Wednesday, December 31, 2014

December 31, 2014. - Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

12:30 PM  CST

An early blog post today.

Mom suffered a cardiac event last night and was moved to the cardiac unit.  This morning she underwent a procedure to find the blockage and place a stent.  She is back in her room resting.

I will update the blog as the day goes along.

5:00 PM. CST

Brent sent a text saying that Mom appears to be doing well.  He add that she has been pretty much out of it since she went back to her room.  That's probably for the best.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

December 30, 2014 - Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Mom had a slight setback today, so more tests are being conducted.  While she is very disappointed about not being released, she knows that the hospital is the best place for her at this time.


Monday, December 29, 2014

December 29, 2014. - Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Mom is still in the hospital, but the good news is is that she is hoping to be sprung tomorrow.  She was able to eat today and sounds better each time I talk to her.

Fingers crossed that Willie gets to see his Abuela tomorrow.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

December 28, 2014. - Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Mom was able to eat today!  The hospital food is horrible, so Dad and Brent have been bringing her food from "outside".

She was able to get out of bed several times today, also good news!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

December 27, 2014. - Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Mom is still in the hospital, but there is good news to report tonight.  Her upper GI showed a small blockage in her esophagus, which they were able to remove.  Because the hospital food is so terrible, Brent and Dad went and got her Arby's.  She was able to eat a bit of her sandwich.  Yay!!!!!
Hopefully this trend will continue so that she can go home soon.

Friday, December 26, 2014

December 26, 2014. -Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Dad called this afternoon at about 4:00 Mississippi time.  Mom had had the procedure and was back in her room eating ice cream.  Her doctor told  Dad that  he would meet with them tomorrow after he has had a chance to review the results.  In the meantime, Mom has the perfect excuse to eat as much ice cream as she wants!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

December 25, 2014. Brent's in Brandon , Mississippi

Merry Christmas!  Our family may be spread far and wide, but we remain very close knit.

Tomorrow mom has an upper GI, with a camera.  Fingers crossed that we will get some answers about her difficulty in swallowing.


December 24, 2014. Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

It is Christmas Eve!  Mom's room was decorated for the holiday.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

December 23, 2014. Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

I spoke with Dad today.  Mom's test has been scheduled for Friday afternoon.  She will remain in the hospital until then.  While it is a bummer to be in the hospital during the holidays, she is feeling much better because she is getting nutrients through the IV.

Monday, December 22, 2014

December 22, 2014. Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

Lorri here doing blog duty for mom.  She had an appointment today with the doctor to review test results.  It was determined that more tests were needed, so she was readmitted into the hospital.  Hopefully she will get some answers after these tests are done.


Sunday, December 21, 2014

December 21, 2014...Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi




Today was another stay inside day for me.  It was nearly noon before I got up.  I am incredibally weak, because eating makes my chest hurt and I have thrown up several times.  We’ll see what the doctor has to say tomorrow.  

We watched TV part of the day, but I mostly napped.  We were watching the Seahawks game and I began to feel somewhat better.  But I am sad to say, it didn’t last long.

Please cut me some slack if I have errors in my typing.  I am very shakey.


Saturday, December 20, 2014

December 20, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi




December 20, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi Today was spent shopping for everyone except Bill and me.  I didn’t feel well enough to even get out of the MHO.  Sara went shopping the other grandmother, Jojo.  Brent and Courtney went to Walmart.  For Brent, that was a challenge.  When Sara got home, they took her to shop for Christmas from Brent.  That little girl really likes to shop!

We spent some time going over my dischargee papers from the hospital.  I have a follow up appointment on Monday and I need to have in mind the questions I want ask.

There are some really pretty sunset here.  This house across from Brent

may appear to be on fire, but it isn't.  Just a beautiful sunset.




Friday, December 19, 2014

December 19, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi



I wasn’t feeling well today.  I spent most of the day in bed, resting and napping. 

Brent and Courtney decorated the treel  The kids were elsewhere.


Thursday, December 18, 2014

December 18, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi



We had some rain today and some blue sky.  The weatherman couldn’t quite make up his mind.  It was cool all day and that was nice.

As of yet, Brent and the kids haven’t decorated their Christmas tree.  Brent did get blue and white lights strung on it.  When I get pictures, I will send them.

I stayed in the MH all day, only going into Brent’s house once.  I  was working on a sewing project.  I will send a picture of it when I finish.

Tomorrow is the last day of school for Sara and Coleson.  They aren’t complaining one bit about that.  If things go as usual, we won’t see much of them then anyway.  They are always so busy.

Tonight, Brent went to see Courtney.  Sara and Coleson were with Keltie.  Willie was in the house taking a nap.  And Bill and I were in our own “nest” so everyone was happy!


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

December 17, 2013---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


The kids got out of school at noon today.  Sara, Brent, and I drove into Jackson for lunch.  It was about a 30 minute trip.  After getting into the area, we drove around for quite awhile looking for a place to eat.

I am always intrigued by the differences in Jackson.  The area around the capitol building is what you would expect...well maintained, large buildings and nice parks dotted here and there.  Just a few blocks away is an area that looks as if it has been bombed out.

Brent said that because it is a historic area, any building must stay with the original architectural theme...bricks, windows, layout, etc.  As a result, nothing is being renovated in the area.  I can understand wanting to preserve historical areas, but what would you do with a pile of rubble.  Not much!  So the area just sits there, falling apart brick by brick.

We chose a Greek restaurant across from the Governor's Mansion.  The food was good and the location was great, but we didn’t see “hide nor hair” of the gov.  Actually, we really didn’t expect to.

We left Sara at a friend’s house on the way home.  Brent’s crystal ball showed a nap in his future, so mine must of shown the same thing.

