2019 Joy Journal

April 17, 2019 Had a really nice chat yesterday with a lady that works for Amazon. I was appreciative and it made her happy.  Went and had my hair done. Stopped in at the Flour Girl bakery and thanked them for the cupcakes they donated to the tennis tournament.  Had a nice email visit with Adele Brown. Brittany started her first day at HDR today! When they were here for Second Sunday Supper I said, and "Jon Marc's going to take a picture of you." When she sent me the picture, she siad, "Jon Marc said, 'My job is done. I did the one thing Grannie told me to do."  Beverly and JA made it safely to San Diego and have their new address. She's not sure they'll stay in that RV park, but it is less than ten miles from the jobs that most excite her, so they're going to give it a try.  Got to hug Kennedy. She's getting ready for her pop up show tomorrow night.  Little text visit with Tori. She's still fighting her cough, so we laugh...

July 30, 2019 Annette posted some pictures of the Spartan race she and Brittany participated in the past weekend. She said it was an amazing race. Got to have a nice long phone visit with Beverly yesterday. The work three shifts at her clinic, and her shift ended early enough yesterday for us to have that visit. The girls have chosen dates for their trip to California, and she is pretty excited about that. JA is happy about his new job. They created the position for him, he will be going to Minnesota for some training, and shouldn't have to be on call as much as he has in times past, and shouldn't have to put in stretches of sixty and eighty hour weeks. Angela and Tori and Josh drove in Saturday evening and left early Monday morning. We went to Oriental Palace --- Tori and Josh liked the Long Island Iced teas, too. Lots of laughter and easy visiting. We played Mexican Train dominoes and came up with our own house rules. ;-) We spent an afternoon at Firefly --- Tori an...

November 29, 2019 The house is straightened back up, although I still have the little box of Thanksgiving decorations to put away. The white holiday plates are put away, along with the coffee cups that belonged to Grandmother and that I used for dessert cups for the Heavenly Chocolate Mousse. The cranberry sauce dish was out and is back up again.  I forgot to kick the oven up to 350 when I took the ham out and put the vegetable casseroles in. The dressing from Neighbors wasn't all that good. But my cranberry sauce was delicious and the rolls from Fresh Market were good, and the turkey from Neighbors was ok.  Angela was happier than I have seen her in a long, long time. Maybe it was the time she spent on the phone with Beverly the day before. Maybe because Logan came to Second Saturday Supper and she feels good about that relationship. Maybe she was just enjoying Thanksgiving dinner --- I don't know, but it was fun to see. Kennedy brought Guillermo, so we got to meet ...

November 25, 2019 The wifi is giving me a hard time this morning, and I hope that isn't going to be an all-morning thing. So frustrating. Barry and I drove down to Firefly yesterday afternoon. I think he wanted to show me what was going on with his oyster baskets. We took our lists and planners and spent a few minutes at the kitchen table working with them. It wasn't quite enough for me, and i had to get back up in the middle of the night to finish it, but it was a pleasant time. We had Second Sunday Supper on Saturday so that it would be easier for Tori to be here. It turned out that, at least on this particular Saturday night, it also meant that the older grandbabies could stay and finish their game of Nines. And so, with the house mostly empty except that table full, they gathered up in the dining room and played and talked and laughed. It was like an impromptu Goodtimes, and I loved it. Barry was talking about it the next day.  We got to meet Logan, Angela's f...

August 22, 2019 I sent Andrew a birthday message, and heard back from him. Heard from Brittany --- she and Jon Marc should be at Second Sunday Supper.  Heard from Skyler --- she is excited about her turtle things that Nana sent for her.  Heard from Angela and Kennedy. Ken's planning on being here for Second Sunday Supper. Angela was spending some time today in a department she hadn't spent much time in before.  I went to my first handbuilding class with Juli Day today, and had a good time. She's a kind of encouraging presences and seemed mostly happy. That's always fun to be around.  Barry took Tyler to his class, so I was able to get some good licks out in the office. Not a full afternoon, but didn't fall behind either. 

August 20, 2019 Did I tell you that I spent a couple of hours reading when I was at Firefly? Finished "Russ and Daughters." Felt good. Annette set up a Facebook group yesterday to let us know that Jon Marc is planning to propose to Brittany on September 22, and to invite us to join them at Moe's for a little celebration afterwards. Beth and Beverly both posted their congratulations.  Brittany's flower is blooming, so I sent her a picture, and we had a little text visit. Heard from Angela, even though she and Tori and Kennedy were in California. They are on their way home today. Zak sent me a text, "Do you have ingredients for back to school cookies possibly?" I told him I had most of them and asked if he was in the mood for some cookies. He said, "It is Gabby's first day back in college and I thought it would be a good way to introduce you two. :-) "  Got to visit with Tyler when I took him to his class. I asked about Shawn, and h...

