Mary Jo's Mind Journeys

Catching Up....again!

2011-09-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not exactly a frequent blogger, am I?! My, how time flies! Thankfully there is not a whole lot of news of any huge consequence! Well, aside from John's accident in June. Yeah, that was pretty major.

On June 1st I got a call from a paramedic saying that John had been in a work related accident - he was OK - but had a seriously injured arm. Off I flew to Overlake Hospital in Bellevue which was the closest to where he was injured. Long story short, he fell from the back of the box truck he drives for work. About 5 feet. Onto concrete. On his arm. Elbow exploded. June 6 he had surgery to repair what could be repaired. The surgeon was great and I'm really glad I didn't see the "before" pictures until after surgery! He put him back together with baling wire and chewing gum, I swear! Plastic, metal, etc.! He has undergone a lot of physical therapy and after a skin graft about a month ago, is finally out of bandages and braces! He will never be able to lift anything heavy again, and may not even return to light duty til after the first of the year. You may be wondering how he fell off? He is not entirely sure himself, except that it was raining and he was manuevering the electric pallet jack with an empty pallet on it when it slipped, knocking him and the pallet jack off the back. The jack evidently hit him, but thank God it didn't land on top of him! He thinks he probably jerked himself away. Also, someone saw it from a restaurant window and went out to check on him and called 911.

Actually, it was a blessing in disguise as he had his two children with him for 7 weeks this summer and was able to be with them! Not the way he had planned it of course, but.....

We enjoyed having the grandkids around and every Friday night we had a sleep-over here! What fun! Hannah was 6 in June and Johnny turned 4 about a month ago.

The most fun we had all summer was going on an Alaska cruise! Our 40th anniversary is September 11 and we have never done anything really big to celebrate. It was time! We took a 7 day cruise out of Seattle and were wowed by the glacier we saw. Unfortunately, it was socked in the day we would have gone to the Mendenhall glacier and we didn't see it, but the Tracy Arm one was fabulous!

Brian bought a house in Algona, and after nearly 10 months of the bank dragging their feet, he finally closed! He and Bill still have their "hot rod" night once a week, although his work schedule didn't work out so well for awhile. That has changed and once Brian fixes up his garage, their time will be spent there for the most part.

Well, that's about enough catch up for now! I won't promise another post before six months, and even thought about deleting this, but for now, I'll post when I think of it!

MS Walk

2011-03-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted since November? Really?! Well, last year was not exactly the best year in my life, but so far, 2011 is shaping up to be pretty good! It is early on, but....

I am very excited about the MS Walk this year because I am participating in it! Yes, not only did I sign up, but I am the team captain of Team Olympic View!! The walk is Saturday, April 2 at 9:30 a.m. I have reached my own personal fundraising goal as well as the team goal. It is such a worthy cause and one I am all too familiar with.

I am compelled to walk this year because on April 1 of last year, I couldn't walk without assistance, being in the throes of a very serious MS exacerbation - the first in almost 30 years. Thank God I am back to being "me" and having now experienced first hand the terrible consequences of the disease, I really NEED to walk this year!

Here is a link that will take you to the MS Walk site. Check it out!http://www.nationalmssociety.org/goto/TeamOlympicView

Is 2010 over yet?

2010-11-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

This has been quite a year. I am quite ready to see it go. Now. My Christmas letter may be something along these lines: "You know how some years are just better than others? Well, 2010 was not on our top 10 list! See you next year!"

If I listed everything that has happened this year, especially with our health, you would probably think I made it all up!

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Job. In fact, I lead a study in Job last fall with the ladies at church. Everyone always says "patience of Job". Well, I didn't find Job to be particularly patient! He was persistent and stayed faithful. God was the patient one! It helps to remember that my God has not forsaken me, is not torturing me or causing grief and pain. It helps to remember that God is God and I am not! Staying faithful through the trials this past year hasn't always been easy to be absolutely truthful! Yet, what are my options? Where can I go and be away from Him? Psalm 139 points that out nicely! Oh, to see His purpose. On the other hand, maybe not so much!! I think that is counter intuitive to faith!

Anyway, it has been our turn in the bottom of the barrel. Guess what? God is there in the bottom of the barrel with us! There are no guarantees that 2011 will be better; it might be worse! But to know that my God cares and won't ever forsake me makes it OK!

My own personal theological pet peeve: How many times do you hear people ask what God is trying to teach them through a trial and have they learned it yet so they can just get on with life?! Ummm, I don't think God allows trials just to teach us a lesson. That seems a little punitive to me. Do we learn things from trials and tribulations? Absolutely! We can learn patience, compassion and empathy for others, find inner strength we didn't know we had, learn we can't do it all after all, learn that lots of people prayed for you, etc., etc., etc. Yes, God allows trials, but, but, but...for me to try to figure out God's mind and His reasons just seems presumptuous to me. Again, this is just my rant! I can't quote a bazillion verses to support it, but there you go.

OK, just a brief update on my latest trial. I have had a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) for months and months. I've been going to PT for many months and had pretty much hit a wall. So, I went in last Monday and they put me under anesthesia and manually moved my arm in the socket to break up adhesions and hopefully gain some mobility. Painful? Oh, yeah! Back to heavy duty PT to keep it moving. Still hurts and will hurt for awhile! *sigh* The end result will be worth it.

I'll try to post some pictures one of these days. It has been so long since I even posted! Again. Take care of yourselves!

Back to work!

2010-09-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

I returned to work today and it felt great! I only work 20 hours a week, so will only get about 10 hours in total, but that is fine for a start. I think I actually accomplished something! We'll see if my stamina lasts now! I did take a two hour nap today after I got home. I may need to do that for awhile, I am guessing. But I am finally feeling more "me" and not so much a deer in the headlights! Thank you for your prayers! God is good all the time; all the time God is good!

THE BEAST

2010-07-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

The Beast has been stalking me for years,
     waiting, waiting, poking and testing from time to time.

The Beast never sleeps; is always waiting
     to pounce, stealthily following me everywhere.

The Beast became impatient, toying with me
   yet not revealing itself....yet.

The Beast, tired of teasing, pounced!
     just when I thought myself safe.

The Beast unleashed its fury,
     doing as much damage as possible.

The Beast watched as I struggled
     to see, to walk, to understand.

The Beast had to be tamed, made to go away
     and only the strongest weapon would do.

The Beast retreated, slowly at first
     but retreated none the less.

The Beast doesn't know that I cannot be defeated
     by its attacks. I am not afraid of this Beast.

This Beast whose name is...
     Multiple Sclerosis.

copyright 2010
all rights reserved

Fun, fun week-end

2010-06-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Four other couples and Bill and I went to Richland, WA (eastern side of the state) for a car show over the week-end. I was a little concerned about my own stamina in the heat. I was careful to stay in the shade, took naps when I needed and even went to bed early, and did not play board games! Shocking! We had a great time of fellowship, stayed in a nice motel by the Columbia and just plain relaxed! It was a much needed get away! We do this annually and will hit Wenatchee next year!

Still no real changes in my health. Some days are better than others. My right eye is still a little twitchy - moves left better than right. I am still a little wobbly and use my cane when out and about just in case. I have a disabled placard now and that really helps as I have started to drive a short ways. That has done wonders psychologically! Fatigue is still a bug a boo, and my short term memory and the ability to multi-task are directly affected by the fatigue. So, that's the update as we come up on the third month on July 1. I never would have guessed it would take this long. I don't see the neurologist until August 2 so we will see what happens next. It is certainly not in my hands!

Random Pictures

2010-06-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ferrelli's Pizza Discussion

Princess Hannah with Dough Tiera

Silly Johnny

Do you like your new flip flops?

Happy Grandpa!

King of the Caterpillar! Build a Bear

Happy 5th Birthday, Hannah!

Time for Another Update!

2010-06-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

All of a sudden it is past Father's Day, almost the end of June. We have had a miserable June so far. Mostly rain with a few nice days "sprinkled" in here and there! When I get pictures from yesterday I will try to remember to post.

Health Update: I am not getting worse, but have sort of hit a plateau. My right eye is almost normal and I am driving some. Just around the neighborhood so to speak. I still need the cane when out and about. Most days are pretty good as far as gait goes, and others not so much!

Fatigue is my biggest enemy. I still need a nap every day. If I do a lot in one day, or do something a few days in a row, I pay for it with worse fatigue. I hit the wall around 2 or 3:00 p.m. and have to sit down and rest. Sometimes I
wake up 2 hours later! (OK - most days I wake up 2 hours later. I think the longest nap was 4 hours in the very beginning.)

I think I am doing better cognitively as well. I had a really hard time multi-tasking at first and I still have problems if I get really tired. Short term memory is still an issue at times.

I know it sounds awful, but I really am doing pretty well. I got a disabled placard good for six months and that has really been a help. I will be re-evaluated on August 2 and we will go from there. I am still off work. I drop in for staff meetings once in awhile just to stay updated, but I know I can't handle a full (five hours!) day yet. I can get short term disability for 6 or 8 months I think.

Bill has surgery on his right foot on July 2 to remove bone spurs from the ankle joint. He is really looking forward to it! He has limped around for far too long!

We have a couple trips planned this summer. We leave for the tri-cities this week-end for a car show and in August we will go for a few days to Hot August Nights. It is really weird to think that I can actually have most of the summer off with Bill. Very nice that we get some together time. Check back with me the end of August and we shall see how it went!

