My Aunt Marcille

Have you missed me?  Well, I've been in Tucson, Arizona, celebrating the 90th birthday of my only living aunt, Marcille Lynn.  Actually, she is my aunt by marriage.  Her husband (Sarah's dad) was my father's younger brother.

If I were a wagering woman, I would bet you 10 to 1 (whatever that means) that you have never known anyone like Marcille.  Here I am handing her a birthday card which says, "90 Incredible Years."  That is very appropriate!

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Now I had told Marcille we would do whatever she wanted to celebrate her birthday.  Personally, I was hoping she might choose a trip to the Canyon Ranch Spa for a mani-pedi or a massage.  Instead, she wanted the three of us to hike in Catalina State Park, where she has volunteered for 27 years.  She used to lead hikes and move rocks to arrange trails (!) but now she just collects entrance fees.  So off we went, searching for wild Mexican poppies.  She says we just went 2 1/2 miles.  It sure felt like more to this "youngster."

After the hike we went to lunch, where I presented her card, then to a butterfly exhibit at the Desert Museum.  Marcille is also a docent of long standing at the museum, and has a host of friends there. 

I'm summarizing this day very briefly, but it was exhausting to Sarah and me.  I don't think Marcille was as wiped out as we were!   Doesn't she still look pretty perky?

This perky little lady loves University of Arizona basketball.  She goes to all the home games with her grandson or great-grandson, if one or the other is available.  If not, she goes by herself!  She prepared breakfast for the whole family on a previous visit.  This time she treated the family to breakfast at her favorite spot.  She goes to theatre productions frequently.  In fact, she took us to see a most delightful one-woman show, Shirley Valentine, while I was there.  She had seen it several times before!

 
Marcille is an inspiration to me when it comes to maintaining physical strength through activity.  I remember that she was always hiking or mountain climbing when I was a growing up.  She told me that when she was 72 she had to be air lifted from the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  She had fallen and suffered a shoulder injury, but that certainly didn't stop her!  And you think I'm brave in traveling alone?  She is going to Costa Rica in May--alone--at 90!

This incident just took the cake!  I got home without a program for Shirley Valentine.  I have a special keepsake box for all my playbills, so I was disappointed.  Marcille drove back out to the theatre, got one for me, and drove by and left it in Sarah's mailbox on the way home from the U of A basketball game to which she had driven by herself--at night!

Marcille Lynn is one special aunt and lady.  I've got to go walk on my treadmill in my air conditioned exercise room while I watch my satellite TV.  That will make me like Marcille.  Won't it?

The Grannies Do All State

Has anyone mentioned that Madeline made All State choir?  Oh, I thought so!  Well, Shirley (other grandmother) and I drove down to San Antonio in person to take it all in!

Now on our last trip (to New York) we did something very embarrassing right off the bat.  The hotel gave each of us a key to our room.  We went upstairs, dropped our stuff, and headed off to Ruby Foo's with the fam for dinner.  It was quite late when we got back to the hotel, and I'm sure you can guess what's coming.  Yes, neither of us had our key with us.  Here we were, trying to look youthful and cool, and we had to trek down on the first night and get new keys.  So, on the way to San Antonio this past weekend, we resolved not to do anything that would make us appear, well...old. 

It didn't work out.  The morning after our arrival I was putting on my makeup and deciding that I would buy a small Keurig coffee maker to take on trips for hotels like this lousy Omni La Mansion Del Rio. (It is definitely NOT lousy.)  I was dying for my coffee.  Rob called and asked if he could bring us anything from McDonald's.  Shirley and I both said "Coffee!"  He said, "Haven't you made coffee in your coffee maker?"  No, we hadn't because we didn't have a coffee maker in our room.  Well, yes we did.  We just hadn't found it.  A cute 2-cup brewer slid out from a lovely cabinet.

We eagerly proceeded to get some coffee brewing.  I was kind of a smart aleck about it since I had had the same coffee maker in a hotel before.  I smartly showed Shirley where the little coffee packets went in the little tray, and she went to get the water.  We had lovely black ceramic (inside and out) coffee mugs. Classy!

