This year Andie will be teaching her own 4th grade class at LaGrange Elementary. There is so much a teachers does from her own pocket and with her own time to get a classroom ready to mold young minds. Their first day of school for her as a teacher and her children as students was Wednesday, August 17th. I suggested to her that I could come Sunday the 14th and stay till Tuesday evening the 16th and be an extra set of hands. I could cover the bases needed with the Mini's and help in any way she might need. Andie was very, very happy with that possibility.
Sunday, August 14th I took Papa to Church and then took him home and visited with him till 1pm. Then I met Claude for a quick lunch as he returned from Paris, Kentucky. Then I was off, dodging rain storms, to the Marx home. When I arrived I thought Hayden was going to break my ribs with his hugs. That is not a complaint.
Andie and Michael took this opportunity for a date night. Michael would have to work all day and then referee soccer games all evening Monday and Tuesday. They went to see the new Bourne movie and have dinner together. The Mini's and I ate leftovers at the Marx home. They had a local Church provide food for the faculty at LaGrange Elementary and Andie was asked to take any leftovers home with her. We tried to each some of them.
It was time to get the Mini's back on a school schedule so we had them in bed by 9pm. That was somewhat better than their summer schedule.
Tuesday, I came downstairs to Michael making sure Hayden had something to eat before going to cross country practice. Pip and Percy were right there. I'm not sure if they wanted to be with Hayden or if they wanted his milk from his cereal. Love this pathetic picture of Percy looking for attention.
Andie dropped Hayden off at cross country practice on her way to her school. Bailey and I picked him up at 9:30 and brought the things he had to decorate his locker to him. Our Hayden is going into Middle School this year. Cannot believe that but it is true. He got his locker decorated and showed Bailey the practice locker so she could try to learn how to operate a combination lock.
I suggested to the Mini's that we go to Sonic for a refreshing beverage after Hayden's morning run. They were game and we drove to Crestwood and enjoyed slushes. Bailey and I each tried the Pina Colada. Hayden tried some with two add-ins. The boy is all about trying the add-ins.
Then we took Hayden home and Bailey and I went to Walmart to pick up a few things. Each of us was in search of a type of chip we saw on a television commercial. Bailey's was a Greek flavored version and mine was a vegetable flavored Sun Chip. We found Bailey's but did not find the flavor I was looking for. There was a man stocking the chip section that did not work for Walmart. He asked if he could help. We told him what I was looking for. He assured us they didn't carry that a Walmart but we could (he said this in a whisper) find them at Kroger. We got Hayden his favorite flavor, picked up the purchases we really needed that weren't edible and headed back to the Marx home.
Monday afternoon I did something to help Andie that was not on her list. I brought my weeding clothes and tools. Bailey went out to the front yard with me and was my legs. The hardest thing for me is getting up and down when I weed. Andie's front flower bed was in a really bad way. The grass had grown over the rocks that line the edge and were into the bed, small trees were starting to grow in amongst the plants. I determined I would get that bed weeded for her. Bailey would take my full bags of weeds and put them in the garbage and bring me a new bag so I didn't have to get up. She even brought me water once to rehydrate a bit. I had to pause for a bit when a rain storm came across. But we got the main front bed done and it looked great. Thank heavens for Bailey's help.
I got my shower and rested for a bit. Andie came home and I told her I would take them out for something to eat. Andie declined so she could get some phone calls made but requested we bring her something back. So, the Mini's and I made our pilgrimage to Dairy Queen and enjoyed a very nice meal together. Then we ordered a meal for Andie and headed back to Casa Marx. We spent the evening giving hair cuts and preparing lots of things for Andie's classroom.
Tuesday morning, Andie was out the door early so I took Hayden to cross country practice. Then Bailey and I picked him up. Hayden and Andie had labeled his binders and folders for school the night before, so we again headed to Hayden's locker to get these items in his locker. Then it was off to Sonic to rehydrate. This time the Mini's decided they wanted to eat breakfast. Even though it was 10am, Sonic was just opening (the Georgetown Sonic is open 24/7. We were the first in line so we had to wait for them to start their cooking process for the day. Took a bit but the Mini's were only more hungry so that worked to our advantage. They enjoyed breakfast from Sonic. Even said 'thank you'.
