Andy Catlett

Two quotes, one fairly long, from Wendell Berry's "Andy Catlett," both of which I think capture Berry so well.

"The world I knew as a boy was flawed, surely, but it was substantial and authentic. The households of my grandparents seemed to breathe forth a sense of the real cost and worth of things. Whatever came, came by somebody's work."


"But there in that little room at the end of the old year, I was already learning something that I have never stopped learning and will never learn completely. As I watched, it came to me that they were waiting: Granddaddy and Frank Lathrop, each with a son in the army....Jayber Crow, whose calling seems to have been to wait with the others. They were suffering and enduring and waiting, waiting together, joined in their unending game, submitted as the countryside around them was submitted. We had come into the silence that is deeper than any other- the silence of what is yet to come, the silence of one who is waiting for what is yet to come."

A few lines of late...

I asked Kayla to get her pajamas on. She comes into the bathroom, no jammies, wearing really not much of anything. I said, "Kayla, where are your pajamas?" "Mom, I'm sleeping in my skin tonight." OK.

I had a book on the counter called "Big Girls Don't Whine." Jack asked about it and I told him it's for mommy-type big girls who can be whiney themselves. He was quiet and then said seriously, "Mom, I really think you need to read this to Kayla." Hmmm...

Our friend Jenny was over this morning and asked Jack about a little toy he had. "Is it from a movie?"
"No, from Target." Smiles.

The bigger kids took swimming lessons a few weeks ago. Kayla does not like to put her face in the water. In fact, she pretty much refuses. One day in the car she said to us, "I don't know why they call them swimming lessons. They are really learn to put your face in the water lessons." We're still working on that.

Hopefully we'll have some new pictures up soon. Brian has the camera in Mexico right now but he'll be back soon! We'll be glad to have him home. Today is our 10th wedding anniversary. It seems strange that he's not here. They have been 10 good ones and I look forward to seeing what the next 10 bring.

Cow Appreciation Day

Cow Appreciation Day. At Chik-Fil-A. Free dinner if you dressed like a cow.
So, of course, we shamelessly dressed up like cows. One of us (can you guess which one) was very embarrassed to have to do this. Two others loved it. Sam especially. If you missed it this year, be on the lookout this time next year!

Our Getaway

Brian and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary in July. We decided to take an early anniversary trip back to Corolla, NC on the Outer Banks where we spent our honeymoon. First trip away without the kids! They stayed with my parents and had the time of their lives (why did I worry???). Thanks Mom and Dad!
It was absolutely wonderful to be at the beach. That is a beautiful place. And the quiet...aaahhhh... The Inn at Corolla Light is where we stayed again. Because we are "former guests of the Inn" they upgraded our reservation to a soundside room since there was one available. Wonderful!

Early morning on the beach. Well, not too early.

The Corolla Lighthouse

One afternoon we took a bike ride into the historic Corolla Village. We found the best bookstore. The real thing. Not a big chain but a real bookstore. And even better, we began our Wendell Berry collection with "Nathan Coulter." He may just be my favorite author.

Those shadows are us...reading and enjoying an evening at the beach.

What a Night!

The shimmering disco balls, the music. Oh...it took me back. What a night. We went to Adventure World last night. The local skating rink.

I can't remember what these things are called but Kayla and Samuel loved them. They didn't have these when I was little.

Kayla gave it a whirl on the skates. And yes, my husband really is dressed like that. The only person in the rink to have such style. Impressive, isn't it?

Jack worked really hard on his skates. He was getting around by himself by the time we left.

The other little guy in the red shirt is Luke, one of Sam's friends.

What a guy!

Summers Past

I heard an old song on the radio. "Nobody." I think somebody named Sylvia sang it. Do you remember it? Well, there is at least one person in my world who does. My cousin, Crystal, and I think of her every time I hear that song. She and I are just a few months apart in age and have always been good friends. In the summers, my brother Jeff and I would spend a week at my grandparents. Crystal and her sister Nicole lived just up the road so we saw them every day, for most of the day.
I have such great memories of our summers together. Crystal and I would spend a lot, and I mean a lot, of time swinging. Papa had hung two swings from trees up on a hill. We'd take a radio up and sing. We loved the song "Just a Swangin." I don't know if that's how you spell it but that's what is sounds like.
We'd dance with brooms, eat ice cream cones, make Chef Boyardee pizzas (Jeff seemed to be the best at this), skate, wait for Papa to come home and take us all in the back of his truck to get candy and soda, catch lightning bugs. And at the end of the day, we were in no way allowed to get into Grandma's beds without first washing our dirty feet in the bathtub.
I hope my children have special memories of their time playing up there, running in the same yard, enjoying the same views.
Sweet times.

The view from where the swings used to be. I am amazed at how the scenery has changed, how the trees have grown. I guess it has been over 20 years!

A tree stump from one of the "swing trees"

Blueberry Morning

The sun is out this morning! It seems like it has been a while. We fixed blueberry pancakes for breakfast. The recipe itself is just your average pancake recipe but I had copied it onto the back of a note my Papa sent after Christmas so making these yummy treats is a little extra special. I'll not lose this recipe.