All Good Things Must Come to an End...

            I know that the title of my Grandma Bernie's post is a big cliché, but at certain times old people say exactly what everybody is feeling and thinking. I didn’t know what I thought I was going to write about when I asked to write my Grandma’s last blog; if I was going to tell a story about our relationship or if I was just going to reiterate her obituary. I have struggled to get started, and have seemingly developed writers block about the topic. 

            Is it even possible to put your love and affection into words about someone you have known and relied on your entire life? How can I even show how great she was to her friends and her family? It was a struggle, but this is what I have put forth. 

            Most relationships are built on a common interest. For my grandma and me, it was the Green Bay Packers. I still remember the days she would take me and my brothers to training camp when we would visit her in Green Bay. I, the youngest of three brothers, would be timid and didn’t like to approach the players to get their autographs. Grandma Bernie was always there pushing me forward and whispering in my ear what to say to the players. Making me ask for their autographs myself and showing me that I shouldn’t be nervous. Because of her, my brothers and I through the years would run all over Lambeau’s parking lot getting as many autographs as possible. 

            I credit her for my borderline obsession with the team and its players. For the past couple years I would call her before, at halftime, and after every Packers game. We would talk about our predictions and the outcomes of the game. It was always our topic of choice and we would never get exhausted talking about it. 

            Those calls brought us closer together even though we lived a thousand miles away. So, it was only fitting that she would have passed watching the Packers game; the first game in a long time, where we hadn’t talked about it beforehand because she was too ill. I was in Alabama watching the game with my friends when I got the call that she had passed. I shut myself in my room, not able to watch the game. 

            Through the rest of my life I look forward to thinking about her every time the Pack is on TV, and every time the opposing team scores a touchdown, I will yell, “Oh, shit” for my Grandma Bernie, cause that was what she always said. 

            I feel a little selfish just talking about our relationship, but I am using it as an example to show the love she had for her family. I feel when you read her obituary that was posted in the previous post, you only see her accomplishments and a little of the fun outgoing personality that she possessed. It does not show how she was a grandparent that every child would want; a loving and caring women that wasn’t afraid to kick your ass if she needed to. 

Rules were more guidelines to her that could be bent any which way. She was always accepting of everyone and always gave them a chance until you crossed her. Then you needed to earn your way back into her good graces. (And you wanted to be in them) The quirky personality that she had was hard not to love. She had a personal relationship with everybody in the family and was not afraid to tell her opinion on what everyone should do.

I will miss the hunts for a USA Today so she could have her daily crossword puzzle. The “sss” that she did unknowingly when she was concentrating on something. The infamous Kleenex tissues that littered the ground everywhere she went. The orange juice and water that she only took two sips of, but had to have every night before she went to bed. 

Her love for the lake and the calm that would come over her when she would swim. The “dive” that everyone knows she would do while she would swim. The card games we wouldn’t want to play at first, then realized how fun they were. The world famous “Bill and Bernice Show” that everyone in the family loved to see on mornings when we thought we wanted to sleep in.

All of these things are the things I am going to miss most. I didn’t know that I would, but given the fact that I won’t see or hear them anymore and won’t ever again is disheartening.  She was a wonderful woman and I will miss her a lot. She will always be in me and my families’ thoughts for as long as we shall live. 

            She really enjoyed writing this blog, and loved it when you guys would comment and show your thoughts about her topic of choice. It brought her much joy, and I hope it brought you guys the same. This is the last blog post that will appear and I want to extend a sincere thank you to all of her readers.  I hope I did an adequate job. She is a hard act to follow.

Ian

A New Adventure

"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds it morning and is refreshed."

From the Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Bernice Madeline Maria Sucha, 85, passed away Sept. 25, 2011 in Rochester, Minnesota. She was born in Chicago Nov. 16, 1925, to the Rev. Axel and Frida Eklund. The youngest of five children, Bernie began an early lifelong love for lakes while at her family cottage on Big Lake, Wisconsin.

At 16, she graduated from high school in Ironwood, Michigan. Bernie then embarked on a college adventure she referred to as the happiest time of her life. Accompanied by a spirited attitude and several expulsions, she graduated from North Park Junior College (Chicago) and Winona State Teachers College, (Winona, Minnesota)

On Sept. 29, 1950, she married Bill Sucha. They honeymooned at the Deluxe Motel in Rochester, Minnesota.  During 59 years of marriage, they traveled throughout much of the US, England and Scotland. They lived in Austin, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado., Muskegon and Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the last 31 years in Green Bay. Bernie and Bill had four children, Jon, Julie, Jim, and Jordan.

