Category Archives: play

September 20, 2025 · 9:00 am

Cherishing Front Porches: Memories and Connections

When was the last time you sat on the front porch of your home, waving at your neighbors as they passed by, or inviting them up to chat and share a glass of lemonade? 

I have always loved front porches, the big kind that holds several chairs. When I lived in St Clair, Michigan, I rarely sat on my private patio in the back. I preferred the front porch, where I often sat reading a book until it got dark. I was not in a neighborhood, but on a state highway, so I only had cars buzzing by.

My love of sitting on the front porch is something I developed as a toddler. Back then, my grandmother was my babysitter. I remember sitting on the porch at various times of the day, watching the birds in the yard, migrant workers across the street playing, and watching the sun set. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Hmm, wonder where I learned that?

The world made more sense when folks waved from the porch instead of arguing with strangers online.

As a teenager, my best friend in high school lived in a large, older home with a large front porch. I loved that porch! We would sit on it talking with friends, shouting out to cute guys that drove by, and just enjoying life. The house I grew up in only had a small stoop. I envied April, living in a home with a large porch that looked out over the street.

I no longer have a front porch. I always intend to sit outside on my lawn chair, and those times when I make it out there, I enjoy sitting in the fresh air and reading a book. I don’t get out as often as I want; life gets in the way, even in retirement. I, like many others, spend a good deal of time on social media, sharing trivial quotes, travel, pictures, news articles, and day-to-day activities with distant friends and family. I participate in public forums, where political discussions can turn hostile. People have lost the etiquette exercised during face-to-face conversations. It is so much easier to be insulting and rude when done through an electronic device.

That image takes me back to another time, when life was more relaxed and friendly. Kids played outside; they rang their friends’ doorbells to see if they could come out, rather than having scheduled play dates arranged and monitored by their parents. There were neighborhood block parties, where everyone got together, brought a dish to pass, and adults enjoyed socializing while the kids played. You knew your neighbors, and your neighbors knew you, and everyone got along. In my opinion, it was a better time.

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November 22, 2023 · 4:52 pm

Summer Visit With Grandkids

My grandkids are 17, 11, and 8, and with me only seeing them once a year, I enjoy taking them on individual outings, plus a few family activities. Our stay in Michigan was longer this year, so I was on the go with various outings. Keep reading if you’re looking for things to do with kids in the Clare/Harrison, Michigan, area!

We started our visit by meeting my daughter, Caroline, husband, Rob, and the kids for dinner at Budd Lake Bar & Restaurant. After dinner, they came over to Hidden Hills Family Campground to visit. Kids’ interests are ever-changing, so I had lists of possible activities. I was surprised at some of the things they passed over and others they selected.

Corbin is 11 and spends most of his time playing video games. He is also harder to appease with activity selections. I wasn’t surprised when he picked Valley Lanes Family Entertainment Center for two of his outings. This complex contains bowling, putt-putt, an escape room, a pool, a laser maze challenge, bumper cars, an arcade, a pinball alley, and laser tag. They also have an on-site restaurant where we enjoyed lunch during both visits.

On our first trip there, we spent quite a bit of time in the arcade. Corbin was surprised I could “ride” a motorcycle so well, not realizing I had ridden the real thing before his birth. I enjoyed watching Corbin play a large selection of games that did not exist when I was hitting the arcades as a teen or when my kids were young. We enjoyed playing air hockey and skee ball, two throwbacks to my day. I spent a lot of time in arcades in the 1970s, so this was a fun outing.

Corbin also elected to go bowling, and we rolled three games on each trip. I hadn’t bowled in years and didn’t do well, but we had fun. When I was a teen, all scorekeeping was by pencil and paper. Now it is automated, including a variety of game selections and cartoons that cheer you on or laugh at your blunders. Quite a change!

On our second trip, Corbin decided to do the laser maze. They had a video screen outside the room, so I could watch his progress, which required navigating over and under laser beams to reach a specific spot in the back, hitting a button, and then navigating the maze again to the front and hitting the ending button. It displays your time and the number of lasers you broke. I chuckled when he said he would make a good burglar, as he only broke six lasers. I said I wouldn’t rely on that; it only takes one to set off alarms that call the cops.

Corbin’s other selected outing was to a water park. Since he had been to the one in Mt. Pleasant a few times, I took him to Zehnders Splash Village in Frankenmuth.  Water slides aren’t my thing, but I enjoyed watching Corbin play in the pools, relax in the hot tub, float the lazy river, shoot down a water slide, and other activities. Our tickets were for five hours in the park. Afterward, we enjoyed lunch in the hotel restaurant before leaving.

Corbin is interesting. He appears to be a self-absorbed video gamer, but when he talks, you can tell there is much more going on in his brain than people realize. He uses intellectual phrasing when presenting his opinion and absorbs a lot of information on a variety of subjects.

Austin is 17 and likes history and museums. We enjoyed three different locations on a wide range of topics. The first was to the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabek Culture and Lifestyle. The museum has 15 areas in their permanent exhibit area about the Saginaw Chippewa Indians. It was interesting to learn about the Chippewa way of life and the oppressive things done to their culture over the centuries. Austin expressed disgust at the horrible ways Native American people were treated in the past.

