball tournaments.  I watched my alma mater, the Watterson Eagles, win the semi-final game at the Schott (no one ever dares to call it Value City Arena!!!!) and then watched on TV from home as they took on LeBron James’ alma mater…..Akron St. Vincent/St. Mary……….where the Eagles pulled off a first ever State championship victory!!  After that it was a series of nail-biting, fist-pumping, high-fiving, down to the wire wins for the Buckeyes as they advanced to the Elite Eight all the while keeping a close eye on my NCAA bracket (ended up eighteenth in a field of twenty-nine…my bracket fell apart after the Sweet Sixteen!).  Then, while our family was seated in church for the two hour Easter Vigil and the Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation as Jessica was received into the Catholic Church; the Bucks, whose game started shortly before the liturgy began, apparently ran out of luck and failed to advance to the Final Four.  And so I must thank you Jessica, for sparing the family from watching what was unquestionably a rather ugly Buckeye loss LOL!!!!  Seriously though, the two hour Holy Saturday Liturgy, beginning outside the church with the lighting of the new fire and the Paschal candle, to the Liturgy of the Word and the Litany of the Saints, renewed for me the traditions and symbolism of our faith that I, at times, take so much for granted.  Jessica and I will continue our Monday evening gatherings at I.C. until Pentecost Sunday as she and I will continue to learn more about the Scriptures and the sacraments, and to reflect on the Christian mission to serve Christ and His Church. As you can see from the above picture……….part of my time has been further spent sifting through endless family pictures, the purging and organizing of which has, as yet, seen little progress.  I have opted instead to spend long periods journeying back in time wondering, “Who is that??”  “Where was this picture taken??”  “When was this picture taken??”  “Why was this picture taken??”.  I do, however, have the answer to all of those questions for this particular photo ……….the who is Dad, me, Kathy, Jimmy, Johnny………..the where is in front of the Chatham Rd. house………….the when is spring circa 1953………….the why is to show off all of our Easter hats (you will notice that everyone is wearing one…..ha, ha, ha!!!!).  Fast forward sixty years from the date of this faded photograph to Easter Sunday, 2013 which found seven Clark siblings and forty-three of their closest family members :) gathered together at Ce and John’s home in Granville.  It just so happened to also be Kevin’s twenty-ninth birthday and so there was a cake for Kevin, a cake for Jessica and a cake for Easter as well as cookies, jelly beans and of course, plenty of chocolate candy (especially the M&M kind!).  We balanced all of that sugar with the traditional Easter ham along with pulled pork, a couple of briskets, pasta/potato/macaroni salads and “devolved” eggs (little inside Jessica typo joke!).  While the weather was not exactly “sunny” or particularly “warm” (hint, hint Mr. Groundhog) at least it wasn’t raining and so the annual Easter egg hunt for the younger ones was able to proceed while the rest of the kids headed to the creek that flows behind the Downey house………I know, I know, Cecilia…….you warned me to suggest to the parents to have the grandkids bring along some boots!!!!!  (I sheepishly observed several grandchildren leaving for home with a sugar hangover and in need of a nice, warm bath!)

And speaking of grandchildren and Easter and spring……………last week it was the Catholic schools’ turn to take a week long break from school, and since us “villebillies” (a nickname for those of us who had the good fortune to grow up in Clintonville) usually stay in the “ville” while others seek warmer, sunnier climates; I had promised the grandkids that I would have them and their cousin, Tori for an overnight outing.  I split them up into the older group (Olivia, Tori, Sam and Luke) and the younger group (Natalie, Sophia, Sydney and Tommy) with each group staying over on a different night.  Even during a school break finding the perfect evening was somewhat of a challenge given that spring sports are starting up and coaches have to get their practices in (don’t even get me started on that topic!!).  I know the kids must definitely miss Crick at times such as these because he, and he alone, always made the evening an “adventure” by making tents from every possible sheet and blanket, turning out all of the lights, putting in a video, cranking the surround sound up to maximum annoyance and popping tons of popcorn to go with bowls full of M&M’s!!!!!  What kid would not love this scenario??!!  And did I mention that immediately after the childrens’ sugar high kicked in………….he would mysteriously disappear to the safe haven of our bedroom!!  Anyway, I think they all managed to enjoy hanging out together even if they didn’t do anything that would make their teacher’s A list on the, “What I Did On My Spring Break Vacation”, homework assignment. 

One of the main reasons that I was once again searching through my chaotic collection of photos was because one day last week Stephanie had e-mailed the above picture of Mayce who had climbed into the doll bed with her baby doll.  It reminded me of an almost identical picture I had taken of Stephanie when she was about Mayce’s age and after poring over countless pictures, I finally found the photo.  I am thinking that unlike her Mom, Mayce had brilliantly figured out that she was too big to actually lie down in her doll’s bed!! LOL.  I believe that I am going to take great pleasure in watching the interaction between these two in the years ahead……………………..a few days ago Mayce walked up to Stephanie and said, “Tell me I am beautiful.”  A bit surprised by this request from a two and a half year old, Stephanie played along and replied, “Mayce, you are beautiful.”  Mayce grinned, said “thank you” and, in a princess like manner, walked away!!!  Shortly after this exchange, I guess Mayce decided she needed to return the compliment and remarked to  Stephanie that the top she was putting on one morning was beautiful.  And so Stephanie good-humoredly said, “thank you” to which Mayce responded, “De nada”………………….w – h – e- r- e…………..do these kids come from???  I suppose if she is going to watch television, she may as well be learning to become bi-lingual through the efforts of Dora and Swiper!!!  I am a bit concerned, however, that one day I will have to press #2 just to speak to my granddaughter!!  I only hope her environmentally conscientious cousin, Natalie doesn’t yield too much influence over her (referencing Natalie’s reaction when she bumped into and broke the outdoor spigot and as water began spraying out all over the driveway, she ran away screaming for the entire neighborhood to hear, “I am wasting the environment, I am wasting the environment”!!!)  Sheesh!!! (I am still not over that one!! LOL)

A couple of final pictures and some surprising,yet exciting news to share before I close out the blog.

