dual personalities

Tag: family

July 6, 2021

Postcards from mid-MO

by chuckofish

The OM and I drove over to Jeff City to visit daughter #1 for the 4th of July. The weather was hot, but not overbearingly so. We were able to visit our favorite winery in Rocheport and sit outside and enjoy the river views.

We did a little “vintiquing” and checked out the the city’s downtown festival district.  The next day the boy and his little famille joined us and the pace of our adventures picked up 100%.

We walked over to the capitol and visited “Aunt Mary’s” office and ran amok through the building, which was okay, since there were very few people there. It is indeed a very neat space full of fascinating things.

Love those N.C. Wyeth murals!

It was fun to introduce the small fry to Missouri history, flora and fauna. And we went on a bear hunt through the halls, looking for all the ubiquitous ursi…

That evening we walked with our folding chairs over to the House parking garage where daughter #1 had staked out a parking place on the top floor where we set up for viewing the fireworks. We had a perfect view of the huge and impressive display on the river. It seemed like a long walk home after that, but we made it.

We went home the next day and recovered.

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July 5, 2021

God bless America

by chuckofish

Happy 4th of July holiday! I hope everybody celebrated appropriately yesterday, i.e. in noisy American fashion. We went down to Jefferson City and celebrated in the state capitol with daughter #1 and the boy and his family. I’ll have more on that tomorrow.

Anyway, I forgot to mention that last Thursday was the anniversary of daughter #2 and DN. Mea clupa.

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I had retirement on my mind, but when reminded, it was nice to remember that lovely summer day back in 2017 when these two lovebirds tied the knot.

Now, of course, there is little Katiebelle to celebrate as well. What a big, strong, happy girl she is!

Which brings me to this interesting article, which sums up pretty well how I have been feeling about our current content-creating culture. “Have we lost the ability to simply experience the goodness of life because we have become so obsessed with documenting and sharing it?” You may have noticed that daughter #2 did not post a baby update last week. We talked about it and both agreed we needed to back off. Katie deserves her privacy. This is a topic that everyone needs to think seriously about. “Let’s just be present. Let’s just experience life and not be so concerned about documenting it. We don’t need to be our own biographers. We don’t need to build our own brands.” We will continue to blog about our quite ordinary lives, but we will focus more on poetry and history and genealogy and movies and other things that interest us.

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BCP

Let us all be thankful for our many blessings!

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June 7, 2021

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

My four day trip to Maryland went smoothly and I traveled without a hitch. Air travel was on time and, though crowded, not terrible. DN picked me up and dropped me off in Baltimore and drove everywhere in between.

We celebrated Katie’s first birthday for several days filled with fun activities, which included driving to Virginia with my backseat buddy…

Wearing matching Mommy and Me outfits…

And other new clothes…

With cake…

Lots of walking with the stroller…

And several alfresco dining adventures…

Checking out antique malls and vintage brown furniture…

And with special presents…(Daughter #1 made the pink pillow out of quilt squares my mother had cut out over 30 years ago.)

I am grateful to have such a lovely, accommodating family with such a happy, healthy doll baby. (And a son-in-law who willingly drives all over creation in Beltway traffic and then throws a lovely dinner together.)

Life is good and I am happy to have traveled again for the first time in 2 1/2 years, but as always it’s good to be back home in flyover country. (The OM picked me up at the airport. And he didn’t burn the house down while I was gone.)

Praise Jesus.

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May 24, 2021

”Oh the white tops are a rollin’ rollin’, and the big wheels keep on turnin’”*

by chuckofish

I hope you had a lovely weekend. I puttered around, planted some more annuals in pots on the patio, trimmed ivy, tidied up the house so that the wee twins could wreck havoc in it again…the usual.

The highlight was going to my new church with the boy and getting to spend a few hours together–an unusual thing since he is almost always working or in the midst of twin-created havoc. We had coffee afterwards at Bread Co. and had a real conversation. Super. Nice.

I watched some PGA tour action on TV and a couple of good movies, including Stagecoach (1939) and Wagon Master (1950), both directed by John Ford.

Stagecoach is, without a doubt, 96 of the best minutes ever put on film. Orson Welles called it textbook filmmaking and he was right. It is tops in storytelling, character development, acting, action, romance, cinematography, score–it has it all.

Wagon Master is also about a (bigger) bunch of misfits (Mormons, outlaws and stranded medicine show con artists) going on a journey and meeting up with impediments along the way. Even without John Wayne or, really, any star, it is a lyrical yarn with meaty characters, beautifully photographed.