June 14, 2019 Barry talked to Dave Ferrante yesterday and we have just come to great new places in our adventure. Dave told Barry that he has learned more from working with him than with any of his other terminal managers.  And, we're excited. The three owner-operators who wanted to be able to go ahead and buy their trailers can do so. We are on track for getting Donald into his own truck with his own trailer. We've made a decision about running our trucks. I've talked to Derek about getting his corporation set up.  ~Tyler was so mature and helpful yesterday, and loving. I needed to change Davis and so put the changing pad on the front passenger seat. I worried aloud that this might not work too well because Davis is longer than my seat is wide, and Tyler reached in, offering his finger to a crying Davis, "Here, do you want to hold my finger?" And after the change was done, Tyler offered me a diaper wipe for my hands and offered to take the diaper to the d...

June 4, 2019 Kennedy is here!  I got a "Happy Tuesday," text from Angela early this morning. Brittany sent me a picture of a vase that she has, and that she has filled with a collection of sand, including sand from Vero Beach. Beth sent me a text. Facebook chatted with Morgan a little bit yesterday.  Zak posted on Facebook and I commented on his post, and he said, "Love you, Grannie!" Amber posted a picture of some paleo baking she'd done. Had a good visit with Tyler yesterday when I took him to his class. Had a good walk with Bertice this morning. 

April 29, 2019 Yesterday, at Goodtimes, we took a break in our card game for Faith and Michael to make the brownies. Noah and I were standing at the end of the kitchen table, talking, when he just put his arm around me for a hug.  Kennedy came and I got some hugs.  Faith said Daniel had wanted to skip Goodtimes to go out in the boat with his girlfriend to celebrate their 6 month anniversary, and she had stressed to him the importance of going to see his grandparents.  Got to see Kim and John when they brought Noah. As they were leaving John said, "So you told all those kids that you had a car full of stuff and no one is helping you?" And then he called Noah and they got the groceries in while Kim kept Holly from escaping. Skyler had planned to come but she got a bad sunburn on Saturday. She was here on Saturday with four of her friends so they could swim, so we did get to see her.  I got a text from Angela this morning. Amber put an article about mana...

April 24, 2019 Yesterday morning I got a video text from Andrew. He was on a hike, and walking a trail flanked by fields of tall stalked, yellow flowers, as far as the eye could see. He was determined to get to the top of the mountain --- and when he got to the bottom, he saw a sign about mountain lions in the area. It was a fun visit.  Brittany flies out Sunday for her first work trip!  Davis is crawling!!! Talked to Beverly for a few minutes, and to Beth for a few minutes. Chris and Tyler and Wylder were over in the evening for a few minutes, to pick up a package. 

Kennedy received three grants! Brittany said she got to go shopping this past weekend for clothes for her new job.  Heard from Andrew. He is in California. Annette is working on Easter for me. Heard from Angela. She said that Tori has the flu, but has some medicine now. Got to see Tyler yesterday when I took him to his class. 

March 19, 2019 This morning went smoothly. The house was straight --- bedroom, kitchen, family room --- and laundry started by 7:12--- plus, I'd had my breakfast. Things feel peaceful and organized. And the full moon was hanging low in the western sky when I got up at a little after five o'clock. We talked to Kennedy last night. She was happy. Her project ideas had been well received and she'd been to her new apartment to dust and rearrange and put some of her dishes away.  Heard from Brittany. She said that she and Annette had recovered from their race day and were back in the gym yesterday.  Took Tyler to his class. He said that he thinks it is cool that when he posts a Snapchat story, Skyler is always around the third to like it. Heard from Faith. She's working another seven days straight. 

March 8, 2019 Tyler gave me an extra hug yesterday. I'm not sure Wylder recognized me, but he wasn't afraid of me. He walked up to me and wanted me to pick him up. :-)  Tori said they were going to go see the Captain Marvel movie.  Kennedy said she's gotten the power turned on in her new apartment! Morgan assures me that Davis hasn't forgotten me. Zak and Vivian are on their way home! I get to spend the early afternoon with Beth. 

