Sunny And Warm

Well here we are in the land of sun, sea, white sand, fresh fish and relaxation and most of our friends and family are just finishing one of the biggest snow storms to hit our area this winter. I feel so badly for you all.....NOT.

We are doing nothing but laying on the beach and eating. I am taking a few pictures though.

This is our first view of Isla as we are coming across on the ferry

We didn't make it far before we stopped for our first meal at Picus. It is a little place right near the ferry and as you can see is right on the beach. The garlic fish is to die for.

And this is what our first day on the beach looked like.......nice, very nice.

David walking down the street to our hotel. Our hotel is a little mom and pop joint with 6 rooms only. It is a very nice place, two rooms have kitchenettes and all have small refrigerators and coffee pots. Cousins, we are staying in your room this year after spending the first two nights in the suite above.

More shots of the north beach. The beach has been eroding away and in an effort to keep the sand they have put in these 'walls'. There is still plenty of beach however.

David, Lenny and Kel deciding on where we should eat. We didn't eat at that particular spot however it may have been less expensive (for David) to do so. We decided to go for pizza instead and it just so happened that they had live lobster for 70 pesos a gram. Now that is dirt cheap really but what I did not realize is that the whole lobster weighs LOTS.......like almost $100 worth! I am serious folks, when we got the meal I was afraid David was going to drop on the floor with a heart attack. Lenny laughed and said that granny would be laughing right now. I figured she probably was and maybe was the instigator of the whole thing! The lobster was good so there! Cousins please tell your mom that I had lobster and go ahead, tell her what I paid for it-when her and my mom came with us we always had a lobster supper......but never ever was it near that price. Try $20 maybe! Oh well huh.

The streets of Isla at night.

The new water fountain in the town square.

Our hotel.

The open air market where we buy our fruit and veggies. The also have very good looking fresh meat hanging for folks to buy....in this heat can you imagine!

Ok folks I have been trying for days to get this damned blog posted so I probably will not blog again until we come home...don't know we will see. I don't know if blogspot is experiencing problems or what but it is taking forever.....don't get lost in the next blast of snow that is coming your way.

David and Me

David's Mom

Celebrates 77 years on February 23rd. Since we will be away on her day in much warmer climates (even tho it is warming up here) I wanted to wish Lois a very happy birthday just a few days early.

We'll soak up a couple of sun shine rays for you on your day Lois. Happy birthday.

Dave and Bobbi

My Very First Project

So, I have spent the past couple of years searching for a 'hobby' that I could do while traveling in our RV after retirement (our plans have changed in regards to the RV but continued to search for a hobby). Our friends Mikey and Jan went so far as to give me a drawing kit one year for Christmas...needless to say that was a bust! My creative juices just do not flow in the way of drawing!

I like to quilt but you need tons of room for that so when I started chemo in 2005 I taught myself how to knit. I worked on a scarf, got stuck on a new stitch and quit totally. A few months ago I took a class at the Tangled Skein in StPeter which is the coolest place ever. They have tons of yarn and hold knitting classes of all types. The two that own the shop are wonderful, talented, patient people. Many folks grab a cup of coffee and sit in the store just knitting and yapping.


The class that I could get into was a felting class. You knit slippers and then felt them so they do not look as if they are knitted. Well during my first class I just could not seem to 'get it', nothing connected and I came home saying to David that I felt developmentally disabled...seriously. But knowing that stretching my brain in this manner was probably really good for me I trudged on. And thanks to the ladies at the tangled skein putting up with me coming in every few days saying 'HELP', I finished my first pair of slippers and here they are-

Because I enjoy doing this and I have the pattern down (sort of) I am now on my way to the second pair. I am almost done with the first slipper and have not (yet) had to go in and get help....proud of myself yes I am!

This is what they look like pre-felting (the sole is not sewn together yet either). When they are felted you can no longer see the knitted stitches. It's a process of washing them in hot water. They are made out of a wool blend so they are warm and made to fit.

My next class is going to be what is called a top down sweater-an easy sweater for beginner knitters. Fun fun fun.

A Very Happy Birthday

To Rachel.

