Penny and her Mom

Thelma & Louise Part 6 aka Buttercup & Daisy

2011-10-21T17:41:00.037-05:00

I know I'm terribly slow and not very efficient but I will get thru this trip SO HELP me. The wonderful thing about it, is I get to look at all the pictures again that Buttercup and I took and see the sights that we saw. Makes us want to do it all over!

Must first make a correction or addition.(a couple actually) I didn't post the map where we were on the last blog. That would be Walnut Grove Minnesota, land of the Gigantic GNATS!

Also in my search for the map I found this amazing picture. And although it is not the Ingalls, it is a dug out very similar to the one that they lived in where we were on Plum Creek. I can really visualize Laura and her family posing just like this for this picture. It looks very similar to the place where we were also.

And this is where we spend the night after seeing Walnut Grove and doctoring Gnat bites! A lot of family history concerning the Ingalls took place in Brookings. Especially concerning the railroad. It was only 30 miles to DeSmet our true destination but we were very tired and slept late.

So on to DeSmet on Sunday June 5Th and yes it was very hot!

Really the only thing I can say about this picture is ''sigh".......I think we made two trips around the block and got several angles to make sure we saw this sign and photographed it flawlessly~

This and Mansfield Mo were our two main destinations. And nothing disappointed us.

They had a lovely museum with a short video telling the story of how the Ingalls came to be in DeSmet and Pa's choice of his land to homestead on. Lots of wonderful things in the museum and nice products in the gift shop.

Minnie Pearl Buttercup...again.......sigh......

These are the trees that Pa and the girls planted when they moved into their Shanty on the homestead. They are still there and still keep reminding us of the fact that it was true. It was all really happened. On the right is a rock that marks the spot where the Shanty stood

I think we almost made all these spots. The ones that we didn't just means we have to go back!

They have a lovely 'farm' tour around the property that Pa owned with many things replicating the times they lived there.

Pa built a barn with a hay roof and inside we found kittens! I really think this one wanted to come home with me. I REALLY do think so.

Ma called the cat they had the "Necessary Cat" because of mice! I had to poke her to see if she was alive:) I think she was just in a "kitty koma" like Spike does, when it's nap time it's NAP TIME!

This precious lady and I had a long conversation. She was so glad that someone actually knew who Laura was and wasn't just taking a "vacation" tour. She and I talked about how the TV show had made the characters silly and they were not. They were dedicated family oriented but fun loving people. I wish more people would get to know the real Laura thru her books.

We took a Horse and covered wagon ride out to this school. I just loved it and loved the story behind it.

This school room was very much as described by Laura in her "Happy Golden Years" book.

And here was our Laura :) Except our real Laura would never have let her arms show and would have had a bonnet hanging around her neck. But I loved this Laura!

Buttercup pretending to be a teacher.. HA.. she would have been in the corner!

Our view of the horses as we went for our ride! They were beautiful. Pet and Patty I think .

We are back at the barn and Buttercup has made her a corn cob doll like Laura had when she was really little in "The Big Woods". Doesn't she just look so proud?

We are pretty sure this was Pa :

Buttercup by the commemorative Rock.

Daisy is catching some Rays ~

Looking up at the faithful trees.

And then we discovered this marvelous CHURCH! in the far NE part of the property!

The Church does not hold regular services there but there were bulletins there from the previous year. The mid west had bad floods this spring and it appeared that the basement had been flooded. There were Christmas decorations up which makes me think they hold special services there.

A beautiful decorative altar .

The congregation for the day.

The Pastor for the day :)

We spent about 6 hours touring this day and spent the night in THE most expensive place we stayed the whole trip. In DeSmet SD.. What was with that???? but it's OK. Lots more tomorrow. lots more !

Thelma & Louise Part 5 aka Buttercup & Miss Daisy

2011-09-26T22:26:00.028-05:00

Just the picture of this makes me itch! more later :)

This was our day to tour "On the Banks of Plum Creek" or Walnut Grove, both places they lived in Mn. and actually spent most of Laura's childhood. Although she really only writes about the "Sod House" part, they spent at least as much time if not more in the village of Walnut Grove. But the stories of Plum Creek were so much more fun.

Before arriving in Walnut grove we ate breakfast in a place called "Sleepy Eye" and we had a little homeless looking woman who sat with us and entertained us with her life story. Buttercup, of course was trying to avoid her, I found her quite fascinating :) And yes Sleepy Eye is named after this Indian who had what we would now call a lazy eye, or perhaps he had some sort of mild stroke.

And here we are at good ole Walnut Grove. This is where the TV Series takes place and the museum was mostly about the TV show and the stars etc. that have visited. It's their claim to fame and they were very nice. Although we left not sure they really knew very much about Laura Ingalls Wilder.

In her "On the Banks of Plum Creek" she writes about meeting Reverend Alden and how much she loved him and his Church. It was the beginnings of the First Congregational Church in Walnut Grove. He called her and Mary his "Country Girls" and she loved that.

This is NOT Rev. Alden.. Nuff said ~

I know we could never have traveled all those places in this covered wagon, we had our car bursting at the seams.. BUT AREN'T WE CUTE!

Laura lived 1.5 miles n. of Walnut Grove along the banks of Plum Creek from 1874 to 1876 Ma and Pa Ingalls settled on the property declaring their intent to homestead it. But then the grasshoppers came.. If you read the book, it reads like your worst night mare. and it happened 3 years and they gave up. Baby Freddie was born here.

The family of Harold Gordon bought the property not realizing it's historical connection. One of Laura's illustrators visited them in 1947 and informed them. The unusual depression in the bank of plum Creek was the location of the Ingalls dugout.

The Gordon family graciously continues to maintain access to the dugout site for Laura's fans. Visitors can still see the plum thickets, table lands, spring and other sites that Laura describes. They have left the dugout site as they found it so it is deteriorating. None of the buildings that Pa built remain nor is their exact location known. I personally wish the LIW Society had enough money to buy it and maintain it although the Gordon's have really done a remarkable job.

The Plum Creek that I grew up with in my mind!

I thought this was SO special!

There really isn't much to see except a slight indentation in the ground.

Buttercup was looking for a Letterbox here but didn't find it :( I tried to help by telling her it was a snake hole ~

Where Laura and Mary played.

A lovely path that walks you through what would be a wonderful experience except for GNATS!!!!!!!!!!! and I cannot express this enough. Minnesota needs spraying!

Just get me the Hell outta here!

I wanted to take a picture of every wild flower but it's hard to do when you are getting eaten alive!

I SAID GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!

This is the Bell that was in the First Congregational Church in Walnut Grove that Pa helped pay for. It's now in a Lutheran Church but very treasured.

So we moved on down the road after washing the blood off of ourselves! from being eaten alive I repeat!

This was the little Train Station that Ma and the girls got on to travel to Brookings to meet Pa to take them in to Dakota Territory

And then the Windmills started! and went and went and went! Actually quite mesmerizing!

WE MADE IT!!!!!!!! Away from Minnesota and their BUGS! I don't ever want to go back there unless they can tell me a month that the bugs leave!

South Dakota!

You think I'm exaggerating! It was an army and they saw us coming.

Spent the night in Brookings with no hot water, how special. But were in S.D.!!!!!!

Thelma & Louise Part 4 aka Daisy and Buttercup

2011-08-23T14:52:00.031-05:00

If you think this is cute you should see Buttercups picture!

We were up and at it early, we were anxious to see our first "real" Little House places. Across the river we went and back in to Pepin Wisconsin. Lots of fishermen in town and we wanted to do our thing!

The Lady in their little Museum was very sweet and was very impressed that we knew the REAL story and that I had a first Edition Book. She was very nervous to sign it but she did and put a stamp in it too. It's really a special book to me because it was the first one I received "The Little House in the Big Woods". This is where Laura and Mary were born. Pepin has dedicated a small Park to Laura Ingalls Wilder and they have a LIW Society there but it seems to be struggling a bit.

This is at the location of the "Big Woods" house, but as you can see the woods are gone. They are attempting to plant tree's around the little log house reproduction and one day it will look more like it did in her description. It felt like very hallowed ground to me.

Standing where Laura and Mary played and all their cousins and where they drove off in their wagon leaving the little house all alone in the big woods:(

Of course Buttercup had me hunting for her "Letter Boxes"!!!!! and I found it! I found it I found it!!!!!

And she fills out all the "stuff" she needs to fill out and then I get to rehide it! She's special that way:)

We would have stayed at the "Little House" longer, but a big storm came up and hail came down and we got out of there pretty fast.

We visited several little Churches and communities while we were in that area. All mentioned in some of the biographies that are written about Laura.

We found this really cool old cemetery that had Many Ingalls on the stones. I'm sure they were related. I'm sure there are still many around that community related because some of the stones are not that old. I took this pictures because of the pretty bush :)

One of my most favorite places we visited! The Little Plum School! It reminded me of the grade school I went to. I wanted to rename it "LACAMAS"!!!!

I was playing teacher ~ My pupil didn't mind!

It had all the modern conveniences!

We just HAD to ring the bell! We had to I'm telling you!

Ewwwwwww this teacher looks mean!

This is the Durand County Court House. This is where Pa came to sign over and sell the Little House in Big Woods. It also was the scene of a "Hanging".. Quite a long involved story about two guys who committed some horrendous crime and one was captured and a mob drug him out and hung him from an old oak tree! Isn't it amazing how every little town has something fascinating in the closet !

In Laura's book she talks about how Pa took Ma and the girls to the edge of this beautiful lake and she tried to carry all these pebbles home. It's hard to imagine this beautiful lake in that little bitty girls eyes. In my mind, when I have read this a zillion times, I never imagined it that big .

So cute..SO CUTE CUTE ! were about where they were when they crossed the lake when it froze solid.

Then we were back on the Minnesota side and on the LIW Highway. We didn't know there would be this much to see. South Troy Minnesota is where the Ingalls family were when their baby boy "Freddie" died. The exact spot where he is buried is not marked and never been totally identified but they have this little very respectful little monument and a lovely little Church.

This shows Freddie's death certificate.

Very sad, but very nice to know he was not forgotten.

On down the highway we past by Rochester Minnesota which is the site of the Mayo Clinic! I didn't stop~

We were very close to Spring Valley where Almanzo's family but Buttercup said nooooooooo we had to move along!

This was really one of my favorite days. I have many favorite days but this was fun just wandering around the different communities. It was just a great deal of fun. Mostly it was fun to be sharing the day with my "Buttercup" :)

This was our final stop. Found out Marlon Brando went to boarding school there! and was kicked out!

On the road with TWO(count them) TWO BOYS!

2011-08-09T22:26:00.024-05:00

To the Beach to the beach to the Beach! Papa and I took two of our little boys to the beach! Liam had never seen the Gulf and Riley had seen it but didn't get to play in it cuz it was so cold!

It was our 'back to school bash'!

Doing the happy dance at the first motel! WOW were they glad to get out of the car!

And the next day we arrived!

Oh man were they happy to get their feet in the water! and hands in the S A N D !!!!!

He just wanted to squeeze and squeeze it!

I loved wearing his shirt in Alabama :)

Watch out Liam your just a half a body away!

My very handsome guys!

He LOVED jumping the waves!

He never got burned!

If someone walked back in the dark, that could be dangerous!

He doesn't see the shark approaching :)

On the one rainy day we went to the Sea Park and saw Dolphins and seals and all sorts of stuff!

My favorite picture of Riley. He's watching the Sea Lions.

