Crocheting Complete, Yard Work, Graduation...

Wednesday, May 28th, was a productive day. It started with re-writing my To Do List. That always helps about a week of trying to complete and scratching things out and adding new things. Tidying up that list every week gives me a fresh outlook on what I want to accomplish. 

This evening I focused and finished making the last 63 squares for the afghan. Yeah me!!

Thursday, May 29th, we started out with what we thought would be an ordinary day. It turned into a perfectly delightful day. 

Our first things was to take food to Ana Linares. Her mom passed away and they were having a Remembrance Service with just her family in her home. She asked if we could bring things for their lunch and requested sandwiches on croissants. Claude and I were taking a tray with lettuce and tomato, a jar of pickles and mayonnaise and mustard. Claude drove and I took the items to the front door. It always feels good to give back to those who have been kind to you. Years ago, Ana was my visiting teacher. She noticed on Facebook that Claude and I liked to go to the minor league baseball games during the summer. She purchased tickets for us to attend a Lexington Legends game. Such a thoughtful thing to do. It was nice to give back to Ana in this small way.

We went back to Georgetown, Ana lives in Lexington, to Chick-filA for a biscuit breakfast. Claude loves their chicken minis and doesn't get them often. While eating our breakfast in the Cracker Barrel back parking lot, we talked about what we want to accomplish in the back yard this summer. We really wanted to get a concrete bench to replace the wooden bench we had by the shed. After breakfast we went to The Carriage House, a flower shop owned by Karen Tingle Sames, in Georgetown. She sold some concrete yard decoration items. Alas, she did not have a concrete bench. Claude had already checked Lowe's and they didn't have one. 

We went to Lowe's because we needed to replace the azalea bushes we purchased last year for in the front flower bed under the study window. The azalea's didn't fair well with our icy winter. We were able to salvage one, cut away its dead branches, and replant it between the two other azalea bushes on the front side of the house. Lowe's didn't have what we were looking for. They did have hostas. We decided to get three big hostas and give those a try in the front yard. 

We went home and Claude took his nap. I was able to purchase tickets to A.J. Croce does Croce. A.J. is Jim Croce's son. We have never heard A.J. before but we loved Jim Croce in our younger years. We thought we would give this concert a try. 

I also ordered a Chicken Pot Pie from Harry and David for Cordell and Kris. Cordell is Claude's brother. They live in Manti, Utah. Cordell had knee replacement surgery. It became infected. They had to do another surgery and replaced that knee replacement. This summer (4-6 weeks) he has to have IV antibiotics three times a day. Once this is healed. They will do a third knee replacement surgery. Ugh!! We can't do a lot from a long distance. Sent them this with a note saying "Chicken South is Good for the Soul. Hope this is a good substitute!" 

I was also able to locate a concrete bench for the lowest price I found. It was at the Walmart in Dry Ridge and we could pick it up this day. I purchased that online. 

When Claude got up from his nap, he went out front and planted our hosta plants. They look so very pretty. I truly hope they like this home and grow well. Hostas are pretty hardy plants and can really fill in over time. 

Then we drove to Dry Ridge and pulled into parking spot 5 in the Pick Up area. I sent a text and the man came out and loaded the concrete bench and two pedestals for it to rest on in the back of the Jeep. As the man left, Claude said, "I like Pick Up!" 

We went to Beans in Dry Ridge for dinner after getting the bench. Beans is really a coffee place but they sell wonderful sandwiches on homemade breads and they have salad and some soup. They also sell some baked goods. We purchased a loaf of sour dough bread (Claude loves this stuff) and two donuts for dessert that night at home. 