It was just about a month ago when I was putting away one of the toys that the younger grandkids had been playing with, that I thought to myself, not only did my pictures need to be organized and purged, but so did the thirteen year accumulation of children’s toys and games.  I had recently begun to notice that Mayce and Josh had suddenly grown “too old” for the particular group of toys in the above picture.  And then, while a bunch of family were over at Christine and Mike’s watching one of the tournament games, Natalie kept bugging me about something she had to show me.  I figured the kids had made some impromptu video that they wanted me to see, but I kept putting her off until finally, after her third attempt, I got up and followed her into a hallway where she pulled out this picture:

Well, I saw that it was an ultrasound picture, but it looked a little worn, and so I asked her where she found it and what was she doing with it.  Natalie sensing my “fake” blonde moment and grinning from ear to ear, with blue eyes shining brightly, started to trace her finger around the outside of the circle in the picture all the while saying  slowly, (I guess so that the “dense one” could understand!!), “This…………………………is……………………………..my……………………………Mom!”  I obviously was still not catching on quickly enough, so she then pointed to the date on the picture and said, “2-0-1-3-!”.   Wellllllllllllll, the lightbulb finally came on as I said/questioned, “Your Mother…………………. is………………. pregnant!!??”  Natalie began shaking her little “progressive” (lol) head up and down, giggling and laughing, so pleased that she had taken me by surprise.  And so my plan to give away baby toys, a high chair, baby bottles, etc. has been put on hold……..courtesy of Jennifer and Jim, “Grandbaby” #10 (as Crick always called his grandchildren even after Olivia had turned eleven!) will be arriving the end of October :).  Curiously, there is a bit of a population explosion occurring in the Clark/Schultheis families with a total of eight babies expected between now and November!!  One thing is for certain……..you can never get too comfortable in your ways…………….we may have plans for our futures, but God has even greater plans for us!  And apparently, as revealed in Jennifer and Jim’s news…………….He also has a quirky sense of humor!!!   LOL

Oh, how I would have loved to have heard Crick’s roar of approval and to have seen the reflection of love in his eyes as Natalie was revealing the “big Secret”!!  He would be elated at the mere thought of another grandchild to spoil and another set of little feet to walk on his back!  Having just finished reading Proof of Heaven, I console myself with the belief that Crick is at peace, blissfully happy and in attaining heaven, has achieved perfect love.  I believe that it is this love that is now present to me, so that my memories of him now bring not so much sadness, as they do comfort and joy :).  The following is an excerpt from Proof of Heaven (a book that I highly recommend) ……… its words speak to the many emotions following the loss of someone who has been deeply loved, be it husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend:       

When tomorrow starts without me, and I’m not there to see. If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me; I wish so much you wouldn’t cry the way you did today while thinking of the many things, we didn’t get to say. I know how much you love me, as much as I love you, and each time you think of me, I know you’ll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand, that an angel came and called my name, and took me by the hand.  He said my place was ready, in heaven far above, and that I’d have to leave behind all those I dearly love.  But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye for all my life, I’d always thought, I didn’t want to die.  I had so much to live for, so much left yet to do, it seemed almost impossible, that I was leaving you.  I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad; the thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had.  If I could relive yesterday, just even for a while, I’d say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see you smile.  But then I fully realized that this could never be, for emptiness and memories would take the place of me.  And when I thought of worldly things I might miss come tomorrow, I thought of you, and when I did my heart was filled with sorrow.

 But when I walked through heaven’s gates, I felt so much at home when God looked down and smiled at me from His great golden throne.  He said, “This is eternity, and all I’ve promised you; today your life on earth is past but here it starts anew.  I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last.  And since each day’s the same way, there’s no longing for the past.  You have been so faithful, so trusting and so true; though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn’t do.  But you have been forgiven and now at last you’re free,  so won’t you come and take My hand and share My life with Me?”

So when tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart; for every time you think of me, I’m right here in your heart.

TNT

TGW

P.S.  WordPress……….would you please correct the font when I ask you to!!#@?%$!!!!!

P.P.S.  By the time this blog went to press, Ohio had a sudden short burst of spring……..then temps plunged 14 degrees today…….still, the grass has miraculously turned green overnight & the forsythia has finally bloomed (according to my Mom, that means three more snows :)!)

Who would have guessed that this adorable little chef would one day become an adult with an ardent passion for not cooking???   Memo to parents……. you should never presume that childhood pastimes will necessarily evolve into legitimate adult pursuits (for some of you Moms and Dads, that may come as a huge relief…..ha, ha, ha).  I imagine that you can guess that the “adorable” little girl in the photo is me and my helpful assistant is my Grandpa Clark who, if memory serves me correctly, was a life long Democrat……………….. but never fear………………..I loved him dearly anyway:)!!  I came upon this picture while on a mission last week to organize some photographs which are now, not only in multiple storage containers in my bedroom closet, but also in a gazillion locations on two different laptops and on my cell phone as well.  Remember the time before computers, laptops, i-phones, i-pads??  Our photos and videos were stashed away (what do I mean “were”??!) in mismatched photo boxes (i.e. shoe boxes!) cluttering a small space behind a closed closet door.  Now they fill up some kind of virtual space on all of our technological devices downloaded to who knows where……….a dropbox, My pictures, Crick’s pictures, Snapfish, Kodak Gallery, Picasso, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Shutterfly, Facebook, etc., etc., etc., – OUCH!!!  My head is beginning to hurt from just the thought that now those pictures must also be organized, first into specific folders, and then made into a slide show (and because of my OCD personality I would also feel compelled to add some music!!) and then downloaded to CD’s!!!!  Yikes!!  If I take on that project, I would have to surrender hours of reading my political blogs thereby depriving all of my “ok for political e-mails” family and friends who so anxiously await my daily “rantings” in their respective in-boxes LOL!  

