happy birthday, miss o

We went to the zoo, open only by appointment with limited capacity. There was an extra ticket, so I went along, and it was fun.  Haven't been there since 2019.

The animals were wide awake and lively on this warm late-winter day, 40 degree weather. Lions was roaring, Arctic foxes playing like little dogs, cougars climbing rocks, polar bear splashing with a big plastic drum in a pool of water.

The conservatory is always beautiful.  Many sections were closed due to distancing and so forth, but that's okay.

We got together for a fire and cake, gifts.   Squirrely kids, plenty of snow and puddles made it perfect.

 

Happy birthday my beautiful darling. 

I hope SIX is a fantastic year.

Thank you for being ours. We could not love you more,

Love, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody

ok, lost, and a fun night anyway

 So this is lost.  It's an old milk bottle from the town where our cabin is and last year I put those three very lovely fake flowers in it and enjoyed this decoration.

Now I can't find it.  

I have searched closets high and low--the closets on the second floor, the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations in the basement-- the front closet behind the coats, my own bedroom closet, the cupboard over the refrigerator.

Where did I stash this???

It's an old milk bottle, dime a dozen, fake flowers, who cares?

But I'm obsessed because WHERE DID IT GO?

No answers tonight. It's not in the Easter closet, not with the Halloween or Thanksgiving decorations. Tim checked the Christmas cupboard in his room. Nuthin.

I examined the cabinet in the dining room with the sliding doors? 

Not there.

Okay, fine.

It's somewhere.

Tonight she was here, and we and those here had so much fun laughing in the kitchen. This damned pandemic. But tonight was nothing but fun.  She didn't bring her dogs, don't want to excite or stress Elin's healing knees.  Elin sniffed her inch by inch, missing her friends.

That brings us to the end of another Friday.

Nothing but love, MOM aka Val, aka Grandma

i am officially done with winter, 2021

Tonight, between work calls, I ran around and rid the place of Valentine's Day and brought out the March decorations.

I know it doesn't mean anything, and perhaps the decorations are corny and ridiculous, but that's how it is.

Yeah.  Was trying to think of something to say about that, but no.  Just done.  Not that this was a bad winter in any way other than the damned pandemic, but ugh.

And this sign of spring, the girl scout cookies-- I bought twenty boxes on Monday. There are seven left. I might have to make another order. 

When I left with the cookies I told Heidi we could eat them at the lake over the summer. She laughed.

"Mom, seriously?  These won't last a month."

Whoops. Wrong again Val.

Awww, it is the bunny planter, fetched from underneath all the Easter baskets upstairs.  Glad you're here little bunny.

Onward.

Spring approaches.

Love, Val
 

put the baby to work day

There she is, working it, wearing her rain boots. She loves this thing, even takes it up to her bedroom to work on the rug up there.  It doesn't work on carpeting, but it sounds impressive, roaring away.

And this--spring is so close. The days are longer, the sun is bright, this week the air is warm and soft.
 

Oh, March, you beautiful month, we are so happy you're almost here.

Love, Val

a few more kids

 We stopped here on the way home.  They're generous like that.  We hung around a while they worked on a bit of homework, which was fun.  They were full of energy and sass and they make my heart happy.

Happy  Sunday evening you guys, Love, Grandma and Grandpa

celebrating his birthday

It was almost 32 degrees, easy to be outside. Eventually they got bored and cold and went inside, but not for a long time.  He opened his gifts.

They'd made brownies and we sang.
 

I hop this year being twelve will be absolutely great.  As the weeks of winter come to an end and spring arrives, we are so looking forward to being together at the lake again.

Happy Birthday again, Buddy.   We love you so, Grandma and Grandpa

a work in progress

We painted today while the guys worked on the bathroom downstairs.

The wall is being repaired, looking great.

The kitchen is getting a whole new look.

But, you know? It always gets worse before it gets better, and that's the truth.

After we finished this, we returned to the ham Jay had in the crock pot and the cheesy potatoes, and onward to the next day.

Love, MOM

 

checking the legs

She was so excited to leave the house and go in the car--looking out the windows, sniffing the breeze.

And then she realized where we were and she was not getting out of this car.   

Nope.

She flattened herself to the seat and even tried a little growl at us.  So we went around to the other door and Jay took the handles on her harness and lifted her out facing backward.

Nice try, Elin.
 

And she didn't want to get on the scale.  He picked her up by the handles, 123 pounds.

She was happy to see the vet, but didn't really want any x-rays, tried to limp noodle her way out of it.  The vet said once she was on the x-ray table, she just let them do the x-rays.   I'm sure she was thinking, "These crazy people."

But she said her legs look fine, healing looks good.  Keep on doing the same routine until the surgeon looks at the x-rays and lets us know what level of activity increase and when.

So glad.  Fingers crossed she goes on to have a healthy life.

Love, Val

anniversary

 There you go--the only picture I've taken all week.   It was our anniversary and we picked up dinner for all of us at a local restaurant.

But there are no Valentine's pictures.   It's pretty quiet around here a year into this pandemic.

Dinner was nice, kids were surprised and happy.

Onward.

Love, Val

happy twelve!

So beautiful--got to spend your day with your family, playing basketball, playing video games online with your cousins all morning.  What a great day.

 

Went looking for a few old pictures of you, pretty, pretty baby.

And now a handsome guy, wow.

How much fun we've had these last twelve years.  

You are awesome and we love you like crazy.

Thanks for being ours.

Happy birthday, Buddy, 

Love Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody