A New Week--Catching Up

Today's high temperature was:  57 degrees

Sunny and beautiful

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Saturday morning, I was sitting here, minding my own business and the phone rang.  It was Pammie!!!  She has the Turbo Tax software and she had her taxes all done, but in order to do her Michigan ones, she had to connect to the Internet and...she doesn't have Internet...so...she wanted to know if she could come here and use my computer!!  I was so happy.

She came and worked in my nice clean computer room, while I watched the DVD of "Hitler's Last Ten Days".  I could hear her in here, muttering to herself, an occasional "damn"--it was great.  Then, when she went to print out the forms, the black ink jet died--luckily, I had a new one.  Then the printer ran out of paper--luckily, I had a whole ream of printer paper.  

We yakked for awhile after she was done and I sent her home with the Hitler DVD and a bunch of other movies she has never seen.

I felt all warm and smiley the rest of the day.

She and I ought to live together in that big house of hers--I could take over the 3 rooms upstairs and she could have the 1st floor and we probably wouldn't see each other, BUT--she enjoys living alone as much as I do, so-----even though it would be financially smart for both of us................

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I got up Sunday morning and felt just awful.  I have no idea why, but at one point I thought it might save time if I just drove to the funeral home parking lot and sat and waited until I died.  I was real shaky, I felt like I couldn't walk in a straight line, I was dizzy and I just wanted to go to bed.

I missed church, which I didn't want to do.  At 2:20 I started watching my Spartan's play in the tournament.  After the first half, I had to leave to drive on over to the high school to watch a ballet production of "Peter Pan'", which grand daughter Madeleine was dancing in.  Luckily, I missed the second half and my Spartan's lost.  I'm glad I didn't have to watch that close finish.  They turned the ball over too many times to come back for a win.

I got home in time to watch the last half of the Michigan game, they lost too, which made me feel a bit better.  I did start feeling a little better Sunday evening.

Susanna--Maddie's best friend, danced the part of Tiger Lily and Maddie was one of the Indians.

You've seen the two of them before in ballet costumes.  Susanna is my pseudo grand daughter. :-)

It was a very good production.

I would have gone to the Saturday night ballet, but I thought Jennifer was going then.  I asked Karen Sunday and she said that "no" Jen didn't come Saturday night, but that about 10 minutes before the performance started on Sunday, she called to see if there were tickets at the door and Karen told her, I was at that performance--so Jen didn't come.  

How stupid can this continue to be?  There were a whole empty section from about 10 rows back and the balcony was completely empty.  Jennifer could have attended and I never would have even known she was there!!!  That girl is as stubborn and unforgiving as her Father!!!

He and I could have a minor disagreement that would soon turn into a real argument because he'd bring up something that had happened a decade earlier--which had nothing to do with this disagreement, but....oh--I have no idea why he did that, but............

Nice to live along and not have to worry about any of these kinds of things!!!

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I must have slept wrong last night because I woke up this morning with a terrific pain in my neck and shoulder--luckily I already had an afternoon appointment at the Chiropractor's.  I was also out of food, milk, Diet Pepsi--everything it seems.

Dar came over, just as I was getting ready to leave.  We are planning on going to the Cinema (as she call it) on Thursday to see "Noah".  I'm not really "into" seeing it, because I hear it is full of controversy, but I need to see it and judge for myself.

I got worked over really good by the deep tissue massage.  I hurt more when I came out then I did before I went in...but tomorrow I should be much better.

Stopped at Meijer and...THEY HAD DIET PEPSI LITERS ON SALE!!!  10 for $10 with an 11th one free.  YOWSER!!

Then I stopped at JoAnn's to get some embroidery floss for the baby quilt I am working on.  All I needed was three shades of grey (not 50) and---they had none!  I could not believe it, so I walked down to the Michael's store and found it there.

You know how JoAnn's and Michael's stores are?  You can't just walk up to the cashier.  You have to get in a line and walk up to a certain point and wait until they call "Next".  Michael's was not busy at all.  There was one lady at the cashier, and I proceeded to walk along the "trail".  Well--there was a woman following me, but when we got up to the exit line, she just pushed her cart under the rope and stood in back of the lady at the counter.  There I was, waiting patiently to be called and she just walked right up there.  So--I was "first in line", but she managed to get ahead of me.  No big deal, but, sometimes I wonder how people can be so rude and impolite and it doesn't seem to bother them at all.