Austin suggested the Michigan Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth. This very interesting and unique spot opened in 1987, focusing on Michigan’s military and space heroes. It covers ten wars dating back to the Civil War, ending with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. There are more than 900 Michigan veterans featured in exhibits.

The information is beautifully displayed in individual showcases about each person and includes some of their personal items. Three permanent galleries are dedicated to Michigan Astronauts and Space Pioneers, Service Cross Recipients, and the nation’s largest collection of Medals of Honor. When viewing a showcase that deals depicts how the Nazis destroyed the lives of innocent people, Austin commented on the horrible way the Nazis behaved. His comments made it apparent he had likely studied this subject in school.

Austin’s third outing was to the Longway Planetarium and Sloan Museum of Discovery. We were early for our planetarium show and mentioned it when I was purchasing a book in their gift shop. It was pouring rain outside, so the cashier gave us complimentary tickets to the show before ours. It was a different topic than the one we had purchased, and it was interesting. Sloan Museum is a hands-on learning experience. Austin is aging out of the museum but enjoyed the activities and suggested we go to the Real Bodies special exhibit. 

Presented by Hurley Medical Center, Real Bodies contains real human specimens preserved to show how the human body works. This is more than skeletons; it includes muscles, lungs, heart, and more in beautiful exhibits. I highly recommend this exhibit, but only cell phone photography is allowed.

In touring the museums with Austin, it was interesting how much information he has absorbed about history from school or the reading he enjoys doing on his own. I was also surprised at his interest in the military, as I had not been aware of that.

ALEXANDRIA (Alex) is 8 and a girly girl, talkative and opinionated tomboy. This is why she has such a wide range of activities. We went to Day Escape and Spa for mani-pedis, her first. The salon enjoyed Alex because she was inquisitive and knew what she wanted. They said many of the young girls that come in won’t respond to their questions. Alex was stepping forward, voicing her desires. We walked into the pedicure room, and her tech asked if she wanted to select from a shelf that had mermaid polish on it. Alex looked at the display and said, uh, no, and turned to a large display of available polish. She pointed to three different colors she wanted; she made a different selection for her fingernails.

I was surprised when Alexandria selected the Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum for one of her outings. I had put that on Corbin’s list of possibilities because he has always liked vehicles, but he passed on the option. The museum has more than 60 motorized firetrucks, the largest collection in the world, and includes the FDNY Super Pumper, considered the T-Rex of fire engines. They also have over 12,000 antique and collectible toys.

Alex wore a dress and heels, catching the eye of museum docent Dave by asking him a question. Dave toured us through the museum, letting her into a gated area where antique toys were on shelves, encouraged her to climb up into all the firetrucks, which were labeled “do not climb, and told her when she was done looking around, she was going to drive a real firetruck—which she did!  Alex drove a 38-foot firetruck with me in the passenger seat; Alex sat on Dave’s lap in the driver’s seat. We went around a rural block twice, with her turning the steering wheel and blowing the air horn when she saw people. I asked Dave how often they take kids out like that, and he said never; Alex is the only one. Definitely a once in a once-in-a-lifetime, memorable experience.

Alex selected Valley Lanes for one of her outings. Given the age difference between her and Corbin, the selection of games she made was different, and we had a lot of fun. Alex wanted to play miniature golf, which was an interesting 18 holes. I attempted to keep score, but I’m not sure if all the swings one of us took got counted.

I also took each of the kids for their own day of lunch and shopping for a few school outfits. Austin was in and out of the dressing room on his own, and other than showing me one outfit, he pretty much just told me whether they fit or not. It was hard shopping for Corbin as he has definite likes and dislikes, and the majority of clothes in his size were in his dislike category. Alexandria is very opinionated about what she likes. The only problem is her taste is in the older-looking girls’ section, but she is tiny and still wears little girl sizes for most things. She enjoyed trying on clothes, and it was like a modeling show as she posed for me to photograph each outfit.

In addition to my individual outings with the kids, we had a couple family outings. These were harder to fit in because Caroline works 6-7 days a week. We did manage to coordinate an outing with all three kids to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth. Bronners is the world’s largest year-round Christmas store, covering 2.2 acres plus 27 acres of landscaped grounds. If you are ever in Frankenmuth, Michigan, this is a must-see.

We also went on the Bavarian Belle Riverboat cruise. This is a one-hour cruise down the Cass River on a stern-driven paddlewheel riverboat and includes narration about the history of Frankenmuth. After the cruise, we shopped our way back through River Plaza to the car.

Another family outing was to the Children’s Zoo in Saginaw. Opened in 1929, this small zoo covers only 10 acres but has some interesting displays and over 150 animals. It’s a perfect spot for those who want to visit a zoo that doesn’t require a full day and miles of walking. We finished up with a late lunch at Saginaw Old Town Junction, where the kids wanted to sit upstairs with an overlook of the floor below. The food was good, and I shouldn’t have been surprised when Austin ate a half-pound hamburger with fries and then finished his sister’s fries. I forgot how much teen boys can consume!

We enjoyed visiting the Clare Historical Museum complex, which includes a museum, historic log home, blacksmith shop, and historical school. It was amazing how small the homes were where people raised many children. Entire homes were smaller than the family room in many of today’s houses. Ringing the school bell was comical, as Alexandria is so lightweight that the cord pulled her up off the floor as it rang. This is an off-the-beaten-path museum that is interesting and well worth the trip.