Uummm, where was I going with all of this??…………….oh yeah………..back to the picture.  It was quite coincidental that the picture above and the one here on the right were discovered the day after I went on a bit of a minor household organizing spree.  This was prompted by my discovery, upon returning from the grocery, that I had just purchased four cans of tomato sauce to add to the five that had (surprise, surprise) been sitting in the kitchen cabinet!!!!  I hate it when that happens!!!  And so, as I was making room for the nine (argh!) cans of tomato sauce, I began looking at the other cans, etc. in my cabinet and unearthed some real genuine artifacts!!!! LOL  Shocked at the length of time some of these relics had been “hiding” in the cabinet, I decided it would be a great kindness to my family if I checked some of the items in my refrigerator as well.  Needless to say, there was quite a purge going on in my kitchen that afternoon.  So, if you happen to receive a dinner invitation from me in the next few weeks, please know that while your health will not suffer from any out-dated food products……………….the queen of “Baked Tupperware” (reference 11/20/12 blog) will be resurrecting her recipe box from its shelf in the basement (I subscribe to the “out of sight/out of mind” motto when it comes to cooking) in order to find an entrée that requires nine cans of tomato sauce!!!!!

If you have ever been to Ireland, you may have encountered this “landmark”………………can you believe that some Irishman actually chose my name for his pub?  Some years ago when my niece, Michelle was participating in an overseas study program in Ireland, Stephanie threw financial caution to the wind (translate……she did not take her dreamcrusher Mother’s advice) and traveled on a wing and a prayer to the land of leprechauns and blarney stones.  As she drove around the countryside she saw this sign and felt compelled to stop to take the above picture…………oh, and I do suppose she just might have ventured inside to sample a bit of their Irish ales and lagers :)  This all leads right into a discussion of the significance of the month of March in the Clark/O’Schutheis families.  For one, it marks the move from winter into spring (although there are many years, such as this one, when the ground-hog got it all wrong despite the fact that just a few days ago the temperature rose to 70 degrees…….for example, yesterday produced some snow showers and today I woke up to 23 degree temps).  In addition, the days are growing longer and as a bonus, we have already made the change to daylight saving time. This worked out perfectly when we all gathered at Christopher’s this past Sunday to help Sydney celebrate her sixth birthday.  It was the one warm and sunny day and so we could turn the kids loose outside to run off all of their pent-up winter energy.

There will be some wearin’ of the green this month as we pause to honor the Irish heritage of my Dad’s side of the family.  When I was growing up we celebrated the day very simply with a dinner of corned beef and cabbage (oh, how I envied all of the DiSabato’s, Balzano’s and Benedetti’s!!!) and occasionally Mom would produce a few Shamrock Club buttons to pin on our school uniforms.  During the 70’s my brother Jimmy, who was a wounded Viet Nam veteran, became immersed in the political struggles of Ireland and eventually joined various Irish organizations and worked diligently to promote Irish causes.  He succeeded in rallying the entire family around their heritage, taught us to enjoy Irish Rebel music (not to be confused with Mom singing “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral”!!! LOL) and encouraged us to embrace St. Patrick’s Day and all of its festivities.   The 19th, 21st and the 24th of March are the dates of his death in 1984, his birthday and the date when he was injured in Viet Nam in 1967.  I am sure that he is smiling down from his heavenly vantage point on Megan, who shares Jimmy’s birthday, as she mentors Natalie in all of her Irish step-dancing endeavors.                                                                                                                                                                               

Of course, we also have March Madness to look forward to…………………one of my very favorite sporting events of the entire year!!!   Trying to pick winners for each bracket this year is going to be a roll of the dice………….seriously!!  As I have watched various teams from the different leagues, it seems that especially this year, the adage is true that on any given night, any top ranked team can go down in defeat.  The Buckeyes made it to the Final Four last year, but to get there again seems to much to hope for. (I know, that sentence ended with a preposition!)  My high school alma mater, Bishop Watterson is, like Ohio State, having a great basketball season.  Last weekend I went to the Fairgrounds Coliseum with Stephanie, Joe and the kids to see the Eagles win the district finals in a thrilling overtime victory.  Going to the Coliseum was like going back (waaaayyyy back) in time as it was built in 1918 and has been a legendary and traditional high school basketball venue.  Very few changes have been made over time to alter the looks and feel of “The Barn” as it was once nicknamed,which made it possible for me to transport myself back to a time when as an awestruck cheerleader I entered the 5,000 seat arena to cheer on my classmates who had also made it to the districts.  By the way, as of this writing, the Eagles have advanced to the State semi-finals!  E – A – G – L – E- S  Gooooo Eagles!!

Remember the story of Jekyl and Hyde?  Well I believe that perhaps Mayce (age 2) is beginning to exhibit some similarly disturbing personality traits.  A couple of weeks ago, Mayce was sweetly and quietly playing with her Fisher-Price play house and the F-Price prince and princess when Stephanie observed the following:  Mayce was pretending that the prince and princess were having a nice, pleasant conversation when suddenly Mayce, looking sternly at the prince, picked him up from the floor and forcefully placed him inside the play house.  Curious as to what prompted this, Stephanie asked her for an explanation and Mayce informed her that she put the prince in a time-out for hitting the princess.  And then, leaving the prince to sulk in time-out and the princess to recover from her injury, Mayce decided to next focus her attention on her little baby doll.  She apparently decided that she wanted the doll to sit up in a chair, but was having difficulty getting the dolls legs adjusted, so she asked for Stephanie’s help.  Steph picked up the doll adjusted the legs and sat her back in the chair.  Mayce took one look, promptly determined that her doll was still not sitting according to her specifications, so she tried to force the doll to sit up straighter, but the doll unfortunately slumped over.  Mayce angrily grabbed the doll, threw it against the wall (g….a….s….p!!), stomped over to pick the doll up from the spot where it had fallen and then marched over to the fireplace, threw the doll over the fireplace screen (no fire burning thank goodness), shouting, “You’re in time-out!!”  Some pretty scary stuff……….guess I am going to have to watch my back whenever I am spending time with her LOL!!!

Wanting always to leave you with words of encouragement and hope, especially as we are now approaching Holy Week I offer you this:

Bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving.  Take nothing for granted, not even the rising of the sun.  Before Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, thankfulness was as natural as breathing.  Satan’s temptation involved pointing Eve to the one thing that was forbidden her.  The garden was filled with luscious, desirable fruits but Eve focused on the one fruit she couldn’t have rather than being thankful for the many good things freely available.  This negative focus darkened her mind, and she succumbed to temptation.

When you focus on what you don’t have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened.  You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me.  You look for what is wrong and refuse to enjoy life until that is “fixed”.

When you approach Me with thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through.  Walk in the Light with Me by practicing the discipline of thanksgiving.                     From Jesus Calling

He came as a witness, to bear witness to the light, so that everyone might believe through him.                       1 John 1:7

TNT

TGW

P.S.  I just wanted my family to know that I had added a P.S., but then had a change of heart since it is Lent.  I decided to make the small sacrifice and deleted a political statement that I had been tempted to make regarding bumper stickers!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

P.P.S.  I do not understand why the font on my blog suddenly changes size, but I will figure it out…….it is trying my patience :)!!

Every morning in my in-box I receive an e-mail from the retired Calvin & Hobbes and Cathy comic strips.  The creators of these two cartoons were so spot-on with their humorous characterizations of human nature and human relationships that whenever I read them, I realize that the thoughts, feelings and emotions of this “nut” are far more widespread among the populace than Crick may have realized when he christened me a “nut”. :)  When I saw this particular strip, I thought, “OMGosh……………this has definitely been the story of my winter!!”  Up until a few months ago, I was a two-mile/day walker, but something happened this winter to squelch my motivation to put on my coat, scarf and gloves (I, unlike Calvin, never wear a hat……..remember?? that would mess up my “poofy” hair!!) and march out into the cold, brisk, windy Ohio weather.  I seem to be able to come up with all sorts of rationalizations…………….it’s too icy out and I would not want to risk falling and breaking any old bones…………………..its raining………………………….it’s too late…………………it’s too early………………….the grandchildren are coming over…………………I am needed to baby-sit………………..I have to watch the President’s speech ………………………just threw that in to see if you were paying attention LOL!!!! (ooohhh nnnooo…….. I suddenly feel a panic attack coming on at just the thought of “you know who”!)   Well, you get the idea!!!  Maybe now that I have just announced my laziness to the blogosphere, I will be sufficiently shamed into getting myself off of the couch!!!!

As a matter of fact, I have been staying pretty busy, if not “active” …………………..the grand-kids have been winding down their basketball seasons and with five of them playing, I was able to attend at least two games for each grandchild over the course of the winter……………I might have gotten to more if some of their games weren’t played on the other side of the city or at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning (or in the middle of my Bob Evans’ breakfast LOL!!!!).

I am also happy to report that Stephanie has passed her RN national licensing exam and is hoping to find a part-time nursing position within a hospital setting.  We are all very proud of her accomplishment in pursuing her “dream”, especially given that her dear, “dream-crushing” Mother initially thought she was crazy to try to add one more responsibility to her already hectic family schedule.  Kudos to Stephanie, Joe and the kids for the many sacrifices they all made to see this endeavor come to fruition……..the paybacks are certainly going to be worthwhile.  In addition to Steph’s recent achievement, the entire family is looking forward to welcoming Jessica into the Catholic faith community at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday.  Every week since the middle of  October, through a process of inquiry, discernment, prayer and instruction, she has been preparing to accept the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church.  I feel greatly honored to be chosen by Jess to serve as her sponsor and to attend the instruction sessions with her.  It became not just Jessica’s spiritual journey, but mine as well.  A journey enabling me to, not only develop a greater appreciation and a deeper understanding of the truths of the Faith in which I was raised, but also an opportunity for me to give witness to Jessica’s prayerful dedication in following the path God has set before her.

As my fingers were hovering over the keyboard, I realized that like the OSU basketball team, I sometimes struggle with “transition”:)!   With the motley collection of thoughts emerging from my addled mind, it is not always easy to find a phrase that will make a smooth “transition” from one topic to another.  Maybe a picture is best at this point:

My youngest brother, Tommy (please note I chose youngest over baby) rescued his oldest sister, Moi (please also note that I chose oldest over big……….yes, at this stage of my life I choose to be older rather than bigger!!!!!!) from what could have been a very boring Valentine’s Day evening at home.  Many thanks to Maria (Tommy’s wife) for giving up what should have been a special day for the two of them so that I could sit in her seat to watch the Buckeyes play up close and in person.  On the ride down to the Arena, I asked Tommy if he had any concerns that the Kiss Cam might possibly focus its sights on our section.  We decided that nah……..the Kiss Cam would just assume that Tommy was being a wonderful “son” who was treating his “Mom” to a night out (arghhhh…………….the trials of having a sibling seventeen years younger than yourself!!!).  Fortunately, the “better” Buckeye basketball team showed up as they fought their way to a decisive win over the Wildcats.  This game was to be the Bucks only win in a two-week period that saw them lose three out of four Big Ten games……………guess Tommy and I were their good luck charms!!  (Note to Thad Matta……………………………..I (good luck charm #1) am making myself available to attend the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments…………………….just sayin….. LOL!!!)

Since I had been looking for some extra income over the last several months, Stephanie, Jennifer and I came to a mutual agreement to help each other out……………….I, (their OCD neat freak Mom) would clean their homes and in return, they would enrich my piggy bank.  While I was at Jennifer’s I found this note on the floor in Natalie’s room which she had written to her older sister, Olivia.  I thought that it gave some pretty good insight into how sibling relationships develop from the earliest ages :) so she granted me permission to share it.

It seems that Natalie felt that Olivia was acting above her station in life and that if she would just “Do what Nana says” (I am still not sure how I became a party to reforming Olivia’s behavior!!) then Olivia could elevate herself  once again to the status of “the best sister I know” (in Natalie’s words) LOL!!   Natalie is never ever short on drama!!!!!

I often think of Crick whenever I encounter these situations with the grand-kids as I know how much he would enjoy their antics (and egg them on of course!!!!!!).   You know, he can still cause me an occasional sleepless night such as the few that I randomly experienced during our forty-two years of marital bliss :).  These typically followed one of our famously animated and impassioned “discussions”.   Hours later, after Crick had quite effortlessly put the unpleasantness between us into one of those little boxes inside his head, closed the lid on the box and fallen fast asleep;  I would lie wide awake, rehashing all of the ways that he had not seen my point of view and trying to figure out how I could turn the next “discussion” into a learning experience for him (LOL)!!  Anyway, several nights ago I found myself unable to shut down the old restless mind, as little unexpected memories of Crick kept popping up into my consciousness.  The very next day, I clicked on my Facebook page and saw this post that my sister-in-law, Rayne had shared:

When I read this, I thought to myself that perhaps Crick had been channeling Rayne (LOL)!!!  Once again, it seems so coincidental that the moments when I seem to struggle the most, someone or something always, always, always intervenes to bring comfort and hope to my sagging spirit.

from Jesus Calling:

I am all around you, hovering over you even as you seek My face.  I am nearer than you dare believe, closer than the air you breathe.  If My children could only recognize My Presence, they would never feel lonely again.  I know every thought before you think it, every word before you speak it.  My Presence impinges on your innermost being.  Can you see the absurdity of trying to hide anything from Me?  You can easily deceive other people, and even yourself; but I read you like an open, large-print book……………………Since I live in you, let Me also live through you, shining My Light into the darkness.

