Nostalgia

Thinking of the past year today. How the children have grown. As I listen to them play and building tents out of the quilts their grandmother and great-grandmother made, I think of the days when I played with my cousins. Excuse me, I had to go to the kitchen to get Max and Lily a popcicle, and Forrest some jello. Now, where was I??? Oh, yeah, I was nostalgic for the days the grandkids were younger. You know, I will have to get back with you on this because they are now talking about scary things, and I want to be in the conservation.....They will be grown in a flash, and I don't want to miss a minute.....

Photographer in the Making

Lily loves snapping pictures just like her Meme and Memaw. It is in her genes (jeans) as they say. She always grabs my little camera and snaps away. Her mother suggested she might like a camera for Christmas. I waited for a sale, and then snapped one up myself.


She is taking a picture of me taking her picture.



Meanwhile, Kevin got us both!

Christmas Fun

My kids came over last night for our Christmas. We also made Santa cookies and Snowmen. I did not know it would turn into a funny, giggle fest competition.


Chubby Bunny....Three...count them! Three marshmallows in their mouth.....Oh, well. We got one picture.....
The cousins having fun....



Forrest really busy with his Snowman.....

Hailey/Dixon Christmas

My niece Melissa always hosts a Christmas celebration at her house each year. It is one of the highlights of my year. I get to be with family, especially my brother and his wife. I was nine years old when they married, so they have had the role of sibling some years, and parent on others....Our father died when I was 5 years old, so he has had a big influence on me my whole life.

I Remember, Meme!

Forrest told me a few weeks ago that he remembered that I sent a picture of Lily to the newspaper once....Well, he wasn't exactly born yet, but he had heard about it. I decided I better get busy and try to redeem myself in his eyes. I found a picture of him at his Thanksgiving Celebration at Evergreen Playschool where is he a kindergardener in his mom Amy's class. I explained my faux pas to the contributor of local paper with the hopes he too could have in day in the Commercial Appeal.....

It Happened Today! For you Forrest....

Retirement Party

My friends from the Newborn ICU gave me an Out of this World Retirement Party! I felt like Sally Fields at the Oscars, where I should say "You like me, you really, really do". I was afraid that since I had been away from for six weeks, they might think, Oh, she is old news. Obviously, they still remember me and celebrated me! It was wonderful....


This is my family. Brian and Max, Lily in my lap, Amy behind us, Kevin with Forrest, then my favorite nephew Brad on the right. My niece Melissa and her husband came later after their son's play. Shannon was with her parents for her father's surgery that day.



Carol and I go way back. She joined me at Baptist Memorial Hospital in December 1968. We developed a lifelong friendship and working relationship. She later was the Supervisor and I was the Head Nurse in the NICU. She saw talents in me that I never dreamed of. The things we helped each other through would fill a thick book. Needless to say she is like family.


I never saw my retirement present over on the piano. You know a nurse is supposed to be observant. Well, If that had been a baby, I would have honed right on it. I had been asked to give hints of what I might like....


Here it is! A piece of art by one of Shannon's talented friends, Elizabeth Alley. It is actually three pieces, and the most beautiful blue/purple color. My dear friend Teresa said it is she, Betty and I.....We three love to dance, so there you are. I will think of all my friends when I see it now.


The absolutely gorgeous flower arrangement was done by one of the nurses I work with. Brenda is a Master Gardener. Master at design too, I think!

I will be posting more of my picture and memories soon. It was one of those events you dream about, but never think it will happen to you!

Retirement Invitation-Design by Brian

My work friends are giving me a retirement party. This is the invitation that came in the mail, with the letter from my friend.
The meaning of the card is this....When Brian was little, he was on vacation with his dad and the song by Donna Summer "She Works Hard For the Money" came on the car radio. He said, "I thought of you Mama". I was so touched by it and never forgot it. Several years ago, I mentioned it to him....and how much it meant to me. He remembered, and made this invite for me....