I recommend them both, and seeing them together, is an interesting and worthwhile undertaking.

I also re-read a good bit of Harry Carey Jr.’s memoir about his life as an actor in the John Ford “stock company” which was somewhat enlightening about the behind-the-scenes goings-on of making Wagon Master and other Ford movies. John Ford was an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, as they say. But he sure made good movies.

The wee twins came over Sunday night and annoyed the OM and even prompted me to give them another mini lecture on the doctrine of total depravity. They look innocent enough, but…

We had fun, of course, and the boy got a second helping of tortellini.

And so, sleepy, cowpokes, goodnight.

*Travis and Sandy, singing in Wagon Master.

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May 17, 2021

“Got some things to tell ya. Not a thing to sell ya.”*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Daughter #1 came home on Friday afternoon and we convinced the OM to take us out to dinner. We sat inside at Amigo’s and had a margarita and quesadillas while he ate enough for three people. We girded our loins for the following day when we babysat the wee twins for a full 4 1/2 hours. (This may not sound like a long time–but multiply everything by 2 and you might get an idea of the chaos.)

We had fun playing,

FaceTiming with Cousin Katie (waving furiously),

eating lunch, playing some more,

A “roll”-over accident–get it?–the kid is a laugh riot.

and finally, camping out in the tv room to watch Disney’s Tarzan (their new favorite),

We also put together our large 49-piece puzzle map of the U.S.A.

This led to a discussion of geography and the wee laddie corrected me when I foolishly said there are 5 continents. “There are 7 continents,” he said and then he sang me a little song naming them. Miss Lottiebelle is a chatterbox with something to say about everything, but he comes in with the zingers.

After the movie, we went outside, despite the fact that it was drizzling, because we had reached our limit of inside antics. We threw the frisbee around, played a little field hockey, checked out the ants under the Hosta, sat in the back of the Cooper, and blew bubbles. The boy picked them up right on schedule and we retired inside to clean up the living room and drink a bottle of Rosé while listening to angsty tunes from the 2000s.

On Sunday we went to church where we reassured ourselves with Romans 8:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? 

As it turned out, the boy didn’t go into work, so the babes did not come over after all. Daughter #1 headed back to mid-Mo and I headed to bed, where I read and talked on the phone and napped. I think I am recovered sufficiently to work today.

And here are Josh and Carson with another cover from 1973.

*Riverboat Shuffle by Hoagy Carmichael

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May 10, 2021

“I don’t have a tummy ache, I just have a tummy button.”*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was pleasantly eventful. I took Friday afternoon off and had lunch with my pals, sitting outside–such a treat. Then daughter #1 came home and we sat outside at Club Taco, nursing a margarita and listening to the musical stylings of “Dusty Rhodes.” (Like him, but not him.) Then we made our way home and the OM provided dinner while we listened to more music.

On Saturday we went to lunch for the first time in ages (sitting inside) at the Sappington House. We moved on to the South County Antique Mall–50,000 square feet of “unique items”–where we walked up and down many miles of booths perusing the vintage junk. We headed home empty-handed to get ready for the wee babes and their parents who came over for a barbecue. Unfortunately, the day was rainy and cold, so we had to be indoors the whole time. Several mishaps ensued, but we had fun and nothing (and nobody) got broken.

I received many lovely and thoughtful gifts from my children, including these beautiful flowers from daughter #2:

But of course what warmed the cockles of this grandma’s heart was reading the “All About My Grandma” questionnaires that the twins had filled out. I was glad to know that Lottie thinks I am 200 years old and that she loves her grandma because “She is beautiful.” The wee laddie, on the other hand, loves me because I “do nothing.” Precious moments.

There was cake too!

In other news, there was a Black Bear sighting in Kirkwood on the grounds of Ursuline Academy which is a stone’s throw from our house! It moved on to Webster Hills Methodist Church where we buy pumpkins. I mean really. I do not need bears in my backyard. First armadillos, now bears. What is happening? (Update: the bear moved on to Brentwood and was tranquilized in a tree.)

The only bear I’m comfortable with…

Happy Monday! Keep an eye out for bears!

*WRC jr (having eaten a lot of cake)

3 Comments
May 3, 2021

“The Lord is my portion”*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was not so quiet as I first anticipated. Saturday was a lovely, sunny day. I bought some geraniums and planted them in the pots on my front porch. I weeded. Then the OM and I drove to Washington on the Missouri River and sat on a roof deck and enjoyed the scenery. Nothing fancy, but nothing better.

