You might recall that a few weeks ago I wrote about playing my mother’s piano while I was visiting her at Thanksgiving.  RT listened to me play the piano then, and just a couple days later my son sent me an email telling me about how much he enjoyed listening to me play the piano when he was growing up.  So pianos have been on our minds lately.

This morning I heard a truck drive up in the driveway, and I told RT’s mother (who’s spending a couple weeks with us) that I hoped it was the things I’d ordered from Lands End.  I went outside, and RT was there.  He smiled at me, and said, “Merry Christmas.  Here’s your Christmas present.”   The men on the truck brought out a beautiful piano which they brought inside the house and set up in the library. Below is a photo I just took of my Christmas present.  It’s a wonderful Baldwin piano.  I immediately played “Silent Night, Holy Night” which is the only song I have memorized.  Then I spent about an hour going through boxes in the barn until I finally found the one with my collection of hymnals.  And I’ve played the piano off and on all afternoon.

I called my daughter to tell her about the piano, and Sweet Stuff answered the phone.  Her mom was in the shower and so I told Sweet Stuff to tell her mom that PawPaw had given me a piano for Christmas.  I told her that when she comes to visit she can play it.  I taught her one simple song a few months ago, and she still remembers how to play it.  My daughter called me later to tell me that Sweet Stuff was beside herself with excitement.  She plays the simple little song I taught her whenever she visits anyone who has a piano.  She wants to take piano lessons now that she can practice on my piano. 

This week I am writing about seven Christmas traditions that I am thankful for:

(1) Christmas stockings - I love planning and shopping for items to go in everyone’s stockings.  It’s just fun.

(2) Christmas Tree - There’s nothing more beautiful than a pretty Christmas tree.  Everytime I look at our Christmas tree, I like to squint my eyes so that only the lights stand out - and they look softer and beautiful.

(3) Colored lights on the Christmas tree - While all white lights look pretty, there is just nothing more Christmasy than colored lights.

(4)  The star that our daughter (now almost 33 years old) used in a pre-school Christmas play 30 years ago.  Each year it is the star at the top of our Christmas tree.

(5) And next to that star on top of the tree is the angel our son made in school 25 years ago.  So we have a doubly wonderful tree-topper each year.

(6) We have always had the tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve.  Everything else has to wait till Christmas Day.  It’s always fun selecting the one gift we want to open early.

(7)  Christmas caroling…There is absolutely no music more beautiful than Christmas music.  “Silent Night”  “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”  “O Holy Night” “ Hark the Herald Angels Sing”  ”Mary Did You Know?”  “Away in a Manger”  - along with the more secular “Christmas in Dixie” “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” and “Tender Tennessee Christmas”

My lovely daughter, Stinkeroo, is 32 years old - almost 33 - and it’s scary how much we think alike.  Last week I found a purse that I love on eBay, and so I bought it.  I bought it because it is very similar to a purse that she has - just a different style, but the same pattern/fabric.  Everytime I’ve seen her purse the past couple months, I’ve commented on how much I like it.  The purse I ordered arrived on Friday, and I love it as much as I thought I would!  So yesterday I called my daughter to tell her about it - only to find out that she had already bought the exact same purse for me as a Christmas present. 

Another example:  Last week we were talking and she said she’d found the perfect gift for my mother.  It turns out that her gift was exactly the same thing that I had already bought for my mother for Christmas.  I told her I’d get something different. 

Stuff like that happens all the time, and I feel a little guilty about it.  Now don’t ask me WHY I should feel guilty that I went ahead and bought the purse that I wanted - I had no idea she’d already bought it for me - or why I should feel guilty that I had bought my mother the same gift that she had bought her.  Still, though, I feel a little guilty about it.  Like maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to handle things sometimes.

I keep trying to convince myself that this is a GOOD thing - that we are so similar in nature and thoughts.  However, it does get to be a problem at times.

I was watching TV and working on a blog post, when my computer beeped to let me know that I had an email.  I clicked over to the email program and found the following  from my wonderful and loving son.  It’s no wonder I adore him:

Hey Moma, 

I was just remembering how you used to play the piano every once in while when I
was younger.  I love the sound of a piano, most of my favorite songs have a
piano in the background.  I remember watching tv and hearing you play, it wasn’t
for a long time or often but it left an impression on me and I love the sound of
a piano because it reminds me of you. 

I love you mom.