This and That

I think Lily is becoming as fond of babies as I am. One of her mom's friends recently had a baby boy. When they came by to visit us on Thanksgiving, she loved holding him.... I would try to help since he would squirm in her lap. She did not like this at all and wanted him all to herself...I am not saying I wanted to hold him too...No, that just wouldn't be true....( do you believe me?) I wanted to hold that baby so bad!

Tomorrow is my retirement party. I am nervous being the center of attention. I always thought I would love that! My friends say a lot of people are coming. One of the doctors (who I have worked with only about 5 years) said, "Everyone must love Beverly"...

This is where I worked for 40 years....well, not exactly right there. We moved and remodeled four times. This is close enough for you to picture me by an incubator. Before you ask why they are covered, it is to keep the bright lights from them. We tried to mimic still being inside mama....

Thanksgiving

There was turkey.....lots and lots of turkey. There was also ham, and dressing, and canned cranberry sauce. There could not be turkey and dressing without Canned cranberry sauce. I have made the real deal, and it is not the real deal....

Half of my family was at Disney's Hogwarts, and the other half and I had Thanksgiving at The Co-Granny's condo party room. There was a feast of food, plenty of rain, and children a playing. We even had a two week old baby stop by for us to goo over.

I have so much to be thankful for, if I ponder on it, I will surely cry. My children and grandchildren, all seven of them! Brian, Shannon, Max, Kevin, Amy, Lily and Forrest. My brother, his children, and my cousin DiAnne. I could continue with my prayer list of the rest of the cousins, aunts, and uncles, but, just know they are precious to me.....The work family that I just bowed out of by retiring. They are my family too, and are a blessing I am thankful for everyday.

Retirement....now that word says so much. I am not driving to a hospital, clocking in and then running myself ragged everyday. However, I am still doing. People always ask what am I doing? I tell them "Whatever I want!". They look at me like I must be daffy. I feel like saying, Hey, where you in 1968 when I started working as a nurse? Were you even born yet? I am way further down the work road journey than you are, so when you have been working for 40 years, check back with me and see if my take on life sounds good to you then! Can you hear me snickering??!!! I really am nice to them, I smile and say I am interested in photography, cooking, painting, hiking, nature....which of course is true.

There was sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, rolls and fun and frivolity. Oh, did you think I forgot my reason to post....naw, I just thought out loud for a minute...



Forrest with a Turkey Cupcake on Thanksgiving Feast Day at school.


Kevin, thinking about taking his piano apart for repair.....


The baby we fought over....


Sweet Shelby....wishing she had turkey on Thanksgiving...


Forrest and Barry....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Kevin and Forrest at Thanksgiving Feast at his school....


My little Thanksgiving Turkey! Sweet boy!


Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogging buddies!!!!

Girls Night Out and We Are Wicked

It was girls night out time...Patty (co-granny), Amy, Lily and I went to the Orpheum to see Wicked. We all posed in the lobby, aren't we pretty? The show was so wonderful. I put in right up there with Cats, The Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera!



Lily made a donation to the show's charity, so she got her picture made with one of the cast members!


Lily and Meme waiting for the show to begin. Memories in the making!



Lily posing with Memaw....making sure the rabbits ears are there....You may notice three handfuls of rabbit ears. The extra one is Amy.... Like Memaw, like daughter, and granddaughter.....crazy ones!

Fall Festival

I went with Amy's kindergarden class to a Fall Festival. Forrest is in his mom's class and Lily was on fall break. There was banjo picking, making of masks, lessons about honey bees, and a picnic too. These pictures do a lot to tell the story. It was a nice warm day, with no rain at that point for weeks. In one of the pictures it looks like they are looking for a needle in a haystack, but, it was really candy they were searching for....

Lego Man

I spent Halloween with Max, Brian, and Shannon....As you can see Max was a Lego Man. He and his dad made this, I do not know how. They seem to have a talent for such things. As we walked down the streets, people where impressed at their art work.
He was voted Best Costume by most of the neighborhood. It was great fun. I am so excited that I will never have to work another holiday again! I always seem to bring retirement into every post lately.....

