Back in the Saddle

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

When we leave Arizona to return to Colorado I’m always asked if I am sad to be leaving or simply ecstatic to be coming back to Denver. Truthfully, the answer is both. And it doesn’t matter which direction I’m heading. I always have mixed feelings. That’s really a good thing, though. It means I have a pretty darn good life.

But the one thing that I can almost take to the bank is that no matter which direction we’re heading, the house we’re coming home to will need some work. If you own a house, you know that it’s always something. A broken garbage disposal; woodpecker holes in your siding; the dishwasher doesn’t work; the foliage is looking sad. And when you are blessed enough to own two houses, it’s always something times 2.

I sent an email to our neighbors early last week letting them know that we would be home by week end. I got a pleasant email back from one of our neighbors wishing us safe travels and alerting us to the fact that Denver had gotten a lot of rain lately and foliage was springing forth all over. That was code for “your grass is so long that small dogs might get lost in it.”

The whole way from Arizona to Colorado, Bill kept stewing about what our yard looked like. “I think I’ll wait until tomorrow to start working on it,” he said.

Unlikely, I thought. And, of course, I was right.

We pulled up to what I can tell you was what my mother would have called a God-awful mess. The grass was mid-calf, the rocks were full of weeds, and the bushes that line the front of our house were totally brown as though dead. (I’m happy to say that upon closer inspection, there are green shoots, providing us with a ray of hope.) And that was just the front yard. The back yard was almost as bad, with the worst section being the play area which was totally overcome with weeds and grass.

The lawn, however, was lush and green, thanks to the rain.

We barely got the car unloaded when I heard Bill starting up the lawn mower. There was nothing I could do to stop him. And mowing a lawn with grass that long is no easy matter. But he finished up in time to watch the gates open in the Kentucky Derby, and the arrival of our first grandkids.

Cole gave Nana some much-appreciated snuggles.

Court, Kaiya, Mylee, and Cole came to see us and to have dinner with us. I wasn’t surprised to see the girls were very happy to see us. I was overjoyed, however, to see that Cole (who turns 1 this very day; happy birthday Cole!) was happy as well. Since he was only seven months old when we left, I wasn’t sure he’d even know my face. I think their January visit and FaceTime calls helped. He not only came to me with a smile, but he laid his head on my shoulder, making me the happiest nana alive.

After dinner, Court went home because Kaiya was feeling poorly. So we headed over to see our second set of grandkids.

Adelaide, Alastair, Dagny, and Maggie Faith must have seen us pull up in the yellow bug, because they were out of the house running for us before the car’s

Looking at our photos of Disneyland and wondering why they hadn’t been invited.

engine was even turned off. Hugs aplenty, I assure you, and much catching up. Addie is busy with volleyball and being 12, Alastair is smack dab in the middle of baseball season, Dagny and Maggie are getting ready for a dance recital (which is called a “sharing.” Seriously?).

Bill spent yesterday working some more in the yard, but this time he had help from Alastair. Saturday evening he and Alastair worked out a business arrangement. Five bucks an hour for weeding. Money well spent.

This week will be spent unpacking, straightening up the house (which actually needs very little straightening up), and refilling the pantry (which on the other hand needs a LOT of work). I already have several commitments for babysitting which makes me a very happy grandmother.

Bill asked me what I was going to blog about today. I said I was going to write about coming back home. He said, “Aren’t we lucky that we aren’t coming back home, but are coming to spend time in our other home.

We are blessed. And I’m mighty happy to see most of my grandkids. Now if I could just get my hands on those two Vermonters!

2May2015

Practical Jokes

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

Sunday was my dad’s birthday. He is in heaven, but he would have been 89 years old. Though he had a wonderful sense of humor, I don’t know that I would have called him a practical joker.

However, I might have been wrong.

Sunday morning Bill and I were getting ready for church. I was in the bathroom combing my hair and putting on a bit of makeup. When I came back into the bedroom, I noticed that Bill had a very puzzled look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him.

