Something You Won't Read in the Press

The Ben Stein movie, "EXPELLED" has now grossed 7,586,866. Seven and a half million dollars. I still wonder how much it cost to make. The press won't tell us that, either. Go Ben Stein ! And congratulations.

The Story of the Jameses

Over twenty-two years ago, my sister, who was pregnant with her firstborn flew into DFW to visit us. I was due with my second baby three months ahead of her, and as we stood in the luggage claim area, I asked what names she had picked out. She said that if he is a boy, then they had picked out the name, "James" and I told that we had picked out the name, James, too. She suggested that we pick out another name, because they had gotten permission. The name, James, is actually a last name on my mother's side of the family. We had decided to pair my mother's maiden name with Bob's mother's maiden name as they sounded good together. I guess my sister had called all known living relatives in Illinois with the last name, James, and gotten permission. I never asked her how she got permission. Probably just from Grandma and Grandpa James. Since my sister and her family live in another state, the odds of both Jameses being together would be a once or twice-a-year affair, so we have called the cousins by their first with middle names whenever we are together, or referring to the other in front of grandparents who might wonder which James we are referring to. Now the cousins are all grown up into men. One a senior in college, and one recently commissioned into the Army. Next year, the other James will commission, too. So, next year, it will be my sister's turn to pin gold bars onto her James' shoulders. Thanks to my folks, we have CDs of the Jameses as babies and as toddlers. Two little blonde guys playing with cars and trucks and miniature tractors. I wonder if their paths will cross in their careers. It has been fun watching them grow into two very smart, handsome men. (and note to James G---you'll be glad to know we finally went shopping and replaced that old recliner. Come visit again, and try them out--we bought two !!!)

Memorial Day 2008

We drove to the DFW National Cemetery. The weather this morning was beautiful, nice breeze, and went by Bob's aunt's grave. Aunt Mary actually served as a civilian in WW2 and that is where she met her future husband and they corresponded by what we now call snail mail for years. I have heard the story many times. It is not particularly pretty. Because Bob's uncle had to wait until the coast was clear. After D-day, he ran into the fellow who had been dating Mary, as they were moving a body out of a tank. But, if Uncle Bill had not married Mary, then Mary's sister, Clara would probably never had met Uncle Bill's brother, Joe, which means there never would have been the family I married into.

And Bob ordered a new washer and dryer online. They were delivered today. The money we saved for the free tax weekend about covered the delivery. My old washer was putting holes in our clothes and towels. And the dryer squeaked so badly that you could hear it from the street. I did not trust it, as the temperature thingy was going out, too, and it superheated the clothes. I was afraid it was going to burn down the house one of these days.

Talking to our sons in the military was the highlight of our day. And Bob installed a shelf to hold his laptop and the printer next to his rocker/recliner. And I forgot to mention that Bob mowed front yard and backyard today. The coastal dandelions were about done blooming.

President Bush's speech at Arlington National Cemetery was good today. His last one. And I played it again for Bob once C-span had it up again. Didn't quite catch all the NASA Mars press conference, but they are pretty pleased about their disk making it onto the surface of the planet. We watched the touchdown coverage last night online. Seems like they should have had polo shirts in the burnt orange color of Mars instead of blue.

And Bob beat me at Scrabble. Again. I was using fifteen letters/tiles, and he still beat me without bingo-ing. It was super hot and humid this afternoon, so we generated plenty of dirty laundry. And the new washer took all the tiny pills of Bob's new dress shirt. Yippeee!!!!!! This washer and dryer set are too fancy for my garage. Now we are gonna have to fix up the garage. Ha. I sat in the old, discarded recliner in the garage with the fan blowing on me, and the doors open, and just watched the washer and dryer run. Very relaxing. No screeching or squeaking bearings. No unbalanced loads. No noise. Bob was impressed with our Bosch dishwasher, so he wanted to stick with them. Our cars are from Japan, and our washer and dryer and dishwasher are from Germany. In fifty years, will we be buying computers and appliances from Iraq and Afghanistan?? What a country.

Grandpa Max is 73

Grandpa Max is 73 years old now. Look out !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM ALL OF US
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(today isn't actually his birthday but Bob says not to give out too much specific information, so instead of saying his birthday is the 27th, let's just say his age and his actual birthdate add up to 100.)

Another Picture from James' Commissioning

Can you tell which one is the Aggie?

Why Didn't We Get A Speech Like This?

One Week Ago Today

One week ago today, our newly minted second lieutenant drove away to his new career, his new life in the United States Army. We marked the event by taking pictures. Pictures of him loading his truck, pictures of his last breakfast, pictures of the laughter and smiles, and hugs. And pictures of the receding truck. He planned on signing papers at the ROTC department and heading out, but the ROTC department had him run all over campus getting things signed. And that took until noon. By then, I had found a few items he might need, and had called him back, so he came by the house one more time to retrieve stuff. So, I have pictures of his truck exiting our street both directions. He headed north, and stayed overnight with relatives near Kansas City, and the weekend with his brother and family in Dayton. He reported to Fort Knox for "gold bar duty" on Tuesday, May 20th. And finally got his military ID changed from "cadet" to second lieutenant on May 22nd. We have enjoyed hearing from him each night as he goes through orientation, and learns what his duties will entail. He found out today that he has been assigned to "repelling" and the jobs that go with it, and their first class arrives June 2nd. He said they are waiting for more second lieutenants to arrive, too.

As parents of sons in this modern military, we are spoiled by cell phones and email and text messages. Years ago, a letter or phone call was a precious thing. I still have the letters my soon-to-be husband wrote to me from the laundry mat in Savannah, Georgia. His letters were witty and funny, and made me love him all the more.

How have we survived this first week with an empty nest? Well, one week ago, I kept busy by dusting, and boxing up old toys and talking on the phone to my women friends. I have been to the grocery store a few times. And have done the laundry and the two-of-everything dishes. Two spoons, two bowls, two mugs, two plates. And we saw the new Narnia movie, "Prince Caspian" twice. It made me want to go back and re-read the series. So, I re-read books 2-7.

Bob loves to play Scrabble. He beat me two nights in a row, but tonight, victory. If he bingo-s twice, I am left behind in the dust. Tonight, I was able to place the "J" on a triple letter score---eight times three is 24 points just for the J. And since the JEERS crossed a double word score square, too, I think it totalled 60 points.

Two weeks ago today, we hosted a huge crowd of relatives at a local steakhouse. Friends and relatives attended James' commissioning that Saturday, and some even stayed for the graduation ceremonies on Sunday, Mother's Day. Now, here we are at Memorial Day weekend, and a three day weekend of haircuts, Scrabble, shopping, and a trip to the DFW National Cemetery on Monday, as I see they are having a 3pm service.

Three years ago this month, our firstborn graduated, commissioned, and got married.

Thirty years ago, I was a newlywed of two months, and learning all about Savannah.

Next week, we will be back in Georgia for another wedding. A nephew's this time. Then Bob will be busy studying for his Sunday School lessons. He has committed to teach our gray-haired class almost all the Sundays in June.

A new stage in our lives. The house is too quiet. I set talk radio going for the extra noise. There was another good pass tonight. Wednesday night and tonight, the space station passed overhead from the WSW straight up to zenith, and in that steady path to the ENE--pointing to Kentucky and Ohio where our treasure now resides.