I'll try to be more diligent about keeping updated! Try being the key word!

One month later....

2010-05-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, it has been one month since the MS attack. I am doing quite well. After three days on the Solu-medrol I could take the eye patch off and by the end of the fourth day I could read again! My walking was still pretty dicey but with a cane I could get around. I've had a check-up with my neurologist and he is quite impressed with how quickly I have progressed. However, my right eye still has some nystagmus and doesn't track 100%. I am still needing the cane, although I manage pretty well without it in the house. So, I will be off work for another month. I have an MRI in three weeks and then another follow-up. I seem to have hit a plateau but am trying really hard to be patient! If this is as good as it gets, then we will deal with that when the time comes. So, my days consist of resting, walking (I am going further without as much wobbling!), reading, playing games on the computer, doing a little housework, resting, napping! I have been surprisingly content with my circumstances. I get a little cabin fever now and again, but going out anywhere leaves me pretty wiped out still. My body obviously needs the rest, so I am being good to it! So that is my wildly exciting update! Keep on praying! I appreciate all your kind words of healing and love.

The Elephant in the Room

2010-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

After nearly 30 years in remission, I am experiencing a severe MS attack. It started a week ago with some vertigo feelings and unsteadiness progressing to very severe double vision. Pretty much a nightmare! I saw my neurologist the next day and he confirmed the diagnosis. I have an eye patch to help with the double vision and a cane to keep me from careening into walls, people, etc. The treatment is five days of methlprednisalone (Solu-medrol) at 1,000 mg per IV infusion. Heavy duty stuff. I have Valium to help control the shakiness and Ambien to counteract the insomnia. With treatment I can hope to feel better in 3 to 4 weeks. Without treatment it could be 6 to 8 weeks. Already, after 4 days I don't need to eye patch. My vision isn't perfect yet but no double vision. My right eye had developed a mind of its own - wandered all over the place. Pretty gross. I am pretty tired, but encouraged. We have many prayer warriors around the country and world and so many caring people, not to mention fine doctors and support staff. You know, when you have MS you always know it could show up at any time and this time, the old elephant put the hurt on me! God is control and I trust Him with my life. Thank you for your love and support as well! MJ

Happy Birthday to Me or Maybe 60 Won't Be So Bad After All!

2010-02-11T21:25:00.001-08:00

I had a really nice birthday on Tuesday. Very low key - work, Bible Study and then off to the kid's for dinner and a pineapple upside down cake - yummy!!

The week-end before, we went to Leavenworth - a little Bavarian looking village on the slopes of the Cascades. It is very touristy, but we were after a week-end away and being touristy was alright with us! We had a great time until Bill needed to go to the emergency room in the middle of the night! The little town had a small 24 hour "emergency" room, but they didn't have an ultrasound machine, so off we went to Wenatchee. Gall bladder!

All in all, I think 60 is going to be OK!

Holiday Photos

2010-01-05T07:51:00.001-08:00

I think the pics are pretty self explanatory! Unfortunately I always forget to post them in reverse order so Thanksgiving is at the end and Christmas at the beginning! Oh, well!

Good memories!

Catching Up

2010-01-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, have I ever gotten behind! I'll try to catch up in readable chunks:

Memorial Service for 4 Fallen Officers: We were able to get into the Tacoma Dome for the service which really surprised us! We were happy to get within a few blocks and stand outside along the curb watching the processional! It was the most moving event I think I have ever been privileged to observe. I have never felt so safe, yet so vulnerable. I watched the service for Officer Tim Brenton in Seattle and it was pretty powerful, but actually being there was something far different. There were not as many civilians as we expected - I think the media scared everyone away - but to see the whole Dome filled with officers was absolutely overwhelming. The Canadian Royal Mounted Police in their red dress uniforms really stood out. There must have been a thousand of them! Police from every part of the state and country were there. The silence was unbelievable! The most touching part was when the children of one of the officers spoke and afterwards there was a spontaneous standing ovation! Then when they did the last radio call - gone but not forgotten, taps, Amazing Grace on the bagpipes, the 21 bell salute and you could hear the officers around you sniffling, we both lost it! Glad I packed a lot of tissues in my purse! And now we will have another service this coming Tuesday for another officer who gave his life in the line of duty. That makes 8 officers shot, with 6 dying and 2 wounded just here in Western Washington. We are all a little shell shocked and grieving the loss. I placed four electric candles with blue bulbs in the windows and expected to take them down today, but will leave them up until after next Tuesday's service. Thank you seems inadequate to express how we feel about our law enforcement officers and those in any rescue profession, including our military. Very humbled. May God guide, guard and protect each and every one!
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: fast forward a few weeks and we have a very special privilege - having my almost 95 year old mother-in-law here for Christmas! She was able to spend the night and spend Christmas Day with us as well. It was nice to be able to take her with us to our Christmas Eve Service and then over to relatives she hadn't seen for a long time! She had a ball! We had a very low key Christmas this year. Bill and I only exchanged stockings. I ordered a calendar online for Mom with pictures and birthdates and the kids got her a high powered flashlight. We decided to give the money we would have spent on the adults to a charity. I think we will purchase some goats through World Vision for families in need in Africa. We keyed down our giving to the grandkids as well, but I think everyone had a really good time!
New Year's Eve: Can you believe it is now 2010!? We went to church for a few hours and played games and snacked on everyone's left over holiday goodies! Good way to get rid of the candy that everyone gifts you! It was fun and we didn't plan to stay up, but the neighborhood was so noisy there was no point in trying to sleep, so we saw the old year out and new one in! Last year was a sad one and we said good-bye to too many friends.
Pre-holiday illnesses: We got a call the week before Christmas from Bill's brother saying that his mom had been in the ER that morning! She had the stomach flu and had gotten very dehydrated. Turns out about 50% of the people in her retirement home had it! I took her to the doctor the next day and she was pretty weak. Scary at that age! She recovered fully and we were thankful she was able to come for Christmas! Then the rest of the kids and grandkids got it! The three adults had it all in one night! So they were a little subdued on Christmas still! So far Bill and I escaped it! Although I thought I was coming down with it but it was really just....
A Bad Trip: I have officially entered the Little Old Lady Who Mixes Up Her Pills category and I am not happy about it! Sunday night I thought I was coming down with the flu - lightheaded and queasy rather suddenly. Then my toes went numb. Then my fingers. Then I started to shake uncontrollably! OK, not the flu - call 911! I ended up with numbness and partial paralysis and unable to speak for a short while. Convulsive movements, confusion, all manner of very bad reactions. A CT scan, X-ray, UA, bloodwork were all performed and no one knew what was wrong. Not a stroke, not my heart although my blood pressure was sky high and pulse was racing. After 5 or 6 hours in the ER, I slowly began to improve - gaining speech and losing some of the numbness. Then the shaking began to ease and I felt much better, although extremely tired. It wasn't until I was getting dressed to go home that it hit me like a lightning bolt! I was pretty sure I had mixed up medications - an antidepressant for over the counter Advil. I probably took about 1,000 mg too much of the antidepressant. BINGO! I asked the doc when he came back in for the discharge and he talked to the pharmacist. They thought yeah, it could have been, but weren't convinced. When we got home, I checked and sure enough, that is what happened. I looked it up online and yes, the symptoms concurred. Boy, did I feel foolish! I was scared, Bill was scared and John and Brian came to the hospital and they were scared! Lesson learned and I now have Advil in its original container in my purse - brand name, no generic brand, as that is what got me confused. The generic Advil tablet llooked very much like my antidepressant and when not together....... I saw my doc for follow up the next day, and while pretty loopy, there was no permanent damage. It just had to work itself out of my system. Good grief!

So, that should get us up to date for now! I will post some pics next time. This should be enough for now! I'm just happy to be here! Happy New Year!!

Senseless Killings

2009-12-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

In Memory...

We are reeling here in the Pacific Northwest with the death of four police officers this past Sunday. Thankfully the perpetrator is off the streets and is not a threat. There will be a huge memorial service on Tuesday and we will try to attend if possible. This has shaken our area to the core. Just last month another officer in Seattle was executed also and his partner grazed by a bullet. One of the things we are doing to show our support is have 4 blue (electric) candles in the window. I also have a blue lightbulb for the porch outside. They will stay up through the holidays. Nine children will not have their dad or mom there for Christmas. It boggles the mind how someone could be so deranged. And his family and friends hid him and purposefully interfered with the investigation. Even the prospect of $125,000 in reward money did not sway them.

All we can do is pray for the families, friends and law enforcement community. May God grant them peace and comfort. Life will never be the same for them. Give your loved ones an extra hug today! Life is precious!

Friday Farewell

2009-11-24T18:57:00.001-08:00

Well, we knew it was coming. We didn't want to have to go there, but our dear old Maggie dog had some sort of mini stroke or something last Thursday night. We knew there was something very wrong with her when she stood out in the rain and just stood there, sort of looking blank. She didn't want to lay down or come in. When I finally got her in, she paced and paced and wanted back out. We knew the time had come. So, Friday afternoon we took her to the vet for the last time. She was treated with tenderness and great care and died in our arms. Boy, do we miss her! It is so quiet without her. Lots of tears. Even the cat knew something was wrong Thursday night and wanted to be with her - inside or out, and Pippi is an inside cat! Very strange! We figure we have had her 10 or 11 years and she must have been 12 or 13 or so. She was a loyal, faithful companion who brought a lot of joy to our lives! Mags,we will miss you!

