Happy New Year

Can you believe that another year has gone by?  I think time has sped up as it just seems to fly by. The flu bug hit our house and I was sick for Christmas, and now poor Frank has it.  We sure love to share the good, bad, and the ugly.  Guess we won't be celebrating New Years Eve, but then it isn't on our priority list of celebrations.  It is a good time to stay home safe from all the drunk drivers on the road.  I usually go to bed before the New Year comes in.  Tonight I will tuck in a sick husband.

I hope this New Year brings us peace, wonderful surprises, and most of all good health.

Happy New Year

Winter of my Life

	I received this poem via e-mail a few days ago.  I loved it as it really hit home with me.  I have been feeling a little depressed lately as I fight fatigue every day of my life.  Yesterday was a really bad day for me and I found it very hard to function.  I ended up on the couch most of the day feeling worthless and well, just sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I have decided I have to live with this the rest of my life as I have tried to figure out what is wrong. The doctor ran blood work and tried to help me get to the root of the problem. My blood work came out good except for my A1C test was a little high so it has to be my Diabetes. Everything I read, hear, etc. refers to Diabetes as a disease that causes fatigue.

I know my diet has a lot to do with it, and it is so hard to stick to a very low carb diet.  Even fruits will make my blood sugar rise. I get so tried of having to watch and think about everything I put into my mouth and paying the price when I eat something I shouldn't. I know that not too far into the future, I will have to go on insulin and that scares me as it is kind of tricky, and can cause dangerous low blood sugar.   I usually don't post personal things like this, but this is how I feel lately. The poem really hit home with me as it describes how I feel, wishing we could have done more things and couldn't because of health problems, either Frank's or mine. Life does pass us by so fast, and before we know it we are in the Winter of our Lives.

             Winter of My Life

        You know. . . Time has a way of moving quickly

        And catching you unaware of the passing years.

        It seems just yesterday that I was young, 

        Just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. 

        And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago,

        And I wonder where all the years went. 

        I know that I lived them all...

        And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... 

        But, here it is... The winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...

        How did I get here so fast? 

        Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

        I remember well... 

        Seeing older people through the years and thinking that those

        Older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off 

        That I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...

        But, here it is... 

        My friends are retired and getting grey... 

        They move slower and I see an older person now. 

        Some are in better and some worse shape than me... 

        But, I see the great change...

        Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... 

        But, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those

        Older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

        Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! 

        And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! 

        'Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

        And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared 

        For all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability 

        To go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!

        Yes, I have regrets.

        There are things I wish I hadn't done... 

        Things I should have done, but indeed,

        There are many things I'm happy to have done. 

        It's all in a lifetime...

        So, if you're not in your winter yet... 

        Let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. 

        Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly! 

        Don't put things off too long!!

        Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, 

        As you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

        You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...

        So, live for today and say all the things you want your loved ones to remember... 

        And hope they appreciate and love you for all the things 

        You have done for them in all the years past!!

        Life is a gift to you.

        The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. 

        Make it a fantastic one.

        ~ And, Remember ~

        "It is health that is real wealth

        And not pieces of gold or silver."

         

         

 

 

Frank's Been a Busy Bee

Frank working on back splash tile

Finished

Another view 

Frank finished the tile project making another dream of mine come true.  A week later he was working on the Christmas yard decorations.

The street view

Santa making a potty stop

My favorite 

Frank added the fence to the Nativity, and I had Sherry bring me a box of her hay so I could spread it around.  For some reason, I think it looks more beautiful this year.

I want to thank Bret and Laura for the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.  We were a small bunch this year, but I liked having a nice quite dinner, and the food was really good.

Fun With My Saint George Cousins

A few weeks ago, we went to Saint George to see my cousin Lorri's son Josh's play, Harvey, at the Tuacahn High School. What a bunch of talented kids.  We laughed our heads off.  Josh played Judge Omar Gaffney and he  was awesome.  It was Josh's birthday so we all met after the play at my cousin Penny's new home to have cake and ice cream.  We had a wonderful ham dinner Josh's favorite with the family before the play. Penny and Bill's new home is beautiful and I loved the floor plan.