When we got home, we had to get that bench from the Jeep to the back yard. Hmmm.... This is where we learned how much we have aged since moving into the little home in Georgetown. Claude carried on pedestal from the Jeep around the house to the red brick pad and put it down. I went to the Jeep and was able to get the other pedestal with most of its weight on my left arm. I got around the side of the house and Claude was coming back to the Jeep. He took the pedestal from me to the back yard and set it on the red brick pad. We met back at the Jeep. Claude wiggled the bench out of the back of the Jeep and we both held it to try and carry it to the back yard. This is where I realized I was in sandals and they were not made for walking on the grass carrying a heavy object and trying to walking backwards or sideways. Since I can never fall again, I was quite concerned. We made it across the front of the house and Claude said to put it down for a bit of a rest. We stood there, both breathing hard, and then I suggested we try rolling it end-to-end to the place we wanted it in the back yard. Claude thought about it and then agreed. We started the process of him lifting, me putting my hands under to help as it came off the ground, us carefully rolling it over to an end, then carefully lowering that side so we could repeat the process with the next side. We did this all the way down the side of the house, into the back yard, up the little hill and in front of the red brick platform. Claude held it steady while I moved the two pedestals until we thought they were in the correct position. Then we each grabbed and end of the top and carefully laid on the pedestals. It took a little more moving of the pedestals but we got it so we could both walk away from the project feeling okay about it. We are happy with the idea of this concrete bench. It will not have to be paint. It can simply be hosed off. Nice replacement for the wooden bench we had there before. 

We still need to scrub down the white rocking chair and assess the two white Adirondack chaIirs and table. The Adirondack chairs may need replaced as they are wood and have sat outside for several years. If the wood is compromised, we will dispose of them and find something that requires less care to sit in their place. All in good time. We did remember all the work the first year we were in our home. Flower beds made, French drains dug and made, etc. We were so much stronger then. We aren't as strong, but we can do things a bite at the time. That is how one eats an elephant after all!

We had a sweet moment with our Bailey. Coming home from Dry Ridge, Claude got a text in the Jeep. It was from Bailey. She was telling her Grampa that she needed his recipe for making Deviled Eggs. Her wording was she really needed to know. I called Bailey and put her on speaker phone so Claude could help her. She assured him she knew about boiling eggs because he told her how he does this before. She just needed to know about the filling. It was so sweet to listen to their interchange. I love that the grandmonsters call about things like this. 

Friday, May 30th, I decided to have a day of crocheting. I would make the rows of the 9 squares to a row so they could be added to the afghan. 

I received a notice that my Amazon order arrived. It had three more pair of reading glasses for me and a stuffed tiger for Bailey. She would graduate on Sunday. Claude had written the sweetest card for on her a card he colored. We will give her a check as we did for Hayden. Bailey will be going to Campbellsville University. Their mascot is a tiger. I wanted her to have a stuffed tiger. Their school store didn't have one online. I found this VERY soft, squeezable tiger on Amazon. It is made entirely of recycled plastic bottles. Even the tag on it is made of recycled paper. Bailey will love that. 

Saturday, May 31st, I decided I really wanted to finish the afghan. I had all the rows made and had put one of the final seven on Friday night. I had six more rows to attach and then a border to crochet around the outside edges. I decided the border would be a row of the maroon, a row of white and a final row of gray. I finally finished all of that in the afternoon. We will give it to Bailey in August before she heads to school. I am very happy with this afghan. Bailey will feel the warmth of a hug when wrapped in it.

While crocheting, I watched things we had DVR'd. One of them was a NOVA (Public Television) show about Quantum Physics. I loved the 'warning' at the beginning of the show. Very clever. I enjoyed a good laugh with this one.

Our son, Jake, sent me a link to "Northern Disclosure" podcast with Rob Morrow and Janine Turner. Northern Exposure was one of my favorite television shows of all time. I have the DVD's because I enjoyed it that much. It ran from July 1990 to July 1995. Rob Morrow played Joel Fleischman and Janine Turner played Maggie O'Connell on the show. They have teamed up to do a podcast for each of the 110 episodes of the show. I watched two of these podcasts Saturday afternoon. What a treat. So thankful Jake remembered my love of this show and shared this way to look back at it through the podcasts. 

