headin' to a weddin'...

 

This girl is getting married on Saturday!

We are heading to Delaware tomorrow morning, and Abigail and Derek are getting married on Saturday.

Evelyn and Nate moved into their house today!  I didn't do much, just packed some things and provided moral support, and milkshakes for a nice well needed break.

Camille was a trouper though!

Charlotte Claire too....Newton helped me keep an eye on things.

Putting together a slide show for the wedding, looking through old pics.  This is age order from when Miss Cam was just a tiny girl...our sheepdog Rosie...

This is when we had nine children...Emily, Abigail, Benjamin, Mariel, Joseph, Aaron, Molly Rose, Samuel in the first stroller, Margaret in the next...Margaret was our tie breaker, we had four of each...(little did we know she was the first of five girls in a row, then Robert, then Jonathan, then the two little girls, Char and Cam...)

Before Margaret, we had eight kids...this is when Samuel was a newborn, this was the year we got our first pool...1995.  Emily was the oldest, ten...Abigail was 8, Benjamin 6, Mariel 5, Joseph 4, Aaron 2 1/2, Molly 17 months...little did we know this was only half the family!

So yeah, we helped Ev and Nate move today.  Nate is going to be sore, he went up and down those stairs from their apartment so many times...Char and Cam are total champs too, for helping so much.  I took them for some chicken tenders after, then we stopped at the store for a card for Abigail and Derek, then at the wine store for a hostess gift.  

Then home...ahh, home.  I packed up my stuff for the weekend, because tomorrow morning I'm going to the pool extra early, so I can be at my cardiologist appointment in the small city by nine.  Then, we're hitting the road, hope the appointment doesn't take too long.  

Have you heard that anxiety and worrying about things steals your joy?  It doesn't add one cubit to your life, the bible says, whatever a cubit is.  But it doesn't just magically go away, you have to say NO, one thought at a time, and pray for peace.  I'm in that battle right now about my upcoming knee surgery.  I'm worried specifically about using the bathroom, if you must know, because my "good" knee isn't very good, and doesn't bend well.  I want to be prepared, of course, but being all terrified isn't going to help.  

And, this weekend is going to be a celebration weekend, a good and blessed weekend, not a time to be thinking about scary what-ifs, right?  

I'll blog again in a few days, when I have some nice wedding pictures to show you!  You all have a good weekend!

the department of motor vehicles...

 Patty and Selma work there, and the sloths from Zootopia.  It's the dreaded place to go, with legendary long lines and short tempers.  This fine morning, I had to go there after the dentist...talk about a double whammy of No Thank You, I Have Better Things To Do.  

Well.  Imagine this:  Our DMV in Cayuga county is temporarily relocated due to storm damage to the building downtown.  It's now on the property of the county jail, in a more rural setting, just a parking lot and not parallel parking and meter feeding.  I walked in there today, and walked out less than ten minutes later, all finished.  I passed the eye exam, paid my $64.50 to the great state of New York, handed over my passport, driver's license, social security card, and the signed paper work, and it was all finished, I'll be getting my Real I.D. in the mail soon.  Unless I get sent the wrong one, as happened to one lady who came in while we waited, oh she was mad!  As IF it was the fault of the poor DMV worker!  

Anyway.  The dentist visit was fine too.  I had x-rays done, and everything looks fine.  I have two wisdom teeth in use, and two lying in my gums minding their own business, everything looks good.  No cavities, and no issues.  And, I got a new toothbrush and two teeny travel toothpastes.  :)

Miss Char and Miss Cam came along, so Miss Char could get driving practice.  Cam came because she needed a dress for Abigail's wedding, and yay she found one!  It's so pretty too!  (We went to Marshall's...). A quick stop to pick up some freshly roasted coffee...

We stopped home, my brother was here for a quick visit to drop off some medical necessities for my upcoming surgery.  His wife just had her knee replaced last fall, and is letting me use some spiffy ice packs and her walker.  

Then we had a few snacks, and headed to the house across from Sam, where we helped Evelyn do some cleaning, while she worked from home on her computer and took some work calls.  I washed windows and the stove top, the girls cleaned paint off floors and cleaned them all up.  

Home....oh, a quick stop at a grocery store on the way for strawberries, burger, steak, and four ears of corn.  Four, isn't that almost funny?!  We dropped off some coffee at Kathryn's, and Tennyson's new bike that I got at the thrift store the other day, long story.  (he loves it, it has hand brakes!)

  I grilled when we got home....we grilled burgers yesterday, the grill must need a cleaning, because it was really on fire...Paul took off his jacket to use as a potholder to grab the bottom tray out, and burned a huge hole in the jacket.  It was funny/not funny.  He held it up, and I stood there laughing like an idiot, with the hose in my hand.  I didn't want to have to hose down my grill, it's not good for it, the extreme change in temperatures, but it is in the driveway next to my camper, and I didn't want a large conflagration.  He was able to get the tray out, which ended the grill fire, and he thankfully  didn't burn himself.  I hosed off the driveway, then hosed the grass off the sidewalk, then was hosing off the front of the house, when I realized the steak platter was sitting on the hood of the truck and was getting cold...I hate how I go from one thing to another sometimes....

