Grandma

I've tried several times to sit down and write about her. I want to capture how she has impacted my life and how hard it is for me to let her go. Maybe I'll be able to express it well in writing someday. For now, I'm thankful that I got to see her one more time. I talked with her. We laughed and I told her for the last time how much I love her.

She's asleep now. They assure us that she's comfortable. My mom and sister and I chose what she will wear. It's beautiful and colorful and classy - just like her.

Mom and Amy see her each day, comb her hair and hold her hand. I hope she is not afraid and knows how much she is cherished and loved.

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I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side
spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and
starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty
and strength. I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the
sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as
large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she
left my side and she is just as able to bear her load
of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at
the moment when someone at my side says: "There she is
gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and
other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here
she comes!"

And that is dying.

-Henry Van Dyke

Remembering

I watched the CBS special last night remembering 9/11. It was a documentary done by two French brothers who prior to September 11, 2001 had decided to film a documentary chronicling a NYFD "probie" They were there filming five years ago today. At the end of the special, the song below was sung as pictures of the lost firefighters were displayed. There were so many other victims that day. I knew none of them. I can't imagine the sorrow and sadness their families have endured. Remembering what happened five years ago reminds me of how unbreakable the human spirit can be.

Frederick Edward Weatherly, 1848-1929

O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen and down the mountainside
The summer's gone and all the roses falling
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
O Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so.

But if ye come and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft, your tread above me
And all my grave shall warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I will sleep in peace until you come to me.

It was a beautiful and haunting song.

He Works Hard For The Money

Lest you worry that Ruler Of The Roost isn't getting his three squares a day while on the road, a menu sampling from The French Room where he will be dining Monday evening:

French Room Caviar Stock
Golden Osetra Caviar

Appetizer
Pecan Encrusted Foie Gras, Brioche French Toast, Chocolate Sauce, Rhubarb Coulis
Canadian Shoals Halibut, Spring Pea Puree, Sunchoke Gnocchi, Sauce Bordelaise

Main Course
Medallions of Veal, Poached Pear, Brie Cheese, Wild Mushroom, Root Vegetable Napoleon, Shallot Merlot Sauce
Seared Baby Barramundi, Wild Mushrooms, Fava Bean Puree, Zinfandel Tarragon Sauce
Novy Family Vineyards Syrah, Sonoma 2003

Pre-Dessert
Vanilla and Raspberry Crème Brulee, Peach Sorbet
Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti “Nivole,” Piedmont 2004

Desserts
Coffee Supreme, Chocolate Streusel, Godiva Gelato, Espresso Opaline

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We'll be enjoying an equally delicious multi-course dining experience:

KY Coop Cast Carb Stock
White Cheddar Cheez-It
Diet Pepsi, 2006

Appetizer
Strawberry Jell-o Gelatin Jus

Main Course
Oven dried Macaroni & Cheese encrusted with medallions of Beef Franks
Crudite Platter
Mott's Healthy Harvest Granny Smith no sugar added apple sauce marmalade
Diet Pepsi, 2006

Pre-Dessert
Edy's Light Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Dessert
Edy's Light Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream finished in Hershey's chocolate sauce
Diet Pepsi, 2006

Book Smart?

In my Wonderful World Of Boys, I've been learning that Parenting Isn't For Cowards and that What Every Mom Needs might be more than Solid Answers. Speaking Of Boys, this Mother's Heart was pounding out of my chest once again yesterday as my Strong Willed Child refused to go to school. Again. This Real Mom was unsuccessful in getting said child into the gym.

I decided to take a different approach and endeavored to simulate a miserable existence at home. If he didn't want to go to school, I was going to make sure The Five Love Languages Of Children ceased to exist at my house for the stubborn one.

Suffice it to say that yesterday, I definitely didn't Grow Compassionate Kids.

Upon arriving home, I Tempered My Child's Tantrum by instructing him to sit on the entry way rug with his hands in his lap for the entire day. And sit he did. Forget Coaching Your Kids To Be Leaders, I just wanted him to remember that it's no fun at home when you refuse to go to school. As I perused various parenting resources, (i.e. the Love and Logic website, Life Application Study Bible) A Mother's Heart was far from my state of mind and the Power Of A Postive Mom was experiencing a total blackout. Bringing Up Boys is no easy task and I still haven't been able to decode how I can Nurture By Nature. All Mothers are Working Mothers and sometimes I just wish I got the state mandated 30 minute lunch.