Home Again after an Extra Long Weekend

We left Woodsong around 10 last Thursday morning and headed south. We watched as the roadside grass turned ever more green. Because previous winter trips to the South included some of the coldest softball games we ever endured, we’d thrown coats into the back seat of the car. When we arrived at Lafayette, Louisiana, we found ourselves in the land of live oak trees and where alligator and quail are on restaurant menus. Roses, pansies, and tulip trees were blooming, and coats were never necessary.

This was the closest to us of softball games on Oregon’s schedule this year, and we arrived there Friday in time to briefly see granddaughter Geri Ann before the Ducks began play against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Our daughter-in-law Vickie was already there, and soon Bryan and Tara with the three Archibald boys arrived also. Aidan, Maddux, and Payton were so excited to see their “Auntie G,” who was just as thrilled to see them.

In the first game, we were able to see Geri Ann hit and play in the outfield and then come in to relief pitch. It was a good game though we lost 3-2. At supper that night, Maddux was prepped to eat his first crayfish; and despite his reputation as the family’s picky eater, he pronounced it very good and shared with whoever had the nerve. Gerald and I ate gumbo although different kinds. Before our visit there was over, I’d eaten chicken, crab, crayfish, and shrimp in my gumbo. I’d heard of jambalaya in the song most of my life, so I had to sample a bite from Tara’s plate. After supper, we all gathered for a family visit in the hotel lobby before good nights were said and we went our separate ways although Aidan managed to snare a bed in Vickie’s room.

We were back at the ball park by mid morning and watched our only win over 7th ranked Lafayette 6-3. Cheridan Hawkins pitched most of the game and added nine strike-outs making her total this season 42, which is why she is 19th in the nation for strike-outs. This broke the Cajuns undefeated status to 8-1.

Our third game that afternoon against LLU had us losing again by one run: 5-4. This 30th Louisiana Classic with three teams had a different format from what I’ve previously attended anywhere. Very soon we were playing our fourth game--this time against Central Arkansas. Geri Ann pitched, and we won 8-0 in six innings.

As usual after the games, we went to the team’s restaurant choice to meet up there with the family for a final meal together. I really liked that establishment’s rustic decor, and I especially enjoyed the long wait before our table became available! (Much more fun than eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor!) On to the side of the dining rooms was a colorful country stage with a Cajun band in front of a small dance floor surrounded with benches for sitting as we waited to eat their locally famous Creole food.

When we entered, a little girls’ softball team was actively engaged in a combination of gymnastics, horseplay, and dancing, and I think our music lover Maddux was already out there with Geri Ann. Later Aidan joined them; and finally over his protests, Auntie G enticed Payton to join in the fun. Many older couples were obviously regular customers, and it was pleasant to watch their expertise at country dancing. Perhaps the most skilled was one young man with a cowboy hat that had circled the seated crowd commenting to us with thick speech that I could not understand. He found a partner near the band that I assumed he had danced with before, and they were so good it was a joy to watch.

None were cuter though than Oregon freshman Cherish Burks and her baby sister. Little Leah at eleven months had provided us with smiling beauty all weekend. She could almost walk, and everyone was expecting her to take off by herself any time. Perhaps she wanted to save those first steps to show off for her daddy when she got back home to California. I speculated she was such a pleasant child because her mother too was always smiling. When Leah was tired, she would take her bottle and go to sleep in her mother’s arms or in her buggy as her mother pushed, but always she had an audience because she was so engaging and so pretty. I may have watched her as much almost as the teams on the field. Well, on the dance floor, she was in her element. Those little feet that moved so well if someone held on to her arms as she walked were now stepping high in perfect rhythm. She also had a steady supply of partners picking her up and carrying around with the music. Just as cute were twin brothers, who were probably two since they were steady on their feet—too steady at times. (Watching their dad or mother race to intercept them as they would dart toward the opening into the main restaurant provided some humor.) Watching them interact with little Leah was so sweet as children always seem delighted to see someone else their own size.

