In spite of the last blog .....

Well, we thought we had a place for the summer get together but, after seeing it, we decided to keep on looking.
There are a number of considerations we have when looking for a house. We need a bedroom for each family and another for the kids. That is five bedrooms, minimum. We also enjoy having a large gathering place in the house so folks can talk while cooking and having dinner. A table big enough for all of us to eat at the same time would be wonderful. We definitely need a beach nearby for the kids to swim and ideally a fire pit so we can spend the evening outside around a fire. The house we saw had the beach, gathering place and fire pit but only four bedrooms. That means someone had to sleep on the futon. And although Jeanne and I were willing to sleep in the room with the bunk beds (hence with the kids), the price of the house ($3500 for the week), was too much for what we were giving up. So, Jeanne got on the computer and after another extensive search, we now have two other options we will be looking at this weekend.
The first is in New London, about 95 miles north and west of the Cities. This home has 8 bedrooms, dishwasher, and 3 bathrooms, with ac. It includes a walkout patios facing Norway Lake from dining room and family room in basement. It is part of a resort, which has both it’s up and down sides.
The second is on Cedar Lake. We would have to rent two homes since none of the houses are big enough to allow all of us to have a bed room. Having said that, the place has a big beach, is private, not a resort, and has a fire pit and lots of room for the kids to play. This is not the most ideal, but we started our search a little late and have to make do with what is available.
This weekend we plan on traveling to both sites and make a final decision. We have asked both parties to pencil us in until the weekend. If you want to check out the two places go to> http://www.northlandcabincare.com/rental/cedar_lake_estate/index.html for the two cabins and to http://www.sunsetshoresresort-mn.com/layout.htm for the Minnesota cabin.

Summer Vacation for the family is all set

Our geographically spread clan has met each year for a family reunion. We have been doing this for the past seven or so years and each year we get together, I become more proud of my boys and their families. Jeanne and I “did good” raising them.

My family of origin is just not close at all. My sister has never been to our home in Minnesota. My brother, Jeff, came only because the national organization of chiefs of police had their convention in Minnesota one year and in our almost forty years of marriage, my mother has only visited us four times (maybe). In all fairness, the road goes both ways and Jeanne and I have limited our visits to my family as well, which is to say, we are not a close family.

Jeanne and I wanted to make sure we raised a family a lot closer than mine so about seven years ago with Mike's help, we organized our first family get together or as Jeanne calls it, a family re-union. Our first trip was to Utah. Scott and Tami live in Salt Lake City and Mike’s college roommate's family owned a beautiful home at Park City. We borrowed the home for a week and everyone had a great time. There was lots of wine, talk, food and just reconnecting which is important when we are spread out across the country in Minnesota, Chicago and Utah.

The next year, Jeanne and I rented a large home in Florida so my mother could be part of the party. Each day we would pick her up and bring her to the house where she would reconnect to her grandkids and great grandkids. Sometime during this visit, Scott expressed a desire to have a reunion in Minnesota where his daughters could have the same north woods experiences he had as a child. When the boys were younger, we spent just about every weekend up north in our camper. It must have been a memorable time in his young life to have him asks that his daughters experience a similar encounter with north Minnesota. So, after Florida, it was off to Holiday Resort outside of Garrison for another week together, this time in northern Minnesota. Since we were in Minnesota, we invited some aunts, uncles and cousins to join us. They came and we had a excellent week. Since then we have been to Cape Cod, and back to Florida and Utah and now back to Minnesota.

We have rented a large home on Lake Minnwawa outside of Brainerd. The house has three bedrooms, a loft and a den and can sleep 14 to 18 people. Like years past, we will be inviting cousins, uncles and any other family member who would like to join us for the day or the week. Renting the homes is not cheap, nor is the cost of travel for a family of four from Utah, but it is an investment in keeping our family a family.

