To blog or not to blog? I keep asking myself that question. Facebook keeps me busy with responding to emails, as well as sharing interesting or entertaining emails that I get. But, I know how much I enjoy reading the blogs of friends and family, so hopefully I'll get back to "blogging." These days, I've been enjoying Charlotte VanRyswyk's blog about their time abroad and the places they are exploring. Charlotte is a wonderful photographer, as well as writer, so I feel as though I'm exploring with them.

DISCOVERED MY BLOG (AND THOSE OF OTHERS) AFTER A SHORT SEARCH. :-) How nice to check something out after a couple of years and discover that I'm still connected to some faithful bloggers! How nice!!! All is well with the Hendersons. Butch is recovering nicely from hip replacement surgery and his faithful maidservant is doing just fine, too. I'm now THE driver, so I follow the requests from "my leader" as to where to go, turn, etc. We're making the morning coffee run, and then we always cruise through town. In Claremont, that doesn't take long! We loved having all of our family together out here in June. We all spent a lot of time at Maria's and Eric's house where the Lawrence crew was staying. One afternoon and evening I just sat on the patio with all of the adults as we watched the cousins playing in the pool and on the trampoline. I even played some ping pong. Such a fun time for all of us!!! We love living at Pilgrim Place. We already had many friends here, and it's fun to make new connections, too. We live on one of the main streets in Claremont, so we get to see a lot of activity. We're also across the street from Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church's parking lot and playground, so we see the students when they are out for recess AND all of the moms as they make the morning and afternoon trips to deliver or pick up their sons and daughters. Our neat house has 1303 square feet, with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. One bedroom is our office, and we fortunately have our own computers. That keeps harmony and peace in the home!

Just discovered a new food and recipe site: Smitten Kitchen. With the link provided by my daughter-in-law, I went there to check out "kale chips." It appears as though it has many interesting recipes. Can't wait to explore it.

Today's post is fairly mundane. It's about TV remote controls. The saga began a couple of days ago when our longtime remote control showed signs of "aging" - not wanting to turn on either the TV or the cable box, not wanting to change the channel or the sound, etc. So, we bid it "goodbye," and Butch returned it to the cable company. Does the new one work? Yes! Do all of the features work? No! We've fiddled with it, but we can't get the "sound" to switch from the TV remote to the cable remote. But, I assured Butch that Maria could "fix" it. :-) And, we declared our "techiness" or lack thereof finished for the day.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FATHER'S DAY * My dad * My father-in-law * My son * My son-in-law * Caring men I observe everywhere! The many dads, both in my family and my extended family and many friends through the years, that I have observed showering love & care on their children and grandchildren and their children's friends.

Things I Love About Christmastime

Each day I remember with a smile fun times and stories from Christmas celebrations through the years. I still laugh about a friend of my parents who nailed his family's Christmas tree to the floor one night after it fell over 4 times while they were all sleeping. Obviously, it woke him up each time! We still have some small glass ornaments that we bought our first Christmas in New Haven. That's the year I broke my leg when I slipped on the icy snow. In Texas we had to put the live tree in the garage because Butch was so allergic to it. That's when we moved into "permanent" artificial land where trees were concerned. One year Butch told me he didn't think he was going to get all of the Santa gifts put together before the kids woke up. You know, that Hot Wheels track worked just as well with a "short" rather than "long" run. The kids finally told us about sneaking quietly down the stairs in Kansas, checking out the presents, coming back upstairs, and pretending still to be asleep when I got them up to go downstairs. What a treat it is to see some of the grandkids celebrate what Santa brought them! It's fun to hear those who live far away say how much they love their gifts, too. Phone calls from family bring us all closer during the holidays. The Christmas Eve Services at churches through the years bring many dear faces to mind, along with smiles and laughs and tears. The music of Christmas is always a highlight and faces and places flash through my mind as I sing carols or listen to special favorites. These memories are listed here as they come to mind. What a collage they all create!

The Flurry of Life At Christmastime

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the whole year. Not only do I love the decorating, I love being with family and friends as we celebrate the joy of the holidays. The special events at church and in the community add to the whole festive experience. It is always so much fun to wrap gifts that have been selected with particular people in mind and to anticipate their pleasure when they open the presents. The memories that come "out" with the decorations bring smiles and a flood of feelings and the re-experiencing of some special moments. The Christmas tree always warms my heart when I look at it and I do love the singing Hallmark snowmen every bit as much as the grandkids do. :-) It's a time for remembering and celebrating and sharing and rejoicing. Merry Christmas to one and all!

Poinsettias

This gorgeous flower with the myriad of reds, pinks, and whites, is such a delightful addition to a home at Christmas. It is a treat to give AND a treat to receive.

"A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.

'I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes,' said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words: 'Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.' She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.

Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.

From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!"