How we acquired her is a funny story in itself. We had been out "antique-ing" and went into a shop in Port Orchard. Behind the counter was this beautiful dog with the most gorgeous eyes! She "smiled" at us and we kept on looking around. Bill came up to the counter to ask a question and she went nuts! Whining and wagging her tail and very focused on him! We asked about her and the proprietor told us she was a stray that she called in out of the pouring down rain! She had had her about two weeks and she would go home with her to other dogs and cats. She wanted to find a good home for her. Well, we thought she was very nice and very pretty and wasn't it funny how she responded to Bill? We went to get a bite to eat and very carefully ignored the subject. Finally, I said "I could see her running around our yard." We weren't sure we were ready for a dog again, having had to put down our 11 year old lab mix just a few years previous. We could go back and talk to her though, couldn't we? That couldn't hurt! Now she wanted to know all kinds of things about us - did we have a fenced yard? had we ever had a dog before, etc. And don't you know, she thought maybe the dog would be a good shop dog. (Not!) She would put us on a list. List? Hmmm. Meanwhile, the dog is going crazy and jumped up in the window and was barking at us as we left! We got to the car and Bill said he just had to go back and see if he could talk her into us taking her. The dog was pretty adamant after all! I couldn't go back in! A few minutes later he came out with this beautiful dog on a leash! Evidently there was someone else who had seen this reaction and Bill asked the proprietor if she also saw it? Well, how could you miss it?! She came home with us that very afternoon! Then came the problem of knowing what to call her. Goldie? Sadie? She didn't respond. Hmm. We had friends over who were going to be getting a purebred German shepard and were looking at names in a few dog naming books. (who knew?) We went through a long list of names and nada. No response. Our friends left and the dog was asleep at Bill's feet. He got to "Maggie" and she sat up and looked at him like it took him long enough to figure it out! The vet figured she was 2 or 3 and part shephard and part Rhodesian Ridgeback. Sweetest dog! Beautiful amber eyes and a great personality. Very social, and in fact she learned to jump the fence pretty early on. She just wanted to go visiting! Evidently she had never seen snow, but beach and sand were familiar and the first time we brought home a pizza, she was all over it! She loved to go for walks with Bill down to a neighborhood coffee shop where she was loved by all! Monday nights are shop night where Bill and Brian work on cars in the garage. All you had to do was ask if she wanted to go to the garage and she was at the door! So many memories! It is actually healing to write about her. Thanks for bearing with me if you have made it this far! If you have ever had to do this, you know the pain and loss. You tell yourself it is only a dog after all, but oh, they are such a part of the family! Will we ever have another dog? I won't say never, but it sure isn't on our radar for any time soon! That's what we said about Mocha, too though, and look what happened!!

Yummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-11-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 small can pumpkin
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups flour
1 lg. bag chocolate chips

Cream the shortening, butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients together and add to the pumpkin mixture. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.
Bake in 350 oven for 10-12 minutes or until barely golden. Do NOT overbake!

This makes about 5 dozen cookies, depending on how large you make them. They do not spread so you can crowd quite a few on a cookie sheet. Also, you read it right! There are no eggs! I also shake a little nutmeg and ginger in with the cinnamon and have used mini chips - its all good!! The texture is more cake like and they are not overly sweet, but are right up there on the yummy list!

Mid Month

2009-11-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

How did it get to be the middle of November already?! I think I have been on another planet or something! Anyway, here are a few Halloween pics. Instead of helping at our church "Harvest Party" we went to help our kids hand out treats in their swanky neighborhood. That put us on the "bad" list, but oh, well! They had almost 800 kids come through the neighborhood so I am glad we went! They actually close off the streets and the local cops patrol the streets on bikes! It was a hoot, but not one of my best photo taking experiences! The grandkids are just a little too fast moving at times! Anyway, here you go......

Pumpkins and spider webs!

Johnny was a firefighter, Hannah a fairy princess (that is her next door neighbor friend on her left) and Brian was a mobster! Their neighbors had a fire pit going with refreshments in the garage; other neighbors had hot cider, coffee, etc. Many were set up in their garage or driveway. It was crazy, but very fun!

Harvest Fun!

2009-10-28T15:49:00.001-07:00

I SO needed some fun, relaxing down time after our friend's memorial service (see last post). I was pretty emotionally drained. The perfect solution? Go to a farm with the grandkids! We had a ball! Not only were there pumpkins to be had, but you could ride ponies (that will be $5 please!), slide down a hill, shoot pumpkins out of launchers, ride little tractors, get muddy and just plain have fun! Here are a few pics of our afternoon together!

The Battle is Over

2009-10-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

October 14th one of our good friends went to be with the Lord. He had been through a long journey of cancer and Parkinson's Disease, and problems with his lungs. Once he understood that the end was near, it was like his body just shut down and quickly. It was a blessing, but no one expected him to die so quickly. The memorial service was beautiful and very uplifting, as well it should be! We were celebrating the life of a good man who is now celebrating with the angels in heaven! His widow is my co-worker and she came right back to work. Many were more than a little appalled, but she needs to be busy and is processing through things pretty well. She will have a lot to do, and once this initial period of paperwork and phone calls dies down, and she doesn't have to repeat the story to those who haven't heard, she can settle in to deal with other things. So, while we will miss our dear friend, we rejoice that he is no longer suffering and is at peace in the arms of Jesus!

These things are always a learning experience for those of us advancing in yearsand here are a few things to consider:

Do you have a will? Is it up to date? Do you know where it is?!
Are your birth certificate and wedding certificate where you can easily find them?
Do you know your spouse's social security number?
What about end of life issues? Have you discussed this with family? Do you want to be buried or cremated? Viewing? Graveside service? Full funeral or memorial service?
Do you have a Durable Power of Attorney for medical decisions? What about Advanced Directives? Do you know where this documentation is located?
Is there someone outside of the family that might have some understanding of medical terminology that could go with you to some appointments or meetings with doctors? Sometimes one is overwhelmed and can't take it all in. An impartial observer can take notes or ask the questions you might not think to ask.
Is your home accessible? If you couldn't walk, how would you get around? Do you have friends in wheelchairs or who can't climb stairs? Do you have grab bars, no throw rugs and railings on both sides of the stairs? In the hall? Is it time to move to a more user friendly home?

These are some of the things we have been discussing as we approach that big "60" this coming year. Even younger people need to think about things like wills and guardianships. In the space of a year, we lost two young men in their 30's at our church. Quite a few young people got wills and such after that! One never knows and how much better to be prepared. Death is such a taboo word in our society and yet it is an everyday part of life! When you are emotionally distraught is not the time to make these kinds of decisions!

So live each day as if it is your last and don't forget to tell the ones you love that you do!

Fall Fun!

2009-10-10T16:51:00.001-07:00

Museum of Flight

Hannah & Johnny at the Puyallup Fair

Car Show - Longview, WA

This is our '37 Dodge

Retreat Update

2009-10-10T16:38:00.001-07:00

Wow! I survived, the women survived and it all went together like it should have! I finished a little early, but no one complained. The strangest thing for me? Having women taking notes as I spoke! That is a first I believe! I stayed home on Sunday and slept, and slept and slept! My cold is almost gone which is a relief! Looks like I will be the speaker next year, too! I'd better get busy! How about "friendship" for a topic?

Speaking Engagement

2009-09-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be able to speak at our little Women's Retreat this coming week-end. Now my sinuses just need to cooperate! Not funny to wake up with post nasal drip sore throat and less than stellar voice! Yikes!! I am slated to speak on Spiritual Gifts and am looking forward to it SO much! We have a small group signed up and we will be at church, so that is just about right for a first time retreat speaker!

Important Day

2009-09-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

I will never forget. The phone rang just after the clock radio went off. I heard something about a plane and the World Trade Center. Thought - where is that again? Then the phone rang and it was our daughter in law on the east coast. TURN ON THE T.V.!! We were glued to the set for most of the time we were home that fateful day. I called Bill at school when the other planes went down. It was terrifying! What else was going to happen? It just so happens that this is our wedding anniversary. We had planned to go out to dinner somewhere nice, but ended up just going somewhere quick and easy so we could get back to the TV! It was weird not having planes flying. We are close to an Air Force base as well as an Army post and there is always air traffic. Nothing. Except for an AWAX (I'm not sure I got those letters right - sorry!) plane overhead as we left for dinner. I turned on the TV every morning first thing for a long time after that - what new horror awaited us?

We will never forget that horrific act of evil, or the brave men and women who did all they could to save people and render aid. Bravery was in full force. We are thankful for all those who serve in the military, putting themselves in harm's way to keep us safe. Mostly we are thankful for a God who is in control of every situation even when life makes no sense.

We have celebrated our anniversary in various ways since then. Those first years were difficult and we celebrated mid year or random days! We don't ever want to forget that day, but we don't want to forget the joy of that day for us either! This year we are going to the ocean with three other couples to a car show. Not terribly romantic, but after 38 years, we have found that romance comes in unexpected places and unexpected ways sometimes! And that makes it all the sweeter!

