Leo getting hugged
Sylvie dancing on the street downtown while Christie decides on her wedding dress
On the porch at Gig Harbor
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Cuties
Leo getting hugged Sylvie dancing on the street downtown while Christie decides on her wedding dressOn the porch at Gig Harbor
Monday, May 21, 2007
Doris Grace
My grandma died today. She was 92 and had a wonderful life - 6 brothers and 2 sisters, 8 sisters and brothers in-law, nearly 70 people who called her "Annie Doris" (Auntie), 2 children, 3 husbands, 4 grand kids and 4 great-grandchildren. Many, many close friends that lived here and in Arizona. All these folks loved her dearly - I bet every single on of them played a game of cards with her at one point or another. Some called her Mom, I heard her brother's call her Dottie and Dorie, I called her Gram.
Though she has all of this family, she was also special because nearly everyone in the entire town of Raymond knew her and loved her as their nurse. That's almost 5 thousand people!! I was lucky enough to spend time in the clinic where she worked. I stayed with her during the summers and when I was only 7 she had me working in the clinic's lab counting things under the microscope with the lab tech Doots.
Everywhere we went in that town people knew her and loved her. Even in farther away towns like Long Beach, and South Bend she knew everyone and had been present at the birth of many people walking around towns in Pacific County including Long Beach's famous Stormin' Normin.
She also used to take me to nursing homes to visit people. I swear there was ALWAYS someone at the nursing home that she was taking care of and visiting. That is what she did. I didn't like it so much but I sure did learn that it was the right thing to do. Everyone always lit up at the site of her and I'm sure I was entertaining. I was so proud that she was proud of me.
I guess because I had a unique perspective as the granddaughter and mostly because of the kind of person she was, I literally never knew her to do anything bad or mean or wrong. You gotta know how lucky you are when you run across people like that because it is rare and I think I knew it all along. I used to choose her when I was asked to write about a Hero when I was in grade school. She took care of everyone and loved every minute of it.
She used to take my brother and me out on the road in her RV during the summers from park to park and everywhere we went people were glad to see her. Every kid should get to do that. When we asked "are we there yet" she always said "prudanear"
She never saw a recipe and didn't cut it out. She really loved to cook and used knives that were old and thin from years of sharpening. They were really really sharp. She used to roll up her sleeves and use her hands to mix things and told me that was the best way. That's how I do it now. She also made me watch her cut off the head of a chicken at Mary's farm. She wanted me to see it run around with it's head cut off cause she always said that expression and I didn't believe it. It was kinda funny.
She did every kind of craft imaginable. She made me a three tiered dress when I was four and let me pick out the material. It was red and blue with Lions all over it. I loved that dress. She also made a few hundred scrubbies out of netting. They were everywhere and still pop up from time to time in unexpected places. She probably made everything you can make: clothes, rugs, quilts, pillows, washcloths, lamps, necklaces out of bandannas, beads and little cotton balls, she loved those. And little holders for little things - a bunch of crazy stuff that they used to make in Arizona.
I would hate to disappoint her. "You little stinker" she would say. I do know that she loved me more than anyone possibly could. That kind of unconditional love that Grandmas have and she adored me too. I know that there are many people that she felt this way about but I never felt more special in my life that when I was her granddaughter. "Bless your heart" she used to say.
Though she has all of this family, she was also special because nearly everyone in the entire town of Raymond knew her and loved her as their nurse. That's almost 5 thousand people!! I was lucky enough to spend time in the clinic where she worked. I stayed with her during the summers and when I was only 7 she had me working in the clinic's lab counting things under the microscope with the lab tech Doots.
Everywhere we went in that town people knew her and loved her. Even in farther away towns like Long Beach, and South Bend she knew everyone and had been present at the birth of many people walking around towns in Pacific County including Long Beach's famous Stormin' Normin.
She also used to take me to nursing homes to visit people. I swear there was ALWAYS someone at the nursing home that she was taking care of and visiting. That is what she did. I didn't like it so much but I sure did learn that it was the right thing to do. Everyone always lit up at the site of her and I'm sure I was entertaining. I was so proud that she was proud of me.
I guess because I had a unique perspective as the granddaughter and mostly because of the kind of person she was, I literally never knew her to do anything bad or mean or wrong. You gotta know how lucky you are when you run across people like that because it is rare and I think I knew it all along. I used to choose her when I was asked to write about a Hero when I was in grade school. She took care of everyone and loved every minute of it.
She used to take my brother and me out on the road in her RV during the summers from park to park and everywhere we went people were glad to see her. Every kid should get to do that. When we asked "are we there yet" she always said "prudanear"
She never saw a recipe and didn't cut it out. She really loved to cook and used knives that were old and thin from years of sharpening. They were really really sharp. She used to roll up her sleeves and use her hands to mix things and told me that was the best way. That's how I do it now. She also made me watch her cut off the head of a chicken at Mary's farm. She wanted me to see it run around with it's head cut off cause she always said that expression and I didn't believe it. It was kinda funny.
