The Evolution of Television

When I was a kid, we had a big, square TV that sat on a stand.  You had to turn the dial to get one of 4 or 5 stations.  We got channels 3, 5, and 8...the big networks.  There was PBS in the middle and then our favorite, channel 43.  That was the one that had cartoons after school.  We were very limited in our TV watching.  After school, we were allowed to watch one show.  That meant that my brother and I had to agree on something to watch together.  Anyone under the age of 30 has no idea the significance of Saturday mornings to a 1980's kid!  We had free reign on Saturday mornings.  We got up, probably around 8:00 and watched cartoons until they went off.  It seems like that happened around 10:00.  We were even allowed to eat breakfast in front of the TV.  That was a huge deal and made us love Saturdays so much more!  On Saturday nights, we ate dinner, took our baths, and I got pink sponge curlers in my hair for church the next morning.  My brother and I had to learn our memory verses.  We had to have all this done by the time The Muppet Show came on at 7:00 PM.  It was the best show of the whole week!  When it was over, we went to bed!  It was routine.  It was expected.  It was normal.

On occasion, something magical would happen on an unusual night.  There would be a SPECIAL on!  I can still remember the animated graphic of the word "Special" that would turn around on the screen.  It had some sort of techno/drum music that played with it.  When you saw that graphic come on, your anticipation heightened nearly to the extent of Christmas morning!  There were going to be cartoons on at night!  It might have been Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin.  It might have been The Cat in the Hat.  Whatever it was, it was pure bliss.  We would usually get with our cousins so we could all watch The Special together.  

My kids don't get that excited about anything in life!  They don't understand how spoiled they are!

When I got a little older, we were the first in the neighborhood to get a TV with a remote!  Wow, we were big time!  My dad broke his back and was confined to a hospital bed for six months.  My mom went out and bought him a TV.  I guess it was around that time, when I was 10, that we got a VCR!  Oh wow....the history of television changed forever!  I was always slightly jealous because we didn't have Beta Max, but VHS was perfectly acceptable.  Everyone wanted to come to our house to watch TV because my dad had a huge antenna on the roof.  We didn't mess with rabbit ears on top of our TV set...no ma'am.  That was small potatoes.  We also had added channels 61 and 19 by this time!  There was also channel 17, but I think that was mostly a Hispanic religious station.

On Sunday nights, the Disney Sunday Movie came on with host Michael Eisner.  We had church on Sunday nights, so we videotaped it.  My brother and I would watch those movies over and over.  We got to the point where we could quote them.  Some of our personal favorites were The B.R.A.T. Patrol, Mr. Boogedy, and Ask Max.  If anyone else has ever heard of any of those movies, I would really love for you to comment about it!!!

At this point of my life, I only knew two people who had cable.  One was a poor family in our church.  They lived in a crummy house, had shabby clothes, and even smelled bad.  But they had cable!  They would videotape countless movies and let us borrow them.  No matter how bad they smelled, I was willing to borrow those tapes!  The other person who had cable was my grandmother.  She lived next to a high-rise apartment building and could get no stations with an antenna.  She was forced to get cable.  This made going over to grandma's even more exciting!  She watched her "stories" during the day while she ironed.  As the World Turns was her program of choice.  But in the evenings, the cousins and I would watch Nickelodeon!  That was the greatest thing since sliced bread!  There was a show called You Can't Do that on Television where they would slime people for saying "I don't know."  More than anything, I wanted to meet Allister and get slimed!

As a teenager, the world of sitcoms broke out.  There were shows like Who's the Boss? and Growing Pains.  There was never a shortage of a good, family show to watch in the evenings.  A couple of my favorites were Small Wonder and Alf.  A couple years later, The Wonder Years premiered and it was our go-to Saturday night entertainment.

I miss those wholesome shows.

My parents never got cable.  They felt that it was an unnecessary expense.  After I got married, I felt I was grown up enough to make my own decisions about television viewing.  We got satellite.  Now, I'm not talking about the enormous, swimming pool sized dish that stood on a huge base in the back yard.  (My great uncle in Indiana had one of those....we could never actually find anything to watch on it, but we sure did enjoy seeing the dish rotate around to pick up different stations!)  Hubby and I got DirecTV.  Over the years, the cost grew and grew.  I eventually turned into my mother and realized that this expense was totally unnecessary!  I cancelled it.

