Grandpa and Grandma

The Holidays And Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T01:41:00.000-08:00

I posted in October so I guess it is time to do a little writing and reporting so we have some history and all of you folks know what is happening in our lives and what we are doing. I usually have a fun time with Sharon in October, as we celebrate her Birthday and go to the Temple shop and enjoy some time together, but this October we had a wonderful event, as Miss Maddie made her appearance in our lives and brought a lot of blessing for all of us. She is so precious and sweet, with the spirit that all new babies bring, coming from Heavenly Fathers Arms to all of ours. They bring such a wonderful spirit to our homes and we love them so much. So Sharon was with Amy and Mike in California and helping them out, so we went later the next month. met up with Judy, and later had a wonderful lunch with Jess, Crystal, and little Cora Jean, it was so neat to see them and hug and talk with Cora. She is a sweet baby also and reminds me so much of Crystal as she has the same big eyes and fat little cheeks to kiss. She is eight and half months old now. Her eyes are brown like Jess and Judy but big and round like Crystal's. Time passes so swiftly for me now and it seems like yesterday, when Amy and Crystal were little and now they are grown married women. November brought a lot of cold weather to the valley but was dry with sunny cold days. We went to the coast and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Sharon and Steve, though quiet as all of the kids are pretty far away now. Sharon and I made a wonderful dinner and I made the most delicious chocolate cheesecake, it was yummy. I forgot to mention that I had been sewing all summer on a quilt for my king sized bed. Granny Grace had given me a lot of printed blocks that I kept around for a long time, and one afternoon I decided to do it and so I got them out and started it. A big project and a beautiful one, it turned out really well and though lots of work, fits the bed really well and looks wonderful. It is in pinks, green, and purples, and Cathy helped me with it or I don't think I would have ever finished it, it is so large, It hangs at least 2 feet all the way around it. I love it. Cathy's sister had given her a pillow case for her birthday and so she and I decided to sew some for her kids and grand children and I sew some for a few of mine, mostly the great ones. Although I made a few for grands. I made a dozen and Cathy sewed 16 so we sewed a few. It was fun, and I got started in early November on them and then I decided to make Christmas quilts for the Arnold clan, and Crystal, as they were all married, It was a lot to do but I would've made it but I got sick with a really nasty cold, it started late Thanksgiving night and I got to the doctor the following Tuesday and I had a lot of infection in my lungs plus asthma:-( and had a lot of meds an inhaler, plus something for my cough. I have never coughed so hard in my life. So this lasted for 10 days and I didn't sew a stitch, it was depressing. I was so upset, but I got better and started in again, but decided to sew some of the quilts this summer, I got the three oldest done. I sewed until early in the morning a few days. I also made candy with Nicole and her friend Shane. We made a LOT of stuff, and the next week-end we made some cookies. It was a lot of cooking. I made some truffles that were to die for, and I will post the recipe on the blog later so you will all have it, per your mom's request. I think I made about 15 lbs of candy and several batches of cookies. Still it wasn't as much as I have made in the past. I took a lot of it to Sharon's for Christmas, they all loved it. I gave a lot away, and I took the rest a huge tray loaded to a wedding reception on New year's eve. It had been frozen, and there was a lot left and I gave it all away, as I didn't want anymore of it around. I am glad it is gone. I have gained 3 pounds, and I need to lose it again. We had a wonderful Christmas with Steve, Sharon, and the grandchildren and all of the great ones. We left before Megan, Greg, and Scarlet got there, and so they stopped for a visit with us on the way home. It is always wonderful to have Scarlet, she is so alive and happy, not to mention cute! She usually comes in smiling, but she had been asleep so she took awhile to wake up, but she was really happy when she left, smiling and kissing and waving good-bye, she is so beautiful. So much fun and we do appreciate the effort that Megan and Greg make to come so we can spend time with them. It is a good place to stop so Scarlet can run around and relax a bit from all of the car riding. She loved the kitty, Trapper, I guess she loves dogs too. She really talks a lot now. So Very sweet. I forgot to mention that in early December on the 9th Grandpa and I had our 59th anniversary and went to dinner and saw the play The Sound Of Music on the stage, it was wonderful and we had such a great time. I have a hard time believing we have been married that long. Well I think 2012 is here and we all have goals and plans to fulfill, they talked about that in Sacrament on Sunday, I really enjoyed the talks and the RS lesson which all went together and talked of those things. I love you all and I wish you all a wonderful and Happy and Healthy New Year. God Bless Love you all

So Little Summer

2011-10-04T01:34:00.000-07:00

I think we had a really short growing season this past year. Everything was really late and my tomatoes never really did a lot. I had a few off my 3 plants but only a few. Some of my friends at church grew a lot, and some gardens just didn't produce. Now it is raining and supposed to rain all week, it started on Sunday. They said on the news today that we only had 3 weeks of real growing weather. I was very fortunate to get a lot of beans, lettuce, onions, garlic, cucumbers, and summer squash. My basil did well, but a lot of the herbs didn't. I had lots of cucumbers, and made a few jars of pickles. I canned applesauce about 39 pints and I made lots of jam and jelly. I can't eat the seeds anymore, so I took all of the blueberries and made syrup, the strawberries and made jelly, also all of the blackberries also. I think I made around 50 half pints of Jelly and jam. It took me 2 days. It is beautiful and tastes really good, I made it with twice as much fruit or juice as sugar so it is really fine. I froze about 20 bags of beans, and I canned 21 pints of pears. I didn't do peaches this year, as Costco had a great buy on some canned in juice and organic, so I bought those, they are yummy. Our apple tree didn't do anything this year so I needed to buy the apples, but we usually eat all of the applesauce I make, as we eat it on waffles, and pancakes instead of syrup and it tastes really good. I read a really good book and would recommend it to you if you are interested. It is called The Help, and they made a movie also, it was really good too. It is about the black maids told from their prospective in the sixties in the south, really true to life at that time. We got to visit our friends in Grants Pass in July and so we drove on down to Medford and saw Megan, Greg, and Scarlet. It was a really fun trip, and the baby is so sweet and cute. A real keeper, as doctor Meyn used to say. When Rebecca was 16 months old she came to our house to visit and Sharon and I took her to see Sharon's doctor when she was growing up. He was a children's doctor and Rebecca only had an MD in Wyoming so Sharon wanted to take her to the specialist. He checked her over very carefully and pronounced that she was cute, petite, really sweet and If he was us he'd keep her, so after that all of the Arnold kids grew up as keepers. So I think Scarlet is a keeper for sure. I know this is a pretty boring post but since it had been so long I thought I would let you know what is going on with us here. I miss the old days when all of you were growing up and I got to see you all of the time. But those days are gone and of course we all move on and have to grow up. I haven't really decided whether of not to have the surgery on my colon, I am still thinking and praying about it. I would appreciate it if all of you would pray for me to make the right choice and do whatever I need to do. I am working on my weight again, which is also a bore. I love all of you.

Catching up My Birthday and The Garden

2011-08-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Summer that fleeting thing here in Oregon finally has come in the final days of August. Not the usual summer for us, we usually have pretty hot weather by now, but the days have been pleasant and hasn't gotten up to 90 degrees YET?? I have seen it like this before way back in the late sixties we had a summer like this one and the camping was really sad and the water skiing was worse! We had snow that winter of 69 so high and for almost a week and the summer was cold. This summer has been cold also, so I guess mother earth is getting back at us. The garden had a hard time starting this year, I have picked lettuce, beans, cucumbers and squash. The yellow crook-necked ones haven't produced yet. It is behind also and there are lots of green beans, left on the vines and I pray that they will continue. The farmers have complained about the late harvest here. Ed put the small AC in and that has kept us pretty cool. I miss all of the girls and having a camper. We used to have such a really great time camping when the kids were growing up. On my birthday this year we decided to go to Portland and see Jake and his band play at Doug Fir club. It was really something, and we enjoyed it so much. It is hard to believe they are so good and Jake has a great voice and so much presence. Everything was so much fun that night. When it was over and we were going back to the car Judy and I, a young woman stopped me and said " I just have to know the story behind your attending this concert what is it? I replied thinking she had seen him many times. I said that young man with top hat on that is our grandson. Jake Arnold do you know him? She says I knew that had to be a reason for you to be there, with all of the young people so I wondered what the story behind your being there. I asked her if she knew any of the people in the band and had she seen them before? Actually she replied that we simply stopped by as we heard the music, my friends and I some of us are from Portland and some of us are from Bend, we are attending a bachelorette party for one of my cousins that is getting married this week-end and I am from the Bend area. We just loved Jake and the band, they were so good we really loved Jake. Hope we get to see them again. Earlier that week Sharon and I went to the Temple and did lunch at the Olive Garden she treated me as it was my birthday week, so sweet of her. I really enjoy my trips to the Temple with my daughter they are special and the highlight of my month. I have one more thing to talk about, I am going to have some surgery on my colon this next month or so and pray I get better by Christmas. I have an infection in my colon as I have said earlier and have been taking a lot of antibiotics for these past few weeks and it has taken a told toll on me and my strength. It has been a pain for awhile and the doctor says it will eventually abscess and we don't want that to happen so they will try to do it laparoscopy and cut the diseased part out and then re-connect the colon and I should be as good as new. I have been on a low fiber diet for so long, and I can't eat any kind of salad and lots of fruits I can't have, so it is hard. Nothing with seed in it and no nuts etc. I am not whining but I do miss all of the berries this past year, and tomatoes, some of my most favorite things:-( so hard. Well enough of my troubles, I love you all and I pray for your continued health and happiness. Oh yes one more thing Ed and I have been reading the Book Of Mormon this past ninety days, a challenge from our new Bishop, It has just reminded me of how true the Gospel is again, it is such a testimony building thing and so true. How wonderful this gospel of ours is and how blessed we are to have these wonderful scriptures. Hugs to you all and may all of your days be pleasant.

Stupid Sickness and My Garden

2011-05-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

I have been sore down deep in my left side deep in the groin area for a few weeks off and on. It got so bad on Sunday that I didn't go to church, and bless Ed because he made me call the doctor about the pain on Monday. My doctor wasn't in of course, they are never around when you need them, but I spoke with Dr. Bechemi's nurse and she called me back within the hour and said she wanted me to go to urgent care that evening, because she didn't have time, so I said why couldn't I just wait for my doctor on Tuesday, but NO she said it was important for me to be seen that day. So we went to urgent care and I got to see an internist there, and it was good that I did. I was about 36 hours from having a full blown infection in my colon, from one of the little pockets catching a seed and it had grown into an infection:-( bah and darn!!! If that had happened I would have been in the hospital for a week to ten days because these infections, can turn septic and make the body have a real problem. I would have been one miserable girl, so I am thankful for the husband that insisted that I go, and wouldn't let me put it off anymore. Sometimes I think he listens to the spirit better than I do. It was important for me to get on the medication so the doctor told me to get down to the pharmacy quickly as it was 9:45 by then and they close at 10:00, so we run down to Walgreen's on Coburg road and get two antibiotics and I came home and took some. Amazing stuff as I haven't been able to sit down except very carefully for a few days and today I feel almost like my old self. The hardest thing was drinking a liquid diet for 24 hour period, and now to stay on a bland diet for the next month or so. Which means, I can't have anything like salad, fresh veggies and fruit,no wheat bread etc. That part is a pain, but at least I feel so much better. I don't think I will be eating very many berries in the future, as I sure don't want this to happen again. This makes me sad, as that is one of my favorite things, along with tomatoes, and if I do eat these things I need to remove the seeds from tomatoes and puree the berries. Oh well things could be worse, as Fairy my sister in law can't taste anything anymore, I think that would be much worse. I was in town today to weigh in and so I took advantage to go to the Coldwater Creek store and buy a jacket and then I got a pair of jeans FREE and these are the best jeans, they are knit and cut perfect so they fit like a glove and are so comfortable. I have a pair of black ones I got on sale and now I have an indigo blue pair, I am so happy and they were free. Everyone loves the black ones on me, so now I have blue ones. Anyway by the time I got home today, I was exhausted and so I had to lay down and have a short nap ahhhh so great. The sun was out in full today and the day was warm and beautiful. I went outside and dug in my boxes planted some squash, tomatoes, cukes, peppers, flowers, and a few herbs. Ed said it looks like a garden out there. I really love planting and digging in the dirt, and I especially love the convenience of having them right outside my door. I am able to watch them grow, and water them so easily as Ed put a little irrigation system in each of them. Tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 70 degrees yay I could just dance and it isn't going to rain until Sunday and I pray that this forecast is correct. I am so tired of the rain this year, it seems like it has rained most all the days since spring began, even the Red Guard said yesterday on the front page that is isn't our imagination it really has been a WET spring this year. I love you all God Bless Hugs and Kisses