There is a movie: Mr. Holland Opus. In the show, the main character is a music teacher who spends his life teaching high school kids and never finishes his music masterpiece. As he is getting ready to retire, the community gives him a “retirement party.” At that party one of his students says that although Mr. Holland never completed his music masterpiece, his real Opus are the students he taught. I feel that way. I love to sit in a corner watching our children, they are our Opus. They have grown up to be wonderful husbands, and fathers and are raising amazing children. I wonder where they learned all that they do as adults. I hope some of it came from us.

I hate the snow

I know the east coast has been hit with massive (for them at least) snow storms. Thirty inches of snow for a area that has one snow plow in each town can't be much fun. But their snow is transitory. It comes as a massive big blast on Monday and by the weekend, the sun is out and all the snow is slush. A week of 40 degree temps and it is over. However, that is not Minnesota. I was shoveling some snow yesterday and notice it was the same snow that fell on November. This year, at least, once it snowed, it stayed and it looks like it has no intention of leaving. It has been so bad that I finally gave in to Jeanne and hired someone to climb on my roof and remove the stuff. Three hours and $50 later, he was still not done and has to return tomorrow. The ice dams on my house belong on the Three Gorges blocking the Yahtzee River, they are so large. The icicles are so dangerous I had to remove them before they fell on some child and pierced his head to his heart. I have seen stalactites in major caves smaller. It has been a different year. My son, in Utah, wrote that he is tired of hearing about the snow in Washington DC on NPR. He wants his "snow back" because the ski areas in Utah need the snow and he is tired of skiing on "Colorado snow." I offered him our snow but getting it there created a problem.

The sun seems higher in the sky. Snow seems to be melting and the weather guy just said look for more snow this weekend. Looks like we are putting off our trip up north for another two weeks. My guess is all the snow will be gone by August, just in time to start up again for the 2010-2011 season. I want to be a snow bird......

Life is too short...

This afternoon I met my Mom and my sister, Sue, over at the Pieper Cancer Center near Abbott Northwestern Hospital. When Mom was hospitalized for a mild heart attack in the beginning of December (shortly after moving into an assisted living facility) we asked that she also receive a gynecological exam. Sue and I had seen some signs that there may be problems in that area. After that test and a later ultrasound, it was revealed that Mom had a 5 cm mass in her uterus (her uterus is only 9 cm wide, so it is significant). The million dollar question, of course, is what is it - a polyp or a cancerous tumor and, if cancer, how aggressive it might be? So we met a woman gynecological oncologist from Minnesota Oncology (Minneapolis Clinic). The exam went very smoothly, relatively speaking, for a 97 yr. old woman. It took all of about 10 minutes and Mom didn't experience any pain, just some mild discomfort. The doctor said she removed quite a bit of tissue for a biopsy and that it didn't feel like a polyp. She seemed to imply that it was a cancerous tumor - results should be known by next Monday.

So, of course, Mom wanted to know options:

1. A hysterectomy - surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries - not a viable option for a woman her age who had just suffered a mild heart attack.
2. Just leave it be as it is - it may grow slowly or it may be an aggressive form of cancer (we'll know Monday which kind it is) - symptoms may be mild as they are now, or there may be heavier bleeding and discomfort.
3. A targeted series of radiation treatments - three or four times - targeted directly at the tumor - not to eliminate it, but to "keep it at bay", not growing any larger.

The doctor also discussed DNR and DNI directives with Mom (do not resuscitate and do not intubate) - that they needed to be updated so that Millstream Commons staff and family know her wishes - let's say they/we find her on the floor or unconscious...then what?

Finally, she talked to Mom (and us) very frankly about locating a hospice - particularly if the results are serious. She said that hospice care is very good, not only for a patient dealing with end-of-life issues, but also for family members. For a patient, it helps remove or alleviate the fear of death. For family members it allows for the discussion of end-of-life issues.

Mom took this all in very rationally - says that at this point she will leave it alone. The doctor said that could be her desire now, but not to worry about changing her mind. Mom agreed to update her DNR and DNI directives. As to the hospice, both Sue and I feel that this is premature (Sue says that there is a good hospice unit in Faribault, if that time comes).