As you can see she is expecting what is to be her and Melvin's first baby. To me there is nothing more beautiful than an expectant mom. Rach sent me a few pictures of her newly developing tummy so I made one black and white and am posting it on her birthday.

Happy birthday Rachel may your day be filled with only good things (and we hope you like the pea coat!)

I found some old old old pictures tucked away......here you are as a young one, enjoy.

This one was taken in 1978

Here you were 8 1/2 and Ry 6 1/2

Your dad doesn't look much different today does he?

Get a load of that hair do huh? I remember having one much like that!

Have a great day.

And Another

My Lenny (Ok Kel so he's yours too...haha) was born 25 years ago today. I am so proud of this kid who has grown to be an enjoyable young man......

Lenny, you can do anything that you want to do, be anything that you want to be, it is just in you.

I don't know if you remember this or not but on our way home from a hockey game out west one blizzardy (I know that's not a word but this is my blog!) night we went in the ditch and ended up spending the night in a church basement. The next morning David cooked breakfast for the nuns and you Lenny sat at the table with the nuns and chatted up a storm. You were all of maybe 11. It was then that I first wondered....'where did that come from' and I have wondered it many times since. I am often amazed at your abilities, your wisdom etc. I am so proud of you, of the man that you have become. It wasn't always easy for the two of us but I think it made us better people perhaps. I know that you know this, but your grandma loved you so much and she too was very proud of you. You Lenny are your grandma's grandson that is true, wear it proudly.

So having probably publicly embarrassed you with my sappy words I am now going to embarrass you with these wonderful pictures that I have of you growing up.

Your first Christmas with your first dog Sassy. Sas did not like kids but she was very protective of you.

Your first birthday...do you recognize the other kids?

First day of school. Ahhhh how many times did I forget you at school????

A mom always has to have a naked picture!

I dressed you so fashionably! This was one of our many vacations. You and I took a week's vacation every year either a camping trip or a winter getaway. This one was a union convention to ether LA or Miami.

Another birthday (one of many and there was always a party or two with lots of gifts...go figure!) Hey Michelle, you came to many of his birthday parties didn't you?

And just because you are so damned cute!

High school graduation picture.

Two of the women who helped make you who you are today. Doris Rush your 4th grade teacher who believed that you could do whatever you wanted to do. And your granny who also knew that you could do whatever you wanted to do, be whoever you wanted to be.

And look at you 25 years later...........

Happy Birthday Len

It's A Busy Couple of Months

Our family has birthdays all over the place as well as an anniversary.

Today is my dad's birthday, he celebrates 76 years of life. Yup he was born on Valentine's Day and his folks dubbed him Robert Valentine (seriously Valentine is his middle name).

A very happy birthday to you pop.

15 Years Ago Today

David and I piled our kids and my friend Mary M in the car and took the most boring trip ever (bet you kids just LOVED the ride!!) to Billings South Dakota and got married. We didn't pick Valentine's day because we are romantic.....not.....we picked that day because for some reason or another we both had the day off from work.

The story begins with both of us working at the State Hospital in StPeter. Neither of us knew the other but he would come to the unit that I worked on occasion to do maintenance work and I thought.....hummm he's a cute little fella!

One day I spied him at Cub Foods in the check out. I hurried up to get behind him and ATTEMPTED to strike up a conversation with him. As I remember he had chicken and steak that he was buying. I asked him if he was going to have a bar-b-que and said something to the affect that I loved bar-b-ques etc.....but he totally did not pick up on the hit. Hell I shoulda used a baseball bat I guess!

So I asked Wes and Howard (who I did know and who worked with him) if they knew him, was he single, what was he like etc. Both said very good things about him and I of course swore them to secrecy. Those two guys are worse than any female that I know. They could not wait to get back to the shop and tell David that I had been asking about him. It's probably a good thing that they couldn't keep it quiet.

He did show up one night when I was working at the bar in Nicollet and actually asked me out. He also told me that he had followed me around Cub Foods a couple of times (don't they call that stalking!) but never got up the nerve to say anything to me.

He is my soul mate, my very best friend and supporter. He has always been there for Lenny, my mom (she absolutly loved him and would have done anything for him), my dad and myself. I cant even find the words to describe what he means to me. Rachel and Ry you have a fabulous dad, Lenny a great step dad and I a wonderful husband.

