Every time I see a bin of nut mix I feel the urge to scoop out a bagful and take it home to meticulously crack each one and savor each bite. I fully realize I could buy them already shelled, but they come without the memory then. The mixed nuts at Christmas time have a couple of very positive memories for me. First, I think of the walnuts at Gma and Gpa Tucker's house and how nasty black our fingers would get from shelling them or just playing with them and pegging things with them. They could hurt if you got them humming through the air, but Gpa didn't like us wasting them. Then there is the image in my head of Gpa Tucker very slowly and attentively cracking, picking, and eating each nut like it was a treat-- and it was. The mixed nuts were always spendy and usually only a treat at Christmas time. I would wait patiently as he cracked and picked out, then cleaned the almond (my favorite)for me. So, it's that image of him sitting at the table lovingly cracking and cleaning each nut then smiling and winking as I gratefully ate it, that comes into my head when I pass a bin of mixed nuts during the holidays.
I also blame him for my love for eggs. He fried his/our eggs a very special way. Bacon grease scooped over the top until it turned a solid white. No flipping the egg. Or... he would hard boil our eggs then grandma would scoop the cooked egg out of the shell, still hot, and mash it up for me with some butter and pepper. I fully realize.... now... that I was spoiled. Of course, after breakfast, I headed out to the barn with Gpa to milk the cows, so I did sort of earn the spoiled status. I also loved drinking the fresh warm milk from the cows. I did not like getting the eggs from the cranky hens, however and usually wore a glove unless I was in a hurry. It didn't stop me from loving my eggs though. Rellie loves his eggs scrambled and I love to cook them for him and my other grandkids because I know that they know scrambled eggs= love you.
Friday night Rellie and Kayson spent the night and the next morning we took them to breakfast at Sunrise. They are big time pancake eaters as well and they always get the pancakes and scrambled eggs. It was nice to spend time with them again. I miss them. Jason and Anne and the girls came and joined us too. Jason is a big pancake eater like Rellie and that has not changed since he was little. His life is full now with his job and coaching boys this year and being a husband and father. They are growing into a beautiful family and the girls are getting big so fast. Maddi was not happy with papa sitting next to kayson, but she eventually snapped out of her drama momma mood when we went shopping for winter boots at K-mart. She went through the toy section and her eyes lit up. She found one of those dogs that barks and wags its tail, etc. and she was beside herself. It was very cute. Then kayson saw the dog and they both acted like it was the real thing. When you have it sitting in the box in the living room and the light's off and you've forgotten it's sitting there and it starts barking, it sort of makes you almost pee your pants!
I needed a day with children to improve my attitude. I was cranky with my girls from the night before. We suffered our first loss and it was a combination of mental and the other team hitting 6 threes on us. Still, we should have would have could have and didn't beat them or even play well in the end. Bad got ugly and we have some mental activities we'll do in practice tomorrow to rebuild the inside (myself included) and move on.
It also helped that the primary program went well today. One more big thing off the list. Almost everyone had memorized their parts and my counselors were both there early helping me with everything and relieving the load. My secretary has been a ton of help as well. The children have such simple, honest testimonies of the Savior and they certainly touched my heart and helped me adjust my attitude.
Being sick has not helped. I have to get better. At least we don't have a game until after Thanksgiving. That will give me some time to get better. School tomorrow, but the husband's district is out already, so maybe life will slow down a little for both of us. Looking forward to being together with all my children and grandchildren for the holidays (and my mom). I have lots to be grateful for.
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