Mother's Day and Texas

2011-05-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

My daughter Sharon said I didn't blog anymore, and so I wrote a short one after I had visited with them and guess what? The blasted thing just disappeared on me, after I had saved it. I don't know what happened, it just left.... Oh well I will attempt to do another and hope I don't lose this one. We went to Texas to visit with my folks down there, and we had a great time. It was relaxing, but tiring also. I saw my sisters, Sherry the one recovering from the cancer trauma. She is doing well and is still on chemo, which means that every other week she is sick and miserable. It effects her stomach for about 5 to 7 days. She is amazing actually, never complains about it and says it is what it is. We got to see all of Sherry's sons and Jon's new woman, he is marrying on the 7th of June. They are being sealed, I don't know if they applied before the new rule, but they must have, as they don't have to wait for a year. We were able to visit with Marie and Gene and all of their children that live there in Austin. There is a lot of them, all are married and have children, except Becky and her husband. So there were lots of small ones and fun, fun,fun. They were so very cute. Steven her youngest son has a small daughter about 4 and she is so precious. Pressley is her name, and she is the quietest of the bunch. Dimples on both cheeks, and naturally curly hair. We didn't get to see Chris and his family, as they live in UT, and Cary and his family are in Dallas. We spent Easter with Marie's family and they are the same as the rest of us lots of food, glorious food. We had lots of Texas Bar-B-Que, and it was the same as ever, yummy! We had a couple of Tex-mex meals and they were still great. I just had a heart attack, I did something and thought I had lost this post. I found it thank you Lord. We got home and it was such a blessing to come home and it wasn't raining, yay I wanted to dance to see the sun up there in the sky. Stayed home and went to sewing and had lots of fun there, I am working on another project, as I finished the quilt that I made for Sharon, it turned out really well, hopefully she will take a picture of it with her new camera. I forgot to get a picture of it, so she can take one and post it on the blog so you can all see it. I started a new quilt that I am going to use for a bed cover for my bed, it is king size and so it is huge. I am using some blocks that I got from granny Grace that she had to make pillows with. There are about 30 printed blocks, so I have enough to do it, just a lot of work to do to finish it. It looks beautiful so far. We went to the coast to spend Mother's day with Sharon and Steve, we had a wonderful time, just hanging out. So relaxing and restful. We had a wonderful dinner at a place called April's, and the food was wonderful, a treat from Steve for moms day for Sharon, as it is her favorite. Sharon and I made our Mothers day dinner, and it was really great, loved it and of course ate too much. At least we didn't have any candy or stuff like that. We had a wonderful homemade angel food cake with berries, it was all yummy. Grandpa and I decided to come home the long way, up the coast. Stopped at the place with the lighthouse that we always used to go to before the beach houses, and walked on the beach there and did a lot of thinking of the memories we both have of being there and the good times we have had. On towards Florence and stopped at Mo's and had lunch, bought some salt water taffy, another old favorite for both of us. Browsed the shops around, had some ice cream and headed on toward our house. It was a wonderful trip. I loved every minute of it. Now I am thinking of what I want to plant in my boxes outside my door for this year. I bought some tomato plants, peppers, squash, and cukes. I also have seeds for lettuce and french green beans so if the rain holds off tomorrow I will be out there getting them in the ground. I love having those boxes to plant and the fresh veggies to eat all summer. I will try to post more often. I love all of you and may you all have the greatest blessings from our Heavenly Father.

Mother's Day and other things

2011-05-10T21:50:00.001-07:00

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

Well it has happened the year has rolled around again, I am not ready for them to pass as quickly as they seem to now. The older you become or should I say more mature, then the years seem to pass faster and faster. Christmas comes more quickly and then, I take a deep breath and it seems Jan passes quickly and then it is Spring, summer and fall and before you know what is going on the holidays are upon us again. I am not complaining about it being a new year in fact I am really grateful for this new year, and I pray it is a great one for us all. I am not sorry to see the last of 2010, the best thing was the coming of Elle, Scarlet and Amy's getting well. There were a lot of things I could have done without for sure, and I pray we will all love 2011, and great things will come along. One of course will be the birth of Crystal's baby girl, and I pray Amy will become with child before her 3 months passes. We had a wonderful Christmas and I enjoyed our company, and the Christmas time we spent with Judy and children. We always enjoy having family come and we enjoy going to see you all. Ed aka grandpa or Poppi is doing well, in fact he does too much and tires himself out. He goes on Friday to see the PT and maybe she will say he can do the things he does. He wants to go back to the gym to work out and the doctor just said give me 6 weeks and he has used four and is feeling so well that he is BORED with TV, reading, the computer, and the piano. So he tries my patience a little. I hope Patty does let him go the the gym some, and I hope he can get into the pool, then maybe he will be a happier guy. I have some sad news, my beloved sister Sherry, is going to have a chemo drip for 3 months each 2 weeks. Yes the cancer is back, she has a small leasion on the edge of the old tumor scar. So it depends on how the tumor reacts to the treatment. Please keep her in your prayers for me and I pray that this will make her well, and not be too hard on her. She is really scared of the treatment, and probably wouldn't do it if she could just get away with it, but her sons really want her to try it. I guess you never know as Linda was talking to a suvivor of brain cancer for the past 15 years today at her doctor's it was one of their patients. So we can pray that Sherry will be able to take the treatment. I love you all and I am praying for everyone to really enjoy this brand new year we have. God Bless you all

Grandpa and Surgery

2010-12-11T18:31:00.000-08:00

We came home from the hostpital on Friday.

Grandpa

2010-12-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Exciting News!!!

2010-11-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

I thought I would tell all of you, that we are going to have a new great-granddaughter in April. Crystal found out today that it was a GIRL Judy is over the moon and I and Poppi were happy. Jess wanted a girl really bad, so everyone got their wish. Also I will tell all of you that grandpa's eye surgery was postponed today, because of the SNOW! It came in the middle of the morning around two or three, and it was really cold. They had a big pile up on the I-5 at Goshen and stopped both lanes of traffic, so we couldn't get in, nor could the doctor, so they cancelled all of the surgeries today:-( Dad was really upset, now we have to dilate that eye for another week and do all of the pre opp all over. It is a pain for him, and me also, and who knows when they will be able to do it on the schedule. Dad has the hip surgery on the 7th of December and Tuesdays are the day for eye surgery. I will keep you posted. Hope you all have a safe trip down and that your Thanksgiving is delicious and Happy. We should be able to go to Vancouver tomorrow, it will be cold, tonight is supposed to be a low of 17, brr! but no snow, the road will probably be slick in places but they will keep it well sanded so it should be safe. Love to you all and God Bless

My Busy Life and Recent Struggles

2010-11-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

I have been going to post for awhile, but haven't had the time. Life is too busy and things are too much of a struggle. I need to focus on more of the what I have and my blessings. But lately it seems as if I can't control any of my time. I got to go to TOFW and it was wonderful! But I came home and then everything started to happen, and the faster I run the slower I get. I loved our conference broadcast we had and I have loved church recently. I haven't been able to go to my quilting group for a long time, why you may ask, and I will tell you, listen and learn HA! My husband Ed has been dragging me from one appointment to another and a lot of them are on Tue, (my quilting day) which I resent but this isn't his fault as the doctors seem to schedule all surgeries on Tue. He can't go alone, as he can't really remember a lot of things they tell him and if he does he doesn't always get it right. What is he doing you ask? He had cataract surgery on last Tue, and a pre opp for that, plus two appointments to get ready for the surgery. He can't drive because his eye is dilated. Now we have to get ready to have hip replacement surgery on December seventh, and he has had to give his blood to get ready for that, not once but twice, as they need two units in case he needs it during the surgery. Today we went back to the eye doctor and on the 23rd of November he is having the right eye done. So we start all over again, and another week of eye drops four times a day, and watching him like a hawk so he doesn't bend down or lift anything, which is a chore for Ed Cook and a big job for me. We have another pre-opp appointment for the hip not to mention the one we had today, plus the eye doctor, so do you get the PICTURE? I am going CRAZY!!! I am not complaining mind you just explaining why I haven't posted lately. I love him dearly, but he just wants to get this all done asap and it is hard on us. When he goes to give blood, he needs a meal that contains a lot of beef and potatoes, etc, and the last time I almost forgot, so next week I think we will go out to Sizzlers so he can get a steak and a baked potato, sounds like a great idea to me. Hence I forgot to send Amy a b-day card and I didn't get Halloween cards off to the great ones, oh well maybe next year. I hope for Christmas. We are going to Judy's for Thanksgiving, which will seem strange without Ed Jr, but it is what it is. I forgot to mention that sometime around mid September Abe moved into the trailer, and he had surgery on his ankle, and I had him to take care of for a few days, but he is on crutches for two more weeks and gets around well, and is in and out now. Judy came down for a visit with us and stayed for three days right after he was operated on. He has a pretty good job now and is busy with that and a girlfriend also which keeps him busy. He has a good friend that drives him around, so we don't have that chore thank goodness. You can't drive with a cast or a boot on your foot or leg. Besides it is his right leg. I love you all and pray you have a wonderful reunion on Thanksgiving. I appreciate all of your posts and so enjoy all of the pictures. God bless and keep you Hugs and Kisses to all

2010-08-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would announce to all of you that Crystal and Jess are going to be parents, sometime in April next year. Which means that Judy and Ed will be grandparents and grandpa and I get to be even greater grandparents. Nicole is over the moon and I don't know how Abe feels yet. I thought this was great news indeed. Love to you all

Mountains

2010-08-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life gives you some lemons and you can make lemonade, however every once in awhile it gives you a mountain that seems impossible to get over or around, so we have to count on God to help us, or carry us over. I am at that point at this time, and it is because of something I have no control at all. I have prayed for peace and serenity to accept the things I cannot change, but it is hard to accept things you cannot understand. I have loved and accepted all of my children and grandchildren and the great new little ones. I consider myself to be a broadminded person, with a lot of compassion for people and loved ones, but when someone you love and have loved so much takes a road that is a road or a path you do not understand or find hard to accept, it becomes an impossible task. I have read what the church has said about the situation and I still am in the most difficult place in life, that I don't know what path I am to follow. I do know that my job as a parent is to love with a Christ like love and support of the person involved, however I find myself wondering about my ability to do this and make no judgement and without reservations love the sinner and hate the sin. I think this may come like the song that says I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord, I'll do what you want me to do, but please help me to do what I find so hard . I think by far this has been the hardest year that I have had to live through, and I truly believe we are living in the last days, when men's and womens hearts will fail them. I know that Satan is running rampant over this world at this time. I feel that my heart is truly failing me. I believe this is the time of life when we have to be on guard and do what the Prophet says and read our scriptures, keep all of our covenants and pray so we can stay close to the Lord so that Satan has no power over us, if we aren't constantly on guard with the Lord at our side we will be caught up in the world, and go the way that Satan wants so he can cast us upon the wind and scatter us and we can be lost in just a few moments. My heart hurts for all of the terrible things that have come to pass and cast another family upon the wind to be tossed to and fro, so carelessly upon the earth to where they wonder what their real moral compass is and what path to take, when things have been so mixed up for them these past few years. May we all remember that we are their family, and love and be there for them if they need us. I love and appreciate you all and may our Heavenly Father be always at your side.

Interesting About a Bear

2010-05-27T00:18:00.000-07:00

We went home teaching the other evening, and they told us an interesting story. Their front door was all scratched up and the living room window was broken, cracked. They said that they had been in Redmond the first week in May and when they returned they found the damage. Now they live in the cul-de-sec off Bradford road, just a ways from us. They said that there were paw prints on every window in the front of the house including the broken one. They asked the neighbors, and no one had seen anything, but the next door neighbor said a bear had tried to get in their house and the dog had barked at it and scared it. So they say it was a bear, early in the spring there was some talk of a bear seen around, but no one saw him again, and we thought he had gone up the mountains behind the neighborhood. But he must have returned and tried to get into the Petermans house. I suppose he is gone again now, things are settling and no one has seen or heard about him for awhile. They had a lot of bears in Florence last year around this time so I guess they wake up from their hibernating and are hungry so they try to get into garbage cans and any place else they can find food. I think there is only one, and it may be a cub, it seems like the older ones would be afraid to try to come in the houses or garages. O well so much for the excitement of the neighborhood. Catch you all later.