The final get-together with the family was a buffet meal at Ponderosa Steak House in Clare, which ended way too soon. It was a fun summer, and I always look forward to spending time with the kids.

I don’t miss the Michigan winters—I winter in Yuma, Arizona—but I miss the days when I lived a mile from the kids and had them at my house frequently. They grow up quickly!

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April 14, 2023 · 2:52 pm

Looking Forward Means Looking Back

One of the downfalls of living and traveling full-time in an RV is only seeing my grandchildren once a year. While planning my 2023 travels and time in Michigan, I find my mind reminiscing back to the fun I had last summer with my grandchildren, Austin, Corbin, and Alexandria.

My 2022 visit was a fast-moving nine-day visit. I decided that because of the difference in their ages and interests and not having much time with them, it would be fun to do a couple of things together in the nine days I was there. I also wanted special one-on-one time so each child got their own day.

I took the three of them to a small, local railroad museum. The museum was interesting but didn’t hold their attention for long, so I suggested ice cream. I was surprised to learn Corbin doesn’t like ice cream, so he got a pop to drink instead. I thought it was cool when an Amish horse and buggy came down the street as we ate our ice cream at a picnic table.

Austin and Alex on a railroad car outside the Clare Railroad Museum; Corbin and Alex view a display inside the museum

When I commented on the horse and buggy, Corbin (age 12) informed me that the Amish do not believe in modern technology. To them seeing this is common, everyday stuff. I realized how much when I was on my way back to my campground and saw a horse and carriage tied up to a hitching post in front of Dollar General.

Alexandria (Alex)

Alexandria was the first to go solo, and her bubbly, social butterfly 7-year-old personality is always fun to watch. She is a girly girl, and that shines through when shopping for clothes. We went to the dressing room with six outfits to try on, and I told her we would buy two for school. That was a fantasy in my mind but turned out not reality.

After the try-on session, there was nothing Alex couldn’t wear, so I asked her which she wanted. She said she needed the grey flowered fleece pants and top because they are soft and warm. The yellow-flowered dress and leggings are necessary because it is bright and sunny. The third dress and leggings she wanted because it was cute. Oh, and by the way, Grandma, I need shoes. We were at Kohls and did go to the shoe department, but they didn’t have any in her size.

Here’s a comical side note—Alex recently informed her mom that she needed new shoes because when she went shopping with me, I wouldn’t buy her any! It has been seven months since I took her shopping. She never said anything to me about not getting them. Still, my daughter’s comment has me clued in about not making any mistakes this time because they will not be forgotten!

Alex selected McDonald’s for lunch, and she talked continuously through the entire meal. I had to tell her to stop talking and eat so we could get to the museum. The Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum is a fun, hands-on museum for kids 10 and under and has eleven galleries created around the school curriculum.

Alex enjoying the dentistry exhibit and climbing wall at Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum

With everything from car driving, medical and dental areas, scientific activities, wall climbing, water activities, art center,  large tinker toy building, play kitchen area, play farm area, and more, she was on the go constantly. She took home artwork she made and a toy from the gift shop. We were there for about four hours and closed the place down.

Austin

Austin was 16, so his school shopping was in the young men’s department. I and several other mothers and grandmothers hung around the doorway of the men’s fitting room, checking on how the clothing looked on the teens trying on clothes for school. Heaven help the adult male who wants to try things on during school shopping season.

Austin got a couple of outfits for school, then selected McDonald’s for lunch. He is quieter, so conversation is at a minimum with him. After lunch, we went to the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History.

Austin standing beside a sign outside the Castle Museum of Saginaw and viewing a display inside the museum

The museum has three levels of exhibits and displays, covering the Saginaw Sports Hall of Fame, lumbering, and automotive. There are some hands-on exhibits and many displays with informational cards to read. I’m sure there are things we missed or skimmed over when we were there. Their gift items are minimal, and Austin wasn’t interested in any of the items they had.

Corbin

Corbin, at age 12, loves astronomy, so I purchased tickets for a program at the Delta College Planetarium. We arrived a little early and explored the exhibits they had while waiting for the program to start. The program was interesting and designed for kids exploring space, but informative and interesting. The gift area had pencils and pencil toppers in an assortment of designs, so Corbin picked three sets for himself, then selected some for Austin and Alex.

After the program, we walked across the street to Wenonah Park, which displayed several flags. I was impressed that Corbin could list their origins; I didn’t know them. After spending a few minutes at the park, Corbin suggested we head to lunch—I guess he was hungry.

Corbin viewing display inside Delta College Planetarium and in front of the flag display at Wenonah Park

Corbin suggested Taco Bell, saying he thought I could use a break from McDonald’s. He was right, but I would have gladly gone if he suggested going there. As Corbin ate six cheese rollups, he got a huge thumbs up from me by saying, “People like us who aren’t fat can eat here.” I don’t meet the “not fat” classification, but it’s nice that Corbin views me that way.