For dinner, Brent made spaghetti with deer sausage.  It was very good.  And, no, he didn’t hunt, kill, and slaughter the critter.  A friend of his did all those dastardly deeds and shared the booty.

We spent the evening watching the final episode of Survivor.  Since I don’t enjoy all the scheming and bickering, it was a good time for me to start watching.  


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

December 16, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


This morning, Brent and I went to do some Christmas shopping.  Actually, Brent was shopping and I was just along for the ride.  He was looking for a recliner with a camo patterned cover.  Yes, that is what Coleson wants for Christmas!

Believe it or not, Brent was able to find two of three of them.  Unfortunately, they were more expensive than he had meant to spend.  Just the fact that he found any of them proves that we are indeed in redneck country.

Tomorrow, we will look some other places, north of Brandon.

This afternoon, Amy and Mike’s two dogs got out, and as usual, they made their way to Brent’s house...through the forest in back of Brent’s property.  It isn’t unusual for them to end up at Brent’s, but if he just puts them in the backyard, they dig out.  Today, one of them was captured.  Bill was enlisted to get the other one.  Brent tied them to the swing frame.  Amy came for them when she got out of school. 

Coleson and Sara wanted to have a real Christmas tree this year.  This afternoon they went to get one.  It really is a pretty tree, but it had dropped a lot of needles on the way into the house.  The plan is to decorate it tomorrow.  That will be fun, especially with Willie helping.

Monday, December 15, 2014

December 15, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


We had some rain this morning.  It seemed like a good day for Mexican food, so away we went.  There are several places that serve good TexMex.

After eating, Brent took me to Hobby Lobby.  I needed to do a little bit of Christmas shopping.  Because the store is so busy and crowded with displays, we decided not to take my “sports car” aka scooter, in.  That was a big mistake.  By the time I got back out to the car, I was very, very tired, and my balance was worse than ever.

A nice long nap really helped.  When Sara came home from school, we had a nice visit.  She is such a pretty young lady, and is always fun to hear her “chatter” about school, and her friends.  She and Coleson are growing up way too fast.

I went into Brent’s house to see if there was any pecan pie left from last night.  Courtney had made it with fresh pecans from her mom’s yard in Longview, Texas.  I could really get use to that.

I watched part of the Monday night football game between New Orleans and Chicago.  It was a pathetic game from both sides, so I didn’t even finish the first half before I went back out to the motorhome.  Next week will be much better, I am sure.  Denver will be playing.  Yea!

Sunday, December 14, 2014

December 14, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


Brent and Courtney made biscuits and gravy for breakfast.  That’s a good way to start the day, eh?

We spent part of the day watching football.  Brent was glad the Seahawks won.  And I cheered when I saw that the Broncos were victorious, also.  We were both happy with those wins, but are missing seeing the Ducks play.

Tonight, we had a “liver and onions” party.  Brent made his special Brussel sprouts with bacon dish and mashed potatoes to go with the main course.  It was a fun time and no one went home hungry.  Courtney made a pecan pie for dessert.  It was a good ending for a great meal.

The parties never end very early, and this one was no different.  It is always a happy crowd.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

December 13, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


Today is 12-13-14...that kind of pattern won’t happen again for a long, long time. 

I have a news update!  When we were having dinner at Robyn’s house on Thursday, Amy ask me if I had put my scooter together.  I told her I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.  She said Lori had bought a scooter for me and it was in a box in Brent’s garage.  At that point, Amy figured out that the scooter was to be a surprise.  She was really embarrassed she had blown the surprise.

If you read my blog, you will know that Brent stepped in and took credit for the surprise.  He also placed part of the credit (or blame) on Meredith and Michelle.  Alas, we may never know the true story behind all of this.  It doesn’t make any difference, because I love the “little mini-scooter-wheelchair thing” and will find many good uses for it, I’m sure.

Brent postponed the “liver and onions party” until Sunday night.  This left us with some extra time today, so we drove to Jackson to eat lunch at Cool Al’s.  You may remember that is the place where the floor is sticky.  Well, the food was still good, but the ambiance was diminished.  The floor wasn’t sticky and there had been some “decorating” changes.  Some things should be left alone.

When we got home, a long nap was in my near future.

We went in the house to watch the Heisman Trophy awards.  The Oregon quarterback was the winner.  That made all of the Duck fans in this family very, very happy.  It is the first time the Heisman winner has been from the University of Oregon.

Friday, December 12, 2014

December 12, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


This morning, Brent brought a big box out to the motorhome and said he, Meredith, and Michelle had pooled their pennies to get me a lightweight transport chair.  It is kind of like a wheelchair, but not as heavy.

He and I went out shopping to test the “new toy.”  It was easy for me to get around the stores by myself, which was great, but the best part was that I had a place to sit.  A lot of standing has become very hard for me and this solved the problem.

And to top off his thoughtfulness, tomorrow night he is cooking liver and onions.  Wow!  What a guy!

I am still trying to recover from my time in the hospital.  Things just keep piling up here at home, but I don’t seem to be able to deal with them.  Maybe Santa will give me some extra help this year!




Thursday, December 11, 2014

December 11, 2014---Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


My main activity for the day was “nap taking” and I was successful at it.

I omitted a story from last night’s blog, so I am going to put it in tonight.  Those of you who know me, know that one of my favorite Southern dishes if not grits.  That is an an understatement!  

Every meal at the hospital included grits.  I would usually take a tiny bite and I did not change my opinion.  Well yesterday, for breakfast there was the bowl of grits beside the scrambled eggs.  I took a bite of the eggs and nearly gagged.  They were terrible.  I had Bill taste them, and he agreed with me.  He even spiced them up with pepper, etc.  It didn’t help, so I stirred some sugar into the grits and that became my breakfast.  When Brent came, I told him what I had eaten.  I was glad he didn’t pass out from the shock, but he took the news in stride.  Now if anyone ever ask me if I like grits, I can honestly say, “Yes, better than hospital scrambled eggs!”

