(Sophie, Carol, Lily on the last day of school for students
Walnut Grove Elementary, May 2010)

As I walked out of Walnut Grove Elementary school on May 24, 2010 - my last day of teaching before retirement - I felt melancholy. I walked slowly across the parking lot and got into my car. Then I looked back at the school where I had taught for the previous three years. I was ready for retirement - MORE than ready for retirement. I had taught for 30 years, and the joy that I’d experienced during most of my teaching career just wasn’t there anymore. I loved working with the kids, but the bureaucracy and paperwork and silly demands of the county administration was wearing.

Despite being ready to retire, however, I was also acutely aware that I was leaving what I would always consider one of the best experiences of my life. I hated to see that particular teaching experience end.

In August 2007, I started teaching at Walnut Grove - the school where Lily was in first grade. I was the reading specialist - a position I truly loved. I taught there again the next year - when Sophie started kindergarten and Lily was in second grade, and the next year when Sophie was in first grade and Lily was in third.

Altogether I taught at Walnut Grove for three years. Those years are the “good old days” that I will look back on with fondness. That first year I drove Lily home from school on most days. As we walked to the car each day, we’d talk about how we were “school buddies.” Many times we’d pick Sophie up from daycare, and they’d stay with me until their mom or dad got home from work. We’d run errands together, go home and cook dinner together, or sometimes I’d take them to their mom’s office.

During the first half of the second year, we had “reading club” after school. We’d sit around the reading table in my office, and we’d read together. I was determined to help both girls get better with their reading. I was a reading specialist, after all! It’s ironic that the reading specialist’s grandkids struggle somewhat with reading! I was determined to get them over that “hump.” Then we’d head out to the car, and I’d tell them how much I enjoyed being with my two “school buddies.”

Unfortunately that second year at Walnut Grove was the year that Lily was diagnosed with leukemia right after Thanksgiving, and all our lives were changed. Because of her treatment for leukemia, Lily couldn’t attend school the second half of that year, and she was unable to attend school the first half of her third grade year.

When Lily was diagnosed, that was the end of the reading club. Our lives were suddenly crazy - and, quite honestly, neither Sophie nor I was ready to continue the reading club without Lily. And Lily was in such intense treatment, reading was the last thing on her mind. For the remainder of that year, Sophie and I were together a lot. I’d take her home from school, or, if Lily was in the hospital, we’d go to the hospital after school to visit. I became closer to Sophie and she was my only “school buddy” for a long time.

It was January 2010 - about a year after diagnosis - before our lives became somewhat similar to how they’d been before Lily’s diagnosis. They had Brittany now - their babysitter - who picked them up from school on most days. Still, though, there were days when one or both of them would ride home from school with me. I treasured those days. Really treasured having both my school buddies with me again. I knew I would be retiring soon and that the days of teaching at their school were numbered.

Most days I’d see one or the other in the hall as I was going to pick up kids for my reading groups. Sometimes Sophie’s teacher would have me to come to their class to do a reading lesson.

Then there were some days when, although we were in the same building the entire school day, our schedules didn’t coincide, and I’d realize at the end of the school day that I hadn’t seen one or the other of them all day. And on those days, I’d make it a point to go to the car rider line and chat with them until Brittany picked them up. Often in the middle of the school day, I’d go to the cafeteria when I knew Sophie’s class or Lily’s class was eating lunch, and I’d stop by their table and say hi for a minute.

It was the “being there” that was so wonderful. With all the upset of Lily’s diagnosis, it was good for the girls to know that I was at the school should they need me. And sometimes they needed me. Once I stayed in Lily’s classroom for over an hour - just Lily and me - while she slept on pillows in the back of the room. I stayed there with her so her class could go to lunch and then to recess. When she had fallen asleep, the teacher and kids knew she was exhausted from all the chemo and they tiptoed and whispered as she slept for over two hours. Sophie worried about Lily, and on the days that Lily had to go to clinic, Larisa (their mom) would email me Lily’s blood counts or to tell me that the spinal tap had gone well & Lily was awake and eating - whatever the news for that particular visit - and I would go to Sophie’s class and let her know. She was concerned, and knowing that Lily was okay or that her counts were good was a comfort to her. Sophie’s teacher was really thoughtful - and perceptive. Sometimes she’d send Sophie to my room - just for a quick Grandma Carol hug.