It seems Bill had sat down on the bed, took the back off of his phone, and put in a new battery. When he went to put the back onto the phone, it was gone. Vanished. Nowhere to be seen. We looked everywhere. After all, where could it have gone?

We Went to church, fully expecting to find it as soon as we returned. Nope. We tore the house apart, looking in places that made absolutely no sense, the way you do when you’ve lost something.

Finally, Bill said to me, “I think your dad is playing a joke on me.”

That night when we went to bed we still not found the back of the phone.

As Bill crawled into bed, he said out loud, “Reinie, the joke was very funny, but now I really need to fix my telephone.”

He then reached over, picked up the phone case, and the back of the phone was in the phone case.

Now, I assure you, we hadn’t overlooked it. We had looked in the phone case two or three times to no avail.

I guess it was true. To celebrate his birthday, Dad played a practical joke on his son-in-law. Who knew Dad played practical jokes?

And for good measure, Friday was Crazy Hair Day at Alastair’s, Dagny’s, and Maggie Faith’s school……

Nothing more needs to be said.

Have a great weekend.

1May2015

Friday Book Whimsy: Coming Home

Posted in Book Reviews by kzmclain

In my 61 years on this earth I have read exactly two Rosamunde Pilcher books. I read Shell Seekers a few years ago as part of a book club and I just recently completed Coming Home. I enjoyed Shell Seekers (perhaps Pilcher’s most well-known book), but apparently not enough to quickly pick up another. However, I recently was in the mood to dive into a long, romantic, British novel after completing a particularly violent and disturbing book that involved dog fighting. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Coming Home was the perfect book to read.

I am always kind of embarrassed to review a book that probably most of my readers have read several times over the years. But I found Coming Home to be such an enjoyable book that even if you have already read it, I think you should pick it up and enjoy it again.

The novel takes place just prior to, during, and just after World War II, mostly in the Cornwall area of England. When the novel begins, Judith is a young girl. Her father is in some sort of foreign service, and Judith hasn’t seen him for several years. Her mother mostly lives with her father, but at the beginning of the novel, is with Judith and Judith’s 4-year-old sister Jess. Mother gets Judith settled into boarding school in Cornwall, and then she and Jess leave to be with Judith’s dad in Singapore, expecting Judith to join them in a few years.

Unfortunately World War II happens, and things go awry. But a wealthy family steps in and Judith becomes a part of their life.

The story has its ups and downs, its tears and laughter, and its romances and foibles. But the characters in this delicious novel are unforgettable. I get so tired of caricatures: Rich people are evil; uncles are perverted; lonely aunts tipple away their lives. Pilcher threw aside caricatures when she wrote this wonderful story, and her memorable characters result in an amazing story of love that transcends everything. And not just romantic love, but also love between parents and children and friends and aunts and uncles and cousins.

I loved the Cornwall background. Pilcher’s descriptions are so vivid and thorough. In fact, she takes so much time describing a place that there could be a danger of losing her readers. Fortunately, at least for me, her descriptions were so clear and lovely that I enjoyed every word, and felt throughout the book that I could see the colors and hear the sea and taste the salt in the air.

While lengthy (as all good British epic novels should be), I will never again hesitate to pick up a Pilcher novel and hope for the best.

Buy Coming Home at Amazon here.

Buy Coming Home at Barnes and Noble here.

Buy Coming Home at Tattered Cover here.

Buy Coming Home at Changing Hands here.

30Apr2015

Amazing Arizona Activities

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

Last year when we were leaving Arizona to return to Denver, I wrote a blog post about the things that I would miss. You can read my thoughts in 2014 in this link, because I will miss those very same things in 2015.

This time I am going to give you what I consider to be the highlights of our winter stay in Arizona these past few months. So, in no particular order…..

Outdoor Kitchen

You might have heard a rumor that Bill built an outdoor kitchen this year. He wants me to start calling it a barbecue island, but I’m not quite there yet. Anyway, it is something I have wanted in at least one of my houses for a long time. Though it took him longer than either one of us anticipated to complete, the finished product is perfect. I have used it a number of times already, and it will get great use every winter.

