TOMATOES, HANDWRITING AND GRANDKIDS

          Don’t you just love fresh tomatoes right off your tomato plant. I don’t know how many years I’ve been growing tomatoes, but it’s many many. In the last decade or so, I’ve bought my starter plants at Swanson’s Nursery in Ballard. They seem to have a very wide stock with signs that provide the information I need about the plants I decide to purchase. This year, Swanson’s was visit by appointment only. My friend Claudia and I usually go together, but this year we had separate appointments.

          I always try to purchase two “Tumbling Toms” for my hanging baskets. This year, even before the end of June I had about six ripe tomatoes that went right into my salad. I think I’ve a few more yellow ones that are ready. This year, I expect my tomato harvest to exceed previous years because the pots are in the driveway on the asphalt which should keep them warm and happy, provided I make sure I water on a daily basis. I’ll just have to wait and see.

          This morning I was preparing Arayli’s birthday card. She’s going to Alderwood Mall with her mom and aunt. I’m going to drive up there and hand over the card with some money to aid in her shopping. When I was writing a note in the card about how I would miss our annual sushi and shopping trip together, I realized once again just how terrible my handwriting has become. I noticed John’s handwriting had become almost illegible over the last few years. I’m now wondering if failing handwriting is another sign of old age???

          Instead of thinking that, however, I’ve decided that the reason for the bad writing is because I rarely write anything anymore, and maybe that was John’s problem too. My bills get paid via computer, I don’t have to jot down any phone messages, and all my correspondence is done via the computer and a keyboard. So, perhaps it’s the lack of practice that’s making my writing so ugly and poor.

          Do any of you remember learning to write in grade school? I learned in the elementary school in Idaho and I didn’t go to kindergarten because they didn’t have one. There wasn’t any day care or preschool way back then either. Anyway, I remember it was called the “Palmer” method of handwriting. You were to keep your pencil (or pen) on the paper on the ruled line and write the entire word before lifting your pencil  from the paper. My handwriting was never as beautiful or well rounded as that of some people I knew then. When receiving “sympathy” cards after John died from the older folks in our lives, some of those people (usually women) had absolutely gorgeous writing, even after so many many years.

          So, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t pick up some ruled paper and spend a few minutes a day practicing my handwriting. I’m wondering if it would help or at least make it look as though it hadn’t been written by some old lady with palsy. Probably not, because I’d rather play the game on my I-pad, write for this blog, read a book or watch TV.

          As long as I’m typing about handwriting, how about printing. My handwriting over time became a mix of printing and writing. There are some people who have excellent printing. The words on the page are straight, the letters the same size and it almost looks as though it could have been done by a machine. How did they learn to do that? There was never a “Palmer” method of printing, at least as far as I can remember.

          Then there are people who have mastered the art of calligraphy. Every year, I receive a Christmas card from someone who has an assistant that prints out every single address using calligraphy. Again, the address lines are perfectly straight and the letters all the same size. It’s actually a piece of art in my opinion. I once bought a calligraphy set which I’d forgotten about until Haley and I found it in a box in the garage attic (so that’s where it went). I tried way back then, but either didn’t have the eye or the patience to practice until I became an artist in calligraphy. And even if the ink hadn’t dried up in that old set, I’m not interested in trying again.

          Back home from Alderwood. Arayli and Xander have both grown so much in the last four-plus months. I’m not sure I would have recognized Xander with his boy haircut, wearing a mask and sunglasses. The desire to sweep them both into my arms and hug them until our ribs were almost cracking was so strong, but we all maintained our distances. I really should have used my phone and taken some photos...now I think of it, damnit it anyway. Arayli was pleased with her card and gift, and I asked her to please send me photos of her purchases since I cannot be there to see for myself.

           Next month is Xander’s sixth birthday, so I’ll get to see them all again…so looking forward to that....maybe I'll remember to take pictures. And, even while I’m not expecting anything much to change, perhaps then I can give them both HUGE hugs. Anyway, seeing them mask-to-mask made me happy rather than sad.