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Happy Saturday!
Today’s quote is from a U.S. president: “I like the job I have, but if I had to live my life over again, I would like to have ended up a sports writer.”
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End of an illusion
Hmmmm…….something here tells me that maybe this President was one who exhibited athletic prowess. There have been a few. I won twice already this week, so I’ll pass on this one.
Does anybody have any thoughts?
ok, here’s one for a Saturday:
Bob was in trouble as he’d forgot his wedding anniversary and his wife was extremely upset.
She told him “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in six seconds!”
The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up she looked out the window and, sure enough, there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.
Confused, the wife put on her robe, ran out to the driveway, and brought the box back in the house.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Bob has been missing since Friday.
Thanks for the chuckle this morning Justus. I’ve heard this joke several times but it always makes me laugh.
VS,. I just now notice your questioning of me calling my son “the kid” on the valentine thread. I questioned myself on that once and proposed calling him cBells but somebody else said they thought “the kid” was cute. My husband is a very private person and wouldn’t want me to use his first name.
KBells - I was wondering why it seems “different” though to say “the kid” or “the kids” - I’m not sure that it is - was just a reaction I had to it - so don’t take it personal ok? I completely understand and respect your husband’s thoughts on the matter!
I always enjoy the little stories you share about “the kid”, regardless.
My sister lived next door to my parents for a few years when her youngest son was little. My dad would watch her dog for her often. They never were babysitters for any of our children. They always referred to her son as “the little boy next door”. However, the dog was always called by name. She always joked that in spite of having 18 grandchildren, the only one with an actual name was the dog.
My brothers and I called my little sister “that baby” until she started to talk. my
My guess for the quote is Gerald Ford.
That’s what I think, TJ.
I know he played football.
Yep, EYG. My first instinct was to go with JFK (he was athletic at one time, but I’m not so sure after his back injury in the war), but better to go with the natural athlete.
On my blog, I have a post of what I call “Shock Quotes.” These are quotes of rather shocking statements that have been made by various individuals. I’ve challenged folks to see how many they can guess (without Googling!!!). I don’t have any cool prizes like digital drinks, but it should be a fun exercise nonetheless. But be warned: some of the quotes are rather offensive (not vulgar, but some are racist and sexist). Guessing the person who said (or wrote) them should be interested. Here’s the link:
http://gairneybridge.reformedblogs.com/2008/02/16/shock-quotes/
I’m going to guess Ronald Reagan.
You are all incorrect. Dick Nixon once confided that he often wanted to be a writer for the Sporting News.
Gerald Ford and Nixon ea have pix of them suited up in uniform. From the news after his death, Ford’s gridiron prowess was nothing to scoff at. Years later, LBJ made a snide remark about Ford the Yale Law graduate: “I like Jerry Ford but I think he played too much football without a helmet.”
Despite that remark, Ford never spoke ill of LBJ
Reagan was a sports broadcaster. I always admired how he was able to “re-enact” a baseball game from Iowa’s WHO radio. He even went so far as to click to sticks together to simulate a base hit.
Would something like that even be allowed today by the FCC, major league ball etc???
KI - Are you serious?
Sawgunner wins! Richard Nixon is correct. Here’s your DG…
~~@)
I think KI is very serious. Note that KI wrote “My sister lived next door to MY parents….” Not OUR parents. And lest you think I’m picking on KI, my sister in referring to our father always said “her father” and I always said “her mother.” We sorta picked sides. Strange, but true.
VS: I am serious. My mother was not a nurturer and never even held one of her grandchildren until my sister basically thrust the youngest into her arms, saying she could at least say she held at least one in her arms. She never liked babies and would never hold one if she could avoid it. She would give them a hug and kiss on coming and going at times. We lived an hour away, so I’m not sure how that all worked out with those closest to them. In spite of that, my sister is a big hugger. She told me that I was the one who nurtured her and then abandoned her when I got married. She was 15, so I didn’t see it that way, but I could see her point.
Now my parents wonder why my children do not go out of their way to visit, but I understand their reluctance. Grandparents do need to put some effort into relationships if they want them.
My mother was one of 15 children, so perhaps she had enough of helping with babies before she had her own. At any rate, I am serious. It is sad, but true. Although, I am sure they did use the children’s names more than we think.
NJLawyer: Too funny and sad and true. My sister calls me and often starts with, “Do you know what YOUR father (or mother) did (or said) now?” I love them dearly, as does she, but they were not nurturing in many ways. In other ways they are generous and good people.