After lunch, we went to Kohl’s, where we got him a couple of outfits for school. He was easy; he knew what he liked and wanted to wear.  The only dispute was when they didn’t have a character shirt in the right size, and he tried to convince me one that fit like a second skin was fine. I told him there was no way I was buying it in that size and that he would need to find something else.

Saying Goodbye

Paul and I met my cousin and her husband in Cadillac for lunch. Another day my daughter, Caroline, accompanied us on a trip to Traverse City, where we visited my grandparent’s farm, which is now Market 72, a public venue for events. We then met my other cousin and uncle for lunch.

The above is the farm of my paternal grandparents, Louise and Dominick King, built by my great-grandfather in 1918 on M-72 in Traverse City. You see the front and back of the house, the view of the barns from the back porch, and Caroline standing under weeping willow trees between the sideyard and one of the farming fields.

As my time came to an end, Paul and I went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with my daughter, son-in-law, and three kids. The dinner was over too quickly. It was the last time I would see them for another year. I was moving the RV downstate to stay in Port Huron before heading south to Arizona. I took a few family photos of them and departed with sadness.

Austin, Rob, Caroline, Corbin, and Alexandria

Blake’s Family Day

After I left the Clare area and was in Port Huron, Caroline called and asked if I would like to attend Family Day at Blakes’s Big Red Apple in Macomb. My son-in-law has been working the Halloween weekends there for several years, so they always attend the employee family day. 

This was a fun outing, with a haunted hayride, a zombie paintball hayride (my son-in-law is a zombie), a 3-story haunted barn, a petting zoo, a pedal car track, and other activities. Of course, no trip to an apple orchard would be complete without purchasing apple cider, donuts, and caramel apples.

Alex leads the way, with Corbin and Austin following behind on the pedal vehicles. Corbin and Alex enjoy the bounce pads. Austin, Alexandria, and Corbin stand by the “How Tall This Fall?” display at Blake’s Big Red Apple.

And with that, my yearly visit with my grandchildren was officially over. Now I look forward to 2023 when I have booked a longer stay of six weeks in their area. I am looking forward to spending more time with them.

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December 29, 2020 · 7:27 pm

Hindsight is 2020

While the age-old saying about hindsight being 20/20 is often used, the roll-over of the new year gives it an entirely new meaning. Regardless of what you personally think of the past year, there are likely some choices you would have made differently. This is true for any year, but especially given the horrific one we had.

Are there thing I would have changed?  Not many. I would not have remained in Yuma throughout the summer; day after day of 115 degree heat is too much! The choices we made kept us healthy, except for a couple rounds of illness I had in the middle of the summer so it was not a bad choice either.

I regret not getting back to Michigan to see my kids and grandchildren. Michigan was a roller coaster ride of what the Governor was going to keep open or shut down from week to week, so we decided not to risk it. We are looking forward to our upcoming travel plans.

While death, disruption, loss of income, and depression are what many will likely recall when they think back on the past year, there are also some positives that should come to the forefront:

  • More time together with your spouse/partner/significant-other or any other name you call the person you reside with
  • More time to do gardening, crafts, hobbies
  • Homemade food, especially baked goods became a normal day of life for many
  • Kids enjoyed being home with their parents and having more family time
  • Truly learning what your kids are studying in school if they were doing remote learning
  • Less air pollution from traffic meant cleaner air to breathe
  • Many people learned how easy and convenient it is to work from home
  • Companies may now decide to lower their overhead by having more people work from home on a regular basis
  • Everyone has become more tech savvy thanks to Zoom, Jitsi Meet, and Google Meet
  • Those who reside too far away to attend club meetings were brought “into the loop” through online meetings
  • Vacation doesn’t mean you have to travel far

As for me, I’ve spent my time writing, processing photos and videos, and have taken a real liking to adult coloring books.

Whatever the things are that stay-at-home orders and Covid-19 brought to you, remember hindsight is 2020 and you can now envision a bright future in 2021.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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April 2, 2020 · 11:25 pm

Stay-at-Home Orders: 10 Positive Points

We have all been watching the fear of the unknown unfold before us with the Coronavirus spread throughout the world, but more closely to home here in the United States.

We all need a break from the chaos, and below I am going to give you 10 positive Points to the stay-home orders.

I am in a unique class of citizens. We do not have a “sticks and bricks” home, we live full-time in an RV. Stay-at-home orders affect us a bit differently. We elected to stay put in the RV park here in Yuma, Arizona until things calm down. Being in an area where temps average 107 in the summer is not our choice, but we feel it is the best alternative if things do not calm down before then.

When I think back to one year ago in April 2019 I was winding down on the sorting out of my house in the anticipation of moving into an RV full time. I was prepping for an estate sale, selling my home, leaving my full-time job, and hitting the road. By mid-August, those things had been accomplished.THINK POSITIVE IMAGE

I enjoyed a wonderful fall traveling in eastern Canada, and warm winter in southern Texas and Arizona. Our plans for this summer to hit some national parks before heading back to Michigan to visit family have been pitched. We don’t know when or if we will be able to travel to Michigan this year.

The Port Huron Township RV Park we stayed in last summer is closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus. The Port Huron Lapeer Road KOA is price gouging, charging $75 per night if you want to make a reservation. Under the circumstances, our plans are in limbo.