TNT

TGW

P.S.  I just remembered that I wanted to ask if anyone has ever heard of M&M wars????!!!  I was having breakfast with Christine and Bobby the other day and we were reminiscing about our childhood experiences.  They are both in the “younger” half of our family of eleven and were lamenting to me that after I had left home they were so poor (cue……. “how poor were they?”)……………………”they were so poor” that when Mom was passing out M&M’s they only received a small handful; and so in order to make them last longer, they would spread their “small” portion out on the carpet, sorting them by color.  They would then pick up two M&M’s place them between their index finger and their thumb and then press the two M&M’s together.  Usually one of the M&M’s would get crushed a bit while the other remained intact.  They would then eat the crushed one, pick up another and repeat to see how long the intact M&M could last…………………..if it survived for any length of time, that one M&M would eventually become a multi-colored candy having born the battle scars from crushing so many varied colors of M&M’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OMGosh……………….today’s generation has absolutely noooooooooooo idea of how to have a really good time!!!!!

P.P.S. I knew if I kept writing long enough, I would finally come up with a title for my blog………LOL!!!!

My three-week absence from blogging has a little something to do with the above pictures…………………it was truly a “tale of two cities”!!!  The warm, sunny, serene beach picture was taken the very same day as the cold, dreary, snow-covered driveway picture.   I am somewhat reluctant to confess that I took the beach picture and Christopher took the picture of my driveway which we then texted to each other.  I further admit that upon receiving Chris’ text, a huge smile appeared upon my face :) for I was enjoying beautiful, blue skies and warm, sunny weather in the middle of an Ohio winter having been, once again, the recipient of an all expense paid trip to Disney World and the Florida coast as a Christmas gift from Stephanie and Joe.  Oh, and perhaps I should also mention that the “gift” came with a caveat………………..they and the three kids were going to go along with me!!!!!!!!!!  Thank goodness I have no illusions about vacationing with families (or a husband and wife, for that matter!!!) or trips to amusement parks.  After all, I once spent an entire day at King’s Island when the air temperature was 103 degrees (we actually witnessed brush fires along the median strips on I-71 as we headed to the Park that morning!) with four kids, several brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews and one crazy man (guess who???).   As my sisters and I dragged ourselves around the Park, snatching small blocks of ice from the lemonade stands with which to saturate our sweltering faces and limbs, Crick paraded by us with a toddler sitting atop his shoulders and the other kids trailing behind him, all the while muttering that it is was not hot and that he had paid over one hundred dollars to get us in that day, and come hell or high water, he was going to get his money’s worth!!!!!!  Needless to say, it was a day that has been permanently “seared” into our memories!!  LOL

Anyway, we arrived in Orlando, picked up a rental van and headed to Disney World where we were met by Jeannie and Bob (Crick’s sister and brother-in-law).  Bob is retired from Disney and was able to get us all into the Magic Kingdom free of charge where we spent the day keeping watch for Mickey, Minnie, Cinderelly, (as Mayce calls her) Snow White, etc.  I am definitely not an “Amusement Park” person as rides either terrify me or make me ill, but I was coaxed onto the Thunder Mountain roller coaster (pretty tame by most people’s standards) and discovered that this old body could still withstand the twists and turns, head jerks and lurches and even find that I rather enjoyed the ride.  After an overnight stay at Disney, we headed to a resort along the coast which could only be designated as a bit of Paradise on earth.  Stephanie must have inherited her Mother’s idea of “camping”…………………………..meaning the more amenities the better!!!!  Jeannie and Bob joined us for two and a half days of lounging around the pool and hot tub, walks along the beach and spending the evenings around the gas fire pit roasting marshmallows for s’mores.  Of course, along with the good, occasionally comes the bad, and on the plane ride home I began to feel feverish and ended up confined to home for four days with a fever virus.

One thing I find myself repeating over and over is that…………………………………my life is never, ever boring!!!!  Before I left on my little trip, Peggy decided to get the Schultheis sibs together for card night.  Now, while we all may have been missing Crick and his outrageous comments and antics which always managed to keep the evening “lit up” so to speak, Mark and Jay did their best Crick “impersonation” in that, not only did they keep upping the ante all night long, but they also managed to successfully bluff their way to winning much of my hard-earned cash (please note the number of chips sitting in front of Peggy, Mark and Jay and then note the small stack at my empty place at the table!!).  Furthermore, they both strategically worked together to constantly harass me by placing a very real looking plastic cockroach (a remnant from our OBX trip) on my chair, under my cards and in my coat pocket!!  I feel as though I should charge them for the entertainment I so unwillingly provided for them!!! :)

Now, you might think that someone who has rather loudly pronounced that “gambling” is not her thing would not then further promote loss of “wealth” by inviting all of her siblings and in-laws for another card night…………………….but that is exactly what I did!!  However, being the hostess, I was able to establish the maximum amount per chip and because of the greater number of players the pot built up pretty significantly

with little personal loss as we spent the evening playing “pass the trash”.  It has become tradition that when playing this particular game with either side of the family, whenever someone loses all of their chips and exits the game the remaining players take great pleasure in singing:  http://youtu.be/n6RoOwSKI7M?t=1m47s.

For the occasion I had bought a six-pack of Crick’s favorite Warsteiner beer and as we were all seated around the table Billy offered a silent toast to Crick.  The fact that Crick can still be a subject of conversation whenever either side of the family gathers speaks volumes about his impact on everyone, and I cannot adequately express how comforting it is for me to have others bring his name into our conversations.

