I'm Back!!!

Sorry I haven't been very faithful with my blogging but I haven't taken many pictures. Can you believe I took no pictures at the wedding so I have nothing to share with you, but then you were all there so you have your own pictures.



This is a picture of the clouds that Chase and I were looking at the other night. They were so beautiful - we decided that when Jesus comes back to get us, the sky will look like this. If you notice, there's a small area that has the sun shining directly through. It was just golden!!!

Dad weeding his flowers in the backyard - the day lilies are all in bloom along with several other lilies. We have lots of color in our yard. In the background is dad's hosta garden which is really taking off. He also has a trailer full of mums. When they bloom, he'll have to just take the trailer and drive around town.

These flowers are weeds, I think. I have one small circle area that is supposed to be mine. Last year I planted some perennials in it but I planted too many and they're not looking all that nice. Dad said I had to weed it so I did but then he said he thought I had pulled out some flowers. Oh well, they do look nice in this vase.

On Monday at the hospital someone was discharged and didn't want to take their flowers home. So I took this vase - the flowers were almost dead but I cut some of dad's lilies out of the backyard and they look nice in this bottle. I love it!!!

My project for next week: my computer room. If I wasn't lacking in pictures, I wouldn't have taken these to show you but then again maybe it will "spur me into action". Isn't this horrible? With the wedding now over, I simply have to clean this room so I can find the things I want. The coverlet has to be washed because it's going to Arizona and the paperwork has to be sorted, filed or discarded - whatever is appropriate!!! I'd like to get my taxes ready to go to the tax man before we leave for Washington also. I'll send you more pictures next week. I need you all to help me be accountable to get this DONE!!

That's it this week from the Haan Household. Forecast is for 90-degree weather for the next seven days so I guess I'll just stay in the house, clean and maybe find myself a good book to read. Any suggestions??

Have a greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet week ahead.

Love to you all

MOM and Gramma

My week with Aunt Jen

Aunt Jen relaxing after doing her exercises, which is her favorite time of day. I spent this last week with Aunt Jen doing exercises, eating, going for walks, eating, watching HGTV, going for another walk, watching a little more HGTV and eating. Good week!!!!

This is the bruising on the back of Aunt Jen's leg. She didn't have this with the other knee but the nurses assured us that it is quite common. It was much more purple to begin with. Doesn't hurt - just looks beautiful!!!

Aunt Jen's goal was to walk two blocks two weeks after surgery and sh

e did. Walked to the end of her block and back. We tried to do it 3 times a day but didn't quite make it a day or two. But we did walk at least 2 times. Her goal this week is to go just a little further down the next block. Good luck, Aunt Jen.

Oh, I don't think I mentioned that we went to Physical Therapy on Thursday and it was a blast - be sure to ask Aunt Jen about it. We go again on Monday and I know it will be the highlight of her day. We also go to Dr. Rodman on Monday and we're anxious to see what he has to say about her progress. The staples will come out and she's hoping to get the OK to drive. Just stay off the roads for a day or two.

This is the loooooooooooooong block to the corner.

That's it for this week. I'm busy starting my cleaning because we have extra special company coming and I also hope to pin Amy down to some wedding plans.

Have a good week ahead.

Love to you all

MOM and Gramma

Auntie Jen's New Knee

These pictures are going to be going a bit out of order but that's the way I downloaded them and I don't feel like redoing all of them. Hope that's OK with everyone; if not, too bad.

This is Aunt Jen this morning (Thursday) - she actually has her eyes open and I told her to smile for you. She's been dozing off a lot since surgery; in fact it's very difficult to carry on a conversation with her. Usually I end up talking to myself.

This is a picture of her knee all wrapped up. Evelyn is holding a Coke can next to her knee so you can see how wrapped up it is. This was taken the day of surgery - Tuesday. They unwrapped the leg this morning so now there's just a little piece of gauze covering the incision.

Aunt Jen's leg is in a machine that slowly bends it and then brings it completely flat again. She started out at a 40% bend and was doing 65% when I left today. It goes very slowly but she says after a while, it starts to hurt and then they turn it down a bit.

She started her Physical Therapy yesterday (Wednesday) and did very well.

This little contraption is used to see "how windy" she is. She does a pretty good job at blowing the little white thing up.

Dr. Rodman signed her knee before surgery to make sure he did the correct one. We wanted to write him a little note but the nurse said they frowned upon that. I don't know why - a little humour never hurt anyone.

This is Jen pre-op -- doesn't she look happy? Actually she was.

The surgical knee.

This is the scene I saw when I pulled up in the driveway on Tuesday night. Two young men tusseling out on the lawn. Each one said they were the victor - looks to me like Grampa was probably the one on top.

but then again............................

