A week of joy with Grandkids

It seems that this week, I had grand kids calling and wanting to come over. Monday night Sid called and ask if he could come over while his sister and mom went to Pana to volleyball practice. I always am thrilled that Sid wants to come. He always has so much to do. But when I think about it when he was little 3 or 4 he called and ask if I could go swimming with him in his back yard. I would always go and he would always ask how come my swimming suit had a skirt on it. He was fascinated with that. His Mom wore the 2 piece thingies. Well Toots dropped him off and we went fishing over the the lake marina. We caught a few fish. He can't sit still very long. He was on one side of the lake and then the other. He was checking what the old fellow caught on the other side and he chased the ducks. His mind is going 90 miles a hour. He is so interesting to converse with. He has a idea about everything. The Tuesday Tatum called and wanted to come over. So Justin and Al brought her over on their way to work at the fair grounds getting things ready for the fair. Of course she called Lauren and Lisa brought her over and they stayed over night. The big thing is to go to Fishers to have coffee. Alex and Justin were both there working. They came out to give me a hug. Both smell of cow manure. Al works in the slaughter house in the summer on Wednesdays and Thursday, when they kill the livestock. Carroll's cousin Lee Fisher owns the restaurant and Locker plant. He has retired and Kenny Eggerman leases it. They have the best meat in Christian County. The restaurant is closed but the locals still go for coffee. The girls like to go with Grandpa to eat breakfast in Taylorville. His favorite spot is the Bowling Alley. Who would believe those 2 girls are biscuit and gravy girls. The girls have a way with old Gramps. They had his day planned. We went to Wally world and got swimming suits and talked me out of some walky-talkies. When we got home, we swam in Kathy's pool for three hours, ate some lunch and talked on the walky-talkies from room to room. Tatum wasn't ready to go home yet so she stayed till Lisa came after Lauren. So each left with a walky-talky to test out the ten mile radius. It was Grandma can I use your cell phone to call Lauren. They didn't work just outside of Owaneco. Go figure! $39.00 didn't get it should have bought the $59.00 ones. Thursday and Friday I had Sid again. He brought his friend Jake. We played cards and the boys had their wheelie shoes on and busting their behinds on the drive way. It quit raining when we took Jake home at 4. Sid and I went over to fish at the marina till his dad came to take him home. Friday, Sid brought his guitar game over. He always wants me to play the games. Boy, did I stink on that one. We raced motor cross bikes and I kept hitting the dirt or anything that was in my way. A few times he said Grandma you are going backwards. What do I know!!! Erik called in the afternoon and wanted to fish. Sid and I jumped in the car and pick them up. Erik had his neighbor friend with him. He is 9 and his name is Grant, but we call him Gomer. He is a 3 ring circus all in one. Sid and Gomer were in contest to see who could catch the most fish. Sometimes I think they counted by 2. They were catching little rockbass about 2 to 3 inches long. They would swim in the rocks and snag they up. They had a time. Erik and I laugh at these two clowns. I bet I lost a couple of dozen hooks. But it was worth it. We even had to send Grandpa on a worm run. Erik hooked a nice catfish and Gomer and Sid got a couple of nice bluegills. I caught a nice bluegill but Gomer threw it back in. I yelled at him. The rule is you don't catch bigger fish that grandma. But he threw away the only fish I caught that day. Sid told him that I would make him walk home. Sid told him he had to walk home once and Erik agreed with him. Poor Gomer's eyes were big as saucers. We gave the fish we caught to a black gentleman who was fishing down from us. Gomer said that we made him happy by giving him the fish. We went back to my house to wash up and the kids and I met Doug, Toots and Rani at the Chinese Buffet to eat. Now those kids can eat. You couldn't afford to take them to Mickey D to eat. After we got their belly's full, I delivered them all back home. I had a great time and I think the kids did too. I can still hear their laughter from that afternoon.