As always, the grandchildren continue to provide me with many funny moments……………………last Sunday morning Tommy called me asking me to come over and clean because their house was, in his words, “a mess”.  It seems that Stephanie had told Tommy that he needed to help pick up some of his things and then they would have to sweep the floors and Tommy just looked at her and said, “Let’s just call “Cleaner Nana”!”  And so he did…………when I asked Tommy how much he was prepared to pay me, he replied that he thought ten dollars was a fair amount.  I quickly informed him that my cleaning services were worth way more than ten dollars and then quite suddenly the line went dead.  A minute later my phone rang again, this time it was from Stephanie’s cell number and again it was Tommy………….I asked him if he had just hung up on me and he explained “My phone was out of minutes!”……………..what???!!!………………….a five year old has his own phone plan??????  (Not really……it was apparently an old phone with expiring minutes).  And then there are the two-year olds…………………..just the other night the grandchildren were all over and Megan overheard the following exchange between Josh and Mayce after they had each asked her for a glass of water.  After she had given them each a glass and turned to walk out of the room, she heard the sound of glasses clinking together and two small voices shouting “Cheers!”.  Now I swear, they didn’t pick that up from me!!!!! :)  On a more “serious” note, I received a picture text from

Christopher of a drawing Sydney had displayed in her class room which he and Jessica discovered when they attended Immaculate Conception’s open house!!!!!!  OMGosh…………………………………I must pray harder for the future!!!  One granddaughter (Natalie) is fretting about the environment, and now Sydney has abdicated to the other

side as well!! LOL!  I mean………. is it any wonder that I now find myself draining the last few drops from a bottle of Riunite, pouring them into a wine glass and covering the glass with aluminum foil to carry along with me whenever I am invited to any of the grandchildren’s homes for dinner?????!!!!!  Ha, ha, ha!!!    

As I always like to pass along the inspirational texts which bring me peace and hope and encouragement each day, I have chosen another of my favorites from the book Jesus Calling.  This daily devotional with its accompanying Scripture passages has helped me to see how the Word of God, throughout all of the ages, has remained constant and trustworthy and that by continually seeking God, we always, always, always find His Presence and His peace.

I am with you and for you.  You face nothing alone………..nothing!  When you feel anxious, know that you are focusing on the visible world and leaving Me out of the picture.  The remedy is simple:  Fix your eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.  Verbalize your trust in Me, the Living One who sees you always.  I will get you safely through this day and all of your days.  But you can find Me only in the present.  Each day is a precious gift from My Father.  How ridiculous to grasp for future gifts when today’s is set before you!  Receive today’s gift gratefully, unwrapping it tenderly and delving into its depths.  As you savor this gift, you find Me.                                        from Jesus Calling

Since what we aim for is not visible but invisible. Visible things are transitory, but invisible things eternal.       2 Corinthians 4:18

TNT

TGW

P.S.  When we were at Disney, the kids and I found a photo booth……………the last time I was in one was when I was in grade school………….it is kind of nice to know there are some things that haven’t changed!!

I have been feeling a bit like Calvin the past few days.  I have opened up “Oscar” and tapped out a few words, then, having re-read a couple of sentences………….hit delete, and then sat……………and waited………….. and waited…………….and waited……………..and waited and………………………………..nothing!!!!  Unfortunately, my artistic talent is non-existent, evidenced early in my life by receiving a “D” in the subject of art in grade school and so, unlike Calvin, drawing Martians was not an option.  So I am pretty much winging it right now, having set a goal of finishing this blog post sometime today.

Being not quite as confident in my “genius-ness” or my mental activities (ahem!!) as Calvin, I will simply attempt to keep the blog from reading like a page out of the novel Ivanhoe!  What is that, you say?  Never heard of one of the great pieces of literature???  Why back in the day, when I was sitting in freshman English class at Watterson, we would open the 544 page paperback and Sister Michele would instruct someone to begin reading aloud all about Medieval England, Richard-the-Lion-Hearted, Robin Hood, Prince John, the Normans, Rebecca, Lady Rowena and of course, Ivanhoe.  I know I will probably offend some lovers of classic British literature, but to a fourteen year-old, the reading of this particular novel in class was an almost insufferable way to await the ringing of the bell signalling the end of class.   Oh, and lest you think me truly a “genius” for the ability to call to mind, after fifty years, the cast of characters…………………….remember……………. Google is never more than a click away!!!

Aarrgghhh………………inspiration……………………..where are you???????????????  I, am as of this moment, only 280 words into my 1200 word, self-imposed word limit, and two days beyond my Sunday evening goal  of completing my post.  How can this be???  I am usually never at a loss for sharing an event or an opinion.  For example, I had plenty of words streaming through my consciousness after watching the President’s press conference Monday as Christopher (phone call),  Dr. Lori (text message) and my Twitter account can attest.  But strangely, I am struggling to put together an entertaining, coherent paragraph to reflect upon the “diary-of-a-nut”.  Perhaps I could begin with a brief video of the grandchildren as we once again celebrated Crick’s birthday without him.   It would have been his 65th (I remind myself that in twenty years, that will actually sound young!!), and I had planned to prepare a spaghetti dinner for the 17 of us, as well as Christine, Mike, Leah, Katie and Tori (so sorry Crick, I know you would have preferred us to celebrate the day with your favorite roast beef entrée, but I vetoed your “in absentia” vote as, after all, roast beef does not begin with a “pot of boiling water”!!!).

Stephanie happened to stop by early with Luke and Tommy and nine helium filled balloons.  It seems that Tommy had asked Steph about getting a gift for Papa and Stephanie came up with a great idea……….once all of the grandchildren had arrived, they were given a small sheet of paper and were asked to write a note to, or a memory of, Crick.  The notes were then attached to each of the balloons and right before we put the candles on the cake, the kids went out into the backyard with their balloons, notes attached, and on the count of three released them into the night sky.   Earlier when we had

gathered the grand-kids all together to take some video of them holding the balloons, we asked if anyone would like to share their messages…………Tommy wrote that he remembered how great Papa was at fixing things, Olivia remembered fishing with Crick and also how Papa used to take his finger and run it through the icing on the cake letting her lick the extra dose of sugar from his finger……..LOL!!  Sydney recalled the memory of Crick catching a small shark on one of our beach vacations and Natalie shared how much she missed him and signed it your “Kosovo” granddaughter.  (side note………I was thinking about why she referenced

Kosovo as she was only nine months old when Crick began his overseas tour, but now as I reviewed the video, I saw that when Sophia came over that night she had asked to wear Crick’s army cap and his dog tags which I had placed on top of Crick’s military flag and so this might have been Natalie’s inspiration).  Luke, Sam and Sophia were a little shy about sharing their notes, but Luke let Stephanie read his before he attached it to his balloon and on the backside of his remembrance, Luke wrote, “I hope that things are going well for you in heaven”.   I just love all these “young-uns” (as Grandma Heubel used to say)…………..they make my heart smile when I need it most!!!!!!!!!