Now, I don't think you can call it full circle, but we're back to having only the stations that we can pick up with our digital antenna.  To be honest, it's not much greater than that huge contraption my dad had anchored to the roof of our house.  It cuts in and out quite often, so we just don't watch TV much any more.  I've taken to reading instead.  Life is better, I'm happier.  TV is garbage.

Except for Downton Abbey.  Don't mess with my Downton Abbey!!!

Son #2 Update

Son #2 is quite a different character from his older brother.  We had serious concerns about him at one time.  He threw fits.  He didn't talk until he was older.  He didn't seem to want friends.  He was disruptive early in school.  We thought we were in for a tough road.  I have cried many tears over this child.  The word I would have picked to describe him best would have been difficult. 

Fast-forward several years.  Thankfully, he doesn't throw himself on the ground in public places, screaming.  He talks, but still not very much.  He's got some really amazing friends and they actually like him.  He's a straight A student and the favorite of many of his teachers.  I never imagined....

A few years ago, a mom friend of mine asked if #2 would be interested in joining their DI team. If you've never heard of Destination Imagination, it's quite interesting.  It's for kids from elementary all the way through university levels.  The teams choose from several challenges that vary in subject.  There are fine arts challenges, scientific, technical, service projects, and more. They are presented with this challenge and have specific rules they must follow.  In the end, they are given 8 minutes to present their solution, typically in the form of a skit.  The kids must do everything on their own without help from their coaches.  They build the set, make the costumes, write the script, etc.  Sometimes these presentations can be horribly boring and make little sense. 

#2 ended up joining a team made up of 3 girls and 3 boys.  These kids work together so well and really compliment one another.  B is kind of the leader of the group and is very technical.  C is very organized and helps everyone stay on task.  J is silly and outgoing and is a tremendous actress.  The other J helps write the script and also acts.  F is the muscle of the group and fills in wherever needed.  My kid has been elected the narrator of the group.  He has a very dry sense of humor and can be quite funny without cracking a smile.

Their first year, they did this presentation that didn't make much sense, but their technical execution was quite clever.  They placed at regional competition but didn't advance past states.

The second year, they wised up a bit and their skit was much more entertaining.  They built an amazing set, which was the innards of a whale.  They had ocean sound effects, lighting that resembled moving water, and a scent that smelled like the beach.  They won regionals, states, and advanced to Globals!  It was an amazing time!

This year, they chose a pirate theme.  Their set looked like it was built by a professional crew.  They built a cannon that made noise when it fired (one of the requirements of their challenge), had moving waves in front of their ship, and a sail that showed the results of the sound waves.  The girls made their pirate costumes and Son #2 was some kind of nerdy, old man narrator. 

At each competition, they also engage in an instant challenge.  They are given some sort of challenge and have just a few minutes to execute it.  Then they are sworn to silence and can't discuss it until after Globals.  Everyone has the same challenge.  Last year at Globals, the bombed their Instant Challenge and ended up placing 40-something.

This year, they won regionals and states and headed to Gobals once again.  It is held each year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  We loaded up the minivans and box truck and hauled all of our stuff down there.  The kids miss almost a week of school, which they love, and we have a great time.

This year, in addition to all the DI activities, we went zip lining and horseback riding!  Looking back at the photos, I still can't believe I actually did that!  It was incredibly amazing!  One of the boys wore a Go Pro camera as he zip lined!

Anyway, skip ahead.  On the day of our central challenge, we were one of the first of the day.  It was early and the kids had to get up super early to have everything ready.  We unloaded everything into the staging area and the kids started their presentation.  About 20 seconds into it, J froze.  She stared blankly ahead, grabbed her head, and stumbled.  It seemed like several minutes passed.  Finally, the other J just jumped ahead to her line and kept going.  The first J snapped out of it and picked right back up.  All our kids were shaken.  They kept it going but weren't as exuberant as usual.  Afterward, J cried and said she messed everything up.  She had recently experienced a concussion at a soccer game and we think her momentary blackout was a result of that.  The coaches were pretty deflated but the kids really supported her and lifted her up.

Instant Challenge was the next day and our kids rocked it out.  They felt like they achieved all the possible points.

Skip ahead to the closing ceremony.  The full size arena was packed with over 17,000 people from 17 countries!  Each state/country dresses in the same shirt and it looks like a rainbow around the arena.  They all wear funny hats that light up and it's an amazing sight when they turn out the lights!  We were really hopeful that we might make "The Big Board."  The top ten teams of each challenge get their name on the jumbotron.