I headed home and one car in front of me wanted to turn left, but when she tried to get over into the turn lane, she left the back end of her car sticking out in my lane.  A quick brake, wait and then proceed.  Once again, I wondered about people who don't really give a rat's patootie about others around them.

It seems it is always an adventure when I have to drive in traffic and go to stores.

The traffic gets out onto the four lane road, the speed limit is 50mph.  I was in the right hand lane.  The cars in the left lane were going about 60-65, all I wanted to do was go the speed limit, BUT--the lady in front of me was on her phone and going 45.  The longer she talked, the slower she drove.  I couldn't pass her because the traffic on my left was continual and going fast!

I was at 35mph by the time I made it to Subway to stop and get my supper--still kind of fuming and wondering about STUPID people and walked in and there was a grandma, with 3 young children ahead of me.  I just smiled to myself.  Each kid wanted a different sub.  Each kid wanted a small plastic cup with pickles or cucumbers or olives.  Each kid wanted to sit by grandma and they were yelling, "You sat by her last time!"

The clerk looked up at me and said, "I'll be with you in just a minute."

I said, "That's all right.  Just take your time."

He finally got grandma and the kids food and off they went to the tables.  You could see she was tired and she told the kids, "You sit over there.  I'm going to sit at this table...by myself.  I'm sick and tired of your fighting!"

"I''m sorry for your wait," said the clerk.

"That's okay.  I'd like a foot long, on herb and cheese bread, Spicy Italian with Pepper Jack cheese, not toasted.  Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions."

We got done pretty quick and after I paid with my gift card, he said, "I am so glad every time I see you.  No matter how long you have to wait, no matter what, you are always smiling and....every time you come in here, it just makes my day better."

Well.

Some people are rude and impolite and then....there are some like that clerk who just made me feel appreciated the rest of today.

=================  

I forgot to tell you, I found out last Friday that I am getting food assistance of $55.00 a month AND they are going to pay my Medicare payment of $104.91 a month.  

I also found out that IF my furnace had waited until next month to die, DHS would have given me a one-time cash assistance of up to $4000.00.

Story of my life, LOL.  So now, instead of being $300 short each month, I will only be about $150 short and I think--if nothing else breaks--I can shuffle, juggle and tap dance enough around so I won't have to worry so much. 

Well--let's see what tomorrow brings.  Okay?

Later--Jude

   

Through The Years--A Pictorial

We started out finding each other in Kindergarten/First grade.  

Arlene, Beth, Judy B. me, Sally



First grade: Here we are in our Dutch costumes--I don't remember why the whole class dressed like Dutch Dancers, but we did.

By the fifth grade, we were the typical girls--some cute, some pretty, some just...whatever.

              Arlene has such a sweet face                                                        and Sally is already beautiful

You will notice in all of our pictures--we are always touching each other in some way.

Here we are in the 10th grade.  Emma had joined us by now.

Emma, Judy B. Sally, Arlene

Of course we went to Proms and the Winter Formal Dances

Arlene made her formal--beautiful

..and the last month of our Senior year, we went on a trip to D.C. and Virginia

Taking the long journey in a school bus

Sally, Arlene, Emma, Me, Beth

...and we were goofy

Me, Emma, Arlene, Judy B.

...and we all graduated--some with higher GPA's than others

(actually, theirs were all higher than mine)

...and we got married

Arlene was my maid of honor

We played together when we were little, and when we were big

Arlene and I did a whole lot of this

Then, she went to work and

Emma and I did a whole lot of this

(I taught them both how to play and 

they both ended up much better golfer's than me.)

We had class reunions along the way.

This is our 30th--1987-Judy B. is missing

We are still looking good

On December 9, 1995, Emma had an aortic aneurysm and passed away. That kind of shook us up because we were still young--56 years

Our 47th class reunion, at Bethie's house

Sally, Beth, Arlene--two Judy's in the back

We spent a weekend at Arlene's cottage,'

every summer for 3 years.

Then--we had our 50th class reunion--back to the original five

that started school together

August 2007

Shortly after our 50th reunion, October 2007,Judy B. went into the hospital to have hernia surgery and...she never woke up.  Shook us up really bad.  So unexpected.

