Time to catch up on my Blog. Took time off to have family time. Now, it is time to get back into the groove of real life. Here is how life went while we visited family.
Monday, August 16th, I awoke with a purpose. My goal was to clean my home. Mind you, this smaller home really doesn't get messy. It is very easy to keep picked up. I needed to do the dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, watering plants, etc. This would let me relax for the next two weeks and enjoy time with family.
While I was a busy bee inside, Claude started his day in the garage detailing my car. My poor car has been an absolute work horse during this move. We have kept the back seats down and the back area covered with a sheet. It has been like a little truck with all kinds of things sliding in and out to move. All this time we haven't cleaned out the inside of the car. With my mum-in-law coming for a visit, it was time to put the interior of my car back to spiffy condition as it would be the chariot of choice during her visit. Claude did a great job of getting it perfectly cleaned.
In the afternoon, I visited Papa. It was good to spend time with him.
When we moved, we decided it was time to get rid of all the VHS tapes. We had 8 VHS tapes we didn't want to lose. I searched and found a company called iMemories. I ordered a box from them. They FedEx'd the box to me. I put our 8 VHS tapes in this box and sent the box back to them. iMemories then made a digital version of our VHS tapes. They notified me by eMail that one of them was ready to download. I had done that. By Wednesday, I would have five more to download. The eighth one came on Thursday. Some of them were large and were sent as zip files. It was good to be getting these treasures in a format to save for the future. All would be downloaded to my laptop. We would purchase thumb drives for our family and deliver them as we made the rounds with Bonnie.
Tuesday, August 17th, was the day Bonnie would arrive. That would happen in the afternoon. We had the morning to make a quick grocery run, pick up prescriptions at CVS. Claude even managed to get the flying alligator hung! This is a treasure Papa made many years ago. It hung on the patio on the underside of the upper deck of our Sadieville home. It was a bit protected there from the wind and elements. We don't have that type of place in our new home. So, it took a bit to figure out where to hang it. It will be a part of our Magic Tree with the Fairy Garden at the bottom. Claude also attached the turtle door knocker to the tree. We made sure to put it on the tree so the great grandmonsters can use it when they play.
When Bonnie comes, it is to see our family. We would begin the family time by going directly to the Marx home. We picked up pizza for dinner. The Marx's provided dessert. Hayden was happy to share his newest acquisition. He now has a learner's permit. Watch out world!!
Wednesday, August 18th, we had a day in Georgetown at home. A day for Bonnie rest and get to Eastern Time Zone instead of Mountain Time Zone. While Bonnie slept, I visited Papa and took him for a little car ride ending with a chocolate shake.
When I returned home, Bonnie was awake. I pulled out my laptop and set it up on the dining room table. When we were in Utah in July 2020 for Julie's funeral, Bonnie showed us Gramma Millie's photo album. Bonnie let me borrow it. I managed to get the pictures all scanned and as many labeled as I was sure of. Bonnie and I would spend the afternoon labeling more of the pictures from her memory of the people. It was great to get this bit of family history ready to share with our family.
Claude prepared a new recipe for dinner using cauliflower. Yummy. Then we settled in to watch a little television for the evening.
Katelyn posted a couple of cute pictures of her three kids. The first is Joel sleeping. The second is Raelyn reading to Emelia.
Thursday, August 19th, Claude and I packed for the road trip before Bonnie woke up. I went to the nursing home to visit Papa. When I got home, I put a stop on our mail for while we would be gone. Then I made sure how many thumb drives I would need for the now digital VHS tapes and Gramma Millie pictures to be taken to our family. We purchased the thumb drives on our way to visit the Marx family.
Our evening would be a second visit to the Marx family. Hayden and Bailey both play in the Oldham County High School Marching Band. The band was going to prepare for football season. We went to the school to watch this rehearsal. The practice started in the parking lot. The kids were taught how to line up and march together to the football field. Then they were instructed on seating in the stadium seats. There they practiced doing the National Anthem. Then they learned how to leave the stadium seating and get to the end of the football field to warm up for half-time. They marched out on the field and played a number or two. Then they marched back to the parking lot to practice further.