Robin invited us to dinner.  She made lasagna that was really good.  Amy and two of her kids were there also.  We all had a great time, as usual.  And I didn’t have to excuse myself to take a quick nap!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

December 10, 2014---From Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi




Thank you, Lori for taking over blog duties while I was in the hospital.  It really feels good to be back at the computer again, but I may need a good proof reader.  I have already caught some glaring mistakes.

Brent and Bill have sat with me for countless hours.  I feel sure they would rather have been elsewhere.   Courtney was a big help also.  Some of the things she has learned in medical school, explained some the questions we had.

I had been wearing a heart moniter since Saturday.  It discovered that my heart skips beats, so I am on medication for that now.

We kept expecting that I would be released today, but it brgan to look doubtful as the morning progressed.  One of the doctors this morning said It might be later today.  I think he must have heard the collective response from the three of us and perhaps feared for his saftey.  He signed my release and left a Rx for a new heart medicine. for me to try.  I will return to his office for a recheck next week.  I hope to take Brent as my interpreter.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

December 9, 2014. -- Brent's in Mississippi

Mom is still in the hospital, but has hopes that she will be released tomorrow.  Several more tests were done today, hopefully she will get some answers tomorrow.

I know that everyone will be happy when she is back in the motor home, most of all Willy.  That golden retriever loves his Abuela!

Monday, December 8, 2014

December 8, 2014. -- Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

This is Lori pitching in for mom once more.  Mom is still in the hospital.  She had a tilt test today which came back normal.  Tomorrow she is scheduled for an upper GI.

I spoke with her this evening, she sounded good and quite chipper.  While I don't mind pulling blog duty, mine are quite boring compared to hers.

Thank you for sending thoughts and prayers her way.


Sunday, December 7, 2014

December 7, 2014 -- Brent's in Brandon, Mississippi

I'm doing blog duty for Mom again this evening.  She remains in the hospital tonight.  After another day of tests, Dad reports that she is feeling a bit better.  She is scheduled for a few more tests tomorrow, hopefully we will get some answers then.

On another note,  today is the eighth year anniversary of Brent's brain surgery.  We are all thankful every day that he continues to be the strong Uncle Sir that we all know and love. 



Saturday, December 6, 2014

December 6, 2014 -- Brent's in Brandon. Mississippi

Lori here pulling blog duty for Mom.  She woke up this morning feeling puny and declined as the day wore on.  The decision was made that she needed to go ER for tests.  Brent called at 9:00 their time to report that she was still in ER  where tests were being run.  He and Dad had gone home to eat and were heading back to the hospital.  Please send positive thoughts to Mississippi!

Friday, December 5, 2014

December 5, 2014---At Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


We had a small amount of rain today.  Barely measurable, but it was nice.

Bill drove me to the chiropractor’s office this afternoon.  Dr. Brown adjusted my spine.  I’ll go back on Monday to see if any of it stayed in place.  It usually takes several treatments before there are any lasting results.

Brent fixed spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  Courtney came to eat with us.  We had a lot of fun talking.  

Dinner was a preview of the night’s entertainment...which was the Oregon Ducks game against Arizona.  The final score was 51-13.  We were glad the Ducks won, but it really wasn’t a very exciting game.  Oregon had way too many penalties and the quarterback was off his game a bit, although the final score didn’t reflect it.  The game tonight was for the PAC12 championship.  There was much hoopla on the field at the end of the game.  The win tonight sealed Oregon’s spot in the national championship playoffs.

Robyn and Wesley, neighbors of Brent’s, came just as the game ended.  They had been to a Christmas party, but came as soon as they could to visit with Bill and me.  “A good time was had by all” was an understatement.  I’m sure we will all get together again before our visit here with Brent ends after Christmas.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

December 4, 2014---At Brent’s in Brandon, Mississippi


After a slow start to the morning, Brent was going to take me to see my chiropractor.  By the time we actually got in the car and were on our way out, it was after 12:00.

I wasn’t sure if their office closed for lunch, so we decided to eat and then go to see about it.  We went to Newk’s.  Their food has always been good and today was no exception.  I had red bean and rice soup.  Brent had salad and a sandwich.  We were both happy with our choices.  I thought it was cold in the restaurant so Brent went to his car and found a sweater of Sara’s.  Of course it was way, way too small for me, but it kept my arms and shoulders warm.

We got to the doctor’s office only to discover it was closed on Thursdays.  Gad, zooks!  Hopefully, we can go back over there tomorrow!  It wasn’t a total wasted trip.  We drove around the Flowood area looking at new business.  That town is really growing.  Several large businesses and new housing developments have sprung up.

On the way home we stopped to see Polly and Pito.  He works on an off shore oil rig and was back home for two weeks before going out for two more weeks.  They live about two blocks from Brent.

Sara and Coleson were with Keltie tonight and Brent had a date with Courtney, so Bill and I were on our own.  He went to Taco Bell for our dinner.  We certainly know how to take care of ourselves, don’t we?

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

December 3, 2014---On the road to Mississippi


Bill was up early, driving the “big box” down the highway, while I stayed in bed for some extra sleep.

I heard him honk and immediately the road got very rough, so I knew we had crossed into Louisiana.  Just in case, I yelled “yahoo.”

For various reasons, we didn’t find a Rest Area, so when we got to Monroe we parked at Sam’s Club for a late breakfast.  We had been driving in fog.  As we got toward the Mississippi River the fog got thicker.