A momentous day indeed!

Discouragement

2009-09-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Blech! The asthma flare up didn't respond as well to Prednisone as it should have and I ended up with a sinus infection. Bummer. I thought I was doing so well and getting over it and BAM! Now I'm not feeling 100% well, but not sick enough to be sick, if you know what I mean! Perhaps it is just taking longer to go away. I forget that I am not 20 anymore sometimes and I probably worked too much when I should have been resting. OK, so I get the hint! I am resting, resting, resting and in fact, I think a trip to the recliner with my book and a hot cup of tea is in order. Perhaps I'll even doze off. ZZZZZZzzzzzz...zzz....zz.............z

North Carolina Vacation 09

2009-08-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Cora, Me, Dorn, MaryDorn

Mary

Reed Gold Mine

Cora & Dorn have some gold!

Panning for gold - Cora, cousin Griffon, Mary, Aubreanna

Discovery Place pirate display

Discovery Place

Poolside!

It is a little bright out here!

Overdue Updates!

2009-08-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have let way too much time slip by! The main event of late was the trip to North Carolina to see three of the grandkids. Aubreanna (14) went with me and we flew out of SEA on August 5. We stayed ten days and had a great time! We spent time at the pool - a lot of time at the pool! We also went into downtown Charlotte to Discovery Place. It is an educational fun place for kids (and grown up kids!) where they can explore and learn and just have fun! They had fulcrums and pulleys and a pendulum among other things. A big area with blocks was a big hit! Then the highlight for me, anyway, was the Reed Mine. We took a picnic lunch. Gold panning was only $2 a pan and a few found some flecks of gold! Carla and her husband, Joby were great hosts and Aubreanna stayed with them. They have a brand new baby named Henry. He is 3 months old. A very busy household! I stayed with Carla's mom and it was great to have a place to escape to! I learned how to use GPS and loved it! All in all, it was a very enjoyable vacation!

I came home with my asthma in a flare up - humidity got to me. My right elbow also decided it didn't like me. It was a little sore before we left, so I took one of those little bands you can put on below to see if it would help. I think it helped me remember to be careful is all! The Monday after we got back I went in to get checked out. A week of prednisone for the asthma and Naproxen for 2 weeks for the elbow, plus ice 2X a day and rest. HA! If it is not completely better by Monday, I have to go back in, probably for a cortisone shot and/or physical therapy! Not fun! Vacations can be hazardous to your health!

Perhaps next year they will make the trek out here. We would love to introduce Joby to the Pacific Northwest! What a contrast!

We're havin' a heat wave, a tropical heat wave...

2009-08-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

Can you say 103 in Seattle, Washington? We nearly can't! Wednesday, July 29 the mercury bubbled its way up to 104 in Tacoma and 106 in Bonney Lake where our kids live. Unbelievable! And since we seldom climb above 85 around here, hardly anyone has air conditioning in their homes! Thankfully the kids do, because we decided their house was our own personal "cooling station". I spent the night there Tuesday and we both stayed Wednesday night. We needed some sleep! Not funny! It is still warm, but 90 something feels better than the low 100's any day! I promised myself I would not complain about heat this summer - back in the spring when we had buckets of rain and gloom! Little did we know this was coming, which is probably a good thing!

More water, please! With plenty of ice!

Oh, and of course the refrigerator has taken this opportunity to die a slow death! I thought things didn't feel cold enough! So, the new one comes Tuesday. This one was in the house when we moved in and the freezer has a label inside that says "also available in avacado, harvest, coppertone, and white. Ours is white which helps disguise its age! It has to be almost 40 years old, so I think it has earned its final rest in the big appliance home in the sky! (The new one is very pretty - stainless steel with black doors - very cool! (Pun intended!)

Too Hot! Too Hot! screamed the penquins!

2009-07-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

When our oldest son was a toddler, he had a favorite Golden book. I think it was about a circus and somewhere in there the penquins were in too hot a situation! Since then, we have always used that line when the weather gets too warm. Well, the weather is now too hot! I promised I wouldn't complain when and if summer ever came, but this is pretty rare for the northwest! It was over 70 degrees at 8:00 a.m.! It is still 90 at 7:00 p.m.! The forecast is for more of the same with no relief in sight til at least Thursday evening! The air quality as you might imagine is getting worse and worse too. Well, it will soon be fall and we will complaining about the rain and cold again! More iced tea, please!

Family Reunion

2009-07-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is a time of family reunions. While ours was not huge, we did have the pleasure of a visit from both our oldest son and his daughter. Geoffrey lives in the San Antonio area now and Aubreanna, age 14 is from Klamath Falls, where she will attend the same high school her dad graduated from! Too weird!
It was good to reconnect with Geoff and get caught up on each other's lives. Aubreanna enjoyed seeing him, too and while he left on Monday, she is staying for a few more days. She is staying with her cousins and family and I think she enjoys that a lot! They are only 2 and 4 so they keep her extremely busy! We are going miniature golfing tomorrow night with Uncle Brian.
The first picture is of Aubreanna and her dad with Puget Sound in the background. The second is me with Geoff, third is the John Stoliker wing of the clan, and the last is Bill with his youngest (John) and oldest (Geoffrey).

Family Visit

2009-07-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the day! Our oldest granddaughter will be here this afternoon and we pick up our oldest son, her dad this evening in Seattle. It has been about a year since we saw the granddaughter and two and a half years since we have seen our son. We are looking forward to seeing both of them and the weather couldn't be better! He is from the San Antonio area so 80 will probably be cold to him, and she is from Klamath Falls, OR and knows that it can be very changeable here in the northwest! I will have pics to post later, I'm sure! Well, there are a few more details to take care of, so......

Class Reunion

2009-06-28T13:55:00.001-07:00

My favorite teacher, Mrs. Rowland!

Old friends!

Class of 1968 & 69 - White Pass High School, Randle, WA

Class of 1968 (I'm 4th from the right, front row)

When you graduate with a total of 48 classmates, you have to expect that your class reunions might be a little iffy. I have never gone to my class reunion before. I saw no reason to go back - ever! Then I reconnected with a friend on classmates.com and suddenly I was in the loop! I got the golden invite! So, I put on my big girl panties and Bill and I went yesterday. It was a year late. And combined with the even smaller class of '69! But, it was a reunion and I actually had a good time. Comes from being comfortable in my own skin and knowing I am a totally different person than I was in high school. I was totally shy and couldn't even imagine talking to a boy! Well, who greeted me right off the bat? Some of those boys! Does an old lady good! Name tags were a very good thing, as I wasn't the only one whose memory was a tad shaky! Some live in the area still and of course knew each other and I guess there were a few reunions in the past, but evidently I was hard to reach - who knew?! So we had some burgers, took some pictures and agreed it had been too long! Maybe in another 5 or 10 years? We'll just have to wait and see!

Birthday Girls

2009-06-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like a four year old girlie girl! Hannah just turned four as did a friend of hers. Saturday, June 6 was Hannah's party and the next day Talia celebrated hers! Talia's theme was Cinderella or princess, so I had the big idea of making a princess dress for Hannah.Cinchy, huh? Not so much! If anything could go wrong, it did, but I got it done in time for the party! I ended up having to "hot rod" it as Bill would say so it would fit! It was huge on her! Aren't they all just so cute! Some pics are at Hannah's house and some at Talia's home. Enjoy! Hannah was fascinated with Talia's baby brother!

Fun in Grandpa's Garage!

2009-06-08T07:42:00.001-07:00

Who needs expensive toys for kids? Grandpa's garage is a veritable gold mine of fun things! Take the air compressor for instance! When bicycle tires were pumped up, the wheels began to spin in little one's minds! Are we having fun or what?!

Jury Duty

2009-05-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has caught up with me - my first time on Jury Duty! Today was the first mind numbing day! Actually I am glad I am doing this for the experience it affords. And the great people watching! I've never had much dealing with courts and that whole process, so this is all new to me! I'm glad I brought a book, as I spent much of the day buried in it! We did have some excitement, though! There was a fire drill! A thousand people exiting the building with fire trucks screaming through the streets! Garnered us a nice, long lunch hour! The pastor's wife is also on Jury Duty these two weeks and we were able to spend some time together and even have lunch! I'm surprised at how exhausted I am, though! I finally got assigned to a court only to be told to come back tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m.!! One day down, and counting! Somehow I'll have to find some time to go to the church and crank out a bulletin! One day at a time, though, one day at a time!

Northwest Beauty!

2009-05-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

Wow! When it is nice here, it is really nice! I got some yard work done yesterday which was much needed! There is plenty to do yet, but I made a little progress! It was nearly 80 today which was a treat! I had a sewing project to work on, but enjoyed the day none the less. We went for a drive after dinner along the waterfront and then out to Pt. Defiance's 5 Mile Drive. It was so relaxing and was a promise of more to come! This was another great week-end!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

This has been the best Mother's Day week-end in a long time! Friday night everyone, and I mean everyone went to the Rainiers baseball game! The little ones had a great time and Hannah even stayed awake for the fireworks! Saturday we all went up to Great-grandma's place where her other son and wife joined us for pizza! We used the little "tea room" that is available to the residents and had a great visit. We were outside most of the time. Little John was enthralled with the ants crawling around and spent plenty of time catching them and sharing them with everyone! Today I got to talk to all three of my sons, all the other grandchildren and my daugher-in-law. It is also the oldest granddaughter's 14th birthday so it was a great day all around! Sometimes you just need to have a streak of good things happen, you know?! I just have to thank the Lord for blessing me these past few days! Awesome!

