Dad's Big 78.
We celebrated Dad's big day at Tammy's. He got his favorite dinner porcupine meatballs, baked potatoes, spinach salad, cherry jello salad.  I made a Black forest cake. Becca decided we had to have candles even though I warned her it would start a fire. She found 66 candles but had a "1" and a "2" so added that to made 78.  Here's the play by play. It took 3 to light them then it was hurry grandpa hurry before it is all burned up.

We did find some wax in some pieces but all in all it was great fun.

She's Out and About

First sighting for 2012.  We didn't see a lot of Myrtle last year but she is out now.  We've seen her once.  She was out getting a drink.  That's the best time to see her when we are watering.

Well I finally got it framed and upon the wall. It looks great. Thank you so much Matt and Ella for creating such a great picture. Such a good idea. I guess Ella is the one who kept after everyone to get their pictures to her. What a great job. Thank you everyone for making it possible. The guys at the frame shop thought it was a really neat picture and a great idea. What a great family we have.
We have put this group of pictures up on the opposite was wall. It all goes together really nice. I have several frames in the hall and in the family room and kitchen for vertical 4 x 6 snapshots. I also have some for horizontal but more vertical. These are all now so it is relatively easy for me to change the pictures periodically. So I would love some vertical pictures. I can print them myself so you can e-mail or text pictures.

We are enjoying some very pleasant weather but still needing more rain. The trees are blooming along with other flowers. It's a pretty time of year. Anyone up for a visit?

Making progress

I'm so excited. I colored my hair today myself. That is the first time I've been able to do that since I fell and tore my rotator cuff in August. I guess the surgery is finally paying off. It's been a long haul but I feel I'm really making progress. I have a lot of mobility and am mostly working on strengthening now. After so long my muscles are flab.

Thank you so much for all the help you have all given me. It's hard to be on the receiving end but oh so appreciated. I am so grateful for such a wonderful family and good friends.

I continue to learn thru this trial. I have found I really need my Lord's help and guidance. I can't do it alone. And I am learning patience.

Trying to think of something exciting we've done to blog about and that I might include pictures. For Gaylene's birthday she wanted to go see the Nationals ice skating competition at the HP Pavillion here in San Jose (used to be the Arena).

We went to the pairs ice skating short program. They were really good and we had a fun time. Tammy and Gaylene and I went. Dad and Becca and Alyssa joined us before for lunch, then Alyssa and Becca went looking at wedding gowns.

We went to Tracy and Johns in January for Jesse's homecoming. That was really fun but it snowed almost the whole time we were there. Jesse gave a great talk and we were really fortunate they had church. All the other wards in the Stake were cancelled because of the snow but Jesse's bishop knew he had family in town so they went ahead with it. It was fine when we went to church but it snowed all during church and we had a lot of snow to contend with going back to Tracy's. We were glad we weren't driving. Monday I got the flu and had diarrhea so bad and ached all over. I didn't say anything until that night. The next day I slept all morning but felt much better but still had diarrhea. We planned to return home Wed. and went to the airport for our flight at 4:00. I still had diarrhea but was feeling okay. They cancelled our flight. We rescheduled for 8:25. At 8 they cancelled our flight. We rescheduled for 6:50 the next morning. I called Tracy to let her know we were still there but didn't want them to come get us because the roads were so bad and we would have to be there so early in the morning. So it was a night in the airport. I watched as they loaded truck after truck with snow to hall it away. At 12:30 I went to StarBucks for some apple cider. It was really good going down but I still had diarrhea. Anyway it was finally morning and the runways were ice so our flight cancelled. Rescheduled for 3. That was cancelled at 11. This time I told Tracy she could come and get us. We rescheduled for Sat. Tracy got the flu Thursday night so Shannon and I fixed dinner Friday. By this time I was all better and felt great. It was good to get home although we did enjoy our stay with Tracy and family.

We went to the Disney Museum when Julie and Terrell were here after Christmas. It really is for adults Children I think would be bored. I really enjoyed it. We spent three hours there but Gaylene and I want to go back because we didn't get finished. It was a beautiful day and we got some great pictures of the Golden Gate bridge.

I'm recovering still from my rotator cuff surgery. My PT is having me use weights now (1 and 2 pound) I feel I still have a long way to go but I do see improvement. I still can't lift much but I am back to water aerobics which I really enjoy. I did enjoy my walks with dad.

I tried to post some of the ice skating videos but for some reason I couldn't get them to download.

Thanks

Just wanted to thank all those who helped so much to pack everything up so we could get the ceilings done and floor. With my shoulder there is no way we could have done it without you. A special thanks to Jenni and Jared, Gaylene, Tracy, Holly, Shannon, and Mark and also dad. Also to Jenni and Jared for their extra help and for their help in removing the furniture from the kitchen so they could do the floor and then putting it back after the painting was done. Don't know what we would have done without you all. I still have a lot to put back and still some more dusting and cleaning to do. I am trying to go thru things and do some purging while I am putting back. I have been getting tired easier because of the radiation and my shoulder doesn't help but I'm getting there.

I am back to water aerobics and it really feels good. Of course that will end when I have my surgery. But while I can I'll do it. It is amazing how fast the body goes to flab and how slow it returns.

Construction is over

We began construction first by having the popcorn ceiling removed. That was done Aug. 24 to the 27th. I remember because it was the 19th I fell and tore my rotator cuff. I went out of town to the cabin to stamp with my friends. Dad opted to go to the temple and stay in the temple apartment and work at the temple everyday. The abatement company came on Sept 1 to remove 3 layers of vinyl including one with asbestos. That was so nice to get it all out. You can see by the 2nd picture what was left of the floor. Richard came 4 and began work on the 5th. He tore out the brick back splash and began his magic.
The back splash is gone.
The floor is gone. Since I don't have things in the right order we'll just tell you about it but it wasn't done in this order but that doesn't matter.
How about this tile in the entrance hall. It is so beautiful. Richard did a great job. This is what he was so excited to do. Beautiful tile.
Lights, oh wonderful lights. I love the new lights
How about this new back splash. What a difference
New lights in the kitchen
We got all new doors and new wainscoting. Doesn't it look great. Love it.
Well I had a picture of the new tile floor but it doesn't look like it made it. It looks great. Rich didn't have time to paint so we had the same people who did the ceiling come back and paint for us. Since we were going to Utah for our Nauvoo Temple reunion and go to conference they came after we got back. I wanted it done before but there was no way. Anyway it is all done now. I love it. We also got our bathroom painted. It is also blue. The hall is antique white which gives a nice contrast to the white white of the doors and all the trim. We also got crown molding in the living room which we really like. Richard did a great job on everything. Thank you so much Rich and thanks to Mindy and the kids for letting him come for 3 weeks. I think I worked him too hard.

My fall -- turns out I have a lot of damage. I am scheduled for surgery Nov. 2. Please remember me in your prayers. The doctor wasn't sure just how much he'd be able to fix me up.