Part One - The Good News

When I left you last Thursday, I was hoping for a nice weekend and looking forward to some much needed relaxing and alone time. Well, my prayers were answered and I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday and Sunday. Now I realize that today is Wednesday, so just suffice it to say that it's a good thing that I had those two days because Monday afternoon started a two and half day headache, literally and figuratively. But let me start with Part I and the good news first.
Saturday I was able to work outside and in my gardens all day long. Loved it! I have discovered under the weeds and sticks that there are a few perennials that didn't survive the winter, deer, rabbits, and chipmunks. One was a butterfly bush that was huge and beautiful last year. Oh so frustrating.
Then after waking up to an absolutely gorgeous Sunday morning with very sore muscles (my Bob can't understand how gardening can create sore back and legs, but it does), I took my coffee and cinnamon roll, my knitting, and my current issue of "Country Living" magazine and went down to my "sitting room" on the lake.

Here was my view from my lounge chair

This was my entertainment. Daddy duck - don't know where Mama Duck was at the moment.


And their family of 6 babies. There used to be 8 -- I don't want to think about the reason.

Finally, my Bob decided to join me around lunch time and noticed that our weeping willow that we planted last summer was leaning way to the left, so he tied a rope around the trunk and pulled it to the right and tied the rope around the lamp post. Hope that works. We have a family of muskrats that live under our little peninsula and they dig from underneath so each summer we have to fill in with mud, rocks, etc. Nature needs a little re-arranging sometimes.

The day was glorious and then for dinner we had Mom, Dad, DIL Melissa and grandsons over for hot dogs on the deck. That was after Mom, Dad and I took a short boat ride around the lake. My first so far this summer.

That was the end of our quiet, relaxing weekend.

Tune back in for Part II and the bad news from Monday and Tuesday.

Thank You, Judy S.Q.

Thank you Judy the Squirrel Queen. I really appreciate these awards. As we all know, out there in Blogville, it is nice to know that others are reading and looking at what we enjoy putting out there. I am passing this on to all those that find the time to follow me once in a while, but I will mention one by name only because I don't have much time right now. I will single out more when time allows.
Please take the time to check on Grandma J's blog at http://askgrandmaj.blogspot.com/ She is so talented and funny.

The Love My Friends award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Empty Nest Making a Comeback

Things are slowing down around here a little, it seems. This is the first night my Bob and I have been alone in our house in I don't know how long. Now don't get me wrong, I love my DIL, Diana, and our new granddaughter, Riley, but there's something to be said for having your house and life all to yourself. Diana and Riley went to Diana's parents' for the weekend in Pittsburgh. For the next month or so that Dee and Riley are still living here in PA, they will spend half the week here (we are 90 miles north of Pittsburgh) and half the week at her parents'. And since Brandon now has Layla the dog with him in Spokane, things sure are quiet and clean in my house. Anyone that knows me knows that I love peace, quiet, a clean neat house, and my alone time, but you know what? I sure miss them all already.

Before Dee left today, we had a visit from my cousin-in-law, Jane, and her children, Libby age 11 and Grady age 5. They live in Harrisburg and are on their way to Michigan to visit Brad's (my cousin, Jane's husband) maternal family. They are stopping here for the evening in order to meet Riley and to visit my grandparents in their new home at the Nursing Home. Brad is in Arizona hiking down the Grand Canyon and will meet up with his family in Michigan in a couple of days.

We heard from Brandon this afternoon and he made it to Spokane. He did very well and made very good time. I'm always amazed when I see how "adult" my sons have become. He went directly to look at an apartment he had been applying for online. I think he actually rented it today and will be staying there as of tonight. Of course, he won't have any furniture or belongings until Dee moves out there in about five weeks. He says he's fine, he has a blanket and a towel, toothbrush and toothpaste, and Layla. Believe me, he was not raised in this style of living. I don't think I could live like that for even a few days. I don't mean to sound spoiled but I like to be comfortable. Anyway, enough about me. I am so proud of both of my sons. It's so amazing to see what great young men they have become.

Now this weekend would really be ideal in our re-claimed two day empty nest if the weather would warm up and quit raining so I could get out in my yard and garden, sit by the lake, and get out in my kayak. But if that doesn't happen, I'm still OK. I'll enjoy catching up with my knitting and sewing. I also feel the cleaning/organizing/decorating bug coming on. I'm never bored, and I feel sorry for those that are.