The coronavirus has been the main focus of news for the past couple of months and will likely be for the next few months ahead. We all need is a positive brain break during our stay-at-home time.  Here are some positives of the stay-at-home orders:

  1. You no longer need to set an alarm clock. Sleep in or get up early, your choice.
  2. You can dress however you want – casual, pajamas, the scroungy never-wear-in-public old clothes – whatever suits your fancy. You aren’t going anywhere, no one is visiting, so it’s all good.
  3. No need to wear makeup – who is going to see you?
  4. You can now read those books you purchased but never had time to read. Clean off that shelf and prepare for a literary shopping spree when the stay-home orders lift.
  5. There is plenty of time to do spring cleaning. Does anyone really do that anymore?
  6. Do the spring yard cleanup, plant flowers, ready the vegetable garden.
  7. Clean the junk drawer, the closet, or the basement. Think how neat and organized things will be once this pandemic is over.
  8. Lower gasoline expense – if you aren’t going anywhere you aren’t using any gas
  9. Skim through recipe books and try some new recipes. Think of all the money you save by not eating out, shopping, going to events and concerts.
  10. More time with your spouse, kids, significant other. Make art projects and play board games. Did out your old hobbies – woodworking, sewing, ceramics, stained glass – anything you used to do and normally don’t have time for.
  11. Sit on your porch or deck and enjoy the sun, listen to the birds, drink a glass of wine.

Use this stay-home time to enjoy life. Someday you will be able to look back and remember the brain break you were awarded in the midst of a pandemic.

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September 2, 2017 · 8:42 am

A Child’s Viewpoint

I recently had the pleasure of watching my grandchildren for a day.  Time with a 2-1/2 year old, 6 year old and 11 year old always brings a few laughs and simple pleasures.

The simple days, when at six years of age it is a tragedy when your younger sister won’t share her goldfish crackers.  Really?  She only has a couple dozen out of an entire bag, not like there aren’t more to put into a separate bowl for him.   The world is once again at peace, all thanks to a few crackers shaped like fish.

Why is it at 2-1/2 years of age you are capable of stripping all clothing off a doll more than a dozen times a day, but can never get them back on.  Of course once the doll is naked it must be dressed, but Grandma must do that.  The doll is dressed, life is good, until thirty minutes later when that doll is once again, for some unknown reason, naked.  And the hours pass by….

Planning for my future residence, Corbin (age 6) “It would be neat if you had a really big house with a space ship on top.”

Why, I ask, would I want a house with a space ship on the top of it.  The answer, according to Corbin, is simple.  “Because it would be cool!”

Okay, so there you go.  My retirement home floor plans are being laid out now.

When you don’t know how to respond to certain announcements, such as Austin (age 11), “Gunther is dead.”

Austin has autism, so comprehension is sometimes difficult, and he had just been dropped off after spending the weekend at his dad’s house, so with the same seriousness in which he expressed this loss I asked “who is Gunther?”

I received a very straight-faced, serious answer, “He is a Zombie.”

Sorry, I had nothing after that.  I guess the death of a zombie, or the creation of a zombie due to death, has a greater impact on some than it does on me.

Alex blows bubbles
Austin enjoying the front porch
Corbin plays with the Pad
Alexandria plays with train

Prior to the kids coming over and knowing I would have just Corbin and Alexandria for lunch I checked with my daughter to see what the best food choices would be and planned accordingly.    I had purchased the family size Velveeta Shells and Cheese, and let’s face it, as a general rule Mac & Cheese is a kid favorite.  Apparently sometimes this is not the case.

As he sits down to eat Corbin looks at the food and says “I don’t like macaroni and cheese.”

I responded that yes he does, his mother told me he eats it all the time.

Corbin — “Not today, I’m six and sometimes we don’t like things.”

Imagine that!  I thought six year olds were always logical and cooperative.  Guess I got that wrong.

Blowing bubbles, that wonderful outside activity that all children love to do.  The problem is Alexandria (2-1/2) simply doesn’t understand that it would be preferable if I moved the wand away from my body before she attempted to blow the bubbles right back at me.  Of course that is a toss-up with the other option of letting her hold the wand herself and trying to convince her that if she didn’t put her mouth on the wand to blow, she wouldn’t get the icky tasting soap on her tongue.  The results aren’t in on whether more bubble soap made it into the air as bubbles or if more ended up on our bodies due to Alex’s still to be perfected bubble-blowing technique.

Then there is the issue of cleanliness.  When I informed Corbin that he is supposed to flush and wash his hands after using the bathroom he said “you know, I washed my hands yesterday.”

Good to know, can we do it today as well please.  Of course this goes along with the request he wash his hands and him turning them back and forth saying “they aren’t dirty.”

Girls in that regard are so much easier.  I can say “Alex your face is dirty, let’s wash it.” and she comes and stands beside me waiting to get cleaned up.

A day with children is always entertaining, enlightening, and just plain fun.  Blocks, cars, trains, slides, bubbles, a messed up floor filled with toys.  Cracker crumbs, candy, spilled water, and more.  As the day wears on electronic pads filled with games are great for keeping children from killing each other off and/or driving an adult insane.