Anyway...after dinner, one of the girls wanted ice cream...we called Oscar and Sonja, and they met us there...we went to see their new apartment afterwards, and got home around nine...so it has been a DAY, for sure!  A good day, but dang.  

Tomorrow, the pool in the morning...then puttering around here.  I have to get out some baby and childhood picture of Abigail for a slideshow at her wedding....anyway, have a good night!

memorial day....

 

Sunshine and kickball in the back yard...

The little pools on the deck...

Kathryn and baby Ellis 

The quiet morning coffee this morning before everyone came over...a few of the kids went to parades first, I stayed here and cleaned bathrooms, did laundry, and got the house ready for company.  Benjamin grilled the burgers for me, then the hot dogs and sausages too.  We had a watermelon, some cut up fruit, salt potatoes, chips, and chocolate chip cookies.  Emily came over, Ben and family, Sam and family, Margaret and family, Kathryn and family, Sonja and Oscar, Jon and Rosi, then the four of us who live here, so 30 of us.  

Yesterday we had a lovely celebration for my great-niece, Grace.  

We prepared the food, and I'll say it came out wonderfully.  Charcuterie cups, Caprese skewers, baguette, cut up fruit...

Veggie platter, barbecued meatballs.  There were also platters of grilled barbecued chicken in Buffalo and barbecue sauces.

It was beautiful on Susan's deck.

Margaret and Camille

Pasta salad, and the charcuterie cups.

Lemonade, brownies, carrot cake cookies, the petit fours Camille made, and some of my chocolate chip cookies.

Charlotte Claire and Camille Anaya

Besties Irene, Sonja, and Grace.

Tomorrow morning I have an early dentist appointment, then I'll go to the DMV to renew my license.   Fun, right?  I tell the girls that being a grown up means spending most of your life doing things you don't really want to.  But if you're smart, you'll be happy anyways, find joy in it.  

The four of us who still live here are all in the living room now, Miss Cam is playing the guitar, and we're talking, so it's not a good time for blogging...we had a good day.  You all have a good evening!

when the dust settles and the quiet sets in...

 ...and you realize that the old waggy girl is really gone.  

Suri means "Princess", aptly named.  If it meant "Piggy" it would also suit.  She was like a black bear a few years back, when she was heavier.

Sunny last night...she wouldn't eat her food until Camille fed her by hand.  She seems a bit depressed.

She seems confused when the food is poured and there's no longer a wagging, dancing, super over-the-top happy-for-her-food companion there gobbling. Suri would do this ballerina twirl when the food bowl was being set down, could not contain her joy.  She reminded me of Miss Piggy, in her dainty heels, the way she danced for that food.   Sunny doesn't understand, but she knows something's amiss.

That face, those paws.  I miss her dearly.  She used to do this thing in the morning:  hurl herself into the bathroom door, open it right up, barge in, to get pet...her big blocky head bursting in, and I'd say, no, not yet, get out!  She would wait for me to come out, so she could be certain not to miss out on the big morning pets and pats and ear rubs.  Her whole entire body would wag.  Have you ever heard the racket a happy Labrador makes while walking down a hall, the tail whacking?  She was always so glad to see me.  Not just me, everyone.  Even if she barked at you, she would still wag and want a pet.  She was no watchdog.  She might scare people from a distance but if they approached her, ha.  She would forget to bark.

In her last few weeks, she made more noise than ever, with her huffing and panting.  Sunny is just a quieter dog, and it's so strange still to wake up and Suri isn't here.  Sunny likes her morning greeting too, but one pat on the head is good for her.  

So yeah, we knew it was inevitable, and that it was coming, and it happened, and she's gone, and it's much harder than I imagined it would be.  I don't want another dog.  I want her.   

That being said, I am super thankful we were blessed with such a good girl, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat of course, she was a treasure, even if she did get into the garbage and eat the Father's Day cake.  

So you all have a really good evening...and I hope you are surviving all this rain if you live in the north east...rain rain rain!  brr, too!  55 degrees was the high today!  Some sunshine sounds good...

seeing the beauty in it all...

 

My little plant shelf on the deck with some new flowers.  Next to it is the trellis thing I found at Aldi for ten dollars.  It covers a melted piece of siding on the house, which happened like 25 years ago when someone used the grill too close to the house....I told my husband, "I fixed the siding for only ten bucks!"  I bought some hooks to hang little solar lanterns, and maybe a pot of ivy to trail down it...not sure what plants will go in the bottom yet.  

I love yellow begonias!  

So the rain just keeps on, it's 50 degrees out, so chilly and wet and soggy...but still so green and lovely, and at least it isn't snow.  I went to the pool this morning, then I drove to the small city today all by myself, to get some things for Monday's Memorial Day picnic here.  I bought a watermelon, some burger, (I already have hot dogs),  buns, coffee, and a gift for Jon and Rosi.  Then a quick stop for an iced Americano, and home...it's a lovely drive, even with the wipers going.

