A VISIT FROM THE LITTLE MAN!

TW spent the day with me on Saturday so that mom, Sarah, could visit with her friend who has a new baby.

We had a great time. I made him breakfast and found out he loves sausage and had two along with applesauce, biscuits, sorghum and milk. He will not eat eggs! When he does not like or want something, he just says "no" and hands it back to you or pushes it away.

We played outside with his wagon. This time he wanted to pull the wagon all around the yard and not ride in it. Nana had bought a couple water guns and he thought that was great fun but had trouble reaching the trigger on the gun.

He is still not quite tall enough to open the patio door by himself but he never fails to try!

Nana's shoes are still too big!

He absolutely loves that Disney movie, "Cars" and we watched that along with an Elmo movie.

TW is really into his cars and trucks now and plays with them constantly. He will be two on June 6, and I plan to make him a birthday cake and put the little cars from the movie on it.

Nap time lasted over two hours but he is used to taking a nap at daycare.

He is always glad to see Mommy return and blows me kisses when they are leaving. We had a great visit and a great day. He will be back on June 6 to spend the night with me on his birthday.

That look in the picture on the left just melts Nana's heart!

A SHORT TRIP TO VIVAY!

Bob and I decided to take a short trip this week just to get away for a few days. The weather here has been beautiful and in the high 70s and low 80s. We decided to drive up to Vevay, Indiana. Vevay is a small town that is trying to build up its tourist trade. It sits right on the river and the whole town is a mile long with only one stoplight. The drive is about an hour and a half from my house. I was ready to go somewhere after two straight weeks of rain, rain, rain!

We had breakfast in a small restaurant on Main Street where everyone knew everyone else in there and a full breakfast cost all of $3.50. There was one waitress and the lady cooking looked to be in her 80s. The food was great.

After breakfast, we ventured out to walk around the town and see the sights.

The Mercantile Shop carried all handmade items from the local people.

There was a sidewalk cafe for lunch and the local radio station pipes music onto Main Street all day.

The Amish Shop featured their goods and antiques. That's Bob under the sign. The puppet in the picture was looking for a good home.

The architecture of some of the buildings was awesome and the court house was built during Civil War Days. A rose garden and Farmer's Market surround the old court house.I saw this sign posted on the side of a shop in Vevay. I could not resist taking a picture. The owners must not be fans of the Clintons! The sign says, "Hillary and Bill belong in the big house, not in the White House!" There is a wonderful Riverfront Park with a playground for children and picnic area and benches along the river where you can sit and watch the boats. I saw this race car on the playground and immediately thought of my 23 month old grandson, Thomas Wyatt. He loves the Disney movie, "Cars", and he would love playing in this one.
Bob and I watched the boats and this tugboat came down the river pushing a barge loaded with coal.

This is such a laid back little town that I felt like I was in Mayberry and Andy and Barney might appear any minute. It was the perfect place to relax, talk to local people and shop keepers and enjoy the wonderful weather.

We have decided to take several short trips or day trips in the near future. I enjoy working in the yard at home and usually if I go on a big vacation I am ready to come home in a few days so this works well for us.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy three day weekend.

CLOTHES ON THE LINE

There is nothing that smells any better to me than fresh sheets straight from the clothesline.

When my children were small and we lived way out in the country on a farm, I used to hang nearly all my wash outside to dry.

I loved seeing the clothes blowing in the wind and we all did it back then.

I think the poem below says it all.

The Clothesline

by Marilyn K. Walker.

A clothesline was a news forecast

To neighbors passing by.

There were no secrets you could keep

When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link

For neighbors always knew

If company had stopped on by

To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets and towels on the line;

You'd see the comp'ny tablecloths

With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth

To folks who lived inside

As brand new infant clothes were hung

So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could

So readily be known

By watching how the sizes changed

You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,

As extra sheets were hung;

Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,

Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"When lines hung limp and bare.

It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged

With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon

If wash was dingy gray,

As neighbors raised their brows, and looked

Disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past

For dryers make work less.

Now what goes on inside a home

Is anybody's guess

I really miss that way of life.

It was a friendly sign

When neighbors knew each other best

By what hung on the line!

I have a drying rack that I use to hang some stuff on and in the summer I put it on the back patio in the sun just to get that wonderful smell. I think we will see more and more clotheslines in the future with the recession. I am seriously thinking of getting one for my backyard.

Some of my fondest memories of home and being a child is of clothes drying on the line.

Do you have a clothesline or memories of a clothesline?