Recollection

He recollected the story,
sitting in the cedar swing,
crafted with his crinkled hands.
Born days after Black Monday,
into a world of turmoil
and later orphaned at seven,
he spoke of his life
with a tone of adventure despite
it being one of great despair.

A young boy living in a bear
cave, free from parents.
A home carved by nature
in the side of a mountain.
He slept amongst the bears,
adopted into their family.
At eight, I marveled at what a life
that would have been, clinging
to the stories of his journeys.

Sometimes, I forget what
his voice sounded like
as he told his stories.
The flowers that blanketed the mound
had long been removed and
the granite slab placed at the site.
Hibernating below my feet,
he has faded into the
silence of the eternal cave.

___________

This is a poem I wrote about my grandpa in an poetry class during college. My grandpa, Carl Berryhill, died in 2002 when I was a junior in high school. I prayed every night as a kid that he would see me graduate high school and get married.

He never lived in a bear cave. Born on Black Monday, it seemed like that would be the foreshadowing for much of his life. In fact, during the depression, he was passed from family to family and only had a 3rd grade education. He ran moonshine. Under Roosevelt's plan, he worked in the CCC camps in Tennessee, and I believe he entered the Army underage. Nonetheless, he fought in the Pacific. The only time he ever talked about it was when he told the story about drinking green beer and eating York peppermint patties.

He was an alcoholic for much of his life, but I never knew him when he drank. In fact, the memories I have of my grandpa are tender and loving. He taught me how to use a hammer and my favorite time was spent out in his workshop. He was a talented woodworker, crafting fabulous front porch swings out of cedar and walnut. His favorite place to be was to be on the porch.

I would mess up his combover and he would yell, but secretly, he loved it.

I miss him.

-Jess

Sunday

"When we get it right, 'I'm sorry is redemption.'"

-Grey's Anatomy

No deep explanation for that. Just appreciated the quote.

______________

Today, well, it was pretty swell. I got to be with my uncle all day. A lot of Uncle Jim time. We did what we always do...pretty much have fun. We:

1) removed form boards.
2) ate lunch.
3) put together furniture (lame-o)
4) went to Wal-mart to buy fishing poles and bread (bait)
5) fished. caught nothing. messed up my new pole.
6) ate dinner.
7) played about a zillion rounds of cornhole.

He's pretty awesome. However, during the week, he works a lot, so it was good to just spend a whole day with him. In the winter, we trap small, furry creatures... it's really not my thing, but he enjoys it. Then it the summer, we feed the fish out in the pond and attempt to fish. I don't like to fish...I just like to cast the line and reel it in.

_______________

Camp Countdown: 10 days...

yac.

Cake Wrecks

I managed to fumble on to a great site through a friend's facebook profile. It's called Cake Wrecks. It is pretty much the most hilarious thing ever.

www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com

yac.

Well...

Well, I've graduated from college. What to do now? Look at somw qualitative data from my most recent study...6un way to spend the start of summer break.

yac.

Speaking of Husbands V...

66. I hate Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte novels (i.e. Pride and Prejudice & Jane Erye). The romance and ridiculousness of these books is sickening...ew.
67. Modern literature 1900-1950 is my favorite literary genre.
68. Sometimes, I count my steps.
69. I tend to mumble and not enunciate my words, especially if I am in a less than happy mood.
70. I built challenge course things and they end up in the house, truck, and pretty much everywhere at times. I think it shows passion.
71. Drama is lame. For real though, none of that.
72. I really like to use spoons for most foods.
73. Speaking of foods, my favorite food is a turkey sandwich.
74. I don't like: lobster, shrimp, fish, crab, steak (most of the time), any game meat, most vegetables (minus green beans, corn, and occassionally tomatoes), and weird stuff (tofu).
75. I am really not into diamonds or gold or jewelry...a plain wedding/engagement band (no bling) would be great (in silver).
76. I love to sled and play in the snow.
77. During the summer, I strive for a farmer's tan...it's good to have goals.
78. I can't stand wided rule paper...what a waste of space!

-yac.

Finished.

I am done (unofficially) with my career as an undergraduate student at AU.

The emotions are mixed.

-yac

Speaking of Husbands IV...

55. I play with things during conversation. I am listening. It just helps me think.
56. I doodle abstract drawings sometimes (i.e. checkered patterns of 5 horizontal lines and 5 vertical lines), but I also draw doodles of made up characters (donut man and amoeba child).
57. I don't like industrial lighting. Lamps are always preferred.
58. I am a thrifty grocery shopper. I love the grocery store, and I find it to be a very chill place to stroll and think.
59. I hate alarm clocks.
60. I have a thing for pens that write well. Your ordinary BIC will simply not do.
61. Cookies and Dr. Pepper are my weaknesses.
62. I don't like for my hands to feel grimy. I will need to wash them ASAP. I also do not like to put lotion on my hands.
63. I am really sensitive about things being near or touching my eyes. In fact, I will probably freak out.
64. On the same note, if you grab the back of my arm (bicep/tricep area), I will definitely freak out. A basketball player on another team pinched me there once, and now I feel like I will deck anyone who touches me there.
65. I love having lots of blankets on my bed (7 or 8). A good blanket is great!

yac.