welcome guests!

Okay so the guests are my parents..... but still...amazing how quickly we reduce the piles, finish a few to-dos (hanging pictures) and set a table....LOVE when guests arrive!  This is why we do our Derby Party (1st Saturday in May)...we get ready!  Those of you driving by will now notice framed art hanging in the dining room- it has been prompted up for months.  I added a few other new and beloved photos.  Sally is so happy to see these pictures- she didn't know them - they've been down since we painted everything in the front rooms. The pictures of my darling toddlers- each unique- Peter on a swing, Clare in a rocking chair and Sally withe black-eyed Susan's....her pinkie wrapped from our 1st trip to the Emergency Room- she recently had told the story of her sister pulling her finger out of a closed door and now she has the visual documentation!

I also pulled out our fall decorations- Works glass pumpkins, our toilet paper fabric wrapped pumpkins and the beautiful fall things from my "Around the Year" shower in Hagerstown!  Interesting this is the night the windows were officially closed and the heat turned on....kids have asked/begged a few mornings but we've resisted.  Tonight was the night.  Sally has a mind of her own- wow!  She turned the heat all the way up.....glad we caught that.  She also changes clothes on a dime and ends up not in Leithauser sanctioned garb....keep us posted- it will take this village to raise her!  But she is darling- they all are.  You know we have small mice..still working on those...he he...we went out tonight and came home to the 80lb mouse scamper....love the nights with no school in the mornings and mom and dad meet friends.  Life on Newark-Granville Road is ready for our guests and fall!

read the signs.....

Signs, signs, everywhere there are signs.......and I'm not just talking about the yard signs advocating you to vote for an issue or person.  I've posted about political signs before...the year I chaired the Library Levy I probably blogged daily about them.  No doubt I've shared Joe desire for there to be no signs in our yard, however we compromised and agreed we'd put only a few.  We have some guidelines- we must know the person and obviously have some respect for their effort.  We appreciate very much those that commit and serve our community by serving in office.  We love our freedom and what it represents and often that means disagreement and challenge.  We're lucky to live in a country founded on just that...we need to use it for good and positive and progress.  I'll refrain from going into thoughts about what is happening in DC right now......back to the signs....

I'd like to call your attention to the "VOTE YES FOR GRANVILLE SCHOOLS" sign in our yard and many many other yards in Granville.  I encourage you to to learn about this levy and join us in voting yes.  Joe and I have three children in three schools.  We experience first hand the quality education they receive.  Is it perfect- no, do I wish there were languages earlier yes, what I do know is what is there is high quality and we're lucky to have the hard working, dedicated staff preparing our future citizens. Education is critical to our communities success on so many levels.  Good things are happening and we need to keep momentum moving forward with a yes vote.

If you are reading this and you don't live in the Granville School District, I ask you to look at your own signs around- do you have a levy or school bond on your ballot?  I learned about the Southwest School District Bond in Pataskala yesterday- everyone needs to vote yes for that one in that community- wow! There is no reason not too facilitate that funding AND there is tremendous need- this knowledge makes me grateful for all the good happening in our community and reinforce the YES vote for Granville Schools.  I learned last week about the school levy in Utica...all my Utica friends- PLEASE support your schools, the children's education and opportunities for hands-on learning, real life preparation-it matters to all of us all over Licking County!!

So those were my signs...when I learned about two other levies I was reminded of the signs in my yard in my life on Newark-Granville Road.  I hope you'll notice the signs in your life and plan to VOTE on Nov. 5th!

M-I-C.....K-E-Y...

But this is no Mickey...this is a bat without wings...Okay maybe he is a little sweet...but he is in my house..inside...eating the dogs food like it is a buffet.

yes Life on Newark-Granville Road- real and personal and ICKY- a mouse is in the house.  I have always said I have two brains- I see things two ways..I'm conflicted.  The rational side of me goes back to 3rd Grade and the fun of Ralph and the Motorcycle...Miss Dorsey- later Mrs. Rankin- had the best classroom. It was the mouse house and it was darling.  And I bought into all the fun literature with mice.  And part of me thinks they are sweet. And yes Mickey and Minney are darling...but then reality hits home and Mickey and Minnie look nothing like real mice...and real mice scamper and are germy and bring the outside in....and I think of Ratatouille and rats...and if there is one.......EWWW!

So Joe says he does this every year...the mouse traps come out, it is fall and here they come and thanks to Joe...out they'll go.  Griffey put his nose in a trap- he's learning.  Silly Dog.....no bark no warning no care about the mouse in the house today.