Watching all this made me almost disappointed to be called to our table for food. (A screen in that room, however, let us hear and see the band and an even larger group of senior citizens circling the floor.) The meal was good and everyone was happy. That is until Geri Ann had to join the Ducks for the trip back to their hotel. Because the Archibalds had to return to College Station yet that night in order for Aidan to play baseball the next day, this was a final goodbye to Geri Ann. The team left, and Maddux sobbed. And soon Payton was sobbing also. Gma Vickie solved Maddux’s grief by inviting him to spend the night and go home with her the next day, so he was able to see Geri Ann again on Sunday after all. Bryan and Tara quickly figured out a solution for Payton, who would soon be fast asleep in their van going back home. At age nine, Aidan is very committed to his sport. And we heard that he pitched a very good game,

The next day many of Oregon’s younger players were on the field against Central Arkansas, and the score was even more lopsided with a 19-3 score in five innings. After the game, we were busy saying goodbye to Geri Ann, Vickie, and Maddux and getting on the road to Dickenson, Texas, so we did not stay to see Central Arkansas play the host team.

We arrived at Gerald’s special Air Force buddy’s home with the help of our GPS. I found out after we returned to Woodsong that I had mistyped one number in Gerald’s cell phone, so Ray and Gladys had been unable to reach us. (I am still confused about that because I know I checked it after I hurriedly typed it in a personal message on their Facebook page, but I guess I goofed.) We had a great two-hour visit while the guys reminisced and Gladys and I got acquainted.

We met their granddaughter and two great granddaughters temporarily staying with them. Camie, the younger of the two great granddaughters was 19 months, and she had a head of lovely soft black curls and a beautiful face. Gladys brought her into the family room when she woke from her nap, and she was all smiles for us strangers even though her mother and sister were not there right then. She too entertained us showing us how she walked with Gpa Ray’s shoes and sharing her doll and toys. After watching Leah and her, I began to wonder if babies don’t cry anymore.

It was hard to leave, but we needed to hurry on to Gerry and Vickie’s house in College Station. We were looking forward to it because we knew Gerry would be in a great mood. He had been with A&M’s softball team at the Mary Nutter Classic in California that weekend and had come through undefeated against all the great teams there. We had a good late evening visit and got re-acquainted with Chloe, Chance, and Nelly—their house dogs. (The bird dogs are exiled to a friend’s ranch during softball season.) Erin and Josh had been there dog sitting for Vickie all weekend, but they returned earlier in the day to their respective places. (Erin to her apartment to teach the next day and Josh back to Fort Hood.) We enjoyed sleeping in the bedroom decorated with all Erin’s softball awards and mementoes. however, and that made us feel like a partial visit with her. We are still looking forward to meeting Josh.

The next morning I slept late while Gerald and Gerry ran around, and I came downstairs to the smell of bacon and sausage and the sight of another beautiful baby—this time a little boy named Trent that Vickie cares for part of the day three times a week. He could pull himself up, but does not walk yet. His curls were blond. He is their sunshine, Vickie explained. He proved my theory that modern babies must no longer cry. At nap time, Vickie would put him in his crib, walk out of the room, and he would go to sleep until nap time was over. Nor did he wake up crying but all smiles. We enjoyed meeting him and watching him play contentedly with his toys and all of us. Soon after his lunch, he took another nap. We ate a late lunch with Gerry and Vickie and packed our bags. We were all out on the front lawn saying our final goodbyes when the Trent’s mother and little sister came to pick him up.

We traveled late on Monday to be further on the way home the next day. The grass was even greener than in Louisiana. And redbud and other shrubs were flowering by the roadside. There was sometimes even a hint of green in the dark limbs of the trees in the wooded areas. The starkness of the bare limbs was often broken with large balls of mistletoe.