When the brewing stopped, I removed my cup and poured one of our two creamers into it.  It looked so strange--like creamer in water in a black cup.  It WAS creamer in water in a black cup.  I had failed to reinsert the tray containing the coffee packets after showing Shirley how to do it!  At least Shirley doesn't use creamer, so I had one for my first cup!

We had such a great time on both trips.  We laugh at each other and with each other.  We spend most of our time looking for stuff we brought but can't find.  We talk about food and diets endlessly and then go eat whatever we want.  We reminisce about our happy times and miss our guys.  We just bask in the glow of our precious children and grandgirls.  We thank God constantly for all He has done for us.  We're two VBG's (that's Very Blessed Grannies.)

Scarf Envy

Have you noticed that everywhere you go you see lovely ladies wearing scarves?  And they look so cool...so sophisticated.  My Susan is among the best at attractively wearing a scarf.  Her mother is not.  Susan's scarves never seem to move out of place.  Mine never seem to find the right place.

I have a turquoise felt jacket with the perfect, perfectly beautiful matching scarf.  I put this ensemble on one Sunday morning recently.  When I felt I had found just the right jaunty angle for the scarf--which was casually thrown over my left shoulder--I decided to take matters into my own hands and safety pin the thing in place.  The casual effect of this arrangement was ruined when a couple of people at church had to "fix" my scarf.  The end that was supposed to be thrown behind me was hanging down in the front.  I practically melted into a pool of tackiness.

Yesterday I took a friend for a medical procedure.  I put on a sweater and matching scarf.  I did the thing where you throw both ends behind you, somehow contort your arms to cross the two ends over in the back, then bring the ends to the front.  If I do say so myself, and I do, for once I looked pretty good.  I did a bit of self admiration in the mirror at the surgery center before going to eat my yogurt which I had brought with me for breakfast.  Then I settled in to read my book.  I don't know what caused me to reach up and adjust my scarf (other than habit), but when I did, I felt something soggy.  Hoping it was just a drop of the water I had been drinking, I pulled the scarf out a bit and looked down to check.  I had dribbled quite a bit of yogurt onto my well-placed scarf!  I just give up!

Literally everyone in New York wears a scarf.  Actually I did quite well with mine there.  It was solid black, and I didn't care how it was tied as long as it kept some of that cold air out.  Of course, we hauled our frozen selves down to Canal Street for some bargains.  I didn't buy much--just two SCARVES!  What was I thinking?

The Palm Springs Follies

When I made my reservation for the Palm Springs trip with my bank travel club, I was asked if I wanted to add the optional Palm Springs Follies show.  I was not too interested, but our hostess said everyone was going.  I didn't want to be a square, so I forked over $90 to be included. 

I missed the fine print when reading about the follies.  It said, "This show features music and dance from the 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's--with a cast old enough to have lived it!"  So...I didn't know what to expect.

The venue was charming--a huge, beautifully refurbished movie theatre in quaint downtown Palm Springs.  It was immaculate.  Every light burned, and every seat was filled!  Susan would have loved it!

The first act of the show was a rather typical gaudy, wild musical spectacular.  Things got more interesting in the second act.  Each of the "showgirls" was introduced individually as she walked down a staircase, assisted by her gentleman partner.  They all wore the most elaborate and expensive-looking costumes I have ever seen.  The headdresses were HUGE.  I don't know how the "showgirls" even held them aloft!

There was something very unusual about the ten showgirls.  One by one they gave their bios, including their impressive past gigs and their ages!  When the first one said she was 60 years old, I was surprised to say the least.  The next two were 63, then 68, 69, 73, 74, 75, 76, and the oldest was 78!  They were all slim and trim looking, but their fabulous costumes seemed to be made of industrial strength Spanx with appropriately placed embellishments.  My only photo:

The third act featured guest star, 70-year-old John Davidson!  He was very entertaining, with a shock of very white hair providing many laughs.  His singing was still very pleasant.  I really enjoyed seeing him in person.

So...if you think you've seen everything, you probably haven't, unless you've been to the Palm Springs Follies with its "Thousand-Year-Old Chorus Line."  That statement is on the cover of the Follies Confidential, a National Enquirer type magazine we were handed as we entered.  It also touts an article about  the "World's Oldest Showgirl" who "must still work to feed 7 children and 13 grandchildren!"  She is supposedly the one who is 78!

I think once is plenty for me to see the Follies, but it was certainly a unique experience.