So, what do I feel about all of this? It sort of feels unreal...I cannot imagine my Mom not being around...she is my best friend (next to Bob) and offers me a listening heart and unconditional love. I want for her not to suffer and to spend her last days/months/years in a respectful and dignified manner - as a matriarch deserves. It's difficult to see her start slipping...God be with her on this journey.

Another opportunity to act like a grand pa

Jeanne was suppose to post about the grand kids and their visit to great grandmother a few Sundays ago but she got busy, the Vikings lost and she hasn't had the time to post anything since. It is hard to post stuff when you come home, eat and fall a sleep watching TV.

Our weekends have been full of lots of activities. Our neighbor (and tenant) is a singe mom and she asked me if I could babysit her three kids on a no-school Friday. I said yes and planned a full day with the three of them. On the appointed Friday, her youngest boy (Gavin) was sick so the two girls and I went off to the Mall of America to use the rest of the points Mike and my grandsons had left after their trip. On the way to the Mall, we stopped at the Walker's Outdoor Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The kids had seen the "Spoon and the Cherry" from the road but they had never seen it close enough to touch it. It was fun watching them have the experience of appreciating art from a 9 or 11 year old perspective. From the Garden we went off to the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

I have been to this museum many time but I don't remember enjoying it as much as I did seeing the art work through the eyes of young girls. Olivia kept saying some of the paintings had eyes that followed her and that was spooky. They used words like "weired", "spooky" and "scary" to describe some of the art in the museum. They were fascinated with the African exhibits, especially the masks. One had a 12 foot hat on it and that got their attention. We spent over an hour at the museum before I pulled the plug and said we had to go to the Mall for a few rides.

When I agreed to babysit I had the impression that only our school district had the day off. Boy! was I wrong. There had to be over a thousand kids at the Nickelodeon universe park. Seems half the twin cities had the day-off from school. I told the girls that they could pick any rides they wanted to but they had to alternate their choices. I raised three boys and, as a aged male, had the impression girls were dainty, gentle, lady like creatures who would be too scared to go on the fast, high, spin and puke rides. Well, I either never got it or just missed that part of parenting. These girls went on every ride with the exception of one and if there was time, they would have repeated the most spinning, hair-raising rides over and over again. We spent a few hours at the park and then had to head home. Another thing about girls I didn't know. They eat as much as boys do, at least in the snack department. On the way home they lamented that they were hungry and had to have snacks when we got home.

When your grand kids are miles and miles away, it is great to act like a grand parent even if the children are not yours. I fully enjoyed myself and I am looking forward to babysitting the kids anytime mom needs the coverage. Surrogate grand parenting is a lot better than just having your kids miles and miles away. You see old things with new eyes and that makes them so much more exciting.

God's reward for not killing off your children-Grandkids

The house is quiet and the kids and grandkids have gone home to Chicago. It was a great visit. Saturday, the original plan was to take the kids to the Shoreview Community Center water park for a day of swimming and having fun but Joe was still under the weather so off to the Mall of America we went. The kids enjoyed the rides as grandma and I watched Catherine. It was a great afternoon. We found out that Joe was a little bolder than his older brother. To get to the water slide, you had to walk into a long very dark tunnel. Joe was alright with that but Andrew decided no ride was worth the long dark walk to get to the ride. The rides themselves did not bother the boys at all, even the ones that were designed for teens or adults.

The boys now have a habit of waking me up by getting close to my ear and yelling "Wake up Grandpa." I stay in bed in the morning so they have an opportunity to do their thing. But this trip I found out that my encouraging them to wake me up has a down side. Most of the time, I am awake and make a big production of waking up. My eyes get big: my hands wave around and I act like I am startled. However, the boys caught me taking a cat nap and did the same “Wake up, grandpa” and it was a rude shock to my system to be jolted out of a sound sleep to them yelling in my ear. I guess I reaped the harvest I sowed.

Saturday night the boys and gramps watched a movie as their parents went back to the mall for shopping. We saw “Cloudy with a chance of meatballs.” Unless you are under 6, you’re not missing anything. Andrew on the other hand kept bouncing off the walls in his excitement over the video.

Sunday was Vikings day and Mike purchased all the kids, including little Catherine, Viking logo shirts. I will let Jeanne tell this part of the story when she comes home tonight.

