Thursday, October 13, 2016

A new header


I’ve stopped writing very personal bits here; universal as they may be, one segment or another of my family is offended, and sulks. That’s wearing, and not life advancing, so I’ve stuck for months with cookies and little boys and doorbells.

A bit of good news; the house is sold, to a person I hope to know better. The last few bits are coming together, and St. Joseph has come to live in a place of honor, next to Alberta’s pie bird and Marty’s pot. There by Laura’s latest discovery, parsley growing in a pot.

A fourteen year olds world through a grandmother’s eyes is amusing. This one thinks of grown up things, in an uncomplex manner. She wondered recently if I had been through a tornado and what did I do. I’ve been through two, I explained. But she really was interested in how we would save ourselves now, not then, and I said if we knew it was imminent, we would go into her closet. If we had more time, we probably would tell the new owner of the old house, “We’re coming over; leave the basement door open.”

The raging election has left me as sick to my stomach as wondering if my friend Carol’s home escaped the hurricane. It became very personal to me when sexual molestation came out of the closet. Our daughters and granddaughters deserve the strong new world we have worked for in my lifetime, not a trip back to the dark days.

Bob Dylan’s nomination for a Nobel prize in literature has perfect timing. “Don’t stand in the doorway…” of the future of the children. Guide them, don’t lie to them, tell them how to be safe, set them free. And here’s to Carly Simon, too, who let loose one of her best for the current season. Look up “You’re so vain,” and don’t miss her little tweak to her lyrics.

I watch Laura becoming stronger. I see little signs that make me happy. Her signature is evolving from loopy, self conscious lines of expression to strong, bold, defiant strokes. Her name is spelled ‘Laura’, and the A is a star, effortlessly connected. She has an A in her last name, and it has the same bold treatment. This on a scrap of paper she tore out to give me her friend’s address, where I must pick her up tonight. She and her classmate are working on an extra credit assignment for American Sign Language. Practice, practice, practice.

Good luck to all of us.


45 comments:

  1. This election is making me sick too, how can anyone vote for that man! Sounds like Laura is growing up strong and that's so good.

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  2. This election is making me sick too, how can anyone vote for that man! Sounds like Laura is growing up strong and that's so good.

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  3. yippee, congrats on the house sale I was going to ask last time and forgot, love that vase on the windowsill,

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  4. The election is making me sick and consuming my mind way more than I want it to. The hardest thing is hearing from people you know and like and finding they are avid Trump supporters. . . and I have many of those.

    I'm lucky to still be in touch with several from my high school days. I got a response from one of those classmates today that he's happy to be placed in the basket of "deplorables." There are a handful of us who think the man is dangerous and awful, but the rest seem to think he's wonderful.

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  5. Love your new header and how nice your St. Joseph is. Mine is just plastic, but at least they worked. Yay! Is that cabbage being harvested? You had time to sow and reap that at the new house? The election is sickening. Every time I hear the Trump lovers deflect and bring up Bill Clinton I just die. He isn't running for President. The things they rave about from Fox News and Trump pundits have been fact checked by different organizations time and again and yet they keep spewing it. I wish the networks would shut them down the minute they repeat the lies.

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    1. Laura, collecting kale from Alberta and her garden, several years ago.

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  6. Congratulations on the sale of your house. Wonderful news!

    St. Joseph came through for us too. Way to go Joe!

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  7. It is nice to see Laura becoming stronger and to be blooming without Emily being around, which I know was a concern a few months back. Good too about the house being sold! I just want the election over, so tired of all the ads, etc.

    betty

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    1. Emily is glad, too, I'm sure. She has her own persona to work out.

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  8. Wonderful that your house has sold! I also start to feel physically sick with this election crap. Just like Diane (above), I find it hard to understand how some of my old high school friends are Trump fans. These are educated people, too! We have sent in our absentee ballots. All we can do is wait ...

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  9. I just came across your blog and am thrilled that I did. I have a 14 year old granddaughter, too. Our house is up for sale (our retirement) and this is the 15th house I have rehabbed. I think I need a St. Joseph! lol
    I am your newest follower. xo Diana

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  10. Hari OM
    CONGRATULATIONS AND FELICITATIONS!!! That it is also to someone you deem worthy of continued contact is a bonus $$$ don't account for. I don't doubt the girls will both blossom further now; positive changes all round.

    At least you have family who read your blogs enough to get bristled by them. I could write a pack of doodly and nary a feather would lift. ;~)

    I too was impressed and pleased at Dylan's award. Equally unimpressed with the onslaught of US election news we in the ROTW have to face because, of course, whatever happens, ROTW is affected. Yet we don't get to vote. Sigh...

    Again - CONGRATULATIONS etc etc etc... YAM xx

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    1. It's the Keep Calm and Carry on gene that's so rampant over there. :-)

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  11. I just wanted to say that I am proud to know you! You are a remarkable person, full of love, your strength is admirable, your compassion for others noteworthy, You have gained the wisdom of years lived well and I can't tell you how much pleasure your blog gives me.I wish we lived closer to each other so I could take you out to lunch or for coffee.

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  12. I am so pleased that the house has sold.
    And pleased (and unsurprised) that Laura is growing.
    On this side of the world the election is sickening. And worrying.

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  13. You can now cross off "sell the house" from your list! I really have no idea about this whole St. Joseph thing, but it sounds intriguing. Teenagers are a work in progress and I'm glad to hear she is coming along well! -Jenn

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  14. A beautifully written post, and congratulations on selling the house. I tell people who don't like my blog not to read it.

