Scraps of Life...

 Just some bits of this and that from the past week...

Photos the kids shared, things I did...

Places my brain went...

First off, I'm in up to my wazoo with my mom's estate.

So many things to do, questions to ask, STUFF to deal with.

I remember that for the past ten years, each time I visited my mother  she tried to give me things out of her house.  I usually refused, saying I had more than enough STUFF at my house already.

Now I see that it would have been easier to take the contents of her house piece by piece than to deal with the whole mess at once!

I'm learning...look out kids!

It's been difficult working on the legal stuff.  I've known my attorney for for than 55 years.

He was a fuss budget in junior high and has only gotten worse.  We're both old and cranky.

I think he should have retired years ago...just kidding, Stephen!

Of course, there was my Tuesday dinner with Locklan.  Wouldn't miss it for anything.

I try to find something to play while we're waiting for our dinners.

This week it was dominoes!

He loved it and took the tiles home to play with his mom.  

He claimed he usually won but occasionally Teagan won.

Yesterday afternoon, the kids stopped by for an afternoon visit.

Within minutes, they gathered furniture from every room to set up their theater.

They took turns as master of ceremony and performing.

Teagan danced, Locklan sang.  The big problem was that when Teagan was Master of Ceremony, she would introduce herself, introduce the performers and thank everyone for coming.

That included going out and hugging everyone in the audience which included 3 bears, 2 cabbage patch dolls and a few stuffed animals.

She's amazing...

We had fun but I was beat after all that excitement!

I was happy to see Andy helping put my house back in order!

Tony sent me this...

Brothers having lunch?

Last night, he shared this...

I think they like him!

Wow!  That was a week!

Next week I get my second covoid injection, Mr. K has had both of his...

And (grandma) life goes on!

~SIGH~

Weldist?

A few weeks ago, Andy sent me a video of a man welding.

I recognized the surroundings as Andy's 'man cave' and assumed it was Andy.

We bought Andy his first welder when he was 16 and he's been welding ever since.

His welder is to Andy as my Bernina (sewing machine) is to me...

At the end of the video, he lifted his hood and to my surprise, 

It was Locklan!

Andy said he spent the day welding

 (or whatever you call it when they weld-after all the new thing to call someone who sews is sewist, not sewer, should I call him a weldist?).

Locklan later told me that he made me a present.

On Christmas eve, he proudly presented me with this...

A Basset Hound!

He did admit that it's ears were too small, but isn't he amazing...

He's not even 6!

Creative genes or crazy genes?

Did I mention I love being a grandma?

 

Let's Clean Up!

 I know that I have so much to talk about

but I'm still playing 'catch up' after being out of commission for all that time...

But I want to keep in touch, and I want to share my family...

Now I don't know if you know, but I'm a Norwex junkie!

Just before Ashley was going back to work and I was going to watch Locklan

My neighbor introduced me to the products that would clean your house with just water...

No Chemicals!

I fell in love.  I had a crawling baby...I didn't want chemicals on the floors!

It took a while, but little by little Ashley fell in love with them too.

She's now a consultant, which means we own at least one of everything they sell...

But seriously, after 5 years...

She posted these photos...

Now I don't know about you, but if I found a 'magic' cloth that would make my kids want to clean...

I'd buy two!

Seriously...

My boys were very helpful around the house.

Once, when my dad was in the hospital, his pastor said the would stop at the house for coffee.

Before leaving for the hospital, I wrote a note for the boys...

"Pastor Jeff coming.  Please do not leave your dishes in the sink."

That afternoon I came home to find the sink full of shoes and the dirty dishes on the floor beside the back door...

Kids...and you were wondering why I stopped at 4?

Okay, time to get busy...

Love to all...

What a weekend!

I thought this would be a nice, easy weekend

Ashley was out of town, Andy had other plans...

Tony and Mindy and Henry decided to come to camp.  

Later that day, we got a text from Mark's brother, wondering if we were going to be at camp on Saturday.

They sent a few hints...

And on Saturday, they came up to take us for a ride!

What a great boat!

Henry liked that he could move around more than he could on our boat...

until he got tired...

Finally, he fell asleep on Dada's lap.

We certainly hope that Mike and Michelle invite us to go for another ride!

After Mike and Michelle left, we settled down for some 

serious Camp Manfreding, if that is a word...

Tony took Henry out on the kayak to get to the other side of the river to throw rocks and wade, 

we had a good dinner and a slow and easy boat ride!

On Sunday, by time Mr. K and I got to camp, Andy  and kids were already there, along with Tony.  Mindy and Henry would join us after Henry's nap.

Tony and Andy decided to take the kids across the river to (of course) throw rocks and wade.

Of course, Tony had to ride the kayak down the hill into the water.

It's tradition!

Teagan was ready to go!

After dinner, we decided to take a ride up river...

The guys threw in the anchor, donned life jackets and jumped in!

Teagan always wants to do what the guys do.

and she usually does!

There is a rope swing upriver from us.

It's been there since before we moved in, 11 years ago.