We enjoyed riding up to Tuachan with Gina and Gavin a wonderful young couple.  As we drove up there we chatted, and I found out that Gina didn't know very much about her Grandma Kay who was my Aunt.  So that made me realize that it would be a good idea to blog a little about my memories of my Aunt who was like a second mom to me. So I am hoping to do that on her birthday, December 20. Frank and I spent the night in Saint George and enjoyed our little get a way and it is always nice to be with my Saint George family. They are awesome and always doing something fun together.  

Josh opening presents still in his stage make up note the grey hair

Great Grandkids

Rozlynn playing the piano and acting like she was reading the music from my Children's song book

Last weekend we met Renee at the Smoke Shop and picked up Rozlynn.  We had her over the weekend,  and we had a lot of fun with her.  I was her playmate and she wouldn't let me out of her sight.  Frank and I took her to the park and she didn't want to leave.  The first time she got an attitude with me.

I had Ozzie too as Sherry was visiting her Uncle Grant in South Carolina for a week.  We took him back to Vegas last Monday and picked Sherry up from the airport that night.  Ozzie was happy to be back home.  It was kind of nice to get home and have the house back to a normal environment. I was so tired, I had to take a nice long nap when we got home the next day.

Before hair cut picture

After Hair Cut

Back view of the hair cut

A sick Braxton

Renee told me she wanted to cut Rozlynn's hair and she did last week. The above is a before and after picture.  Nice to have a mommy as a Beautician. It looks so cute on her.

We went over to Mesquite last Wednesday for Frank's pain management appointment, and we stopped by to see Robyn and Braxton.  Braxton was a sick little guy and I felt so bad for him.  Robyn let him have his Binky to help sooth him.  He was all wrapped up in a blanket and was watching cartoons on TV.  Poor little guy tried to eat some soup, and it hurt his throat so bad he cried for quite a while, and it took Robyn some time to quite him down. He is a good little eater, but no appetite this day.  When we left, I wanted to hug Braxton but thought better of it. I sure didn't want to catch his virus. I texted Robyn Thursday to see how Braxton was doing and she said that he was acting a little better.

Our Salt Lake City Trip

We were waiting to ride the tracks to downtown Salt Lake City

My brother Allen and his wife Joyce

Mitch, my niece Megann, Joyce and Allen Luker

Mitch, Megann, Joyce, Allen, and Me

Salt Lake City Creek Plaza

Salt Lake City Creek Plaza

Can you believe this is a part of the Plaza

The Salt Lake City Creek Plaza

Waterfall Salt Lake City Creek Plaza

Mitch sitting on the hearth of this beautiful fireplace. I bet there is a fire going on  with the weather change.

This statue used to sit in the middle of the road and I used to have to drive around it.

Allen & I looking at the statue

Frank took this beautiful picture of the Salt Lake Temple  When I lived in Salt Lake I could see this temple from my bedroom window.

Frank & I having fun sight seeing Salt Lake City Creek Plaza

The reason we were in Salt Lake for this cute couples Temple Sealing Ryan & Melissa Luker

Statue of Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Building Used to be The Hotel Utah, a very high end hotel.

Dinner on the Roof Top of the Joseph Smith building My niece Miranda , Scarlet, and Pete

Scarlet having fun coloring

The beautiful Bountiful Temple where Ryan and Melissa were sealed

We had a wonderful time with my Brother and his family.  What a special experience to see Ryan and Melissa being sealed in this beautiful temple.  We could see the Great Salt Lake from there and there was a beautiful sunset going on.

It was so much fun riding the tracks to downtown Salt Lake and getting to see the beautiful Salt Lake City Creek Plaza, and touring the Temple grounds.  I couldn't believe the changes to my home town where I used to walk and shop.  My high school is not too far from the temple grounds and a group of us would walk downtown through the temple grounds and go to a store and buy a hot dog that would taste so good.  Then we would catch the city bus to go home.  I could recognize some of the old buildings that are still on main street.   The Salt Lake valley has grown so much, I hardly recognize it, and could get lost. Downtown Salt Lake has been transformed into a beautiful place, and is well worth a visit.

