News from DD4's Cottage

My time with Aurelia and Felix

2012-01-28T17:51:00.009-06:00

I had a new experience last night. I spent the night at Peder and Sarah's house, while Peder and Sarah spent the night at a local hotel. Aurelia has spent the night at my home many times, but Felix hasn't. In fact, he and I haven't spent much "alone" time together at all. It just hasn't worked out until last night.

Things went fine until bedtime. I rocked him and read several books, then put him in his crib, and turned on the music. For about 2 or 3 minutes, he was quiet, but then he started to cry. Clearly, he wanted his Daddy. He called and called for him. I let this go on for a couple of minutes, thinking he would tire out and lie down to dreamland. No deal. So, I returned to his room and picked him up. We rocked some more and I read another book, and tried putting him in his crib again. He curled up and went to sleep.

When it was Aurelia's time for bed, I followed her routine, and she went to sleep. All was peaceful until around 11 pm. I heard a voice crying, "I want my mama. I want my mama." I couldn't tell if it was Felix or Aurelia, so I stood in the common hallway to listen. It was Aurelia. This really surprised me. I stood by her bed and told her a story (one I made up), and then rubbed her back for a little bit, and she went to sleep. Off and on during the remainder of the night and early morning, I heard Felix cry, but he would return to sleep on his own. Both kids woke up cheerfully and ate a good breakfast, and then we played some more.

Mid-morning, Peder and Sarah surprised us. They came back to spend some time with us and to take us to lunch. Then we all went to their hotel and their little family went swimming in the pool, while I sat on the deck, enjoying watching them play. It was a very relaxing time, and a good ending of our time together.

VW Beetle

2012-01-27T11:02:00.005-06:00

1966 model.

It was in this car we drove out east for a vacation to Gettysburg and Washington, D. C.

1968

It was in this car that we moved to Illinois.

1972
It was in this car that we drove to California (on Route 66) with Hans. We saw Disney Land, Sea World, the US Navy base in San Diego, where we spent time with Jerry; Tijuana, Mexico; the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena (stayed with Cece and Abby); Solvang and San Francisco, California (I LOVED Solvang!), Reno, Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Did you know the VW Beetle first came to the United States in 1938? That's 74 years ago! Wikipedia says over 21 million were manufactured, making it the longest-running and most manufactured car of a single design platform in the world. Was it pretty? - no. Practical? - yes. Economical? - yes.

I think I got my first introduction of a VW Beetle when my brother bought his first one. It was so different, but cute.

We (Steve and I) got our first one in 1966 - a tan one. I remember the sticker price (this was a brand new car) was $1,949. Isn't that something?! That car was followed by a light blue one in 1968. Then in 1972, we bought the red Super Beetle, which had a bigger trunk (in the front). All three of these cars had the engine in the back. The 1968 model had a gas heater, which heated up the car in about 60 seconds - melting any ice off the windows. The other two had only the standard heater which ran off the air-cooled engine. This meant you didn't really get any heat until the car was running at or above 50 mph. Brr!

We went on to have other VWs: 2 Rabbits and a Vanagon. There have been many, many VW owners in our family. Uncle Allan once had a Karmann Ghia. Hans has had a couple of the VW Beetles - one was a beautifully restored 1977; at least 2 Jettas, and a Passat. Peder has had the VW pickup. Jerry has had so many, I can't remember all of them, but I know he owned at least two VW Gulfs. I need to add this: Heidi now drives a Jetta.

Today I am the proud owner of the final edition of the New VW Beetle, produced in 2010. It is one of 1500 made in this edition. Mine is #924/1500. I really, really like it. Prior to that, I had one of the first year editions - 1998. My boss's wife now drives it.

Our National Anthem

2012-01-23T18:35:00.003-06:00

With big footballs games being played this past weekend , some folks are mentioning the anthem sung by Kristen Chenoweth yesterday at the New York Giants San Francisco game. I listened to a recording of it this morning, and I agree, Kristen sang it beautifully. This brought to mind my favorite recording of our National Anthem. Peter Jennings from ABC, was the commentator for the closing ceremony of Liberty Weekend 1986 — the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. He mentioned having heard many performers sing the anthem during the 3 day celebration in New York City, but was amazed at the rendition from a little known singer from Anderson, Indiana, Sandi Patti. I was watching this program (in fact, I recorded it), and thought this was the most fitting closure imaginable. I have watched it over and over. Tonight I was pleased to see it has recently been posted here. I hope you'll take a few minutes to watch and listen. I never knew there were 3 verses to the National Anthem. I know you're going to love this!

My Anniversary

2012-01-22T15:35:00.003-06:00

A co-worker just emailed me to tell me "Happy Anniversary" at my job. I started there 11 years ago today. Imagine that!

Working at Bethany House has been such a blessing for me. Up until then, I had worked in what I consider a wide variety of places: department store, ice cream shop, telephone company, church office - secretary, bakery, meat packing plant, mortgage company, dress shop, and finally a publishing house.

What do I like most? First of all - the people - those I work with, and the authors. I guess that's how God made me. I love connecting with people. I work with truly gifted people. Some are able to search out and acquire talented writers, others have the gift of marketing, and then there are those with the gift of design. I'm so happy to rub shoulders with these amazing people.

Oh, not every day has been sunshine, but out of those 11 years, I have probably had about 3 days in which I would have liked to have walked away. That's a pretty good record.

Tomorrow I'll return and start the 12th year. This is the longest I have worked anywhere. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Julie - she's made a reader out of me!

2012-01-18T09:13:00.012-06:00

Yours truly, standing in front of the door of the church in Weston Underwood, England, 1993. I'm pretty sure my maternal great-grandparents were married here.

I have never been what is known as a "reader," - unlike my kids. They must have gotten that love from their father. Oh, I read a bit, but as early as 4th grade, I remember having to do book reports and for two years in a row, I turned in a book report of The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I had read it once and didn't care to read another book, so reported on it again in 5th grade. I don't know how I managed to get through school with this trait, but I did, and that is history.

In my adult life, I happened onto a book called Love Comes Softly, by Janette Oke. I liked it so much that when my sister-in-law, Donna, and I decided to organize a women's retreat for the ladies in our respective churches, I contacted Janette to see if she would be our guest speaker, and she agreed to do so. This was back in the early 80s. Since then, she and I have remained friends. Over the years, I read all 8 of the books in this series multiple times.

In 2001, I was fortunate to be hired at the publishing house for Janette (I used her for one of my references). This has brought me in touch with many very good authors, and thus, I have read more books, but perhaps only 3 or 4 a year - not nearly what most folks read. I have read every book written by Beverly Lewis, who is a dear, dear friend of mine, and have enjoyed them very much.

About 8 years ago, our pastor encouraged us to read through the Bible in a year. Our church even provided a daily schedule in order to accomplish this, and I made up my mind I would do it. I have done it each year since and must say I have enjoyed it a lot. It has become a part of my daily living - using different translations from year to year.

Late last fall, I decided I should read a book from one of our authors, Julie Klassen. Until recently, Julie worked in our office, and I would see her once a week or so. I knew she was talented, for she had written a couple of the skits presented at our annual company Christmas parties. I took her first book, The Lady of Milkweed Manor, and after a few pages of reading, I was hooked. You see, she writes about old England - in the 1800s, a time when my ancestors lived there. As I read her book, I could imagine my great-grandmother and great-grandfather in these stories. In fact, in 1993, when Hans and I traveled to England, we stopped in Weston Underwood, to see the church where this couple were married. While not positive we were at the same place, we think we were. Since reading Julie's first book, I have gone on to read The Apothecary's Daughter, and The Silent Governess. By the way, the red cape the model is wearing on The Silent Governess, belongs to me. Isn't that fun?! Last night I started reading her next book, The Girl in the Gatehouse. I'm quite sure I'm going to enjoy it.

A new member in our family

2012-01-15T19:59:00.002-06:00

A week ago we added another member to our family. Let me introduce, Elsa, a German Shepherd, who now makes her home with Hans and Rachel. I believe she's about 9 weeks old, and cute as a button. I'm anxious to get to meet her and she how she interacts with Josiah, Annika and Will. Wilkommen, Elsa.

It was good while it lasted!

2012-01-12T19:25:00.002-06:00

January 2012 started out so nice and mild. We experienced a run of warm , sunny days — reaching as high as 52 degrees one day. Folks left their big, heavy, winter coats in the closet and sported a sweater or light jacket. And the most amazing occurrence to me was the report that golf courses in the twin cities were booked solid. Absolutely incredible.

Not everyone was happy about this: skiers, snow mobilers, ice fishermen, ice skaters, those who make a living plowing snow. But me, I loved it! As a matter of fact, I have worn my winter boots one day this season. One day! To date, we've had 5.5" of snow. That's all. Last year, we had over 45" before Christmas.

It all came to an end yesterday. Temperatures dropped all day long. Snow was in the air for a little while in the morning, but changed over to a light rain later on. Today the winds have been fierce, and when I went out at lunchtime, the temperature was 12 degrees. I guess winter will be shorter than usual this year, and that's alright with me.

Looking Upward

2012-01-05T19:33:00.008-06:00

This morning I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunrises ever. What a treat for my eyes! Seeing this is such a great start to the day.

Then this evening, I was treated again. The sunset was outstanding, and overhead was the bright moon.

Looking a bit longer, I noticed a planet — Jupiter, I think. It's amazing what one sees when looking up. I live in the city, where there are thousands and thousands of lights, making it difficult to see the many sights in the sky, such as the millions of stars. Sitting at night on the deck of our ship was one of the things I was looking forward to do on the cruise. Oh, well. That will have to wait for another time. I envy those who live in the country who, on any cloudless evening, can go outside to view the amazing sky!

On another note, we had record breaking weather in the midwest today. Did you know the temperature reached 73 degrees today in Rapid City, South Dakota?! It was 17 degrees above any precious record. It reached 55 degrees in Fargo, ND, and 59 degrees in Redwood Falls, MN. Our high was 45 degrees, and would have been higher, but for the little bit of snow we have.

Happy New Year ~ 2012

2011-12-31T23:59:00.001-06:00

Here's wishing all of my family and friends a very happy and blessed New Year. I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. Most often, New Year's Day for me is just another day - but a holiday, at that. One thing that a new year triggers is the start of a new slate of PTO at my job (personal time off), and I'm particularly thrilled because I will have earned 5 extra days at the beginning of 2012!

TMORA

2011-12-31T17:28:00.009-06:00

Today a friend and I went to view The Museum of Russian Art. Neither of us knew a special exhibit was on display, so we had mixed feelings. Both of us were anxious to see the awesome Russian art which was imported in the early 90's (The museum was formerly located next door to my workplace and a few of us would walk over now and then to appreciate the gorgeous originals - huge paintings in stunning, carved wooden frames.), but were surprised at the exceptional quality and beauty of the display on loan from Ukraine.

Now, I've been fortunate to travel to Ukraine (2008), but I didn't know that they had such extensive artifacts from centuries ago. Yes, today we saw ceramic jars, brass swords, and gold jewelry from as long ago as 6th century B. C! The gold was incredible - earrings, belt buckles, headpieces (rosettes), clothes fasteners, bowls, urns, ornate animals, and more. It was interesting to see how the wealthy were buried: wives were killed, to lie with the deceased, along with horses!

When I was in Ukraine, most of what I learned referred to the suffering of their people under communism and during WWII. This display predated this. The other part of the display was the original art work of Oleg Vassiliev. Mr. V has immigrated from Moscow to Minneapolis. While living in Russia, it was illegal for him to paint for himself, so these paintings were hidden. For income, he illustrated children's books, which was perfectly legal. On display are six or more of the books - mostly fairy tales. It would be fun to own a copy of his illustrated book of Little Red Riding Hood.

Photography in the museum is not allowed, so my photos are of the beautiful gift shop. They have so many lovely things, but even with the huge post-Christmas discounts, things were still spendy. We learned displays change from time to time, so we will return sometime in the future. Hopefully, some of the Russian art will be on display again. If not, we'll broaden our minds a bit more with the unexpected.

Christmas with My Family

2011-12-27T18:04:00.008-06:00

L to R: Dave, holding Luke, and Jill and Emily

Peder, Sarah, Felix, and Aurelia

Jerry and Nancy

Jan

Pat, bless her heart, made a plum pudding for us. It was delicious!!

Pat, standing in her beautiful, new kitchen (It's not quite finished.).

* * *

Yesterday, many from my family gathered at my Aunt Liz's house for a special time of visiting and eating a Christmas dinner together.

Since Aunt Liz passed away in April, many changes have happened to her home. First, during some heavy rains in the summer, a neighboring culvert collapsed, causing the creek to flood the lower level of her home. A week later, using fans 24/7 to dry out the walls, a fan over-heated and began to smoke - heavily - causing smoke to fill the entire house and billow out the windows. Neighbors called Pudge and then phoned the fire department. When the 3 big fire trucks and firefighters arrived, Pudge was already there and had actually walked through the downstairs, protecting his lungs with a cloth over most of his face. He told them the cause and warned them not to use the hoses and to put down the ax. Pudge has been a volunteer firefighter in the past and knew these measures weren't necessary and would only cause more damage to the home. Following this event, professional cleaners scoured the entire house and its contents. Pat and Pudge hired an architect and moved forward with some plans.

After a few walls were moved, construction for a new downstairs kitchen commenced. The most obvious change is the enlarged room and beautiful new cabinets! Who wouldn't be happy with this kitchen?! Currently, there is no carpet in the upstairs, as it was damaged by the smoke, and all of the pictures on the walls, plus window coverings, have been removed, cleaned, and are now packed away, since all of the walls will need to be painted.

