SOMEBODY STARTED PRE-SCHOOL TODAY & SOMEBODY GOT GLASSES!

These are the times I miss

because I live several hours

away.

How cute is this?

Little Miss Bright Eyes!

She goes to a Christian pre-school

and is just delighted to be there.

Now- Here's the funny part.

SHE might be delighted

BUT

look at the little girl's face

as she is looking at Anna.

is that funny, or what?

AND

Not to be outdone--

CharlesInCharge

got glasses!

Mimi said he took them 

off and put them on about

ten times 

as he gauged the difference

between blurry and crisp vision.

Off they go for another year

of school adventure.

They look like Irish lads,

don't they?

And WHAT, pray tell,

is Mama Mimi,

the beautiful Irish colleen,

doing with all her

FREE TIME

now that the kids are in school?

Why-she is drinking wine 

and taking selfies with

Miss Peggy Sue.

As you can plainly see,

she is a 

VICIOUS WATCHDOG!

Don't you just feel sorry

for Mimi?

Look how sad she looks!

NOT

Meanwhile, I am still in the process of

Purging & Packing.

If I don't show up in a day or so

send someone to search for me

among the boxes and packing paper.

I may have taped myself in a

box somewhere!

Whew- here is ONE job I 

won't have to do this year!

I hate raking!

I thought it might be easier to MOVE--

I was wrong!

Have a great week!

THE "UN"-INVITATION

For those of you that have

kids or grandkids,

you will likely have had an experience

like this!

Quite a while ago

when the kids were here for 

a snow day

SWEET CHEEKS

told me excitedly that on

the last Friday in February

her class was having 

A SPECIAL PERSON DAY.

Nana, she asked me so sweetly,

Will YOU be 

MY SPECIAL PERSON

because you are my 

MOST SPECIAL PERSON?

With a melting heart I said:

YES!

Later the next week, after school,

she called to remind me and to ask me

once again...

Nana, Will YOU be my SPECIAL PERSON?

With a smile on my face, of course I said:

YES!

Five mintues later the phone rang.

Nana, It's SweetCheeks.

Nana, You don't have to come to 

school next Friday for 

SPECIAL PERSON'S DAY.

Why not? I asked.

Well, because Uncle Ryan said he 

COULD COME AFTER ALL!

So- I am NOT invited anymore?

Yeah....you're not invited.

Thanks, SweetCheeks!

You're Welcome!

I'm thinking of showing up anyway

with a TREAT.

recipe

We'll SEE who is the most

SPECIAL PERSON then!

POPPING IN TO SAY HI~STILL ALIVE AND KICKING

SO...

For ALL of you that have asked me

WHERE ARE YOU?

I am HERE!!

This weekend I am at the base of this bridge

in the UP of Michigan.

MyHero had his 18 month post cancer treatment

throat scope and check up on Friday.

As soon as we were done,

we packed up

and headed north.

Doc says his throat looks good--

but still swollen.

That's okay- Cancer free is good!

Today if he is a GOOD BOY,

we will go see the monks and he can

buy himself a treat!

This place is FANTASTIC!!!

Some of what I've been up to---

I have enjoyed my flowers and sunsets

and even read a couple of books.

I PROUDLY watched

THIS ONE-otherwise known as CJK-

transform into a MAGGOT 

(the ONLY maggot, thank you)

in the play to finish out his pre-school years.

No one could be prouder than we were

of our little maggot!

I watch him Monday thru Thursday 

after school and will volunteer 

one afternoon a week at his school.

I will go from my VA shift

over to his school---a mile or so apart.

These three headed off to school-

Ria going into 8th grade

at a brand new school.

SweetCheeks--with new glasses--

(the better to see my wrinkles with)

going into 5th grade,

and Lulu a sophomore already.

Mimi's two boys- BigBoyE & CharlesInCharge

 are in 2nd grade and kindergarten....

They were so scared getting on the bus

that their hair stood on end.

or it might have been crazy hair day at school

AND

Not to be outdone in the hair department

Miss Bright Eyes cut her hair

tight to her head just in time for 

her three year old pictures

at her little 2-mornings-a-week

church pre-school.

She's a corker!

We are headed down to Mimi's house

next weekend.

Can't wait to see that crazy crew.

Older grands- are John M.

off for his 2nd year of college.

He is one of the fastest runners

in the whole country.

and Miss A--a senior at the 

same school Lulu attends.

This is a prom picture with her date.

  I have other grands, too, 

but don't have permission to 

post pictures of them.

I have been working on a big project

that I will share in a week or so.

I am just not quite ready to put it out there yet..

but it is something fun!

AND---I am still planning on taking the trip

with my best friend in life, Sandy,

mid-October.

We are taking a truck of things to her

vacation home in Colorado.

Looks like we picked up a coupla fellas

along the way there.....

Being as I AM blond--

I get to be the blonde....sorry Sandy...

friendship only goes so far....

Sandy and I laugh about everything, 

anything

and nothing.

