Okay, so they don't serve hot chocolate ...

... they serve ice cream products in Largo Park. The park is decorated beautifully for Christmas. You can park and walk and so we did -- Roxanne, Kamen, Tim, Sandi, Tyler and me. We had a great time to the backdrop of Christmas music. It was a little on the cool side but not enough to bring out any hot chocolate vendors -- oh, no! Just the ice cream truck! For this transplanted northerner, I found that quite amusing!

Tyler, Kamen and Tim enjoying their ice cream. Tyler enjoyed it so much, his lips have turned the color of his ice cream!! And then we were on to a neighborhood who raises money for Hospice. Most of the homes in a large area are decorated to the max. Along the way, you will find folks like the lady below. They give away candy canes and, of course, we donated some to the Hospice Fund.

I was taking pictures of the house behind her and Tim assured her that her house would be on my blog -- and maybe she would end up in the news. Okay, that's stretching it! She said, "I appreciate the compliment on the house -- but it's not mine! I'm just here collecting money for Hospice!" Too funny ... We were really glad we chose a night early in December. We will probably go again on Christmas Eve which is a long time tradition -- but chances are, it will take much longer to get through. A lot of other people have the same tradition!! By the way, do you see the snow in the photo below -- well, artificial snow and people get quite creative in Florida to provide the atmosphere of the Christmas season!

Life's Most Embarrassing Moments ... another one!

Last evening was one of those times when you could classify something as very embarrassing -- but I'm not sure if it was more embarrassing for me or the other person.I was attending Carols, Candlelight and Communion at Clearwater First Church of the Nazarene. They had it in their Fireside Room and the place filled up quickly.

I sat at the end of a row of seats since I had my cane and didn't want to stumble over myself since I already do that quite handily. A couple (who I later found out are long-time Nazarenes) wanted to sit in the same row and asked if they could come by me. I told them, of course. I decided that the best thing to do with my cane was to pull it back towards me and out of the 'traffic area' in front of my seat. The wife got by just fine but the husband had not seen my cane there. As you can see in the photo, it has one of those sort of foam grip handles so when he passed, it sort of grabbed the back of his pants. (I know, you get the picture and it's not pretty!)

I didn't even realize what had really happened until he got beyond me. He looked at me sort of strangely -- like he couldn't believe what I may have done, then noticed the cane and mumbled, "Oh, I didn't see your cane." I guess he thought I had been a little too personal but I assured him that there was no harm done other than some embarrassment. I started to say that I undersood how he could have misunderstood and that got to sounding worse so I just stopped while I was ahead. I have no idea who was more embarrassed but it just struck me funny! Oh, well ...

You can only post ONE ....

... You can only post ONE photo that is .... that was the order I received from Roxanne last night after she and Kamen made Christmas cookies. I wasn't sure what was going on other than the smell of freshly baked cookies so decided to stay clear of kitchen until I heard, "Mom, can you come help with the icing?" I wasn't sure what to expect and it's always a challenge using a mixer with confectioners sugar. We may not have snow down here -- but we can surely create some artificial snow of sorts! So ... I helped get it whipped into shape and they did the rest. I then escaped to another part of the house for the time being so as not to be in the way right then.

It wasn't long before Kamen found me in the office with, "Nana, would you like a cookie?" He was so proud of what they had done and he should be!

Within the next couple weeks, I'll have a visit by two other little guys as we do our annual Christmas cookie baking/decorating project. Kamen joins us sometimes but as he is growing up, he is reaching a new level. It's different to see him holding his little niece and feeding her or just holding her. He's quite the doting uncle ... although that desciption is usually kept for old people and Kamen is definitely not old at 10 years old!

Funny things happen in our house and last night was one of those after the cookies were all iced and settled for the night. I had seen Kamen and he usually says, "Hi, Nana" as he passes, which he did. I headed toward the kitchen and just as I did, he ran from the kitchen across the dining room and towards the bathroom. He didn't realize that I was heading his way. He passed me and since it was rather dim, he was about scared out of his wits. He yelled and then stood in front of the bathroom door for a few minutes with his hand over his heart trying to settle himself. I reminded him that I had just talked to him about 30 seconds before but he assumed I had gone into my room! Poor thing -- he'll just never be the same since his grandmother almost scared him to death!!

I don't think Roxanne will be too upset with me for posting these -- after all, she's had them on her facebook site for maybe an hour or so ... lol!

I feel weird ... well, sort of ...

This evening, I made my way around the house with just a cane -- of course, it's one of those four pronged cane because I am very much balance challenged. (No comments, please!!) But, I couldn't believe how good it felt to have more control of my life than I have had for the past four months. Because you cannot carry anything and use a walker (well, there are various hiding places you can use), I usually went to the kitchen in a wheelchair. I could get out of it but could also put things on my lap and wheel myself around with my feet. Not a pretty picture, I know.

