Camping Weekend

Jim better come back in one peice.

Moving Football off the Top Spot

I got tired of being reminded of the Super Bowl every time I checked in. Feel free to replace this with stories about the Royal Farm Store, or something else.

Trudy and I are heading to Ireland on 3/4 for a week. I'd like to get to Banagher, if we can, to see how much it has changed. Apparently, the real estate/banking explosion really changed the landscape of many a small town. Then the subsequent implosion changed it again.

I wonder if Olly is still around.

Packers or Steelers?

It's kind of like death by stoning or by crucifixion. Either way, I'm not happy and I don't care. I'm going diving in Thailand for a month. We'll be working on a boat most of the time with access to the Internet once every five days. Cell phone access may be more often as some of the islands are close to the mainland. Just in case of some eartquake or tsunami, we're near Phuket. Better not mention that part to Mom. Peace to all. Belated happy birthday to Aiden, one of my top 20 favorite nieces or nephews.

So how's the snow?

If you need to get away, come on down and enjoy our cold and rain.

Just felt like posting something to see if anyone still checks the blog.

Happy Birthday, Michael,...

... From all of us to you! ... May all of your good dreams come true. (Got the tune in your head?)

Hope you're having a good birthday, not working too hard. Oh, I forgot, you don't do that anymore. Lucky bum!

Thanks for the link to your Christmas photos. Do you have any idea how I can copy them to my computer so that I can get prints? Do I have to be a Zippsy, and is that any worse than being Tippsy?

Photos from Christmas

Click on the link in the title "Photos from Christmas". I think that will get you to see the photos even if you are not Facebookers. Let me know if you can't.

Random Ramblings from the Christmas season

It was good to see everyone over the holidays but I am starting to wonder if we should be coming in spring & fall. The cold really took its toll on Melanie and now I am stuffed up too. Maybe we just need to thicken up our blood before coming in the cold. Anyhow....

Yes, I do like Arden Court much better than the "neighborhood" at BGT. BGT was very good while Mom had the freedom and ability to come & go as she pleased but AC is so much better than the living room of BGT where smelly people just sat and drooled. During the past few weeks, Mom was mostly happy and sometimes downright "normal". While she could not finish a sentence, several times, I knew exactly what she was trying to say. Most other times I could at least respond to her with the right "I didn't know that", "really?!", "uh huh" or "that's funny".

When Mrs. Seifert and Mrs Voekel were there, Mom was at her best. Also, I sat with her during lunch several days and she always said she didn't feel like eating but when I just started chatting with her, she absent-mindedly picked up her food and eat everything - even vegetables!! I saw he with my own eyes eating beets, cauliflower and carrots. I tried to remind her that she didn't eat that stuff and she was grossing me out but she insisted on finishing everything.

The characters at AC are a treat.
Dr. Ed - I thought he was just visiting until the first conversation I had with him. He eats well and is sweet.
Mr. John - His (grand?)daughter is married to Carol Leonard's (grand?)nephew. His wife mentioned to me and she figured it out at the wedding when talking to Mrs. Leonard. Sadly, Mr. John also got caught starting to take off is pants in the dining room right behind Mom. Mom called out to him "Vince! Vince!" Woops.
Mr. Paul - a little spooky spookyspookyspookyspookyspookyspookyspooky but harmless.
Mrs. Shirley - I love her headbutts and mentioning her son Greg definitely lights up her day. The repeated "I'm going home" breaks my heart though.
Mrs. Emily - I wish I could be half as sarcastic and she.
Mrs. Doris - a foil for Mrs. Emily. I like her because she told the activities director "You're full of baloney".
No teeth lady - If she didn't try to kiss me on the first day, I would have been charmed by her wanderings behind every piece of furniture in the living room.
The activities lady - it's a good thing she is in a Alzheimer’s ward because she can't remember anyone's name. She gets it wrong most of the time but I only heard one person correct her.

The people who work at AC are all so patient and attentive. I like them a whole lot better than BGT. They also have fun with their job which is a good thing.
The cookies as you leave are awesome but not home cooked. They are straight from Subways.