the wonderful art of Grandparenting and hearing aids

I am worried that I might be a little rusty. Deren will be here in a few days and it's been so long since I have seen him. We were so close before. Thinking about it a bit more, I don't really see any of my grandkids all that often. I always thought that I had had a lot of kids, that would guarantee that I always had a lot of Grandkids around. Raising my kids was so much fun, that when I thought about when they would be gone, I  couldn't see that in my future. It seemed we always had to be together. Well, it didn't work like that really. The 4 corners of the world have claimed my grandkids.
Well, Deren is coming and we can do a lot of stuff together. Allen and Serena have been lifesavers though. It has been such a wonderful experience too have them and see them grow and change. They too are my grandkids! Where would we be without kids?
I have to go, I have to dust off my rollerblades and practice my Wii boxing skills. Oops, can't forget to practice just a few kids computer games. Normally they give me nightmares. I have been buzzing around the library, looking for kids books. My puppies are all psyched up to get petted a lot. I am thinking about fun foods to eat instead of vegetable soups, tofu and boiled stuff. I feel like I could just stand on my head and everything would turn out better.
Maya called today and put Georgia on the phone. I really couldn't understand anything she was saying  more than IHOP and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Has Maya stopped cooking? Georgia  talks real clear, I just can't understand. Maya, feed that kids some boiled vegetables!
Arwen is still sick. She has a cough that won't go away. Her Grandpa says she love to fly airplanes (some computer stuff.) loves Google earth and of course, her smile melts all the ice in Romania.

And another thing, nobody around here hears me anymore. I find I am talking louder, walking right up to people and looking them in the eyes and talking, and generally frustrated. How could my already irritatingly soft voice be getting softer?
Zing! Today I realized maybe it wasn't me after all. The young people always have their headphones on. Jason is always listening to Keith Urban nowdays- especially some song about- "You'll be thinking about me" or something like that. He has even developed a country swagger and tosses his head a bit like Keith while he chews on a piece of straw. Well, I always have to repeat myself about three times when I talk to Jason, wave my arms, occasionally do a little jig, which gets a"awwww. mom " response. My last resort is that I give him a kick. Teri is another headphone basket case. She buys a new pair about every week and she finds every artsy song she can. The more off beat, the better. She loves bagpipes, singing crickets, humming electricity lines and  the guy who makes beautiful music with crystal water glasses, and plastic combs with waxed paper. By the way, that is only a partial list.
 She really doesn't hear me at all most of the time.
Now, my husband. He really isn't getting hard of hearing either. It is just that he always has so much information overload that his" In Box" is full and I have to "try again later". His hearing does get better if you ask him a few key questions like "what is happening with health care?, did they find Obama's health certificate yet?, do you thing Sara Palin is going to run?, How's Rush doing? I think your phone is ringing, Can you buy me a new radio?....or better yet, can I buy you a new radio? ( Oh, I hope he doesn't read this post.).  I better quit while I am ahead.
Anyway, that is my idea of-"where has all the hearing gone.....long time passing".
Well, you can see how badly I need kids around to actually listen to me! Someone must! Deren, come quickly!!!

Jet

o the  Head of the  Seeing Eye Training Dept. came down to Houston to check out my pups. She was actually quite young. I had been expecting someone in their 40's or 50's. She took one look at the pups and reached down and picked up Jet, saying, I think this is the one. She said it often happens that they can tell at first glance.. She went ahead and tested them all but Jet got the highest score. He was great in going after the keys and finding his way out from under the blanket. It was quite a fun test. Natalie said that the majority of service dogs are male. They just get higher scores.
So Jet will soon be attending Texas AandM.. We are invited up to see the classes so we are looking forward to that too. They have 5 dogs currently in training- 2 labradoodles, a Goldendoodle, a retriever and a shepherd of some sort. She explained that the dogs have to be so well trained that they won't react to a lot of stuff- like getting their tail run over by a grocery cart. Ouch! I asked her how they trained for that. I will tell you at another time- to keep your interest piqued.

Anyway, Jet will be looking after an Autistic child. Pray he does well so he won't have to have a" career change.".

Titus- a model son

He is every mother's dream son. Now, I could tell you stories that could verify that. I have plenty tucked away in my memory bank. Anybody want to hear a few? If so, send me a note and I will obligue. In this era of media glut, the art of storytelling is on the wane and awaiting a revival. Someday we will all revert bact to things with the personel touch.

Anyway, I do miss having everyone closer. It just seems like we should be having a cake. steak or a night out at the Black-Eyed-Pea or the museum perhaps? Ha ha,....it has been so long since Titus has been home, you can see what has happened to all the guests!

Mirror mirror on the wall....who is the fairest of them all?

So much for having a bad hair day- it's the ears that count!

Ah....sweet spring. Where art thou?

I have experienced a bleakness I have not known in Houston to date. For years the tropical vegetation has just grown and grown. This January's three day freeze changed the landscape and so many things are just brown and ugly. I haven't even gone out to clip away all the dead leaves from the giant  Philadendron. They were 8 feet tall!
So, the good part is that I am really looking forward to spring like never before. I already have my  seed packs of Basil and this year I am planning on planting it everywhere. This place is really going to smell good! We had lots of it last year but I am planning on going way overboard. The fun part of gardening is that you can always try new things and to make it more interesting. Our botanist and scientists are always coming up with cool and interesting varieties and plants that are doing amazing things.  George Washington Carver is one of my heroes. I am just waiting for the wise guy who injects plants with human DNA. That ought to be fun. We might have talking plants, plants that enjoy doing things we do, like aerobics and body building,  boating and archery,cooking, studying. etc. I can see plants getting more creative and ambitious. Maybe it really isn't all that wierd as our present generation of kids is being indoctrinated by spiritual veggies in Veggie Tales.

Oops- I think I remember a Twilight Zone about this topic. The veggies stage a "take over"!!!!
Oh well, I had just better concentrate on getting my little pots ready to start the seedlings and not worry about the future of plants. I just know they are going to enjoy spring this year.

Oh, I forgot about Groundhog Day. No matter what Phil had to say, our local Squirrel, Pete, said" Spring isn't that far away". Here in Texas we don't really care what Phil has to say. He has retained a lot of Yankee influence from the old days.  Besides, he won't disclose his birth certificate either. We trust Pete. Squirrels rule!  Hmmmm.....now let's talk about Squirrels injected with human DNA!

The Prince is gone. From the beginning we knew he couldn't stay. It was just that hoped by some quirk of fate, he could. Well, he has gone on to grace the hearth of another home and will be missed. He was truly a Golden boy. That has happened and then, on a greater scale, there are so many others we know on the move!  Pets are on thing but it is not so easy when dear human friends take off. Granted, it is easier in these days of Facebook and Blogging. Seeing videos of the wonderful progress of the up and coming generations - "grandkids"-makes it easier. Friends seem to not stay in contact as much as I would like. I still have this dream of living all together with everyone I ever knew and loved. Maybe that is what earth is all about. When my loved ones start shuttling off to other planetary locations- Pandora?- I may be a bit more concerned. Earth really isn't all that big.. Right?

Good News from Kansas City

I always love good news. I just heard that Valorie has had some movement of the MOST important kind. I think everyone is cheering and very relieved. The situation was getting tense. She is such a little girl to be having such big problems. Evidently, she still has a ways to go but thank God for progress!