Challenge B...it was our turn.  They show teams 7-10 on the jumbo screen.  Nope.  Then they show 4-6.  Nothing.  We were disappointed.  We would have to wait until after the ceremony to see our ranking online.  Then they announced the third place team.  From up in the nosebleed section, we got to hear our team's name and school called out!  We placed third!!!  Our kids got to run down to the floor and across the stage to receive their medals and trophy!  The other parents and I were jumping up and down, screaming!  It was an experience I'll never forget! No team in our district has ever placed at Globals! 

At the end of each challenge award, they present another award for the highest Instant Challenge score.  Again, it was our city and our team!  Our kids got to run across the stage for the second time and receive another medal!  We jumped and screamed again! 

We were on cloud nine for days afterward!  We were all over social media, there was an article in the local paper, and a local restaurant awarded our team with an ice cream social!  It's like our kids were small town celebrities!  It was so much fun and so awesome for my shy, awkward, anti-social son!

A couple days later, I went to DI's website, www.globalfinals.org, and found that our kids were the header picture for the closing ceremony!  Yep, my kid is the one in the middle with the crazy hat!  I was so proud he wore it on stage!  Following are some photos of the week.  Thanks for allowing me to brag for a few minutes and share this amazing experience with you.  It ranks in the top ten favorite memories of life!

2011 in Review

I heard someone say that she "names the year" each year.  Hers was The Year of Yes.  I thought about it and determined that I don't want to name my year.  First of all, I don't think there was one ongoing theme for the year.  If there was, it would probably be The Year of Yelling as I did quite a bit of that.  But who wants to remember their year by such a horrible name?  We'll just leave it nameless and do a recap of All Things 2011.

~January~
We had snow, warm feet, and sneak attacks by action figures.  I also spent a bit of time trying to figure out my odd neighbor.

~February~
I did a lot of cooking and baking.  I guess that's what happens when you get stuck in the house during the winter months.  (Let's hope it doesn't happen again this year!)  Some notable things I made were cinnamon rolls, broccoli cheese soup, and chicken tortilla soup.  I just love comfort food!  We also booked a train vacation that later ended up becoming a nightmare!  Valentine's Day was celebrated with homemade chocolates and a gift that was not very well received!

~March~
I tried some new things.  I made homemade sourdough bread, which was a lot of fun while it lasted.  I haven't made any in a while and I really need to get back to it!  I planted tomato seeds, which yielded a fabulous garden in the summer.

~April~
I went on vacation and organized a sting op around my mailbox.  I enjoyed the spring flowers as they blossomed.

~May~
I celebrated 15 years of marriage with a trip to Las Vegas and had bad photos taken.  I also coordinated a Mother-Daughter Banquet for nearly 200 guests.

~June~
I had a birthday and remembered my younger days.  In my younger days, there was no such thing as texting.  I planted a garden and cleaned out my basement.  I travelled to Niagara Falls and made some poor parenting decisions that had traumatic results.

~July~
I discovered where I'm from, made S'Mores cupcakes, and saw a girl nearly take her life.

~August~
Potato Stories were discussed; cell phone pics were aired.  I did a lot of venting that you surely don't want to read again.  I must have been pretty grouchy in August.

~September~
Our big train trip was nearly cancelled but was redeemed with only a few glitches.  The school called 911 for my daughter, I made my own salsa, and ran a 10K.

~October~
We painted a room during our Staycation and I discovered how much I love homemade tortillas.  I also began my new time-consuming hobby of couponing.

~November~
I wrote a letter to my 18-year old self, began a new sourdough starter, and made pies.

~December~
I got really busy in December.  I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit but finally found time to take my family's Christmas photos.  I also found time to bake up a storm and poke fun at Christmas Carols.

OK, maybe I will name the year...The Year of Busy! 

Stand By Me

I was home last night, lying on the couch just feeling blah.  Stand By Me, an old classic, came on TV.  Since I wasn't feeling too well, I laid there and watched the whole flick.  Every time I watch movies about writers, it makes me want to start a novel, a children's book, or whatever the main character is attempting to author.

The movie is about a boy and his three best friends.  It brought me back to my childhood and made me think of the people whom I would have considered to be in my "gang."  Do we still stand by one another?  I would say that my gang was most important to me from the ages of fourteen to sixteen.  Some of the guys even bought matching jackets from a popular teen clothing store.  The leader of our group had a black jacket and all the other guys got theirs in green.  A couple of the girls bought the same jacket in red and I wanted one more than anything.  My mom said I needed to let the guys have their thing and skip the matching jacket.  I was devastated.