 

 

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July 13, 2017 · 9:10 am

Childhood Cravings

I was grocery shopping recently and had a craving for a childhood snack — graham crackers with frosting on them.  I purchased the box of crackers and grabbed what I thought was standard chocolate frosting.  Imagine my delight when I popped open that little container and discovered chocolate mint — double yum!

That got me to thinking about some of the simple things from my childhood that kids today don’t have the opportunity to experience.   Back when I was a child life was more simple.  Summer was spent playing outside.  There weren’t any arranged play-dates set up by parents, we weren’t in day care centers, and our parents did not have us participating in scheduled activities.  childhood - chinese jump rope

We got up in the morning and walked or rode our bike to a friend’s house, rang the doorbell and asked if they could come out and play.  When was the last time a child did that?  Today’s children probably wouldn’t know how.   We didn’t have video games, cell phones, ipads, or any of the other technology that kids today rely on.  So what did we do with our time?  We had fun!

A field behind the house could be trampled down into “rooms” in which we could roll out our baby carriages and play house.  We would lay on our backs and look at the clouds, making determinations on what they looked like.  We played Ring-Around-The-Rosie, Duck-Duck-Goose, Mother May I, Red Rover Red Rover, Tag, Kick-the-Can, and hide-and-go-seek.

We only had three TV channels, and cartoons were a Saturday morning specialty.  Every kid sat in front of the TV watching their favorites.  Between Saturdays we had our comic books to read.   My girlfriend and I would put our comic books into the saddle baskets of our bikes, then read our comic books as we rode our bikes down the street no-handed….and we weren’t even wearing helmets!

childhood - jacksWe would sit on the porch playing jacks.  At one time I was able to handle pick-ups of 20 jacks at a time.  We played a lot.  Do kids play jacks anymore?  Are they even available to purchase?  Ours were tiny metal jacks with a small red ball.    What about hula hoops and pogo sticks?  With a swing of the hips your hula hoop could be forced up to the neck or down to the knees and back to the waste.  Regular jump rope, Chinese jump rope, and hop scotch kept us busy.

I lived in a small town.  We would ride our bikes downtown and go to the library and the dime store.  I did a lot of reading.  Nancy Drew was my favorite, and so was Alfred Hitchcock and Agatha Christie as I got older.   We bought pop in glass bottles out of a vending machine.  Everyone chewed Bazooka bubble gum, and we all loved the little tiny comics that came inside.  Gum wrappers were used to make chains…what we did with those chains I don’t remember.

We looked for 4-leaf clovers.  Flower petals were pulled off one-by-one saying “he loves me, he loves me not.”  Dandelions were held under the chin to see if your chin shone yellow, but I don’t remember why.  If we found a dandelion gone to seed, a “wisher,” we were thrilled….but our father wasn’t if he saw us blowing those seeds out into the lawn.

childhood - pogo stickBack then most people did not have air conditioning.  Windows were open, fans were used.  One strong childhood summer memory does not involve me but my father.  He would mow the lawn and then afterward watch the ball game on TV.  One of my favorite scents and sounds of summer is the combination of fresh mowed grass and a baseball ball game on the TV or radio.

What are some of your childhood memories?  No matter how old or young you are, if you are an adult I am sure things have changed since your childhood.   Do you have childhood cravings?  Do you wish your children and/or grandchildren could experience life as it once was, not as it is now?

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August 25, 2016 · 10:18 pm

GRANDCHILDREN GIGGLES

Grandchildren have a way of making you giggle.  They have an innocent thought process that is blunt, entertaining, and enlightening all at the same time.  They are energizing and exhausting with non-stop movement and questions.  This past Sunday I had the pleasure of spending the day with two of my grandchildren for thirteen hours, of which the last five hours also included their brother.

Alexandria is 18 months old and constantly on the move.  She doesn’t talk; she grunts and points then nods yes or no.  She doesn’t play with toys.  It is more fun to explore and get into things she shouldn’t.  A cup of water is great for drinking.  However when grandma isn’t looking it is much more fun to pour it out on the kitchen floor and sit beside it, splashing in the mini inside puddle that has been created.

Why would brother want the track to his train to remain put together?  Does he really need all the parts of the train?  Apparently not, at least as far as Alexandria is concerned.  Gee Grandma, all the stuff you had in that box you expected to stay there?  I thought it would look much better dumped out all over the floor.

Here I am! Photo by Grace Grogan, Copyright 2016
The hand gives it away. Photo by Grace Grogan, Copyright 2016

Hey, you know that neat round end table that holds your lamp?  Did you know I fit inside and it can hide me too?  Yep, doesn’t bother me a bit to climb inside and close the door.  Oh by the way, just because I sit in my high chair and put the tray over myself doesn’t mean I am hungry.  It just means I want to watch you prepare my food and give it to me so I can take two bites and be done.  You thought it meant more?

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Alexandria climbed into her high chair and put the top over her lap. Photo by Grace Grogan. Copyright 2016.

Now Corbin, who is five is a bit more independent and forthcoming with what he wants and needs.  And for heaven sake, don’t forget to lock the bathroom door or you may have company.  When the door burst open I told him I was going potty and he isn’t supposed to enter.  “But I needed to tell you something.”

Corbin likes playing a food game on the pad and showing me what he has made.

Me:  “You made yourself a hamburger?”

