The last couple of years I have begun focusing more and more on what it is I am actually giving and leaving behind of myself-not just at Christmas, but year round.
In other words, the last couple of years I've had a grandpunk to think about and that changes your perspective a bit.

I have been with him for almost two years now and I can clearly see what I have brought to the table. With my own kids, not so much. I was too busy. Being a mom is not the same as being a gramma. No matter how well prepared you are, being a mom is a lot like being tossed into the ocean and told to 'sink or swim'.
With kids.
Being a gramma is different. It means you get to row out to your kids and their kids in a boat with life jackets, snacks and toys. And you get to actually see what you're doing and the effect you're having.

In other words, it's a lot more fun.

His parents and I have been reading to him since he was born. His first gifts from me were books. I bought half a dozen when he was barely 3 months old. He is now two and has quite the collection.
And I am grateful he loves stories and being read to. I know many kids, esp. boys, don't get into that. He does.

So this year, I gave him a story chair. And books.



He has had this chair since before he as born and it's a great rocker, but for whatever reason, it was covered in blue gingham.
I personally love gingham and have happy memories of ruffly curtains and pillows made from it, but I don't think it was ever meant to be used to cover chairs
It didn't get a lot of use and it was scratchy and stiff and after a couple of washings, fell to pieces.
Not cool.

So I took one of my soft, faded old quilts and recovered the chair. I made a soft bankey pillow from fleece and flannel to go with and let Gus the elephant take it for a test drive (Big Bear watched from the sidelines).
It passed with flying colours!

Next the grandpunk gave it a shot. Apparently it met with his approval because he has climbed up with his books or toys several times now all by himself to rock or 'read'.

I added some of my books to his and he has been in heaven.





(ok, I admit, he doesn't actually get to put his little hands on these whenever he wants. Some of them go back to the 40's and I don't want them torn up)

I like to think I have given him the gift of reading. He has a story chair, he has books and he has a gramma that can read to him whenever he likes.

And when I get tired, Gus can take over .

I have been away.

To far and exotic lands like, Louisiana. And Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. 
I have eaten things that here in Texas, we would normally call Terminex for -and loved it.

I have met the most wonderful, funny and gracious people. I have been dragged to weddings and family reunions where everyone found some excuse, no matter how far-fetched, to believe I was family and had every right to be there. My favourite (and most convoluted) ?

"You ever been to an Ole Miss football game?"
"No, I've never had the pleasure"
"You ever heard of the Ole Miss football team?"
"Well of course!"
"I played defense for them and old Bubba over there-you met him? Good. He did too. Hell, that makes you family!"

I have been giddy on coconut moonshine under the stars in Alabama and chased by amorous fiddler crabs while the sky turned to pinks and blues in Florida.





I waited tables at a hot dog stand when the waitresses were too hung over to show up and heard the worst and yet somehow, best version of Mustang Sally ever done by a garage band on a Saturday night at the beach.



I have been called 'Katie Ann' and 'Katie Lou' so much that when I returned home and someone called me just plain ol' 'Kate',  I had no idea who they were talking to.

I worked a farm down in Georgia for three days. No pay, but could keep anything I harvested and/or put up. I came away with half a bushel of peaches, 7 jars of picante sauce, 5 gallons of blueberries, boxes of potatoes, onions, zucchini, squash, peppers, peas and a set of tough, hard, blistered and deeply calloused hands because someone forgot to bring me my work gloves.




I have seen a full moon struggle and fight it's way up to the top of pine trees, losing all it's grand orange colour in the process, emerging shiny and silver. I can only assume that the deep, almost bloody orange colour dripped down rough bark and seeped deep where it will come back again when the next cycle of the moon scrapes it's way up from the horizon again.

I have seen creatures I didn't know existed, heard noises deep in the night that I still don't know what made them (and don't want to) and felt mosquitoes the size of a VW bus try and carry me away.
I killed two poisonous snakes within two days.




I have been within three feet of an alligator without knowing he was there and lived to tell the tale.
Barely.
*sorry, I don't have a picture of that*

I have been in marshes, swamps, inlets, outlets, coves, ridges and pine forests and the deep sea.





I have seen giant sea turtles and porpoises, come within a half mile of a water spout and went 40 miles off the coast of Florida with no other reason than just to fish and take pictures.
For three days.
And I loved it!
That amazes me.




