Best/ worse/ ? did you learn today? #107 visit with friends!

Hi all, It's been a busy couple of days here with Norm. He's feeling so much better and wants to go go go... My job has been to gently say maybe tomorrow. Well, tomorrow was today. We took a nice ride up to a town about 30 miles away. He drove up and then I drove back. It did tire him and he's been napping ever since we got home. I don't think he realizes just how involved his surgery was and he thinks he's going to heal in 10 days. But I'm so glad to be able to say he's doing well. Which naturally makes Barb well also. I've been able to do a little quilting this past week which has done wonders for me.
Tubby Norm sends a Hello to you with Thanks for your Humor...
Pat, I've been thinking of you all day. Hope things will ease for you.
soon and you and your family are in my prayers.
Have a wonderful Sunday everyone. Barb

Debbie, your girls are so beautiful, but whenever I see Carrie, I just catch my breath, she is simply sweetly beautiful. Hard to explain. But I know how aggravating girls can be to their moms.

Judy, I am loving your kids. They are just simply vibrant, I think, particularly your main "little guy" and Breenie when they are together.

I found this picture taken in '95, when my kids were both in college. Son is going through his 'do what I want to do' stage, and daughter is just the way she always is. I thought it funny because it shows you how much bigger they are than me.

Son is the father of my Ethan now, and is a lawyer himself. Daughter is working on her second masters and also works, lives in Florida.

Kids are fun, but i sure thought i never would get them raised, even though they were no problem, and are very very fine young people. Still, I worried.

They haven't changed much actually, except Ashley keeps her hair straightened, me...I don't take the time anymore to straighten mine.. Here's Ashley about a month ago...

Well, forgot the picture taken in '95...will see it pops up this time...

Nope, not going to happen, I'll have to go on a search for it.
Be right back.

OK, will try again.

This was made in '95, they were both in college and had come home for my birthday in November. Notice the size of them and me....
Nothing has changed either.

And I think I can find a recent photo of Son and Ethan....

So ladies, quit your worrying, your kids are going to be fine. Promise.

Barb, so happy for you and Norm, and it's very good to see everybody else.
Carol...hello to you, pretty lady. Hope you are well.
Hugs , Gilli, to your sweet children. Bet baby girl is all grown up now.

Judy,,,Debbie,,,Sharran I think your kid's are the sunshine of your day's..

Barb/Norm A little mouse sent this pic of norm to me..
I said ya that's the way Barb describes Norm LOL

Loved the photo's, good looking families, Shar is right, we worry/worry and in the end we all end up proud parents...one morning you wake up and wonder why you worried...

Calling it a night..

Best of the day...just playing around in the sunshine, having friends drop in from time to time ...

Worse..Ann was here for a visit..Mike (her DH) has been going for radiation, 20 more daily sessions...she was feeling a bit down today, says I reassure her...her daughter goes this week for biopsy on her throat again to see what changes have occured and what the next step will be.....my heart just goes out to her

What did I learn..was telling Ann who lives in the city but has their cottage here about John Webber winning that hospital lottery..John is a friend of a friend and here Ann's sister used to board in the city when going through nursing with John's wife Vicki...what a small, small world..think if people took the time when they meet to sit and talk they'd eventually find a co-friend of both...

Praying that rain tomorrow will cease between the hours of 11:00-2:00 for Kyle's Bike-A-Thon for the cure...

Good Lord willing, we'll talk tomorrow...
Night/night

You are too cute 'tubby'...enjoy your evening..

Thanks, Tubby...so true.
Goodnite, Betty.

This is so true..

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people ' s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves."
Abraham Lincoln


Nite All
Tubby

Tubby - I love that quote...and to think Lincoln penned it.....

Betty - love your pics and your checkerboard stepping stones....I could never have laid them out that straight...

So sad about your neighbor's friend. We have a lot of coincidences in the posts...with Diesel mechanics and names....you remember my last name is LeBlanc and my DS first name is Darren, although we call him by his middle name, Brock.

So that story hit home... my prayers for the LeBlanc's. Growing up in CA and FL, then MS for college...I had never heard of the last name "LeBlanc" but it is more common than Smith in Louisiana. I suppose you have them there...the acadian influence....."cajuns".... :)

Trisha - love hearing of your projects with Sage. MIL had knee surgery? I'm trying to remember... Glad she's coming home.