She did every kind of craft imaginable. She made me a three tiered dress when I was four and let me pick out the material. It was red and blue with Lions all over it. I loved that dress. She also made a few hundred scrubbies out of netting. They were everywhere and still pop up from time to time in unexpected places. She probably made everything you can make: clothes, rugs, quilts, pillows, washcloths, lamps, necklaces out of bandannas, beads and little cotton balls, she loved those. And little holders for little things - a bunch of crazy stuff that they used to make in Arizona.
I would hate to disappoint her. "You little stinker" she would say. I do know that she loved me more than anyone possibly could. That kind of unconditional love that Grandmas have and she adored me too. I know that there are many people that she felt this way about but I never felt more special in my life that when I was her granddaughter. "Bless your heart" she used to say.
When I was old enough to drive, I used to borrow my Mom's or Dad's car and drive down to visit her in rain soaked Raymond. Winding down the forest roads I would travel back into myself. It replenished my soul. I loved being with her and her friends. We played cards and ate ham and potato salad. It was warm and cozy and I would fall asleep in her big bead with the bedspread she made. I loved looking through her closets and finding old treasures. It was home.
All my life she loved to tell me that she never cried harder than she did on her way home from visiting my me and my parents just after I was born. She didn't want to leave to go back to work.
Yesterday, I spent time with her and I could tell she was present. I said "it's me Gram, Molly" and she said "I know, you are my sweetheart." I told her that all of her brothers and sisters await her in heaven. I told her that Lena, and Grace and Gert and all her friends are there too. I know she believed that they were.
I guess we cry when someone dies because we miss them. I think we also cry because we know that their life and that relationship is part of what defines us and we lose a piece of ourselves. I have never had a life without a grandma but I'm nobodies granddaughter anymore.
I always knew this day would come and nothing could make me cry like the thought of losing my Gram. She was my hero. Yesterday, when I said "I love you, Gram". She said what she always said: "and I SURE love you"
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Budget Class
Y'KNOW WHAT!?
Working for a non-profit, we are constantly applying for grants from local and national Foundations. The grant requests are usually long and oddly detailed and often ambiguous. I create the excel budgets for our applications since I manage the bookkeeping for the foundation. Each grant request has different budget requirements, some want to see the last three years, some want to see plan vs. actual, etc. etc.
During a recent phone interview with the Seattle Foundation, they told Donna (my boss) about how much they loved our budget and requested permission to use MY BUDGET FORMAT in ALL of their GRANT APPLICATION FORMS! The Seattle Foundation is a local foundation which provides guidance to individual philanthropists on where to give their dough.
I have had a special love for making forms and lists and spreadsheets in excel. At Eddie Bauer, Heidi and I created excel forms for checking out samples. I think that they still use this form.
So, this is yet another summit in my quest for the apex of excel excellence!
In other news, I recently collaborated with two other total stranger neighbors to write a grant to the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (can you say "red tape" and "bureaucracy"!?) to develop a water spray park in the newly renovated Jefferson Park which is up the street here on Beacon Hill. We got the grant - 15K! woo hoo
Working for a non-profit, we are constantly applying for grants from local and national Foundations. The grant requests are usually long and oddly detailed and often ambiguous. I create the excel budgets for our applications since I manage the bookkeeping for the foundation. Each grant request has different budget requirements, some want to see the last three years, some want to see plan vs. actual, etc. etc.
During a recent phone interview with the Seattle Foundation, they told Donna (my boss) about how much they loved our budget and requested permission to use MY BUDGET FORMAT in ALL of their GRANT APPLICATION FORMS! The Seattle Foundation is a local foundation which provides guidance to individual philanthropists on where to give their dough.
I have had a special love for making forms and lists and spreadsheets in excel. At Eddie Bauer, Heidi and I created excel forms for checking out samples. I think that they still use this form.
So, this is yet another summit in my quest for the apex of excel excellence!
In other news, I recently collaborated with two other total stranger neighbors to write a grant to the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (can you say "red tape" and "bureaucracy"!?) to develop a water spray park in the newly renovated Jefferson Park which is up the street here on Beacon Hill. We got the grant - 15K! woo hoo
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Bellevue Botanical Gardens
WHOO HOO! We got the camera fixed and today Sylvie's class had a field trip to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens - totally inappropraite for 4 year olds but there was a small playground at one end.
