getting there!!! small victories!

 So this fine morning, I got up and went to the pool, without the cane, for the first time!  I know, it's been over six months, it's about time, right?!  But.  It's still a giant celebration for me!  I didn't bring it to the beach yesterday, either.  When we were leaving, I walked across that sand in bare feet, which is a glorious thing.  Lake Ontario in May:  the sand is warm on top, cool underneath, just wonderful to walk in.  I got to the sidewalk, dropped my Birkenstocks, then realized I had to step into them without leaning on anything.  Easier said than done, but I managed to do it.  

Even though it has taken so long to reach these milestones, I am so happy about them, probably even more-so because they've taken so long to accomplish.  My walking is still wonky, my knee still feels mechanical sometimes, but I CAN walk, and for that I am grateful.  A few months back, I would imagine camping, and the part where I walked to the water:  I couldn't fathom being able to do it!  I worried about if my camper has a handle to help get up the steps, and yes, it does.  I can go in and out easily.  

After the pool, I parked in Emily's driveway, and Kathryn picked me up to go Wegmans with her.  We each pushed a "car-car cart", those carts with the seats and steering wheels...so all four of her kids got to drive.  I got Rhys and Jamie, she had Achilles and Ellis.  My car-car cart swerved and bumped into things and took corners rather crazily, those crazy driving kids.  They loved it so much!  Jamie and Rhys told an older gentleman, pointing at the other cart, that their baby brother was so funny.  They chatted to him, and he said, "You have made my day!"   

I did forget to get Ezekial bread, and wandered willy-nilly around the store, but I had fun, and I did buy steaks for camping, and burger, and a huge-0 bag of popcorn, blueberries, and a loaf of bread for the girls.  I splurged on diet lemon Snapple iced tea for camping too.  

Home...I put the camping food in the camper, and put the rugs back in there that I had shaken and dried in the sun...Paul said the leaking came from around the antenna on the roof and that he patched it up and we should be good. You have no idea how happy that makes me!  I hate that I love my camper so much...:). (Seriously though, if a camper gets leaky and damaged by water, it's not worth anything, and it's not like we could just replace it...so we need to keep it nice!)

I'm going to get up and get moving and get some things packed.  You all have a really good day!

beach day, grandchildren day, yay!

 "All the grandchildren are here today, we should get a picture." " Yes, we should. " But, those grandchildren were having a happy day running about Ben and Ashley's beautiful yard!  Swing set and sand box and trampoline, yard games, and trees to climb!  They were about worn out and the party was breaking up, tired children whining that they didn't WANT to go home!  So, we gathered them up willy-nilly, and took a really quick picture.  Some of them were all smiles, a few were glum, and one cute little two year old Denzel was NOT having it...he's crawling out of the picture here while his sister Ophelia sat there with a smile.  And, Rosi was in the house with baby Emilia so she wasn't in the picture either.  Baby Samantha was already in her car seat, Rhys and Ruth were making silly faces, Anya got to hold baby Kaia!  Wulf standing in the behind Tenny who thought Denzel was hilarious, Grant holding Maeve, with Blythe and Jamie,  who are cousin-besties, smiling big...Elise, Lydia, Anya in the back, Declan in front of Anya in his hat, then Achilles and his baby brother Ellis in the front corner.  

Aunt Emily with Ellis...Newton in the background, Sunny too

Blythe

Jamie and his little brother Ellis

Aunti Charlotte with Rhys and Ruth, who are cousins and besties and trouble:)

Molly, Mariel in the background...

Benjamin and Emily each manned a grill...

Oscar with his little Kaia

Two year old Maeve, Two year old Blythe, and Jamie just turned three.

Jonathan with Emila

Margaret's cookie cake

Now Ellis is in the wagon with Blythe and Jamie, with Maeve and Declan behind

Elise, Lydia, Anya...

Thirteen of my kids were there, 9 of the eleven daughters, and 3 of the five sons, with 8 spouses.  It went by too fast.  They played badminton and yard games and ran around and went on the swings and trampoline.  We totally enjoyed that the sun came out after a few days of cold rain.  

This fine morning, I had my coffee, then went out to the camper.  I vacuumed, and cleaned, and took inventory.   I was going to go to the DMV to register it, but...Sonja was going to the beach, so....hmmm...beach, DMV...beach, DMV...

You can see what I chose...and look at that swan!