So what brought on this rampage?  I stopped to walk the dog after lunch today- was reading the mail at the counter and heard....scratch, scamper, tititititi and looked around and there was a little brown gray mouse slight as could be quick quickly going by around the corner of the wall to the dogs food bowl, um and in, nibble nibble and back out quick as can be reversing the order....and then he did it again. At least I hope it was him again..not another one coming to the buffet- them taking turns, tag teaming it...I hope he was filling his cheeks like a squirrel and taking the free food back to the nest...oh yes- that is where my brain went - nest- baby mice waiting for their food....My real side will show through- plug the whole, bring out the tramps- get rid of them now.  This house with the kids, the counters, the dropped food is a smorgasbord for them....Life on Newark-Granville Road- never dull!

sharing my evening......

....with my children.  On Saturday night I repeated a beloved gesture from my childhood.  My parents went out most Saturday nights.  Saturday night was their night- they didn't refer to it as date night- it was just what they did. They went to dances, dinners, bridge club, they hosted dinners, attended plays and musicals.  They dressed up and I enjoyed hanging out on their bed, helping select the shoes, fasten a necklace.  (We also were able to select our TV dinners and had our own fun with babysitters.)  Often my mother would bring home trinkets from her night time fun...I remember masks, beads, cake (from weddings was always a treat to be placed under our pillows to dream of the man we would marry) and we'd hear about their evening the next morning on the way to church.   I have very fond memories of these Saturday nights.

Saturday night of this weekend was a beautiful evening for me.  The "Up on the Rooftop" fundraiser for The James was something to behold.  The mammoth tent, exquisite decorations, delectable food and sensational entertainment accompanied our great company of Cardinal Health friends and philanthropic energy. As Joe held me tight and sashayed me around the dance floor we counted our blessings. It was one of those special events one doesn't forget.  And to keep the evening's beauty going I was inspired by my mother's actions from my past and I brought a token of that beauty home to my children.  They were indeed fast asleep by the time we arrived home.  As I kissed them goodnight, the shoush of my taffeta and click of my heels possibly causing them to stir as I recall happening on Forrest Drive...I placed a flower from our arrangement at our table on their bedside stands.  The photos give you a snapshot of this gesture from my past, my children's Sunday mornings, the incredible beauty of Saturday night and life on Newark-Granville Road.

Peter received a yellow rose....these photos are from the girls' rooms.

busy fun in Granville!

Busy fun weekend....today is Denison President, Adam Weinberg's Inauguration- will be special time for our alma mater.  Tomorrow- Vancake- Pancakes benefit for amazing guy/family in town- St. Eds.  Buy tickets in advance at Ross Market, Granville Inn....signs all over- awesome!  We love events like this.  Granville Inn- Chili Cook Off- always great time, great way to connect to the community- the cooking groups often are groups sharing their message and supporting our community!  And Rummage sale at FPC- brown church on north west corner....great stuff will be there and good things doing good work- supports the youth activities of our church- mission work!

Details in our paper- Granville Sentinel! Have a great day and weekend we will- Life on Newark-Granville Road is busy and full and fun!  Hope to see you at some of these events - reality is we can't do it all- sports in our busy day- so go and tell me all about it!!

60 page views and TV time.

Yay- 60 people looked at my blog yesterday..this makes me happy.  Thank you.  I've had a range of up to 132 and as few as 13...I would like to expand my reach. Any help you can provide to forward, like, share...I don't have many people that "subscribe" and get my updates via email- that would be fun to increase as well.  I'd also love to know more of what you like to read about- the kids, the dog, events, life just on the road/in town, off, ideas, work? Or what you'd like to read less about- see above items.  The blog started as a way to share ideas and has become more. I post for myself- the writing is good for me. I respond  and value to your encouragement and perspectives.

So I'm heading off to watch TV...life on Newark-Granville Road doesn't have the TV on too much. We have one TV in the kitchen-mostly used for sports.  We have one in the basement- mostly used for Ducky Dynasty by the kids, Dance Moms, Cup Cake Wars.....I know I know....but we don't let the kids watch much at all if any during the week....and weekends it is rest time...they're active and keeping up with grades and help.  I watch Nashville on Wed, Thursdays- Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, Sundays I watch Revenge- often with friends.  I love movie nights when we curl up downstairs- but they are few and far between lately. So that is life on Newark-Granville Road....screen time does happen with Ipads but I'm pleased to say we read more than we watch around here.

more thoughts from attending talk by Annie Barrows...

I came home from the talk and blogged...then today I was able to talk about the talk....and now I want to blog more....But it is too late. I need to go to sleep- a productive day, cool weather, great company and some delicious food and wine...I'll sleep well.  I'll remind myself here to talk more about story telling and the wisdom life can provide....I also need to blog about the Granville Levy..I've got my sign!