Weather And My Garden

2010-05-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

I am hating the cold and the rain. It just doesn't go away, and I am quite sick of it all. It is so hard to get the garden to grow when the nights are so cold! It is supposed to get better, maybe a degree or two warmer next week but the nights are still in the thirties, I heard that this is the coldest May on record. I have some things growing, Pretty lettuce, herbs, chives, and tiny little beans peaking up. If the sun would just shine for a couple of days the beans would be 2 or 3 inches high. A lady gave me three beautiful Roma tomatoes plants the other day at the pool. I am so excited to put them in the ground. Then I plan to plant some pepper plants. Maybe I will try again to grow a yellow squash plant. I am going to grow some onions and garlic. I have a few flowers growing, I want a lot more, just have to get some at the nursery. I am so looking forward to not having to wear a sweater outside, and for sun to shine for days at a time. Enough whining!!!! We stopped at Jake's new house the other day, as he had some plumbing problems and wanted grandpa to help him out, and we were going to Fairy's 80th B-Day party, and so we stopped on the way. Miles is so sweet, and he and Ruby have grown so much since I saw them last. Miles didn't want me to leave, he kept saying he needed me to stay. So cute and so sweet. I am angry, I had posted a lot more and the computer lost it and now it is late and I can't even rem amber what I said. Sometimes I don't know what to think about computers, such a wonderful tool and then they act up and you'd like to hit them with a baseball bat! Oh well I think I was talking about Jake's new house and all of the work he has done and the work he is doing and going to do. I don't envy anyone doing remodeling and that is what he is doing. It will be beautiful when he is done. but it is a lot of time and WORK and MORE WORK. He is like grandpa so talented though and able to do it. Abe and his roommate are planting a big garden out by the pump house, and I am hoping to have a lot of things to freeze and can from there. They are planning to can, I'll have to see it to believe it. I am thinking of not working at the beauty shop so I can do water colors and more quilting, and other things I want to do around here. I want to can more peaches this year, we ate the last jar tonight, and I really will miss having them until they come in this summer. They are delicious and so are the apples only 3 more jars of them left sigh. Well guys the gospel is still true. I loved our Sacrament meeting today, and we had the most wonderful music. Hope yours was as wonderful. Love to all God Bless

2010-04-21T22:09:00.001-07:00

Random Thoughts and The Things We Are Doing

2010-04-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Amy says I haven't blogged for awhile, I guess I need to more often. We are getting ready to plant a big garden here out by the pump house. Not grandpa and I but Abe and his roommate. They plowed up the space out there the other day and are coming back on Saturday to work on it some more. Nickell Abe's friend works at a seed warehouse and greenhouse nursery, in fact he is one of the managers, and really wants to do this. We shall see, I have a lot of raspberries I am getting from sister Perry that she has dug from her plants. We will plant them out there and they will be in full sun and grow well. They got a large load of sandy loam to plant in although the dirt is pretty good out there as grandpa with the help of some of the boys in the ward have gotten a lot of the rocks out of there over the years. It is hard for me to realize that we have lived here since 1993 and that makes it 17 years in November. It is funny sometimes I look at things I have done here and the time has gone so swiftly, the more mature you get the faster it flys. As granny Biggs used to say time waits on no man and it is so true. I can't belive grandpa and I will be married 57 years this December. Again time flys by and goes too fast. I have been busy lately doing a lot of work at the beauty shop and physical thearpy and regular massage. It is paying off as I have improved a lot as far as walking are concerned. Still walking outside with a cane, which I kinda like as it helps my knees a lot and supports me at curbs and steps. We are going to the pool at the club to walk in the water for me and for grandpa to swim and work his legs. We are going to go Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Unfortunatly I have lost a lot of the stamina that I had before the surgery. I guess wearing a cast and a walking boot for 4 months is hard on a person, so I am working on that a lot. It takes time and time gets lost for me, it seems I just get up and before I know what is happening I am going to bed again. No wonder I am a night owl I am conserving my time and the precious hours so I can do as much as I am able. I wish I could bottle up some of the energy that my great grandchildren have and I bet I could sell it on e-bay for a lot of money and become a millionare. But God knew what He was doing when he gave a lot of energy to the young they need it for all of the things they do and the places they need to explore. I heard through the grapevine the other day that they are throwing a big birthday party for Aunt Fairy it will be her 80th, again that old devil time and guess what she still has hair as red as when I met her. She says that as long as there is color in a bottle she will keep it red. I am glad my hair is gray and that I can get all of the help I can when I go to places as everyone is always so polite to me and opens door etc for me. I love it as those doors are sometimes heavy. I love, love the new Sunday School lessons and I hope you are all taking the time to read and study them as they are totally awesome. We have a wonderful teacher and that helps to inspire me. He is truly amazing and makes us all think. Something that isn't always easy for us more mature folkes, and we have a lot of ladies that are widows. Grandpa is really progressing on the piano and I find it hard to believe sometimes that he has come so far with it so fast. For those of you who are wondering I am still going to plant my garden up here at the house, I love being able to just go out and pick what I want right at my door so to speak. I truly love the blessing of having it so close. Well it is ten and so time for me to go to bed. I love and appreciate you all Grandma aka Nonnie PS Forgive the spelling here as the spell check has disappeared from Blogger why is that do you thing?

Finally Getting Better!

2010-03-01T21:48:00.000-08:00

Went to the doctor today, and the sore is healed Yea!!!! after all this time we are going on the fifth month. I am still walking with a cane and I don't have a lot of strength, but I haven't had a lot for a long while. I will go to the pool and walk 3 or 4 days a week and that will help me gain some. I was just getting some when all of this started, and now I think my heart isn't up as good as it was before the surgery, by that I mean I 'm not able to walk as far as I used to be able to if that makes sense. I will gain it back by the end of the year I am sure, it just takes WORK. I am not the best person to exercise, but I will try to do more strength ones and walk in the water. I need to get back on a good healthy eating program also, I just haven't had the heart to go at it along with all of the rest I was dealing with. I haven't really gained any weight, but I haven't lost a lot either, about 5 or so lbs. I hope to get working on that next week or soon. I just need to eat healthy and not so much sugar. I feel lots better when I eat less SUGAR wonder why that is????? Could it be that it isn't really good for any of us. All kidding aside I truly don't have the joint aches when I eat less sugar. I cleaned all of my kitchen drawers and my kitchen pantry before Megan got here on Thursday night, and it is wonderful to have them straight and I can find things again. We had everything scattered and messy none of it where it belonged, from all of the good help of people not knowing where to put things, Ed helped a lot but the Cinnamon got to the cabinet over the stove and the pepper was over in the baking cabinet. I am grateful for all of the help I have had from everyone I have things organized again phew! So it is all okay . I truly am grateful for all that he does to help me, I couldn't get it done now without his help. He always changes the bed for me and vacuums the floors, and sometimes he cleans the kitchen and bathroom floors. I still have a few Christmas things to put away and I want to sew some things for little Elle soon. We have most of the sewing room clean and I need to organize my materiel's so I can find what I want to work with. You can tell I feel better as a month ago I just didn't have the energy to do anything, and was happy to get a meal on the table. Ed did most of the dishes in the dishwasher and emptied it also. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and the knowledge that I have that I am His child and I know that He takes care of us all. He is helping Sherry also as she is doing well at this time. She is done with the radiation and is still doing the chemo twice a week. She is using the kind you take by mouth. At this time they are somewhat optimistic that she is getting better. The frontal lobe cancer she had and the surgery she had really worked for her. Some people with that surgery are left with memory problems and seizures so she has been blessed. We are blessed, the doctor said he had a patient that just came in that was experiencing some re-growth of his cancer and it had been 3 and a half years, so that is good news. In the beginning they said she would be lucky to live a year. I pray she has more time, we all know that she is terminal, just don't know the time limit. But I guess none of us know what the time limit is really do we? We just have to live on Faith. I love all of you and so enjoy reading your posts on the blog, as it makes me feel close to you and know what you are thinking, doing and feeling. I am happy you like the Little Nellie Posts and I will try to do a few each month and when Amy gets down here again maybe she will help me post some pictures of those times. I do enjoy the memories and recalling those times.

About The Blog

2010-02-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog, called Little Nellie, which are stories about me growing up. I have a lot more to publish, just need to find the time to post them. I have to admit that I had Amy's help on this, and I would never accomplished this without her . I hope you will check it out, I hope you like it. It has been fun doing it and I truly have enjoyed remembering all of these things that happened when I was young. I am so glad that some of you asked me to do it. My surgery is doing well and I am walking with a cane outside, but inside I seldom use it. I still have a small ulcer about the size of a match head , that needs to heal. It has been ever so slow, as there were some pieces of stitching left in. The walking is really getting much better and I walk a lot in the pool, and do a lot of stretching so it gets tiresome. I have had a rash around it and of course I scratch it and that is really a mess. I need to stop scratching it. We are having a lot of RAIN! right now, and it is the kind of cold that gets to your bones. I am praying for sun and trying to thank Heavenly Father for all of the rain, and please, please send us some SUN! I am still working down at the beauty shop but it is a lot less than I used to. There are a lot of things I want to do now, so I want to work less. I got rid of the nails, and am trying to grow mine. I got tired of the upkeep, and some of them were lifting. So one day I removed them. I hope all of you are keeping up with the resolutions that you made for this year and know that I love you one and all

My New Blog " Little Nellie"

2010-02-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

My New Blog and Life

2010-02-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would tell you all of my new blog called Little Nellie, short little stories of me as a child and growing up. I have written a few and with the help os Amy I have got the site posted on the grandma blog. So check it out and let me know what you think. I am doing a lot better, but I am still dealing with an issue which is a small sore where the scar is, that didn't quite heal. So I put antibotic ointment on twice a day. It is truly a darned nueciense. Lots of care and little to show for it. Ihope that all of you get to hafe what ou want of nrd?

It's A New Brand New Year!

2010-01-02T23:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for awhile, and I want to do a positive one and not a whiny one. It has been a tough 3 months. I have gone from feeling so grateful to the depths of despair, thinking I would never walk normally again. It seems a long time in a cast and I really got tired of dragging it around, and now when I go out I wear the fracture walker, which puts my foot and leg in an L shape. Things would have gone so much better if the surgery would've healed well but it didn't and so we are still dealing with a small ulcer to get closed so I can't exercise in the water, and that has been really hard. The reason they have a tough time with stitches in that area of the heel, is there isn't enough flesh to put stitches in so they can hold, and so they put dissolveable stitches in underneah and guess what some of mine didn't disolve. so the doctor, ended up digging some out and now it won't heal. If that isn't enough, I get an infection in the cells and have to take antibiotics for a month, and I get a rash, namely yeast behind the knee because of cast and boot and now I have it on both legs. But in all of this I am grateful for the fact that I am doing my Physical Thearpy and walking better each day, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In November around a week before Thanksgiving, we had some devastateing news. My beloved sister Sherry got a brain cancer and had surgery, and is now fighting for her life. I thought that with all Amy had gone through and Rebecca's problem and my brother-in-law Victor had a stroke, not to mention Grandpa's bi-laterel hernia surgery, that nothing else could happen. WRONG! Sherry is going to be doing radiation and Chemo at the same time. I think that will be the pits for her. She was 66 on Nov. 11th of this year, and believe me the feelings are the same no matter how old you are you still love those sibling as much as all of you loved Amy. So we are all praying for Vic and this comes on top of it all,and I have a hard time believing it. She called me today, and said she had met with the oncology surgeon and his crew and that the radiologst was really blunt. He told her she could live for 3 months or maybe a year if she is lucky. This made Linda and I really angry, as he isn't God and certainly doesn't have all of the answers. That is what I told Sherry, that she just needed to trust in God and not believe him, My friend Adeline has had cervical cancer for over 20 years and it is in remission for the third time, and they told her she had a year at most, but she says because of the prayers of family and friends and Priesthood blessings she is still here. I just think that you can't give up. We had a great Christmas starting with Amy's celebration and then we went to Ed and Judy's and had Christmas with them. I made a few things but not even close to what I usually make. I was just too tired and sick. I didn't get any presents out to my grand children this year and sent a little money to the great grandchildren this year and the card list was short. Not the usual 200 or so. I had no intenions of decorating anything, but Abe was here working with grandpa and he got my tree down and set it up and Nicole came the next day and she hung all of the ornaments on the tree, and Abe got down all of the snowmen, bears, and santas and so everything was pretty festive. Now I have to take it all down, it is times like these when I wish I had nose twitching power like Samatha so I could get it done in a blink. Wishful thinking. I just read on line or in a magazine that if you want to heal you need to eat lots of protien. I also need to finish this post so I can go to bed, as I continue to make too many typos. I love you one and all and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

2009-10-31T01:25:00.001-07:00

Sitting Home

2009-10-31T01:13:00.000-07:00

I had surgery on Oct 2Nd and it is the 31st and I can probably count on one hand the times I have been out of the house. It is the most frustrating thing I have done. This is the most miserable thing I have had to endure in a long time not to mention the pain, and the in-ability to do what I want to do. I can move about the house, however I can't stand for very long on one leg, which is what I have to do, SO I am really a handicapped girl. I can't reach a lot of things in my cabinets and if I want to stand I need to lock the brakes on the wheelchair of I risk falling down or losing it. It is a long time to sit believe me and the bum gets tired. I am so grateful for being able to get around as much as I can and I really am grateful for the wheelchair I am just so sad that I don't get to do what I am used to doing. I am looking forward to being able to getting this cast off in one week and if the healing has taken place that it needs then I can be in a different kind of cast and put a small amount weight on the foot, and maybe use a walker. During this time I get to do lots of physical therapy and everyone tells me that is the worst as far as pain. However everyone said I would have lots of pain after the surgery and I have had some but not too hard to get through, the itching is nerve wracking and at times you would like to tear the blasted thing off. I am so grateful for Ed he has tried to be as helpful as he could and is willing to take me anywhere I feel like going. Unfortunately I don't always feel like going out. As Amy says you can only read so many books and do so much watching TV and movies. I really am thankful, I am just venting and I am grateful there are things I can get to and I get to read the blog each day thanks to all of you that post. I don't know if I told any of you but, Leona's husband Victor had a stroke as he was driving his car and ran the car off the road and totaled it. He didn't get hurt and he didn't hit anyone else . He has been in the hospital for the past two weeks and is making progress, still can't talk, but can stand and do sitting. It was on his right side and so he can't write either. I am praying for my sister, as she hasn't ever taken care of the bills and any of the business at home. So she is having to learn a lot now about things she didn't think she would ever have to know. All of you need to know these things as women, even is you don't pay bills and take care of anything, you need to know how to do it in case something happens and you have to. Leona is 68 years old so let this be a lesson to all of you because Victor has always taken care of it and she has to learn this now. So learn this now while you are young. It is late and I need to go to bed. I love you all and pray the best for you all.