Friday, August 20th, we left Georgetown and drove to Love's in Sadieville to fill up with gasoline and enjoy a Hardee's biscuit for breakfast. Now, I always have Bonnie ride in the the front with Claude and I take the back seat. However, when we do the road trip thing, this means Bonnie has to do the things I do when being the sidekick. Claude and I have a certain rhythm with this. We tried to instruct Bonnie so she could do these duties. After we left Bonnie at the airport to return home, I took my place back in the front seat. Claude said, "It is so nice to have you here again!" Little things. Little things.
As we drove there was fog on the Ohio River. We were going to take the route through Indiana so we passed the nuclear power plant covered in fog. A little eerie.
When we arrived in Muskegon, we opted to stop at Walmart first so I could pick up one more thumb drive. Then we surprised Nissa by having Bonnie go into their business first. Nissa was so happy to see her grandmother.
We left Nissa and Todd at work and drove to Lee's Chicken to pick up dinner. We would spend the next two nights in Holton at the Tyler home. As we unpacked for bed, Bonnie realized she forgot the hose and face mask for her CPAP machine. She assured me Joann, her firstborn who also wears a CPAP, told her that doctors don't worry unless you quit breathing five times. Bonnie only averages two times a night right now. So she was sure she would be okay. Hmmmmm...
Saturday, August 21st, was a day to visit all the grandmonsters and great grandmonsters. We started our morning by trying to find CPAP items at a Walgreens and at Watkins Medical Supply in Muskegon. We had no luck. Bonnie would sleep without her CPAP for the next two nights.
Our day would be spent at the Roper's home. Drew had to work until 3pm. Aubrey came with Nelson, Paul came. It was fun to get acquainted.
We took time in the afternoon to get some family pictures. I always like to get fresh family pictures. With our family so scattered out, I just want to be sure we all have pictures no matter what happens in our silly world.
With Bonnie here, I wanted pictures of her with each of her grand, great grand, and great great grandchildren. There will come a day when they will enjoy and appreciate that picture of just them with Bonnie. The kids in order are Raelyn, Nelson, and Emelia. I took one of Bonnie and Joel when we first arrived. Then we tried to get all the great great grands with Bonnie. This is always truly enjoyable if you look at all the efforts. Getting four little kids and one 92 year old to all took at the camera and smile at the same time is, well, just impossible. I have learned to enjoy the multiple pictures of the process. They can be hilarious. We finally had Katelyn try and hide behind Emelia so Emelia would stay in the picture. If I had Photoshop, I could probably make one good picture. Instead, take time with me to enjoy how each person is spot on for a picture while at one time or another each is person is clearly not in the picture taking game. Enjoy!
Then we got a 5-generation picture for Joel and updated ones for each of the other great great grandchildren with Bonnie. These pictures have Nissa, our oldest child, Claude, the parent (Katelyn or Aubrey) and the great great grandchild.
We took pictures of Aubrey and her son Nelson. Then the Roper family, Katelyn holding Joel, Drew holding Emelia, Raelyn in front.
One of the cutest moments happened when this picture was taken. Raelyn got really close to Bonnie. Raelyn wanted to ask Bonnie a question that was very important to her. She asked, "Are you the Gramma that just died?" I thought my poor hubby was going to lose it. His face turned red and he started to laugh. Bonnie chuckled and assured Raelyn in a most sincere way that she was not that Gramma. You see, Gramma Dot passed away recently in Michigan. She would have also been Raelyn's great great grandmother if Nissa had stayed married to David. Really, Dot is not related to Raelyn at all but Katelyn knew her as her step grandmother and loved her as such. Dot was a sweet Lady and loved by all the family. It was a real loss to them. Raelyn was just trying to get a better understand in that bright little brain of hers. It was a sincere question answered in a sincere way. But it amused each of us adults completely. It felt like we were on an episode of Art Linkletter's show "Kid's Say the Darndest Things".
Here are a few random pictures of family interactions during our visit on Saturday.
