Throwback Thursday-Soldier, Dad, Grandpa

A couple of weeks ago I posted a pic of my mom and dad and Mr BC's mom, I have been fooling around with the scanner again with some pictures of Mr BC's  dad in the Army, the three of them together, and Grandpa and DD2.  The 40's to the 70's.

Christmas Surprises-Memory Monday

This week's prompt is: My Christmas Memories

I am doing a lot of online shopping this year in preparation for our trip to CA for Christmas with the kids and grand kids. I have a few surprises and Christmas is all about surprises.  Mom and dad were careful to hide the gifts well so that. 'Santa' would surprise us well.  When I was about 10, I was so hoping for a big bike.  I didn't think I could wait until Christmas morning so I snooped everywhere.  What I did not know, is that my wise parents hid it at my grandparents house until Christmas morning, so I came up empty. in my search for my hearts delight a five speed bike.

My Cousin, who lived with the grandparents. was in on the secret so I hounded him to tell me what he knew.  Eventually, he spilled and I was so happy. Until Christmas morning when there it was......a bike.....a beautiful bike! But I was disappointed because the surprise was...no surprise! That was when I learned that it wasn't so exciting to KNOW what you were getting for Christmas....and I never really snooped again. Surprise was an essential ingredient for Christmas gift giving.  

When I had girls of my own, I tried to instill the element of surprise. Especially when one of the girls was so unsubtle about searching, that she left the dining room chair, still in place, in the bedroom closet. There she had riffled through the top shelf, not so unsuccessfully, looking for loot. So I knew I had to be more creative in my hiding places.

So we were always the mom and dad, who had to make a trip to parents or friends homes, to pick up the Santa gift. Or else, Mr BC was staying up until two am..... to put the Glamour Gals Cruise ship together.....Oh, so many tiny parts and stickers for the walls. This was a good surprise that Christmas. 

I also remember the Christmas that, DD1 got her first big bike.  We did not put it next to the Christmas tree, but in the front hall.  Her face dropped so far to the floor, that I did believe she was surprised that she didn't get the expected bike. Her sister's little bike was there, but not hers. Oh, the disappointment, until she turned around to see she was not forgotten. I believe I should have said Gotcha! But I didn't. Christmas is meant for Great Surprises.

Memory Monday

I really like the idea of recording some of my memories so I'm joining Judy @ retired not tired for Memory Monday and her prompts for jogging some of my memories. 
                          Our prompt is:  My First Memory

Like Romi @ In the Way Everlasting, so many of my memories are influenced by pictures, home movies and stories it is hard to know if those first memories aren't somehow influenced by those things.

I remember going to Sunday dinner at my grandparents house, always fried chicken. We were there every Sunday after church.  

I think my first true memory is of going to my cousin's first day of kindergarten and wanting to go with her so badly.  I had to wait for the next year.  During that year my elementary school was built at the end of our street and I remember watching the walls go up.  I was in the first kindergarten class.  That summer we got dressed up and went to the school office to register me.  That school remained a huge part of my life as we were on the playground during school hours and after.  When we moved back to California in 1982, we stayed for a while with my folks and DD1 went to 4th grade at that school.  It is still there, although it has been converted into a Jr High School.  I went there K-8.

I also remember going to Sunday School and Ruthie Pridgen was my teacher.  She was one half of an older couple, who were friends for years of my Mom and Dad, she always loved to tell the story of when we were asked to sing a song in class, and I sang a beer commercial jingle. We got our first television just before I started school.

Earth Moving-Saturday 9

If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here. 

1) This song is from the album Tapestry, one of the all-time best-sellers (more than 25,000,000 copies sold worldwide). Is it in your collection? Yes, it is on our ITunes.  I love Carole King. 
 
2) It's about that glorious passion you feel when you first fall for someone. How many times have you been in love? Just one time. With Mr Bankerchick.....all the rest have been crushes from long ago.