Everyone needs a friend like that.

So---if you are very good and 

promise to NOT put Ex-Lax in 

your husband's brownies when you 

are mad at him.....

I might have a little

giveaway that you can enter.

See you shortly with

A GIVEAWAY 

and news about my project.  

AND-
A very happy anniversary today to
Mimi & HarleyMan!
Eleven years today---

Love you to the moon and back.

(mom & dad to Ethan/Charlie & Bright Eyes)

Lulu's Homecoming & John's Upcoming Procedure Today

I can hardly believe that our sweet

LULU

is 14 years old.

She is in a brand new school this year

and there are no classmates from her

old school that attend there.

NEW Lutheran

is a Christian based school.

Although we are not Lutheran,

our two daughters graduated from there.

It was a wonderful school and so accepting

of kids from all different backgrounds.

It was such a great school that my daughter

wanted her daughter, Lulu,

to have the same wonderful experience 

she had there.

Lulu is just a bit shy so we were beyond thrilled

when she was voted on to 

HOMECOMING COURT!

Here she is with Mr.Z, 

right after they found out they were 

the freshmen voted on to court.

I don't know which one is cuter!

Here she is all gussied up 

and standing with her Papa.

He felt well enough to spend the 

early evening watching the presentation.

She and her best friend, Miss A,

posed sweetly for us.

Ouch!!!Wonder if those poles running through

their heads bothered them? 

Love the guy in the background

smiling away!

A bit later they had pictures taken by a

professional photographer.

I got a picture or two in while

they were posing...

It just made me smile to see Lulu & Mr. Z

standing together.

I think this is  her first boy/girl picture.
(well-the 2nd if you count the one on the field)

Parents/grandparents had to leave before 

the dance (unless you were a chaperon)

but we snuck one picture in before we

slunk out.

Anyone go to Catholic School Dances?

DO NOT MOVE YOUR HANDS

ONCE YOU HAVE PLACED 

THEM ON HER WAIST.

It was a wonderful night

but the next day it was back to

BUSINESS AS USUAL.

Lulu is a GREAT volleyball player!

She is the setter and a good server.

That wonderful picture was taken by 

Naomi.

Naomi used to be the girls' nanny 

when mom and dad were both working.

Umm....Hello....

That "kid" you used to take care of

is bigger than you are now.

Piling your hair up does NOT make you taller!

So--there you have it.

A FUN time for everyone.

Well ALMOST EVERYONE!

SOMEBODY just wanted to go home

and watch MICKEY MOUSE!

She's gonna kill me

Cheer up, Princess!

Your day will come-

Once again you will be 

QUEEN OF THE WORLD!!

You will always be 

Queen of the World in MY eyes!

MyHero goes in for his 7 month

after-treatment exam today.

They will scope his throat.

I offered to save him the money

and do the scope at home.

He didn't seem too responsive

to the idea.

He is SUCH a Spoil Sport!

SEPTEMBER SONG----AN UPDATE on our lives

I know! I know!

It has been a while since

I posted here.

If you read my last post you know that

we have been in the process of

getting our house ready to sell.

It's ready!  I'm done-!

Well, except for the nit-picky

little crappy stuff that I can 

always see needs doing/fixing/touching up

I have been sorting and donating

and giving things to the kids.

Over the years if they told me they wanted

SOMETHING--SOMEDAY

well, they got it now instead of having to wait
until I die.

Let the bargaining begin--

fast and furious--

Daughter #1 would trade with Daughter #2-

Grandmother & Grandfather's portraits

for my mother's blue Aladdin teapot

and her miniature cedar chest.

DEAL-Agreed & Accepted!

Heavy gold plaster cherub lamps---

NO TAKERS?

Seriously?

However, there might have been 

some arm wrestling over the

Gold Flatware.

Mimi got it- it matches 

the gold on her Lenox Christmas dishes.

I have cleared out at least 50% of 

STUFF!

Some GOOD STUFF and

some JUST STUFF.

I have rearranged furniture,

painted things,

touched up paint,

scoured every surface within 

AN INCH OF ITS LIFE.

GUESS WHAT?

The listing has been signed and

the photographer was here

2-1/2 hours yesterday taking pictures

and videos and using a drone

to showcase the bay front.

We are told it could take 

A YEAR OR TWO 

to sell.

Things along the bay here do not

move quickly.

It is just as well because I have 

NO IDEA

where we would go should the house 

sell quickly.  

Probably into an apartment

until we could find a place.

It's a crazy life but someone has to 

live it!

Or maybe I could move into this

little number....

that would be just my luck

Hey!  At least it has a window!!!

or two?? or three???

And I can SEE that it is insulated!

MyHero is still struggling.

His weight has still not stabilized

and he suffers from continual exhaustion.

They discovered that his thyroid

has been destroyed by the radiation

to his neck.

He is on medication to counteract that.

He is still not able to eat and so he

continues with the tube feeding--

which is okay....

seriously---

THE BONUS?