As Stephanie’s birthday was the day before Crick’s, she and Joe, Jennifer, Jim, Megan, Jessica (Chris was at work), and I met for dinner and then headed out to the newly opened Hollywood Casino.  Now I am not much of a gambler but I do know full well how quickly twenty dollars (you can easily detect what “high stakes roller” means to me!!!) can slip through one’s fingers.  Therefore it was with some reluctance that I finally took a seat at the penny slot machines, pulled the lever and watched the reels spin round and round hoping to eventually find myself staring at three matching symbols and collecting an exciting return for my ‘”extravagant” investment…. LOL!!  Well now…………………here is what I learned…………………those three and five reel machines are great at letting you win an occasional token amount which just entices you to keep feeding the machine more and more of your hard-earned money.  The secret then is obviously in knowing exactly when to quit!!!!!  Thanks once again to “Google”, here is what I subsequently learned:

The psychology of the machine design is this………………there are 13 possible payouts ranging from 1:1 to 2,400:1. The 1:1 payout comes every 8 plays.  The 5:1 payout comes every 33 plays, whereas the 2:1 payout comes every 600 plays. Most players assume the likelihood increases proportionate to the payout.  The one midsize payout that is designed to give the player a thrill is the 80:1 payout.  It is programmed to occur an average of once every 219 plays.  The 80:1 payout is high enough to create excitement, but not high enough that it makes it likely that the player will take his winnings and abandon the game.  More than likely the player began the game with at least 80 times his bet (for instance there are 80 quarters in $20).  In contrast the 150:1 payout occurs only on average of once every 6,241 plays.  The highest payout of 2,400:1 occurs only on average of once every 64³=262,144 plays since the machine has 64 virtual stops.  The player who continues to feed the machine is likely to have several midsize payouts, but unlikely to have a large payout.  He quits after he is bored or has exhausted his bankroll. (emphasis mine)

That last sentence is exactly right as evidenced by this cashout voucher which I took home with me at the end of the night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously, my head hurts from just reading the above paragraph let alone trying to comprehend the math behind it…………………….suffice it to say……………..the Hollywood Casino has seen the last of me :)!!!  (besides the fact that the Clark/Heubel families have been trying to win a lottery or a jackpot of any kind for generations, only to discover that we should simply resign ourselves to the “living paycheck to paycheck jackpot”!!).

Hey……………….I just looked down at my word count and see that I am now over 1200 words……………….I may get this blog published yet.  Of course, unlike Calvin, the world is getting my thoughts pretty darn cheap………LOL!!  Oh no, I think that last sentence may have left me vulnerable to some unsolicited commentary :)!!

And now………………………….in conclusion…………..this “un-genius” has one last, final thought.   I will not label it “cheap” although it is completely free of charge, yet worth its weight in gold, especially as it does not originate from me, but comes from the One who is the Genius and who, through His words, has once again spoken directly to my needs and concerns this past week.

Let Me prepare you for the day that stretches out before you.  I know exactly what this day will contain, whereas you have only vague ideas about it.  You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your journey.  You’d feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead.  However there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you will encounter today:  Spend quality time with Me.

I will not show you what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you for the journey.  My living Presence is your Companion each step of the way.  Stay in continual communication with Me, whispering My Name whenever you need to redirect your thoughts.  Thus, you can walk through this day with your focus on Me.  My abiding Presence is the best road map available.               from Jesus Calling

Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.   I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.   Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it.        John 15:4-7

TNT

TGW

P.S.  I received this text from Jennifer of her pork tenderloin meal as I was driving home from work Tuesday (and yes, I arrived at the right office on the right day at the right time!!!).  And to think that I thought she was texting me an invitation to dinner!!!!!!!!!!!  LOL

 Merry Christmas!!!

As you can see from this picture, the Schultheis grandchildren (plus niece Tori) had a visit from Santa while we were all gathered at Stephanie and Joe’s for dinner on the 23rd.  This year we were glad to see that in the past year, Mrs. Claus (a.k.a. the “Deacon’s wife”……a.k.a. Anne Campbell) found some time from her Christmas cooking and baking chores (not!! ha, ha!!) in order to sew the rip in Santa’s pants that was discovered when he got up from his chair last year to head out the door for the North Pole (oh, and if Mrs. Claus can’t find her spool of red thread, she should contact the Baird house……….apparently it was left in Santa’s clothing and fell out onto the floor to be spotted by one of the grandchildren after Santa had made his departure ) LOL!!.

In addition to the Santa visit at Stephanie’s, the grandchildren were also treated to seeing Santa (Richard……was that you again???!) at Jennifer and Jim’s house the previous weekend for the annual Schultheis family Christmas party where a crowd of sixty “kids” ranging in age from one to sixty-nine gathered to catch up with one another and to remember Christmases past.  We were all so grateful that Kim, Jared, Katie and Kelly, their spouses and Feller’s adorable grandchildren (in the above picture, Dylann and Lilly, are the first two on the left and in the picture on the right is their brother Nick ) joined us, for we know their hearts are sill grieving over their loss.  I hope that being surrounded by family and the joy that always emanates when the Schultheis clan congregate will have brought them all some small measure of comfort.