Then, in 2008, I got a phone call from Arlene and she told me she had Ovarian Cancer.  She said she was too upset to call the others and asked if I would send "the girls" an e-mail telling them.  That really shook us up. 

You'd never know there was a thing wrong with Arlene, except for the hair and weight loss.  She kept coming to the luncheons--always cracking a joke, always smiling.  Her lifetime motto, "If I can't put my two hands around it (a problem) and fix it, I'm not going to worry myself sick about it."

March 2012

The last time Bethie and I saw Arlene.

She was in Hospice Care at the hospital

We talked and laughed and hugged and kissed her

goodbye with a "See you later".

but we all knew.........

Arlene died a few days later--March 28, 2012

...and I will never get over it.

 ...now, there is just Bethie, Sally and me.

Sure, we still have classmates that we get together for lunch every month, but I sure feel the absence of Arlene, Judy B. and Emma.  They would still be cracking jokes and keeping the luncheon jumping.  Bethie, Sally and I try, but....it's just not the same.

My Baby Sister's Birthday

A sure sign of spring

See that rise, behind the snow?

That is where Fred and I were going

to put a double-wide.

We would have had to use a row boat

just to get to the road!!

The water running across the road and.....

into their artificial pond on the other side

Lots of water, although, in every spring, there is

always water in this spot 

I stopped at Meijer on the way out and

got a small cake and a bunch of Tulips. 

8 Candles because 6 + 2 = 8

She is Social Security age now. 

 Chuck and I are singing to her

Not only are we 13 years apart,

but almost 13 inches, LOL

She is 5'2" 

I insisted and she didn't want to.

It has been a very long time since I

held my baby sister on my lap.

You can tell by the way she looks,

she isn't real comfortable with this. 

Then, on my way home, I stopped to visit Pammie--she got her permanent dentures today and was smiling to beat the band.

Nice day--lots of laughing

Memories

It seems, as we get older, there are so many sad anniversaries.  I think if I remembered every one of them, I'd be sad all the time.

Today is a special one, however.

My Very Best Friend died two years ago.  She battled Ovarian Cancer for four years--with never a complaint, always smiling and of good nature.

I met her the first day of Kindergarten.  She was crying because she missed her brothers and sister.  I was an only child and I was crying because all the kids and the noise scared me.

I was backed into the farthest corner and she came up, put out her hand and said, "Would you pway wiff me?"  I took her hand and didn't let go for 68 years.  

We did everything together over the years.  Double dating, band, proms, parking, family vacations, weddings, funerals, canning, Christmas cookies, sewing classes--on and on.

I feel lost not being able to talk with her.  She always had the words I needed.  

Love and miss you, Arlene
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The last time Bethie and I were with Arlene

Each Day Is Much Like The Other

Today's high temperature was: 29 degrees

Last night we set a record low at: 10 degrees

Sunny all day

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I had a good night's sleep last night, as witnessed by the condition

of my bed covers when I got up this morning.

as opposed to what it looks like when I have had

a restless night

I was struck by a weird thought this morning, as I was getting dressed.  Why do I put my underpants on first and then my bra? (I get these weird kinds of ponderings at times.)  What under clothes do you put on first?  Curious.

At least Jackie wasn't out trying to fall down this morning, so I didn't have to get dressed until 10:00.  

Pearl called, "Why did you want?"  (I had called her three times last night and left messages.)

"I can't remember now, but it seemed important at the time.  Did you have your phone off?"

"No."

"When I called, it went immediately to voice mail so I figured you either had it off or you were charging it.  Why don't you charge it during the night when you won't get any calls."

"That's when I do charge it.  I plug it in just before I go to bed."

"I called at five and seven and again at eight.  I guess you had the phone off."

"No...I didn't.  It was sitting right here next to me and it never rang."

"Hm-mm, that's weird."

"Oh, I hate this phone and I hate this laptop.  None of them work right."

"I thought they were brand new."

"They are, but something is wrong with them."

"I'm coming to visit if you are home this morning.  Around 11:30?"

"Yes.  Merle has to go to the Chiropractor, but I will be here."

So, up I went.  I showed her my finished baby quilt and she showed me the work she's done on their little bedroom, her craft/sewing/desk/book shelves room--where she wants to put a twin bed, but Merle doesn't so he tells her there isn't room enough.(But there really is).