It was so fun to have Diane and Dave return from their new home in New Jersey, and for their daughter, Jill, to come in from Denver. Emily, Ross, Ethan, and their new little boy, Luke, were there, too. Another treat was seeing Brian, Pat and Pudge's son, who stayed for a little while. What a cheerful guy is he! His laugh is infectious! Peder, Sarah, Aurelia and Felix, as well as Jerry and Jan were there, and I brought my dear friend, Nancy, along with me. A HUGE thank you to Pat and Pudge for hosting this wonderful time together. It was especially nice since they were only here from Arizona for 11 days and were flying back today!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

2011-12-25T21:23:00.006-06:00

A big part of Christmas Eve was spent at my church where I sang in our choir for the 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 pm services. I also sang at the Wednesday evening Christmas Eve service, which is provided for those who cannot attend the services on Christmas Eve. During that time, I was so impressed with the floral display, and determined to take a photo of it. This photo was taken Saturday before anyone arrived.

Today, Christmas Day, I drove to Jerry and Janet's to celebrate with them and to meet my great-great nephew, Levi, who is 9 months old. Janet has many beautiful Christmas decorations, but this grouping catches my eye. Note the angel hair among the snowmen. It is spun glass, and is no longer available. We grew up with this, and I recall my mom and dad putting some of it on our Christmas tree.

Introducing Levi, a very sweet, little boy, with gorgeous blue eyes. He played and played, ate a little, including a dill pickle, and took a short nap. It was really fun to get to meet him and watch him play.

Not one sour face did he make!

Jerry, yours truly, and Janet

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Blessings

2011-12-24T19:00:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about the best gift(s) I have ever gotten - besides Jesus, of course - and hands down, it is my three kids. No matter how old they get, they will always be my kids - my treasures.

In the past I have written a Christmas letter and shared some of what they are doing with family and friends. For the past couple of years, I guess I've gotten lazy and haven't done so. I want to take a few minutes and tell about them here.

Hans is still in the US Navy, and just this year was promoted to Commander! Wow! What an incredible accomplishment. During his promotion ceremony, his Captain asked him how long ago he had entered the Navy, to which Hans replied, "23 years, Sir." Rachel and William (now 2 years old), were able to be part of the ceremony, which was very special for them. Hans is stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is the Executive Officer on a Navy cruiser. They have 3 of my wonderful grand kids, Josiah - 7, Annika - 5, and William - 2. I was blessed to get to visit them over Memorial Day this year. It's so nice to have them back in the US once again.

Peder and Sarah live in Minneapolis, so I get to see them now and then. Peder continues to work for Carlsonwagonlit (corporate travel agent), and actually offices out of their home. Sarah is teaching school, and they have 2 of my wonderful grand children, Aurelia - 4, and Felix - 19 months. They are expecting a new little one in April!

Heidi and Chad still love living in Seattle. Heidi is continuing to keep the airlines on track at SEATAC where she's an air traffic controller, and Chad has been having success in a business he started with treadmill sales. They have my little grandson, Marshall - 3. I got to be at his birthday party this year in November - first time for me. Their dog, Brian, had ACL surgery this past autumn, so he is recovering from that.

While I would love to see and hear from my kids more often, I realize they have made lives and families of their own and are involved with that and their careers. I'm thankful for the times we do get to be together.

So this Christmas, I feel blessed. I have memories that I treasure in my heart. It's rewarding to be able to look at what you helped create, and see the good in it. Merry Christmas to you, Hans, Peder, and Heidi and to your families.

Love, Mom

Christmas Lights

2011-12-20T11:22:00.003-06:00

A memory of Christmas from my childhood is all 5 of us piling into the car — a big, old green Plymouth, 4 door — to drive around Austin, looking at the Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. I remember liking all of the light displays around town, but getting nauseous as the evening wore on from sitting in the backseat, going ever so slowly. (To this day, sitting in the backseat of a car isn't a pleasant feeling for me.) Some houses were really decorated pretty, and the lights along Main Street were always beautiful. Every year, Santa would visit our house while we were away.

More recently, the lights remind me of my dear little friend, Cassie. Oh, how she loved the lights! I remember driving her around Bloomington at Christmas time at least twice. I would turn the car radio to a station playing continuous Christmas music. She would "Ooh!" and "Ah!" at each display.

Cassie, born in the early 1900's, grew up on a farm in western Wisconsin - a farm with no electricity. She told me how exciting it was when her boyfriend, Warren, drove her to Minneapolis for the first time. She LOVED the lights! Store lights. Street lights. Lights in buildings. It didn't have to be anything special. It was light versus darkness. I really miss Cassie, but especially at Christmas. She died while we were on the family & friends cruise to Alaska in August of 2008. What a dear, dear friend was she.

The Landing

2011-12-17T18:08:00.041-06:00

Today my friend, Shirley, and I went to The Landing, in Skakopee, Minnesota. During December the various houses and other establishments in the village, are preparing for Hanukkah and Christmas. This is the earliest building at the Landing, 1845, French Canadian Fur Trading cabin.

Fur traders

Browning off the salt pork with onion in the fur traders cabin.

French Canadian fur trader

French Canadian wife of fur trader - 1845

Nativity scene in French Canadian fur trader's home. Notice the Indian visitors to the stable (on the left).

German settler

Early German settler at the kitchen table

Gorgeous roosters on the German farm

I loved this tree in the school house. We made paper chains for our trees when I went to school.

School teacher

Believe it or not, I had a school desk such as this when I was in second grade.

Doesn't this pot of potato soup look good?!

Kolaches and braided fruit bread adorn this Czech kitchen table.

Straw was strewn under this Czech Christmas tree. I found it interesting to see the gold painted walnut ornaments on this tree. My maternal grandma had the same on her Christmas tree.

Straw ornament in this Norwegian window

Norwegian woman checking for the doneness of a potato, sausage, cheese hot dish. She was baking this, and popovers, in a wood cook stove/oven.

Lefse, rosettes, fatiman, krumkake, and molded cookies in a Norwegian kitchen

A Norwegian Christmas tree. On Christmas eve, straw was brought into the living room to cover the floor. The entire family, guests, and hired help all slept on the floor that night to show equality. Special food was given to the stock to honor them.

Shirley, outside the Czech Church

Santa and the village actors in the church Christmas pageant

This tree was in the English home. The English family was the wealthiest family in the village. They had electricity and radiators. Their maid told us not to bother going to the Irish home/boarding house, as the Irish were dirty people and their house was disgusting (We found this partly true.).

I wasn't aware of ribbon candy being of English origin.

English plum pudding and crackers

The dry sink and water pump in the English home reminded me of Great Aunt Ett's kitchen. Aunt Ett and Uncle Johnny lived in Butternut, Minnesota. We loved going to their farm! They had little, or no, electricity. Aunt Ett cooked with a wood cook stove and made delicious meals.

Chicken pot pie just being taken from the wood stove oven in this Moravian home.

Skating pond

One of two reindeer

I would have loved shopping in the General Store!

Clerk in the General Store

Beautiful Belgian horses, donning bells, pulled the wagon.

Notice the straw on the floor, under the Swedish Christmas tree. The straw ornaments help to bring light into the house. On Christmas eve, the children slept on the straw under the tree, saving their beds for the Holy family. Cookies are a popular item on the trees.

A Jewish dining room table.

Inside the Jewish home, a menorah in the window is ready for Hannakuh, which starts on December 20 this year. This is the first time I have been in a Jewish home.

Christmas Concerts

2011-12-09T10:30:00.003-06:00

This has been a busy week and continues to be, for this weekend, beginning tonight, are our three Christmas concerts at church. The theme this year is Emmanuel, God with Us. We have a concert tonight, one tomorrow night, and the final one on Sunday afternoon.

For a little while I thought I would be unable to sing in the concerts this year due to my absences - my sprained ankle and bad cold/cough. But I'm feeling so much better now and was able to return to rehearsals a couple of weeks ago. It's been so fun to use my voice again (it had gotten a little rusty) and be reunited with my choir friends.

Tonight Rachel's parents, grandmother, and aunt and uncle are going to be attending. This is so nice of them!! I think they have come every year for as long as I have known them (except this will be a first for Grandma Bernita). I'll get a chance to visit with them for a little bit.

Last year, our Saturday concert - and Sunday morning worship services - were cancelled due to a big snow storm. We don't have that threat this year (Thank You, Lord!). It will, however, be very cold for those attending tonight. I think the temperature is to drop to 2 degrees. Brr!

(mis) Communication

2011-12-06T19:57:00.005-06:00

If you're reading this, you know all about communication. It needs not be defined. We all understand it. At least, that's what I used to believe.

A couple of months ago, I went on a dream trip. It was one I was really looking forward to and had done my homework before departing. Back in April, when booking the trip, I had some thoughts that it would be wise to purchase trip insurance. You know, to be reimbursed if the airlines or cruise liners would happen to be on strike, or perhaps the dock workers. I honestly never thought of illness as a reason to make this purchase.

Well, that's all history, and I didn't get to go on the cruise. Aha! Now this insurance comes into play. Once home, the travel agent, who had been notified by the tour guide of my misfortune, contacted me and informed me I would be getting a full reimbursement of the trip and that any expenses I incurred above which my personal medical insurance did not cover (up to $50,000.00), would be taken care of with the trip insurance. They would also pay for my cab fare to LaGuardia and my one-way airline ticket. All I needed to provide was the discharge papers from the hospital.

Okay, I called the hospital and asked for a copy of my discharge papers. After being passed from department to department, I was told I needed to send a letter requesting such. So, I wrote one and sent it October 24. And then I waited and waited and waited, each day expecting the document to arrive in my mailbox. When I hadn't heard by November 16, I made another phone call. Again, I was transferred around until a Miss Wallace took my call. After telling her my situation, I could hear her shuffling papers - shuffling and shuffling. At last she said, "Oh, here it is (my letter). This just appeared on my desk today." [Right.] "What is it you are requesting?" I told her I needed the discharge papers - the papers that state I was officially released from the hospital - that I didn't just walk out. Then she told me she would get them sent to me and I would be invoiced $.75/page. Okay. Fine.

Again, I waited and waited. November 23rd I called Miss Wallace. I told her I had yet to receive the discharge papers. "What is your name? What is it you need?" Again, I told her. "I'll have them sent to 'Copy' and you should receive them in a couple of days," she stated. I told her thank you and wished her a Happy Thanksgiving.

By November 28, I had received nothing from the hospital so I called again. Repeat the above paragraph, without any wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving. What in my communication is not getting through? What skills do I lack?

Yesterday I called the hospital again. I asked to speak to Miss Wallace's supervisor and was told Miss Wallace was the only one who could help me, so I was transferred to her. Again, I told her my name and she asked what I wanted. Patiently, I told her that I had called at least twice before and what I needed. I heard her shuffle through papers and then she said, "I sent that to 'Copy' last week. There's nothing more I can do." I asked her if I could talk to someone in "Copy" and she surprised me by transferring me to them.

Well, Curtis, from Africa (I'm guessing), answered the call and attempted to ask me what I needed. I explained my situation and he said he would check on it. " Would I hold?" Of course. He came back to the phone and said he didn't understand what I wanted and then he proceeded to read (verbatim) my entire written letter from October 24. "Yes, that's what I need," I exclaimed. "I need the papers that show I have been officially released from your hospital." "What do you mean by 'release papers'?" he asked. Oh boy, my patience were running out. I could think of no other way to communicate to him. THANKFULLY, he put me on hold. After about a minute or two, a woman came on the line. She was a supervisor and said the papers I needed would be coming to me in a couple of days.

I knew it was too soon to expect them today, so when I picked up the mail today I didn't even look through it for them. But upon reaching my door, what to my surprise was a UPS Next Day Air Letter pouch with 95 pages of my medical records! I've spent over an hour tonight looking through them (many seem like duplicates to me), but I have singled out what I think will satisfy my trip insurance folks so my claim can officially be started. What an ordeal!

A Different Holiday Greeting

2011-12-04T17:35:00.003-06:00

I love hearing carols being played on the radio, in stores, and at church. Here's an unusual holiday greeting that put a smile on my face: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH8FvERQHtM&feature=share. Enjoy!

Choir Brunch for the Women

2011-12-03T18:36:00.011-06:00

Inge, visiting from Norway, a cousin of a choir member, read her version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." She was a hoot!

* * * * *

The church choir of which I'm a part, had an extra rehearsal this morning in preparation for our three concerts next week. The music is really beautiful, and I was happy for this extra rehearsal since I missed so much while home recuperating. Following the rehearsal, I was blessed to attend the brunch for the women in our choir (The men aren't left out. They have a rib fest in the summer.)

39 women attended the event this year — our second annual — which was held at my friend Marney's beautiful home. I can't imagine having 39 ladies come to my home. First of all, where would they park? And once inside — if they all could fit inside my small home — where would they sit or stand?!

Part of the lunch was catered, and the other part was provided by the committee. Talk about delicious food, and FABULOUS conversation and singing! I'm thrilled to be a part of our church choir. Since the church is so large, these 80+ people are really my "small congregation." Not only do we sing, but we care about each other. Each week we have an opportunity to share a prayer request, or give a "praise," for the way the Lord and others have helped us. I know they prayed for me every week while I was recovering. Isn't that neat?!

The random photos were taken during our singing time. They're not posed, so some have their eyes closed and mouths open. Still, I like the way they turned out.

Knitting Club Norwegian/Swedish Smorgasbord

2011-12-02T19:37:00.007-06:00

This is one of the two beautiful tables. Each of us got one of the Swedish woven hearts filled with candy to bring home.

This is my friend, Pat, in her Swedish costume.

Jane was crowned Uff Da! Queen for telling the best Ole and Lena joke.

Last night I attended the annual Norwegian/Swedish Smorgasbord for our knitting club, which this year was held at Barb's beautiful home. There were 14 of us, and each brought food to contribute to the julbord. For appetizers, we had Swedish glog, hardtack/flat bread, various cheeses, pickled beets, pickled herring (I don't like this), and deviled eggs (not Swedish, but brought by an Irish friend). After saying a Norwegian prayer in unison, we proceeded to the smorgasbord where the choices were: Swedish meatballs, scalloped potatoes, potato sausages (don't like these), corn pudding, rice pudding, cardamom bread (I brought this), lefse, marinated cucumbers, beet molded salad, and for dessert, pepparkakor, almond cake, krumkake, and lingonberry sparkle to drink. I may be missing something, but believe me, no one went hungry!

