Cactus Confusion

The weather has been so warm that our Thanksgiving cactus has gotten confused.  Just a few days ago it set on flowers.  To produce flowers twice in a year is unusual I believe.

Two Unexpected Blooms

 

My Daughter, Patricia, Gave This Cactus to Me Years Ago

The beautiful blooms in April were as striking as the ones we had in the fall last year.
I don't have much of a green thumb so to have them appear unexpectantly was a total joy.

Close-Up of the Brillant Flowers

I remember my own mother taking her cactus down into the basement for weeks prior to moving them upstairs for the proper light so they would bloom.  She tended to them with loving care.  I just water them occasionally and try to never move them from the center of our living room where they apparently have the right mixture of sunlight, dry soil and love.,  Aren't I the lucky girl?

Rain and Inactivity - No Baseball Games

We had rain for almost the entire day.  The grandchildren had baseball games planned for today but the rains prevented us from having them. Baseball games are scheduled often for us as we have three grandchildren playing on three different teams and on two different fields.  When the games are scheduled at the same time, we really have to manage our time between them.

The rain also prevented us from going outside for any other activities either.  We have lots of yard work that did not get done today.  Instead we washed clothes, read, studied our Sunday School lessons, watched television, knitted, cooked an oatmeal cake, and worked puzzles.  That was entirely too much sitting.  We need to get up and move!

Tomorrow we will try to be more active.  In the meantime we looked at pictures from Brandon's last baseball game.

Brandon Chattering from Right Field

Left-Handed Batter

Intent in the Team Meeting

Brandon with his Team Drink - 9:17 is Too Late for A School Night.  Nobody Asked Me Though

Brandon is very good at listening to his coaches and trying with all his might to follow their instructions.  He also listens from the field to his father's tips too.

Spring and baseball with the grandchildren.  What more can any grandmother want?

God is good!

Austin Gets A Boot

The first baseball game of this season our twelve year old grandson Austin got to pitch.  He told us several weeks ago that he would be a pitcher this year and he was so excited.  The excitement rose as he walked onto the pitcher’s mound.  His parents and grandparents were both anxious and supportive.  He was very good on the mound and the game was 6-2 his team’s favor, in part because he was not allowing many players to get on base.  Then he was replaced with another pitcher and the team ended up losing the game.  The replacing of a pitcher is common practice in this league so that the player can be used again in the next game.

Several people mentioned to me that Austin had matured and that this year was going to be his year in sports!

Imagine our sorrow when he told his parents that during batting practice he was having terrible pains in his foot.  A trip to the podiatrist resulted in a diagnosis of Sever’s Apophysitis.  The most prominent symptom of Sever's disease is heel pain which is usually aggravated by physical activity such as walking, running or jumping. The pain is localized to the posterior and plantar side of the heel.  Sometimes, the pain may be so severe that it may cause limping and interfere with physical performance in sports. The external appearance of his heel is normal.  The main problem seems to be in his growth plate.  He is just growing too fast.



Austin Wearing His Boot

The good news is Sever’s disease is self-recovering, meaning that it will go away on its own when the foot is used less or when the bone is through growing. The condition is not expected to create any long-term disability, and expected to subside in 2–8 weeks.  The disease may also take several years to stop, because it is often triggered by growing too fast. It is more common in boys in the 9 to 11 age bracket.

Tracy, Chris and I Watch Austin's Brother Play Baseball

So Austin is now in a boot to hold the foot in place for the next 3 weeks.  He is to do no sports at all and is not to get the foot wet either.  It is sad for him, as his pitching career is sidelined for the time being.  Three weeks is a long time to wait when you are twelve and are the first string pitcher of your local team.

Have patience Austin.  Your day will return.  God is good.

Easter on a Cold Day

Although it was a cold day in Middle Tennessee on Sunday, we still had 571 people in the Easter service.  Our normal attendance hovers around 300, so this was exciting for sure.  Chairs had to be put into the foyer hall to accommodate everyone.  Walter and I sang in the musical "Arise, My Love".  We had practiced for weeks and the actual performance was moving, even to the choir members.  When the man portraying Jesus walked though the crowd, several of us were wiping tears away and trying to keep on singing as well.  Our church family is so very close to us.  We were united in the emotion of the morning.

After Sunday school, we came home to finish the details of providing an Easter dinner for our family.  They had all attended their churches and gathered at our house afterwards.  We made a 12 pound glazed ham and peach cobbler as well as several vegetables and a fruit bowl.  The girls all made dishes and we filled our plates nicely.

The rest of this post is picture heavy.  Due to the cold weather, every thing we did was inside the house.  My daughter, Patricia, has told me several times that the egg hunt inside the house instead of outside was her favorite of her childhood.



Chris Smiles as He Heads to the Buffet

Keith's New Beard is Filling in Nicely

Nola and Brandy Show Off Their Easter Outfits

Robyn Has a New Necklace

Brandy and I Share a Fun Moment

View of the Adult Table

Alijah Gets to Set Next to the Grandchildren Table

Grandchildren Table - Seven in All

Due to the cold and wet weather, we decided to hunt the Easter eggs upstairs in the bonus room.

Where are the Eggs?

The Pool Table Serves as an Egg Counting Station

Colin Opens His Eggs

Chris, Chandler and Austin Inspect the Eggs

Tracy Helps Brandon Sort Through His Eggs

Nola Shows Grandpoppie the Dollar from Her Egg

Chandler in a Favorite T-Shirt

Austin with Blur Nola Racing By, Cindy in Background

After the grandchildren emptied their eggs of the candy and money, they sent the adults downstairs so they could hide the eggs for us.   They found some harder places to hide the eggs for us.  A couple of grandchildren brought me eggs for my basket, (you know who you are).  I guess they had pity on me or thought I was too slow.  I don't know but it felt wonderful to have them love me in that way.

Then we all gathered in the bonus room for stories, pool games and air hockey games.  I played with Kash and Nola.  They were perfect competitors and had very good sportsmanship.  We played until one of us had three pucks in the table.  Then we changed out players.

Kash Plays Air Hockey with His Cousin (Grandpoppie Loves That Suit) 

Colin Blocked a Puck

After everyone left, I realized that Walter took all the pictures this day, therefore we have no pictures of him.  Sorry!

As with all times together, we were left with too much food.  Who can eat that much ham?  We will eat a few meals and then freeze the leftover ham for later meals.   Thankfully both of us were raised to enjoy leftover ham cooked with pinto beans.  With it we add cornbread and it takes us back to flavors of our childhood.

I had a great time.  I believe the family enjoyed their time with us on this cold day.  Maybe one of them will think back and say this was a favorite Easter for them when we hid the eggs inside.

God is Good!