I Got Hugs!

The other day, Ashley called to tell me

they were dropping off something they made.

I got hugs!

Aren't they precious?

Just when I was missing the kids so much...

Ahhhhh...Grandma Life!

Stay home, Stay healthy, Stay safe!

It Starts With a J

Yesterday morning, I was reading when my phone rang.

Caller ID said it was from Ashley, asking me to FaceTime.

I accepted and it was Locklan!

He was telling me that he was going to do a video demonstration on building things with Legos.

We chatted a bit and then Ashley came into the room and asked him what he was doing.

Apparehtly, she was in the shower

 and Locklan figured out how to FaceTime as well as connect to me.

Ashley asked him how he got me.

"I knew it started with a J."

Oh Locklan...

Grandma life!

Stay home, stay healthy, stay safe.

Mr. K's Marvelous Hair

My husband was blessed with a head full of white hair early in his adulthood.

He has also been very picky about getting a haircut.  He's 78 and has only been to 6 different barbers.

He also hates for his hair to touch his ears.

Since we are 'sheltered at home' he has not been able to get out for a haircut.

He claims he's not sure if it's the economy or his hair touching his ears that is stressing him out.

I think he looks like a cute little troll doll...

White hair sticking up willy nilly...

a big round belly...

and flat square feet. (triple E's)

Kind of like this

I found this on eBay and bought it for him...

He didn't think it's  funny...

What he did think, however, was that he needed sweets.

One of our cleaning crew (oh how I miss them)

brought him a gallon bag of elderberries, which I do not care for,

So he baked a pie!

I'm not a pie eater...in fact I'm not that crazy about sweets.

Remember, he is stressed out and his cure is to eat or get a hair cut...

Oh Mr. K!

Stay home, stay healthy, stay safe!

Oh Henry!

Actually it's Henry O. (for Oliver)

and he's quite a character!

More often than not, when they face time me,

he has something on his head...

a bucket, a box, occasionally a hat.

This was last night...

Tony took this one while we were talking...

Apparently, earlier in the day Henry found out that markers don't taste as good as they smell...

Tony found out that washable doesn't mean it comes off your kid.

What a kid!

Last night I heard him say grandma!

ahhhhhhhhhh, grandma life!

Now stay home, stay healthy and stay safe!

It's a Winner!

Since we are all shelter in place, social distancing, joining the #stay-home-team, self quarranting, I am always on the lookout for things that Ashley can do with the kids.

I found this...

twisteez wire on Amazon

I'll admit, I pulled a few strands out for myself...

I had a ball playing with it!

Today I got this message from Andy...

That brought back memories...

My father, the perpetual collector, had a collection of 
telephone wire
(remember that stuff?).  
Occasionally, he would pull out a length
and let the kids play with the multi-colored wire inside.

Locklan was pretty proud of his bracelet!

What a great memory jogger!

Stay home, stay safe, stay healthy!

She's Sassy, She's Classy and...

She's TWO!

I can't believe it's been two years since I got that 5AM call...

Ashley's water broke!

We got this beauty that day...

Within a year, she was already a hoot...

And yesterday...

Let the terrible twos begin!

Happy Birthday, Princess, Grandma Jan loves you!

#stay-home-team

Posted on our front door...

I can't tell you how much I miss seeing my family or how much I would love to run to the store...

But because I see so many careless people wandering around,

I'm afraid that my precautions might not be enough.

There's some crazy people out there...

They worry about having enough toilet paper

but don't worry about living long enough to use it.

Stay home. Stay healthy.  Stay safe!

Woulda-Shoulda-Not-Now!

It's April 15, the day that struck fear in the hearts of many men and women.

Some celebrated it as the last day to file the paperwork asking the IRS to return the money you so kindly lent them.

Some saw it as the last day to file paperwork to accompany the money that you were keeping for the  IRS.

I've been on both sides of the fence...

In fact, back in the day when we expected a decent sized refund, I'd file a last minute extention so that the refund would arrive closer to our planned summer vacation.

It was a big deal:  every April 15, about 11:30 PM, I'd head to the small town (population 15,000)  post office to have my return postmarked on the 15th.  The post office was closed but the lobby was open and a post office employee was there to postmark your return.

They had punch and cookies, twice they had an Elvis impersonator,

once they had a juggler.

Funny thing is it was a lot of the same people. 

We'd drink our punch, eat our cookies and head out saying that we'd see each other next year.

Now, with our social distancing, our shelter at home rules, the taxes aren't due for another 

90 days, which brings us to July 15.  

The day before my birthday.

Ugh.

Okay, now you stay home, stay safe, stay healthy.

That Was Easter?

Not one smidgen of chocolate...

Not one hard boiled egg...

Not one person walking in our door.

Seriously, that was Easter?

I was hesitant to get out of bed.

I was afraid that once I celebrated the resurrection of Christ,

it would be all down hill.

Then my phone rang.  

It was my oldest son, Michael.  

We had a wonderful, long talk.

I talked to Andy.

He and Locklan spent the night at camp, 

they came  home early that morning.

Mindy and Tony announced they were dropping off our Easter dinner...

We had ham AND turkey,scalloped potatoes, gravy, asparagus

AND we got to see Henry, sitting in his car seat!

