Quick Timeline - Stay With Me

I have to make this quick. Too much happening too fast.
Wednesday and Thursday we got my grandparents packed up and moved into the Nursing Home. My mother and I worked hard until about 9 pm both nights. All went well, though, and their new room looks as comfy as we could manage working around hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers and bed trays. I think it's the cutest room in there. G & G seem happy with it so we can relax a little on that end.
Friday morning my son, Brandon, got in from Spokane. He looks great, likes Spokane as it reminds him a lot of PA, and is liking his new training for his job of Survival Trainer for US Air Force. He wants to specialize in Interrogation and Torture Resistance Training. It's interesting! Then Mother-in-law, Millie, and Sister-in-law, Sharon arrived from Cincinnati in the afternoon. MIL was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago but she really wanted to get up here to see us and Brandon and hopefully new baby. I made a real nice home cooked meal for all last night. Brandon's request. Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, applesauce, and strawberry cake. Millie ate everything.
Then last night Dee went into labor and in the hospital. Perfect timing. So I'm getting in the shower and off to the hospital. New baby coming, grandie #3. So excited!
TO BE CONTINUED!

Packing Up 93 Years

I'm tired, so this will be a quick one.
Tomorrow is the day that we move my grandparents, both age 93, from the Assisted Living to the Nursing Home. This is hard stuff, physically and emotionally. They are going from a two room suite into a one room hospital type room. Two years ago, we moved them from a 3 bedroom house into the Assisted Living Suite and that was difficult to do.
My mother and I packed up knick knacks, pictures, clothes, dishes, etc. and most of these life long personal belongings are headed off to Goodwill. It's so hard to do this. To wittle down a couple's life of 93 years to fit into one room and 4 drawers and two feet of closet space. We spend our whole life accumulating, fixing up a house, collecting albums of family pictures, buying new and better furniture, buying china, upgrading your china, buying jewelry, upgrading your jewelry --- you get the idea. Then you are so lucky? to live to 93 years old and be so blessed to be celebrating your 73rd wedding anniversary, and then your family has to clean out your whole life of belongings and pack away or haul away. It's hard and it hurts. We are trying to keep as much as we can, but we're midway or so into the accumulating phase of our own lives now. So in 30-40 years (if we are so lucky?) our kids can take all of our "stuff" to Goodwill. Anyway, makes you think and ponder!
Tomorrow is moving day. Mom and I are going to make the "new space" as pretty and comfortable as we possibly can. Using as much of their own furniture as will fit and hanging as many family pictures that we can.

And baby update - daughter in law, Diana, shows all signs that baby could come any minute. She's started to dilate, lost a little weight, baby's in position and dropped a lot, lots of pressure in the pelvis, and a little blood showing today. I told her tonight or tomorrow was just a little too busy and if she could hold off another day that would be great. My son, Brandon, her husband, is stationed in Spokane (Air Force) and will be home on Friday for 15 days for parental leave. If baby would wait until Friday late afternoon that would be perfect. Whatever happens, happens, though, and we have a very busy few days or so ahead of us.

OK, I've got to get to bed. This went on longer than I thought. Good night!

This picture was taken about 3 weeks ago. It's a little sitting area I fix up under my deck with my little perennial garden in front of it. I was
just starting to get it cleaned up and the plants are just coming in. I got my homemade deer repellent all mixed up to spray on my flox. It consists of 1 egg mixed with 2 squirts of dish soap, poured into a plastic spray bottle, filled with water, shake it up, set out in the sun so it smells real bad. It's worked for two summers now, and I've tried everything. Most all my plants are deer resistant, but for those that are not I spray after every watering or rain.

Here is my after picture taken yesterday. I paint all the furniture white. The perennials in front of and the annuals underneath the deck are all pink and purple. When the pink flox bloom it is so pretty. I'm no master gardener, but I enjoy being outside and "playing" in my little gardens.

This is my view when I'm sitting on my swing at 5:00 with my glass of wine.

As I was getting some tools out of my shed I heard some commotion above my head and
when I looked up I saw this mother robin sitting on a nest on top of my hoe. Just yesterday I heard some little "cheap cheaps" coming from the nest. I'm trying not to bother them and I just keep watching.

We Remember

As we honor Memorial Day, this whole weekend seems to
signify several things. First and foremost, we remember those that

have given their lives for our country and we will never forget them.

We honor them forever for our freedom and liberty. We also remember

family and friends that have gone before us. People that have individually been a part of us and made us who we are.

Every year, my mother and I go to the cemetary where my grandparents and aunt are buried. This would be my mother's parents and sister. We plant flowers at their gravesite, then we go to lunch. It's a pretty drive out in the country and it is such a bonding experience with my much loved and missed family that have passed and also with my mother. Just seeing their names on the head stones immediately brings back wonderful memories. And the annual experience of doing this with my mother will holds it's own special memories in the future.

Another part of our weekend was the family cook out at my house yesterday. It was a beautiful day, even though we had a quick rain shower in the middle of it. Bob and I enjoyed my parents, daughters-in-law, grandsons, and brother of DIL Melissa. My sons', Austin and Brandon, are in the military and stationed in San Antonio and Spokane respectively right now, and were unable to be home with us. I thought of them all day as we all missed them, but remember why they are not here and how proud we are of them.

The meaning and memories I have for this Memorial Day are good ones. I would wish this to be so for everyone.

American Idol Withdrawal

American Idol is over, and as I've mentioned before, I really get into this show. I wanted Adam to win, but I had a feeling that Danny's votes may go to Kris and maybe that's what happened. Adam's going to have a wonderful career, though, and I'm happy for both of them. It's fun to watch where they go from here and what they accomplish. I love to see the transformation these young people make in their lives and how much it changes for them. I always hope for changes in a positive way for them and what a thrill to have your dreams come true.

Anyway, I do have a soft spot in my heart for Kris because he looks a little bit like my son, Austin. My mother first mentioned it and said that she thought he looked so much like Austin that Kris was immediately her favorite for this reason. So I started to notice him a little more and he not only looks like Austin, but his personality and demeanor is very similar. He also seems to have a very nice family and a beautiful wife.

Don't get me wrong, I think Adam should have won and is more talented and entertaining than any one ever has been on American Idol, but I congratulate Kris.
I'll quit my American Idol obsession now and since "So You Think You Can Dance" started last night, I'll keep you updated with my opinions on that show.

Kris

Austin

So what do you think of the resemblance?