What about a Grandma?

While Anna Marie is gone I’ve been going to their house at 6:30 a.m. to help get the kids to daycare while Brett catches the bus to work. Miles gets up first and then Lucas joins him.

Lucas: “Hi, Miles”, while giving him a hug.

Grandma: “Isn’t it nice to have a brother or would you rather have a sister?”

Lucas: “A brother.”

Miles: “Mommy.”

Johanson Athletes

Jill and Jessica arrived at my house Friday with 7 other people if you count Landan , a one-year-old. There were even more in the group staying at Amy’s house. Saturday the girls began competing in a two-day soccer tournament. They drove to Cheney to play Saturday and Sunday and ended up with a Championship Team Award. Willie was also in Spokane this weekend and his baseball team is now on its way to State playoffs.

Jill was the organizer of the group and drove a packed van with writing on the windows and a car top carrier jammed full of pillows and sleeping bags. She even brought paper towels and toilet paper to my house as well as lots of food. Here’s the soccer team:

It was fun having them stay here and I learned a few new things about teenagers. Mostly they are glued to their text messaging phones because you never want to actually speak to another person but only write to them in some silly shorthand. Jill and I spent many hours discussing handling and surviving teenagers and we concluded we need never mention our own teenage past especially when making rules and guidelines for behavior.

Lucas and Miles are spending four days without their mom as she is in New Hampshire. Their dad is holding down the fort and it was most entertaining for the boys to come to my house and heckle the soccer team. Boys are never too young to enjoy the company of girls in bikinis apparently.

Your life must be very pleasant now with your entire house newly painted inside so you can just relax and enjoy the austerity of your rooms. Keep the air conditioner running and don't forget where you'll want to be Wednesday at 7:30!

The Hideout

Wednesday 7/30 7:00

Funny Ha-Ha Funny Ha-Ha: Ladies' Night
The best reading in Chicago. Ever.
featuring readings by
Amy Shearn
author of 'How Far Is The Ocean From Here'
Wendy McClure
Bust columnist & author of "I'm Not The New Me"
Mimi Smartypants
renowned blogger and author
Megan Stielstra
2nd Story Reading Series curator
Cameron Esposito
beloved comedienne
Margaret Lyons Chicagoist, Time Out Chicago
Time Out Chicago TV critic & Chicagoist editor
Steve Delahoyde
honorary lady presents short films
hosted by
Claire Zulkey
TV critic for the Onion AV Club & The LA Times

Here's where you need to be on July 30th.
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You will love Mimi Smartypants onstage with some additional female performers. I might fly out and join you.

July Happenings

It sounds as if you are very warm in Chicago so good thing you are spending the cooler evenings going to musical events and outdoor movies. It is very hot here too but I’ve been on the coast for a few days and it is much cooler there. The purpose of this visit was to attend a special Thomas the Train event at Snoqualmie Falls. I put a few photos up but none with us standing by the train as the line was very long and our patience very short with all those kids under the age of 5 squealing and shoving.

I illegally talked to your sister on the cell phone while riding from Spokane. I am waiting for a proper hands free device as it can be a big investment you know while the earphones all look so geeky. Maybe I just need a new car with a built in speaker. Anyway Nancy is remodeling her patio by adding a kitchen area. We should visit Medford one day and try it out. Nancy and I are making plans for our annual babysitting get-together and this year we are honoring Cyd and Dave with our services for two days. They may not be able to deal with the fact that the twins will have no daily schedule or routine but I know we won’t scar the children permanently.

Miles has quieted down some but first he announced that he had thrown his glasses out the car window. His parents stopped the car immediately and were able to retrieve the glasses but not until after they had been run over by another automobile. You remember he has no lenses in his eyes so he sees only colorish blurs so why he wanted his glasses gone I’ll never know except for maybe the delight of hearing over and over again this story while asking his parents what “Damn it” meant. I’m not suggesting anyone I know said that but he heard it somewhere in connection with the lost glasses.

Saturday several friends and I biked the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and our group ended up with two gals from Moses Lake. One was a neighbor of Linda Lou’s and we are planning another bike ride with them in September. The only trails they have to ride where they live are country roads with the tractors and trucks.

I know we are done with the reunion conversation but I need to add one more thing. Sometimes I get messages from Classmates.com though I never paid them a cent (Jane is a gold member) and the two people who looked for my name are Charles Schmaltz and Pam Coney. This is a test.

Santa Barbara

We arrived home late last night and the only one of us cheerfully chatting was Miles. He was gaining momentum so I imagine by the time he arrived at his bed he was wound up for the rest of the night. Believe me, he was able to wear me down especially when I was left in charge of him under the pretense that he’d soon be napping. However, after wrestling him on the bed, singing, story-telling, watching television, following him around the room while he examined and destroyed things; I usually ended up following him on a walk. The next to the last day I was finally able to get him to nap but it was on the sidewalk a few blocks from the motel. He dropped first to his knees and then quickly put his head down and stretched out his legs. He is heavy to carry but we only had a few blocks to the motel. I still felt like I won.

Before we left on our trip we had a 91st birthday party for my mom.
She was pleased I think and actually stayed at my house for more than an hour. She came over at 2 after her noon lunch, had pizza with us and then was able to make it back to her residence for dinner. The 3 o’clock Sunday dinner is never timed correctly for her schedule. Today we read all the nice birthday cards she received and she seemed happy though she didn’t really remember anyone but Brother Ron.

Lucas was fascinated with the waves on the beach and seemed fearless with the water pulling him. Only the grown-ups were really concerned about drowning but the lifeguard said it was safe there so we had to believe him. It was really lots of fun to watch the boys enjoy the new sights and Lucas even asked why people put circle things in their noses. Spokane looked good to us all though Santa Barbara was beautiful for a nice visit.

How are you spending your tax incentive check? Meerkats?

Missing the High School Reunion

The photos Sondra sent were more than enough fun for one year. I’m glad you phoned so we could compare who we thought all the old folks were. I can see we didn’t do very well determining many of our classmates. Are we the only ones who look the same? Ha. Sondra does not look to be 67 even though in this photo she’s hanging out with 67 year old Larry who stole my birthday cake at my 16th birthday party. What was up with that?

It has been hot, hot here so the grandkids have been swimming. The twins were here last week but they didn’t want to try the water sports. They stayed in the Bounce Castle where Miles managed to bite Walker. He just didn’t like Peyton and Walker using his toys and his space in the house. When I held the twins he managed to scoot them over and squeeze himself into my crowded lap.

Tomorrow I am invited to join Brett and family on a trip to Santa Barbara. It might have everything to do with my babysitting capabilities rather than my fun-loving, enthusiastic personality. Hey, a trip’s a trip so I’m happy.

Happy 4th of July! Hope you are having a picnic somewhere cool.