Tuesdays With Pappo: A Different Kind Of Thursday

 A Different Kind of Thursday

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When I walked into his room on Thursday, he wasn’t in his usual spot. Instead of his well-worn leather chair, he was sitting in the roll-around desk chair, turned toward the door like he’d been waiting. It was a small change, but it felt big to me. And I have to admit—it was good to see him somewhere new.

“We’re shaking things up today,” I said with a smile.

Instead of our usual booth at Braum’s, we took a short drive down the road to Mr. Jim’s Pizza. It wasn’t the smoothest outing, however. We wrestled with flies, tried to cut the pizza with a spoon (thankfully, Dad’s pocketknife saved the day as they had no knives in the restaurant), and laughed at the craziness of it all. But as we settled in and he sipped his Diet Coke, the conversation turned reflective—like it so often does with him.

He spoke of his longing to move back to Garland—his home for 63 years. A place where life had been easy and good. A place where home felt, well.....like home.

Then he asked a question that caught me off guard:

“What would you like most for me, at this time in my life, Softie?”

I didn’t have to think. “I want more than anything for you, Pappo, at the age of 97, to look “forward” instead of “backward.”

He did the old JC-head-tilt and looked at me, curious.

“You’re in the home stretch now,” I continued gently. “And more than anything, what your Softie wants is for you to face the rest of your story with Hope. Hope for a bright future! Like a man on a long, hard road trip, you’re close to turning that final corner. And just ahead? Home.”

Not Garland. But Heaven.

“Think about it,” I said. “No more walkers. No more hearing aids. No more glasses. And best of all—you’ll see Jesus— with His arms wide open, ready to give you that bear hug He promised. Remember that moment? When you first believed? When you decided to follow Him? That’s what’s waiting for you, Pappo—eternity...real life, the kind that never ends."

He looked down, silent. Then gave that Pappo-slight-head-tilt of his—his quiet way of saying everything, without saying a word:

“I hope so, Softie,” he whispered. “I hope so.”

I grabbed his strong hand, just as I have for 65 of my own years, and gave it a squeeze.....

“I KNOW so, Pappo", I know so.

Tuesdays With Pappo: Granddaughter Day With Pappo

 Tuesdays With Pappo

#tuesdayswithpappo

Granddaughter Day with Pappo

What a blast it was to have a co-pilot on my trip to visit Pappo this week!  My youngest granddaughter, Brie—a senior at GCU—is home from college, and together we buckled up and headed west for a special day with Pappo.

We didn’t stop talking the entire ride to Keene, catching up and sharing laughs the whole way.

Brie had heard all the legendary stories—about the 97-year-old man who kisses ladies on the head, leaves sweet notes for waitresses on napkins, and of course, the many handcuff tales—but this week, she got to experience them for herself.

Before we left Braum’s after lunch, we took our traditional weekly photo. And with a grin, Brie said, “It’s his turn to get kissed on the head!” So there you have it—Pappo got double the love this week! A “2-for-1,” as he proudly called it.

Friends, I could fill a book with all the blessings I’ve been given—all the moments, both big and small, that fill my heart with gratitude. Even in life’s tough seasons, I hold tight to the reminder from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: 

“Be thankful in all circumstances.”

But this week... this week was truly the best.

When Tattoo Met Molly

 "When Tattoo Met Molly"

It was a few months into 2021, after Wayne and I began dating, that we brought our furry family together: my dog, Molly, and Wayne's cat, Tattoo. Their initial introduction was far from harmonious. Tattoo, a fiercely territorial 14-year-old, saw Molly as an invading force threatening her beloved laundry room domain. Molly, equally set in her ways at 14, wasn't about to back down. Let's just say sparks didn't fly; hisses and growls did.

For a solid year, a six-foot radius around Tattoo was a no-go zone for both Molly and me. That laundry room was her sanctuary, and she wasn't interested in sharing it with anyone.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Tattoo began to soften. Eventually, Molly and Tattoo began sleeping next to each other and Tattoo and I became good friends.

Today, at the grand old age of 18 – a remarkable 270 in human years – Tattoo journeyed to her new Home. Some call it the Rainbow Bridge, but I like to imagine it as her reunion with her Mom, Cyndi, who was undoubtedly waiting for her there.

I don't claim to know God's plan for our pets, but what I do know is, He is a loving God....a God who gave us pets to love like family....a God who who loves Tattoo much like He loves us. And because I know this, I know she is better than she's ever been before.

Tattoo....you were so loved. See you on the other side....

Tuesdays With Pappo

 Tuesdays With Pappo

#tuesdayswithpappo

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Welcome to Tuesdays With Pappo on Thursday this week!