A great evening on the beach.. Oh boy we hated to leave!

At the motel on way home. They had a ball swimming!

This was just "some" of the commentary on the way down there!

L= Liam

R=Riley

P=Papa

G=Grandmommy

L: We need lots of gas!

R: Were not driving a semi!

L: What’s a Semi??????

P: A really big truck.

L: As big as yours?

G: No baby it’s like those long ones that have trailers.

L: Then how much gas do we need.

P: LOTS!

L :Watch out car!

L: Got your sun glasses on Riley?

R: Nah, don’t need them.

L: Are we on the Florida Hwy?

L: I think Riley fell out!

L:I’m hungry! (we’ve been on the road 25 minutes!)

L: There are too many TN cars. After we leave TN. We will be in California!

G. Where did that come from???

L: When I get to FL I’m going to ride on a humpback Whale!

L: We need one of those!!!!! (Jet Ski)

R: OH YEAH!!!!!

L:I want to see a movie

R. Ok Toy Story 1,2 or 3?

(15 min later)

L: It’s OVER!

R: NO WAY!

R: Are we going to eat at Shoney’s?

G: NO!

R: ahhhhhhhh

G: Ok, if you eat liver and onions we will.

R: NO WAY

R. Are we stopping soon?

P: No we need to go 150 more miles.

R: Papa, can you go 200 miles per hour???? :)

L: Have you seen my suitcase?

P: No. Did you bring clothes?

L: No.

P: are you going naked?

L: YES!

L: SINGING LOUDLY

P: Someone shoot that boy!

R: Bang bang! I DID!

Day 2

L: I’m hungry!

L: Where is my Bunny?

L: Papa are you lost?

P: No, I’m trying to find a place that feeds monsters

L: I’m FULL! (5 min)

L: Were on the way to Florida, I want to be buried in the sand again! Will you do that Papa?

R: Are you going to open your mouth under the sand J

L: (LOUDLY) California here we come! (we have no clue)

L: I have a hamster! I give him fries and he gives me sugars!

P: (we had stopped to walk around) We are just pulling up here a little you don’t have to put on your seat belt.

L: I’ll just run along behind!

P: uhhhh nooooooooo

P: Were going to go in to a storm

R: I AM THE GOD OF THUNDER!

L: When we get to Florida it won’t rain!

P. Look guys were going over the big bridge!

R: OH WOW.. Is that the ocean?

G: It’s the bay

L. Bay bay bay bay… I’m so excited!

L: Papa you have a dumb GPS

P: Yes we know

R: Were here!! Can we go in too?

G. oh absolutely! :)

Thelma and Louise Part THREE AKA "Buttercup and Daisy"

2011-07-24T18:03:00.042-05:00

Our "Semi" Daily pose with each other. Daisy with freaky hair and Buttercup is looking to blend in with flowers! We were off on our adventure from Independence Iowa!

We saw many beautiful barn quilts and many beautiful Iowa farms. I think Iowa is a real all American state.

I even enjoy the very flat parts(well that's actually about all there is).

I actually have no idea how to even pronounce this towns name but looking it up on Google I discovered it's called Methland! Wow, I would never had guessed that at all. It all looks so lovely to me.

This is our destination!!!!! I don't know why anyone leaves this country, we haven't even scratched the surface and when you look up each little town they all have something unique about them!

This was our destination for the day! Well it was our "tour" spot for the day. Burr Oak Iowa was the only place that Laura lived which she never wrote about in her Little House books. They lived here after they left Walnut Grove with a sick baby and many debts. They moved to
Uncle Peter's house in 1876 in Gillford Township MN. While they were there baby Freddie died.

They had promised to go to Burr Oak Iowa to help some people run a hotel in an attempt to get out of debt, so they buried their baby and in deep sorrow they arrived in Burr Oak.

Pa and Ma thought the Hotel was a rough place for little girls to live so they actually lived in 3 different places in the less then two year stay there. But the "Masters Hotel" is the only building that Laura lived in as a child that is still standing and is still in the same place. It would not even be considered a very large house now so it's hard to imagine as a working hotel!

This is the side of the hotel that shows the outside entrance to upstairs.

This was the Hotel before it had been restored!

And this is how beautiful it looks today. We were very pleasantly impressed with both the inside and out.

Their last baby Grace Pearl was born in Burr Oak Iowa. In one of the books I read Laura said that as Mary went blind that it was Grace's beautiful blue eyes that was the last thing she saw.

Laura loved her teacher Mr. Reed, who was a permanent resident of the Hotel. He was a great elocutionist and he taught her well and was much needed it as her life progressed.

This was a display about Spring Valley Minnesota where Almanzo's parents had a beautiful farm. I REALLY wanted to visit there but Buttercup was in a hurry!

This was a display about Almanzo as a child. It's in Malone NY. Buttercup wouldn't go there either cuz she only wanted to be gone 3 weeks.. Something about small children at home or some nonsense :)

When we first got to the Gift shop and entrance the lovely lady "Barb" told us a bus load of kids were coming for an end of the year field trip! So didn't we want to go on our own tour????? uuhhhhhhhh YEAH.....In fact 2 bus loads of kids arrived before we left but they were well behaved. It was still really nice to get our own tour!

This was behind the Hotel. I don't know about you, but I think Buttercup looks very suspicious!

I, of course was just the lovely Auntie posing in front of the bank. It has a notorious history too! Bank Robbers and stuff!

Laura wrote about playing in the old cemetery around the white stones. She and a friend use to go after the cow and bring it home that way. There was also a crazy lady and her crazy son that lived near that would scare them and they would run by her house!

Some of the beautiful white stones in the cemetery she played in. Buttercup had a "Letterbox" to find in the cemetery but, of course, she had the wrong one :) I knew those were not pine trees!

We had a lovely day exploring Burr Oak and we didn't really see it all but it was onward and upward!

Oh yes the Land of Lakes and BUGS.. Gross bugs by the zillions. but we were only passing thru at that point

The wild flowers were just beyond beautiful in late spring in Minnesota, with lots of rivers, streams and lakes and very green from all the rain.

And here is my beautiful Buttercup in her beautiful flowered top matching the beautiful flowers! I love her so much!

AT LAST WE SAW WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!!!!!

And this is was where we were headed!

And who would guess on a Thursday night in Pepin Wisconsin you could not find a room to sleep in!!!!!!! A FISHING TOURNAMENT! Excuse me! We were coming to see where Laura was born!

So back to Minnesota we went and yes you read that right it's where "Grumpy Old Men" was filmed. Not sure why :)

We have a big beautiful country!

But they have really creepy things on the river in Wabasha! A very Catholic state! Which isn't creepy, but this stone or wood or whatever he was priest was creepy! I didn't want to sit on the bench behind him :)

We had a lovely dinner at Slippery's. The lady at the motel we were at had a hard time figuring things out but we did find this great place to eat fish! and a beautiful view!

And this was our final resting place at the Coffee Mill Inn. The lady was hysterical but I don't think she understood how funny she was. When you tell someone your address is Emmett Stone Lane and she starts it off with an "M" you know your in trouble. I think we ended up filing it out! We stayed in better places but worse too! Pretty sure its usually filled with fisherman! BUT they were all in Pepin~

Thelma and Lousie Part Two AKA Buttercup and Daisy :)

2011-07-14T14:59:00.022-05:00

Mary Ingalls. Laura's older sister.

OK me and "Butter" slept late cuz we had an exhausting couple of days( not sure what our excuses were the rest of the trip) But we new our next destination and that it would not take very long to get there.

It was The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, which in Laura's Little House books was referred to as the Blind School in Iowa. They all saved their money and went without many necessities so that sister Mary could attend, after going blind from what was probably encephalitis or meningitis.(although in the books Laura said Measles)

It's in a lovely little town in Northern Iowa called Vinton. The people of the town were very nice. Vinton is located on the Cedar River which had some flooding problems this year.

Another little quirky fact about Vinton is that the Courthouse was featured in the 1996 John Travolta film called "Michael"! along with a few other rural scenes. Since I don't know the movie it doesn't mean much,but I intend to see it now if I can rent it!

This is how the school looked at the time Mary attended, which is not a great deal different from how it looks today.

They have changed the name to The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. The "Sight Saving" is because they evaluate children and see if they can be fitted for glasses that can help them and a few other medical procedures.

We did not go in to the School since it is out for the summer. (Probably would not if it had been open) but I think if we had to do it again we would be braver and ask if we could go in and look around. This was our first "official" stop and we were not as sure of ourselves as we got at the weeks went on :) We knew by the internet that there were no "official" tours.

The School was open in 1852. Mary attended between 1881 and 1889 missing one year because of illness or lack of funds. She was never well and suffered facial pain and after completing college she was taken to Chicago to relieve it. She suffered many strokes and eventually died after suffering one when she was in her early 60's.

Contrary to the silly way she was portrayed in the TV show Mary was a very serene serious young woman, who accepted her fate with great courage. Laura always looked up to her. She helped support the family by giving music lessons and making things with beads that she learned at the Iowa Blind school.

She lived with her Mother until her mother's death and then went to sister Carrie's home but suffered several strokes and within a few years of losing her Mother, Mary also passed away.

I loved the pattern and the old bricks that this school was made of. Every view was something to look at, something very pretty. There was some construction going on but you could still vision Mary walking those grounds and around the walk way.

We had our own picnic lunch at the Kiwanis Club park which is right by the school.

He joined us for lunch :)

I have read since returning that there is a chance this school could be closed, along with the School for the Deaf. I hope that doesn't happen.

And after our picnic we were OFF! and we landed in.................... INDEPENDENCE ~

I wonder how many Independence's their are in this country, I know we were in two! Actually I do know, there are 16!

This Independence is one of the coolest little towns we stayed in. The first thing we did was go to a fast food place and in came a young Amish couple with a baby. I had to hang on to Buttercup cuz she WAS going to snatch that baby! She was dressed like you would dress a doll to look like an Amish baby. I think what I loved most was her little black socks and her chubby bare legs under her little blue dress. Unlike the Amish baby in the following picture, OUR baby had a white bonnet on and she had little black ringlets on her forehead. So cute we could not take our eyes off of her! And then they got up and left with her!

The Wapsipinicon River flows thru the heart of Independence. The legend of the River's name is a love story similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. A young Indian brave named Wapsi and an Indian maiden named Pinicon from opposing tribes fell in love. They tried to run away. When they were about to be caught they jumped to their death. "The murmuring river was singing their funeral chant. Without a word, the devoted lovers plunged into the river. Her father arrived to see them struggling in the water, sinking and rising and with one last gasp they sank"

The Wapsinpinicon River and dam.

The Wapsinpinicon Mill is located on the dam. It is celebrating it's 150th anniversary this year. I think the festivities were in a couple of weeks. Seemed like we missed every celebration! Which was really ok, it was very hot!

They make poultry and stock feed. It is on the National Registry of Historical places. There is also a museum there.

Because we stopped early enough we went walking down by the River and to the little park. I really beautiful little park.

The Motel that we stayed at was certainly not the fanciest but you could tell they had at some point tried to make it a lovely place. It still was but needed a little TLC.

We found out later that Independence has one of the largest Conservative Amish groups right outside of town. But we didn't know that so we didn't get to go see them :( Although on our trip we saw several.

There is also an old hospital that opened in 1873 under the name "Iowa Hospital for Insane" and they have tours! I can't believe Buttercup missed THAT opportunity!