So, this evening when I got in the refrigerator to get some iced tea, I thought, "Wow, this looks different." Of course, I knew right away that I was actually looking down rather than looking up!!

The stationary bike is a great way to exercise. I used to ride a bike a lot when I was a child. Somehow, I'm not sure if anyone would want to be on the same road with me now! So, it's best that I simply stay in place and make the world a safer place - for me and everyone else


I looked down at Ava today as she was sleeping peacefully in my arms (which she loves to do -- put her down and her little eyes pop right open) and I realized again how much she looks like Roxanne. It was a little unsettling today and I wanted to check a calendar to make sure I hadn't been transported back in time.

So ... I think I am almost on a roll now ... no, I take that back -- for the past three+ months I've been on a roll .. now, I'm just walking and hoping that my balance stays balanced!

By the way, thanks for your prayers. I am sure they were a very important part of the healing process.

Ready for take-off, I think ....

I was 'officially' cleared for take-off by my doctor today! He took one look at my x-rays and said, "It looks fabulous" which must have meant I have behaved myself for the past almost four months. He told me it was time to shed the walker as much as possible but when he asked me if I had good balance, I had to plead the fifth! He thought perhaps I should keep it handy yet try to walk as much without it. He did suggest I take it shopping -- that it will provide protection and I'm sure it will. People will avoid you like the plague if you are in a wheelchair or with a walker. Somehow they are sure that it has to be "brain" related unless you say a few words to them that assures them that you are truly 'all there'! Interesting to say the least!

So, I will try sprouting wings -- not really. But I will venture out more and more on my own. Pretty funny to feel like a child who is learning to walk -- "Look, Mom! I can walk now"! Or, "Look, Mom, no more training wheels". Okay, I am beginning to feel pretty silly and quite foolish so better stop before I really go over the edge ...

Reflections on my parents' wedding day ...

My Aunt Wanda shared this with me this morning ...

Dear Linda,

How well I remember Dec. 2nd. We had moved to Chicago in the fall of 1943. Your mother had started nurses training, so she was left behind. But when she quit that, my Dad insisted that she come to Chicago also. She also got a job at Montgomery Wards and your Dad was drafted.

I know she went out to visit him in California in February. But then when he was to go overseas, understandably, they wanted to get married. They told my parents on Saturday and were married the following Saturday, in Rock Island. Thanks to a lot of help from my parent's friends, the Bertlesons, there was a very traditional wedding. Naomi wore their daughter's wedding gown, and she had two (I think) friends as bridesmaids. I was only 13, so my job was to be the candle lighter!. They had a reception in the church basement. I think they had the rest of the week for a "honeymoon". They may have gone to White Pines State Park. Then at the end of the week, I think it was, that Dick had to report for duty.

Of course, during the war, it was not at all unusual for couples to have a "hurry up" wedding. I know they never regretted theirs!

Love, Aunt Wanda

December 2, 1944

... that was the date of my parents' you can see from the photo, my dad is in military uniform and within a little over a month, he would be heading overseas to fight in World War II. They planned their wedding quickly -- my dad said he wanted to be married before he went overseas because he fully expected he would nev wedding. Aser come home again. For anyone who knows my dad, they will know he is one of the most patriotic men you will ever meet.

They were married for almost 62 years when my mother went on to heaven. They were committed to one another until the day they died. Oh, they were typical married folks and I chided them when they got to discussing something that neither wanted to give in on! For many years, they kept their disagreements away from us (kids). They wanted us never to doubt their love for one another and were always hesitant about discussing anything they felt would undermine the other. So much so that we had to remind them that they needed to be a little more transparent so we would all know we were normal!! But, I appreciated that so much about them. Their disagreements were not in front of us -- other than small things that didn't really matter in the scope of things.

My dad misses my mother a lot -- some days more than others. I think he misses having her walk by and grabbing her hand just for a moment or his request to her, "Please pray with me", when he was going through a difficult struggle. He had health issues that we expected to take him on to heaven before my mother. But, God chose to take her first.

My dad treated my mother like a queen ... If they were riding in a car together, I don't know when I ever saw him not open the door for her and then making sure she was comfortably seated before he went around to his side. He taught us that men should always walk closest to the road when walking down a sidewalk -- that a man should be the protector. Of course, he taught my brothers to open doors for ladies and to always be polite and courteous. He was and still is a true gentleman. We used to laugh whenever Rachel and I would call and my dad answered. "This is one of my sweethearts -- I have three, you know." (Of course, he added the granddaughters on after that.)