We sat down in her living room and she started in on..."I hate these electronic things!!!  My daughter came over yesterday and showed me how to get on the computer and find Face Book and all my games and she showed me how to get messages off my phone, but...when I try it, they won't work."

"Hm-mm.  That seems weird."

"I know it.  They work for everyone except me."

"It must be a PEBCAC problem,"I said.

"What's that?"

"P.E.B.C.A.C...problem exists between chair and computer."

She thought for a moment and then threw a Kleenex box at me.

So we yakked for about 90 minutes until Merle got home--it was nearly 1:00 and time for me to come home anyway.

I am worried about Pearl.  She had a "sore" under her left breast that the Dermatologist burned off--twice.  Now that sore is bigger and there is a hole in the middle of it.  She has recently had two basal cell carcinomas removed from her face and I am afraid this is more serious.  It looks terrible to me, but...I really don't know anything about skin cancer.  I am not real trusting of her Dermatologist--have heard bad stuff about him.  I go to a different one...because of what I heard about hers.  

Dar goes to the same one Pearl does and it seems all he does is keep burning these cells on her face and leg and rarely thinks of cutting them out--having biopsies and the like.  Dar has had four sessions on a spot on her face and one on her shin--they aren't healing.

Pearl's going to him tomorrow and we will see what he says.  The only reason she had the one on her forehead surgically removed is because she was in our general practice doctor's office and he told her to quit messing with it and have surgery.  If it weren't for him, I think the Derma guy would have just kept spraying it with liquid nitrogen.  

Sometimes it seems, on an older person, some doctor's only want to patch, or put a band-aid on a serious condition, thinking it isn't worth the time and money to FIX something when the patient may die within the next decade.  Ever get that feeling?

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I came home, put some peanuts out for the squirrels, filled the bird feeders and that was all I did--other than watch TV and cross stitch.  

This is a very lazy week for me.  I feel like I am waiting for something to happen.  Something like really nice warm weather and flowers emerging from the frozen ground and....getting out my pots and cleaning out the shed and stuff that two years ago, when it was in the 80's this time of year, I already had done.  Just waiting for a real spring.  AND--we are getting snow tomorrow.  Not much, but still...

Which reminds me.  I am so glad my blog buddy, Marcia from Cape Cod is away on vacation in the nice warm ocean water because the Cape got hit with a massive snow storm with hurricane force winds today.    

Also feeling so deeply sad for the people in the mud slide.  They interviewed one lady--her 4 month old baby was staying with the lady's mother.  They found her mother's body--no sight of the baby and the way one newscaster was talking, there may be many people who were just obliterated by the crushing weight, earth and rocks.

On the other hand, these people had to know they were in a dangerous zone and yet, they continued to build homes and live there.  Probably a man's idea.  I can just hear the conversation now.

"Honey...I don't know if we should live here at the base of the hill.  What if we have an earthquake and an avalanche or mud slide or something."

"Good Lord woman!  That mountain's been there for five thousand years, it ain't going to move now."

======================

Bad fire in Boston.  One of those Brownstone's caught fire in the basement and soon spread all the way up to the top floor.  Beacon Street--a really nice (expensive) part of Boston.  I was just glad that the way the houses out there are built, hooked on to each other, that the whole block didn't go up.  Three firemen died however.  

Sad--all these things are so sad.  

Wars and rumors of wars.  Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and famine.  Government's rising up against other government's--nation's against nation's.

Seems like I read about this sort of thing somewhere in a big book I have.    

Then there will be a very large disappearance of many people from the earth.  I hope I am in that group!!!  Because, it is suppose to get way worse after that.

Boy--I Just Don't Know

Today's high temperature was:  27 degrees

Sideways snow--sun--sideways snow--sun--sideways snow--sun (repeat all day)

Record lows tonight

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What a strange day.  I had night terrors three times last night.

I had a hard time getting to sleep in the first place.  It was almost like I was afraid to fall asleep.  I could feel myself drifting off and I'd shake my head to wake up.  Then, I fell asleep for an hour and woke back up, rolled over and went back to sleep.

One time I woke up terrified, sweating and kicking.  