After eating, we sang some Swedish and Norwegian songs and told Ole and Lena jokes. We also had a small gift exchange - each of us brought a wrapped used book - great idea!

My Christmas Tree

2011-11-25T17:59:00.003-06:00

Today I put up my Christmas tree — outside, on my patio. With Nels and his love of chewing electrical chords, plus the temptation of climbing, I decided this was a better home for it. I put it outside the French doors on the patio. The lights are on a timer — coming on a dusk and staying on for four hours. It's a solution that works for me. I also put my wreath on my door. Also, this year, most of my Christmas decorations — at least any of the ones with electrical chords — will be in my cottage. It's hard to believe Christmas is a month from today!

Gratitude

2011-11-24T01:00:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving Day = gratitude. Yes, it's a day set aside for families and friends to be together and to recall our blessings. Here are some of my blessings:

First and foremost to me is my family. I have been blessed with 3 wonderful children who are now married and raising kids of their own, which gives me the blessing of 6 beautiful grand chilren, and #7 on the way!

I have an amazing extended family — scattered from Minnesota to New Jersey, to Illinois and Indiana, and to Arizona and Colorado.

I have friends — an abundance of friends — and they, too, mean so much to me.

I live in a good home, in a nice neighborhood; have a good car; and a good job (and a loving cat).

I attend and am a member of an inspirational church with a pastor who after 35 years in our pulpit, is retiring at the end of this year (I am going to miss him and his wife so much!).

While I've had some health issues this year, I am still alive and kicking (just not high), and am on the mend.

I have new eye balls (sort of), and don't have to wear glasses!

I live in a free country and have the privilege of voting and expressing my opinions.

God continues to watch over me and my family, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Even though saying good-bye to my Aunt Liz this year has been very difficult, He gives me comfort, knowing I will see her again someday.

Happy Thanksgiving! May God bless you.

Online again!

2011-11-20T09:03:00.002-06:00

I'm back online again, thanks to the purchase of a new computer. I checked to see if my old one could be fixed, and learned it would cost more money than the purchase of a new one.

I bought another Dell laptop which has a bit more ram than my previous one. The price for it had come down — $150 less. I guess that is usually true with electronics. I paid an additional $60 for everything on my previous hard drive to be downloaded to the new computer, but as far as I can tell, that didn't happen. For instance, all of my photo folders show "empty." I will have to call them to check on it, but as of now, I have no voice.

My head cold moved into laryngitis on Friday, plus it has given me a lot of coughing. The cough is productive, but not fun. Except for picking up the new computer yesterday, I have stayed home in the "resting" mode. I had to miss Sarah and Peder's birthday supper yesterday, and today I am missing church and another birthday get-together of choir friends. I have a dental appointment at 8 am tomorrow, but may need to somehow cancel it.

Did you know we got 4 to 5 inches of snow yesterday? Now the fun begins. There were over 400 fender-benders in the twin cities yesterday. THANKFULLY, it is supposed to warm up next week. They are predicting temperatures in the 40s and 50s starting tomorrow!

Fried!

2011-11-18T08:59:00.002-06:00

Last night was not one of my better nights. I came home from work tired, hungry, and feeling a little overwhelmed at all I had to accomplish yet. I changed clothes and started the laundry, fed Nels, after petting him a bit, and started my simple dinner: tomato soup, toast and orange juice. My head was feeling thick and cloudy (this stupid cold!), and all I wanted to do was sit in front of the TV, watch the news, and fill my tummy.

Per usual, I carefully carried my tray to the cottage. I put the tray on the floor and closed my screen door behind me. Picking up my glass of orange juice, I reached over my lap top which was sitting on my ottoman, to put the glass on the coaster (the lap top lid was closed), when it slipped out of my hand and spilled on the lap top. Juice was rolling off of it onto the carpet. I quickly got a bath towel and proceeded to wipe it off. I then moved it to the floor and continued the cleaning up process.

After eating my dinner and cleaning up the kitchen, I sat in the cottage and turned on my computer. Everything worked fine for about an hour, and then the screen went wacky - black streaks darted here and there, and then I saw smoke coming from the right hand hinge. I quickly pulled the power cord out and that was it! It stunk, and died.

My time with Marshall and family

2011-11-16T18:37:00.010-06:00

. . . getting face painted (he chose a spider web),

playing bean bags,

getting ready to blow out his "3" candle,

keeping Marshall entertained until our food order came,

letting my eyes feast on the abundant, gorgeous, fall foliage in Seattle,

admiring my grandson's sweet smile,

and enjoying our lunch together. It was all so much fun!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Marshall!

2011-11-12T09:26:00.002-06:00

Today I get to be part of the celebration of Marshall's 3rd birthday - a first for me. He's still asleep, but I want to do all I can to make this a fun day for him.

I flew out here to Seattle on Thursday, and since arriving here, Marshall and I have had fun playing together, looking at pictures — he loves looking at photos of his cousins on the computer, on their mommy or daddy's blogs or on their facebook albums. He enjoyed seeing Josiah, Annika, Will, Aurelia and Felix in their Halloween costumes! We've gone shopping once — last night, to let him choose his birthday and Christmas gifts — and that was really fun. He was so easy to please.

I am seeing how he interacts with his mommy and daddy, and even the neighbor kids, whom Chad babysat last night — two year old twins! Brian, the Golden Retriever, tolerates Marshall, but Heidi says Brian is jealous of him.

Heidi and Chad have a big party planned for later today. I'm sure looking forward to it!

Happy Birthday, Marshall!

Veterans Day

2011-11-11T02:00:00.000-06:00

11-11-11. What a date! Interestingly, I found this when I looked at Wikipedia for the history of Veterans Day: Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

This year I am saluting my son, Hans, who was recently promoted to Commander. He is currently the Executive Officer on one of the Navy's guided missile cruisers, and I am extremely proud of him. Recently he and Rachel attend the 236th Navy Ball. These photos are from that event.

There are others in my family who have served or are now serving in the military, and I am very proud of them as well. Happy Veterans Day!

Perk on my flight today

2011-11-10T16:34:00.002-06:00

I took an early flight to Seattle today. To my delight, this flight was not crowded. I sat in my window seat and noticed the option of watching a movie on the screen in the back of the seat ahead of me. Scanning through the movies, I chose The Help. I had seen this a couple of months ago in the theater and at the conclusion of it, I said to my friend, "We have just seen this year's best movie!"

Well, after the usual announcements were made, I read the directions and proceeded to purchase the movie. It started, but I couldn't get any sound. I tapped and tapped on the control, but no sound would come. When I could get the attention of a flight attendant, she tried too, without success. We tried a second headset - still, no sound. Then we discovered the sound worked in the next seat over, so she told me if I would like to move there and purchase the movie again, she would get me some kind of a refund. I decided to do it.

When the flight was nearly over, she returned to my row and paused my movie. She said she couldn't give me my money back ($6), but I could get a voucher to be used on food or frequent flyer miles. I chose the miles. She gave me 2,500 miles! That was some refund!

Impatience

2011-11-08T08:44:00.002-06:00

I sprained my right ankle badly on October 8, a month ago today. I thought it would be healed or nearly healed by now, but not so. This past Sunday I decided I would try to go to church sporting my new, black leather walking shoes I bought for the cruise. I was careful to walk slowly, used the elevator, and even sat during the pastor's morning prayer. Apparently I over-did it, and I sure payed for it. When I got home, my ankle was very swollen and painful. This was a hard lesson for me - I need to continue wearing this air cast and stay off my foot as much as possible. Can you tell I'm growing impatient? I want to know: how do the professional athletes do it? How do they injure themselves and then play hard the very next week? Maybe I need to hire a trainer!

Halloween

2011-10-31T18:21:00.002-05:00

Last week I checked with one of our Vice Presidents for permission to wear a costume at the front desk today. He asked me what I planned to wear. After telling him, he said it was okay. So today I wore curlers in my hair, covered by a curler bonnet, plus my pink, terry cloth bath robe.

The reaction: I got a lot of smiles and good comments. Was I comfortable? Yes, until into the morning a few hours, when the bonnet started feeling a bit tight around my ears, and the curlers began to itch. As for the robe - - it was very comfortable!

When Jim, the FedEx man brought in a package, I asked him where his costume was. He said - "Oh, I should have worn a UPS shirt!" Funny thing was, that's what the mailman said, too.

Here's wishing Josiah, Annika, Aurelia, Marshall, William and Felix and fun time!! Happy Halloween from Grandma D!

What Is It with Cassie's Baby?

2011-10-25T09:35:00.004-05:00

On the right hand side of my blog, there is a column titled Feedjit Live Traffic Feed. It's interesting for me to see who searches what and lands on my blog. For quite some time now, I have noticed many searches for Cassie's Baby. Today when I checked, I saw hits from Denmark, Prince Edward Island, Costa Rica, Toronto, London and Montreal, Canada, Portugal, 3 separate hits from Brazil (all different cities), The Netherlands, Spain, and Mexico - along with someone from Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Texas and Missouri. Now I ask, is that a song or movie that is poplar right now? I'm puzzled.

Celebrating Nels' 2nd Birthday

2011-10-24T07:29:00.005-05:00

Today I am celebrating Nels' 2nd birthday. Yes, I have had him only 10 months, but when I first got him, his veterinarian determined he was 13 or 14 months old - not 3 years which was stated on his bio at the Humane Society. I set his birthday as October 24.

He continues to be a good companion for me. Oh, he's not perfect, but what 2 year old is? Since I have been spending SO much time at home of late, he has become accustomed to curling up on my lap - for hours at a time. He loves being petted, and I love hearing him purr.

To celebrate his day, we started off with a can of Fancy Feast Salmon in Gravy. He thought it was delicious! Happy Birthday, Nels!

Missed the Boat

2011-10-22T09:08:00.002-05:00

This morning I realized how much I missed not getting to go on the cruise. My sister phoned from Newport, Rhode Island. Their ship pulled in sometime this morning, and she and Pat were waiting for their number to be called to board the tender that will bring them ashore. Both Pat and Jan have been to Newport before - for Pat, it was many, many years ago. For Jan, she spent a week there with me while Hans and Rachel spent a week in Bermuda and we watched Josiah and Annika. During that week, we walked around Newport a lot - including the trek to Goat Island, which Jan said the ship sailed past this morning. Once on land, their first destination will be the Post Office where they will post some of their belongings to be sent home to allow more room in their luggage! They plan to walk the wonderful historic neighborhood where Hans and Rachel lived.

Jan and I talked about 20 minutes, and she related to me some of the sights they have seen and what life on the ship has been like. As she spoke, it confirmed the feelings I have had - I missed the boat, literally, and I missed out on a dream trip. I missed spending these 14 special days with my sister and cousin! Oh, I'll get to see their pictures and hear their stories, and hopefully that will help fill the gap. But I know it won't replace the fact that I didn't get to go. Here's where the old adage: "Don't cry over spilled milk" comes in. There is nothing I can do about this. It's done. Tomorrow their ship pulls into the New York harbor, and after disembarking, boarding a bus to visit the Statue of Liberty, the 32 folks who made up our Fall Leaves Tour, will travel to La Guardia and make their way back to Minnesota. They will have spent an amazing 17 days together.

One thing I am certain: I'm glad I insisted Jan and Pat continue on this trip. There will be more opportunities for us to do things and go places together.

Back on the job

2011-10-20T18:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I returned to my office where I got to work at the Reception Desk all day (with the exception of break times and lunch). I really enjoyed seeing all of my co-workers again, and catching up on what has been going on since I've been away. Of course, everyone wanted to know how I was and relayed to me how sorry they were that I didn't get to go on the cruise.

What caused me to faint while on my trip? I'm not sure we'll ever know. I had a colonoscopy on Monday, but that didn't reveal much. I have an appointment to see my doctor next week.

What is most frustrating about this - aside from not getting to go on the cruise? For me, it is this ankle problem: the pain plus not being able to drive. I don't like relying on getting rides, but thankfully, I have very dear friends who are coming to my rescue. Friends have brought me a meal, driven me to my appointments, grocery shopped for me, and are picking me up and bringing me home from work. I've heard from so many of my family and friends, too. I have gotten darling "Get well, Grandma" cards, and well wishes from others. People really care. Which makes me realize this: I have to be more attentive to those around me that may need my help. I need to be ready to make a meal for someone, or offer to take someone for a ride that is housebound.

Cabin Fever

2011-10-15T18:36:00.003-05:00

I have been housebound (except for a doctor appointment on Wednesday) since getting home from NYC last Sunday night. Let me tell you, as much as I like my home, it was getting a bit "old." Today a good friend picked me and took me on a drive to Red Wing and down highway 61 past Lake City, where we saw beautiful fall foliage. Oh, it was past peak, but just barely. We saw beautiful trees and bushes, and of course, Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River, as well as the bluffs. There were 3 bald eagles soaring over one of the bluffs just south of Red Wing. A paddle boat was puttering on Lake Pepin.

For lunch, we stopped at the Chickadee Cottage, a favorite of mine, and had delicious quiche, salad, fresh fruit, and apple/cherry crisp with ice cream. All of it was delicious! We also stopped at an apple orchard and got some sweet tango apples. They are yummy!

I barely got home, and Peder, Sarah, Aurelia and Felix came to my home. We went to a neighborhood park where the kids played. It was a lovely day and so fun to get out of my home for awhile.

My ankle still hurts. The doctor told me no driving for two weeks. Talk about getting your "wings clipped!" I've become dependent on others for groceries, trips to the doctor, and yes, picking up the supplies I need for tomorrow as I prepare for a colonoscopy early Monday morning. I guess you know what I'll be doing tomorrow.

On a side note, Jan and Pat are enjoying the cruise and the excursions they have taken. They have called me every day, except the two days when the ship was out to sea. I imagine they aren't getting cell phone signals out there. I'm looking forward to seeing their pictures and hearing their stories once they return. They have another 8 fun-filled days ahead of them.

Note to readers:

2011-10-11T20:56:00.003-05:00

Note to readers: I posted my entries about the beginning of our cruise in the five stories that follow - in chronological order from the bottom up.