Mothers Day 2025

 It was never my plan....to not have a child of my own.

But it was God's plan....that I not.

It was never my plan to inherit a son....

But it was God's plan.....that I did.

I never imagined after years of infertility.... I would become a grandmother.

But it was God's plan....that I become one.

I never thought....I’d look at Mother’s Day and feel anything but Sorrow.

But it was God’s plan.....that I would one day feel Joy.

Happy Mothers Day to Those Ladies Who Helped God turn my Sorrow into Joy.

Liz (Lele)

Tuesdays With Pappo

 Tuesdays With Pappo

#tuesdayswithpappo

This week, I saw my Pappo for the first time in almost a month!

I drove like a bangee the 1-1/2 hours to Keene, anxious to see this man of 97, only to find him laying on his bed, shoes on and fully dressed, sound asleep. I won't lie, my heart stopped for a second when I saw him sprawled out on his bed in the middle of the day.....but went over and kissed him on the head and his eyes popped open as he said, "S-O-F-T-I-E!!"

We headed to our usual.....Braums....for lunch but decided to detour to his barber for a quick haircut (he claimed he was starting to look like a "Beetnick"....I hadn't heard that word since he called "The Monkees" that in 1967).

Haircut complete, we drove on down to our usual place....same booth....same #1 with a Diet Coke....and 3 ketchups. We talked about our trip...about how hard it was to see his car get sold....and then he said, "I just don't understand why this is happening."

We paused. I slowly reminded him that God had already determined the amount of his hours, minutes and days back when he was in Grandma's belly...and that God still had work for him to do. He had a purpose for him before he headed "Home". He gave me that sideways frown, like he didn't like that answer. And then words came out of my mouth that friends, could have only come from God....cause they weren't mine. I suggested he and I, just he and I, come up with a "project" that would help others at his independent living. We weren't going to tell anyone what the project was, so I can't tell you here, but let me just say, the last picture here was the face of my Pappo when we shook on that silent project we came up with. He now had purpose....he now felt useful....and that project? Well, its already in motion.

DAY 18: Headed Home

Headed home after almost 3 weeks……Goodbye beautiful London and tulip-covered Netherlands! We loved every minute!

DAY 15: - MORRISON DAY in LONDON

DAY 14: LONDON....and the MORRISONS!!

 

On the Eurostar Train for London!!!!! See you tomorrow Jessica!!!

DAY 5: Imagine Dutch Weather As A Moody Teenager

 DAY 5: IMAGINE DUTCH WEATHER AS A MOODY TEENAGER

That's what we experienced on Day 5. In the Netherlands, tulips always (even when it rains) turns this country into a rainbow!!! (I might have borrowed that quote somewhere). And this day, found us boarding a bus, leaving the sunny skies of Day 4 on the boat and arriving in Keukenhof Gardens.

Keukenhof Gardens is also known as "Garden of Europe" and is one of, if not the, largest bulb garden in the world. It's located in Lisse, Netherlands where millions of people, throughout the 7 weeks each year its open in the Spring, walk through the gardens admiring the 7 million flower bulbs that were planted BY HAND in the Autumn. It's an unbelievable place to visit.

So I thought, for Day 5, I'd let the pictures speak for themselves. And you must know, this was the hardest day to pick which pictures to share with you. There was so much beauty eveywhere.

Pay close attention to the last picture. Back on the bus heading to the boat, check out the men.....then check out the women. Hummm......

DAY 4: Sailing Day!!

 DAY 4: SAILING DAY!

Ahoy, relaxation! Today was all about smooth sailing from port to port—with plenty of memorable moments in between.

We kicked things off with some yoga on deck (yes, balancing in boat pose on a moving boat = extra credit), warmed up with mugs of hot chocolate, and gave Rick a proper serenade with a hearty round of “Happy Birthday.”

For a bit of cardio, we hoisted the sails like pros—burning calories and pride—and then launched into a competitive sing-off of the Gilligan’s Island theme song. Turns out, remembering all the words is harder than raising the sails.

As the sun began to dip, we sailed into the enchanting harbor town of Enkhuizen, Netherlands, and explored it on foot like giddy tourists. We snagged some delicious local cheese, devoured Danish-style nachos (don’t ask—just try them), and conquered a seriously steep tower of stairs.

Not a bad way to spend a day on the water!

DAY 3; NO ACCIDENTS HAPPENED ON DAY 3!!!

 DAY 3; NO ACCIDENTS HAPPENED ON DAY 3!!!