I woke up another time and I could not move--I was rolling back and forth and had the covers wrapped around my arms.

Another time--just at dawn--I woke up yelling.

It's probably because I was so upset at only getting to see Elise for 2 hours in the last 4 months and this whole unresolved issue with Jennifer.  The longer she goes without speaking or seeing me, the easier it will become for her to stay that way.  The thing of it is--I don't really care if she wants to be that way, but, I would like to be "allowed" to go to the kids plays at church and school and be able to visit with them and play games with them or take them out more often.  I would like to be able to watch when Andrew has his Karate tournaments or when Elise takes part in Jump Rope contests.  

I'm going to take an Ativan before I got to bed tonight and see if that keeps me calm during the night.  My subconscious mind sure gets wild when my conscious mind goes to sleep.  There is no rest in that kind of sleep and I am amazed I haven't had a middle of the night panic attack as yet.

=========================

First thing when I woke up, I came in here and looked out and there was Jackie, across the street, trying to pull her little red wagon over a bank of snow and ice--headed to her shed in back.  She had those damn Crocs on her feet that she wears year round and was slipping and sliding.  My first thought was, "Oh my gosh--she is going to fall down and I'm can't go running over to help because I'm still in my nightie."

So--I hurried back into the bedroom and pulled on my clothes and came back to watch her.  She was coming back with her wagon filled with Easter decorations!!  Good Grief!!!  She was trying to walk over the ice and snow pile, then reached back to grab the handle on her wagon and try and tug it over the pile.  Finally, she got close enough to her porch so she could hold onto the side slats and yanked her wagon over the pile.  Then she picked up a big storage box and set it on the steps--went up one step at a time, lifting the box in front of her onto each step and was finally---safely up on her porch.

She went inside and I called her and reamed her out good!!  She laughed and said she was glad her neighbors were watching to make sure she didn't fall.

8:15 a.m. and I was already dressed--UNHEARD OF!!

==============================

That was it for the day.  I kid you not--I did not do a thing all day!  I got a call from the lady at Social Services and she said she had not received two pages of the forms I was supposed to send in.  I quick checked my folder and I didn't have them.  She scolded me--they can get mean up there--and said that she could go no farther in helping me without those forms, BUT, "I will give you a second chance if you come get them tomorrow, fill them out and leave them with the receptionist."

I assured her I would be there first thing tomorrow morning.

The phone rang two minutes later, it was her.  She was all smiley now and kidding AND using her first name instead of Ms. Clingingsmith.   "Hi, this is Karen.  Guess what?  I found them.  They were behind your checking account statement and I was looking for them behind your rent proof.  I've got everything now and will let you know.  Thank you.  Buh Bye."

I thanked her, hung up and laughed.  When SHE thought I had made the mistake, she was all grouchy and mean sounding, but when SHE found out it was HER mistake--quite a difference.  Too bad I am scared of the government or I would have liked to say, "I told you they were there in that pile of forms!"

=================================

In between side-ways snow squalls, I went out and got the mail.  Guess what?  More good news!!  My rent is going up $10.00 a month!!!  I don't know why--maybe because we have a new management team for this park?  I just hope I see some results of that increase--like--oh I don't know--REPAVING MY STREET?  Making my neighbor Tami clean up the furniture and crap she has stored up against her trailer?  Trimming some of the trees around here?  After all, I rent this tiny piece of land, but for some reason, when trees need trimming, the LANDLORD doesn't seem to think it is his responsibility.

=============================

Yes=--I definitely need an Ativan...........

See ya tomorrow--maybe it will be a fun day?   

It Was The Best and The Worst

Today's high temperature was: 31 degrees

Sunny all day

============================

Pammie got my day started at 8:15 a.m.  She called to say she had arranged it so I could take Elise out for supper tonight.  Elise turned 10 yesterday.  I am so thankful that Pammie baby sits Jen's kids.  She can work these meetings out--seeings as how Jen still will not speak to me.

Then, I heard about the awful mud slide in Washington state and I worried about Dianne, who lives there.  Dianne, I hope you are safe and that you didn't know of anyone impacted by this tragedy.  They say the residents of that small town were worried about a mud slide three weeks ago.  Apparently the "authorities" kept telling them there was nothing to worry about.  I just cannot imagine.  A whole part of a mountain, letting go and covering your home in earth and sweeping it away.

