14-10-06

Annette was cute, and sweet, presenting the gift she made for me. She folded the pages of a book in a way that makes a heart. She said, "I chose the roses for you," and that she liked the way you could still see whole pictures of the flowers, even when the craft was done. It looks like an enormous amount of precision folding and care, and when I commented about the time, she said, "I enjoyed doing it for you."

Beverly wrote me a sweet note, and is going to take me to lunch and to see the Sandhill Cranes.

Beth gave me a theme present -- a movie night, at her house, where she said there will be appetizers, and she put Champagne in my gift bag, along with some movie candy. She said, "And I made a definite time, so it can't just never happen."

John and Kim and Noah gave me a sweet card.

Shawn brought his girlfriend. First girlfriend to come to Second Sunday Supper. Brittany was the first to meet her. She sent a text to all of the girl cousins. Morgan's response: I"m currently driving 90 miles an hour down Schillinger.;-)

The girls all cooked and the kids helped set up and clean up, so it was a really easy night. Barry spent all day helping me, and took care of getting and heating up the Boston Butt.

Kim, going home with leftovers, "Thanks to you, I won't have to cook tomorrow night!"

Skyler, sitting at the table: "I'm waiting for Noah." When I told her about her ring shopping trip with Papa, she said, "Cool!"

14 09 17

Annette called. I just happened to be in the house, so that was fun. She called just because she realized we hadn't talked in a while. Had a nice little visit. 

Beth stopped by. She was on her way back from Louisiana. The rest stop is closed. No bathroom. We laughed. I told her she probably didn't have any idea what I had to go through to get that rest stop closed. ;-) 

14 09 04

Kelly answered my text.

Mama Cat is here with me.

Beverly, Beth and Annette, having fun at Goodwill, choosing their outfits for Brian and Jamie's wedding. For Jamie, because she wants some fun pictures.

Barry and I had a nice supper at Wasabi and then went to Fresh Market to get the wheat grass, and then came home and watched the news and then made juice.

He doesn't have pneumonia.

I got the liability insurance audit done yesterday, and without too much headache or fallderall. I'm beginning to think I might actually get to go walk on the beach Monday.

14 08 27

Annette's skin tests all came back negative!

14 08 05

Had a nice phone visit with Annette.

Tori saw Orcas yesterday. Said it made her so happy she probably won't ever be sad again.

Brittany is having fun at her doll-making class.

Beverly had a good first day at work.

Beth posted funny things about turning her hair blue.

14 07 28

My card from Annette

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14 07 27

We had Goodtimes today. Beverly and JA were our playground duty. 

Angela coming for one more hug. She had hugged me bye in the house, and then I had come out in the backyard. She and Ryan walked through a few minutes later, on their way to their car, which was in the back. She smiled and walked over, "One more hug."

Willo to Skyler: I like your pony tail. Willo was on the pool step. Skyler was in the pool near her, faced in the same direction as Willo. Willo said, "I like your ponytail!" After Skyler said, "Thank you," Willo asked, "Do you like my ponytail?"

Willo asking Evan to sit by her. It was 5:00, and almost everyone was gone. Willo sat down on the sofa, and then asked for "that boy." 

You mean Evan?

She nodded.

He was standing by the kitchen table, and came to sit down beside her when I relayed her message.

What do you want? Do you want me to sit beside you?

She nodded, and leaned her head on is arm.

Are you tired, Willo.

One more nod, before she nodded off, I think.

Willo wanting to be called by a different name. "Call me Elsa." apparently a character in Frozen.

Evan helping with the kitchen. I was cleaning up the house, getting ready for Goodtimes, and Evan asked if I would like him to do the kitchen.

Card from Annette. I will have to find a way to save the words on this. Touched my heart.

Noah sitting beside me on the sofa. And long about 9:00, Noah came and sat beside me, and leaned on my arm. 

July 14, 2014

Angela hugged me likes she misses me.

Angela, "It's good that Willo is talking to us all."

Willo looking for Tori when she got here. Telling Tori something about her being a big kid and a little kid. A big kid at the table and a little kid when she's outside, I think.

The little kids gathering up first at their table in the reading room.

Evan, Zak and Shawn, hanging out.

Laughing and listening to the kids.

Annette, that one of her favorite memories is sitting by Kim at Mardi Gras.

