It works!

Pardon my absence, but I couldn't get on my blog for some reason.  I am back and will post as often as I have something worth saying!

Christmas is over!

Well, there were a lot of tears this afternoon in the Cryderclan households.  Even Grandma and I had our moments of loneliness.

Is it possible to have 24 people together in a lodge and not have even one major argument?  Well, we made it possible.  

Grandma made a humungous smorgasbord with honeybaked ham and smoked turkey.  Heidi made a traincar load of a delicious mexican flavored soup.  Liann and Mary made a baked potato lunch with all the toppings, Mary brought her well known baked goods, cookies, candies etc.  Of course the Kirkland coffee was always brewing!  Heather's baked spaghetti, and the trimmings was an immediate hit.  Oh, did I mention the pizza salad a la Heidi, and the mexican nacho dip by Liann, or the pumpkin, apple, cherry pies and brownies by Mom/Grandma.

We had the winter olympics, talent night, hockey night, video night, a piano recital by Crisilee, and a bean bag toss game that Chris and I made.  Michael, Chris, Crisilee, made dvd's, Bill digitized zillions of Grandpa Jopling's movies as a gift to his mom. (Made her cry!)  Ashlee made an excellent video reminding us of the genocide in Darfur.  (Made us all cry!)

So now it is quiet here in the Senior Cryderman household.  But if you listen carefully, in our hearts, we can still hear the laughter, the magic tricks, the games, the songs, all of which remind us of what a wonderfully diverse, yet united family we are!

A lesson in frugality

A few days ago I tore my garden up and started laying leaves all over it.  During the destruction period, I came upon about a dozen nice tomatoes.  Perfect shape, no spots or rotten places, but no good to eat.  But I picked them anyway and brought them in the house.  Next I wrapped each one in a sheet of newspaper.  Tonight I  unwrapped them and "voila!"  They are beautiful, soft, juicy and perfectly red/orange!

I could have just stomped them in the garden, but think what I would have lost!

Sort of like children.  Young, immature, nice to look at but they don't taste too good.  But wrap them up in love and let them simmer in life situations, with mom and dad being patient, waiting for them to "mature" and guess what?  They will be more special, and more worthy of bragging, than my tomatoes!  (At least my kids were!)

Dad and Grandpa

Ghastly Grandpa

Tonight I was bored, so I grabbed my costume and sat on the porch, in order to pass out candy for "trick or treat."  I got quite a reception from some!  A few hit me on the head.  Darby wouldn't even get close!  Other families thought it was quite a blast to see this old man impersonating a Ghost.  Mom wouldn't let me cut any holes in her sheet so I sat there not seeing a thing, while everyone got their kicks! (literally, I think!)  I also had a tape recording of hideous noises, grunts, groans, screams, etc.  I punctuated it with a buck call and I would scream a bit as well.  Fun!

So here is a picture of me.   Next year I will be a scarecrow.

Grandpa

My Favorite Picture

A few years ago, I was taking some pictures of Darby and I caught this one.  It has to be the cutest picture of Darby ever.  She seems to be contemplating the meaning of life.  Or maybe Jesus is talking to her for the first time since she got here on earth.  I don't know.  But if it was Jesus, then she is already very wise to pay close attention to what He is saying.  That's what I want to do, don't you?

Grandpa

Another day

Last night Grandma and I went for a bike ride with the DeBacker family.  We went up to the University to see the "Cryderman House."  That's a nice gesture in honor of Grandpa Great, don't you think?

Enroute, Crisilee, who was on in line skates instead of biking, wiped out going around a corner.  She was pretty beat up, but took it like the young lady she is.

Piano lessons this week for Crisilee and now Ashlee.  Both are doing well.   Crisilee is planning a "mini-recital" as she closes out her first complete year of lessons.  

We are still picking tomatoes!  They are delicious!  

I'm going fishing tomorrow night.

That's all that is in my mind this morning.

How do you like the picture of Grandma and Me?

Grandpa