And then sometimes - especially when Lily first returned to school and got tired so easily - her teacher would send her to my room to rest for awhile. We had a special “resting chair” that I kept in my office. If I was working with children, she’d come in quietly, we’d set up the chair, and then I’d continue with my reading group while she rested.

As part of Lily’s 504 plan, she “tutored” a kindergarten child each day for 15 minutes to help with her own confidence and reading. I helped Lily make her “lesson plan” and gather materials. I was thrilled that my planning time coincided with the time that she and Kate read together because that meant they could do their work in my room each day. I would sit at my desk and do my work while Lily and Kate read together. I loved being the proverbial fly on the wall as I listened to the two children interact. Reading with Kate was Lily’s favorite part of the school day.

Getting the teaching position at Walnut Grove had worked out so well - so many things came together at the right time. I had taught in the school system for many years, and just happened to learn of that position the day the previous reading specialist turned in her notice. Within 15 minutes, I had my application in and almost immediately got the job. Was it part of God’s plan so I’d be there when Lily was diagnosed? I don’t know, but I’m sure glad it worked out that way.

School will start again in August. Lily and Sophie will be attending a new school that is being built in their neighborhood. Many of the teachers at their new school will be teachers from Walnut Grove since the new school was built to relieve the overcrowding at Walnut Grove. And I will be at the school a lot - not as a teacher but as a volunteer. I will meet their teachers, and I will volunteer to come in each week to work in their classrooms. Most likely I’ll help kids with reading. Some days I will pick up the girls after school. Or, if one of them should get sick, I could be there quickly to get them.

It won’t be the same, though. The past three years were almost magical for this grandmother, and I will always remember those “good old days” with a smile.

Starting in September I will take care of Evey one day each week when Meleah goes back to work. My days with Evey, along with my days of volunteering at Lily’s and Sophie’s new school will provide new “good old days” to enjoy.

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A few days ago I wrote that my upcoming sixtieth birthday was distressing to me. Sixty is like a line of demarcation. Once you’re on the back side of sixty, you know without a doubt you’re well into the second half of your life. Okay, you really knew that when you turned 50 - even 40, but you could convince yourself that you’d be one of those folks who live to be 80, 90 or 100. However, celebrating a 120th birthday is beyond the scope of even the most wildly optimistic mind. So I was feeling a little blue about being 60 years old.

Then someone left me a link to Kalyn’s Kitchen. Kalyn celebrated her 60th birthday last December by writing about the 60 things she’s learned in 60 years. Lord knows I’ve learned a lot so far in my life. So, with due regards to Kalyn for the idea, here are my “60 Things I’ve Learned in Sixty Years.”

