December 15, 2010 is almost three months since my last entry. Good grief. I thought when you retired you have time for stuff like daily blogging, blocks of time to read or knit, time to work on 'my book', etc. etc. NOT.
Here it is...10 days before Christmas! Yes, the tree is up/with the help of one lovely teenage daughter. Upon viewing the finished product(I had been outside doing the outside decorating), I told her the story of 15 years ago, her Ganny (Mom) and I were decorating the tree and saying, "Just think, next Christmas we will have two extra special little hands to help us!" Now, she's big enough to do it all by herself. Ganny would be proud!
Someone asked me last night what I wanted for Christmas....I hadn't actually thought about it...really. Well, ok, a little bit. I 'need' nothing. But I do want something. In fact, I have helped it to become a reality.
You see, I have this husband who is a wonderful, talented, accomplished woods craftsman. I have only one thing that he has made me. It is a little wooden box and lid made out of 'leftover' crown molding he got from the scrap pile of one of those BIG houses he was working on in Kingsport. Amos, the guy he worked with, encouraged him to make it for me...yep, we were courting back in '87.
Since then I have not been a recipient of any of his handiwork. (This isn't counting the numerous ways he has repaired things, built things (the porch), etc.) I'm talking 'little stuff' here. He built Maggie a beautiful walnut rocker, without directions/instructions, for her 1st birthday. An family heirloom it will be. He built his old friend Charlie, in Virginia, a harvest table. NOTE:Charlie had every person who came to his house to autograph, with a Sharpie marker, the underside of that tapered legged thing of beauty. I thought I'd DIE when he wanted us to sign it on the day of it's 'christening'....Rosy just smiled and said, "It's his table, he can do anything he wants to it." I guess that made me feel a little better, but not much.
Now, back to the 'helping my Christmas present become a reality'....I have a small collection of antique rolling pins of various sizes. None are really of great worth, I suppose. My two favorites, of course, are my mom's and my Mamaw's, which I use to make biscuits. (Yes, I do make homemade biscuits on a occasion, thank you very much!) I like the way they look in an old crock sitting in the floor of my kitchen. There is one missing, though. One made by my man. I've hinted for few years how nice it would be to have a rolling pin made by him. "Honey, do you have any walnut or cherry wood that would be big enough to make me a rolling pin?" Now, I haven't just hinted once or twice, but MANY times. But NO rolling pin has ever made it under the tree.
Well, about a month ago, I ventured to a local business that sells wood and visited with the owner and his wife a bit and told them my plan. He wandered around in the halls of the old Rock Hill School to find just the right piece of walnut that would make a very nice rolling pin. I paid them for the wood and came home and wrote my resident craftsman a note on notebook paper.
"Dear Mr. Gillenwater, Here is a piece of walnut. But inside of this raw wood, there is a beautiful rolling pin made by you. That is the only thing that your loving wife wants for Christmas. If there is extra wood left over, you could always make a biscuit cutter. BTW-she thinks you are the greatest! We hope you have a great holiday season. Signed, Santa's Helpers".
I took the wood and note and placed it on the seat of his riding lawn mower which was right at the door of the garage...his man cave/domain. He would have to be blind to not notice it. He would have to be totally unconscious not to take heed of the message. He had to move it, of course, the next time he used the mower to mow the leaves. I have made a couple of trips to the garage but haven't spied that chunk of walnut. I honestly didn't look too hard for it.
Hummmmm, wonder if 10 days is long enough to make a rolling pin or it he lives in a state of unconsciousness?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
"My Book"
Today is September 20, 2010/Dad's birthday. He would have been 82 years old.
Today is the day I begin my literary adventure...'my book'. It will be a written collection of Dad's stories along with pictures of him, Mom, family and actual places that some folks may only believe as imaginary...such as John Mauk's Grocery, Tucker's Knob, Stony Point, etc.
Yes, I believe it only fitting to start today.
One more gift for you, Doc!