Fun on Halloween

When we were shopping in Vegas a few days before Halloween, we saw a man put this mask on.  We liked it a lot so we decided to buy it for Frank to wear on Halloween night. Bret and Laura came over for dinner and just as I was going to take a picture of us eating dinner, the trick or treaters came and the sun hadn't even gone down.  So I didn't get a chance to take a picture.  I made sirloin vegetable soup and cornbread.  Something easy to have on a busy Halloween night.

Frank waiting for the kids

Frank had so much fun teasing the kids.  He would ask them what they had in their bags and then reach in and act like he was going to take a treat.  It was so funny watching the kids expressions.  We laughed our heads off. Merritt came later and had a bowl or two of soup and then helped hand out candy.  Bret helped with the handing out of candy too.

The kids came in bunches and it never stopped until 8:30 PM and we closed the house up and turned out the lights and still had a few knocks.  We were all so tired and so I just called out that we were out of candy.  I only had a few hand fulls left out of three huge bags.  The kids couldn't figure out if Frank had a mask on or not.

Some of my Halloween decorations

I had a scary bat hanging on the side wall of our house.  Last year I had it over the dining room window and it scared some of the little ones.  So I put it further away and the kids were too busy looking at Frank and didn't even notice the ugly bat.  Thanks Bret, Laura, and Merritt for all the help.

Another Sad Day

This isn't Dusty but he looked similar  to this horse

Yesterday my daughter Sherry, had to have her horse Dusty put down. Dusty was a Pure Bred Arabian, and came from Wayne Newton's Arabians.  He has been suffering with arthritis and the joints in his legs had big knots on them and just recently caused him to founder.  He could hardly walk around and has steadily gotten worse.  He gave Sherry many days of joy and was feisty and full of life in his younger days. Sherry rode him most of the time until a few years ago. He would stumble with her and she was afraid of getting hurt.  She knew something was wrong and had the vet look at him.  That is when they discovered he had arthritis and Sherry would not be able to ride him any longer.

She has another horse Ami, and Sherry rode her and took Dusty along.  If Sherry didn't take Dusty with her on the rides, he would throw a fit and run up and down the corral until Sherry got back. He couldn't stand to
have Ami out of his sight.  So it is good that he went ahead of her.

After Dusty was gone, Ami was at the gate and was swaying back and forth, until Sherry took her out to brush her and get her ready to be moved to a new pasture.  Sherry said as soon as she got Ami over by the hay stack, and was brushing her, she calmed down.  Sherry thought that Dusty was there to comfort Ami.

Ami has a seven year old mare named Bella who has been in a different pasture and the two of them have been reunited. They were so happy to see each other. I am sure this will help Ami with the loss of her companion, Dusty.

 I didn't think that losing Dusty would affect me so much, but I have lived in Sherry's home a couple of times and have taken care of the horses while Sherry was at work.  When we moved into one of our rentals, Sherry would drop by with the horses on her way back home from a ride.  Ami and Dusty knew that Grandma would have a carrot or an apple for them and they knew the routine of where to stop.  Sherry has had the horses for over seventeen years.  It is so hard to lose pets, so yes I had a good cry yesterday when I heard that Dusty had been put down, and I told Sherry that is why I don't want any pets because it is too hard to lose them.  

Lunch with the Grandkids

Robyn & Braxton arrived and Rozlynn greeted them

Trying to get Braxton warmed up

Aunt Robyn with Roz and Brax

Had a surprise visitor my grandson Shiloh

The family Jamie, Shiloh, Braxton, Rozlynn, Robyn, & Sherry

A couple of Mondays ago, we decided to have a family lunch at the Scoop. I had a wonderful surprise as Shiloh dropped by on his way home to Cedar City.  He had been in Las Vegas.  It was great to see him and catch up on the news in his life.  I don't get to see him very often.