That night I watched The Wizard of Oz (1939) and was reminded once again what a perfect movie it is. I wouldn’t change a thing. Of course, it only won Oscars for best song and score. But the sets, the costumes, the art direction! The technicolor! The acting and direction! Zut alors! I highly recommend re-watching this movie the next time you are looking for something to watch.

Female archetypes

On Sunday I went to church–ah, how nice that sounds–and then went home and continued reading The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge.

This old-fashioned novel about a city-bred woman who moves to the English countryside when she inherits a house from a mysterious elderly relative is a type that is never written/published these days. It is a pleasure to read its carefully-written prose and its slowly unfolding story. Not much happens, but the characters grow in self knowledge and spiritual maturity. They are interesting people, not cardboard cutouts.

Next up is S.C. Gwynne’s Rebel Yell about Stonewall Jackson. I am no fan of the Confederacy or its generals, but I have always loved Stonewall Jackson, who was a devout Calvinist. I love the story of his Scotch-Irish ancestors who came to this country as indentured servants in the 18th century and fought hard and bravely to forge a home in the wilderness and improve their lot in life.

The wee twins came over Sunday night per usual with their parents for some frolicking goofball fun.

They are getting to be so grown up!

In other news, my Christmas cactus is blooming!

One more thing: here’s an interesting article. “As for security, it is the utter madness and control freakery of our age that thinks we can stay secure and somehow transfer that to our children. The gospel takes us out of ourselves and our efforts and places us in Christ where there is total security.”

So another week begins. Make it a good one!

*Lamentations 3:24

4 Comments
April 28, 2021

The scent of water

by chuckofish

Who didn’t get the memo? JK, there was no memo, which is even funnier.

Today I am standing in for daughter #1, who drove all over Missouri yesterday, after driving us around all weekend. I know she was exhausted when she finally rolled into Jeff City late yesterday afternoon, having made a side-trip to Springfield (to film a video) on the way home.

I too went back to work (in my upstairs office at home) and tried to get my mind off everyone leaving by concentrating on other things. Likewise daughter #2 is recovering from her trip home with her bright-eyed and very energetic baby. Life barrels on.

“Jean was visited by one of her rare moments of happiness, one of those moments when the goodness of God was so real to her that it was like taste and scent; the rough strong taste of honey in the comb and the scent of water. Her thoughts of God had a homeliness that at times seemed shocking, in spite of their power, which could rescue her from terror or evil with an ease that astonished her.”

― Elizabeth Goudge, The Scent of Water 

This article by John Piper about angels interested me. “So, all angels serve the good of all Christians all the time. They are agents, as it were, of Romans 8:28, making everything work together for good under God’s providence.” As a matter of fact, I call on angels every day, especially when my children are driving around the state and flying on planes. Does that surprise you?

Willie Nelson will celebrate his eighty-eighth birthday tomorrow. Here is one of my favorite recordings of his, a duet with Emmylou Harris from 1990.

Have a great Wednesday. I thank God that his mercies are new to me every morning and that his grace is sufficient for all situations that I may encounter. Peace to you.

4 Comments
April 27, 2021

Unlatching the door to the canary’s cage

by chuckofish

We had one more fun day with daughter #2 and Katiebelle. We stuck to our plan of going to the zoo between Zoom meetings,

but then our plans fell apart in the afternoon. We found out the hard way that our local custard station hasn’t opened for the season yet, Club Taco is closed on Monday, Hacienda had a 25 minute wait at happy hour and so on. We finally went home and daughter #1 made Margaritas the old fashioned way (in the blender). We ordered takeout from Dewey’s and the OM picked it up. Splendid.

Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

Today daughter #2 and Katie are heading home to DN and we are very sad 😭, but we will see them soon.

And here’s a poem by Billy Collins:

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze

that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies

seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking

a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,

releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage

so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting

into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.

4 Comments
April 26, 2021

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

Daughter #2 and Baby Katie made it to flyover country on Saturday which was rainy and dark, but this little cupcake brightened things up right away…

We went to our favorite winery in Hillsboro and the wee twins came over for a frolic. Baby Katie was chill throughout–quelle trouper! I managed to go to church for the 4th week in a row! And we celebrated two birthdays.

Today I am supposed to be working, but we are sneaking off to the zoo between Zoom meetings. Sounds like a plan.

3 Comments