Thelma and Lousie take on the Midwest AKA as Daisy & Buttercup

2011-07-09T21:43:00.015-05:00

I'm thinking I really need to really back up. In 1949 when I was only 9 years old my Auntie Lou gave me "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder for Christmas. Now I will be the first to admit that I wasn't then nor now a 'big' reader. I read a little something most days but I'm far from a book worm.

When I was a kid I had way too many things racing thru my head. I don't think I was inside from sun up till sun down. But I fell in love with this little girl named "Laura" and I wished that I could have lived when she did, it sounded like so much fun(at that time). And my grandmother told me about similar stories that she and her mother went thru coming west.

Every year for the next 5 years I got a book from my Auntie Lou in the "Little House" series. THEN I got in my head that I'd rather have clothes then books! So I don't have the complete set of first editions! But I have most of them:)

Then came a long a little niece named Nikki, who's Mother(my sister) bought her a set when she was a little girl and she fell in love with them too. She and I have talked about Laura and the Little Houses for years. Several years ago we decided "someday" we were going to go visit all the places. Now I have been to a couple, one with my husband but it was pouring down rain and the other on the last trip I ever took my Mother on. She just loved it and I nearly had to drag her out of the museum in Missouri.

So this last year we(Nikki & I decided) we really better go if were going. Time marches on and who knows what the future holds. So save and save we did. We opened our own Credit Union Account and by saving all the little extras AND Uncle Brownie renting us a car(I think he thought we were going to wreck his) we made our plans and off we Went!

We had had a very busy couple of weeks, trying to plan this trip, get clothes gathered up, plans made, graduations to attend and stay RESTED! But we made it. And on Memorial Day off me and UB took off for the Airport to meet Buttercup :) And there she was just dragging herself down the airport walk yapping on the phone ~

After some confusion about which car we had rented and for how much we got a great Ford Escape! It was perfect for what we needed. Seats laid down and all our stuff packed in neat as a pin ... and you KNOW it stayed that way:) There also was this little matter of two keys given us that were welded together. We wondered later, just how that would have helped us.

It was hot VERY HOT but we said our goodbyes and headed out of town. Since it was already almost evening we stopped fairly soon cuz Buttercup had not really eaten and she needed her strength since she was going to have to do all the driving :( She didn't mind.

We got to the Ky border about dark and found a nice place to stay in Oak Grove(which isn't easy if you know anything about Oak grove)

Of course as we are unloading to get organized Buttercup notices this strange sweet smell and feel to her cosmetic bag. Someone forgot to screw on the shampoo lid..heheheheh.. Actually it got everything very clean and nothing was TOO badly damaged.

We were RUDELY awakened at 8 ish by a leaf blower! Actually it was earlier then that but I think that was as long as we could stand it. Some poor mother trying to get her baby back to sleep came out and screamed at them and they decided it was a tad early to be doing that in front of a motel!

Here we our, Our very own Self Portrait Buttercup and Daisy. Daisy, you will notice IS dressed for the heat!

We wanted to get a photo of every state we entered but we went whizzing by KY or it was dark, not sure which.

Illinois was very beautiful, what we saw of it but we were not there but I think about 2 hours. This is where we started seeing ROADKILL! Now Roadkill has never been humorous but after 16 days or so of it and trying to spot the most unusual and bizarre things it became hysterical. So we started keeping track of them(or Buttercup did in her blog) We also counted other things besides license plates but we won't go in to that :)

But what we started to see in Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri was TURTLES~! yes you read that right. Remember this was the end of May the first of June and they were just in the recovery stages of the Mississippi River flooding and all the waterways surrounding it. So I'm guessing that the turtles got washed up or perhaps they were running for higher ground! Whichever, they didn't make it :( I think we saw one live one there and a big snapping turtle somewhere else.

And then we approached St. Louis.... ahhhh St. Louis, with the Arch ya know.

I think this is the first picture of the Arch a long with the string of construction that incorporates EVERY town, city, villa, hamlet, etc in the USA!

For some reason Dick(our GPS) could not seem to get the streets right and kept trying to send us back to Illinois~ Now we really liked Illinois but that was not our designation. But no matter HOW many times we punched in Vinton Iowa it would send us back to Illinois! And that was the "Bridge of Contruction!" Finally I looked at a real live map and we escaped!

St. Louis has some cool old cobblestone streets, in parts if the city I'd never visited before!

Ahhhhhhhh yes I think this was one of the final views of the historic Archway to the West that we saw! Somewhere in the bowels of St. Louis :)

The rest of the day was filled with beautiful scenery and roadkill turtles! But we found the most lovely little town that some day I'd like to go back to visit! Hannibal Missouri! Home of Samuel Clemons as a boy and where his "Mark Twain" stories were set.

We had a terrible time finding a motel in that town but we did finally and all was well. Buttercup didn't want to stay near the noise of the interstate so we toured Hannibal several times before we decided on............. you guessed it a motel near the interstate! I am not a Bed and Breakfast person and Buttercup didn't get a say in this so,,,,,,,,,, Good Dinner and off to bed!

Things I've learned or rediscovered :)a prelude to Buttercup and Miss Daisy's Laura Trip :)

2011-07-02T21:25:00.036-05:00

AND HERE WE ARE ALL PACKED UP AND READY TO GO! This is how Buttercup's friends think we went :) Aren't we adorab

I did not know that herds of turtles stormed the highways in Ky, Mo and Illinois to "escape" the floods. At least 764 cracked and splattered turtles later perhaps they learned to just ride out the waves!

I did not know there were 83 different views of the Arch in St. Louis. but my Buttercup found them all! :

That there were hundreds of bard quilts in Mo. Ill and Iowa. Of course Buttercup only would stop at about 5, but there WERE that many!

There are very scary things standing by the Mississippi River!

PHOTO OP!!!!

Frightening Storms come up in the mid west. But kinda cool too:)

Have you ever seen anything this cute in your life ;-)

If we saw a sign ANY sign with Nikki, Nicollett, Nicole..etc.

This is only one sign we photographed in many directions if it was even REMOTELY Buttercup's name! One time she turned around 5 times to get just the right shot!

These are called "Pot Holes" up there if they are drained. We have pot holes in our streets!

We drove over a thousand miles to Pepin Wisconsin to see the Little House in the Big Woods and they were having a FISHING TOURNAMENT! We had to go back to Minnesota to find a room!

This is on a Thurs. and we were told they were "practicing".. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

Minnesota's state bird is the GNAT! and 5 katrillion bit hunks out of me!

And Suzy laughed hysterically and rudely at me! I could hear her all the way from Mississippi!

Buttercup made her own corn cob doll. Aren't they just precious!!!!!!??

Yes that temperature is correct. Who knew??????? of course I WANTED to go the end of June when it was cooler, but noooooooooo

Sod houses smell like DIRT! and I'm pretty sure they have worms in them!

How can a town get lost twice. Once by a tornado and once by us :)

There are horses called Missouri Fox trotters and

they live in Missiouri.. How would I know???

I live in Tennessee

There are white Pelicans on fresh water! I thought it was a deformed Swan!

I found the sweetest little bunny by the road but Buttercup said it had rabies so I had to leave it for the hawks to eat

Some people REALLY liked bowling!

That Silo's can be made of brick and have tree's growing out of them!

That pigeons pooped on Laura's HEAD!

How did we get to Hollywood and see King Kong?????

If anyone tells you that you look like a Horses Rear End, this is what you look like!

That flags could have 48 stars :) actually I remember this~

I've seen the aftermath of many tornado's but I've never smelled death,(Joplin)

Someone would actually CHOOSE to drive a car that looks like a SKUNK!

We went where???????

More about Letter boxing then I ever expected!

That my Buttercup would deface "The Kings" wall!

That I would be drug thru Memphis TN when it was 110 degrees!

That we were going to Mississippi!

But with all this I remained with my normal sweet precious disposition :)

But mostly I learned that I have the sweetest niece in the world that took me on the trip of a life time. Not just what we saw but how we saw it and how we shared it. Thank you my Buttercup :)

Graduation BLOWOUT!

2011-06-23T21:30:00.017-05:00

Yes indeedy May was a graduation MONTH. I'm guessing nothing happened in April since it's been March since posting :)

First let me present our eldest gifted amazing grandson RILEY!!!!!!!!!!! He is now officially a Jr High boy!. As you can see by the photo he received a bundle of awards and looked SO handsome. We were very disappointed that we were unable to attend his graduation and awards ceremony but it we were in Mississippi :(

We did get to see Riley in his spring band concert and he was just beyond fantastic!

AND as you can see he won the band award.

We wish for him a very successful Jr. High career and hope he has a wonderful time in Beta Club!

Riley Stephens with his armload full of awards!

And then we were off to Mississippi to see the PRINCESS of the family Graduate from High School.

The Famous Garners of Grenada Mississippi with the Shawn Deere Tractor and barn on the mailbox! (Sunshine Farms actually)

18 1/2 years ago this little pink bundle came into our family. 3 whole days old! The very next week her Papa, who thought he had been handed a gift from HEAVEN(he had actually) went to the Credit Union and opened her a College fund. It wasn't going to be a huge amount, I think maybe $5 a week is what we could afford but almost 19 years later it's a nice little nest egg to get started at Mississippi State University! Maybe buy her clothes, her books, some lab stuff or whatever she wants. Anyway this was her getting $1,000 of her money in $100 bills.. It was fun for us and she was very surprised. It took her a while to really see how cool it was!

MONEY MONEY EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!

Papa with the girl who can do NO wrong :)

On Graduation Day we had a party for THE GIRL ~ and I do think all that love her mostest drove a car!

Caroline Mommy's best friend, Carol, brought this all the way from..................... you guessed it..........TEXAS.. It was so good to see Carol again.

Aunt Tina!

Caroline's German Sister Aischa! she's gone home now and we miss her :'(

This would be Carol! from TEXAS :)

The "Fam" watching the present opening!

Caroline and the Daddy she LOVES so much!

Riley, the cousin who thinks Caroline is just TOO cool

Aunt Kat, who Caroline thinks is just TOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOOL

Uncle Daniel, who USED to be the baby of the family until Caroline and he was jealous a long time!

And this would be baby cousin Yummy AKA Liam who is in to every one's business :)

And this would Jimmy who loves to say Caroline Caroline Caroline Caroline :)

And then the GRADUATE was off in her MUSTANG!

And our most HONORABLE Honor student marches in!

So glad she got to graduate from here although I for one thought it one of the strangest graduations EVER......

Caroline and the Mama who loves the air she breathes.

Carrie and me Grandmommy!

Big cousin Linda!

Caroline with the best Parents EVER!

AND SAMMY ARRIVED! (a very good friend from Tupelo)

After graduation Caroline and a house full of girl friends arrived back at he house and they held a GIANT uniform burning on a huge bon fire and the girls all crashed for the night and had a blast.

We are very proud of this young lady and everything she does. She's working for the Girl Scouts this summer as a counselor and will be entering Mississippi State University in August studying to be an Orthodontist!

She also has a summer full of barrel racing and her mama and Daddy are trying to move to TN :)

AND THEN THERE WAS YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He "graduated" from Pre K to Kindergarten. Still a bit puzzled by that since they only change rooms BUT we got to see him sing "Kiss My Brain" :) Love that boy!

And he Got his CAP!

And his Diploma!!!!!! Hey he worked hard for that!

AND this boy has LOFTY AMBITIONS!

Some time this summer we ARE going to have a picnic and celebrate Jimmy's finishing Kindergarten! He is home Schooled and kinda got lost in the shuffle of graduations and trips and stuff but we haven't forgot ya boy!