Judy & Deb - LOVE the pictures! Thank you so much! Deb - your girls don't look alike any more than I look like my own sister....and my DD1 doesn't look like DD2 either! Isn't that something....but they are all beautiful......Judy - Jake reminds me of our High School valedictorian.....what a great guy...and can ACT too! Has Jake ever tried drama? He looks like he has loads of personality for it....

Barb....so glad that Norm wants to go-go-go....that seems to me to be a wonderful sign.....

OMG Sharran - Ashley is gorgeous! your son has your eyes....just like I can see Betty in Noah. What is Ashley studying in FL? Is she at U of F? I have family members that went there....my Grandma and Grandpa....my sister....

I'll be back in a bit....

Hugs,
Mary

Hi Mary, Ashley is at NOVA in Lauderdale. She has biology, then chemistry, and now marine biology, I think. Sometimes I can't keep up with her.
Son went to Purdue and Indiana University. He was pretty easy to keep up with, chemistry/physics then law.
She might be a forever student.

Here she is without her hair straightened.

Actually, she looks a little more like me than Alyn, but Ethan looks more like me than either of them.
Ethan and me, both at 4, and now.
I have showed this photo before, I know...but only collage I have of the two of us.

Hey Sharran-
For some reason I can't enlarge Ashly's pic....but from what I can see I like the curly hair....

I am so envious of curly hair - my hair is straight as a board and getting thinner year to year...

I know straight hair was the 'thing' a few years ago... but think the bigger hair is coming back....

I do see your eyes in your son.....

It's so nice to hear of a daughter interested in science! Definitely was never my forte...but DS is good with science...chemistry...biology.....

Back in a bit....

Hugs,
Mary

Morning All

Shirley works this weekend...Rained friday night 1 4/10".. Rained last night too...We needed it..Will see how much when it gets light out...Off to the shop after we have breackfast & Shirley leaves for work..

Morning all...how proud you must be Shar...sometimes I also feel as though I'll explode with gratefulness for the wonderful family HE gave me...

First thing I did when I got up this a.m. was look outside, it just stopped raining but the sky is heavy am so hoping it will wait a little longer before the thunderstorms they are calling for start..I'll go in the rain but if lightning, well just better not..

Because everything is so wet, can't play outside, so working on that little floorcloth and while paint is drying I do some cleaning..got my clothes ready for the run, putting it on in layers so that if the sunshine does decide to come out I'll be ready for it...

Mary..LeBLanc name is very common here...this entire area has french communities .. not as many Smith's as one would imagine but lot of Pauze's, Robitaille, DesRoches...pages in the telephone book...lol...

Because you had your rain yesterday, hope that today is filled with sunshine...

Good Luck Betty - rain or shine!!! I'm plugging for you and Kyle.

Thanks Barb, with family/friend donations he's already reached his goal of $1,000. Melanie was telling me that a representative from the Cancer Society will be there with a goal thermometer....will be nice to see it at the $1,000 before we even start..let's just hope those family member make it right for 11am...

Lightly raining, I won't melt and I so thank you for your well wishes...bringing my camera with me so will have photo's to share..

Off to curl my hair, can you tell me why...raining outside, will be straight in seconds..lol but, want to start out looking my best....lol

Betty/Kyle hope your ride is safe and dry....

Good Morning!!

Look at all those pictures!! I spent an hour just catching up and looking at pics!

Debbie and Judy thanks for all of the pictures! I spent an hour just looking at all of them.

I have curly hair and straighten it every day. It frizzes really bad, especially when I get in the rain, I end up looking like a long haired frizzy mutt. It's really hard to style.

Well, Dave starts swing shift tomorrow, that's 2:30pm to 11:00pm, hours are better for him but I'm going to miss my husband! I'm going to go grab a shower and see if the tanning place has any beds today, they close at noon or 1pm.

Betty good luck to Kyle, I can't wait to hear about how good he did on the goal monitor!

Good morning!

Wow, Sharran, your DD is so beautiful! And your son, so very handsome. His son is adorable, and I do see quite the resemblance to you.

Betty, I am saying prayers for safety....and a very good day for Kyle and everyone involved. I can't wait to see pictures.

About my girls, Jeanna the eldest & Carrie...are from my first marriage. Their father (he is NOT a dad, trust me) is Italian with the dark dark hair and brown eyes and deeper skin. Neither of them got that tribute.

