Beneath the Wraps

         Roland had come home early on Wednesday.   He probably shouldn’t have even gone in.   He slept most of the day.   He needed to.          I took Jenna to the library for the afternoon countdown.   I have been to the library on December 31 st before.   But the last day of 2014 was different.   The library was overly quiet – except for children in the library.          It wasn’t crowded.   Less crowded than I have seen the WV library – EVER. Roland had told us to leave early in order to get a good parking spot.   I honestly don’t think it would have mattered what time we left.   The turn-out wasn’t as good as it had been the last time we had gone for the New Year/afternoon countdown. Jenna decorated a hat and asked me to finish her noise maker while she went to participate in games.   I wishe...

              Two of our boys took their wives to Arizona.   They left the day after Christmas and are returning today.   I hope they have coats.   Carrie will have one, but the rest may have decided to tough it out, as the weather really was nice when they left.             Carrie texted me that it was 73 degrees in Arizona.   They’ll be returning to below zero.   Actually it is 2 above as I write this post.   Wind chill factor makes it feel so much colder.             It’s not as windy right now as it was yesterday.   It’s a wonder I wasn’t in a coma all day. I don’t remember it being this cold.   Not for a very long while anyway.               It snowed on Christmas day – pretty much all day....

     My brother, Corey, has always been a big fan of Steven Sondheim.   I don’t think it was until after he was in high school still or college when I was introduced to his “Into the Woods” soundtrack – which I listened to and read along as the characters sang.   Immediately I decided it was a production that I wanted to see.         I have seen four or five different versions – though I don’t actually remember the details of each one.   I think the first opportunity was when the production was on tour.   I vaguely remember seeing it with my mom, I think.   I don’t know who else was with us.   I’m wondering if we were given tickets that Corey, himself, was unable to use.         My least favorite production was one that he was in.   He played Repunzel’s prince.   Our friend, Jinx, played the baker.   It was a marvelous cast, and each one...

            I have noticed with each passing year, Jenna has had friends or acquaintances join Facebook – which has an age restriction – and I know for a fact that they are all younger than required age.               There have been some who've asked for her email address and we have given out mine, as Jenna does not have one.   She did have one through the school, but has forgotten it.   But I don’t imagine she could start a facebook account with a school email address anyway.               I could pay 50 cents to start an email account for her – or lie about her age – which evidently is what most of her friends or acquaintances (or their parents) have done.   How important is it for her to have this that we need to lie about it?   Thus she still isn’t on facebook.   ...

On Christmas Eve, I opened a gift presented by my granddaughter.   The name of the book is “Grandmothers Are Like Snowflakes . . . No Two Are Alike” by Janet Lanese (who I believe refers to herself as “Grandma Jan”) and had started reading it before I went to bed and continued after I got up and after we opened presents.    It’s got a bunch of great thoughts and little proverbs and I started reminiscing with many quotes that I read – starting with myself. Some quotes come with full names.   Some are quotes taken from children in which first name and age of child are given.   One of my favorite quotes came from an eight year old named Tammy.   It says, “ I love my grandma’s wrinkles.  Every one tells a story ” – which is where I got the title of this post.      I don’t feel much like a grandma.   I haven’t been with Ester much to make a connection in which we are both comfortable in our roles.   She’ll be three in...

                              The wooden nativity that Patrick painted did not include the bear.                          It was a gift that Jenna received for Christmas one year and decided                           she would add to the nativity                     The first Mary (pink) is the first piece that Jenna received to her nativity;                  the second is the only piece I can find to a nativity that my mom had given me;        ...

                           The first name drawn to pick a gift was our granddaughter, Ester                        Carrie suggested this white elephant she had wrapped.  Ester loved it.                                                                           The expression on my face says it all                        Jeanie was next to pick a gift.  She opened the clock that we had broug...