Same Old Resolution: New Approach

A post on Facebook this morning by my friend Deanne Hammons really grabbed my attention.  The article to which the post referred was by Lysa TerKeurst and regarded our age old nemesis: weight!  In discussing her struggle with ever increasing jean size, Lysa realized that there was a more important problem within her heart.  She said her weight was an outside indication of an internal situation.  Then she said, "Honestly, I might as well have taken Psalm 23 which talks about the Lord being my shepherd and my comfort and replaced His Name with various foods."  I identified with this concept, so I did just that.

1.      Food is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2, 3.  Doughnuts make me lie down in green pastures.  Ice cream leads me beside still waters.  Coffee    restores my soul.  Starbucks leads me in paths of righteousness for its name's sake.
 
4.      Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I am able to ignore all dangers, for    pizza is with me; chips and dip comfort me.

5.      Restaurants prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; they anoint my plate with any food I desire; they keep my glass filled to overflowing.

6.      Surely fatness and high cholesterol shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the
house of unhealthy misery forever.

This year of 2012, I do not want to crave food more than I crave God's presence in my life.  I do not want to turn to food to be the friend with whom I celebrate the good times.  I do not want to ever rely on food to be my comfort. 

Lysa suggested keeping a pocket sized notebook nearby.  When food is craved, ask "Am I really hungry or am I craving something else like comfort, peace, or a reward?" 

I just looked up "nemesis" in Webster's.  One of the definitions is: "An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome."  Weight is not a nemesis in this respect because, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13

Christmas Cards

A funny thing happened to me on my way to the mailbox Saturday, Christmas Eve. (No, I did not get run over by a reindeer.)  I was having a mental debate with myself as to whether or not I should stop sending Christmas cards.  (By the way--if you usually get a card from me and you didn't this year? I failed to notice that the boxes I bought only contained 12 cards!  So I ran out.)  Anyway, I decided maybe Christmas cards were for younger folks and out-of-town friends of us older folks, so maybe I should act my age and cease and desist.

Then...I opened the mailbox.  It contained 4 catalogs.  Not one Christmas card.  On Christmas Eve!  I was so deflated.  I LIKE getting Christmas cards.  They are so fun.  I even like Christmas letters of any length.

I changed my mind and will be sending cards next year. I've even already decided on the picture I want on the cards! I may buck the trend and send more than ever!  That is, if I remember to count the number in the boxes.  It may be down to 10 next year.

Magical Memories of Holiday Magic

For several years Susan was on the steering committee for the Arlington Junior League's annual Holiday Magic.  One of the perks of these jobs was that her daughter(s) got to model in the wonderful style show.  Here is Madeline doing her first gig.  (The photographer pointed out to us that at her young age she knew to make eye contact with the camera!)

And here she is in a later year with her little sister, Susannah baby!

I have two especially wonderful memories which make Holiday Magic magical to me.  Part of the fun of the event to the girls was getting to hang around the market area after the style show.  The first occurrence involved only Madeline.  In shopping around she found something for us that she felt we absolutely must have!  When we arrived, she immediately took us to show us.  Here is her great find, now hanging on my tree.

Yes, it's bride and groom ornaments for her grandparents who were a bride and groom almost 50 years before!  I don't know whether or not you can see it, but these ornaments were personalized.  I wonder if I was able to keep a straight face when I said, "That would be Mimi and Gaga."  Of course, now if I had a fire in my house, these ornaments just might be the first thing I would save! 

The second story came from that collection of memories that I jotted down but never got written in my special album.  It happened in a year that Susan was in charge of all the entertainment for Holiday Magic.  This meant she had to stay for the entire day after the luncheon and style show.  The girls wanted, begged, insisted upon staying also.  Here was the group: Chandler, 6th grade, Madeline, 3rd grade, Cassie, 3rd grade, Susannah, 1st grade,  and a younger girl named Olivia.  They ran around that market all day in a pack shopping, visiting, sampling the food (until Susan told them to quit), and just generally having a ball.  By evening, they were all totally exhausted.  Little Olivia, the baby of the group, broke down completely and was crying her eyes out.  Madeline wrapped her arms around her and said, "Don't worry, Olivia.  I feel like doing exactly the same thing."