Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Sunday was Grandparents’ Day.
The following letter written by Paul Harvey to his grandchildren could have been written by most grandparents.
“We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I’d like better.
I’d really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it’s all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he’s scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you’ll let him/her.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don’t ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won’t be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don’t care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don’t like it… And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor’s window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you – tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it’s the only way to appreciate life.”
Grandparents are very special folk. Make sure their lives feel special to them!
Life’s little instructions for grandparent caring include the following:
- Make sure they have a comfortable place to sit and relax.
- Help them with their medication schedule.
- Keep track of their diet and make sure they’re eating healthy foods.
- Assist with bathing, grooming, and dressing.
- Call them at least once a week.
Two Sundogs were sighted last Wednesday, which may help to explain the cool Sunday morning temperatures. Areas reported a variance of temperatures…6, and 39. Whichever way, it was cold!!! Monday morning area residents found the temperature dipping relatively close to frost…34 degrees. Frost was noticeable in some areas, with no danger noted to plants. Oh my! Skies have been so clear and blue, with the humidity having left for greener pastures. The change in nature is wonderful to enjoy. Windows are open for a good night’s sleep.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“I’m not spoiled. I’m just well taken care of by my grandparents.” — Unknown
“If nothing is going well, call your grandparents.” — Italian Proverb
“Grandparents are the best kind of grownups.” — Unknown
“You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.” — Proverb
“Sometimes our grandmas and grandpas are like grand-angels.” — Lexie Saige
Relax and unwind on the porch to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Nathan Puffenbarger spent the weekend with his grandparents, Robert and Nancy Hodges in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Ben Puffenbarger competed in his first cross country meet in Buckhannon.
Rhonda and Helen Nash made a brief visit to Fredericksburg, Virginia, recently. Rhonda was the guest speaker at the homecoming service at Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church, where she previously served for 10 years as associate pastor. They enjoyed a wonderful reunion and fellowship meal with the congregation, as well as several family members who attended the celebration.
Phil Downs has returned home from a hospital visit. He has enjoyed the company of Rose Smith of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, Kathy Rexrode, Dinah Mitchell, Amelia Gibson and Wilson Belmia of Springfield, Virginia, Pat Bodkin, and K.D. Puffenbarger.
Another resident has been added to the Sugar Grove community. Baby Sandra Pauline Mongold was born Sept. 8. She weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 20 inches. Little Sandra was welcomed home by her sister, Geneva, and brother, Nathaniel. Her parents are Jessica and Randy Mongold.
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- Seventy million grandparents are in the nation.
- Grandparents’ Day always falls on the Sunday after Labor Day.
- Grandparents are generous! They make 45 percent of the nation’s cash contributions to nonprofit organizations.
- One-tenth of American children live with a grandparent.
- Most grandparents don’t see spoiling the grandchildren as their special role.
Concerns are as follows: Bob Adamson, Dyer Anderson, John Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Richard Bennett, “Bo” Boggs, Marie Cole, Christian Dasher, Benny Evick, Isaac Eye, Linda Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Thelma Fleisher, Carl Gant, David Gillespie, Lola Graham, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Marlene Harman, Missy Harrison, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, George Hevener, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adalbert Hoover, Donna K. Hoover, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Tim L. Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Lisa and Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Kim Kline, Ginger Knight, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Rex Landis, the Noah Mallow family, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Gene McConnell, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, John Morford, Bill Mullenax, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Andy Pond, Janice Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Alda Propst, Janis Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Tom Rader, Brandon Reel, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Mike Roberts, Donna Ruddle, Jenny Ruddle, Mary Sawyers, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Greg Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Elizabeth Terry, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Judy Waggy, Estelle Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Rene White, Norman Wilfong, Judy Williams, Ann and Ed Wimer and the Margaret Wimer family.