We went back to the Marx home and Bailey wanted to go outside to play. I went out with her and enjoyed the nice day. Bailey found a funny looking caterpillar.
Then I heard the neighbor that lives behind them calling for Bailey to come quick. She had been out mowing their grass with a push mower. She stopped the mower as she saw something fluffy in their tall grass. It was a bunny. She was afraid there were more so she had her son, Conner, and Bailey help her look through the grass. Sure enough they found two more baby bunnies. All were transported to a safe spot and the lawn mowing continued.
Andie called when it was okay for us to come to her classroom. I took window measurements to make curtains. Then cut out things she had laminated. Hayden checked the room and gave her pointers that might help he with the kids. Andie graciously listened and told him how much she appreciated his input. Loved observing that moment. Bailey turned on a computer and played the learning games they have for the kids.
Andie only had an hour and then she had another meeting. We left and went to the library. Their library has a huge shelf full of games. We picked two and sat at a big table to play games for a bit. Nice way to fill and afternoon without screens in front of the Mini's and doing something together where it was cool.
When we got home, the cats entertained us. One of them has a top to a box tomatoes came in that he likes to curl up in. This time he managed to flip the box over and curl up underneath the box. The box didn't go completely to the ground and the cat would wrestle with himself and the box while under it. Very amusing.
Andie got home about 6pm and we finished the things we needed to cover. Then I headed back to Sadieville. It felt good to be doing good things for my kid and her family. Nice to be a little helpful for them before I get old enough they will have to be doing that for me.
When my mother was maybe five years old, her mother, Gramma Fisch, started teaching her to sew on an old treadle sewing machine. They lived in a home in the country with no running water or electricity. When we were little girls, my grandparents bought feed and flour in sacks made out of cotton fabric with beautiful prints on them. Gramma Fisch would wash and iron these pieces of fabric and kept them in a nice stack in one of the back bedrooms. When we would visit, my mother would carefully go through the fabric and pick out enough matching pieces to make each of us girls play clothes or dresses. I loved these moments and the clothes. Never had a problem telling others that beautiful fabric they admired was feed sacks.
When my Gramma Fisch passed away, my mother inherited the sewing machine. It worked all the time my mother had full faculties but I'm not sure after she had Alzheimer's. While having Alzheimer's she kept a green plant on top and over watered it. There was a scarf on the top so this was never noticed by Papa. When I went to clean out their home for them to move to Kentucky, my sisters and I divided up Mom's things that we each wanted. This treadle sewing machine was something each of us girls wanted. We put names in a hat and drew out one. Amazingly, my name was drawn. We brought the sewing machine to our home when we moved my parents to Kentucky.
Claude put it in the basement. Eventually we took it apart to restore. The wood from the top was ruined an posed a problem as to what to do with it. We came up with the idea of making a new wood board cover for the top. I truly wanted to keep it as close to original as I could so it would retain some of its value. Several years went by with it in pieces in the basement not sure how to handle the restoration. Claude wanted to do it right and we just weren't sure it could be like it was originally with all the damage to the wood.
This year, Claude decided to finish what was in pieces in the corner of the workshop. He has diligently taken it further apart, replaced decorative wood that had come off and was in the drawers, sanded, stained, repaired, and tenderly cared for this beautiful antique. He even found plastic coverings for where the rollers were on each leg of the machine. He made a wood board that could be used for the top. In the end, he opted not to use this piece of wood because of the treatment he was able to give the top.
This last Monday, it was finished and he moved it up to the breakfast room area where I have left a place for it all these years. It is simply beautiful.
I know my mother and grandmother would love how he lovingly and carefully worked on and put back together this treasure from our past. In keeping with its history, I placed a doily I crocheted on the top and on that put a beautiful ceramic bowl Claude gave me with green turtles on the outside and pine cones in the bowl. Inside the drawers are the manual, some old wooden spools of thread and bobbins. There is a wooden case of tools and parts for the machine. These are also treasures.