We drove an hour or so before we stopped for breakfast on Tuesday to break up the drive. I believe it was in Arkadelphia that we stopped for lunch at a local barbecue place that claimed fame for having catered 10,000 folk at one gathering! As we traveled north, the green grass became more splotchy, and finally by Missouri, it was mostly brown again. There were large fields of bright green winter wheat, however. Once we saw a rice field covered with water and ducks. Then we were on Interstate 57 after stopping at Boomland for rest and cheap gas. We picked up our accumulated mail at the post office when we arrived in Marion just before it closed. After a bowl of chili at Pulleys, it was back to the farm and carrying in luggage. I sent text messages to our four kids that we were home all safe and sound. Made the coffee for the next morning and attended other details of living. I think Gerald checked the Internet. We fell in bed early for a good night’s rest and woke up to snow coming down outside our windows.

What's Cooking?

What’s cooking at Woodsong? Not much these days. With just Gerald and me living here, I have to be careful to not cook too much. Both of us have a slightly restricted diet, and that cuts out some foods. I cook our noon meal; and if I am at home I fix us a light supper of some sort. Sometimes it’s left overs. Oftentimes soup and a sandwich in the winter. Sometimes bacon and tomato sandwiches when the garden is producing tomatoes. Occasionally hamburgers with fries baked in the oven. Barbecues made from left-over roast or sloppy Joes once in awhile. Right now we are eating sliced tomatoes for lunch and supper.

If I am at Katherine’s at supper time, Gerald finds something easy to fix from the little freezer in the garage. Before I go to bed, I make the coffee for the next morning and lay out dishes on the table; and Gerald, who gets up early, makes his own breakfast—sometimes an egg in the microwave or sometimes oatmeal or even cold cereal.

I don’t particularly like to cook anymore, and I was never what I consider a good cook, but I have always liked to feed people. I like having people sitting around the table. I do not like cleaning up after a meal, but it is a necessary task. And when guests are here, I get help.

When I heard our granddaughter Erin was coming last weekend, I ran by Small’s, our local grocery, on Thursday afternoon because like lots of other people, that is where I like to buy meat. I restocked for me and Gerald, and I bought lunch meat and sliced cheddar cheese just in case Erin might need a snack some late night. (She didn’t.) I knew from experience that her schedule would be crowded with catching up with friends and the other side of her family, and it was. (I also have caught on that the kids and grandkids are very thoughtful about not wanting me to have to cook for them.) In fact, on Friday, Mary Ellen brought over a meat loaf and a dish of au gratin potatoes, which turned out to feed us for three meals since Erin ate lunch with her Gma Shirley before her hair appointment and met up with her buddy Candice for supper. I put some of the meat I’d bought into the freezer.

Just as I was getting up Saturday morning, Mary Ellen and Brianna showed up to take Erin down to Creal Springs for some sort of junkque festival going on there with people selling crafts. (I did not know it was at a barbeque place.) I knew Erin planned to go to the Johnston City Homecoming game, and I browned the large roast I’d bought at Small’s, surrounded it with veggies, and put it in the oven. I hoped someone might be there to help us eat it at lunch time. Brianna had come in carrying a fresh loaf of banana bread, and I had already finally remembered to take from the big freezer a pumpkin pie, one of several that Mary Ellen and Bri had made for Thanksgiving last year. It was left over, and I stuck it in its pie container in the freezer thinking I’d get it out sometime when Gerry dropped in. However, as the year went on, it was covered up and I forgot to get it out.

So when the craft shoppers came in laughing and showing off Erin’s pumpkin people, there was desert on the buffet along with the roast and veggies and sliced tomatoes, As it turned out, they had eaten at the barbecue place (not knowing about the roast), but they joined me and Gerald and ate dessert. This was a hit since they could send a photo by phone of Erin eating pumpkin pie to torment Gerry.

It had been so cold that morning at the junkque affair that Erin had decided not to go to the football game as I guess most of her reunion friends also decided. So we were all able to sit talking and giggling at the table as long as we wanted. Our centerpiece was Erin’s pumpkin people—Papa, Mama, and Baby Pumpkin heads made out of small blocks of wood painted orange and with faces created by ancient bolts and odds and ends from someone’s old toolbox or rusty tin coffee can perhaps found in their grandfather’s garage. Each face was unique, and they were cute little creatures. Erin is excited collecting seasonal decorations for their apartment when her new husband comes back from South Korea next year. We conjectured how much we could make if we got crafty with stuff from Gerald’s shop, and decided such little block heads could also be made into Santas or Valentine faces. Erin assured Gerald he could saw her out 90 blocks any time for her to figure out a project for her language arts students to create.