Disappointment

2011-10-10T19:46:00.007-05:00

This lovely photo of me is in the ER at NYU Medical Center. I spent 8 hours here before I was admitted to the hospital. I'll try to write an entry about this ER in the future. It was something else!

= = =

My trip has come to an end. I am home - I did not get to go on the cruise due to a medical incident.

Saturday, while in the United Nations, I passed out twice. An ambulance was called and I was transported to the New York University Hospital where I spent the next 26 hours. I was released after ruling out a heart attack, stroke, or blocked arteries. During all of this I also experienced internal bleeding and I twisted my ankle during the second fall, which resulted in a bad sprain and chipped bone.

At 6 am yesterday, the medical staff informed me I was not going on the cruise and more testing was done. When it was determined there was nothing heart related, I was discharged to return to Minnesota to have the internal bleeding checked out. I am wearing an air cast on my right foot/ankle and am not supposed to drive for 6 or 7 days.

I was able to get a flight back to Minneapolis last night and am now home recovering. I was impressed with the great care at both airports with those needing wheel chair assistance! This was a new experience for me (hope it will be last!). I will see my doctor on Wednesday for review and to be set up with referrals for a gastroenterologist and orthopedic doctor or podiatrist. Now I have the time off to take care of such visits.

This was very disappointing to not get to take the cruise, but I am thankful it occurred in NYC rather than on the ship or while on shore on an excursion. I was told I was taken to the best hospital in New York City.

The NYC Tour Continues

2011-10-10T19:01:00.011-05:00

Messages pertaining to 9/11 hang on ribbons from this tree in the chapel yard.

This bronze bell at St. Paul's chapel was presented to the New York workers on the first anniversary of 9/11 by the Lord Mayor of the city of London.

This sign hangs in the inside of St. Paul's Chapel.

A view of the Chrysler Building

Lunch time

Track 7 at Grand Central Station

~ ~ ~

After we visited the 9/11 Memorial, we walked to St. Paul's Chapel. This small church holds a lot of history. George Washington worshipped here on the day of his inauguration, and not long ago it was a resting place for the rescue workers following the attacks on the Twin Towers. In the yard at the rear, there is a cemetery. It was difficult to read the inscriptions.

Our next destination was Grand Central Station. Our tour guide told us some years ago the city of New York considered tearing this down - after all, real estate in New York City is prime. But when Jackie Kennedy got wind of this, she campaigned to have it remain and to have the inside cleaned. It's a beautiful building. Jan, Pat and I ate our lunch in the basement of the station.

Next stop, the United Nations.

9/11 Memorial

2011-10-10T18:09:00.010-05:00

Tower One being constructed. Upon completion, it will be tallest building in North America.

Mirella

* * * * * * *

If I saw nothing else while in New York City but the 9/11 Memorial - Reflecting Absence - that would be enough for me. I never expected it to be so moving, so tasteful, so beautiful, and so fitting. This was definitely a well planned memorial to the 2,983 victims of the two terrorist attacks.

There are two fountains - one for Tower One, the other for Tower Two. Each one is the size of the base of the original Twin Towers. The names of each victim from the two towers, flight 93, flight 77, the Pentegon, and those killed in the terrorist attack to the towers in 1993 are engraved in the ledge around each fountain. They are beautifully done. Combined, the two fountains will circulate a total of 52,000 gallons of water per minute. The sound of the water is peaceful - a fitting tribute for the families of the deceased.

While walking around, I noticed a man running a crayon over paper over a name. I approached him and asked him if I may ask if this was a family member. He told me it was his nephew who had died. To the woman next to him, I asked, "Was this your nephew, too?" to which she replied, "No, this was my son." She went on to tell me her son had worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, the nation's leading bond brokerage firm, whose offices were in the 101st - 105th floors of the North Tower. All of the 658 employees of Cantor Fitzgerald who were in the office at the time of the attack, perished. I asked her what she was doing during the attack and she told me she was getting ready to come into the city and had been listening to the radio when she heard a plane had flown into one of the towers. She, like many of us, assumed it was a small, private plane in distress. Soon after, her daughter-in-law phoned her to tell her to turn on the TV.

As she was relating this to me, a tear fell from her eye. She said she had come to see the memorial on the 9/11 anniversary this year, but there were so many crowds of people that she became frustrated and went home. This day was her first visit. She took out a photo of her son and his family and gave me permission to photograph her holding it. Her name is Mirella. She was born in Italy and was proud to tell me her son spoke Italian as well as English. She went on to say her son's body had been identified the following June. One of his legs was missing. She was asked if she wanted to view it. She declined. I told her I would be praying for her and she thanked me.

A Tour of New York City

2011-10-10T17:50:00.006-05:00

Pat and Jan

Waitress performing in Ellen's Stardust Diner

The Empire State Building is our backdrop.

The Wall Street revolt is actually smaller than it appears on TV. It is in one small park, and our tour guide told us the crowd changes every day. When we walked by, it was rather quiet. There were many TV equipment trucks on the perimeter.

~ ~ ~

First off on our tour of New York city was breakfast at Ellen's Stardust Diner - about 2 blocks from our hotel. All 33 of us walked to the restaurant and were immediately seated at reserved tables. There wasn't anything that "special" about the restaurant - not fancy at all - but after we were there a little bit, we could hear someone speaking, and then he was singing - beautifully. He was one of the waiters! He performed a fun song, and then proceeded to take orders from customers. Minutes later, another waiter took the microphone and sang while walking through the aisles. Wow, were they good! Turns out, every waiter and waitress were "wanna be" performers on Broadway. This was really fun!

Our bus picked us up after breakfast and we headed south out of Times Square. We traveled through Greenwich Village, SoHo, China Town, and eventually to Wall Street (Yes, we saw the bull and the protesters in the park near Wall Street.) and the area around the World Trade Center. At this point, we got out of the bus and walked a bit to the entrance of the 9/11 Memorial Fountains.

Going on a Big Trip - NYC and a 2 Week Cruise

2011-10-10T14:59:00.014-05:00

The Statue of Liberty welcoming us.

This speaks for itself.

This is our hotel room.

Yours truly with Minnie Mouse

On a trip to New York many years ago, we went to the Ed Sullivan show. That night his guests were Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.

Janet and the Reuben sandwich she and Pat shared

Look at the crowds - and this is an ordinary Friday night in Times Square!

Yours truly and Janet sitting on the glass stairs in Times Square

This guy was dressed in nothing but candy!

We tried to spot ourselves in this "live cam" on Broadway. We're way at the back, on the left.

On Friday, my sister, cousin and I boarded a plane with 30 other folks for a 3 day trip to NYC, followed by a 14 day cruise to New England and Canada. The trip was booked as a Fall Leaves Tour. We had looked forward to this for quite some time.

Flying over upstate New York (I had the window seat), I got to see the glorious fall colors of the forests below. There were brilliant reds, oranges and yellow. I took several photos, but one must have a much better camera than mine to catch the scene. Anyway, I loved it. Coming into New York City, the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan came into view. Wow! The sky was a clear blue, and the sight was gorgeous. Our destination was La Guardia, in Queens, Long Island. Many years ago, when I was just a little kid (10 years old), I got to New York to stay with my aunt and uncle, who at that time lived in Flushing, the suburb next to Queens.

After landing, we boarded a bus that took us to our hotel right in the heart of Time Square - the Crowne Plaza. It was a beautiful place! We got our room assignments, checked them out, and left to see what there was to see in Times Square. The rest of the afternoon and evening we up to us - free time. We chose to eat dinner at Carnegie Deli. Now, this is a well known restaurant with photos and autographs of famous people on all the walls. One of my cousin's granddaughters who works in NYC, met us for dinner. When our food came, we were shocked at the portion size. Janet and Pat shared a Reuben. It was HUGE! I should have split it with them, but instead ordered a salami sandwich, which I have to say, was a disappointment.

Following our dinner - or what we ate of it. We walked around more of Time Square. This is a "happening" place! We considered going to a Broadway show, but passed on it because we didn't think we could stay awake for it. That is one of our regrets. Looking back, we should have done it.

Reminiscing

2011-10-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

This morning I looked back to 2007 in my blog - just to see why a reader landed on my site while searching for Jane Eyre. As with other things, I got side-tracked and began reading the posts I created in September of that year.

I'm happy I have recorded some of the daily events in my life, and some of my memories of my younger years. For me, this blog has been a good way to journal my life - for me to remember the things I thought were news worthy or fun, meaningful, and special. I enjoyed seeing Aurelia when she was so tiny, and relived the day I drove to the site of the I 35-W bridge collapse.

In a few weeks, I hope to have more to write about, but for now, I'm enjoying reading previous posts.

Nels, do you want to go for a walk outside?

2011-10-02T19:21:00.003-05:00

I have discovered my cat, Nels, loves his carrier. This is so weird for me. Every cat we have ever had has hated the carrier. When I bring the carrier in the house, Nels climbs right into it.

With my foot healed, a walk on this beautiful autumn day sounded good to me, so I asked Nels if he wanted to join me. Yes! Outside we went - he was sniffing madly - all those outdoor scents and sounds. It amazes me how he relaxes and looks all around. Birds catch his attention, and trees, and people. While walking, three women were approaching, each with a small dog on a leash. Nels sat - alert, but not afraid. He mewed once when one of the dogs started barking. Immediately his owner said, "No!" and pulled him back. All was well.

I'm happy this is so easy for me - to do something good for both of us.

Don Kooy

2011-10-01T20:32:00.003-05:00

Today my sister and I went to Willmar, Minnesota, to attend the memorial service of our childhood friend, Don Kooy. Don's father was our minister when we were kids - in fact, he was the only minister we had until my senior year in high school. A couple of years later, he performed the ceremony when Steve and I were married.

At the service today, Don was honored by many pastors from across the state of Minnesota. He had been active in some form of ministry his entire adult life and was well respected. As with most funerals/memorial services, people come from all parts to give their last farewell and wish the family their best. It was fun to see many of the "kids" who were in our youth group today. Oh, the years have gone by, and we've changed just a bit, but they are dear, dear friends and the reunion was wonderful.

Don will be missed.

A Weekend with My Sister and Cousins

2011-09-25T20:08:00.010-05:00

Ticknor Hill Bed & Breakfast

One of the beds in our room

Sisters: Linda and Diane

Baked egg/ham dish

L to R: Yours truly, Linda, Diane, Pat, Jan

Como Park, St. Paul, Minnesota

Inside the Marjorie Holmes Conservatory

Hans and Rachel were married on these steps nine years ago.

This year, more than ever, my sister, cousins and I have spent some quality time together. This weekend we gathered at Diane's home where we had lunch and played with her darling grandsons, Ethan (3 years old) and Luke (2 weeks of age). This was not only fun, but meaningful - you see, Diane and her husband are moving back east - this time to the Atlantic shores of New Jersey. It has been great having them here in Minnesota for the past four years, and now the Minnesota cousins have a new place to travel - the Jersey shore!

Following lunch, we packed into Aunt Liz's car and traveled a small distance to where we toured a few of the Parade of Homes in her neighborhood and then to Ticknor Hill B & B in Anoka. This B & B is in a Victorian Home built in 1867. The hostess welcomed us by giving us a tour of the home, and showed us our rooms - one large one that sleeps 3 and a smaller one that sleeps 2. We were the only guests for the weekend, so we had the common areas to ourselves. We brought in our baggage and left for some shopping in the many antique stores in Anoka, followed by dinner in a local bar and grill. Per usual, we spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing - staying up way past my bedtime!

Sunday morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the dining room, and listened to our hostess tell of the history of the house. After checking out, we ventured a few blocks away to see where the Rum River flows into the Mississippi River. This is a new part of Minnesota to me.

Next destination: Como park. We walked through the conservatory, the tropical gardens, and out to the zoo to see the orangutans, polar bears, giraffes and zebras. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors, and all in all, it capped off a wonderful time of being together. I'm blessed to have these special women in my life.

Dinner's Ready

2011-09-19T17:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was dull and drizzly and it got me to thinking about a nice, easy, cozy meal for today. Why not make a pot roast in the crock pot? I stopped in a meat market and got a nice cut of beef, knowing I had Yukon gold potatoes and carrots at home.

This morning I prepared the vegetables and put them and the meat in my crock pot and left for work. When I came home for lunch, I noticed this aroma was drawing Nels to jump up on the kitchen counter. This is definitely a NO, NO! To make certain he didn't get up there while I was at work this afternoon, I locked him up in the laundry room.

5:10 pm, I entered my home and was warmly greeting with the delicious smell of my dinner! In less than 10 minutes, I had poured myself a glass of milk and was ready to begin eating this comfort food. God bless the inventor of the crock pot and God bless You, Heavenly Father, for the food you provide.

Knitting Retreat

2011-09-18T15:28:00.013-05:00

Some of my friends. L to R: Gladys, Pat, Laurey, Gayle, Marney, Carin.

Aren't these fun dishes?!!

One of Barb's zucchinis she grew this year resembles her Mallard duck. Isn't that cool!

Barb, showing us what we hope our bird baths will look like.

1. We poured out sand on the table, to make a cushion for our Hosta leaf. At this point, the leaf is hiding the sand.

2. We sprayed water on the sand so it would stick together better, covered it with a sheet of plastic, and placed our leaf over it, making sure it was raised at the deepest part of the leaf.

3. Bit by bit, we spread wet cement over the Hosta leaf, building it up from 1/2" to 1" thickness.

4. We formed a nice edge to the leaf, used the empty cottage cheese carton to form a flat base on the bird bath, and incised our initials. I also put cement into an empty carton to make a pedestal. All of the cement leaf bird baths were loosely covered with plastic to dry for a week.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Each year one of the members of our knitting club invites the members to her cabin up north - near Nisswa, Minnesota. As always, it was so much fun!

Some of the ladies went up on Thursday, some Friday morning, and Gayle and I went up Friday after getting out of work. Other years we have gone up in October and the fall color was pretty. Though the leaves haven't begun changing yet, it was still nice up there - nice to get away.