Although most of her working life was spent teaching high school English, she also sold real estate in Michigan and worked as a secretary, mail clerk and waitress while putting herself through college. She was a substitute teacher in the Green Bay school system until age 80 and is past president of the Substitute Teacher’s Union.

A two-time breast cancer survivor, Bernie reveled in learning and remained active in the Learning In Retirement program at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. An avid reader, she loved to paint, play the piano, work crosswords puzzles, watch Jeopardy, dally at golf and bridge, fish and write poetry. She relished The Student Prince and Les Miserables. She completed one mile of the Bellin Run in 2007 and in 2010. Bernie adored golden retrievers, growing blue ribbon flowers--especially gladiolus, and the Green Bay Packers.

Her blog “Old? Who?Me?” has 669 followers and more than 23,846 visitors.

Rowing her boat on Lily Lake brought her much peace, but she preferred speed. She never turned down a motorcycle ride or let up on her lead-foot driving. This past May, she drove a speedboat at top speed down the middle of the lake.

Preceded in death by her husband, William D. Sucha, Bernice is survived by Jonathan Sucha (Frank Fredericks) Denver, Colo., Julianne Anderson (Bob) Austin, Texas, James Sucha, Green Bay, Jordan Sucha (Lori) Sheboygan Falls, Wis.

Bernie enjoyed great love from her grandchildren Jacob Anderson (Chelsea), Jordan Anderson, Ian Anderson, and little Miranda Sucha, who loves catsup and pickles just like her grandma.

Visitation will be noon Friday, Sept. 30, followed at 1 p.m. by service at Grace Lutheran Church, Green Bay, Wis. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Allouez, Wis. Champagne, Those Golden Days, Drink, Drink, and Stars and Stripes Forever with fireworks on tap.

HAPPY NEW FALL!!

I have always thought that the fall of the year was really the more beginning of things than New Year's which falls in the dead of winter after all the activities of Christmas and nothing to look forward to but January, February and March and Income Tax time. 

Ah fall with its bright blue skies, lovely moderate temps, the leaves on the trees beginning to turn eleven different colors with the blue spruces and other fir trees behind them or in the midst of them accenting their beauty.   Everything starts up again.  The most obvious being school which takes on many meanings for different people. Teacher's best three things about teaching--June, July, and August are now over for another year.  Some young mother's are sending their first born  away from home for the first time.  Mothers with older children are breathing a sigh of relief that summer is over.

Churches start up their Sunday Schools and other programs.  And of course, FOOTBALL is back and the Green Bay Packers are filling our daily newspapers with trivea on all the injuries and predictions of future wins.  High school  football is just as important and comcert series and all kinds of things!  Can't  you feel the excitement of a new fall?

Out come the heavier clothes that are kinder to the human form and can cover a lot of deficiencies.  You can hit your ball farther on the golf course because the ground is harder and they roll baby roll.  I'm sure you all can think of other things that fall brings.  It is my favorite time of the year.

Just a note in closing.  I have found out this summer that Old? Who? Me? has now occurred and I am glad this summer when I was in sick bay most of it is now over.  I have seen so many doctors and ERs and they can't find the source of my problem so I am leaving for the Mayo Clinic Sunday.   As usual, I pray for strength and courage.

My World Today

Today is a snowy day and the first thing that my Golden Retriever did was go out and make another of his angels in the snow. I did get a picture of it this time and I hope you can see it O.K.

He makes one just about each time we let him out .

I do love a day like today when you feel so warm and cozy in the house and have enough goodies stored to keep you happy and a good book to read. I am reading Anna Quindlen's Every Last One for one of my LIR (Learning in Retirement) classes which begin up at the University this week. My watercolor class starts on Wednesday. It is the only one which is held in the morning , she offers wryly, as those who know I only am ready to get going in the afternoon. It is hard to get up when one has just turned out the light at 1:30 or 2:00 the night before.

I am also taking a class called The Circadian Novel (books whose stories are contained within a single day). James Joyce's Ulysses is probably the best known example and we all know how we feel about that one. But we are to start with Saturday by Ian McEwan. Haven't obtained that one yet and with this snowstorm will probably not get it today. I do remember reading A Day in the Life of Ivan Ivanovich for Russian history. All I remember is how hungry he was and how he chewed up the fishbones in the soup and ate them too.

Green Bay is riding high these days after the Packers beat the Falcons last Saturday night. It will be quite a tradition to see the Chicago Bears and the Packers in the NFC championship game---long time rivals and they hate each other. Every coach that comes here hears first of all that he must beat the Bears. I hope Aaron, our fantastic quarterback, doesn't get hurt. Chicago plays

tough.