I love having this piece in my home where I will enjoy it each and every day. So grateful to Claude for working so hard and making this happen. It will be a treasure for my children someday, until then, I shall truly enjoy it being in our home.
On the red Buick sped to pick up Bailey. I popped Kellie a text to let her know we were on our way. Bailey and her friend Sophie were hiding from us when we got there. Silly girls. We gathered up Bailey and she joined Papa in the car for the ride home.
After dropping Papa at his home (He was a little tired from all the running. He is more used to our leisurely rides in the countryside, not rushing up and down Interstates.), I had a text from Claude that he was at Frank Shoop...again...
Claude had a morning meeting. He then went to Frank Shoop to get his Jeep. They brought it to him and he parked it in their parking area while he took the rental car back to Enterprise. He checked the head lights and they were definitely off. A new battery had been added but the key switch part had not come in and so it had not been replaced. Claude returned the rental car and the rental company brought him back to Frank Shoop to pick up his Jeep. He got in, turned the key, and the Jeep was dead...again. Claude was a mite upset at this point. He went back in to the service area but it was lunch time and no one could help him figure out what to do next with the car. Finally Kim came over (she is a superhero at Frank Shoop) and she managed to get the car back for repair but it still had to stay till they got a part. The problem is this is an old Jeep now. Claude has had it for 13 or more years and the parts are not standard anymore. Kim saw Claude trying to get the rental car company again. She told him not to call them, she would fix him up with a rental from Frank Shoop and it would be a much better deal. Claude was having a very bad afternoon.
That is when Bailey and I called him before leaving Papa's. We agreed to meet him at Burger King for some lunch before him taking Bailey and going back to Sadieville. Claude was in a small Chevy SUV. Bailey picked Burger King to have something to eat. Having that little nugget made things a bit happier for a frustrated Pa.
We ate lunch and, while Bailey and I ate dessert, Claude walked across the parking lot to the Enterprise office to debate with them about his rental bill. When he got back, he took Bailey home with him and I went to Papa's to take him to the nursing home and then stay to teach Institute.
Claude had a City Commission meeting that night. It was a special meeting and was to be very short. Bailey knew this and went prepared with her tablet to stay still and quiet at the Mayor's desk while Claude handled the meeting. For a kid with ADHD who was not taking her meds some in the summer, this would prove interesting. She managed to snap this selfie during the meeting. Gotta love this girl.
I purchased a can of soft cheese for each of the Mini's. Bailey loved having that in the evening with her crackers to munch on. It must have been a hit because Claude sent me a text thanking me for getting that for the kids.
I came home about 9:30pm with some lemon bread and some cinnamon bread left from Institute refreshments. We had a quiet evening till bedtime. Bailey and I read some before tucking this little dear in for the night.
Thursday morning I left Bailey in the big red chair reading and playing games while I grabbed a shower. Then we went to the basement so I could teach this young lady about music 'old style'. It was a little fascinating to her. She has never played music on records before.
Bailey wanted Taco Bell for lunch so into Georgetown we went. This was my second Taco Bell meal in a week. There would be one more.
We took Papa enough bananas to get him through the weekend. Bailey enjoyed walker rides through his home, watching the bunnies play in his back yard, an orange-pineapple drink from Papa's fridge. She even got Papa to play a tune on his harmonica. The Mini's think Papa's apartment is a very fun place.
Claude took us to Walmart to get a few items we needed for Bailey to cook dinner for us and for Bailey to pick out her toy. Grampa took the grocery shopping while I herded Bailey through the toy section. She seemed to know exactly what she wanted to look for. The trick was staying in budget. She came close, a little over, but close. This little container has a wheel at the end closest to Bailey. The blue item in that wheel is a mouse. It is sensitive to touch and will make a little noise when you rub your finger over the neck at the ears. It runs on a battery (we got extra batteries to make life easier for Andie and Michael) and once started it just rolls around all over the place squeaking as it goes. Bailey was in heaven. This girl loves animals of all kinds. I kept telling her it would be very interesting to see how her cats react to this mouse.
