Long Weekend

We really enjoyed the last few days off. We can't believe it is all over. We went to the movies and snowboarding. We watched a couple of movies. We caught up with friends. Thanks Carole. Thanks Julie. Thanks Jen.

Now it is back to the grind of a new week. This week is a little stressful as I will take six kids to solo and ensemble competition on Saturday. This will be Becca's first time. She has practiced really hard and I am SO proud of her. I am honored that she has decided to play the violin. I have tried hard not to force it on either girl. Becca seems to really like it. Now, I have to get her technique up to par. Lots of work to do, with her, this summer.

I had a wonderful conversation with my Granny, over the weekend. Ihave been talking to her about her life and I need to write it all down, so that nobody forgets. I am reading a book about a Texas family, during the great depression in the 30s. Everything seemed so hopeless. I asked my Granny what her life was like during this time. She was in her late teens. She told me about going out into their garden and digging sweet potatos. She peeled them and ate them, raw, in order to fill her tummy. She talked about not having shoes to wear in the winter. She talked about surviving on tomato gravy and grits. It's funny, the people in Texas survived on pinto beans and rice. Maybe they should have traded once in a while.

Due to the depression, my Grandpa "Pop", caught a "hobo train", per Granny, from Georgia and went to Florida to work in the orange plants where they sectionize the fruit, make juice, etc.. Granny and her family loaded up their car in Georgia and went to Florida to do the same. There she met my Grandpa and the rest is history.

Thanks to hard times, my Grandparents met and in the long run, I came along. I guess I owe a lot to the depression, oranges, Florida, and love in the midst of hard times. Granny talked about being thoroughly happy during this time. She was in love. She didn't have fancy clothes. She shared one bedroom with many siblings. She worked hard (I think she played hard too). That generation learned to survive on almost nothing. They learned the art of simplicity.

I think we can learn a lot from them. Keep talking to me Granny!!!