Fickle February

February is a tricky month....

The month of love, fickle weather, indoor days, daylight getting longer, the desire for spring, 6 family Birthdays!

On February 2

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting another 6 weeks of winter

However, I went for a walk on February 7 and captured these photos!                                      Even got a  rare glimpse of the photo phantom!

Meanwhile in mid-Wisconsin, they were a bit frigid...

Some Wisconsin family are 

hanging out in Florida for 

the month!  The upside of 

virtual work and school!

Back in the Pacific Northwest, Feb 12...and we thought 2020 was over

Aye, Sven, I think it is a b-lizzard!!

It IS artistic!

Sammy snowperson says, you-all come visit the PNW

Sven, can we go inside now?

_________________________

I got my laptop screen light bright again...with a trip to Best Buy and being informed that I needed to contact Microsoft.  Later that day at home I did contact Microsoft.  After an hour chat and they taking over my control the kind gentleman got the light working again.  I'm not sure but I do think it was a technical glitch on their part. I felt secure that the call was to a location north of me here in Washington. All is laptop well!

REFLECTIONS...

     These past 2 weeks have been a little, or a whole lot, boring.  There is plenty of indoor work and projects to do, but my interest level barely exists!

      Having "free time" is a great way and maybe the only way to discover who one really is.  I am a senior "age appropriate"  adrenalin junkee, being most content when out traveling and visiting family or exploring (as long as someone else is driving).

     At home here, it is a challenge to have many things to do but none of them really have to be done right now.  I want to downsize and simplify so I don't feel overwhelmed by so many things left undone.  That goes for material things and intellectual matters.  Too many choices means too much left unfinished.  

     SO...2021 challenge!  Downsize, simplify!

Just do it!!  I'll let you know how that all works out.

______________________________

But adventure is on the horizon once again!!  

Check back in a couple weeks and find out! Oh ya!

This has been a good 2 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  

(John 3:16)

Mid-Winter Quirky

AKA THE GEOGRAM WEEKLY

 January is through in one more day!  

It's been a bit weird almost three weeks for me.

I decided to "just hang out" for two weeks after close interaction with lots of family who were post Covid sick.  I was a little "blah" but nothing severe.  

I could potentially have gotten a bunch of chores done, but did not.  

I remember now what I did accomplish!  The surprise Family Calendar, though after several years it is no longer a surprise.  The GeoLou Schmidt year goes from February to February since the calendar is programed in January. It contains about 250 pictures of B-day folks and fun events from the past year.

Getting it programed is more of an accomplishment this year because about 10 days ago my almost year old computer's screen went dark on me.  Not black, but very dim.  After some inquiry it was determined that probably the LED light behind the screen has gone out.  

This afternoon granddaughter Micaela is driving me to Best Buy across the 205 bridge into the edge of Portland.  (I still don't drive on the Interstate.)  Hopefully BB will remedy the problem since I bought the computer Feb 1, 2020.  

So...right now I am sitting in semi-darkness, straining my eyes to see what is showing in the screen.

I have gone for walks when there are "sunbreaks" in our moderate climate rain forest known as the PNW.  I went out yesterday (Friday) to walk and play around with my phone camera. I came up with an album titled, "Moss Mosaics".

 

OOPS!  TOO QUIRKY

NOT MOSSY

______________________________________________

Not TOO quirky...?

Thanksgiving dinner for one? I needed to cook a small turkey that has roosted in my freezer for too long.  Most of the trimmings and a bit salty, but yummy!!  With 2 hunks of white meat refroze for later turkey pot pies!!  Oh, yah!!

Gobble!   Gobble!

That will butter you up!!

_________________________________
I had plans to visit San Diego late January but with me not feeling completely well and the Ocean Beach Schmidts just recovering from colds and rainy, chilly weather forecast for southern CA  we decided to postpone my visit until late February.

Here's planning and hoping !!  

_____________________

There was a lovely 5PM full moon on Wednesday.  Location in the sky and time seemed a bit odd, but stunning.  

__________________________________

Not nice quirky...

My vehicle was rummaged through Tuesday night.  I hadn't driven it for a few days but noticed the driver side door was not closed tightly.  Then observed things taken out of the glove box and other oddities.  I reported it to the office and they said 3 other cars had been broken into that night.  Said it was probably a homeless person looking for money.  There is a homeless camp nearby, which the city is trying to move.  I was a bit shaken for a day and night but am fine now.  There wasn't any money other than perhaps a few coins.  But, must remember to lock my vehicle from now on.

_____________________

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

"Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have a accomplished you have done for us."  (Isaiah 26:12)

WELCOME 2021!

AKA 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GRANDMA G

(Please observe the title update!)

WELCOME 2021!!  

MAY THERE BE MORE BLUE SKIES THAN RAIN CLOUDS!!

It is difficult for me to realize we are already almost 2 weeks into 2021!

We celebrated Gram G's Christmas here on Saturday. When I saw my table full of bread drying out I knew something epic was about to happen!

King Jake was coming for Christmas dumplings!!

He welcomed all his royal subjects to dine with him!

I got to meet and hold 

great granddaughter # 2

Baby Autumn Rose Miller!

With Daddy Zach and

Mom Victoria! 

Then came the unhappy day to dismantle Candy Cane Lane.  But like Frosty it will be back again some day!!

 

_____________________

Happily the Millers are all well again!  We have passed the Winter Solstice so Gram G is happy again and trusting the Lord for a blessed 2021!

Reflecting back on this year (which is the traditional thing to do) I am grateful for the Lord's goodness to me.   

It was a year of uncertainty at least from early March on.  I caved in on some personal goals, such as progressing in piano performance, song composing and devotional writing.  Yet many adventures came to be.

Early March visit from California Schmidts to a  Washington mountain cabin family weekend...on Monday the virus was disclosed and travel concerns in place...

A two day get away to Rockaway Beach with granddaughter, Angie

First venture out in July after virus threat.

 Granddaughter, Gemma, trip to Wisconsin in August.

Indianapolis trip in October to visit my family.  (Originally scheduled for June)

A gift Thanksgiving trip  to Alexandria, VA to visit son Burt and family!

REFLECTIONS

     As I think back on the start of 2020 there were great hopes that it would be the perfect year, like perfect eyesight.  Something about certain number combinations evoke the mysterious, the mystical, the prophetic in us. To me "2020" is like 50/50...it can go either way.  It could mean "balance", "two sides of a coin", yin and yang, the glass half full or half empty.

    This past year was certainly full of concern and caution for me.  I didn't have the strength to continue "full force" with life.  But I resolved that with God's care I would "live"  and not be bound by fear.  There were challenges yet also incredible blessings even beyond the trips.                            For me 2020 was not a perfect year, but it was a good year!

 

This has been a good 2 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gramma G.

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."    (Jeremiah 17:8)

Christmas 2020

THE GEOGRAM WEEKLY...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I returned to Vancouver from Alexandria on Wednesday, Dec.2.

The weather here was mild, though cloudy the following weekend.  Grandson Zach helped me fetch the Christmas decorations.  I like to do red and white lights around the edge of the yard.  Problem was that half on the string of lights was lit and half was not, both for the white and the red. I could not figure out how to make the entire set work. I had a similar set from the year before.  SO, by adding that third string the entire yard glowed red and white.

How many years does it take to finish a DIY decorating project? 3? 4?

The problem was the letters are "stick on" felt which don't stay sticked on in the PNW rain.  The 1st year the unfinished wood was painted a nice satin white. The next year the felt letters were glued on and then came unglued.  The 3rd year the project never left the garage. This 4th year letters were reglued and the entire sign smothered in 5-6 layers of spray on "Ultimate Spar Urethane" (available at your local home care store---use adequate ventilation).  

"Candy Cane Lane"...red and white theme. 
                                              

It was also time to send out 20 Christmas cards to grandkids.  It's handy to have that many because I can do everything assembly line style.  Everyone gets the same card and almost the same message and same $10 bill....well not the SAME one.   

I need to brag a bit. I purposely put the wrong card in siblings envelopes.  The most fun reaction was from Burt and his 5 boys.  They opened their cards one at a time.  Logan was confused when his card was addressed to one of his brothers.  Eventually they all realized they had someone else's card.  They spent a bit of time discussing this with their parents, trying to decide if it was on purpose or if Gram G was starting to lose her mental alertness.  They even took bets on which it was.  

They wouldn't tell me who bet on which.😉

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

FROM GRAM G!!

Here in VC we ended up with a Covid Christmas.  I am fine but Debbie's family became sick over the previous weekend.  She tested positive on Christmas Eve.  Today, Dec. 29, 7 of 9 family members are sick. They are slowly recovering. Jake and Baby Autumn are well.

A Christmas afternoon chicken soup drop off  at the Miller house...

A Monday afternoon chicken soup and grocery drop off at Zach's new apartment.  

I went for a walk on Dec. 26, the feast of St. Steven, also my dad's Birthday.  The sky was blue and the temperature almost 50!

Four calling birds, plus three

The Christmas Rose...

 I caught a glimpse of the Christmas Star on Christmas Eve!

REFLECTIONS 

     There are times I feel like Scrooge at Christmas and think "Humbug", at least to decorating.  I don't mind receiving presents.  But the endless shopping and awful "store music" annoys me.  I like to see oodles of lights and lawn ornaments that others have put up.  And I like to see MY house decorated and festive.  It's just that I don't want to do it when I think of all the work involved in putting it up and then taking it all down again.  Then I think, what better way to occupy the long dark hours of this time of year. It's now that we need something to give extra light, not just physically but emotionally as well.  What better reason to decorate and celebrate than in honor of Jesus' birth, the light of the world.

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

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' " (John 8:12)