Surgery and Patience

2009-10-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

One thing I have learned in the past four days is that I haven't any patience at all and I don't like CLUTTER!!! Ed is the biggest messy person I have ever known. I think his mother taught him. She always had things she was working on laying around everywhere. He uses something and instead of cleaning it and putting it back, he just leaves it where it was used and then has to spend half an hour looking for it when he needs it again. He throws everything on the couch and leaves all of the cabinet doors open, things on the counter, tools stacked where he plans to use them, and on and on. I truly am not complaining, I am just frustrated as we live in a small space and we have to put things back close doors, drawers, and closets, if not everything is a cluttered mess. I can't put things away, at all and so I am having a hard time being grateful, as I guess I have always picked up everything as I go and then I have an orderly house. I am truly grateful that he is so wonderful to fix everything so I can get around in the wheelchair, as I just do not have the stamina to use the crutches to get around the house. He has waited on me, bringing me anything I want or need and I do mean anything. Jumps up from the TV to get me water pills food snacks wash clothes and anything else. Helped me take a shower today and taken me to the doctor, believe me it is endless. I have to prop my leg up to keep the swelling down and to keep the blood clots away and so he is constantly moving pillows covering and uncovering me. I feel sorry for him and I know he is exhausted yet he continues to work. I can see it is going to be a long 6 weeks and I pray that I will be getting around after that, so it will be limited. I will wear this cast for 3 months. So pray for us that we will be able to be PATIENT!!! I think Stormy one of my friends offered to come and sit with me on Thur. and he has a finish to work on so it will give us both a break.
The surgery went well, they had a really great anthologist that convinced me to have a spinal block and a nerve block behind my knee for the pain. I was hesitant but it really was wonderful. The spinal was totally done when they woke me and the knee nerve block for the pain was in place and lasted for about 24 hours. I really appreciated it and the doctor convincing me to do it. It was a good thing as I had to lay on my stomach for 3 hours as the surgeon put a steel plate in the heel as they had nothing to connect the tendon to anymore. So the wound is long and the scar big as he said it took him a half hour to sew it back together. The very best thing about the spinal was that I didn't throw up for days afterward YEA! It takes me at least a week to get over having a general, and I am soooo sick. This was like having a piece of cake. Now if the healing will be just as good and fast I will be one really proud lady. I know that Heavenly Father had a lot to do with all of the things falling into place so well and I am thankful to HIM for all that He has done for me and mine. God bless you all

Surgery and Update

2009-10-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

This is going to be short, as I can't sit to the compter for very long and I have been here for awhile already. My neck hurts, and my leg is swollen today as I have been up too long and need to put it up and rest it. Yes today I found out why you elevate the leg!!!! It swells if you don't. So the cast is tight

Surgery: Crutches: Casts

2009-09-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Well it isn't happy news and I haven't posted for awhile. Now I guess I as going to complain at least a little bit! You wouldn't think that an Achilles tendon would take such a long time to heal? I thought just a surgery and then a few weeks in a cast and a few in a walking boot????? Wrong I will be in a cast for 3 months, and then 3 more months of therapy. Wow I will be on crutches and a in a cast for all of the holidays. I asked him what I was going to do about making chocolates at Christmas and he said I could set in a chair and supervise. I don't think I will put a tree up at this point. Oh well maybe it will all be better than I think at this time. I pray that Heavenly Father will help me see a positive side to this. At this point I don't know what I will really face. I was told today that I will not be able to stand on my feet for a very long period of time. We'll see what is going on at Christmas and maybe by some miracle I will heal better than he thinks. I suppose a person couldn't stand on one leg for very long and I will have a walking cast by that time. I will need all of your prayers and anything else you can do for me. I am going to ask him that after the surgery kinda heals a little if I can set at the sewing machine, or a table and do my pictures. On a more positive note the reason I haven't posted much is that I have been really busy, we went to Lizzie's early in the summer and had a blast and loved every minute of it. Then I came home and watched my garden grow, and planted more lettuce and other things. The beans did really well this year I have about 26 quart bags of frozen french green beans, the kind you buy at Trader Joe's and I love them. I also froze Marion berries, raspberries strawberries and jammed marions raspberries and cherries I have cherries in the freezer also. I plan to make strawberry jam later but I may make some now before I go to the hospital so I will have some. I plan to make some dishes that grandpa will just have to heat up and we will make use of Costco and get some of their stuff in the freezer. I have canned apples from our tree, 26 pts. pears25 pts, and peaches 25 pts. So you can see the summer has been fruitful. The beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, did really well this year, but the peppers and squash didn't so as well as last year. The tomatoes were small this year. I froze 12 apple pie fillings also from our tree. I could never have done all of this without grandpa's help, he worked on a lot of the peeling of things etc. I really appreciate him. He picked marion and raspberries from Cathy's yard and picked a lot of the beans. He picked all of the apples and peeled them all wow what a good job. I think you slow down a bit as you age. At least that is what I have done, but grandpa is just like the energiser bunny he just keeps on hopping along. He does get pretty tired when he works a lot which he has been doing lately. We have all had a lot of things to endure this summer and I am ready for it to cease but alas I know all of these things shall give us experience and we will all be the better for it. I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of even the smallest sparrow, and is also aware and loves us. We just need to endure and look to him for strength and trust in Him. I know he will help us to endure our trials and we won't have to do more than we are able to endure. May He help you all in your trials and bless you with his love. I love and appreciate you all Grams

Too Long Since I Posted!

2009-05-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Well too much has been going on and I haven't felt like posting for so long. We have been trying to get our place fixed up so we can have dad's party on Saturday. I had my throat stretched on Friday, and I thought it would be a piece of cake, because the last time it was. But I really wasn't prepared for being SO tired. I think the anesthesia was hard this time and I just seem to continue to drag around. I had planned to go to Sharon's on Fri. after it was over, I couldn't have rode over to the coast if my life depended on it. I went to bed at 8:45 unheard of for me and awoke at 10:20 on Sat morning. Phew I couldn't believe it. I did the same thing on Sun and Mon, so things are kind of behind. I plan to get some things done tomorrow, and I am planning on not working on Friday. So I should be caught up by then. Dad is working outside, doing too much as usual. Somehow our big freezer didn't get closed all the way one day last week and became a big frosted mess, and yesterday I spent several hours defrosting it. It really had a lot of ice and I was really tired after that. I have my garden planted and it is great the beans are coming up already yea! I need a few more flowers. I will get them tomorrow sometime I think. I have to tell you of my adventure before we went to Lizzie's which was wonderful, we had a lot of fun and the kids are so cute and Liz and Shad were so good to us. We had fun seeing Disneyland for the first time in about 40 years. It was a blast especially Splash Mountain, which Tanner loves. Anyway back to what happened before we left, we had decided to defer our taxes and found out the mobile home was still in the guys name that sold it to us.
Some mix up a few years back when the DMV turned all of the titles to the
State, so I go to the courthouse to get the title changed into our name, which was easy as I had all of the right paper work thank goodness. Spent 2 hours in the courthouse as they are so slow, and came out and started to cross the street on the corner of Park there and this woman in a big SUV was on her cell phone and was just turning the corner driving and paying no attention where she was going!!! I could tell she didn't see me and froze where I was and the man behind her sat on his horn, and she finally stopped about 6 inches from my body, by this time I was screaming STOP and the woman sitting beside her was screaming at her and the man was honking, it was a circus. She rolled her window and apologised, the man honking rolled his window down and screamed at her to get her stupid ear out of the damn phone and pay attention, as she came close to hitting someone. Needless to say I got into my car and thanked Heavenly Father for the man honking his horn and for his watchful eye over me. I felt so blessed that I didn't get hit. Well happy summer to you all I am sure it is just around the corner. I love you all

2009-04-23T21:18:00.001-07:00

Life and Other Things.

2009-01-12T00:31:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to get to this post for awhile. We have had a few adventures since Christmas started. It was planned for us to go to Ed"s and Judy's for Christmas eve and day. But then it started to snow and snow and snow! It stopped here, but continued in the Portland and Vancouver area for days, all through the holiday. So it was a choice, we could stay home, drive seven hours to Vancouver and maybe not make it. We would've only been able to go about 20 or 25 miles an hour after Salem. Sharon called and said why didn't we just come on down there and spend the holiday with them, so we did. There was some snow in the mountains, but it was just mostly rain. I loved seeing everyone at the coast and all in all we had a wonderful time. We came home, and got rested up and spent New Year's eve and day with Ed and family. By that time all of the snow was gone and the roads were clear and it was back to rain. I spent the day after new years with Debbie and Fairy. We went to lunch and visited. Judy had planned to come, but one of the dogs got chewed by the others and had to go to the vet, so that is where she spent her hours. I got wonderful presents from everyone thank you so much, you are all too good to us. It was a really relaxing new year. Grandpa and I got most of the decorations off the tree and everything is out in the shop now except for a few wrapping items. So we need to organize the totes and get them upstairs. I plan to do that tomorrow, and clean the rest of the house. I went to enrichment and helped to sew receiving blankets for the neo-natal unit at River Bend Hospital. We are donating them for the babies that are going home. They send them home wrapped in a new blanket if they have them. Cathy said that we made 35 of them. Not too bad I think for a small ward. I love making something like that so rewarding. We had a funny thing happen on Sat. morning. The kitty was outside and dad opened the garage door and looked out and he said there under the floor was the biggest rabbit he had ever saw, and the cat was staring at him afraid to move. The rabbit darn him had torn up my planter bed digging for something to eat I am sure. He made a big tunnel and a bigger mess. Grandpa was mad and I think that the rabbit was lucky to live. So he started to talk to the neighbors to find out where the rabbit came from and what he was doing in our yard. Turns out the O'Donnell next to us said that there were two of the rabbits and they had eaten up Chris's garden in the summer, and his wife was crying and upset about it. So we found out who they belonged to and they had escaped at the beginning of summer and they can't seem to catch them. Dad told them they better get them before we plant another garden or they won't be around to catch. I really don't want to do anything to the rabbits, but they need to control them, it is bad enough to keep the garden away from the deer here, now we have two tame rabbits to deal with that are the size of a small giraffe. Brother! I have such a great time with that small garden space planning and planting, it would be so disappointing to have it all dug up by them. I pray they will catch them or I will call the animal control and see what can be done. Well it is late and I need to go to bed and get rested so I can do all of the chores for tomorrow. I love you all and hope you all have a great new year.

The Story OF The Winter Easter Lily

2008-11-01T22:01:00.001-07:00

Sometime around Easter Ed bought me a beautiful lily, it was covered in blooms and buds and really lifted my spirits. It bloomed for a month or more and like most house plants that I get I enjoyed it a lot. But it finished blooming and I watered it and one day I noticed that it was really wilted and I thought I think I'll throw it in the planter in front of the window in the planter box. I planted it there and chopped it off at the bottom of the stem. I haven't thought much about it for a long while, as I thought it was supposed to bloom in the spring. Now there are lots of plants out there Rosemary, Roses, Sage, and others so we water and feed those plants, and the lily has grown up over the height of the window and now it has 2 beautiful white blooms, and 4 buds, as if it doesn't know that it is Fall and almost winter. Since it is protected by the house the two freezes we have had haven't bothered it and it continues to look lovely. I can't believe it really, it has to be totally confused about when it is supposed to bloom, or maybe it thought I'll bloom now to give Janell a lift. It smells really wonderful too. I think it is wonderful how sometimes Heavenly Father creates something that does something unusual, and does something that it is totally out of character as is the case of the lily. I don't know why it chose to bloom at this time of year, but I will enjoy it's loveliness and be grateful for it blossoms. I have really enjoyed the fall this year, as it has really been beautiful, the trees have really had dresses of red and gold. The sun has been out most days, and it usually rains on Halloween, but this year it was pleasant. It wasn't cold as in past years, quite unusual also. I hope you all enjoyed the Autumn this year at your house. I have had my flu shot, and then one of my old crowns broke, I really shouldn't complain as it has lasted for thirty five years or more. Tom Elliott the first dentist I had here put it in and it was the first one I had. I hated losing it as it is so expensive to replace. I have to do it though, as it braces and supports my partial, and without that I wouldn't have any teeth to chew with. I tell you all don't get any older as it brings on all kinds of troubles, and pains. Not that I am complaining as I have it a lot better than most of the people with my problems. I can walk and do my own house cleaning and laundry, so I am thankful that I don't have false teeth like some of my friends do. I am grateful for all of you and your sweetness and love you all show for both grandpa and I, we love and appreciate you all. I especially appreciate my own children and their spouses ( I have had them the in-law children so long that they seem like my own) I am so blessed to have such caring and loving children. They have always been so good to me. I love them so much. It is a wonderful blessing to have been their mother. Well I need to go to bed so I can get up in the morning for church. Ed went to the Temple to do the spanish today, and he enjoyed being there, that is another thing I am grateful for. He rides with Brother Nebecker and his wife, and Pres. Jensen. He is fortunate to be able to go and not have to drive, as I don't think he would make it if he had to go by himself. It would be too hard and dangerous, as he would fall asleep. I went to Time Out For Women with Sharon, Judy, Debbie, and my friend Cathy. It was wonderful and I loved every minute of it. It was my birthday gift from Steve and Sharon. It was truly a special one and a lot about Joseph and the pioneers also on Friday night. Really wonderful! Catch all of you later.

