Barnpencil Drawing by Jamey age 9
Sunset at Indianola, Texaspersonal photo
This time of day, 34 years ago, I was getting a knot in my stomach, a feeling of panic, frustration, and helpnessness. And this is the time of the day that it happened. For a few more hours, that anxiety continued while men searched and afternoon sun streamed into my kitchen window- turning into a nightmare that went on and on, and has only eased a little through the years. Now, it still seems like a dream- a horrible dream that can't be real. Only it is real. It did happen. I was told, and he never came home, so I guess they are right.
Each year, it is a time when I would like to just pull back into darkness, pull the covers over my head, cry, or something. But, often, I had to keep going and look at other peoples' little boys who were, well, being little boys. Full of life and mischief and, sometimes, giving me a hard time. Maybe I helped them some, although I couldn't help mine anymore.
Time has passed and now there are grandsons with their lives and activities. Legos, Hot Wheels, car magazines, "Sponge Bob", and the things that boys like, are so welcome. But there is always that memory of the time that doesn't seem all that long ago.
The afternoon sun is streaming through my window across my drawing table where Simba is sleeping. Boys are playing computer games. Supper is cooking.
The cemetery is there, as always. Out of sight, from here. But we know that so many are resting there. We remember.
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The 22nd World Wide Sketch Crawl is over. We're all looking forward to 23, which should be about in July. Barbara sketched in Port Lavaca, Michael sketched in Calvert, and I sketched in Bryan.
It looks like Sao Paulo, Brazil had the biggest turnout, again, with 154 people out sketching. They also brought donations of items to give to the poor. That was a really nice thing to do.
Hopefully, we can get some groups together in our area for next time.
You can see work and photos from all over the world on the Forum on the World Wide Sketch Crawl website. http://www.sketchcrawl.com/ Or you can just click on the logo in my sidebar.
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Plan to be in Calvert Saturday April 25. That's the day of the annual spring homes tour. It starts on Friday night with a heritage program at The Foundry, with several of the descendants of famous Texas history noteables appearing. You do need tickets for that.
There is also a quilt show, a street dance, lots of music, food, entertainment, shopping, etc. And, of course, the homes tour. You will also need tickets for the tour, but everything else is said to be free.
You can see the events on the Calvert Chamber of Commerce website at
This year's tour is called Showcase Calvert 2009.
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Be sure and look at the things in my sidebar. The storks are especially interesting this year. More eggs in the nest at the educational site with the webcam in Poland, so maybe they will have more babies to survive this year. They didn't have any last year. Check out Stork Sites in my sidebar.
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If you have German or Polish/Prussian ancestry, you might enjoy this site. I'm going to add it to my sidebar.
Der Familiename Konitzer/Conitzer
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Robert Gates, Defense Secretary, was in town for Aggie Muster on the 21st and a dedication for Becky Gates' child care center at A&M, the next day. Gates, former president of A&M, made a wonderful speech during Muster at Reed Arena. I watched on tv, and used a lot of Kleenex! Really a touching service.
Just after Muster, Greta Van Susteran was broadcasting from the George Bush Library. I didn't know she was coming! I would love to meet her. I thought she would be there again last night because she was interviewing Barbara Bush that night. I guess she recorded it, though, because she was in St. Louis for her broadcast.
I know that students went to the Library to meet her when Greta was here previously. They were on tv. I don't want to be on tv. I would just like to meet Greta.
Oddly, Greta reminds me of one of our schoolmates in Calvert! I went back into my old Trevlac and found a picture of the younger student. They do look similar. I know. Greta is not from our part of the country!
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I can't get over what they are planning to do to the MSC. Why on earth would anyone want to go in and just destroy that wonderful place. It is a big part of Aggie tradition, and now, someone wants to change it. Just unbelievable that anyone would do that.
My favorite day is to go to the MSC, have lunch with roast cooked in wine in the cafeteria, with it's beautiful etched glass; go to the craft shop downstairs ( they did away with that, unfortunately and turned it into a frame shop, at one time); tour the 4 art galleries; buy books and art supplies in the book store; maybe visit the recreational facilities downstairs with the bowling alley, etc. I even like to walk through that corner where the post office is. And, of course, we have to sit a while in "the living room" and just look at the piano, the furnishings and flags, the lighted collections, and Rodney Hill's wonderful wood carvings.
It's so reassuring to know how many people have walked through that beautiful area before. And watch the students and visitors enjoying the space. That it has been here for so many years and will remain.
I guess it won't remain much longer, and doesn't seem like it will be a welcoming place anymore. Looks like it is going to be turned into mostly office space and meeting rooms.
I always thought it would be wonderful to be able to come back and stay at the hotel in the MSC while visiting the campus. Of course, I'm not coming back. I'm still here! But that is a dream I have always had. (Would have been even better if I were staying there with a former student husband. That never happened, either, sadly.)
I wonder why they can't just spruce the MSC up with fresh paint, or whatever, and leave a good thing alone. (Seems like they just did that not long ago.) Especially since Aggies are so keen on tradition. I felt like the new people would not understand Aggie traditions and, sure enough, here they go, changing things.
I always made it a point to take students to see the MSC when we went to A&M on field trips, and hope they would be inspired. It always inspired and relaxed me.
I think that is about my favorite place in the whole world.
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My computer has been giving me fits, lately. I updated it and it was even worse yesterday. I was about to pull my hair out or throw the machine out a window by last night. But, I restrained myself and just unplugged it and left it off all night. It worked better today, but some things still don't seem to work like I think they should. And, my tool bars at the top are all changed. I still have to figure out how to get my old toolbar back. I'm not so sure it is the computer, but it's the internet companies.
When you hear that they are going to lay off lots of people, you can't help but wonder if that might have something to do with the problem. Or it is all these people who know computer things, just trying to confuse people like me!
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