Daylight Savings Time!

2011-03-12T21:10:00.012-06:00

Hello people!!!! it's your favorite Canine.........Me.......... Beautiful Penny......... just laying in the sun guarding a daffodil :)Tomorrow is DST.. This is Mom and Dad's favorite time of year!

Today we explored the front yard where Mom and Dad planted a WHOLE bunch of daffodils last fall..WITH MY HELP! If you look really close you can see a WHOLE bunch of them.. Some day they will be everywhere!

We counted 23 and then saw a bunch more that are not blooming yet after we counted. And I HELPED PLANT THEM! oh yes indeedy I did.. They would dig a whole and put the bulb in and I would follow along and 'arrange' the dirt :)
We are on the "cusp" of Spring! Lots of YELLOW! Bradford pears are trying to bloom too but we have so much rain then cold and they don't get going. They have them in Mississippi, which is not fair.. My horsey girl gets to see them though:)

"Annoying" wasn't allowed out without a leash today..heh heh heh.. Poor Lil Bro Spike didn't know we were out till we came in!

EVERYONE ONE THINK SPRING!
>

January has ENDED!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-01T17:56:00.021-06:00

In case someone on this earth doesn't know, I HATE January's!!!! Tennessee is a beautiful state but UGLY in January.. UGLY UGLY UGLY.. no green, just grey and dreary. February can be bad but sometimes we have Daffodils for Valentines day! Sometimes we also have snow for the day :)

On New Years Day we spent the day on the beach in St. Augustine Florida. Probably the only really warm day we had there the entire week. But we did have fun with da boy.

Most of January were medically related. regular doctor, Eye doctor
(follow up from the surgery) and then further dental surgery!!!!!!!!

Then the pain the pain. It wasn't actually surgery it was placing the final screws in but I got some really bad sores in my mouth and since I no longer have pain pills It has been rough.

Riley was the SUPER STAR of the Music Man and I got to see him twice! On his last performance it was his 12Th birthday :) Hard to believe he's been in our family since he was 6 years old, I can't remember life without him.

It snowed most of January. Not sure how many days the kids have missed from school but even Caroline missed some in mid Mississippi! It's so pretty at first then.......Up until Sunday I could still see piles of it around.

I got my new glasses but they are just not working for me. I went back the next week and they changed the script and made the trifocals more to my liking.

We got our Digital TV installed and I LOVE IT. We had to call this really nasty woman in Jackson MS about the box in our living room. She wanted US to fix it. The nice kid did come and change it around!

The President gave an amazing State of the Union Speech! He's so smart and so in control, I know it drives the Pee Farty crazy.
I was very inspired by him!

Liam came on the last day of January and he helped make his JOHN DEERE Cake!!!!!!!! He had fun but he had a fever and has a bad cold. He also helped decorate the cupcakes for his class!

February I'm cleaning my office!!!!!!! and I think we are getting the living room and hall painted!
Brownie's going to scrub down the kitchen.

OUR BABY BOY IS GOING TO BE 5 TOMORROW~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

23rd Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:03:00.018-06:00

We went to eat German and had a blast!

22 Sock Day of Christmas

2010-12-23T15:12:00.011-06:00

Woke up wishing I could just skip the first two hours of the day :(

I'm doing my Williams imitation!

We cleaned house, or I sort of cleaned the bedroom and office. At least you can walk in the office!

Brownie made a trip to drug store and called Suzy to check how things were and Lindsey said they are coming tonight! YIPPEEEE that's good news, then we have more time to relax a bit.

Saw on FB Caroline found a home for one puppy :( It's good, but I know she's sad.

Brownie & I made 2 batches of Cookies and he made fudge! Made Thumb print and sugar cookies. I still want to make Snickerdooles the kids eat them.

We have beds changed and baths and waited till 1:30 and they arrived at 2 :) It's a long drive!

21st day of Sock Christmas!!!!!!!!

2010-12-22T18:14:00.003-06:00

THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER.. GOOD GRIEF CHARLIE BROWN. I'm looking for Spring and it's just the first day of winter?????????

Woke up with a stiff and sore body but slowly got it together.

I had made the dinner menu for Christmas, so Brownie say down and listed the groceries while I did the morning stuff.

We decided to just eat lunch and go shopping after, so off we went.

I got me some new reading glasses, they are great but HEAVY. I want glasses that just float in front of my face.

Also got lots of stocking stuffers and I think we have the groceries all lined up!.

We had some strange tasting taco's and watched a little TV.

I wrapped my little doo dads. Our tree is getting quite full.

20th Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-21T16:27:00.019-06:00

>Awoke this morning to a volcano exploding in my head! Got up got milk and a handful of Excedrin, went back to bed. Brownie was up waiting for Yummy. I heard the sweet sounds of an excited 4 year old and got up and took medication for a headache and the rest of milk. Thought sleep would return, but it didn't but the excruciating pain left.

My left eye is swelling every night, that's not good! But will wait and see the Dr. when we get back from Florida.

My sweet little boy was up "painting" when I got up. He just does beautiful stuff and loves it!

The Saint and the Boy went shopping for baking supplies while I did my morning routine.

After we had lunch the guys flew in to cookies!

I folded clothes and did a few minor things then went in to check them out :) Oh too much fun..

WAY too much fun.

I decided I needed to keep my eyes on things so I started Daniel's Bourbon balls! He likes some for work and at home :)

Had to help with the cookie cutter situation!.

_They were everywhere and witches and shamrocks were getting used~ come on guys!

I started the Bourbon Balls
but discovered not enough powdered sugar. Improvised and the Brownie ran and got some more to roll them in. So Yummy and I made the balls and dipped them and they looked beautiful :)

Yummy said they looked like MUD BALLS while we were making them! I assured him that he would not like them....... WHY?????????......CUZ I SAID SO. Daniel said he was going to give him one at bedtime :) noooo he didn't.
Got all the pictures off my camera stick, it was full and need my camera so I can get Florida picture.

So much flu, I pray we don't get ANY of it on our trip! Kids will be here in 2 more days!

19th Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-20T14:10:00.012-06:00

Yummy burst in to the bedroom at 7 a.m to say It's MORNING PAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dressed in our bootiful red sweaters and off to the Church!

Really loved seeing our Church on Christmas Sunday, but very sad to see it half full.Something has to be done.

Liam went to Children's Church and came out with Attitude! He didn't want anyone to see his angel picture!

Dropped him off at his Moms headed home. Lots of horse riders out.

Spent the afternoon finishing some odds and ends.

Weather is warming up.

Watching Survivor Finale! Fabio!

18th Sock Day of Christmas

2010-12-19T15:58:00.008-06:00

Up and running this morning! yeah right. well, we didn't walk like slugs shall I say :) We had Very specific things to do as we ventured out in the cold winter day! I tried to impress this on the "driver". He does tend to not stay focused~

Walgreens, Hastings and Bestbuy! I refused to wander thru Goodwill, under the drivers protest!

The Post Office was closed when we got there.. Good grief people it's CHRISTMAS, I don't care if it's a half day!

Got home and wrapped our brains out. I think everything is wrapped but we certainly have NOT put the paper away!

Brownie took off to get Yummy and we spent the evening painting
and decorating!
He was so excited over his new craft carrier with all the stuff in it.

Carmen's Mom is quite ill. I'm sad for them during Christmas.

But my sister got to see Scott's(her son who died) grandchildren! they are adorable little girls.

Got the boy to bed by 9 and he went right to sleep.

Clothes all ready for Church. Not sure we will have a Christmas anything like this again. Time to just downsize way down. We did this year but was still too much on both of us. I'm SO happy my kids will be here for Christmas though!

17th Sock Day of Christmas

2010-12-18T17:32:00.008-06:00

Awoke Pain Free! (not all day but a good start)

Got my morning routine done and sorted out the Christmas card dilemma.

After lunch we got more "stuff" put together and wrapped! If we survive this team wrapping without homicide or divorce it will be a miracle :)

Brownie's Book Arrived! It's just SO BEAUTIFUL! I wish everyone could see it.. A couple of very minor duplicate pictures. I got it wrapped while he was out running errands.

Got some things in the mail I've been looking for so that's taken care of!!!!!! Still have a list of "things to do" and I wanted to baked next week. I think Yummy will be here Mon and Wed.
so not sure it will get done.

Yummy is spending the night tonight. He and papa are decorating his room!

Brownie "sort of" cleaned the kitchen. I'd take some picture of certain area's but I'll just be grateful!

Got Leas beautiful packages arrived and are under my little tree.

Watched out Fri. night TV and then rearranged out presents!

My Daddy died 55 years ago today. I still miss him.

15th Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-17T22:14:00.003-06:00

Went to the eye doctor, Dr. Sorhrobe, I just love her. Took almost 2 hours on my eyes. Right eye is wonderful left one still some problems but she's given me some things to work on and go back in January.

We mailed Lea and Nikki's packages and got stamps and came home for a little lunch.
Brownie was off to see a concert and got his tire fixed and me some stuff I needed. My eyes had been dilated and after last week I'm taking no changes. and I have plenty to do.

I got Steve, Chrissy's and Tommy's envelopes packed BUT I'm still missing one so can seal them!

My precious tender hearted Suzy thought she had found Lucky her dog. After waiting all afternoon and even thinking it was him when she saw him it was not him. I feel so bad and sick over this. I want to say hang on Lucky we will find you but think we need to remember the sweet memories and realize he's gone. I wish I could fix this hurt.

Brownie and I spent the entire evening doing Christmas cards. I think I lack one letter but will get it together and send.

I got Jackie Evanco's CD and one of the Cd's won't play! made me sick.

My Uncle Lyle's great grandson died last Sat. and there is such sadness in that family. He was a young sweet teenage boy. Matthew is with Jesus and all of his family who have been waiting on him. it's all just too sad at Christmas.

Sock day for Christmas #14

2010-12-16T19:04:00.013-06:00

Yummy had to be picked up Papa at a very early hour and he arrived in all his glory! PaPa took him to get a hair cut in his Jammies :) VERY early morning for Papa to drive to Beechgrove.

He was just totally amazed! Just like all of our grandchildren have been. It's a one of a kind and he just could not get enough of it..

Also the "Rapping Santa" and the Singing Christmas bear and Dalmatian!

and all the lights that sing. This little boy loves Christmas and everything about it. He knows its the day Jesus was born but at his age in my opinion the whole "baby Jesus birthday" is just very confusing. Maybe in a year or so. He did get the story read to him and has lots of questions. He is a delightful little boy. He is the goodness in our sometimes dreary life.

He loves watching all of his old video's on Papa's computer so after he plays so hard and needs to calm down he gets on the talk chair and I put on OTM and he knows how to click on each one. Big Green tractor will never be topped though!

Hated that Papa had to take him all the way home when he was so very tired but he would do anything for that boy or any of the four grandchildren, just ask Caroline!

We wrapped some presents! Were Yummy tired ~

PS Dec. 14 is a Special Day for me. For many many years I owned and operated my own family child care center known as "MzSharon's House" My very first baby turned 20 on the 14th. My beautiful golden boy with the beautiful golden curls named Ephram. We were inseparable. Love all the others equally but something about that first one..20 years ago~

Also on December 14 my Jakey was born. All the the children were favorites in different ways, but my Jacob wanted my arms and my lap 8 hours a day and he was the sweetest funniest BRIGHTEST little boy I can remember. And ya know he has not changed, I just got his Christmas pic and there is his sullen teenage brother I also cared for but Jakey has still got that smile from ear to ear, love the world look. Jacob is now 12 :( Love that boy.