I Love The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

2008-10-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

We had an area Stake Conference broadcast for Oregon today, and I really got a lot out of it. I enjoyed Elder Uchltdorf"s talk and it started me to thinking of my roots in the gospel. As some of you know I joined the church when I was 11 years old, and was the first of my family to see the light so to speak. If I hadn't of seen that light I don't know where we would all be at this time. It is sobering of me to think about. I started to go to church with my great uncle Jeff Ricks, and his wife Susie my grandmother's brother on my mom's side. My sister Leona went sometimes, but she was 4 years younger than I so it was harder for her to be committed. Also I was the oldest of all of the children in my family and that makes you a little more mature than the others sometimes. I loved to go to church and we met over the union hall upstairs. It was just a small place as the church wasn't built at that time. It must have been in the works, as I was one of the first ones baptized in the new ward building. I just don't remember that part of it, and I don't know the year that it was finished. I had a teacher named Annabelle Jackson for SS and I truly loved the stories about Daniel in the Lion's Den, Adam and Eve and their Sons Cain and Able, Moses, Abraham, the book of Mormon stories, of Samuel, Alma, and all of the others she told. She had a big flannel board and told lots and lots of stories. Sometime later the missionaries started to come out to our house and teach the folks, I am sure uncle Jeff put them up to it, but I suppose they could of come because of me. They went through a few missionaries before they started to really get interested. We lived in a small house at Spicewood Springs( wish I had that 10 acres of land today, it is worth millions.) We moved to a place on Herrigot lane and the missionaries still came and taught the folks. My mom had a hard time quitting smoking, and for Dad it was the coffee. Dad worked most Sundays at that time as he worked 7 days a week at the Tally Ho restaurant. After we moved he went to work for Arkies's Grill and only worked 6 days of the week. All of this time I am coming to know more and more of the church and it's teachings. I am getting older and I watch someone get baptized and I think of it for myself. I start to pray for me to have the opportunity to get to know more, so I start to read more of the Bible stories myself. I don't have a Book Of Mormon at this time, I don't know why, maybe the missionaries thought I couldn't have read it? I become really more and more interested, and at about 10, I start to bug mom about getting baptized, each day my testimony grows stronger, and I continue for the rest of that year to ask mom if I can get baptized please, please. She always says the same thing, that she will talk to dad and they will decide, and once she said I could wait until I was 16, and I told her that I wouldn't wait that long, please talk to dad about it. By the time I was 11 I know the gospel is true and that I am a Child Of God(even though that song had yet to be written) I save my money to buy a white dress and mind you I didn't have much money at the time, I save anyway and continue to pray for the folks to let me join the church, as I knew that it was the only true church upon the earth and that Joseph was a prophet, I knew and no one was going to tell me differently. I was so positive I continue to talk to my mom, and she says she will speak with dad. One day I was walking with daddy or at the store with him, and I decide to take matters into my own hands and ask him myself. He asked me if I believed it to be true, and I said that I was positive it was. He then said he would speak with the missionaries and uncle Jeff and as far as he was concerned I could. I couldn't believe it!!!! I felt it taken so long for me to be baptized, however I had only been attending for two years. Time goes so slowly when you are that age, I wish it would go more slowly NOW! I have a great respect for time and how it is spent in our lives and I feel we need to use our time here on this earth more wisely and enjoy all of our moments. Savor all of the joyful moments, and the ones of trial also, as you will not pass that way again. I know that when the children are small or you are waiting to get some, it is hard. Stop and enjoy, as time goes by on wings of lighting and enjoy to trip. I can truly say I have loved my life and I would not change anything or the way I have grown from my trials and all of the joy I have experienced. I will say that I don't think it would have been as wonderful without the gospel in my life. I joined the church of August of that year and I have been going in it ever since. Just 3 months after my eleventh birthday I joined The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. What a memory that is to me and as I said in the beginning, think of all of my family, it is the most wonderful thing in my life. I am so grateful for all of my four children, 19 grandchildren, and now the cute little 8 great ones. Not to mention my good husband without whom none of this would be possible. My parents joined about 2 years later and all of my sisters and my one brother. Four of my sisters have temple recommends and are active in the church. Of these my sister Leona has a daughter that will be married in the temple she has 5 sons also that were raised in the Catholic faith. Marie has 7 children of these 5 have been sealed in the temple and 3 of her boys served missions. Sherry has 4 boys one deceased and one single holding a temple recommend one sealed in the temple and 2 that served missions. Linda has 7 children and only one has really embraced the gospel and she has 8 children and of those 7 are sons and will probably serve missions and be sealed in the temple, my other siblings aren't active in the church. I have one son that has served a full time mission and all 4 have been sealed in the temple. I have several grandsons that have served full time missions and 8 grandchildren that have been sealed in the temple. It is a great blessing to me to look at all of you and think that it all started with a 9 year old's dream of getting baptized. I think also of all of the converts that have been baptized by all of the missionaries that have served in our family and I am humbled by the work of a wonderful Heavenly Father who knows and sees all and his Son Jesus Christ who gave us the ability to repent of our sins through the Atonement and become like Him. What a blessing and a privilege it is to have lived in this time when so many wonderful things are happening on this earth. How richly blessed we are to have this most precious thing in our lives and to be able to know that He Loves Us and Cares For Us. On another note Mike and Amy came to our house today and had dinner after the broadcast and we so enjoyed having them. It is a wonderful blessing to have grandchildren. I appreciate them so much and I love how they are so interested in the things that are happening in our world and the sane way that they all look at it. Abe came yesterday and took his voting ballot with him after he took the time to vote. I love you all and pray for all of you that you may have all of your needs met. Love Grandma aka Nonnie

CANNING LOST PURSE & LIFE!

2008-09-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I last posted, and most of you won't check for awhile, so I may have to wait for the comments. I have canned fruit for the first time in about 3 years. I just haven't had the energy and it has been too overwhelming for me. But with Ed's help thank goodness I have peaches 21 pts. pears 21 pts. and apples lots of apples on the tree this year, so we have frozen 12 pie fillings, and canned 22 pts. Plus I have made a lot of jam from the peaches and pears. I am so grateful to be done now. I need to clean the floors, and I will get help with that, so it won't be so hard. I have also been working at the beauty shop some. They are slow this week so I was able to finish the canning. I am so grateful that Ed made me a place to can out in the shop, so we doesn's heat the house up, and that has been wonderful. I do make the jam inside, but all the jars of fruit was cooked outside:) Wonderful! Ed also put a new motor in the car, and we have had the dings of paint fixed. So we have a nice running car, thanks to the genius of Ed. I have to tell you about losing my purse, I went shopping in Trader Joe's last week and as I finished, I got my keys out in the store, and put the sacks in the car, got in the car and drove home. I didn't notice that my purse wasn't in the car until I got home :( and when I looked for it to go into the house, it wasn't anywhere to be found!!! I left it in the cart. Oh brother, I thought I will have to cancel all of the credit cards, debit cards, etc and not to mention the gift cards, plus the $60. cash in it. We had just changed banks and all of the debit cards and checkbook were there. I couldn't believe I had done such a careless thing!! Besides the fact that I loved that purse, I knew it would be gone for sure. So I started to cry as I went into the house yelling for Ed and was so upset. I called TJ's and explained the situation to him and he asked "what color is it"? I said blue, and he said "I have it here" I couldn't believe it! Truly amazing. We went back and picked it up, and everything was there, so very honest soul had turned it in. Thank God!!! I was never so grateful in my life, I thanked Heavenly Father all the way home and for days after, I was so thankful, I later realized that my Temple recommend was there also. It would have been so hard to replace all that was in that purse. It has renewed my faith in people, and I feel so blessed by Heavenly Father, for this and I am so grateful for having more enegry and other blessings. I am so thankful I can read the blog each night and share a little of your lives with each of you. I love hearing about each of you and all of the things that are going on with you. I am joining a book club with some of the sisters of the ward, I think it will be wonderful. We have just finished reading our first book, The Giver by Lois Lowery. It was interesting, and has a lot of food for thought in it. It is a book for young adults, and is very well written. I plan to try to find a watercolor class for this winter. I don't seem to paint unless I am with a class for motivation. I will try to post more often, to let you know what is going on with us. Love you all

Summer Time Activities & Little Things

2008-07-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a long time, because I have been too involved in other things and reading your blogs. We have been kinda busy also, and at times I think about it but it is too late or I have other things to do. I enjoyed my birthday a lot. We had a wonderful time and everyone came it was great. The 4th was really exciting as all of the grands were here and it's always fun to see them all together and to have fun with them. Jess and Crystal came from Portland and brought a lot of fireworks from Washington. Wow that was a blast in more ways than one. Grandpa is as big of a boy as the younger ones. He had a lot of fun throwing some small balls that exploded and lit up. All I did was watch the show and it was quite something. The neighbors really thought it was great. They all commented about it the next day. My garden grows and I am going to post a picture but I keep forgetting to take one. I have harvested a lot of lettuce, and there are peppers that are getting bigger each day, and tomatoes also. We went to Portland this past weekend to see the body building show that Ed Jr is in. It was really something to see as he won the masters in his age of men over 50 and then went on to take the trophy for the best all round master from 0ver 40 to 0ver 60. He is going to the east coast for nationals this week on Friday and if he wins that he gets money I think. I hope he wins. It is a lot of work for the short time he is up there competing, but it seems to make him happy, so I guess that is the most important thing. Grandpa has been going to see doctors for a pain that is in his calf muscle, and today they are thinking it has to do with the hip bone pinching the sciatic nerve and is causing all of the trouble, translated it means that he is probably going to have another hip replacement. What a pain for him, I pray it will go as well as the first one did. Abe is staying with us for awhile and he has been helping grandpa and looking for a job. Abe went to church yesterday, and had a wonderful time. It has been awhile since he has attended so it was good and he really enjoyed being there. I am glad for him, tonight he went to a family home evening social at some one's house for root beer floats I am doing well and trying not to fall again, as I had a small set back early in the month when I fell on my hip and knee on the kitchen floor. Somehow I caught my toe on the hem of my pants and lost my balance. I spent the next several hours getting ex rays and RX to help with the pain. The meds were hardly worth it as I only took one pill. Nothing was broken, but I was sore for a few days. It set me back for my walking a while, but I am working on it again. I am working at a small beauty shop really part time, and get my cuts, and perms free. Cindy the owner is a good friend, and Friday she is going to put some gel nails on me for practice. So I am just doing trading really. It is nice as I have sold some of my BeautiControl. Good for me, gives me a reason to get things more organised. That is about all of the news I can think of so I guess I will catch all of you later. Love you all

2008-05-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day and Feeling Better

2008-05-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Well I have learned a lot in the past few weeks. I saw Donna the nurse practitioner that knows all about this device that I have in my chest. It was informative and interesting to say the least. They have a little machine that they put over it and it reads everything that has happened to my heart since I have had it. Truly amazing!!! It shows when the heart has went into bad rhythm and corrected it. All and all I think it is something that is really great for people like me. I am walking a little each day as much as my legs will allow me and I rarely get out of breath, but I don't push myself, so that I become overtired. All of the info goes to a computer and it tells them what they want to know about my heart. I truly feel much better, and people say I sound and look better, not so tired. I went outside today and planted some flowers and Grandpa plans to put me a bed on the edge of the patio and I will be able to put in a few veggies and lettuces and flowers. It should be easy to work in and will be 12 ft long and 1and 1/2 feet wide. I will be able to reach across it well. I think I will make some jam tomorrow with some berries that we have in the freezer. We are out pretty much and I didn't feel like making it in the summer last year. It is supposed to get warm tomorrow, I pray it does as I have been cold all spring. A wet and cold spring this year. Had a wonderful Mom's day, at Ed's and Judy's, the kids and Ed cooked on Sunday and we had a great dinner. On Saturday us girls went to lunch and shopping for awhile and it was fun. First time in a long time I looked in stores and really enjoyed it. Yea!! Fairy's birthday fell on mother's day this year and so it was fun to take her to lunch and embarrass her at Red Robin. Sat. night we went with Nicole and Crystal to a karaoke place and they sang their hearts out, all went and even Ed Jr sang a couple of songs. It was fun. I haven't heard the kids sing in a long time. I think I can start to sew a little now, I hope I can hold the ruler so I can cut the squares now. I am looking forward to work on the quilting again. Our High Priests have an outing planned, remember most of them are OLD for this summer. This is our new Group Leader and he planned it. He wants to take a bike ride up to a park 5 miles outside of Cottage Grove, and bring your own lunch!!!! Everyone is planning to do an outing so we can invite non members to learn about the church. I can't believe it, but he decided this all on his own without asking his other group leaders, which grandpa is one, about it. I and about two thirds of the ward don't plan to go. I haven't been on a bike in years, and to ride it for 5 miles on a highway is really silly. Most everyone I know doesn't plan to go. Oh well it takes all kinds to make the world go around. If you want to you can take your car up, you can, but who wants to go to a park without any tables and dusty gravel walks and no water. I shouldn't complain I suppose, I just can't believe it, nor do I think non members will like it. I suppose it is getting late and I have to do the dinner dishes still so I better get at it. I love you all and pray for you the best of everything. Love Grandma