Today is the day I begin my literary adventure...'my book'. It will be a written collection of Dad's stories along with pictures of him, Mom, family and actual places that some folks may only believe as imaginary...such as John Mauk's Grocery, Tucker's Knob, Stony Point, etc.
Yes, I believe it only fitting to start today.
One more gift for you, Doc!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
A New Journey for Maggie
Today is the eve of my baby's first day of high school. It seems like yesterday we were excited about "Miss April" coming for a home visit for preschool. How could 11 years pass so quickly?! We have gone through a gazzilion crayons, dozens of markers, and possibly a total of two trees of paper since then. The sneakers have been replaced by "Sperry" look~alikes ($40 cheaper) and boots. The backpack has been replaced by a big shoulder bag. No more Crayola crayons, only pencils and pens. (I did splurge and purchase her a 'silver' pen with 'Maggie Gillenwater' engraved on it. Nobody else will have one like that!)
I wish for her the joys of high schools days...'new' boy scenery, new girl friends, new activities, new teachers, new experiences, new beginnings, Friday night football and basketball games, and dances. I loved my high school days. I hope she does the same.
My baby is now a young woman with a whole new world ahead of her. How can I be sad when the slate is clean and fresh and waiting for her?
She just posted on Facebook..."Mom, I'll be alright. You're not only my mom, but my best friend. Thanks for always bein there for me. I love you! (:"
My, my...I love that little girl.
I pray for her journey...now let it begin.
(It's milestones like this that cause me to miss Mom and Dad 'extra'. How they would have loved to have been apart of this time. Mom would have bought her several new clothes and Dad would probably have insisted on picking her up from school in his little black truck with Daisy, the dog, right there beside him. I do know that they are smiling down upon her...us!)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Retirement
TaDaaaa....Woo Hoo.....Yipeeeeeee.....Praise the Lord!
Today is my first official day of retirement! (yes, I know I've been out of school since since May 28th, but it's just felt like summer break.) My peers headed back to work today.
By 8:30 this morning, I had sent Maggie off to her babysitting job, went to the Burger Bar for breakfast and then to the Family Dollar Store. Things I don't usually get to do. Then home to do laundry and haul out/trash/file/put in it's proper place all the s*&# in my hallway that has been 'stored' there for way too long. (I did find some missing treasures!)
I have enjoyed peace and quiet-not a radio or television on. It's just been me and Oliver, the cat. Of course, I have missed my best buddy, Maggie.
Yesterday, I was telling Rosy and Maggie that a couple of weeks before each school year, I would always get this excitement about the new beginnings of a school year. I'd enjoy going to the school supply stores to get things for 'my kids' and my classroom 'queendom'. But in the last two years, my excitement had faded~ but not totally disappeared. I suppose that's the 'sign' that it's time to turn in the ole roll/grade book, throw away old lesson plans, and retire my teacher bell*.
Today has been good. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, the next day, the next, etc.
Retirement...yep, it's a good thing! But you know, I might just have to ring that bell every once in awhile to hear that familiar sound and be remined of those 31 blessed years in education. I am a very lucky gal.
(*My buddy, Steve Hawkins, gave me that 'teacher bell' as a college graduation gift in 1979. It's been on my desk wherever I was planted. Thanks, SAH!)
Today is my first official day of retirement! (yes, I know I've been out of school since since May 28th, but it's just felt like summer break.) My peers headed back to work today.
By 8:30 this morning, I had sent Maggie off to her babysitting job, went to the Burger Bar for breakfast and then to the Family Dollar Store. Things I don't usually get to do. Then home to do laundry and haul out/trash/file/put in it's proper place all the s*&# in my hallway that has been 'stored' there for way too long. (I did find some missing treasures!)
I have enjoyed peace and quiet-not a radio or television on. It's just been me and Oliver, the cat. Of course, I have missed my best buddy, Maggie.
