It has been a long time since my last post, rumors of my passing are greatly exaggerated as Mark Twain said or wrote. I haven’t been writing much, though I’ve had ideas and photos I’ve wanted to post, but I have been keeping up with other blogs.
Since my last ‘real’ post in August (Day 64 – Dog Days) I’ve gone back to school (twice), our grandies – a phrase copied/borrowed/stolen from Beth at I didn’t have my glasses on… -have arrived, and my wife has recovered from her hip surgery, and so much more.
Christmas
I’ve been on break from school for the past week and the week has screamed past. I have been busy, and it was Christmas the first with our grandies. Our daughter and her dog have been home on break, too and it adds to the festiveness as well. We hosted Christmas Eve afternoon and attended Christmas Eve service, it was a good service with the traditional candle lighting and singing of ‘Silent Night’ to close worship. I cannot sing ‘Silent Night’ without thinking of my last Christmas in wife’s hometown ten years ago. For Christmas our daughter roasted the prime rib and for the first time ever, it was perfectly done even though it was almost an hour behind schedule. We enjoyed it at the table before exchanging gifts with our son, his wife and the grandies. I expect the coming week and New Year’s will be as busy and pass as quickly as this past week had.
Grandies
A new role – grandparent was bestowed upon us by our son and his wife. Christmas Eve marked their two-month birthday. They are growing and I can tell them apart when they are together, I stumble when I have one in my arms. Our first visit was at the hospital the day after they were born, and I’ve visited with them many times since. Friends tell me it’s the best role ever and I feel a calmness when they nuzzle on my chest and go back to sleep. We are blessed.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Every Christmas season since the pandemic, I think of the book and Charley Mackesy and his book. I first learned of the book and the artist one Sunday morning in December 2020. I was so. Moved by the story on CBS Sunday Morning, I purchased the book and gifted a copy to my family and for a student.
Four years later, I gifted the book again this time to my teammates. Sometimes books and songs and poems land in our lives at the precise moment we need them. That book arrived in the middle of the pandemic. I was teaching from an empty room to a video screen. It was a difficult time for a lot of us, especially the students. There was a student who I would visit and walk with for a few minutes each school day during our lunch break, it was a way I could reach him and get him to turn his screen on and engage in class. The day before winter break in that year, I gifted him a copy of the book. He’s in high school now and I think doing well, though he reached out this past January to share his father had passed away after a brief illness. I can’t think of the book without thinking of how it gave me strength and lifted me.
There could be four or five, but those are the three for this final Saturday in 2024. 2025 is around the corner, so close Fern and Ivy can sniff it. We are headed to the lake tomorrow for brief New Year’s visit with the pups, it will be fun to get away for a couple days. We’ll back after New Year’s for the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.
⚾️ First look at our jersey for the Frozen Confines outdoor game at Wrigley Field#GoBucks @OhioStAthletics @osuteamshop pic.twitter.com/n7byweEFFJ
— Ohio State Men’s Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) December 14, 2024
I am sensing a new peanut photo.
Today is going to be an amazing day, so I’d better jump up, jump in and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day a time, thinking in threes or fours or fives, remembering to take it one thing at a time.
How is your 2024 wrapping up?
Happy New Year!
Wow – three wonderful things. I love your insight, “Sometimes books and songs and poems land in our lives at the precise moment we need them.” That’s so true – we just need to be open to receiving them. Thank you for this gift of a post, Clay! Happy New Year!
Every time I think of threes, I go back to Mr. Wright’s junior year English class when I discovered the hidden meanings of books and themes. I wish I could sit in his class again, I learned so much in his class that year. There was a lot of growing up I did forty-five years ago. Looking forward to the New Year’s sign post, I am sure you’ll find a gem. Happy New Year!
I ordered the book yesterday. It came today, moments ago in fact. I haven’t opened the box yet, but I will tonight. Thank you.
The Boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse? you will love it…. my teammates had never heard of it and sat reading it teary-eyed at the table. Fern (my daughter’s dog) and I made it to Grayling last night as the sun was setting, though the cloudy grey rainy day concealed the sun quite well. We are going to enjoy the day and I hope you do too! Stay well and happy new year!
So good to see you are enjoying your new role as Grandparent! It’s the best. You can love ’em and spoil ’em and have time for them … and then you can give them back, till the next time!
It is pretty amazing. Fern and I made the trip north yesterday arriving just as the rain was transitioning to snow. It’s a bit too warm for the snow to stick, but it is peaceful here and I’ve got a few chores before cooking dinner and enjoying the evening by the lake… stay well and I’ll report on any pips or color, but I think we are a few months from that here. Happy New Year.
And to you Clay. All good wishes to you and your lovely family.
Clay, you come across wp as ‘someone’ maybe you’ll look into that profile of yours.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t post regularly, I for one am glad when I can ‘sort of’ keep up with my online friends’ work. In my life too, there are far more important ‘going ons’ than writing posts or reading them. We all have a life full of ‘stuff’ right up to the brim and we mustn’t feel hurried or bad if we stay incommunicado for any time.
Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR, stay healthy, all the best to you and your wife and family. Stay joyful with a wide open heart. Kiki
Thanks for the tip on the profile, I updated it and but I am not sure if it is where you look or if I am in the right place or not… this internet thing is sometimes a little confusing :). I feel bad because I want to write and post more frequently, but sometimes I just don’t have the time or make the time….it’s something I’ve been working on my entire life, balance. I wish you the happiest new year, I have a feeling 2025 is going to be an amazing year. Peace.
The grandies are adorable, even though I just saw the one I know the other is equally adorable.
Happy new year, Clay! I look forward to many new adventures in the new year.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Thank you Patricia! Those two are pretty amazing,. even though I am at about 50% identifying who is who, I am better when they are together about 75%. I can’t wait until they can get up here to the lake and explore. Hope your power has been restored, but you are full of power. Peace.