1. Watching birds on a bird feeder gives one a sense of serenity.
2. It is easier to just DO whatever needs to be done rather than spend time planning to do it.
3. Even when you consciously cherish every possible moment of raising your children, their childhoods still go by much too quickly.
4. Grandchildren might possibly be life’s greatest joy.
5. Outdoor kittens are the perfect pets - for me, at least. Plus they’re great for keeping mice away from the house.
6. Just because I’m not a “dog person” doesn’t mean I’m a bad person - just a person who doesn’t particularly care for dogs. Still, I am glad we have Jake because of the security he provides - even though he takes any piece of paper he can find and shreds it all over the yard. He’s Ron’s dog - so I don’t have to clean up after him.
7. Life can change forever in a second - for the better or for the worse.
8. There is a “world of cancer” that most people are only vaguely aware of - if at all. It’s a world quite different from the world of people who aren’t dealing directly with cancer. It makes me wonder about the other “worlds” out there that I know little, if anything, about.
9. You can handle a lot more than you ever thought you could.
10. Listening to gospel music is both uplifting and comforting - and it brings back a lot of memories.
11. It is worth the time and effort to sit down together as a family for a meal each day - even if “sitting down” consists of side-by-side recliners in front of the TV.
12. While I have done things in my life that I regret, my life likely wouldn’t be as good as it is now if I hadn’t had those regrettable experiences.
13. Sometimes actions that make perfect sense at the time seem ridiculous a few years on down the road.
14. When it comes to blogs and online networking sites, it is better not to respond when someone you love writes something you strongly disagree with. Even though I know this to be true, I don’t always do it.
15. It takes a certain personality to be a salesperson - and I don’t have that certain personality.
16. Timewise, teaching is a great profession for a parent. Money-wise, not so much.
17. Waking early, sipping a cup of coffee and easing into the day is a great way to start the day.
18. Being trustworthy is right at the top of the list of the most important character traits. If you can’t be trusted, traits such as kindness and generosity don’t mean much.
19. It is fun and makes you feel special to find a 4-leaf clover. Some people have a knack for finding them.
20. I am glad I’ve had lots of grand adventures in the past sixty years that I can think about with a smile.
21. It is good to look forward to still more grand adventures in the future.
22. Once you’ve been on a children’s oncology floor of a hospital and watched kids getting infusions of chemo, going to the dentist is no longer a big deal.
23. Keeping a camera in the car is helpful. You never know when you’ll want or need to photograph something.
24. It is okay to go through short-lived (or long-lived) phases. At various times in my life I’ve been crazy about quilting, growing roses, making soap, biking, blogging, running, eating grapefruit. The craze always ends, and I move on to something else. Each phase, though, has been fun and I’ve learned from it.
25. Watching a cat stalking birds under a bird feeder is a lesson in patience.
26. Watching a cat play with an animal it has caught is a lesson in nature’s cruelty.
27. Memorizing one’s debit card number makes it easy to make impulse purchases.
28. Being a parent is a life-time job. Even when the kids are grown and on their own, you will worry about them and hurt for them and rejoice with them.
29. One of the purest and tenderest experiences in the world is watching a baby or small child fall asleep in your arms.
30. Just about anything tastes better when it’s grilled outdoors.
31. Good intentions and cloudy thinking are a dangerous combination.
32. One of my greatest satisfactions is preparing a meal that people really enjoy.
33. A cluttered environment leads to stress.
34. The song really does remember when. (Trisha Yearwood - “The Song Remembers When”)
35. It is true that the only person we can really control is ourselves.
36. Most problems that we have are the result of choices we have made. If we want to change things, we have to start making different choices.
37. The “little things” count in a relationship.
38. Don’t buy a cheap mattress. Getting a good night’s sleep affects every other aspect of your life.
39. Perseverance is needed to succeed at any endeavor - whether it’s maintaining a garden, learning a new language, cleaning the house, losing weight or feeding birds.
40. You have to pick your battles in raising children, getting along with your spouse, and working with colleagues.
41. If you make yourself go through the physical motion of smiling when you are upset, it is easier to stop feeling upset.
42. A good night’s sleep makes everything seem better.
43. Traditions are important - but not all-important.
44. Reading is the most multi-dimensional activity I can think of. Through reading we can experience things beyond our physical circumstances or limitations.
45. Baskets are an easy way to de-clutter. Put stacks of magazines and books in baskets, and voila! They’re organized and neat.
46. If you’re feeling down and depressed, either do something for someone else or take a walk. Either one will make you feel better.
47. Ice cream is quite possibly the best tasting food in the world - especially Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla ice cream with a little chocolate syrup drizzled on it.
48. It is true that you’re more likely to regret the things you don’t do more than the things you do.
49. There are some seriously mixed up people in the world, and once you’ve identified them, it’s best to steer clear of them.
50. Cherish today because in a few years you’ll consider it part of the good old days.
51. Don’t ever say anything in anger that you wouldn’t want your mom or pastor to overhear.
52. Memorizing poems, songs and stories makes it possible to entertain yourself at times.
53. In making decisions, family always comes first.
54. A reaction to poison ivy really CAN become systemic.
55. There are aspects of each season of the year that I love: Winter = able to hike through woods without fearing poison ivy; spring = all the shades of green; summer = no school; fall = cooler weather.
56. You can teach an old dog new tricks - it just takes more time and effort.
57. Computers are incredible time savers and incredible time wasters.
58. Sometimes people who should know better, don’t.
59. Keeping a journal is a good practice because even if you think there are some things you’ll never forget, after enough years go by, you’ll forget. Not everything, of course, but you’d be surprised how many things you forget.
60. When you’re feeling a little sad about getting older, it helps to write about the things you’ve learned so far in your life.

