Thinking about my father and how my kids remember him if at all

 

I'm not sure why, but when Chance and Jamie were here last weekend I learned that Chance has no image or memory of my father.

I need to ask my other kids what they remember if anything.

I am afraid I have done a disservice to my dd by telling the kids only the negative/ bad stuff about my dad.   Even if it's true, he was not always mean or scary.  I spent hours on his lap looking through magazines or combing his hair. Not sure why, but I enjoyed polishing his shoe too.

We used to go on walks and he would hold my hand.  He would say "ride' ride' ronka", a Norwegian nursery rhyme while I rode on his foot- pretending it was a horse  

 

Of all five Sherwood kids, I think that Austin is the most Scandinavian looking and he really looks like my dad in these two pictures.  One of Austin's profile and the other my dad's profile in his WWII Navy uniform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture was taken by my dad probably 1991 or 1992 when my dad and Becky were visiting us.

I know that I have pictures of my father with each of the kids.  I have pictures of him holding Chance as a baby.  

I feel like I have left a big part of my history and my kids history out of the picture.   Need to work on that!

 

Happy La Leche League story to share

 I posted this on Facebook yesterday and received almost 200 "likes"!

 I was wearing this shirt today and in a ladies room a woman at least my age (70s) said "is that shirt La Leche League?" I said that I am a LLL Leader. She said she nursed her first baby until she was 3 years old! Her son stopped when he was ready but she couldn't remember how old he was. She said he always did things his own way. How great is it when you meet a League mom who's babies are in their 40s and who still loves her memories of La Leche League!

 

 =7   =74  = 85

Good Morning!

 I woke up feeling human today for the first time in ages!  I have been depressed and tired for what seems like forever.

I took a much needed nap yesterday and I think that it at least some of what revived me.    I felt good after I woke up from my nap!

 Not a whole lot new here.  I have started to follow Weight Watchers again.   I used to love going to the meetings but have not been this time around.  They have moved the location and I don't feel like trying to find it.  Also, Weight Watchers has gotten involved in the weight loss drug/ shots program and I am really not interested in that.   Wish me luck!

 It is so hard to believe that Shannon died almost 6 months go!   Her mom and I have kept in touch all through Shannon's illness and her death.  Last week, Sarah- Shannon's mom visited here at out house for a couple of hours.  She was on her way to Fredericksburg to visit Shannon's kids.

Sarah had visited the cemetery in Pennsylvania where Shannon is buried.  she took some pictures of Shannon's headstone and shared them with me.

 

 

 

 

 

It's beautiful.  But I wish Shannon was still alive.

 

 

I'm soo tired!

 Last night, according to my c-pap, I slept over 9 hours.  Yes I was tired all day.  My voice is not working right and is all raspy.  Maybe I am sick.  Maybe it's the weather.   There are forest fires in Canada and the smoke is going all over the place.

 

 Every evening I write a list of the things I want to do the next day.  I have been moderately good at doing my "chores".   

I have been reading a lot lately.  Novels/ fiction     

 On the last page of the book I just finished we a very evocative passage:  

 

"Now she saw that June beach scene differently.   Her three children, she saw, had been staring at the horizon with the alert, tense stillness of explorers at the edge of the ocean, poised to begin their journeys. And she, shading her eyes in the distance had been trying to understand why they were leaving.

Where they were going without her.

How to say goodbye." 

 

This sums up parenting.  They all needed me so much and now they have gone off to their own lives without us. 

 

 

Rabbit Rabbit Wednesday July 1, 2026

 On Sunday, while sitting in church listening to the sermon which I cannot remember right now, I felt like just being still and feeling still.

As I sat there in a somewhat meditative state, I felt like I was disintegrating.   Starting at the top of my head I imagined that I was becoming a bit of sparkles or glitter fading away.   All the way to my feet until all that was left was glitter on the floor.

I was feeling invisible and sad and lonely and not able to do anything.   

Life is good.  Most of the time.   But I feel like I need some time off.  Away somewhere.   Maine was wonderful and I really am glad I got to be there with Austin.

I am so glad I got to go to North Carolina and see Galileo on his second birthday.  I love him so much.

Life really is good.   I have friends- sort of.  Not like when I was younger and the kids were all around.  Maybe they were something of a catalyst almost forcing me into meeting other women with kids.  I know that was my doing but the kids got me going.

Life changes I know.  When I say I don't really have friends I mean, nobody to just talk to for hours on the phone and meet for coffee or a walk.   I am lonely in a world full of people.  I guess that's the downfall of being an extrovert.

Before Covid and the pandemic we had a dinner group called "The Extended Family".   And I had my Monday evening women's group. 

All of the women in the Monday evening group have died except for myself and one who has moved away.  Pat, Harriett, Sue, Florence, Lola, and Mary Lou.  

The extended family has had a similar fate.  Members moved away or died.     I miss seeing everyone once a month.  We would eat at each other's homes or occasionally go to a restaurant.  I think that for at least 10 years, maybe more, we hosted the Christmas party at our house.   Last year we barely had any Christmas at all.

I am retired now from my lactation work and almost from La Leche League.   I do have a Monday morning Zoom group with some long time- old- LLL friends.

My mother would say I am just feeling sorry for myself. Yeah, there you go!

 

 

 

June 24, 2026

 Fifty four years?  Really?  Have we really been married that long?   We were both such babies!  Nick was 24 and I was 18!  I don't know if anyone thought it would last.  We have been through so much and yet, here we are!

And it's funny because we so often say "that was the week of Hurricane Agnes" and most people just look at us and say "huh?"  Well, we will always remember!  I was going to write something about the hurricane but discovered that if you just Google "Hurricane Agnes" or look it up on Facebook there's lots of info and pictures.

 

Look at those love birds!
 

Raliegh, North Carolna

 I was lucky enough that I was able to get down to Raleigh and see Daughter-in-law, Jody, son Darcy and of course Galileo.

 Galileo just turned two years old!   When I first saw him I couldn't.t  recognize him at all

He is a sweet, delightful little baby/ boy and a lor of  running around- all toddler all Sherwood

 

I took a bunch of pictures so be patient. I will try loading more at another time