Life Goes On

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, Bob, today. He's 55 years old. I think he looks real good and not his age at all. We've been married almost 30 years and he has never missed a week, in all those years, of working out, lifting weights and exercise. I wish I could stick to it like that, but I find I have too many other things I'd rather do. I guess it should be a priority for me like it is for him. I'm not sure if we are really doing anything special today to celebrate. We had cake on Sunday while our son was still home and we had the grandsons visit. Since some things have quieted down a little, I think we'll just enjoy some peace and quiet time. I think if I just pay some extra attention to him he'll be happy. I've been so pre-occupied lately with children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents. My Bob has been a little bit ignored. And we all know that men are just big kids and need attention!

To catch up those of you following along, my DIL, Melissa, got home safely from San Antonio. And my son, Brandon, is doing well on his cross country drive to Spokane. Bob spoke to him this morning (thank goodness for cell phones, how did we live without them). He is in South Dakota and has decided to stop to visit Mount Rushmore. Good for him, I wish I was with him.

Life is an adventure, isn't it? Something new every day, and when things look bad or impossible, life just keeps moving on and it seems everything eventually always works out. This realization has become more true after 50+ years of life and 29+ years of marriage.

Lots of Comings and Goings

It was another nice and busy weekend. Bob helped my dad with my dad's Soap Box Derby trial runs early Saturday morning. (Check back in for more on the Soap Box Derby on another day) We've had so many visitors stopping by to see Riley, our new baby girl grandie. We also kept the two grandsons Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Melissa, our daughter-in-law is in San Antonio for the weekend to visit Austin (our son, her husband, boys' father). He's there for about 2 more weeks for his Air Force Recruiter Training. Melissa was missing him and decided to fly down for a nice weekend together. Melissa's brother is here from New York and is staying with the boys, but he's not well with back problems, so we picked the boys up and brought them out here for several hours each day. They are fun and funny, but very loud and active little boys. Logan wanted to swim in the lake, but it was just too chilly. I wish summer would show up around here.
Landen was very interested in Riley and wanted to hold her. He was so proud of the fact that she was his little girl cousin. He was very gentle with her. He gave her the sweetest little kiss.

Dee's brother's little girl, Avery, came over to see her new little cousin.

Aren't they cute?

On Sunday, we had a very nice brunch at the Country Club, then several of Brandon and Dee's friends came over to visit to see Riley and to say good-bye to Brandon. We had Dairy Queen ice cream birthday cake for my Bob. (Chocolate Crunch - our favorite) His birthday is Wednesday, but since Sunday was Brandon's last full day home, I had cake on Sunday. (I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of Bob and cake - sorry)

Today was a sad, rough day. Brandon packed up his car and Layla the dog and got ready for his long trip across country. He is supposed to view an apartment in Spokane on Thursday. I'm worried that he won't get enough rest along the way. It's a 35 hour drive from here to there and he's doing it alone. Dee will be here for at least 5 more weeks, then she, Riley and Dee's mother will fly out. Bob will load up the U-haul from this end and drive out with the furniture. I'll go with him if no one else is. We'll figure that out as time gets closer. So I have Dee and Riley with me for about five more weeks, but I had a terrible time saying good-bye to Brandon today. I'm so worried about him driving that far by himself (even though he's a Survival Trainer for the Air Force). He's still my baby boy and I worry. Besides that, I won't see him now for several months. Hopefully Thanksgiving.

Here's Layla saying good-bye to the Lake. This has been her home for about the past four or five months. We'll miss her, but I won't miss her shedding.

Brandon saying good-bye to Dee and his new baby daughter. This scene got my tears started and I haven't quit yet. He left about 5-1/2 hours ago. My eyes are just burning from all the crying. It was a really hard day for Dee. She has a lot of help and support here, but we don't make up for Brandon not being with her. She's been a real trooper, though, going through this big life change with Brandon going into the Air Force and away at basic training in San Antonio and now in Spokane while she is here with her in-laws and pregnant. And now being here alone with her new baby while he gets living arrangements made and she lets Riley get a month or so older.

Melissa, other DIL, gets back home early in the morning, about 2 a.m. I'll be glad when she's home safe. Austin will be back home on June 18.

Life keeps moving fast! I made a vow to myself to stop saying this, but here goes anyway: I'm tired!