3) San Francisco radio stations briefly removed "I Feel the Earth Move" from their playlists after the 1989 earthquake. Have you ever been in an earthquake and literally felt "the earth move under your feet?" I am a former CA resident and I remember a lot of the more recent earth quakes.  They have never inflicted any personal damage for me, other that one time some dishes etc. fell out of the cupboards and our TV was knocked of the shelf and was hanging by its cord.
  
4) Carole King is the first and only woman to win the Gershwin Prize for songwriting from the Library of Congress. Here's your chance to brag a little -- tell us about an accolade you have received.  Well, over the years I have been employee of the month, Whoop, Whoop!  

5) Carole wrote "You've Got a Friend," which was a mega hit for her good pal, James Taylor. King and Taylor have known one another for more than 40 years, but have never been romantically involved. Do you have any platonic friends of the opposite sex?  Sure, I have had some men friends.  I don't have any close men friends any more, other than Mr BC.  He is my best Friend, who I have known and loved for many years, but he can't be considered platonic.

6) Like more than 80% of the population, Carole is right handed. Are you right handed, left handed (10%) or that most rare of all, ambidextrous (less than 10%)? I am part of the 80%.  Life can cause problems for the Lefties.  One of the grandsons seems to be a lefty.

7) One of Carole King's earliest hits was Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion." Little Eva was the teenager King hired to care for her young children. Tell us about a sitter who cared for you when you were little.  My Grandparents were generally my baby sitter, and my lovely Aunt Nettie.  Some times, one of my mom's sister.  Always family.

8) Beautiful is the title of the Broadway play about Carole King's life. If we were producing your lifestory, what would you want us to call it?  Maybe....Send in the Clowns.

9) Carole wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday," the Monkees' song about conspicuous consumption. When Crazy Sam looks at her crowded shelf of hair products (paraben-free conditioner, keratin-restoring conditioner, hair masque, hot oil conditioner …), she realizes she's guilty of it herself. Have you bought anything recently that you later decided was a waste of money?  I bought a Roomba several years ago, which was a real waste of money.  Recently, I have bought some diet products that have been a waste of money as well.  I bought a Thunder Shirt for my puppie, Miss Gwennie that did not work well for her.  I am sure there are more things that I just can't remember.  

How I Should Have Spent My Vacation

I would love to say that our vacation to Santa Barbara was an unqualified success.....but that would be painting too rosy of a picture.  The Boys, including my son-in law were in the middle of a virus.....that just kept giving.  SIL brought it home from Florida, the previous week.  Two days later DD1 came down with it and was hit harder than the grandsons.  Then Caшa, who had seemed to be improving, got an ear infection, so off we went to Urgent Care.  Everyone would have a good day then the next.....be really congested, or coughing.....Grandma and Grandpa Bankerchick came down with it the second week  and all bets for fun, were off.  Gratefully the Au Pair never got it...so we all got ....some... rest.  But it put a damper on the plans for the visit

Chats on the Farm House Porch

1.  Have you ever baked bread from scratch?

Yes, when we lived in Michigan, when the girls were little, I tried my hand at baking bread.  It was so delicious that it was gone before the next day.  It seemed too expensive to bake instead of buying so it eventually went the way of all expensive activities.

Sweet Caroline - Saturday 9

Spinner.com

The idea for this came from Harriet, who suggested the baseball theme.

1) “Sweet Caroline” has been sung during every Boston Red Sox home game since the 1990s. (Click here to watch Neil Diamond lead the fans in the first game after April’s bombing.) Do you know the words well enough to sing along?
Sweet Caroline, Bap Bah Bah.  Good times never seemed so good.  That's it!

2) Do you have a favorite major league baseball team?
Not really, though I have gone to Angel and Dodger games when we use to have team building outings at work.  I have a pink Angel's

Getting Back to Normal, One Step at a Time.

http://weheartit.com/

I am taking baby steps as I get back to blogging.  The A-Z challenge took a lot out of me.  I am just now starting to get back to reading all the folks that I now follow.  I have been looking at the writing prompts from WOE and Trifecta for a couple of weeks now and just cringe at the idea of trying to write anything.