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I am sad. I was looking at my sitemeter awhile ago, and saw that someone had Googled “Weddings in Alaska” and had ended up at my blog. I reread the post I wrote about RT’s and my wedding in Alaska in September 2006, and on impulse clicked on the link to the minister who performed our wedding ceremony. Michael Mitchell’s website was no longer there. So I Googled his name and found the following:

Michael K. Mitchell, Ph.D. lived in Anchorage, Alaska, and ran a church without walls - a wedding ministry to the greater Anchorage area. Michael Mitchell studied for the Methodist ministry, and was assistant to the senior minister for the First Methodist Church in Anchorage, Alaska for four years. He also took ministerial courses under Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller at the Crystal Cathedral in Southern California. Following this, Dr. Schuller asked Michael to be his minister on site as he instituted his Hour of Power services on 35 mm film and showed them in cinemas in Alaska (movie house churches). Michael’s PhD is in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M. After years as a “closet Catholic,” studying Catholic theology, and participating in Catholic sacraments, he was ordained a Catholic priest by Bishop Jim Burch in March 2001, and continued his extraordinary schedule of wedding ministry in the Anchorage area, complimented by his wife, Nell. Michael passed on in 2007.

Michael performed Ron’s and my wedding ceremony, and it was a profoundly meaningful service. His wife, Nell, was one of the two witnesses. I’m very sad to know that this vibrant and energetic man died last year. May he rest in peace.

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There was an article in Sunday’s paper that was an interview between a father and son. I had never heard of either, but I found myself intrigued by the questions that were asked. So I have revised them a little, and I emailed them out to my extended family. So far, four family members have taken the time to email their answers to the family email group. I’ve learned so much. If you would like to share in the “16 Questions Life Review Meme”, just copy the questions and go. Link back here, though, because I would love to read your answers.

Here are the questions and my answers.

1. Who influenced you the most when you were growing up?
Daddy and Mother were the greatest influences on my life - by example more than by words.

2. Tell about your favorite childhood memory.
Lots of favorite childhood memories. Being dressed up in a crepe paper “flower” costume for my kindergarten play of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Yes, I was one of the flowers that Goldilocks passed in the forest on the way to the Bears’ house. I didn’t know at the time that it was a “filler role” because I loved being a flower. Then I was the wicked witch in the “Sleeping Beauty” play in first grade - (”So you didn’t invite ME to the party, EH?!”). Over fifty years, and I still remember my line in that play. I always loved when I lost a tooth and put it under my pillow. The “tooth fairy” would give me twenty-five cents - in the form of a dime under the pillow - another dime and a nickel hidden in other places on the bed - inside the pillow case, between the mattress and box springs - like a scavenger hunt - and it was exciting and fun to me. I ended up elaborating on the idea with my own children - always sending them on scavenger hunts when they lost teeth - with rhymed clues along the way. And it warmed my heart immesnely when Sweet Stuff lost two teeth recently, and Stinkeroo made an elaborate scavenger hunt for her - including the rhymed clues. Isn’t it amazing how things become a tradition?

3. What was the saddest time in your life?
When Daddy died.

4. What was the happiest time in your life?
I remember a time shortly after Scalawag’s birth when we had taken an Saturday morning trip to the North Georgia mountains - Unicoi State Park, I believe - just RT, the kids and me - we spread a blanket out on the ground, and I sat on the blanket holding Scalawag, who was just a couple weeks old, and RT and Stinkeroo were playing along the edge of the mountain stream - and I looked at my little family, the waterfall near us and the mountain scenery - and I felt supreme happiness and contentment. I can still see that image in my mind - as clear as can be.

I also enjoyed parts of my single years very much - I was involved in so many activities and had so many friends. I did things I never dreamed I would do - and I recognized and developed “gifts” that I didn’t realize I had (organizing events, being a leader) and had a great time in the process - the dancing, skiing, snow-tubing, the road trips, the parties. I still keep in touch with some of those friends. And the things I learned about myself during those years have carried on into my life now - at work, at church and in my relationship with RT.

Right now is a wonderful time of my life. RT and I have a good relationship, we’re living in a beautiful house we built ourselves on some of the most beautiful land in the world, and we live near our kids and grandkids, and we have a good relationship with them and see them often.

5. What was the best advice someone gave you?
At RT’s and my wedding ceremony in Alaska in Sept. 2006, the Minister (Michael Michell), read Corinthians 13 - and his entire talk was about love. As part of the talk, he said that love doesn’t get offended - that we can refuse to be offended by little things that will happen in a marriage. That has been the advice that has really stuck with me the past couple years because it is so true and practical.

6. If you are married, how did you know your spouse was “the one”?
I knew that RT was the one I wanted to be with. It is just a certainty that I have.