I am feeling a little depressed as Robyn and Eric are moving to Northern California. Eric has transferred to a hospital in Watsonville, California..  I am excited for them and the new chapter in life they are about to experience.  They are moving to a beautiful area and will be close to the ocean. Actually, I am a little jealous as I love the ocean.  I am going to miss seeing them and especially playing with Braxton. Frank and I usually stop by for a visit on the days Frank has to go to his pain management doctor across the street from where Robyn lives now. Thank heavens for the Internet and facebook where I am sure Robyn and Eric will be posting pictures.  It will also give us a new place to visit and explore.  

I have to say that I am proud of my granddaughter Mackenzie as she was crowned the Homecoming Queen last Thursday evening.  Wish I could have been there to see her get the honor.  It makes me sad to know how many things I have missed in my estranged son's family.  Things are pretty much the same, they have nothing to do with me, and I am still trying to figure out what I have done that was so horrible to deserve this.  There is always something said at church, conference, and the Ensign about forgiveness.  Isn't it about time!!!!!  Some day you will know my pain.  I love my family unconditionally.  We all have said and done things that end up biting us in the butt.  I am so grateful for the family that does love me. 

The Story of the Drift Creek Covered Bridge

When we went to Portland to pickup Sherry and Lorri, we saw a sign that said Driftcreek Covered Bridge.  This aroused my curiosity and I told Frank that we needed to check it out before we left Lincoln City.

The last week of our vacation, we decided to take a little drive to check out the bridge.  As I walked inside the bridge, I noticed a bench with some papers under a rock.  So I took one and discovered the story of how this bridge was moved and rebuilt on this site. It is kind of long, but I found it very interesting and decided to put it on my blog.

I wondered as I finished the story if the marriage made it through the trial of restoring this bridge.  I hope so. The bridge was well worth the trip to see it, and it became more meaningful after reading the story behind it.

Sorry about the smaller print on the top part, but I couldn't get it to enlarge or make it bolder.

Home At Last

The trip home from Oregon seemed so much longer than when we started our journey.  We were so anxious to get home and sleep in our comfy bed and wanted to see our family and friends.  Sherry, Renee, and Rozlynn came out and spent the night with me.  Rozlynn had really changed, she carries on a conversation and I could understand her.  She is finally potty trained.  

Bret and his family came over to visit and it was great to get to see everyone, except Sierra who was at that time still in Idaho.  She has since come home and I heard is working at Tiffany's Sub & Pie shop in Logandale.  Congratulations Sierra, I am proud of you..

Frank has been working his hind end off.  Getting the yard cleaned up, getting a dead tree pulled out with the help of Bret, and Merritt.  He has been working on getting the shutters painted, and is now working on painting my two outside wooden rockers, and lawn swing.  He took a window out today that needs to be replaced and hopefully we will get a new one ordered in St. George tomorrow. It has been so dang hot and we tell each other how much we miss Lincoln City, and the wonderful cool weather, but just not the house we stayed in.

I have been feeling real lousy, and I guess I will have to go see my doctor to see if we can figure out what is going on with me. I have to force myself to do everything I do. I had to go see my gynecologist Monday as he had tried to call me about my Evan Mist, a hormone spray.  It turns out that the insurance doesn't want to pay for it any more as I am too old to be on it.  The problem is that I have been on hormone replacement for so long, I just can't go cold turkey.  So my doctor is going to work with the insurance company with this theory. I have been gradually going from three sprays to one, so hopefully I can ween myself off from it.  We no longer can work with our doctors as to what treatments and medicines we can have.  The insurance companies rule.  My doctor gave me a sample and said he would call in the prescription.  We will see what happens.  

Below are some pictures of Grandma Sherry and Roz singing Itsy Betsy Spider.  I was singing with them.  Rozlynn has on the hat I bought for her on the Oregon Coast.  She is so dang cute and smart too.  Well this brings me up to date.