Just when we needed a ray of sunshine

Our ray of sunshine visited us yesterday.

Over ten years ago, Cliff and I took on a babysitting job.  All our grandchildren were growing up, and we had often mentioned how we missed having a baby in the family.  A local couple who pastured their horses on our property found out they were going to have a baby, and I told Cliff we should offer to babysit her when her mom went back to work.  I was nervous about asking Adam, because who really wants an old couple taking care of their infant?

But they were glad for us to take the job!  Oh my goodness, how we spoiled her for six years!  If I tried to make her mind, Cliff would raise his voice, telling me to leave her alone because while we had her, all he wanted was to enjoy her.  Every day was a continual playtime, with two old fogies who could barely get down on the floor with her somehow managing to do it, grunting and groaning and trying to get comfortable as she gave us orders on what we were to do next.

Cliff still talks about her all the time.  Nobody would believe how much he cares about that child.  Something about being able to connect with her from the time she was born made her seem like "our baby".  For five days a week, we were responsible for her.  When she napped, I napped beside her every day.  

Here's the wonderful thing, though:  She still comes and visits us.  She was here one day last week, and again yesterday (she's out of school for spring break).  She shows Cliff funny videos on his computer, sitting at his side while they laugh together.  She built things with Legos yesterday.   And after we ate our noon meal, we taught her to play Crazy 8's.  Turns out we didn't have to teach her, because after one round of it she said, "This is almost like Uno!"  

Long ago when she was an infant, a little blanket someone had given her was left here; it's in the toy box now, so any children visiting us can use it for the dolls I keep for such occasions.  I tell Cora it really belongs to her, and that she is welcome to take it home if she or her parents want it. Then I tell her I like having it here because it reminds me of the fun we had with her when she was a baby, small enough to have the blanket wrapped around her.      

And we STILL have fun with her!

crazy weather

I am a mess, and it's all on account of the weather.  Mother Nature gives us several days of spring-like warmth and sunshine, then takes it away.  Of course I knew it would happen, because it was in February and March.  Time and time again, we have gone from spring to winter, then back again.  Blah.  So I pout like a five-year-old, not even trying to get over myself.  In fact, I dig in deeper.

So I've stayed away from my blog.  Truthfully, I would think anyone on the cusp of 80 would have a rough time writing about their daily lives; all we do around here, for the most part is eat, sleep, read, and sit; both of us hurt all the time, in various parts of our bodies, even when we are in bed trying to sleep.  I know there are many older folks who have a more active life than we do, even people who continue contributing good things to the world who are much worse off than we are.  I salute them, but still I sit, except for days when it's nice outside, which is where I really want to be.     

I discovered a "reality" show yesterday streaming on Peacock.  I got excited when I saw that it was about a farmer and his sons, less than seventy miles north of us.  All my relatives come from that area, only a little farther north near the Iowa line.  

I have never cared for reality shows because they are fake.  This one is no different.  I watched American Pickers for quite a while, and Pawn Stars, but that was because I liked seeing what sort of things were being bought and sold.  I may watch it sometimes to see if they ever actually show some scenes in the town of Gallatin, because we go through there every time we head up to Harrison County for a funeral or reunion.  I'll probably be surfing the Internet at the same time I'm watching it, though, or maybe reading a book.  

Cliff has his tractor project going with the grandson's help, so he does have something of interest in his life.  The tractor had been in two pieces for months because of cold weather and getting all the needed parts.  There's a furnace in the shop, but Cliff hates to use the propane.  And of course our grandson has a job, so they work on the tractor evenings or weekends.  Arick also needs time with his lady when both of them are home, and Cliff is happy to wait his turn.  

Here are the latest pictures from two days ago.  This Ford tractor is one of the junkiest things I've ever seen him fix, and I still don't know why he wanted it.  However, once he starts something, he will do whatever it takes to get it right.  He loves a challenge.