April 2016-Spring.."Will you still love me when I'm 64?"

Beautiful Rotter Family

Cousin's birthday party & Granna

Azaela blooming at Granny's house

Movie at Summit Theatre

One of first times across "monkey bars" Overton Rd Park

Sunny Day in April

Flowers from parents left before they went to Nashville overnight

Classmates at Hilltop!

Spring Festival at Mt. Laurel

Spring Festival

First time to ride "adult" ride! With Georgia

Beautiful Willow

Baby Sister

Bumble Bee toy picked out by Lyla!

Beautiful Willow

Probably first time in Swing at Mt. Laurel park

Beautiful Lyla

Celebrating Granny's 64th Birthday

Sisters!

“When I get older losing my hair, Many years from now. Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I'm sixty-four?”

To say the least, the Beatles were big when I was young. In 1967 when this song was released I was 15 years old. Only 2 of the Beatles (Ringo & Paul) lived to 64. This year, I made it! And my hair is thinning, but fortunately I don’t need anybody to feed me…yet! “The days crawl & the years fly”…I may have already used this phrase in a posting. But it’s true. However now the days fly by also! Although the best thing about growing older is being a grandparent, there are other good things too…including a sense that “I’ve made it”, which many people do not. And, so far, I’m okay financially & my brain remains functional. Although tests in 2015, including an MRI, revealed I don’t have any evidence of impending Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), there is no guarantee it will not eventually take me away. My father died at 75 from pneumonia & he had probably had AD for years. At his funeral his business partners said they noticed changes in his ability to do work prior to his retirement at age 68 in 1984. Your great-grandfather James Hastie was a smart man, an Auburn grad, a WWII veteran & President of his company Air Conditioning Engineers in Mobile. April 2016 was a good month…On Saturday, April 2 I took you to your cousin Sydney’s birthday party (the child of your Dad’s step-sister). It was at a wonderful park in Gardendale on a beautiful day. We stayed at the park after the party until 5:00 pm and you had a great time! You are never shy asking other children to play with you and that was the case on this day. You spent the night with me on Saturday instead of the usual Friday night! On Sunday we went to see the movie Zootopia 2 which you really enjoyed. Then we went to the Overton Road park where you went all the way across the “monkey bars” for the first time. Although they weren’t as challenging as the ones at Mt. Laurel park, it was an omen that crossing the ones in “your park” would happen soon! After a great Sunday we ate at Lee Branch Taziki before taking you home. Monday, April 4 I stayed with Willow while Angela worked a half day. Willow & I met you & your Dad at the park and I went home before supper. Wednesday I spent the morning with Willow until your parents left for a few days in Nashville together while your Dad was there for a work-related event. I enjoyed my time alone with you. Your parents left some flowers for you in your room. You missed your parents but you were very good & slept well (although Annie the dog did not!). On Friday I worked in the garden at HMS with Miss Cindy who will be your kindergarten teacher next year. Saturday was a wonderful day at the Spring Festival in Mt. Laurel. It was a beautiful day and you bravely rode rides with Georgia and spent a lot of time bouncing & sliding & petting animals & eating things you don’t normally eat! You were happy to see your parents return Saturday evening…and they were very happy to see you! As I write this I realize I often summarize my time with Willow rather than being specific. However my time with Willow is very specific…holding her as much as possible, watching her play with toys & bounce in her “bouncy things”, feeding her, walking with her inside & stroller riding outside, watching her fall asleep, and seeing her beautiful smile when I get her up from a nap & watching her do more & more things like sitting up. I mix up pronouns when writing about “you” and Willow. For 4 years there was just Lyla (“you”) and I haven’t transitioned well in writing about the two of you!  On Monday I returned to your house & spent the night. Since it was raining Monday, we went to Chic Fil A to play but Tuesday was beautiful & we went to the park until only 4:00 pm since it was a ballet day. Thursday, April 14 was another day I got to read with you & your classmates. After school we saw a snake in the stone wall on the way to the park where you had fun playing until 5:00 pm. The shy snake only poked out his head from the rocks! I picked you up at school Friday and we did our “double parks” before you spent the night at my house. Saturday you went home early because Papa Wayne & I went to Anna Katherine Stuedeman’s wedding in Demopolis. Monday April 18 I went with Angela for Willow’s six-month check up & shots & stayed with her until “park time” with Lyla then returned to Angela’s for a typical Tuesday which was notable because we saw the smoke of a big fire as we headed home for you to get ready for ballet. In my time at home I watched two meaningful things on TV; the PBS story of Jackie Robison who was the first Black professional major league baseball player and the HBO movie “Confirmation” about Anita Hill’s role in the hearings related to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Of course Willow’s middle name Anita is in honor of her great grandmother, Sabba Rafi’s mother, but Anita Hill was also a strong woman. Jackie Robinson was before I was born (he integrated baseball in 1947) but his story & a quote “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives” resonated with me. I am hopeful my life will have a positive impact on Lyla & Willow as well as a few others. I clearly remember the 1991 Anita Hill hearings as well as the challenges of all women in those days. Although things aren’t perfect now, there certainly have been a lot of good changes related to the opportunities for all women and people of color now. Willow & Lyla will have many options as they grow up. Friday Brock took Lyla on her first “wilderness, backpack” camping trip. I kept Willow while Angela rested. It was a sweet day. I spent the night and stayed until the babysitter Lacey arrived after Angela went to work. Then I went to Mobile for Myle’s last performance at USA in the operetta HMS Pinafore & a birthday dinner for me & Mother (who turned 96). April 25 I went to the park with Willow & I think the picture I took captured her first time in a swing at the Mt. Laurel park! Monday afternoon we went to the HMS (Lyla’s school, not His Majesty’s Ship) Musical performance of “Negro spirituals” which included Lyla & her classmates. On Wednesday I spent the day with Willow while Angela did errands & napped then we all went to eat at a Mexican restaurant to celebrate my 64^th birthday. It was a beautiful evening & a delicious dinner. You gave me jewelry as well as paving stones with Lyla's handprint & Willow's footprint. Friday was a beautiful day with Willow then “double parks” with Lyla after school, although we had to leave Overton early due to rain. Saturday we went to the movie Jungle Book after eating at Johnny Rockets and buying Annie a new collar at a “dog festival” at the Summit. You sat in my lap for the whole movie and although you wouldn’t wear the “3 D” classes, you seemed to enjoy the “live characters, not cartoon” version of the story. As the “month Granny turned 64” came to an end, I took you home & stayed to “listen out” for Willow while your Dad put you to bed. I hope to “listen out” for both Willow & Lyla as long as my ears can hear!