Clever Outdoor Decorating

When we were driving home from church on Sunday, Dad all of a sudden turned around.  Out of the corner of his eye, he had seen a guy hanging from the gutters with his ladder coming down.

 

Isn't this some clever decorating?  We've driven past a couple of times and it is VERY realistic.  It's not nearly as impressive at night, even with the lights on.

We're taking Grandma to 212 tonight for pizza (with Aunt Jen and Aunt Jan) and then we're going to drive around and look at Christmas lights.  I'll take some pictures of dad's lights - they're much more impressive at night.

As you can see, not much interesting is happening in my life but it is Tuesday so it's time for a blog.  I'm sewing an apron today for my friend, Mary who just happens to be Kurt's mom.  I also paid bills this morning and sent my park newsletter to the office in Tucson for printing.  If anyone is ever interested in reading it, just let me know and I'll forward a copy to you.  It usually takes me a couple of days to do it IF everyone gets me their information on time and that rarely happens.

Well, off to the sewing machine.  More pictures tomorrow.
Have a great day.
Love to all,
Gramma and MOM

Our Day with Grandma



Yesterday was an "awesome day".  Aunt Jen and I had talked about taking Grandma down to Sibley to see an old friend of hers.  Bernie & Charlotte and Grandpa & Grandma went to the same church in Sibley and the two guys played softball together and the four of them loved to play cards.  We moved from Sibley when I was probably 4 but they have remained friends all these years.  Charlotte (who is also Dad's cousin) passed away 7 years ago.  We let dad and Aunt Jan come with us and as always, we laughed a lot and had a great time.

 

 

First we went to Rock Rapids and had breakfast with John Smidstra which is a party in and of itself.  I really like him and we had a nice visit and a super good breakfast.  (And he bought which was even better!)

 

 Then we drove through the cemetery in Rock Rapids - I hadn't been there since Aunt Albertha died.  I still miss her - she was an awesome aunt!!!

We arrived in Sibley about 11:30 and visited for a while before Bernie's daughter, Alice Ann prepared lunch for us.  I thought we were just having sandwiches and chips but she had a jello salad, rolls, beef stew and apple pie.  It was great.  We sat around the table another two hours and just talked of old times.  Many of the stories I've heard several times before but Bernie and Mom still love hearing and telling them.

Bernie and Mom were soooooooooooooooooo excited to see each other.  They were almost like two teenagers.  I wish they lived a little closer together because I think they would enjoy having dinner together occasionally and just being with each other. 

 Dad and Alice Ann "got married" when they were just little kids.  Apparently the big thing to do with the little kids in Hills was dress them up and then pull them around in a coaster wagon.  Interesting, huh?

 

 After leaving Sibley, we went to George, Iowa.  When I was a little girl, the Petersons lived across the road from my parents.  One of their sons was Larry who married Helen.  He was a school teacher - in fact he even taught in Hills for a short time and was Dad's Science teacher.  There was an incident with Mr. Peterson that dad has never forgotten and still talks about once in a while.  Dad admires him a great deal and had the opportunity to tell him so.  Larry did not remember the incident but I think he was touched by how he had made a difference in dad's life.

Anyway, Larry and Helen live in this little town of George and Grandma had some newspaper articles about Larry's parents that she wanted to give them.  She said - just call them and see if we can stop.  I really didn't want to but I did.  Helen was extremely receptive to our stopping but Larry wasn't home but was expected shortly.  We were still 5-10 minutes away from their house - as we drove up, I saw a pickup truck drive up the alley and park behind their house so we pulled in right behind him and it was indeed Larry just coming home.  Turns out they had just returned home from Washington state and visiting their daughter that very day.  Larry was sooo excited to see Grandma and recognized her immediately.  We stayed in the van and Larry & Helen came outdoors - it was a beautiful afternoon.  We were there about a half hour and Larry had to hug Grandma three times.  It was actually very touching how much he appreciated seeing her.  Unfortunately, I did not take their picture - can't believe I forgot to do that.

We had decided to go to Stone Soup in Rock Valley for soup on our way home - so off we went.  God blessed us with a gorgeous sunset - the horizon was a brilliant pink and all of the clouds (even in the east) with pink.  Grandma said she'd never seen anything like that.