We crossed into Mississippi (Honk, honk!  Yahoo!) and soon after, the fog dissipated.  We stopped at Walmart in Vicksburg.  We were making good time, so I called Brent to tell him of our ETA.

Bill backed the motorhome into its spot and got everything hooked up and in place.  Willie was so excited to see us.  He turned into a wiggly, frisky puppy...he was so excited.

It was good to see Coleson and Sara, and Brent, too.  We traveled 295 miles today.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

December 2, 2014---On the road to Mississippi


We left Decatur, Texas, at 9:30.  Before long, we were on an adventure.  Translated that means we had missed our turn.  We decided to follow through with it, and we are glad we did.

We had never been in that area, and just before getting on I-35, we saw Texas Motor Speedway.  We’ve seen it on TV several times when NASCAR has raced there.  Today we got a better view of its size.  It is huge!

I-35 took us to I-20 which took us to In-N-Out...for an early lunch.  It was great, as usual.  That was visit number 24 in 2014 (If I have counted correctly.) Yum, yum!

As traffic goes, we have seen it much more congested in the Fort Worth/Dallas area than it was today.  It is always a relief to get on the east side of that mass of humanity.

In Longview, we parked at Walmart.  We have parked here on several other occasions.  We park right next to a railroad track.  It is a different kind of train, as trains go.  It may have 40 or 50 cars attached to it.  It goes very slowly, blocking the main road through town.  Soon after going past and traffic resumes, it backs up, repeating the whole traffic snag again.  This may happen several times an afternoon and night while we are parked here.  Each time we have been here, it is the same pattern.

We traveled 212 miles today.  Not very many miles, but tiring, just the same.

Monday, December 1, 2014

December 1, 2014---Traveling to Mississippi


After driving for a couple of hours Bill pulled into a Rest Area for breakfast.  A sign said “tornado shelter.”  I’m glad we didn’t need to use it.

We traveled 221 miles today, stopping at a Picnic Area for lunch.  We seemed to be eating our way into Texas, don’t we?

We continued on Hwy. 287 to Decatur.  After parking at Walmart, we rested for the remainder of the afternoon.  Bill is taking longer than before to adjust to driving down the highway.  Maybe we should blame it on the lack of altitude, since he seems to blame most things of the altitude.

As fate would have it, Panda Express was just across the parking lot from us.  So naturally, since that is one of Bill’s favorite places to eat, he was very willing to go get our dinner. I told you so, didn’t I?

The drive today was through farmland.  Many of them had been planted with cotton and had been harvested.  It was interesting...some of the fields were stripped clean, while others had a lot of cotton left behind.  Back in the “good old days,” cotton was hand picked, which produced a better quality of cotton.  All picking is done by machine, even though the quality of the cotton has diminished.

If you are wondering how I know these things...(1) my grandparents were cotton farmers, (2) I taught in the middle of a cotton patch in Ropesville, Texas, and (3) I rode on a plane to Denver next to a cotton farmer from this area.  I probably asked him about a gazillion questions.  Imagine that!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

November 30, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, to Lamar, CO


We were “On the Road Again” at 9:30.  We had strong winds to deal with all day long.

We knew we would be crossing two state lines, so Super Driver practiced his part in the State Line Celebration several times.  He does love those air horns!  I didn’t need to practice my part.  I am very proficient at “Yahooing.”

It wasn’t too long before we crossed into Oklahoma and performed our State Line Celebration.  We were immediately confronted with a terrible road.  Yikes.  What a difference between Colorado and Oklahoma!  After a few miles, however, we were on a new concrete road.

“Honk, honk!  Yahoo!”  We arrived in Texas.  Everything is bigger in Texas...including the wind.  Wow!  Bill was really hanging on and so was I.  By the time we got to Amarillo, it had calmed down some.

We stopped at Walmart for diesel before driving on to Sam’s Club to park for the night.  But it was not to be...we missed the exit.  We decided to go on to Flying J to see if they had extra RV parking spaces.  Nope!  Instead of retracing our tracks to Sam’s Club, we took Hwy. 287 to Clarendon.  A few miles further on down the highway we came to a Rest Area with plenty of room to park.

We weren’t able to get the Bronco game on our TV, so we kept up with their progress via the Internet.

Today, we traveled 297 miles.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

November 29, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


After a last minute scramble to get everything loaded and secured, we left Loveland at 9:55, five minutes earlier than Bill was aiming for.

In Denver, we turned east on I-70 and got to Limon in time for lunch and naps.  Once refreshed, we made our way to Lamar, where we parked at Walmart.  We were able to get the channel from Denver that would let us watch the Ducks game against Oregon State.

It was a good game because the Ducks won, 47-19, but Oregon seemed to run out of steam toward the end of the third quarter, allowing the Beavers to make most of their points then.

We traveled 250 miles today.  Most of it was past hay fields.  The landscape in this part of Oregon isn’t particularly nice, but there wasn’t much traffic.

Tomorrow, we will cross two state lines if all goes as planned!

Friday, November 28, 2014

November 28, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


November 28, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO

Happy Birthday, Matthew.  He is very excited to be 16 years old!

Michelle and I went to US Bank this morning before picking up Meredith and Dwaine to go shopping.  We stopped at Hobby Lobby first.  That didn’t take too long.  Michelle and I both knew what we needed so it made for a quick stop.

We stopped at Starbucks for three coffees and a hot chocolate for me.  That gave us energy to make our way to Costco to fight the crowds.  Actually, there weren’t as many shoppers as we thought there would be, and plenty of checkout lanes were open so we got out rather quickly.

When we got back in to Loveland, we took Meredith and Dwaine home before we went to the day old bread store.  Michelle always finds good bargins there.