Leo is dressed as I would dress Joey if he let me. I love having a 18 month old boyfriend ;)
Leo is dressed as I would dress Joey if he let me. I love having a 18 month old boyfriend ;)
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Unpictured Arizona
As we were leaving the airport parking lot upon arrival in Phoenix last week, my brother in law Albie opened and closed the auto mini-van doors and my purse fell out and then he unknowingly ran over it and my camera and my cell phone and my sunglasses and my everything else was squished. However, nothing to the point of no return except my camera. The button popped off and we couldn't take any pictures of the lovely cousins playing together in the pool or Leo on the train ride of his life, or Sylvie in the pool, or Albies totally surprised mug when we showed up at the airport (actually I could have caught that since it was pre-running over but I was loaded down with gear) or Melissa's drunk dancing at the 40th birthday party. "sad for us" as Syvlie would say.
We lay in the sun and enjoyed the HUGE and WONDERFULLY EQUIPPED home of our Sister and Brother in law. Sylvie loved playing with the cousins who taught her a bad habit or two and Leo discovered trucks and looked at me like "why don't we have these at our house instead of dollies and flowery things"
Leo has started talking up a storm. I never noticed how much I say "thank you" everyday but now I have my own little parrot who repeats it everytime I say it much to the enjoyment of every cashier and barista we encounter. He follows it up with "gracias" and "bye". In the morning when we head downstairs to wake up his sleepy head sister he says "Sisssstyyyy" on our way down. His other tricks include some new signs like putting his fingers to his lips like an Italian Chef giving a "Magnifico!" which means "eat" to leo. He also just started patting both hands on his chest which means "please help". This is better than his previous reliance on "more" which we took to mean more food please. So, his language is improving in many ways and he LOVES the reactions he is getting.
Sylvie is enjoying a string of good behavior where where she has honed her ability to share and be generous. She is also being extra loving toward Leo to the point where she wants to give him "huggies" first thing in the morning and whenever he is upset she comes over to comfort him with pats on his back and little "it's ok Leo" One of her latest talents is creating winning outfits which I can't photograph (see above!)
Joey has made a difficult transition to doing all commercial appraisals but he is still considered a trainee until July when he takes a big test so he isn't getting his normal % of income. I have been cut off from Whole Foods until an undisclosed maybe never date. "sad for me"
I love my knitting group because we eat well, play getting to know you games, talk about music and shows and make each other more talented and confident knitters.
Here is a link to the Raising Arizona Screenplay for some zingers: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/scripts/raising.shtml
like this one:
FBI 1: So you think it might have been an employee?
NATHAN: Don't make me laugh. Without my say-so they don't piss with their pants on fire.
and this one:
He's an angel!
he hides her face in her hands and looks away as if blinded, then sneaks a look around her hands....
He's an angel straight from heaven!
Now honey I had all my kids the hard way so you gotta tell me where you got this angel. Did he fly straight down from heaven?
We lay in the sun and enjoyed the HUGE and WONDERFULLY EQUIPPED home of our Sister and Brother in law. Sylvie loved playing with the cousins who taught her a bad habit or two and Leo discovered trucks and looked at me like "why don't we have these at our house instead of dollies and flowery things"
Leo has started talking up a storm. I never noticed how much I say "thank you" everyday but now I have my own little parrot who repeats it everytime I say it much to the enjoyment of every cashier and barista we encounter. He follows it up with "gracias" and "bye". In the morning when we head downstairs to wake up his sleepy head sister he says "Sisssstyyyy" on our way down. His other tricks include some new signs like putting his fingers to his lips like an Italian Chef giving a "Magnifico!" which means "eat" to leo. He also just started patting both hands on his chest which means "please help". This is better than his previous reliance on "more" which we took to mean more food please. So, his language is improving in many ways and he LOVES the reactions he is getting.
Sylvie is enjoying a string of good behavior where where she has honed her ability to share and be generous. She is also being extra loving toward Leo to the point where she wants to give him "huggies" first thing in the morning and whenever he is upset she comes over to comfort him with pats on his back and little "it's ok Leo" One of her latest talents is creating winning outfits which I can't photograph (see above!)
Joey has made a difficult transition to doing all commercial appraisals but he is still considered a trainee until July when he takes a big test so he isn't getting his normal % of income. I have been cut off from Whole Foods until an undisclosed maybe never date. "sad for me"
I love my knitting group because we eat well, play getting to know you games, talk about music and shows and make each other more talented and confident knitters.
Here is a link to the Raising Arizona Screenplay for some zingers: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/scripts/raising.shtml
like this one:
FBI 1: So you think it might have been an employee?
NATHAN: Don't make me laugh. Without my say-so they don't piss with their pants on fire.
and this one:
He's an angel!
he hides her face in her hands and looks away as if blinded, then sneaks a look around her hands....
He's an angel straight from heaven!
Now honey I had all my kids the hard way so you gotta tell me where you got this angel. Did he fly straight down from heaven?
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