Getting By with a little help from my Friends- Thank you Gary Heikes

1st Draft......I've been a little sad lately.  A dear friend from my past died.  I found out on Facebook.  I do not think I'd know if it had not been on Facebook if I had not received the messenger message. I'm grateful Gary and I connected over the years over Facebook.  Gary Heikes was the friend that gave me a whole lot more than a little bit of help.  Gary was a work partner, direct report of mine when I moved to Omaha, Nebraska knowing nothing about how to manage a warehouse in the auto part business. And in Omaha it was way more than auto parts- we helped farmers with implements and engines, industrial companies with manufacturing equipment and I learned distribution and efficiency.  This is where my love of the MBTI happened as we merged facilities and utilized formalized teamwork. Gary was the natural leader who managed up, over and down with a smile and a kind let’s get it down attitude.  When I accepted the first resignation on small 3.5 fte team it was Gary who said- no one is irreplaceable, this is a great opportunity.  I could not have done what I did that launched my ten year successful career at Federal-Mogul without him.  I loved living and working in Omaha because of Gary, Stan and Joe and I'm grateful to be reliving those memories this week as we remember and honor Gary's memory.  Gary continued to be a partner and colleague those ten years I was with Federal-Mogul.  His life made a huge difference, he impacted, inspired, supported and accepted me and so many others.  He went through life with deep love- his relationships with his wife, parents, kids was based on love and he told us, he shared that.  What a gift it was to work with Gary Heikes- rest in peace Gary and heaven is happy you are there.  https://www.cullenfuneralhome.com/obituary/gary-heikes

So this week more than ever I'm grateful for the friend that had me for tea and introduced me to a new tea- do you know about Mark Wendell's Hu-KWA tea? It is smoked so it tastes smoky.  It makes me think of scotch.  My palate never liked smoky things but that is changing. My tastes are evolving and shifting as I age.  This is a good thing.   This week I'm grateful for the volunteer that sent me a beautiful thank you and when I called to say so - she said- I just wanted to thank you for the little things you do, for being there and to thank you on behalf of those that do not.  WOW.  WOW. WOW. Boy, do I love to learn from those I serve and this will stay with me and I will do a better job of thanking those that serve me in non-profit volunteer ways. 

So this week I'm grateful for the friend that rounded up a group of women for a Girls Night out to see a play. I did not have to make any of the plans. I'm invited and I'll show up.  Thank you, dear friend.

I'm thankful for the texts and check-ins with friends I just do not get to see enough. Our lives have shifted.  Many of them are empty-nesters, my work fills my days and I miss the time I use to have, we use to have and our seasons.  But we stay connected, figure eights apply and we help one another as we can.

Life on Newark-Granville Road- ups, downs and filled with friends that keep us moving. I am grateful. Thank you for reading.

Learning from Denison Student at Monday Talks

What a treat to hear Sara Abou Rashed '21- Denison student again and what a treat to support her talk at Monday Talks.  Sara's perspective, story and poetry are beautiful, important and timely.  Whenever I hear her present I learn something new, I consider my own points of view and I take the moment with gratitude.  Thank you Monday Talks, thank you Sara.  My life on Newark-Granville Road benefits from time with you. 

Want to learn more about Sarah- visit https://saraabourashed.com/about-me/  Sara's events can be found here as well. Two upcoming events one in Chicago and one in Columbus.  Help spread the word- Chicago is new territory! 

’A Map of Myself: My Odyssey to America,’’ a one-woman show by Sara Abou Rashed, directed by Larry Smith on immigration, war, finding home, languages, DNA results and everything in between.
More about the show at http://www.mapofmyself.com/ 

Saturday, November 16th, 7:30-9:00PM Stage 773 (around the Lincoln Square)
1225 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60657
Tickets are available here: https://www.stage773.com/show/mapofmyself 

Monday, Nov 19th 7pm- Show at Otterbein:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sara-abou-rashed-a-map-of-myself-at-otterbein-university-tickets-75864337275  Who wants to ride with me?!  Want to know more about Monday Talks- a historic group in Newark Ohio that gathers to learn, hear a talk- let me know.  I don't get to every presentation but I'm in my life on NG Road when I do.

Step 6- Chil cooks, Post about music and FPC Event and more....

1st step- make a plan
2nd step- get out of bed to execute plan/ go to store 
2 b. enjoy trip to store by taking in the light of sunrise and music on new CD!
3rd step- chop and open cans
4th step- go back to store for missing key ingredient
repeat 2 b making it 4 b.
5th step- cook
6th step- update blog while chili simmers
7th step- put in crock pot for Tailgate

Fall.  Beautiful fall.  We fall back tomorrow.  Bonus of my go to store early step 2- I saw the sunrise after 7 am- wow.  Bonus of the return to the store-  4 b-I saw my favorite color of green- the light, sparkly shade that is really a white-green as it has frost on top but the deep rich green creates a base that is stunning or maybe it is the magic of mother nature and science that creates that sugar coating- all that matters is it is stunning and I was able to soak it in this morning.  Good morning on Newark-Granville Road.

