Shades of Fall

Today is Thanksgiving, which marks the unofficial end of fall. The calendar says another month, but the Christmas decorations come out tomorrow (at least at my house) and the forecast is calling for snow, so it's beginning to seem a lot like winter. But here are a few memories of fall:

I've blogged plenty about the Kicking Mules football team(s). Great kids, great season. Fall colors were spectacular, but short-lived. This is my Japanese Maple. In the summer, it has green, lacy leaves. This does not do it justice--it looked like a beautiful sunset.

Election day, as I've previously posted, was difficult although I got to spend it with my great nephew Logan. Of course, Logan thinks his cousin Craig is a super hero.

Craig spent a couple of hours reading to Logan all about dinosaurs and watching Land Before Time. After I tried to get Logan to take a nap (NOT on his agenda), Craig took the reins while I ran some errands, and here's what I got.

In addition to Thanksgiving, the end of November also brings about the annual Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry. Living on the border of the two states means we re-live the great Toledo War from way back when state boundaries were being drawn, although I think that there may be more blood shed during the current "border war" than there was in the 1800's (no shots fired). At work, we use the opportunity to wear our colors as a fundraiser. There is a raffle where tickets are purchased for specific goodies associated with each university. There is also an "I don't care" box for those who really don't care. Well, actually, the prizes for that box were better this year, so at least one co-worker parted with his usual team to go neutral. Now, lest you think this was a Michigan fan who was using it as an excuse to distance himself from this year's maize and blue mediocrity, it wasn't--it was a Butt-guy fan. (That's what Matt used to call the scarlet and gray guys when he was little. I still think it's funny.)

There is also a chili cook-off. Celebrity and corporate judges spend about 45 minutes sampling and rating the 12 entrants and declare 3 winners. Then employees are offered the chance to buy samples or full bowls. The money collected goes to a select charity, which is often the family of a co-worker in need. This year, with so many people in need. the money raised went to the NWO Food Bank, and a can collection supplemented. I have known Tony Packo for several years, and last year I mentioned the chili shindig to him. As you may know, chili is one of the Packo specialities, so Tony volunteered to be a judge. He came back again this year. I also asked my favorite Blonde Highlight if she'd like to try it this year. She was game, but had a timing conflict, so she arranged for Christina Williams from 13ABC News to help out. I brought in a little help for after the tasting, shown in the basket.

So, it's goodbye to fall. On to the holidays and basketball. And on this Thanksgiving day, I am thankful for all that I have in terms of friends, families and overall blessings.

Ode to My Firstborn

OK, I'm not actually going to break out into prose. But today is my firstborn's birthday, and that marks the anniversary of a miracle.

My Andrew arrived much before he should have. He tipped the scales at a whopping 2 pounds, 13 ounces when he was born. Preemie clothes and diapers were too large. Luckily, his lungs were in good shape, so he was off a respirator and breathing room air within 36 hours. He had few health issues--mainly he just needed to grow. He spent the first 8+ weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit at Toledo Hospital. He was up to 4.5 pounds when he came home. (Once home, he thrived, and by the time he was about 4 months old, he was actually almost caught up).

He and I had several excellent adventures way back when. We journeyed out to the east coast one summer and spent a few days with my aunt and uncle. I had no radio in my car at that point, so we spent the 12 hour drive each way singing goofy songs and talking about nonsense. He turned into an excellent traveller--he's been in 43 or 44 states. The missing ones? Hawaii, Alaska, Colorado, Mississippi, Louisiana, Delaware (and maybe North Carolina).

Being a preemie didn't hold him back. He was an outstanding student through his elementary years. Actually, he was a good student all the way through college. He'll be going back next term to become a social studies teacher.

Andrew is busy planning his wedding to Brooke next summer. That, for me, is kind of scary since it means I'm getting old (plus I have to squeeze into a mother of the groom dress-ugh).

Happy birthday Drewser. Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats. Ho.

Saying Goodbye

Tuesday was not one of my favorite days, for a variety of reasons. In fact, it's been a pretty miserable week with plenty of change (both good and bad). But Tuesday was especially bad. It's not entirely due to the election. Some of the candidates I voted for -- in each party -- made it into office, while others did not. That's the political process and I'll live with the outcome. No, Tuesday was just plain awful for several reasons.

First, I had a sick kid--one who is rarely sick. He's still not quite up to snuff today, but Tuesday was bad. To accommodate my need to vote and to care for my sick one, I decided to work at home (bonus, or so I thought). My mom called around 10 to ask if she could drop my darling Logan off for the remainder of the day (another bonus)--she had to accompany my niece up to Ann Arbor so that she could say goodbye to her mother. And that is was makes it a miserable day. See, her mother (my former sister-in-law) was not going on a trip or moving. Instead, she was at the hospital at U of M, and had lapsed in to a coma, was on a respirator, and was not expected to make it through the day.

Sherry and my brother were married through most of the 1980's. Together, they had 2 daughters. They split when the girls were young, and the girls stayed with my brother. I don't like some of the decisions that Sherry made over her life's journey, but she and I used to do quite a bit together through the early years, and we maintained a cordial relationship over the years although we didn't see each other very often. In fact, the last time I saw her was at my grandmother's funeral in April '07. I have, however, seen her parents and one of her brothers fairly often over time, and will always consider them to be family since we have shared children (my nieces and great nieces).

Sherry has had health issues for pretty much the entire 26 or 27 years that I've known her, but has been in very bad shape over the last few. I know that she's at peace and no longer suffering, but I also know that it will be hard to say goodbye on Monday. I like knowing that she got to spend her last few weeks with her darling granddaughters. She lost her battle early Tuesday afternoon. She was 45.

So, my old friend, sleep well and watch over us.