Before long Brian was able to drop in from harvesting and eat with us. Finally Trent came by to see his cousin Erin, and he made a hit with his red Mario hat. He had already eaten at whatever his morning activity had been, and eventually people had to leave and Erin had to get ready for her 10th class reunion dinner. Most of the roast was left over to be put in the fridge for this week--where the remains of Mary Ellen’s meat loaf already was. At least the pie was gone, and I was glad there was still some banana bread left because it was so good.

Erin had gone shopping with Gma Shirley on Thursday, and the Johnson family was gathering in for Sunday dinner in Erin’s honor. She was excited about getting to see her cousin Jeremy’s new baby boy. When she returned to pack for her flight back to Texas from Saint Louis, I enjoyed hearing about little Kinsley, who had brought a frog into Gma Shirley’s house. Since Shirley is one of the best cooks in our community, I had to appreciate all the largesse that Erin pulled out for us of a large plastic bag—many large slices of tender succulent ham, meat loaf, the die-for dumplings Shirley makes, corn, green beans, and cheesy broccoli. I do not know how many Shirley fed at her house that day, but she fed us most of this week! I took Katherine supper that night, and one day a piece of left over ham on our lunch table was wrapped in bread for Gerald to carry a sandwich to the field for Brian even though Mary Ellen might have already fed him. Between the left over roast and Shirley’s food, I did little cooking last week.

On Saturday, I did fix us a couple of good pork chops from Small’s with vegetables and tomatoes before I went to Katherine’s. When I returned home, Gerald told me he’d just heard that Gerry and Vickie would be coming through Sunday night. Gerry had worked a hitting clinic at Indianapolis, and then in his typical style had picked up some dogs to take to Texas via Shelbyville, Tennessee, where he had to be at 9:00 this morning.

Wanting me not have to cook on Sunday, Gerald suggested we try out that Creal Springs barbecue place the kids had said was so good. However, when he called Mary Ellen to see if they could go with us, she explained they were not open on Sunday. So we ended up going to Harrisburg to our favorite Kentucky Fried Chicken buffet and ate a wonderful meal there with its never-ending line of hungry people. Then we took a leisurely drive home down Old 13, which I had not been on for a couple of years. It sounded as if Gerry and Vickie might be arriving around supper time, and I figured I’d whip up a cake mix and make a light supper.

However, before I started, Gerry texted his dad that I was not to fix supper. They were going to take us to town for dinner. That is what we did after we enjoyed watching two little half brother puppies frolic in the front yard as they were fed and watered. We had a good visit and went to bed early since Gerry was to meet a friend at 5:15 in Marion this morning. He was taking the friend’s dog back to Texas to train. Gerry and Vickie were so quiet leaving the house this morning that even Gerald did not wake up.

I did cook us a bite of lunch today, and I guess I better do something for our supper—if I have not forgotten how.

Cousins Week

Cousins Week is officially over. Elijah just left Woodsong to see a friend in Madison, Wisconsin. He and Trent had gone down to Cadiz, Kentucky, last night to meet up with Lige’s sister Leslie, who drove up from Nashville. Brianna had left the day before to drive to Michigan to see a friend. Sam was up early this morning to go to work as he has been helping out with his high school’s annual band camp this week as well as being here at Woodsong enjoying Cousins Week. Despite the late night hours, Trent managed to make an A on his summer statistics exam Wednesday. Erin got in on Cousins Week by a fortunate schedule happening, and I was glad because she could give her younger cousins some good advice. And I think Sam’s friend Anna has been officially adopted by the group.

