G is Grandma

Grandma taught me many things.  She taught me how to sew, crochet, and stand up for myself.  Grandma tried to teach me to knit, but for some reason, I still haven't gotten the hang of it.

I loved to listen to my grandma's stories.  She had so many bits of wisdom.  She wasn't the flowery kind, and she swore like a sailor.  That was part of her charm.

I was with grandma when she died.  We were lucky enough to remember all of her stories and songs.  I sang "Yellow Bird" to her like she sang to me.  Two months before grandma passed, my daughter was born and was baptized.  My pastor put the sign of the cross on Allison's head and said "Allison Ann, child of God, welcome to "Family of God"  When grandma died, her pastor made the sign of the cross on her head and said, "Shirley June, Child of God, welcome to the "Kingdom of God".  That always brings me peace.

Prayer Shawl

While I wait for my sister's results, I decided to make my sister and my mom a Prayer Shawl.  A church friend of ours had been diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia AML this past fall and and heard the story of another church in town providing her with a prayer shawl.  This morning on my break, I googled prayer shawls and found a nice pattern book to download on Annie's Attic.

According to the pattern, a prayer shawl is an excellent way for people to work out their worries as they pray for the recipient. Some of the suggested prayers include "God Bless you with his healing heart."  Or  "May God comfort you in your time of sorrow."  Or "Peace be with you."  I liked the concept of crocheting because it reminds me of my grandma teaching me to crochet - and that will make my mom and sister smile.

I found a pattern that fit the yarn they carried at Oklee Quilting   - a nice soft cotton bulky - intended for a baby blanket - so soft for comfort.  I picked out a sage green that looked like a lot of the shirts Missi wears, brought it home, and started crocheting my little heart out.

I found that as I prayed the simple words "God Bless You" my crocheting looked better.  The pattern book explained that crochet or knitting is a lot like meditation or praying in itself -- over and over repeating a pattern to calm ourselves.

It turns out I didn't have to pay for any prayer shawl pattern - there are many excellent recources with free patterns and prayers online.   There are plenty of people wanting to share their ideas.

http://www.shawlministry.com/prayers.htm

I know my mom and sister will be all right.  I know that colon cancer has an excellent prognosis since it was caught at an early enough stage for my mom.  I'm in awe of the science involved with leukemia and the added hope science brings to my faith.

I think your prayers are working. I'm laughing at corny jokes again.  Faith is blooming in my heart.

Sweet Land

Last night, I was ready for bed at 9:30. My jammies were on.  The covers were turned over.  I had my fuzzy socks on...  when I heard Jason call me...

"Hey Bobbi..."

The bed was so warm...

"Yes?"

"Roberta! Come here!"

I drug myself out of bed and looked at him...

"Yes?"

"Look"

He started a movie on Netflix.

And there on the screen was a farm - just like his grandmother's.   He started to laugh.

"The setting is Minnesota."

I looked at him and smiled.




I sat next to him, put my head on his shoulder and stayed up for two more hours.

When the movie was done, I had to find out everything about it.  The screen play is based on a short story from Will Weaver's Tombstone Made of Wheat.

No wonder.

Will Weaver is a professor at Bemidji State.  Only ninety miles from here.  In fact, he's been a big supporter of Poetry Out Loud

No wonder I loved the movie so much.

Crapft

Before I went back to school, one of my favorite things to do was to craft.  I have to tell you.  It's taken me many years to even get remotely good.  My sewing projects are not very beautiful and the girls would only wear the dresses I made them outside.

  At home.

  In the sandbox.

But - slowly and surely - I get better.

I'm not sure what appeals to me about crafting so much - maybe it's the pioneer feel to it.  Maybe it's because I loved the things my grandma made for me.

I think I mentioned that my grandma taught me how to crochet.  I've made plenty of afgans, bags, and doilies in my time. They weren't always the most beautiful creations in the world - and this is why I call it Crapft.  My mom has the first pot holder I crocheted in an old box filled with all of her important papers - it's pretty lopsided.

I won't show you the crapft I made - it's so embarrassing.

But - I am rather proud of this

of which I made for someone swell on our tenth wedding anniversary.

Primary Day

Today is primary day in Minnesota!!   Wooo hoo!!!  I just thought I'd share one of my favorite primary day posts!  I wrote this two years ago in honor of my grandma.



Tomorrow is primary Tuesday. It brings me back to September 2000 when I wheeled my Grandma Shirley down to the community hall so she could vote for Mark Dayton. Weeks a head of time, Grandma made my sister and I promise we would go down and vote at primaries to be sure that Mark Dayton would be the Minnesota Democratic Nominee for United States Senate. Looking back, how could anyone resist a seventy-five year old dynamo with oxygen tubing in a wheelchair?


