Surprise Visit/Grandson B-day...

     Thursday, Jan. 24 was the 18th B-day of one of my grandson's from Wisconsin.  He is in his first year of college at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. His goal is to become a doctor.

      Happy 18th B-day,  Josh!!

        Mom Jen, Dad Burt and Josh                                                        3 brothers in The Music Man

                                                                                                                  Josh, Cory, Devin

      I like to do something special on my kids and grandkids B-days.  With 7 and 18 I get a fun day every 2 weeks. Yeah!   Today the "special" presented itself or rather herself.  Granddaughter Angie called to see if she could come over, we go to dinner and she stay the night. 

      I was glad for her to come over.  The days get long for me even though there is plenty to do.  Having another person around, especially a grandchild, adds a fresh dimension and an extra spurt of energy for me.  

      I had gift cards to Olive Garden and Pier One Imports so when she get here late afternoon off to a night out we went, even in the rain.   After dinner and some browsing and buying at Pier One Imports it was a stop at Freddy's to buy Bentley some dog food.  That was the longest and most difficult decision of the evening.  So many choices for one little dog.   

       Dinner at Olive Garden                                                                Bentley sleeping over, too

   Back at home Angie and I settled in to work on the piggy puzzle.  It has gotten to be a challenge for both of us--1,000 tiny pieces with even tinier pictures of farm animals.  Angie found a few pieces while I sat and pondered a strategy to move things along more quickly.

     I have come up with a plan.  After sorta separating the colors, I am organizing the "same shapes" into sections.  That way we (one) can discern the tiny picture and the shape then scan all the same shapes for just the right picture.  Now if you can follow that you are welcome to come over and help us complete this challenge.

       It was fun this morning to wake up to company. I felt like I was on vacation.  After lounging around we headed out to Freddy's to pick up a ring I had re-sized and to look over lawn gnomes.  Angie and I are going to decorate my yard in gnomes when we find the perfects ones.  

     We made a surprise visit to Angie's mom, (my daughter), Debbie's work office.  She is staff manager at a large medical facility.  I hadn't seen it yet and Bentley hadn't seen Deb for a day, SO....we stopped by to check things out. 

         3 generations  Angie, Debbie, Grandma G (and Bentley)

     Angie had to end her visit by 3 PM on Friday since she had other obligations.  But since she is referring to the guest bedroom as her bedroom I think she will be over again real soon. Happiness.

     I couldn't resist more organizing on my puzzle plan after she left.  By 5:15 I figured it was a healthy idea to go for a walk since the rain had past.  One trip around the streets of the park takes me 1/2 hour--just right for a walk.  Upon returning home a one  hour stretching session completed a good senior workout.  

      I took some time to email a dear friend back in Park Falls, WI. It would have been less time except I accidentally hit a wrong button and wiped out all the news.  Had to redo it all.   

    One pleasant past time right now is thinking about summer travel plans.  It is time for Jake's and Austin's 12 year old trip with Grandma G.  Jake lives here in Vancouver; Austin in Oconomowoc, WI.
The trip will go something like this. Grandma G and Jake fly to Milwaukee and spend a week there. We bring Austin back here with us for a week.  I fly back to Wausau, Wisconsin with Austin, have his mom pick him up.  I then drive up to Park Falls for a week (nice weather) and then fly back here to VC.   That is probably 3-4 weeks of summertime.  Fun.  Probably tiring, but Fun. 

     This has been a good 2 "surprise visit with Angie" days in the life of Grandma G.

    "A generous man will prosper: he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."  (Proverbs 11;25)