That's it from Nurse Gramma. Tomorrow (Friday) Aunt Jen goes home. I'll let you know how well she behaves herself.

Love and have a great weekend!!!!

MOM and Gramma

Spring Has Arrived

You know Spring has arrived in Brandon when you see Dad outside with his pots, dirt and a watering can. Actually he has been out with the plants for several days now but yesterday we bought a couple of new plants and today Aunt Susan and I went to our favorite nursery and bought a few more things. Actually I bought a "few" things while Sue bought several large items. However, Uncle Glen told her to go ahead and spend as much as she wanted and to get whatever she wanted and she DID!!Here are some of this year's plantings. These are miniature petunias which are really cute and they trail down the pot. I really liked the purple and yellow together and they smell wonderful!!!

This is a geranium that we brought back from Arizona last spring - it's a very special one - Martha Washington and is very pretty. We're hoping to use some of these as decorating flowers for the wedding.

My creeping phlox is up and blooming. I planted this because Grandpa Haan used to have a huge section of this phlox and every spring it would be just gorgeous so it reminds me of him. I love it - it's actually a much prettier purple than shows up in this picture.

I've had these little boots in the bottom of my closet for several years - got them on a garage sale. Every year I'd see them and think, I have to plant some flowers in them. This year they had planters you could purchase for $19.99 that looked just like these and I remembered I had some in the closet. So dad drilled holes in the bottom for me and I planted these moss roses. Aren't they cute?

That's it from the Haan Household for this week. Wishing you all a great week ahead and "no rain" for Saturday.

MOM and GRAMMA

Wordless Thursday

The scene across the street - they told me there was a better breeze up there than on the ground!!??

Have a great day!!

MOM & Gramma

A Tiger In The Tree - for Sam

This blog is being written for my very favorite 7-year old in the whole wide world. Sam, this is my friend Mr. Tiger who came to live in our tree in the front yard. This picture is taken from my front window. One morning I looked out and there was Mr. Tiger sitting in my tree. At first, I was very frightened that he would want to pounce on me and eat me when I went to my car. However, when I did go outside, I found that Mr. Tiger picked my house out of all the houses in Brandon because he heard that a very nice Gramma lived in this house. He's very kind and sweet and he likes me a lot.

His name is just Mr. Tiger.

He says this is a very good tree for a tiger because he can sit in the crook of the tree and watch everything that's going on. He's anxious for the leaves to come on the tree so he won't have to jump down to eat the grass. He can then just lean over and eat the leaves.

So, Sam, do you believe me now? Do you like my Mr. Tiger? I sure hope he stays here long enough so that you will be able to meet him this summer. Chase said he was going to chase him away but I told him, NO!! Leave Mr. Tiger alone.

Well, that's it for this week. Hope you all have a great week ahead.

Love,

Gramma and MOM

Our New Home in Tucson

Holly was able to "finally" get to accomplish one of her Arizona goals when Mr. McNierney went and got the keys and took Holly for a ride on the park golf cart. He even let her drive!! Way to go, Holly. The older generation of Wagons West thought this little blonde lady was so special and of course, who am I to disagree. Everybody wanted to meet her and were talking about her a couple of weeks after she'd left.
You can come anytime, Miss Holly. Grampa and I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED having you with us all to ourselves for the whole week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is my latest gift from one of my very dearest friends - there is no one in the world like Linda. I absolutely cherish her and hope she knows how much she means to me. Isn't this the neatest little dish - someday when she's a world-famous potter, I will be able to say I knew her when.

Now to our new home:

This is the wall hanging that Holly and I picked out at the swap meet - it's my inspiration and I really like it. You see it as soon as you walk in the door.

Here's the kitchen with the new terra cotta paint. The pictures are now hanging rather than just sitting there. I really need a cute one of Chase yet but in the meantime I have one of our home in Brandon with all the snow on it. Reminds me why I'm in Tucson!

Another picture of the kitchen.

I have my stereo speakers sitting on this little shelf now but the tv will go there when we get one. DeAnn, note my little bird ornament that you purchased for me at the gift store in Lynden - can't remember the name of it just now. Sorry.

Looking down the hallway toward the bedroom. Note the clock which I purchased for $4.00 on a garage sale - goes very nicely with the woodwork.

This is the light fixture and the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. It needed some freshening up so I painted it white, along with the vanity; however, I didn't get a picture of the vanity. I really like it painted rather than the wood color. Might do it to my master bathroom in Brandon also.

Well, that's it for tonight. Dad and I were sitting in the living room of the new trailer one evening and he says, "I really like the way the kitchen turned out, dear." When I was painting it, he wasn't sure he liked the color, at all.

Have a wonderful week ahead. Holly, I have more pictures coming of you on my next blog. Love you all to pieces!!!!!

MOM & Gramma