7. Tell about your favorite vacation - or a trip you’ve taken.
I loved the Mexico Beach trips. I loved the camping trip to D.C. and Cape Hatteras - and what was the name of the place with the COLD mountain stream where we camped one time (Update - SUNBURST, wasn’t it?) Also - the family trip(s) to Callaway Gardens - with the Florida State circus.

Even though this summer will only be the second year that our branch of the family tree has been on a vacation together, Sweet Stuff and Sunshine are already talking about how they can’t wait to go to the beach with all of us. RT and I have made the decision that we will do this every year. We pay for the condo - and the kids buy the food. I’m wondering if our family vacations to Santa Rosa Beach will end up being vacations that Sweet Stuff and Sunshine will remember as being a favorite time in their lives.

My two trips to Alaska have been some of my favorite trips - such a beautiful place. Well, and the three trips to Hawaii were wonderful, too. I’m very fortunate!

8. If you could relive any part of your life, which part would it be?
My children’s baby and childhood years are at the very top of the list. Although I consciously made a point to enjoy Stinkeroo and Scalawag at every stage of their lives - the time still went by much too quickly. My baby boy turns 30 in October this year.

9. Tell about a childhood friend, pet, and/or experience.
Hercules - wasn’t he a miniature pinscher? I don’t remember any other pets. As far as friends - there was Nelda in Rome. In Ellijay I remember Vivian - and although I can remember other names, I don’t really remember anything about the people. So I guess I wasn’t that close to them. My childhood memories are more closely tied to family - especially Debi since we were so close in age. Debi and I played and talked a lot together.

10. How did you choose your vocation?
I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician until I took chemistry in high school. I realized that any profession that required me to learn that stuff was something I didn’t want to be. I don’t remember making a conscious decision to be a teacher - it just seemed like the most natural thing for me to do. I’m glad that’s what I ended up doing. It has been perfect for me, and I feel that I’m making a positive difference in the lives of many children.

11. Of what event/accomplishment in your life are you most proud?
Stinkeroo and Scalawag - that they’re both such wonderful young adults. I’m also very proud that I have such a good relationship with both of them now - and I love the fact that Sweet Stuff and Sunshine love being with me.

12. How have you changed as you’ve grown older?
I really dislike aging - the wrinkles, the sagging, the aches and pains. Seems like there’s always something wrong. Right now my neck hurts, I have a pain in my hip - and my left big toenail is still killing me (from wearing incorrectly fitting shoes on my trip to NYC back in February). So the physical part of aging is a downer. Emotionally and relationally, I’m much more stable & happy - but I’m not sure that makes up for the negative physical stuff.

13. What was your most difficult accomplishment?
I hesitate to write this because I’m sure that most people will think I’m crazy to consider divorce an accomplishment. However, to ME, my two divorces were my most difficult accomplishments. Despite the difficulty and heartache, they ended up being for the best - and while I knew that it was the right thing to do each time, it was a sad and humiliating and unbelievably depressing and heart-wrenching time. While I am ashamed of the bad decisions that led up to the divorces, I am proud (yes, proud) that I had the gumption and the strength to take charge and do what I knew I had to do.

14. Tell about any regrets you’ve had.
My marriage to husband #2 is my biggest regret. Hands down - no doubt whatsoever. Wish I could go back and wipe that entire experience out of my life.

My other major regret is that I’ve spent most of my life obsessed with my weight - and feeling helpless to control it. I wish I hadn’t spent several years taking diet drugs (via the internet) to control my weight - no telling what kind of damage that did to my body - probably will end up costing me a few years of my life.

A small regret - I had the opportunity 7 or 8 years ago to go sky-diving (tandem sky-diving), and I opted out. I wish I hadn’t.

Although sometimes I wish I’d finished my dissertation so I’d have my doctorate, it isn’t something that has held me back or that I would need in my profession now. I wouldn’t want to be teaching at the college level now anyway - So I guess that’s not a major regret - I just hate to have come so close to it and not completed it. (And just in case you want to ask, why not finish it now - it has been over 10 years, all the coursework, the qualifying exams would have to be completely re-done. So the only way to get a doctorate would be to start over from scratch - and I just don’t want it at this point in my life).

15. How do you approach death?
It’s inevitable - and each day I live means I’m one day closer to it. I don’t dread it - I do hope that it is quick and that I am not significantly physically or mentally impaired prior to it. However, it’s out of my hands - and I know I will deal with whatever I’m faced with. I worry about the world that my children and grandchildren are inheriting.

