Spring Green...

 Spring is here and Gram G's grass is green and yummy!!  Bunny leaves his little droppings in return.

I've started calling him "Dinner".  My dinner...

April started me off flying high...no fooling

Now, where is she going?

Saying goodbye to Mt. St. Helen's and the Columbia River

Stopover at Denver International airport....

Finally landing in Salt Lake City for the Easter weekend...

It's a few days to check out Jake's school and mosey around SLC.  But first....

Friday evening pizza time...

hope the 7 of us get enough to eat... 

Keys, Debbie, Micaela, Zeek, Jake and Gram G enjoying time together

though Mic got the back, back seat...

When in Salt Lake City one checks out the Great Salt Lake!

One of 8-15 islands (You figure that one out)  Probably Antelope Island

Some of the salt basins

Some of the mountains surrounding the area

And rocks...

Info says it averages 2,122 square miles  and contains 28 million acre feet of salt water at 4210 ft. elevation.  

 I am now interested in more research some day.

Boaters enjoy the lake

Zeek escorting Gram G down the slippery rocks

Manure stinky "beaches"

Scenic lone bush on the prairie 

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Jake is playing LaCrosse for Westminster College in Salt Lake City.  

We took a stroll around the campus

Watched a bit of his practice...

I even had a sit and chat with  Aunt Em...

She smiled but didn't have anything to say...

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We checked out the Mormon Temple

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Took a drive to Park City ski resort...

lovely mountains along the way...

7,000 ft.   

                                                                                    

The locals were beary friendly....

I even embraced a bit of snow...

3 February B-day ladies...

And 1 Native American

Time to leave SLC after the plane gets de-iced

A lovely flyover the grand canyon on the way to Portland via Phoenix

 

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I've been home for 3 weeks.  It seems I don't have much to show for the time.

BUT...

     I did make a pan of twice baked potatoes.  Ate one and froze the rest.  Since then I've microwaved 

defrosted and heated a couple.  Works great and yummy.

Also got cleaning on my mind for family coming to visit in late June...and cause my rugs haven't been cleaned well since I got here.  Cleaning fever is a dangerous time for me.  I believe in no dirt left behind.  Don't know when to say enough now...

Well, that's getting easier as my energy levels drop quickly these days.  But my house stays in various degrees of disarray through all the weeks involved.

With the aid of the new flooring workers...they moved the table out of the way for me. (more on the new flooring later) and 3 cans of Woolite Rug shampoo I cleaned this reversible rug.

REFLECTIONS

     I have had this braided rug for probably over 40 years. I bought it mostly for and from nostalgia. When I was 6-9 years old and lived with the Sperry family they had one like this, only in brown tones.     

     I remember the fun of running around it like on a race track.  It was in their living room, the center of a cozy space with a large fireplace and huge built-in bookcases, sturdy country furniture and family activities. 

    This blue braided rug brings back secure, loving memories of early childhood.  It graced a section of our large living room in Park Falls for over 30 years, giving me a sense of stability and roots.  It was essential I move it out here with me to continue that legacy.  

    I am amazed it has endured for so long.  It is intact, though I 'm sure a few millimeters thinner than at the start.  I do remember sewing up a small split between a couple braids at some time in the past.

    I hope the rug brings up loving, happy, silly, family memories, even though there were not nice ones as well.  I hope it brings back feelings of  their mom's love and devotion to them.   

This has been a good 3 Geogram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mt. Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forever more."

(Psalm 125:1-2)

March Back and Forth!!

...up and down, in and out, hot and cold, sad and glad, day and night, yes and no, maybe so, is how life goes....these past days have been just that!

The month of March can't make up its mind.  One moment warm and sunny, suddenly cold and windy, or rain and gloomy, even rain and refreshing.  It can't decide to be winter or spring.   

(Devin heard it from the horse's mouth!)

Wednesday, March 17, marked the 14th day post San Diego vacation.  I don't officially quarantine but I am a bit cautious for those days.  

I didn't go anywhere out of the park until 5 days after I returned home.  On Monday I needed to get fresh groceries for special quests coming on Tuesday and went to start Ted.  He was completely unresponsive.  

It was the second time I called for roadside assistance for him.  Once again they hauled him off to the vehicle hospital.  

That night while I slept, or tried to, I kept hearing something scurrying around on the roof or the crawlspace under my room or  maybe even in a furnace vent.  I awoke 3-4 times at 2 hour intervals to hear the phantom struggle persisting.   When daylight came I couldn't see any evidence of what may have gone on.  The next night was quiet.

Tuesday morning the car dealership said they got the battery charged and did a yearly (year and a half) maintenance, informing me of $1,200 of repairs that needed to be done.  I took him back in the following Tuesday morning until Friday afternoon for mainly a new timing belt. With a few other repairs the grand bill was $1,445.47.  I was wondering what to do with that $1,400 stimulus deposit.

That afternoon great grandchild #2 came to visit for a bit.  She brought her mom and dad along.

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After I am home for awhile the "home alone doldrums" set in.  Some days its a struggle to get motivated and then to stay motivated.  For several days I've had a hard time staying focused.   

I've discovered the fun and foibles of online shopping.  SO easy to order things and forget to consider the total cost.  But I'm excited about a redo on my "office", starting with new flooring.  That means "out with the old and in with the new" décor. Which is appropriate for starting off this new quarter  of my life.  Pictures to come soon. 

     I've also experienced the wonder of binging one's favorite TV shows without the bother of commercials. Such a smart TV.  How quickly time passes without even doing anything! 

Who else "cleans" a room by simply moving clutter from one room to another until that "another" needs to be cleaned and the clutter finds its way to another room?   My goal someday is to be free of clutter and no need to travel from room to room.

Remember the quiet night after all the scurrying that I wrote about?  Well... now I keep getting unpleasant whiffs of aroma from under the flooring in my room and laundry room.  Hmmm...                At least it is tolerable so far.  Years ago when we were living in an old house in Park Falls there must have been a critter that deceased in the outer wall.  It was quite putrid for several days. Just saying. 

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March 17, St. Patty's Day, I was graced with a new honorary grandson...

Nainoa, son of Kahana and Saul Chacon.

Big sister, Pomai

I got to visit him at nine days old.  I think he looked at me and smiled....really.

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What does one do when there is a delivery on your porch and one isn't strong enough to carry it in?


One opens the box and carries in the components that need to be assembled...piece by piece

 Last Thursday I started  assembly on a new desk.  The first step went fine.  On the second I discovered the screws for the next connections were not the proper size.  A call to the company did not go through.  Hmmm....next approach is a trip to the home store to see if I can get the needed size screws.  

Update....new screws don't fit.   To be continued...

A little bit of springtime...

A Palm Sunday full moon...

REFLECTIONS 

     So now March is over and April makes her appearance!  I am looking forward to April showers!! (Not)  And longer daylight, warm breezes, springtime cleanup outside, cleanup inside to prepare for summer visitors, 2 mile walks, 3 upcoming trips, repair work on both decks and a new roof!

     I may be slowing down, focusing less, not keeping up, but life and the world is still twirling and I am still a part of it!  

     Keep checking in to see what is happening.

This has been a good 10 GeoGram days in the life of Gram G.

"I [Jesus] have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!  I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)