Baby Pomai....

It's been over 3 weeks since I have returned from my trip.  The first week was spent napping,figuring out where I am and what time it is.  The second week was occupied with reprogramming my brain to handle everyday, routine activities.  This 3rd week I am getting bored and wanting to get high again....in the sky, that is. I am convincing myself it is good to have time to get something done.  

    My biggest and most exciting news is there is NEW LIFE in my life.  I have a new "adopted" granddaughter!!  Pomaika'i Mia...meaning "My blessing". Her parents call her Pomai.  She was born June 12.

I met Kahana (mom) 6 years ago at a church potluck.  She has chosen to be my loyal friend. Most of her family lives in Maui. She and Saul married 2 years ago.  

We went for our first walk this past week. The weather started a bit chilly and ended a bit warm..
lovely flowers and numerous blueberry bushes.  We went 2&1/2 miles.  (I ended the day with over 3 miles.) We were all tired the next day!
I look forward to being part of her life as she grows!!
Pomai makes 21 grandchildren for Gram G.  The number I've wanted.

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 Time to give the Columbia River Gorge some attention!

Late May visit...

A Red Hat Ladies' day  (couple hours) at Multnomah Falls.  Lunch and photos at the Falls.  

Our charming waiter...

Sitting between myself...
to the left,Georgia
to the right, matching shirts....
Lovely friend, Nancy..sweet potato ravioli with sausage...good sociability

A July visit...

 After crossing the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington...
























Another Red Hat Ladies' lunch at Skamania Lodge in the Gorge. 
We opted out of the zipline, golf or rafting... 

Columbia River Gorge

(view from the lodge)

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Some Family Summer Connections....

Granddaughters, Angie and Micaela, enjoy Multnomah Falls with great granddaughter, Rosie!  Pacific Northwest ladies!!

       

 A mountain top experience for grandson, 
22 year old Cory....
Summitted Denali (Mt. McKinley) June 29!!
He was one of two guides who assisted a lady climber who has now summitted the highest peaks on the 7 continents.
He graduated from university of Anchorage this past spring.

 Indianapolis siblings meet up with cousin Wisconsin siblings in Milwaukee.....
Stephanie (IN) Angie(WI)
Jim(IN)  Chuck(WI)

For a swaying evening of dinner and Jimmy Buffet....






Indianapolis cousin, Bob, meets up with Wausau, WI cousin, Burt...in  BOSTON...for a trade show... neither knew the other was going to be there....Oh, My!!

 Now they are initiating a cousins reunion in WI next summer....been talking about that for years....32 first cousins and families on Gram G's side... 

 Grandson, Jude, visiting the land of his birth.... Sister/granddaughter, Gemma, checking out London with him.....

As July is ending and August bridges summer into autumn I am again astounded how quickly the year (and years) pass.  I am grateful for abundant family to soothe my sometimes lonesome and restless spirit! 

I do have a surprise coming really soon!  You all  check back to find out what it is!!

This has been a good 21 family connection days in the life of Grandma G.  


"After this, Job lived one hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years."  (Job 42:16019)

A Month of Family Fun....

"It's been one month to the day," as Hobbits would say, "since I last blogged."                  
 Gram G has been too busy having family fun to blog.....besides not taking her computer traveling with her this time.  I tried working with a Kindle Fire but couldn't master that.


 Before the fun began I took part in a community wide garage sale.  Usually I am gone when it is held in July, but this year we had it June 15.  It was a last minute decision, rather, a last 3 days decision, to participate.  I had a lot of musical items I brought with me from the store in Wisconsin.  They have been sitting in closets since.  I figured this would be a great opportunity to pass stuff along and make a few dollars besides. I sold 5 guitars, about 100 packs of guitars strings (to one fellow who's hobby is restoring old guitars), and a few misc. small things.  I netted a fair amount of money on Saturday, most of which drove away on Monday when my vehicle needed an alternator transplant.  Oh, well, music to motors, as the saying goes. 

Our little bird parents were quite distressed all day.  

Their baby was in the wreath nest right next to commotion of people.  (I left for 18 days after this so I don't know "the rest of the story". [see June 11 post for the start of the story] When I returned all was quiet in little bird town. Hopefully all three flew safely away at the proper time.) 
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Just a quick preview of travel adventures with more details soon!

June 18 it was an early morning flight....up at 4:30...to northern Wisconsin, landing at the What the Heck? airport and the home of mosquitoes.

 Three days later it was a 6 hour ride to southern Wisconsin for  a blue campfire, grandson Austin's high school grad party, a swim in the rain with Austin guarding and a Milwaukee Zoo visit in a different rain.

 On the 25th, it was an evening flight for Gram G and grandsons, Logan and Eddy, to SAN DIEGO!! 
The Gram G/Logan/Eddy Great San Diego Adventure begins!! 
(They are the last of 11 grandsons for trips with Gram G. I have 4 of 8 granddaughters to go....unless some surprises come along!)

Beach fun in Ocean Beach
 


Fast Pass for rides at Sea World!

Two nights of camping in the California mountains!

Coaster Ride to Oceanside to visit more family

More beach time with more family....

 

 Go Cart time....not for me....

 4th of July beach crowd and fireworks....

Back on the Coaster to Ocean Beach...time to say goodbye to Logan and Eddy.....

Gram G back in Vancouver with Angie....dinner at Olive Garden

Al, Autumn, Logan and Eddy on route to northern Wisconsin after red-eye flight from San Diego.....

Sun sets on the Pacific Coast













This has been a good 31 "family fun" days in the life of Grandma G.

"May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May you live to see your children's children---peace be on Israel."  (Psalm 128:5-6)