The World of Grandma Retta

I love being around water. Well, this summer, I had a dream come true. Buck and I purchase a 1994 pontoon. It needs some cosmetic work done but it runs great and I can drive it all by myself. Well, aleast I haven't taken out any docks or other boats with it! Alex, Tori and I have gone fishin. The next day Toots called and met us out at the lake and we went over to the floaty hole as the kids call it. We had a ball. The kids swam and played in the water. Toots has pictures on her blog of the kids and the Love Boat. Yesterday, Erik called and wanted to go fishin. I didn't feel good but I couldn't tell him no. He is the best kid! So Erik, Grandpa Carroll and I took the Love Boat out. We, I should say Carroll and Erik caught a bunch of fish. Erik landed a 4 1/2 lb. catfish and Gramps got a 2 1/2 bass along with smaller catfish and some bluegills. Of course I always get tease for not catching fish. But who would bait grandpa's hook and take his fish off. I can't do both! Uncle Buck cleaned them and I bet there was 3 lbs of meat. I hope we get enough for a fish fry soon.

My Brother-in-law and best friend

My brother-in-law and best friend passed away on May 18. 2007 at the age of 60. Rick was married to my sister, Jeanne who died at the age of 44 with breast cancer in 1992. Rick and my first husband were friends in school, we double dated, stood up at each other weddings, visited often. Jean and Rick got married on December the 2, 1966 and he left to help Uncle Sam in the Army Jean was with me when I delivered my first childon January 4, 1967. Rick was in Viet Nam. He came home and a year later they had their first child, Ricky Todd. Rick worked for Com Ed and was transfer up to Northern Illinois. Jean was the best Mother. Terry and I divorced after 15 year of marriage. Teresa was a daddy's girl and she had a hard time of adjusting. So she went to live with Aunt Jean and Uncle Rick for a year. Jeannie hated my ex husband. When I thought I found a man that I could trust halfway, I introduced him to Rick and Jean. It was love at first site. Rick and Carroll have a weird sense of humor. Rick took a job at a nuke plant in Louisiana. We visited and fished our way around that state. If you were catching fish the boat would turn around so rick was fishing in your glory hole. Jean got sick and passed away and in buried in Louisiana. Rick, Carroll and I still fished together. I was honorary Mother at all the their kids weddings sitting with Rick. Rick met Dixie. I remember one of Jeans Friend coming up and asking me ;"what do you think of Dixie and Rick." I gave them a dumb ass look and told them--If I can't have my sister then I would pick Dixie. She fishes! She is the best sister anyone could have. Rick and I teased each other about our age. He is 6 months younger than me. But we always turn that around. When Carroll got sick, Rick was the first one I called. He was always there for anyone who need a kind word or hug. I will miss my best fishin buddy always.

A Day with Aunt Lucy

Aunt Lucy is my dad's baby sister. She was 80 years old in January. She is amazing woman. Her husband died about 30 years ago. She raised five children, lost one of the twins in death. After Uncle Kenny died she reminded me of a flower blooming. She ran the farm, worked at the school cafeteria, went on trips with her girlfriends, enjoyed her kids, neices and nephews. She is the closes loving person that I have as a mother. She makes everyone feel special. My cousin Norma always gives me flack that Aunt Lucy loves her more. I just remind her that Aunt Lucy loves me more but Norma is older so she loved her longer. Aunt Lucy has always been there for me when my own mother was too busy to be bothered. Like I said --- she is amazin! Today, Aunt Lucy had a doctor's appointment---a checkup on her knee replacement. Doing great. She has had both knees done now. Carroll and I went to Griggsville to see her friend with her. He is in a self assisted living home. We sat on the porch and visited with him and his daughter for a couple of hours and came home to our house and then she drove 30 miles to her home. I hope I'm like her when I grow up.

Friday night, my daughter Toots and I took 12 boys to a Batting cage in Springfield for Sid's 10th birthday. I had a ball. One of Sid's friends crawled in front seat and I told him he had to hold my purse and my Pepsi. He wasn't long in getting out of there and telling Toots that that old lady was crazy. He did get back in. Those 5 boys giggles, sang rap? and told stories. Next they were calling me Granny, then Grammy and that turned into Grammy Cracker, My new name.