Jan 24

A Little Drive

I headed over to Kalamazoo today, to retrieve our three “little” grandchildren. It’s a happy occasion, Sesame Street Live is playing at the Fox Theater. Since the oldest of the “little” grandchildren was 3 or so, I or we or whoever have made one of those shows with some combination of them. the year GD2 was an infant, I spent most of the show standing in the wings at the side of the crowd half walking, half rocking. Every time she’d get almost to sleep, the music would change and she would rouse up to see what was happening.

I’m sometimes asked about the “little” designation. GS3 and his sisters are the children of D2 and her husband, and on the young end of our five grandchildren, and I’ve always called them little, to distinguish from the older two. Our “little” grandchildren are soon to be 9, 6 and 4, not as little as I think of them. The oldest two, who are now almost 20 and almost 17, are the sons of D1. Time marches on.

Anyway, there are after school activities, so I’ll have to drive home with the kids beginning at six or so this evening. I hope we don’t get any more snow!

Friday night, we’ll see a great bluegrass show at OCC: III Tyme Out is appearing. I believe they have been a part of that series since we first starting attending it. I’m glad the kids will be with us for the show. The last time we saw the group at this series, my Mom was able to attend. We used her wheelchair, and I sat toward the back with her, but she seemed to have a good time. GD1 was with us that show, also. GS3 asked a lot of questions about the show, and I know GD2 will like Steve Dilling’s banjo! GS3 sometimes asks me, when we’re headed for a show, “Will it be real bluegrass with a banjo?” There is just something about that Earl Scruggs roll that distinguishes bluegrass from any old music.

Saturday, we’ll hang around here. We’ll stuff Sally’s pillows so they can go home with the kids. I noticed advertising for a winter carnival in Rochester, if the weather is favorable, maybe we’ll go there. Sunday, Papa and I will drive the children part way home, meeting their parents in Lansing.

Monday, I’ll sleep all day!

Jan 22

Growing Up?

D2 called last night to let me know that GD2 had ambition, perhaps more than we realized.  The cute little one was wearing a dress that I made for her older sister.  D2 said, how big you’re getting, to wear this dress Grandma made.  GD2 replied, “Soon I will grow big enough to wear Grandma’s clothes.”  I guess when you grow into most things you wear, you look forward to the next level.  She’s got quite a ways to go, and what she doesn’t know is that I wear my clothes out, there is nothing left to hand down! 

Years ago I was complaining about not being able to reach the top shelf of the cupboard, and GS2 said, “You’ll be able to reach it next year.”  He was shocked to learn that I wasn’t getting taller every year.  After all, he was, and so was his brother. 

Our prospective, the way we view the world,  is such an ingrained part of who we are, we forget that it’s different for others. 

Jan 21

The Dresses

You remember the dresses, don’t you?  If you don’t, GD1 and GD2 are going to be flower girls.  The wedding isn’t until June, but I’m a worry wart.  The dresses have a colored sash, which is called “orchid”, but which looks like blue on my monitor, and let me know what color on yours.  Knowing that the sash is the same color as the bridesmaids dresses, and remembering that most brides are fussy and emotional, I splurged and purchased a yard of the absolute correct satin from a bridal store.  So, the sash color will perfectly match the “big girls” dresses.  The bride sent me a sample of the ivory satin that the dresses need to match.  Yesterday, coupons in hand, Papa and I toured the local fabric stores.

Talk about an adventure.  I don’t believe I made any formals when our daughters were in High School, probably because I was always working, and sometimes midnights.  At store one, we couldn’t get close to matching the satin, and when I asked if more satin fabrics would be coming in, they said no.  Folks, this is January.  What do people make their prom dresses out of these days?

At store number 2, we searched and searched and finally found an acceptable match, and there was beautiful matching Tulle for the overlay.  We got it all, including lining for the top and the petticoats that will be needed and smiled happily.  But, there were no ribbon roses in the color of the sash material.  According to instructions, the dresses need to have ribbon roses sewn on the tulle over-skirt.

At the craft store, we found white ones, and some others that also didn’t match.  Papa said, “Can you dye them?”  Well I knew I couldn’t, but D3 knows how do dye things.  So we headed for the dye section.  Nothing even close.  But, there was fabric paint in a matching color.  So, I bought the paint and the white ribbon roses.  During football, I painted them.  They came our remarkably well, aren’t I lucky?

I put the fabric and all away.  The dresses can’t be made until April, since the GD’s grow so fast.  I’m going to use the pattern to make Easter dresses, to check the fit.  After all, they should be perfect, shouldn’t they?

Jan 18

Do Something

Sometimes I have a hard time getting things moving around here.  this is one of those days.  Usually, when I can’t really decide  to do, or can’t start something  I clean.  And clean I have.  The place is vacuumed, the floors are dusted and mopped, the stairs are vacuumed, the dishes are washed and I’ve got something done.  For what it’s worth.

Jan 17

D*** that Blog Roll Thing

I want it to sort one of my categories with the NEWEST first.   My problem is with the “Listening To”, I want you to see what I’m listening to when I write, not yesterday’s, or last week’s.  Ick.  I’ve got an idea, though.  It won’t be pretty, but I’ll bet it will work. 

There, I did it.  It’s ugly, but it worked.  Like I wrote, ignore the numbers, they are nothing, absolutely nothing!

