What a child needs most

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. -Rudolph Giuliani


I was reflecting today on tradition, and how some things will be the same this year, and how some things will be different. Anyone who knows me, knows that I lost my papa this year. But, in some ways I have lost my grandma too. My grandma has Alzheimer's Disease and lives in a nursing home in Mt. Pleasant Iowa. And, you know what I miss her. My grandma has been in my life as one of my number one people since I was a girl, since I think about the third grade when she came to live with us in Iowa. Sometimes, my grandma would drive me crazy, protecting my mom I suspect from some of the daily grind, she would tell me what to do or direct me in a way I didn't like. But as I have gotten to be a grown up I realize that she was always willing to give me more than she had. She always bought me a cookie in the mall, she frequently gave me cash out of her purse when no one was looking, she drove me to appointments in Burlington, and to synchronized swimming an hour from home every Saturday for two years. My grandma always listened, and I can say with confidence, never judged, she in fact almost never offered her opinion; only her ear. My grandma loaned me her car whenever I asked (and sometimes when I didn't). She never mentioned that I never one time put gas in it. And even much later in life, she loaned me the money to pay for my fiance's wedding ring. My grandma and I went on lots of trips, some with my mom, some without. One of the things she can still remember with some confusion, is our trip to Chicago for my cousin Sue's wedding. There was this moment where we were locked out of the hotel at one of those side entrances. It was pouring rain, just pouring. We were huddled against the doorway trying to protect her newly set hair laughing so hard, I really thought I was going to wet my pants. We made our way in a taxi later that night to see Wicked. I don't really think she liked it as much as me, but she was happy that I was happy.

My grandma was really interesting too. She was a dancer when she was young, in a circus! One time we were at a showing of Miss Saigon in a theater in Chicago, the theater just glorious. Just before the show begins, she says very matter of factly, "I was once in a dance group that performed here, The Kit Kat Club." We just started laughing, because to her it had not been worth mentioning all day long or as we sat there for an hour before the show started. Just an ordinary fact to her, that she had once been a dancer on this stage. It was as if she never really knew, even before the Alzeimer's how beautiful and interesting and fun she was.

She has given me over my lifetime, literally hundreds of beautiful gifts, but every Christmas I enjoy most putting out my collection of Swarofski snowflake ornaments from her. Every year, she would say, are you SURE you want another. And I would say, oh yes, I do. And I'm so glad I have them. My grandma made hundreds and hundreds of cookies for my wedding rehearsal party, even though she could only make them a few at a time in a counter top oven. I'm lucky to have her still, she is still alive, and I can hear her voice. But I just wanted to take a minute and reflect on the things that I miss about her...and also to reflect on how lucky Will is to have my mom. I hope they are friends like my grandma and me and that I have the sense to stay out of the way.

Carroll's Pumpkin farm

Well we made it, a sunny day yielded some questions about whether it would be warm enough; but as it turns out a high of 63 was perfect for Carroll's Pumpkin Patch! Carroll's opens at 1 on Sunday, and while Autumn Acres in nearby Oskaloosa is much closer, they are not open on Sundays at all!

We headed to Carroll's in Grinnell and it took us just over an hour to get there. The crowd was very small probably in part because we got there right at opening time. Will loved feeding the goats and jumping on the huge jumping pillow that is sort of like an orange monster trampoline. He loved showing off his recently perfected tricycling skills, and trying a tire swing. He was anxious to have his picture taken, and loved posing on the tractors and in front of the painted signs. He especially loved the grain building, playing in what must be tons of corn for about 30 minutes.

A lunch of hotdogs and bottled root beer made for a great way to the end the afternoon.

We took Will to Carroll's Pumpkin Patch once before when he was just less than one year old, (he is just less than 3 now). I noticed lots of differences of course his size and independence. Though he loved feeding the goats then and now. This time the air gun that shoots corn cobs sent him sprinting to the safety of the tree house, maybe next year?

A new activity on a rain day...

