Another Monday--Another Grandchild Play Date

Today's high temperature was: 40 degrees

Rainy and grey

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I had a nice day yesterday.  Karen called about 9:30 and wanted to know if I wanted to go up to The Farm with her, to visit Susan.  She picked me up  around 11:00 and off we went, nice conversation all the way there.

She had taken her quilting and so she and Susan sat and chatted, stitching away, while I sat on the couch and listened.

I got a bit restless so I got up and walked out into the entryway.  Susan has a display case just inside the side door.  In it are family treasures.  Political buttons.  A little wooden tool set that our great grandfather carved.  A padlock to the horse barn.  A small mourning brooch, made from the braided air of our great grandmother.  On the glass top, Susan has the fox stole our grandmother used to wear.  Every time I enter, I always have to pet the stole and talk to the fox.  Our Daddy had a trap line and caught the fox, dressed it, stretched the fur, tanned the hide and made the stole for his mother.  He later made one just like it for our mother.  It was very fashionable to wear this back in the '30's and '40's.  I used to play with it when I was little.

I put the thing on, walked back into the living room and stood there until Karen and Susan noticed.  Karen squealed and grabbed my camera.  It actually gives Susan the creeps so she was yelling, "No!"

I am trying to look elegant and all I can see in this picture--

the fox has aged much better then me!

When the squealing and laughing was done, I whipped that stole off, held the fox by his nose, with his tail dragging on the floor and did a stripper sort of bump and grind as I left the room.  (Just about threw out my right hip!)  Ta Da Da DaDa Da--bump!  

Then, they went out to pick apples and I sat down and talked sports with my brother-in-law, Chuck.

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On our way home, Karen brought up the subject of Jennifer and me.  I finally found out what Jennifer is so angry about.  On my old blog, I posted that I was going to their church during Lent.  I wrote about how every Sunday, I didn't know if they were going (because she never called and told me) and I never knew where they were going to sit.  She told me they sat in the balcony, and we all did the first week.  The next week, I went up into the balcony and never saw them--they didn't come that Sunday.  The next Sunday, up in the balcony again and I never saw them.  Come to find out, they were sitting on the main floor way over by the exit--they did not try to find me after church.  The next Sunday, I sat on the main floor, by the main entrance so that I wouldn't miss them, and they went up in the balcony via another entrance.  

So--I felt like they were trying to avoid me.  Then, when I went to Good Friday services, I sat on the main floor and afterwards, noticed she and the kids were four rows behind me, but never even acknowledged me.  I was upset.

So, when the cousin told her I was bashing her family on the blog, Jen got very incensed when she read those posts.  She said I was maligning her family and defaming her character.  Even my son-in-law is angry at me.  

I asked Karen if she has ever read my blog--any blog and she said, "No."

Then I said, "Well, most of my readers are older women.  At times our blog is where we rant.  Sometimes about children and grand children--sometimes we feel neglected by them.  It's no big deal and no one takes it very seriously--we just sympathize with each other.  No one on my blog thought I had said anything so horrible that my daughter would quite speaking to me.  How do I fix it?"

Karen said, "I don't know, Mom."

"I said, "Well, I've apologized to her.  I have asked her forgiveness and I have asked God's forgiveness and I pray every day for reconciliation.  What more can I do?  She won't allow me to communicate with her, so I just don't know."

"Well, Pam and Aunt Susan and I have all said we aren't going to let Jennifer tear up our family.  We will still have Christmas together and family get togethers and if Jennifer doesn't want to attend--that is up to her.  I think she is going through a lot since Grandma Helen died.  Remember--I have been on her angry side.  You just have to go on normally and hope she quits holding the grudge.  At least she lets you see the kids now--that is a step forward."

Jen is very strong willed.  I am afraid that even if she wants to reconcile, now, her husband won't let her.  They both have a lot of "never forgive, never forget" attitude in their life.  At least I know what caused the problem, so if the subject ever comes up, I will know what she is talking about.  GEEZ!!!

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So--this afternoon, Pammie dropped off Elise after school for our evening together.  I was snowing like crazy and blowing, but we hopped into the car and went to Wal-Mart where she helped me get some groceries.  When we came out of the store, it was very blowy and snowy, I said, "Hop in the car Honey and stay warm.  I'll just put these in the trunk."

"Grandma, let me  help you," and she did.

Such a beautiful child.  We went on into Brighton to Red Robin for supper.  We talked and talked and talked.  She told me all about the trip her and her Mom (Jen) took to London and Paris--they were gone for 10 days.  About all the places they had seen--and they saw it all!  

"They call Paris, the City of Light, but they have had to cut back to save energy...but it was still beautiful at night.  They have the most beautiful and famous paintings in the Louvre.  We got to ride a double-decker bus  in London and saw the Queen's Palace and West Minister Abbey and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris."

Then she told me about her girl friends, how some of them get so dramatic.  "It seems every day, one of them is whining about how no one likes her or they want me to play with them and no one else.  Jill is my best friend because she isn't like that.  I try to be nice to all of my friends.  I don't know why those silly girls act like that.  Maybe they are insecure or something."

She is so well spoken and mannerly.  When we got back to her place, she leaned over and hugged me and told me how much fun she had and "I love you Grandma."

Look how tall she is for nine years old.

So--I can die happy now!  I got to see all four of my youngest in the last four weeks.  Got to know them better, what they are thinking, how they act, what they know.  Jennifer is doing a real good job at raising them.  I am very happy!