Sunday, August 22nd, would be our day to travel to Chelsea. First we had breakfast with Tyler's and visited in their home for a bit. Then we went back to the Ropers and took McDonald's for the kids for lunch. What kid doesn't like a Happy Meal. I even had one! Aubrey and Nelson were to join us but I got a message from Aubrey that Nelson woke up tossing his cookies so she wasn't going to bring him over. Paul did come and brought Rachel. Nissa and Todd joined us. We stayed until about 1pm. Then we bid everyone goodbye and pointed the Buick toward Chelsea.
We contacted Jake via text and told him we were on our way. We opted for us to get Jimmy Johns and him to meet us in our hotel room for dinner. We had a very timely visit with Jake. The company he works for has been sold. He had just finished two weeks at the new company's headquarters in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He is not sure what his future holds. He is not sure of an offer for a job with the new company. If that job will be something he is interested in. If it would pay enough to live in that area, which is very expensive. How he feels about moving further away from family and friends and a community he is comfortable in. If he should try a new career path now. So much upheaval in a young man's life. Having family come and let him spill all his thoughts, concerns, ideas, and feelings about his situation right now to people who love and care for him was a blessing for Jake. We were grateful for the timing of this visit. I did get a picture of Jake with his Gramma Bonnie. There is a special place in Jake's heart for this Gramma. He lived with Bonnie and Evan for part of his time in Utah. There is safe shelter in his life when he is with Bonnie. Grateful for this relationship and that they got to be together.
Monday, August 23rd, we had a light breakfast in the hotel before hitting the road for the drive to Kentucky. When we got home, Bonnie did her laundry and packed. I got Gramma Millie's album for her to take back to Utah, checked her in for her flight, and made sure she had her thumb drive with all the VHS tape and Millie pictures on it. We watched a little television and then went to be early again.
Tuesday, August 24th, we were up at 4:30am. Out the door at 5am. We had Bonnie to airport by 6:30am for her 8:15 flight. Then we drove back to Georgetown, crawled back into bed and took a welcome nap.
After we got up we went to the bank to get Papa's checking straight. We were there in July and put in a change of address and ordered checks with the new address. I had not received a bank statement or the checks. Sure enough, there was a glitch which we hope is corrected now. Then we went to the nursing home and Claude drove as we took Papa for a ride.
Wednesday, August 25th, I started my morning with a Primary presidency meeting at the church. At the beginning of our meeting, our president, Jessie Rayburn, gave me a very thoughtful gift. It is a rock she painted for my Fairy Garden. It had a purple mushroom. Purple is my favorite color and Jessie didn't even know this. I love this rock and came home and put it under the tree.
Then I hurried home to do a ton of laundry. I did pause some to read in my Lord of the Rings book.
Claude went to bake some bread to find the stove not heating to bake. He could broil. He could not bake. Claude did some on-line research and found several appliance repair places in Georgetown. He called and got an appointment for a repairman to come Friday afternoon.
Thursday, August 26th, I received a call from Jessie, the social worker, at Signature Health Care. They had a shareholder (employee) who tested positive for Covid-19. This means the nursing home will be shut down for at least two weeks until everyone is clear for two weeks. Ugh. My plan was to take Papa out that afternoon. Instead I prepared a treat bag for Papa. Claude would drive me to the nursing home where I would leave the treat bag for them to take to Papa in his room. I made sure I wrote a note explaining what happened and that I could not see him in person for at least two weeks. Then I filled that birdfeeder. Some places are lifting the restrictions on filling birdfeeders as there are less birds dying from this unknown disease that they THINK is spread at birdfeeders. Hang it all. If I can't see Papa in person or take him out of the nursing home for a bit, the least I can do is be sure that birdfeeder is full so he can watch the little birds he loves so much. Let those little birds fulfill the measure of their creation. Let them bring joy to a very isolated 93 year old man. There.
The cute thing when I spoke with Jessie was this interchange.
Jessie: How are you?
Sandi: I'm fine. How are you?
Jessie: I'm fine as frog's hair split three ways!
Sandi: You have been talking to Papa, haven't you?
Laughter.
When I was a child, Papa would say when asked how he was, "Fine as frog's hair split three ways and combed back'ards." Over the years he now says, "Fine as frog's hair split three ways and sandpapered." I knew Jessie got this from Papa. You don't hear many people saying that phrase. It was a welcome chuckle with the news that followed about not being able to visit in-person.