Look at that baby!  She was wearing her hat, a long sleeved bathing suit, and plenty of sunscreen.  Cam was holding the fan on her.  It wasn't actually very hot out, high seventies but low humidity.  We stayed for about three hours, then home....ahh, home.  I put a load of laundry in (I found my sweatshirt and rain jacket in the camper, oops!  I also washed some bedding that was left in there...).  Then, I grilled pork chops that were marinating in lime juice and steak seasoning.  Cam made mashed potatoes, then Char reminded her they were signed up to mentor the Activity Club tonight, so out the door they went without dinner.  

So I am starting to pile stuff on the table to pack in the camper.  Clean bedding and towels, a new tablecloth, a bag of whole bean blonde roast coffee...shh, I ordered a new coffee grinder today...we had two but one of them broke, and I didn't want to leave the girls without one, so I just got a twenty dollar one...we're roughing it, but not THAT rough, ha.  I also ordered something I always wanted but thought was frivolous, but finally shelled out five whole dollars:  table cloth clips.  I usually do the put-the-cooler-on-the-table trick, or a jacket in the corner, maybe a candle or a rock...you know, the wind starts blowing and the lovely table cloth starts blowing too.  I feel so fancy now.  

We're going for five nights, and the weather forecast borders on dismal for this time of year.  It'll be high in the sixties, with a few days of possible rain.  60 and sunny is nice, but it's not swimming weather.  I'll probably go in anyway, Lake Ontario in late spring is refreshing, to say it nicely.  

I'm still in the meal planning stage, have to go buy some food, and finish packing.  The DMV trip has been postponed until Thursday morning.  

Ah well, you have a good evening!

a family picnic!

So the sheet cake I made for our Memorial Day picnic is all right...I mean, it's marble cake with buttercream, yum, but the writing on it, oh dear!  I want a do over!  Camille said it looks like the a comma after the L.  But to be fair, Paul had just realized that we haven't registered the camper, and was trying to do it online, but you know how those government websites can be, and it wouldn't let him.  "You'll have to go to the DMV", he was telling me.  So that's my excuse for the messy writing.

Cam did this little cake...

 I should have looked up a template or something to copy, but no, I just had to go freehanded...oh well.  It will taste good.

Today Benjamin and Ashley are having a family picnic at their house.  Badminton, cornhole, softball...coolers full of drinks (soft drinks, seltzers, water, iced coffee, not alcohol!).   We'll be grilling hot dogs and barbecued chicken, and there will be watermelons and fruits and salads, chips, cookies...all the good stuff.  

Best of all is that the family will be there.  I think 14 of the kids, spouses, all the grandkids...I'll try to take some good pictures!  You all have a very nice Memorial Day!

but on Fridays!

 On Fridays, we get up in the morning and go to the pool!   Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  This past week, for various reasons, I had to get up early on Tuesday and Thursday too.  wah, poor me, I know, most people have to get up early every single day, and yeah, for like 30+ years being a mom I always did too. But these last few years, well, I have been able to at least take it slower in the mornings when there's no swim class...

Anyway.  This fine day, after swim class I came home, put my feet up, but only for a few minutes, then I vacuumed.  The dryer is on the fritz, so Paul went to pick up a new part, which didn't work, so I am not sure what is happening next with it.  Sonja came over with baby Kaia, Cam and I went to Target with her.  I tried on a few things, but nah, nothing to bring home.  I did get some drinks, and applesauce, potatoes, corn dogs, tootsie pops, and olive oil.  so exciting, ha.  

Home...ahh, home.  I decided to get that sewing machine out.  I'm rusty, guys!  I need more patience and precision.  I did part of my project, but have the lion's share to go, but I was just rather done.  I have to leave soon to drive Camille to Kathryn's house, as they are going up to the lake for a girls' gathering.  I love love love my sewing machine, it's a Husqvarna, which I got used from a sewing machine dealer when Covid first plagued us.  It was a real clandestine deal, where I called them from the curb with my card number, then the guy brought the machine out and put it in the back, no contact.  The nice lady from the shop said she would teach me how to use it when things got back to normal, but at that point we thought just a few weeks?  Anyway.  I have an instruction manual and you-tube.  It sews so smoothly.  

Now it's Saturday morning, I had to get up early, again, to drive Miss Cam to work...she does have her driver's permit, but not her license yet, and Char is in Utah, so...

