Life Goes On

The roadside woods are completely greened out now.  Redbud blooms were replaced by the occasional large dogwood with its white blossoms contrasting with the surrounding green leafy limbs just as prettily as the redbud did. Now the dogwood is through its annual show, and we must be content with the rich green tree tops matching the deep green grass wherever we look.

The bunnies disappeared from their nest in the driveway circle of lawn last Sunday, and Gerald is still on the look out for them.  He’s already had to mow the yard  again.  His big project is building a new dock for the lake to replace the one he made a dozen years ago, which has deteriorated.  The martins are swooping, and the hummingbirds buzzing around the feeders.  One red azalea is beautiful, and another has died this year leaving behind ugly bare limbs.  Our iris are budded, but not yet in bloom as so many I see in other yards are. 

Our spring recreation has continued to be watching the University of Georgia softball games on the computer in Gerald’s office until this week when the Southeastern Conference games were on ESPN channels. So for three days, our schedule was planned around the Georgia Dawgs games when we met up in the family room to watch on the TV there,  Last night Georgia played for the championship at 7 central time.  Some time ago Mary Ellen had sent me home with left-over barbecue, and I stuck it in the freezer, so that was thawed and heated for a sandwich supper as we watched.  I also baked the bag of ready-for-the oven cookies she had once given me.  Brian was in the field farming, and Trent, who had spent the afternoon with a gaming club at college, didn’t come over, but Mary Ellen and Brianna, who finished at Murray State on Friday, were here.  Sam also came out, and later to our surprise and delight, Katherine’s aide Katie Williams drove her out to join us cheer our son and two granddaughters onto victory.  We also loved it when the camera frequently flashed on our daughter-in-law Vickie and her seatmate and UGA super supporter Norma Holliday.  And it is always fun to see head coach Lu Harris-Champer passionately cheering on her team.  Chelsea Wilkinson was phenomenal on the mound, and Alex Hugo and all the others were tremendous, and seeing their celebration after all their hard work this year brought tears to my eyes and very happy smiles in the family room at Woodsong. 

(For blog readers who don’t know, our son Gerry is recruiting coordinator and associate softball coach at UGA, and their oldest daughter Tara Archibald is assistant coach. Their youngest daughter Geri Ann, a sophomore, alternatively plays first base and as a pitcher. The middle daughter Erin played in the World Series finals for Texas A&M and did her best to recruit Geri Ann to College Station. Because their three daughters are extremely close to their mother, however, I think Vickie’s presence influenced Geri Ann to stay in Athens and play for Georgia more  than her dad.  Vickie, a cancer survivor, played sports in high school and also coached summer softball and high school volleyball, which is fortunate since she is asked to pitch that first ball when the girls are wearing pink uniforms.)

Katherine brought me a card last night and Gerry called after the game to wish me a happy Mother’s Day explaining their card might be late. Jeannie contacted me on Facebook, and Mary Ellen’s family came over today and prepared our lunch.  Back in February in an effort to help me out, she had brought me meat loaf, hash brown potato casserole, and a corn casserole all carefully and attractively wrapped with instructions for baking. I had wanted to ask them over for Sunday lunch and use her meal, but everyone’s schedule has been too full too long.  Since aides were with Katherine today, I did not need to go in, and I got that meal out of the freezer and let Mary Ellen and Brianna prepare it.  My contribution was angel food cake for dessert to welcome Brianna home for the summer since that is a favorite of hers. I always make two angel food mixes up at once, so I have an extra, and this time it went home with Brianna.

Tonight was exciting since the selection of the 64 teams who will start NCAA regional play at the end of this week were announced.  We cheered Georgia’s being one of the top four seeds. They will host their Regional, and if they win, they will host the Super Regional the next week.  This is the beginning of the process that decides who the eight teams are that go to the NCAA Division I World Series in Oklahoma City.  Our hopes and dreams are on the Georgia Dawgs, but regardless, life goes on.