Лука's Gramma is Funny

He absolutely cracks up when I say OkeyDokey!  I have spent two lovely days in Santa Barbara, visiting with Лука and of course with his Mamma and Ta Ta. This little boy is just amazing to me.  Now, I know that developmentally he is at just the right age to learn more than one language, but he was playing in the playroom with his Dad, speaking Serbian and on Skype with his Serbian Baba, and then immediately runs into the dining room to Gramma and switches to English without a thought.  He is so much clearer with his English and I guess with his Serbian too.  They don't have cable or broadcast TV.  But he does get about an hour with Netflics or UTUBE videos. Last night we watched some Peppa the Pig and watched the first half hour of Monsters Inc.  in Serbian.  I am amazed that I understand what is going on based on the nouns I have learned, since Лука was an infant, However, animation and music, is universal.  DD1 thinks she could be a Nanny or a nursery school teacher in Serbia with all the Serbian she has picked up, she just doesn't think she could communicate with their parents in anything but elementary Serbian.  I noticed on Baba's las visit though, DD1 was actually holding some conversations.  I still smile and wait for translations but we take mutual joy in this small boy. We speak grandma with each other.

Writers Workshop: A New Start

                            

                                  Starting Over

Twenty seven years I have been at your beck and your call

On time, on target, ready to give you my all.

I’ve seen mergers, recessions, the good times and bad

Tho' new systems and new hires oft left me raving and mad

I appreciate the benefits, the 401, all of the perks,

The friends, the memories, and days off from work

Nine Mondays and counting till I have a new start

No Bosses, no Schedules, no classes, no charts

Yes to gardening, remodeling, relaxing,  life a la cart.

Starting over in a new home, Ready to play a new part

Missouri Skies

The sky has not been as peaceful as this in Joplin lately!

With only 9 weeks left to retirement, I sent my husband off yesterday, to Tornado Alley, to move some of our belongings to our new home in the Joplin area. There were a lot of ....What Ifs... with this trip.  What if he had made the trip last week, as originally planned?  He would have been in the Joplin area when the Tornado hit.  What if he had left on Monday instead of yesterday as planned?  He would have been on I-40 about the time that tornado hit the Oklahoma City area, yesterday. With this tragedy we are greatful that no one we love and care about had their lives upset by the big one that hit Joplin. But, I am sure many of the folks we know in Carterville, are aware of friends and family,  impacted by that terrible Storm.

My niece, said Monday, "Auntie Bankerchick! Really? " "You want to move there?" And it does give you pause....  Mr Bankerchick is from Carterville and I lived there for a few years with him, when we were first married and going to College. We spent a few hours during that time,  in the cellar, when the warnings would come. So I know a little about storms. However, Joplin and even the entire US, has not seen a tornado season as destructive as this year. And I pray that we never have to endure the scope of this tragedy.

Every place the Bankerchicks have lived during their 44 years of marriage has seen some type of drastic conditions, Hurricanes in Florida, Blizzards in Michigan and Earthquakes in California, so yes Megan....Really! There are many ways we can meet our end and we can hope it will be in God's time, peacefully and in our own bed. In the mean time, retirement in a small town beckons, and I am eager for the  challenges facing me during this great time of my life.

Eleven more Mondays...

But who's counting? I have applied for Social Security online  and I am waiting to get their letter to see what is next. 

I have until the 17th to look over the papers from out HR retirement area, when I will speak again with Robin my specialist about some selections I have to make.  July 29th will be the last day of work, just 4 days after my 64th birthday. It is all closing in fast. 

I have been working hard looking busy at work for the last few weeks.  I start my last new hire class on Monday for 6 weeks. Then I have another week off before I start a 2 week sales class so thank goodness I will be busy.  We have been less than busy and I wonder if they will fill my position when I leave.  Our merger is almost finish so things will probably be changing in the new bank that emerges. 

Monday the rumor, one of many, was our center was closing.  I asked one of the managers where they thought the rumor started and ...he was told by bankers that and it was......drum roll.... because all the signs in the building were taken down.  He had to clarify to the bankers that was because the inside of the building was going to be painted and refurbished, not because we were going to close. We are a profitable site, however, we are in California so if we closed it would not be because the building was being painted but because it costs too much money to do banking center business in California. Business are being run out of CA because the cimate for business is not good. 

I am glad to be leaving rumors and such behind.

