Cousins!

On Sunday, Andy and Tony and their families gathered together at my mom's house for a pizza party.

It's the first time I had them all in one place in quite some time.

It's hard to believe how they've grown!

Henry will be a year old on November 9.

Teagan is 19 months.

Of course, Locklan, the old man, will (way too) soon be 5.

Ahhhhhh, Grandma life!

He is my Sunshine

On  Friday I took Locklan and Teagan to visit my mom, Grandma Toots.

She turned 88 on Tuesday.

Locklan asked her if she knew how to sing You Are My Sunshine.

My mom, who has been singing since birth, pretended that she 

didn't know it.

Locklan sang it for her

I wish I had recorded the video...

It was precious!

Bathing Beauties!

Last night after dinner,  Tony came over to give the girls their baths!

Shirley, being a corgi, is shedding her summer coat.

What a mess!

Before I go on, I need to talk....

There are some things in nature that I do not understand:

Giraffes

And why corgis have to shed their summer coat before winter...

I mean, why not just add more hair?

Okay, so Shirley is shedding so bad that every day tufts of hair 

float through the house like tumbleweeds.

Tony wrapped her in a towel and carried her upstairs to my bathroom...

Next came Winnie...

 

Afterward, in typical dog style, they pranced and raced around!

Winnie acted like a pup even though she is 11

 We so appreciated it when Tony volunteered to do it...

I will admit that I was dreading the clean up...

When I  went upstairs, my bathroom was spotless!

Thanks, Tony, we appreciate it!

On This Day

Last week, Locklan didn't go to school...

He was coughing and sniffling...

Since Andy and Ashley both had to work...

They came to spend the day with Grandma Jan!

Before he left his house, Andy sent me this picture...

I should have known...

We were in for a wild ride!

We watched a movie...

Or at least Locklan did...

We worked on our art projects...

Locklan worked on a get well card for one of his dad's customers...

Teagan wrote on anything she could find...

And we had a break through!

Locklan learned to make a star...

(we did have a rocky start)

Then things got a little crazy and very noisy.

I told them that all of the noise was giving me a headache...

Locklan ran to the kitchen and got a towel, folded it and made me feel better...

I love it...

On the days they are here...

let's just say I sleep well!

Me 'n Bob!

Oh my goodness...

Thursday was Seger night!

I was so excited, but at the same time, dreading it.

Since July, I have fairly limited mobility.

I haven't talked about it much, but will fill you in later.

We decided to do the (very expensive and overpriced) buffet at the Lexus Club at the arena.

It would certainly cut down on the walking I'd have to do.

About the best thing I can say about it was that the 

tablecloths were very white 

and there were enough desserts that Mr.K was pretty happy.

Then it was show time!

The opening act was pretty good, but I can't remember their name...

Hey, I'm old AND I didn't come to hear them...

Then it was really show time!

Seriously, I have been a Seger fan since both Bob and I had brown hair and crooked teeth...

It seemed like a large percentage of the audience were as well.

It 

There were many times the crowd singing along was pretty loud.

It sure brought back tons of memories...

Some good, some bad.

He dedicated 'OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL to the audience...

At one time, he shouted "I'm going to miss you, Pittsburgh!"

He probably says that to all the cities, but we all took it seriously.

He never sang a song I didn't love,

I'M  GONNA MISS YOU, SEGER!

(photo snagged from triblive.com)

Eating Our Way Up the Coast!

Posts about our trip will be scattered, to be sure...

Have to find where I stashed the photos!

One thing for sure, we weren't hungry...

Our ship had 5 restaurants

(although Mr. K says there were seven)

Seems like all we did was eat or plan to eat...

Most days we had room service for breakfast...Lunch was hit or miss, 

When we could, we ate lunch on shore.

The only demand expectation I had was lobster, of course!

We asked locals to recommend a place to get lobster in Bar Harbor.

It was a chilly and windy day.  They seated us next to the fireplace!

I was so ready for my lobster!

It came!

Could you tell that I was excited?

I ate every crumb of the lobster.  I passed the corn to Mr. K.

The next day we were in Portland, ME.

I didn't want to act like a spoiled brat, demanding lobster two days in a row...

So I settled for a lobster roll (no photo)

Mr. K, who does not care for lobster had chili and some other thngs...

Not sure why he looks so grumpy.

The dinners were superb!

We ate in the dining room...

