A walk in the park…..Entry for December 29, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

….photos that make you think is usually a silent page…with nothing to say…to make you think. It has become my favorite part of the family web site. If you think of the thousands of photos that have been taken over the last fifty years, The frozen moments in time. Have you ever wondered about all the the photos that were never taken…that should have been. Could I take the moments in your mind and develope them? Our personal memories of time….how we all remember things differntly. I fell across this photo of Glenn, Brenda, Grant and Gary in the tree and for me…I thought it was the greatest thing. It was so clear and crisp….a moment of time……forever stuck….in a park, in a tree…a bright blue fall sky day…Barb was famous for her posed shots…so creative with the camera…for something….different. We all have her photos somewhere…the strange ones…they seem to be the best ones. This day in the park…not lost forever…because of her. I don’t know why this photo moved me so much when I found it….buried in a closet in her basement under other photo albums….and tucked in some side sleeve. This photo made me think. I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone. Maybe I am just too deep….but I remember those pants and hat that Glenn used to wear all the time…and Brendas missing baby tooth…and that jacket and grin on Grant. Gary always had a face for the camera….and those black-rimmed glasses. For a moment….I felt I was there….the cold wind flowing through the park….the bright sun….the swings…that deep blue sky.
Bernadette gave me lots of great photos (I will return them…I swear) Soon I hope to finish The Mighty Ten. I am reworking other pages….starting with “our Childrens Children” since the arrival of Bella…Madison has some company on her page! Bernadette had a great idea for an “information” page listing family addresses, emails and phone numbers for “instant” accsess…but I want that kind of sensative information to be password accessable only…I am working on it. 2007…..is here! My greatest skill—-procrastination—-is something I hope to give up for the new year…and when I finally find the time to come here and work on the site….it never seems to be enough. A slow work in process it will always be…….much like my life. Happy New Year!

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“is it bedtime yet???”……….Entry for December 21, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

I finally got on..I hope I can do this. I want to thank you for my wonderful Christmas present and yes I will keep it to get my house cleaned. I love ALL of you so much that you will nevbert know.. I may be your aunt but I love you as your Mom….My wonderful thoughts of Christmas is when your Dad was still alive and Reb and him stayed up all night putting toys together..your Mom and I would hand them their beer AND give encouragememnt…Oh what I would do to have those times back again..seeing all of you come down the stairs and watching those eyes..we might have been hung over but you guys cured us fast…then your Mom and I cooking dinner and all we kept saying to each other was “is is bedtime yet’…we were sooo tired but it was worth it. I wouldn.t change one minute of it all. I wish you ALL a merry Christmas and I pray I am around next year to wish it again and again. Hey you never know!! I’m just mean enough to hang on a long time…I hope you like your presents I mailed…it is not much but they were all done from MY HEART. Stay close to each other cause you are lucky to have one another…look at me I was only a family of three….your wonderful Mom and Dad know what they were doing!!!! LOVE YOU ALL {now lets see if I can do this}

–Uncle Carol

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Tis The Season…….Entry for December 7, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

Tis the season….anywhere you are. If the magic of Christmas doesn’t touch you somehow, someway-then you ain’t alive! Traditionally, for myself, Susan and I will settle in and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” (the B&W version) and I’m there. Tonight in New York, my routine walk around Madison Square Garden with my hot cup of tea at break—the wind was stong and cold. Bundled up shoppers everwhere and the smell of hot pretzles cooking from the street venders. Why is it that we can’t forget our troubles the way we forget our blessings? We are truely blesssed to come from such a large family.–when we remember growing up together—most of us bring up Christmas as our favorite memories. Pure magic, when you are a child. The Sears special toy cataloge. Pick out…One big toy and two small ones. The countdown to Christmas. Putting up the tree together. Watching Charlie Brown and Frosty the snowman…..The Grinch’s Roast Beast! And the magic of all of us running down the stairs together….we were so excited that we forgot to plug in the tree until ten o’clock! The SEA of toys…the overwhelming feeling of joy and family. The sounds of all those toys. It was the GREATEST mess in the world…..one that you never wanted to clean up……because you want it to last forever! Even after Dad died Mom tried so hard to keep the magic. Most of us have children now….and our deepest desires of the heart are to make Christmas magical for them too. To remind them what this day is REALLY about. Make A BIG MESS this Christmas and don’t worry about cleaning it up. Catch the sparkle in your childrens eyes and take it with you wherever you go. Let your heart guide you…..it whispers…..listen closely. Tis the season.

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Write your congradulations to Belinda, Bella and Joe here.

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

You did it Guys!!! We are so proud of you all. Sounds like there was some suspense for awhile but you all pulled through. God bless the little Hoffman family. We are here always if you need us. Belinda I used to hold you in my arms when you were a little baby….what happened????

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Fall Ramblings……..Entry for November 15, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

This was the day I was dreading. The day the leaves went away. Grey smokey sky. Days of rain. Raining reds and yellows, pulling every last leaf from the trees of my Summer soul. One morning you wake up and everything can be changed. Looking so bare and bleak. Change happens so quickly. Seems like only yesterday I was pushing Josh around the corner in the baby carriage……and now last Sunday nite we sat together in a driving rain storm at Giants stadium. As quick as our team was winning the game….they lost. Like I said…Change is quick. There was a moment when I looked over at him…..poncho covered….rain dripping off his hood…almost as tall as me now….pimples and hormones like a raging wildfire…..and for a moment we just smiled at each other. I am thinking to myself….”what am I doing to you my son?”
Here, on the verge of Wnter, we wait patiently for Belindas baby. She is due the 23. It is very exciting. A miracle, birth is…….and more swift change in life.
A Glenn update: After eight weeks he finally did get his teeth. He is very happy with them. He wrote that he has to learn how to eat all over again. He is also in alot of hard physical pain and they refuse to help him. His back has been hurting him. Carol and Barb called the facility seeking answers. They are finally going to send him to a nerologist. He will be getting out in eight weeks. Barb picked him up a coat and some clothes at the thrift store because the location of the few things he did own are unknown. He did mention some ambitions to stay sober. There was more media coverage at Grant and Viki’s wedding than there is at the Iraq war. I just recently added about 30 new wedding photos and a new page to Belindas shower…I really don’t know who those people are but it kinda makes me a little happy that I’ve never been invited to a shower my whole life.
It has been awile since the last Blog posting….I have been buried at work. It is good creative things but yes….it still becomes……work. Why is happiness so hard to find sometimes???….a good friend told me once…”If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.”….siging off