Look! A sun break!

2009-05-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, the sun is taking a break from shining on some fortunate souls and is putting in a very brief, but welcome appearance! It is a little weak, like a half-hearted smile, but I think I'll run up to the mailbox now - while I still can!

Old dog and old masters!

2009-04-28T18:54:00.001-07:00

Our Maggie girl is getting on in years and she is a perfect match for us! We all kind of hobble around and forget if we've eaten or not and drool and take lots of naps! LOL!

Seriously, she is getting up there in years and we know it won't be long until we have to say good-bye to her. We knew the day we brought her home that she would break our heart one day. I hope the warmth (when and if it ever gets here!) will be helpful to her old joints. Feels good to me I know, and she loves to lay in the grass in the hot sun! Johnny loves Maggie!

Seasons of sadness and yet...

2009-04-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

We all go through seasons of plenty and seasons of drought in our lives. Sometimes it is physical, sometimes emotional and sometimes spiritual. Our church family is experiencing a season of sadness and we know God has a plan and walks with us, but it can be so hard! A few situations:

A great 101 year old saint has gone to glory - that is actually a praise! She was a faithful servant!

Three men in their 70's have cancer - leukemia, lung and esophagus. All experiencing side effects from their treatments and all deep in the valley of ill health. One may be cured if surgery is successful, one may have about a year and a half, and other may go into remission. May. Might. It is all SO uncertain and SO hard on the families.

A young man not yet 40 who has a very rare form of cancer that will surely claim him in just weeks now. Leaves a wife and small son. Their faith is astounding.

A man has been in a motorcyle accident and thankfully only has some broken bones! It could have been so much worse!

Several have had bouts of melanoma. Others have family members with cancer or other serious diseases - a child as well.

The list seems to go on and on, and then on a little longer! I know I am weary from the emotional pain. I can't imagine how the pastor is holding up! He was ill Friday and Saturday.

If nothing else, these things point out how fragile our earthly tents are as they withstand the harsh storms of life. People are pouring themselves into others - crying, listening, hugging and doing what they can to help ease the suffering.

God is still there. He hasn't moved. He knows. He cares. He sustains and nourishes the soul. We still feel the effects of this fallen world and sometimes it seems so unfair, yet God is God and we are not! Yet we put one foot in front of the other. Yet we pray, we cry, we wonder what or who is next! Yet....God is faithful. All we can do is just cling. Not be afraid - just trust. Just trust. Just trust...and pray!

The Dynamic Duo We Ain't

2009-04-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning saw me at my doctor's office for this cough that just won't go away. Back on an antibiotic since I so recently had pneumonia. Don't want to go there again!

Thursday evening saw us at the Emergency Department! Not for me - for Bill!! He had what he thought might be kidney stones and was in quite some pain and was running a fever. Not good! Well, the end result was not kidneys stones, but diverticulitis! So, liquid diet, pain killers, antibiotics and rest are the prescription. He needs to follow-up with his primary care early this week.

You know, this togetherness thing is wearing old. When he had his surgery in February, I ended up with pneumonia! Now, here we are again! Also, I was sick right around my birthday, and Bill was sick the day after his birthday, too! OK, enough already!

The good news is that we both feel better today and Bill can start on some bland solids tomorrow! This getting old stuff truly is not for sissies!!

Tea Party

2009-04-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

We converged on our state capitol today to protest everything from high taxes to ludicrous spending to too much government! It was a great experience and I am so glad I participated! We met at the Tacoma Mall at 9:00 a.m. and gathered outside of Olympia City Hall to get organized. We stood along the street corners and waved at people while we waited. It was truly moving to be a part of thousands of people walking (mostly silently!) along the streets to the capitol! There was a great sense of camaraderie and the whole event was very peaceful. We ran into a few protestors of the protestors but they were only about 3 in number! I had to miss a day of work, and I probably have bronchitis again, but it was well worth it!

Tax Day Tea Party

2009-04-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Bill and I are going to march on the capitol steps on Wednesday! Our old hippie revolutionary roots are coming through! Whoo Hoo! I hope to take pictures!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Just a note to say Happy Easter! This is my favorite holiday of the year! I'm not nearly under as much pressure as at Christmas and can actually dwell on the whole reason we celebrate! And it is not about bunnies and candy. OK, well, maybe the candy a little bit. But, honestly, it is about rejoicing that we have a God who loved us so much He sent us His only son so that by believing that Jesus came and died on the cross for us, we could live eternally with Him! Hallelujah!

Yes, Virginia, there is a...

2009-04-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Spring! It is finally here! Sunshine, the sound of lawnmowers and children playing! Cherry trees in full blossom! Hummingbirds! Did I mention sunshine?

We have had about 3 days of wonderful weather, but tomorrow it will return to cool and cloudy/rainy. Oh, well, at least we got a taste of what we hope will return soon!

Washington State needed this weather SO badly!! ;-)

Spring?! I don't think so!

2009-03-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

It sure hasn't sprung yet! I talked to my sister in Arizona last evening. She was loving the 73 degree day. I was huddled in my fleece blanket. I checked out the blogs of several of you in southern California and was thinking about making a cup of hot tea. As I sit here in my turtleneck and sweater. Sigh.

You know how they put flouride in the water supply? How about Prozac for Washington State! If spring doesn't happen soon, we may need tickets for the bridge! Just kidding, just kidding! You have my permission to remind me of this in August when I am grumbling about the heat!

On a happy note, the daffodils are in full bloom! That is much needed cheer to a winter weary soul!

Mug and Muffin

2009-03-28T14:24:00.001-07:00

The ladies of the church held a Mug and Muffin brunch today. You bring a wrapped mug and half of the gals brought fruit or juice and half brought muffins or other breakfast breads. This was a first and there were about 20 of us. It was really fun! We drew numbers and then proceeded to use the familiar white elephant game of opening a new gift or "stealing" someone elses. We really had a good time and there was plenty of food, of course! So, it looks like this might be a new tradition!

When I went to put my purse in my office, I was dismayed to find the roof leaking again! So not impressed! Between the custodian and I, we got a bucket, a fan, a portable heater and a huge garbage bag (opened up) placed over the computer and printer. It is going to be quite a mess to clean up! Thankfully, our computers are networked so I should be able to work from another office if need be.

Will the real Spring please stand up!

It is all in the timing!

2009-03-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

I walked into my office yesterday, sat down on the edge of my chair, booted up my computer, printed off something, went to the other room to retrieve from the copier. Came back and noticed my chair was wet. Very wet. Except for the little edge I had sat on! The floor was wet and lo and behold, there was a hole in the ceiling! Major leak! It must have happened over night!

If I had been sitting there when it "burst" I would have been soaking wet! If it had happened a few inches closer to the wall, all my electronics would have gotten a good soaking!

The wet chair in the hallway made a good conversation piece, anyway! And yes, someone is going to fix it - soon, I hope! Oh, the problem? Some kid had thrown a ball up on the roof and it had plugged the scupper, whatever that is!!

Look up, I always say!

Anniversary and a Half!

2009-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing husband! He is romantic in a totally unique way! No roses and bling for me on birthdays or anniversaries! He springs amazing events on me without warning! This past week was a perfect example! On Wednesday he was frantically writing something and a few minutes later presented me with a necklace size jewelry box. In it was the note he had just written and a necklace. Well, it wasn't diamonds; it was a 50 cent piece with a quarter of it cut out! Here is the note:
Well, isn't this just a strange little thing.
Maybe a necklace, sure not a ring-
Kind of a Pac-Man. Sort of a wreck -
You expect me to wear that around my neck?

More importantly, what's the event?
I never get just random presents-
OK, it's a puzzle. I'll figure it out.
(It'll come to you - I have no doubt.)

Something to do with goin' to the beach
The surgery? the church? the house? the "teach"?
Well, yeah, but there's more to it.
When the numbers connect, you'll see right thru it.

Love you,
Bill
Several months ago he told me he had the opportunity to leave work early on a
Friday and to think of something to do and somewhere to go on that week-end. We
talked about it a few weeks ago and I decided I wanted to go the beach. Friday was our son's birthday and I felt rather badly about leaving, but unbeknownst to me, he and the rest of the family were all well aware of this whole thing!

Oh, the chunk out of the necklace? What is 3/4 of 50? 37 1/2. What would March 11 be? Thirty seven and a half years since we got married! Our 30th anniversary was September 11th and he has made sure that since then we have celebrated our anniversary in a different way! Pretty cool!

So, here are a few pictures of the place we stayed. We had a really relaxing time - wind and rain and all!

A copper sink in the bathroom - very cool!

The little built in vanity was the perfect place to set up my lap top! We fixed our own breakfast both days and enjoyed the local cuisine the rest of the time!

Who knows what that man will do next?!

Baby Blanket

2009-03-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

We have three baby girls due in the next three months at church. Pippi gave her approval to this blanket I made for a shower tonight. Easy to make and fun to pick out the fabric for each one!

Next!

