NSR

NO SCREAMING REQUIRED! Oops, I said "no screaming required". It really is a blessing to work in a hospital. Atleast at my hospital it is. The surgeons I work with are really a nice group of people who will help you anyway they can. I showed my finger to the ortho doc who works on Monday and he gave me two options. 1) He would pin it for 8 weeks or 2) wear a splint for 8 weeks. He even offered to pin it on my break time. Hmmm...he sounded a little TOO happy to do that. I THINK he was going to give me some numbing stuff (medical term).However, I thought the best idea was to just splint it. I can still scrub and it wouldn't require a second procedure to take the pin out. And really, who could resist such a lovely accessory at this:

Quiz

What does this:
Have to do with this?...in case you don't notice what's wrong here, fingers aren't suppose to bend at that joint unless you're a freak or something. Which now I guess I am. Background story first. I won a giveaway on Grandma Yellow Hair..I was really happy and it was fun to browse the selections (which were a ton!) at CSN online store. I decided it would be fun to try a slipcover to change out my decor a bit. I really like it. But you have to fit it on the couch. It was going on quite nicely. I was innocently pushing in the corners of my new slipcover when I felt my finger pop..pulled it out and it looked like this. Couldn't straighten out. I even tried pulling on it to see if I could fix it. HaHa...how dumb am I? I really don't have time for this. So I splinted it myself and I'll get a Doc to look at it tomorrow at work. If I need surgery, which I think I will, I'll just scream. That will be the strange sound that will be heard all over the world tomorrow. So the saying "there's no free lunch" is true huh? Well, I do still like the slipcover!
Another quiz:
What do country girls do for fun..when you're only 4, almost 2 and a young 57? Hop in an old lawn cart of course!
Addy liked having her big sis push her around..in a cart anyway!
Now it was YaYa's turn to push..and push..and get some exercise! Don't need a straight finger for that.

No Lie!

Fall is coming...soon...today at 11:09pm...I don't know why it's sneaking in the dark...Fall is in the air. Except for today. It's over 80 freakin' degrees out. Call me on Saturday, then it will be in the air! So we can't deny, nor can we lie..fall is here and summer has flown by.These few things at Whispering Pines can't lie either.

This tree down by the creek is decked out in it's fall finest and certainly can't lie!
The dogwood tree on the corner by the deck has turned a nice red..it can't lie
These white weedy flowers surround the creepy woods and creek and they don't lie!
This leaf cannot lie...it was once a green beauty hanging from a tree...all summer...not now..now it's fall.
Ummm....yes, Eddy would lie..especially if it involves Squeak's empty food dish..

Fri..Sigh..Day

This was a very weird week. Emotional, busy, tiring...you get the picture. After work today I was wiped out. When I mentioned I had the taste for a burger (yes, I'm a carnivore)..Jack went into action and built a fire in the pit. It was cooler and the perfect night for it. So very relaxing to sit around the fire and just talk and be silly and have a little together time. The food was really good too. So now I can finish out the weekend in a better frame of mind and get ready to tackle the next obstacle that flies my way. After the fire was up and running the burgers and taters went on..with Eddy the boxer on the look out for anyone or thing that might steal the precious meat...yes, he's a carnivore too!
Cook away my little beauties!
Yummo...this is the perfect burger...no wait...
OK,this is the perfect burger...even if it does look like it's tongue is sticking out!
Now the fire is sizzling nicely. So peaceful...
Want to see why we look so silly in this photo? Watch and listen to the dumb video..

Family, Friends, and Farewells

Funerals bring all the family and friends together for that sad and final farewell. Calling hours for Bonnie were on Monday and if you were to go to one of our family "wakes" as they are called, you might be a bit taken back at the feeling in the room. If you were expecting crying and sadness, yes it would be there. But also there were happy memories being told, picture boards of Bonnie's life that told the true story of how she lived. All the births, birthday and holiday times. Vacations and special places that she traveled with her family. There was laughter, and chatter and celebrating of her life. It was a bit noisy at times too! I could feel her spirit in that room. I did smile as my brother told us of some things that were happening at his home that told him Bonnie was not so far away....the computer that booted up all by itself..the clothes dryer that started up all by itself...the smell of her perfume in a breeze that blew by...getting locked out of his house when all the doors were never locked...Those that know my family know we have some strange things that happen after we lose a loved one... Yes, we are a bit weird! But the funeral was touching and saying that last goodbye was hard. All of the family and many friends went to Costa's Greek restaurant afterwards and enjoyed a lovely luncheon and we were able to smile and laugh and give Phil our love. Thank you to all my friends here online who left so many sweet comments on my blog. Your prayers and concerns were so appreciated.

All the siblings gathered to support my brother Phil, but also my Mom. This was hard on her on so many levels. Being there as the Mom with your children as they date, get engaged, marry, have children and grandchildren and all the occasions in between, and then having to go to their funeral is just not how the circle of life is suppose to go. My Mom has seen so much sadness in her life, but still keeps her faith strong and is an example to me on how to get through life's difficult times.
Here's my cute niece Amy who will bring us all together again in a few weeks for her wedding to Eric.
My baby brother Rick and his wife Jan came from Wisconsin. It was good to see them again.
This is my brother Jim and his wife Lori. They live in Atlanta and we will be going to a wedding for their daughter Carly this December.
Father Damien sat with us at the luncheon. He and Mom are good friends. But we really love him too! He's been there for our family for so many happy and also the sad occasions. He did a beautiful service for Bonnie. The sweetest part was during the Mass when the sacrament is brought to the alter. Bonnie and Phil's grandkids brought the gifts to the alter and Father took a few minutes to quietly talk and hug each child. That was so touching. He has retired, but hopefully will be able to do Amy's wedding service in 3 weeks.
All the activity was too much for Mason. He drifted off sitting on Midge's lap..that would be his "YaYa".
It was nice that Craig could come down from Michigan and be there with us. Moving closer makes it easier to come to family things, but he would prefer the happier times I'm sure. Thanks for coming down Craig!
Here's my brother Phil saying some words to Mom and Father Damien. I had a chance to sit and talk with him at Mom's afterwards and I know he'll be ok and go on being the wonderful man that he is... a good Dad and Grandpa and, for me, a super older brother. But that sweet lady that was his best friend and companion will be dearly missed by all of us.

Sunday Mishap

What not to do with a cast iron dutch oven...Sunday I was preparing a roast in my dutch oven and when I took it out and took the lid off, the handle flipped back and...well, it was Sunday after all and being pretty much a non-swearing gal I kept it to a loud...jeezzz!!!! ouch!!!!....and a little "dang"...and lots of ice. This is the result after a few days. I go back to work Thursday and can hardly wait to scrub and put alcohol foam on it and then keep it in gloves all day. This should be interesting.

To Everything There Is a Season

Back in January I put out a prayer request for my Sister-in-Law Bonnie who was diagnosed with Leukemia. This pic was taken at their home at our annual Christmas get-together last December, a few weeks before she fell ill. Many prayers have been said and I know they all helped in many ways. When I went home for my Niece's wedding shower, Bonnie and I talked on the phone because she was in the hospital where she's been for almost 8 months. We laughed about many things and decided that at Amy's wedding we would wear wigs. Bonnie lost all her hair from chemo, but we decided that we used to wear wigs and hair pieces back in the 70's all the time so this October wedding would be the best time to resurrect that style! I was uplifted by her humor, strength and courage as we talked about her battle with cancer...and here I thought I would cheer her up when it was the other way around. I'm so glad we had that time to talk. This past weekend she took a sharp turn for the worse and this morning she passed away. It's so hard to believe how life can move along and we take so many things for granted...things like family that we think will always be there. That we stupidly feel that bad things only happen to "other" people. Then finding out that we are "other" people and that life can bring such happy moments as weddings, and birthdays, then turn and slap you right across the face with reality. My brother Phil started dating Bonnie when they were teenagers and I was a klutzy 9yr. old who thought Bonnie was the most beautiful girl ever. I envied her pretty blond hair, and cute dimples...two things I surely lacked! She dressed so perfect and I wished I could just stay clean once and a while! She was always sweet to me and I've enjoyed a friendship and sisterhood that's lasted 48 years. My heart goes out to my brother who now must navigate this season of his life without her, the love of his life and who's been a wonderful companion and wife for 43yrs. I'm sure she is enjoying the next life with her parents and family and my Dad and nephew Jono...I know that the Lord has a plan and we are a part of a family for a reason and someday we will all be together again. It's just this short time of separation that we must go on while they go ahead. Thankfully we have faith in our Savior Jesus Christ who promises us that families are forever. Goodbye Bonnie...God be with you till we meet again.

Weekend at the Craigles

On Friday I bailed out of work a bit early and Jack and I headed up to Michigan to spend the weekend with Craig and Amy and Grandkiddos. Amy's sister and family came too. What for?? Craig's birthday on Saturday! He turned the ripe old age of 33. I still find it amazing that the kids get older and we don't. Hmmm...freak of nature I guess. It was a fun time and the weather was really nice and cool. It sure felt like fall. They live in a beautiful area and a fun neighborhood. Great for walking and tons of places for the kids to play. So we ate and laughed and enjoyed a nice birthday weekend. Hope you enjoyed it Craigle as much as we did!
As Amy lit the candles, the fire dept. was put on alert..that's a ton of fire buddy!
See Craig, you're not so old..you can still blow all those candles out!
First thing Saturday morning we loaded up the kiddos and headed across the street to the wonderful walking/bike path in their neighborhood. It's really beautiful. What a great thing to have so close to their house. It was about a 2 mile walk. We walked to a dock where the kids could find shells and throw rocks. A fav past time!
The walk path winds along through the woods on one side and this pretty river on the other.
Even the benches are cool looking! This one was made by a Boy Scout for his eagle project. Nice..
Wow, it's our favorite super hero...Superman Taylor! The world is a safer, and I might add, a funner place!
With the Superman cape on, Taylor thought he could pick up any heavy rock and toss it with ease..which he did with his best friend for the weekend, his cousin Jack. Luckily for them, it wasn't kriptonite.
Superman Taylor and his sidekick cousin Jack (the pirate) took off for more fun adventures!
On Saturday morning we were going to go to the museum in downtown Grand Rapids, but they had a power outage and closed it. So we walked around the building and of course the kiddos (big and little) couldn't resist going closer to the water to throw and skip rocks.
Katie was making me just a wee bit nervous standing on the rocks by the river.
I loved Sophie's hat!
Sophie and PawPaw became pretty good buddies this weekend!

Let me explain this little monkey and his glasses...he was fascinated by my reading glasses and wanted to wear them. Well, first off, I need them and second they are a script pair so I told him we would shop for a pair just for him. We found some fake glass ones at the mall and needless to say he wore them constantly all weekend..everywhere...church, playground, the mall of course. He's such a crazy kiddo! But we love him to pieces!
As this weekend comes to a finish, this little spot of refreshment is coming to a close.
Labor Day marks the end of summer for many of us and the cooler days and even cooler evenings are a sure sign to say bye-bye and close up the pool....so goodbye to summer for now, see ya next year!