===========================

A mysterious sort of mating game I think.

She was just enjoying a bit of early morning, warm sunshine...

...and he came flying in to a branch below her             

          so she flew to a branch just above him......

...and then...she flew away                                       

====================
Around 4:00, Pammie came and I got to see all the kids and Pammie took a picture of Elise and me.  I like to get a picture on their birthdays to see how tall they are getting--compared to Mimi.  I am 5'11".  Elise just turned 10--looks like she is going to be as tall as Mimi.

She has changed so much since November, when I last saw her.  She isn't a little girl anymore :-(

She told me right up front, "Mimi, I don't want you to buy me a birthday present.  I have so much stuff and I don't need anymore.  I just want us to go out to supper and talk."

I had to go to Michael's first and I thought perhaps, as we looked through the kids craft things that she might change her mind, but she didn't.  Then we went to Red Robin, her favorite place, and man---did we talk!!!

She is such a delight and so sweet and courteous.  She had a sleepover for her birthday--12 girls!! She didn't want to hurt any of the girls feelings in her class, so she invited them all and all of them came.  

"It wasn't such a good idea," she said.  "One of the girls...isn't a close friend...she gets kind of wild.  I thought at one time she was going to break my bed and she did kind of tear up my bedroom.  She threw stuff all over the place.  A couple of girls got mad at each other.   Oh...I just don't know."

"Sounds like it was kind of hectic?"

"Yeah!  I felt like I was supervising a bunch of little kids!!!  A referee or something.  Next year I am only having my three best friends!"

We talked about religion, we talked about movies and TV shows.  We talked about her brothers (so annoying). We talked about her jump rope classes.  We talked about Girl Scouts.  We talked about school.  We talked about college and where she wants to go and what she wants to study.  She isn't sure and she said, "I don't have to worry about that right now.  I have a lot of time to make up my mind."

We talked about the trip she is taking in Aruba.  She is going with her Daddy and Grandpa to Aruba.  She has heard there are sharks in that area, and snakes and it can get real windy and she is a bit worried about that.  "I just would like to be old enough to walk the beach looking for shells, and go as far as I wanted."

"You aren't old enough for that  yet.  There are bad people around that try and kidnap girls--especially in a foreign place.  You have to be very careful."

" I know.  That's why Dad is going.  We don't trust Grandpa to watch me.  The last time we went to the ocean, he was suppose to be watching me and he was sitting on the beach, reading a magazine and I got caught in the undertow."

<first I had heard of that!  EGAD!>

"Oh my gosh!  Were you scared?'"

"Kind of.  There was another Dad there with his kids and he got me out.  When Andrew went to Germany with Grandpa, Grandpa took him to a bar with some old guys.  They stayed a long time and Andrew got up to go to the bathroom and when he came back, Grandpa and the guys were gone.  Andrew had to walk back to the hotel all my himself."

<and...they don't trust me?>


When I got my money out to pay the bill ($25.95 for a kids meal and my hamburger), I pressed a ten dollar bill in her hand--she didn't want to accept it, but I said, "Well, I would feel really bad if I didn't give you some kind of gift for your birthday."

"Yes...but...you bought me supper and I know how expensive this place is."

"Yes---but, you just tuck that away and maybe someday, you will see something you want and guess what?  You will know you have the money tucked away to get it.  YAY!"

On the way home, she thanked me about half a dozen times.  Said how much fun she had, just the two of us.  Then she hugged me and said, "I love you, Gramma."

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

She hopped out of the car, walked up on the porch, opened the front door, turned and waved and....I drove home, crying so hard I could barely see to drive!!

I kept saying over and over, "Thank you, God.  I am so grateful for being with Elise."  But...I just want to be able to see my littlest grand babes whenever I can--not just once a year near their birthdays!!  This makes me so sad!!
===================================
I got in the house and sat for awhile.  Then I calmed down and smiled because, I really am grateful that I get to see them at all.  I put some shredded up paper and some dryer lint out on the bushes for the birds to use for their nest building.  By the looks of how those Robins acted this morning--baby birds will be in the offing and Mommy and Daddy need to build a home for them.
===================

   Buddy wants to know when I'm going to get him some supper

Maggie just wants to play and grab the cord on the camera