So I publicly say, I love you and happy anniversary.

The Dance That We Do

As I was laying in the tanning bed today getting ready to go to much warmer climates in a few weeks I thought about the recent aches and pains that I have been experiencing.

My hips ache, I have headaches off and on, I get light headed at times and a week ago I did go to the doctor because I had had a heaviness in my chest and back.

All of this reminds me of the day that David rolled over in bed, looked at me with one eye closed and one open and said, "I'm getting to be like my mother and I hate it". By that he meant that everything had begun to ache.

So, I am sure that I must be at that rotten age myself but because I have had cancer we do the dance........is this a normal (isn't it wonderful what becomes normal as you grow older!!!!) ache or pain or is this something that we need to check out. I do know that all of the things that I have been experiencing recently......IF I had not had cancer I wouldn't think a thing of it.....I would just crab about getting older.

So, because I suppose it is better to be safe than sorry I will continue to do the dance. You know, I never did dance very well and I still don't!

OK, done dancing for today-gotta share a few pictures that I have taken in the past few days.

Tackla allows our dog Peeko to do almost anything with her including playing with her babies and sleeping in her bed. But this new dog of Jessica's (Jack), she just will not get used to him. It may be because he just is too young and playful to know that he should be submissive to her, he continues to pick at her and she does not like it. Here they are, Tack with her lip curled corralling him behind a chair at our house.

And Jack and Peeko, best friends laying on the couch. Peeko actually waits for Jack to come out in the morning, he continually looks out the window for him. Jess you HAVE to get up earlier.

And yesterday afternoon David and I enjoyed watching two pair of cardinal out our front window.

David actually took this one of the male and female in the tree...not bad I say!

Is it ever going to warm up?????

I Am Considering

Doing the three day race for breast cancer this summer. I am gathering information now to see if it is something that I want to do but I feel that I really need to do something. I am living proof of what the research funds have done to increase the life expectancy of breast cancer patients. Herceptin (the target chemo that I am currently taking) has only been given to the general public for the last couple of years and more treatments are on the horizon.

I post about this because if you are a person who does any donating during the year (I know many of my relatives do donate to cancer research), I would like you to consider donating to my three day run-if I do in fact participate in the event. I believe that a person has to raise $2200 to even participate in the three day. So IF I do decide to participate in this endeavor I will certainly let you all know.

http://www.the3day.org/site/pp.asp?c=pmL6JnO8KzE&b=2182503

This is the link for more information on the event. I am feeling that this is a challenge that I need to take on, something that I need to do to give back...I think I may just sign off and go register now. Oh I guess I best talk to David about it first huh? haha. What do you think friends and family?????

Well I Was Gonna Brag But.......

There was a benefit for the gal that I have been posting about. So I decided to be brave and donate a framed picture that I have taken for the silent auction. My worst fear was that no one would put a bid on the picture and I would feel oh so stupid and then I thought oh what the hell, a buck is a buck and even if it brings a dollar it is better than nothing huh?

When David and I walked into the benefit Jessica excitedly told me that there was a $50 bid on my picture! I couldn't believe it actually but it felt pretty good it did.

So on with the story. Later on the original bidder crossed off her $50 bid and put a $20 bid in instead. Apparently others thought that it was a tacky move and they themselves did some bidding on the picture. Now I have heard two varying accounts of what the picture actually brought in the end. My sister in law Kelly thought it was $27 but one of the organizers of the benefit thought it was $50-$60. So I still am not sure what the picture brought, but again, it went for a good cause and I am sure every little bit helps.

Here is the picture that I donated. I took this in Arizona and may have posted it in one of my Arizona trip report posts. It is of a Yucca tree (is that right Rachel and Melvin) that we saw driving through the desert. It is an 8x10 framed and matted-the glare is from me taking a picture of the picture!