I asked Annette if she needed me for anything when she called me while I was in Chicago. She said, "No." Called just to talk. :-)

And so we did.... have almost everyone here. Beverly and JA, Kennedy and John, did not make it. We pulled out the stretch table and the older grandbabies sat there. I did that because we were also having a lot of grandbaby boyfirends, and I knew they wouldn't all fit at the square table. I set the little table up in the reading room, but with only four chairs. I wasn't even sure we'd need them. The little kids tried to pile in there, but we told them they could sit at the square table. It took them a minute, but they did move in there.

The macaroni and cheese was a lot better last night. I don't think I'll do that boston butt again. It just wasn't that good. The boys gave me a kind of a blank look when I suggested it might be a substitute for the roast.

14-06-27

Cause when Grannie needs me to do something, I'm always there. I asked Tyler and Noah to do something .... I've forgotten now what .... I remember ..... to get the things out of the pool that had been left there by the last group .... some fins, etc. .... Noah started. Tyler said, "You don't have to do that right now. And then Noah said, "Cause when Grannie needs me to do something, I'm always there." 

Late summer afternoon. .. sipping root beer.... watching the boys swim. And I got through my work, and got a bottle of root beer and a magazine (Tyler: Are you drinking a beer? Noah, have you ever seen Grannie drink a beer?) and went to sit on our shaded deck and watch the boys swim. 

Papa bubbles and squeak. So then we decided to see if Noah wanted to come and spend the night, and that we would cook dinner at the house. And Barry said, "So that means I"ll be cooking for Tori, then?" And he set about getting the ingredients for meatless Bubbles and Squeak. He was so happy preparing it all, and so happy when she liked it so much. 

The boys liked their grilled cheese sandwiches. And then Tyler and Noah were hungry and I asked if they'd like Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They were pretty impressed with the grlll pan.Wondered who was the best at making grilled cheese ... me or Noah's mom. Went on and on about how delicious their sandwiches were, and each wanted a third sandwich.

We seem to be doing more things together. Barry at the end of Saturday, after we'd worked on my writing shack, and gone to Lowes and Office Depot, and Rouses.

We put the floor in my writing shack. Yes, we did. We most certainly did. And I am writing in it now. I don't know what i'll do in the cold of winter, and I hope we aren't sending too much cold air out through the cracks. and I don't know if I'll ever be able to leave a computer in here, but today is good.

Visiting with tori and josh. Tori coming to sit beside me. Papa staying at the table and us all visiting together for about an hour.

Choosing a puppy: Tori and Josh, side by side, looking at puppies on the computer. 

Willo. Got a lot of attention yesterday. Floated in the pool with Tori. Played with me a little. 

"Again and again and again --- Willo

Noah. . Lay off on the hamburgers.

And so Annette and I made chocolate chip cookies together. She took notes. We relaxed. We visited. We had a good time. She said, "I love you." 

Josh and Ryan playing with the little kids in the pool. 

Willo: "I need you, Uncle Rodney." when she hurt her finger. 

14-06-24

Tyler and Noah on the swings. --- boy noise. 

Annette wanting to learn how to make my chocolate chip cookies. She and Skyler are coming early Sunday to help me make them. (Morgan asked for cookies when she comes home.)

Went to the gym.

Was at Wonderland by 9:14. Didn't have a frustrating day. 

Ryan posted that he and Ange were going to book their wedding venue. Then they posed pictures and she sent me a text. May 2! And she said she can take me to see it. 

And Barry cooked dinner.

And Annette sent me a text when she was worried about Brittany and travel. 

14-06-22

Writing shack. .
Murray old carpet is out.  Walls are painted.  Flooring is purchased.  It isn't ready to write in tomorrow,  but I'd I sweep, I'll mess up the paint.

Also learned to use the thing to get up the carpet strips.

Annette and I had a good time together yesterday, shopping for sun protective items. I had started to buy her a hat, and told her so, but wasn't sure I'd get her anything she liked, and wanted to take her on a little shopping trip. She said, "Thank you so much for doing this for me," and gave me a big hug. We had a visity lunch, and just some nice time together. 

14-06-17

I was glad I went with Annette for her appointment yesterday. I like to think that my being there to keep her company made things easier while she waited for her appointment. The best news is that there was no cancer at the margin of what they took out. 

She said that Andrew had been  really cute lately, just the loving things that he had been doing, just the way she would catch him looking at her sometimes. I said, "Glad you're alive." She said, "I know that's what he's thinking." She said he thanked her the other day, for chasing him and not letting him go. That after awhile he gave her his number and said, "Call me sometime." She laughed as she told me that she followed the rule, and waited three days. 

We just had a nice girl talk. 