Corbn:  “No, I made it for a human”

Me:  “You’re a human”

Corbin:  “No, I’m just a kid.  I’m not big enough to be a human.  I’m just a little kid.”

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Alexandria climbed into her high chair and put the top over her lap. Photo by Grace Grogan. Copyright 2016.

Then he looks at my wall in the TV Room.  “Hey, where did the picture of the train go?”

Me:  ” It is on the wall by the front door”

Corbin:  “Why isn’t it on that wall?”

Me:  “I moved things around so I would have something different to look at.”

Corbin then runs to the front to make sure I haven’t lied about the location of the train photograph.  Then returns.

Corbin:  “No.  The train needs to be on that wall so I can see it.”  He can see it where I moved it to, he just can’t see it continuously when sitting on the couch, and Corbin loves trains.

And so went my day.  Then around 5:30 pm Austin, who is 10, was dropped off at my house.  As long as both pads were working and I kept the TV on a kids movie things were relatively quiet.  However they are brothers.  Peace can only last so long, especially when the younger one is a tease.   I did manage to keep the war zone at a fairly peaceful level for the next five hours, thanks to battery chargers.

As the day moved into evening Corbin looked at me and said “I think my mother forgot to come home.”  I assured him she had not forgotten.  It was just taking her longer than she thought.  When my daughter called to give me an update on her progress in getting back to pick the kids up I put Corbin on the phone so she could tell him she would be there soon.  Corbin’s response “okay, but I’m playing a game on the pad” and he handed the phone back to me.  So much for concern!

Then it gets dark.  Austin used to stay overnight with us all the time, but Corbin has never gone somewhere and spent the night without his mother and/or brother with him.    Not long before my daughter arrived to pick the kids up Corbin looked at me.  “I’m ready to go home now, Its dark and I don’t like to sleep other places.”

My daughter arrived to pick them up at 10:30 pm.  It was a fun day.  It was an exhausting day.  After they left I sat down in the chair for what I intended to be a 10 minute rest and woke up at 11:40 and went to bed.

When I think back over my day there is a song lyric playing in my mind:   The Mr. Mom song, remember it?  “Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer, crayons go up one drawer higher, rewind Barney for the 16th time, breakfast six, naps at nine.  There’s bubble gum in the baby’s hair, sweet potatoes in the lazy chair…been busy all week long, and it’s only Monday Mr. Mom.”

Exhausting as it was, I will always do it again, if for nothing more than the fun of grandchildren giggles.

 

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August 18, 2016 · 9:06 am

Being Obstinate

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Float Down Photo Copyright Grace Grogan

I am by nature a fairly easy going person, except when you challenge what I think is right, at which point I can become very obstinate.  This is the case with an article I just submitted to our local paper, The Times Herald.  St. Clair County has an “unofficial” yearly event called Float Down, which will take place this Sunday.

This is an event where people disembark from Lakeside Beach in Port Huron using rafts, floats, etc. and take with them beverages, snacks, and more for the 7 mile float down the St. Clair River to Chrysler Beach in Marysville.  This is an all-day event, the river is rapid, and even though the event is “unofficial” shipping traffic is generally slowed and/or stopped for several hours that day for safety reasons and the Coast Guard is on hand to carry out any necessary rescues.

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Float Down.  Photo Copyright Grace Grogan.

There are over 5,000+ participants in the float down, and it grows larger and larger every year.  In my opinion the participation increases because of the publicity it gets…not so much the positive publicity, but the negative.  The U.S. Coast Guard encourages people not to participate because it is a safety risk.  The officials of Marysville where the float ends keep trying to make it difficult for people to exit at their city by closing down roads and making it difficult for people got get picked up and exit the area quickly after floating.  Last year because they closed the road where people exit some floaters were stranded near a local restaurant until 10:00 pm.

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Float Down.  Photo Copyright Grace Grogan.

This is where my good-natured, always balanced Libra personality takes a turn and I become obstinate.  I am an opinion columnist for our local paper so I just submitted a column about the negative attitude of the City of Marysville’s mayor.  I said I hope all 5,000+ float all the way to Chrysler Beach just because of the mayor’s attitude.   I think the City’s negative attitude is why the float down has grown so large in the past few years.  Who doesn’t want to participate in an event that has a bit of controversy and provides a unique chance at one day of fun per year?  I know I do.  I may be babysitting my granddaughter this year so my daughter can float, but in a future year I will participate in a float down.  The Mayor of Marysville’s attitude has guaranteed that!

 

 

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June 8, 2016 · 11:37 pm

What is a Vacation?

You may consider my title a strange question, but I think it is worth exploring.  I was recently reading a posting from my Facebook memories feed about the planning of my itinerary for a trip my husband and I were planning to go on.  One of the comments on the post was that I needed to relax, it was a vacation.  That got me thinking, what is a vacation?Vacation - go someplace you have never been

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary a vacation is a period of time that a person spends away from home, school, or business usually in order to relax or travel.  That sounds simple enough, but is it?    People vacation in a wide range of ways, and the trick is to find people who like to travel and relax in the same manner you do.  It also may mean you need to make adjustments to the way you travel in order to accommodate everyone’s desires and interests.