Drop to the Floor?

I was peacefully working on the dining room table, updating my Quick Books and my checkbook (it'll soon be tax time), about 9:30 p.m., minding my own business. We still have the twinkly lights on in the kitchen, sending a cheerful note on a cold wintry night. All of a sudden, from the yard in back of us on Penn Avenue, I heard two separate popping noises and then three more, in rapid succession. What the hell? Should I drop to the floor? Just the other day a 19 month old baby was shot in her foot by a stray bullet as her mother descended from a MTC bus.

I paused and listened for a few moments - nothing more. Needless to say, I didn't drop to the floor. That would be much too sensible. Instead, I peered out the back window. What the hell? I asked Bob if he heard something while he was watching TV and he thought it was my laptop - silly boy! I don't watch movies on MY computer. I finally broke down and called 911 on my cell phone. Immediately, the 911 operator answered with "are you calling about the sound of gunshots on Penn Avenue?" - sheeesh! I answered her questions and gave her my name (she already had my phone # on her caller ID). Shortly thereafter the Brooklyn Center dispatcher called and asked more questions about what I had heard and then Bob and I saw a squad car roaming the neighborhood with a spotlight searching the yards around. I told Bob "we'd better not tell Mike, Scott & Eric about this". So, I'll just post it on the blog.

Kind of interesting to note my reaction, when I heard the noises - are we becoming so used to the stories of urban violence that we become almost fatalistic? Guess it's just not my time? Too bad, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Where is our outrage at the proliferation of guns in our neighborhoods and the innocent lives that are being sacrificed in the name of drugs, gambling debts, pride of gang membership and overall stupidity?

Grandparent Fix

Last weekend was a continuation of the cold spill that started in late December. On this evening's news it said that the Twin Cities average temps so far this month has been 0 degrees. So Friday night Jeanne and I agreed that we would hunker down for the weekend and wait out the cold. We would watch a little TV, take in a football game and just stay warm. That changed Friday evening when we received a call from a friend of ours who said they were in the Cities and wondered if we would be interested in coming over to their hotel and go swimming with her and the kids while Eric, her husband, was in a workshop.

Tammy and Eric had four kids until they decided to add two more to the mix by adopting two children from the Ukraine. Now they have six wonderful kids, ages 4 to 15. Ben and Sophie, the newest members of the family, came with physical problems effecting their legs and arms. Jeanne and I jumped at the chance to be surrogate grandparents, if only for the day.

On Saturday we packed up some cheese and crackers, lemonade for the kids and a bottle of wine for the older folks and off to the hotel we went.

Tammy's eldest daughter was waiting for us at the hotel and showed us where the family was staying. After a quick change, off to the pool we went. We sent the entire day at the pool, swimming with the children and filling them up, like good grandparents, with loads of cheese, crackers and "reindeer noses." It was three months since we had met Sophie and Ben at the airport as they arrived from the Ukraine. They could not speak any English but were not shy and had smiles as big as all outdoors. Wow! How things had changed in that short time.

While playing with them in the pool, Jeanne and I discovered that they understood most of what we were asking them to do and could even speak more then a little English. They may have problems with their muscles but their minds are sharp and they are inquisitive and just adorable. They both still have those broad smiles and just beamed as they learned to get around in the water. This was the first time either child had been in a swimming pool but they were acting like they had been swimming all their lives. After a day in the water, we packed it up and headed back to the room. Jeanne and I helped Tammy get the kids all dressed for their night out at dinner. It dawned on me later what a great help that must have been. Can you image how much time it must take to get four pre-schoolers dressed, two with limited ability to use their arms or legs? I can remember when my boys were pre-schoolers how long it took to get ready to leave the house.

We had a great time and look forward to any opportunity for us to be grandparents again.

