Brrrr!

Brrrrr! Tonight is cold! This picture is from 2004 which had to be the worst year EVER. But, it passed and was not without it's nice moments.


This night we were at my cousin's house in PA just
before my Gramma's second funeral. Yes, she had two funerals. One down South and one up North. My family and Aunt Susan attended both.


Gramma was a real character, so it was only fitting that she should go out in style.


(looking uo toward heaven: HI, GRAMMA!!!!)


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Well, Sunday, we did indeed make it to the AM service. We live in an old mining town and took a field trip up to another old mining town. We went deep into the beautiful mountains. From up that high, you could see the fog tracing the paths of the rivers and branches- it was AMAZING.


And I must say, it was the best church service I've been to since 2006. The Book of Jude was the text & if you've not read it in awhile, I highly recommend it- a lot of good stuff in that little book.


Afterwards, we ate hotdogs and frozen custard- a rare treat, the custard. And yes, I had sprinkles!


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There's something about the old mining towns. A sense of the real, if you know what I mean. People are who and what they are and are accepting and unashamed. If they don't like you, you will know it- unlike places which are superficial, the mining towns may be closed to outsiders, but if you are welcomed in- you are truly welcome. Hardworking folks, who have never had anything easy or handed to them- and would be appalled at the idea of not working for what they have- I love them! And when they worship, it is for real. We all had a great experience with the folks and I can't wait 'till I can go back again.


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The top pic with the 3 dudes... these are my cousins after the funeral. My Gramma was buried on New Year's Eve and at the beach (big grin). Some of us went to the place where my cousins used to have a cottage and the family used to all get together summers. I reckon I was about 12 or 14 when my family quit going. I wish we'd kept that, you know? It was really a great time. I'll tell a little about it.
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Dad would get his vacation and hook up a boat if he had one to a pick-up truck or a van. He'd chuck mattresses in the back of the truck and my brothers and myself would ride back there. Dad had a habit of getting distracted talking to Mama and would kindof be all over the road. This happened whatever vehicle we were in and my brothers and me would usually have to hit the glass to ask to pull over so we could sick up. Dad liked to take HWY 52, which was crooked- but whichever way he took, we'd be green long before we got to Delaware.
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Sometimes we'd stay at a hotel and sometimes with Gramma. Aunts Judi and Susan I think spent a month or the whole summer, but we joined for a week. Days we'd head over to Aunt Susan's cottage which was GREAT. It had a screened in porch with one of those spring-loaded doors- the screen was that thick metal mesh you can't find nowadays and it gave a very satisfying -THWACK- when you'd let it close.
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Unfortunately, there was a danger lurking at Aunt Susan's. You had to have a member of her family there with you or her vicious dog would attack. No big deal unless everyone was busy and you had to go potty. The dog would growl as soon as he heard the screen door creak open. He'd chase you all the way to the bathroom, biting at your ankles all the way and showing how long his fangs were. Did I mention the dog was an itty, bitty fox terrier? I thought for the longest time that the word Terror came from the same roots as Terrier. Ah, yes. Tinker. The dog from you-know-where.
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The dunes were high and the walk down to the beach seemed so long with the hot sand underfoot, but soon you were at the bay. And we could take the dinghy out or swim- just beware of jellyfish and horseshoe crabs. The grown-ups were always talking, sitting in itchy chairs. I'd wait for the sandbar to show up and go out to chase around hermit crabs. It was a whole different world out there on the little, sinking "island". Mama would "walk forever" with me sometimes, but usually Dad wanted her close- the old romantic!
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See, I was a betwixt and between. All my cousins were of an age and in 3s. The older 3, then me, then the middle 3, then the youngest 3. So, I spent a lot of time just walking the shore and swimming alone or riding my bike. I'd try to sit with the grown-ups, but... and then my Uncle Richard would notice that the kids were ignoring me and so were the adults and he'd invite me out on one of his boats. He was so good to me that way. He taught me all about rigging and the boom, how to lean with the Catamaran (sp?) and how to tack if the wind wasn't cooperating. He was full of interesting information about the water and boats and the creatures of the sea and the weather. He could tell a storm was coming long before clouds were visible. And best of all, he always, always just accepted me for how I was. He never tried to play head games with me or see how smart (or dumb) I was- he was just there- the perfect uncle. (waves toward heaven again)
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Nights we'd build a bonfire and roast sandy marshamllows and watch the stars. Now, one of these nights Mama would save for me to "walk forever" picking up smooth stones and watching the lights of the Cape May Ferry. We'd have sweatshirts and jeans on, but we'd be barefoot (my favourite way to be) and we'd sometimes flip a coin to see which way to go. It was so much fun. And the lights and stars were so pretty and peaceful. We'd skirt other people's bonfires and keep going 'till we got tired and then we'd turn around and come back. I was blind as a bat, so the lights were especially glowy and beautiful- a magical time for me.
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And one night- usually the last- we'd go to the pier at Rehoboth Beach. The waves at Rehoboth were bigger, but that's another story. The pier was great! The Haunted House with it's jerky cars was a must, as was the Ferris Wheel. I usually rode both with my middle brother. We'd get a big, soft pretzel to share with Mama, and each of us got a slice of the foldy kind of pizza- totally different from pizza down South. Very flour-y tasting crust and if you weren't careful, the cheese would be in your lap. And I'd spend my money on a box of salt-water taffy. I loved that stuff- & still do!
Later, we'd step down to the beach to look at the waves and walk a little ways- this Mama did with me and the boys & possibly some cousins, while my Dad was socializing with the adults. We'd watch the teens throwing back and forth the glowy things and dip our toes in the water. It was usually very windy, so we didn't stay by the water too long. We'd stand back and just look at the waves and the stars and the lights on the other side of the bay. Lovely. :-)
Then it was back to where we were staying for one last night before the sweaty, carsick ride home. But, between bouts of sicking up, my brothers and I usually had a great laughing time.

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Well, I reckon that's all for tonight. Stay warm, everyone!
Rose