six months

 

How have six months gone by so fast?

Sure do love you, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody

opening the cabin

Jay made a trip up to the cabin today to get the water running, get it started.

The hail storm last summer caused a lot of damage and insurance covered having the damaged siding replaced. They're almost done.

Snow has melted. Swamp is full.

Hoping for a sunny weekend next week.  

Love, Val
 

piano recital

Nice job, kids!  This was beautiful.

Love, Grandma and Tim

 

entrepreneur program

This was a wonderful occasion, an entrepreneur program for middle school kids.  It was at St. Thomas, and each person or group presented their idea, and it was so well done.  

The kids had practiced and polished their presentations so they were as comfortable as kids can be presenting to an audience and panel of evaluators.

The ideas were creative and fun, was an enjoyable afternoon.

Nice job, Buddy.

Love, Grandma and Grandpa
 

the weekend

Went to a listing appointment yesterday morning and took him along.  I often do when meeting with strangers, mostly out of an old habit.   Others also love to discuss the furnace and electrical with him, show him the plumbing.   It's all good.

Yesterday was a phenomenal duplex in the city near the lakes, very beautiful. 

 

This is from today. The chickens have been moved outside to their coop and they like it. The kids tried to convince me to open the hatch and let the chickens all out, but it was cold today and we didn't have on coats. The kids were only in t shirts.  I had doubts.  The child was annoyed, but when we went inside I was glad to hear this was a good decision.  The ones inside were waiting, hoping to see me chase after chickens up and down the lot.

Nice try.

The dog looks old and innocent, but she's also a bit of a chicken predator. We didn't need that catastrophe either.

Last night we spent the evening with these people.   The meal was delicious and the hours flew by.

Might have been cold and gloomy, but the weekend was anything but that.

Love, Val

 

happy birthday

What a  great day for a birthday--a  Friday!

I hope it was a wonderful day--sounded like it, friends and Mall of America

Here's hoping the year ahead is a great one.

Thanks for all the ways you make life better--your sense of humor and astute observations, sense of fun and friendship.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart,   Love, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody

 

ode to joy

We went to a band concert in the gym last night.   It was warm in there even though it was very cold outside.  The musicians had been practicing and it was a great performance.

There is a commercial on TV that plays constantly during the morning and late evening:  "Call Blue Ox Heating and Aiiiiirrr: Legendary service with legendary care."  It's a jingle that gets on a loop in the mind, no matter how tiresome after a while.   Yesterday morning it was the first thing I heard when I woke up and it had been the last thing I heard the night before while searching the sheets for the remote to shut off the TV at 11 pm.

I muttered to Jay, "These ox people never quit."

Well.

This concert ended with the entire group, from Grade six through the seniors all together on Ode to Joy, and how gorgeous it was, that moment all together in the warm, crowded gym with that very familiar old melody pouring to the rafters.

That's the kind of music to have on repeat.

Love, Grandma
 

tuesday

 

Apparently it is egg laying time.

Her level of distention had us concerned, me especially.   Her tail is dwindling.  Her appetite is mediocre, and the belly continues to grow.  Googling is not getting questions answered.

The special vet in Lake Elmo was contacted, and I drove her out there.  

The vet had white hair, crinkles around his bright blue eyes, and an experienced demeanor.  When the cover came off the bucket he paused, and I heard his sharp little breath, "Oh my."

He handled her gently and spoke to her personally in a friendly voice.  He tilted her onto her back and showed me anatomy through the fine, thin skin of her belly.  She opened her mouth wide in objection, twisted her head to the side.  He apologized to her and turned her right side up again.   An ultrasound was done.  It's just eggs. She's okay.  He even commented on her general fine appearance and energy level.

Okay.

So we wait for the eggs.

Notice the SMALL holes in the lid of the bucket?  One evening a few months ago she escaped the bucket while we had her in the family room. We found her casually sprawled out on the TV remote. Things like that would NOT be happening during driving today, that's for sure.

Good grief.

Lillian, best wishes for your continued good health.  Love, Val

possibilities

That was the name of this musical program.   We made our way across town Friday afternoon, and what a great program.

It was so good to be in the gym, in the warm air, doors wide open, children singing.

There she is in the braids, handing off the microphone. She had a speaking part and did a great job, nice and clear.

And then after this we all had ice cream together.  She hatched  a plot to hide in the back of my car and be like a stowaway, sneak home with us.    Of course her mother is wise to these things, not easily tricked.

Happy Friday, Love, Grandma