Miserable Minnesota

The timing of snowstorms can really ruin your day. Today, a couple of inches fell right during the morning rush hour. It took me an hour to go 16 miles (normally it takes me fifteen minutes to get to work) and a person isn't the most peaceable personality upon arrival after that kind of a drive. Only saw one accident - a car bounced off the cement median and wrecked his front left fender and quarter panel of his car. Tonight, I had a late meeting and left at 5:30 - it still took me an hour and fifteen minutes, creeping along the freeway. Bob had nice homemade chicken and wild rice soup ready for me and then announced - "hurry-up, we're going swimming at the Civic Center!". I exhibited a snippishness and bitchyness that is normally not like me..."I just GOT HOME: I JUST got home!" Needless to say, Bob left me to myself, my soup and my toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, while he went for a walk on the treadmill at the Center.

I dream of balmy weather, moist breezes, palm trees, the soothing sound of waves upon a beach and floating on my back in salt water, staring at the clouds in the sky. (According to Bob's mother, it's 42 degrees in Port Charlotte, FL, so I'd have to be on the Keys, perhaps.) Oh well, at least the days are getting longer.

An Afternoon with Mom

After placing a big crockpot of chili on the counter to cook while I was away, I got in the car and drove down to have Sunday dinner with Mom at Millstream Commons, her new "home away from home". The trip down was a typical January day in Minnesota - vast, white fields of snow, a temperature hovering around 2 degrees, sunny and clear blue skies. My sister Sue had stopped over before I arrived and given Mom a shower and done some leg exercises with her, so Mom was in pretty good form. We had a nice dinner together and then watched the Vikings whup (past tense of whip) the New York Giants pretty decisively. Mom is quite a Vikings fan and usually stays awake during the game. Today, with such a large lead, she could afford to take a nap and everything would come out allright. Wouldn't it be great if the Vikings could get into the Super Bowl? We'd have to buy Mom a Vikings sweatshirt, for sure.

It's been nice to have four days off and sleep in during these cold mornings. We keep the night time thermostat at 58 degrees, which increases to 68 at 6:30 a.m. So, when I get up to dress for work at 6:30 it's a bit brisk! We sleep under a down quilt, which is heavenly - sort of like being in a nice warm cave. I talked to Bob's Mom in Florida and she's complaining about 32 degrees - for her, that's really cold (and bad for the citrus industry). I wonder if the Minnesota transplants in Florida, Arizona and Texas miss the change in seasons and snow on the ground? The ice that we see on our street is like a washboard - so, I don't think I'd miss it too much.

A new year begins!

It's the first day of the new year, 2010, and it dawned clear and cold. Our plans for a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house were postponed when one of the guests had emergency quadruple bypass surgery yesterday at 6:30 a.m. C.J. , a neighbor at our summer camp, had been experiencing chest pains and after a stress test, they scheduled an angiogram last Tuesday. Blockages were discovered and he was hospitalized and the surgery scheduled. Thankfully, all went well and he is resting/recovering well today.

So...having a cleared evening, Bob agreed that we'd babysit the three children of Jenny, our neighbor. Jen had a chance to go with a friend to the MN Wild hockey game and we watched Gavin (6 yrs.), Olivia (9 yrs.) and Mataya (11 yrs.) until 9:15 p.m., when Grandpa came and picked them up to stay over at his house. We had fun, watching the Disney channel and playing "Sorry" (Bob won.) I taught the girls "Othello" and after the kids left, challenged Bob to a game. He begrudgingly agreed, as he hates to play games and I beat him by one point! He said that he was bored and hadn't really tried. We stayed up and drank fuzzy navels (the orange juice at least feels healthy) and watched the ball drop in New York (rebroadcast) at midnight. As we cuddled in bed to get warm, we could still hear the fireworks going off somewhere. The "blue full moon" welcomed in a brand new year - any predictions?

Here are my predictions, or at least my "hopes":

1. Bob and I will lose at least twenty pounds each by this time next year (and keep them off).
2. I will have my knees attended to by a mighty good doctor. Will get back to walking.
3. Bob will retire from the First Aid Team at the Metrodome and will begin a new hobby.
4. Both Bob's and my mothers will continue in good, albeit fragile, health.
5. Eric schedules the patent exam, will study really hard and will pass it!
6. The whole family is able to be together with us sometime in August - our 40th anniversary.
7. Mike is offered a promotion at the law firm, Jess starts volunteering with the kids' schools.
8. Andrew and Joey love swimming and Catherine not only walks, she runs!
9. Josie loves her chorale group and her violin; Sasha stars in soccer, Tammi does bike marathons.
10. Scott decides, reluctantly, to begin an MBA program (on-line?) and does wonderfully.
11. Bob and I schedule a trip for January 2011 - Viet Nam?