2008-04-29T01:55:00.000-07:00

Getting Better And Not Sleeping! I am tired of not sleeping!!!! It seems that I go to bed and fidget and can't get comfortable. What a big pain that gets to be. I think I slept Sat. about 6 hours and about the same on Sunday and now it is about 2 in the morning and I can't go to sleep. I sometimes take calcium and once in awhile I take melatonin but lately nothing seems to work . I am SICK of it. I haven't blogged because it is hard or was hard for me to use the keys. I finally figured out that it was what was causing the pain in the surgery site. So I stopped doing very much at a time. Now I am doing a lot better, and I go to the nurse practitioner next week to find out just what I can do. I have been really limited as to what I can do with the left hand or it causes pain. Also they want the wires in the heart on the left and on the right to make a scar tissue grove so they will stay in place. Grandpa has really been great with helping me. I have a hard time putting away dishes and sweeping vacuuming mopping and a lot of things. He has done the vacuuming for awhile. I wouldn't get a lot done without him, I'm really grateful. At least I can sleep on my left side now. We saw a great movie, you should all check it out, called August Rush, wonderful music and a really good story. I loved it and so did grandpa. I have enjoyed looking at the blogs so much especially the pictures. I hope to get started on a bed cover made with some blocks that granny Grace gave me a couple of years ago. They will make a great bed cover, however I have to cut a lot and I don't think I can do that yet. Or sew probably:( Maybe after I see Donna on the 5th I will be able to do some. I really want to get started on it soon. Speaking of movies, we caught Penelope the other day and it was great I loved it also. It should be out on video soon I think. I will be soooooo glad to welcome summer, I am so tired of the Winter this year. I has been a real cold wet and snowy one this year, and in April it snowed and we had to cancel church as Cottage Grove where we go had 4 inches. Definitely want it to stop raining also. I want to plant some flowers and some lettuce and herbs and maybe a tomato or two, I'm looking forward to that. Well I think that's all of the news I have. Love you all Grandma

Came Home Saturday

2008-04-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have a really sore shoulder and can't lift anything over 5 lbs. for a month, with my left hand. And lots of things, weigh more than that, my purse sometimes. I really have to rethink that. I am tired, but they say you will be for a week or so. I suppose I should expect to be as they were inside my heart arteries and shocked the heart 3 times.

Can't drive which is a bummer and no shower until Tuesday:( The doctor laughed and said that I'd just have to stay dirty. Doesn't know me very well, talking to Clorox Annie here. I have some of those cloths that you can heat in the microwave and sponge off. I got some nice food brought for dinner yesterday and today. I have some wonderful friends that are good cooks. I think I will have Ed get a chicken tomorrow and that will last a couple of days. I plan to ask Cindy who owns a beauty shop in Creswell if she will wash my hair for me, as I can't put my arm upon my head for awhile, until the surgery site is healed. She is our bishop's wife and a great gal, so she will if she has time. But all things considered I am doing well and I pray that every thing heals and that I get over the tape rash. I have a rash everywhere they put one of the sticky leads and where they used tape plus the shock site. I'm sure it will go away in a few days, it just itches a lot! I am really grateful though with all of my complaining for the wonderful science that we have today and that they are able to do something for heart failure as it has come a long ways in the past 10 years. What a blessing to have such great surgeons and doctors to help people like me. Tagged! How did you meet your spouse? Good question Ed was stationed at San Marcos AFB and the closest church was at Austin TX and so he came to church and I saw him there for the first time and he didn't really see me as he was so busy flirting with all of the other girls there. It was Christmas and he had just finished basic training and so he had leave and went home, and we didn't see him again until Jan. I made sure that he noticed me, that time as I was afraid that he wasn't going to come back and was just visiting. Turns out that he was engaged and while he was home he and she decided to call it off. So the field was clear and I moved in. Where did you go on your first date? I was really too young to date and Ed came to visit me at my house on Sunday after church and my folks really liked him . He was only 19 and had no one except the church family and his parents had just gotten a divorce and his only brother had just gotten married. So I think they felt kind of sorry for him. In those days we had Gold and Green Balls at church and we were planning one in March. We were working on my dad to let me go with Ed. We saw each other at Mutual and church. And of course He came to my house after church each Sunday . Dad finally agreed to let me go with Ed to the ball if we went with the branch president of the church and his wife. Who eats more? That's a toss up I eat more treats than he does, however that has to change, and has really since the middle of Jan. and so now he eats a lot more sweets than me. Who is taller? Ed is. How long have you been together. We will be married 56 years in December. Wow I can't believe it. Who sings better? Ed can read music and used to have a beautiful voice but somehow he lost it when he started to have heart issues. I sing fairly well at least for the grands and great grands. who seem to like my songs. Who said I love you first? Ed did. And immediately asked if I loved him and I said I did. Who is smarter? Well it depends on what is being discussed. Ed knows a lot about the Gospel and is way better at studying than me, however I have a great memory and so things stick with me. Ed is really great with anything that has to do with teaching and anything mechanical, I am not there and could never pass the tests that he has for all of the licenses he has. He can't spell and he really doesn't do grammar very well. Computer him. Reading me. Who does the laundry? Me Me Me I would never trust him with clothes everything would be gray!!!! Who does the dishes? We both do I usually load the dishwasher and he unloads it . He will load it in a pinch but he doesn't like to. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Ed does. Who pays the bills? It is a joint effort, Ed pays all of the business bills and some of the house ones and I do it sometimes and usually take care of the medical and household bills. Who mows the lawn? Ed does, we have a lot to mow!!! He got a new riding lawn mower this year and he really deserves it. Who cooks dinner? Me! Who drives when you are together? We both drive, if it is night and raining Ed does unless he is to sleepy to drive. I have a hard time seeing when it is rainy and dark. Who is more stubborn? Probably me. Who kissed first? Ed kissed me. Who proposed? That's a funny story, as Ed was being shipped to Korea so we thought. Turns out as he was the morning report clerk like Radar in Mash and was really close to the Commander of the base who told him to volunteer for the shipment to Alaska, which wasn't for a few months, so Ed had to go to Victoria AFB TX. which was a few miles southeast of Austin and we didn't like the idea of being separated so we decided to get married. We skipped mutual on Tuesday night and got married by the justice of the peace in Austin. We told no one except our friends the Rasmussens and Ed went back to the base and I went home. We told my folks about 5 days later, as my dad decided that we couldn't see each other so much. Too Late!!! Who is more sensitive? Ed is very emotional. I cry at sad and happy movies though and get my feelings hurt also. Who has more friends? I do Ed has a lot of people that love him but he doesn't hang out with them. Who has more siblings? Me I have 6. Ed has only one brother now deceased and three half's and several steps. Who wears the pants? We both wear them it depends on what the issue is.

News You Might Be Wondering About

2008-03-11T16:02:00.000-07:00

Dearest Children, I went to the doctor yesterday, and talked to him about some test results (ie) Echo Cardiogram. This test tells how your heart performs. How the blood flows through the valves and so forth. Not to be confused with the veins or blood vessels of the heart. (ie) Does not tell you if you have a blockage. As far as we can tell I do not have any blocks, although it has been 12 years since I had an angiogram. It does tell how the heart's electric system performs. Since there is a question of why this was done, I hadn't had one since 2004. Also my blood pressure was elevated and they keep it low so my heart doesn't have to work so hard. So they went checking to see if the heart had a problem. I am the same as I was 4 years ago. That is I have 29 to 30% of the pump, cardiomyophy,an enlarged heart) any of you could get the weakness from me and have this, I get it from my mom) a left bundle branch block( this has to do with the electric system) caused by a virus earlier and a moderate to severe leaking of one of the valves. This long explanation is simply to tell you that as far as I know and the doctor knows I am the same as I was 4 years ago. It actually isn't a lot different from 12 years ago when it was diagnosed. This explains why I don't lift, walk fast, climb stairs, dance and jump around anymore as I used to do. (Or go shopping until I drop HA! which makes grandpa happy.) In fact I rarely walk very far as I get out of breath, which is why I no longer do some of the things I used to love to do like take a long walk on the beach. I walk in the water and do some easy strengthening exercises. I tell you this so if someone says they are concerned about my heart don't worry, I am the same as I was yesterday, I am totally thankful that they have some medications to help with this. I am also very grateful that I found out about it while I could still do most of the things that I usually do, clean my house cook and grocery shop. I can still go shopping He! He! I just park close to the store I want to go in and only go to one or two places and stay at it an hour or two. Sometimes when people have heart failure it isn't discovered until the heart is damaged to the point of functioning 5 to 8% which really limits them and their ability to function. I have a great doctor and cardiologist. We are doing well, grandpa is having a little down time because of the loss of his brother. He was pretty close to him and you know how you feel about your siblings, and he only had the one. I have a hard time imagining how it would be as I have so many. But I think it is probably the same as you love them all so much. I have to stop, grandpa will be needing dinner early as he has to go to plumbing school tonight. This one is at Lane C. C. thank goodness, the one last month was in Salem. So the drive isn't so long for him. He has to get 16 hours a year so he can keep his plumbing license, just one of the small things he has to do to keep up. Love Grandma

Grandma Grace's Graveside Service and Cliff Cook

2008-02-19T22:45:00.000-08:00

Well today we went to the Willamette National Memorial Park in Portland Oregon for the buriel of Granny Grace. It was a nice service, however we had a double trial, as Cliff Cook passed away this AM from cancer at the hostpital in Vancouver. It was truly fast as the dignosis was given for him to last for a year or so. So his family was there for granny and then tomorrow they will need to plan his funeral. We had a really nice service and all of Cliff's family was there except for Michael Deb's son and Patrick Randy's son. Great grandchildren of granny. They had to work. A few of Grandma's neices and nephew were there. Roy came and he told a story of the geneolgy work that she did. We all went to Olive Garden and had lunch, Ed Jr treated and wouldn't accept any help from any of us though all offered. What a nice thing for Ed and Judy to do for a last tribute to Grandma. We all had some happy memories of her, and I think we will all remember the blessings that have come to us because of her. Ed Jr has brought this to our attention through his reading of the journals that she kept. We all are mentioned there so many times and the wonderful appreciation she had for all of her children, grandchildren, and the greats. What a legacy she has left us with her work for the ancestors and for all of her service to family and friends in the church. I am sure she was pleased with all that came to see her off and the ones that were there in spirit, if they were unable to come. She truly loved her family and I for one am glad to have been blessed to have had her in my life for so many years. I know that she is truly in the room in heaven where all of the people she blessed with the genelogy work she did. She had a dream once that she was escorted to a large room filled with people and was introduced to them as the one that had done the work for all of them. I know that her calling and election are sure because of this work. She crocheted hundreds of afagans for the vetreans along with slippers and did that until she went to the other side of the veil. There were finished and unfinshed lap robes there in her closet when we went to get some of the things she wanted us to have. She was always busy and working for someone else, she had lots of energy until the very end of her life. I have sometimes said negative things, about her and I truly am sorry that I have as her journals say that she truly was a repentant person. She deserves only to have the good remembered and I want to strive to always look at all of the postive thing she accomplished while she was here. I loved her as a daughter and I know she love me and all of mine. God bless us all to live to be as good as she thought us to be. The grange will take all of the lap robes and finish them so they can be donated to the vetreans. I love all of you and pray for us great and happy moments as granny wished. Love Grandma

Let It Snow!!!!

2008-01-28T00:06:00.000-08:00

Well as everyone knows it did snow a bit today. We have a lot of it out here, around 5 to 6 inches I would say. Our church was cancelled also, and it was a good thing I think as we have so many little widows in our ward that drive themselves to church. It snowed some more tonight and is supposed to do more in the morning. I think it is about 30 degrees out there now. I wasn't very happy as I couldn't go out and trudge around. I would have loved to go out and built a snowman and grandpa wanted to but he has caught what I had. So we stayed in and watched the snow and movies and ate good food. Notice I said good food not junk. We spent some time at the hospital on Friday because my doctor sent me there to have a bunch of tests. It was too late for him to do them in his office. I spent my whole afternoon sitting on a gurney being hooked to a bunch of machines and being poked and prodded. Heavenly Father blessed me and my heart tests were just fine. So the diagnosis was adult asthma.... I have been told that I had some but it hasn't ever been diagnosed as such. I now have a nebulizer and I also have 5 days worth of Prednisone to take. It is interesting that they gave me a whopping double dose in the ER and I was told it would make my blood sugar rise and I would have energy and maybe be a little jittery. The reason that I can't go out into the snow is because it will constrict the airways and make it hard to breathe. I feel like I am a medicine cabinet. I have such a lot of pills and now all of this stuff to help with the asthma. This cold really compromised my lungs and they say I can't take a chance with it as it can cause a lot more problems hence the intensive treatment. I am really grateful that every thing with the heart worked well. I haven't had that through of a check on it in a few years. The moral of this story is of course NEVER GROW OLD!!! It is a royal pain....however as my little mother used to say time waits on no man. On that thought I will say so long until next time. Love Grandma

No Blocks

2008-01-23T20:54:00.001-08:00

Well we spent the day at the hospital and it was long and tedious, but the news is good. There are no blocked veins. Grandpa still has to figure it out and why he is having the pain, but we can eliminate the heart being a problem. Thank goodness. I still am fighting the asthma problem and the cough. The antibiotics are slow I think, but they are working. I was going to mention a movie that we saw the other day I thought it was pretty good. It is Amazing Grace and based on a true event in history. We enjoyed it. I am about two hundred pages or so in the last book of the Twilight series and I am thinking that they are better than I thought in the beginning, maybe I wouldn't be afraid of a good vampire:) Who am I kidding I would probably run as fast as I could and that isn't very fast any more. Ha! I really do enjoy books about legends and these books have a lot of that in them. Hopefully tomorrow I will feel good enough to clean this house a little. Grandpa wants me to make him a bib of all things so tomorrow if I am too tired to clean at least maybe I can sew one. I love and miss you all Grandma

My Cold And Grandpa Going To The Hostipal

2008-01-23T20:54:00.000-08:00

Well Didn't intend to post for a few days however I have to tell all of you the news. Grandpa is going to the hospital to have another angiogram his 4th stint it will be if he has one and he probably will. He is having the same symptoms that he always has and has been taking nitro for several days now. It is a real bummer, and I have the worlds worst cold, not a good thing to take to the heart patients I feel pretty nasty myself. Had a breathing treatment, chest exray and a blood test, yesterday and spent 3 and 1/2 hours at the doctors. I think I really don't like to go to the doctors anymore. It takes way too much time not to mention the high powered expensive antibiotics I am taking. I am not a happy camper about this at this point. Pray for us will you, we need it. I really pray that the surgeons will get it right and that this will be the last one for awhile. I need to call the kids so they (the boys ) can run down or up is they want to. I don't know for sure if Ed Jr is in town, and Alan is in LA. We Love All Grandma

Just A Little Post

2008-01-02T22:20:00.002-08:00

Rebecca says I need to post again. I haven't really felt like writing as I have been a little under the weather. Yesterday I went to the club and walked in the water for the first time in a week. I have been trying to get back on track with the dieting game ever since Christmas. I have prayed and thought about it and I still can't seem to make it happen:( A big FAT pain!!! I came home from swimming and I couldn't get warm. I sat around and felt sorry for myself as I was so cold. Then towards evening I made dinner and noticed that my throat was a little raw. I woke up in the middle of the night and I was really wheezing and coughing with it. So I get up and spit up a bunch of phloem and used my inhaler:( and think I must of caught a cold somewhere. Bah!!! I have been so careful to wash my hands and sing happy birthday twice so they have a good thirty seconds to be really clean and somehow I have caught a germ or missed one or someone gave it to me without knowing they had it. So today I have been on the computer and read some more of Twilight and I am almost done with it and I still can't decide whether I like it or not. I really enjoyed the Wednesday Letters, but I just can't seem to get into this vampire series. I have read some really good books this past year so I do know what a good one is. I will continue to read and see. I went to Tops this Wed. gained a 1lb. so I was depressed about that, but on a positive note I won $25.92 for them drawing my number which is 39 meaning I was the 39th person to join last year. It is the quarters we put in a can when we eat a no-no food. It changes from week to week, it is sometimes pasta, chips, salty, or popcorn or ice cream. If we eat it we pay and so that is how the money is raised. I don't know how often they draw the number, but I think it is once a month. Today I have also had some stomach problems so I haven't eaten much. I will have Grandpa pick up some more Chicken Noodle soup and bananas and I'll go to the store on Monday, by then hopefully I will feel better. I am sorry to have seemed to be whiny and not my usual upbeat self. I have decided to throw away or give away the white fudge that is left along with the pecan bars that I made for the holidays. (they have been frozen) I took them out the other day and managed to eat the chocolate fudge and some of the bars. But I have totally decided to rid the house of what is left. I made grandpa some date bars and I don't like them so I'll leave them alone. I have put the chocolate bars, and the chips in a large container in the freezer so it will be hard to get to them. I think for awhile I will think of only healthy foods and try not to dwell on anything good until Valentines Day:) I will go to the club on Monday if I am feeling better. I will not go and give this to anyone else!!!! I truly dislike people that do that. I probably won't go to church tomorrow, as we have so many little old widows that I don't need to cough on. I need to qualify the above statement, I will think of GOOD HEALTHY FOODS and enjoy that and stop thinking that chocolate and sugar are the only decent tasting foods on the planet, after all it isn't leaving the place it will be around when I am able to indulge a little again:) On that note I will say so long until next time I love you all Grandma

An Unusual Sunday

2008-01-02T22:20:00.001-08:00

Today church was cancelled, because of the ice on the highways. We had snow Saturday evening around five and then it got really cold and froze on the roads as they were wet from the rain= ( so today the first Sunday of the year we didn't go to church. I have felt really strange all day, like I missed something. We had a great blessing on Saturday, grandpa went to the Temple as always on the first and third Saturdays. Everything went well and he was almost home at the exit off the freeway and the truck died and wouldn't start again bummer!! He said some people helped to push him on the edge, and then he got out and started to cross the street and our neighbors came as they had been eating at the Chinese restaurant, they pulled the truck to the parking lot and would've pulled it on home but grandpa wasn't going to let him risk his family on the icy road, so they left the truck there and brought him home. I think Heavenly Father really takes care of us when we are doing his work. Our neighbors had taken their four wheel drive pick up truck and planned to go to Eugene to eat and go to a movie, but they were prompted to stay in Creswell rent a movie and eat there a blessing for us= ) I am so thankful they were there to help grandpa or we would've had to pay a wrecker to tow the truck. Grandpa fixed it today, something about a hose breaking, he just cut it and repaired it. Thankfully nothing was stolen from the truck overnight, a miracle here as things sometimes disappear even in broad daylight. I suppose it was too cold for thieves and mischief makers you think? This has been a long story about a small incident, but sometimes I think Heavenly Father watches out for us a lot more than we realize even the small things. It has restored my faith, and trust I can testify to you I am truly grateful I didn't have to go out into the icy storm last night and pick up grandpa and pay a tow truck bill. Funny and typical grandpa turns on the TV and guess what the snow had frozen the dish and it didn't work. No News!!! How Sad= ) Of course he can fix that handy man that he is and he had the ice knocked off and the news on in minutes. I hadn't been informed all day, what could possibly be the matter with me? Ha! Ha! Most of you know that I would probably only watch TV when conference or something important was on, some people think I am clueless but that is the way some of us are. I do read and listen to the news on the radio in the car and contrary to what some people think I do know what is going on in the world. Danielle asked what TOPS is and it is a club for people to lose weight. It stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. It is very inexpensive and quite fun. They use the members to talk and motivate us and usually the assignment is for a month. So I took January to speak so mine would be done for the year. We have all kinds of different contests and things so it is a really good thing if the club is good and made up of women that really want to lose weight. This club has about 45 members and we have a pres. Sec. Tres. and other leaders and meet every Wed. morning. Out in Thurston my old stomping grounds. I think it is raining again out there and it is only about 34 degrees, so you know what that means tonight it will snow again, I wonder if all of the school kids are praying for it so they will have another day off? Catch all of you later keep on blogging. Love Grandma

Happy New Year!!!!

2008-01-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for awhile, as I have been tired from all of the run around at Christmas. I loved every minute of it though. We went to Judy's and Ed's on Sat. before and spent time with them for Christmas. We had a fun time there and Judy and I made pies, rolls, stuffing, and homemade cranberries. Then we made clam chowder and potato soup. It was great with salad and french bread for Sat night. Then we had turkey and the works on Sun and opened our presents and Ed took us to catch the plane at 5:40 and we have to be an hour early. By the time we landed in Salt Lake I was tired, but we only stayed about 20 minutes, there was a lot of snow out the plane window. We had a really great time at Alan's and prime rib on Christmas. I made it and it really turned out perfect. Which was just good luck as I haven't cooked a lot of it. We had a lot of movie watching and game playing there. The kids really love to play games. We had some excitement on Wednesday as there was an accident just in front of their house and Brenda witnessed it. No one was hurt, but the power, went out as he hit the power pole and knocked it over and rolled his van. There were two car loads of missionaries just behind him and the paramedics, were Mormon so the priesthood was really strong. Not to mention that Alan pulled him out of the van and he was an older man, what he was thinking as he was going way too fast on that long sweeping curve I'll never figure out. I do know that he was very lucky. Alan said he thought he may have been drinking. The power was out for a few hours and the kids couldn't download their music and they were really sad=( We even had to go out to dinner as we couldn't cook and Alan didn't want to barbecue in the cold. We had to get up at five am and go the plane, and I didn't sleep very well so I was pretty tired when we got to Sharon's house. It was so beautiful there with decorations everywhere. We got a wonderful night's sleep and felt great the next day. The ocean is so restful, and I love it there. When we came home I was so glad to sleep in my own bed again. I truly love this little house as it is so very comfortable, warm, and Ed has changed all of the windows now, and next year we plan to insulate the floor more, as grandpa feels the floor is too cold. Today I signed up for a quilting class at the paramount sewing center. It will be a wall hanging and I will learn more about piecing quilts. I also will try to find a watercolor class to take for this year. Today I went to Tops and of course I had gained a few pounds, but I chose not to focus on it and be glad that I was still down a lot and my blood sugar is great. I gave a talk about keeping a food journal and I really plan to do one. I will be speaking for the rest of the month, and then I can relax for the year and someone else will have a turn. Next Wednesday I plan to talk about portion control and goals. The cat is a real character, he still trys to get into things, but he is growing and really cute. He climbs up on the edge of the toilets, trys to get into the clothes dryer, climbs to the top of the desk where my computer is and of course can't get back down so he meows until we come and rescue him. He gets sprayed with water if he gets on things he isn't supposed to, he climbs up on grandpa's lap and sits while we watch TV. He is so grandpa's cat and waits at the back door when he hears grandpa in the shop. If dad isn't available he follows me everywhere, and will often sleep in the utility, or the sewing room if I am sewing. He loves people and doesn't enjoy being alone. Kind of like us humans, sometimes we enjoy solitude but most of the time we enjoy being together. I am excited for the new year and the new course of study, the Book of Mormon and JS. at RS this year. We have a wonderful SS teacher and I love SS class. I love you all, May our Heavenly Father grant unto you all many blessings. Grandma

I finally put pictures up!!!!

2007-12-16T18:47:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone, Amy and Mike came over and we finally got this figured out. I will have Amy show me more when she comes back on Tuesday to make candy. I think I can do it, as I did the last one of Wendy. I haven't posted for awhile. Too busy! Christmas is just around the corner, and I still have a few things to do. Amy said she is all ready, I think I try to do too much, although I am not baking as much this year. I have lost 11 pounds in the past 2 weeks and I want it to keep going DOWN. I am hoping to get things mailed tomorrow and I have a couple of gift cards to buy and that's it except for a few cookies and some candy. Then I have to pack for Alan's house, Ed's and Sharon's after Christmas. Our dilemma is what to do about the kitty, as he is too small to let run outside. He would make a tasty morsel for a raccoon or possum so that's out. Although when the door opens now he runs like a bullet and goes outside. He hasn't learned to come when called yet. So we let him go for awhile in the shop and he is really glad to come back in as it is cold and he doesn't like that. I am tired tonight, so this is a short post. I went on Friday to the Temple with Sharon and it was wonderful. I am glad we took the time out of shopping and sewing to go. It is great to feed the spirit, and there is the most wonderful place to do it. I am so grateful to have the Temple close and a wonderful daughter to go with. I really enjoy your posts. Much Love to all

2007-12-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

This is Wendy Alan's middle daughter. She is 15 now. I will take better pictures at Christmas.

Random Pictures

2007-12-16T18:23:00.000-08:00

Left Grandpa and Trapper
Ema 13 years old.

Crystal's Bridal Shower

Pretty Gracie!!!! Andrew Cook almost 17 years.

