Wednesday's Wonder

Boozin' Wonder

(guess who)

The New Kid on the Vandercar Block

Welcome to the family:

Levi Robert Vandercar

Luke and Tammy had a baby boy!
That makes me a great aunt 8 times over.
If you are a praying person, please pray for this little guy.
He's got some health concerns that the doctors are trying to figure out.

Welcome to the world, Levi...we've been waiting for you!

(picture stolen from nana verna's blog)

Flashback Friday

Introducing Flashback Fridays = family kodachrome

The Vandercar Family
(circa 1970)
this second frozen in time at Range Line Church
(probably for the directory)

feel free to leave your comment or memory !

Wednesday's Wonder

Wonder Brother
(a.k.a. The Boy Wonder)

Oscar and Ellen on Main Street

You're invited!

What: The Academy Awards
When: Sunday, Feb. 25...anytime after 7pm
Where: The Main Street Apartments
Who: Me and you, Ellen and Oscar

I'm going to be gone most of the weekend, so it's no big production,
but rsvp by email if you get a chance.
I will have coke and cocktails and some snacks.
If you want something else to drink, bring it...and a snack if you want.
Ballots are not an option so be prepared to fill it out even if you guess at every one!
See you then!

Searching for Bobbie....Gentry

Forget searching for Bobby Fischer...I want to know where Bobbie Gentry is!
Thanks to my good friends Tim and Peggi, I have a very nice turntable. Couple that with working at a store that buys and sells vintage vinyl and I'm getting to relive my adolescence and buy all the records I couldn't afford when I was 14. I also have my own personal crusade to keep old vinyl alive in the world and have been known to save many a record from certain death by pulling it out of the store dumpster.
This gem being one such record, saved from the dumpster and thrown on to an ever growing stack of records to listen to, which I did the other night and Oh, My God, I Love Bobbie Gentry! You probably know her big hit...Ode to Billy Joe...and may even remember the movie starring Robbie Benson...and if that song wasn't groovy enough...this album is full of blues/swamp/delta/country/hip to the back in the day groove of a songwriter that was WAY ahead of her time.
So wanting to know more about Bobbie Gentry and what became of her, I asked our friend the Internet for information and apparently she made a couple more albums, toured with Glen Campbell, married Mr. Harrah of "Harrah's casino fame", divorced him and then left show business and has apparently fallen of the radar of the entire world. There are a few clips on youtube of funky variety show performances...and she's been given credit as a studio muscian on a few albums in the last 10 years, but not even the internet knows where she is, She has lots of people from the south who claim to be her cousin...but no one knows her whereabouts for sure. Most agree it is most likely somewhere in southern California...which means you, my California friends, could be standing next to her in line at Vons...buying your groceries!
So, if you see her tell her for me, or Bobbie if you're reading this, the world is waiting! Drop the musical world another ode...if you have it in you...I'm waiting and listening!

Biggest Loser...Diet Book of the Week

Working at a bookstore...I see them all...100's of diet books a week. When I looked across the counter and saw this on display on our current arrivals, I couldn't resist. The photo was already composed and developed in my head!

Biggest Loser contest continues...tho I must say it is much more laid back (money wise) than last year. I have lost 4 pounds and 2.1 % of body fat...bringing me down to 7705.50 Hebrew Shekels for those of you who are keeping track.

Valentines Love to you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

May you have hugs, kisses, chocolates, flowers, poems, warm feelings and most of all LOVE on this here day we call Valentines.
Bobble head dog wishes you love too, but he's currently in the car buried under this:


more than a foot of snow!
I'm suppose to be leaving for Columbus Ohio today to help open a new store.
Don't know if that will happen!

Happy Anniversary Jeff and Patty!

February ninth

That Tuesday...again.

February has become such a haunted month.

