Home Again...

Saturday, April 27th, we spent our morning trying to get back into normal mode. I had some work to do on my laptop as Relief Society secretary. I got a good handle on that while I finished up the laundry. 

Claude did a little grocery shopping. He brought home a new box of Cherrios for me. I thought this limited-time box was really cool. Not sure why they created this, but I do think it is cute.

In the afternoon, we went to Vickie Drakeford's home. Vickie is a sweet friend and the wife of our realtor for our move from Sadieville and purchasing our Georgetown home. Wendell passed away from cancer while we were in Italy. He requested Vickie not have a funeral and to have him cremated. Vickie did this. Then she found the most perfect way to use Wendell's ashes. 

Wendell loved flowers and color in the yard. Vickie picked a spot in her front yard she could see from the living room window and a spot in the side yard she could see from her kitchen window. She purchased two crepe myrtle trees. One is red, the other is purple. Vickie was married before and her first husband passed away. When she married Wendell, her son became extremely close to Wendell. He had three friends who thought of Wendell as a father figure as well. These young men agreed to help Vickie with her plan.

This afternoon, the young men dug two holes the right size to plant the crepe myrtles in. After the holes were dug, Vickie, her family and a few friends, all had hot dogs and hamburgers. Then Vickie got Wendell's ashes and put half of them in the bottom of each of these holes. The trees were put on top of the ashes and new soil put around them. Now, whenever Vickie is outside or looks out her living room or kitchen windows, she has a bit of Wendell with her. I am so in love with this idea. 

Fast forward to yesterday, May 3rd. Vickie sent me these pictures of the two trees. She has put a border around them and significant bits of decorations for each spot. They are simply a lovely way to remember Wendell. He would be pleased.

Sunday, April 28th, we had the opportunity in the late afternoon to travel to the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville, Kentucky to see another performance of the Lexington Youth Orchestra. Bailey would be performing with the Repertory Orchestra. They would perform music from Les Miserable and from The Pirates of the Caribbean. Excellent as always. This time, Joyce Romanoff, Michael stepmom, flew in for the perfomance. It was good to see Joyce again. 

Monday, April 29th, Claude and I tackled the yard again. Time for me to weed. It went a lot faster for me this time. And I did it all with only my left hand. Of course, Claude cut the front and back, edged the front and back and blew all the cutting away in the front and back while I did this weeding. I do love working in the yard when Claude is working in the yard.

While weeding the front flower bed, I kept smelling this wonderful fragrance. There are no annuals in bloom there and I could figure out where this lovely fragrance was coming from. I finished the front and then went to the side of the house. There was the reason for this lovely fragrance. The lilac tree is in full bloom. Man, does it smell great! These are a few flower pictures from our yard. 

I received a treasure of a picture. Our grandson, Paul, holding his new baby girl, Phoebe. I love that her fingers are wrapped around his finger. What a wonder to be a parent for the first time. Sobering and a time of growth. Paul loved his little nieces and nephews. I am sure he will be a great dad.

This day I was extremely grateful for the ability to order things online and not have to go to a store. I now have surgery coming (more on that in another post) and am trying to get things in order for a time of recovery. I was able to order May and June birthday and anniversary things. I was able to order me two pair of what I fondly call my 'surgery britches'. I ordered puzzles for while I recuperate and a book for my Kindle. I felt very efficient!

Tuesday, April 30th, was a big day for me. I visited the surgeon and we determined I would have surgery. I will make the surgery its own post. 

After surgeon we had a bite to eat at City Barbecue. Always a good meal. Then we went to Lazy Boy to check on recliners. 

On our anniversary date to Montana Grill, we ended the evening by going to Lazy Boy to learn about recliners. Claude has been thinking about them for a very long time. I have not jumped at this idea. I didn't want us to turn into those two old people who sit facing the television in their separate recliners and while away their final years. Plus, I love the pieces of furniture we kept in our move and the way we arranged them in our living room. It really works for me. Anyway, we met Logan at Lazy Boy, told him we were in a learning mode on this visit. He was superb. He steered us away from the lift-chair version. We worked with him until we each had a recliner that fit our body that we liked. We were told we could order these in any color and type of fabric they had in their fabric display room. Logan gave us his business card and wrote the names of the two recliners we liked best. We told him we would ponder what he taught us and get back with him later. That was February 13th. 

We decided to start with a new carpet in the living room. It was ordered and laid out. This would give us the base for our color choices. We went on our Italy trip and both fell and injured ourselves. We have struggled through. After the surgery diagnosis, it was time to put and order in for these chairs. 

Back to Lazy Boy we went. We found Logan. He found the chair Claude wanted but the one I wanted was not on the sales floor. I did find one on the sales floor that could be purchased and taken home that day that worked great for me. We needed to have it delivered. Hmmmm... Logan set up delivery of my chair the day after my surgery. He ordered Claude's chair in a wonderful fabric that is redwood in color. Claude's chair will be here around the 1st of June. We felt good about our choices and look forward to these new chairs. Now...we must move the current two chairs somewhere else. Another...hmmm...

Wednesday, May 1st, we woke up and determined it was a biscuit for breakfast kind of day. Off we went to Bojangles to get our biscuits. 

Claude had a doctor's appointment with the dermatologist in the afternoon. He came home with at least 13 burned spots on his arms and a biopsy taken from his nose. Dr. Wilson is pretty sure it is basal cell carcinoma and will require Moh's surgery. So...we have that going for us!

Thursday, May 2nd, I would spend a lot of time labeling pictures from our trip and getting them ready to Blog. We did pause in the afternoon and made a smoothie run. Nothing like a Bahama Mama to soothe this savage beast. Claude tried something with pomegranate in it. He is adventurous. I find my flavor and stick with it. 

Friday, May 3rd, I worked on pictures and blogging again when I first woke up. I realized my arm was in agony. Claude and I stopped and went out for errands and a date night. We stopped at Walmart so I could get this month's free earrings, Claude could buy a few grocery items, I could purchase flowers for my parent's graves. Then we drove to Sunset Memorial Gardens to put the flowers on my parent's graves. I posted this on Facebook:

Spring had sprung

The grass has riz

I wonder where

The flowers is!

A poem told to me by Papa. 

Here are the the Spring flowers for Mimi and Papa.

Love Ya Bunches!!

We had a wonderful dinner at Cattleman's Roadhouse in Frankfort. We returned home and watched The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. It was such an excellent evening. A welcome date for 73/74-year-olds.

Saturday, May 4th, is Derby Day. We will pause and watch The Race. I am trying to finish with my pictures and getting my Blog current. We went out for Claude to find ribs done by the nice man at Kroger. Fortunately, he was there and had plenty of BBQ ribs at the ready. Claude managed to cut all the grass this afternoon. My orders are coming in. Life is good. Now...I must go rest my arm.