She and I both had forgotten we needed to stop at Target.  That store was some busier than we had expected.  And it is a big store, so I got rather tired.  Michelle “parked” me at a chair in the snack bar while she finished the things on a rather long list.

I rested for about an hour after we got back home.  I needed the energy so I wouldn’t miss dinner out for Matthews birthday.  We went to McGraft’s.  After eating dinner, we went back to Michelle’s so Matthew could open birthday presents.  This was followed up with root beer floats, um, um!  Afterwards, most of the guys went to see a movie. 

Thursday, November 27, 2014

November 27, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Here in Loveland, our family members were doing a variety of things.  Michelle, along with Joshua, Connor, and Matthew, served dinner at a homeless shelter.  Ron had to work today, driving an airport shuttle.  Meredith served dinner to people at a dude ranch.

The rest of us...Dwaine, Bill, and I...stayed home and did some things around the house.  

Bill and I are planning to leave Loveland on Saturday, heading for Mississippi.  We plan to stop early enough to watch the Ducks game against Oregon State.  That is a big rivalry, known locally as the Civil War.

We will have some major things to do tomorrow in order for the coach to be ready to roll down the road on Saturday.

Tonight we went to Meredith and Dwaine’s for snacky-type food.  Of course, everything was good and we ate too much.  But we just had to have energy to be able to watch the Seahawks beat the 49ers.  That made Brent’s Thanksgiving even better!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

November 26, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Bill had an early morning doctor’s appointment today.  As soon as he got back home, he fired up the MH and went back to RV America.  There were some wiring problems and they needed to fix them.  It was about a five hour process, but worth it.  Now things seem to be A OK.

I stayed at Michelle’s while he went there.  I took a nap on the futon in her office.  She was waiting for a phone call from some government agency or other.  I didn’t even wake up while she was talking to them.

Meredith came at 12:30 to take me for an appointment to get another shot into my eardrum.  Each one gets more hurtful than the last and this one was no exception.  I’m glad this is the last one.  It was the most painful one of all.

Afterwards, we went to Hobby Lobby and then back to Meredith’s so I could rest.  Bill came for me after he had parked the coach back in Michelle’s driveway.

Because of other commitments, we had Thanksgiving dinner tonight...all the usual...turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, broccoli and rice, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie.  After we were thoroughly stuffed, we sat around the table and reminisced about rafting trips we have taken.  There was a lot of laughing going on.

We ended the evening with a viewing of Crocodile Dundee.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

November 25, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Bill and I spent most of the morning just enjoying being back in our house.  We relaxed and watched some TV.  It was a nice way to spend our first morning at home after two weeks.

Meredith and the pups took me around to various places so I could finish some of my Christmas shopping for the Colorado clan.  I really appreciate all of them for taking their time to help me.

We are looking at the route we will take to go to Mississippi.  Hopefully, the weather won’t cause us any problems.  Bill figured our mileage to various stops along the way.

I wore my Oregon Duck sweatshirt today.  Several people made positive comments about it.  I was just practicing for Saturday’s game.  Quack, quack.

Tonight was the season finale for Dancing With The Stars.  Any of the three finalists deserved to win.  They were all really good.  We’ll miss having it to watch every week.

The day started off cold, but warmed up during the afternoon.  A strong wind started blowing at 3:00 and lasted for several hours.  At bedtime, it was 34°.

Monday, November 24, 2014

November 24, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Happy Birthday, Coleson.  You and the motorhome are both 16 years old today!  Wow!

After getting a few chores accomplished this morning, Meredith, Jim, and I went to lunch...at Karl’s Jr.  Jim said we couldn’t stay for two hours today and talk.  Well, we didn’t miss it by too much.  At least an hour of chatting went on.

Jim gave us an update on his daughter, Jenalyn.  She lives in Sacramento, CA.  We saw her two years ago.  It was good to hear about that part of our family.

We took a few more pictures of sculptures.  We also drove through Sculpture Park.  There are so many interesting pieces of sculpture there, but we decided spring might be a better time of the year to photograph them.

We drove to Ft. Collins and picked up Peggy to go to JoAnn Fabric.  We spent quite a while shopping for quilting fabric for a quilt Peggy is working on.  There were so many patterns to choose from.  For me, picking the right color combinations was one of the hardest things about quilting.

After returning home to get Bill, we drove to RV America to get the motorhome.  Yes, you read correctly...the repairs on our house were finished.  Yippy, Skippy!  It was so-o-o-o good to be back in our own “little hallway.”

We appreciate Michelle and her family letting us stay at their house.  It worked out well for the past two weeks, but we did miss our motorhome.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

November 23, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Michelle and I went to Sam’s Club this morning.  I used one of their motorized shopping carts.  I am getting rather good at driving one of those things.  I didn’t run over anyone or knock over any displays.  

When we went to Walmart, I just used a regular shopping cart.  Next time I will go motorized.  By the time I walked from one side of the store to the other, I was very, very tired.  I didn’t realize how big that store is.  Next time I will “drive” instead of pushing a cart.

At about 1:00, Michelle and I went to Meredith’s house.  She was getting ready for a “chili feed” during the Bronco game.  Michelle helped her in the kitchen.  I helped, too...by staying out of the way!

In the fourth quarter, Jim and Peggy came.  Their friends, Gene and Sherry, came with them.  The ending to the game was a very good one.  The Broncos pulled it out, winning 39-36.  Wow, that’s the way we like to see them finish a game.

We had chili, cornbread, dip and chips, and cookies for dessert.  People ate when they wanted to.  It was very laid back.

We ended the evening by talking around the table.  It was a good ending to a good day.  All day long, the temperature dropped.  It was 27° before we went to bed.  No snow, just cold! 

