Alice Gertrude Hayworth Macon

December 16, 1906 - May 26, 2007

My grandmother died today. She was 100 years old. She taught preschool for 60 some years, retiring in her 80s. She loved music. She played the piano, harmonica and ukelele and may have played other instruments.

She could fry up some chicken so well that just thinking about it makes me drool. She also enjoyed making cakes and pies to give away. I took so many german chocolate cakes with me to college. My dorm-mates benefitted greatly.

Here are a few pictures of her life:

In the above picture she is being courted by my grandfather. I know you can't see much of either of them in this picture, but it is one of my favorites. (Check out those shoes!)

Below is a picutre taken in the early 40s, before my Aunt Judy was born. My dad is the one with the anchor on his sweater. He reminds me of Popeye in this one. It's neat to see your grandparents as young parents.

The last picture is how I mainly remember my Grammommie. She is with my older brother on his graduation. This was sometime around 1990.

She was an active, spry, and very stubborn lady. When her hip broke in the mid 1990s, she lost a lot of her drive. She's been in a nursing home for many years, her health steadily declining. I've missed the old her for some time. Now I just miss her. I'm glad I was able to know her for so much of my life.

We're a bit late again this year in preparing our garden, but I think by Sunday night we'll have plants in and seeds sown.


Bruce loves tillers. He wanted us to buy him a little tiller just for him last year. We said no. We borrow a tiller to get our garden node. Bruce just has to be content with pretending his umbrella stroller is a tiller. Which he does perfectly. When Hubby cranks up and adjusts the big tiller, Bruce pantomimes cranking up and adjusting his tiller. Here's a shot of the two of them working on the garden.

It's so cute to watch because everything his dad does, Bruce does. I've been letting him stay up a little later than usual this week so that he can spend this time with his dad.

I'm knitting away on sock for my Hogwarts swap pal. I really like how they are looking, and would love to keep them for myself, even though I'm not a Hufflepuff.
I have her needles, will be meeting a friend that is going to help me with the stitch markers soon, and have been gathering up other special treats to go into her package. I can't wait to finish off the socks and get them in the mail! Sending out presents is as much fun as receiving them!

I've been reading up a storm lately. I have set up a nice place for me to read while I feed the baby. I sit in the rocking chair feeding her, while I read a book that is held open with a heavy weight of some type - remote control, scissors, whatever works. I have the books open on a nightstand beside the chair. It always stays open to the page I am reading, so no time is lost opening and setting up at each feeding. I have really been whizzing through them. I thought I would list the ones that I can remember I've read since the baby was born.

Mists of Avalon
Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter
HP and the Sorcerer's Stone
HP and the Chamber of Secrets
HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
HP and the Goblet of Fire
Ender's Game (North Carolina Author!)
The Mummy Case
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
The Day My Butt Went Psycho
Eragon
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Hilarious. One of my favorite parts was it's description of the origins of Judo. I'll give you a hint: think Jew-doh)
Lion in the Valley

I feel like I'm missing something. I've been trying to get through Jude the Obscure still. I started it months ago. It's the book that I read when I am in bed. I tried reading while feeding her, but it takes much more concentration then I can give at 3 am.
I just started Komantcia, by Harold Keith. He also wrote Rifles for Watie, a Newberry Award book. I'm sure you've noticed that many of these books are juvie fiction, but I've borrowed many from my elementary school librarian friend. Also, as a upper elementary teacher (well, not right now since I'm staying home with the kids, but one day I may go back.), I can use that as an excuse to read these great works for 4th -8th graders.
Okay, so The Day my Butt Went Psycho is not a great literary work. I don't think I would say it is a good litereary work. I think the rating on the back of the book says it best "Rated G for Gross. Immature audiences only." It's a book that a 4th grade boy would just love.
It's really been wonderful having time to read so much. Flora eats at least 6 times a day, for at least 15 minutes each time, usually we're there for 25 minutes or so. It's even made me not mind it so much when she gets up to eat during the night.
I htink I'll be sticking with more of the youth classics for a little while, then maybe move into either adult classics, or some good scifi and fantasy. But I will continue to read about Amelia Peabody Emerson's adventures by Elizabeth Peters. They are great fun!
(And, of course I'll finish working my way through the Harry Potter books in anticipation of the movie and the book release. I now have my voucher for Book 7.)

Book Seven!
(said in a high sing-songy voice like the one on a Spongebob Squarepants episode where Mr Krabs gets a plastic treasure chest and you hear: "Plastic!")

Knitting talk to come next time. I may have recently committed to the impossible.
We'll see.