MY FAMILY LOVES ME

I'm back--all rested up & raring to go!!
Did you miss me?

Although we've felt this way at times,

I love my family & they love me:

From my son Blake:

If this ever happens to you two I'll definitely still luv ya', hug ya' and pamper ya’.   

I know you have been lying awake at night wondering why baby diapers have brand names such as "Luvs", "Huggies," and "Pampers', while undergarments for old people are called "Depends". Well, here is the lowdown on the whole thing.

When babies crap in their pants, people are still gonna Luv'em, Hug'em and Pamper’em.

When old people crap in their pants, it "Depends" on who's in the will!

Glad I got that straightened out so you can rest your mind.

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Bud & I were at a restaurant with our daughter, her husband & their two teen aged daughters.  One of the girls said that some movie star, I think it was Johnny Depp, was cool.  Their father asked, “What about me?  I’m cool.”  They laughed & told him, “Dad, you’re not cool!”  He asked if their mom was cool.  “No.”  “What about Grandpa?  Is Grandpa cool?”  They thought for a minute & said, “Not really.”  He then asked, “How about Grandma?  Is she…”  Before he could finish his question, they answered, in one voice, “Yeah, Grandma’s cool!”
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My son Matt's tattoo of his father & me:

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My daughter-in-law's letter to me:

When conversations turn to mother-in-laws I usually hear other people talk about how their mother-in-law gets in the way with their relationships with their spouses or kids.  The mere mention of the "in-law" can make people groan.  I guess because I cannot relate to these feelings I cannot comment because I have never had a mother-in-law.  What I do have is a relationship with a wiser and almost always funnier woman who came with my husband's family package. From the first day I met her she was different. She was different from my family in a beautiful and unique way. Having never met me before, she smiled, opened her arms and gave me a REAL big hug.  She used her quick wit and humor to make me feel comfortable as though I was already a member of her own family.  That is exactly what I have felt everyday since meeting her.  While her energy is not what it used to be, (who's is anyway?) I have always had a warm feeling around her.  She is not fake and does not expect me to be anything but myself.  She is always supportive.  Hopefully, she knows I will always support her with anything she does or faces. What title shall I give this woman?   Perhaps she is my lovable Un-mother.  I am not so close that I can just jog by and ask her what she needs, but from here nearly 3,000 miles away I can send her what she really needs.....Love.  Hey Fran.  In case you weren't sure.  I LOVE YOU AND ALWAYS HAVE!

Your un-daughter, Linda

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Erma Bombeck once said, “Grandchildren are God’s reward for letting your own children live.”  I think she was right.  I was staying at my Nameless’ house to help out while she had her second baby.  My then 2 year old other granddaughter was attached to me like Velcro.  She even ate all her meals while sitting on my lap.  I tried to explain to her that I couldn’t stay forever, that I had my own house to take care of & that her grandpa needed me, too.  I asked her if she understood that I would have to leave soon.  She hugged me & in a sweet, loving, singsong voice, said, “Yes—but not todaaaaaay!”

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My daughter, Nameless, & I had this thing going for several years.  We had a rubber shark, about 6" long.  I can't remember who started it--probably me--but we used to hide it in each other's house.  One day, she would find it on the handle of her toilet & a month or so later it would be in a leftover dish in my refrigerator.  It would magically appear in someone's toothbrush holder, underwear drawer, the slot in a VCR where you insert the videotape or ANYWHERE!  

The really funny part of this was, with no agreement or discussion of any kind, we NEVER mentioned that the shark even existed.  In fact, her husband found it once while I was at their house & asked where the shark came from.  Both Nameless & I looked at him & asked, "What shark?"  I haven't seen that bugger for over 10 years.  I wonder if it's lurking somewhere in my house, waiting for me to find it!  I'd ask Nameless about it, but she'd probably say, "What shark?"
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Last year we took our family to dinner at Lawry's prime rib restaurant  to celebrate my daughter & son -in-law's wedding anniversary & my granddaughter's 22nd birthday. There were 9 of us at a round table.  I was seated first & my son-in-law (the birthday girl's father) chose to sit on my left.  We were all talking & laughing & near the end of the dinner we were chatting with our waitress.  She told us that she had thought that my son-in-law & I were a couple because we obviously enjoyed each other's company so much. She thought I was a COUGAR!!  I loved it!!

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As you know, I broke my left arm in April.  I've regained almost full motion in it, but I still can't pull up my underwear on that side.  The entire West Coast contingent of my family (Nameless, her husband & two daughters, my husband & my son Blake) happily do that for me.  If that isn't love, I don't know what is!!

My son, my husband & I were talking about online dating.  I said I should put my name out there with the description, "Old broad who can't pull up her own underwear." Blake thought that should get me several hits!!
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As long as I'm bragging, here's a school paper my granddaughter wrote when she was 14:

An Extraordinary Woman

Have you ever heard the phrase “Don’t take life too seriously”? Well, I know one person who takes this advice to heart. My grandmother Fran Fischer is a fun-loving person who always looks on the bright side. She tries not to worry and enjoy life. While being around her, it’s impossible to feel downcast or gloomy. If, perchance, you are, she’ll cheer you up by making you laugh. She says not to take life too seriously, and later when you look upon bad times, you will be able to laugh about them.

One of my grandmother’s goals today is to be a great grandmother, wife, and friend. When my grandmother was growing up, her family was always an important part of her life. Although her parents did not have a high education level, they were always very loving. My grandmother was also exceptionally close to both of her grandparents. Her friends are also incredibly important to her, and she enjoys spending time with them.

At the age of thirty, she took an art class with a friend, and she discovered that she enjoyed art immensely. One of her first drawings, also her trademark, was of a duck. The duck represents her carefree attitude and jovial nature. As it looks back over its shoulder, it seems as if it is looking back upon life.

Looking upon her own life, there are a few things she wished she could have done but didn’t have the opportunity to. Learning to play a musical instrument and doing stage acting are among them.

Her favorite quote is “Don’t sweat the small stuff. — It’s all small stuff.”  The message she wishes to leave behind is that people should enjoy life and not worry so much. When she is gone, this is what I will remember the most; I will remember her attitude on life and to face each day as a challenge to conquer.

If you can't be a shining example, then just serve as a horrible warning----fishducky