But we did wake up to a beautiful day.....grabbed our bikes and headed out to Den Burg for a little (and I do mean "Little" but "Stout"!!) cup of coffee and delicious but rare danish (Texelse Hoornderring) that can only be found in this part of the country. We navigated our bikes through the town of Den Burg to a cafe called Timmer (De Echte Bakker) to taste, what our guide called "The Best Thing That Ever Hit Your Mouth" (or something like that).

After stuffing ourselves on Hoornderring, we waddled back to our bikes, albeit a little heavier, and pedaled off into the wild—wildlife refuge that is!! After a few wrong turns, we gave up and decided this was merely a great place for our daily group photo!

As we rolled into the neat little town of Den Hoorn, our guide steered us toward a tiny family-run flea market where I scored—and I mean SCORED—two gloriously worn Danish koffie cups for just one euro each. Total suitcase space? Gone. Regrets? None. This roadside goldmine even offered a dozen eggs on the honor system! We opted out of the eggs, figuring eggs and bikes don't mix too well.....especially with this group's history of...cough cough....crashing.

Our next stop—surprise!—was a beach. Honestly, I had no clue we were even remotely close to water until we crested a hill and BAM: sand, waves, and, thank the biking gods, a BATHROOM. After a quick bite to refuel, and a final stop in the ladies room, we were back on the bikes hunting for more tulip fields!

Tons and tons of pictures, a few sheep and one family of ducks later, we arrived at the boat just in time for dinner and a sing-a-long with our Guide Tammy and our favorite motivator, Tom.

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Day 4? We give our butts a day off and learn how to sail this sweet Home on the Seas! Stay tuned!!

DAY 2: Let's RIDEEEEEE

 DAY 2: LET'S RIDEEEE!!! We waved a sweet "Tot ziens!" to Medemblik and a "burrr" chilly 48 degrees, and hopped on the bus to take us back to our waiting bikes in Schoorl where we ended our ride on Day 1. Though the sky was drizzly and gray, our biking group were all smiles and chatter and ready to pedal our way through whatever the day held. Ohhhh....if only we knew the adventures (and maybe a few comical struggles!) that Day 2 had quietly waiting for us.

Rain geer on and smiles on our faces, we slid into the village of Burgerbrug's where we found the most beautiful (muddy) roadside flower market waiting for us. It was less "stop and smell the tulips” and more "dodge the raindrops while gawking at the tulips" but seriously, they had the coolest tulips, many named after snacks and rock stars – like the "Popcorn Tulip”, the "Janis Joplin Tulip" the Pizza Tulip.....it went on and on!

The sky FINALLY took a break from raining as we huddled together for a group photo!

We continued riding past tulip field after tulip field until we arrived in St. Maartensvlotbrug where we had a scheduled combination snack/lunch/much-needed-bathroom break at a cool cafe where we ordered MORE Dutch Apple Pie and a stiff hot coffee and enjoyed hunkering down in a warm building for a few minutes as we dried off.

Our next stop was a short 8 miles up the road to a place called Anna Paulowna. There, we were told, we would find a miniture version of one of the largest bulb gardens in the world!!

And this is when the ride took a sharp turn… straight into disaster.

We were a couple miles from Anna Paulowna, when we found ourselves on this magnificent tree-covered road. Truly...this is the kind of road Liz is known for pulling over and taking no less than 50 pictures of in East Texas. Turns out, I'm not the only one who does things like that. One of the girls had a great idea to video the crew riding through this tree-covered masterpiece. She raced ahead to get her camera ready to video when....BAM....she took a hard fall on the bike and broke her arm. An ambulance was called and she was hauled off to the hospital. She’s fine....but has a serious break in her sweet arm.

We then continued our journey towards the town of Anna Paulowna (named after a Dutch Queen Anna from Russia, wife to King William II of the Netherlands....just in case you were wondering). We arrived in Anna Paulowna about the time the sun started coming out and behaving as we toured the Gardens of Poldertuin. WOW. The sun, the tulips, the cute town and did I mention, the SUN.....all brought our spirits WAY up!

We were still rehashing the "broken arm" accident when, in a moment of pure poor timing, one of our cyclists demonstrated a truly innovative (and terrifying) method of navigation. A casual glance to the "left" somehow translated to a sharp veer to the "right," and wouldn't you know it, a murky Dutch canal was conveniently located stage right waiting for her. The "SPLASH" instantly silenced our broken arm commentary as we pulled both the cyclist and bike out of the nasty canal....

We finally all made it back to the boat safely to a warm dinner waiting for us and a quick exit to the next days destination as we set sail....and our guide took a much needed Zanax (kidding...I think).

Day 2, I assure you, will forever be a day we will never forget.