It is going to be a good day- things offered in my life on Newark-Granville Road:

-First Presbyterian Church- Holiday Harvest Fest- Breakfast, Lunch- homemade great food, baked goods, darling crafts...I need to run down there!! PIE! 8:30-1:30  https://www.granpres.org/who-we-are  Brown church on the northwest corner of Broadway and College!

-Take in Denison  Sports: Soccer- Men and Women's, Football    https://www.denisonbigred.com

-Wooster Football with the Fighting Scots and the band, in kilts, with bagpipes- I can't wait!

Of course there are lots of other things but I wanted to highlight these.  Enjoy. Have a great day!

Curious about that great new CD I mentioned: https://thecurrysmusic.com   Loved hearing this group live last night at 31 West (fabulous venue) at Pilsners for Polio (GREAT event) coordianted by Julie Baker (incredible Rotarian).  Phenomenal cause- Rotary Foundation https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio      It really is fun to go out on a Friday night with good people and just be happy.  Thanks to all who made it happen and The Curry's!

the making of a Nats Fan

Loving the World Series 2019 in our house!  Peter is the Nats fan and we all love baseball.  So how did Peter become a Nationals Fan?  The story is simple- he liked Adam Dunn, when Adam played for the Reds.  Joe is the lifelong, diehard Reds fan so of course Peter got to know the players.  Peter cheered for the Nats when Adam went there.  I remember Peter telling me his favorite player was moving to the Chicago White Sox and I said- nope- you're not following a player, you are a Nats fan. This aligned with cheering for the Nationals's minor league teams- yes teams!  

For two years The Columbus Clippers were the farm team for the National, lucky for us they were Peter's formative years.  After the Yankees left the program was determining Cincinnati or Cleveland and Washington, DC  filled the void.  AND my hometown of Hagerstown, MD has the beloved Suns- a farm team for the Nationals. Oh, the players we've seen there- Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg are two I remember well.  We've had fun traveling to see games in the beautiful Nationals Park and seeing the various teams whenever possible.  A fun game was in Richmond one spring break- were passing through, thinking about a dinner stop and turned on the radio- The Suns were in town- off we went!

Peter was born to love baseball- born on opening day- Red's opening day and my father's 60th birthday.  Interesting that the Nats beat his grandfather's team, the Dodgers, to move to this year's World Series!  I'm an Orioles fan because of my Maryland upbringing and just love having a son with a love of this "new" or "renewed" team in DC!   Can you guess his lullaby? 

Time to tune in and cheer for the Nationals.....

Sunday- here we go again....

Sunday seems to be post day lately.  Thanks for reading and sharing the happenings in my life on Newark-Granville Road.  It is time for bed but a few reflections from last week as well as invitations for the upcoming week.

Last Week: Yes, I did get some rest.  I had to drive to Crawfordsville, Indiana to do so but I enjoyed going to bed early in a beautiful historic home in the country- thank you Air BnB.   Peter's visit to Wabash College went well.  More as he progresses on his journey.  I always benefit from a college visit and was quite impressed with this historic, Midwestern, liberal arts college.  Frequent readers know I love a good road-trip!  NPR, chat time with my companion or phone time and just listening to the radio with beautiful scenery a nice break from routine!

Joe and Sally took in the Wooster Black and Gold Weekend- so kind of them to host Denison as the football opponent.  Joe loved the bagpipes and band, the DU win was nice too!  I was sorry to miss but am looking into a road trip north for my own college plaid game day!! Fun to get Joe's report on how happy Clare is and how much he enjoys her friends.  Sunday phone call tradition continued and I loved  hearing Clare report on how happy she was with her Dad and sister's visit and update me directly on her fighting Scot updates!

Denison Reunion planning getting real:  Denison Class of 1989, 1990, 1991 30th Reunion Page   On Facebook- please join and check-in! Also we get a website: https://class.denison.edu/1990/  More in the future. Thanks to our classmates for leading and being involved!! Mark and Lauren- you rock.

And how about those Nats!  Future Blog post- how we raised a Nats fan.  It really has been great baseball and what really makes it special- Peter and Joe's commentary, knowledge and passion that they share liberally.   Mother Nature is delighting us outside, The Works art gallery delights inside and many pieces of art showcase her brilliance.  https://attheworks.org/experience-art/  I was able to see this on Thursday when it opened and look forward to going back.  Bonus- picked up a new pumpkin from the glass pumpkin patch- one with warts to honor our little patch in the front yard!