 
Reflection of the mountains in Lake Loveland.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

November 22, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


This morning, Michelle and I drove into Denver to shop at IKEA.  The traffic on I-25 was heavy, even though it was Saturday.  Half of the population of Denver was at IKEA.  Lots of kids, many of which were crying, and some of them pitching fits.  Those high pitched shrieks were really hard on my ears.

After shopping, we ate lunch in their dining room.  It was somewhat calmer, thank goodness!

When we left IKEA, we had an adventure.  We were looking for The Container Store, and made several u-turns in the process.  Finally, we rounded a corner and there it was!  We shopped there for a while, but didn’t buy anything.

I was wearing my Oregon Duck shirt.  The first two people we saw in The Container Store were also wearing “Duck” shirts.  We had a little impromptu pep rally.

As we headed back north, we made several stops along the way.  Michelle was looking for a coat.  I chose to stay in the car and rest.  The two big stores, IKEA and The Container Store, were just about all I could do for one day.

After arriving at Michelle’s, I took the opportunity to rest!

Oregon’s game wasn’t televised in this area, so I had to keep track of it on the Internet.  Quack, quack!  The Ducks won 44 to 10.  Yea!

Friday, November 21, 2014

November 21, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Jim came this morning.  After visiting for a few minutes, he and I went on a “sculpture picture-taking excursion.”  On the way to the area we wanted to photograph, we decided lunch should be the first thing on our list.

We went to Karl’s Jr.  After eating, we sat there for a long time talking.  Two hours later, we decided we needed to get on the picture-taking trail while there was still good light.

The Dairy Queen has several sculptures at the edge of their parking lot.  Some of them are permanent exhibits, but others are there temporarily until they can be shipped to their final destination.

This sculpture is in the outdoor eating area of the Dairy Queen in Loveland.

Jim and Peggy came for dinner.  Meredith made a vegetable casserole and brought marinated steak to be grilled.  Michelle had salmon to be grilled, also.  She had made rolls, and a salad, plus apple crisp for dessert.  We were all very well fed!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

November 20, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Perhaps I over extended myself yesterday.  Today I was extra tired.

Meredith and the pups came after dinner.  She and Michelle were making peach preserves using the peaches that Michelle put in the freezer this summer.  They also served ice cream with peaches.  Yum, yum!

Some of the family watched the Raiders get their first win of the season...against Kansas City.  Meredith said she couldn’t believe she was wanting Oakland to win.  Their win helped Denver in the standings.

Helping make the peach preserves and cheering the Raiders on must have taken a lot of effort for Joey, Hapa, and Tippy.  They came down to our room and all three rested on our bed.


My brother, Jim, and his wife, Peggy, drove up from Santa Fe today.  They are staying with friends in Fort Collins, but they plan to spend time here in Loveland, too.  We haven’t seen them in a while.  It will be good to catch up on family “happenings.”

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

November 19, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


I must be feeling better because I got up at 7:00 to work on a project.  I brought our supply of alcohol ink from Lori’s.  I am making some necklaces.  I want to leave the ink here and Lori will get it the next time she is here.  It isn’t something I can mail very easily.  So it was necessary for me to use the supplies before we leave next week.

I also did quite a bit of resting today.  My right leg is much better than it has been.  I guess the shot the doctor gave me on Monday is having some good effects.  That’s a relief!

The temperature today got up to 47°.  I didn’t go outside at all, so I can’t tell you if it felt warmer or not.  Sometime, if it is a cloudy day, it will seem colder than it really is.

On their daily walk around Boyd Lake a few days ago, Joey chased a coyote.  It was unusual for it to be out of the den during the day, especially as cold as it has been lately.  Dwaine was very glad that Hapa didn’t see it.  She looks like a coyote, so maybe she saw it and didn’t think it was anything unusual.


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

November 18, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Today was a busy day for me, and for Bill, too.  He’s my super driver.  

Our first stop was to see my dermatologist.  Tests showed that I had a basal cell carcinoma on the left side of my face.  There were two options (three if you count “do nothing”).  The first one was to surgically remove it.  The second was to scrape and burn it off.  Since it was only in the first layer of cells, that was my choice of options.

The procedure didn’t take very long.  When we are back here in the spring, I will have it checked again, and go from there.

At 4:00 this afternoon, Michelle took me to see the ENT.  The audio test showed that I had a little of the hearing back in my left ear, but not enough to function.  It was so minimal that not even a hearing aid would be successful.  I had another injection of steroids into my inner ear, in case there is any more room for improvement.  Each injection has hurt more than the previous one.  I will have the last one next Wednesday.  I’m really looking forward to that...not!

We went to get pizza for dinner.  Meredith joined us.  Joey and Hapa came, also.  Hapa always claims me.  Tippy doesn’t challenge her authority, but it is a different matter to Joey.  He just pushes his way through to get to me.  It’s so nice to be loved by the furry beasts.

Monday, November 17, 2014

November 17, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


It was 1° this morning, but warmed to 32° by the time the sun went down.  That’s the biggest difference we’ve had in quite awhile.

I rested most of the morning.  The problems I’m having with my right leg just keeps getting worse and worse.  At 1:00, I went to my GP, Dr. Huneycutt.  He gave me a cortisone shot in my right hip.    Hopefully, I will feel some results soon.

Before going back home, we went to Walmart.  I wanted to look for a long sleeved polo like the one I bought in Rapid City a couple of weeks ago.  Today wasn’t the day to do it.  By the time I got into the store, I didn’t feel like shopping, so I sat on a bench while Bill got a few grocery items.  That’s a real bummer...not being able to shop at Walmart.  Things are really going to have to change!!!

