Penny Clemons's blog

Weekend Read

I read a great book this weekend, Hard Truth by Nevada Barr. It was the first book I've read by this author and I can't wait to start another one.  Apparently, there are more books with Anna Pigeon as the main 

character.  The book was extremely intense in places, but had just the right amount of

Hard Truth (An Anna Pigeon Novel)

humor and character development to keep it from getting too gory.  The setting was Rocky Mountain National Park.  I don't know yet if the setting in all the books is the same or if Anna moves from park to park for her job as a ranger.  Anyway, I love the book, a great way to spend the weekend.  Check out the website http://goodreads.com to find more about people's reading habits.

"Hooping"

August 8,  2008 will be World Hoop Day.  Apparently, hula hoops are not at all what they used to be.  A simple toy!  According to the newspaper there is a whole culture of "hoopers" developing out there.   People even make their own hoops and decorate them with flourescent tape.  In Mount Rainier, Md.  there is a weekly class offered in "hooping".  I never thought about it before but the hoop has quite a history in entertainment.  Early in the 20th century children enjoyed rolling a simple hoop.  As legend has it the hoop existed in ancient Greece where it was used as a form of exercise.  Ancient Egyptians are said to have made hoops from grapevines and even American Indians had hoops for toys. 

On the Internet hoopers even have virtual identities. Check out "Hoopedelics" on YouTube. Some even perform professionally with flaming hoops.   The hula hoop seem to have been elevated to an art form in time for its 50th birthday.  What Next?? 

  

They Came to America from Sweden

My Great Grandmothers

All four of my great grandparents on my mother's side came to this country from Sweden in the 1800's.  Today I spent the day with a cousin researching our family in the geneological department of the library.  It was so interesting I would love to go back and spend more time.  We found old census records telling when they came to this country and when they became citizens.  The census records even told values of homes at the time and occupations of the family members.  We tried to find record of them on a ship, but didn't find that yet.   It is interesting to me to try to imagine their life coming to America as young adults, marrying soon after and starting a family.  We have tons of family photos so it is easy to imagine what things must have been like.  There are many dramas and family stories I want to put in writing along with lots of questions.  A very fun, interesting day.

   

Weekend Excitement

As has become our tradition, the two oldest grandkids spent Friday night with me.  They were well-behaved and even helped me wash my windows and do some other chores.  I rewarded their efforts with $1.00 each to spend at the small lake grocery where we usually take a drive.  They decided to pass on the candy this time and put their money together and get this "neat" set of handcuffs.  What can happen, they're just toys, right!  They played with them in the car and snapped them open and closed easily.  My grandson even commented,  "We're really using good teamwork, right grandma?"  I was so proud to hear some of our school "lifeskill" vocabulary.  Little did I suspect that shortly after arriving back home that good "teamwork" would result in little sister allowing big brother to handcuff her ankles together "to see what it would be like."  

The scene quickly evolved into Grandma asking the forever unanswerable, "Why would you do that?"  and trying without success to push the button to release the handcuffs.  Little sister is by now yelling, "It's too tight, get them off," and crying.  Big brother is using all his strength to push the button as well and is reminding us both to take deep breaths.  "That's what you should do when you start to panic, right grandma."   The cuffs are so tight you can see red marks developing and there is no way the cuffs will release.  My grandson did come up with the idea of cutting them off, so I sent him next door to see if our neighbor could help.  They returned with wire cutters and successfully removed the cuffs.   The red marks remained the rest of the evening and little sister totally enjoyed big brother's guilty offer of, "I'll do whatever you want the rest of the night, Kelsie."  

I'm looking forward to next week spending a few days with my youngest grandchild.  I'm sure we will have a lot of fun doing things around her house.  I'll be bringing my own wire cutters this time, just in case.

Winter Memory

 

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Even though it is 80 degrees outside today, when I was looking through pictures this one caught my eye.  This winter we had 1 snowstorm where the snow was over a foot deep, evidenced by the imprint of my back door.  It made me remember the "great blizzard of '78".  My daughter was 3 and my husband was determined to prove his manhood by reciting his favorite winter saying, "this is nothing, I grew up in Minnesota."  This sometimes extended into, "we walked to school no matter what, uphill both ways, yada, yada, yada."  Well, the forecast was for 20 some inches of blowing snow.  Please do not go out, etc.etc.  He had some event to go to and was determined that no little snowstorm would stop him.  He and a friend drove off in our small Datsun pickup truck (white, of course), leaving me home with a three year old wondering if we would ever see him again.  Well, about 2 or 3 in the morning, while I was doing my usual productive searching the windows for signs of life, I saw two images move by the window.  A couple minutes later they were inside, laughing, shaking and talking all at once.  The truck had gotten stuck a mile away(not to be seen for quite a while, remember it was white) and they had trudged through the snow to get home.  The other guy left soon to finish his three or four mile trek home and my husband listened politely while I ranted and raved about the danger, risk, what if , what if, etc.  His theory always was that if he was hurt or dead or something, someone would notify me, so if I heard nothing I should know he was fine.  Somehow, I never found this particularly comforting.  Looking back I know that one of his best qualities was his willingness to take risks and enjoy every moment.  I often wish I'd had the same attitude and simply enjoyed more simple moments.  