NASCAR

Bill will undoubtedly proclaim his two NASCAR races were a highlight for him.

Alastair enjoys a beer and a cigar while Dad’s away for a bit! Of course he didn’t really, but Bill and Allen couldn’t help but tease a bit.

In November, both of his sons, our grandson Alastair, and my brother David spent the entire weekend at the race living in Bill’s son Dave’s RV. It was a dream come true for Bill. He and my brother Dave also went to the March NASCAR race, and though they didn’t spend the weekend, they apparently had a great time. Both are enjoying spending Jeff Gordon’s last season with him.

Family Gatherings

As usual, we had our share of family celebrations. It seems even when we don’t have a particular thing to celebrate, the Gloor clan still manages to gather. I was able to see a great deal of many of my Arizona nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and, of course, my siblings. Our family gatherings are full of joy, and I have mentioned before that nothing makes me happier than seeing the little cousins together. It would have made my mom and dad so happy to see their great grandchildren playing with one another. My mom, in particular, believed in the importance of family.

Visit from Zierks

This year Bill and I had January visitors, namely, our son Court and his family. We had so much fun showing them around this area that we love so much. It also made me very happy that Kaiya and Mylee got a chance to play with many of their Arizona cousins. Mylee and Austin bonded over Ninja turtles, and Kaiya got in some winter swimming!

Travel

We vowed this year we were going to do some traveling – day trips as well as several-day-trips. While we didn’t do as many as we’d hoped, we did make a very fun day trip to Globe and of course, we took our spectacular trip to Disneyland.

Nothing more really needs to be said.

Glorious Weather

Finally, I must tell you that I think our weather this winter has been particularly beautiful. Last winter might have been a bit warmer, but this year was pretty darn good. We had temperatures creep up into the 90s on several occasions, but for the most part, we haven’t had to run the air conditioner much at all. And the only time I turned on the heat was several mornings in January. It’s such a luxury to experience nice weather here, and then go home to Denver to more nice weather. I hope.

Wish us luck on our travels!

29Apr2015

What’s It Weigh?

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

I remember many years ago when our son Allen was preparing for a lengthy trip to Europe in which he knew he would be backpacking, taking trains, riding his bike, sleeping in hostels or camping. In other words, he didn’t want to be responsible for a lot of stuff. Bill still talks about watching Allen pack the backpack that he would be hauling around for the next few months (which actually ended up being years). Allen would pick up an object and carefully check its weight by feel. If it felt too heavy and didn’t seem essential, he tossed it aside. Weight versus value.

As we prepare to return to Denver for the summer and fall months in a couple of days, I am very conscious about what should stay in Arizona and what should come with us. Our car is a sedan. While the trunk is fairly large, it can only hold so much. This isn’t the 1970s where you could fit an entire African village into the trunk of your Mercury Marquis.

Bill and I have really tried over the past few years as we’ve commuted back and forth to figure out what to purchase here so that we don’t have to carry things back and forth. Still, there is always something. This year, for example, I bought a set of outdoor rocking chairs here in Arizona. Our patio is small, and while it fits one of them, two additional chairs is out of the question. So we are hauling back a box containing a rocking chair, which I will undoubtedly enjoy on my beautiful patio in Denver. Still, a rocking chair. Even flat in a box it takes up a considerable amount of room.

So we are undertaking our version of “checking the weight.” My IPOD dock….stay or go? I use it both places, but does it make any sense to carry it back and forth? We landed on the side of no. So my speakers will live in Mesa over the hot summer and I will be in the market for a new docking station in Denver. (And let me just tell you that writing those words makes me feel very Star Warian.)

Every winter and spring, while in Arizona, I buy new warm-weather clothes with the intention of leaving them here. And yet, each year as we pack to go back to Denver, I look at those nice new clothes, remember the boring and shabby clothes that hang in my Denver closet, and begin tossing shirts and flip flops into my suitcase. Now, I just need to begin doing something about those worn and/or boring clothes in Denver. Goodwill? Trash can?

