Jacob turned six today

I'm left tonight with the warm glow that comes from being with family and good friends--and having a thoroughly happy six-year-old grandson. Jacob had his "kids" party at Legoland Saturday and then Saturday night a party at home with his parents friends and their chidren. But today was the real day. I called this morning to wish him happy birthday and said, "It's going to be a special day all day, isn't it?" He said firmly, "Yes, it is." I told him I'd pick him up after day care (got to stop calling it school) and bring him home and we'd have a party. His grown-up reply was "Got it!"
So tonight his Burton grandparents and Aunt Doodie (Christian's sister) joined my neighbors Jay and Susan, good friends Elizabeth and Weldon, former neighbor Meredith with her two little ones (her daughter, two years younger, is one of Jacob'd delights--he ran to tell me "Abby's here!") and my dear friend Aunt Betty in celebrating. Not an imaginative menu--hot dogs, baked beans, leftover potato salad from Saturday, sour-cream onion dip (I overdid on that!), pickled cucumbers (my experiment that everyone loved) and a sinful chocolate mousse cake. Jacob had requested "those little brown sausages" and green peas, and I had promised him whatever he wanted since it was his birthday, so his menu differed from ours. We sat on the porch and visited, while Jacob, Abby, and Poppy played Frisbee and I don't know what else on the lawn. Some ate inside, others outside--lovely evening--and then we all gathered for cake and presents. Jacob was truly excited by each present and ran around giving hugs. Everybody talked at once, and it was a wonderful evening.
Jordan had the kitchen cleaned before I felt I could leave my guests to get in there and help her, so I finished up after everyone left. I am so blessed by family and friends who care about me and mine. This was extended family, people who have watched Jacob grow up and who care about him...and us. Wonderful.

Early in the evening, before everyone arrived, the sky clouded up and it looked like rain. Jacob turned contemplative and even unhappy at the prospect of rain on his parade, and he refused to let his mom take a picture of him. But I snuck one...and I think it's one of my favorites.

Neighbors

The house to the east of me is rental property. We have common driveways, and their kitchen, dining and living rooms look out at me; my office, where I spend most of my time, looks out at them. So I get to know whoever lives there pretty well. When I first moved here, the owners lived in the house with small children (now grown), who used to get out in the driveway at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and scream, "Daddy! Daddy!" They moved to a larger house and there was a newly married couple in their maybe mid-thirties--nice enough people (except for one smashing driveway argument)--but they had a half wolf/half dog that howled. His name was Grant, and my kids, then grown, thought it was "Grand Goddman it!" because if he howled in the early morning, I'd come straight up in bed shouting that. (Excuse my profanity). Then came a series of college kids--some boys who were pleasant and not noisy, some boys I barely knew who had parties so loud I once called the police explaining I didn't want them to get in trouble, I just wanted them to be quiet (found out other neighbors had called too, which made me feel better). There was one weird couple--he had a homemade-looking van conversion from which he sold golf balls (one friend said to me, "Yes, but what's inside the golf balls?) and his wife was so reclusive I thought maybe she had agoraphobia. I was always tempted to see if I could help, but  they were so strange I kept my distance.
Then came Sue, about seven years ago. Newly divorced, with two young children. I met her parents first in the driveway and took to them instantly--of course, they're Canadian! Sue and I became good friends in spite of a 30-year age difference, and we shared a lot of wine on my porch. With Jay and Susan, neighbors to the west, we had a happy little community. Sue moved maybe two years ago, but we are still close--and she is only nine minutes away. She's clocked it. She calls me her Fort Worth mom, and I am awed by what wonderful people her children have grown to be--one in high school, one in middle school now. I was distressed when she moved, and the house sat vacant for a long time. I still get a visit with her folks when they come to town,  usually twice a year.
The Latimers moved in--Meredith, Brannon, and two-year-old Abby. They've been there almost two years and have become almost family--Meredith and Jordan visit a lot, and Meredith said the other day she's tempted to call me "Mom." Jacob adores going over there to play with Abby and the new baby, Grayson, now a year old. But now they've bought a house--probably not much more than a mile away. I'm happy for them, and I know, as Meredith predicts, we'll stay close. She says she likes Jacob and his mom and his grandmom too much to let go. But it won't be the same.
Still, I've decided I collect new friends, even extended family members, from that house--and I wait with baited breath to see who will move in next. Meredith et al probably won't be gone for another month, but then we'll see!