Got off to a good start this morning.  Talked to Kennedy last night. A part she needed for her project was delivered to the wrong mail box --- she put notes out around her apartment complex like she was looking for a lost puppy --- and "someone was kind enough on a Sunday night to go and check their mailbox, and they had it," so she was up until 3:30 or 4:00 finishing it. Went to bed for a couple of hours. Overslept, but still made it to her class on time, where the project was well received. She got last minute notice about another project, but pulled it off, too, and everyone supported the changes she'd made. A triumphant, but exhausting, day. Beth called. Her scans show scarring in both lungs, so they'll recheck in three months to see if there have been any changes. Relieved that no urgent, bad news today. She said, "Something worse happened, though." She had gone in to a convenience store to buy lottery tickets, and the cash register's screen sav...

February 27, 2019 When I was taking my walk last night, I could see Chelsea from a distance, so I called out to her. Visited with her for a few minutes, and then Evan came out, and then Jaden came to the door. It was dark, so I don't think he could see me very well, but he recognized my voice and came up to me when I asked him if he wanted to give me a kiss. I got two kisses on two different runs and then he was busy playing. I haven't heard from Shawn, but Perry did call to let Barry know that Shawn and his friend Chris had played a trick on him, so it was good to hear that he seems to be doing well. Chris said that Tyler was doing his at home support work for Read Write.

February 26, 2019 Feeling pretty good this morning. House didn't take long. Accomplished some things yesterday, Wonderland-wise, that I needed to get behind me.  Heard from Angela. She's looking forward to seeing us this weekend. "Just gotta make it through the week," she said.  Heard from Brittany. She'd a really good and busy day. She said that she and Jon Marc were happy to see that SSS for March will be in the afternoon. (She'd told me that if we had it at noon, they would just schedule a time to have dinner with Papa and me.)  Heard from Beverly. Her new shoes helped some. She said, "Maybe there's no such thing as comfortable for six hours."  Got to see Tyler because I took him to his class yesterday afternoon. He told me about a book they were reading in his English class, and his interest in Nostradamus. 

February 19, 2019 Kennedy is listed on Escambia Reads website now, as the Program and Marketing Assistant. She was assigned to them as part of her school work program. Now they have her more in the art department, but it looks to me like ECARE really wants to hang on to her. I went to the mall yesterday morning and had a nice walk with Bertice. I went to Publix and stocked up on the cereal that I like, and the fibre cereal that Daddy gave me, that I can't find anywhere else. They had pistachios, too, so now I finally have the ingredients for my regular breakfast concoction again.  I picked Skyler up from school on Tuesday and we got to visit a little bit. She is taking piano at school. Kennedy may be over this evening.  Noah responded to my text re: his soccer game this afternoon. Chris and Tyler and Wylder stopped by so Chris could get some of his mail. Tyler gave me a cord he found that had fallen on the ground, and asked if Mama Cat liked her ca...

I got to take two walks at Firefly this weekend, and that was fun. I walked down the pier and back, then around the perimeter of the cleared property and down the pier again, etc. I was grateful for the pretty weather, and for the nearly completed pier.  We saw Evan and Chelsea when we went to Waffle House for breakfast.  I heard from Noah re: his soccer game, and got a text from Skyler, and had a little Facebook chat with Tyler. 

February 15, 2019 Someone left some flowers on my door, but no one has said who it was. They are very pretty! Had a little text visit with Brittany. She posted about a man at their church who had passed away, and how strong the woman's faith must be, visible in her reaction. I sent her a message and told her about what Grandmother, the night of Granddad's funeral, removing her earrings and saying, "I'm going to go to sleep and thank God for all the good years that we had together."  Heard from Beverly. She is safe from the flooding that is near her. Tori and Angela called, and so we got to visit for a minute. It was fun to hear their voices.  Beverly told me that Tori had gotten a promotion, so Tor and I talked about that. She is a Technical Architect. "Someone who takes the requirements and designs what needs to happen in the code to make it work." A developer implements the design. She said now she will be doing architecture and development. S...

Lots of missing days because I have been sick. I'm still sick, but I have some new medicine, so hopefully that will kick in soon. This cold weather is kicking my butt.  At any rate --- the tennis meeting went well yesterday, and everyone was very complimentary and appreciative.  Beverly and Beth worked hard to take care of Shawn when he got to California and he arrived home safely last night. He is at work with Barry now.  Got to see Tyler night before last. He was pretty excited about an ROTC event that was coming up.