Blog

It’s true, if I became tasked with raising a child at the age I am now, it would not be pretty. As forgetful as I am, I may find that one day I’d loaded my groceries in the car and left the child behind in the cart – you know, like you do sometimes with a carton of soda. It’s also likely I wouldn’t have the energy for all the birthday parties, school events and sports. A perfect example of behavior that would likely bring on an aneurism today is explained below.

Our second child, Heather, was the picture of an angel. Big innocent blue eyes, blonde hair that she liked to wear in braids, and the sweetest smile you were ever likely to see. But behind that baby face, behind those big blue eyes beneath that pretty blonde hair, was a tiny little devil, just waiting for the right time to strike.

When she was three we found her on the roof of our home with her Pooh Bear tucked under her arm, singing and carrying on a conversation with Pooh. Terrified that she would fall or run from us, we talked her back inside, pushed a small chest of drawers under the window and removed the table she had used to stand on to get out of the window.

Not enough – she used the drawers of the chest as a ladder. Again terror – and thankfully no child abuse, even though it was certainly tempting. The window was nailed shut. Problem solved! At least THAT problem, on THAT day, but our little Heather would never be a boring child. Every day was an adventure, both for her AND FOR US!

Today she is a strong independent young woman and we laugh together when we remember some of the antics that nearly drove her parents over the edge.

*********

Gram use’ta say

“Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

*********

By: Richard L. King

Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that I’d ever try a dating service, but I stumbled on a site and decided to try it. I’m ever so thankful that I did

The year was 2008; I was 64 and still had most of my hair and nearly all of my teeth. My wife had died in 86 and I had lived in South Florida since 92. I was still alone because I wasn’t really comfortable approaching a lady and not many had ever approached me.

I don’t own a good pickup line and I’m not blessed with a gift for gab. I’m not really shy, but I’m not very outgoing either. All of which made it difficult to meet that special someone, especially when you’re not really sure if you’re even looking. (or if she is.)   I know that’s confusing, but I’d been on my own for so long that I wasn’t real certain just how “involved” I wanted to be. I was pretty set in my ways and I wasn’t certain that I’d want to adjust to anything new in my routine.

With all that said, one day this “pop up” showed on my screen. Out of the clear blue this web-site was telling me that there were… “lots of ladies right there in your neighborhood looking for someone just like you.” It must have been divine intervention, don’t you think? Well, it went on to say that I could check it out for free. I’m no dummy, it doesn’t get much cheaper than free and so I decided to check it out.

Sure enough there were lots of photos of ladies, each with a little resume of a sort attached to it. Color me intrigued.   I wanted to know more. Unfortunately, to correspond with them I would be required to complete a resume of my own.   It took me several days,,, (you have to get it just right) but I posted my resume and then sat back waiting to be swamped by all those beautiful ladies wanting to date me.

Now you may think that I was being naïve, but I swear to you I did get a good number of winks as they were called, wherein some of those ladies actually did want to meet me. I selected the three that seemed to be the most promising and winked back at them.

Suffice it to say that a photo doesn’t always do justice. Upon face to face meetings, some of those ladies seemed to have aged some since their photo had been taken. Maybe I am just a little bit naïve after all.

However, I was most intrigued by one who was out of state for her daughter’s wedding for a month. We began corresponding via email and found that we had many things in common. Convinced that we wanted to take the next step when she got back, we decided to meet for ice cream at the local Baskin Robbins. (Later she explained that she had selected that location primarily for self-defense… if it turned out that I was a dog, I wouldn’t know where she lived and because it doesn’t take long to eat a scoop of ice cream before she could be on her way.)

That was a little over ten years ago and we have now lived together for over 8 years. When the subject of computer dating comes up, we are both strong advocates. Of course, you’ll likely have to sort through a dog or two, but at least for us, the payoff was well worth it.

*********

Gramps use’ta say
©R.L.King2012 #314

About: Attitude

“Smiles breed joy,
frowns breed sadness.
…live accordingly.”

*********

We live in a time of fascinating technology. We’re not quite equal to The Jetson’s with flying cars but what we do have is amazing. Smartphones alone have become a necessity in most homes. What did we do when didn’t have access to the thousands of apps that enhance our lives? With a simple command to Alexa we turn on a light or a fan or even our TV without moving a muscle. Doorbells will video anyone walking near the door.

When we search our phone or ask Alexa questions, is Big Brother taking note? Someone is for sure. Have you ever searched for the price of an item on line and then the next time you check your Facebook page, up pops an advertisement for that exact item? It certainly can be disconcerting to us older folks and we wonder, “Is this a good thing or a bad thing?”

Recently a county deputy gave a presentation to our community on safety and security. One especially interesting portion of his talk explained that our county sheriffs’ department has partnered with the Ring Doorbell Company. If a crime occurs in our neighborhood, a deputy will contact all of the nearby neighbors with Ring Doorbells and ask permission to view their Ring video. Once permission is granted a call by the deputy to ‘Ring’ opens up ‘The Cloud’ and law enforcement can see everyone who passed near our doors, helping them to identify suspects that were in the area at the time of the crime.

Is Big Brother watching? Particularly in the case just mentioned it is definitely a GOOD thing.

*********

Gram use’ta say

“A ringing phone often brings news, good or bad,
that can change your life forever.”

*********

 

 

I WATCHED
© By: Richard L. King
From my book Memories & Time

I was there when you were conceived
and as you took your very first breath
I watched.

When you started to crawl,
I was watching.

I watched your first steps
and when you spoke your first words,
I was listening.

As you discarded the training wheels
from your first bike,
I watched

As you boarded your first school bus,
picked out your first baseball glove,
learned to catch,,, and throw
and when you played your first peewee game.
I watched.

Your first football practice,
first game,  last game
and all the games in between,
I watched.

When you crossed the stage
to receive your diploma,
with great pride,
I watched.

When you married,
became a military man
and had children,
though I was in the wings,
still I watched.

I watched as we buried your mom,
….then your brother.

Never,,, have I been more proud of being your father.

But recently, as your daughters
performed together, publicly,
for the very first time,,,
and we all watched,,,,,

as tears of pride filled your eyes,
….I smiled,,,,

and once again,
with great pride of my own,

…I watched.

*********

Gramps use’ta say
©R.L.King2012 #206

About: Attitude

  “A great attitude
makes big problems much smaller
…and small blessings much bigger.”

 

By:  Donna Hale Chandler

Are mother’s truly sane or do you think we’re all a bit brain damaged? I’m not quite sure when I lost my grasp on common sense but I’m positive it had something to do with the bearing of children. In the past I was under the mistaken opinion that once children grow into adulthood, go out and make their own homes, I might actually begin to regain a semblance of normality again. WRONG!

I am now pushing 70 years old, retired; living in a beautiful community filled with other retirees. Both of my children are healthy, settled, have their own homes and go to work every day. Have my brain cells recovered? Nope, don’t think so. It appears that I will never ever stop ‘mothering’ my off-spring, just as my own mother kept ‘mothering’ me, much to my discomfort, right up until her passing at age 80.

Knowing how much it irritated me to hear my mother say to my 60-year-old-being, “You’re are NOT going to wear THAT, are you?” Or, “Did you lose your comb? What is the matter with your hair today?” I find I do exactly the same thing to my own adult children.

 And I ignore the eye-roll just as my mother did. 

*********

Gram use’ta say

All jobs are important,
none more so than that of being a parent.

*********