14-06-05

June 5. Annette said that I am like a mother to her. We were talking about my coming back with to pre-op with her and Andrew. She wanted me there. "You are like a mother to me." 

The tone in Andrews voice when he paid for my lunch. It was 11 when they finally took Annette back. Andrew asked me if I wanted to go to the cafeteria. Took us a minute to find it, and it is more of a food court than anything, with three or four different stations. When I got my plate, he asked if I wanted to put it on his tray, and he  got to the cashier first, while I was getting my drink. I got my card out, but he said, "Mom, I've got this" and I could just tell from his expression that I needed to let him do it. 

14-06-04

Annette --- "I woke up at 1 or 2 a.m. thinking that we didn't have end of the year cookies."

14-06-03

Annette had her doctor's appointment yesterday. Cancer surgeon, re: the melanoma. The day she told me about the diagnosis and appointment, I called her back, and told her I didn't want to be intrusive, but if she didn't need me for anything else that day, I'd like to go to the appointment with her and Andrew. She said, "You can come! I don't mind at all!" As it happened, Andrew had an emergency at work and had to leave after the appointment, and I stayed with her while she had her pre-op tests done. She sent me a text aftewards and said, "Thank you for coming with me today. It meant so much. Love you." And that made me happy. I'm never exactly sure when and where I am supposed to be, but it seems I made the right choice that day.

~Beverly sent me a message and said, "JA and Tori are on the phone right now, talking about how important the joy journals are."

April 7, 2014

~Barry, after we were back home and settling in to watch T.V. "Another successful Second Sunday Supper."

~He said "Morgan was proud of her cooking. She had a right to be."

~Willo was scared when she got here, but she came to me so we could go get her card with the duck. She's learned I keep little surprises for her in my office. She seemed pretty happy after that.

~She wanted to play with Daniel's toy. It was on the table, and he was sort of leaned over, hugging it. I told her he seemed to be holding on to that pretty tightly. He said, "She can play with it." He was going to let her put on it on the floor, but she said, "I'll sit by you, Daniel."

~Willo, puckering up for a kiss, when I protested that I couldn't go with her to my office  because I miss the good-bye kisses from the kids who were gathering up to leave.

~I'm always the one looking for kisses, so when I heard Andrew say, as Annette was about to shut their front door on our way to the estate sale, "want to say Hi to Mom," it made me feel good.

~Beth and I had a good time Saturday morning. I sailed into Saturday without a lot of leftover Wonderland on my mind, so much less stress. We played tennis, and then we had lunch.

~Annette went with us to the monthly estate sale, and we had a good time looking at things together. I had decided before I went that hanging out with her was more important to me than my usual self-focused walk through.

~Kids at the table, laughing and talking before supper.

~Played in the bonsai garden with Barry.

~Brittany, carving the roast, putting the vegetables in the bowl, "I'll do this. You can go and visit."

14-2-5

We had fun at the bonsai meeting. Always glad that I have gone. Russell gave a presentation on azaleas, and mentioned Facebook several times. After the meeting I told him that I might send him a Facebook friend request. He said to do that, and then, "I hope you like liberal politics." I said, "I do! I didn't know you could find that in Mobile," and Joe Day, who was standing close by whispered, "There are three of us!"

Annette wants to go to the next estate auction thing with us, and she saw my post about the coffee cup, so we got to chat about that.

They are supposed to be installing Prophesy and QuickBooks Enterprise today. Taylor's gotten the 2013 books, so that the tax thing is done.

I did my hair this morning, and I like the way it turned out.

14 01 27

Ryan and Angela cleaning up. Angela hugged me bye, mid afternoon. Homework. I understood. And then she cleaned up around the project she'd been working on, and Ryan brought the craft table in, and they both worked at neatening things up. I thought that was sweet. 

Annette visit. Annette, hug. "I feel like it has been forever since I've seen everybody." And so she sat, and we visited, and she told me about her run, and feeling a good tired, and what she wants to do next. And Skyler's competition. 

Noah helped me make the bed.  Beverly.  Pillows. Noah and I played Crazy Eights, and then I told him I needed to clean up for the cousins, and he said, "I will help you." And so he helped me make the bed, and we talked about when he used to help Aunt B with the pillows.

Faith, connection. Faith and I, chatting and visiting throughout the day.

Zak Shawn Tyler.... recycling. So, we were down to three. Three boys and two big boxes of recycling. I asked if they would take it for me. Tyler asked if there was something for him to take, so he took the original recycling bin. They did it without hesitating, and when they came back, and Zak saw that some of it had spilled, he gathered it up and took it out the bin, too.