Friday, June 21, 2013

Good Morning everyone and Happy Summer!!

For those of us up North it is a day we look forward to almost all year.  The beginning of summer.  I am not a winter person but have spend 66 winters here in the frozen North....I wonder if I will ever become a snow bird?

Well, my daughter (Arlene from Florida) called me this morning and is coming over today.  I am glad I stayed up late working on the storage stuff.  I emptied the tubs and put all the papers from 2007,08, 09 back in their boxes and am taking them back to storage...maybe before she gets here today.  She told me at ten o'clock last night to go to sleep and not worry about the mess....but I do expecially with a four year old coming over.  She also offered me a trip.  She wanted me to ride back to Florida with them and then she would fly me home after the 4th of July....I sadly had to turn her down as next week I have my pre-opt appointment with my family doctor and all those pre surgery test to take.  You don't even know how sad this makes me. :(  She has a free condo package and I will miss out on that.

Well, I am keeping this short today...going to do my morning reading and then get busy on getting stuff done before my cuties show up.  Have a great day!!

Unmotivated Thursday

Yesterday I finally found myself to be alone again as my grands and relatives all took off the night before.  So I made a list of things to accomplish.  However, I found a small bottle of eye drops on the floor and while trying to find out who they belonged to ended up getting invited to lunch by my oldest daughter, Holly.  She knows that I can hardly say no to dining at my favorite Mexican restaurant, The Grasshopper.  On Wednesdays the enchiladas at $1.50....they are very good.  So after eating, she asked what my plans were for the day and I told her I had to mail the package of baby items to my son and then I was headed to work on sorting out my storage unit.  She offered to help...how could I refuse?

I headed to the post office.  Last week I went to Walmart and bought a shipping box and tape and then found out it is better to use the post office containers.  So I had the baby items in a bag.  I went to the counter and asked for help and pricing.  I had the best cashier ever.  She pointed out the boxes and then decided she would just get me on.  We took out the baby items and I thought I would need the bigger box which shipped for like $16.....she got this small box and I didn't think things would fit into.   Somehow she made them fit...it was unbelievable and I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen her do it.  It included a home made a baby afghan, 3 outfits, 2 beany bears, a rattle and hair ribbons.  I was just amazed and it shipped for $9.65.  I hope they like everything....here are 2 of the outfits...

 



 

After mailing the package I went to the storage.  Eventually they joined me.  I had planned on only doing a little and she thought we were going to do a lot.  Anyway somehow she talked me into bringing  6 storage totes and 3 boxes of stuff back to sort in my apartment.  sigh.....  the problem is there isn't anywhere to put

anything in my tiny apartment....so then this morning I pull stuff from the closets...now my apartment looks like a tornado hit it.

 

AND I have run out of motivation....I work a few minutes...then go and check email....looks outside....get a drink...go back....pick up something....lay it down....look at facebook....check out blogger...

 

so here I am.

 

 

I am desperately hoping that no one drops in.  Especially my daughter from Florida.  I think she is visiting Matt's relatives today....Yesterday they visited someone with an interesting yard...I think he is a photographer....here is a pic of Andrew and Tristan that I thought was nice...

 





and another....

Well....the stuff is calling and my tummy is growling....have a great day and enjoy this beautiful weather.

Family Visit

My daughter surprised me by appearing here early Sunday morning.  Matt, Arlene and Tristen had driven all night straight through.  The last I had heard is that they were going to take their time and it might be 3 days of travel from Florida. 

Matt dropped Arlene off at my apartment.  I had allowed Andrew (her Michigan son) and Hailey (my other grand daughter) to spend the night.  And what a night it was....up all night watching movies and playing the Wii..I was exhausted.

As soon as Arlene got here, she whispered, "Don't wake up Andrew...I want to go running first."
So 12 miles later she returned...and we had the happy reunion.  

While Arlene showered, I fixed the father's day lunch that my son had requested....Sloppy Joes, Mac and Cheese and green beans.  Hey, it was his choice.  Then we all piled in my car (which has no air conditioning) and headed to the Toledo Zoo.  I was kind of interested to see how far I would be able to walk! 

This is a pic of the two girls in the back seat....

and what was Andrew doing?

how were the girls dressed?

a photo opportunity at the zoo....

Tomorrow we are

going to my other daughter's house (Holly) for a visit....will try to get pictures of them including Matt and Tristen for another blog.

Tonight I just have Hailey as the other visitors are off to visit Matt's side of the family.  It will be good to get a night's rest tonight.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Did you get a chance to sleep in today?

I had the opportunity but why is it that on the mornings when we can sleep in our eyes pop open and no way can we go back to sleep?  That's how it was for me this morning.

So I went through my two bags of stuff that I brought home from school yesterday.  Here is something I will share with you.  At the beginning of the year the teacher had the students draw a self portrait of themselves.  A couple of days ago she had them make another self portrait.  After completing the second one she passed out the ones from the beginning of the year.  Since I am a star pupil here is a picture of mine.