Joey 

Yes, it made me cry. He’s a very fine 29-year old young man. I’m so proud of him.

Now for the coincidence.  This past Saturday RT and I were visiting my mother.  My mother had just bought a piano.  She wants to take lessons, and she got a great deal on a used piano.  She’d also just had it tuned.  So as my mother, RT and I sat in her living room chatting, she said I should play the piano for her.  I sat at the piano, opened the Methodist Hymnal and started playing some hymns - not very well, but I muddled my way through about 10 or 12 of my favorite hymns before calling it a day.  I told RT that someday I want a small piano to go in our library at home.  I don’t play well, but I really enjoy occasionally playing the songs I know.  It’s just a relaxing and happy thing to do.  Even when I do it poorly, it puts me in a good mood.  I’m not sure why except that I love the sound of a piano.  I just talked with RT and told him about Joey’s email, and he swore he had not mentioned at all to Joey that I had played the piano at my mother’s just a few days ago.

What are the chances of those two occurences happening so close together?

It has been a really good few days around our little part of Tennessee.  Here are seven things that I’m thankful that happened the past week.

(1) I’m thankful that RT is feeling better.  He felt really bad on Wednesday and Thursday and was certain he had strep throat.  However, we went to a Minute Clinic, and they checked.  No strep throat, no flu - just a cold with a sore throat.

(2)  Yesterday (Friday) around 4:30, RT said he was feeling better and why don’t we make a quick trip to Georgia to visit my mother and his mother.  Fifteen minutes later we were packed and on our way to the airport.  By 6:00 we were rolling down the runway - arriving at the small airport in my mother’s hometown in Georgia.  Two of my sisters were there to meet us.  We got to visit with my mother and two sisters - sitting up way too late talking.

(3) Then this morning we woke up, visited with my mother a little longer, then hopped back on the plane and flew another hour to RT’s mother’s hometown where we rented a car and drove the 30 minutes to her house where we have an absolutely scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner.

(4) Then, because the weather forecast predicted a storm all day Sunday - starting Saturday afternoon, we headed back to the airport and flew back home — arriving back at our hometown airport a little under 24 hours from when we’d left yesterday.  A totally wonderful 24 hours - except for RT not feeling well - but he is already feeling much better and is happy we went since he wasn’t contagious and he got to visit everyone.

(5) For plates of wonderful food to bring home from my mother-in-law - homemmade cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle, real mashed potatoes, creamed corn, from-scratch cake with caramel frosting, homemade lemon cream pie and homemade pecan pie.

(6) For having such LARGE plates of wonderful food that when we stopped by our son’s house to pick up our dog, Jake, and our son’s eye lit up at the mention of his grandmother’s cornbread dressing and sweet potato souffle, we had enough to leave a plate with them.

(7) For having families that welcome us with open arms - even when we visit on the spur of the moment.  Family is wonderful, and I am enormously thankful for mine.

Scalawag (our 29-year old son) and his wife, Mia called a couple hours ago.  They were on their way home from having Thanksgiving Dinner with Mia’s side of the family.  They knew that RT had been sick all day, and so they had prepared two plates for us from their own Thanksgiving feast.  Actually there were FOUR plates - two containing all the side dishes, one of appetizers and one of turkey and SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE’.  Yes, I said sweet potato souffle’ - the one thing I’d been yearning for all day.  I had written earlier today about how RT and I had celebrated Thanksgving in our own minimized way because he woke up sick this morning.  There was only one thing that was missing - and that was our wonderful Sweet Potato Souffle’ - the very best dish we always have for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  And Mia had made this sweet potato souffle’ herself following our family’s recipe.  It is wonderful.

As soon as Scalawag and Mia left, RT and I enjoyed a few bites of turkey - so tender and juicy - and an accompanying few bites of Sweet Potato Souffle’.  There is simply nothing that compares to it.  Our Thanksgiving is now complete.  AHHH! 

Up until this morning, RT and I planned on flying to GA today to spend a couple days with my mother, and then to his mother’s house for Saturday and Sunday.  However, last night RT mentioned that he had a sore throat and wasn’t feeling well.  My first question to him when we woke up this morning was, “How are you feeling?”  The response was, “Not good.”  He thought he might have strep throat and was definitely feeling flu-y.  So…change of plans.

I immediately started a pot of chicken soup, and since I can’t imagine Thanksgving without some homemade cornbread dressing, I started making cornbread for that. 