Of course, the guys have to take a turn or two.

Andy went first!

Then Tony...

And then Locklan wanted a turn.

Suddenly Teagan decided she wanted on!

And of course, Daddy and Uncle Tony made it happen!

Where was Henry while all this was going on?

At first he seemed interested...

Then he decided he'd rather play with Mama's phone!

Just wait until next year!

By time we got back to camp, the kids were so tired that they let Andy photograph them.

What a day!

We're so blessed that although we are staying safe, we can still spend time with family.

How about you?

This and That

 Mark's brother, Uncle Mike, invited Mr.K and I, Andy and Tony and their families down for a swim and cookout.  Michelle, Mike's wife, made us Primanti Sandwiches, made famous by the restaurant in Pittsburgh.  They looked kind of like this...

Yes, there's french fries (and Michelle made the real deal fries), coleslaw, cheese, tomato and meat...

I never had one, so I made a deconstructed sandwich (no bread).  The combination was heavenly!

The main focus for the kids was...

The pool, of course.

Although it was a fairly nice day, as soon as the sun went down, it got chilly.

Even so, the kids didn't want to stop swimming.

It was a great night, good company, good conversation and 

great people.

I feel so blessed to be included in this family!

Rolling on the River!

The weekends are flying by,

I'm never going to find the time to sort through stories and photos...

We've had two fun filled weekends, lots of kids playing in the yard...

A plugged up toilet...

If you've been around here for any amount of time, you know that when my family gets together, we get crazy!

Of course, we had Cody and his family there...

And Locklan grabbed my camera and snapped this photo of a giant flag...

Teagan loves the boat!  When you ask her if she wants a boat ride, she says, "Go fast!"

She'll sit with anyone as long as we go fast!

Of course, we have to wave our arms and scream...it's a tradition, you know.

Locklan loves to drive, with Andy's assistance, of course!

It took Henry a while to get used to the wind and sound, but by 

the second time he went out, he loved it!

 This last Saturday, Andy and kids ventured out on the raft.  Not me, way too cold!

~sigh~

The only thing I like more than boating season is Christmas!

More of the Same...

Okay, no witty, entertaining post about life on the river.

I sat down at my computer yesterday afternoon and within minutes my mom called.

Now, since Mom and I talk every single night  if she is calling during the day is not a good thing.

She started the conversation without me.

"I think I have to go to the hospital.  My little hernia (which was the size of a golf ball) is as big as a grapefruit and I can't stop vomiting."

Now, if you have been around here for a while, you know that we know the routine.

Mom has many hernias (Hernia?).  She has had surgery for as many as four at a time and has had four separate surgeries in two years..  She has been hospitalized at least ten times in four years. She left Tony's wedding reception in an ambulance and was in surgery within two hours.

 They always hope that by poking it back in, that the situation will resolve itself.  They will only operate again if it is life threating, due to her chronic blood cancer (which they control with oral chemo) and her age (almost 89).

I'm an hour from Mom, so I told her to call the ambulance and get to the hospital.  I would get there as fast as I could.

I got there and they were glad to see me.  They needed me to sign consent to treat forms and then told me to leave the building.  No visitors and even in the waiting room, only patients are permitted.

They did give me a few phone updates last night and at 9 this morning, she called to say she was being discharged.  No non-emergency patients!

We talked this afternoon.  The hernia-guy (I'm brain dead at the moment) wants her to see a surgeon.

The last one said that with all the stuff going on with her, the only way they would operate is if she showed up with her intestines hanging down to her knees.

I just don't know what to say...

So, to end this post on an up note...

A little cuteness...

Andy took Locklan to Lowes...Locklan wouldn't go unless he could wear his ruler!

Strange Things...

Back in January, Andy and his friend Cody who is 

my  'adopted' son, and I went to a boat show.

I put a deposit down on an 8 x 24 foot pontoon dock for camp.

Oh my goodness, that's a crappy photo, but the only one I have.

We've been talking about it, planning for it, since then.

Andy and Cody (and of course, Locklan) have been working at camp,

moving things, digging things up...

We're ready!  The boat is already out there, we just need docks.

Now mind you, we're still under quarantine...stay at home, 

social distancing, masks (and gloves).  

Only essential businesses allowed to be open 

with serious restrictions.

Yesterday, I called the boat dealer and asked if I could drop off a check for the balance.

He said yes, but he was unable to let me in.  He told me to come out and call him when I got there.

I did and they left me on hold for 4 or 5 minutes...

Then he came back on the line, asked for my check number and told me to go to a porch around the side of the building.

I did and when I got there, there was a guy standing about 10 feet from me.

There was a table between us.  On the table was a log with a piece of paper under it.

He told me that it was my receipt

I was instructed to take  the receipt 

and to put my check under the log.

That was it...no pleasantries, no eye contact, no thanks...

Just really strange.  

The new normal?  I hope not!

Tomorrow, we move into the caution mode in our county.

I don't think it will make much of a difference in our lives...

Too much at stake.

What's happening in your neck of the woods?

For now, stay home, stay healthy, 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!