I've been thinking every weekend for a while that we are going to head to the Pumpkin Patch, maybe in Grinnell, maybe in Donaldson, maybe in Oskaloosa, but it just hasn't been a nice day! So today at the start of yet another rainy day we decided to venture over to Bridge City Bowl. They had open bowling starting at noon, for 2.50 a game and 1.75 for shoes. The bowling alley was empty aside from us for the majority of the time that we were there. We headed over to the alley with Will's friends Lilly and Leah. He tried rolling it and using the ball stand, either way it was fun. Fallowed by lunch at Taco Bells we made the most of a rainy day. Pumpkin patch tomorrow? I sure would love to see the sun on a day OTHER than a weekday!

Dreams Come True

I hesitate to write about this because its not specifically my news...but I can't resist because it is so exciting for us...and the broader implication that its never to late for your dreams to come true! My mom grew up in Chicago Illinois but her grandparents had a cottage on a lake in Red Granite Wisconsin called Pearl Lake. She visited that lake whenever she could until she was 20 years old. It became a way of life, being at the Lake, and she always loved it. They had friendsips, and first loves, swimming and skiing, long lazy days when it raining, visits to the sauna. She has always wished a return to the Lake Days. We vacationed there several times while I was growing up and we have fond memories of those visits and the lucky times when our cousins were there too. About two weeks ago my brother suggested to my mom that she could probably make this dream a reality if she wanted. She has more free time now that my papa is gone, and it has come time to think about her own retirement and what that will look like in the next several years. They set out a three year plan, and two weeks later she has closed the deal on a lake property! We are so excited about "mimi's place" on Lake Thunderhead in Unionville Missouri. It is just a hop/skip/jump for all of us. There is plenty of room for children and grandchildren. While Will is the only little one now we hope that eventually there might be siblings and cousins. I find myself fantasizing about boats and dice games, about hot dog roasts and smores. About pretending to camp in mimi's back yard. It is so exciting to see her dream come true, and it is even better that we get to be a part of it!

Adieu to summer

I can't believe its true, that summer is really over. It feels like a landmark to me though. Like Fall is a starting place, a new beginning. The pleasure of a sharp pencil and a new school year feels good. When I look back at the summer it feels incredibly long and incredibly short simultaneously. But the end of summer is always marked by Labor Day and for people who have lived in Mt. Pleasant, the annual Old Thresher's Event.

My mom lives really close to the Old Thresher's Fairground, so its easy for us to go over for just a few hours. We can walk, and avoid the parking nightmare. For us this year it was really just a great afternoon.

We arrived and went straight to the train ride where by sheer good fortune landed ourselves on the train where a robbery is staged. Will loves "bad guys" and he enjoyed the robbery immensely. I learned after a few trips on trains that the loud noise can really ruin a trip; so earlier in the summer I got Will some headphones...and they made Old Threshers far more enjoyable! I saw lots of hands over ears and tears, but not Will this year. I felt like a good mom. After the train ride and robbery, the three of us headed over to the church tent to gorge on meat loaf sandwiches and a plan for strawberry short cake. We were too full for cake. Some day we will learn, eat dessert first.

After lunch we headed over to a child's play area where Will rode a pony, twice. And, then, a tractor! He was adorable and continues to be thrilled with his new t-shirt that declares he drove a tractor at Old Threshers (a gift from his mimi). We finished the afternoon at Old Threshers with a ride on the carousel.

But the day was not over. Oh no, we picked granny up and headed to nearby New London for some ice cream. Will was a doll the entire day and promptly fell fast asleep on the return ride from New London, only to awake eventually in Ottumwa.

I didn't feel any sadness on this particular year, on this ceremonially end to summer afternoon. While it was tremendous to have time with my family, and to not have to balance work and play, there is pleasure in a new beginning.

Just as a reminder, don't forget the Polar Express train ride tickets at Old Thresher's MicMillan Park go on sale soon. In fact if you go to the above link, on October 15 there will be a mail in reservation form available for printing. If you wish to buy tickets you can mail this form in by October 28 for your tickets. November 1 you can call to make reservations. Old Thresher's boasts that their tickets for the 5 days of rides has previously sold out in 10 days. Train runs December 3,4,5, 11 and 12.