2009-03-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

OK, here is the next fleece pullover in progress. No promises about a picture of the recipient actually wearing it! This one was a problem from the get go. No particular reason - it just didn't go together as smoothly as the four before it! Oh, well, he won't notice the mistakes! Just makes it truly home made! Note my able assistant, Pippi!

National MS Week

2009-03-02T17:18:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I have MS - multiple sclerosis. Thank the Lord I don't have very visible symptoms and it doesn't affect me much at all. This week is dedicated to that cause. Check out the website: http://nationalmssociety.org

The Return of Energy!

2009-02-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

Shocking, but true! I cleaned house this morning! Well, I at least made it look habitable for the first time in weeks! Got taken out to lunch by daughter in law and grandkids and went to the park for a very little while! Too cold even with sunshine! Came home for hot cocoa and cookies. I even ventured out to the library and didn't take a nap today! Boy, does it feel good to feel good!
Tomorrow's goal - get to work on a fleece pullover for little John! Pictures to follow I'm sure!

Newest project!

2009-02-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the last month, I had a few days when I actually felt well! Really! It took lots longer than it should have, but I got a fleece pullover made for Hannah. Easy to do if you're not sick! The pattern is McCalls M4644 and quite easy to do. Hannah wasn't feeling particularly cooperative for pictures. The movie on TV was much more interesting! Maybe when I get her brother's done he'll be a better model!

Beautiful Exhibit!

2009-02-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

We went to the Seymour Conservatory at Wright Park yesterday. They had a Chihuly art exhibit in with the plants! Fabulous! We were so glad we went and it was such a nice day! Enjoy:

Isn't it amazing...

2009-02-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

...how sunshine can warm your soul and give you hope?
...how just going to the library when you are recuperating can wipe you out?
...how insignifcant housework becomes when you are ill?
...how dirty things look when you start to feel better?! (I HAD to clean the bathrooms!)
...how wonderful it is to breathe without coughing and wheezing!
...how God has a sense of humor in His timing? Who knew Bill would need to take care of me and not the other way around?
...how nice it is to have family closer? Aaaaah.
...how much God loves us?

What hit me?!

2009-02-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

I was minding my own business Tuesday afternoon, happy that Bill was home and doing so well. I had gone to the store, chatted with an old friend (you know who you are!) and then, feeling a bit tired (it had been a stressful day or so) I decided to lay down and take a little nap!

Well, upon awakening, I realized a Mack truck had driven through the living room and run me over! What was this all about? Fever, headache, achey, etc. Hmmm. Let's play detective:

Less than a week ago I was diagnosed with bronchitis. Hmm. Still coughing some, but feeling better. Hmm. From previous encounters I deduced that it had probably progressed to pneumonia! BINGO!

So, I am happy to report that I have been fever free for 24 hours and while still feeling a little bit run over I am on the mend! Levaquin to the rescue! Rest, fluids, rest, rest, fluids, rest. Repeat!

All done!

2009-02-10T11:00:00.001-08:00

The surgery is over; Bill is home and after a few weeks of taking it easy, he should be good to go! (No pun intended - he is "going" really well!)

It is snowing like crazy out there! I remember snow on Valentine's Day once, so I guess this isn't SO unusual. It is still winter, after all!

OK, maybe I need to go to the store NOW instead of later! The flakes are enlarging!

Pre-birthday celebration!

2009-02-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

The family got together on Saturday to celebrate my birthday a few days early since Bill is having surgery today! We went to Branks in Sumner for BBQ. They do a really good job. It's not southern BBQ but it will do! We ordered platters of ribs, brisket, chicken and pulled pork (my favorite!). French fries, corn bread muffins, coleslaw and beans rounded out the meal. The little ones were pretty well behaved. They had some wooden puzzles and little John was very intent on getting those pegs in the holes! Very cute! So, the birthday has been duly celebrated for another year. Whew!

Dread Factor

2009-02-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Bill has surgery tomorrow and it is a good thing. He is having a laser TURP done - old guy stuff! He is looking forward to the end result but dreading the process. I suppose I am, too. He will be in the hospital overnight. It just so happens it is my birthday tomorrow. I couldn't believe it when he scheduled it for then! Hello?! But, at this age, it hardly matters. I just want him to feel better and this was the time to do it!

I've been fighting bronchitis but am feeling much better thanks to modern medicine - the ever famous Z-pack! We make a great pair!

A Limerick

2009-02-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

There once was a girl named Mary
who on the internet did tarry
No housework got done,
no food for the "hon",
That lazy tech girl named Mary!

Be sweet!

2009-02-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

That is a saying I learned from my southern daughter in law! It is a great little phrase that I need to take to heart! My last two posts have been anything but sweet! Can you say cranky?!

I use it on the cat when she is biting me or acting as cats will act!

So, I am telling myself right now to "be sweet"! Or be grounded or sent to my room or something!

Of old houses and even older plumbing

2009-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

Our old house is charming - most of the time. However, I do not find plumbing issues charming. At all. Ever. Especially not on Saturday night!! We have had this problem before, which is probably even more frustrating. The line between the house and the street is plugged and will require a "snake" to clear it. So, quick showers and a change in plans for tomorrow and we'll be back in business. It seems that when one thing goes wrong, they all start to deteriorate. What, do they talk to each other somehow? Hey, electricity, why don't you do something that will really confound them? Deck, you could rot a little more and then they would have to replace you for sure. Roof, are you paying attention? Oh, you were replaced just this past summer? Then why are you leaking? I see. It's a plot! I'll be at the Marriott if you need me. (Just kidding!)

No More Snow!

2009-01-26T22:40:00.000-08:00

I don't suppose it will do any good, but I would just like to voice my objection to the forecast of more snow! I know I'm whining, but I am tired of the cold and am ready for a little more sunshine and warmth! Doesn't have to be hot - just a little more above freezing! (Lord, I know I'm not supposed to grumble, but.....)

Snails

2009-01-20T07:34:00.001-08:00

Here we see some of our granddaughter Hannah's art work. She loves to draw and has stories for just about everything she draws. She will be four in June. These are snails. Don't they look happy?!

Now, this one cracks me up! We have the mama snail in the middle, the baby sister (she has a baby brother) on the right, and the big sister (herself!) is on the left. Notice she has an "H" for Hannah on it!

(I'm trying to make a file of her art work. My printer was not happy yesterday or I would have scanned them instead of taking pictures.)

Cora's new home!

2009-01-20T07:20:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the new place that my mother-in-law has just moved into. It is really nice! You wouldn't know she just moved in! We feel so much better knowing she is getting meals and socializing with others. She is even interested in the movies that they show every day! She will just thrive there!

She was a little dismayed that the kitchen was so small, but is figuring out that she really doesn't need to cook! But after over 70 years of cooking, I'm thinking that might be hard to even take in all at once!! Bill made lunch in the kitchen, and it was pretty hard to find room to do anything! Thankfully she will only be making lunch and snacks for herself!

My own blankie!

2009-01-20T07:16:00.001-08:00

I love to make fleece blankets as gifts, especially baby blankets, but I finally made one for ME!

All in!

2009-01-18T11:26:00.005-08:00

Whew! We are truly all in - both as in moved in Mom and as in weary! It was quite the day yesterday getting her moved into her new home. She was mostly packed but hadn't really addressed the food issue in the kitchen yet. I think she thought she would just sort out the food when we got there and divvy it up. No time! So it all went to the new place and she sent home one big box home with the kids, but I suspect there will be more. I don't think she truly appreciates the fact yet that she won't be cooking! The kitchen is very tiny and there is room for a small microwave and her toaster oven on the counter. It will be an adjustment, but she will do fine. Her spirit is indominatable! She had planned well. There were just a few things that wouldn't fit like she thought they might and she was glad to foist them off on the grandsons! She knew her things were going to a good home!

So, we are playing hookey from church and sleeping and resting and probably won't leave the house today unless to forage for food! Works for me! We both have tomorrow off so will go back up and help put up pictures and see if we can't get rid of the rest of the boxes. OK, I'm off to sip a cup of tea and read for awhile!

Its the Big Bye-bye!

2009-01-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we move my mother in law (94 next month) to an assisted living facility. She knows it is time, and that is huge! Her sight is failing due to macular degeneration and it is becoming increasingly difficult for her to cook and do other things that require much reading. The place is lovely and we think she will be very happy there. She is moving much closer to all of us and we are pleased about that! She is just over an hour away now, but traffic makes it a real headache to get there. Two meals a day will be provided, so we know she will eat well and the fact that she will have people to chat with over a meal is a good thing. Her hearing isn't very good, but then I'm sure a lot of the resident's hearing isn't either!

She is an amazing woman! She is the most organized person I have ever know, I think! She called last night (on her cell phone!)and let us know that all is ready! Some ladies came from her church and helped pack her up. There are 18 boxes out in the hall waiting to go!

It will be really neat to have the family move her, I think. My brother in law and his wife and our two sons will all be there. She is giving some of her furniture to the kids and a lot of the kitchen items that she will no longer need.

This promises to be a really positive experience. I'll let you know, and I may even get some pictures!

Oh, when we moved once when the kids were young, we teased the dog by saying "It's the big bye-bye!" She knew something was up and when we said that, she would run to the door and get all excited!

Happy Happy News!