Doug & LaVonne joined us for supper.  Unfortunately the pea soup was spoiled.  Grandma and Dad ate theirs even though they said it didn't taste good at all.  I tried but I just couldn't eat more than four spoonfuls - finally told the gal it was not good and I couldn't eat it.  They brought me something else.

It was the only bad time of the day.

We got Grandma home after dark but she said she wasn;t tired at all.  This morning she was a little stiff - probably from all the riding but it was a "good stiff".

Well, that was our day away.  Today I made a turkey for tomorrow and cleaned - YUK!!!  Actually I had to put away my craft projects so we could use the table for dinner tomorrow.  I even ordered myself a Christmas present and Grandma's Christmas cards.  Now I'm going to take a little rest - I'm actually a bit tired.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I am so awed and thankful for the two of you, my daughters.  God has richly blessed both of you with wonderful husbands and families!! 

Love to you all,
Gramma and MOM

PS:  Thank you so much, Miss Holly!!!  The background is just what I wanted but I couldn't make it work.  Love you to the top of Denali and back down.

Beautiful Sunrise

Last Saturday morning I was already up and reading in the chair when dad came to get me.  He said the sunrise was beautiful and it was.  We just laid in bed and looked at it.  The whole sky was full of these puffy pink clouds and the horizon was a beautiful bright pink.  See what ya miss when ya don't get up early or maybe when ya don't have a window that faces east next to your bed.

 

Today, Aunt Jen, Aunt Jan and dad & I are taking Grandma to Sibley, IA for the day.  I was born in Sibley and we lived on a farm just south of there until I was 5.  Grandma has a very dear friend who lives in Sibley so we are going to his home for lunch - his daughter graciously offerred to fix us lunch.  First we're going to Rock Rapids to have breakfast with John Smidstra - should be a good breakfast.  Then we'll meander our way to Sibley which is only a half hour away.  After visiting with Bernie, we're going to try to find the farm we lived on.  Grandma "thinks" she still knows the way but we'll see.

Then, maybe, we'll stop in Rock Valley at the Stone Soup Cafe for soup - they only have five varieties of the best homemade soup around.  Should be a good day - they're even predicting temps in the 60's.

Have a good day and I'll tell you all about our special day in the next day or two.  (How's that for using the word "day" 3 times in one sentence.)

Love to all,
Gramma and MOM

The Gallery Wall is finally done!!

My gallery wall is finally completed, except I have a "hole", so I need to be on the prowl for just the right little frame to go in my hole.  I know these photos make the frames look crooked but they really aren't - just the "H" is.

 

I love, love the little note in the picture below.  I found it in my dresser drawer and have no idea when it was written by one of my all-time favorite people - a "bright shining star" in my life.  I had a hard time figuring out what it said when I first pulled it out.  Figured out the first couple of words and all of a sudden, it struck me.  I love you too, my dear sweet Holly girl!!!!

 



A couple of years ago, Chase and his mom gave me this Christmas cactus and every year around Thanksgiving time, it blooms.  It just started this week and it's beautiful.  This is the most neglected plant in the world - it "might" get watered every other week and sometimes less than that but it still comes back and blooms for me.

 

Have a wonderful weekend.  We have a wedding reception to go to on Saturday afternoon but otherwise the weekend is ours.  DeAnn and Holly, I'm so glad you're back home safely.  Love seeing the pictures on Facebook.

Love to you all,
Gramma and MOM

New Light Fixtures

Over the weekend, it was cold so dad put up our new light fixtures in the kitchen.  We had a hard time finding something we both liked.  It's still not exactly what I wanted but close. 

 

Over the island:

 and over the sink:

 Went to visit Grandma last night with the two J's so took their picture - nice lookin' group, don't you think?

Well, I'm off to work so have to get going.  Had my mammogram at 7:00AM this morning, then treated myself to a bagel and coffee and now off to get dad's eyes tested, order new glasses and then to work.

Have a super, terrific week.  Love to you all,
Gramma and MOM

What Have I Been Doing?

I have been asked frequently lately why my blog hasn't been updated, especially since today is Friday and it's called Tuesdays with Gramma.  Well, I would have done a nice blog on our girls weekend in New Ulm from last weekend but the only picture I have is of Aunt Sue sitting on the bed and it's not all that flattering.  I need for those who took pictures over the weekend to send me some -- please!!