Arriving at dinner time, we walked in to a beautifully set table and the aroma of good cooking. 9 of us gathered around the table and sang grace - The Doxology - with beautiful harmony. There was lots of conversation and laughter, and delicious food! Some stayed up way into the late hours talking.

Saturday morning Gayle and I prepared breakfast for all - a baked French toast, baked in an orange, sugar, cinnamon, butter combination, along with fresh fruit, sausages and orange juice.

All of us brought snacks for the weekend, but I thought the best of all were the home-made peanut butter and orange/oatmeal cookies that Marney made. Yummy!! I'm afraid I overdid it with them.

Each retreat we make a project. This year was so fun. We made bird baths from Hosta leaves and cement. They have to dry for a week, so Pat will pick them up next weekend when they go back up to their cabin. I sure hope mine turns out!

Drastic Weather Change

2011-09-15T19:36:00.002-05:00

Our weather changed yesterday - big time. A freeze warning - not frost warning - was given for last night. Since my flowering plants are still very pretty, I gathered them together, close to my house, and covered them with a sheet. Thankfully, it only dropped to 37, so all is well. They're all fine.

I'm not ready for fall yet, and technically, it isn't Autumn until the 21st of this month. Also, I'm not ready for it being dark before 8 pm - but it is!

Oh well, these are things for which we have no control, but in Minnesota, we gripe because we can!

9/11 - My Memories

2011-09-11T06:00:00.009-05:00

It was Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, when I left my home around 7:30 and began walking to work. As I did occasionally, I phoned my Aunt Ginny to converse with her for a bit, ending my call as I walked up to my office building. I proceeded to my desk, when I heard Paul say, "A small plane just hit one of the skyscrapers in New York City!" I went into his office to listen to his radio to learn some more, then went to my office, turned on my computer, and went straight to CNN.com. The reports were a little sketchy, but in moments, I learned a second plane had hit Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. From that moment on - there was very little work done by me or anyone in our office.

Heidi was living in Baton Rouge, LA, at the time, working as an air traffic controller. I called her home to tell her about the attack, and got her voice mail. I knew she was wasn't working at that time, so I called her again - asking her to pick up the phone. Groggily she answered, "What's the matter?" I told her to turn on her TV - any channel. Her day changed from that moment, too. (Hopefully she'll blog about it this weekend.)

Next I phoned Hans, who was stationed in the twin cities at the time. He hadn't left for work yet. We talked as he watched his TV and I watched CNN online. We were in disbelief. Suddenly he announced, "Oh, my God! They've hit the Pentagon! I've got to get to work, Mom. Bye."

That noon I walked home for lunch. It was an eerie feeling to see no planes in the sky — except for a couple of F16s — crisscrossing from east of St. Paul to west of Minneapolis. They had flown down from an air force base in Duluth.

The rest of that day was spent either glued to my computer screen, or to a TV. Life, as we knew it, would never be the same. May we never experience this again!

This weekend much attention is being given to this horrific tragedy. I watched the ceremony of the memorial for Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. One of those heroes, Tom Burnett, Jr., was from my city. He graduated from the same high school as Heidi. Today my post office is named for him.

In summer 2004, I was privileged to stand at ground zero. It was an emotional feeling. Next month I will return.

"The Help"

2011-09-04T21:14:00.002-05:00

What a privilege to see the movie, The Help. The film was recommended to me by two dear people, so today my friend Nancy and I went to see it. I was immediately drawn in, but as the story continued, my emotions were engaged. By the end, I couldn't stop crying. At the conclusion, I decided this movie will take "best picture" this season. Please go to see it.

What a treat!

2011-09-01T21:24:00.003-05:00

Driving home tonight, I was treated to the sight of a crescent moon. It was lovely. (This is not my photo, but the moon looked just like this.)

New Job

2011-08-29T20:00:00.003-05:00

I've worked at my current occupation for a little over 10-1/2 years. Until a couple of weeks ago, I was the assistant to the Production Manager and the Design Director. For the most part, it was interesting and fun. A couple of weeks ago my duties changed: I am now the morning receptionist at my office and in the afternoon, I am the assistant to the Design Director. This has been a pleasant change for me! If you know me at all, you know I like people. I like greeting them, visiting with them, encouraging them, and helping them. All of these things fall under my new job description.

This morning, one of our Vice Presidents stopped to talk to me and told me the company is very happy having me at the front desk. He told me I have made a positive change to our company and people are really pleased.

If you can have a job you enjoy ~ go for it!

Helpfulness

2011-08-26T18:18:00.002-05:00

I can't get over how nice the people are to me while wearing this boot. I put off my weekly shopping until this afternoon, knowing it would be a process.

I had quite a list - first stop: Sprint. My phone is at least 3 years old, and the battery isn't holding it's charge very long. Coming in to the store, all of the associates were with customers, so I waited. When my turn came, the clerk noticed my boot and got me a chair. Nice. She was kind, helpful, and caring. And I walked away with a new phone.

Next stop: Petco. After getting food and litter for Nels, the clerk graciously carried my purchases to the car.

Last stop: Costco. I hopped into the only available electric wheel chair and started going down aisle after aisle. I picked up things I have needed for at least two weeks - and this time I didn't hit any merchandise OR people! Driving up to the check-out lane, the customer ahead of me made certain I had plenty of room for the chair. Then she proceeded to carefully unload my basket. She couldn't have been nicer! When it was my turn to pay, I accidentally dropped my membership card on the floor. I could have stepped off to pick it up, but the gentleman behind me insisted on helping me. At the completion, the checker packed my dry goods in the bag I brought with me and stacked the remaining items in the basket. Then, get this - - Costco allows you to drive the electric wheelchair to your car to unload and one of their employees comes to drive it back in.

I don't have polio. I'm not permanently handicapped (at least I hope it's not permanent!). And yet people are so kind. Makes one think of the Golden Rule. I must do all I can to help others.

A Weekend With the Grandchildren

2011-08-21T09:47:00.017-05:00

Annika

Josiah

I have a "partial" set of numbers puzzles that Josiah loves - purchased at a garage sale some years ago. Each number is made up of 1" thick foam pieces - 1 piece for the 1; 5 pieces for the 5, etc. When I bought them, the 7 and 0 were missing. Knowing he was coming, I got them out of storage so he could once again play with them. This time he thought it would be fun to put the corresponding number showing the age of the person (or animal) for a photo. Nels is 1 year old.

Annika is 5 years old.

Josiah is 7 years old, but since there is no "7," Josiah decided to show 5 + 2 = 7 (him). Pretty smart, if you ask me!

Cousin Pat, Josiah and Annika waiting for our photo shoot appointment

Aurelia blowing out her candles. Happy 4th birthday, Aurelia!

Felix - enjoying his cake

Aurelia - waiting patiently to open her gifts

Sarah, sporting Aurelia's birthday glasses

Yours truly with (L to R) Josiah, Annika, Aurelia, with Sarah carrying Felix and ?

It's been a very nice - but busy - weekend with some of my grandchildren! I got to have 2 of them - Josiah and Annika - with me, plus we all got to go to Aurelia's birthday party.

Friday I met Rachel, Josiah, Annika and Will at the McDonald's in St. Peter so I could bring Josiah and Annika to my home to spend some time with me. I only had them for about 24 hours, but it was special!

The big excitement for them at my home was Nels. They both loved him and played and played with him, until bedtime - and even during the early morning! He had fun with them, too, and when he needed some rest, he would park under a chair or climb to the top of his cat tree.

Knowing they were coming, I had made an appointment at Target to have their photos taken to give me a current photo to hang on my "Family" wall. Perhaps this wasn't the wisest thing to do - given our time restraints - but it worked out. My Cousin Pat came mid-morning, and together we went out to Target, did the photo shoots, shopped for a toy for each of the kids, headed to Burger King for a quick bite, and drove to Aurelia's to celebrate her 4th birthday.

With a perfect Minnesota summer day for a birthday party (we don't have that many!), family members gathered in Peder and Sarah's back yard - the kids playing with each other while the adults visited. Then it was time for cake and ice cream - and finally - the opening of gifts. I was so pleased that the cousins got to be with each other for a while. They had a very good time.

At the conclusion of the party, during the farewells, with Peder and Sarah standing next to each other, Sarah said, "Donna, you know that baby shoe necklace of yours? Well, you're going to be adding another shoe next year!" Yes, they're expecting another baby - due in April! Isn't that happy news?!

Getting Around

2011-08-18T08:30:00.003-05:00

A couple of years ago, while dealing with plantar faciitis, I discovered the value of the electric shopping carts that many stores provide. These are comfortable, easy to operate, and have a large basket for purchases. I'm once again finding them very useful.

It's interesting how different they can be from store to store. For instance, one day last weekend I used one at a local Target, and got into a little trouble when making a turn to enter an aisle. The turning radius wasn't great, and I ran into a display of emery boards. Several packages fell to the floor, as well as the price tag. A nice gentleman and his young son came quickly to my rescue - picking up everything and telling me not to worry. I was so embarrassed, but thankful I hadn't hit a person! Another thing about that wheelchair was the annoying "beep . . . beep . . . beep" each time I used the reverse mode. It was loud - similar to a city utility truck. That, too, was embarrassing.

Aside from the usefulness of the vehicle, is the feeling of the genuine, kind attitude of other shoppers as they pass you. "May I reach that for you?" "Hello!" And yesterday at the grocery store check-out, the clerk offered, "Would you like to have someone pack your bags for you?"

Boots Are In!

2011-08-16T18:25:00.003-05:00

After limping around - in pain - for the past two weeks, a podiatrist today determined I have a stress fracture in my left foot. In the defense of my primary doctor, the fracture didn't show up on the x-rays taken on the 5th of August. But the pain and swelling has continued, and today after new x-rays were taken, the stress fracture showed up.

I've been fortunate to have strong bones most of my life. In 2006, while walking on the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI, with Hans and Rachel, Josiah and Annika, I fell - not once, but twice, and broke my elbow. That was really painful for awhile! But that is the only broken bone I have had, until now - and this isn't technically "broken."

The boot, while big and clunky-looking, actually makes walking less painful. I'm putting pressure on my heel, rather than the front of my foot. Thankfully, this happened to my non-driving foot! Maybe tomorrow night I'll be able to go to the grocery store to stock up on food. My cupboards are getting bare. I don't want to have to resort to eating cat food!

Neighborhood Picnic

2011-08-13T19:52:00.009-05:00

When I was a young girl, it was the practice for our neighbors to have summer picnics in our backyards. Neighbors brought their picnic tables to a given yard and soon the families arrived with delicious dishes to pass. These times were so much fun.

Last summer I got the idea to try to get a neighborhood picnic together, but my idea just sat there - simmering on the back burner. This summer, I decided to act on it. I contacted the president of our association and told her my idea, and asked if she could provide me with the names and mailing addresses of all of the people in my building and the building across the backyard. Once I got the information, I looked at the calendar and decided on the second Saturday of August. I composed invitations - introducing myself and presenting my idea - and mailed them a couple of weeks ago, Perhaps I should have included an RSVP, but I didn't, so I wasn't sure how many people would come.

This morning started out with rain, but the forecast was for clearing skies in the early afternoon. Sure enough, around 3 it cleared off. At 3:30 I started putting out some of my furniture and decorations - some colorful pepper plants (orange, red and purple), and helium balloons. A couple of the neighbors arrived and they helped me carry out more furniture. By 4, we had 12 people! After visiting for a bit, I thanked everyone for coming and began the introductions. We sat at two tables, and the visiting was very nice.

Suddenly a big, black cloud descended on us and the skies opened up. A couple of neighbors took off for home, but the rest grabbed my kitchen table and all of the wooden chairs and brought them up on my patio. There were 9 of us who were now gathered on my covered patio. I brought out more chairs, and we had so much fun - talking and talking and laughing. We learned more about each other - where do you work? how long have you lived here? That sort of thing. There seemed to be a consensus: everyone had a very nice time, and they thanked me again and again for coming up with the idea and said they hope we do it again next summer.

This and That

2011-08-11T20:07:00.004-05:00

This and that:

Our weather here in Minnesota has changed to “Beautiful!” We have little or no humidity, beautiful blue skies, with a few puffy clouds. This is the way I like summer!

My eye surgeries were a complete success and I now wear glasses for driving and when attending a play or watching a movie. This is so weird for me – I have worn glasses or contact lenses since I was about 15 or 16 years old.

Nels has figured out he is allowed to be in the cottage with me if he sits in my lap. He stands at the screen door and meows to come in. I open the door, lift him up, and together we sit down. He curls up and the petting begins. For 30 to 40 minutes, or longer, he looks up at me and I stroke his head, under his chin, over his back, and eventually he rolls onto his back to expose his entire tummy – stretching out long. This, by the way, is the biggest sign a cat is allowing you to have dominion over him. I gently rub his tummy, and he looks up to me as if to say, Thank you, Mommy. During most of this time, his motor is running – purr, purr, purr.

My foot continues to be a pain – literally. I have been to the doctor twice. One appointment last week where I saw a “fill in” while my doctor was away on vacation (Alaskan fishing trip), and yesterday I saw my doctor. My doctor diagnosed it as a possible ganglion cyst and has referred me to a podiatrist whom I will see next Tuesday. In the meantime, I’m staying off it as much as possible, have it wrapped in an elastic bandage, and am icing it whenever possible. For the most part, I am limping around – and am very ready to be back to normal.

This Saturday afternoon I am hosting a backyard picnic for the residents in my building and those in the one across our backyard. This is not going to be a gala event, but hopefully a time of getting acquainted with our neighbors that we often see at the mailbox or out on the deck or patio or coming from or going to the garage. Living where I do has reminded me of the movie Rear Window more than once – not that I think any of them is a murderer, mind you, but that I see lights at certain times, folks tending to their plants, reading in a comfortable chair, or eating dinner. One I see quite often seems to come out on her deck to smoke. I realize this isn’t very interesting to you, but these are my neighbors, and I’m anxious to know them better. I’m hoping the nice weather lasts, and that my bum foot will cooperate so I can assemble some tables and decorations – and make something delicious to share.