In the upscale grill...

The food was wonderful

(Did I already show you the escargot I had as an appetizer?)

Delicious!

We chose to skip the Italian restaurant, but did try Izumi, an Asian restaurant!

First thing we realized was that there was not any silverware on the table!

Mr. K learned to use his chopsticks:

He used them to retrieve the cherry from his Manhattan!

I ordered the suchi

I love suchi and this was superb...

During dinner, while we were talking, I dropped a sizable blob of wasabi.

I know better...

but I scooped it up and stuck it in my mouth!!!!!

Not a good thing.

Let's just say that I no longer have any hair in my nose, 

it burned THAT bad!

Mr. K is not as adventurous...

He chose steak.

Guess he didn't think it through...

They brought out a square stone and told him it was 500 degrees...

And told him he had to cook his own dinner...

And he did a bang up job!

So much food,

So much GREAT food!

He did admit to gaining 5 pounds.

I gained one.

Guess we'll have to be more careful on the next cruise!

Next cruise?

Oh, you bet!  

We haven't decided where or when...

I'll let you know!

The Face of Pure Joy...

Ashley sent me this photo on Saturday...

Tegan eating an Oreo...

This is how I feel when I open an Oreo and scoop out the icing...

Don't you?

This Makes Me Sad...

This morning, just after daybreak, Andy stopped in.

He and his friend, Cody, were headed to camp.

Time to take the boat out and take it to the storage place...

Time to pull the docks out....

Time to winterize the camper...

He sent me this photo he took today...

~sigh~

I wasn't ready for this...

I wish summer could last until we get out the Christmas decorations!

Good bye summer!

Lots to Say

But not today!

Monday I caught up on my rest...

I had wonderful company yesterday...

Today if I don't get caught up on the laundry...

Tomorrow I'll be blogging naked!

I promise that won't happen...

Headed to the basement now!

I Wasn't Going to Talk About This

I was going to pretend that today was just like any other...

But I can't.

This afternoon, about 1 o'clock will mark the 8th anniversary of the day our lives changed dramatically.

The day my boys lost their best friend as well as their dad.

The day I lost the husband that I was finally getting used to

(after 27 years)

It happened so fast, so unexpectedly...

We still talk about him as though he was in another room.

We still laugh at some of his antics.

Once, when we were cracking up about something he did,

Mr. K piped up with, "I miss him too!"

I know we'll see each other again...

One of these days.

RIP, Mark

Dried Up?

Dry.  

That's what I do with a towel, 

How about you?

THIS is what Richie, our room attendant did with them...

The first night, we had this...

His second work of art scared me...

 

I wasn't sure if it was coming or going...

But he saved the best for last...

This was hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room!

Mr. K wanted his sunglasses back, so I let it borrow a pair of mine!

What fun!

I wonder if they have to go to towel folding school?

I could get used to this...

Room service breakfast here...

Riding  around Halifax, NS, in a pink, double decker antique tour bus...

I'm lusting after this (larger than) life statue.

thinking I need one for camp!

And hoping that I am not eaten by this towel monster...

Did I mention the food?

Oh the food. 

No photos, but I will be ordering sweat pants for my future...

Headed  south, will be in Portland, ME tomorrow!

I will admit that I'm a teensy weensy homesick...

Miss those grands...

But I will admit I am already planning our next cruise!

Where in the world are....

Jan and Mr. K?

Last Sunday morning, we boarded a plane in Pittsburgh...

Flew into Boston

Where we were whisked away onto a shuttle bus

Driven to what felt like a warehouse

and spewed with what seemed like a million others...

Into this!

The Serenade of the Seas!

We've been on the move ever since.

We are on a seven day New England and Canada trip.

North in the fall, one of my favorite times and places.

Two days ago, we landed in St. John, NB, which has an incredible story.

I call it story, it's too rich to be called history.

Yesterday, a day at sea, we saw dolphins and whales!

This morning, we arrived in Halifax, NS.  

I can't wait to check it out!

Our suite is spacious and homey...

The food is amazing.

I love room service breakfasts...

Maid service...

Turn down service...

Entertainment!

I'm still trying to jiggle and joggle photos from one place (phone) to the other...

It takes forever but I do have one.

Want to see it?  

The escargot that was my appetizer at dinner last night!

I'll catch up with you soon!

~Do you think I could convince Mr. K (and my entire family) to live on a ship full time