This morning's Today Show, has all sorts of bad news from Washington.  Obama is having a difficult second term, with many scandals that will be his fault, as they came to light under his watch. 

My HOMESTEAD'S Front Doors April A to Z

My House-Commonly know as the Homestead

Our house, built in the mid to late 19th century (we have plans to check it out), has 2 front doors. Many of you know, we inherited this house from Mr BC's mom, and since she has owned it, we have noticed a lot of houses here in the mid-west that share this architectural oddity. 

That Bubbily Feeling-Sunday Stealing

101. What does happiness/joy feel like physically?

Like champagne bubbles mixed with laughing gas, surrounded by butterflies.

No Embellishment Here-Trifextra

For this weekend's challenge, Trifextra is asking us to include some hyperbole in our piece. It doesn't have to be the whole piece, but it needs to be in there, and we're looking for 33 words, as usual. Here is mine.

We are apart;

I feel a hole in my heart, only they can fill.

Then I see them again,

 

   Only the most beautiful children in the Universe?

This is a Grandma’s humble opinion.

 

 

Pozdrav "Greetings" and Happy Holidays-Saturday 9

1. As you can see, Sam loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. Yet some children are reluctant to climb into Jolly Old St. Nick's lap. Did you enjoy the tradition or were you shy? Or did you by pass it altogether -- either because you wrote him a letter or because your family didn't celebrate Christmas?
I can't remember seeing Santa until my brother was born.  I don't think I was shy, I can remember telling Santa what I wanted and what my brother wanted too.  I think I wrote to him at least once. I have no pictures with him, they were always too expensive. I do have one of Лука.  I haven't seen any new pics for this year.

A Little About Me-Sunday Stealing

 

 

Who is your favorite artist (Any field.): Jean-Claude Picot, he paints lively colors of the Cote D’Azure, I have 2 of his seriolithographs. They are still packed away, one looks similar to the one above. I like them because they have a painting in them similar to the one above.

Describe yourself: I am a short, sweet, slightly overweight Senior Citizen. I have a moderately liberal, independent out look. I tend to be more humanistic in my beliefs. Others can believe in a higher power if they want, as long as they respect that I am unsure. I really don't want their viewpoint on how to believe, impressed upon me.

Krafty Katie-Mama Kat's

This week I chose Mama Kat's prompt #4 Share your top 8 favorite Christmas crafts you’ve seen on the Internet that you might actually try if you had the time and the tools. Well the first three crafts are ones that I have already purchased the tools and ingredients, if you will, for creating the little masterpieces.  I am not particularly a crafter at heart, but many times I get inspired by Christmas and feel the need to Deck the Halls.  I only had the first three below, on my Pinterest, but I looked around the Internet and found some additional crafts that might interest me in the future.  I also provided links to the instructions, just click on the pictures.

Big Confessions-Sunday Stealing.

                                                            click to get More Drama Comments & Graphics  

1. Have you anything to confess today?

I'm So Excited-Saturday 9

 

Photo credit: /WENN

                                                                 

1. What was the last event or situation that got you really excited?
I found out this week a movie of Les Miserables (the musical) is coming in December. That will get me to a theater. I have been playing the music all week. 

2. How old were you when you started working and what was your first job?
My first job was in a nursing home passing out trays and helping some patients eat.  I was 17.   I wanted to be a nurse, until I had that job!