 

 

So, I'll just show you a little of what I have been doing.  For the past couple of weeks, I try to clean and do regular housework in the morning and then in the afternoons I've been sewing and working on long overdue projects.  This morning dad brought in the ladder so he could take down my wreath which has been up on the wall since we moved in 2004.  I still liked it but it was time to go.  There was a bit of a quandry as to what to put up, but look what I found............................

 I had the cross on my gallery wall before but when we redid all the pictures, there wasn't room for it.  I still have a couple of things to put on my wall before I take the final pictures.  What do you think of the cross?  I love it!!!

 These are some special pillowcases I've been creating.  I saw several of them at craft sales last weekend when we were in New Ulm for $9.00 each so I thought I'd try making my own.  It was great fun and I might make a few more - even found fabric in my box that worked great.

 I finally made the valance for Holly's room - this is a terrible picture but it's hard to take up against the window.  It's black with box pleats that are pink.  I think it turned out cute - her room has pink walls (which she and I painted) and a black bedspread and accessories.  What do you think, Holly?  I'll probably mail it on Tuesday so you should get it next week.

 This rolled-up piece of fleece is an American girl sleeping bag.  DeAnn asked if I had any fabric to make some for her girlfriend.  I thought I had more than I did so was only able to make one.  I'll send the pattern out to her friend and she can make her own - they're fun but putzy.

 Grandma was invited to a wedding celebration/reception in a couple weeks and dad and I are taking her.  She didn't know what to give them so I suggested some of her embroidered towels since neither the bride nor groom have lived by themselves and have nothing.  I added some knit dishclothes, some net scrubbies, a nice kitchen candle (Pumpkin pie) and a terry towel.  Then I put it all in a basket and put see-through paper (don't know what it's called exactly) over it with a blue bow.  Looks really cute and Grandma was really pleased.  The towels are beautiful - she used lots of turqoiuse as you can see.

 

 

That's a little of what I've been doing.  Our next project is for dad to change out the light over the island.  The light is in a box in the living room and there are two ladders sitting there for him to use.  We've been waiting for a cold, windy day to do it and we've been having some beautiful Indian summer days again this week.

 

Well, I'm off to go look at a dishwasher - I HATE!!!!! having my dishwasher broke down. 

 

Soooooooooooooooooo, am I forgiven for being a bit slow with the blog?  Have a wonderful weekend.  DeAnn and Holly, I pray for you two every day - hope everything is going superbly for you in Mississippi.

 

Love to you all,

Gramma and MOM



Halloween at Brandon Valley Baptist

Because Halloween was on a Wednesday this year and our church has AWANA for the kids on Wednesday night, there was a bit of a quandry as to what to do.  Apparently in the past, they have tried to hold AWANA as usual and only a couple of kids showed up.  So, rather than cancel it completely, this year they decided to do a wax museum with Biblical characters behind 7 doors in our church.  Each door had a character who told a little about themselves and then gave the kids a treat.  It was very well done - I just had to lead kids around which was an easy job.

 

We did not have nearly as many children as we would have liked but there are several other BIG options here in Brandon.  It did not deter our leaders, however and they are already working on plans for expanding next year.

 

 

Here are Adam and Eve with the serpent in the tree - their treat was "fruit snacks".  Dee does have a bathing suit on under her leaves - wish I looked half as good as she looked - she's a smidgen older than I am.

 

This is Noah who happened to be my friend, Jackie Kramer.  Her treat was animal crackers.

 Mary and Joseph whose treat was candy canes.

Can you believe this whale?  It was awesome - in fact all of the backgrounds were outstanding - the gals put a tremendous amount of work into each one of them.  Jonah did a very nice job of telling his story and his treat was - what else, fish crackers.

This is Moses who even had a burning bush beside him.  His treat was roadside sign tatoos showing the way to Jesus.

 

Jesus and Lazarus were the last in line - do you know who Jesus is?  It's Pastor Kramer.  We tried to convince him to keep the outfit on for Sunday morning - didn't work. 

 

We also had Joseph and his multi-colored coat and David & Goliath (their treat was Milk Duds to represent small stones) but for some reason, I didn't get pictures of them.

 

It was a fun evening.  Next year I'm going to bring Grandma - I think the older people who came through enjoyed it almost more than the kids did.

 

Happy Halloween!!!  Love to you all,

Gramma and MOM