We noticed that our son’s truck was parked beside the barn.  That meant that he had driven over to go hunting.  So later in the morning when he was finished hunting, he came by the house, and I made some oatmeal for him.  He sat and visited for awhile before heading back to his house to celebrate Thanksgiving with his wife and her family.  His visit reminded me of years ago when RT’s father was alive when RT, his two brothers and his father would all get up early on Thanksgiving morning and go hunting.  Then they’d come back to the house and talk about their experiences - what they saw and where they’d go hunting the next time.  So it was nice having our son here this morning and then having him sit and visit and chat about hunting with RT and then visit for awhile.

For lunch RT and I had some of the soup.  For an early dinner, we had roasted chicken (thanks to Kroger that was open for a few hours and had freshly roasted chickens) and the cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce.  I hate to admit it, but my cornbread dressing was merely “okay.” It just wasn’t the wonderful dressing I’m accustomed to.  I wish I could have had some of my mother’s dressing.  But it was okay - the chicken and dressing and cranberry sauce made things a little more festive and like Thanksgiving. 

Then RT and I took a short walk along the ridge beside our house.  It’s amazing how much we can see of the river area below now that most of the leaves are off the trees.  The air was cold and crisp, and the walk felt good.

It wasn’t the Thanksgiving Day we had planned, but it was a very good Thanksgiving.

This is a day that RT and I have been looking forward to for a long, long time.  The grandgirls are sleeping over tonight.  Their room and bathroom were the first rooms we completely decorated.  The walls are a pale, pale pink, there’s a little pink chandelier, a pink princess nightlight, and there are pink and white striped towels in their bathroom.  There is a beautiful quilt - white with light pink and rose crocheted flowers - for their bed.

Their mom (our daughter) and dad brought them over this afternoon, and we will take them back home tomorrow morning.  It has been such fun!  At the supper table, we took turns telling what we’re thankful for.  Then we had chicken fingers (homemade) and rolls (Sister Schubert) - and lots of cinnamon apples for dessert.  No vegetables in there, I know - but I just didn’t get any vegetables cooked.  They were STARVING (or so they said - repeatedly) so I just got the chicken and rolls on the table and let ‘em eat.

After dinner we made some videos using my new web camera.  I guess I need to open a YouTube account so I can post some of my videos.  I wouldn’t post one of the girls, of course.  I never post pictures of them online. The girls loved making the videos and became quite dramatic.  I never realized they were such hams!

Then it was bathtime.  They wanted to use the shower (Sweet Stuff) and the jacuzzi (Sunshine) in the master bath rather than the tub in their bathroom.  So I sat on my vanity stool while they took their merry time with their shower/bath.  They just chatted away and were in such a good mood.

Then it was bedtime prayers and I tucked them into bed.  They wanted the TV on while they fell asleep.  Terrible habit for children to get into - and I wish their mom and dad didn’t let them do that.  However, both my children have spouses who have to have the TV on in order to fall asleep.  Is that a common thing?  A TV keeps me awake rather than puts me to sleep. 

The grandgirls are asleep now, though, and the TV is off.  My only concern is that in this house, the guest room is on one side of the house, and the master bedroom is on the other.  I’ve lit the way with night lights, and I’ve left the doors open.  Before they went to sleep, we went over what they should do if they need us during the night (i.e. Come to our room and wake us up).  I’m just afraid I won’t hear them if they call for me.  The guest room was immediately across the hall from the master bedroom at the cabin.  So that was never an issue.  I’m sure everything will be all right - just first night worries, I guess.

It has been a wonderful evening.  In the morning I’ll make them pancakes - in the shape of their initials, and in the shape of a girl or a bear - or whatever shape they tell me they’d like.  We’ll have a good time together, and then we’ll take them home.  Our pastor, Pastor Tom, is in the hospital for surgery, and the girls want to draw him a picture before they leave in the morning.  So we’ll make time for that.

Life is good.

This Veterans Day I celebrated by reading my favorite post about World War II.  It’s the story of my parents when they were a young married couple.  My father was in San Diego - waiting to ship out to the south Pacific.  My mother was in Georgia - missing her Marine husband.  So she took the week-long train trip from one side of the country to the other in order to visit him.  Here her story - from her blog, Ruthlace.

A Glimspe of Romance during World War II

During World War II, I made a week long train trip from Georgia to San Diego, California to be with my Marine husband before he was to be shipped out for action in the South Pacific.