Jan 16

Sally’s Pillows

I may have written about Sally, but lately she’s really been on my mind.  One reason, a number of her sewing and craft items are here.  I am the logical storage location for the sewing supplies, materials and patterns, I love to sew, and I do so often.  However, I’m not crafty, not at all.

Sally made pillows, and her needlepoint tops, with Christmas or winter themes, were missing from the “craft” items.

D2 kept them herself, and recently sent me eight which need to be completed.  I want GS3, GD1 and GD2 to be here to help on them, so we can talk about Grammie, and missing her, and the wonderful things she did.

Last night I decided I could get Sally off my mind by completing the pillows, or getting ready to do so.  I dragged out all the fabric I had set asside from Sayy’s stash for the project.  I decided quickly which she had intended to use and put the rest back.  That was the easy part, the hard part is actually doing it.  Memories are raging around in my head, and I wonder if I can even finish this job.  But, it’s been in my dining room for a couple of weeks, and I have to do it. Today. I made the backs for the needlepoint, and I’m going to make the welt and sew them together today.    I will leave an opening to stuff them, for when the kids are here.  Sesame Street Live is next week, so I’m going to retrieve them on Thursday, after school.  We will attend Sesame Street Live Friday morning, and see IIIrd Tyme Out at OCC on Friday night.  Saturday, we’ll stuff the pillows.

The sad part is knowing that it’s not for Sally, it’s for us.

Jan 15

Late Night

Well, we drove to Maumee, Ohio and saw the Wildwood Valley Boys last night.  They did their usual great show.  Mike Adams is handling the sound for that series, and it sounded good from our seats. 

Getting home wasn’t a lot of fun.  I lost track of the accidents just after we got into Michigan.  Lots of people don’t realize snow is slippery, I guess.  It took a long time to get here, and I’m tired this morning.

Jan 14

Like Father, Like Son

All the Grandmas like to see things like this:

This is one of Larry and Lisa Efaw’s grandsons.  I understand the little guys received little guitars and fiddles at Christmas.  This one loves to be on stage.  Emcee Charlie  Patton made sure this one was out front were we could all get a good look.  He was sawin’ on that little fiddle before they came on.  He kept it right up, never stopping until his Mom lured him to the side of the stage and grabbed him.

Take a close look here, to see why playing that fiddle is important to that little boy:

Playing the bass, you can see that boy’s Daddy, playing the mandolin, his uncle Stanley.  Stanley was a small, cute, blond, but formidable presence on stage just a few years ago.  At the mic, on guitar is grandpa Larry himself, and great-grandpa Ed Efaw is at the end on the other guitar. 

It’s a rare child who doesn’t strive to mirror his parents actions.  The good actions, the not-so-well thought out actions, everything we do.  Remember that, we’re all always on stage.  Every day, all day.

Papa will have his the photos from the weekend done soon.  We’re taking tonight off from photo editing to see Tony and Aubrey Holt play down in Maumee, Ohio.  Catch their great show if you can.

Jan 13

Dailey and Vincent ’08

Somewhere around here I have a campaign style button with the slogan you see above on it.  I acquired this simple button, which carries a strong message, in Nashville at the IBMA  back in October.  Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent made an appearance and began their united careers using several simple techniques to capture fan attention.  Those who don’t know the backgrounds of these formidable musicians can research that themselves; try a Google search.  Think Vincent, the Sally Mountain Show, Rhonda; think of the “Doyle Lawson” effect, impeccable harmonies, discipline, honesty, hard work, talent, perhaps even genius.

We attended Larry and Lisa Efaw’s Winterfest bluegrass show Friday and Saturday and saw a lot of good music, including the fourth show of the new Dailey & Vincent band tour.  Add Jeff Parker (the Lonesome River Band, Renfro Valley); Adam Haynes (James King, Continental Divide); and relative newcomer Joe Dean to the mix and these guys have something going.  We’d heard some of the music on Sirius, but the impact of their performances themselves was profound.  Still, to me, the best of their show was the tunes Darrin and Jamie did by themselves, with just guitar and mandolin.  These guys know music, and they can sing and perform.  Get ready, get set, see them soon.  Get the CD.  Hear a sample here.

Jan 11

We’re Off!

We are headed for Perrysburg Ohio, just south of Toledo later this morning. A indoor festival has been held there for years. With Larry and Lisa Efaw at the helm, the show is on the way up. This year, the Daily-Vincent band, Bobby Osborne the Hart brothers and many more are playing. It was a hard choice for us, we are missing a show in Kalamazoo Michigan which features the Grascals, Detour and more. And our friend, Mike Adams, is playing at the Huron Valley Eagles Saturday.

Speaking of that, here’s the way we are thinking. Local. If there is a show of interest close to home, we select it. If there is a show in Michigan, we select it. It was hard to decide between Kalamazoo and Perrysburg but Perrysburg is closer. And we had those tickets bought before Mike scheduled the Eagles gig. I feel that if we don’t support our local events they will have a harder time continuing. Support live music, locally!

You’ll see a lot of information about Michigan bluegrass shows here over the next months, especially as the outdoor season ramps up. You’ll never see so much music for so reasonable a price. Think about it. If you are interested in what bluegrass might sound like, rush over to MySpace, click a few of my friends and find out. You can also search for bluegrass and music on MySpace, or Google, or any other search engine and find plenty of samples.

Check out something in your neighborhood soon, and check back here for a report on the weekend!