Birthday Celebrations: No Big Fuss

This year my birthday was on the second to the last day of February (I only get to say that once every four years!): February 28 — the same day as my brother's birthday. No, we aren't twins. Joel was born two years after me.

When we were young, it was often a challenge having the same birthday. There were times we received presents to share, and we also shared a cake. When we were little, we would blow the candles out together; in later years, they would be lit for Joel to blow out first, then re-lit for me. We always shared our birthdays.

Now that we are adults, we are no longer together for our special day. In fact, this year, Joel was in Germany with his son. We texted while he was sitting in a Chinese restaurant, eating his birthday dinner. No big fuss for him this year but he said the food was excellent.

There was no big fuss for me either. Steven happened to have the day off from work, so we spent the day together, walking around the Southern Spring Show in Charlotte. We bought a beautiful handmade cutting board made from reclaimed wood. From another vendor, we purchased some balsamic vinegar infused with strawberries. We came home and I made a white pizza for supper: no big fuss, just a calm day with my husband.

Actually, as I sit here and recount the day, I realize that in a way, Joel and I do still share our day together. Every year we talk and have a bit of a celebration conversation. February 28 is something we will always have in common, even when we are separated by an ocean.

Going Down a Rabbit Hole

A memory marker is something that reminds me of a story. Memories that may be way in the back of my brain that I’ve not though about in years come flooding back when one of my senses gets hit with something that reminds me of that past event or story.

It happened this morning. I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a picture of Gumby. Gumby is a stop-motion animated clay character. When I was a kid, Gumby and his side kick, Pokey, came on every weekend on tv. Seeing that picture this morning was a memory marker that took me down a rabbit hole – come go with me.

When I saw Gumby, I thought of a particular episode when Gumby asks his mother if he can have some crackers and milk. That reminder took me to my father: he loved Premium saltine crackers with hard cheese or sometimes just a little butter. When I was a kid there were times my father and I would sit and have a “coffee break” together. Daddy would pull out the Premium saltines and some cheese or butter. He would pour himself a cup of coffee (from the percolator not a coffee maker), I would get a glass of chocolate milk, and we would sit and have a “coffee break” together.

That memory lead me to the black and white sandwich cookies he would buy. They were always in the house. He would get a couple, put them in his pocket, and we would walk around the yard a bit before sitting to have a picnic with those cookies. He continued that tradition with his grandchildren; my kids and I named those cookies “Grandpa cookies.”

That memory directed me to my new granddaughter, Jubilee. When little Jubilee says, “Grandmommie, tell me a story,” I’ll be sure to have a cookie in my pocket.

Little Foot has arrived!!

I’m a grandmother!! Little Foot arrived surrounded by excitement from the entire family. Even though we were all scattered  from coast to coast and in different time zones when Little Foot was born, we all rejoiced together.

Steven, Carmen, and I were in the waiting room of the hospital in the wee hours of the morning anticipating the birth of a tiny one. Genette and Abe (our daughter and son-in-law) had decided to keep Little Foot’s name a secret until she was born. Abe kept us informed throughout the night by coming out and updating us every hour while Genette was in labor. Then when baby arrived Abe relied on modern technology: texting.  My phone buzzed: Little Foot had arrived and mother and baby were ok. Still we had no name.

As we were on pause for nearly an hour in the waiting room a notification came across the loud speakers, “Code Blue 4th Floor. Code Blue 4th Floor”. We were on the 4th floor, so my heart sank and I began to pace, I sent a text back to Abe asking if all was ok; he did not reply. I waited. About 15 minutes later Abe came out and said, “Are you ready to meet your granddaughter?” I took a deep breath and calmed myself and prayed for the recipient of that Code Blue.

After some hugs, we all went back to meet our brand new special little being. Genette and the baby were lying in the bed together.  We all ooo-ed and ahhh-ed and then Genette said, “Are you ready for her name?” and of course we all were!

“May I introduce to you Jubilee Elizabeth Dahlby”.

Jubilee. What a gift for Christmas this year. With the ups and downs of the past couple of years we were all ready for a little Jubilee, and that is exactly what we got.

Here are a couple of pictures of little Jubilee.

Waiting for Little Foot

I am in Virginia at my daughter and so- in-law’s house. My daughter is pregnant and expecting her first child and as it is with many first time pregnancies she is overdue. We were all expecting Little Foot (baby’s nickname) to come in November but now for sure she is going to be a December baby.

I have been here for several days to help prepare for the new little one but Steven and Carmen (my husband and our youngest daughter) are still in Charlotte, which is a 4-hour drive from here. We have been talking scenarios with family about when they will be coming up. You know what I mean: all of the ‘what if’s’.

What if Genette goes into labor at 2 am, will you both get on the road then or wait for daylight?

If she doesn’t go into labor until the weekend what will your plan be then?

Are you both coming together?

What if…?

Of course, we have no idea what is really going to happen but this is what life and story are all about: asking ‘What if?’ and waiting to see what happens.

Goose & Gander

My dad used to have a phrase – actually he had a lot of phrases – but one in particular that came to mind today was, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” My mother altered the phrase to fit her perspective: “What’s good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.” Depending on the situation, I can agree with both of those statements.

Yesterday I went ‘gandering’ (pun intended) through a thrift store and found a couple of items that I could use. Then I scanned through the book section of the thrift store and spotted a 1948 copy of Grandfather Tales by Richard Chase. I was so excited I scooped up that book and paid the $2.00 cost. Richard Chase did research in Appalachia and wrote down the old folktales and legends that were told to him by the people of the mountains, quite a gold mine for this storyteller and puppeteer. 

One might say of the person who donated the book, “they didn’t know what they had,” but I rather think,  “What is no longer good for the goose gets passed along to the gander.”