Laurie Jackson's Blog, page 26

Character Building Experience

Being in a new area, my husband and I have met a few people in our neighborhood. One gentleman has stood out, though. Chet is an 80 year old man that I met while my husband and I were in our yard. His yard runs into our yard with no fence in between. He strolled up to us and said howdy, introduced himself and welcomed us to the area.  If we needed anything to just let him know. He became very friendly and talkative. My husband, Alex, and I found out that Chet was an electrician by trade. He still does electrical work six hours a day a couple of times a week.

He told me his age and that he had had a heart attack a few months back. Since then, he has learned to love life and to appreciate the small things. Since that day of meeting Chet, I have noticed that he is always doing something for someone. He had a huge garden this year. He and his wife offered us tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and green beans.

We didn’t have a lawn mower when we first moved here. Chet and his wife cut our yard for us. He said he was just being neighborly and happy to help us out. I see him every now and then on his lawn mower going down the street. We have chickens that are free range. He told us not to worry about chasing the chickens out of his yard. He wants them to eat the bugs.

Chet has touched my life and has taught me to appreciate life.

Autumn Leaves

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! The yard is filled with leaves that have let go of the limbs that were holding them to the trees. Raking leaves may be a task that some people do not like. Me? I don’t mind raking leaves because then I can jump into the huge pile and have some fun. :)

I love this time of year. Bonfires, hoodies and football games-is there anything better? Oh my gosh, and hot chocolate and s’mores-can’t forget those!

Sitting outdoors writing this, I can feel ‘the change’ in the weather. The air feels cooler now. Trees are truly beautiful this time of year.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Laurie Jackson :)

Brevity Pulls

She continues to smile even though tears flow behind her eyes.

post a day

Delayed Contact

If I met my siblings today for the first time, I would get along great with some and not so well with others. I have five sisters and two brothers. If I met my oldest sister for the first time today, I feel that she and I would get along really great. Growing up with her, I always felt that she was my protector. She has the attitude and personality that she puts others ahead of herself. If I met my older brother for the first time today, he and I would not get along at all. He would be nice to you one minute but stab you in the back the next minute. He would be the type of person I would avoid having in my life.

Have a wonderful day!

Laurie Jackson

Be Brief – Love Letter

Today I took a walk down a trail I had never been before. As I walked, my mind was full of thoughts of what I would write about today. Something caught my eye to the side of the trail. I looked down to see and it was a folded piece of paper. I picked it up and opened it. It was a love letter a soldier had written to his wife. I started to cry because I had been married to a soldier once. He went off to war and never returned. In my heart, I felt that this letter was from him written to me.

God bless!

Laurie Jackson

Ready, Set, Done

Good afternoon Everyone!

Sure hope you all are having a wonderful day! I know I am. Have you counted your blessing today? I try to count my blessings every day. I have been blessed with five wonderful, healthy kids. I have one grandson so far. He is so much fun and so precious. It’s hard for me to believe that he is five years old and in kindergarten! He is definitely his dad’s son. I have four sons and one daughter. With this being my second marriage, I have been blessed with four more children. Nine kids between my husband and me. Thank goodness they are all adults. I do not think I could have handled raising that many together :).

I love being a grandma. There is nothing better than being a grandma.

I love to spend time outdoors. I used to work for a golf course. I was the assistant to the head horticulturist. We did everything from planting to mulching to watering and weeding. Being outdoors before the sun came up some mornings was awesome! It made me appreciate life more. Life is short anyway. Try to enjoy it more. Tell and show those you love just how much you do love them. Count your blessings. Appreciate the small things. Always be positive. Sure hope the sun shines down on you always.

May God bless you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a super wonderful day! :)

Laurie Jackson

Serially Lost

I lost my little sister over 26 years ago. She was only 11 years old when she lost her battle with cancer. She was 18 months old when we found out she had retinoblastoma–a rare disease of the eyes. She had a tumor behind her right eye. It was so huge that her eye was red. She had immediate surgery to remove the tumor and her right eye. She went to the children’s hospital in St. Louis for chemotherapy and radiation treatment. During her short life, she touched so many people’s lives, including mine. She loved rainbows and hugs. Not once did I hear her complain about anything. She always had a smile and a positive attitude. Since her passing, I have learned to enjoy and appreciate life itself. My baby sister has definitely left her mark on me.