Grandma told me about Mark Dayton's bus trips to Canada. Grandma was convinced that Mark Dayton was the answer to her and her friends' prayers. He was sincere, honest, and he cared about the cost of medicine. It seemed like everyday the commercials got her excited. Anytime we would call with news of her great-grandchildren, she would bring up Mark Dayton and the hope he offered Minnesota, the United States, and the world.

The Rock Star I'll Miss the Most

A week and a half ago, we lost Jason's grandma to a sudden heart attack. Her passing was a shock. Grandma Tracy was a crafter at heart. As we cleaned her apartment we found many, many boxes filled with beads, sequins, quilt blocks, and yarn. Many days we'd sit together and crochet after a family meal. Grandma always asked if I was doing any special craft. She was always interested in my projects.

This Thanksgiving, I was hostess as usual. No one showed up an hour early as I was hiding my clutter in the spare bedroom. I didn't hear that distinct giggle as the girls sang Thanksgiving songs.

Thanksgiving was lonely without her.

Lake of the Woods...

This weekend, we went to Lake of the Woods at Warroad, MN.


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My mom was thrilled because we were meeting them up there. At 4:00 Thursday afternoon, she called and told us she was leaving. "O.K." I said and told her we would call her when we got there.

At 5:30, she called and asked if we had left yet. We were just leaving the house and had all of the animals fed and ready for my brother-in-law to check in on.

At 5:45, she called and asked where we were.

"Mom? We're only in St. Hilaire. We have to stop by Walmart and pick up some fishing lures and will eat somewhere in Thief River."

At 6:15, my mom called again.

"Where are you?"

"Mom, we are eating at Subway."

"What? You're only eating." She sighed and hung up.

At 7:00, she called us.

"Where are you?"

"Between Middle River and Greenbush."

"Oh. We are eating at Earl's in Roseau."

"OK"

Jason was starting to get annoyed. I told him to relax and go back to sleep.

My mom mixed things up a bit and called us at 8:00.

"Where are you?"

"Right outside of Roseau."

"OK."

We got to Warroad put our things in our room and drove down to the lake. Mom took us on a tour of where everyone in town camps, and we crashed a campfire or two before heading back to the hotel.

The next morning, my dad took us fishing in his new boat.


Lake of the Woods is renown for its fishing. Sometimes, one can watch a fishing show and see the professionals fishing on Lake of the Woods. One of my mom's friend's even caught a sturgeon there once. My dad is obsessed with fishing. I mean this guy has even went to Brazil to go fishing on the Amazon. I suppose fishing would be dad's personal legend.



We had a blast! The girls loved it.



For about an hour. After not catching anything, they were done with fishing for the day.



So, for the next three hours we heard them complain about how bored they were. I gave them my ipod, but it didn't have the songs they liked. I gave them paper, but they didn't want to draw.

Finally, we decided the girls should go in for the day. Jason went back to the hotel to sleep, dad went back out to the lake, and mom and I took the girls out to a drive to Rocky Point.

I wanted to see the place I used to go with my family while growing up. We used to meet Grandma Shirley and Roy up at Franks'. Frank was an old bachelor who rented out lots for the summer. His lots were $100. Of course, there was no running water, and we took our baths in the lake.

When we got to Franks' we were discouraged to see the "No Trespassing" signs everywhere. Instead we went to Arnesons' at Rocky Point. We walked out to the docks, and I pointed out the rock island I used to dream about as a girl. The girls admired the beautiful scenery then, hopped into our red mini-van and drove back to the hotel.

Someone Who Matters

I'm a storyteller by nature. It all started in first grade when we had ... Show and Tell. A few years ago, when I saw my first grade teacher, she told me about the time I got up in front of the room and told the whole class about the birds and the bees. I love telling stories.

My stories end up in my classroom. For the most part, they are more appropriate than my first grade stories. A lot of times, I tell stories about people in my life who've taught me a life lesson or have given me a good laugh.

This year, one of my students' assignments was to write about someone who matters to them. For the most part, these papers were the best papers. I really learned a lot about my students, their parents, or their grandparents. I really tried to stress to that their parents or grandparents would be more interesting than a best friend.


I gave the students a graphic organizer of characterization and one of a plot diagram. The purpose of the graphic organizer is to help students know what paragraph goes where. I took a transparency of the graphic organizer and showed them how I would start my paper. Throughout the day, I talked about two people who mattered to me. The first "paper" I wrote was about Grandma Shirley.