I have a cake to bake for Monday, thinking if I get it done today, I can frost it tomorrow.  I have to clean the camper, as we are going camping in SIX DAYS!!!!  I have to food plan and pack for that too.  I need to vacuum, as I do every day, and it can use a mop in here.  Outside projects are on hold, as it's going to rain soon.  I hope the rain has a nice time today and tomorrow and leaves us alone for our grand picnic at Ben's house on Monday!  I would request it make itself scarce for the camping trip too, but ha. 

Sleep evaded me in the early hours, truth be told.   I have a lot on my mind, and you know how it is, once you wake up, you have to use the bathroom, then you're wide awake.  I have a nightlight in there, so I don't have to turn on a light, that does help, but I'm trying to do this sewing project, so my mind is whirring...there isn't a pattern, it's a figure-it-out scenario.  This is where I miss my sister, she was a pro at these things!

Tennyson called me yesterday while I was in Target.  I bought him a little toy computer at the thrift store a bit ago, and he really wants to come over to get it.  So I invited them over today for dinner.  :)

I have pork chops, potatoes, applesauce, and either Brussel sprouts or broccoli, or maybe a salad...

Ah well...I am going to move it move it...besides, the cat is meowing incessantly to come back in, again!!!!  Have a good day!

oh no it wasn't easy...

 Looking back on life with lots of kids in the house, all sentimental about those squishy baby cheeks and bedtime stories, and going on adventures with oodles of kids all excited about the littlest things...it's easy to forget how challenging it really was.  Sleep was a precious commodity, and going to the bathroom alone was a rarity...well, I could sometimes manage to get in there and shut the door, but small children like to bang on bathroom doors and put their hands under them, and ask if you're almost done.  I've been known to choose either the one year old or the newborn to bring in with me, for safety reasons...I remember having to decide, on a case case basis, whether it was wiser to bolt down the hall quickly and just go while they were busy and maybe they wouldn't notice I was gone and decide it was a good time to dump the sugar bowl, or to announce it and warn them to be good.  

I had a Couch Monster of clean clothes to put away, things got put away, more came out of the dryer, and it was never 100% gone.  There was a Laundry Mountain in the doorway of the laundry room too.  I tried to get to the bottom of it, I did try.  

Dinner time was a three ring circus.  We used to drink milk with dinner, a gallon a meal.  I'm not sure there was ever a meal without at least one spill.  We used two high chairs and two booster seats, so the smaller children were contained, and the older ones had to ask to be excused, the younger kids wore bibs and got washed up before getting down.  Sometimes when Paul wasn't home for dinner, working late or traveling, I would give them a snack or dessert so I could quickly clean up while they were still at the table.  The floor HAD to be swept after dinner, I assigned it to different kids, and if they didn't do it properly, they had to come back in and do it again.  I tried to be nice about it, but they had to learn to sweep a floor.  I hated crumbs and sticky, still do.  I'm not the best big family mom candidate.  :)

The homework and folders and papers and school clothes and projects...then appointments (braces!  dentist appointments!  well check-ups!)...and every single night, dinner, again!  I remember running a frozen block of chicken under hot tap water, trying to break it apart so I could put it in the oven, good planner I was.  

The shoes and sandals or boots, over by the door were astounding, when 18 of us still lived here.  The coats and jackets and sweaters and snowpants and 9 or ten backpacks at any given time...

The kids could only eat at the table, except when they came home from school, they could sometimes have a snack at the coffee table and watch an afternoon tv show.  It was hard enough to keep the house clean without having yucky sticky hands on the furniture and crumbs everywhere!

Showers and baths...the little ones had recreational baths with toys and bubbles, but shower nights, especially after a day at the beach or the park or somewhere they got really dirty, they lined up in the hallway and had their turns.  I liked clean kids, and the babies and little ones got baths every day.  

Somehow, my sister and I managed to talk on the phone every day.  :). We also managed to go out and about quite frequently:  shopping, whole day excursions to the mall (she had seven girls).  We went to visit our mom, and brought her out and about too.  We went to the zoo, and berry picking, and on picnics, and sometimes she just brought her girls over here and they ran wild in the woods with my kids.  

My favorite thing was rocking a baby to sleep, but I do remember sitting there thinking of all I would accomplish when I laid that sleeping baby down in their little bed...oh, I would go to the bathroom!  I'd wipe down the counters, throw in a load of laundry, maybe change the toddler's diaper, get something out for dinner, make a stack of sandwiches for lunch...then I'd stealthily head down the hallway with that sleeping baby, and a fight would break out, the baby would wake up, and all my dreams of what I would do would slip away.

We didn't have cell phones, and the home phone was it's own version of hell when you have a baby to rock to sleep, or if you're outside with your kids.  I have a confession:  one time I was in the back yard with a bunch of small children, pushing them on the swings and watching them climb the steps and go down the slide, when the phone started ringing in the kitchen...it rang and rang, and I wondered if one of the older kids was sick at school, or something bad had happened to my parents...so I ran up those deck steps and into the house, and it was a spam call...I don't know how they knew I had a baby, but it was a marketing call asking how the new baby was, and I was so mad, I said, "The baby died..."  The poor person sputtered and apologized, and I felt horrible.  I hung up the phone, and prayed to God for forgiveness.

Okay, enough reminiscing for today.  I had a wonderful day...first the pool, then out to lunch with Becky and her two younger children, and Susan, and Grace.  We had a nice time and I missed my sister, but I told Becky she's just like her mama, and that's a compliment.  

Home...I had to vacuum and straighten up a bit, then pick Miss Cam up from work.  We had bacon and eggs for dinner.  It's a beautiful evening, with the windows open and the birds singing, I love spring and summer SO much!  

Emily and Mariel love to hike, they so nicely took Charlotte Claire to Utah with them! 

Char, Emily, Mariel...

Ah well...time to clean up dinner...you have a good evening!

best doctor's appointment ever!!!!

Ha, today was just amazing.  I was heading out the door to my 1:30 appointment, all cleaned up in my bye-bye clothes, even remembered I needed five dollars for the parking garage, and Paul happened to have a fiver on his dresser.   I drove there all by my lonesome, no music on, just the quiet, enjoying the 88 degree day, and the green everywhere.  I found a good close spot in the garage, hobbled in, up to the third floor, to the reception desk, and:  "Your appointment was at 10:30".   oops.  

So, I will go back at the end of July, the first available appointment.  Back to the elevator, down to the garage, paid that five dollars for parking there for like ten minutes, then off I went, to Aldi.  I wasn't all that disappointed, truthfully.  Why do today what you can put off for a few months?  Besides, there is nothing I can do about it, so, enjoy the day!

Aldi:  I did get chocolate ice cream.  It's five ingredients, and SO good.  I will behave and only have a little at a time.  I got apples and bread and cheese, confectioner's sugar, eggs, bacon, cream, frozen broccoli.  I saw a dear friend of Cheryl's there, she was Katie's kindergarten teacher, and has kept close with their family, she's such a nice lady.  She came over and gave me a big hug.  

Then off I went to BJ's for an order pick-up.  Ortho spray for around the house to kill bugs, some mosquito fogger, a package of chicken, a huge-0 bag of Hershey kisses for the candy jar, pepperoni, lots of seltzers and Capri Sun for our Memorial Day picnic, no-sugar added yogurt.  

Then, to the local coffee hut for an iced Americano.  I got one for Camille too, asked the barista what she recommends for flavor, she said half serving cake batter, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon on top.  Okay, and Cam liked it!

Kaia was here today: 

It was like August weather here today.  We went outside for a bit in the front yard, and the mosquitoes were out, so we went to the deck...they didn't find us there ha.  There will be rain and a cold front, more temperate weather, darn it.  I kind of like the tropical heat, although it is draining.  

Tomorrow I'm going to lunch with two of Cheryl's girls, to celebrate a birthday, after the pool.  I have to drive Miss Cam to work, then go pick her up, she usually rides with Charlotte Claire, but Miss Char is in Utah with Emily and Mariel, hiking the national parks.  

Cam and I made dinner tonight, she made Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, and made up the bread crumbs/seasonings for the chicken breast...I pounded it flat, dredged it in egg, dipped it in the crumbs, into the airfryer.  The stuff on the bottom pan on parchment with some olive oil.  Then the rack above it, with no oil.  Of course the oil stuff was better!  But it was all good, and it cooks so fast without heating up the whole house.  I love love my $57 Walmart air fryer, it's a Gourmia with the two doors that swing open in  the middle.  Our old one was a basket fryer, couldn't fit much in it.  This one fits four pounds of frozen chicken wings, and tonight like ten pieces of chicken.  

Tomorrow we are planning to have chicken curry with rice and naan bread.  We do eat a lot of chicken!

Anyway.  Such fun and excitement, right?  It's quiet in here now, Paul just mowed the lawn, the sun is setting and the living room windows are ablaze with sunshine filtering through the tree branches.  The AC is humming, and it's quite comfortable in here.  