Sock Christmas Day 13

2010-12-15T22:31:00.003-06:00

So very hard getting up. Lots of pain and it really didn't let up all day. Ended up dipping in to the pain pill stash. But it was a case of just going to bed or taking them and had things I did want to do. I'm saving most for baking next week and our Florida trip.

Talked at the computer to Suzy. We decided to go to the German Restaurant on Dec. 23!!!! Very excited about that Aschia will love it and it will be fun.

Lindsey's in NC, hope the weather is ok. it's just so so here. Still lots of snow.

Caroline has to have her feet looked at tomorrow, I hope all goes well.

City Schools are open tomorrow so I hope they get to have their concert.

We started wrapping tonight, we will get it done! we will we will!

Liam here tomorrow, can't wait for him to see our "Christmas House" ;-)

2010-12-15T16:02:00.007-06:00

No Schools ANYWHERE in TN today or KY so no Yummy :(. It's SO cold and the roads are treacherous. The snow is just spotty here and there but it's still slick.

Let Spike out this morning and he jumped like a Kangaroo across the yard, went under the deck and back in the house! No mam, no sire we are NOT going out!
Penny was just fine in her igloo with the heater blowing on her. I saw her about mid morning trotting down the driveway tail wagging and going to great her neighbors :)

TooSweet has to be drop kicked out of the house!
Very hard for me to move in the mornings. Keep trying to keep going.

Paid bills and sorted thru gifts to see if the right thing is in the right place!

Not an eventful day.

11th Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-14T12:49:00.023-06:00

Woke up to a cold frigid morning. Heavy snow and snow coming down. When we went to bed everything
had turned into a winter wonderland
when we awoke it was just a WHOLE LOT OF SNOW!

It snowed off and on all morning then the sun came out and burned it off the road and driveway.. Checked with Daniel and he made it to Nashville, no problem.

My Saint was having a Newspaper anxiety attack(because he didn't want to drive) so he plunged in to Direct TV/Cable. Spent most of the afternoon on the phone trying to figure it out. End result.......uhhhhhh I don't think anything!

I started to finish Brownie's book in afternoon and finished at 9:00PM! That was with a break for dinner and small amount of TV. $200!!!!!! If there is one tiny error I may slit my wrists! and he just better LOVE IT! :) he will

Found out a teenage cousin died yesterday. I've felt sad all day, like next to tears and didn't even know him. He was a precious sweet boy and it just seems so unfair.

I sure hope Riley gets to perform in his concert! This forecast is not promising.

We got some more things in the mail, will begin to wrap today and tomorrow although I think Yummy will be here tomorrow:)

Everyone talks like this snow is unusual, it always snows the week before Christmas. Lots of times it's in the 80's then SNOW. just got to love TN.

10th Sock Day of Christmas!

2010-12-13T13:14:00.009-06:00

We decided that is was going to be the only good day all week so the Saint braved the cold and went to the attic and attack Christmas junk!

We haven't decorated in several years so he had some shaking off stuff and unwinding. But he did it!

Now our living room looks like a "Christmas House"! as Liam would say. I did little to help but he got it all looking really pretty. I decorated my British ornament tree. He also put our Mickey Mouse Clock Shop up on the mantle.
I know this is a collectors item by now. Lindsey gave it to us over 25 years ago and it's in immaculate condition, even the box with instructions. The kids just love it, not sure the adults so much :) It plays 26 songs!

The Saint also decorated the front porch but the tree out there is not, it just go so cold and started blowing icy wind and pouring.
We cancelled plans to attend Church. just not up to getting out in the miserable weather. My eye is puffy and and just don't move very fast or frisky!
Still plunging away on my book. I think I corrected my errors. I'm really getting sick of it :(

Got a phone picture of Yummy singing Santa and got to play Mickey Mouse to Jimmy!

And BTW the doctor gave me new pain meds so my husband has told me what we did not this day I have NO memory of it except Jimmy and I know the room is decorated. and I do know I was in pain all day, I guess it makes you just not care.

The 10th Sock Day of Christmas

2010-12-11T20:53:00.003-06:00

I was yanked out of bed at the crack of 9 this morning to see the doctor. Very rude :) Anyway I've been x-radyed again and giving lots of new drugs that make me feel horrible and that was kind of the morning.

I got a wonderful little package in the mail! SOCKS from my BC friend who is enjoying her self in Palm Springs! Thank you dear Marlene, so sweet of you.

Sorted out stuff that has to be mailed. I'm still waiting on a couple of little things that will have to go but I should have them in the mail by Wed.

Watched most of my Friday night TV then got in here and worked on Brownie's book. After I went to bed, I realized I had left out an entire section! now I have to figure out how to get it in the right order. What I need is a few more of these weird drugs and I won't remember how to stand up!

My "Surrogate granddaughter" Linda graduated from Law School in Knoxville this afternoon. I'm so glad her whole family got to be there. She misses her Daddy so much. Very proud of her. Now she just needs a job :)

The 9TH day of SOCK Christmas

2010-12-10T15:28:00.005-06:00

0000000000000 what a night. after laying on the cement slap all day yesterday all day I ached all over and must be careful with the pain meds because when these are gone, I'm on my own.

Have to rise and shine pretty early this day again but at least I get to eat and drink and take my EXCEDRIN! :)

My eye is blurry....no fuzzy...kind of like looking thru a sheer curtain. and I have little light flashes almost constantly.. It's making me nervous because when my other eye was done it was just like magic! I could see perfectly. My Dr. who is a sweet young lady said that she wants to see me again next week but she gave me her cell phone just in case something happens. She did tell me that my eye looked good. It was still very dilated but she couldn't see any problem. She also said my eyes are both 29/20 now except for slight astigmatism. So not sure what kind of glasses I will come up with.

Worked some more on Brownie's book and got a call from someone telling us our something is READY! So we got our very warm coats and scarves on(it's still VERY cold)and out the door we fly...Literally. :) Anyway we got our something and went by Manchester's WM to exchange something and get family Christmas Cards and home we came in the very cold weather.

So cold and sore I took a hot bath and spent the rest of the evening working on Brownie's Book and remembered a couple other things it needs in it! oh well, I'll do that tomorrow.

Very tired and feel like I've been run over~

8th Day of Sock Christmas

2010-12-08T21:37:00.011-06:00

aroused with trepidation! noooooo not really, not worried. Got a shower and got there by 9:30 we got home at 1:45!!!!!!!! Very hungry very thirsty!
The Marvel Clinic also does cosmetic surgery.hmmmmmmmmmm thinking~

Ok, I'm talking about my eye surgery. They really REALLY need to rethink this scheduling. I do know they go thru it very quickly and the Doctor and nurses work very hard and are on their feet for many hours. But if you have an appointment that takes 20 minutes to prepare at the MOST and 10 or 15 at the MOST to perform. 4 1/2 to 5 hours in there is just way too long. We were in the waiting room 3 hours. Nothing done there except 2 minutes of signing in and checking insurance cards. Then you go back in to the prep room where you sit in a recliner for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. In that chair they put in your IV and ask a list of questions such as are you diabetic etc. and then they let you wait till the next rock hard stretcher thing is ready.

After you go to the Rock, they put a pillow under your knees which helps and you have a head rest and the Mr. Cheerful the anethisist comes by. That man is grim! and whatever he gives you it hasn't worked on me, I'm totally wide awake and close to an anxiety attack during the surgery! but whatever :) Anyway they also take your vitals etc. and all the time since I've entered the room it's eye drops and eye drops and MORE eye drops. I never have any problem with my eyes dilating.

SOOOOOO then off the the Surgery ~~~~~ The nurse is very sweet while she tapes your head down and threatens your life if you move your hands! They eye gets washed and draped and washed and draped again and then at some point a contraption holds your eye open and you see lots of lights and dark and LSD sort of stuff :) and it's over.

Takes about 8 minutes and the precious little sweet nurse RIPS the tape off your head and leaves enough skin to cover your cheek bones. A shield is placed over your eye and your told to wear it for 2 hours and at night for a week.

Moved back to the prep room where they take your vitals and whirl you around and jerk you up after you've laid there frozen for 2 hours! And you do feel like you might very well break in two! Your coat is thrown at you and your arms jerked thru and you are plopped into a wheel chair..LOL which is quite entertaining since I didn't need it until she abused me!

My Saint is waiting at the door and out we go to the car and there is a SUBWAY SANDWICH waiting! I told you he was a Saint.
Home again home again.. Lunch at 3 in the afternoon. I ate till I thought I would pop!. Then the drops started..over and over and over and over. But I have a good drop putter inner. He keeps up with the schedule better then me cuz at the moment he sees better.

Felt pretty worn down. Laid down couple of hours and got up and ate a little dinner and watched Survivor! and Modern Family. Love that show.

Been in here working on my book for Brownie. I DO hope I get it done. Tomorrow we have the Dr. appointment in the morning then maybe I can work at it if my eye works. Right now it's blurry and everything has a halo around it. It's already 18 degree's. Going to be FLIPPIN COLD!

Mostly I say this day was just exhausting. I need to sleep about 12 hours in a dark room and a cruise ship mattress!

AND BTW NIKKI sometimes I just love wearing my Irish Christmas socks :) I'm unique that way you know!

7th Day of Sock Christmas

2010-12-07T21:54:00.007-06:00

Doing the 7th Day on the correct day today cuz tomorrow, I will probably be sightless for the most part.

Got up late this morning, just couldn't think of a reason to get up :) Anyway after I did my normal monotonous morning routine I did take a shower and dressed in my Red Sweat Shirt with a plastic snow globe! We were off to do some mini shopping. I also wore my scarf from Australia and my Mother's RED gloves.
I remember her wearing them every winter when she lived here.

Tina phoned me about the pain pills being advertised on the net from Canada but I discovered it was not an updated site, so unfortunately were back to square one.

So we hit Wally World and after getting a couple of little things we also got Spike a glittery red collar!

We can't find an outfit big enough for Penny!

We then went down to Big Lots to look for some good smelling candles and found out they were just about as expensive there! But I got some and I got a GNOME!

I love him. I have him on my deck that I can see from the kitchen :)

Daniel phoned me to tell me about some pain pills I might ask about. He's a good boy.

Tues. is sort of a boring TV night too but we did watch 5th grader! I love Jeff Foxworthy ~

Good ole hamburger soup for dinner! Now I got to sleep and prepare for the ordeal tomorrow. It's eye gouging day :)

6th Day of Socks Day

2010-12-07T11:14:00.007-06:00

These Christmas Socks have Santa on the side but you can't see him!
(I'm really not pigeon toed)

This is Yummy Day so Mondays are always busy..

SO cold here. After my little my morning routine......... I got my appointment time for Wed. eye surgery. Nice and early this time 9:30 I think. I'm anxious to have it done! So we started the 4 times a day eye drops.. I have a m o n t h ahead for them..yawn.........AND the 2 weeks of inhaling antibiotics.. My life is so fun :)

After noon DA BOY arrived! He had been grocery shopping with Papa and all he wanted was three bouquets of silk flowers. after 30 minutes of spraying them with good smelling stuff and unpricing them and arranging them, he is so thrilled.. He is taking them home to smell at his house :)

After the flower arranging, out the door with no hat and coat not buttoned he goes to help Papa bring in stuff. The 3rd trip he discovered his "new" John Deere! It's a tractor not a Gator. He just stood in one spot and bounced straight up in the air 3 times squealing and landed, sitting on it :) He drove it around and is SO excited that it has 3 gears. He wanted so bad to unscrew everything to see how it was put together but it was so darn cold. He drove it around and around and told me it went SO fast but it's just too cold. What a funny boy.