Back when I wrote about only one pair of tennis shoes in the front hall, Elijah had read that blog and hastened to tell me that I did not need to worry about their absence. The younger gang of cousins were already texting and planning on “Cousins Week” the first week of August after they finished summer activities and before they started school again. Unfortunately, Geri Ann is busy right now with a short summer term at Oregon and had already left Texas. Our youngest grandchild Cecelie was working full time this summer at the consignment store, so she could not come down join the college kids. I had to be proud of her!

Erin and Geri Ann had planned to come earlier in the summer, but the rained-out postponed softball camps foiled their plans. So Erin, at least, was finally getting to come up between workshops to prepare for next year’s teaching. For me, getting to meet Josh Simons, her new husband over in South Korea, by Skype was one stand-out moment of her visit. Next summer we get to meet him in person. Erin was kept busy seeing all of her loved ones including Candice’s toddler twins, fishing on our lake, and walking either 4 plus or 5 miles down to Gma Shirley’s house. Since her wrist watch and her car disagreed on how far it was to Shirley’s house, Erin was perturbed about that, but I was impressed either way. She was also able to see her parents because Gerry and Vickie arrived here the day before she had to get on the road to return to her new apartment and participate in the new teachers’ orientation workshops. She and her mom had time together fishing out on the lake that afternoon.

Nine of us all together were at Brian and Mary Ellen’s house for dinner in Erin’s honor last Sunday. Mary Ellen has had a busy week at work, sometimes feeding cousins, and attending Brian’s gall-bladder surgery on Tuesday. (This was same-day surgery, and he says he did good.) Nevertheless, in spare moments, Mary Ellen has been in and out trying to see her brother but has kept missing him. But as she was leaving last evening, she met up with Vickie, who is also doing a lot of walking, and they had a long visit down by the lake. I watched the debates, and I enjoyed discussing them with Sam when he came in at the end of the evening.

Gerald and Gerry took off yesterday for northern Illinois on some kind of bird dog business and are due back this afternoon. Vickie is spending another afternoon with her mother and tonight is having dinner with her brothers and families. So right now the house is empty for a little while and the quiet gives me time to reflect and enjoy recording all the comings and goings here this week. Thinking back on all the fun is one of the blessings of company. I am wondering if Cousins Week will become an annual affair.

Erin Marie Glasco

A woman giving me physical therapy at the hospital last July bubbled over about how much their family loved my granddaughter Erin and how much fun Erin was with all the other players on their long-ago summer team. Naturally I could not have agreed more.

This past weekend was spent celebrating our Erin. Johnston City High School was retiring her No 12 softball shirt at the Homecoming football game.   I stocked up on Zero cola in her honor, and I couldn’t resist buying Neapolitan ice cream in memory of her childhood.  (She liked to slice through the brick-shaped three flavors and called this an ice cream sandwich.  Being the leader that she always was, soon the younger grandkids followed her example.)

We started going to her summer softball games at the Marion park when she was probably five.  I think that was a coed team where no one was supposed to keep score.  We also sat through cold Saturday mornings watching her play soccer. I believe she was the only one of Gerry’s three daughters who lived at the right time and place to participate in soccer. 

I was reminded the other day while reading an old email I’d written that my daughter-in-law Vickie was prepared to fix hot dogs for 50 or 60 kids for Erin’s September birthday party.  She had just found out that little Erin who had asked for a wiener roast for her party had made and passed out flyers at school. Vickie had no idea to whom or to how many. 

And there was the time in Harrisburg when we were there for a family birthday celebration for her older sister Tara.  But we found out that Erin (probably in the third or fourth grade) was supposed to go that same night to a boy-girl party—not just an ordinary  party to which both boys and girls were invited—but a “boy-girl party”!  Not exactly what her parents were thrilled about—and perhaps not even what the hostess mother had realized was going on.  I love the memory because Erin was escorted there and picked up afterwards by both her grandfathers—Gpa Gerald and her late Gpa Ernest.  Those stalwart men figured they could send a message to the party boys that she had protectors.