Dinner time arrived and Bailey was to be our chef for the evening. She took a cooking class at the Oldham County Extension Office. She sent me a recipe she liked from the class via eMail and that is the one she prepared for us. It was delicious. She did a great job and taught me the correct way to cut with a knife. This was my biggest area of concern. My knives are all Cutco and exceedingly sharp. She did just right and was very careful and came away from the experience with no cuts or loss of fingers. Yeah!!
After dinner it was time for our girl to snuggle with her Pa. She and Claude have this really cute, fun relationship. Love catching these moments with the two of them.
The other thing I loved that evening and the next day, we listening to Bailey when she would watch something on her tablet. I don't know what it was but she would laugh right out loud. Children laughing is just enjoyable.
Bailey came wanting to go to the Horse Park. I watched weather and Friday was to be the best day to go and not get caught in a possible rain storm. However, when we all got up Friday morning, our little nugget wanted to just stay home with Pa and Ma. No special plans, just quiet time at home with us. Now, Claude and I were both quite happy with that. I did have her look me right in the eye as I explained this was her last full day with us and there would not be another day to go to the Horse Park. She fully understood and truly just wanted to be in our home with the two of us. We could do that!
We did polish our nails. She actually chose colors that matched her outfit. She loves a pattern or theme for things and this followed through when she painted her fingernails. She and Andie had done their toe nails before she came to our home.
Evidently Bailey planted some cat grass for their kittens. Andie sent me a picture of Pip enjoying the cat grass. Bailey was happy.
She spent some time in the afternoon playing in and with our bed. It moves up and down and also massages. She was very happy trying all the settings while eating her cucumbers.
Friday evening was the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Rio. We all stayed up till midnight watching these ceremonies. It was interrupted for a bit when Katelyn called and we did a video chat with Raelyn. Katelyn called while Hayden was there and he kept calling Raelyn "our precious little baby girl". Bailey was very happy she got a chance to see Raelyn and talk with her also. We were all very tired when we finally got to bed. I believe Bailey immediately fell asleep with instructions to sleep as late as she wanted to Saturday morning.
Saturday we packed up Bailey and, after a breakfast of cinnamon toast and scrambled eggs, we hit the road to Shelbyville. Andie and Hayden met us there. We had one more Taco Bell meal together before Claude and I left to get back to Sadieville and the Andie and the Mini's went to Andie's school to put some things in her classroom.
Great visits with our kids. Nice to have that opportunity. Not all families get that opportunity and I am grateful the Mini's want to come and we could have such nice individual visit and time with each of them.
The Summer Tradition continues...
Several years ago we started splitting up a week during the summer with the Mini's. We carried on this tradition this last week. And, it accounts for the tiredness of Claude and me today.
This year Hayden came first. I met Andie and the Mini's at the Taco Bell in Shelbyville last Sunday afternoon. We had a great lunch together. The Mini's ate their meal and were still hungry. I went back with each and got another meal. Then I went back to the counter and we got dessert. Hmmmm...They were eating very well for kids for which this can sometimes be a big concern. Then we loaded Hayden's gear in my car and he and I set off for Georgetown to visit with Papa.
We stopped at Kroger and picked up Papa's groceries before going to his apartment. When the Mini's come, I'm never sure how my time will be for taking care of Papa, so Hayden and I opted to be sure this chore was done. Can't have Papa starving now, can we? Hayden showed me the intricacies of Red Box. We found two movies to watch with Hayden. We also purchased ribs fresh from the grill to take to Claude.
Papa was so happy to have Hayden come in and surprise him. I told Papa over and over this was going to be the week with the Mini's here. He was still surprised to see him and totally enjoyed having him visit. I put away the groceries and then we visited for a while.
On to Sadieville where Hayden surprised Claude with his BBQ'd ribs. Claude immediately started to eat them. He was very happy to receive this food. He does love those Kroger BBQ'd ribs.