He was also confused as to why our house didn't have "Christmas" in it .. oh oh....I haven't put anything up inside in SO long. Suppose to warm up Fri. maybe the Saint can do something.

I spent the ENTIRE rest of the day working on Brownie's book and Carolines Shutterfly album. Her album is done and sent. Now I have to arrange how I want these 500 pictures and wait for the final pictures I have not received yet!

Nothing I enjoy much on TV Mon. so we had Chicken and dumplings and channel surfed and then I went to bed.

Tried using the new pain med. I was still awake at 1:30 so I took what works and my ribs quit aching. Watched CNN and getting discouraged. I'm disappointed in our President right now. He's totally caving to the wing nuts. I know he wants to work with them but He is the president. Only good thing is the unemployment lasting longer. I wish Sarah Palin were president, she would be impeached by now and then maybe we could work togther :) KIDDING....... Talk about Repulicans shooting themselves in the foot!

It's very COLD!

5th day of Sock Christmas(notice I change the name every day)

2010-12-06T10:32:00.009-06:00

COLD WEATHER SOCKS!

Got up and cleaned that gross living room. well, I gave it a swipe :) We had snow flurries all day but nothing stuck.

I know I sorted 500 loads of clothes. someone is sneaking into our house! I have one left to fold.

Then I worked and worked and worked on Brownie's Book. I also ordered everything missing on my list. I like shopping on the net, I can look for EXACTLY what I want, none of that junk in the center of the eye that twinkles and gets the "Saints" eye :)

I woke up in pain from sleeping wrong and probably from being at the computer too long. I have this funny little spot like a bee sting inside a spot on my neck/shoulder. The only thing that relieves it is the Saint pushing in on it with his thumb. He won't do that all day. slacker.

The pain pills I've had to take for several years first for my back and then after the butchering(surgery) have been taken off the market. I have a few stashed away but within a week they will be gone. not sure what I'm suppose to do. I went to a pain clinic for 18 months and have had nerve blocks, implants and every drug that some teenager would love to have and none worked or had such bad side affects. My opinion is this is an old inexpensive drug and the drug companies want to push the higher priced ones that REALLY get you hooked. I have boxes of those waiting for a place I'm suppose to take to dispose of them. Not suppose to flush them. I'm worried because I foresee one of two things, I learn to live with it (after 30 years?) or I just go to bed. Very difficult to build up stamina in such pain. It will work out. The doctor will pat me on the head and say it's OK :) He thinks I'm old enough to die anyway !

We watched the Amazing Race. I love the doctors. Was glad that tatooerextics were kicked off, he was hateful! Think next week is the end.

Found out Riley did something for Advent at Church. It was cold and I hurt so we didn't go but we would have if we had known. I'm going to make a monumental effort to try the next 2 Sundays and take Liam. I wish he could be in the little kids choir but we live to far to take him on Wed. night for 30 minutes.

This is eyeball week! So I hope I can keep up blogging, or socking! I'll be SO glad to have this other eye done and be done with this whole thing. I want to drive and I want to read and I can't do either. It's a good thing I took typing in high school!

I will get Brownie's book done I will get Brownie's book done.

4th Day of Sock Christmas!

2010-12-05T10:49:00.010-06:00

Oh what a difference a good night sleep can make!

We got right on our project for Tina and Daniel this a.m. Had to break for lunch but by golly we finished them! Our back bedroom is getting full.

The Saint changed the bed so he wouldn't be bothered during football(none of which he seemed interested in)

I cleaned up the back part of the house except for vacuuming. I'll work on the living room tomorrow.

THEN I got some serious work done on Brownie's book. In between that I worked on Shutterfly pictures of Caroline's b'day.

Saw a message from my nephew Scott's daughter that she had no pictures of him and missed him, so I sent her one and will look every day trying to find more. My sister told her she would send her some too. Not sure why she wouldn't have any. He passed away several years ago and I loved him very much.

Nothing at all that I'm interested on TV on Sat. nights so worked on the computer stuff and wished I could find my Christmas music.!

Not so cold today but going to get really cold for the next week. I'm afraid Yummy and Papa are not going to get up the reindeer! We should have done it before Thanksgiving when it was in the 70's!

Spike was REALLY ready to come in tonight and Penny wouldn't leave her heated house for dinner!

I'm trying to do all the things listed to not have Holiday winter depression. I'd say it depends on the minute if it's working. I really don't enjoy going out to eat so I avoid those festivities and that's what I'm suppose to do. hmmmmmm.. do I go and hate it and then hope I feel better????? I quit going to "meetings" about 20 years ago, I found them to be a complete waste of time and never accomplished anything but taking me away from home. I'd like to go to my Ladies Church Circle but I have not been able to drive in months so that's sort of out and the really cold air makes me sick so that's out..There must be SOMETHING! or maybe I'm already doing it. I do love planning gifts in advance and putting them together. But I don't like wrapping :) ah hah the SAINT!

I was reading about the Bear Research Center in Minnesota and thought that would be a good place for Nikki and I to go next spring when we do our Laura tour!

I really love that Chrissy leaves a sweet message to her mom almost every day. I wish that would happen, but not holding my breath. But that is very sweet Chrissy!<>

3rd Day of Sock Christmas!

2010-12-04T11:38:00.009-06:00

These are my favorite Christmas socks AKA Nikki Socks and TS(Annoying) bit their noses off!

oooooooooooo I should not have gone to bed early. Woke up at 1:30 and that was about it :) oh well, we will plug on! I took a shower and put on a warm nightgown though JUST in case I might want a nap.

Got busy doing morning things only to discover the Saint still doing Crossword Puzzles at NOON! AND listening to Swap and Shop.. NEVER NEVER EVER should Papa listen to Swap and Shop, we now have acquire a new something that is taking up room in the garage :)

Meanwhile I got all my Christmas pictures printed and was really glad I had ordered ink! And I got my Christmas letters printed.
I don't know if everyone knows what onion skin paper is, but we went to our local office supply and they wanted my right arm for it so I ordered it on the net but cannot print on both sides because it is too thin.

So much for my idea of making the Christmas cards lighter!

can't even remember what we ate so it must not have been eventful! OOOOOO yes, fish sticks and stuff.

Friday night shows are great for me with Super Nanny and "What would you do?" I always say I'd step in but I wonder if I really would. I don't like the drama any more because it's all women getting raped and slashed and comedy is sarcasm. Sometimes I watch Modern Family but it comes on at an odd time. I like Anderson Cooper while I work in the office.

After my little Two hours of TV I came in and sorted some more traveling pictures for the Saints Christmas book. SO many to go thru in Hawaii. I know he will love it but it always seems to be the last thing I do and so not a priority:( I ordered the little boys presents today and the two girls something. Caroline I don't really buy for but I think she will like this since she's really in to Aussie puppies right now.
Bed at a good time!

Day 2 of a Sock Day of Christmas!(Dec 2 for me)

2010-12-03T12:25:00.005-06:00

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As you will note I'm always a day behind because I am just not able to do the blog at night. I think that's been half my problem. I'm tired, my eyes hurt and my brain is mushier :)

Started all bright eyed and bushy tailed! (that never lasts long lol) Up and at it. Re Did my Christmas picture sheet to include Thanksgiving and Birthday!

Worked on laundry.. How can two people use so many clothes!?

It's cold! I want to see a beautiful fluffy snow and then the next week Yellow Spring Daffodils.. I bet that doesn't happen!

The Saint and I worked ALL afternoon on a project for Suzy. We didn't know it would take so long! But it looks beautiful! We did find out something has to be returned from Walmart. HOW FUN! it was broken!

Finished working on our Thanksgiving Shutterfly pictures! Tana and Yummy are so cute! Started working on the Saints Christmas book. If it doesn't get done, it's ok.

Spike had a MAJOR attitude with TooSweet today. She kept a wide space between them. heheheh

The Saint fixed delicious stuffed pork chops. Even thought I could only eat one it was worth it!

Went to bed very early because my left eye hurts bad. I will have the surgery this time next week so things should be better. It's just that I have no glasses to see thru that eye and eye strain can make you tired and headachey!

Found out Kat's surgery was a bit more then we thought but she's fine and hopefully not a bad scar. Liam went to the doctor this morning and they gave him an antibiotic!!!!!! Yeah. He's had that horrible cough for over a month!

That wraps up my day! looking for more socks! and yes I know these socks are inside out, they are more comfortable that way!

Day 1 of a Sock Day of Christmas:) December 1st for me!

2010-12-02T11:49:00.009-06:00

Yummy arrived very early and very sick. Papa doctored him and he went to sleep watching Dora. After awaking Grandmommy took his Temp and it was 102.4 and he felt AWFUL. Papa was sent to get more medicine~

After a couple hours he brightened up and ate an egg and started playing quietly. Grandmommy let him use her nebulizer which he thought was SO COOL. By noon his Temp was normal.

Katherine had her skin cancer removed and as far as I know it all went splendidly! Now she can breathe easier.

I worked almost all day on "my 3 girls" Christmas present! I didn't know it was going to take so long and not sure everything was done right but will find out when I get them mailed to me!

Watched Survivor, getting to the end!!!!!!! Woosy girls quit!

Checked my Christmas letter for errors and made corrections and additions! Got my labels in the mail today. I get so excited when they come. I love doing Christmas cards. Now I'm just waiting on one thing to arrive and I can order cards!

Found out my friend Sharon P from Kansas has an I Phone and a Mac so won't be able to talk to her any more, I'm sad. Just between us....... I hate I Phones and if I win one I'll give it to whoever wants it!

Worked on Thanksgiving Pictures for Shutterfly. What a WONDERFUL day!

Till tomorrow with the next pair of socks!

Pacific NW Tour Days 6 thru 10

2010-11-07T17:43:00.033-06:00

When I began doing a blog, I knew I would not have enough to say to occupy it daily, but I wanted to record special occasions, celebrations trips etc. Well this summer I learned a hard lesson. DONT put it off and think you can catch up. because you can't. When we got back from our trip to Oregon and Washington in August we were plunged into stuff. Not all pleasant. So I'm going to wrap up my PNW Tour in one blog and move ahead! Holidays are coming and I have too many "going to do's" on my list.

SO ON TO DAY 6 of my PNW Tour. Nikki and Carmen took Brownie and I to Snohomish and we waded thru the stores for a while. Found Riley some Sea monkeys! We had a lovely lunch in a lovely old house!

I could kind of feel the energy draining so we called it a day and came home to visit play with the dogs

and Dustin came over for dinner. Got to see his lovely garden and we had a nice evening.

Up and at it pretty early the next day.

We had to go over the Cascades
to get to my sisters of course but we went thru Wenactchee so I could visit the grave of my other G Grandmother.
This is also where my Mother graduated from high school. It was a beautiful day and we had a very nice drive.
Arrived at Lea's in the late afternoon and she was waiting with camera in hand :)
Was so good to see her and her house all beautifully redecorated! Bob arrived home from a neighbors with his new puppy in hand.

She has since been named Pistol and she's adorable.

Lea and Bob graciously gave up their lovely bedroom and bathroom for us and they went to their camper. That wasn't necessary but we rested very well!