Charles told me “girls” were a major topic of conversation among these young marines in the barracks. This close knit unit of men passed around and pinned up pictures of girl friends and wives for the admiration of their brothers.

“The greatest generation” is a label that was later to be conferred on them. At this point they were just “men in the making” and still preparing for overseas duty and combat.

My husband was happy to announce to his buddies that a real Georgia peach was on her way to California. It was a week long train trip with crowds of soldiers and their wives as weary travelers.

Alas, soon after my arrival, I was quarantined at the Naval Hospital with Scarlet Fever. My Marine could only come over to sit on a wall outside the hospital window and look longingly inside and speak through the window.

One afternoon he brought a buddy to see his “pin up girl.” On this afternoon, the “Georgia Peach” was lying on her stomach with her feet toward the window. The only thing my husband’s buddy could think to say was, “She sure has beautiful feet.”

The photo above is of my mother during that time. I definitely come form “good stock,” don’t I?  No wonder my father was so crazy in love with her.

My mother talks about the exuberant patriotism of the times.  There were no pseudo-authorities in the news pontificating against the war.  Rather than highlighting and exaggerating every possible negative happening as the news agencies do today, the news shows were filled with positive news and supportive commentary.  It’s sad to see how the liberals have come to believe they’re “cool” by denouncing their own country - how they bastardize their free speech rights.  The contrast of our country from World War II times and now is disheartening.

My father came home from the war, and he and Mother went on to raise seven children together and to see all seven of their kids grow up, marry and do well on their own - and they welcomed a bunch of grandchildren before my father died in 1986.  God bless all our service folks - both past and present.

We’ve got closets.  What we don’t have are shelves in the closets, and that poses somewhat of a problem.  Thankfully, it’s a temporary problem.  Sigh!  WHY does it cost so much to put a few simple shelves in closets?  It looks like RT and I will be doing the work ourselves.  Even doing it ourselves, though, it’s going to be costly.  As we looked at closet units at Lowe’s today, RT kept declaring, “We’re building our dream!”  He’s like that.  One of the things I love about him is his sense of humor.

We have put towel racks in only one bathroom - and that one bathroom is not the master bath.  So that’s a project that we’ll get around to real soon.

We’ve now spent a full week in the new house.  The newness hasn’t worn off.  I think it will be a long time before we stop marveling every day at the wonder of actually living here.  Our new bed (and mattress and box springs) were delivered this past week.  It is THE most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept on.  Oh. My. Goodness, it is comfortable.  During the day we work like crazy, but we’ve both been sleeping great every night.  Truly - it is one of the best investments we’ve ever made. 

We’ve completely emptied my two storage rooms.  YEA!!! That’s SUCH a huge milestone.  We’ve gotten the “big stuff” out of the cabin.  When we started to move the furniture from the small guest room at the cabin - the room we rarely even entered, we found that it HAD been entered - and frequently - by mice.  They had eaten through the sheets on the bed (sheets, mattress, boxsprings were subsequently thrown away - they were old anyway), they had gotten into the chest of drawers and eaten through papers and left lots of lots of evidence of their existence.  So we still have THAT to deal with.  Or rather, RT still has that to deal with.  I never particularly liked that cabin, but since I knew my tenure there would be only about a year, I was okay with it.  However, now my negative feelings have skyrocketed.  I’m so thankful to be out of that place.  We not-so-fondly call it “the rat house” now - and RT gave it that nickname - not me.  RT to me earlier this evening, “I’m going over to the rat house to get that clothes rack from the laundry room.”  It’s a little funny.

I’ve been absolutely obsessive about cleaning everything before I allowed it inside the new house.   I vacuumed spider webs and dust off everything that had been in storage.  I checked drawers and under cabinets. 

Tomorrow (Sunday) is my family reunion (my father’s side) in Georgia.  RT and I decided today that we’re just too tired to fly down there tomorrow, spend a few hours and then fly home.  RT has to go out of town for the week - leaving on Monday.  I have to go to work Monday.  And there’s so much to do here.  Mostly, though, we’re both just exhausted.  It’s a hard decision, though, because I try to make sure I do the important things in my life - and family is at the top of the list of important things in my life.  I really would love to see my uncle - my father’s only surviving brother.  Not to mention my mother and my siblings.  Out of the past year, only last weekend would have been a worse weekend for a family reunion.  So we will likely stay home.  Thanksgiving is just three weeks away, though.  So I’ll see most of my family then.