This Week:  World Series- LETS GO NATS!  http://business.granvilleoh.com/events/details/candidate-issues-forum-13925  Candidate Night- Granville!! 6:30 pm
LETS GO ACES- Girls Field Hockey takes on Columbus Academy- 5 pm- CA.  On Tuesday of course.
Keep an eye on the house on Wednesday- both Joe and I are out of town.....I'm only in Indy for the day- he is  working in North Carolina most of the week.
Construction continues and great progress is being made.  I'm reminded over and over why I'm happy not to be building a whole house- those that have done it- bless you.

We're heading into transition time- winter sports meetings- check- basketball for Sally, swimming for Peter.  It is good to connect with parents and players and start making plans in our Life on Newark-Granville Road for the rest of October and into November, December...time flies, soaking it in on a Sunday.

Blessings, on butterflies and on the blog.

October is in full swing and has filled me with so much happiness in my life on Newark-Granville Road.  At FPC https://www.granpres.org we're focusing on our blessings. We're using butterflies to capture the many things we recognize God gives us in our lives.   I'll use this platform to share just a few of the blessings in my life since my last post!

Time with Clare.  Last Sunday Joe and I went to take in the last fall ball play-date game and that was really fun.  It gave us a hint of what is to come- it makes me smile that my first outing to the Wooster stadium was for lax.  However, it is fall and I look forward to getting there for a football game!  Soon grasshopper, soon.  Clare spent her fall break week with us, her friends and the oral surgeon- implant process step by step. She is so happy and we're so grateful she has her home away from home at Wooster. It was so nice to cook for her, catch-up and hear and see her happy and connecting with dear ones.

Time with Joe- absence makes the heart grow fonder.  He's back traveling which is great- it means he is engaging in the work he loves- helping clients navigate data- over-simplified but truth.  I enjoy picking him up at the airport, sharing the Eisner Opening and BoJack Horseman for the stage!!, a Granville date night with his work friends. Bonus was Buxton basement tavern time and Granville brewing.  Even going to the grocery today was nice.

Construction- it is getting real, the breakfast nook area is framed and porch coming soon- holes for footers in the back yard.  It does mean that piles are everywhere.  We're always in motion and actually found a pile of mail from our last clean-up/move things time- Derby! Thank you for the thank yous, invites and oh yes- now we know why the garbage was not picked up- the bill was not paid- eek!

May mail  found in October

The weekend also allowed me to:

• hug a dear friend having a good day in her cancer battle.
• accept a delivered bouquet from a sweet friend's garden with a handwritten note.  
• select probably the last of the season's dahlia's at the Granville's Farmers Market. Peonies are one of my favorite welcomers of summer, these tubers usher the season's close so very well.
• I caught up and treated myself at an annual shopping outing in a special friend's home with great folks corralled.
• I cheered for Denison field hockey and football teams all bundled up- bringing out the winter hat a bit early but it works!  So many great parents and alums on campus and around this weekend- what a delight to engage and see folks at every turn.

FPC's love shown bright this weekend.  The rummage sale allowed me to see true beauty shine- Ellen prepped us to welcome all our neighbors and we did and I was teary.  Sally and Peter volunteered in their ways.  Our service today was amazing in so many ways and again I shed tears of joy. Our blessings multiple and go into the world making a difference.  Giving is expotential- I talked about this at the DU FLC meeting and it is so true for my own life on Newark-Granville Road.  Thanks for sharing and making it so with your friendship and support.

Construction or Politics

Which will be easier to blog about this month?  That is the question.

Construction- will not go as planned. This is foreign territory for us.  This isn't build new, it is remodel, building on to what was here, blending ideas and dreams into reality and affordability with teamwork, partnership and outside expertise and person power.  I must focus on the end result and have faith.  I must acknowledge the process- daily check-ins and gratitude for creative problem solving. Remember it is an old house and this isn't the first addition.  Exciting, stressful, real and needed.

Politics- local.  We vote November 5th- here is the page for local issues, candidates and early voting. https://licking.ohioboe.com/election-info/ I'm still figuring it out.  Friends are running- thank you.  Acquaintences are running- thank you. Friends of friends are running- thank you. Strangers are running- thank you.  More women are running- woo hoo!  I need to dig deeper.  Joe and I met one candidate for the first time- we appreciated his service that makes him a great candidate.  Joe and I had coffee with another candidate- we love his enthusiasm, perspective and goals- he too is a great candidate.  Here is what I can say on the blog for now- let us all dig deep, lets do what it takes to be informed voters on November 5th or earlier if we vote by absentee or in-person voting downtown Newark- see above link.  Lets go to meetings, lets ask questions, lets listen respectfully to others with different points of views. Lets embrace this process, lets honor, respect and create relationships.

Life on Newark-Granville road- real, honest, awesome, not easy but in the big picture it is and always grateful to share it.