End of the holiday

I spent Christmas Day with my family--eight adults and seven grandchildren. Last night I spent New Year's dinner with my Fort Worth family: Jordan, Christian and Jacob. Sue, who calls me her Fort Worth mom, came by for appetizers and a glass of wine. When Jay and Susan, my neighbors, arrived, they brought wine stoppers--the kind I had asked Jordan to look for. When I said that, Jay said, "We're better kids than she is!" And it dawned on me that this was my Fort Worth family--missing Elizabeth and Weldon, but I'm sure they'll be here soon. We had hoppin john that had quite a kick to it--and I didn't add the jalapeno or the bell pepper. Must have been the Cajun seasoning. The Burtons left soon after dinner, but Jay and Susan lingered, playing with Sophie. We agreed she's a great dog--or will be when she's eighteen months. Today, Susan brought a new Kobo brush over and showed me how to use it--Sophie looked lovely, but was soon rolling in the leaves again. Tonight I looked out and she was lying in the yard like a limp rag doll. I called and she didn't move. So, in stocking feet, I rushed out, got almost to her, and she jumped up and began to run like the Energizer Bunny.
The new year is off to a good start. When I retired I thought I would get to write all day every day, but I soon found life gets in the way. This week, it's a haircut, two lunch dates, a date with a dog trainer, and an eye doctor appt. that I dread--I always feel like I'm failing a test when I can't read some lines on the screen. But today was the gift of an extra holiday. My calendar was absolutely empty, and Jacob did not have school--in fact, he's with his folks, and I haven't even heard from them all day. So I did spend much of the day at my computer and got lots done. Almost through formatting the second Kelly O'Connell novel. But I also had a lovely, lazy nap and did my yoga, took Christmas off the dining table, and mopped the kitchen floor. Now I'm back at my desk.
Tomorrow, the world begins again after a lovely holiday. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I"ll be on the porch at 7:55 to hug Jacob and out the driveway at 8:30.

More family fun--and a lesson about teenage reading habits

This morning I decided trying to organize my family was like herding cats, and I wasn't going there. So I let them figure things out at their own pace (age has brought remarkable wisdom) and they got it all done, albeit a bit later than they meant to, but . . .  . the grown girls had partied a bit much last night and weren't exactly feeling up to par. But they got the cars sorted out and delivered Jordan's to her, along with groceries for tonight.
While they did that, Maddie (the oldest who just turned eleven) and I went to Barnes & Noble to shop since I had given her a gift certificate. I put the top down on the convertible, thinking that would be a treat, but I couldn't see that she was much impressed. She turned out to be a careful shopper, finally bought one small book that would complete a Rick Riordan series she has, but she balked at the price for a small book ($12.95). I assured her TCU Press couldn't produce a book like that for that price, and she finally succumbed because she wanted it and Riordan is one of her favorite writers--she was thrilled when I gave her his e-mail address. She looked at the Stephanie Meyer's books (her mom has deckared the last one inappropriate, which doesn't seem to bother Maddie at all). She's read two, but there are a couple in the series she hasn't read that her mom thinks are okay. Trade paperbacks were $12.99, and she decided she'd wait for the mass market edition. (Is this a lesson for those of us in publishing?) I was amazed at the offerings in the teen section--all vampires, paranormal, fantasy, etc. (I can't sort the genres in my mind). Maddie had extensive knowledge of them and explained to me which series she read and liked, a series she liked the first two books but not the third, etc. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that she reads so much. We came home, she announced she was hungry, and I offered frozen Doris' casserole. "Do I like that?" Yes, I assured her, she always had. And then she settled down with a book, until her mom came to pick her up, whisk her out to Jordan's for a quick visit with visiting Dylan, and then home to Frisco.
I was sad to see them go and to know Megan wasn't coming back for a goobye hug, but a part of me was relieved--I caught up on emails, read a bit, and took a long nap. Barely woke in time to go to the bbq at Jordan's in honor of Dylan. I went with Jay and Susan--food was appetizers (Jay brought a wonderful salmon carpaccio) and hot dogs, of which I'm sure Jordan has a bunch left over. I even ate two plus too much of Jay's salmon, some artichoke dip, and a sour cream dip with potato chips. Glad I'm not doing Weight Watchers.
The guests at the party were mostly Jordan's young friends, but I always enjoy seeing them, and Jay, Susan and I sat back and watched and had a good visit. Jay and Dylan had a long talk--let's call that liberal meets conservative, but Dylan (the liberal) held her own and Jay said it was an enlightening discussion. I think the highlight of the party was when Jacob pulled down his britches in the backyard and peed--when Christian hollered at him, he just looked at his dad and continued about his business, then matter-of-factly pulled his pants up and went about eating his hot dog. Jay and I suggested he should wash his hands, but he replied that he hadn't used the bathroom (literally true!). Christian moaned, "Where did I go wrong?"
It's been a lovely weekend, filled with family and friends. Tomorrow, back to the real world and settling in to my new routine--writing daily. I have much to do and need the will power to stick with it.