Cassie's Baby Shower

Cassie and Tyler, surrounded by friends

Felix (can you see his little teeth?)

Aurelia was charming!

One of the gifts was a Minnesota Wild onesie.

Lynn enjoyed holding Felix while Doug looks on.

I'm about to become a great-great aunt! Oh, my! Does that make me feel old! My great niece Cassie is about to give birth to Levi. Actually, he's due to arrive around the 18th of March. Today Peder, Sarah, Aurelia, Felix and I went to Rochester to attend the baby shower for her and the baby.

We played some fun games and then Cassie opened the gifts. She sure got some nice things, and such a variety. Then we had a delicious lunch. I'm not sure if Aurelia has previously attended a baby shower or not, but she was definitely having a good time, and was actually very helpful - handing Cassie the gifts one at a time. Felix spent much of the time smiling at everyone.

Cassie looks really cute, and I think she'll do a good job at mothering. Plus, she'll have Grandma Lynn and G-G Janet to help her.

Pleasant Surprise!

Yesterday the receptionist phoned to say flowers had been delivered for me. I hurried downstairs to find these. Aren't they gorgeous?! They came from one of our designers as a "thank you for being great to work with" (not correct English - but after all, he's an artist, not a grammarian)! I'm sure enjoying their beauty and sweet fragrance. It's fun to receive something so totally unexpected.

Exhausting Morning

This is the path I cleared.

Finally, I have a clear passageway for BUGGIE.

Co-workers and I clearing the opening to our office parking lot.

It didn't surprise me to open my outside front door this morning to see "over-the-knee" deep snow. Because our association blew its budget on snow removal last winter, the new policy is something like: snow removal will commence up to 12 hours after the cessation of a major snow fall. I guess 13+ inches of snow qualifies for a major snow fall.

Someone - I don't know who - put a nice, new shovel in the utility closet out in our hallway. So after getting everything ready for the day, I donned my coat, boots, mittens, and grabbed the shovel and started the arduous task of blazing a path so I could get to my garage. I started at 7:30 and made my way to the sidewalk in front of the Visitor Parking. I didn't shovel the next 20 feet to the street because it was so deep. Then I returned to my house, gathered my lunch and purse, and set out. I had to trudge through the deep snow (up to my knees) to the street and around the big mound to my garage - only to discover this time the plows only came within 6 feet of the garage doors. So, I waded through this snow, grabbed my shovel, and proceeded to clear away this mass of white stuff so I could back out. A kind neighbor woman came over and helped me. She had just finished doing the same thing in front of her garage door. Now it's 8:00.

Driving carefully the mile to work went fine. The last half mile or so, I followed a city plow. Unfortunately, being behind him at the entrance to our office parking lot meant he plowed it shut! I drove around the cul-de-sac to see if I could possibly drive through it and decided it wasn't wise. I certainly didn't want to get hung up. Only one person - Sharon -had made it in before he came. I knew she wouldn't be able to push me out if I got stuck. So, I parked my car and walked to our entry way where there is a shovel - of sorts. It is broken off and jagged at the blade. I worked and worked, taking little scoops at a time and walking it away to throw it so I could clear a path wide enough for a car. Raela and Chris drove up next, parked their cars, and took turns using the excuse of a shovel. Finally we opened it enough to drive through. I have to say - I'm pooped!

More Snow. Ugh!

These are not my trees or my photo, but I think they are cheery - and cheery is what we need right now.

They've been warning us since Friday - we're in for more snow today and tomorrow - lots more snow. They have predicted anywhere from 12 to 18 inches by the time it is done. I looked out the window around 2 am and it hadn't started. I checked when I got up at 6: none yet. Before our choir processed into the sanctuary, I peeked out a window: Nada. But leaving the church about an hour and a half ago, I saw the first flakes. The closer I got to my house, there was more on the streets. It's been coming down pretty heavily since I got home. We have about 2 inches right now and it continues. Oh, boy, here we go again.

Cat Thief

Nels may get into mischief now and then, but he's nothing like this cat. For one thing, I will never let him outside unless he is on a strong collar and leash or inside a kennel. I'll always have a fear of him running away. After all, that's how he wound up at the animal shelter.

Mystery Is Solved

For many nights, Nels has been driving me nuts by climbing up onto my book shelves and walking behind my TV. With his history of chewing on electrical chords, I do not want him anywhere near my TV or DVD player. As soon as he jumps up, I call him, "Here, kitty kitty. Here kitty kitty." Out he comes and follows me down the hallway. Then I close the screen door so he can't get back into the cottage.

This evening I decided to take some time to look for his many toys that are missing - looking with a flashlight under furniture. I found a couple of hollow plastic balls with bells inside them and a jelly worm. What I couldn't find was his snake. As you can see by the photo, it's a rather large snake. Where could he have hidden it?

Tonight he was begging me to come back into the cottage. I decided to give him another chance - - and straight away he hopped up onto the bookshelves and behind the TV. I called him and out he came. Again I locked him out of the room. Then I decided to check on the chords behind the TV. I reached back there and felt something soft, so I pulled it out. Yay! I found his snake! No wonder he was set on going back there!