"A" Friend

This is GeorgiaAnne....or Georganne as we in the South say....
She is one of my best friends. She does not think so, as she always says she is my B friend behind Betty and Teresa. She is so crazy. She will always be an A friend to me. We always laughed so much at work....?stress relief? I was her Preceptor, which means I taught her everything I knew. We had such a history together that we sometimes did not even have to speak. We know what each other thinks. We text now...and she still makes me laugh.....Love her!

Rain

RAIN!!!! It had only been two months.

Retirement No. 2

Over one hundred years of taking care of babies experience. I came in 1968, Dr. Chip and Shirley came in the early 70's. I left it all to them. I think they will do quite well....



Sweet Elizabeth....the charge nurse on my last day....It was a wonderful last day....


Oh, the times we had. I had so much fun with this doc....really I did! He told me I had been a good and caring nurse....wonder why he said "had"...He always said working with me was like being mistreated at home. I am sure we were worse....


Marcie gave me a little "bling" for my retirement.....Blenna had to get in on the action....

Retirement No. 1

This is where I worked for 40 years. It has been a love, love relationship for many of those years....really....



I clocked out forever one last time.....



We are really a serious group....


Who am I kidding, we are crazy....


I am going to miss these two best friends....so much!

You will be sick of these stories because that is going to be my nest posts....for days! Just warning you now....

Grove High School

This is where I went to high school. It was funded by E.W.Grove of the Grove's Chill Tonic fame. Needless to say, this is from it's beginning days. When I got there it had bushes all around it. I entered in the door on the right. They say you can see all the way to Paris Landing (17 miles away). Seniors could go up the tower as a treat. They stopped it by the time I was a senior....

Brian's Ties

Brian has had a tie collection since he was a teen. He was asked by Urban Art in Memphis to do a video of his ties. Friday night his video was projected on the Commerce Square Building in downtown....He also has a Tie Quilt that his Great-Grandmother made out of his Great-Grandfather's ties..... I am so very proud of my son...

I'm Smiling...On Yeah!

You are going to have to use your imagination now....Imagine a big picture of me SMILING! That is what I do most days now. I think, I am going to do this when I retire! I am not going to this when I retire!

I will do WHATEVER I want! Yipppeeee!!!!!

Social Security

To the anonymous commenter that was meant for my Social Security post. I am not a lazy, censored "person who rhythms with witch". I have worked for over 40 years and paid in many dollars with each paycheck, and I will not allow myself to feel like you would like me to. And, just think, I may have taken care of your family, as I am a nurse......

I dare you...comment again. I will just delete it!!!!!

Work and Social Security

Yesterday I worked the last night shift of my nursing career. They just had to get one more out of me!

I also applied for Social Security. Big day in the life of person. Social Security helped me when my father
died when I was five years old. Now it will do it again.

David, My baby doll...

This is a picture of Lily with one of my first baby dolls, David. I got him when I was 6 years old, so he is 57 years old. I loved to dress him and put him in his bassinet. I have saved him all these years for a daughter, or in reality, granddaughter. He was named after my cousin because he looked exactly like him when he cried. I need to bring him back out because she does not remember playing with him. It is strange how their first years of memory just drop off.


I find I am missing Bess more than I thought I would. It was love at first sight. I walked into Brian and Shannon's house and she ran to me like a bullet. Once we were at home, she was perpetual motion. Not good in a pup with heart worms. She is about to start on her treatments. I know she will find someone else to love her.

Birthdays and Bess

We celebrated a Family Birthday for Forrest, Amy, and myself at Kevin and Amy's. We had tuna melts! Yum is all I can say. I did not think I would like them but, oh my, they were good. Brian made baked beans, and Amy made a tomato avocado salad that was delish. Shannon made a Harry Potter cake and Kevin made strawberry sorbet. It was all so tasty!





Brian and Shannon have been thinking about another dog now that ChiChi is alone....they had two rescue dachshunds come for a visit. I was wanting to see them, so I got dressed and decided to go by on the way to the grocery. Before I could leave, Shannon called for me to come see them.....Well, I fell in love with Bess.....as you can see she is quite the curious one. I am having to get the kids toys out of her mouth more than once....She has heart worms and will begin her treatment soon. I have her in the crate for now because she is a jumper and a climber already.....