I know it's coming as soon as Christmas is over.
I can feel the chill coming, even if it's unseasonably warm out.
I remember what it feels like to have all the air leave the room.
And the unanswered questions that I normally skate around to save sanity,
spring up unannounced as I see the dates on the calendar pass by,
the questions lurk and haunt.

The why's.
The if only's.
The endless what if's.

But there's a blessing too, because I let myself feel more.
Remember more.
Cry, Laugh, Smile more.
And listen to heaven more.

It's a sad time...cause I miss her so much...and wish I could just once again, see her smiling and laughing with us.
But it's also a good thing...
cause I see how blessed we all are because of the gifts she's left behind and how they are woven into the fabric of our family's character.

Our Family is A circle of Strength and Love.
And she would be very proud of that.
Of us.

So as much as I would sometimes like to skip from January to March,
I'll take february too, one day at a time, just like she taught us to do.



Directions to here:

"Life ain't always beautiful:
Some days, I miss your smile.
I get tired of walkin' all, These lonely miles.

And I wish for just one minute, I could see your pretty face.
Guess I can dream, But life don't work that way.

But the struggles make me stronger,
And the changes make me wise.
And happiness has it's own way, Of takin' it's sweet time.

No, life ain't always beautiful.
But I know I'll be fine.
Hey, life ain't always beautiful,
But it's a beautiful ride.
What a beautiful ride."

(from Gary Allan's "Life Ain't Always Beautiful)"

copy/paste and listen to it here:
http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blga-laab.htm

o2.o4.o7...Clean Sweep Day #4...Get me outta here!

Well, as you can see, what probably started as fun and games...ended with a baby in tears. If you look closely behind the A-B-C- on the crib, you can see me crying and probably screaming.
And I'm about in the same state after my clean sweep attempt. I'm screaming..."get me outta here"...and I'm escaping to go north to watch the superbowl! Go Bears!

o2.o3.o7...Clean Sweep Day #3...I'm in here somewhere

Okay, I'm still in there (under the hat)...I'm just now covered up by the stuff...and I'm guessing Baby Nancy was thinking...this is not funny anymore.
And Adult Nancy is currently thinking the same. Overwhelmed by how much time I've spent and still don't have the furniture where I want it. I have made some dents, but I'm realizing the goals I set for these 4 days...are more likely 4 week goals.

o2.o2.o7...Clean Sweep Day #2..."Oh, my..."

So, it seems I caught on that I better get out of this crib or I might get buried by all the stuff surrounding me.
I'm having a similar reaction today in this apartment...hand over mouth...saying "oh my." If I still lived in California, I could get buried by this stuff if there was an earthquake. Where did all this stuff come from?

o2.o1.o7....Clean Sweep Day #1

I don't really know the story behind this picture, but that's me...in my crib, with a lot of stuff surrounding me. I imagine my sisters were "watching" me and me being their very own live baby doll, well...you see the rest of the story.

Fast forward 41 years.
I'm still sitting in my "crib" surrounded by a lot of stuff.
Okay, that's an understatement. So much stuff that my bedrooms that used to look like bedrooms now look like warehouses or what you see when you open a u-lock storage space. All I want to do is get rid of some furniture in the bedrooms and move some furniture from the bedrooms into the living room. But it's all trapped by the stuff. So, I'm taking the next four days to clean sweep. NO, (Sandy), I'm not putting all I own out in the parking lot, but I am sorting thru stuff and "restacking"....in hopes to get the furniture I don't want out...and the furniture I do want in.
I could be taking a road trip. I could be photographing neon motel signs. I could be shopping for more cool stuff. That sounds like such a better way to use a rebate holiday, 2 days off and 1 vacation day. But I'll be good. I'll face the stuff and clean up the "crib"

