The Awards

Gretchen of Second Blooming and Ginny of Lemon Drop Pie have given The Spin Cycle bloggers a theme of Awards.  I found my brain trying to overachieve on this again instead of just doing the simpler, obvious awards.  What the heck, I shall just let it go.

Screw up Award goes to:    Husband!
This award is to recognize the agility with which my husband can turn a Phillips head screw.  Let me tell you it is beauty in action.  Since the move there have been so many pieces of furniture, shelves, equipment, TVs, carts, hooks ad infinitum that needed to be disassembled and reassembled or unmounted and remounted on the wall.  I curse Phillips head screws. They are his favorite form of attachment.  Just last evening he saved me as I attempted to screw in just four of the despised screws.  He did it beautifully.  And you thought I was gonna' talk about something he did wrong!

Taking down stuff at the old house

Award for Most Dramatic goes to:  My Mom!
My Mom deserves the title of Drama Queen.  Today her call was to announce she had "squalled all night. That letter Arlene wrote just set me to squalling (crying).  All those nice things the people said about us."  The background for this latest drama is the house Mom and Daddy had bought in 1960 was purchased by my sister in 2008.  Last week Sister sold the home to the granddaughter of the man who built the house.  I thought that sounded like full circle, really good thing to happen the our family's home.  Not for Mom.  The night after the papers were signed she called.  She in sobs choked our, "I do not have a home anymore." Today's drama was receiving a printout of the post my sis made on Facebook and the responses.  I understand feelings about the house that was her home.  Mom gets angry with commentators on TV and calls us to yell about them.  While on a vacation with us to celebrate their 65 wedding anniversary Mom became so angry with Dad over something that happened the first year they were married she did not speak to him for several hours. Thanks, Mom, for feeling so deeply.

Award for Crazy Buzy Life goes to:  My Son!
Between sharing custody of his three sons, being an HR executive with Home Away, dating a lovely woman, helping with scouts, being a soccer coach, running 5 miles 3 and 4 times a week and the list goes on.  His work with this international company requires conference call sat all hours of the day and night with folks in Asia, The Pacific Rim, Australia, Europe and South America.  He left the field following a flag football game of his middle son and headed for the airport.  Five days later he returned on Friday and picked up the boys for his weekend with them.  He feels good to have his emails down to only about 100.  Thanks, Son, for still having time in the busy-ness of your life to spend a Saturday afternoon with us.

Award for Service to our Nation by a Woman goes to:  My friend Bernadette
Bernie grew up in a small town in the 1950's.  She wanted to go to college.  Bernie's dad was a coal miner and the funds for college were not available from him.  A girlfriend and Bernie sort of on a lark went to the recruiting office.  These two girls went to college and became Army nurses.  Bernie served in Vietnam as a field nurse.  She still suffers from PTSD as a result of the horrors she witnessed.  I know many men of my generation and generations before that served.  Bernie is the only female with whom I have been friends. Bernie served on the Veterans Commission for the State of Missouri for about 6 years.  During that time on the commission her son was on active duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Last fall she was honored by having her story placed in our nation's Library of Congress.  Here is her picture in AARP in the November, 2013, issue.  Thanks, Bernie, for your service to our servicemen and our nation.

Bernadette at a Sorority Ritual

Award for Time Wasting goes to:  Blogger Spell Check
Being a very poor speller, I always doubt my spelling.  The spell check is f o r e v e r highlighting words I thought were correct.  I will open a second window and check the spelling.  So there, Mr. Time Waster, no thank you!

Caution, drippy sweet award coming up next.

Awards for most Encouraging Meme Bloggers go to:  Gretchen & Ginny
These two ladies have been so kind to encourage a senior citizen to join in the fun of blogging.  The expansion of a blog from just a personal journal into the Meme world has so broadened the landscape of blogging.  The Spin Cycle was a springboard into photo memes, poetry, crafts, cooking and learning from the perspective of other bloggers.  Encouraging comments on certain posts have given me courage to be, well, me in my posts.  Thank you both, Gretchen and Ginny, for your kindness and encouragement.

To read other's awards pick just click on over to The Spin Cycle!