Starting next Tuesday, my job description will change. I will no longer work in the Production Department, but will be the company morning receptionist and continue to work for the Design Director the second half of the day. This is fine with me, as I love meeting people and chatting with them, and will still get to do the fun, creative things for the Design Director. As long as one works, it’s nice to be doing something enjoyable.

And that’s about it for now.

Another Birthday Party

2011-08-07T14:38:00.010-05:00

Nancy

Debra and Bonnie

Laurey and Debra

Joanne and Laurey

Birthday dessert - French pastries

Today my friends gave me a birthday party in one of the dining rooms at Hotel Sofitel. This is an elegant French restaurant that serves delicious food! Eating there always feels like a special occasion.

Nancy brought along her "birthday bear." He sings Happy Birthday through twice. His head moves back and forth. Every time Nancy brings the bear, someone in the restaurant always asks where they can get one. I've had two, but sold both to strangers sitting near by.

This was a special time of being together with dear friends Nancy, Bonnie, Debra, Laurey, and Joanne.

Foot Problem

2011-08-06T18:27:00.003-05:00

The day before my birthday, while walking in the office, my left foot began to hurt. The best way for me to describe it is to say it felt as though the bones where my toes connect were broken. Tuesday night I put an ice pack on it and hoped it would cure whatever little thing was going on. Wednesday morning I decided to put the custom-made orthotics into my shoes to get a "head start" on any plantar faciitis that may be deciding to pay a visit. All day long I wore them, but got no relief. The upper part of my foot was swelling up and my shoe was very tight. I iced it again during the evening. Thursday was a repeat of Wednesday, so I made an appointment to see the doctor on Friday afternoon.

At the clinic, the doctor examined my foot and told me it wasn't plantar faciitis and to not wear the orthotics. He ordered x-rays, and they showed nothing. No bunions, no cracks, no fractures - just healthy looking bones. He told me the pain I was describing was close to that of the gout - but in the wrong area of the foot. He had the nurse wrap it in an elastic bandage and told me to stay off it as much as possible this weekend, and ice it often. Tylenol should help with any pain. He suggested crutches may be of help, but when I stopped at the medical supply store to purchase them, the clerk adjusted them to fit me and I gave them a try - a few times, but nearly fell over backwards. Feeling a sore foot would be better than a concussion, I decided to do without them.

It's been a quiet day for me - some reading, TV watching, computer time, and sitting on the patio a bit. Iced my foot many times. My foot feels about the same.

When I was a little girl, we had a shoe store in town - Smith's Shoe Store - wherein one could put on a pair of shoes and walk to the "Shoe-Fitting Fluoroscope" - which was basically an x-ray machine. You looked through the window and could see the bones of your feet and how close to the edge of the shoe they were. Parents used this to tell if they were buying the shoes big enough to last for a little while. You can see a photo and read about it here. I remember being fascinated with being able to see my toe bones move as I wiggled my toes. No need to explain why these are no longer seen in any shoe store.

Another candle on my cake!

2011-08-03T19:31:00.004-05:00

Birthdays seem to roll around faster than they used to. Today is my birthday, and it has been a very good day.

I have heard from all of my kids and grandkids, plus my sister, Aunt, and cousins, plus nieces, and dear friends - and my co-workers gave me a grand day at the office!

My office was decorated - balloons and sparkly bangles - looked a little like the archway at a prom. I got cards, candy, and flowers, and my boss, LaVonne, brought one of her famous home-made chocolate layer cakes with home-made fudge icing for our departmental birthday party. (There were guests at my party, but this photo makes it look as if it was only LaVonne and me! :-))

Two of my dear friends, Nancy and Sharon, took me out for lunch to my favorite restaurant for the Apple Pancake, Hormel thick-sliced bacon, and tomato juice. We had fun conversation and loved our food.

Life is good.

Felix and Aurelia Pay a Visit

2011-07-30T19:13:00.009-05:00

This afternoon was a very fun time for me: Aurelia and Felix came for a visit. Up until today, Felix would not let me hold him and he would cry if his parents left the room. Today that changed! :-)

I got out my little train set and wooden mailbox, plus a doll cradle and doll, and the kids and I played while Peder and Sarah went to a movie. I'm pleased to announce Felix didn't cry once, and he even fell asleep on me while I was rocking him. He slept for an hour! And all the while, Aurelia played quietly.

Felix has now gone home with his parents and Aurelia is spending the night with me. We're watching the movie My Neighbor Totoro - a sweet little movie that takes place in Japan.

By the way, Nels had a good time with Felix and Aurelia. He was right with them as they played on the floor and he loved it when Aurelia played with him with his toys. I'm thinking he must have come from a home with children.

And the heat continues . . .

2011-07-30T09:25:00.002-05:00

This has been the hottest July in my memory. We have had so many 90 or near 90 degree days - and it's wearing on me. I stay indoors a lot! My New Beetle has black leather seats and oh my, are they uncomfortable when I first get into my car. Whenever possible, I park in the shade. I check out all conditions in the parking areas before choosing my spot so that I am pointed away from the sun. My previous Beetle had black cloth seats and they were so much better - summer and winter.

Where my condo is situated, I benefited the coolness of my neighbors - above and beside - and didn't have to turn on my A/C until just this past Monday. Prior to that, the room temperature in my home was a constant 74 degrees. But now that we've had so many days - and nights - of heat, the A/C has been turned on.

I realize this heat is not exclusive to Minnesota. It seems most of the US is having such extreme weather this year. Hans and Rachel are dealing with heat and humidity. Jim and Lil are also experiencing the high heat. On the other hand, Heidi and Chad would like the temperature to be a bit warmer. Heidi reports they have reached 80 degrees twice this summer.

A long time ago I made this wish: I wish each season in Minnesota would last exactly 3 months. March 1 through May 31, snow would be gone, little green leaves would appear on the trees, perennials would begin to sprout, tulips and other bulb plants plus the flowering trees would blossom and last 6 weeks, or more. June 1 would see warmer temperatures, swimming pools would open, fire flies would come out in the evening, picnics would call us - as well as county fairs, children would be outside riding their trikes and bikes, baseball would entertain us. But come September 1, school would start, leaves would begin to change their colors, Monarch butterflies would start their trek to Mexico, sweaters would be worn in the early morning and again in the evening, and oven meals of squash, meat loaf, and baked potatoes would satisfy our appetites. The glorious foliage of Autumn would last until the last week of November - when all the raking would be done. Okay, December 1 could have some snow flakes and a little ice on the lakes. Stores could show off their Christmas goods, choirs and carolers would sing some of my favorite music - all month long. January could blast us with 3 or 4 big snow storms and lots of white stuff, while in February it would taper off to melting snow - and okay, a bit of slop and slush . . . followed by the promises of March 1 (go back to the beginning of this paragraph). There - - that's my wish.

My Cousin Pat

2011-07-25T20:34:00.003-05:00

Tonight I finally reached my Cousin Pat. I have phoned her a few times since my Aunt Liz's house flooded a couple of weeks ago, but had to leave voice mails. I have seen the photos on her blog and read the accounts, but I really wanted to talk to her - voice to voice. When I reached her tonight, I started our conversation with something like,

"How are you doing? Is everything getting dried out?"

Pat replied, "Haven't you heard?"

Heard what?

"Haven't you heard about the fire?" she asked?

The fire! What are you talking about?!

"Haven't you seen the pictures on facebook?" she asked.

No, I just was getting around to that.

Anyway, it seems while she was shopping at IKEA yesterday, Pudge phoned her to say she'd better head on home because smoke was pouring out of Aunt Liz's house. Apparently one of the fans that was running in the basement of Aunt Liz's house started to burn (It was the fan the mayor of the village had loaned them to help dry out the basement.) and smoke was every where. When Pat arrived at the house, there were 3 firetrucks outside.

I feel so bad for them - Pat and Pudge. But, who knows, this may end up being a blessing, because a professional cleaning company will be coming tomorrow to begin the arduous task of the clean-up. And hopefully insurance will take care of anything that needs to be replaced.

Minnesota History Center

2011-07-24T18:51:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my friend Shirley and I toured the Minnesota History Center, which is only blocks away from the Minnesota Capitol and the Cathedral of Saint Paul. Perhaps you've been there. It was my first visit, and it won't be my last! Little did I know such a gem existed.

There were various displays within the museum, but some interested me more than others. There was a section called "Minnesota's Greatest Generation" that was fascinating. We sat in a small movie theater where we saw pieces of movies from the past. Leaving the theater, I was intrigued by the woman who acted out the part of Fanny Brin, a Jewish immigrant woman who lived from 1884 to 1961. She supported the United States' membership in the United Nations. Seeing her monologue was really worth it! Also in this section, we sat in a flying boxcar while it took us on the journey of soldiers on their way to the beaches for battle in WWII - guns hitting our plane, orders given to prepare ourselves to jump. The plane rumbled and shook. It felt real to me!

In another area, we sat in a basement while the tornado of 1965 hit Fridley, Minnesota. WCCO radio was playing the weather. The "railroad" sound of the tornado was incredible!

Munsingwear has a "brief" display from now through September 11. This was interesting - showing a history of children, men's and women's underwear through time. I'm sure glad some of the things we used to wear have been retired!

My favorite display was "Open House: If These Walls Could Talk." Through census records, and perhaps other means, it was determined a house in St. Paul has had 50 families live in it since it was built. The single family home was made into a duplex after the first family lived it it. Eventually it was divided three ways. The display of this house was ingenious. One entered the parlor of the original homeowner. It had the period wallpaper, furniture, and a slide projector of the day with 6 cool paddle-type slides for the public to insert. Parts of the house were sensitive to visitors - and a recording would start with narration from the homeowner of the time. Step close to the piano, and it would begin to play. Moving to the next room brought you to a bedroom - decorated in the 50's style. When walking up to the bed, the bedspread illuminated these words: Sit Here. When I noticed it, I sat down. Within seconds, the foot end of the bed collapsed! Oh, how it started me! Shirley laughed. Then a recording started of a woman who had lived in the house at that time. She was a hoot! She told how the slats in the bed often fell out causing the bed to tip down! She said the people below would snicker and say, "They're having fun again!"

I could go on, but don't want to spoil it for any of you who may want to visit this wonderful treasure. Many times I thought of my brother and sister and told Shirley I was certain they would enjoy this museum! I hope we can go together some day. I know I want to return.

Internet Problem Solved!

2011-07-21T20:02:00.004-05:00

Today I spoke to one of my co-workers who knows his way around the PC pretty well. I described my problem of not being able to comment on Sarah, Sarah's mom's, and Pat's blogs, nor could I publish my new entries from my home computer. I told him I would compose my new entry at home, but would have to wait until going to office to hit "Publish Post" before it would appear. He gave me a suggestion which I tried when I came home for lunch, but it didn't solve my problem.

Tonight while talking to Sarah, she mentioned Peder was considering switching to the search engine "Google Chrome." I told her I had downloaded this search engine on my computer right after the product was introduced - thanks to my nephew Michael - but it had been sitting on my screen as an icon which I never opened. Sarah went on to say that Google Chrome may be the answer since our blogs are a part of Google.

After our conversation, I turned on my computer and clicked the Google Chrome icon. It opened and I went straight to my blog. I logged in and then moved to Sarah's blog, typed a comment, clicked "post" and Waa Laa - it worked! I moved to Pat's blog, typed a comment, and again, it worked! Here's hoping I'll be able to post this from home. If successful, I'll make the first comment. Here goes . . .

Lovely

2011-07-20T14:34:00.004-05:00

We've been experiencing record heat and heat indexes: yesterday topped out at 98 degrees with a heat index of 120. It has been tough on most people and things - except this: a cactus given to me a few years ago by one of my bosses.

It came from Arizona with just a small amount of sand attached to it. I merely put it in a pot that would protect my hands from the sharp thistles and put it in one of the window sills at work. I typically watered it twice a year. Really. About 6 weeks ago, I moved it to a sunnier window and on Monday I noticed what looked to me like flower buds. I checked on it this morning and was thrilled to see it in bloom. It must love it in the sun!!

Irritating!

2011-07-18T20:44:00.004-05:00

Since updating my computer from Internet Explorer 7 to Internet Explorer 9 a couple of weeks ago, I am unable to post comments on three blogs of my family members and unable to publish the entries I create at home.

My last post - Antiques Road Show - was all typed with the photos uploaded at home, but when I clicked the "Publish Post" button (if you're a blogger, you know what I mean), it didn't budge. Nothing. Nada. I tried and tried, with no luck. So, I drove to my office, brought up my account - clicking the "edit posts" button, and was able to "publish" my article.

I have spent a couple of hours tonight searching the Blogger website, writing my question, and so far, waiting for a reply. I've also "googled" my question, but got nowhere. This is so frustrating!

Antiques Road Show

2011-07-09T19:26:00.016-05:00

Bonnie and I before entering the arena

Some of the many folk anxiously awaiting to have their treasures evaluated

Noel Barrett and Scott Tagliapietra evaluating my toy horse

Marshall Martin appraised my doll. This was my mother's doll, and I know very little about her. She is a Schoenhut doll (has a 1911 patent on her back ). When I got her, she was in very poor shape. The paint on her face was badly cracked and I remember Hans saying she looked like a burn victim. Several years ago, I took her to a doll hospital where her head was totally sanded and repainted. Her body was washed, and a new wig was glued to her head. Aunt Liz sewed this dress for her from a 1910 doll dress pattern, and I bought her leggings, bloomers, and high button boots. The appraiser said the restoration brought down her value, but assured me it was better to have her proudly displayed, rather than tucked away in a box.

Wesley Cowan - appraiser of photographs - often appears on the show

Nicolas Lowry, expert appraiser of prints and posters

It's possible you will see Janet and Pat on one of the Minneapolis episodes, giving their comments in the Feedback Booth, shown at the conclusion of the shows. The dates when the Minneapolis road show have not been announced, but will be later this fall or next January.