My Grandparents’ Home

My dream home would have been my grandparent’s home. If I could go anywhere right now, I’d go there. It was an old two story farmhouse. There were steps to take you up on the porch. Through the front door, was a long hall. It was long enough to slip and slide on with just wearing socks. To the left was a huge living room with light brown panel walls, ten foot ceiling and wood floor. We watched many Lawrence Welk shows in the living room. Grandpa loved to dance. Every Sunday afternoon, he would play an album of waltzes. He taught me and my sisters how to waltz. It was a pleasure to watch Grandpa and Grandma twirl around the living room floor waltzing.

To the right of the hall was what Grandma called the front room. We were never allowed in that room unless company came visiting. This room had a ten foot ceiling, too. The walls were also paneled. The floor was wood. A single window hung on one wall. Grandma used this room to make her quilts.

Walk through the doorway opposite the one you walked through before would have been the master bedroom. The walls were painted and the ceiling was not as high as the front room. There were two windows and a door that led outdoors. Off the master bedroom was the Blue room because the walls were blue. The floor was tile. There was a large window on one wall. Continue through the blue room, there was a short hallway. To the right was the bathroom. There was one window but to open it, one had to move the plants out of the way. The floor was tile. There were two mirrors opposite each other because Grandma fixed her hair in the bathroom.

Going out of the bathroom, turn right and there sat the telephone in its special little box out of the way. At the end of the short hallway is the kitchen. It is massive. The floor was tile and the walls were painted. There was a window above the sink. The ceiling was about eight feet high. In the middle of the room sat a long wooden table. The kitchen always smelled of baked goods. Grandma loved to bake breads, pies and cookies. Her stove was not that huge, though.

There was a second story with three large bedrooms. The walls in each room had bead board on them. The middle bedroom had two windows. The outer bedrooms had three windows. One bedroom was full of stuff and we were not allowed in that room. The other bedroom was my uncle’s room. The view from my uncle’s bedroom was of the barnyard.

The basement was concrete. One part of the basement was as long as the house from end to end. There was a doorway that led into the furnace room. Grandpa and Grandma heated their house with wood. It was usually so warm in the house during the winter that a person could wear shorts. I loved the wood smoke smell in the house. Off the furnace room was a wine cellar or a root cellar. Grandma kept her canning jars in there. The entire room was brick with a curved ceiling.

I have many, many memories of my grandparent’s home. Thank you for stopping by.

Laurie Jackson

Silly Me!

Good morning!

I am loving this weather! I can’t believe we are already into September. I love Autumn! Leaves change color and the weather cools off. It’s nice having the windows open. I love the fresh air in the house!

Has anyone ever popped your shoulder out of place? I have. It happened last night while trying to eat dinner. I was holding my plate with my left hand. I reached across with my right hand to grab my glass. Next thing I know I am in a horrific pain! I felt sick to my stomach and I truly thought I was going to pass out. I am grateful that Alex was there to help me. Somehow, we managed to get my arm back in place. Poor Alex thought I was having a stroke or a heart attack. He took me to the emergency room in Macon. I had three x-rays taken. The doctor was surprised that Alex and I were able to get the arm back in place. Today, my arm is a bit tender. I just hope it never happens again!

Hope you all have a super wonderful day! God bless!

Laurie

Empty Nest!

Hi Everyone,

I am sitting outdoors trying to get some homework done. My mind keeps wandering to memories of my kids. I truly miss each and every one of them. Yes, they are all adults and yes, they don’t need their Mama as much anymore. I miss the days when they were young and innocent. I have always tried to make sure my kids came first. To me, that’s just the way it was supposed to be. My mother was a stay-at-home mom and it was nice coming home to her. I can’t remember my mother EVER putting herself first. 

So now, even though Alex and I have lived in Callao for almost a year, it’s still kind of hard living this far from my children. I have to admit that the first few months I cried and I was depressed. Trying to get used to the fact that my children are adults and they need their own lives. I am so proud of each of them. 

If those of you who are reading this, and you have your kids still with you, enjoy having them around. Before you know it, your child will have grown up without you even realizing it. 

As I sit here listening to the neighbor’s dog howl, I wonder and think where have those years gone? 

If you are going through the empty nest syndrome, don’t be ashamed or feel foolish. It’s real. Trust me when I say, crying helps. For me, writing and walking are two sources that work for me.

Enjoy your kiddos! Hug your kiddos! Tell your kiddos you love them daily!

Have a super day!

Laurie