Yesterday, I was telling Rosy and Maggie that a couple of weeks before each school year, I would always get this excitement about the new beginnings of a school year. I'd enjoy going to the school supply stores to get things for 'my kids' and my classroom 'queendom'. But in the last two years, my excitement had faded~ but not totally disappeared. I suppose that's the 'sign' that it's time to turn in the ole roll/grade book, throw away old lesson plans, and retire my teacher bell*.
Today has been good. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, the next day, the next, etc.
Retirement...yep, it's a good thing! But you know, I might just have to ring that bell every once in awhile to hear that familiar sound and be remined of those 31 blessed years in education. I am a very lucky gal.
(*My buddy, Steve Hawkins, gave me that 'teacher bell' as a college graduation gift in 1979. It's been on my desk wherever I was planted. Thanks, SAH!)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Dad's Medicine Show Wagon
Today, I donated my dad's medicine show wagon to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN. The following is my letter.
June 22, 2010
Dear Jimmy Neil,
As you well know, Doc McConnell’s Old Medicine Show brought joy, laughter, humor, foolishness, and of course, “healing” to thousands of folks across our country for more than 35 years. It became an icon at the National Storytelling Festival and Jonesborough Days. The medicine show provided me the opportunity to “be on stage”, to travel, to meet new friends, and to make a little gas money. But most of all, it provided a way to share life experiences with my best buddy ~ my dad, Ernest Randolph McConnell ~ aka~ “Doc”.
While my precious mom, Gin, stayed home and kept the home fires burning, Dad and I, along with his brother, Cecil (“Steamer”) and anybody else we might pick up, would often leave home on Friday evenings. We would travel through the night to our destination and be somewhat bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for 2 days of performances and then on Sunday evening load the wagon and make our trek back home. The experiences I had as Dad’s “Not-Registered Nurse” are the very best memories of my teenage and early adult years.
During those years, there were occasions when our talk would turn to ‘the time’ when he would not be able “to do” the medicine show any longer due to the complications and complaints of aging. (He did realize that there were actually some maladies that his copper bracelets and rootin’ tootin’ tonic just could not cure.) Deep down, I think he would have liked for me to carry on the show.
He dreamed of hosting a medicine show institute for those interested in learning more about the history of the old medicine shows and learning the hawker’s spiel in order to preserve what he had worked (and had fun doing so) diligently to perpetuate. Sadly, his dream did not come to fruition due to his fight with Multiple Myeloma in the spring of 2008 and his death as a result of a stroke in August ’08.
Dad passed along a rich, glowing legacy of stories and the medicine show spiel to me. I know all the show’s lines by heart and can deliver them with accuracy. But I lack his precision timing, his zest and those twinkling blue up-to-something eyes. My heart tells me that there can be only be one person to fill those black and beige shoes and it’s he. Dad loved storytelling and its people ~ tellers and listeners alike. Therefore, believing it’s fitting and proper; it is with honor and pleasure that I donate the Doc McConnell Old Medicine Show wagon to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN for display and safe-keeping for future generations. If at any time the Center no longer desires to house, display, and use the wagon, I ask that Dad’s family be contacted and consulted as to the next placement/location of it.
Hopefully, every first weekend in October for many years to come, when Jonesborough morphs into the “Storytelling Mecca” and after the trains rumble through, maybe, just maybe, the cool autumn breeze will carry a whisper of the chant of the ole pitchman saying, “Come one, Come all…..” for all to hear and remember.
Going down this road feelin’ good,
Hannah McConnell Gillenwater ~ Doc’s daughter
Dear Jimmy Neil,
As you well know, Doc McConnell’s Old Medicine Show brought joy, laughter, humor, foolishness, and of course, “healing” to thousands of folks across our country for more than 35 years. It became an icon at the National Storytelling Festival and Jonesborough Days. The medicine show provided me the opportunity to “be on stage”, to travel, to meet new friends, and to make a little gas money. But most of all, it provided a way to share life experiences with my best buddy ~ my dad, Ernest Randolph McConnell ~ aka~ “Doc”.