Our leader is still around, married with a daughter, and his sister is here with two kids.  The person I considered to be my BFF got pregnant, married, and was left alone three weeks after the wedding.  One friend lives in Texas, another in Georgia, and two in Tennessee.  One girl moved away somewhere, and joined a folk band, of all things.

These people who were once my world are now scattered around the country.  Some of them I haven't spoken to in years.  I've seen some of them go through trials and devastation and have tried to stand by them.  A couple of them turned out to be exactly what I thought they'd be.

I look at my oldest son who is just beginning this stage in life.  Who will be his lifelong friends?  He doesn't seem to have that group yet like I had growing up.  Maybe it will come in time.  Who will he be- the leader, the nerd, the comic relief?  Above all, I just hope he makes the right decisions and chooses the right friends.  Who you hang out with can make you or break you in life.

That's How I Know

Some might wonder, how do you know you're still in love with your husband after all those years?  I'll tell you how I know.  It's the laughter. 

I call him at work every morning after I drop the last kid off at school.  (He always answers the phone, "Hello, Beautiful.")  This morning, we got talking about the way he used to dress when we were first dating.  This was in 1992, just under two decades ago.  I was a frizzy haired, Express leather jacket wearing, penny loafers clad, preppy girl.  He was scheduled to pick me up for one of our first dates.  We'd been out a few times but were still in the beginning process of our courtship.  I prepped for an hour.  I'm sure my hair was extra tall that day.  If you can believe it, I actually remember what I wore.  I was lookin' fine by 90s standards!

This tall, skinny, guy arrived to pick me up.  He was wearing an old t-shirt, a pair of royal blue sweatpants that said BRONCOS down one leg, and dirty Asic Gel tennis shoes with horribly huge tongues sticking out.  I took one look at him and wondered, What have I gotten myself into?  I happily climbed into his '80-something, black Grand Am and rode to the mall.  (Yeah, we had a lot of dates at the mall.)  It was that very shopping trip that I talked him into purchasing a brand new, stylish pair of Nikes.  I had a hard time being seen with a guy who wore Asics and sweatpants.

Years later, we were still together and I confessed to him that I used to be embarrassed by the way he dressed in the early nineties.  By this time, he was wearing Ralph Lauren sweaters and Structure jeans.  I fixed him.  He agreed that he didn't know what he was thinking and it became a big joke to us.

Again this morning, we got talking about the Broncos sweatpants.  I recently found them, stashed away in a box, when I was cleaning out the basement.  I cared enough to hide them from him but apparently had enough memories of them that I couldn't throw them away.  We laughed and laughed while he made fun of himself.  He said if it wasn't for me, he would be one of those people who goes to the grocery store in his pajamas (he knows that's a pet peeve of mine).  I said, "Well, you showed up for our date in your pajamas!  You know you were in bed sleeping in those sweatpants while I was getting ready.  You rolled out of bed, put gel in your hair, and picked me up!"  I love how we can laugh together about the old times!

Am I the only one who was once embarrassed by their future spouse's appearance???

The Airing of Dirty Laundry

I was talking to an old friend yesterday who was teasing me about my memory.  You see, I can remember things from eons ago down to the simplest of details.  But when it comes to something that happened last year, I'm lost.  I think my brain got more and more fried with the birth of each child.  At least that's what I claim.

The memory we discussed yesterday happened when I was 14.  It was my first year staying in the dorms at camp.  Oh, the dorms...the spider infested, mold covered, hot, sticky dorms!  You weren't cool unless you stayed in the dorms.  The dorms were a place where competition arose.  We were out to get those who were deemed popular just as they were out to get us.  The competition that exists between young teenage girls is another post for another day.

This friend of mine is several years older than I am and had graduated her dorm-staying days.  (You wise up when you reach a certain age and wonder what you ever saw in the dungeon-like dormitory.)  She, along with two of her friends, came to visit us younger girls in the dorm room they once inhabited.  For some reason, they had a trash bag full of dirty, smelly laundry that was the result of a mission trip out west.  Even worse, the damp laundry belonged to a man.  Jokingly, these older girls told us to put the laundry in the bed of someone from our competition.  I would have never done such a thing but laughed at the prospect of such an insane idea.