From another grandmother’s perspective. I was raised by caring parents who believed we were to take responsibility for our own activities while they provided the basics. We passed that on to our kids but also believed in being more involved until they left home and then releasing them fully. DIL 1 comes from a family that does not agree with the releasing fully part so she assumed we were very controlling as well. She wrote me several admonishing missives telling me I was too controlling until she finally realized we were not involved enough. Now she writes to tell me we are losing out by not being more involved. Kind of leaves me wondering who I am supposed to be. But I figure, she liked my son well enough to marry him and I did have a hand in his raising so I must have done something right!
This past Christmas, they visited for a week, staying in our trailer by our house. They would come in midmorning, eat breakfast and leave to visit friends and family, returning after we were in bed. Son spent more time with us then that and sometimes brought in the little one so we had some time with him. I would estimate that in the week, I had a total of three hours with my grandson, while under close supervision. Am I going to feel bonded to him or he to me? That would be three hours in addition to last May when we went to visit them and I got to hold him for a few minutes. Other grandma is the hands on type and was preparing for them to move far away so wanted to hold him most of the time. I could understand that as she had been around him so much. But to expect me to act just like the other grandma when we are totally different people, seems a bit strange.
Second grandchild is on the way, I am delighted for them, I think they make a fine family. Wish we could be closer, but the ball is in their court. Until everybody can just relax and let people be themselves, everybody walks on eggshells.
Should grandparents take the lead or let the kids make the boundaries? I think it is up to the kids.
#18. Parents do that a lot. At the end of the day my husband may hear “my baby said the cutest thing” said or “you’re not going to believe what that boy of yours thought he could get away with.” Usually both.
#19. The difference in Grandmothers reminds me of story a friend told me. When he was growing up he lived within bike riding distance of both grandmas. But they were very different. Grandma one was sweet and doting and he and his sister often dropped by her house for cookies and milk and other treats. Grandma number two was more practical and strict. One day after school he discovered that grandma one wasn’t home so he decided to try grandma two for his after school snack. He wasn’t happy with the glass of water and the two saltine crackers he got.
When my adult grandkids go to Northern Virginia, they always go by the house we used to have. Recently, the present owner remodeled and added another floor to the split-level. My middle granddaughter was looking at it and the owner invited her in and gave her a tour. She took several pictures and sent them to us on a DVD.
Mary’s a good kid. She started to work on her first permanent job this week.
We made a point of bringing our children to visit their grands. My mom died when the kids were little and my dad was rather formal and rather distant but always responded to the kids letters, or chit chat, and treated each child with respect. The other grands came by often and played cards with the kids all the time and gave them treats. Now that they are grown, all of the kids make an effort to visit my dad (though some are thousands of miles away) and rarely see their other grands though they lived in the same state with them for four years while going to college. It is difficult to know how to behave, but I figure each is an individual and must be treated as such and allowed to come to his own conclusions.
We are very involved grandparents and of course I don’t feel we are “too interfering.” I cannot imagine never holding one of my grandbabies.
Our adult son (whom we have released fully) appreciates the support/help and our involvement but we don’t feel taken advantage of or taken for granted. They live 1/8 mile from us and I promised them the only time I would use the binoculars is to watch my grandson get on and off the school bus!
He’s our first born and there seems to be a special bond with him. But we are close to the granddaughter as well but it’s a different relationship.
KI - My mom was from a family of 13 but she was always thrilled to welcome a new grandchild to the family. Before any of us had children,however, she would tell us, “Don’t expect me to watch your kids when you have them…” She helped raise one of them for his first couple of years and her and my Dad adopted another one and they did help out with babysitting with the others.
I feel for those of you who don’t have that special relationship with a grandparent/grandchild.
VS,
Yours is the type of relationship I would like to have with mine. Our immediate children are quite content with our relations and one dil is, the other is not and uses that to threaten us, “you are cutting yourself off from your grandchildren!” Oh well, I cannot be all things to all people. I have troubles watching the grand through binos at four thousand miles or whatever it is this year, but that is where the AF has put them for now.
Mumsee, my wife once said that when she takes over the country, it will be illegal for grandchildren to live closer than thirty minutes or farther than two hours from their grandparents.
We visited our parents quite often when our children were young. It got harder and harder as they grew older and were more involved in their activities. My parents seldom visited though they were only an hour away. I doubt if it was once a year. While it takes both people in a relationship to make a good relationship, if one of the parties is not very interested it is pretty much hard to do. I agree that all relationships with grandchildren will also be different as each child is different. Also, with 18 of them, my parents could not dote on them as someone with 2 could. They were both raised in the era of children being seen, but not heard; certainly not the indulgent era we are now in. Plus they were busy with their activities. I’m glad they had lives of their own. I’m sure, now that you have more children to rear, Mumsee, that you are very busy with them.
At the same time a little effort can go a long way. Distance is not as big a problem as it used to be. With the computor, letters, phone etc. much can be done to encourage a relationship. Yes, parents have to help in that, too.
My two grandchildren the farthest away (1000 miles) live next to a very indulgent grandmother. These are her only two grandchildren. I don’t compete and are glad they have a good relationship with those grandparents. The grandchildren actually have 3 sets of grandchildren and seem to accept all the different ways we love them.
I think reading “The Five Love Lanquages” at some point also made me understand that people give and receive love in different ways. For one child getting something may be important; for another spending time is the most important thing. Some need to be held or like to do activities together. It takes effort to discover what makes that relationship strong. Children will not be able to see all of that. They just go with the flow. In that regard, I believe that both the parents and grandparents have to help the grandchild and grandparent relationship grow. I never had a real relationship with either of my grandparents and I’m sorry for that. Maybe that is why it is important for me to give that to my grandchildren. At the same time, I’m sure I will not do it perfectly.
I was born to older parents, and had no grandparents–the last one died ten years before my birth. I knew a few aunts and uncles a little bit–one came through Phoenix every couple of years for a few days, and a couple of them we saw once or twice in my childhood. (All but one of the aunts and uncles is now gone too.) But my “favorite aunt” is a woman I actually only saw once, on one visit to her home. She was my favorite because she tucked me in, and stayed in the room with my sister and me for a few minutes instead of going right out with the grown-ups. Only later did I find out she and her husband never had children, and wanted them.
I never could really understand when classmates would speak of a grandmother. I didn’t relate to the concept at all. (Plus my parents weren’t affectionate and were well past playing with children. They were sort of just there, making sure we were safe and obedient, and that we ran errands and did the housework.)
As a pre-teen I made the delightful discovery of little old ladies at church, and I’ve never looked back. I have had more grandmas through the years than anyone, now. The best one, Esther, is now 90 with Alzheimer’s, and I haven’t lived near her in many a year. But she’s the only person in my whole life with whom I could cuddle–which would be more than enough reason to have her as a favorite person. But she also never treated me like someone 50 years younger; we were pals. She has always talked to me as to a friend. (I was 15 when we met.) I remember distinctly after we moved away, I took Greyhound to visit another friend, who informed me that Esther insisted I had to spend at least one night at her house. I was about 18, and the concept of a “sleep-over” at the house of a nearly 70-year-old woman struck me as a little humorous, but oh so sweet.
I’m actually in the middle of writing a series of books for girls with that concept: a child without grandparents stumbling among old people (in her case, a neighborhood nursing home) and ending up with more grandparents than she knows what to do with. (I just got a reply to my query at the latest publisher that no, they don’t want to see the book.
But another publisher has already told me to send it back this summer if I don’t have a publisher by then.)
So, as a gal who had to adopt grandparents, and who only then found their true worth, here’s to you grandparents out there.
Cheryl, sorry your latest publisher did not want your book. I hope it will soon find a home as it sounds like a delightful story.
My grandchildren lost their other grandmother several years ago and now don’t even remember her (and she wasn’t the grandmotherly type at all) and their other grandpa isn’t interested in these little people either.
A prayer of mine is that if they would lose my husband and I at a young age, that someone would come alongside and be that figure in their lives.
I think your stories sound wonderful, Cheryl.
CherylD, I, too, never knew any of my grandparents and adopted substitutes along the way. (One told me to never marry a man with thin lips. I’ve never fully understood that piece of advice.) Your story sounds like a lot of fun. I’m already seeing it as a Hallmark movie in my head!
Has anyone read about the new Iranian movie on Jesus Christ told from a Muslim perspective? There’s an article at ABCNews.com you might find of interest.
My Dad’s parents were died in 59 and 61 and I was not born til 62. All I know about them are anecdotes I got from my brothers. Great and loving folks
Chas (#25)
Could she please take over immediately? (She might improve other aspects of life as well.
#4 KBELLS- We had an elderly neighbor couple who never had children. We knew them for many years and our older children visited them often. They had a small “farm” and in later years (they were in their 80’s) they got some goats. They thought it was great when we asked them about their “kids”.
A comment on the grandparent notes. I grew up near both sets of grandparents and was especially close to my paternal set, since we were involved in farming with them and my parents. The greatest joy of my life was watching my children grow up and be so close to loving great-grandparents as well as grandparents. My grandpa died in ‘99 at 93 years old. Grandma is 102 and my wife says she is still the most gracious person alive. She knows all of her 11 ( soon to be 16) gg-grandchildren by name. The joke in the family (I have 5 brothers and sisters) is who will take care of grandma when mom and dad pass on! Mom and dad are 78&77. Grandma lives in assisted living about a quarter mile from their home.