Let's Blog...

Monday, February 6th, will start us with a funny meme from Facebook. Who doesn't love popping the bubbles on bubble wrap?!

Wednesday, February 8th, was Bailey's birthday. She turned 16 years old! I posted this on our family Facebook page. "Please join Claude Christensen and me in wishing Bailey Marx a very Happy Sweet 16th Birthday today!! Love Ya Bunches Miss B!"

In the evening we attended a Hunger Relief Benefit Dinner at The Foundry in Frankfort, Kentucky. Delightful evening. I posted this to Facebook: "Partnering was the word for this evening. Claude Christensen and I attended the Benefit Dinner for the Kentucky Hunger Initiative. Ryan Quarles, our Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, has set his focus on Feeding those in Kentucky who are food insecure. This has been done by partnering with like-minded organizations. The amount of food provided during Ryan's two terms through these partnerships is phenomenal. It was a privilege to attend and support in some small way this very important service."

Thursday, February 9th, I finally finished the frog afghan for our soon-to-be-born great grandmonster. I am very happy with it. I posted this on Facebook: "Fifth great grandmonster due in April. I am ready!"

Bill Myers, my brother-in-law who is married to Claude's sister, Tami, posted this picture of the granary at the ranch. When Claude and I married it was listing to the side and full of huge birds nest for eagles. Thank you Bill for making sure this important piece of the family history is restored and looking beautiful. It holds so many memories for the Christensen family. Claude lived over here as a young boy until time to go to school. Then they moved to the other side of the mountain. Bill purchased the ranch and has done and excellent job by putting a cabin on it and a nice fire ring. It is a great place for his family and others to enjoy time together. Happy to see this picture of the granary. 

Friday, February 10th, Claude had an appointment with Miracle Ear about his hearing aids. These are usually standard appointments. This time the audiologist did a complete hearing test. Claude has lost 5 decibels in the higher sounds and 10 decibels in the lower sounds. Not good. They have a newer version of his hearing aids they let him test them at the office that day. He heard a lot better with them. So, Claude came home with an order for a new pair of hearing aids. 

In the evening, Claude purchase tickets for us to attend the finals of the American Rodeo. There are three cities in the United States where the qualifying finals are held and Lexington was one of them. Claude LOVES the rodeo. We had dinner at McAlister's and then headed over to the rodeo. We have attended two other rodeos at Alltech Arena in the Kentucky Horse Park. Never have we seen so many cars and so many people. We think it was because it was qualifying for the final rodeo. The cars were lined up as far as one could see on Ironworks Pike to get into the arena. The traffic coming off I-75 to get to the Horse Park was lined up on the off ramp way back on the highway. It was a zoo. We missed the National Anthem and the Cowboy Anthem. Got there as they were beginning the first event. It was still a great evening. Then we sat in the parking lot for an hour waiting for traffic to clear. 

Saturday, February 11th, Claude attended the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast. I got up, walked my treadmill, then went to Walmart to purchase a few things on my shopping list. It is now starting to feel a little strange if Claude is not with me. We seem to do everything together. I like that.

In the late afternoon, Mickie and Kim Shannon brought my Girl Scout cookie order over. Later in the evening I received a message saying Tim thought he put a wrong package of cookies in my order. I went back to Sandiland and did a good inventory of the 20 boxes of cookies I ordered. Sure enough, I had a box that wasn't mine and I was missing one box of Adventurefuls. We determined they would drove it by Sunday after I got home from church. 

Sunday, February 12th, we went separate ways again. Claude drove to Owingsville to have a meeting with other members of the Communications Committee he directs for our stake. I went to church alone. Felt a little strange.

I hurried home because the Shannon's were going to exchange the Girl Scout cookie box they gave that was the wrong kind. I waited all day and they never came. In the evening I got a message that explained the father and son had taken ill and their day had not gone as planned. Not to worry. The exchange will happen. 

Monday, February 13th, was our 53rd anniversary. I posted this on Facebook. 

Fifty-three

You & me!

Loving life

To fifty-four.

Happy Anniversary to my Big Guy! Love Ya Bunches!! Looking forward to our adventures this year!

Claude had an appointment with Dr. Adkins in Lexington. It was to take some more blood and check again the findings from Dr. Slabaugh's visit. Dr. Slabaugh is a Urologist. When Claude came home from doctor, I was sitting in the family room about to work on a needlework project. I looked up and he had flowers and a bag of candy for me. I turned the television off and got up to hug him. That is when I saw his face stained with tears. I thought he had bad news from his doctor visit. It turns out Lynette, his sister, called him as he was driving home. She told him Joann, another sister, passed Sunday evening. My poor hubby was a mess of tears and I just hugged him and let him cry. Joann was the first-born of Bonnie and Evan's kids. She and her hubby, John, never had any children. She was like a second mother to her younger siblings and a wonderful sister to the siblings closer to her in age. There were six children. Jo was always positive. She loved to learn and took so many college courses. Never with a degree in mind. Just a thirst for learning. She worked in the medical profession in the labs. She loved animals. Young family members loved to go and see her collection of Jerusalem donkeys and other animals. We will miss her very much.

This would set in motion a lot changes to be made to get out for the funeral. 

In the evening, Claude made us dinner reservations at Montana Grill. This is my favorite place to go and eat that is a bit nice. Claude would have bison steak and I would have bison nachos. Yum. We left very full. 

When we entered the restaurant, I noticed this sign on the door. We have a little nephew that is named Brandon Hurst. I took the picture and sent it to his mother telling her Brandon would be fixing us our anniversary dinner. Turns out her Brandon is participating in a school cooking challenge and really loves to cook. 

As we left the restaurant, we saw this van with a window cleaning business called Men In Kilts. Our grandson, Paul, loves to wear kilts. His wife, Rachel, had posted a picture of him and labeled it her handsome husband. I posted this picture in the comments for their enjoyment. 

I still post a Trivial Pursuit question each day on our family Facebook page. This day the questions was: "History: What Indian maiden rescued Captain John Smith and later married John Rolfe?" For the answer, I found a picture from my past. The answer is Pocahontas. The year of the picture is 1990 in Jamestown, VA. Bonnie Christensen and I posed by the Pocahontas statue. Bonnie was happy to find she was related to Pocahontas. I recently learned of an actor who also learned he was related to Pocahontas. I told Claude I sometimes wonder if Pocahontas is not really Eve and we are all descended from her!! 

Tuesday, February 14th, we would pause in all the business of getting ready for travel over the next few months and attend the Louisville Temple. How I looked forward to an evening without all the troubles of the world weighing on me. It was such a sweet experience. And, I ran into an dear friend from our Maryland days, Lisa (used to be) Curran. She has remarried and I don't know her new last name. So nice to run into friends from all over when you attend the temple. It makes it feel like you are going home.

Wednesday, February 15th, Claude received a package from this company today. Did not order anything from them. Research tells me this is a scam. They get your info. Send you an inexpensive gift as though you ordered it. Post reviews as if from you about how wonderful everything was. You should check to be sure no charges have been made to you. We have no charges. The scarf will go to Goodwill.

My BFF, Laura, had surgery today. She has cancer and they wanted to remove it. Her hubby tells me it went well and she will go home tomorrow. Hallelujah. It is not over for her. They will have the nodes tested and determine further treatment. But, the surgery was a success as the doctors currently see it.

Now, off to pack and get ready for a lot of travel over the next six weeks. The times we are home will feel good to be in our own little house and our own comfy bed.