Grandsons Are So Special

 June 8, 2021

Where does the time go? This week I have been spending the afternoons with my two grandsons, Kyle and Bentley. They have half days of school as it is the end of the year and Friday they will close another great year. They both love school and enjoy their teachers and friends. They are now anxious to get into the summer mode where they can sleep in, go to the pool and enjoy barbecues and fun times in the neighborhood.

I can't believe that Kyle just turned 11 and Bentley is 8. They each play an instrument and a sport. We have been watching Kyle play baseball and his team is the champions. What an exciting game it was. Now his teams is in the playoffs.

Today we watched a movie and relaxed until their mom picked them up. 

Tomorrow I will get them lunch at Wawa and they want to come in and place the order. 

Being a Grandmom is so much fun. 

June 2019
Well I have been away for awhile, busy with travel and family and friends but I am making a note. In the last two years Michael and I have traveled to New Zealand and to Southeast Asia. Both trips were fabulous with adventure, great food and interesting people.
As we are aging we are enjoying our time together. This summer we are on our sailboat, Drama Queen and we are planning to go for a cruise. The destination is still undecided.
Life remains an interesting journey for us. We are lucky.

Why Grandchildren Are So Special!

Grandchildren are so special because they connect you with the important things in life and make you forget about yourself. You laugh and act silly because they want you to be silly.
My two grandsons offer me two different views. Kyle's sensitivity makes me smile and appreciate all the love that he feels for me. He loves my garden, my flowers and the birds that I love to watch. Bentley likes to throw the dirt in my garden. He puts on his garden gloves and gets the tool so he can dig the hole.
What I like the most is they want to stay at my house for a sleep over and they are always asking when , when?
As a grandchild, I spent my weekends and summers with my grandparents so I am very accommodating to their requests. I love making their special meals and having their treats for them. We always watch one of their movies and I love reading to them.
They give me energy  that makes me feel so alive.
being GRAND is exceptional.

Summer 2015: Chesapeake Bay

I love gliding across the bay with a sail pulling me in different directions. The force of the wind is often powerful and overwhelming. Sometimes when I am at the helm I feel powerless as the wind commands the boat.
But, knowing what to do makes everything quiet down.
The bay offers quaint little towns, good food and fabulous sunsets. Sitting on Drama Queen Michael and I watch the sun say goodbye for another night.

From a Fractured Shoulder to a Western Camping Adventure to an African Safari

    Today is December 7, 2014 and I am reflecting on my travels. I can only say WOW! Michael and I don't seem to be able to keep still even when I have had an injury. I guess I can say that is a good thing.
    Back in March of this year I had a wake up call when I fell at my cousin's apartment in Dubai. I have never had a broken bone throughout my life. We were waiting for our driver to arrive to take us to the desert. When the phone rang I was half asleep. I jumped up and charged the phone not realizing that the cleaning lady had just mopped the floor. Suddenly I slammed onto the marble floor and was unable to move my left arm. It was as if the arm was hanging off. My immediate response was about the driver but my husband's voice of sanity quickly summed up "We're not going to any desert. You're going to a hospital." I knew he was right but I was scared.
   Next I was in a taxi heading for the German Saudi Hospital. As I arrived I was met at the door by an escort with a wheelchair. He quickly ushered me to xray where my arm was x-rayed. Then the doctor appeared with the xrays on a CD and the diagnosis. "You have a fractured shoulder that will need pins. I can do the surgery tomorrow at 2PM. Call  me if you would like the surgery."  I immediately asked them to email the report to my daughter so my orthopedic PA son-in-law, Ken, could tell me his thoughts. He emailed me immediately that the fracture was serious and would require a long rehab. he said I should return home. Realizing the severity of the injury and the fact that my next destination was Africa, I knew I had to return home. Recovering at my cousin's apartment and traveling to Africa was not an option. Next, I contacted my cousin who arranged for our flights so he could change our return flights. The morning of my accident he had flown to LA so I sent him an email and waited to hear from him.

I am back

I have been away from my blog for quite some time, but I have been writing in other places and enjoying many creative expressions. In 2010 we decided to stop sailing full time because we became grandparents. We now are delighted by two little boys in our lives. Kyle and Bentley will join us on the boat next year.
We keep the boat at The Wharf at Handy's Point and sail in the Cheasape. We have taken the Dramaqueen out for the winter and today we are heading to Tanzania for a safari and other activities. I am excited for the adventure.
Toots,the seafaring dog and my sidekick is 14 years old. She still steals everyone's heart.



More to come on sailing

Toots , A seafaring Dog Tale

When I retired from teaching in 2006 after thirty-three years of teaching, I jumped on our sailboat, Drama Queen, with my husband, Toots and my journals. It was a time of adventure as we set off to wherever we landed. I wrote every day. This little cairn terrier was six years old and had never lived on a boat. She adapted to our fiberglass deck

 and getting breaks by riding the dinghy to shore. She never complained and her loyalty grew stronger each day.

I observed her behavior and she is truly my dedicated fan. I return her love by being her number one fan, too. In my observation of Toots, I started to narrate her story and found myself giving her pirate traits. It doesn't take me long to become a pirate so I joined her and the next thing I knew I was telling her story and we were pirate mates. I also included Max as one of our pirate mates, too.

The children always delighted in her cuteness and I always was amazed at how docile and sweet Toots was around the children. Animals tell so much about who they are in their interaction with you, but they also tell you about yourself.  Toots is twelve years old and a fabulous Old Dame that likes hanging with me and is always a great entertainer for children. I always have to check with the schools to determine whether she is allowed to visit the school. Sometimes there are restrictions because of children's allergies. Regardless whether she comes along with the performance, Toots, A Seafaring Dog Tale, takes children on adventure of pirates and they learned about Toots who traveled with Arabella, my female pirate character.
Contact me for more information about storytelling programs or writing workshops at maureenbarry380@hotmail.com