3. Tell us about your grandparents.
Dad's parents were from Oklahoma. Grandpa was a farmer and he also had a rural postal route. Grandpa was somewhat stern and when he would play games with us he played to win. Grandma was his second wife and was 17 when he married her, he was 35 with a daughter about 10. Grandma was only able to love one person at a time,whether it was sons, grandchildren or even great grandkids, so she had her favorites. You knew if you weren't a favorite.  She didn't always treat Grandpa good or my aunt. They moved from OK in the last years of WW2, to retire in CA. That was where Mom and Dad met in 1946.
Mom's parents came from OK during about 1920.  I don't remember much about Grandpa as Grandma divorced him not long after my mom was born.  I do know he drank heavily and had a horse on some property in the San Gabriel Valley.  We knew when he had been by the house because there was always a pile of horse manure in the driveway. Grandma was a beautician with her own shop.  She was not a very good mother and Mom was raised by her older sisters. She was about 8-10 years younger than her sibilings and did not want my mother. Grandma was a tight with her money making mom do without, she did not get anything new unless her sisters or brother got it for her. Mom and Dad had a good marriage dispite their parents. She taught me how to be a good mom and a fantastic Grandma!

4. Do you procrastinate or are you usually on top of situations?

I will get right to it... tomorrow.....next week....next year.  I have good intentions. I have had things backfire on me because I have procrastinated.
 

5. What would others say about you?
That I have an even disposition, that I have a liberal mind, that I am empathetic and a fantastic Grandma.

6. Do you believe in life on other planets?
Not in our solar system, but, I think life will be found out there somewhere, sometime, I would love it to be found in my lifetime. 

7. When was the last time that you were called too thin?

Never too thin in fact, always well-rounded.  I was 'just right' for a good number of years.

8. Do you work out? Have you ever joined a gym and quit almost immediately?

See question 7, Not working out is why I am a square and not a well-rounded circle.  I have joined a few gyms over the years, gone a few times, then continued to pay for it month after month.  I would forget to cancel the payment. Procrastination? I think so.

9. Do you feel that you utilize all your intelligence in every situation?
Well there are a few things that I do automatically without thinking, however, I think therefore I am. I use my intellect/intelligence when I need to.  I am able to hold a decent conversation on a number of topics.

 

 

What to do in June-Mama Kat's Writers Workshop

I have been so busy the past few months, that I have neglected my blog. I still read my favorites and try to comment when I can. I checked out Momma Kat's Writers Workshop today and saw a prompt that I can whip out quickly. I chose  Ten To-Dos in June. (inspired by Denise) The first on my list will be:

1.  Close escrow on our house, finish packing and get out of California. This will take up the first half of June.

2. Arrive in Missouri and be mugged by the puppies.  I have been gone for over a month.  I miss them so much.

3.  Find a doctor and dentist in our new town.  I need to have prescriptions refilled and since I swallowed a crown that fell off last month get it replaced, with the new dentist.

4.  Wave good-by and good luck to DD2 who will be moving into her own house.  She has been living with us for quite a while, as she was completing her degree.  She has actually moved in but has been house-sitting for us with the puppies.

5. Run around the house naked.....if I want... and express my own opinions, without getting into a long discussion of how wrong I am.

6.  Watch some television.  I have been without cable and TV since I've been in CA. We turned it off in November and moved the TV to Missouri.  I did leave the WIFI on so we could watch Netflix.

7.  Start unpacking some of our possessions, move out some of my MIL possessions that we have been living with while waiting for my own stuff. Enjoy the new couch we will bring with us from this trip.  Enjoy having our garage back, once the unpacking is done.

8.  Take the pups to a new vet, to get Gwennies teeth cleaned and get heartworm prevention. (we did not have to worry about this in our old home)

9.   Plan a week of vacation for July with the RV.

10.  Really start enjoying our new home and living mortgage free!  Maybe we can start enjoying our retirement!

A Busy Weekend

Gwennie unaware of weekend excitement to come.

This will be a busy weekend.  DD2 is going to be moving out soon.  So this weekend we are going to make some decisions about paint and carpeting.  Mr BC and his sister own a small rental house they inherited from their mom, and DD2 will be moving in, I will be sharing some befores and afters as we make some changes to the property.