2009-01-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

Little John got his cast off! Hooray! When it was taken off yesterday and he couldn't put weight on it, the doc in the box (actually a PAC) said he thought maybe it wasn't healed right yet and send them to an orthopedic doc at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital today. Well, it turns out that it is not at all unusual for little ones to not want to put weight on a leg that has been broken and sometimes it takes a week or so for them to gain the courage. She showed Trish the X-rays and reassured her that it is healed just fine, thanks! They recasted it yesterday, so it had to come off again today and I guess he wasn't very happy about that! He stood on it almost right away and when she got back here, he was walking on it - stiff legged and holding on to things, but he'll be running on it in no time and this will all have been just a very bad experience!! Whew!

The Verdict is In

2009-01-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Well, after much nagging by family and friends, I went in to see about this "crud" I have. It really is just the "crud" that is going around and it just hangs on and on! So, that's good news I guess! Got reminded of the usual methods of symptoms relief - warm liquids, rest, etc. It was a pretty good use of $20 in the long run! With asthma, I can't be too careful. On to better health!!

Speaking of health, our little 16 month old grandson's broken leg is not healing as quickly as it should. He sees a specialist tomorrow at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. We could use a little prayer on his behalf! Thanks!

Mind over Matter

2009-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

Yeah, right. Remember that cold I had a few weeks ago that has been just hanging on? I have been adamant that it would not develop into anything really cruddy. I went out this afternoon to run a few errands and was pretty much convinced otherwise! Now here's where the denial comes in. It is just allergies brought on by all the moisture in the basement! There we go! Actually I am not running a fever, but I don't sound so very healthy. Bother! I suppose I will have to break down and go get it checked out on Monday. I've had pneumonia before and didn't know it. So, I'm praying that I will have wisdom to know when it is time to give this "thing" a Z-pack! That is sounding better all the time, actually! Rats!

Weather Girl

2009-01-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

When I was in about 6th grade, I was fascinated by the weather and thought perhaps I might want to be a meteorologist when I grew up! I have always been interested, even though math and science weren't my strong suits as I got older. Well, I have also wanted some sort of barometer/weather tracking device for quite a long time. The weather this winter has been wild to say the least and with a little Christmas money I splurged and got a wireless set up! Ta da! I now have weather data right there on the wall - temp, barometric pressure, humidity indoors and outside/inside temps, etc. Very cool! Funny what rows one's boat (little weather joke there - groan!)!!

Row, row, row your boat!

2009-01-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Wow! We haven't had rain like this in a few years! We put a new roof on this summer and are so thankful for that! However, we were awakened about midnight with drop, blop, drip - you guessed it! A leak - no make that 2 leaks in our bedroom! Bill took a tour around the house and found a minor leak around the chimney upstairs! Yikes! Looks like there will be a little repair work going on when (if?!) it dries out! I love a rainy night, but....

Still Stuffy

2009-01-03T14:14:00.001-08:00

Unbelievable! I am still stuffed up! I took decongestants on Wednesday and Thursday and felt better. If I get through this cold without complications it will be a miracle! Really puts a crimp in my plans, but I know all this rest is good for me. I'm getting cabin fever, though!

Speaking of unbelievable, how did it get to be 2009?! Seems like we were just fretting about Y2K!

Happy New Year!

Slowed Down by a Virus

2008-12-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Rats and mice! A cold caught up with me and has laid me low! Forced rest, forced non-productivity, forced sleep! Hmmmm. What is so bad about all that? Not much. It seems I run on fumes as Christmas approaches and almost every year I end up sick about this time! Do you think there might be a correlation?! Good grief - you would think I'd learn, but noooooo! Anyway, this gives me an excuse to work on crafts and doze and read books and watch movies. I watched Mama Mia yesterday - very cute - very much a chick flick! Well, off to make a cup of tea!

Christmas 2008 pics

2008-12-26T18:14:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Times

2008-12-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas with our family - John & Trish, John Jr. & Hannah, Brian and Trish's brother's dad, Jay. We are known for our unorthodox approach to holidays, so we made our own pizzas! Yummmmmmy! The kids, who are 3 and 15 mo. had a great time and got some fun stuff. The hit of the day was the drum set for little John! He would just get such a determinded set to his mouth and wail away! Hannah got a bike and rode it around the house! Too much snow and too cold to do it outside! Instead of buying gifts for each of the adults, we each just bring one "nice" gift and do a white elephant exchange later in the day while the kids either play with their new things or watch us! We talked to the other grandkids and heard all about their fun day, too! The oldest is 13 and she got a snowboard and an MP3 player. She is going to have a lot of fun this winter!

I got chilled feeling as the day went on and woke up feeling like I am coming down with a cold. No fair! I'm glad I can just take it easy for a few days. Saturday we are going up to see great-grandma Cora in Lynnwood. They had so much snow that nobody could go get her for Christmas, so we are all going up there to celebrate a few days late. I hope I'm not yucky or I may have to stay home.

All in all, we had a really nice Christmas, very merry and filled with joy!

A Few More Snowy Pics

2008-12-23T19:45:00.001-08:00

This is our car and the entrance to our house! It was really coming down and we had fun walking in the snow and watching the crazy kids sledding down the hill by us.

To the right is the potting shed in the back yard. We sure have had the snow this year already!

Who knows if we will be able to make it to John's house for Christmas or not! More snow is predicted for tonight, although not as much as before. John, however, lives at 600 feet and more is predicted for above 500 feet!

Well, we'll see! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve already! Hooray! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Merry Christmas everyone!

Snow Angel

2008-12-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

We had a "wing it" sort of church service this morning. We had planned to have a light breakfast and sing carols, etc. Well, the storm put a crimp in that plan! There was food already there and about 70 people showed up, which was quite surprising! We had a great time of singing and will do the better planned event next week!

Here are pictures of the snow angel that the pastor's wife and another lady (both my age!) made out on the church lawn! I told them it wasn't theologically correct, but they didn't even care! What can you do!? As you can tell, she has a brooch and some other "bling" for facial features. We figured the askew halo was pretty appropriate, though!

We had a thin sheet of ice on top of the snow and that made for great wings!

Christmas Cards

2008-12-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

I love getting Christmas cards! This year I have had the hardest time getting my act together, but I enjoy receiving updates on others! There are some that we exchange cards once a year but don't have contact any other time of the year, those whom we are frequently in contact with, and then there are the ones that come back. Those can be good - someone has moved and now, thankfully, we have their new address. Then there are those that you have no idea what happened. Did they die? Move away and not want to be found? This year I got one back from someone we knew when we lived in Klamath Falls and thankfully the new address was on the yellow sticker when it came back! Rejoicing! They actually live closer now and that was a happy thing! Then I got one back from my biological aunt in Seattle. No forwarding address, which tells me she moved some time ago. Or died. Or is in assisted living. That makes me feel badly that we didn't see her more often. I still hope to get word about her. So, Christmas cards are something I cherish about this season! Merry Christmas!

Snow Daze

2008-12-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Wow! It is really a snowy, wintery wonderland around here! Today was a breather of sorts before the next round, complete with high winds in the foothills tomorrow evening. I suspect church will be just whoever has a four wheel drive!

Here are a few pictures just from our yard:

Snow Day Sort Of

2008-12-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's snowin' and blowin' and miserable out there! Bill's school district delayed school for two hours. Most districts cancelled completely because of the impending storm and possible accumulation of snow. Oh, well, one less day they have to make up in June! Go for it! Subarus are wonderful cars. Bill took ours so I am "stranded" at home! Oh, but I am going to just revel in a "snow day"! I am just on the edge of not feeling well, and I think a day at home to rest and get caught up on things here is just what the doctor ordered! I can update the church website from home and already did the cancellation thing for today's date on the calendar. Maybe I'll get some cool snow pics today!

Just a couple of updates!

2008-12-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

The price for daycare that Trish was quoted was for a single mother. So, it will change some depending on where John lands for a job.
Which brings me to the next update - he didn't get the job he interviewed for last week, but is still looking. He does have a job, so that is a good thing, but it isn't the best.
John Jr. got a new cast put on and while it is up higher on his leg, he is doing really well on it. He is walking and even spinning around in circles. Kids!
It is COLD! Snow expected on Wednesday and Thursday and even colder. Brrrrr!

Sugar Cookies and Estrogen

2008-12-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

Now, I don't know what possessed me to make rolled out sugar cookies on Friday night, but I did. I don't normally like to make that sort of cookie. Never have. Give me a good old drop cookie (chocolate chip the best of course) or a bar cookie, but rolling out sugar cookie dough is time consuming and messy. I cannot bake without flour everywhere, so you can only imagine the mess! They actually turned out pretty good and I will take a plate of them to a potluck tomorrow.

My only explanation for this madness - I think the extra estrogen floating around our family right now with two more females (Trish and Hannah) around is having some sort of domestic affect on me! Scary!

More good news!

2008-12-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

It is almost 7:30 p.m. and my Christmas cards are all in their envelopes! Now they just need to be sealed and stamped! The envelope glue is really nasty!

Excellent news: Trish can go ahead with her new job because she will only need to pay a $15 co-pay for the first 2 months and then $50 each month after that as long as she works for this temp agency! Wow!

Then, John interviewed for another job this afternoon! It is a better one with better pay and better benefits as well as a 401K plan (for what that is worth these days!)! He will know more tomorrow. If that doesn't work out, he will keep looking. At least he has a job! Trucking jobs in this area should be plentiful I would think!