Bill is the same way about tools. He bought a number of tools this year to

….and we haven’t even really begun!

use while building the outdoor kitchen. Stay or go? He is still deciding. I’m putting my money on go.

I can assure you this…..no matter how careful we are, we will end up looking like the Clampetts, with our trunk full of suitcases and tools and kitchen supplies and books, and our back seat full of boxes of food that I simply can’t throw away and we can CERTAINLY use in Denver.

Hey, here’s a thought. Remember how Granny Clampett sat in a rocking chair in the bed of the beat-up old pickup truck? She made it all the way from some Appalachian state or another to Beverly Hills without losing her hat. Maybe that’s the answer for our rocking chair. I will put it on the hood and sit in it all the way from Arizona to Denver like Granny Clampett.

Our kids would be so proud.

Have a gander at this and think of us….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwzaxUF0k18

28Apr2015

Reality Check

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

I know someone who admits to limiting her television watching almost entirely to so-called reality TV. She is a mother of young children who also works part time outside the home in the evening. I suspect that in the little bit of time that she has to call her own, she doesn’t want to have to work too hard at following a complicated plot or becoming depressed from some of the very sad and/or violent offerings available to the viewing public.

If someone asked me if I watch reality TV, I would haughtily deny I did any such thing. Hmpff. Who needs to watch the Kardashians or Honey Boo Boo? I don’t care what’s in someone’s abandoned storage locker or about the problems of having 19 children. Really? 19 children?

But here’s the thing. I might deny watching reality television, but I would be lying. Because when I looked on the internet to find out what reality TV shows were currently popular, I was quite surprised to find that I watched a fair number of them.

Dancing With the Stars, Shark Tank, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, American Idol, not to mention many, many Food Network programs. I can call them whatever I want, but they are, in fact, reality television. Who knew?

Sigh.

I even watch Chrisley Knows Best, but mostly because I love Todd Chrisley’s AWESOME Georgia accent. But we all have our excuses, don’t we?

For the most part, however, my reality television is limited to cooking programs and talent programs. I have watched American Idol almost from the beginning. I don’t think I have ever missed an episode of Dancing With the Stars. I even watched Buzz Aldren clomp his way around the dance floor week after week until I thought my head would explode. You should have stopped with the moon landing, Buzz.

I strongly suspect that many baby boomers keep programs such as Dancing With the Stars on the air. Despite the fact that they keep trying to make the program palatable to a younger demographic, I suspect the actual demographic looks a lot like me.

At this time, I must admit to you that not only do I watch programs such as Dancing With the Stars and American Idol, I might actually, well, uh, you see, sometimes, on occasion, I even, um, vote. Again and again and again, to be perfectly honest. I’m pretty sure I’m single-handedly saving Clark Beckham each week on American Idol. And I have such a crush on Riker Lynch on Dancing With the Stars that it isn’t even funny. I think it’s because he’s from Littleton, Colorado. I’m going with that, anyway so it doesn’t seem too perverted.

I know I’m not the only one who votes on these performance-based reality television shows. While Jen and I mostly agree on who we like (Scotty McCreery owes us BIG TIME), there have been occasions when we have pretty much cancelled out each other’s votes.

I’ve only just this year discovered The Voice, and I’m totally addicted. I don’t know if it will be a long-standing love affair since I’ve never watched it before, but I’m certainly caught up in the drama this year. Oh Adam.

I was pretty sure that reality TV was a passing fancy, but I’m thinking it’s here to stay. I’m just waiting until my family hits the reality scene. We definitely have the makings…….

How about you? Do you vote on any of the performance programs?

27Apr2015

Gentle Shepherd

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me. – John 10:14

Truly, who cannot simply love the notion that Jesus is the good shepherd and takes care of us all, in fact, knows each one of us by name? Every time I hear John’s beautiful telling of Jesus’ parable about the good shepherd, I am filled with joy.

These are words from You Are Mine, one of my favorite hymns….

Do not be afraid I am with you. I have called you each by name. Come and follow me I will bring you home. I love you and you are mine. – David Haas

I literally cannot hear this hymn without crying, particularly at the words I have called you each by name. I think this notion that God loves each one of us is so hard to understand that we simply don’t think about it. But I think about it every time I hear John’s gospel about the Good Shepherd.

I’m pretty sure the black sheep in the front of the flock is me!

I always wondered about the notion that sheep really give a hoot about who it is that leads them around, that is, the shepherd. Seriously? Do the sheep really care? Deacon Gordon at All Saints Church in Mesa gave the homily yesterday. Though he grew up in Chicago, he married into a family who raised sheep. He talked about his mother-in-law, who really tended to the sheep. The sheep knew her voice and followed her commands, he said. In fact, one time his children – her grandchildren – asked if they could herd the sheep back to the pen. Grandma said yes. The sheep, however, had other ideas and went every which way except the way they were supposed to go. Grandma stepped in, called the sheep and they followed her. She knew each one of them and they knew her.

Just like the Good Shepherd.

My sister Jen’s pastor is a young priest of 35 or so. The same age as Jen’s son and mine. He is dying of cancer – an inoperable stomach tumor. In his homily, this brave priest said that people often ask him what he wants them to pray for – God curing his cancer or him accepting God’s will. His answer? This man who likely will succumb to cancer at a very young age said he believes that the prayer is one in the same. Because Jesus is our Good Shepherd, we must trust that God’s will most certainly will be whatever is the best for him.

Can I possibly ever have that much faith? Certainly I try. Every morning when I say my prayers, because I figure I can ask God for anything, I ask Him to cure Bill of his Parkinson’s if it is His will. That’s what I say, but what I REALLY mean is I don’t care or not if it is HIS will; it is certainly MY will and therefore – DO IT!

It is certainly a good reminder to listen to the story of the Good Shepherd and remember that he will care for us and love us forever.

25Apr2015

Saturday Smile: Skinny Neck

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

Our 5-year-old grandson Joseph underwent surgery this week — he had his tonsils removed. I’m pleased to say everything went fine with the surgery. Since we weren’t able to be there (they live in Vermont), it was fun to be able to Facetime with him this week. He was cheerful and happily chasing around his little brother Micah as we talked.

This picture made me smile. It is Joseph on his way home from the hospital. I love his valient attempt to be cheerful for the camera. His look is a mixture of glad-it’s-over combined with I’m-still-fairly-doped-up-from-the-surgery. His Uncle Allen’s comment upon seeing the picture? “I swear his neck looks skinnier!”

Glad it’s all over Joseph, and heal well.

Have a great weekend everyone!

24Apr2015

Friday Book Whimsy: At the Water’s Edge

Posted in Book Reviews by kzmclain

Author Sara Gruen’s books seem to all have a peculiar bent. But peculiar in a good way, because Gruen does such a wonderful job of making her characters believable and, if not likable, at least memorable, and the stories interesting.

I haven’t read all of Gruen’s books, but I liked Water for Elephants so much that I was eager to pick up At the Water’s Edge even after reading the book’s unusual description. The Loch Ness Monster? Really?

The book captivated me from the very first page and I couldn’t stop reading.

It’s 1945, and Philadelphia socialites Maddie, her husband Ellis, and his best friend Hank make fools of themselves at a fancy dancy New Year’s Eve party. Ellis relies upon his parents’ money to live, and he was on unsure footing with them anyway because he married “below him.” Their embarrassing actions push his parents over the edge, and they cut off Ellis’ funds.

To try and get back on their good side, the three decide to travel to Scotland in the midst of World War II to try and track down the Loch Ness monster – something Ellis’ father had unsuccessfully attempted years before. In fact, it appears that his father actually faked photos of the so-called monster.

The trio stays in a modest inn run by a group of Highlanders who are insulted by the Americans’ snobbish ways and apparent lack of understanding of life in a country at war. Eventually, Maddie befriends the Scots, and becomes closer and closer to them as her marriage begins to deteriorate.

Gruen does an excellent job of character development. Little by little, readers begin to see the shallowness of the two men in particular, and the plot develops in a way that makes for a compelling story.

It’s a love story and an historical novel wrapped in one wonderful book. While perhaps not as clever as Water for Elephants, At the Water’s Edge makes me want to pick up the remainder of Gruen’s books. It’s a great read.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Amazon here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Barnes and Noble here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Tattered Cover here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Changing Hands here.

23Apr2015

Guest Post, Reluctant Traveler: Life is Good

Posted in Whimsies by kzmclain

By Beckie Borman

I love traveling to a new place, somewhere I’ve never been. But, it’s also fun to go back time and again to a place I love. One of those places is Cocoa Beach, Florida, where I recently spent a week with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Here’s how our week went:

We ate a lot of seafood, at least, we adults did. Mackenzie and Carter stuck mostly to hamburgers and chicken tenders. But, Erik, Josey, and I had shrimp, local fish like grouper, live-from-the-tank blue crabs, and many, many raw oysters. One of our favorite places to eat is the Sunset Café Bar and Grill, which, as its name implies, is a wonderful place to watch the sunset over the Banana River. We had dinner there our first and last nights, fried shrimp and oysters, as usual. Sunset Café is always fun, but it was a particular treat on Friday night, our last evening in Florida. A blue heron flew in and out several times, perching on top of a boat docked in the marina. But, even more entertaining was the dolphin, who, the entire time we were there, swam, leapt, and dove about twenty yards from the shore. We were all captivated.

Carter and Josey are quality control while Erik picks out the crabs.

We also had fun picking out blue crabs at Ms. Apple’s Crab Shop. Ms. Apple is a real character, a petite woman who runs the shop with an iron fist. Customers can pick out their own crabs or let one of the staff do it. But, really, how can you resist the opportunity to use tongs and pull out one after another snapping crabs, plunk them in a bucket, and turn them over to be steamed for your eating enjoyment? We chose 18 large crabs and took them back to our hotel, where we enjoyed them on our balcony.

Another “must” when we’re in Cocoa Beach is Ron Jon Surf Shop. Picture the biggest beach store you’ve ever seen and multiply by four. Ron Jon is open 24-7, and it’s always busy. There’s nothing related to surfing or the beach that you cannot purchase there. It’s definitely sensory overload, but so much fun! Rest assured, all five of us Bormans found numerous items we couldn’t live without.

The whole Borman clan enjoy the ball game.

This year, we also enjoyed doing something we haven’t done before…we attended two of the Washington Nationals spring training games. I am a big Nats fan, and although I usually attend a “Cactus League” game or two in Phoenix, where I live, I’ve never seen a Nats game in Florida’s “Grapefruit League.” So we drove the short distance to Viero and took in some baseball. While no one else in the family is a fan like I am, they all love sports and enjoyed learning a little about the players and the game. Mackenzie managed to get a fly ball on Monday, and she took it back with her to the game on Thursday, hoping for an autograph. Ian Desmond, Nats shortstop, obliged. She was a very happy girl!

In case you’re wondering, yes, we spent a lot of time on the beach, in between all these other activities. The Resort on Cocoa Beach is, well, on the beach, and it’s only a short walk to the water. With beach chairs and umbrella, boogie boards and sand toys, it’s easy to spend long, relaxing days sitting by the water, walking the beach, building sand castles, boogie boarding, and jumping the waves. We did all of the above. When we tired of the sand, we made our way to the beautiful pool area, where the grandkids could swim and play in the pool, while we adults enjoyed adult beverages from the poolside bar.

View from the veranda.

Yes, life is good in Cocoa Beach. We all dream of going back again, maybe even this year. Because there’s no such thing as too much beach time.

Nana's Whimsies

Musings of a Baby Boomer….

Author Archives: kzmclain

Back in the Saddle

Practical Jokes

Friday Book Whimsy: Coming Home

Amazing Arizona Activities

What’s It Weigh?

Reality Check

Gentle Shepherd

Saturday Smile: Skinny Neck

Friday Book Whimsy: At the Water’s Edge

Guest Post, Reluctant Traveler: Life is Good