Mr BC's sister is going away for the weekend so we will be dogsitting their pooches.  One was Grandmas little dog and she is about 15 or 16 years old so there will be a house full here before too long.  So our two dogs are going to be having a play date and overnite.

I have already skyped with the grandsons and Caшa is growing fast, he is already 12 pounds and has the brightest eyes.  Лука, is moving beyond the small world of home. He went to the park on Thursday and was hit in the head with a rock. OUCH!  That was the topic of conversation along with the airplanes made of Legos.  He has another playdate at his house with Jasper and one of his two dads, what a modern world.  

Saturday Nine-Come Dancing

1. When was the last time that you went out dancing?

Mr BC and I are not a dancing couple so we don't purposely go out dancing. We last danced together at our daughter's wedding.  His mother, however went dancing almost every Saturday night until about a month before she passed away. She belonged to the local Anti Horse Thief Association (really!...a lodge/social group) Mr BC often went with her when he came to MO for a visit. I don't think he danced, but he was asked.

2. Have you ever had an argument with a teacher?

Oh yes, When we lived in Michigan in the 70's, corporal punishment was still practiced in some public schools. DD1, a kindergartner came home and told me her teacher spanked her, something that we rarely did to either of the girls even though it was less frowned upon. I was horrified and went down to the school and made a huge stink. I was smuggly told that state law permitted it and it was a teacher's discretion to implement. Luckily we were about to move and about 2 months later I was able to put her in a more enlightened school.

3. Do you have a tough time remembering people’s names?

I have always had a good memory so when I struggle for names and places now, it is rather disconcerting. I have a hard time laughing it off, because I imagine folks are thinking how I am so old. I suppose it is somewhat of a given because of our age, but I hate it when it happens to me. Last night I fussed at Mr BC because he couldn't remember something I had told him already and had to apologize. 

4. Would you rather change your past or know your future?

Coming up on the far side of my life, I think I would rather change the past.  I am not sure I want to see to far into the future it might be too short.

5. What’s one thing you feel you must do in your life before it ends?

Ah, the bucket list, there is more than one thing on it. I guess it would be to renew our passports and travel with Mr BC.

6. How many credit cards do you have right now that have a zero balance?

One.

7. What is the most expensive thing you purchased this year?
So far, a new laptop and printer.

8 . If you're married, this probably doesn't apply to you, but: Are you mindful about getting tested for STDs/HIV at least semi-regularly? Why/why not? Married people: Were you mindful about this type of thing when you were single? Why/why not?

In the 60's this was not something you did, though std's were around, HIV wasn't.  So unless one was symptomatic,(maybe not even then) one was not tested. Good girls would not have to worry about this....yeah, right.

9. If you could ask the president of the United States one question, what would it be?

How can we get the country to rally around universal health care?

I Am Worn Out!

Shaun is the little one.

I have spent the last four days with Лука and DD1 and SIL and I might be leaving after today's Doctor's visit or maybe not. DD1 is wanting Лука's baby brother, out.  He seems to be quite crowded in there and spent last night trying to push his way out thru her ribs. This week is 39 and he will be with us soon.

Лука hardly lets me out of his sight and I have to negotiate for a visit to the Loo or a cup of coffee.  Last night I almost coughed myself silly making wild animal sounds outside his play tent, while he shrieked inside with laughter.  I finally got him to calm down with a few episodes of Shaun the Sheep on Netflix. He is only allowed about an hour of TV a night, right after dinner, so it is actually a way to quiet him down before bedtime, unless it is Serbian music videos, then he is a dancing fool.  He is very fond of music and I think he is very musically inclined. He is usually humming or singing all day long, when he isn't saying, "play cars with me, Grandma!"  It is amazing when he speaks Serbian to his Ta Ta (dad) and switches to English easily, to talk to Grandma.  Yesterday in the car on the way home from dinner out he said, "It was a wonderful day!"  He made my day anyway!