Claude and I ended our outing with a trip to Sonic's drive-thru for a treat. We found a nice tree to park under and enjoyed our treat and a little chat. Then we came home and watched some more of Psyche.
Friday, August 27th, I did my ironing in the morning. Then I wrote another letter to Papa. Since I was able to visit him more frequently, I had stopped writing so often. Now I will be writing every day except Saturday.
In the afternoon the repairman for the stove came. It was the lower heating coil. That can be replaced. A part was order and they will come back Monday and replace that coil. Yippee. We don't need to buy a stove!!
In the late afternoon we drove to Frankfort to Cook Out Burgers for dinner. Then on to LaGrange for the Oldham County High School's first at-home football game. The marching band plays at all home games. Hayden and Bailey are in the marching band. We were going to watch our Mini's perform.
We went through rain storms that were not in the forecast at all when we checked weather in the morning. Nonetheless, there were rainstorms. But the clouds appeared to be clearing as we drove closer to LaGrange. However, as we turned from Hwy 146 onto Hwy 393 to get to the high school, we realized there was no electricity at that light. Claude parked the car and we realized they were not selling tickets and no one was in the stands. The players were not warming up on the field. Hmmm... I pulled my trusty cellphone, found a Facebook page for the football team, and learned they were going to make a decision about 7pm as to whether to cancel the game as there was no electricity in that area. Michael and Andie arrived and walked over to the Jeep. Then we heard the band playing as they marched from the front of the school to the edge of the parking by the entrance to the football field. They stopped there and played. It was great to have the music to keep people calm until a decision was made about the game. Great move by the marching band. We got pictures of and embarrassed Hayden and Bailey as they marched by and we called out their names. Hayden is in the first picture on the right end of the row right behind the tuba. Bailey is in the second picture on the third row, third from the right end. The last picture is the band playing for us while waiting for a decision about playing
Here are pictures of the band during the half-time performance.
Saturday, August 28, 2021, we made a trip to the Georgetown Farmer's Market. Claude wanted fresh veggies for the fridge. Claude was thoughtful enough to take me to Bojangles for a biscuit on our way to the Farmer's Market. There was a sign on the door and this sign as you got to the drive-thru where you place your order. I posted this on Facebook about this sign: "If you think the pandemic hasn't been difficult on emotional health, here is a clear sign of an employer making a good but difficult decision for those who work here. Bojangles on Broadway. I appreciate this consideration for this workforce."
As we drove home from the Farmer's Market, we had to stop near a bridge in Georgetown. It is an old bridge. I got this picture of this neat bridge.
Hayden found the 20th Anniversary showing of the Harry Potter movie "The Sorcerer's Stone" near him. We got tickets for the three of us. We drove to LaGrange and picked up Hayden. We had a late lunch/early dinner at Chick-filA. Then over to the theater for the movie. It was fun to see it on a huge screen again. After the movie finished there was a bit of extra footage about the making of the movie that was very informative. As we drove back to the Marx home, we saw this incredible view of the sun behind clouds. It was stunning.
Sunday, August 29, 2021, we have had a nice Sabbath so far. We enjoyed sacrament meeting. I had fun being with the Primary children. Claude had a Zoom meeting at 1pm with the Ward Council about his new calling as the Music Chair for the ward. Claude has had his nap. I have worked on my laptop. We'll call Jacob in a couple of hours. It has been a good Sabbath.
Andie called me and shared a neat moment in her life today tied to a memory from her childhood. Andie teaches first grade. She has lots of kids with lots of needs in her class. One little friend has a particularly difficult life. She talked to him and told him that when she was a little girl she had a thing she would do with me, her mother. She would hold my hand and I would squeeze it three times. This was me telling Andie that "I love you." Andie took this little guys hand and squeezed it three times. He looked up at her and squeezed her hand three times. Now he does this whenever he needs extra assurance. None of the other class members know what they are doing. It is just a little way for him to be shored up emotionally to get through his day. Be still my heart. All these years later you learn of how some little thing you did means so much to your child and then helps another child with a very difficult life. Touches my heart deeply.
Whew!! That is two weeks in review.