 

 

 

This year the kids gave me a new name.....Grandcracker.....(please ignore the date on the pic...I can never get the setting right on my Kodak).

 

 

Here are some pictures I took of my flowers and plants on the balcony....

 

 

 

and my tomato plant...

 

 



     I was so happy with my little tomatoes already coming out until I glanced over to my neightbor's
    balcony....

 

as you can see...she had huge tomotoes and hers are already turning red.  Do you

think she will share?

 

 

Friday, June 7, 2013

Hi Everyone....old friends and new.

First,......I have not disappeared.  I just haven't had much to write.  So I came to check on everyone and I usually see all my friend's blogs listed on my reading list....and there are no blogs there.  Have I missed something??  Do I need to change something?  Well, I went searching and somehow clicked on something that added a bunch of new friends.  Although it was an error on my part, I am hoping the 100+ people that I added might turn out to be good new friends.  I see some of you have added me back...don't know what this means exactly but oh well....I will try to remedy my problem.

Today was the last day of school for me.  It was a sad thing for me.  I am usually not sad but I will not be doing the children's summer reading program (due to my upcoming knee surgery) so I am sad and will miss my kids.  I didn't even give them good bye hugs....simply because I didn't want them to see my crying.  A few had asked my for my phone number....and I gave it to them.  It will be interesting to see if any of them call me.

If any of you have had knee replacement surgery, I would appreciate hearing how it turned out for you.  I have heard good things...but then I got on the computer and read a lot of bad stuff.  Now I am nervous.  I didn't exhaust all of my other options ...like getting the injections....because I just want the problem over with.  I am bone on bone and can't walk a shopping mall without being in agony.  It is affecting me in other ways....like my back, my other knee and being tired all the time because I am always fighting the pain.  My surgery is scheduled on July 15....and I am hoping to be better to start back to school in the fall.

If I am better by the second week in August I was hoping to travel to Wisconsin for my daughter's next completion.  This is an invitation only competition.  If she is successful and places she will qualify to train for the Olympics. 

What is the price of gas where you live?  It is $4.20 a gallon here in Michigan.  I might need to learn to ride an electric bike or something...lol.

Have a great weekend!

Last evening I went to my daughter's pinning.  She graduated today with a Bachelor's in Nursing.

This is a picture from last night with her two sons and soon to be step daughters.

I was teasing her about showing some leg....but guess who took the picture.  Notice the 11 year old ham in the back row....that's Keito...in front row is Brook, Allysia, Holly and Robby. 

Today was the graduation....a huge ceremony....on of the largest classes at Siena Height Univeristy.
I am very proud of Holly for completing her goal.  I "almost" cried....but graduations do that sometimes....like weddings I guess...hopefully there will be one of those soon....this is Holly with her fiance...

 

This is her graduation present from her finance.....

 

 

And yes that is a heart on her forehead!!

 

 





Here's how I spent my birthday

 

 

Let's start by me saying that birthdays are always hard for me.  Mostly I would like to avoid them.  It goes back to a childhood thing and it is sad so we won't go there.  So as my birthday approaches I really try hard not to get in a bad place....to remain calm and happy...and it mostly works at least when I am around others.  So there, I have told you a secret about myself that most people don't know.

 

 

Yesterday a couple of things happened.  One was I felt a cold coming on.  I got out the Airborne and drank it.....got some sleep and hope to ward it all off but as the day went on I felt worse and worse.

At school I noticed that one little girl was sort of down so I whispered to her that I had a secret and a surprise for tomorrow.  Of course, she went and told others and soon I had little faces in my face wanting to know my secret.  Luckily it was almost time to leave.  (My secret was my birthday and that I was bringing treats for the children). 

 

We were celebrating my birthday with my daughter and grand children the night before so that I could be with my friends on my actual birthday this also worked better for my daughter's schedule..  During the dinner, I felt worse and worse.  So I knew I wouldn't be able to go home and make the fancy cupcakes that I had planned.  So I asked my daughter to take me to the grocery store after dinner to get special treats for the kids.  I got the sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles...they are excellent cookies and almost as good as a cupcake.

 

 

So this morning I headed out with my cookies to school.  I went a few minutes late thinking that way the kids would be busy in the cafeteria with breakfast.  When I entered the classroom, on my desk were flowers, cards and a huge poster with Happy Birthday Grandma!!

 

 

 

 

So I guess the surprise was turned around and was on me!!

As the children entered the classroom they ran in shouting Happy Birthday and hugging me..one after another....then they burst out in song singing Happy Birthday...with their special version where they sing Cha-cha-cha after each line...so cute!!

It made my day!  This volunteer job is suppose to be me giving of myself to the children but I get so much from them that the blessings are too much to mention.

Tonight, was dinner with the group of girls that I use to hang out with.  Some I haven't seen in two or three years.  It was nice to see them all again and spend a little time with them.  So all in all a great birthday!!