Bonnie, listening intently as the appraiser explains the history of the pitcher she brought which was her grandmother's

The vase this lady brought was valued at $2,000. It will be featured in an upcoming issue of Antiques Road Show Insider magazine

Appraiser Kathleen Baily evaluating this beautiful lamp

This woman brought in a diamond given to her by a fiance whom she never married. You can get a better look at it if you double click on the photo. She was stunned to learn it is a perfect, large, canary diamond, valued at $140,000 to $160,000! It was interesting to see an Antiques Road Show employee escort her to the entrance of the convention center to wait with her while her daughter brought the car to take her home.

Today I had the thrill of going to the Antiques Road Show here in Minneapolis! This was the equivalent of a U2 concert for me. I have watched this show for years - if I missed it on Monday night, it was repeated on Saturday night. It was fun for me to know Aunt Liz and Aunt Ginny were watching it, too. A few months ago it was advertised that the show would be coming here and one could apply for free tickets, to be doled out at random, or by submitting a photo of a piece of furniture, providing you lived in a 50 mile radius. If they selected your furniture, you automatically got two free tickets. Well, I emailed family and friends so they could try to get tickets, and I sent a photo of my favorite piece of furniture - my hutch, and sadly, I nor my hutch were selected. But my girlfriend, Bonnie, and my sister, were notified they got two tickets each. So, Bonnie invited me to use her second ticket, and Janet invited our cousin, Pat.

One stipulation in attending was one had to bring one antique. The limit per person was two antiques. What to bring? Well, I don't have anything really "old," but I have a few things that are pretty old. I decided to bring my mother's doll and a horse my dad gave me one year for my birthday. I have very few things from my parents, so these are treasures for me - regardless of a dollar value by an appraiser.

Bonnie's tickets were for a 9 am entrance to the show. We arrived at the Minneapolis Convention Center around 8:20, and were allowed to enter the large preparation room right away - getting into the line for 9 am. I would guess there were about 100 people in our line, but it moved along really fast - nothing like the security line at the airport!

We had a FABULOUS time! I got to see some of the appraisers I see nearly every week on TV. Everything was done so orderly - lots of volunteers from Minneapolis. It was so much fun seeing the things people brought, and listening to interviews of some that brought extraordinary items. The appraisers are experts - and often consulted other appraisers to confirm their findings.

Hazel Eyes

2011-07-08T19:10:00.005-05:00

It's been a month since I had my first cataract surgery and a little more than a couple of weeks since the second one. Today I had my final check-up and I'm happy to report everything looks fine. A reading lens was implanted in my right eye and a distance lens in my left. So, here are my vision scores: right eye - 20/15 (easily reading the lowest line on the chart!); left eye: 20/25.

The past couple of weeks I have been getting around with no glasses - I have many pairs, but not a one is the correct prescription. For the most part, it has been fine. But when driving, I find I have to be a bit closer to signs to read them. My doctor said I would easily pass the driving eye test, but I don't feel comfortable driving this way, and want to be sure I can see other things at a distance clearly, such as movies, the stage at the theater, and TV programs. So, I'll be getting glasses, which is fine with me.

Independence Day!

2011-07-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

I love being an American. I'm thankful for my freedom and for those who have so bravely fought for it - and continue in the battle. I don't take any of this for granted.

Some years ago - it was in 1986 - at the conclusion of the three day celebration of the Restoration of the Statue of Liberty, I first heard Sandi Patti sing an arrangement of the National Anthem. Until then, I hadn't known there was more than one verse to this great song. She sings it here. Please take time to listen to all of it. It sends goosebumps up my arms!

Happy 235th birthday, America!

Gayle's Cabin

2011-07-03T20:23:00.009-05:00

Laurey, cutting the chicken for chicken salad

Lunch on the deck
Gayle and Laurey (this car doesn't belong to us!)
Guess who?
Miss Gayle
Miss Laurey
Laurey and Gayle

Yesterday my friend Laurey and I drove up to Spooner, Wisconsin, to spend some time at our friend Gayle's cabin. The night before, a big storm had come through the twin cities and this part of Wisconsin, bringing down many big trees and stripping the metal siding and roofs off some country buildings. In particular, the small town of Galesburg, WI, was affected. Gayle lost one big pine tree - thankfully, it missed hitting her cabin by a few feet.

We enjoyed sitting out on the deck - eating alfresco, and shopping in a couple of the towns near by. We had fantastic meals and laughed a lot.

Last night we saw some fireworks coming from a nearby lake. I'm sure there will be more tonight.

Farewell

2011-06-30T17:46:00.006-05:00

Jennifer and yours truly

Karen and Madalyn

L to R: Jo, Madalyn, Nancy

Today we said "farewell" two very dear co-workers. This is due to the sudden decision in our company to shift responsibilities to "the home office." This unexpected news came about five months ago, throwing parts of our office into a tizzy.

How to honor these fine women? A party is not fitting. Allowing them to quietly leave the building is cold and uncaring. A few weeks ago my boss and I brainstormed ideas about what could be done. She then checked with her boss for approval. Thankfully he went along with our thoughts.

Karen and Madalyn were not looking forward to this day, but agreed to let us proceed. Our personnel gathered in the company dining room and listened to kind comments from our boss. I was teary eyed. I do not like "good byes." I will miss these dear friends. Though they may come back for a visit, it will never be the same.

Please leave a message after the tone.

2011-06-29T20:25:00.003-05:00

I may be the last of the breed, but I still believe in calling and receiving calls on my phone. No texting for me, thank you. I know many would rather text.

A couple of years ago I got voice mail through my telephone company. One thing I love about it is being able to save messages for long amounts of time - like a year or more. About once a year I need to renew each message by listening to it and hitting "9" to save.

Yesterday morning Nels woke me at 5 and since I wasn't really ready to get up, I decided to listen to my voice mails and renew them. I have birthday and mother's day greetings from Hans and Heidi, messages from Rachel from Germany and the US. A couple of years ago, Annika left a darling message that went like this: Hi, Gramma. This is Annika. (long pause) Rachel says, "Tell her 'See you soon.'" Well, she doesn't talk. Rachel replies, "Leave a message. Ask her how she is." (long pause). "This is Rachel. Annika just wanted to leave a message. I gave her a brief, but she doesn't understand because you aren't answering her. . . ." I have a thank you call from Josiah saying, "Grandma, thank you for Sir Topham Hatt. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I love the inflection of his voice. You don't get that with email or texting. One message is from Aurelia, asking me to go out for supper. There are calls from Heidi, with Marshall and Brian in the background. I re-saved all of these precious messages. But then came the big surprise - - I have a voice mail from my Aunt Liz! I have wanted so much to hear her voice again, and now I can! It's not an earth-shaking message, but it is her voice, and I treasure it.

More of Door County

2011-06-27T20:30:00.007-05:00

Here are a few more photos of our cousins' weekend trip to Door County:

Diane, Pat and Linda

Goat atop the Johnson's Swedish Restaurant

Cars and motorcycles entering ferry boat to cross to Washington Island

Tart cherries. They'll be ripe around the end of July.

Door County is primarily limestone - with only one foot of top soil. These trees grow out of this makeup - amazing!

Flowers around Door County

2011-06-26T22:17:00.011-05:00

Beautiful, little butterfly on this peony

L to R: Diane, Linda, Pat, Jan

Diane, outside the Tannenbaum Shoppe

Oriental poppies

Iris

Lupine

My cousins and I were impressed with the gorgeous flowers in Door County, Wisconsin, this past weekend.

Door County, Wisconsin

2011-06-26T22:08:00.006-05:00

Horseshoe Island

Door Country is located on the northeast tip of Wisconsin, and is totally surrounded by water - over 300 miles of coastline. It has many small towns and is famous for the tart cherries grown there, as well as apples and grapes for wine. Boating is quite popular, too. We saw many darling shops, beautiful homes, bed and breakfasts, and more.

Fish Boil

2011-06-26T21:38:00.009-05:00

White fish, caught locally each day

New red potatoes and sweet onions are put into the boiling pot of salted water and white fish.

While the fish cooks, the fish oils rise to the top of the pot.

One minute before the half hour, kerosene is poured onto the fire, bringing the intense heat to boil over the pot of fish, potatoes and onions and causing the fish oil to spill over the top. This is supposed to make the fish taste better. Pat and I had been standing next to the chain talking to the owner who was managing the fish boil. Boy, did we step back when warned to do so!

A waiter helps the owner lift the cooking pots out of the boiling water.

The fire dies down a bit, but is soon readied for the next batch.

Saturday night we headed to Pelletier's in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, for their famous fish boil. I was a little skeptical, since I don't really care for fish unless it is batter-fried, and tastes like a donut! Once assured there were other things on the menu, I felt much better about this.

What a fun experience! We got there in time to see the entire process, which takes about 20 minutes to make a huge pot of fish soup that feeds 90+ people. This form of cooking fish began several hundreds of years ago by the Scandinavians who settled in Door County. A batch of boiled fish is made every half hour from 5 to 8 pm each summer night.

Everyone ordered the fish dinner except me. I ordered the baked chicken. Let me tell you, my chicken was DELICIOUS, as were the new red potatoes and Cole slaw. All of my family members enjoyed their fish - saying it resembled lobster. Included in the meal was a piece of cherry pie.

Cousins' Trip to Door County, Wisconsin

2011-06-26T21:12:00.009-05:00

L to R: Pat, Linda, Jan, Diane

Pat

Linda and Pat choosing Christmas ornaments.

L to R: Diane, Jan, Linda, yours truly. We took an hour trolley tour of Ephraim, Door Country, Wisconsin.

Linda, standing by an art sculpture outside one of the many art galleries in the area.

Pat, waiting for our dinner at the famous fish boil.

Diane and Linda

This past weekend my sister, three cousins, and I went to Door County, giving us a time to comfort each other since the death of our dear, dear Aunt Liz, and to catch up on each other's lives. I must say this: our family truly loves each other and loves spending time together. We have fun, laugh, giggle, and have serious talks. How are we related? Our mothers were sisters. We have known each other all our lives.

2nd Cataract Surgery

2011-06-23T20:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the cataract removed from my left eye, and in that eye, they inserted a lens for distance. The surgery itself went very well. Once I got back home, I took a 45 minute nap. In the afternoon I took a 2-1/2 hour nap. I guess this is due to the anesthetic. Anyway, sleep came very easily.

It was fun to hear from most of my family during the day. Peder called and after he and I talked, I got to talk to Aurelia. In the background I could hear little Felix say, "Oh oh!" He loves saying that. Next Josiah called me to say, "Hi Grandma! This is Josiah and I just lost another tooth - my 6th one!" He was so excited! I also got to talk to Will and Annika, and Rachel. I talked to my sister and brother, too, plus a few of my friends, so that made the day extra special.

At my follow-up appointment today the doctor told me everything looks very good. When she tested my right eye, I was very surprised to learn my vision in that eye is now 20/15 -- meaning, I can now read the very bottom line on the card! I hope I have at least 20/20 in my left eye once it clears up.

It's been fun telling my co-workers, "See what you have to look forward to when you get old?!" It's not all that bad!

Fun Fur Day!

2011-06-19T17:16:00.007-05:00

Today my veterinary clinic had their annual Fun Fur Day - which is an open house for the clients and anyone in the area. This is only a couple of blocks from my home. Vendors have displays and do demonstrations of their products and sell items, plus the clinic is wide open, with staff in various rooms to answer any questions. The veterinarians and their staff walk around greeting folks. There was a big inflated dog house for little kids for jumping. For years, I have been invited to this event because I used this clinic when I had my two cats, Shadow and Sebastian.

Many people bring their dogs - and they are so much fun to see: Goldens, Poodles, German Shepherds, a Whippet, a Dachshund, pugs, a Cocker Spaniel, a Schipperke, a Boxer, a Bichon, a Corgi, an Australian Shepherd, Labs and more. A policeman brought his K-9 dog - a German Shepherd.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the reception Nels and I got when we showed up with my wagon and Nels in his kennel. "Oh, my! It's a cat! Isn't he beautiful!" Everyone was so happy to see him, and he was so well behaved. His little nose was sniffing and sniffing. Some of the veterinary staff asked if they could take him out of the kennel to hold him. "Sure, go ahead." Nels made a very good impression. They thanked me for bringing him and gave him two bags of cat nip and a new tooth brush!

I signed up for some door prizes. I hope we win!

Cataract Surgery Update

2011-06-17T14:49:00.002-05:00

Over a week ago I had my first cataract surgery and I am happy to report it was not only successful, but problem-free! I have had no pain, itching, redness, watering, swelling, or other issue. Saturday afternoon I discovered I could now read or work on my computer without using my glasses. And to my surprise, I am seeing the world without a coat of tan/yellow varnish!

Just before my surgery, my eye doctor told me I'd be seeing colors. I thought she meant I'd be seeing colors during the surgery. What she actually meant to say was, you will see true colors now. From my right eye, white is bright and light. Nothing has a yellow cast to it. Closing my right eye, I see the world as though I'm wearing a yellow-color lens. I had no idea! I'm actually excited about the surgery on my left eye this coming Wednesday!

Lunch with my dear friend, Lil

2011-06-11T17:33:00.004-05:00

My dear friend, Lil, asked me to lunch today. This was very special - since she surprised me by coming to Minnesota without telling me.

I first met Lil on March 8, 1988. Our friendship has grown dearer each year. About 10 years, however, she and her husband sold their Minnesota real estate and moved to Branson, Missouri. They love it there - the beauty of the land and the climate. I miss Lil very much, so was thrilled by her surprise today!

Cataract Surgery #1

2011-06-11T10:06:00.004-05:00

Thursday I had a cataract removed from my right eye. I have to say, I had concerns prior to the surgery, especially after reading the warnings. It's a wonder any of us take our medications with all of the lists of side effects .

I'm happy to report the surgery went very well - and quick. The nursing staff was excellent. The anesthesiologist was knowledgeable and comforting. My eye doctor - the surgeon - is well respected and kind. She's a graduate of Harvard University (this impresses me!). I was told she does the surgical procedure in 3 to 5 minutes! I'm having corrective lenses inserted in my eyes: right eye for close up; left eye (surgery in a couple of weeks) for distance.