Michelle, Bill and I watched “Dancing With The Stars” tonight.  Next week will be the finals.  It has gone by quickly.  Yikes!  Time flies when you’re having fun!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

November 16, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO


Br-r-r-r!  1° this morning.  But the temperature got warmer as the day went on...29°...a heat wave.

At 11:00, we went to Meredith and Dwaine’s to watch the Denver Bronco game against St. Louis.  I’m sad to report that Denver lost.  (Sigh!)  Too many dropped balls and too many penalties made it sad for us Bronco fans.

Meredith served a delicious quiche for lunch.  I was very impressed.  I’ve never made one and hers was really good.  We also had pan fried potatoes.  A good meal and a disastrous football game!

We stayed afterwards to watch the NASCAR race from Homestead, Florida.  It was the last race of this season.  Kevin Harvick won the championship.  He wasn’t my choice, but he did redeem himself.  He had his little boy (about 18 months old) in the winner’s circle.  It is always special to me when the drivers have their kids at the track.

The next few days are suppose to gradually get warmer.  That’s all right with everyone around here!

Saturday, November 15, 2014

November 15, 2014---Michelle’s, Loveland, CO

Hapa likes the snow...Joey was resting after...


...playing, "Hide the ball in the snow" and see if you can find it.

Snow was falling when we got up this morning...big, fluffy flakes.  The high today was to be 23°.  The highest temperature we saw was 15°.

The dogs love playing in the snow.  Tippy likes trying to bite the snow thrown from the snow shovel.  It showed off his agility.

I stayed in the “Geezer Cave” getting some extra rest.  It was mid afternoon before I climbed the stairs.  My right leg has been hurting more lately and I thought it might help if I stayed off it more today.

Michelle and I went to have dinner with Meredith and Dwaine.  They had cheese fondue and salad.  Meredith talked about fondue traditions when she lived in Switzerland.

It was 12° when we got back home.  But the snow had stopped falling.


Friday, November 14, 2014

November 14, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO

This was from several days ago.  The total for the day was seven or eight inches.


Meredith and Dwaine's backyard, just after the snow started to fall.

This is where Bill wishes he could be!
No snow today and a little warmer.

Bill and I went out to RV America to see our “house.”  The body work has been finished, and the primer is on.  The new step hasn’t arrived yet.  The painting can’t be done until the step is installed.  It will need to be painted, also.

We made a couple of other stops before going to Wendy’s for lunch.  Afterwards, we spent some time looking for a Bank of America, only to learn later that there isn’t one in Loveland.

Meredith and Dwaine came to eat with us.  Bill and I went to KFC for dinner, with all the fixins’, including a chocolate cake.  I don’t think any of us went away from the table hungry.

The temperature tonight is predicated to get down to 15°.  Wow!  We’re having a heat wave!

Thursday, November 13, 2014

November 13, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


I know I promised snow pictures, but once again I couldn't make it happen.  UGH!  I will try again tomorrow.

I think -6° was the morning low.  We didn’t have anymore snow today.  Our total was 7”.

I worked on a project for several hours today.  Tippy was helping. He wanted outside, but it was so cold he wanted back in.  This routine went on all day long.  He loves being out in the yard, but the conditions weren’t good for outdoor activities.

Tonight may be even colder!


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

November 12, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


Today was a busy, cold, snowy day here in Loveland, Colorado.

I had an MR. at 9:00 this morning.  It took over an hour.  Even with earplugs and foam blocks of noise protection material for each side, it was still a very noisy test.  For my right ear, that is.  I heard no sound with my left ear.

Before going back home, we drove north on I-25 to the new Costco.  There were several things we needed, including Polish hot dogs for an early lunch.

The drive on the Interstate was OK, but a little slow.  We saw a number of cars off in the ditches.  Some were just fender benders, but several had major damage.

When we got back home we took naps until my phone rang.  My tests were back from the dermatologist.  I have a basal cell carcinoma which must be removed.  Oh, great!  Just what I needed...another appointment!

On the way back to Michelle’s, I went by the beauty shop to make an appointment for a permanent.  It was a slow day because of the weather, so I was able to get it done today.  By the time we got home, I was really tired, so I rested and visited with Michelle while she fixed dinner...soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Great for a cold snowy day.

The high today was 7°.  The snow measured 4” early this morning and continued to fall.  Tomorrow, I will send pictures! 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 11, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


I went to the doctor at 10:00 this morning for another shot through my eardrum.  This one hurt more than the first two did.  Hopefully, this will be the end of the “torture.”  I see the audiologist next week to see if there are any changes in my hearing.

When we left the house, snow was falling and it was 16°.  As Bill helped me into the car, he brushed the accumulated snow of the side window.  I was immediately covered with white fluffy snowflakes.  Hm-m-m!  I wonder if he was trying to send me a message...I like snow and he doesn’t, so he made sure I was more “flakey” than he was.

We went to Meredith and Dwaine’s for dinner.  It was a great day for beef stew.  Really good beef stew!  When we left for home, the temperature 11° and it was snowing hard.  The streets that were clear when we went to dinner were snow covered when we drove home. 

At the time of posting my blog, it was 9°...br-r-r-r-r-r!

Monday, November 10, 2014

November 10, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


At 7:30, Bill pulled the motorhome out and headed for the repair shop.  I followed in the Honda.  After checking it in, we said farewell to our house (sniff, sniff) and went to McDonald’s for breakfast.

Across the street was US Bank. When we went in to the bank, the temperature was 63°.  When we left, 20 minutes later, there was a strong wind blowing.  By the time we got back home, the temp had dropped to 46° and was still dropping.

I was tired and lay down to rest.  At 10:00, Meredith sent a text saying it was snowing.  Of course, I had to get up to look out the window.  Sure enough, snow was falling...not much, but some!