Jackawawa Extraordinaire

I am TOTEM, Jackawawa Extraordinaire and luckiest dog in Southern California. You see, I was just enjoying myself with my other family when they just disappeared from my life . I was found and sent to the Riverside Humane Society. ( a great bunch of folks but not mine) I had been there about a week when, Saturday, these three humans and another dog came in to look around. Mom initially looked at me and passed on. Then Sis came along, so I did my totem, while the Pomeranian who was sharing the room with me just barked and barked. While my totem had not worked with others, it worked with Sis and she shouted, “Dad! Come here and look at this one.” The kindest pair of brown eyes I had ever seen, shouted, “Mom, look at this! “

The Totem

I visited with the other dog first, who seemed like a nice Welsh girl, smiled a lot. We got along good, but when she told me what a great home she had and what a soft touch her people were, I knew I had to get me a piece of that…! We then were taken to a room where the five of us were able to visit. Sis, Dad and I knew we were meant for each other but I knew that I had to win over Mom and the Corgi; you see; the other dog seemed curious but aloof, but Mom had mentioned that she did not like Chihuahua’s so I leaped into Mom’s lap and kissed her face and said “I’m not a Chihuahua, I’m a lover! They were all smitten, as was I.

That was over 2 years ago and what adventures we have had. The Welsh pup is good but a little crazy she barks at garbage trucks and then thinks that just because the Queen has Corgi’s she is royalty or something. She loves her groceries just a little too much; mom is always putting her on a diet. Heh, heh.. leaving more treats for me. She also has a strange ritual with the water hose that makes me howl in frustration, don’t get any of that water on me!

Dad and Mom, took me to Missouri, right after Christmas and the chow hound had to stay home. I had Dad all to myself after Mom went home. These humans have a habit of wandering off? I looked all over for her for about a week and then contented myself to snuggling next to dad. The Royal Princess will probably like that snow better that I do, it’s wet you know, and she does have that extra layer of fat!

All in all, I think I have a great life here with these folks, they leave for a while but always come back, the food is good, when Gwynne isn’t standing over me, hoping I will leave her a bit and I sleep in the best bed in the house, right next to Dad. It really is a Dog’s Life.

Gwennie’s Rebuttal 


I knew that I had said too much that first day. Especially when you jumped on everyone, including me trying to kiss-up!

Crazy, humph! I am protecting the home and hearth from great loud noises that go away if I bark loud enough! And Water /Water is keeping me hydrated. I can’t help it if your JackaWAWA ancestors come from desert climes.

Chow hound indeed! I just check out your bowl because you are so picky. A lot of food would go to waste if I did not take care of it.

I am not fond of travel, I am just a homebody. Just so you know, Mom left you and came home to me in January!

I do NOT have an extra layer of fat, I have a double coat. The next time you come sniffing around my curvy hips…well let’s just say SNAP!

A dog's life INDEED; you dog!

Writer's Workshop: Photo Story: Take a walk through your neighborhood this week and share some pictures of what Spring looks like where you live.

My neighborhood this week was Santa Barbara.  Mr Bankerchick and I were taking turns with a little child care for the Grandson.  We have been visiting SB since 1991 when DD1 started at UCSB.  She went up there for her freshman year and never came home.  It was always, "I have a job for the summer" or "I am going to work on the Student News Paper and by the way I am moving to another student apartment, and it is only on the third floor, Dad!"

Graduation turned into a job with the University, then "Oh I met someone who is really important to me." Then slowly Mom and Dad realized that we had a daughter who lived in not at, Santa Barbara.  She left for a three year stint at Loyola Law school, passed the Bar, got a job, in Santa Barbara and married the someone who was really important to her. Then 2 years ago she gave birth to Darling Grandson and all of our lives have changed for the good.

So this week I had a taste of what life would have been like if I had a boy instead of a girls. This was different from other times when I took care of Лука, the infant and Лука the toddler. He is all boy now, so I played Cars, I played Train and I played Blocks all on the floor. He gets up so much easier from the floor than Grandma does. I spent most of the time with aches and pains and joy!

On this day we walked to the park.  Santa Barbara is so beautiful all year, but the spring is delightful. We spent some time in the sand and in the dirt and he chased butterflys.  DD1 and I have special feelings about Butterflys, as my mom was very partial to them.  We find many time that when we are all together  and we see a butterfly that we feel that Great Grandma is with us enjoying our time with Лука. 

This was the week after Easter so Лука found some glittery easter grass, holding it in his hand he was fluttering it in the air and pouncing it along the edges of the park bench.  I watched for some time trying to figure out the game he was playing. Trucks, I understand, but this activity I couldn't figure out.  So I asked him what he was playing. Spider, grandma, the itsy bitsy spider!We sang and I laughed and was so glad my mom was fluttering over my shoulder.

This was the view on the way to the Park.

                                               Taking a Break 

Chasing the Butterfly

Heading for Home