My characterization sheet showed grandma's habits, hobbies, sayings, what she looked like, and the trouble she had with breathing from her many years smoking.

The kids laughed as I told them how she'd always say "Run 'em over!" anytime we encountered a pedestrian when driving around in her bright red Mercury.

We took the information about her and put it on a plot diagram to plan my paper. I showed them how I would organize my paper by using grandma's "big stuff" as the climax.

This was one of the easiest lessons I taught. I suppose because I could use my past to show them how to write something meaningful. After my laughter and tears about a crazy old lady who taught me how to sew and knit, many of them wanted to share about their honorable grandfathers, silly aunties, and patient mothers. You know someone who matters to them.

Sorry I ditched you with my grandma....

I figured out a cool new trick. When your long winded grandma comes to town, try this out on your spouse!!!!

First - Listen to your grandma's stories. You miss her. You love her. If she starts to get long winded and starts to talk about her B.Ms. Start looking for your spouse.

Second- Spot your spouse. Shout out "Hey Good Looking!" You catch his or her attention.

Third - Keep smiling at grandma like she's the most interesting person in the world.

Fourth - Wave your spouse over.

Fifth - Exclaim to your grandma "Oh my gosh Grandma, (insert name) would love to hear the story of how you canned twenty-seven jars of beans."

Sixth - Walk away. Don't look back.

Seventh- As you fall asleep that night, say "Sorry I ditched you with my grandma."

Primaries...

Tomorrow is primary Tuesday. It brings me back to September 2000 when I wheeled my Grandma Shirley down to the community hall so she could vote for Mark Dayton. Weeks a head of time, Grandma made my sister and I promise we would go down and vote at primaries to be sure that Mark Dayton would be the Minnesota Democratic Nominee for United States Senate. Looking back, how could anyone resist a seventy-five year old dynamo with oxygen tubing in a wheelchair?

Grandma told me about Mark Dayton's bus trips to Canada. Grandma was convinced that Mark Dayton was the answer to her and her friends' prayers. He was sincere, honest, and he cared about the cost of medicine. It seemed like everyday the commercials got her excited. Anytime we would call with news of her great-grandchildren, she would bring up Mark Dayton and the hope he offered Minnesota, the United States, and the world.

Grandma died in January 2002 almost seven years ago. Tomorrow, J. Bird and I will be election judges for our township. As I count the votes of my neighbors, I'm going to remember wheeling my grandma down to the community hall casting her vote for her hopes and dreams.

Grandma Tracy

This is a picture of J.Bird's grandma Tracy at J.Bird's little brother's wedding! Isn't this just an awesome picture?

Sewing with Nancy part 3

After many months of obsessing over which embroidery machine to buy, I settled on a Janome from a mom and pop store in Fargo. They mailed it to me.

I set it up. My first project would be a sweatshirt for J. I put a corn cob in his armpit.

Oh well.

My next project I sewed a butterfly on a shirt for Natalie.


It was sewn together. She couldn' t even get it on.

At this same time, my sister moved into her new house. I was helping her move when I suddenly felt ill. I went into her basement, turned on the T.V. , and laid down on the couch.

There on the screen was a special Sewing with Nancy. Embroidery 101.

I begged my sister for a video tape.

Sewing with Nancy part 2

One of my best friends decided my sister and I should learn to sew. She gave us a notions list and sent us on our merry way to Joann Fabrics with the enthusiasm of a born-again Christian.

We went to her little house on the other side of town with our fabric and cut out patterns of our snowmen centerpieces and sewed to our hearts' content.

I was in love.

One night, I couldn't sleep and watched HSN- yes, the Home Shopping Network. They had an embroidery machine... I watched with wonder. How beautiful the products were.

I decided I would buy an embroidery machine.

Sewing with Nancy

When my Grandma Shirley was alive, her favorite show was Sewing with Nancy. Every Saturday, she had my sister or me tape the show whether grandma was on outings or even at home watching the program. Sometimes, when we'd come over she'd have us watch a segment with her.

Grandma knew all about Nancy's life. Nancy had a stroke and valiantly survived. Grandma was impressed with how Nancy could sew.

What would happen if one of us forgot to tape Sewing with Nancy? Well, Grandma wasn't so gracious. She'd hang up the phone with us and probably cuss us out under her breath.

https://www.nancysnotions.com

Also, Grandma would be pissed if we would call during Sewing with Nancy. Sewing with Nancy was her special time to visit with her buddy Mary.

She'd call Mary Jane "Did you see that?"

Mary Jane called grandma; "That Nancy sure knows how to sew."

This was their conversation.

(By the Way - Nancy has/had Bells Palsey - see my comments on this post)