And last but not least, Bill is feeling SO much better today! Hooray! No more pain pills! He will need more surgery in a few months, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it!

Gingerbread House

2008-12-10T22:33:00.001-08:00

On a cheerier note, here is the gingerbread house that Trish, Hannah and I built in November! We had a decorating party at church - Extreme Gingerbread House Makeover - and it was a blast! The organizer (who was a week from delivering her second baby!) had recipes and templates available for several weeks ahead. Trish and I made our own gingerbread and had to sample it in cookie form - quality control you know! It went together pretty well and I still have it sitting on the table. I really should throw it away! I have a train kit that I could put together now! Having raised boys, it was such a treat to have that time with my daughter in law and granddaughter!

Cloves in the side wall.The back patio! The windows are made from crushed lifesavers and Jolly Ranchers! You sprinkle them in the openings when the gingerbread is almost done and let it cook for just a few minutes to melt. Pretty cool, huh?

Health & Wellness

2008-12-10T22:25:00.000-08:00

Well, the long awaited day for Bill to get the stent out has arrived! Out it came and hopefully he will start to feel better soon. To catch you up to speed, he had some minor surgery a few weeks ago to blast kidney stones in his bladder and ureter. After that a stent was inserted that went from the bladder to the kidney. It has caused some nasty pain and he has needed more than Advil from time to time. We saw the urologist today and he was pleased and removed the stent. Office procedure and Bill said it wasn't really painful, just a weird sensation. He started hurting though a little later, so off to bed early. Again. I'm not sure how I ended up the night owl and him the lark, but the roles have been reversed! Anyway, he should be feeling better soon and that can only be a good thing! We are both ready!

(See what happens when you reach a "certain age"? You start to compare notes on your health. Yuck!)

God blesses abundantly!

2008-12-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well, our youngest son left his truck in Colorado. Not at all like leaving your heart in San Francisco, but leave it he did! It had become less than reliable and he was afraid it would break down on him out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a blizzard! (He drives - make that drove - long haul out of Colorado). It finally started giving him the truck death rattle and he decided that was it! He parked it at a friend's house who works on trucks, got his Durango packed up and headed home! He got home yesterday and has a new job starting tomorrow! He had applied at a trucking firm in Kent when they first moved up here last month and thought he had an owner operator job lined up, but when he called to check on it, they were laying people off, so no job. Rats and mice! They called him yesterday and wanted to know if he was still interested? Well, he didn't have a truck anymore and would need to be a driver for someone else. They "just happened" to have a spot open and he starts tomorrow!! This has benefits which they certainly need with kids!

Then, in the It Never Rains But it Pours department, Trish has also gotten herself a job. Unfortunately, it will be the same hours as his job and the day care center she looked into charges $1200 a month. Yikes! So one of them needs an evening shift. I can help on Fridays, but that's it for now! I wish she didn't have to work at all, but they have a load of debt they need to pay down. It will all work out. I plan to make a few calls and see if anyone I know has any info on childcare that would be a little less expensive.

So, we are very relieved that John has work and Trish has until the 18th to figure out child care. Life is never dull, is it?! God is good!

Christmas picture

2008-12-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

I have not bought Christmas cards yet and thought about sending photo cards. I thought maybe since we were all dressed up yesterday for the funeral that perhaps that would be a good time. The tree is up and it would have made a good back drop at church. Nope. Then maybe today after church? Nope. So I just set the camera on the edge of the sofa and here we are! I bought a cute Hallmark card that you put a picture in and record a greeting and then it sings Jingle Bells! Too cute - I thought we could send it to the North Carolina grandkids. It is hardly professional!

But there we are!

Bad kitty!

2008-12-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

Well, wouldn't you know it?! The cat, Pippi by name, decided she just had to check out the Christmas tree a little closer and CRASH! Down it went! Did I mention it was a tad bit wobbly anyway?! I was not very happy with her. Here is a picture of her "before" the incident! I think she was plotting the demise of the tree even then!

Closure of sorts

2008-12-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

Today was the funeral for one of our dear saints of the church. It was a very traditional funeral with the casket (open!) and the whole nine yards. She had been ill for awhile and it was no surprise when it was time for her to go Home to Jesus! Everyone was all decked out in their finery. She was a real lady. The old fashioned kind who dressed to the nines every Sunday, heels and all no matter what! She was kind and funny and had such stories to tell! I will miss her a lot as she was an integral part of my Bible Study on Tuesdays. I always sort of dread these things, but it was well done and I what I could to help. The funeral home sent a couple of guys of course and they passed out the folders that I had made! My co-worker and I actually, and we had kind of wanted to do that - to greet people and all. Oh, well, there was plenty of other stuff to keep an eye on! I think having the body at the church, while rather morbid in my way of thinking, did help bring closure. Once she became ill enough to be in the hospital, she didn't really want visitors. She was very prideful of her appearance, which is a shame in that we didn't get to rally round and lend our support. So, after having her be gone for several months, it was hard to wrap our minds around the fact that she was really dead! All in all, it was a good experience and I know she is rejoicing in Heaven with all the saints!

Makin' progress!

2008-12-05T15:29:00.001-08:00

I watched the grandkids this morning while Trish took a test for a job. Little John is getting around pretty well on his cast. He had only taken a few steps at home according to Trish, but he was up and at 'em here! It was nice to have a sunny day, even if chilly, so we could go outside for awhile. Hannah wanted to plant dead leaves, twigs, whatever was handy! Her hands got so cold playing in the dirt! Kids! She didn't even want to wear a jacket, but Grandma's rules prevailed! If Trish gets the job, I will probably watch them every Friday for her. We'll see how it all works out.

Pretty Proud of Myself!

2008-12-03T22:59:00.000-08:00

Can I brag for just a second? I am pretty impressed that I was able to change the layout to this very cheery background! Riva, your site inspired me! I told you I like technological stuff! Watch out world, this Granny is going for it!

The tree is up!

2008-12-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Well, such as it is.... I usually put up our 4.5 foot artificial tree but I just don't have it in me this year, so I got one of those table top artificial already lit in a basket wobbly as all get out trees. It is pretty cute. In a Charlie Brown sort of way!!

(That door is seldom used by the way! I'm really not blocking the way out!)

Tough Day

2008-12-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

Some days are just better than others. We are in the midst of planning a funeral for a dear saint at the church. It was a long battle, but the Lord finally called her home on Friday. Today my co-worker was on the phone off and on with her daughter and others from the church working out the details. Then my co-worker went with her husband to his endoscopy appointment where they learned that the mass in his esophagus that was discovered last week is probably malignant. Crummy deal! There are more tests to be done, but it looks like a long road ahead for them now. Her health isn't perfect either - well, whose is? Anyway, I am feeling a little down tonight. We are getting to an age where we will see more of our friends pass away. Not looking forward to that, thank you very much! Facing one's own mortality is never a pleasant thing, but does make you take stock of your life and evaluate whether you are where you want or should be. All part of the perfecting work of Jesus - making us fit for heaven and eternity! Save me a seat!

Sunday

2008-11-30T21:19:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is Sunday night already! It has been a good time off, though and the week ahead is going to be very busy! We have a funeral to prepare for on Saturday at the church, so you know that will take a pretty big chunk of time!

I have felt less than stellar today and it has been awhile since I have felt yucky! Going to bed here soon sounds really, really good!

Hannah and Johnny were over with their daddy this afternoon while their mama got caught up on some house cleaning. I remember not being able to get a thing done with little ones under foot! Tomorrow I am going over there to paint. It is girl's craft night and evidently we are painting - oh, boy!

Little John is doing much better with his cast. He doesn't seem to be in so much pain and can now stand up so it won't be long and he will be getting around in record time! He called me "grandma" for the first time today! Does a granny's heart good!

Well, I think I really will close this up and head on off to dreamland! Another busy day tomorrow!

Catching Up

2008-11-29T14:45:00.001-08:00

I so do not want to be doing housework and laundry, but somehow it all needs to get done - again! Even with only two of us, we generate plenty of trash, dirty clothes and junk! I did get a few things accomplished, though and while I have not braved the malls yet, I did go to Costco - brave of me, don't you think? Anyway, lots to do and sewing projects besides! Catch you later!

Thanksgiving Day pictures!

2008-11-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-28T11:22:00.001-08:00

I think I knew that one day I would be doing this! I'm the tekkie in the family and love the social networking, etc. So now I can rant all I want, huh? Well, it will take a little getting used to, but I think I am going to like this. I'll sure give it a try!
The big event this year for Thanksgiving was the baton being passed. I didn't "do" the Thanksgiving dinner, but was only a provider! We went to our youngest son and daughter in law's house that they share with our middle son. My husband's mother was there, too so we had everyone from one to 93 there having a great time! Instead of the traditional roasted turkey they did a deep fried one, and to go with it we had squash, stuffing x 2 types, mashed potatoes, etc., etc., etc. I provided the dessert and veggie tray. It was pretty neat. I wasn't sure how I would react to not being the hostess, but you know, it was all right! I helped in the kitchen a little, played with the grandkids and visited with adults! Wow! A whole new chapter has opened up for me! (Well, us, of course!) I think we will adapt just fine, thank you!!