In the evening, Katelyn called me this time. Kennedi, their youngest, had run a fever that went well of 103 degrees. Kennedi was better but it appeared Emelia was getting it. Ugh!! These are tough places for a mother. We had a nice long chat about a lot of things. Again, it is wonderful our grandmonsters call.

Sunday, June 1st, was the first day of a new month. This year was going by very quickly. 

June 1st is Andie and Michael's anniversary. I posted this on our family page on Facebook: "June 1, 1997 Michael and Andie Christensen Marx were married in a beautiful setting in a gazebo outside Frederick, Maryland. They have blessed us with our two youngest grandmonsters. This year will be a year of big change as Bailey heads to college. They are off on the next phase of married life. Join me in wishing Michael and Andie a very Happy Anniversary!! Love Ya Bunches!"

We enjoyed going to Sacrament meeting. Claude was asked to give the opening prayer. I gave the closing prayer. Then we hurried home for Claude to get a good nap. He had a bad night's sleep and had to get up very early for a Zoom meeting. He needed rest to drive to Louisville and back .

The evening would be spent going to Louisville for Bailey's graduation from high school. She was graduating from Oldham County High School. The graduation was held at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. This is the program. 

Claude is pointing to Bailey and her acknowledgements of achievement: 3) Cum Laude, 6) AP Scholar, 

11) College Readiness, 18) KY Youth Assembly & KY United Nations Assembly.

Because Andie, Bailey's mother, is a teacher in the Oldham County School system, she is granted the privilege of sitting on the stage and then handing her child their diploma. This is Andie arriving on the stage. There is a blue dot under Andie.

Soon it was time for the graduates to enter and take their seats. Bailey had a blue dot under her. You can usually tell it is her as she wore a long ponytail that is wavy. 

The OCHS Choir performed "The Road Home". Beautiful selection.

After a speech, it was time for the graduates to make their way to the stage. Bailey is above the red dot.

Then Bailey would make her way across the stage shaking lots of hands as she did so. This is a mix of Andie and my pictures. Andie was standing at the far end of the stage and got some pictures with a close-up view. Mine are from the audience perspective.

A hug from your Mom is extra special at this moment in your life!

Once Andie finished hugging Bailey, she came back to sit with us.

Hayden helped me get a picture of Bailey's cheerleaders! Andie, Michael, Joyce, Sandi, Claude and Hayden. 

Bailey sent me this picture from her seat as the other graduates took their turns crossing the stage.

It was a big graduating class so it took a while to get through all the names. Bailey was about in the middle of the class. We enjoyed a wonderful rendition of "My Old Kentucky Home". Then it was time to move those tassels and toss those caps into the air!

Bailey made her way to the band group after all was complete. Time to say some goodbyes to good friends. One of those was her band teacher, Mr. Klipper. This was his first year teaching at OCHS. He was so appreciative the the seniors setting such a good example and tone for the younger students and helping him learn all the band traditions at OCHS. 

We found a place to take a few family pictures before leaving the Kentucky International Convention Center. First, our Graduate, Bailey Christensen Marx!

Bless Michael's heart. He tried so hard to quickly get a good picture of him and his daughter. Enjoy the 'faces of Bailey' and have a little empathy for Michael.

The parents and the Marx family. Michael, Bailey, Andie and Hayden.

Time for Grandparents! First, Claude and Sandi with Bailey. That Gramma Joyce Romanoff who flew in from Maryland for this event. 

We all parked in the parking garage across the street. We were on Level 4. The Marx car was on Level 2. Hayden opted to leave with us. Andie, Michael, Joyce and Bailey waited a bit as Bailey saw one more person she wanted a picture with. Andie took these pictures as they made their way from the KICC to the parking garage.

And she took one final picture which I think perfectly captures "She is Off and On Her Way!!"