Carrie looks very much like my dear Mom, tiny frame and all...but she has different color eyes....which are so beautiful. And she tans very easily. She is my "class clown" of the kids, and also the most sensative...but she would never let you know she was hurt. The girl has a brilliant mind and has tested genius levels. In Kindergarden, she was reading at a 8th grade level, they skipped her from Kindergarden to 2nd grade...she was bored...and by then was reading at an 11th grade level....and comprehending most all of what she read. She is working for a research firm that develops programs to cure AIDS, Cancer and other diseases...and then trains foreign countries how to use these programs also. We are waiting to find out if she will be traveling to Uganda in Sept.

Jeanna, I can't deny that child. Pictures of us from birth til I was age 20....even the kids can't tell who is whom. She is my tough cookie. As hard as it is dealing with Shannon....this beauty was a handful. Made it known at age two, she was going to be an only child...and wanted her sister OUT. Several attempts from age two to age six to get rid of her also! I kid you not!

Shannon, now everyone thinks she looks like me because she is heavy set....but she looks so much like Pauls/DH's two sisters it is scary. One day I will have to make a collage like Sharran did.

Who has what plans for the day? Not sure what we are going to do. DH wants to go to Carries and finish working on her floor and get the rest of the furniture moved back in. So much "fine detail" to finish this flooring....and only so much you can do during the week.

Going for breakfast (I slept in!).

Debbie

Debbie I have no idea what we're going to do. I don't think Dave's going to do much of anything and I'm going to plant some more plants somewhere. I don't have the garden I wanted, I'm not happy with it. I'm not happy with my front flowerbed either, it's more of a flower monstrosity than an organized bed.

EEK! I need more coffee!

Crissy - I like the idea of flower monstrosity! Our garden is not at all organized...some folks wouldn't like it ...but we do....

It's gorgeous here...hot and sunny....I need to find something to do outside....Told DH I'd go weed for MIL but he's weed eating so not in any shape to head out somewhere...

Betty - I'm praying for your weather......wish I could send you this sunshine...but glad they reached their goal already anyway.....

Deb - I have same situation with DS 'father' to use the term loosely. What is it with some men? How proud you must be for your daughter making a difference in the world...helping with research....

I think I'm taking vacation Mon-Tues to kick off my job search.....

Hoping to find a job where I can feel I am making a difference as well...

Chuck Roast was in the oven for 12:30....we'll have a "family" dinner tonight...to kick off the week....
we have a zucchini out there in the garden....I was tempted to put it in there with the potatoes and carrots...but wondered if it would cook too fast and be a mess...does anyone know? Headed to google "Roasted Zucchini". :o)

Hugs to all,

Mary

Betty hope the day was a success in spite of the rain. Cool and possible showers here today...may get a little clearing later.

With hospital visits, errands and rain we didn't get to make the step stones yesterday.....maybe the weather will co-operate today.

What is an "Organized Garden"?

Brrrrr, chilled to the bones..but a nice cold..lol

Arrived at the start of "Kyle's Ride for the cure" and already his goal of having 50 in attendance was reached...and, his goal of $1,000 already on the monitor and more coming in...although it was pouring rain, everyone's spirit was in high form...

Just before setting off on our run, Roger's mom, Kyle's great grandmother drove to see us off and wish Kyle the best...

Very nice of her indeed...

With so many youth vandalizing says the Mayor Scott Wornoff, he thought he'd drop in with a pledge and to shake Kyle's hand...says so many of the youth don't get recognition for the community efforts..says he'll be called to Council to receive a special recognition..

2 grandma Betty's telling Kyle how proud they are of him...
this grandma was already soaking wet...

The entire family got involved..Greg and Noah putting up the sign..Greg patrolled the trails while Noah was at the starting line giving out water...

Mayor with Kyle, grandma Betty and Grandma Nora

Kyle, mom Melanie, grandma Betty (not me) lol..and Kyle's Aunt Jennifer...both Betty and Jennifer stayed to take in pledges..although a tent helped keep them out of the rain, they were still chilled to the bone...Betty has cancer..

Rain didn't stop families from attending..Greg's friend John and his little one...

Last Sunday I mentioned calling Nora's (MIL)'s old friend Ann over for tea, she's the lady who has been fighting cancer, went for more tests this week as she has a brain tumor (cancerous) which they cannot removed...this are her 2 grandchildren, riding for the cure!

Kyle, getting ready to start the event

Kyle's Uncle Jamie, distributing water as we pass by...for those of us who could reach/catch and drive the bike at the same time..lol

Melanie's dad who was also stationed at a roadside area getting more oranges and providing water for those in need...

Grandma's , grandma's and more grandma's...

Kyle's grandma Jan (Melanie's bio mom) Kyle, Betty (Melanie's adoptive mom) me, and great grandma Nora...