On Day #7 we went and strolled through their lovely little farm and saw all the adorable animals and especially Lea's BEAUTIFUL Sage.

That is a huge horse but so beautiful and she's going to make Lea a good horse when she gets her trained.

Then it was onward and upward to see my nieces and nephews and all their lovely families. Chrissy and her family look wonderful and they have a very pretty apartment and they had a new dog.

Tommy and Christy's family are really growing up and looking great. Tom, of course has not grown up :) kidding.

We also saw Nikki's son Joel and wife Heather and their two babies! They are adorable and we loved seeing them!
After we had lunch we went to the cemetery to see where Scott and baby Coreen are buried. I've never been there.
Breaks my heart because Scott was my baby. or I thought it was :)

Next morning on day #8 my other nephew Steve came out to visit!
We had a long good visit and he looks good too and we really enjoyed getting to see him. Wish we could have seen Debbie.
Then we headed off for the big city of Waconda!!!!!!!

I say that jokingly! Its about 3 hours from Spokane and has a population of about 10. It's claim to fame is that the town sold on EBAY :)
But getting to Waconda was a beautiful ride. We went thru the Reservation and saw lots of beautiful Indian ponies,

we went on a ferry ride and then we ate in a wonderful town called Republic Washington. It looked like something that is from an old Western Movie.

On our way there and back we also saw deer and mountains and waterfalls and streams, rivers and beautiful country. It was a wonderful day.

On Day# 10 We headed home. Said our sad goodbyes to my sister dear and bro in law and took our rental car to the AP and off we went. We had a layover in Salt Lake and didn't get home to our house till late and it was a very long day. I came home not feeling well but the trip was all worth it and I'd do it again.

That will always be home to me.

PNW Tour Day 5

2010-10-07T21:22:00.023-05:00

We wake up at our NIKKI'S!!!!!! YEAH US:)

Got to see Tyler before he crashed(he's working nights)

After experiencing beautiful weather for the first 4 days it is pouring down rain ~ How new and unusual this is Washington! Nikki assures us it has not rained in weeks! hummmp.

Anyway, we do not want to waste a day and Everett is having a City Wide Yard Sale. And if for no other reason, it's lovely to nose around the houses and look at flowers.

The little boys (and the big boys) both found something and I found a "Sunshine" bear for Caroline. The old houses in the neighborhood that we walked thru were just BEAUTIFUL. I love the gardens and the lovely old homes.
It didn't just pour down rain all the time so we were able to walk and look and enjoyed it.

After lunch at a KFC

and drying out a bit, we took off for Kayak Point.

That is where Nikki's family was planning their family reunion and she wanted us to see it.
The little boys burst out of the car
and were off
and running! We wanted to see a whale but no such luck. Nikki CLAIMS she saw one there before :)

We did see lots of crabs. Lots and lots of crabs.
This is really a beautiful view and even with the drizzle
We saw lots of birds and we saw an alligator on the shore line :)

Back to Nikki's and to another wonderful meal! and a lovely bed to sleep in!

PNW Tour Day 4

2010-09-15T13:48:00.031-05:00

Good morning PUYALLUP!!!!!! (yes that's a real name of a real city..quite a growing city at that!)

After a quick breakfast and check out we head so Sumner, which is very close to Puyallup. It's a cool high fog sort of typical WA day but promises to be beautiful! We have been to the Cemetery in Sumner where my Dad and his family are buried a gazllion times and know exactly how to get there! BUT they are having some sort of "Sumner Celebration Day" LOL of course they are, we always run in to that.
But after a couple of turn arounds and an inquiry as to where the bridge that we want is (it's closed for the "Day") we find the beautiful old Sumner Cemetery.

In 1955 when I was only 14 years old I stood there in the cold and drizzle at the first funeral I had ever attended.

Where I grew up children just didn't go to funerals and there were no "visitations" except at people's homes perhaps.

Anyway, we visited my Dad's stone after purchasing some fresh flowers. My husband always cleans it up for me. His stone is very easy to find and it's rarely visited, except by my cousin, uncle and niece on Memorial Day I think. Unlike my Mom, who is buried here in TN and there are constant flowers and statues sitting there. Doesn't really make any difference to them I know but makes us feel better.
Didn't take the time to look for the other family stones. They are not people I was close to and we were wanting to move our day along!
So off to took to Gig Harbor Washington.
To get to Gig Harbor you must go over the Narrows Bridge and if your really interested in earthquakes and amazing sites you should "Google" it.. I love Narrows!
Gig Harbor is A beautiful place on a bay on Puget sound.

We met when we were in the 4th grade and have been the best of friends for all those years. She lived with my Mom for a while when she graduated from High School and was working in Tacoma. She considered my grandma, her grandma. Her mother and I shared a birthday and my tea set came from her.
Every birthday or Christmas she would give me a piece and I would add to it when I found a matching piece. Of course all our parents and grandparents are gone now but we are still as close as ever!
So to make a long story short I HAD to see my very best friend AND I had a birthday present for her. We grew up as genuine "country" girls. I'm sure we were not together constantly, but I can hardly have a memory of my "Lacamas" years without her being part of it. I had a photo of she and I that I loved.

It was so typical of us, we were always outside, always playing in the barn or with animals and especially ALWAYS playing with puppies! So I had this photo made in to a scetch for her and I had to get it to her.

So with a little help from our GPS we found their lovely little house with the most beautiful flowers right there in beautiful Gig Harbor.

We had a most lovely visit with her sweet husband Joel

and Kay and I was able to present her with her sketch! It almost brought us both to tears. It really is beautiful and special because it's us frozen in a time in our lives when everything was good, no hurt, no pain, no worry, just loving our friends and having fun riding the little Lacamas School Bus :)

BTW Kay was my maid of Honor at my wedding but because of my pregnancy with Suzanne (Kay) who was born 2 days later I could not be her maid of honor and that had always been our plan :(

So after we have a most pleasant hour or so with my darling Kay we take off to see another dear old friend. Back across the Narrows!

This friend is Shirley.

Now Shirley, Kay, Gena and I were like 3 peas in a pod in grade school and I've remained friends with all three but mostly Kay. It had been years since I'd seen Shirley and I was anxious to see her again.

She lives in Stielacoom Washington in the same house she's lived in her entire married life. A very pretty home but the steps would get to me and I think they get to Shirley and her very arthritic hips and knees. We had the best visit we could have.. Or we tried. She has a husband who makes everything about him so we sort of gave up and took a couple pictures and left. It was good to see Shirley again though, we have many fond memories. Shirley was also in my wedding 50 years ago.

So now were on the way to Marysville! Our goal today is to get to Nikki's house north of Seattle for dinner!

Seeing Tacoma and Seattle for the first time in many years was very special to me. My only regret was not going to the Church where we were married or to go to down town Tacoma. Tacoma is my home and where I grew up. It was the "City" to us as we grew up, Seattle was a place I really didn't know till I was thru school.

We were concerned that Seattle's traffic was going to be terrible because it was a Friday and rush hour and it was "SeaFair" weekend. As it turned out Tacoma was TERRIBLE and Seattle was wonderful and we zipped right up to Nikki's house in time for dinner!

It was so good to see all of them. I love this family so much, and new that I'd get some rest and be able to catch our breath a few days!

PNW Tour Day 3

2010-09-11T19:26:00.016-05:00

Good Morning Shelton Washington! Woke up to another beautiful Day! The Motel was very nice and got a good rest. I immediately called my cousin Joy so we could meet for breakfast. She and Phil came a runnin(or Cadillac drivin :) )
and were off for our morning.

I've missed Joy and she had some serious medical issues so was really anxious to hug her and know she was OK.We were close to her at Christmas time but the weather was terrible and we both had health stuff going on so I needed to make it up!

After breakfast we did the tour of Shelton :) saw their friends Rock store, we visited their beautiful new little home they are fixing up.

or shall I say Phil is fixing up and Joy is supervising. She's working hard on her yard sale items. She knows how to give them and make them sellable and attractive

After we did the in town headed up on a drive around Hood Canal.

I never tire of seeing the beauty of the state I call home.
It was a beautiful day so we were able to get out and walk, take some pictures and watch the fishermen.

We had a lovely morning and hated to say good bye. It was relaxing and most pleasurable but we needed to get to Puyallup to see my Uncle George.

Our drive from Shelton to Puyallup was mostly on interstate and VERY busy in Tacoma. Although we didn't have any trouble getting there. AND I saw "my" Mountain!

Now this is the mountain I grew up with. I just don't know much about the others, I just remember waking up in the morning and seeing the mountain out of our breakfast nook window. This, of course, is Mt. Rainier.

We also drove past were my first daughter Suzanne was born at Ft. Lewis. Didn't have the time or I would have got in to get a picture for her.

My Uncle George is my father's baby brother and he's a pistol. Close to 94 years old and still drives his little red pick up to his lake house to get wood each week.

We really did have a good visit and he talked about my dad to me, that's always special, because he has been gone for many many years. My Uncle George was at the hospital with me when my Dad died.

Was sorry that Eloise left and we didn't get to see her. Wanted to see her pretty yard.

We had such a good visit with him and like it is with Uncle Lyle it's always hard to say goodbye to Uncle George.

We found a lovely hotel up on the hill in Puyallup and it had a lovely restaurant with it. And we could see a Denny's for breakfast!

Starting to get a little too tired. Have to see and deliver a friend a gift in the morning, so were in bed and slept good.

PNW Tour Day 2

2010-09-01T14:10:00.020-05:00

Good Morning PORTLAND OREGON!!!!!!!!!! Woke up refreshed and ready to plow in to our adventure for the next 9 days:) It's foggy and damp and not very pretty or warm but the weather man says it's going to warm up.

First we are off to see my Uncle Lyle who lives in Tigard Oregon, which is really just a suburb of Portland. With our handy little GPS and our cell phone we located their apartment with no problem!

Uncle Lyle looked good and it was so good to see him again. He, Carol Brownie and I had a nice visit.
He has a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood. While we were there visiting the sun started burning thru the "low clouds or high fog" and it was turning in to a lovely day! We talked about old times and new times and then we have to say goodbye. It's always hard to say goodbye to my Uncles, I miss them very much.

So then it was off to see sweet cousin Teri just about 10 minutes away. Quick stop at Sonic for some lemonade and were off.

Teri looks great.
She's a busy lady, writing, working and mothering :) The sun was out and we were able to sit outside and have a nice conversation and look around her back yard at the beautiful flowers.

Then we moved to the front yard to see some more lovely flowers! And to see her lovely new stone worked patio that is in the process of being constructed. Teri has a lovely place, just as lovely as she is.

So we said our sad good byes and went to get a bite to eat for lunch then off to the bridge between Oregon and Washington! I love the interstate that runs up from Portland to Olympia.

It's so scenic and beautiful. I wanted to be able to see Mt. St. Helens but the low clouds blocked it.

That's what it would have looked like IF we could have seen it !

We had the map to what we thought was the cemetery where my great grandparents are buried but it sent us to Tumwater rather then Elma.. (about a 2 hour mistake) I phoned my cousin Neil and he got us in the right direction!

By the time we got to Elma, where the Oddfellows Cemetery is located it was getting pretty late in the day. So we've already lost several hours that we planned on visiting people, but when you take this sort of trip that's what happens!

So after we arrive at the cemetery I phone my cousin Mary Ann and she directs us easily to the stones. I had so badly wanted my own pictures of these stones. I have a story written down somewhere about how my g. grandfather was shot in the Civil War and the bullet moved his heart over so he survived :) He really sounded like a character!