Clean up is a breeze!

Rinse the syringe and tube and

DISHES ARE DONE!

Hmmm...

What else is going on here?

First day of school!

Here are just a few of the grands

headed off to school.

OH---AND---

Need school supplies?

Apparently they have them here!

TEACHERS?  WELCOME!

This one 

WILL NEVER 

drive her teacher to drink!

this year cuz she is only 

there for 2 hours a week

I'll be back with pictures of the house.

They should be ready in the next day or so.

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

FINISH IT UP FRIDAY---FIVE FOTOS FOR FUN~and a couple of OLD SECRETS

I can hardly believe it

but I am getting my photo files

all cleaned up doing this

Finish it up Friday thing.

When I search for photos to use here

I am deleting some and moving others 

into their proper storage folders.

Whoo Hooo.

SO!

What is up this week?

MY LITTLE STAR---RIA

is off to a dance competition in 

Chicago.

She always takes a prize.

She is the most graceful little girl 

I have ever seen.

Even when not dancing

she moves like a dancer.

Isn't she a beauty...

with a little SASS thrown in for fun.

Makes me want to cut hearts out of leaves

when I look at her.

Don't you love this idea!?!

I HEART this little guy, too.

This old dollhouse sits under a covered "porch"

on the front part of our garage.

CJK- is fascinated by it and always checks it

to see if "fairies" are inside.

He KNOWS they are there.

On my side porch off the dining room

I have a glass topped table & chair set

 I bought from my

neighbor years ago.

I pull the cushions off it for winter

and it starts looking bare.

But-who says that a 

FRUIT CENTERPIECE 

won't work outside?

AND if you use fake faux fruit

you won't get "critters" eating them.

I send them  next door to eat the 

neighbor's pumpkins.  

I am a good neighbor that way.

Speaking of FRUIT---

Have you seen this little "trick"

on the internet somewhere?

Is that cute or what?

Cutie-pie clementines

with a piece of celery for the stalk.

source unknown

Well, there's my FIVE photos--

of course #1 counted as THREE pictures, 

I suppose.

I never was very good at 

FOLLOWING THE RULES

and I have the deportment remarks on my

old report cards to prove it.

I blame my father for that...

hey---gotta blame somebody.

He was a smart-aleck, too.

This is a TRUE STORY!

When I missed school I 

ALWAYS wrote my own excuses to turn in 

to the teacher in charge of truancy.

ONE DAY

I asked my MOM to write my excuse for me

because I was in a hurry.

When I turned it in they called HER 

to see if I had 

FORGED MY EXCUSE.

SHE was MAD at ME

for that!

Seriously?!?!???

Maybe if you are 

REALLY GOOD I will tell you about

the time I tipped over backwards in

Accounting class and my

full skirt and can-can

went up over my head.

I blame Charlie Watson for that!

He put his feet against the legs of my chair

when I went to push my chair back 

to stand up.

Pfffffttttt...

Mrs. Harkness never liked me anyway.

She liked me even less after 

THAT INCIDENT.

BigBoyE Heads Off To School & Changing Wisconsin's Motto

First I have to say that these

are NOT my best pictures.

hahahaha- I NEVER have

any best pictures!

I am waiting for a cord for my 

regular camera so that I can load

pictures into my computer.

Sometime over my 

BLOGGING BREAK

my cord went MIA.

Anyway -these are taken with my

back-up camera...such as it is.

Here is our little guy all 

set to go-shown here with 

Mom, Dad, Charles-In-Charge and

Baby Bright Eyes.

You will notice that 

CHARLES IN CHARGE

is looking pretty happy

to think he is now 

IN CHARGE!

You will notice that BigBoy E's smile

is slipping just a bit.

Daddy loves his BigBoyE

but BigBoyE

is getting just a tad nervous..

even though he has his ducks in a row.

He has decided he is going to be an

ACROBATIC ZOOKEEPER.

Guess that means he will swing through

to check on the monkeys?

There was a picture of me with Ethan, too.

However, I only had 3 hours of sleep before

my 2 hour drive down and I 

looked like crap I was really tired..

We walk across the street past the playground

and into the school yard.

Uh-Oh Apprehension strikes!

And we leave just before the tears start.

Ours AND his!

However, SOMEONE doesn't look like

HE is going to cry!

He now has Mom to himself

a few hours a day...

Well-except for 

THIS ONE! 

Baby Bright Eyes

and she is clueless.

She'll catch on in about 

four more years!

Sorting continues in the basement.

You know how Wisconsin is the 

DAIRY STATE?

They fondly embrace the

GOT MILK? campaign.

image

Well, thanks to ME they have decided to

CHANGE THEIR SLOGAN!

Yes, Indeedy!

Their NEW slogan is

GOT PAINT?

Sadly that is only one section of

THE PAINT ROOM....

Cleverly hidden behind 

Curtain #1!

Back later-

Guess who is visiting

this weekend?!

I'll tell ya all about on Monday!

Have a GREAT weekend!