Beneath the Wraps

               When Jenna was seven years old I had signed her up for an acting class.  The show to be preformed was “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”.  A few hours before taking her to the “audition” she painted red dots all over her face and told me she couldn’t possibly go because she had the measles.  I don’t know what she had against Charlie Brown at the time, but I know the entire “Peanuts” gang were not high on her list of shows to watch.  Pretending she was one of them seemed against her nature.           That first night of class the script was passed out.   Three boys and four girls read the script according to how the instructor had assigned them before she changed what parts to read for.   Lucy and Linus were cast that night but she was still getting a feel for who the other children would play and who would be double cast (as there are just six characters). ...

                 I had asked a friend if she would drive me to the airport yesterday.  I had changed the time of her flight and would have been able to drive myself but my friend was still willing – in fact looking forward to it – perhaps more than I.  Before the pandemic she had received a gift card to Red Lobster but has not used it in all of this time.  So after we went to the airport and picked up Jenna, our friend drove us to Red Lobster and used her gift card on overpriced food that really didn ’ t seem worth what we would have paid.  Jenna and I do love the cheese rolls – which she enjoyed more than I.  It probably isn ’ t the fault of Red Lobster but rather my taste buds (or lack thereof) that are to blame.   Currently Jenna is in Cottage Grove attending the high school football game – not that she knows anything about football or any other sport.   She has school spirit as many of those f...

               There are several times when we are leaving the house that Jenna and I will slip out the back door to avoid taking Bonnie with us.   It’s nothing against the dog – it’s usually just an inconvenience to take her when we’re just going to the store or the church.   I have taken Bonnie with me a few times when I picked Jenna up from seminary.   This morning I allowed Bonnie to come with me.             Oh, that was a fun ride (not) as Bonnie whined for the most part.   Believing she had to relieve herself, I opened the back door as soon as I parked in the church parking lot.   She ran out and towards the building.   I could see her looking through the door.   Class was out and everyone was waiting for their rides.   I figured at least one of them would see Bonnie and Jaime would come out – which she did.   Only when she opened the door ...

  Jenna asked me if I would go on a walk with her and Bonnie.   She asked if I could look up a scavenger hunt list that we could do at the park.   I pulled up a list and sent it to her phone.   The rules were that we could not take something that we brought ourselves and no repeats.   At least one of us had to be in the picture with said item (as we would not be bringing any of it home) My rule was that we did not have to capture things in order – otherwise we would still be at the park with an empty list. Twenty items were on the list. The list goes as follows: Something covered in feathers Something inflated by air Something made of wood Something purple Something rectangle Something round Something shorter than you Something square Something striped Something taller than you Something that flies Something that displays a rule(s) Something that smells pretty Something with wheels Something yellow Something you can sit in So...

When Jenna was a tot, all she had to do was flash her smile and a member of an older generation would whip out a quarter and hand it to her.   She hasn’t outgrown her charm and charisma, but I’m happy to say no one financially pays her for it anymore (I think with the age she is now that I’d be worried)   One time we had gone to Big Lots and some guy on his way in had asked if I wouldn’t mind hanging on to his enormous Great Danes while he went inside.   I was hoping to get Biff’s attention so that he could get a picture of me hanging onto the leashes of these gigantic animals.   The owner had called them “Scooby Doo” dogs.   So now everytime I hear the name "Scooby Doo" I think of that time with Jenna.                                         https://saveadane.org/2012/03/great-dane-ranking/ When he had finished his business, he came out of the store and pr...

            I’m guessing that before Jenna was born she had learned the words and notes to music of many authors and artists and carried it with her when she came to earth. When she was inside of me I would put headphones over my belly and play songs for her, mostly classical or primary songs. She seemed to enjoy them. And after she was born, I would sing to her.   I would sing songs about whatever toy she was holding or whatever picture we were looking at.   For example, I would sing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” whenever I caught her looking at the flag on my tee shirt.   Or I would point to the animals on her teething ring and sing songs about each animal if I could think of one. I don’t know why it surprises me whenever Jenna sings along with a song that is decades older than she is.   I caught her singing along with Sam Cooke last night and asked, “How do you know this?”   She had...

                    We had lived in Douglas County less than two months the first time we had gone to the DC fair.   I know we overspent.   It was worth the smile on Jenna’s face.   It seems like there was more distance to cover that first year than this year.           Though the fair is held every year, we have not gone to it each year.   I think it was just a matter of lack of funds in 2016.   Jenna and Roland went for a few hours in 2017.   The elements that surrounded that year were hot and smoky and I chose not to go.   They   had dressed vegetables and were gone for just a few hours.           I don’t know that Jenna had even considered last year as she and Roland were performing in Robin Hood.   This year she decided she wanted to go and we would take Marie. ...

This is Ernie in the middle.   I purchased him when I had worked for Snelgroves ice cream store in Salt Lake City.   He has a music box inside of him.   When wound up, he will play the tune "Teddy Bear's Picnic".   I brought Ernie into my marriage.   I think he sat on a shelf until after Jenna was born.   I would play the song for her.   She loved putting her hand on Ernie's belly when the music played.   She loved feeling the music play. This is how Hi-Five may have appeared at one time. strange name, I know.   I will explain how we got his name, but first allow me to back up to the day when Hi-Five joined our family.   Jenna and I had been visiting with Aunt Gertrude who often purchased items just because they were on sale.   It was rare that any family member would ever visit   and not be offered to walk away with some material object be it a sweatshirt, stuffed animal, collectible  doll or rocks (...