Are you thirsty?

Every time I go into my bathroom, Nels follows. What does he want? He wants me to turn on the faucet so he can drink from the running stream. Actually, it's a good distractor sometimes. It's been fun to watch him tip his head upside down to drink, or bat his paw through the running water. I've tried to catch him when he is curled up on one of the basins, but each time I go to get the camera, he follows me out of the room.

Happy 5th Birthday, Annika!

Today my darling granddaughter, Annika, turns five! It hardly seems possible. When she was only a few weeks old, my brother and I flew to Japan to meet her. I've since stayed with her in Rhode Island and in Germany - she's always kind to share her bedroom with me.

Annika, I hope you have a grand day today! I wish I could be there to share in your celebration. Happy Birthday!

Happy Valentine's Day to My Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day to Josiah, Annika, Aurelia, Marshall, Will and Felix.
I am the luckiest and happiest grandma in the world because I have you in my life and I love you!!

Allergy Tests

(This is not a photo of me!)

I've had many cats over my lifetime: Nightmare, Smokey, Sugar, Shadow, Suki, Sebastian, Cinnamon, plus a couple whose names I can't remember. About seven or eight years ago, I began to have a reaction to them and so my doctor ordered allergy tests. Little did I know, but I was very allergic to cats, dust, and mildly allergic to mold and dogs.

Now that I have decided to have a cat again, I made an appointment with my allergist to see if I should take allergy shots to build up my immunity to him. Thursday was the day of the testing.

If you have never had allergy tests, it's quite interesting. 40 dots are drawn on your back - 8 columns of 5. On each dot, a needle prick is made with protein from various allergens. Some of these pricks hurt or bite a bit, especially those that are near nerve endings. The first couple of columns are indoor allergens. The next couple are outdoor allergens. I'm not clear on the last column. In just a couple of minutes, a reaction will present itself, if an allergy is detected. After 10 minutes or so, the doctor observes the reactions and tells the nurse to administer a second round of protein to certain spots. For me, spots 3 through 40 needed the second round. This poke is a little deeper, and done with the needle the size the diabetics use.

The first two spots that reacted almost immediately are for dust. The nurse told me the reaction was so strong, the two spots swelled up to become one. After another 15 minutes, the test was completed and the doctor gave me these results (a score of 4 being the highest):

Dust: 4
Blue grass: 3
Timothy grass: 3
Cat: 2

Seven years ago my results were:

Dust: 4
Cat: 4
Dog: 3
Mold: 3

I didn't know the scores could change, but apparently they can.

Based on these new results, I decided not to do the shots but will keep things under control with medication and regular, thorough cleaning of my dust collectors, particularly in my bedroom.

The long, long winter

When did this winter start? I'm trying to remember. Was it the end of October? Day after day, night after night, it is cold, snowy, and most of all - dark. When the sun is out, the days are really cold - like today. The bright orb shone brightly all day long, and yet it was 2 degrees when I went out at lunch time. It's minus 1 as I write, and we're supposed to be minus 9 (actual) when I leave for work tomorrow. I admit it - - I'm tired of it!

Where is spring? I miss you!

Signs

Look what's in front of Hans and Rachel's house for this month! Josiah, I'm so pround of you for doing so well in school. Keep up the good work!

This makes me think of Hans . . .

Check out this new ad from VW. It makes me think of Hans.

It's a Red Letter Day!

Not only is it National Heart Day (wear red, people), but it's a red letter day in our family. Josiah, my oldest grandchild, was just awarded "Student of the Month" at his school. This morning Rachel wrote, "I just wanted to let you know that Josiah came home yesterday and announced that he was chosen as "Student of the Month!" He was so excited. This is something he's been talking about for a couple of weeks. His teacher sent me a very complimentary e-mail praising Josiah's intelligence and saying that he is very eager to learn. She said that his handwriting has improved--and we can see that it has dramatically since the beginning of the school year (hard for a leftie!). He was chosen as Student of the Month for having the quality of "responsibility." Josiah is six years old and in the first grade. Naturally, I am a very proud grandma!

I want to brag about him for another thing that happened this week: he took off on his bike with no training wheels and didn't fall once! What a guy!

Listening to Records

Aurelia is spending part of the weekend with me. For quiet time this afternoon, we got under the covers of my bed and listened to a few of my records. To my knowlege, Aurelia has not experienced this before. She asked me, "When did you get this [album], Grandma?" I told her I got it when her daddy was a little tyke like she is now. I went on to explain that Uncle Hans, her daddy, and Aunt Heidi used to listen to the records all the time. We only listened to a few of them today, but she really liked them.

One album sleeve has a letter "P" written on it. When asked about it, I told her, "Your daddy must have written that."

IT'S SOLD!!!

I just completed the sale of my beautiful bird cage. Thank you, Craig's List!

A nice, young girl - a senior in high school - came to my office with her father and he bought it for her. Yay!

I Am Trying Something New

Tonight I took a major leap (for me), and posted my beautiful bird cage on Craig's List. I have to say, it took me a few weeks to get up the nerve to do this. Heidi's husband and Sarah are two individuals that use this site often. But until tonight, I've never looked at it! Heidi gave me some tips, and encouraged me to give it a try. I posted this photo. Here's hoping . . .