I had made friends with a girl from another part of the state.  Her name was Jamie and she ate dill pickle potato chips.  (There's my killer memory again.)  I can still remember how those dill pickle chips stunk up the entire dorm room.  She overheard the laundry conversation with our friends and took it upon herself to see the task through.  She was, in fact, part of the group that we saw as our competition.  Yet, we still liked her.  The room mother in charge of her group was an older, unmarried woman who strongly resembled a hound dog.  I never knew her name and still refer to her as Hound Dog to this day.  Jamie took the stinky laundry and spread it all over Hound Dog's bed.  She then replaced the quilt so that the prank would be discovered at a later time. 

Oh my...when the dirty laundry was discovered, I thought the world was going to end!  They brought the camp director into our dorm who personally interrogated each girl from the other side of our dorm room.  Jamie looked at him directly in the face and lied through her teeth.  Unable to lie, I stayed busy straightening up my area and acted disinterested in the situation.  Luckily, I was never directly put on the spot.

That night, the dirty laundry was aired before the whole camp.  Adults gasped in horror of children who would do such terrible things!  I even remember someone saying that devils and demons were certainly behind this event.  Half scared, half impressed, I fought both laughter and tears as the whole deal was completely blown out of proportion. 

Jamie was never discovered, the owner of the dirty laundry was never found, and my friends and I were never associated with the devilish prank.  But I can close my eyes and be right back in that dorm room, remembering every detail as if it just happened.  But I totally forgot about a photography assignment I promised a friend I'd do last week.  Oh well, at least I'm still half sane.

Do you tend to remember totally pointless details associated with events?

Red and Yellow, Black and White...

A generic picture I found online to convey this memory

When I was little, there was a weekly event at church that I eagerly anticipated.  It was called The Penny Parade.  Every Sunday morning, after Sunday School class and before dismissal, all the children would gather into the sanctuary for offering, the choir and special singing, and The Penny Parade.  Two very special children were chosen to stand in the front of the church to hold the special golden offering pans.  The organ would begin playing a song like Jesus Loves the Little Children.  At that cue, all the children of the world would march up to the front with hands full of loose change.  You dumped it into the offering pan with a huge smile on your face.  Then you ran back to your parents, so proud of your contribution.

It was a great activity.  It taught the children how to give cheerfully and made them feel that even their little bit of money was important.

This afternoon, the memories of Penny Parade were brought to mind.  I was helping Baby Girl clean up her blocks.  I held the bucket for her and started singing an old Penny Parade song.  It was a tactic my mom used to get us to clean up our toys.  One of us would hold the bucket/box/container while the other kid(s) would sing and pick up the toys.  It made clean up time more fun when you pretended you were repeatedly tossing pennies in the golden pan.  Baby Girl, however, did not know that the singing of that song was a signal to start cleaning up.  But I enjoyed the memory anyway.

I am a person who welcomes change, but The Penny Parade is one tradition I would excitedly bring back.  If I was in charge.

Things I Want to do Again

I have my computer's screen saver set up to run a slideshow of all my archived photos (and there are A LOT).  For quite a while yesterday, I just sat there watching the slide show.  And I came to the realization, I've done a lot of neat things in my life!  Maybe it's just the fact that this long, cold winter is dragging on and on, but I'm getting a little cabin fever.  I feel like getting out and doing something exciting!  So I thought it might be fun to post some pictures of some of the more interesting things I've done in life.  Please excuse the quality of some of the photos....they were taken before I had a nice camera!


This isn't exactly something I would want to do again but it was neat.
Once when we were out eating, a tornado came through our town and took down
these two pine trees in our front yard.  It was really surprising coming home to find this mess!

 

We got the opportunity to see American Idol on tour.
Carrie Underwood was my favorite performer of the night.

 

Hubby and I snuck backstage at a festival concert to see our favorite artist.
The thousands of people in the crowd were a sight to behold!



Hubby and I had the chance to see a Denver Broncos playoff game at Invesco Field.
I'm not really a fan but it was a once in a lifetime experience.
(My team of choice is too embarrassing to admit.)
I fell in love with the city of Denver during this trip!



A scenery pic from Denver

 

We were able to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary aboard the Disney Wonder.
That is definitely something I want to do again!



Brookgreen Gardens south of Myrtle Beach, SC is one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited!