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Moments I found…..Entry for October 27, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

Moments I found forever over the long wedding weekend: The 100 degree Sunday and watching football with Larry. Cutting Grants lawn on his tractor and getting “attacked” by a swarm of horseflys…(Susan said that is good luck) The nightly fires outside Grants porch with the music, bugs and long talks. Finding out how generous and kind Grants “dad” Jack is. One night I stayed up with Bernadette and we talked about teenagers, Whitman st, marriage and life until 4 in the morning. Driving moms old red car was strange….it became haunted and things that Grant said were broke forever….starting working……the power windows, AC and gas gauge. But we didnt get far in it…..we pulled into Winn Dixie with smoke billowing out and Susan screaming fire as the smoke came into the vents on the inside. With “Just Married” painted on the back window….alot of people came to help us. Laughing with Bonnie. Doing “the Twist” with Barb. I always visit Rebel…..I was close to him when I was young. I still owed him 10 dollars from a Super Bowl bet…..but I finally paid him for it this past weekend…..I burned a 10 dollar bill by his grave. It was great to hold and kiss Carol….last time I was here 6 months ago, she was in bed in the hospital. Her laugh is contagious. Glenn wasnt here but his spirit was deep in Nicole and Glenny…..dancing ALL night…..they were so much fun….Gary how I miss you…you were MY best man and you always will be…. My brother Gregory….we were roommates for what seemed like forever…..the bunkbeds….and then moving out together. His quick wit…..love of music…..knowledge of literature….always amazes me. Somehow we played the new Bob Dylan…over and over again the whole weekend…and the first thing I did when I got home was buy the CD. Because sometimes music will bring you back in time….to another place…..another time…..and this CD will do that for me…when I listen to these songs I go back to the weekend that life stopped for just a little bit…and the eight of us got together. It worked out really well. Thank you Florida for having us. Grant took this photo with my camera. I just didnt want to let go of Gregory….nor did he. We held on to each other for a very long time. It was this moment that really caught me by surprise…how much I miss and love everyone…..how happy and sad it was to get together. I just didnt want to let go.

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Love is the answer……….Entry for October 16, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.
— Marcus Aurelius

Grant and Viki…I hope that you can read this…soon….or maybe one day….if you ever get internet service…..but I wish you all the love, luck and patience in the world. You have had 15 years practice with each other….so it goes….the rest of your life should be a piece of cake. See you and everyone in Fla soon. It is getting very cold up here….the wind is blowing….the leaves are changing. My favorite time of year but a few days with sun and family will be well received. Carol I need to hear your laugh. God bless Viki and Grant.

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Sand Castles………Entry for October 11, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

Two children began to build sand castles on the shore. One of them chose a site several yards above the topmost reach of the waves. The other child built his castle close to the waves which battered his walls and towers. Through the constant need to make repairs, the boy learned to build a strong castle which waves could not damage. The castle of the other childs had no contact with the waves, so he never learned how to make it sturdy. When an unusually high wave smashed against the castle…….it melted.

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Maddys Masterpiece…..Entry for Sept, 14 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

This is what it is all about. Art. Life is art. Everywhere you look. Everything you touch. Color, texture, shadows and even darkness. When a mother lets her daughter go wild in paint….and the mess to clean up is never even a second thought. Because the things that are more important to her are priceless in raising a child….. creativity, gratification, self image and that smile that comes along after all the work you have done. It is often said of art….”It is the process, NOT the product.” When you get old like me (LOL)…you can look back on some important strides in your life…I remember teachers in high school…that encouraged me…..My creative writing teacher: ” write everything that touches your emotions on a piece of paper” Mrs Lauris my art teacher said….”paint outside the lines…never say never….don’t ever be afraid to get dirty”….and these are the things that make all the difference….if you think that Nicole is a bad mother for letting Madison paint in her room…..if you think that Gary is insane for climbing on his roof to take photos of sunsets…if you think you can paint a better wall with a roller then Ann can with her sponge….then you don’t know what art is. I read once where in a childs life….the first three years are the most important…during this time a child learns traits in learning, attitude and self esteem…..art can greatly contribute to a childs development. Check out all of Madisons photos on the art page in THINGSl. Gary has some more stunning sunsets to see…..each one an original inspiring work of art by Gods hands, He loves to color outside the lines….Also some old needlepoint by Barbara is on her page…..another Glenn Did It is up! …….old art…….new art……Gods art…..photos….music…..envelope art….show us what you got. Thanks Nicole.

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Entry for September 26, 2006

Posted on May 8, 2009 by George C. Hartman

Just wanted to ask everyone to say a small prayer for our brother Glenn. He has been very sick for quite awhile now in jail. He is in alot of physical and emotional pain. He has terrible body and head aches. His hands shake so violently that he he cannot draw. His letters are short and artless. His words were to the point…”pray for me.” His loneliness and depression was compounded by the thoughts of everyone, including his children, going to Grant and Vikis wedding.
Ask God to give him moments of freedom…from pain and loneliness.
Thanks

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