Yesterday I went with Sonja to Target, Aldi, and Wegmans.  We had to get the food for Grace's wedding shower, which is on Sunday.  (Grace is my sister's granddaughter, my niece's oldest daughter, Sonja's bestie).  

What a nice parking spot!  Seriously, back in the day it would have had my name on it, ha.  (Isn't Sonja so cute?). 

Ah well....not much to say here today.  The count down to Abigail's wedding:  eight days!  I hope it'll be sunny and warm in Delaware!  You all have a nice day!  

just a few....

Wulf and Tennyson, ring bearers...

My five-in-a-row in five years girls...Suzanne Eleanor, Kathryn Grace, Evelyn Joy, Sonja Kathleen, Margaret Cheryl...they are so lovely, and each one brings me such joy...

Suzanne, Camille, Kathryn...Suze and Zech...Paul and I

Margaret, and Aaron adjusting Tenny's bowtie.

So lovely...most of the really nice pics are from Susan, strykingphotography

Adrian with his little Blythe

Eight of the eleven daughters:  Suze, Kathryn, Cam, Ev, Sonja, Margaret, Char, Molly Rose (Abigail had already left, and Emily and Mariel were stuck in Denver)

The three oldest granddaughters...Lydia, and Elise and Anya...

So, totally different subject:  my camper.  As you know, I love my camper dearly.  I don't wish for a newer spiffier one, nor a bigger one, no, I just plain love it.  I love what it represents, but also I love waking up in the morning and starting the coffee without rummaging through bins and trunks and all the rigamorole that comes with tent camping.  I just love the little-ness of living in a camper.  

Well.  Paul took the winter cover off of it a few weeks ago.   I finally went in there the other day with the cleaning spray, paper towels, and the vacuum cleaner.  It looks so nice, no mouse poop at all!  We unlatched the ends and opened up the beds so I could vacuum, and oh no! 

Up where the canvas bed end roof meets the camper, the plastic track is cracked and broken.  To replace the entire thing, one would have to remove the whole bed end and put a new one in.  I called a local Jayco dealer, he said to email him pictures and the VIN # of the camper...and he would see if he could find us that strip.  Um, can we fix it?   When he gets back to me, I will ask how much for them to do it for us...it makes me feel a little sick.  The camper is a 2013, so of course it's not under warranty, but when I googled the issue, sure enough, so many people had the same problem.  

Our first camping trip is right before my surgery, the first weekend of June.  Worse case scenario:  it's not fixed and we don't open that end up at all.  I think it's just Paul and I and Sunny going that weekend anyway.  The front bed is still okay, although Paul said the piece is cracking too...maybe he can Gorilla glue it before it happens, I don't know.  

It makes me a little sad though.  It's not an easy fix, from the looks of it.  If you just tape it or something, it might rip the whole canvas.  

In other news, I went to the pool this fine morning, then to brekky with my pool friends.  I ordered the special cinnamon raisin toast to go with my scrambled eggs and crispy hash browns, but I was good and only ate a few bites, figured I save it for later...I put it in a to-go box, and wouldn't you know I walked right out of there without it!  dang it.  It is almost too good to be true.  It's made by the Oswego Tea Company, and oh dear it's yummy.

Then home for a bit, then to the dr. for a pre-surgical check up.  Blood pressure was 126/78, higher than it used to be, but not too shabby.  Weight:  ha, no way.  Everything looked fine, he cleared me for surgery, but I still go to the cardiologist next week.  

I stopped for an iced Americano on the way home, then wandered around in Walmart for a bit.  I bought some new throw pillows for on the deck, five bucks each, found a pair of $3 shorts for me, and a new $3.96 tank top.  I bought Sunny some dog biscuits, because when you only have one Lab left, you need to spoil her...have to be careful with the treats though!  (I bought biscuits for small dogs, because they're tiny!).  I bought chicken drumsticks and came home and put them in lime juice and cajun spices...I'll flip the baggie a few times so they really get all soaked in it, then air fry them in a few days.  

Home...ahh home.  I marinated some chicken breast too, for dinner.  I made a pan of rice (only one cup rice, two cups water (and some butter and salt of course), because only the two girls eat it...seems so strange!).  I browned up that chicken in the iron frying pan, then had mine with some raw peppers, a splash of honey, and some hot sauce.  

I did some laundry, washed up the dishes, and here I sit in my comfy chair with Old Kitty purring on the arm.  Tomorrow I'm going shopping with Sonja for the food for my niece's daughter (my sister Cheryl's granddaughter), her wedding shower.  It's on Sunday, and I'm helping Sonja with the food.  Camille is also baking something for it, which I'll help with.  

So there's never a dull moment, but life is good.  I really hope the camper is fixable and we can manage to get it fixed.  I have wanted that camper for so long, and now that I have it and it's too good to be true, I almost knew something would be wrong, if that makes sense....ah well....

You have a good evening!