Today Is Our 55th Anniversary

2007-11-12T17:00:00.012-08:00

We went to church and I fixed us a steak dinner when we came home. Grandpa helped me as much as he could. Church was on families today, and all of the talks were good. We went to dinner on Friday for our anniversary at Marie Callenders. I was good and got a sugar free pie and I had a steak salad for my entree. I have had some higher blood sugars and so I am really trying to cut the carbs and sugar: ( not easy this time of year!!!! I have finally finished the decorating of the house and it looks good and I am happy now that it is finally done:) I still have sewing to catch up on and packages to wrap. I'm not going to bake as much as I have in past years. I say this every year, but this year I really mean to do it. I am the one I make some of these cookies for and I can't eat a lot of goodies this year. It's okay when I help the girls as they take it all away and it's not staring me in the face. It helps that I can't take goodies to Alan's as Brenda really can't eat any at all because of the allergies that she has. I don't think I will ever have sugar free pie again as it wasn't that good. I have made a few things with low sugar and splenda that taste really good so I know that it can be done. Tonight the silly cat climbed into the Christmas tree. We took a picture and then sprayed him with the water. I will post some pictures when Amy is well and comes to make caramels and shows me how. I hope to give a lot of things away anyway and when I do it for someone else I usually never touch that. It sounds like I am really whining and feeling sorry for myself and I want you all to know I feel so much better now that my blood sugar is in control, that I truly don't feel that I will go back there again. So I'm not really complain about it just explaining and letting each of you know that when I don't eat goodies at the gatherings I am okay just trying to stay in control. I love all of you and enjoy the blog so much. It has become the highlight of my day. Love To All And to All A Goodnight. Grandma

Christmas Decorations

2007-11-12T17:00:00.011-08:00

I don't know why it is so important to do all of this decorating!!! I have been working at for two days, and I'm still not done. I truly wonder, as I don't have that much to do anymore, and I used to do the house at Walterville in a day. I was younger then and others always put up the tree. I decorate our tree by myself, as grandpa sets it up and then goes about his business. I want to sew and I have been doing some, but today I have been so tired I just couldn't get into it. We went to tithing settlement tonight and came home and watched the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I really think Johnny Depp is really a great actor, this was our second time to see it and I think once more and maybe I'll get it all. Dad thinks there will be another, I don't know for sure. I hope there is. I have been busy getting things done and I haven't written on the blog much. I wrote a really long one the other day and it got lost in cyberspace. I miss it when you guys don't write. It seems that my cold is better although last night I had a really stuffy nose and had to get up. I hope it isn't the cat. We have had a lot of fun watching him, he weighs about four pounds now. He is so grandpa's cat and hangs out with him a lot. He feeds him and mostly I am after him as I don't want him to scratch anything. Today he wanted to play with the Christmas tree, and the balls and other things on it. I squirted the water on a few times. You have to catch him at it though. He certainly is a busybody. I had an adventure at Jo Ann's fabrics the other day, and went head to head with their manager Louise. That woman really could use a few tools to work with people. I did get my fabric replaced, but it was against her better judgement. She said the store would just have to eat it, and not get refund from the factory, because the fabric was damaged, not my fault it had faded on itself. I figured it was better for her store to eat it than me!!! She had a lot of excuses, and things I should have done but I just stood my ground and finally she let me choose 4 and 7/8 yards of fabric, from materiel's that cost 3.98 a yard and was on sale for 1.49. I was really determined to have it replaced. I hate it when people say it is your fault and sell an inferior product. They need a sign up to tell the customers what they expect of them. It is late so I need to sign off love you all.

Busy Busy Day

2007-11-12T17:00:00.009-08:00

Today it rained on the I-5 in sheets, and water was standing in ruts and cars were hydroplaning and I was praying that I would get to Nicole's shop without any trouble. A big truck with 2 trailers came up beside me and almost ran me over!!! I called him something like stupid donkey and shook my fist at him. He must have seen the fist, heaven knows what he must have thought of an old lady driving a tank of a car and shouting at him. I made it to Bello and had a wonderful pedicure and now I have beautiful toenails for the Holidays. Vanity thy name is woman. It felt wonderful though. I had a cup of Herbal tea and a neck wrap plus a roller massage. I felt much better. I went to JoAnne's and took some things back that were the wrong kind. I got it for less at Wal-mart last night. Where would we go without the local WM although I have a new Bi-mart around the corner and I love it. They have no sewing notions. We will be going to Alan's on the 23rd and returning early on the 27th. Some of you have asked and that is it, we're leaving Portland late in the day on Sun. It will be a fast trip, and I think that Alan will be returning to LA to work by the first of the year. I am a little closer to getting the Christmas spirit. They are having the Nativity at the church of pres. st. I think I want to go so that I can feel the spirit there. Amy call me when you get a minute and we'll discuss Sun. I have a cold though it could be a lot better by then. I do have a digital camera, and somewhere I have the plug that goes to the computer so I can post pictures. Grandpa and I watched Hairspray tonight, and I thought it was great, I don't think grandpa thought much of it. I really think Travolta should get an award for his acting there. He was really funny. Well I need to get to bed. Love to you all God Bless Grandma PS the trucker was going over 70 miles an hour in the fog and rain. Stupid donkey

Christmas Is Coming

2007-11-12T17:00:00.008-08:00

Well dear ones today I have thought of Christmas, notice I said thought. I haven't gotten into the swing of it yet. I think I am coming down with a cold!!! Bah and Humbug I really hate having a cold this time of year. I sewed a few things today and I hope to keep on working on that. Not for anyone just a few random small things. I wish I could work as fast as your mom does on the machine. I am going to the pool to walk 3 days a week to gain some stamina. I seem to be flagging in my 70th year. I can remember I used to think I would never reach that age. We will be flying to Alan's for the Christmas holiday. Going on the 23rd and returning on the 27th. Not so long this time, Dad-Grandpa is supposed to go 4-wheeling with Al and not spend his whole time working. That is what he did the last 2 times we went to Alan's. Pool for the summer and a play room for the kids at Christmas last year. He likes to keep busy, but I think he is getting a little of the need to slow down a bit. Not as energetic as he used to be. I need some ideas on what I should get for Christmas I am totally drawing a blank this year. I have none. I had hoped to spend Christmas at home or at least in Oregon this year but alas that is not to be. Andrew is taller than Grandpa now and still growing. He is a nice young man and Wendy is a beautiful young woman and little Ema is a sweet one as well as pretty. What a nice family they are. I truly enjoy reading about all of yours and seeing the pictures you post. I am truly blessed to have all of you to love and communicate with. God bless you one and all Love Grandma

Christmas Is Coming

2007-11-12T17:00:00.007-08:00

Thanksgiving

2007-11-12T17:00:00.006-08:00

I spent a few minutes thinking of all my blessing, this Friday AM. I have so much to be thankful for and I sometimes don't stop to smell the roses enough. I really have a lot to be grateful for. My most wonderful blessing is my family. I think I got the best family a person could have. And though many are far away I can still talk with them and read e-mail and blogs. What a wonderful world we live in, we are so blessed to live with all of the conveniences we have now. Grandpa and I flew to Alaska over 50 years ago and the plane we flew was a goony bird and had a fat belly. It was a rough flight. Today we have the best ways to travel and communicate it sometimes boggles the mind of a person like me who used a dial phone and had no TV until I was 13 years old. Those were the days when a flush toilet was a great thing. The world moves faster than a bullet. It is so amazing to me. I am really happy that I was able to take part in this time and live now. I've really enjoyed watching the growth and development of my family. What a wonderful group of people you are I love you all. May God continue to bless and keep all of you and grant you, your needs and the righteous desires of your hearts. I love you all. Grandma

A Great Sunday

2007-11-12T17:00:00.005-08:00

The lesson in SS was about Paul and his letters in Timothy. I don't always understand Paul and sometimes I think he is a Male Chauvinist, but never the less I do think he wrote some great things, and there is no doubt of his sincerity in his testimony of the Christ and the Church. I love that, and our teacher is really good and able to relate well with all of the class, wonderful, that is the best way to describe him. So we studied the letters to Timothy, and it was good and I feel my testimony grew. In RS we studied about Joseph Smith, and I know that you can get bored, as it is a subject we speak of often, however I love Joseph. I think we should all be grateful for what he did in restoring the Priesthood to the earth, and the Gospel. Think at the time he was only 14 and he knew something that all of the pastors and religious zealots at the time believed wasn't possible. They taught that the Heavens were closed and that revelation was a thing of the past and that our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost were one person. At the tender age of 14 he knew something no one else on earth knew that Heavenly Father and Christ were persons of flesh and bone. I marvel what went through his mind at the time and I have great wonder at the blessing of our God that he planned for Joseph to do this before he ever came to this earth. I am so grateful for the knowledge and testimony I have of this and the blessing of being a small part of this great Gospel here on the earth in the latter days. I will get to the small things now we had Greg and Megan for dinner and we had a wonderful time with them and I learned a little more about Greg and his wants for the future for them and their family. I really enjoy learning about the plans of my grandchildren. Grandpa and I studied the Scriptures a bit and he is out playing the piano and I am writing. I love all of you Hugs and Kisses Grandma

Jake's Band

2007-11-12T17:00:00.004-08:00

I can't believe this, i have been trying to tell you all what a great time we had hearing Jake's band at the wow hall and for some reason I keep losing the blog. What a pain this is if I lose it again I will try again tomorrow. I feel like Scrooge at Christmas, bah and hambug!!! The band was fabulous and Ruby was so cute. She was all dressed up in her dress Sharon gave her for her birthday along with dancing shoes. She danced to all of the songs with so much energy I got tired watching her. Oh to be that happy and energetic again. Only for the very young. I told you about a lot of things but it is too late now for that so I will just say that we had a busy day and it is raining hard tonight. I am hoping for a little sun for Alan and family to fly up for the holiday. For those who want to know Tyson is going to the Las Vegas west mission. Hugs and Kisses Grandma

We Have a Kitty

2007-11-12T17:00:00.002-08:00

Sometime ago we went to the coast to help Steve with their new beach house, when we returned, there was a little kitten under our house. We trapped him with a small box trap. He was very angry with us and wouldn't let us do anything with him. Grandpa put him in a big dog kennel we had for Brandy and gave him food and water, and left the door open. So he would come out and run behind the freezer and peek at us when we went in and out of the house. After a couple of days he let grandpa pick him up and he took him to the vet. He weighed 15 ozs not even a lb. The vet said he needed a name and of course all of his shots etc. We named him Trapper because we trapped him. He is very cute and is black and white with blue eyes. He goes to the litter box and so far has always managed to get there. Thank goodness. I'm not sure about him as he still bites and I don't like that. My friend says that is what kittens do they ate like babies and everything goes to his mouth. The last time he went to the vet he weighed l lb. and 13 ozs. He is older now and is growing and I think he has to get the last of his shots on Mon. I'm hoping by the time he is a few months older he will stop his biting. Our neighbor who set the trap for him, said that Brandy told Heavenly Father that grandpa needed a pet, but he couldn't have another dog so she sent this kitty to us. She is our dog and we know that she is with granny in heaven as she was always feeding her when she was here. So that is the story of how we got the kitty, and he is very cute. Grandpa really loves him and takes good care of him. Today I went to Costco and this part is for Danielle, that is where they sell the spiced cider that she wants. It is 6.59 for a box. They should have a Costco somewhere around there. I got a really beautiful decoration to put on top of my TV it is a snowman with a bunch of kids around. I'm way excited to put it up I haven't bought a new Christmas decoration for a long time. In fact I have spent the last few Christmases with Alan and family, I think that we will try to be here for the holidays and spend time with our family here. I miss not decorating the house and all the local things. I love all of the tree festivals, lights, plays , choirs and of course seeing Santa in the mall with all of the children. I love Christmas. Oh by the way Tyson was supposed to leave on the 12Th of Dec. for his mission and he has to have so surgery done on his ankle so he will be leaving as soon as he is able, probably sometime after Christmas. Also Abe got a wonderful job with a big company to sell for yellow pages. They are sending him to Philadelphia on Dec. 2nd for a training. Thats all for now folkes Love Grandma Got to go read Scriptures with granpa.

The Story of my New Glasses!!!!

2007-11-12T17:00:00.001-08:00

Two months ago I got new glasses. Unfortunatly they didn't work too well and I kept trying to wear them. However after I would rather wear my old glasses instead of the new classy ones. Since they had cost a lot of money I decided to return them to the eye glass store. She said they were too small for the bridge of my nose, and she began to put nose pieces on the glasses. Guess what she BROKE them and when she did I told her it was a blessing because I didn't like them and now they would have to give me some different ones. She agreed to replace them with new ones and I picked some out. Today I got them and these are really great and I love them. Plus these cost about 140.00 less and you can't beat that. I really feel better about them and now I can read much better with these. What a real nightmare this has been though and I hate trying to break in new glasses. So since I was in town I decided to go to Michael's and get some things I needed and since I was right by Market of Choice I went there to get groceries, my goodness that store has changed. I don't think I have been in there for a few years and I couldn't believe it. You name it and they sell it if it is a food. I have never seen a deli that big. Wow!! If I wanted to buy anything prepared it would have been there. Truly amazing. I bought some turkey with rosemary and garlic, it smells wonderful, and some lite Jarlsberg cheese to go with it, I 'm looking forward to a sandwich tomorrow. Well my dears I don't need to ramble on about food so I'll just say my eyes have been opened and now I can SEE if you truly don't want or know how to cook you could just have a great meal and not work at all that is if you lived close to M of C. Love grandma

My Life is a Work In Progress

2007-11-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

I would like to get these letters normal, and I don't know what I am doing. We had a fun week-end, Sharon and Steve came for dinner on Friday to celebrate her B-day and then the family came and we had a fun time with everyone singing and eating for Amy's and Sharon's birthdays. I think the really best part was when Ruby gave the presents, she told what each one was. What a hoot that girl is. She is really bright, of course her parents are that way, so what do you expect? It will be interesting to find out what Miles or little buddy as Ruby calls him will be like. I love watching all of my children grow, and develope into their individual selves. When they marry they then become even more fun to watch the growth. We had conference for Sunday, and Pres. Martin talked of reading the scriptures, and some of his favorite ones. I really enjoyed the talks and the music. What a joy it is to be able to do the things you want and to have the freedoms to do as we please. I was reading in my Woman's Day magazine and they had some thoughts on JOY, " Joy is the feeling of grinning inside." "When you follow your bliss, doors will open...where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else. A thing of beauty is a JOY forever. John Keats. " For every minute that you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I really like the last one bst because it is really a waste of life and time when you get angry whether at yourself or someone else. Oh well I went to Physical Thearpy and that is about all I did besides the wash and the check book for grandpa { which I HATE} Now I need to make some dinner. Another chore that I have lost my zest for. Love to you all

Grandma made a blog!

2007-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

Hi this is Amy, I'm helping grandma make a blog!