My husband, Ron, and I always traveled with an itinerary.  I read tourist books and mapped out our trips.  I knew what we were doing each and every day, and quite frequently we were up with an alarm clock to make sure we arrived at places when they opened to get a jump on the day.  That is how our kids grew up.    There were many people that thought we were nuts, but then those same people would say “wow, you saw/did a lot on your trip.”  Well yes, that is the result of planning and being on the go.

We would hear people talk about their vacations, traveling somewhere and then spending a good portion of their time sitting around a pool, or on the beach, sleeping in late and doing a lot of nothing.  People would go camping and spend the majority of their time sitting around the campground, chatting with other campers, sitting around bonfires, etc.  When Ron and I heard vacations such as those being described we would think “how boring.”

Vacation - Life is a TripSo which is the proper vacation?  They both are.  A vacation should be whatever you want it to be.  Do what makes the days fun-filled and relaxing for you and your travel companions.   People are unique and everyone has their own set of needs.  What is good for you may drive me bonkers; what is right for me may leave you feeling stressed and exhausted.

Then I started wondering how my vacation plans may be affected by the fact that my husband has passed and I am now alone.  Ron was always a morning person — his feet hit the floor and he was off and running.  I like to get up and see and do a lot, but I frequently start my day at a slower pace than he liked.    I think I will find a balance for myself that is similar to what I have always done, but maybe a bit more relaxed.  Whatever I end up doing, it will be the same.  It will be different.  It will be me.  That is what a vacation should be.

 

 

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April 13, 2016 · 11:42 pm

When Lifes Gets Stressed Crush Candy

Why is it life rolls along smoothly, then suddenly anything and everything that can go wrong does?  The stresses of life never seem to spread themselves out over time so you can deal with them individually.  Instead challenges pile up on you at one time like a massive pyramid.

That is what has happened to me in the past couple weeks.  Individually everything would have been frustrating, but piled together has created stress.  I went into the secretary of state to transfer vehicles into my name, only to find out that on there is a form to fill out and an assortment of information needed such as proof of registration or current plate number, pay-off letters, and mileage.  Not a problem, right?  Wrong.  I have to look for a pay-off letter on my car.  The key to the motor home broke in half when trying to gain entry and I have been trying to find someone who can remake a key from broken pieces.  The company through which there is one car loan is making me jump through more hoops to assume the car loan than my mortgage company did renegotiating my mortgage.  In the midst of all this the IRS is auditing the deductions we took on 2014 taxes,  and the battery was dead in the pickup when my daughter tried to use it.

So what does one do when life stresses them out and they need to relax?  Some people exercise, some people drink, some people take medication.  Me….I play Candy Crush.  I know, it was a craze for a while and that seems to have died down.  Actually I hadn’t played in several months.  Then one day with everything going on I needed to relax, to de-stress, and I clicked on the game.  It is a good one to play when life is hectic because you only have five lives and then you have to quit for a while.  It offers some challenge, but doesn’t require intense mental concentration.  It allows me to decompress when life is chaotic.  My advise to you, when life gets stressed crush candy.

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July 10, 2014 · 9:21 am

Backyard Exploration by a 3-Year Old

Who's out there? Photo by Grace Grogan

Who’s out there? Photo by Grace Grogan

Our 3-year old grandson, Corbin, was recently at our house and I decided to go out and take some photos while he was playing in the backyard. It is easy to forget how active and intrigued with the little things a 3-year old can be. Warning — don’t watch them play if you aren’t feeling energized, because just watching that continuous movement can wear you out.

Parking the car. Photo by Grace Grogan

Parking the car. Photo by Grace Grogan

Up the slide, down the slide, over to the next slide, up and down. Jump in the Little Tikes car, park and get out, go in the Little Tikes house, out of the house, open the windows, shut the windows. Look outside to see who is there. Get back in the car and move it a bit, on the other hand why drive, easier to get out and push. Oops! I haven’t gone down the slide in a few minutes, better take another run at that before walking the ledge around the flower garden.

Down the Slide. Photo by Grace Grogan

Down the Slide. Photo by Grace Grogan

Hey, there is a hill over there to can roll down, and some exposed dirt to pick up chunks of and throw. What can I see down the water drain? I know you’re supposed to sit at the picnic table, but much easier to play King of the Mountain if standing on it. Wow, Grandma and Grandpa’s big table has a hole in it, wonder what is down there?

Coming Out. Photo by Grace Grogan

Coming Out. Photo by Grace Grogan

Back and forth, over and over, the activities continued, rotating from one end of the yard to the other over and over again. It never even occurred to me that he was paying any attention to the small windmill we have out there, which was turning at a good clip due to a nice breeze, until the wind stopped. Never underestimate the ability of a child to know what is going on around them.

Walking the Edge. Photo by Grace Grogan

Walking the Edge. Photo by Grace Grogan

Corbin stopped, pointed to the windmill and said “uh oh, what happened? Turn it back on”

What is in there? Photo by Grace Grogan

What is in there? Photo by Grace Grogan

Ron blew on it a bit to show Corbin that wind makes it go, not an on/off switch. Of course Corbin didn’t worry for long. After all he had to re-park the car, see what was going on inside his house, and take a few more runs down the slide. Life is a whirlwind of activity when you are three years old.

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