While my precious mom, Gin, stayed home and kept the home fires burning, Dad and I, along with his brother, Cecil (“Steamer”) and anybody else we might pick up, would often leave home on Friday evenings. We would travel through the night to our destination and be somewhat bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for 2 days of performances and then on Sunday evening load the wagon and make our trek back home. The experiences I had as Dad’s “Not-Registered Nurse” are the very best memories of my teenage and early adult years.
During those years, there were occasions when our talk would turn to ‘the time’ when he would not be able “to do” the medicine show any longer due to the complications and complaints of aging. (He did realize that there were actually some maladies that his copper bracelets and rootin’ tootin’ tonic just could not cure.) Deep down, I think he would have liked for me to carry on the show.
He dreamed of hosting a medicine show institute for those interested in learning more about the history of the old medicine shows and learning the hawker’s spiel in order to preserve what he had worked (and had fun doing so) diligently to perpetuate. Sadly, his dream did not come to fruition due to his fight with Multiple Myeloma in the spring of 2008 and his death as a result of a stroke in August ’08.
Dad passed along a rich, glowing legacy of stories and the medicine show spiel to me. I know all the show’s lines by heart and can deliver them with accuracy. But I lack his precision timing, his zest and those twinkling blue up-to-something eyes. My heart tells me that there can be only be one person to fill those black and beige shoes and it’s he. Dad loved storytelling and its people ~ tellers and listeners alike. Therefore, believing it’s fitting and proper; it is with honor and pleasure that I donate the Doc McConnell Old Medicine Show wagon to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN for display and safe-keeping for future generations. If at any time the Center no longer desires to house, display, and use the wagon, I ask that Dad’s family be contacted and consulted as to the next placement/location of it.
Hopefully, every first weekend in October for many years to come, when Jonesborough morphs into the “Storytelling Mecca” and after the trains rumble through, maybe, just maybe, the cool autumn breeze will carry a whisper of the chant of the ole pitchman saying, “Come one, Come all…..” for all to hear and remember.
Going down this road feelin’ good,
Hannah McConnell Gillenwater ~ Doc’s daughter
Saturday, June 5, 2010
TRUE WORDS
I just finished cleaning off my desk....how in the world does it pile up so?!?!?! Well, that's a whole other blog. In the midst of the heap I found this and thought it definitely 'blogworthy'.
5 Stages of a Female's Life
1. To Grow up
2. To Fill out
3. To Slim Down
4. To Hold It In
5. To Hell With It
Need I say more.....
5 Stages of a Female's Life
1. To Grow up
2. To Fill out
3. To Slim Down
4. To Hold It In
5. To Hell With It
Need I say more.....
Thursday, May 27, 2010
NEW CHAPTER BEGINNING
This morning at 10:00 was the official beginning of the new chapter of my life...Retirement!
We had to be at school @ 7:30 to give out report cards and then we were dismissed at 10 o'clock, but I didn't get away until about 11:00.
In spite of my protests, my Kindergarten co-workers threw me a "Retirement Celebration" yesterday afternoon. I was presented a Money Tree which had $500+ tied on it and several other 'individual' gifts from my school family. How kind of them! The only problem, they didn't give me the tree for planting...not even a seed or a sprout! How rude, don't you think?! But I suppose it's kinda hard to get a seed from an artificial tree! The money is going in the 'sock' with the money I got from selling 'old gold'. Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet....just sit and play with it and count it sounds pretty darn good to me.
I am very surprised that I shed no tears....not at the end of the 'last day' when I told the children 'bye' nor when I left "my room" for the last time nor when Maggie and I walked out of the building we had seemingly lived at for the the last 14 years for me and the last 9 for her. Bless her, she would have to stay after school with me when needed, go in very early when needed, start back earlier than the other students because she graciously would help me get my classroom ready for a new bunch of recruits and not get to start her summer vacation like the other kids because she was helping me 'pack up'. Now, she will be able to lead a 'normal' life.