He strives to treat Rachel and me like queens now -- oh, he can't open the door for us but he is quick to grab our hands as we pass by (if he can see them since his sight is so limited). He never ends a phone call without saying, "I love you sooo much".

I am sure tomorrow will bring back a myriad of memories to him ... we'll all call him sometime during the day and remind him that we haven't forgotten! After all, they have truly left us a legacy of love!

I have gone through a lot of photos over the past few years and it's hard to know which ones to post. Rachel and I had fun going through old photograph albums -- basically pulling them apart to give photos to each of the kids. My mother was one of those who had a camera handy -- okay, so mine is in my purse -- is that handy enough?

So, Happy Anniversary, Dad ... we know that Mother is never far from your mind and we want to honor her on this very special day as well.

Notice in this photo below that Dad is holding my mother's hand -- while we knew we were important in their lives as children, we always knew their relationship came first -- as it should! Great examples of marriage and as parents!

Sweet photo ....

Black Friday shopping ... not for me!

My family is a little different from me -- well, part of them are anyway. I do NOT get up well before the crack of dawn to go stand in a line for hours at a store to get early Christmas shopping done! For some reason, I just cannot bring myself to do that. I'll just hit 'overstock.com' at home and have it delivered to my door (free delivery usually)!!

However -- I do have family members who do that! Such as Roxanne and Shonna who left our house at 3:00am ... yes, 3:00am ... to arrive at Toys R Us at 3:20am and waited until the store opened at 5:00am. Roxanne said she and Shonna had great fun -- go girls! I'll stay home and sleep, thank you very much!

Sandi is more like I am -- she and Tim went a little later in the day and actually got some things they wanted that had not been picked over too much.

Teri -- she lives about 1-1/2 hours from us -- told me that she, Marley and Rudy went shopping this year but I forgot to ask how early she got up. With an 18 month old, who knows?!!

My sister is the most predictable of all -- she leaves her house around 4:30am every year. This year, she just had her two oldest girls - Jene, 21, and Shara, 18, going with her. I think it was extra special for her as the girls are both away at college most of the time. More than even the shopping, they have a blast (and probably laugh a lot especially if Shara decides to do one of her 'embarrass Mom' antics, and have their favorite places to eat, like P.F. Chang's.

I stayed at home and let the girls do the shopping. Sandi called me with a couple good deals so I had her grab those for me.

I thought it was so sad that a person was trampled to death at a Walmart, no less. It seems that shopping days like this bring out weird things in people and they forget all about the Christmas season and that it represents "love" not "greed".

I am thankful for a family who wants to give to others rather than think about what the will receive from their list. And I never want to forget the ultimate gift -- a baby in a manger!! What an awesome example of the ultimate gift -- so that we might have life!

Thanksgiving through "other" eyes ...

I 'stole' this note from Sandi as she did such an awesome job of sharing our day yesterday ...

This Thanksgiving truly felt like a "real" thanksgiving! We were definitely thankful and we had spent a great time with family sharing a meal together. But our next door neighbors (originally from India) had no one to spend Thanksgiving with. Tim had run into them at the grocery store and told them they should come over and share Thanksgiving dinner but they were somewhat hesitant to 'intrude". Even though they have only lived next door since August, Mike and Lufah and Janefar have become great friends. Janefar is only a year older than Ty and they spend many afternoons playing together. Just a few days ago, their home was robbed during a daytime burglary and that has shaken them.

I decided to go over and invite them again. I asked if they celebrated Thanksgiving - and they said they were "trying" even though they really didn't understand. They had heard that you should eat turkey and so they were attempting to make one along with traditional Indian dishes. Lufah wanted me to sample some of the things she had made (delicious by the way even though I still can't pronounce them!) and they agreed to come over for a little while. They brought some of their Indian dishes while their turkey proceeded to cook. We had a great afternoon with them and Lufah asked me later, "So this is Thanksgiving - everyone comes together and brings a dish to share?" I told her that was part of it and that it was a day to be thankful for the many blessings in our life. She said that they were beginning to understand now what Thanksgiving meant. She told me to make sure I tell her what to do when things like this come up! ;-) They truly want to assimilate and understand our culture and it was also so cool to understand a little of theirs. They grew up near Calcutta and it was interesting hearing stories of their family. When they left, they insisted that they would have everyone to their house for a big dinner sometime soon.

Mom said it reminded her of what Thanksgiving was all about and I would have to agree. What we would have missed out on if we wouldn't have taken a minute and shared an invitation. We sampled some great Indian food, they shared some traditional American ones and we all shared friendship that spans cultures and even language (at times!).

I am thankful - for my family too - they welcomed them just as they would any of our family or close friends!

SO Happy Thanksgiving - I am grateful for the chance to share what Thanksgiving is really all about!

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