Great Weekend!

We had a very enjoyable family weekend.  My older daughter came from Cincinnati for our annual Old Settlers Day parade.  We watched while the oldest two grandchildren got to be in the parade and actually threw out candy this year.  Sophie caught on to the candy collecting very quickly and took home quite a bit of loot.  The girls enjoyed riding the rides together with Kelsie consenting to ride the "baby rides" with little cousin.  Bailey felt like quite the big shot riding some rides without the girls.  On Saturday we went to the zoo, where between rainfalls, Sophie got to enjoy her first pony ride.  Somehow the picture is less than perfect, but she certainly loved the ride and cried when she had to get off.  We visited with other family members and had meals together, I really enjoyed our time all together.  Even though Jen and Sophie live four hours away, with the computer we have been able to keep in close touch and even the cousins can get to know each other using email and photos.   I think we might enjoy our time together more since it doesn't happen all the time.  We missed Chad, but someone has to make a living.  Right Chad!!

SOLSC/Old Settlers Day Parade

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This is the view one gets passing through our town today.  Yes, our traditional Old Settlers Days parade is tonight.  People mark their spot by putting out their lawn chairs sometimes even the night before.  There have been attempts made to change the parade route so that it doesn't disrupt traffic on the main street through town for over an hour.  Needless to say the attempts have been squelched to protect "TRADITION".(I'm hearing Tevya from "Fiddler on the Roof" in my head).  The parade is the same every year and I wouldn't miss it for anything.  It is a true "slice of life story".     

Country Memories

Icecreamcones

One of the fondest memories of my childhood is that week each summer when my cousins would come to visit on my Grandma's farm.  The lived in Chicago and the "big" city was always such a mystery to me, the country girl.  When they came we would play, and play and play.  Before I went to school I had very little chance to play with other kids so this was always a big treat.  Near my Grandma's farm was a little gas station/store and we would go there to get "drumsticks".  They also sold popsicles and ice cream bars for a nickel.  That was when gas was maybe 25 cents a gallon.  I can remember my dad asking for "a dollar's worth" please.  And to think they always pumped it for you back then, too.  They had all kinds of popsicles to choose from, including lemon, banana, and root beer.  There was also a big red cooler for coke with an opener in the front.  Of course, the glass bottles seem miniature in size now but my brother and I always had to share one back then.  They were only a nickel, too.  I can still see and smell the meat slicer slicing balogna, or pickle pimento loaf.  It was then wrapped in white paper and tied with string that we would save.  I wonder if my grandkids will have such fond, clear memories of Walmart or Meijer's.  Somehow, I doubt it. 

Good Mother's Day

Mother's Day was quiet this year, but I had the privilege of my first ever real pedicure.  And by a lovely beautician, too.  Kelsie is the kind of girl described in the poem "When she was good, she was very, very good and when she was bad..." well, you know the rest.  I received lovely cards and a real warm comfy, cozy blanket and kisses and hugs from grandkids.  I passed on the offer of dinner out at the kids favorite Mexican restaurant, Mexican is just not my favorite, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it? 

Mother's Day was kind of overshadowed by Bailey's 10th birthday, which was on  Mother's Day this year.  It's hard to believe he is ten years old.  Not a baby anymore, that's for sure. 

I'm looking forward to the end of the month when school ends and I will spend the weekend in Ohio with my youngest granddaughter, Sophie.  She is absolutely at my favorite age right now.  She talks really well and is still young enough to think almost anything is fun and exciting.  The beginning of Spring has brought other exciting things to think about as well.  My youngest daughter and her fiancee got married on April 1, I'm not sure of the significance of "April Fools Day" , but I'm glad for them.  They just  found out they are expecting a baby in January.  Both are very excited, I'm not so sure about the kids, 6 and 10, but we will see. I'm sure they will enjoy the new addition to the family when it arrives. 
Such a "big boy" looking forward to summer camp again.                                    Sophie in a rare "serious" moment.

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Once in a Lifetime?

I actually saw former President Bill Clinton in person today.  I still haven't made my decision as to who will get my vote in the Indiana primary, but it was a pretty much once in a lifetime experience to actually attend a national political rally right in my home town.   I was surprised at the lack of security.  No one checked bags or anything.  One of our police officers walked through the building with a dog and came back out, but other than that we just walked right in.  Clinton does do a very sincere sounding presentation, but so do the other candidates.

 I thought this guy looked like he might be a secret service man, but he could just be one of our local characters.    

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For a small town in northeastern Indiana we are getting quite a bit of publicity lately.
Wonder what will happen here next.