I don't think the retirement part will really set in until the school bell sounds in August. Until then, it will be just like all those other summers of my life since I was 5 years old. I will enjoy the hot days and cool evenings, watching the lightning bugs, June bugs, and birds. I will enjoy the pool, lemonade, sweet tea, watermelon, fresh vegetables and such. Maybe somethings don't really change, but you develop a new respect for them. Whatever the case, I plan to not set the alarm tonight and just get up if and when I want to in the morning. Yep, this could become habit forming...that's a good thing!
We had to be at school @ 7:30 to give out report cards and then we were dismissed at 10 o'clock, but I didn't get away until about 11:00.
In spite of my protests, my Kindergarten co-workers threw me a "Retirement Celebration" yesterday afternoon. I was presented a Money Tree which had $500+ tied on it and several other 'individual' gifts from my school family. How kind of them! The only problem, they didn't give me the tree for planting...not even a seed or a sprout! How rude, don't you think?! But I suppose it's kinda hard to get a seed from an artificial tree! The money is going in the 'sock' with the money I got from selling 'old gold'. Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet....just sit and play with it and count it sounds pretty darn good to me.
I am very surprised that I shed no tears....not at the end of the 'last day' when I told the children 'bye' nor when I left "my room" for the last time nor when Maggie and I walked out of the building we had seemingly lived at for the the last 14 years for me and the last 9 for her. Bless her, she would have to stay after school with me when needed, go in very early when needed, start back earlier than the other students because she graciously would help me get my classroom ready for a new bunch of recruits and not get to start her summer vacation like the other kids because she was helping me 'pack up'. Now, she will be able to lead a 'normal' life.
I don't think the retirement part will really set in until the school bell sounds in August. Until then, it will be just like all those other summers of my life since I was 5 years old. I will enjoy the hot days and cool evenings, watching the lightning bugs, June bugs, and birds. I will enjoy the pool, lemonade, sweet tea, watermelon, fresh vegetables and such. Maybe somethings don't really change, but you develop a new respect for them. Whatever the case, I plan to not set the alarm tonight and just get up if and when I want to in the morning. Yep, this could become habit forming...that's a good thing!
Monday, May 24, 2010
"Last Day"
Today was the last "last day with kids" I will ever have, unless something drastic happens in my life! Unlike other "last days" that I have had, I didn't cry....not even a tear! Wow, it must truly be meant to be for me to retire. Two more days of in-service, then 2 hours handing out report cards on Thursday. At 10:00 a.m., we were told we would probably be dismissed for the summer. Mercy me...it doesn't seem real, but I'm sure I will enjoy reality!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Good grief. Has it really been 3 months since I have posted a entry?!?!?!
Looking back, it seems as though those hornets, spiders, and persimmon seeds were right about our winter. How 'bout that. Don't know any signs for summer weather. I suppose I need to do some research on that.
So far, it's been such a nice spring. Tonight it is raining. I wish I had a bed on the front porch...that's where I would sleep tonight! Just another simple pleasure of life.
Looking back, it seems as though those hornets, spiders, and persimmon seeds were right about our winter. How 'bout that. Don't know any signs for summer weather. I suppose I need to do some research on that.
So far, it's been such a nice spring. Tonight it is raining. I wish I had a bed on the front porch...that's where I would sleep tonight! Just another simple pleasure of life.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Weather signs...again
On our way back from Kingsport yesterday, Maggie and I decided to take a "Blue Highway". We turned down toward Goshen Valley, went to Laurel Run Park and then got back on Goshen. From that point to home, we saw 3 more hornets nests.....and yes, they were UP HIGH! More snow(s)? Possibly? Very possible? I bet those hornets know more than the Weather Channel's best meteorologists! We will wait and see.
Friday, January 1, 2010
2010
"Leave the past to the mercy of God, the present to the love of God and the future to the providence of God." ~Augustine
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)