Later we got to see this...

Isn't he adorable?

Andy and Ashley took the kids on a bike ride...

It was such a beautiful day and they were able to observe social distancing!

Yesterday evening, I called Andy to tell him I was on my way 

to do a

 driveway drop off of the kids Easter cards.

Andy and Ashley let the kids out in the yard so I could see them

I got to facetime Henry,

Talk to my mom for nearly an hour,

Watch a few Brit-coms

and that was Easter

without a smidgen of chocolate!

Stay inside, stay healthy, stay safe!

Here's What Was Next...

Aha!  You probably thought I was practicing blogging distancing...

I just got sidetracked every time I thought about blogging.

Mr.K went from a working man to a pretty retired man to a retired man who can't leave the house!

He's just there... we're adjusting and refining... we'll get it right.

I've had two crappy days,  the first one was the Tuesday after they told me the newest fridge wouldn't fit through the kitchen door.

I just got in my car and drove into town, beeped at a friend and came home.

By time  I got home, Andy had come and put my old-new fridge in it's place...

He seriously had to dismantle my kitchen, 

I had to sacrifice the above-the-fridge cabinet

(that I seriously had forgotten what was in it) and we'll have to patch, paint and primp, but at least I have through the door ice!

Bad day turned good!

My next bad day was Wednesday when the enormity of Holy Week was weighing down on me.

Not virus related, it happens every year.  By Good Friday I'm usually a sobbing mess, but you should see me on Easter! 

 Oh yeah!

I ended up driving to town and spotted Mindy and Henry on their front porch.  From actoss the side street, we visited.  

I waved to my friend, Deb, and then headed for the car wash.  That was my outing!

Seriously, we're fine.

We have tons of food, we're healthy, have money in the bank.  We are able to keep in touch with family and friends and even face time them.

Tony, Mindy and Henry face time me daily.  I even got to watch him (Henry) take a bath the other day.

Andy, Ashley and kids are always calling or sending photos or face timing, Ashley will drive up and park in the drive so we can talk (I stay on the porch). 

I don't have to wear a bra.

I talk to my mom every day, sometimes for an hour!

I have lots to do, quilt, sew, knit and read.

Ron has his TV shows and we subscribed to BritBox so we have been watching those old Brit-coms.

But to be honest, I miss those grands...their hugs and kisses.

I miss Aimee, who should have been cutting my hair last week.

Oh dear, I miss Kimmy who worls her magic on my nails (incidentally, I am down to three acrylic nails).

I miss wearing contacts and shoes...

But we are staying home to protect you and me.

Just think, when we finally can go out, how sweet it will be!

Stay home, stay healthy.  Be safe!

What Next?

I am upstairs, sitting at my desk.  Early this morning, I was standing in my kitchen, feeling smug. 

They called to say they would be bringing the 33" fridge between 8 and 9.

I turned to take the last ever photos of the albatross sticking out into the center of my kitchen...

I emptied it into baskets and coolers and poured coffee and came up to wait...

I heard them talking downstairs.  I was so excited!

Mr. K shouted up the stairs, "We have a problem."

Yes, this fridge was smaller, taller, but for some reason, it would not fit through the kitchen door.

Apparently, it was deeper?

I can't visualize, I don't see things that way.  The only way I can understand it is to use a ruler...

I don't want to go into the kitchen.

The delivery/installation guys left us with the too big  fridge.

They suggested that we get a new counter top which can be shortened a bit

to acommodate the too-big-but-fits-in-the-kitchen-door fridge.

So, this is what my kitchen looks like now:

And it's not even Tuesday!

What next?

Tune in.

Stay home, stay safe, stay healthy!

Tuesday Bluesday?

Tuesday, you got me again...

knocked me down, but not for long!

Remember, yesterday I said it was re-refridge day?

I said that because when we called the store on Monday,

they told us that we were scheduled for delivery on Tuesday.

Since we put the cleaning service on hold, it was the only excitement for Tuesday.

I was up and at'em early...

About 10, Mr. K called the store to get an approximate time only to be told that they weren't sure where our new fridge was, but they could say that it was not at the store and would NOT be delivered that day.

Bummer...

Then I got a call from Locklan.

They were delivering cookies to the hospital

 (where Ashley worked for years)

and they were going to stop in to say hi.

Stopping in means they backed into the drive

 and stood in the driveway

while we stood on the porch.

It was a great visit, I wish I had thought to take photos.

I miss those kids soooo much!

The day was getting better!

Then Mindy called.  She was going to pick up their groceries,

 did I need anything?

Just dish soap.

She put it in our mailbox!

Leftovers for dinner...

Then my brother called!

His situation is even more difficult.

His daughter and grand daughter live next door.

His son, daughter-in-law and three kids are staying 
with my brother for now...

My sister-in-law is staying with her mother who is undergoing chemo.

My brother is the baby sitter (from a distance), delivery guy and feeder of the cats.

He lives in the middle of nowhere, on a stream, 
with 4 dogs and a slew of cats.

His grandkids wanted to play in the mud puddle.

Here's my brother's grandkids...

Totally made my day!

I had a nice, long talk with my mom,

I got to facetime Henry...

Tuesday didn't totally suck,

but I still have that fridge in the middle of my kitchen!