So now were off to Shelton. It's too late in the day to meet with cousin Joy as we had planned but we found a lovely motel and had the best meal at a Mexican Restaurant that we had the entire trip!

Long day, fun day, busy day, emotional day... Tired and headed for the bed!

PNW TOUR DAY 1

2010-08-29T20:17:00.012-05:00

First I'm So sorry that this blog has been in hibernation but that's kind of how I've felt. Won't go in to a lot of details, but I came home under the weather so to speak and still trying to crawl out.

We had a REALLY busy weekend the week we left for the Pacific NW. We had family picture day and all the fam was here. Pictures went very well, however, and OF COURSE Penny got in to the picture ceremony! It would not have been a family pic without her.. Annoying little sister was shut up in the house ..heh heh

So Monday we were VERY busy. We had dumped all our clothes needed in to the suitcases before the company descended! So now we had to unpack and do it right. It hard packing too because we have had an incredibly hot summer, not just a few days but months. and some of the places we were going had had a few hot days but also some cold. But we did it!

The Saint got all the furry children to the Spa and asked Dr. Amy to check Penny's ear that had a knot on it. (we could have gone back to Hawaii for that little request!)

Emptied the frig and hauled off the garbage and had all clothes laid in place to just put on and GO!

Up fairly early so we could get all the last minute stuff done and we were off about 9 in the morning. It was a HOT morning as usual so we were looking forward to some cooler weather.

Plane was on time and we left around noon. You have to pay SW extra now if you want to get seated early so you can sit together! So we did. Had a brief layover and change planes in Kansas City but we were in the boarding early group so we were good to go, but no time for food at all! Kansas City has a terrible Airport, as I've learned before. You can't get anything unless you go out of the Secure area. Anyway, off and over our beautiful country. I don't know why people think we are running out of room, they need to fly across our country:)

A little cloudy but mostly sunny and clear. The Saint had the window seat but that's ok, it's too uncomfortable for him in the middle and all the planes were jammed full.

We arrived in Portland late in the afternoon and saw Mt. Hood as we flew in.

The airport is another story. That is if you want to rent a car and your carrying 2 carry on's each! It seemed like we walked for miles before we finally got to the area. I know it was close to an hour and then we couldn't find it and had to be redirected. Really bad set up there for car rentals.

We got a great little car a Mercury Mariner. A little white suv. It was great for us because we like to sit up and look out and we don't like real low riding cars. Found the Airiport Motel with no problem at all. It was very nice and they had a lovely restaurant.. So we dumped stuff in the room, freshened up and off to eat. We got to bed as soon as we could as we knew we had a very busy 9 more days ahead of us!

I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!

2010-07-24T16:54:00.030-05:00

Started out kind of tired this week, but picked up steam as the week as gone by.. Literally I think :)

I almost got Spikey in the pool ..hahahaha

Little Bitty, or aka Yummy was here most of the week cuz his mummy has gone to work full time so that brightens up a week no matter what!

A few weeks ago I bought an old table at an estate sale for $1. We went to Walmart and spent $20 on paint and a brush and that was my project for the week.
Well it was till the temp approached 100 and then I just finished fast! Anyway it's just beautiful and Yummy painted a bird house too! I'm going to put it in my flower bed I think.

And of course Penny the Wonderdog of Emmett Stone Lane got to help.. She painted green :)

But as the heat rose so did getting the table done! QUICKLY

TA DA!!!!!!!!!!!

As I said the temperature has been on an upward spiral this week.
So "POOL" was the word. It was with Yummy and his mama Kat
and cousin Riley and Jimmy even got his head wet but sister Tina didn't have time to stay and swim

:( Cousin Riley is "Jack" in Jack and the Beanstock! So we are all a twitter!

Yummy
brought his "Dadda" Daniel one afternoon and swam a bit. He gets sunburned really easy!
Yummy found a dead butterfly :( he was very sad~ but he took it home to save it in a plastic bag!

Thursday I got my hair permed for the big "trip" to the PNW on August 3. Also we have family pictures taken next Sat. man I hope it's not so hot!

So TODAY(being Saturday) me and the Saint spent most of our day by the pool or in the pool. My arm is healed much better now,

although not closed, so I can go in the water!

Me and TooSweet, annoying as she always is and the Saint

swam and swam and had a picnic lunch by the pool

and then swam some more.

AND I DID A TRICK!!!!!!!!!!

After the swim the Saint made some HOMEMADE SALSA!!!!!!
We have tomatoes everywhere!
On the porch!Beside the pool~
Even some that are trying to get TO the water.. I don't blame them! There's a flower pot in full bloom under that!

So the end of a wonderful, middle of July, week and heading in to a VERY busy week of appointments and company etc etc. and were off again!!!!!!!

Busy 'to do' week :)

2010-07-10T21:30:00.020-05:00

Monday was kind of an off kilter day because it seemed like a Sunday. Nothing was open. Tuesday morning I went in to have my second round of mini dental implants. And before you cringe, yes, it's that bad :) they drill into your bone and leave a spike ~ Daniel wants me to take a picture of that along with the open gash on my arm and freak every one out.. uhhhhhh no Daniel, not going to happen. Not near as much pain this time because it was done without the stitches, but it's left my mouth really sore and I think I'm on a really good weight loss diet. YOU JUST DON'T EAT!

Wed. I finally got to see my own family Doctor about my arm wound. Almost all the stitches had come out on their own by then. It had been two weeks and he was impressed with how well we had been taking care of it. I have a very good Doctor in the house :) He talked about sending me to the wound center and we both decided ahhhhhhhhh noo lets not, I can see me ending up with staph from that. Still have a peculiar knot and a lot of bruising, and some dents in my arm, but considering everything it's doing good.

Thursday, two of my most favorite little boys and their mama and me went to see Karate Kid! I loved that movie. I never saw any of the first ones so this was new to me. I think it was one of the PG 13 things when I had the day care and so we didn't get it. Anyway we went and it was fun! This next week TOY STORY! We are going snackless though! Cost us $60 to see a movie and have a snack. good grief people. no wonder the theaters are empty! It's a great thing to do on a really hot day. That little boy is amazing that's in it. and Jackie Chan! Loved him.

Friday was kind of our day of rest. My mouth was really swollen so just took it easy.

Today was ESTATE AUCTION DAY! We love those. I don't know why, but it's just fun to watch the people and sit in the heat and fan
and bid and bring home a truck full of junk! The house was really a steal $80,000. and really most everything else was pretty low.
Not sure why they were not trying to get the price up a little. I got a really cool old table
that Brownie is going to seal and I'm going to brightly paint and either put it in the pond garden or on the front porch. (we have old theater seats on our porch LOL) Also got some fencing
to keep this big terrorist dog in our yard. it's working across the front. Lots of odds and ends of things that we can do something with.
Got a washer that we can sell on Swap and Shop and make a little money off of it and I got 3 amazing old Albums. One is Johnny Cash with the TN Two on Sun Records, one is Patsy Cline and one Hank Williams.

All in perfect condition.

Upon leaving we found the SONIC! Had a delicious Banana Split that melted all over me but it was SO good..
and when I got home I had a plate of Fred's tomatoes. Brownie picked our first red one!
and I found I think 3 more that will be ready tomorrow.

We unloaded with all the furry children's help

and sat down in the cool house and I napped while Brownie went to see Timmy, his former partner. Timmy's not happy since Brownie's gone. I wish we could fix it.

Got clothes out for Church. I haven't been with this ugly arm, but going to give it a try tomorrow :) Onward and upward! It's July, it's hot and I love it!

Today is my dear Uncle Lyle's birthday.. I have no memories in my life that he's not in them. Every family gathering, everything. Named Daniel after him. Daniel Lyle. Love my Uncle Lyle.

And here is our Caroline with her Uncle Lyle, when she was just a little girl :)

3rd Day of our Great Adventure!

2010-07-07T21:15:00.025-05:00

Woke up with a "too many hog dog stomach ache" so we just slowly ate breakfast Got our walking shoes on and were off to explore the Subway System. And by the way NO ONE should ever be afraid of the subway. It's the cheapest and easiest and your there in moments all the way across the city! We found the Port Authority Subway about 3 blocks from our hotel. They have a "fun day pass" that you get for about $8 and you can go anywhere and get off and then get back on and explore whatever else you wish. We had all our lives heard about GRAND CENTRAL STATION, so that was going to be our first stop. Except it's now called Grand Central Terminal. Upon entering it we saw lots of shops and food courts etc. and then we saw a sign to "Vanderbilt Hall" and since we have our local connection with the Vanderbilt's we wanted to see. So we walked and saw a beautiful hall. Very ornate and beautiful. We were on our way to walk around outside to see where the big entrance was when "IT" happened:( I guess I was looking up and Brownie was a few steps behind me and I just stepped of the curb that I did not see and fell forward. Most of the next 5 hours are sort of a blur to me but I will say that from the First responder cop to the Station Medics, to the Ambulance Paramedics and EMT's they were all wonderful. I was taken to one of the most well known hospitals in New York . Belview. But it is no longer a phychiatric hospital it is a trauma unit. Brownie said he had never seen so many police at a hospital before! I bet they could make a good TV show out of that place. So ANYWAY after a bazillion xrays and 15,16,17 or however many stitches in my arm I was finally released with the assurance that I would get to the Broadway Show Lion King that night!!!!!!! I had asked every one I saw if I was going to get out of there and could I go :) Expensive cab ride back to hotel and a cumbersome manner of applying makeup and doing hair, but I got all gussied up and so did Brownie and OFF we went! There are no words to described how amazing it was to sit in a Broadway Theater and see a Broadway show. Something I never in a million years thought would have been possible! I remember my Grandma and I watching Ed Sullivan when I was little and seeing bits and pieces of shows and us always bemoaning the fact that WE would never see one.. I think my Grandma was on my shoulder :) I had purchased the cd of the Broadway show a long time ago and given it to Jimmy so I knew how amazing the music was going to be but nothing prepared me for the awesome colors and costumes and the animals and I just don't even know where to stop or start. I sat there thinking of Riley when the little boy who played Simba came out. He was the same age and he was just adorable and just wonderful! Joshua J Jackson and he's 11 years old. I hope some day I can know he's become a huge star. After the show Time's Square was sort of like it is on New Years Eve I think :) Just sort of a massive crowd. All dressed beautifully, all well behaved and in happy spirits. We found a small bbq restaurant. I had very little to eat and needed something. Poor Brownie's tooth was still bothering him a lot and he was exhausted from the day of trauma. Another expensive ride to hotel in a cab and packed up to be ready to leave in the morning.That was the end of June 24th 2010 Happy anniversary to us. Next morning we had a car service again, that took us to JFK. We got there with a whole lot of traffic. (it was a Friday) Security was a bit sticky for me, I had the bandage on my arm so they had to do a complete pat down and search. She was very nice and apologized and said she hoped she wasn't hurting me :) she was not. Boarded another one of those little Delta Mickey Mouse planes but this one only had two seats on one side and one on the other so I Brownie didn't get squished and I didn't get bumped. Flight home was fast. Clear and beautiful. Just hated coming home after what happened, but would not change it. Got car, arrived home and all is well. Good to be in my bed. I started shaking and could not stop. Brownie kept piling blankets on me. I think it was just EVERYTHING. Anyway~~~~~ Loved Loved LOVED NYC wish I could go 2 times every year. at Christmas and in the late spring. So much to see. Want to do it again.