Another week in the life of your mother

Out our front window on our porch!

Good morning son! It's a beautiful Sunday morning here. All is quiet and peaceful. Jamison is asleep up on the back of the couch and dad is sitting in his chair trying to wake up. Why is it do you suppose that when we could sleep in we're all up at 6:30 am trying to stay awake?  Our neighbors on the second floor have gone home to Missouri for the 4th of July and our third floor neighbor just headed to the gym. The neighborhood has been very quiet this weekend. It was 90 degrees yesterday and 70 degrees at midnight. We had a wonderful breeze all day until we went to bed and then it completely disappeared. Tonight....air conditioner!  Jamison came out and slept in the living room because there was a breeze coming through the living room windows. Just no breeze at the back of the house.

Diversity Matters!

Wow, what to tell you first? It was a very busy, but awesome week last week. It was the annual Consultant's Meetings at work. As I was telling Rita in an email yesterday, it certainly is different when you work for a private company vs a local government. When you're working for a government agency and are responsible for taxpayer's dollars there's no such thing as even  a "turkey day" during the holidays. KJCG is an amazing company, not only for how they share the wealth with all members but in how they continually give back to the community and others. KJCG is invested in their community and organizations within the community. They not only give their dollars, but their time as well. It's pretty amazing to be a part of this organization. It was truly amazing for me to be able to put faces to names this last week. It just makes it so much easier when emailing or talking with someone when you actually have that connection. For me, it makes my job so much easier; people become a person, not just a name.

During the week of Consultant's Meetings they brought in an image consultant, Parker Geiger to"do our colors" and make-up and give us tips on both. They also brought in Lynda, a hairstylist to the stars, to do our hair. Everyone was given the opportunity for an hour appointment with each of them. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I took advantage of it. I was letting my hair grow out, basically because I couldn't find anyone here that could cut it like Martina did for so many years. Thanks Martina! Needless to say, short hair works best for me and Lynda recognized that immediately. She was absolutely thrilled when I said, "go for it, you're the pro". She cut it so I can leave it straight or add some curls. This time I was smart. I had dad takes pictures of the back, sides and front when I got home. I'm not showing the front because you can't tell where my eyebrows end and my hair begins. My "eyebrow fixer" and she knows who that is COREY, has been a little busy lately. But, now when I need a hair cut I have pictures as examples.  Yay me!


Wednesday night was the annual dinner and celebration. It's a time to relax, meet spouses, partners and significant others, visit, listen to music/dance, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and have a delicious dinner. We also take a group photo every year before dinner. If you wait to take the picture until after dinner...you guessed it, half the group is gone.


Friday was "President's Day". A free day off from our KJCG President, Corey. It was a wonderful surprise and a delightful way to acknowledge everyone and their work.

Aaron being Aaron

So, how was your week this last week. Anything new and spectacular up there? Tomorrow marks the ninth month you've been gone. I think about you every day. If I'm working on a project, or I should say, WHEN I'm working on a project, I wonder what you'd think of it. If I'm painting a color I wonder if you'd like it. Sometimes I'm doing something and I'll think "Aaron will enjoy this when he comes to visit". I hear your laughter when I'm driving sometimes as you laugh about what funny human beings we are. When it rains or thunderstorms I know you would be in your element. You loved the rain. It's a good thing too, living in Oregon at the time. Do you have rain in heaven? My heart still feels you here. I know you're not, but I don't think my heart has figured it out yet. It might never figure it out.


4th of July comes this week. Without you here, it's just another day. I'm truly thankful for what the date stands for and I will tell the Heavenly Father that I'm thankful. It seems odd to not be planning to barbque hot dogs and do fireworks with you. Poor Belle is having a horrible time this week. Where Jamison doesn't even seem to notice the fireworks the noise does terrible things with Belle. Kristen has already had to start giving her her medication to calm her down so she doesn't notice the noise. Bottle Rockets can be pretty loud when they're only a few feet away.


I have great memories of the 4th of July growing up. Every year we'd go to Mamaw's and Papaw's in town. We'd park the car at their house on Ford Street and walk the few blocks to Main Street by the Catholic church to watch the parade. If we were really lucky, some years we were early enough to be able to cross the street and sit on the curb in front of Foster's Freeze and dad would buy us an ice cream cone dipped in any flavor coating we wanted: chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch. It was so hot that when you broke through the coating the ice cream would have started to melt and would run through your fingers, over your hand and down your arm. I don't remember caring very much.  

Jamison Boys on the 4th of July

One year we all got cowboy hats, holsters and guns to wear. In fact, I think almost every year we got new hats. We didn't get a lot, but, dad and mom made sure that we celebrated every holiday. When we were little, holidays were always celebrated with one side of the family or the other, and sometimes, if we were really lucky, we were all together.


One thing I feel bad about is that I don't know more about my dad's time in the army. He didn't really talk about it.I wish I had asked more. Maybe if I put all the bits and pieces together I would have more than I think I do. 

Did I tell you that grandma fell a couple of weeks ago. That darn Parkinson's Disease! She said she was letting Annie out and her body just froze and she fell head first into the front door. Dad called to check on her last week, I'll call today. I'll keep you posted.I had an email from Rita last week and she too fell. Darn post-polio! She doesn't remember anything about her fall. They think it might be related to her rapid heartbeat. I'll call today and chat for awhile. I didn't want to do it via email. I have a list of questions.


Son, what do you suppose we would be doing if you were here right now? I think we'd be sitting on the front porch, drinking iced tea and laughing. Next to your hugs, I miss your laughter the most. Dad's laughing and joking again. Oh geez, I forgot to tell you. The other night at dinner I was talking to the person next to me and just turned to say something to your dad and he was out on the dance floor! Remember that crazy way he dances with his knee half way up, twisting on one foot with his arms going? Yea, that one! That's what he was doing. I looked up just in time to see Corey charging across the dance floor to join him. What a hoot! It's probably been 30+ years since I've seen him do that. I know! Amazing huh? He didn't think it was so amazing the next morning!


Had a tragedy with one of the baby chicks yesterday. Suffice it to say, it may survive but it doesn't look good. Poor thing. They are so tiny and cute.

Corey volunteered to bake a wedding cake for today. I think she's slightly loony; 90 degrees and she's got the ovens cranked to 350 all day. I asked her to send me a picture of the cake and this is what I got.... 


This was phase two....

I hope I get a picture of the final product before someone hits it with a knife!

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom