It's Up in the air .......Post Views....24,464

 Well, SHE'S in the air AGAIN.....

       Monday it was time to fly again.  "Back East" they say in the PNW.  I say "Midwest", but then Everyplace is "back east" when the Pacific Ocean is directly west. 
      Time for my Midwest family tour.  But not before taking care of essentials at home. 

Scrubbing out the inside of my travel bag after a Noxzema mishap from the last flight.

Replacing thermostat batteries so house is not too cold or too hot....

making sure my babies are looked after.

AND....

   After buying an earth/people friendly bottle of 

Buzz Away Extreme
for when I venture into the dense forest of northern Wisconsin....or trying to sit out in the yard in town.


      I'm gone longer than usual this time.  Didn't really want it that way, but circumstances dictated.  I was quite challenged to make all the prep, pack conservatively, see that house sitters were available, have the post office hold my mail for just the right amount of time so they didn't get impatient and have it all "return to sender".  
     When I am stretched like this I always feel it is a practice run for more to come.....Hum.....

Saying farewell for now to Vancouver/Portland and the Columbia River on 3 hour flight into Minneapolis.

What does one do for 3 hours?

Can't hook up to my son's WIFI.

How About a viewing of 

THE THREE AMIGOS

(until the computer battery hibernates)

Great, funny movie

                 not THAT amigo.....

With an hour layover and literally a mile or more between arrival and departure, I think a ride on a senior cart is appropriate, even if it is backwards on the last seat....he buckled me in

Most times I'll "hoof it", but I figure age does have some privileges.....

Actually was pretty nice..

Might be the end of hoofing it. 

First of many engagements..... 

 ATfGG at Burt and Jen's house..

(Annual Training for Gram G)

       For many years as various moms would go off to National Guard annual training, Gram G would also be called up for grand kid duty.  It still happens about once a year when Burt and Jen are both gone for work or award trips.  

My charges for the week..

Logan and Tyler/Devin pretty much fends for himself

   

  

Tyler reached a milestone

He's TALLER than Gram G

Every grandkid's goal..

Then they get TALLER (Josh).....

AND.....

TALLER (Devin)

Josh,new chemistry grad, with mom and dad..

                                     He's working with Navigators for a year, then 4 years med school compliments of the air force with the promise of hanging with them for another 4 years.....              

           

 4 of 5 Schmidt boys......where's the 5th, you ask?

 

He's climbing a rock somewhere up in Alaska......

Who needs Bear Grilles when you have 

Cory "Mit"?

Hiked and skied in to a climb called Toto. A great 6 pitch Trad climb. It was a good day! (Cory's post)

         So Monday I arrive at Burt's house about 9:30pm.  Greet the boys and 15 minutes later Burt and Josh are on their way for a 3 plus hour drive to Minneapolis.   

________________________

       Tuesday morning I awake to the pleasant chimes of my phone alarm.  Where am I?  What time is it?  Did I sleep at all overnight?

Appears it is 6:30AM....time to get the boys up for school.

 Do they know that it is 4:30AM on my body clock?  Do the realize what a hero I am?

Do they see my arms, legs and torso are shorter than Devin's?

It's off to school and back.  Off to evening play practice...

Joseph and the Technicolored 

Dream Coat.

With cousin Aela

Off to devour Briq's 

humongous soft serve ice cream cones 

Time on Tuesday for a walk around the neighborhood....

The land of large, trendy homes and spacious yards....and large, 

barking dogs.... 

   





A favorite scene


       After a good night's sleep on Wed., Thurs was full with another walk, a healthy spinach salad lunch with a dear lady friend, a bit of grocery shopping, picking up the boys from school and attending an evening children's fashion showing by Rachel, Devin's lady.  
(But not before avoiding a near side-on collision.  I was midway through an intersection when a young distracted driver ran a red light.  I pushed the gas pedal and she slowed enough to pass behind the rear of my car.  Praise God for protection!) 

 Rachel's senior project....
She designed and sewed a showing of children's clothing and described what inspired each piece.

made the refreshments
and the flowered wall




"The Sandy"
Inspired by a 
clay pot.
I can see this on my young grand daughters 

                                Devin and Rachel....





This has been a good 6 "up in the air' days in the life of Grandma G.

"For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.  (Psalm 57:10 & 11)

A Little of This and That....Post Views....24,373

        It has been a "this and that" week.  Turns out that starting last

Thursday early AM I succumbed to a virus or PNW allergies. Only one day did I feel horrible.  All these others have just been annoying.  Seems there is something all over the Couve.  
        I have heard people suspicious of "chem trails".....abundant vapor trails from aircraft. There is a thinking that "they" are

spraying us with chemicals to keep us sedated or controlled.  (Outer space music please.)   I am beginning to believe in them, but that they are spraying us with "bugs" out here.  Seems when there is sickness "everyone" has it.  ALERT:  I am only kidding. 
      Our real problem is that we are so blessed with perfect environment for gorgeous greenery that pollen saturates the air.  

 Sat. evening I was privileged to attend a "hymn sing" at a nearby Portland neighborhood church.  

It was well attended and I was inspired by the full volume of singing by all.

 On the way home we were
treated to beautiful scenes 
of sunset. 

 And a rosy glow on
 Mt. Hood....

         

      


MOTHER'S DAY.....
       Debbie, Carole and I were all not feeling well, so we cancelled a cookout and stayed home.  Still it was a pleasant day for me since 6 of my 7 children called or texted.  The 7th caught up with me on Wed. 
     Several hours of this week have been occupied with reserving airline tickets and then cancelling and rerouting; making plans and then remaking; figuring timelines and re-figuring them.  This year is just rushing by and not giving Gram G a chance to stay caught up. 

     Tuesday I had a new problem, but a great one.   I had a choice of 4 activities to occupy a chunk of my day.  I wanted to do them all, and under younger, less committed circumstances I may have been able to do 3 of the four.   I chose to spend the day catching up on "running errand" type activity since I will soon be gone for a long stretch of time.  The point here, though, is that I am getting my roots dug into various activities and developing friendships.  Yeah!
     One errand that probably won't happen again is going to a "We Buy Gold" shop and cashing in 2 gold crowns from pulled teeth  the past year. (Sorry, forgot to get a picture.) Walked out of the shop with $62 more in my pocket. Don't know if I got a fair deal, but there is only so long one can house 2 gold crowns in her drawers...dresser drawers....especially if there is a chunk of decayed tooth still in-bedded in one.  'Twas a bit embarrassing at the gold shop, but no worries, the clerk said, they see it every day. 

      Wednesday was "ladies' luncheon" day.  We went to Black Bear Diner.  It is a chain of diners here on the west coast.   Back in Wisconsin "Black Bear" everything abounds.  
When a particular Indianapolis sister comes to visit later in the summer, this is a MUST dining experience.  YOU know who you is!!

      This is Friday late morning.  This Gram G is TIRED.  She spent yesterday cleaning her house.  YEP!  Well, vacuuming 6 rooms, capturing dust bunnies under beds, putting the last of the Christmas misc. away, dusting, resetting knick-knacks, making a bowl of potato salad to use up eggs and taters, listing last minute chores to take care of before her soon coming MIDWEST TOUR SEASON!!  Not for music, but to visit family in various locations and take grandson Ryan on his 12 year old Grandma G trip!  
     It is getting more difficult to multi-task and to maintain momentum.  So today it is "put one foot in front of the other", one thought at a time, do the most important task first, and see what is done by the end of the day.
    We have already experienced several high 80's days here in the Portland area.  Today is going to be another one.  I am blessed with A/C, but most homes are not.  In the past there wasn't much need.  Recently summers are quite hot.  Tomorrow, though, it is back to the 60's and showers for a few days. 

FOR FUN..

Multnomah Falls....1918.
(No, I did not take the picture)


Multnomah Falls...
April, 2016.
(Yes, I took the picture



  

  Son, Gerry, is participating in a Spartan race tomorrow in San Francisco.  Here is a post from Jan. 29, 2016. (See post for more details.)  Please consider checking out fund raiser project from link below. 

(This is my son, Gerry Schmidt's, post concerning his daughter, my granddaughter, Gemma.....) 

(Wed. January 27, 2016) 

How great is THIS? Gemma is NINE years old TODAY! Here I am with her in 2007 and today. Happy Birthday, Gemma!

Check out the story, the goal and how you can help:
http://give.rchsd.org/goto/MachuPicchuNICU2016


This has been a good 7 "this and that"  days in the life of Grandma G.

"Peace I [Jesus] leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

Welcome Spring....Post views....24,160

      Suddenly it is spring once again.......time to clean up all that winter mess.  I need my faithful grandson helper, Jake.
Last Saturday was the day!  The weather was still a bit mild.  
     We started in the back where he had dumped left over dirt a year ago and had covered it with a large tarp for the winter. 
      I didn't know what to do with all the rocks.  Move them?  Cover them?   That sounded the easiest.  So I had him dump the dirt and cover the rocks.....
      Again its the dilemma....how to make a "green space" without planting grass.

After a few days of pondering and checking the nurseries I decided to try 
"New Zealand Brass Buttons"  Hopefully they will grow well and form an attractive ground cover. 


                                                                           

"Having a sit"  in the Hobbit garden Jake helped me start last year.


April, 2016

           










      April, 2015





    
 But first it was "scrub the floor" time.  Winter messed up the sidewalk with stains and green algae.  

Using PNW "natural" cleanser of grapefruit extract. Great for removing old sticky stuff besides dirt and green stuff.
Be careful how you drop the hose. 

Done just in time for a spring shower.

First rose in 
Gram G's yard.....









Springtime is Prom time....



Granddaughter,Micaela,                                            getting her hair done



Donning her dress....
















Ready for pictures....







      I don't know where the week has gone.  Or the past 4 months of 2016.  The days seem to pass at supersonic speed and I function in low gear.  But it is time to leave winter behind and  get into summer mode.  Lots of activity happening for Gram G.  Check back soon to find out what that is!

     I met a lady friend for lunch today...at 12:45.  We ordered, then ate and chatted.  When we went to pay our bill, the time was 4:06.
Must have had an enjoyable visit!

    When getting the mail before going home I said hi to a lady I know.  She said, "I hear you are playing for Julienne's fairy picnic."(Red Hats)  Word gets around quickly in the park.  My first official piano gig in early August!  Should make for some good blog posts!!   Ya All come back now, you hear.

This has been a good 7 "welcome spring" days in the life of Grandma G.

"See!  The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land."  (Song of Songs 2:11 & 12)