 

Taking my very own Princess to Disney World was one of the best trips of my life!  This was the
only time we purchased the dining plan at Disney and it made the trip even more enjoyable!  I ate
like a crazy person that week (which you all know I love to do)!



A view from Dumbo

 

I will never forget the first time I rode a roller coaster with my son.  I was scared out of my wits
and screamed like a mad woman!  He was braver than me and held my hand the entire ride!

 

The week I got a new daughter and my first niece was such a special time!
This is a picture of the newborns together in their hospital bassinet.



This is a picture of my boys recording in the studio.
They are both fantastic singers and were featured on a children's CD.



Ah, New York City!  My first time...it was indescribable!



This was the day that 14 of my friends and I ran in a marathon together. 
We're doing it again this year!

Remembering...

I stumbled upon the blog of a woman who so eloquently retells stories from her childhood. She said that to remember what she ate for dinner the night before would be a challenge. But she easily recalls thoughts, sights, smells, and how things felt from years ago.

I'm the second from the left.

I do not write eloquently but I share her ability to remember things from the past in great detail. Sometimes I wonder if I truly remember these events of if they were created in my imagination and recalled as true history. For example, I honestly think I remember the day my newborn brother came home from the hospital. Since we are only two years and ten days apart, I would have been very young. I can see the bald, tiny baby, dressed in light blue, lying in a cradle. I was playing with a balloon, probably either a gift to my mother or the new big sister. I was very interested in this new baby brother - a playmate for me. I threw the balloon to him in the cradle but he didn't catch it. Floods of people ran to the aid of my baby brother and scolded me for trying to hurt him. I meant no harm; I just wanted to play. That was the day he first got me in trouble and he continues to be an occasional nuisance to this day. Could it really be a memory or did I simply have a vivid imagination as a small child?

I remember the first day of Kindergarten well. I can tell you what I wore, but I'm sure that's only because of pictures. I remember crying, not wanting to part from my mother. My aunt, who was also bringing my Kindergarten cousin, was trying to distract me. She turned on the record player quietly and started dancing. I don't think the dancing calmed my nerves but class started soon after that. At circle time, the teacher noticed that the record player was spinning. She casually asked the class why it was on. A student pointed at me saying, "Her mom turned it on 'cause she was crying." I was mortified and thought I was surely in trouble. The teacher simply smiled at me and went on with the day. I remember other special things she did that year and she ended up being one of my favorite teachers. I tell her that sometimes; I run into her often at our favorite restaurant - Chipotle. Thanks, Mrs. Kraft...you're one of my earliest and best memories!

Remembering...

Each time I sit down and remember my childhood, I think to myself, Wow, I had a great childhood! I'm glad I didn't grow up in the present day of video games, computers, iPods, and multiple televisions in each home. Today's kids are missing out on what being a child truly is, my kids included.

The family and I recently had the opportunity to visit a childhood location...a state park where I spent a week every summer of my life. Here is the kiddie pool and beach where we used to spend hours and hours. My mom would sit on a lawn chair or blanket in the grass (there was no fence back then) while she watched us. Days would go on forever. A picnic would refresh us when famished. Sometimes I would give anything to relive one of those days. True bliss.

Grandma's Potato Salad

I made Grandma's potato salad today. Wow, does that bring back memories! I haven't had it in many years and I only attempted to make it one other time. It wasn't good.

Grandma always brought potato salad to any family event. Hers was by far the best in the whole world and no one could make it like her. (Some thought they could, but NOPE!) Mom made the best macaroni salad, Aunt E made the best almond chicken, Nanny made the best ham, and I made the best chocolate chip cookies. But no one could touch Gram's potato salad!

We noticed Gram was starting to slip when the potato salad started tasting differently. She forgot the celery. She added apples this time (what's up with that?). She added powdered creamer (which actually tasted quite well). Then eventually, Grandma stopped making potato salad. The last time she made it, Gramps had to follow her around the kitchen and ask questions like, "Now, don't you put eggs in that? First we have to boil them."

Gram is still with us but is suffering from pretty severe dementia. So in a way, "she" is not really with us. The Grandma that we all loved and admired has turned into a different person. But we still love and admire her. I think she's my favorite person who ever lived. That's why I named my first daughter after her.

How is my potato salad? It's not Gram's. I put too many onions in it. (Aww, man!) I wish I had the pretty cut glass dish she used to always put it in. I just might have to ask for that next time I go see her. Maybe I'll take her some potato salad.

This is one recipe I can't share with you. It's Gram's and it's special.