Hayden has two things for which he is doing fitness training. The first is a Boy Scout merit badge and the other is his participation in Cross Country at his school. So he came with homework to be done each day. He did his walking and running on the treadmill. And, he made himself a sheet to record his accomplishments in each area each day he was here. I did not tell him to do that, he just did it on his own. Clever young man. I sent this picture to his mom with a caption "You're Boy is Being Obedient". She asked if he was wearing flip flops on the treadmill to rankle her. Hmmmm...Did not pay attention to that little tidbit. He was actually doing the running part at the end. I wonder if his grin in the picture is because he knows his mom will get this picture?
We watched both his movies on Sunday night. The first was "Kung Fu Panda III". The second was "The Chipmunks". Hayden was super happy with his movie fest.
Monday morning Papa had a doctor's appointment in Lexington. This left Claude and Hayden to their own devises all morning. Hayden not only ate several of the little individual boxes of cereal but they also made the can of cinnamon rolls and devoured them. Hmmm... But I returned to a happy home after Papa had a clean bill of health from the dermatologist.
Monday evening, Hayden wanted to see the "Secret Life of Pets" in 3D. He found it at the Regal Theaters in Hamburg Pavilion. So our afternoon was to accomplish some banking chores Claude needed to do for Sadieville and then off to Lexington for dinner and a movie. We opted to introduce Hayden to A&W. He had great fun using the tap to get our beverages. We all enjoyed our hamburgers and should have only ordered 2 fries instead of one each.
We got to the theater before the rain started. We very much enjoyed the movie and learning the Regal now has lounge chair seating. Claude said he could enjoy going to movies with that kind of seating. The rain was pouring when we came out and we waited to see if it would clear before running to the car. Finally gave up and made a dash for the car.
Claude took us to Walmart. Another tradition is a toy from Walmart for the kids when they come in the summer. I set a little dollar amount and they try to stay at or below that number. Hayden really wanted a computer game, roamed the Legos just in case and finally found a book he really wanted. He is interesting in that, if he buys a book from a collection he wants to keep, he knows he only wants a hardback. I find that interesting in a young person. As a result he has a nice bookshelf full of hardback books that he loves. This pleases his Gramma immensely. So, it didn't surprise me when he found a nice hardback copy of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" Parts 1 and 2 included. My request was that after he finishes reading it, he lets me borrow it to read. We ended our evening by dashing into Dairy Queen for an ice cream in the pouring rain. So grateful for the garage when we got home and not having to make that final dash to or from the car in the pouring rain.
Tuesday, August 2nd, was Hayden's last full day with us. We started it at Waffle House. To say the boy loves Waffle House is an understatement. His father loves Waffle House and has taught that love to his son. Hayden ate well. We marveled.
We spent the rest of that day at home. Hayden did manage to take my Kindle and add 20 extra hints to the game I like to play there. They were free he said. Such a kid. In all Hayden's roaming the Internet with his tablet, he found a Superman Museum with a huge statue of Superman in front. I told him Grampa had been there. He sent the link to Claude who indeed confirmed he had been there and had ice cream at the local Dairy Queen. Hayden was much impressed.
Wednesday morning we packed everything up. The kids neither made a huge spread out mess with their belongings this time. So packing was a snap and I don't think we forgot anything. Claude followed us to Hardee's and we treated Hayden to breakfast there before he and I went to see Papa on our way to LaGrange. We had invited Papa to ride with us to take Hayden home but Papa opted out...until we got to his apartment for Hayden to say good-bye. Then Papa thought he should join us for the ride. We all loaded in my car and headed west to take Hayden home.
We parked in the Marx family garage and Papa came inside to meet Percy and Pip, the Marx family's kittens. At one point both were curled up on Papa's lap. Papa is a dog person, not a cat person. When Hayden got out of the car to run inside ahead of us, I leaned over to Papa and said, "You know how you wanted everyone to love Tiny? Hayden feels that same way about his kittens and he wants you to love them like he does." Papa understood then and tried his best to be very kind and happy with the kittens.
Once we were sure Hayden was home and I texted Andie and Michael to be sure they knew he was now in their home and alone, Papa and I were off to gather up Bailey for her adventure at Ma and Pa's home.