I pulled up fish with colours I have only seen in aquariums.
And ate them!

I pulled up pointy, toothy fish I never wanted to see-much less know they were in three feet of water right beside me!





I have been lost in Tallahassee -and loved every minute of it. It was gorgeous. And hot, but somehow the heat didn't matter too much.

I discovered that the long, weeping trails of spanish moss that hangs so beautifully from the trees is home to every chigger in the south. And palm trees? Beautiful, lush resplendent palms? Rat's nests. Cut one of them down and watch what runs from the wreckage. It will curl your toes .

Needless to say, I lost some of my romantic notions of the deep south while I was there.
That's what happens when you want to be a nature photographer. You find nature and sometimes it's just not what you expected.

It's all a gift.
A great grand gift, wrapped in sunrises and tied with heartstrings.

I gotta do this again

I mentioned earlier I was getting a box ready to send to my friend Steve who had been deployed. The thing is, when I heard, I had no idea what to send him. I have sent packages before, but they were usually to women and not in threatening situations.
Naturally, I did what I always do when I have no idea what to do-I went running to the cowboy.

So, if any of you need or want to send boxes, this are his suggestions (as well as a few of Steve's own favourites):

beef jerky
Tabasco sauce wrapped in ziplock baggies (the baggies are a gift too)
spices (taco seasonings, etc)
lighters
sample sized lotion (about anything sample sized)
hard candy
nuts
trail mix
instant coffee in individual packets
flavoured packets you can add to bottled water
stick up deodorants
keychain flashlights
pens
pencils
notebooks
disposable wipes
books
homebaked goodies
dvd's
snack sized chips (hard to pack tho)
m&ms

If any of you have other suggestions, please let me know!

Random thoughts for a blogathon:

I can't think of a thing to write about, so just so I can say I wrote something today, here they are:

I wish my grandpunk would stop biting me on the butt. Seriously, it's cute the way he clutches at my legs when he runs for me, but I have no idea what prompts him to bite me. It needs to stop.
If it doesn't, I'm going to tell all his girlfriends about it when he's a teenager. I'll even offer to show them my scars :)

I wish certain members of my family would not put my stuff up for sale on craigslist while I'm away in Houston. Don't think I don't know about that.

I wish another family member would start acting his age on facebook. He's over 30 and this is ridiculous. On the other hand, for that very reason, I'm really looking forward to the family reunion this year. I owe him for that :)

Thanks to the wildwoman, I have reason to shop the hill country this spring. I can say I'm looking for doodads for her :)
(not that I've ever needed a reason, mind you....)

I suspect Dan has singlehandedly changed the way google search engines run by his excessive googling of boobs. I think now it just recognizes his IP address and automatically pulls up boob shots no matter what he asks.

And that's all I got for Monday.
See you tomorrow :)

1. I come to Xanga because...I have no life and no where else to be . Ok, that is not even remotely the truth, but that's the sort of answer most of you expect. You know it--just admit it. Truthfully, I come here because you guys are here and as much as I hate to admit it, I need you and I miss you when I am gone-which has been a lot lately.

2. Some of the blogs I enjoy are...seedsower, Jaynebug, WildWomanOfTheWest, BookMark61,saintvi, joyouswind, Bricker59, angi1972  and the cowboy. I used to enjoy Leah, Wendybird, thenarrator, barenakehd, christianchemist, jerseygirlsrule and BitterBierce,  but I have no idea where the hell they wandered off to (actually, I do know where they are, I'm just irked they aren't on xanga anymore)-in fact, that covers several people. There are many more I enjoyed as I bounce around at and as Vi mentioned, will feel guilty over not mentioning, but I'm sorta rushing here.

3. Some blogs with the best content are...see above.

4.Blogs that I think deserve more attention are...BookMark61 and theideaguy.

5.Something I have learned on Xanga is...you can really trust people. Oh, and once again, as Vi so aptly pointed out, don't feed the trolls.

Bonus Question
Have you met anyone on here that you learned to know in person
who has become a good friend? Every single person I have met-yes. I may not hang out with them, call them, skype with them or call them for bail money, but I consider them good friends. Heck, I even like TheTheologiansCafe now