Talking Stories @Family Reunion

While sitting around my sister Barbara's dining room table last week, (@least three generations of us Stallman's), we had good memories to share. Barbara & Edwin's house is where we all gather when we go back to our roots. Everyone migrates to her extra long dining table. She always has a stack of plates, napkins, forks & an assortment of her latest baked goods, including her signature MUD CAKE....she IS a seasoned baker!

I'm telling my latest 'Rileigh Shea story: (a few weeks prior, Rileigh had asked me why I had brown spots on my arms & I had told her it is just something that happens when people get old).

So one day a few weeks later, Lauren, Rileigh Shea & I are driving to get snow cones, and she exclaims loudly 'OMG (just the letters, not the words) OMG! I have a Brown Spot on my arm! I said 'are you sure'? & she goes 'yes taotao, I am positive..............I sure hope my teeth don't start falling out'!............

Everyone had a good laugh, then Barbara took her turn. When her son Donn was a young child, he had been playing outside with some other little boys. There was a knock @the door. Barbara goes to the door & a little six or seven year old boy was standing there looking very serious. 'Mrs. Speck, Donnie called me a bad word'. 'Oh, he did'? said Barbara. 'Well, why don't you go tell Donnie his mama wants to see him'. The little boy runs off & shortly thereafter, Donn goes to his mother. 'Donnie, did you call that little boy a bad word'? 'Yes', says Donn. 'Well, what bad word did you say to him'? Donn hung his head, I said 'You are a sorry piece of shit & a rotten son of a bitch'!

Love That Video Camera, Vicki

Vicki has finally 'mastered' the operation of the video camera I got her for Christmas, and if nothing else, it gives us some great 'pee your pants laughing moments', usually @my expense!

We drove down to Chandler to visit her dads grave last week end. We took beautiful bouquet's of flowers to decorate his, Mary's & his folks' headstones. Vicki recorded all the King family headstones, and took some GREAT shots of me placing the flowers. I'm all bent over w/my ass in the air........OH MY GOD! what a sight for sore eyes! I don't bend my knees at all, & when I'm erect, my profile somewhat resembles a washtub with a ball on top & two short sticks @the bottom. Bwaahaaaaaa.

We laughed until we cried & lauren kept repeating: 'back it up mom, let's see it again'.......over & over. Maybe I will start that diet as soon as we return from our family reunion in S.D.

NO SILLY, IT IS YOU.............

Rileigh Shea is four, and she spends a lot of time with her 'taotao'. We love each other's company and have a great time together. I missed out on these early years with lauren because I was living on another planet..........not really, but Guam is soooo far away, it may as well have been.

Rileigh comes running into my office with a 'drawing'.............'look grandma, I made you something'. I look at her picture & see that it is a 'person'. 'Oh, Rileigh Shea, that is beautiful..........you did a great job drawing, is that you? 'No silly, it is you,..................... see, you are OLD & have FLUFFY ARMS!