We all went to the Marx home in LaGrange for chicken salad on croissant and ice cream. Bailey did not want to go out to dinner. This was an excellent way to be together. We gave Bailey her card and her tiger. The tiger is Campbellsville University's mascot. His name is Claws. Bailey was very happy to get her tiger. She was also very happy to get her check. It seems she is putting her horn in the hands of an expert in Chicago for a couple of weeks this summer to get it ready for her college experience. As soon as Miss B opened her card and saw the check, she said, "This is going to work on my horn." I was greatly impressed she immediately thought of a good use to get ready for college and not a way to waste it away. 

We are very happy for and proud of Bailey and how she has and is handling this transition from High School to College. Her future looks good!

Music, Sickness, Wellness, Reading & Crocheting...

Sunday, May 18th, in the evening, we went to the Lexington Opera House to watch The Black Jacket Symphony perform Jimmy Buffett. This would be our fourth Black Jacket Symphony concert. They have all been great. Once again the performed the entire "Changes in Attitude, Changes in Latitude" album by Jimmy Buffett in the first half of their program. After a 15 minute break, the brought out the beach balls and played other of the Jimmy Buffett classics. Great fun! 

Beach balls all over the Lexington Opera House!

These ladies are pounding the stage to get an encore after the program. They got one!

A very brief video of The Black Jacket Symphony playing Jimmy Buffett.

Monday, May 19th, would be the final performance for Bailey with the Oldham County High School Symphonic Band. This would be bitter sweet. From sixth grade through twelfth grade Bailey had played in a band. She started on the trumpet and changed to the French horn in high school. She has found a love for music and her French horn. It was a delight to watch her perform one last time in the high school theater. 

During one of the numbers, Bailey was the only French horn playing. 

The seniors were recognized at this performance. Bailey is in the center. 

The many faces of our Bailey. Gotta love each of them. 

They would play the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana. This is one of my favorites. I have saved it to my cellphone to listen to when I need an uplift.

The students who participated in extra musical events and activities were asked to stand. Bailey must have stood up six or seven times. She worked hard so that, her senior year, she could do all music with only one subject other than music for a class. 

Final bows at the end of the performances. Our girl got a little misty-eyed. That is to be expected. 

Her parents gave her a towel with her initials and her horn embroidered on it. Horn players of all kinds must pause when not playing and empty saliva from their instrument. These towels Bailey can place on the floor to drain her instrument. Way cool!!

Sandi, Bailey and Claude.

Andie, Bailey and Michael

Bailey and flowers someone gave her.

Then Bailey gave us a present. Campbellsville t-shirts with Gramma and Grampa on them. Now we are ready to attend musical things at Bailey's university. 

Tuesday, May 20th, our big outing was to go to the Temple in the evening. Oh how I love time in the Temple. A storm was on the way and we had a little rain on the drive home. We pulled into our garage just before the bottom fell out over our home. Whew!!

Wednesday, May 21st, my happiest moment was finishing reading The Iliad by Home. I felt like this was a must read before our trip to Greece later this year. It was on my Kindle and it took a long time to wade through. 

• Genealogy was important at this time. Everyone gave their father and sometimes grandfather. They would even stop in battle to declare their pedigree. 
• The characters could go by different names making it tricky to know who the story was speaking about. They had a name like Achilles. Then he would be called son of Peleum (his father) or son of Thetis (his mother) without using his name, Achilles. You need to remember these so you know they are talking about Achilles. Alexandrus was also Paris of Troy. His father was King Priam of Troy so you might just read son of Priam. 
• The gods often went by their Greek name or their Roman name. Jove is really Jupiter. Minerva might be called Pallas Minerva but we know her as the Greek goddess Athena. Ulysses we know as Odysseus, you know, of Odyssey fame. 
• I marveled at how the gods would sit on Olympus and watch the Greeks (Achaeans) and the Trojans (Dardanians) and took sides for one or the other. They were also deceptive to each other. It was very different from how I understand God. 
• Achilles best friend from childhood is killed in the battle. After Achilles gets his body back, the the Greeks can do a proper funeral for him. As part of that funeral they participate in all kinds of games that challenge each other. Things like chariot races, wrestling matches, boxing matches, etc. We don't usually do that at the end of a funeral.
• I wondered why the book is called the Iliad since the city where the battle is fought is Troy. Troy was name Ilius originally. Names after its founder, it became Troy after it became the center of government. 

