Crown for a Moment

While I was at Megan's, I French braided her hair after she washed it--and after two days it was dry.  When she undid the braids, her thick, gold-brown hair cascaded down around her shoulders:  beautiful. It got me thinking about the years that I spent learning how to French braid my own hair . . . and about the few times that I actually did it into a crown around my head.  I took about 10 minutes this morning and, after 25 years or so, tried to do so again.  

Of course it turned out horribly; but, it was a new thing to try after so long.  Before I took it out, I had Nathan take a few pictures of it.  They turned out about as well as the braiding did--but it was a good experiment and the photos give you an idea of what I ended up with:

Today is Lauren's birthday and so we are packing now to travel to her birthday wish tomorrow:  Disneyland.  As a family, we never did go as a family--I hate long lines, the glaring sun, and throwing up on rides; Nathan gets heat sick (actually, so does Lauren).  I also hated spending the money on such an inane endeavor.  Despite all of this, for her 28th birthday, Lauren wants to go to Disneyland--and so we are going. Brent is planning to be the dog-sitter and carrier-of-things-we-need-carried.  I plan to spend as much time in the shade or inside where it is air conditioned as possible.  I think that Nathan is hoping that we will forget him and so he can get lost inside the Lego store.  I'm not quite sure what Lauren is planning on--but I'm sure it will be good.

My plan is to bring an umbrella (there is a 51% chance of rain and it has been raining--no, pouring down buckets of water--for the last two days) and try not to eat anything before we plan to try roller coasters or the teacup ride.  I will also braid my hair up and off of my neck.

Definitely NOT in a crown--but definitely to keep it out of my face as I repeat to myself:  "It will be over soon.  Do not throw up.  It will be over soon.  Do not throw up." as we are pulled up the first hump of the roller coaster.

Wish us all luck. 

  

Grandma For a Week

OK, I am actually always a grandma.  The last 7 days, though, I visited my grandchildren at their home in Maryland.  It is a new place for them--small and perfect.  Part of a planned community built back in the '60s, they have one of the units in a line of town houses:  unit F.  Upstairs, downstairs, and basement--room for all their stuff and then some.  Three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms . . . 

and a flowering dogwood tree in the front of the house.

            

After less than half a year, they already know all of their neighbors' names (parents and kids) and what they do . . . a feat that Megan could have not have even attempted when she was in high school.  I remember walking down the hall with Megan when she was 16 or so--as we passed other kids, I heard a continual stream of "Hi, Megan!"  "How ya' doin', Megan?"  "Gettin' out early today, Meg?" from students we passed by.  From Meg, however, I heard nothing at all--her eyes on the ground and her mind on whatever drawing or piece of art she was working on at the time.

Marriage to Anton and her two children have allowed her to grow more fully into her potential.  It is wonderful to see her so happy.

The most thoroughly grandmotherish thing that I did was to push Jon and Kate on the swings.  

While I was there, we made ice cream and cookies and pizza and went out for chicken at a strange restaurant with Meg and Jon and Kate.  We went to an incredible park by a river and waundered through the acres of forest that backed the rear of their small patch of property.  We went swimming at the community rec center and attended a Kale-a-Rama where we had sweet and sour "chicken", collard greens (I actually didn't taste any, but Meg and Anton both raved over them) and mac and cheese (made with cream cheese) which Jon would not touch, but which I loved.

To end?  Some gratuitous pictures of my very intelligent, charming, kind and beguiling grandchildren, my incredible son(-in-law) Anton and my talented and beautiful daughter Megan.

Kate (almost 2) and Jon (4 and 4 months)

Anton and Megan Rytting

Enough superlatives for the evening.  I am home in Florida now and recovering from a severe sunburn on my back, getting ready for a trip to Orlando to celebrate Lauren's birthday at the end of the week.