Before we knew it, she was in junior high and still playing softball, of course, since starting with Tara this was their summer family recreation with Gerry and Vickie serving as volunteer coaches and pitching in at the concession stand.  Perhaps I should say it was a family obsession since with three girls in the sport, countless hours were spent practicing and playing.  There were piano lessons and gymnastics and dance and fishing and cousins and lots of other activities too, but softball was most important to all three daughters.  Little Geri Ann went from going to softball games to play in the sand pile with her friends to playing on a team just like her big sisters. 

I loved the quick summary her dad put on Facebook, and I am going to steal it without his permission since I don’t have time to ask him:

”So proud of Erin as she was an outstanding catcher on so many good teams that I was able to coach and be a part of with her! A state champion junior high school team, a high school team that was 34-1 her senior year I think, a Canadian Cup Championship in 2003, an ASA Gold National Championship in 2004 are among the wins we shared together along with many other outstanding players in our dugout! So as a coach I was blessed to have her.

As a father it was a great thrill to watch her get to catch the great Megan Gibson in the Big 12 Championship and then in the NCAA regionals, super regionals and the College World Series in 2008 with the Texas A and M Softball team. So blessed.

My favorite fact about Erin is that when the Aggies Softball team made it to the title game of the College World Series in 2008 she caught 60 something games and never made a single error the whole season!

That is my proud dad rant and I apologize, but want to be sure Erin knows that I am proud and blessed to have had her as a daughter and player!” 

Gerry dosen’t mention her professional play with USSSA Pride until an injury stopped her.  And my favorite part of her career as a player was the summer in Europe when she was able to travel widely and blog about it.  Since then she has remained active in the sport as a coach in college,  junior,and senior high schools while also giving private lessons to many young girls. One of her childhood ambitions was to teach, and that came true last year.  She pleased me by talking  about how much she loved her junior high kids and teaching them math. You can also imagine how pleased this grandmother was to learn that at her new school she is teaching English to sixth graders, and she also loves this subject and this age group. Now she can use her writing talent.  (Her coaching this year—volleyball and softball-- is at the high school as an assistant.)

To arrive here from Texas for this weekend’s activities, Gerry and Vickie and Erin left College Station as soon as their work day ended Thursday and drove all night.  They arrived at Woodsong early Friday morning.  And soon they were off for appointments and being with Vickie’s mother, who has progressed to being allowed to walk with that broken right leg in a cast. Friday evening was the Homecoming parade, and I had to be satisfied with just seeing Erin in the photos since I needed to be at Katherine’s that evening.  I heard the man near me in the football stands the next day saying how good the parade was. I liked it that some of the floats were still there to see at the sports complex. I am not a football fan and I no longer know Johnston City kids and the blazing sun made everyone miserably hot. (I got my first summer sunburn even though it was autumn.)  Nevertheless, it was a great time, and Johnston City won their Homecoming game over Chester. I enjoyed seeing long-ago friends and watching my beautiful granddaughter being honored for all her hard work, dedication, insults and injuries that allowed her to achieve success in the softball world. 

The celebration for Erin ended Saturday night with Vickie hosting a family party at Mike Mills’ famous 17^th Street Barbecue. It brought back memories of all the birthday parties we enjoyed  with the Johnsons when Gerry and Vickie still lived here. Candace Carter’s one-year-old twins were one of the evening’s hits especially when they enjoyed the cupcakes.  

It was an over-busy weekend with one of Katherine’s aides with her husband at a Saint Louis hospital and Sam busy with the Marion football game, a fifth-quarter party,  and then an all-day band competition at Collinsivllle on Saturday arriving home just in time for Erin’s party.   Mary Ellen was tied up with Parents Weekend for Brianna at Murray State and Brian was tied up with harvesting soybeans. (I did not know their schedule, but I am sure the Eilers were busy up in Freeport too.)  Nevertheless, Gerald, Gerry, and cousin Bryce were able to have Saturday breakfast with the Glasco brothers and cousins at Jonesboro. Erin was able to spend a couple of nights at her cousin Sarah’s house, and Vickie fished in the lake more than once!  It was sad to see them pull away from Woodsong on Sunday morning for the long trip back to Texas.