16. What do you want the family to know about you (and/or how do you want to be remembered)?
I hope I’m remembered as a good person. I hope my children and grandchildren will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I loved them unconditionally, and that they were the lights of my life.

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Yesterday on the way home from the school, I mentioned to the grandgirls that today would have been my father’s 89th birthday.

Sweet Stuff: “He never got to know us.”
Sunshine: “No, he doesn’t know us.”
Me: “And that’s one of the saddest things I know of. Grandshaw would have loved you so much. He would have loved seeing you and knowing you.” My voice started cracking before I could even finish.

It’s indicative of the power of the parent-child relationship that over 21 years after my father’s death, I still tear up thinking about how much I miss him. I would so love for him to see what wonderful adults my children have become. They were just children - in second and sixth grades - when he died. Now they’re grown - and the grandgirls are here: Sweet Stuff is about to finish first grade, and next year Sunshine will be kindergarten. How I wish my father could see and shower my little grandgirls with his unconditional love. And it is truly one of the saddest facts of my life that he is not still here.

A couple years ago, a classmate of my niece died - a little first grader. Haley cried and was upset, but then she said, “Well Anna Marie is alright, GrandShaw will take care of her.”

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I attended my cousin Don’s memorial service today. Don worked for WSB radio and television many years ago. Then he went on to work for CNN for about fifteen years after that. During his early years at WSB he made some great friends, and several of his WSB friends spoke at his funeral today. One of those friends was Don Kennedy. I didn’t realize that my cousin Don was good friends with Don Kennedy. If I had known that when I was a kid, I probably would have begged cousin Don to introduce me to his friend. Don Kennedy was one of my childhood heros. I didn’t know him as Don Kennedy, though. To me - and to thousands of other children in Georgia - he was Officer Don, the energetic and kind and funny host of the Popeye Club.

Once Officer Don brought his traveling Popeye Club to our little town of Ellijay, Georgia. Out of all the children in the audience, I was one of the lucky ones to be chosen to play one of the games on stage. My game was musical chairs, and I WON! My prize was a white cowboy hat with Officer Don’s autograph. I remember getting the cowboy hat, but I have no idea what happened to it afterwards. It was truly a high point of my childhood. Thanks for the memory, Officer Don!

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Today was my cousin Don’s memorial service in Georgia.  At the service, my mother and all my siblings and I were together for awhile.  It has been a couple years since we’d been altogether, and it was nice - even if it was for a sad occasion and even if it was for only a couple hours.  After the memorial service at the church and then visiting with family and friends and sharing a lunch in the church fellowship hall, we each went our separate ways again.  RT and I headed back to my mother’s to get our suitcases and fly back to Tennessee.  My oldest sister, Janice, and her husband started the long drive back to D.C.  My youngest brother, David, headed back to Alabama.  The others headed back to their homes in Georgia.  For a little while today, though, all our paths converged.  We went outside and had photographs taken of all of us together. 

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I spent last week in NYC.  I went there to attend the February Institute at Teachers College of Columbia University.  Classes were from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. each day. Once classes were over and we had done our homework for the next day (and sometimes before we’d done the homework), we headed off to soak in every ounce of NYC experiences and sightseeing that we possibly could.  I doubt if we could have fit in another activity.  It was an extremely full week.  Here are thirteen of my favorite things about the trip.

(1) The beautiful and intricate architecture of the old buildings - all over NYC.  I loved looking at those old buildings.

(2) Wicked.  It was a wonderful Broadway show at the Gershwin Theater.  It was totally delightful.

(3) Shopping in Chinatown for purses.  They made it a seem like such a cloak and dagger experience, although since every tourist knows about them, I’m sure that all the police officers do, too.  It was a hilarious experience, though.

(4) Jersey Boys - another Broadway show.  This one was about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - wonderful music and great show!

(5) The Empire State Building.  It was my first time to see it, and I loved it.  We lucked out in being there at a time when there were no lines.  We were able to go right up to the top  and walk around in the wind and cold of the observation deck.  I thought of “Sleepless in Seattle” and “An Affair to Remember” and just thoroughly enjoyed it.