These are just a few of the things that caught my attention. It took a long while to wade through this book but I did enjoy it and am glad I made that effort. Someday, I will tackle the Odyssey and others of these classics. 

Thursday, May 22nd, well, I did not sleep but maybe 2 hours in spurts through the night. I got up during the night and hurled big time. It was a simply awful night. So, Thursday would be a day to stop and heal. I simply did some laundry and rested the rest of the day.

These pictures of Bailey were posted, I believe, on this day. They had their end-of-the-year band banquet. Bailey received a scholarship toward school. 

Friday, May 23rd, I was still not up to speed. I concluded I must have had a 48-hour virus or something. Claude had no symptoms at all. I would spend my day crocheting. I had 63 more squares to make. I had been crocheting 9 squares, making them into a row and then adding that row to the afghan I am working on. I decided I was going to make stacks of 9 squares. I needed 7 of these stacks to make the final 7 rows for the afghan. I would take a stack of 9 square and add the next row to them in the color needed. I would do this a stack at the time. When done, I will then make the rows and add them to the afghan. I can do this!!

I also started reading Angels and Demons. I purchased the six Dan Brown novels that have Robert Langdon as their main character. Five of these novels are out. The sixth will be out in September. That is on pre-order. It will come to my Kindle when it is available. I now want to read all of the five I have before the 6th one comes out. Angels and Demons is the first one.

Saturday, May 24th, I was feeling better. I would tackle the rest of the weeding in the morning. I also enjoyed more time to read in Angels and Demons. and crocheting another row on the 63 squares for the afghan. 

Sunday, May 25th, we attended church. I love the talk Richard Risher gave. It fit right into the Relief Society lesson I will teach in June. After sacrament meeting, Beth Wooford and I met with Jessie Rayburn to do our ministering interview. Then on to Relief Society for a wonderful lesson taught by Elizabeth Christensen using Pres. Russell M. Nelson's talk from the April General Conference entitled 
"Confidence in the Presence of God". 

Claude and I enjoyed a salad from Panera. Then he took his Sunday nap and I curled up to read Angels and Demons. By the end of the day, I finished my book. Excellent read. A lot of differences between it and the movie. I also got a bit more crocheting done. 

Monday, May 26th, was Memorial Day. These holidays sneak up on Claude and me. Being retired can make these feel different. Have a week where I was sick a few days also skews things. When you work full-time, you look forward to having that extra day off. We used to use these days to paint a room in the house or something that took a good bit of time. How were we going to use this day?

We started with a biscuit run for breakfast. A very good place to start! Then we did a few errands that we wanted to get done. 

I am taking items to include in sandwiches to a family for the Remembrance Service they will have for her mother that day in her home. I knew that Dollar Tree sells plasticware that is like cut glass. I wanted a tray to put these items on. They did have two kinds. 

Then on to Walmart. We purchased the food items for the Linares service on Thursday and windshield wiper blades for the Jeep. 

Then to Lowe's to get some plants for under the front window. Our little azalea bushes did not fare well with the ice we had this winter. We salvaged one. I cut off the dead branches on it and we planted it between the two azalea bushes we have in another flower bed. It seems happy there. We opted for Hostas this time. Hope this works. 

The rest of our day was spent watching Psych and crocheting. We had corn dogs and potato salad for dinner, which felt a little holidayish. 

Tuesday, May 27th, was time for my annual check-up on my right shoulder replacement. X-rays were taken and all seems to be healing correctly. I will no go back for two more annual check-ups before they release me from the doctor's care. To celebrate, we had lunch at BD's Mongolian Grill. Yum!!

The afternoon was spent crocheting. Whew!!