Politically: the health care bill passes, the stock market continues to rise slowly, Michelle Bachman's legislative seat is eliminated due to new census findings, Michelle Obama comes out with a new initiative meant to strengthen African-American families and create meaningful community service and job training for jailed inmates, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is considered a likely successor to Vice President Joe Biden in 2012, Iran's government is overthrown, Iraq continues to stabilize - even though there's some rough times and the war in Afghanistan looks more hopeful due to a change in top Afghan leaders.

Those are my predictions...what are your hopes and dreams for next year? I invite you to reply with your "top ten". My greatest hope is freedom from worry for all my family and friends in the year to come and if that's not possible, the strength to deal with what comes our way.

Christmas Carol at the Guthrie

Last night, Jeanne and I went to see the Guthrie’s "A Christmas Carol". It was magnificent! In 1975, Barbara Field did the adaptation of the story for the stage and she did a superb job of hitting all the key points in making this production. Each year since then, the Guthrie has produced this version of the story. The play is only 90 minutes long, but even that short time flew by.
The theater, and the stage, was filled with both adults and kids. The costumes of the ghosts were brilliant. The cast was the largest I have seen at the Guthrie, and everyone did a bang-up job. One of the things I enjoy about the Twin Cities is our ethnic diversity and this diversity was evident on the stage. One of the Cratchit kids was Asian and the little boy, who Scrooge gets to buy the large turkey in the window, was a girl and African-American.
I have seen the "Christmas Carol" movies numerous times but this was the first time I experienced the emotional connection between the old “humbug” Scrooge and the newly-minted Scrooge who honors Christmas.
Like Scrooge, I am a humbug type of person when it comes to live performances. Over the years, we have had season tickets to the Ordway and downtown theatres for a series on Broadway productions that came to the Twin Cities. I don’t think I enjoyed going to these productions as much as Jeanne but as a good and loving husband I went (unless I could give the tickets to my sister-in-law). However, I am getting hooked on the Guthrie. It is a short ride from home, getting in and out of the parking area is a breeze and the shows get Jeanne home on time and the theatre is good. Most of all it makes Jeanne happy so what’s not to like about going to the Guthrie.

Jeanne and Eric

Christmas Eve

This year's Christmas was different. Eric came in from Chicago on the bus right in the middle of a snow storm.

Like his dad, Eric has more time than money so he decided to take the Megabus from Chicago to Minnesota. I have taken this trip a number of time and it is not all that bad. You get on the bus in Chicago and seven hours later, get off in Minneapolis. I was going to pick him up at 11 pm. At 3 am he was just getting into town. He said it was the trip from hell. Thursday, Christmas eve, we had a nice visit with him. I cooked up a few tender loins and we had a quiet family dinner. After dinner, he challenged Jeanne to a game on his WII. Out came the guitars as Jeanne rose to the challenge. Now you have to understand that Jeanne is one of the most competitive persons I know. She hates to lose and loves to win. She also is as coordinated as a seal out of water. Her lack of coordination is more than made up for with an abundance of competitiveness. Eric, of course, beat her the first twenty times but that did not stop her from playing most of Christmas eve and into Christmas night. I am not sure she ever won a game but at 1 am last night they were just finishing up.

Christmas was bitter-sweet. We were surrounded by family including Jeanne's mom. This year has seen her mom go into a senior residence and, just a few weeks ago, experience a heart attack. She is 97 and for the first time ever, she is starting to look and act her age. This might be her last Christmas with us and that is sad since she is the glue that holds our family together. She is the kindest, most gentle person I know. In the almost forty years we have been married, I have come to love her and to admire her more each year. Just the idea that she might not be with us next year makes me sad and teary eyed. And the best part is, I know she loves me and all of our family unconditionally.