(6) Meeting my niece at the Empire State Building.  She’s a nanny in NYC,  has a degree in Musical Theater, and she didn’t think twice about hopping on the subway to meet me at the ESB and then going with me to have dinner with some of my teacher friends.  It was just cool to see family when I was so far away from family.  Does that make sense?

(7)  The snow storm on Friday morning.  It was wonderful waking up to the beautiful snow on Friday morning and then walking through the falling snow with about 6 inches of snow already on the ground to get to our Friday morning classes.  I learned that the northerners who come to the south and make fun of us for shutting down because of a little snow don’t have room to talk.  Lots of things shut down in NYC because of that snow last Friday.

(8) I especially love the fact that our flight home was not cancelled or delayed because of the snow.  Although earlier flights had been cancelled, ours went home right on time.  While NYC was great, I was ready to sleep in my own bed and see RT again.

(9)  A. - one of the session leaders at the institute.  We started counting how many times she used the word “like” -  it was in the hundreds on any given day.  She was very knowledgeable and likeable, but her speech had a definite Valley Girl bent.  At one time she said we were going to talk about mini-lessons, and she declared: “I love them!  I LIKE THEM A LOT!  They’re really good!”  (I know that is EXACTLY what she said because I started writing down exact quotes once I realized what a treasure trove of bizarre quotes she was providing us).   Anyone who becomes orgasmic at the mere mention of mini-lessons was someone who held our interest and provided lots of material for discussion.  My roommate was particularly adept at imitating A., and we spent one evening in absolute hysterics laughing and talking about things A. had said and done in class.

(10) Staying at the International House in NYC.  Great place to stay.  Very much like a college dormity - bare bones type lodging, but clean (except for the shower curtain) and the atmosphere of having people from all over the world staying there was really fun.  Plus they had a great cafeteria with wonderful food.  That saved us a lot of time and money for our other NYC adventures.

(11)  Being in the audience of the Late Show with David Letterman.  It was a fun experience.  RT and I watched the show when I got home, and he said it was about the worst show he’d ever seen.  The jokes weren’t funny and the guest was boring.  However, the experience of being there in person was lots of fun.  Plus, there’s a clear shot of me in the audience - so I have that tiny claim to fame.

(12) Riding the subway and seeing that yes, people are people are people.  In general, the people we met in NYC were friendly and helpful - and several of them went way beyond the call of duty to offer assistance and information when we needed it.

(13) The airline employee in the Nashville airport who told us about the best view of NYC:  “It’s out the airplane window when you’re leaving NYC on your way back home.”  While I can understand why people would want to live in a city like NYC - there are so many wonderful experiences available there - I can’t imagine living there myself.  It was crowded, it was noisy, and bags of garbage were everywhere.  I was grateful to return to my country home in Tennessee.

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This is a photo taken in the 1960’s when we lived in Ellijay, Georgia.  My mother made matching robes for all the girls in the family, and she also made matching robes for all the guys in the family.  Somewhere I have the photo of all the girls.  Here’s the photo of the guys in the family: my older brother, Terrell; my father, Charles; and my younger brother, David.  My goodness, but my father was a handsome man!  And Terrell and David were both cute kids - and have, in turn, become handsome men.

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Ha!  Don’t you love that title?  I found this photo on one of my disks.  These are all photos of me as a child.  The top left photo is of my brother,Terrell, my sister Janice and me when we lived in Wilmore, Kentucky on the campus of Asbury College where my father was going to school.  The top right photo is of my mother and me in the parsonage at 333 South 9th Street in Griffin, GA.  It was taken when my father was in seminary in Atlanta and was serving a three church charge (Midway, Sunnside and Vaughn Methodist Churches) in Griffin.The bottom photo is of me and my first grade teacher, Mrs. Landrum, at Fourth Ward Elementary School in Griffin, GA.  I LOVED Mrs. Landrum.  We’d have reading groups at the round “reading” table, and she’d put a little adhesive star on our foreheads when we read well.  I remember skipping out to the playground simply giddy with delight because I was sporting my reading star.  I had Mrs. Elder for second grade, and I don’t really remember much about her except there was a cloak room adjacent to the classroom, and it was a scary place.  Mrs. Giles, my third grade teacher was wretched.  That wasn’t a very good year.  For some reason, I have totally blocked out fourth, fifth and sixth grades - the grades I completed when we lived in Ellijay, Georgia.  I don’t remember those teachers at all, although I do remember some of my adventures at school.   I love these photos.

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