Though it is a long time away yet, I have decided to go back to Green Lake in Minnesota this year. It is way too expensive and impractical, but I have decided how long do I have to be practical and why should I be? I am happy with my decision. None of my family will be there but the lake still is and I hope to get a hitch on my car and take my Bayliner with me. It is about 400 miles from here and all of my family are laughing to think I would try such a stunt, but we'll get there somehow come hell or high water.

I hope you all are safe from all the terrible weather some parts of the world is experiencing. You in Australia and you who live out East and you in California and other spots that have problems. Do you really think it is Global Warming or just the 20 or 30 year cycle that some claim it to be?

COLD,COLD WINTER DIVERSIONS IN JANUARY

I have discovered that I have chess on my computer. Not good. I get so frustrated and I always lose and I haven't the slightest idea of how to set my men up to get his men and when I think I have got them, they have an ace up their sleeve and plop me and get my queen or my knight or any of my biggies right off the bat. And when they get me so I cannot move without giving one of my biggies away, I get right upset.

I learned the game from my young grandsons years ago. Once in a while then I could even beat them. But, hey, even the world champion can't beat the computer, can he? I don't remember whether he was going to have a match or if he did.

So it is a good diversion for when the weather outside is 10 degrees or so. We have had such a cold winter and it is a hassle to go out. You can get the car warmed up, but then if you want to go shopping or something, you have to get out of the car, right?

I get to the library and the grocery store and the docs and that is about all I attempt. We have had a dusting of snow the last few days but snow is not a problem.

I have been reading some of the blogs lately and note that the people in warmer climes are anticipating Spring already. Gee, I had not even thought about it yet. Here in Wisconsin, Spring is so far off and hard to contemplate.

Of course, we have the Green Bay Packer play-off game to anticipate and that is what keeps this town going. Can you imagine that when it was as cold as 10 degrees the stadium here was sold out. People in this town live for the Packers and so for now, winter is O.K. with them.

And then we have the ice fishermen. For sure, the Bay is covered with ice and all the inland lakes so they are also happy. Not too many have shacks as well furnished and supplied as shown in the movie Grumpy Old Men. Many are just open to the elements. We also have seen a four-wheeler pulling a kid on skis. It is fascinating to watch. I used to walk out to where they were fishing but not lately.

And of course, we have regular cross country skiers but not so much downhill. Oh there is a little hill nearby they use but mostly people go to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan to all the hills there. We, who have lived in Colorado think they are little hills too. But they have fun on these too.

I'm beginning to sound like Sarah Palin and her Alaska series. I did enjoy seeing Alaska but as a critic wrote, the whole thing was a photo op for Sarah and things tourists might do if they visited Alaska, not the way most Alaskans live. And Sarah really didn't do much without guides, her father and others to help her and even do them.

Hope you all are faring well during this winter season. January is followed by February and then there is March--sometimes Spring shows its head in March.

FOOTBALL HEART ATTACK

In Arizona men are laughing and little children shout;
But there is not joy in Green Bay for the mighty Packers lost out.

Yeah, the town is kind of silent here today with people sighing and shaking their heads in disbelief. We should have been the winners of that wonderful game. At least they are saying it was probably the best play off game in history and it was so nerve wracking seesawing back and forth. I knew it would be the team who had the ball last but I thought it was going to be us when their kicker missed the field goal. That was unbelievable! And then to have it end so quickly one could hardly take it in. Arizona played well and their quarterback could score at will so I guess our defense wasn't so hot. Why did they keep to the zone? Oh well, what do I know?

We finally got out of the really cold stuff today but even 25 felt cold. It was sort of damp and that made it feel really colder than it was. It is supposed to get up to 30 something by Wednesday. Hooray. I am sick of winter already.

Talk to you all later. After all, it is just a game, a season, a hope, and for this town a raison d'etre.

Green Bay Packer Backer

Just a few words to tell all of you that tonight in Green Bay, Wisconsin you can walk down the middle of any of our streets, go into any of our stores and be the only customer, and crowd into all of our sports bars because------------tonight we play the Minnesota Vikings with Brett Favre as their quarterback!!!!! I am willing to bet that 99% of this town will be glued to their TV sets watching this game. Whether you thought Green Bay was nuts to let him go, or whether you thought it was o.k.(and the town is a little divided on that) it will be fun to see them play tonight.

My family is as one on this night calling back and forth from Texas mainly as my grandson is a avid Green Bay fan as are his parents. My sons in Denver will be watching also but they don't call as much. Texas and I call after each big play.

Well, get on your TV and let the game begin!!