Summer Time Activities & Little Things

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

Mother's Day and Feeling Better

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

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

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

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

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