She's Encouraging Them On

Lenny and Kelly are in the middle of a mess but in the end it will be so very nice. After mom passed Len and Dad swapped houses and Lenny is in mom and dad's old house. The house was built in 1976 or so and had never been updated. Let's see if I can take you down memory lane (many can remember this as my friends and I spent a lot of time at this house cuz everyone loved my momma). The carpet in the main section was brown and gold and an industrial type nap. In the dinning room was gold shag carpet with absolutely beautiful (not) wall paper on the walls. The bathroom had pink shag carpet with pink sink toilet and counter top and to top it all off the walls were done in pink textured wall paper. The living room had gold shag carpet and some sort of textured wall paper. And then there is the kitchen. It had black and white square linoleum, very dark oak cabinets, green (yes I said green) counter tops and walls-walls were covered with some product or another much like paneling. What wasn't wall papered was covered in very dark colored paneling and throughout were dark rough wood covered beams.

There was a sunken 'fire pit' (Karen you remember that....I have a picture somewhere of you passed out on the couch in the fire pit!) that had brown shag carpet and a built in seating area covered in white and brown striped upholstery. Behind that was a wet bar that was covered in brown shag carpet as well. (oh man lots of time was spent with friends and family at that bar!)

Upstairs are two bedrooms and a nice large bathroom. Before the remodeling they were covered in shag carpet and textured wall paper walls (green and brown). The kids replaced the carpet in the bedrooms and put down tile in the bathroom, they also put in a new tub and toilet and stripped off the wallpaper and painted.

The basement had never been finished, it was Lenny's first project. He (and some friends) put up sheet rock and painted. It is now a livable space.

And then the outside. In the front were brick pillars and overgrown shrubs. David and I helped them yank out the shrubs, knock down and dispose of the pillars and replace the shrubs with much smaller ones.

First of all I just know that mom would have been so pleased to know that Lenny is living in her house. She loved that house and being in that area. And even though she was resistant to changing color schemes etc she would be pleased to see how nice it has become.

So Len when you feel overwhelmed by the project and stressed a bit, think of your granny silently encouraging you on and being ever so happy that you are in the house.

A picture of the demolished kitchen. They are having cabinets custom made by my cousin Curt Krohn.

A view from the front entry of the house through the kitchen and into the dinning room. There was a wall between the kitchen and dinning room with a doorway only. Len and Kel have opened the two rooms up which I think looks very nice.

Looking from the front entry towards the family room. To the far left was the bar, the near left is the fire place area that was sunken (they raised the floor to make it more open). You get a sample of the old carpet here...that will be replaced. In the future they are going to replace the bar as well but re-design it. The steal pole was once covered with that rough dark stained wood. They are going to box them in with a more up to date something or other.

From the family room looking up at the second floor. They tore out the old staircase and railing and are replacing it. You can see, in all of the pictures, that they have removed all of the paneling. They are going to have it all taped and then paint.

Here is what was once the pink bathroom. The picture does not do this justice as it looks beautiful with the updates.

When the entire project is completed I will post pictures. But for now I just wanted to do this to encourage Len and Kel as it is absolutely no fun to live in a remodeling project....you guys are doing a great job and it will be wonderful when done.

This Hair

What am I gonna do with em they are driving me nuts! Too bad my old co-worker Paula doesn't read this as she always gave me grief for referring to my hair as 'em' like a person...she says it's hair not a person!

Anyway....what to do...grow it out, cut it again, what what what do you guys think anyway! It is now in the 'I hate it' stage. What am I talking about, the only time I LIKED my hair is right before I found out that I was going to loose it!

Well it is now getting curly and unruly and is of course too short to 'do anything' with but just long enough to look shaggy. And being the fashion expert that I AM NOT I need help. Oh it was much easier being bald-but much colder!

LOL remember the look.....still had the eyebrows here!

Now remember I have a wedding to look good for (OK to look presentable for!) which is why I am freaking about this hair!

Speaking of the wedding I did finally find a dress-yes I will wear a dress. And this is not a sundress but is an off the shoulder not at all like me elegant but not flashy dress! AND it is actually comfortable, a must for me! I just now need to find someone to shorten it and hopefully make a shawl type thing that will cover my port for pictures.

By the way, David will be sporting a tux....me in a dress and David in a tax all in one place. A sight to see to be sure!

Back to the hair. Do I keep trimming them do I just let EM alone looking shaggy and grow....what what what. Jan you got any ideas?