February 05, 2012

Photo replay: Last week in a nutshell

February 05, 2012/ Lisa Carpenter

Enjoy your Sunday!

February 04, 2012

The Saturday Post: Just-a-Little-Heart-Attack edition

February 04, 2012/ Lisa Carpenter

On the plane ride home Thursday night, a relatively young woman seated behind me was telling her seatmate, a stranger, about having recently survived a heart attack.

When my plane landed and I turned on my phone to text Jim that I'd arrived, my e-mail automatically downloaded to my phone, and one was an e-mail from Jim's brother-in-law requesting prayers for Jim's sister, who had gone to the hospital because of heart pains.

Then, yesterday morning I received an e-mail from Klout that I had earned a special "perk"—a director's cut of a video starring and directed by Emmy-nominated Elizabeth Banks, made for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement.

I'm not incredibly superstitious, but I think three's a sign...that I'm supposed to share this with the women in my life:

For more information about women and heart disease—which, as mentioned in the video, kills more women than all forms of cancer combined—visit GoRedForWomen.org.

Have a heart-happy day!

Today's question:

How has heart disease affected you or the women in your family?

February 03, 2012

Pledge of the long-distance grandma

February 03, 2012/ Lisa Carpenter

We all know the pledge of the United States Postal Service: “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds.” I propose a similar pledge for long-distance grandmas, only the obstacles—at least in my case—go far beyond the basic blustery weather.

For example, when I visited Bubby and Baby Mac last August, I encountered a haboob that delayed my return home:

Then, when Jim and I drove to see our grandsons last October, the return trip featured an epic traffic situation that left us sitting—literally, at a standstill—on the interstate for three hours:

And last night, as I attempted to make my way home from a week with Bubby and Baby Mac, a blizzard threatened my return, resulting in delayed arrival (and fears arrival wouldn't happen at all, courtesy of the pilot stating as we prepared to take off into the storm, "We'll give it a try and we'll see what happens"):

Okay, okay...the photo above isn't an actual shot of last night's snowstorm, but you get the idea.

Yes, like the Postal Service, neither haboobs nor treachery on the highway nor snowstorms of any significance can keep me from my appointed rounds with my grandsons. But...all of the above and more sure as <cuss> muck up my return home after each and every visit anymore, without fail.

I've had enough, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

Well, at least not until April, that is. For in April I take my next trip to the desert to play full-time grandma again, and I won't let <cuss> conditions of any sort keep me from getting there.

Getting home, though, will unfortunately surely follow what has become this long-distance grandma's traveling protocol. Especially considering that April is typically one of the snowiest months in the Rockies; I can pretty much tell you now getting back home afterwards isn't going to be easy. Or fun.

My grandsons and their parents can still count on me being there, though. Like I said, it's not the getting to them that's the problem, it's getting back home again. But the USPS pledge gives no guarantee nor particulars on the return of its postmen. The same shall apply to the long-distance grandma pledge, too—whether I like it or not.

Snowstorm photo: stock.xchng/tes

Today's question:

What obstacles do you anticipate encountering in your travels this weekend—even if only to the grocery store?

February 02, 2012

Kids & canines

February 02, 2012/ Lisa Carpenter

We didn't have a family dog when my daughters were little. For most of their early years, we lived in a rental house that didn't allow dogs, so our first family dog, Moses, didn't join the family until the girls were all over 10 years old. We did, though, have a couple cats and tried owning—but quickly ended the relationships with—fish, a hamster, and a couple parakeets.

Cats and the other creatures don't bond with kids quite the way dogs do. Having missed out on witnessing my baby or toddler daughters bond with a beloved canine, I'm continually delighted to see such with my grandsons and their dog.

Roxy was Megan and Preston's baby long before Bubby and Baby Mac came along, and despite having to relinquish her spot as most loved and adored to first one then another human kiddo, Roxy has always been a patient, dedicated, attentive, gentle, and entertaining buddy to the boys.