You've Got to be Kidding Me!

It's been an interesting few days. My daughter has had some interesting things happening, but I'll save that for another time...

Last night was Man Hater's Club (aka Pottery Night). One of my cousins works in the jewelry department of a local department store. She had an elderly customer and his intended come in this past week looking for some rings. Apparently he had a long and entertaining story which he proceeded to tell her, entertaing enough that she was relating it to us (myself and two of her sisters). It very quickly sounded all too familiar. I wish I could have seen the expression on my own face when I realized and told her I had heard this story before... My mind was still unraveling its meaning and making a determination as to whether I was imagining its familiarity. I honesty wish I had just kept quiet and listened to the entire story before commenting but it took me totally by surprise. I won't go into divulging all the information today. (It's supposed to be hush hush... ha ha!)

And then, I got a photo text from my friend Dan last night. He'd been to the opening exhibition for another studio member/artist in residence and bought a piece of pottery. Dan is going to Italy in the near future, taking a pottery class in Tuscany and feeling a bit unsettled at the timing. Although we've never done any kind of activity together, we banter back and forth about it sometimes. I told him he might decide he like it over there so much that he'll decide to stay, but that he has to come back because we haven't gone zip lining yet. "True," he said, "we could always zip line in Tuscany." My not having a ticket  could be fixed with "lots of money." LOL! This morning, as my mind was spinning with all kinds of crazy thoughts, I realized that "lots of money" would need to be followed up with a passport, and I don't have one of those. I've thought about it for years upon years, but never applied. (Where was I going to go?)

Almost every morning I check out my Facebook memories. Lo and behold, what should I find today but a status from June 4, 2010 that reads, "(Martha Teal) is ready for a vacation. Where's my passport?" Ha ha! That caught my attention, but what was really hilarious was the comment left by my sweet, oldest daughter. "Passport, passport!! Think of the endless possibilities! Sometimes it exciting just to think of where I COULD go with that little blue book! Maybe it'll be the Italian countryside next!!" Oh, the irony! I could almost hear God laughing... 

I think maybe I'll put "passport" back on my list of things to accomplish.

(Photos from my walk with my sister Rachel and my nephew Steve on Thursday evening.)

The Runaway Horse Cart

Early this week I found an email surprise in my inbox, a note from someone who had seen one of my old blogs and was writing to ask if the "Uncle Leo" mentioned could possibly be the Leo Shafer he had known growing up. Our notes have left me remembering the stories Dad told of his days on his uncle's farm. I don't think I've shared this one in detail before, so here it is.


Up on the family farm in Angelica, NY was an old horse cart that my dad and Uncle Art liked to play with. One day they decided to ride it down the old dirt road with the understanding that Arthur would do the steering and Dad would work the brake, the brake being a large rock held against the wheel.
They started off down the road, obviously unnoticed by any of their aunts, uncles or grandparents. Of course the road was all downhill from the farm into the town of Angelica, and the old horse cart quickly picked up speed. It wasn't long before Arthur hollered to Dad to put on the brake and they found that a large rock held against the wheel of a speeding horse cart does not make for a sufficient brake. The cart continued it's wayward descent, gathering speed as it went. Thankfully, Arthur was able to keep the cart upright and had the sense to turn off the road and into a hayfield somewhere along the way. It was one of those stories dad always laughed at even though he knew things could have turned out really bad. I couldn't help but smile whenever he told it because he always laughed so hard.

PS. Yes, this is the cart. That is Dad on the left with the blonder hair, with Uncle Art on the right.

Remembering Dan

Today would have been my big brother's 53rd birthday. I still have days when I miss him.

I recognize the cake plate. It's the one my mother had the dream about. She dreamed one of the little glass balls broke off the edge. It was a wedding present and Mom was really disappointed. Dad told her he would fix it and took it out to the garage. When he came back inside she found he had taken a hammer and knocked off all the little glass balls. She was livid! What a funny dream. I'm glad it didn't really happen. You know what? She still has that plate.

The Chicken Coop Oops

Countdown to Christmas

The days are flying by. December will have come and gone before we know it and there are still so many things to be done. I have finished copying Dad's journal and am on to print preparation... Thus far I have refused to let the pressure of the holiday season get me down, and have only lost two December weekends to illness. Never mind that we have only had two weekends to December and the next one promises to be busy. (There is a birthday party planned for this Saturday because somebody is turning one...) Jim plans to arrive in town Sunday. I am looking forward to wrapping my arms around my oldest boy and giving him a big, long hug. I have missed him.
I had thought to tell you about our shopping excursions with Bella and Emma, but found these photos instead; some memories from last year, preserved not only in a few photographs, but a video tape as well, thanks to Josiah and a college professor who gave him an old video camera so he could record some of his grandfather's stories. I'm glad he took up the task and actually did it.
The camera man eventually wore out and decided to take a nap, but not before asking grandpa about several of his childhood adventures. There is even one story on the tape that I had never heard before. Who could have known that they would be such a gift this year?