You all have a very good evening!

the sad things...

 I just read that one of the public pools in the small city near us won't be opening this summer.  This is just too sad.  Old people and swim classes, and families in the heat of the summer with no place to cool off.  A few years ago, I remember driving through this city, and there was a group of people crossing the street, carrying floaties and towels.  They had swim shorts on, but one of the little boys had boots on.  I figured out how far that pool was from where we were, and it was a good hike, the day was very hot.  But, I was thankful, on their account, that they had a pool to go to.  The county has budget woes, but why cut this?  I don't know.  It's so sad.  

Sad things.  My sister was laid to rest yesterday.  

Her grandchildren laid roses first, and I cried my eyes out...all those beautiful kids growing up without their grandma.  It's too sad.  She was the Good Kind of Grandma, too.  The kind who always had something special, always remembered their birthdays and their favorite colors and had a package of cookies for them.  She was the story-telling kind of grandma, the listening kind too.  They were blessed to have her, but oh my heart just breaks.  

I got to put a rose on there too.  Oh my goodness, my sister.  There aren't words.  But shh, listen to this:  as we prayed, and sang a few songs, and heard some encouraging words about the hope we have, and about what a blessing Cheryl was...there was a teeny tiny spider, dancing around on her coffin.  She hated spiders, loathed and despised them, was quite scared of them, and didn't even like words such as "dangle".  So that spider just pranced all around, and as I sobbed and cried my eyes out, I couldn't help but be amused.  I knew her girls were seeing it too, so I made sure I didn't turn to look at them, because just my luck I would have a graveside laugh attack, the most inappropriate kind.   

What a day though.  We went to her house afterwards, and she wasn't there.  Her things were there, her bathroom decorations (she never changed a thing in there, still the same as when they built the house in the late eighties!), her knicknacks...her grown children and her grandchildren were there, and our siblings, and some friends...we told some stories about her growing up, and reminisced, and it was good to be together, but oh dear, I still can't picture my life without her in it.  

This fine day, I went to the pool, then came home to a very hot day.  It was 91 degrees.  Grace was here with the kids, and was filling the little pools.  They enjoyed playing with the squirt guns and net with fishies I stopped and got from the Dollar General.  (I also got Snapple diet peach tea, so yummy!, and popsicles...no sugar added Outshine popsicles, so good).  

Kaia was here too.  

Camille with Kaia...

oops, she likes popsicles!

Maeve and Ruth

Kaia and Samantha, cousins and future besties.

Ellis and cousin Kaia with Kathryn and Oscar

I stole this from Kathryn...Blythe and cousin Jamie...too cute..(from Saturday)

Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment, my favorite!  I don't even get nervous that he's going to say "Oh, you're dying!".  My favorite is having my blood pressure taken, no wait:  it's getting on the scale!  I always keep my purse in my hand and wear my heaviest shoes, just so they don't think I'm wasting away.  

I also love how one appointment begets ten more appointments.  Well, it's not MY fault I haven't had a pap smear in so long!  I went to that obgyn so many times through the years, now I don't have to anymore, so I don't.  As for the mammograms, it seems like I just had one, how can it be that a few years have passed?   Genetic testing is something I need to discuss with the dr., I don't really want to know if I have that awful death-sentence of a cancer gene, but I probably should find out if I can.  My family history is dismal.  

After my appointment I'll probably run into Aldi, then do my BJ's pickup for chicken, yogurt, dark chocolate, seltzer...we're going to a nice Memorial Day picnic at Ben and Ashley's house this year, I'm bringing drinks and desserts...Camille has big ideas, not sure what we'll end up doing...any thoughts?

1.  Blueberry pie, apple pie, and cherry pie, she wants to cut out stars from the crusts, make them really patriotic.

2.  chocolate chip cookies and brownies.  Easy to serve, and always good.

3.  A sheet cake with white buttercream, blueberry stars and strawberry stripes.

4.  A whole slew of cupcakes with red sprinkles, blueberries, ect.  

5.  Ice cream, toppings, bowls and spoons, cones...ect.

6.  Popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cones, novelties, ect.

#2 and #4 would be easiest to serve.  #5 and #6 would be easiest to prepare, just buy it, but then you would have to serve $5...anyway.  It's always fun, and you chime in and vote, and I'll let you know.

Ah well.  You have a good night.