Inspirational Morning

I'm privileged to sing in the Wooddale choir. We have about 100 voices in our choir when everyone is present. Dave, our director, has a gift for finding the perfect music to compliment the message of the morning. Three of the four or five Sundays of the month, he puts together an orchestra, string quintet, brass band, chamber orchestra, or other fitting ensemble, to accompany us - along with the piano and of course, our gorgeous Visser-Rowland pipe organ. This Sunday he put together a brass and percussion ensemble. One of their prelude pieces was Fanfare of the Common Man by composer Aaron Copland. I just loved it ~ and so did the congregation!

At Wednesday's rehearsal, Dave shared with us the way in which the fanfare was commissioned. Until then, I had always thought the piece was part of the Olympics. Now I've learned that it has been used for many big, historic events. You can hear it here.

10th Anniversary

I don't know where the time has gone, but tomorrow marks 10 years since I started working at Bethany House Publishers. I had actually not remembered it, but my two bosses presented me with a nice card and gifts this morning!

This job is probably the best job I have ever had - and I've had a lot. There are so many things I love about it. To name a few: my co-workers (most of them are like family to me), the variety of duties, the relaxed atmosphere (I could never have brought my grandchildren - or my new pet, Nels - into Hormel's to meet my friends), Friday snack time, and one huge perk is getting to meet the authors! We get 93 free books every year - which we get to choose. And, get this, my office is only one mile from my home!

When the day is over and I count my blessings, I always include my job.

To my Lutheran friends

Singing With the Lutherans

By Garrison Keillor

I have made fun of Lutherans for years - who wouldn't, if you lived in Minnesota ? But I have also sung with Lutherans and that is one
Of the main joys of life, along with hot baths and fresh sweet corn.

We make fun of Lutherans for their blandness, their excessive calm, their fear of giving offense, their lack of speed and also for their secret fondness for macaroni and cheese. But nobody sings like they do.

If you ask an audience in New York City, a relatively Lutheranless place, to sing along on the chorus of 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore,' they will look daggers at you as if you had asked them to strip to their under-wear. But if you do this among Lutherans they'll smile and row that boat ashore and up on the beach! And down the road!

Lutherans are bred from childhood to sing in four-part harmony. It's a talent that comes from sitting on the lap of someone singing alto or tenor or bass and hearing the harmonic intervals by putting your little head against that person's rib cage. It's natural for Lutherans to sing in harmony. We're too modest to be soloists, too worldly to sing in unison. When you're singing in the key of C and you slide into the A7th and D7th chords, all two hundred of you, it's an emotionally fulfilling moment.

I once sang the bass line of Children of the Heavenly Father in a room with about three thousand Lutherans in it, and when we finished, we all had tears in our eyes, partly from the promise that God will not forsake us, partly from the proximity of all those lovely voices. By our joining in harmony, we somehow promise that we will not forsake each other.

I do believe this: These Lutherans are the sort of people you could call up when you're in deep distress. If you're dying, they'll comfort you. If you're lonely, they'll talk to you. And if you're hungry, they'll give you tuna salad!

The following list was compiled by a 20th century Lutheran who, observing other Lutherans, wrote down exactly what he saw or heard:

1. Lutherans believe in prayer, but would practically die if asked to pray out loud.

2. Lutherans like to sing, except when confronted with a new hymn or a hymn with more than four stanzas.

3. Lutherans believe their pastors will visit them in the hospital, even if they don't notify them that they are there.

4. Lutherans usually follow the official liturgy and will feel it is their way of suffering for their sins.

5. Lutherans believe in miracles and even expect miracles, especially during their stewardship visitation programs or when passing the plate.

6. Lutherans feel that applauding for their children's choirs would make the kids too proud and conceited.

7. Lutherans think that the Bible forbids them from crossing the aisle while passing the plate.

8. Lutherans drink coffee as if it were the Third Sacrament.

9. Some Lutherans believe that an ELCS bride and an LCMS groom make for a mixed marriage. (For those of you who are not Lutherans, ELCS is Evangelical Lutheran Church Synod and LCMS is Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. When and where I grew up in Minnesota, intermarriage between the two was about as popular as Lutherans and Catholics marrying.)

10. Lutherans feel guilty for not staying to clean up after their own wedding reception in the Fellowship Hall.

11. Lutherans are willing to pay up to one dollar for a meal at church.

12. Lutherans think that Garrison Keillor stories are totally factual.

13. Lutherans still serve Jell-O in the proper liturgical color of the season and think that peas in a tuna noodle casserole add too much color.

14. Lutherans believe that it is OK to poke fun at themselves and never take themselves too seriously.

And finally, you know you're a Lutheran when:

*It's 100 degrees, with 90% humidity, and you still have coffee after the service;

*You hear something really funny during the sermon and smile as loudly as you can;

*Donuts are a line item in the church budget, just like coffee;

*The communion cabinet is open to all, but the coffee cabinet is locked up tight;

*When you watch a 'Star Wars' movie and they say, 'May the Force be with you,' you respond, 'and also with you.'
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