    Love,
    Janie

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  16. Am glad your granddaughter is seeking your wisdom gained through life experience. My thoughts and prayers are with you all as you move into the election. It's not easy that's for sure. I saw that bit of news about Dylan. He is one of my all time fav singers. I will have to look up the tweaks concerning Carly Simon's song lyrics.

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  17. P.S. CONGRATULATIONS on selling the house. That's cause for a celebration :-)

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  18. So glad that you have sold the house - and to people whom you would like to get to know.
    There are things I don't put on my blog because of the nosy parkers in the family - can't be bothered to keep in touch conventionally but like a bit of voyeurism on the blog...

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  19. I love your new header, Joanne, and I always find wisdom, love and acceptance in your posts. I'm glad the house sold. I saw a show last night that your grand daughter might have liked-it was about what to do in various disaster situations. They didn't cover tornadoes, but it looks like you have that covered. They did cover volcanoes (run up a hill away from the offending hill), tsunamis (run inland), lightening (don't. DO NOT. Stand under a tree) flash flood (stay in the car).

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  20. The election baffles me - to be honest: the Nobel prize for Literature (!) going to Bob Dylan, too. Good title for a novel: "The World seen from a Closet"

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  21. Congrats on the sale!

    And yep, I'm getting too obsessed with this election. If that jackass wins, I might commit hary kary before he can blow the world to kingdom come. :(

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  22. I LOVE your new header! LOVE LOVE LOVE :)
    Your election has me concerned too. Trump is a waste of space in my opinion and I'm sorry for his wife and daughters, the way he treats women is appalling and very very inappropriate.
    Nice to hear Laura has developed a good strong signature to go with her strong character.
    Nice to hear the house finally sold.

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  23. Great news about the house sale. Trump's behaviour beggars belief; what a truly awful man & very frightening to think of the power he may hold. I wish something so bad comes out about him that he has to stand down from the election.

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  24. So pleased the house sale is over and done with - that is a weight off your mind.
    Yes, it is lovely to see one's grandchildren develop in front of one's eyes. She sounds a lovely girl and is a credit to you. Do agree about Bob Dylan.
    As for Trump - words fail me.

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  25. I am glad your house is sold, i think too that the credits for Laura goes to you.

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  26. I am glad you sold your house. Congratulations.

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  27. Strong grandmother = strong granddaughter.

    Congratulations on selling your house. It is always such a relief when something major like that is concluded.

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  28. What a relief it must be to have sold your house -- though a bit of a wrench at the same time. Hopefully, Trump supporters will listen to him and head for the polls on November 28th... It is a wonderful thing to see a sibling some into her own! As for Bob Dylan -- in my opinion it is an honour well-deserved.

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  29. "Our daughters and granddaughters deserve the strong new world we have worked for in my lifetime, not a trip back to the dark days." Indeed. LOVE the pot in your new header. I was very happy to read that you sold the house. Regarding writing...if I could go back and start again, I would write with a fake name and not tell anyone about it. Then I could write exactly what I want.

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  30. I noticed the new header. I don't write about my living family much, as you say, they can get pissy. what I write about is me and if writing about me includes them well so be it. they can just be pissy. they'll get over it or they won't. when I wrote about my father-in-law and his death one of my brothers-in-law took real umbrage at my posts and wrote a pretty hateful comment which I immediately deleted. he had a good relationship with his father who disowned my husband and refused any contact with him right up until he died. even before the disowning he ignored my husband. I wrote my brother-in-law back and told him I forgave him because I knew he was grieving but his experience was not our experience. bottom line though, it was the end of my relationship with him as it wasn't the first time or even the second time he had gone off on me. I'm polite in his company but I avoid being around him as much as possible.

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  31. It is a shame that your newsy posts are a subject of conflict. I really enjoy them and have seen nothing sinister there. Congratulations on the sale of the house. I love the pot with the flower on it. It is good to have a plan in place in case of a tornado. I am among those who will be happy when the election is over. Hopefully the right person for the job will be chosen. After all that will be my employee. I was surprised at the Nobel Prie for Literature but not unhappy. And isn't it amazing to see young people grow into people that we know we will like as adults? I think I covered everything.

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  32. I, too, enjoy reading about your family and those experiences, but I understand... my own family doesn't like me to write about them... or show photos sometimes. Oh well. Now... about St Joseph... do you have to be careful where you put him at your new place... what if he finds a buyer? Seriously, congratulations on that sale!

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  33. Hopefully that will be the last house you have to sell.

    I have my opinions about the election, but I'm keeping them to myself. And avoiding anyone who shares theirs. I've become quite the expert at averting my eyes at any Facebook posts that mention anything about politics.

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  34. Congrats on the house sale - what a load off your mind!
    Have a wonderful weekend, Joanne.

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  35. I've just found out your blog.. your blog is vey lovely .. love to read it..

    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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  36. You covered a lot there, a brave new world if only, the old one with a few improvements would do.
    Merle..............

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  37. So glad to get the update on Laura. That is really wonderful.

    That is a pretty pot on the windowsill.

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  38. Politics have become dangerous! The followers seem to be rabid with hatred for the opposing candidates. It is sickening.

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  40. I am very happy for you that the house and sold and they will be your friends too. My grands worry about tornadoes too! We have a central closet that will hold us if needed. I love what you described as Laura's signature!! Good for her. Pooh on the family members who are offended by what you write on your blog!!! Some of my family don't like what I write either. But I'm not writing for them so I don't care. Hugs to you Joanne! I am terrified of this election too!!

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