Pictures

My culprit knee - isn't it lovely!!

The flood water pictures

McHardy Park

Top of the fire tower

I don't know what I did to make them disappear before. Sorry!!

A Surprise Find

Well, here's a picture of the culprit that's giving me grief - it's called a Bakers Cyst (look under mayoclinic.com - diseases - baker's cyst). Can't see a thing, other than a knee that's maybe slightly swollen. But the doc says I should elevate it often and ice it often and take ibuprofen or Aleve. So I'm trying - today is a good day - yesterday was not but then I was on it a lot.

I woke up one morning this week and my "deck Morning Glory" was all decked out - it had at least 4 blooms on it. That's the most I've had. It was really pretty - this picture just doesn't do it justice at all. Chase says the plant down on the trellis has lots of flowers too but I haven't been down there. Bad thing is that they only last one day and then new ones come so I never know how many I'll have.

Here are pictures of the flooding around Brandon this past week. Dad took these when he and Chase were checking out the area on Saturday morning. Went out Friday night with Amy and there was a lot of water in the park and the golf course. By the time I took Grandma for a short ride on Saturday morning a lot of it had gone down already.

I had lots more pictures but they keep disappearing on me.
Sorry!!

This is my cutie pie.

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These two documents are the surprise find. When Uncle Rich left Flagstaff, he left behind an old suitcase that when Dad opened it was filled with bank statements and papers from Grandpa Haan's estaste. Dad didn't want some stranger buying this suitcase with all these papers inside so he brought it home with us. It's sat in the garage for the last year. Finally this week he opened it and started going through it. A lot of stuff he has been shredding but there is a whole pile that we need to take a second look at. Also in the suitcase was an old figurine from Grandpa's house, an old camera and several other small items. The first document is the Marriage Certificate/license for Grandpa and Grandma Haan - they were married in February 1934. Grandpa never talked about their wedding and Grandma only did once and it wasn't very positive. According to the certificate, they were married in the courthouse in Luverne. Uncle Auko and Grandma's sister, Anna were their witnesses.

This second find is Grandpa's Naturalization Papers from when he became a citizen. It's very interesting because he has signed his name as Jacob - this is the only place I have ever seen this. His legal name, we always thought, was Jake. It has some folds in it that I would like to be able to get out so I plan to call the Courthouse Museum and ask them what they would suggest to try to remove them. Then I may frame them - it's a shame to just put it in the strongbox where Grandma's papers have been for several years. Any suggestions as to what I might be able to do with them?

Well, that's about it for this week. Last Sunday we had guests from church for lunch but I forgot to take a picture. We had 7 people over and I thought we had a nice time. Had chili, chicken soup, homemade bread and apple pie & ice cream. I even made the pie myself - it was OK. I've made better but then I haven't made an apple pie for probably close to 10 years so I thought I was doing well.

Have a wonderful, wonderful week and hopefully I'll be able to post my blog from somewhere in Montana next week.

love to you both

Post-Tuesday Blog

Greetings dear daughters and granddaughter,

I realize that I am now 24 hours late in posting my blog; however there are some very good reasons for this:
1. My leg hurts VERY bad!
2. It rained last night.
3. I didn't have my pictures ready.
4. I had company for supper last night so I had to cook and clean for them.

Now, on to my blog:

This is a picture of our deck. As you can see, there is a morning glory that has decided to grow right up through the decking. It is also growing through the steps but the flower wasn't blooming so it's more difficult to see on a picture. Isn't this neat? Dad's mums are FULL of buds and once they bloom, they are going to be gorgeous. Can't wait.

OUR BUS TRIP:

This was one of my favorite activities - riding the train. Good thing I enjoyed it because we did a lot of train riding. This one happened to be an open car which were even more fun.
Dad took this picture the night we had our dinner cruise on the boat in Knoxville, TN. It was a picture of the lights on the bridge as we went under it. Isn't it cool? It was a beautiful night and a beautiful cruise. Loved it!!

This was one of our highlights - The Hermitage in Nashville, TN. It is the home of Andrew Jackson - I didn't get a very good picture of it. Dad and I could have spent another couple of hours there - it's definitely a must-do if we're ever back in that area.

All of the furniture in the house is original - they have been able to "purchase back" all of the original stuff from the family.

I need to get to the library now and check out some books on Andrew and Rachel Jackson. She was a divorcee when he married her and it was quite a scandal.

This is "Fat Man Squeeze" or something like that at Rock City. I think you were there, DeAnn. I made it through just fine.

We really enjoyed Rock City also and would have liked to have spent more time there - in fact even our tour guide said it was way tooooo rushed!! We bascially just walked through it and didn't get much time to stop and look. Then we picked up two little old ladies and we all got lost.

This is a scene from one of the train rides. We have lots of very pretty scenery inbetween all the trees - you just had to be really quick with the trigger finger to get your picture. I have more to show you later.

Before we left, Dad was very concerned about being able to take his naps on the bus - as you can see, he had NO problem. In fact, this is on the train. Because all of the train rides we took were vintage, they would go both ways on the same track so lots of people took naps on the return trip.

DeAnn, I'm hoping that when I am at your house, you will help me organize my pictures. Then I would like to put our bus trip on a CD, rather than doing an album this time..

I have a couple of projects I wanted to work on this week, but it doesn't look very promising. I went through all the mail today and have a little "to do" pile. The rest went in the garbage. We're having company for lunch on Sunday - just chili, chicken soup and bread and apple pie so don't have to do anything too difficult. Have to take grandma to a funeral on Saturday morning so that will shoot the day pretty much.

Well, that's all for now!! I hope you both have a wonderful week.

Amy, I sure hope your cold disppears as quickly as it came.

Love to all of you!! (especially my youngest reader - you're still one of the brightest rays in my sunlight)

Happy September

HAPPY SEPTEMBER - According to my calendar and the newspeople this morning, yesterday was the first day of Fall. Chase is showing us how to step back and jump right in.

My packing is all finished and my carry-on is almost ready. Have to shave my legs yet tonight and then I'm ready. Have a bit of a head-ache so I think I'll just head off to bed early tonight. Have to be in Sioux Falls by 9:15 so will have time in the morning to finish up any last minute details.

I had my blog all finished this morning, then I hit a wrong button and puff - it was gone, just like Puff the Magic Dragon.

We've had a good week - got several projects completed and have a couple new ones waiting for when I get back. I had a huge "to do" list when we came back from camping (15 items) and I've finished all but a couple.

In finally finished Chase's coverlet, valance and one of his pillow cases. I need to make him one more but have to get some skull & crossbones fabric. I went over Saturday morning and hung the valance (Amy helped just a tad) and then made his bed and put the new coverlet on it. Looks rather nice, I think.

I'm not sure if he noticed it or not. He didn't say anything tonight at supper and he usually notices things, but then I forgot to ask him about it too.

Well, I should have LOTS of pictures to show you in a couple of weeks of our journey. Dad wants me to take the computer along but I'm not sure that's such a good idea. We'll see.

Enjoy your Falls days - that white stuff will be here soon enough.

Was looking through some pictures the other day and remember when.....

* walking down the strip in 90+ weather

* having our picture taken with the president of the US

* staying in the most luxurious hotel I've ever stayed in

A little over a year ago we were doing all of those things - how I treasure our trips together - memories of a lifetime.

Have a good week!!!!