We drove down to Northfield through the snow storm to Sue's home. Going to Northfield has become a family tradition and usually we have dinner and give gifts at "grandma's" house. This year, we celebrated at Sue's since Mom's hosting with be out of the question. In-laws. nephews, little kids, it was all great fun. My nephew's wife is a chef. Part of her skills have rubbed off on my nephew and together they cooked up a fabulous Christmas meal. Sitting around a table with twelve members of your family-that's what Christmas is all about. The ride home was 'sweet'. MnDOT had all the rodes clear and dry. Another Christmas memory.

Christmas: Right around the corner

Christmas is coming on fast. Up until last Sunday, Jeanne's been telling me that she had it all under control. She was going to go online and buy gifts and have them delivered to the kids by UPS. However, she also had early morning meetings and late night meetings twice last week. I wondered how Wonder Woman was going to do it all, but didn't worry. Jeanne has the capacity to do just about anything she puts her mind to. Sunday it all collapsed. In a low voice, she finally admitted she was not wonder woman and asked for my help. So, Monday morning off I went to purchase toys for grandkids and gifts for our kids and moms. God! I love/hate Christmas shopping. Everything was on sale but the lines were long and people were driving crazy (both driving me crazy and their cars crazy). After shopping all day on Monday, I hit a wall and could not cope with the stress of trying to figure out what to buy for my kids. I had no idea what they wanted/needed. After a cup of coffee, I was back at it and today Jeanne is putting four large boxes in the mail that will hopefully get to their homes by Christmas. Feels good to have it done and still have money in the bank and your senses intact.

We had an e-mail from our son, Scott, today. Seems like Josie (our 8 year old granddaughter) asked the BIG Christmas question. Here is his e-mail:

"Sadly enough we told Josie last night about Santa Claus. Her questions were getting more sophisticated and the thought of going from evading her to flat out lying was not an option we wanted. She's cool with it, she says she was pretty sure that was the case anyway, but her issue was how we could afford the presents? We told her that's a secret that we as parents will continue to keep to ourselves.

Her next question after a few moments was . "Will you tell me the secret before I have my own kids?"

Tammi said "Of course, but you'll probably figure it out by then."

Christmas is a great season for kids and in spite of all the money spent, tensions created, and crazy people I love it.

Happy Birthday, Dear!

One day late, I took Bob out for his birthday. 

Earlier, I had spent the day with my mother down at Mill Stream Commons Assisted Living.  Mom had moved in December 1st and a couple of days later experienced a heart attack. I think it was brought about by old age (97 yrs.), narrowing of the arteries and the stress of this new chapter in her life. Mom tried out everything those first few days - getting up, rushing to get dressed and get to breakfast on time (she is NOT a morning person). After breakfast she used her brand-new walker-on-wheels (remember, this woman only moved about thirty steps in her townhome between couch/TV room/kitchen/bedroom/bathroom/etc; she now lives on third floor, nearby an elevator, which is only a matter of steps from the dining room.) to go and locate the hairdresser. After finding the hairdresser, she is able to have her hair done, right away.After lunch, Mom agrees to join a book club watching the "African Queen". At bedtime, she can't find her female products to wear during the night and gets anxious about having an "accident". This poor lady doesn't want to let any of us down and hopes to prove that she can "do it all" - she just did too much. Fortunately, there was no heart damage and she only spent about four days in the Cardiac Care Unit of the local hospital. But she is not the same lady - more likely to be fatigued and a bit more forgetful.  It's so hard not to second guess - should we have left her in her own home? She had fallen a couple of times there, was not enjoying cooking and eating meals alone and monitoring her medicines was becoming a concern. I hope that she will "bounce back" - she is my best friend, after my husband. She offers me such unconditional love. There was such a lump in my stomach as I left her yesterday afternoon.