Thanksgiving Sunday

Today was the Annual Thanksgiving Celebration and Dinner at our church. The beautiful cornucopia on the altar, the traditional Thanksgiving music, the new members, and the feast we all shared at the beautiful tables in the Refectory combined for a delightful celebration that even the rain couldn't dampen. Thanks to everyone who made this happen for all of the rest of us! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Kids & Soccer

The kids' soccer season is off and running - literally & figuratively. Today two CA grandkids had their first games, while the Kansas grandkids have already been playing for a couple of weeks. I love going to one of the fields at a local park where there seem to be a gillion kids and their parents who are spread all over the place. You sit back to back with the parents/grandparents/siblings who are watching their kids on fields that are divided by a fairly narrow space. Saintly men and women who are giving their time to coach AND those who come to referee are all to be commended. The kids have such a good time and so do the parents. Our first game today was played under cloudy skies and it was COLD. We were bundled up in jackets & blankets. Then, 3 hours later, after some thundershowers, the sun came out and the next game was played under a sun where it felt a lot better to sit in the shade to watch. Zac's team gave it their best effort, but the score didn't end in their favor. Claire's team came out on the winning side. Watching all of them is a hoot! On Claire's team all of these girls = 6 blonde ponytails + 2 black-haired ones - go bobbing down the field in shorts that hang down over their socks, and with socks have been doubled over. They have boundless energy! The same was true for the boys. For the girls black & white soccer balls are passe. So, we watch pink or purple or whatever color go zooming up and down and around the field. It's all great fun to watch. It's a perfect Saturday morning for kids, parents, and grandparents!

Happy 11th Anniversary, Mark & Susan!

Eleven years ago today we were all in Lawrence for Mark's and Susan's wedding. It was exciting, fun, memorable, special, smiles all around, and hotter than heck! We partied and celebrated and laughed and cried happy tears and had a super time seeing all of their friends and visiting with Susan's family and our family, too. We've had so many good times together since then, and we look forward to many more. With the grandchildren all about the same ages - except for Sara and Luke - it's a super, busy time now when we all see each other.

But the memories of that day 11 years ago always bring smiles. Happy Anniversary, Susan and Mark. Much love from Butch and RoRo

We're Back In The Saddle Again!

School has begun in Claremont, and that means that Eric is at the high school from early morn to late afternoon. Maria has switched her 50/50 job share days, and now is teaching 1st grade on Mondays, Tuesdays, and every other Wednesday. Zac is now in the 2nd grade and Claire is a Kindergartener! Luke will be going to the Early Childhood Center Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and he will spend Tuesdays with Grandpa Butch and Grandma RoRo. These two aging phenoms will be walking Zac and Claire to school and pushing Luke in the stroller on many days.

The first day we all hit the sidewalk for the trek to school, and it was already super hot. Butch took Zac to his classroom, and Luke and I took Claire to her room. She has the same super teacher that Zac had. How nice! Claire, of course, could not eat breakfast because she was so excited and anxious about this new experience. When we got to school and I asked if she had any questions, she replied that she wanted to know what she was supposed to do if her tooth came out on the playground at recess? Zac, in a very matter of fact manner, informed her that the teacher would take her to the office and they would take care of her. Claire seemed satisfied with that answer.

There were only about 200 million parents and grandparents at school to see their "preciousnesses" go in their classrooms for the first day. As Luke and I checked out Claire's classroom, I noticed that one mother was videotaping and taking still shots at the same time. That's quite a feat! Butch reported that when the teacher told the 2nd graders to select the seat where they wished to sit, Zac went right over to the grouping of desks near the teacher's desk, sat down, put his books in his desk, and turned down offers from friends to move to other locations in the room.

Yes, Butch and I answered Maria's quick call at recess to see how things had gone. Butch made a solo run in the afternoon to pick Zac and Claire up, while I stayed with a sleeping Luke. It wasn't long before two smiling, happy kids came in the door with ice cream from 21 Choices. Grandpa Butch is a good man! :-) All reports were good and everyone - both children and adults - were happy campers! Life is good indeed!

Dining Out With Friends

To me one of life's biggest treats is dining out with friends. It's fun to relax in a special place that we've chosen and enjoy good conversation over/around/above good food. In the deepest sense, the food doesn't matter. What is important is the connection and the caring and the genuine desire to spend time together. Today I'm getting to experience that twice. How spectacular!

Happy 49th Anniversary, Butch!

On August 18th we will celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary. We will also celebrate the fact that we have known each other since the 5th grade. To share almost all your life with someone is special indeed. We'll look at pictures of when we got married, we've already talked to Mark, we'll spend time with Maria and Eric and the kids, we'll do something just for the two of us, and we'll smile when we think of all of the fantastic times. We'll hold close in our hearts those who aren't here to share this special day with us. Happy anniversary, Butch! I love you "all the much."

In Celebration of Claire

Today would have been Claire's 44th birthday. In this picture from childhood friend Jenny that she posted a while ago on Facebook, Claire is the one sitting on the basketball.

First thing this morning we got an email from Wendy. That really touched our hearts. Then we found that Wendy had posted on Facebook, and the responses from other friends were heart-warming and simply beautiful. We miss Claire and all of the love and gifts that she shared with all of us. We celebrate the fact that in a most meaningful way she lives on not only in our hearts and minds, but also in the lives of the girls who are named after her. It means so much to be in touch with all of these Claire's either directly or through their families.

This afternoon we saw the youngest Claire - our granddaughter - who came over with her family to swim and have dinner. Yes, she had on a princess dress. I hope that sometime she'll have a chance to wear one to Kindergarten this year. Princesses seem to bloom where ever they're planted.

Fun Family Celebration in Dallas

The celebration in Dallas was just that - a spectacular time for family and friends to gather to celebrate Shelly's and James's 1st Wedding Anniversary & to meet Owen, Ben, and Henry. We all loved being together - all of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins - plus friends from childhood and all through our lives. Mary and her family and friends planned wonderful opportunities for all of us to visit with each other. The smiles were nonstop as were the conversations. Yes, this is a super hot summer in Dallas, but the excitement of getting to see each other far overcame that. We laughed, we danced, we talked, we smiled, we took lots of pictures, and we celebrated all the love and caring shared among friends and family. Thanks to Mary & to everyone who came together to make this a once-in-a-lifetime, oh-so-memorable experience. Fantastic!

Father's Day 2011

Father's Day this year for the California Hendersons was centered around a first trip for all of us to Peterson's Auto Museum in LA. Since both Butch and Eric, Maria's husband, are "car nuts," it just seemed to be THE thing to do for Father's Day. After taking a quick look around, we had a delicious lunch at Johnny Rocket's which is located inside the Museum. What a perfect place for a burger! Then we went back for more. Butch and I found a 1959 Cadillac convertible like the one that we drove off in after our wedding reception. We also saw a 1939 Packard that looked so much like the one that Butch restored - color, details, etc. The kids loved seeing all of the cars and especially enjoyed the floor with activities just for kids. We got home in time for the kids to "swim" in the spa and then to all enjoy dinner on the patio. Butch, Eric, and Luke took a spin in the Model A. They headed home and we had a good visit with Mark who had celebrated with his family, Susan's parents, and Susan's sister and her family. What a special day for them to all be together. Father's Day was indeed super all the way around!

An Exemplary Principal Retires!

Today Ley Yeager bid farewell to students, families, & friends whose connections with him spanned some 20 years as Principal of Vista del Valle School in Claremont. What a man! The tributes, the entertainment, the gifts, the lunch, the celebration all added up to a great sendoff for a "one of a kind" gift to students, their families, and the school staff. In this picture that I "borrowed" from CVR (one of the most talented & creative amateur photographers I've ever known), Ley is looking at a drawing of the mural that the staff and friends have commissioned for him. As the staff - both past & present - stand on the stage, Ley sees it for the first time. There have been several very special principals with whom I've been associated through my life. How nice it was to celebrate with one of them today. Vaya con Dios, Ley. You are a spectacular person.

One Egg Has Hatched & Baby Has "Flown the Coop"!

One of the two eggs in the doves' nest hatched and the cutest little darker brown dove, about the size of a sparrow, would peek his/her head out next to Mom. Sometimes he was there by himself, but usually Mom was right beside him. I don't know about the other egg (Eric, son-in-law who teaches high school science, said it probably wasn't fertile), but I could only see this one baby. Mom was certainly faithful in her duties. It was fascinating that instinct kept her dedicated to the task at hand.

Yesterday afternoon when I took the 3 Tucker grandkids into our bedroom to see the baby, we evidently alarmed them both, and they flew off. We were shocked, but I was so pleased that the baby could fly and didn't just nosedive down to the patio. We went outside and checked all around the yard. Mom and Dad Dove were looking, too. We really checked everywhere. Finally, sadly, we all gave up.

Then this morning I looked out the window and spotted Mom & Dad on the fence in the side yard. I was pleased to see them together, and figured that the baby must be nearby. After telling Butch about seeing the pair, I checked back out the window and there was the baby with Mom & Dad. I was so excited and pleased that the baby had not been some cat's dinner/breakfast. I ran to get my camera and shot this photo through the window screen. Isn't "our" baby beautiful? Now I just hope that he/she grows up to be a big, beautiful dove.

Groupon

I think Groupon is a good deal! Once you join - and it's free to do so - you receive offers each day for something in your area, and you can take advantage of them or not. There is a time limit in which to buy, and that is stated clearly on the screen. Once you indicate that you want to buy, you pay by credit card and then print out your receipt. I LOVE the ones that I've gotten. This weekend we got some great plants & super potting soil at Armstrong's with a Groupon coupon. My coupon cost $25 for $50 worth of products. Can't beat that! With offerings from restaurants, bakeries, spas, family adventures, beauty treatments of all kinds, hamburgers, exercising, etc., there are so many fun things from which to choose. I'm saving a cupcake one for a special event with the family.