That same weekend also brought the Clark siblings and their spouses together, along with Uncle Bill who drove over from Pittsburgh, for the 20th (or so) annual Gag Gift Christmas Party at Maria and Tommy’s.  This year there was a general consensus that the “gag” gifts were more “gag” than gift.  As I am sure many are aware, the way a gag gift (or White Elephant) exchange works, is that everyone is asked to bring an inexpensive, wrapped gift, there is a tally taken of the number of gift-bearing family in attendance, and then everyone is asked to choose a number from folded slips of paper equal to the number of gifts.  This year a coin was tossed and it was determined that the holder of the highest number (some years this distinction goes to the holder of the lowest number) would have the privilege of becoming the last person to keep or trade, thus guaranteeing possession of the best of all the gifts.  Obviously this is a much sought after honor and I was elated to find that……..miracle of all miracles……my slip of paper contained the highest number!! My excitement was quite short-lived, as about halfway through the gift selection process, I began to take stock of the gifts which had  thus far been opened and I thought to myself………….just my luck…….I finally had the opportunity to have the last pick of all the gifts and, coincidentally, this was also the year everyone seemed to have actually abided by the rule of purchasing a truly “gag” gift!!  I offer, as evidence, the picture of Bobby and Billy wearing their respective gifts!!!!

When my number was finally called out, there was one lonely, amateurishly wrapped (um…….Bobby???) gift sitting in the middle of the floor “adorned” in plain white paper with a flat bottom and an odd-shaped lump in the center!!  As I tore the paper apart I was surprised to find a signed OSU football along with an Eddie George signed hat and poster.  The hat and poster may eventually find their way into a grandson bedroom, but…………………………………I am keeping the football!!  Now……………… if we all only had an OSU Bowl game to look forward to this week (twelve and 0 and no place to go!!!!)

As it seems I happen to have lots of pictures which illustrate better than my mere words the Clark/Schultheis events of the past two weeks, I will offer up a couple more.  Last March, Natalie won a $1500.00 raffle at a fundraiser with which to purchase a hand-made performance dress.  The dress she is wearing in the next picture is the result of much discussion and planning and was shipped from Manchester, England just in time for Christmas., as well as for her Irish dance competition in Pittsburgh this past weekend.  You might also notice that in this picture we presumably have yet another Irish step-dancer waiting in the wings.  Mayce has been imitating Natalie’s dance steps since shortly after she began walking and when Natalie tried on her dress on Christmas day, the other grandkids decided Mayce should not be left out.  So they dressed Mayce up in Natalie’s old dance skirt & wig…………Mayce thinks she is now……….Mayce O’Baird.………LOL!!!!!

Saturday morning I woke up to four more inches of snow on the ground………..so far in the past several days, central Ohio has had more snow than all of last year combined………………………global warming where are you??????????  Oops, I forgot……………………Al Gore now calls it climate change!!!!!   Oh dear, now I have unleashed the demon within me and I am not sure if I can bring it under control.  Thoughts are flying wildly inside my head………….such as fiscal cliff, Obamacare, tax the “rich”, HHS mandate,  Reid, Pelosi, Boehner, Obama (4 million dollar vacation/executive order to raise Biden’s and Congress’ salaries).   Whew!…………..I think I heard Crick admonishing me to stifle and now I am breathing slowly……….. in and out…………………..there…………………I am becoming calm………………calmer………………………calmest :)

I do believe that little “p” rant is a result of “stifling” myself all throughout the holiday gatherings………..just couldn’t hold it in any longer!!!  Now back to my “Fa-la-la-la” blog……………..as I was saying about waking up to the snow………….it presented a bit of an inconvenience as the Clark siblings were meeting cousins Jan, Ralph and Mary Fran (visiting from Oregon) at Bob Evans for breakfast and the driveway needed to be shoveled first.  Crick must have been watching and feeling sorry for old “Mare” because before long, I was joined by not only Peter, my next door neighbor, but also Matt who lives two doors down.  The job got done in half the time thanks to my heavenly sent “snow angels”.  Fortunately, everyone made it to B.E. and, I am thinking that Katie (niece), who was working at the carry-out counter that morning must have tipped off the staff that her crazy family was coming as we were eventually seated in a remote section of the restaurant :)!!!  Great thinking on their part because Billy brought along some props for this holiday picture which Tommy insisted not be posted to Facebook with his name tagged!!!  LOL

Thank goodness for all of this activity which keeps me focused on the present moment and allows for me to enjoy the happiness and joy that accompanies the Christmas season.  I gratefully accept all of these cheerful gatherings as blessings from a merciful God and I continually thank Crick for teaching me (trust me….. a few years ago it would have actually pained me to say this!!!) to “be glad I woke up and was able to put two feet on the floor”.  By practicing to let go of many of the things that can not be changed and seeing that my glass really is half-full, I have truly been able to be at peace with my life.  While I forever pictured Crick and me growing older and crankier (LOL) together,  looking forward, together, as our grandchildren grew into young adulthood, watching proudly as their lives unfolded before us……………….and even as that vision has been shattered, and even as his absence feels at times so overwhelming………………………..still I draw comfort from remembering his always cheerful optimism and giving thanks, as he would, for all of the wonderful people who were brought into my life by the joining of our two lives together……………..our children/their spouses, grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts/uncles, grandparents, friends.  These relationships always, always, always strengthen me, comfort me and enable me to experience a little bit of heaven here on earth.

As the New Year approaches, my resolution is to continue to try to embrace Crick’s grateful attitude and to “keep my eye upon the doughnut and not upon the hole”.

A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven.  Spiritual blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity.  Moreover, as you look up with a grateful heart, you get glimpses of Glory through those windows.  You cannot yet live in heaven, but you can experience foretastes of your ultimate home.  Such samples of heavenly fare revive your hope.  Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences, which then provide further reasons to be grateful.  Thus, your path becomes an upward spiral: ever-increasing in gladness.

Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the language of Love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me.  A thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora of problems.  Instead, it rejoices in Me, your Savior, in the midst of trials and tribulations.  I am your refuge and strength, an ever-present and well-proved help in trouble.                                               from Jesus Calling

God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress.                      Psalm 46:1

TNT

TGW

P.S.  You must know me by now……….there usually is a postscript………..I simply couldn’t resist sharing just two more pictures………………………..these were just two of the many, many generous and thoughtful gifts that I received over the holidays.  One was a canvas wall hanging created by Sophia and Sydney (with perhaps just a little help from Jessica!!) and the other was the latest book by GB given to me by my ever-forgiving employers………..Drs. Lori and  Ira!!!