Getting back to Bob - - we stopped at Oak City Restaurant here in Brooklyn Center for an early dinner (we had a gift coupon from the restaurant for his birthday - buy one get one free!) and we both had barbecued ribs - a big slab for each of us that we promptly split in half and put in a box to eat later this week. They were delicious and just fell off the bones. Afterwards, we travelled "across the river" to the History Theater in downtown St. Paul (located in the old Science Museum) to view the "Sisters of Swing" - a musical biography of the three Andrews Sisters. It was a wonderful production - talented actors and excellent singing, all with a light narrative of the ups and downs of their singing careers (they were born and raised in Minnesota and won a talent contest at the Orpheum Theater in the 1930's). The music was very retro ("Bugle Boys of Company B", "Don't Sit under the Apple tree with anyone Else but Me", etc.), but the memories of a tough time during World War II and the USO entertainment shows were good to recall, as we again see several years of war overseas and military sons and daughters experiencing homesickness and loneliness.

Bob was very tolerant of this female-dominated play - thank goodness, there was a character that was kind of a "stooge" who provided alot of comic relief and interactive skits with members of the audience. We enjoyed the play (tickets that I obtained through a Silent Auction fundraiser for our St. John's School last February) and the Christmas lights downtown St. Paul and our precious time together. Bob is 67 yrs. old now, very tolerant of his crazy, workaholic wife who never does anything half-way. He is my anchor and my best friend. The last thirty-nine years seem like both a long time (filled with many stories and memories) and a short time, with days passing by so fleetingly fast.We now have an understanding - to give each other big bear hugs at least twice a day!  Believe it or not, that's sometimes hard to remember and do!

Jeanne

पीजे" अ मेसेज फ्रॉम Bob

पक, अरे यू रेअडिंग थिस एंड हाउ अरे यू दोंग?

Birthday

Yesterday, I celebrated my 67th birthday. We had invited the family that lives across our yard for dinner so I cooked up a massive batch of spaghetti and we had dinner at our place. Jenny is a single mom who has raised three of the most polite, personable and cute kids we know. After dinner, the kids (ages 11, 8 and 6) were offered their choice of movies for the evening, Up or the Transformers. I was surprised then they picked the Transformers. Jeanne and I raised three boys so if my kids had picked the Transformers I would not be surprised. But two of Jenny's kids are girls and they were the ones loudly voting for the Transformers. Every once in a while, my age hits me especially when it comes to sex roles. Boys like action movies; girls like cartoons and romance movies. That's the natural order of things. Well, not so much anymore (if it were ever true). Well, I support the elimination of all barriers between people, especially sexism (I best with with three grand daughters) even when it surprises me when it happens.

Christmas is coming up and I have not done much in the way of Christmas shopping. I did get Tammi something yesterday but that is it, so far. I asked Jeanne if we were going to try to get Christmas cards out before Christmas. She said "Remember the twelve days of Christmas. I have twelves days after the holiday to get them out." I suggested that the twelve days were before the holiday and she said "Not for me. I have twelve days after Christmas to get the cards out." So it looks like our Christmas cards are going to be late again this year or, if your Jeanne, on time if delivered before the twelve days are up.

Tonight we are going out for dinner and then to a play to celebrate my birthday. Jeanne won't tell me what play or where but she said she would like it and so would I. Hmmm, I'm thinking, as my sexism kicks in. We are going to a "chick play" and I am going to hate it.

Winter !

It's not the snow that I have a problem with, its the wind. Today was one of those snow days where four inches represented either an half inch on part of my driveway and 18 inches on another. The wind just blew everything around and it drifted in places I would rather not have the drifts. The roads are clear. Brooklyn Center does a great job removing snow as soon as the storm stops. The county, not so much.

Temp is 9 degrees and wind gusting to 24 mph. and winter has not started yet.

I want to go warm....

Christmas is coming

There are some years it is hard to get Jeanne into decorating for Christmas. Not this year. Tonight she decided we needed to decorate the front of the house. She is humming Christmas carols as she works. I reminded her that a few weeks ago, we could have done this in shirtsleeves- she just glared at me. All was well until two seconds ago when Jeanne decided I also wanted to help her decorate. We are going to "swag" something unless I can find a way out of doing it.