I took a long nap and felt much better afterwards.  I started putting our belongings away.  We are staying in the extra bedroom in the basement.  We have named it the “Geezer Cave.”  It will be our cozy little spot as long as the motorhome is in “sick bay.”

The snow stopped falling, but the temperature didn’t.  It was 18° at bedtime.  Br-r-r-r-r!

Sunday, November 9, 2014

November 9, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


Tomorrow morning, we take the coach to RV America to have repairs made after our “incident” in Death Valley.  We are to have it there by 8:00.

Today, we spent most of the time moving things into Michelle’s house.  We will stay there until the repairs are finished.  Our plans were to stay in the motorhome at night and let the workers take it back into the shop every morning.

We changed those plans because of weather reports.  The prediction is for some snow, but our major concern was the low temperatures in the next week.  All of you know how much Bill and I like staying in the MH, but it didn’t seem the wise thing to do in this situation.

We watched the NASCAR race from Phoenix as we were working.  Jeff didn’t make it to the championship round.  Darn!  Well, there’s always next year.

We also watched parts of the Bronco game against the Raiders.  After a rather shaky beginning to the game, Denver pulled out all the stops and did a number on Oakland.  That is a rivalry that dates way, way back for us.  We were glad to see the Raiders trounced.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

November 8, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO


Meredith and I went to the Library this morning.  The pups went along for the ride, but didn’t go into the book place with us.  They sat in the car and behaved themselves...we think!

I went home with Meredith.  I spent the time talking to the dogs, reading and napping.  It was very relaxing.

When I got back home, I took another nap.  Yikes!  I am really in need of sleep.

Tonight we watched Oregon whip up on Utah.  The first three quarters of the game were fairly close and then Oregon took off.  Final score...51-27.  It was nearly midnight here when the game was over.  I called Brent to cheer.  Bill, in a gruff voice, asked why I called him so late.  I knew he would be up.  There was too much excitement in the air to sleep.

We keep hearing weather reports predicting snow.  So far, no flakes...except Bill!


Friday, November 7, 2014

November 7, 2014---Michelle’s in Loveland, CO









 Today was not a busy day for me.  There isn’t much to report so... it is finally Willie’s turn to be introduced.  Brent would say I saved the best for last.  Willie is certainly the biggest, without a doubt.  

During Brent’s active Air Force career, he lived in apartments most of the time.  He said when he bought a house with a fenced yard he wanted to get a dog.  Well, he did and he did.

He wanted a big dog...a man-sized dog.  He saw an ad for Golden Retriever puppies.  He picked the one with the biggest feet.  When Coleson and Sara got out of school that afternoon, the three of them went to pick the puppy up.  

There was a discussion about a name.  Someone suggested “Fluffy,” because at the time the puppy was very fluffy.  Wisely, Brent said that might not be appropriate when he was grown.  The next suggestion was “Willie.”  Brent thought he could live with that one, so “Willie” it was.  Now Brent can’t imagine him being named anything else.

Willie was immediately the hit of the family.  Brent and Coleson played with him and Sara wanted to “mother” him.  She played dress up with him and when it was naptime she made sure he was well taken care of.  Once, when he was much bigger, she stuffed him into one of her t-shirts.  Willie survived, but the t-shirt didn’t.

Soon, Willie was big enough for the kids to ride.  However, Coleson soon got too big, but Sara was able to continue for awhile.  He thinks everyone in the neighborhood loves him.  And you know what, they do!

Several time, Brent, the kids, and the dog have traveled with us in the motorhome.  We have camped out in the Fort Walton Beach area, and in Pennsicola,  staying at military Famcamps.  One time, they all joined us for a trip to Colorado.  It was always fun.  Willie rides looking from the front to the back.  If he is on the bed, he looks toward the front.  One time, I was asleep on the bed and Willie was in front.  When he saw me wake up, he was on a dead run to see me, with Brent in hot pursuit.  When Willie got to the shower, he launched himself.  I curled myself into a ball just before he landed beside me.  He was so happy to see me, and the feeling was mutual.

On our way to Colorado, we stopped in Amarillo, TX on Brent’s birthday.  The kids wanted to take him to the Big Texan Steak House for an evening celebration.  Bill said he would stay in the motorhome with Willie.  We had lots of leftovers to take to Bill.  He sat on the sofa and put his plate down to go outside for a minute.  When he came back in, he ask me what I did with his dinner.  I hadn’t done anything with it, but there sat his plate, empty and very clean.  He was disgruntled to say the least, and made himself a peanut butter sandwich.  Before he could start eating, he remembered something else he needed to do, and set his plate down again.  You talk about a slow learner!  I caught Willie just as he started on his next course.  In defense of Willie, Brent had forgotten to feed Willie his mid day meal and it was nearly time for his evening meal.  That big dog was hungry!  I thought it was funny, but it took some time for Bill to see the humor.

Willie has always had a fondness for socks.  When he was younger, and somewhat smaller, Sara would stick her hand down his throat and retrieve his treasure.  Last spring, when Bill and I arrived in Mississippi, it was cool and earlier, I had been wearing fuzzy socks to keep my feet warn.  When we opened the MH door, Willie bounded in and back back out in three seconds...with a black, fuzzy sock in his mouth.  Brent thought that was really funny...and so did I.

Brent loves his “big man dog,” but if you ask him what Willie likes, Brent’s voice softens and he says, “Snowflakes, butterflies, and blowing leaves.”  Yup!  He’s a man’s dog!!!

Willie has grown into a very handsome dog.  He is hard to take a picture of because, when he is in his Golden Retriever stance and notices he is being photographed, he gets wiggly and frisky and lopes toward the camera.  Kodak moment lost!

I have many more pictures, but I still have limited skills when wanting to send them in my blog.