Directions to here:
It used to be a closet...the front closet...whenever I got something I didn't know what to do with, I'd throw it in the front closet. I'd go to Earl's auction every tuesday night, and pretty much furnished the apartment on dollar couches and tables. After Heidi left, I decided no roommate could ever take her place, so I decided to live alone...giving me more space. Then
depression set in...then mom passed away leading to more mind-numbing, body paralyzing depression. Then I left Keynote which made more stuff at home that used to live at the office. Then I started working at a bookstore...that has a huge discount and a huge dumpster of free books, cds, movies that get thrown away everyday (like an alcoholic working in a bar, as Rhonda said). Then I started making videos and never got pictures put back one show after another. Then we cleaned out mom and dad's house...and well, we all know how that went...wagon loads of stuff to bring home. Then, well then...127 mile yard sale, Kane county flea market, niles michigan, Indy flea market and all that with money in my pocket. Which leads to the present day furniture trapped in the bedrooms state of the crib.

The future Mr. and Mrs.

Going to the chapel and they're gonna get married !!

Congratulations to Jeremy and Kelly!

Wednesday's Wonder

Say Cheese!

Biggest Loser...Season 2...starts now!

It's on...check your local listings...Vandercar version of the Biggest Loser - Season 2 premiered on New Years Day with the big weigh in and even waist measurements by Dr Jillian Oz...a.k.a. Sandy. Last year, it was $5.00 a week. If you were the biggest loser that week...you didn't have to pay, if you gained weight you had to pay double, whoever lost the most at the end of the 3-4 months...won the money. Jerry ended up with $700+ with Jamie coming in second, by a very small fraction of a gram. Honorable mention goes to Chari, who had her own series going on and lost probably more than the payers...and Verna too! Great going!
Spots are still available for this season. There is a new game plan with the money...see Dr. Jillian Oz...a.k.a. Sandy. My goal last year was to just feel better and stronger...and more engergy. Failed. This year I don't care, I just want to weigh less than the younger of my two brothers. And I have a plan...I mean I already bought the little cokes and baked chips! Watch out Dave. Curious as to the progress? Well, tune in here now and then and I'll have the updates. Hint...I weigh a little more than Bobble me. I won't post it, other to say it's the equivilent of 7,745.22 Hebrew Shekels. Go figure.

Directions to here:

Step on the scale and it says....obeseUsee

New Years Eve Matters

I won't go into the details, but due to plans others had and plans others made for me (work), I ended up with nothing to do on New Years Eve.
Now, before you feel sorry for me...I had a great New Years Eve, Eve and a great New Years Day...(pictures later).
As much as I kept telling myself..."forget it, it's just another nite"...I knew to me, it wasn't just another nite.
I've decided:
New Years Eve Matters.
It matters because:
1. I'm a sentimental, symbolic meloncholy. I attach meaning to everything. New Years Eve should be a time for looking back on the life of that year and reflecting, resolving, remembering, reliving...and celebrating. And New Years Eve should be a time of looking forward to the next year of life with hopes, expectations, dreams and wonder.
2. This should be done surrounded by, if so blessed the person you love and the people you love most. (silly hats and champagne are optional, but highly recommended).

So, having come to terms with the above, I gave up trying to rationalize that New Years eve is a night like any other nite. I won't try to convince myself otherwise. To me, it's not, simply because I am who I am and it is what it is to me. And I'm ok with that. I'm glad it matters. I know this now and will plan my next and next and next accordingly no matter what plans I or others have.

Directions to here:

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1....Happy New Year!

o1.o1.o7...Happy Birthday Jerry!

Hello Social security and medicare!
Jerry is 65...
and officially able to retire, as if that will ever happen!
He's the fastest moving senior that I've ever seen...especially when it comes to farming.

It was a big birthday...so we had a big party...in the big shop/shed...big spread of food...big margarita machine...big kids (and little)...big cigars...big money on the dice game...big videos...big cake...big fire from 65 candles...big smiles...and big fun.
Directions to here:

1942....New Year's Baby!...and a hayden's new years eve has never been the same!

Happy New Year!

Lots of resolutions, but only one fits the picture:

Less boring,
more ridiculous...

Happy 2007 to you!