I was sleepy when I got home after the surgery, so Nels (my cat) and I took a couple of naps. I managed to stay awake until 8:30 and went to bed for the night.

At my follow-up check-up Friday morning, all was well, so I was able to go to work. My sight was improving throughout the day.

This morning my sight is even clearer. It's remarkable!

Record Broken

2011-06-07T21:07:00.003-05:00

Today we reached 103 degrees - the hottest spot in the nation! It broke all records here. Why, oh why, must we go from the freezer to the oven? Yes, we talk about the weather a lot in Minnesota. I think it's because we have such extremes and it's rare that we have a perfect day.

What in my mind is a "perfect" day? I like the temperature to be somewhere between 65 and 75 degrees with low humidity. It's true, I have a small comfort zone.

Last Sunday was a perfect day for me. I enjoyed eating my lunch followed by reading a book out on my patio. A neighbor stopped by and we had a nice visit. There was a breeze. The temperature was 73. Birds sang in the trees. Nels sat at my screen door and enjoyed watching them. I wished we could have had 90 more days just like it. But here we are on Tuesday. It's 9:25 pm and 96 degrees outside.

New Look

2011-06-05T18:52:00.002-05:00

Every now and then we need to make a change - big or small. For me, I didn't think I needed new bed covering - nothing is wrong with the sheets and blankets I have, but it seems I've had them FOREVER! So while shopping at IKEA yesterday for something totally unrelated, I spotted this red/white pillow ticking duvet cover that I knew would match my window covering. I loved the red button closures - I just love red. Period. They were showing it with white sheets. I looked at it again and again, then talked myself out of it. Walking away, I saw the same set in blue/white. It was nice, but oh, the red/white. It would look so nice in my bedroom. So I picked it up and put it in my IKEA shopping bag.

When I got to the department with sheets, I looked for a flat and one fitted white sheet, but could only find the flat. Then, what did I spot? Red sheets! One flat and one fitted. And marked down to $10 each! Should I? Yes. Into the bag they went.

I laundered the sheets and put them on my bed; pressed the duvet cover and put my pillows in the matching pillow cases. I really like it! It's a change.

Minnesota Nice!

2011-06-04T19:49:00.005-05:00

A couple of Sundays ago, an F-1 tornado tore through north Minneapolis and damaged much of the area. 2 people were killed. The clean-up started right away, but the job was huge and took more than the locals to fix everything. A few people from my office took the day off a week ago to go up there to help. Today more than 2,000 volunteers donated their time and muscles to help with the smaller part of the clean-up. You can read about it here, here, here, and here.

It's one of the things I love about living here. People are generally kind, friendly, and helpful. They visit with one another while waiting for their plane, in restaurants, at parks, and other places. They pull your trash can up to your garage after the truck goes by, and often offer to take your grocery cart back to the store once you've put your purchases in the trunk of your car. A whole organization was created in 2004 called "Operation Minnesota Nice," created to bring cheer to the soldiers in the Iraq soldiers.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2011-05-31T20:01:00.046-05:00

Hans picked me up and dropped me off at the airport.

Sweet Annika and her pillow pet she named Nels.

William (I love his smile!)

Watching for Josiah's school bus

Annika loves coloring

Josiah has a nice smile, but it was hard for me to capture it!

Rachel made me feel at home.

Annika at her preschool

We shopped at the Target store. I liked its Southern look.

The temps were in the 90s everyday. The kids cooled off in the pool.

Josiah has been sharing his Thomas trains with Will. It's really cute.

Hans, Josiah, Annika and I went to Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D. It was fun!

Playing at a very nice park near the theater.

New Cape Henry Lighthouse - 1881. Hans said the Navy and Coast Guard still depend on this.

The Atlantic Ocean with ships out at sea

Josiah, trying to keep his clothes dry when stepping in the waves

Annika at the Atlantic Ocean

Annika, playing in the water spouts at the botanical gardens

I loved this "scare crow" woman!

Brotherly-sisterly love

Memorial Day picnic (oreos around his mouth and in his hand)

Annika helping frost cookies

Memorial Day

Will, enjoying his cookie!

You know the assignment - first week back at school after having the summer off: write a report on what you did over the summer vacation.

While I'm no longer a student, and summer is about to begin, I have just returned from my summer vacation to Virginia, to visit Hans, Rachel, Josiah, Annika and Will.

I thought about recapping everything we did in story form, but I just looked at my photos and they turned out so good, I'm going to give my report by sharing the pictures.

I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every day very much!

Tornado in north Minneapolis today

2011-05-22T21:08:00.003-05:00

We've had unsettled weather this weekend with many tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. Funnels were sighted yesterday and again today. The skies have opened up and it has poured buckets, followed by sun and more rain. This afternoon a tornado hit a northern suburb in north Minneapolis. So far there has been one death and at least 29 taken to the hospital for injuries. This is in a part of Minneapolis with lower income families. My heart goes out to them.

I happened to be at an event when it occurred. Coming out of the building, I looked at the sky and saw this beautiful rainbow.

Nels

2011-05-22T20:09:00.005-05:00

Nels continues to be fun - most of the time! He sits on his cat tower and watches me at the dining room table - when he's not eating at his dish, chasing his cloth mouse or snake, staring at the squirrels and baby bunny across the yard, or running across the dining room table - which is a NO, NO!

He still has a taste for electrical chords - so at this time I have only one speaker to my living room sound system and no speakers to the system in my bedroom. Nels has chewed the chords apart. Therefore, he is not allowed in the cottage - unless I am holding him. If he wiggles to get down, he is immediately shown the screen door. He has stopped begging to come in.

It's fun to see his curiosity take action. This past week while I was eating lunch, he crawled into the upside down blue stool I've had on a dining room chair to keep him from climb up to onto things. He was so cute!

Happy 7th Birthday, Josiah!!

2011-05-19T03:00:00.002-05:00

Wow! My first grandchild turns 7 today! I can't believe it.

He's such a delightful child - and smart! Last year I was lucky to be in Germany for his 6th birthday. At that time, on his own, he was sitting at the dining room table and drawing each of the 50 states, cutting them out, and putting them together in the shape of the United States of America - all from memory! He knew all of the capitals, and could recite them by state - alphabetically both forward and backwards! I remember he was in the back seat while Rachel was driving us to the flea market in downtown Stuttgart, and Josiah was reciting the capitals - by state - backwards. I listened and was totally amazed.

This year he is drawing the continents with the correct countries in them and then cutting them out to mount on the wall. He is learning all of the country capitals, too. Keep in mind, he is doing this on his own - it has never been a school assignment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSIAH!

I love dishes!

2011-05-15T19:22:00.033-05:00

This is the first set I bought.

This place setting is from Hans' former ship.

My love for dishes started soon after I was married. My husband and I were given some money for our wedding, and like a lot of newly married couples in our day, we needed nearly everything. La Crosse, where we were living for the summer, had a jewelry store across the street from the JC Penney store where I was working. One day I went in there and found a set of stoneware that I really liked, so I bought them. It was a service for 8. I bought cobalt blue glasses to go with them, and that started it all.

Over the years, I have collected many more - some services for 12, some for 8, a few for 6 or 4, and a few are service for 2. I have two patterns that are for only 1. Hey, that works for me! One large set I gave to Heidi and Chad when they married.

About 3 years ago, I thought I would do a blog entry on them - you know, make a pretty scene of a place setting, complete with place mat, table cloth, napkin, silverware, goblet, etc. That was a big dream that never culminated. Thanks to Google, I have captured a photo of a piece from each set and am including them here.

Do I use them? Yes, all have been used except one. I'm saving those for someday special.

Mother's Day

2011-05-15T16:16:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday was the official Mother's Day - and I received nice cards and calls from my kids. Today Peder, Sarah, Aurelia and Felix took me out for dinner. [Yes, it was safe to take Felix out in public because his pox are disappearing.] We met at the Mall of America and had a delicious dinner, followed by a trip outside to see the tulip garden. Such a beautiful display, showing off in the bright sunshine. Yes, sunshine! We haven't seen it for awhile around here.

We walked back into the mall and went toured the aquarium, which was really fun. They had remodeled since I had been there. Sarah and Peder have a family membership, so they frequent the mall - and the Under Water Sea World - often. Aurelia knows the names of the fish. She has her favorites. Felix likes to be out of the stroller to run around a little. He likes the fish, too.

Thank you for the nice time, Peder and Sarah!

Missing some special women in my life

2011-05-13T19:11:00.004-05:00

I have been blessed with many, many wonderful women in my life and I'm thankful for each and every one of them. There are some that I really miss.

Alice. She was always in my life; a friend of my mother and father; one of my Sunday School teachers; came to spend nights with my sister and me for the last seven weeks of school after the death of our mother. She was smart, funny, compassionate, loving, generous, dependable, and trustworthy. I loved her, and I still miss her.

Erna. She was always kind, sweet, generous, thoughtful, down-to-earth, loving, knit perfect mittens, a hard worker, a good cook. Her cookies were wonderful. I was always welcome in her home, even before marrying her son, and again after our marriage didn't work out. She was a great grandmother to my kids. I loved her, and I miss her.

Cassie. I first met her on her 80th birthday. Within a few years, she referred to me as her girlfriend. She was generous, funny, told great stories, appreciated everything, was kind, loving, loved Dairy Queen blizzards and Kentucky Fried Chicken. She made perfect apple pies (only with Harrelson apples) and the best sugar cookies I've ever had. She was a wonderful role model for me. I loved her, and I miss her.

My Aunt Liz. She was always a big part of my life. She was a hard worker, a great story teller, a wonderful traveling companion, generous, loving, compassionate, smart, loved to read, sew, travel, made sure she made our great grandma's plum pudding every Christmas, was eternally happy, always loved children, and felt like a mother to me. I can't tell you how many times each day I think about calling her, only to remember - I can't do that any longer. I loved her, and I miss her.

Pat's Tribute to My Aunt Liz

2011-05-08T20:39:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, my cousin Pat gave an amazing tribute to my Aunt Liz at the celebration service for her on Friday. Please take time to read it here.

Aunt Liz Is Celebrated

2011-05-07T08:53:00.006-05:00

Yesterday my family and friends celebrated the life of my Aunt Liz. The service included an a cappella solo by Peder of The Rose. He sang it beautifully, and I was so proud of him. Bryan, Pat and Pudge's son, read a scripture, as did Jeff, Aunt Liz's oldest grandson - Wayne's firstborn. Following the mass, tributes were given by Mary Beth, my Uncle Vic's niece; Naomi, daughter of our family friend, Gemma (from Ireland), who referred to my Aunt Liz as Grandma Liz; Gemma, who shared some memories and then recited The Irish Blessing; and finally, my cousin, Pat. I can't begin to recount Pat's tribute, but someday hope to post it for all to read. I don't know how these women were able to do this, but somehow they had inner strength and were able to tell their personal feelings.

I was privileged to hold the beautiful wooden case that now houses Aunt Liz's ashes on the trip to the cemetery. It's a gorgeous box with her name engraved. She was buried next to my Uncle Vic, who died on his 82nd birthday in 2001.

A special family time was held at Aunt Liz's house following the burial. My sister Janet had downloaded hundreds of photos on her digital frame and we enjoyed watching the photos and recalling the events. It's true - my Aunt Liz was always smiling - enjoying life. She was passionate. She was kind. She was contented. She was independent. She was loving. She was hospitable. Money wasn't important to her - family and friends were. And I loved her with all my heart.

Happy 1st Birthday, Felix!

2011-05-01T19:57:00.008-05:00

Felix, riding on Mommy's back

Aurelia playing with the balloon animals Sarah made.

Felix loves his new puzzle - each puzzle piece of fruit has a knob!

1st birthday cake (yummy!)

Poof!

Felix enjoyed his first taste of cake!

Happy Birthday, Felix! It doesn't seem possible that you could be celebrating your first year already! You have brought such joy to our family - smiling beautifully, while watching us with your gorgeous brown eyes. You seem to enjoy everything - toys, your cats, and your sweet sister. I hope this next year will be especially fun for you!

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-28T19:49:00.005-05:00

There has been a lot of news coverage of the royal wedding taking place tomorrow between Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Tonight at the health club, 5 of the 7 TVs were featuring stories about them. For some, all of this attention is ridiculous and annoying - too "in our faces." But I know those who think the same thing about sports - every major TV channel showing baseball, golf, Nascar races, or football. For me, I like hearing about the monarchy of Great Britain. I like their rich history; I like the pageantry. I was glued to the TV when Lady Diana married Prince Charles, and also when the world watched the funeral of Princess Diana. I own the movie, The Queen, and have watched it many times. Another thing I like about the Brits is the way they speak - both the pronunciation of words, and the choice of words. It's one of the reasons I'm a fan of the British Antiques Roadshow. Perhaps one reason I'm attracted is because of my heritage. As far as I can figure, I'm 7/8ths British.

Will I get up tomorrow at 3 am to watch the pre-wedding coverage and the wedding? I don't know yet. I would love to see it, but not sure if I can do it and show up for work on time. We'll see.

Sad Changes

2011-04-25T12:00:00.001-05:00

Notice the trees

One tree left

These townhouses are on their last days. I hope these 6 token pine trees are spared.

Two of the things that drew me to my current job were 1) the location - only one mile from my home, and 2) a beautiful office with lovely grounds. The first time I drove to it (before applying for a position there), I parked in the empty parking lot and looked out at three deer standing by the beautiful pine trees. I just loved it.

Last Wednesday, big rigs started crawling onto our property and one in particular began cutting down trees - not a couple, not 5, but nearly all of the 40 or more. These were gorgeous trees - many were tall, stately, perfectly shaped. A few of them brought nice shade to our parking lot and provided a wonderful spot for our picnic tables.

Why are the trees coming down? Our landlord has sold a portion of the land on which our building sits. The trees AND the town houses are coming down to make way for a Seniors' residence. It's sad.

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T14:17:00.003-05:00

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah!