Dear Diary,

It snowed last night – a whole inch! Cool! All the big trees have white snow on the tips of their branches and the railings are piled with it, too. The bushes down by the creek look like a fairyland. Only one problem… it's too dry to make a snowman OR a snowball. What's with that? Even the kids at the school next door can't make them, but they're having fun throwing snow at each other.

It's been over 30 years since KidsGranny has seen snow and it's the first time for Kitty. He looks so funny walking in it (so does KidsGranny, but don't tell her I said so). Kitty takes a step, shakes his leg, licks his paw, takes another step, shakes that leg, and so on. (Just so you know, KG doesn't do THAT!) Kitty looks a little lost 'cause he can't find his favorite spots. (KG does NOT look lost.)

Update: Well, that was fun while it lasted. The sun came out and it is melting. There are still big patches of the snow though. Kitty is one happy cat again. ^.^

Lucky Bums

All in all, I'd say that was just enough of a teaser to make me want more… soon! Maybe next time there will be enough snow that I can try snowboarding on that Lucky Bums kid's beginner snowboard I saw the other day. We do have a little hill - more like a slope, I guess. Wouldn't it be perfect for beginners?

Dear Diary,

Here's a true story: One of my grandsons, age 14 at the time and living in the suburbs, took a summer course in the city which required traveling via the train. In the mornings he rode with his dad to the city; but, had to travel back to the suburbs via the train… alone. Mom insisted he text her each step of the way… and give the time of  day:

• When he left class
• When he arrived at the city train station
• When he was train-bound for the suburbs
• When he arrived at the suburb station
• When he arrived home

Well, that lasted for several days, but soon my grandson got tired of "being treated like a baby". He and his mom had a "discussion" about it. Neither would give in. Mom's position: It's for your safety. Son's position: I'm a big boy now! Dad stayed out of it. The next day when it came time to head back home from the city here are the text messages his anxious Mom received:

Dear Diary

It's not surprising that over time, our non-military families and friends use the occasion to honor their own members who are no longer with them. They are out of sight, but not out of mind.

The following parable is a comforting message for all of us - grown-ups and kids alike.  This is an opportune time to teach kids about how to handle the loss of a family member, friend, or even a pet. We miss them and are surrounded by memories of them. We need only look out our windows, visit favorite places, walk familiar paths to be reminded of their real legacies and that they are still with us in spirit. We hope this parable is a comforting message for any losses in your family - past, present, and future. It has been for us.

A Parable of Immortality

"I am standing here upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the
morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says, ‘There she goes!’

"Gone where? Gone from my sight – that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
  as when she left my side and just as able
to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, ‘There she goes!’
there are other eyes watching her coming and
other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes!'"

~ Henry Van Dyke

Dear Diary,

My thirteen year old grand-daughter recently caught the reading bug. It happened with the popularity of the "Twilight" books. You know, the one about the good vampire. Last summer she started buying the books with her allowance and has read The Complete Twilight Saga Collection – more than once. She loaned them to her friends and they caught the reading bug, too. So when I say think red for vampire I'm sure you can guess why (bl**d is another word on my no-no list); and black and white is for the pages of a book. (Remember that old riddle: What's black and white and read all over? A newspaper.)


My grand-daughter doesn't know it, but she has inspired me to write an article for Buzzing Kids World about catching the reading bug. It can make big changes in a kid's life. Some of the older girls are chatting in Instant Messenger that they're "dumping" their boyfriends saying they're looking for someone more like Edward, the gentle vampire, if you can imagine that! Did I mention fantasy? Not my grand-daughter, of course, she's still into sports, not boys, and is on the Honor Roll at school. Did I hear someone say, "Sure, KidsGranny, not your grand-daughter!" Let me be, please, with my own fantasies – all my grandkids are angels. But aren't everybody's!

Here's a tip: Read to your kids. Have them read to you. It helps them dream of the possibilities – now and later!