Spring Fever

Our Spring has been wonderful so far.  It's been warm and the trees and flowering bushes are beautiful.  No snow to kill off buds! (Whoa, it's still early so I hope Mother Nature didn't hear that!)

This flowering crab is really pretty.

These white flowering trees dot our property...love them!

Of course it wouldn't be perfect Spring without my favorite lilacs and this year we weren't disappointed in the blooms.  Too bad we don't have "smell 'ol blog"!   Even though it's been a warmer than usual weather pattern I'm not going to plant any flowers or veggies just yet.  In fact I noticed this staple of Ohio still planted by the back door:

Yep, it's probably going to hang there for just a bit!

Jack snapped this pic a few days ago....I guess I'd call this "two peas in a pod"!  As this day comes to a close I'm asking for prayers for my Mom.  She's in the hospital with some heart issues again.  This time it's slow beats and a pacemaker is probably in the care plan.  She's going to be 91 in May and it's always scary when things start to go wrong but she's also tough and determined to get out of the hospital ASAP.   A trip to Chicago is probably in the works for us too depending on how things roll. She's in good hands with my sister who goes the extra mile to make sure Mom is well taken care of.  I'm so thankful for her as I'm 350 miles away.  Hang in there Mom! We love you!

Easter 2017

I love Easter and yesterday was such a nice day to celebrate.  After Church we gathered with a few of the kids and only 2 Grands but it was still fun.  Jack and Evelyn got back from Alabama and Florida on Saturday so they were able to come over for food and fun but their kiddos had Easter with the other side of the family and couldn't make it. Phil and his girls were here and Jordan too, but I fell short of my picture taking so here are just a few pics of the day.  Hope everyone had a blessed Easter!

Lamb cake as always.  It's a tradition from childhood that I've carried on with my family.

Weather was lovely! It was warm and the predicted rain never happened. Thankfully!

Addy and Peter Rabbit!

Lex ready for the egg hunt.

Walking the rails for the goodies!

Eggs grow on trees? These eggs did!

Putting all your eggs in one basket...this time it's a good thing! Happy Easter!

And The Beat Goes On

As we start the move into the next weekend I feel like I've been on a treadmill going nowhere fast! Our trips to Cleveland are at a standstill for a few weeks.  Easter is fast approaching  and work is an up and down roller coaster.  Yesterday I had already logged 12,000 steps before I even hit the exit elevator! I was on call the weekend but thankfully it was quiet.  But here's how the past weekend started out:

Friday we had a dose of the white stuff.  In fact it was a level one snow alert.

The jeep was ready for takeoff as I've been driving Jack to work until he can do that himself. He's improving daily and for that we're very thankful. So Friday was a mess but then Saturday and Sunday were this:

Yep, snow all gone and temps in the 70's.  Besides the crazed weather the warm air brings about the frantic antics of wasps...they're everywhere outside looking for a place to built a home I guess. The bad part is they find their way into the house every now and then and the now was Saturday morning and the place was the bottom of my foot. YIKES! I said a few choice words as I hopped around in pain...not even realizing I could hop! It calmed down with some ice and I was able to resume my Saturday running and grocery shopping.  Sunday came and we took back a special chair Jack was using during his head down time.  As he got out of the car to help get it out of the back the wind caught the passenger door and broke it.  I was very ready for the weekend to be over.  Our go to mechanic is on vacation but he promised to look at the car door next week.  So as the beat goes on here at the Pines I do hope this weekend is less painful and not as windy! It's Easter after all and I love that special time.  Hope yours is great too! P. S.. .A big thanks to my sweet Mom and Sis for the package of Greek Easter bread and Greek cookies...a taste of my past was fun today!

Keep Your Chin Up

It's been a week (tomorrow) since Jack's eye surgery.   He's had to keep his head facing down for a week.  I was often reminding him to "keep your head down" and today after his post-op check he can now "keep his chin up"!  Many times after retina surgery and the gas bubble they put in the eye, you have to keep the head down for at least 2 weeks.  He's healing really well and got  the OK to eliminate some of the drops and he only has to keep his head down when he sleeps.  He still can't drive and is dependent on me to get him to the office (yes, he continued to work...crazy guy!)  I'm getting better at the drive to Cleveland.  I grew up in the Chicago area and learned how to drive on freeways but after living in the country for 40 yrs  I'm slightly rusty.   I didn't get us killed or dented so all's good.  I forgot about rush hour traffic.  Seriously, I have to be at work by 7 am so why isn't everyone already at work by at least 8 am?  Stop and go is painful. Last week I said to Jack as we were leaving the Clinic, "Let's get out of this city and back to civilization!"  Then there's the weather.  We went to the Cleveland Clinic 3 times last week and each day it rained and that made the drive even more exciting.  Today it was predicted to rain of course but, "Surprise!"...no rain this morning, just bright, almost blinding, sunlight.  I was a happy girl!  The doctor was very pleased with his work and the fact Jack was being a good patient.  I'm pleased to not have to do as many drops in his eye.  I think more ran down his face than in his eye but I'm getting much better.  So hopefully he'll be 100% soon and Spring will arrive and stay.  It was warmish this week and yesterday I even mowed the grass!  However, as I let ol' Chubbs out tonight, the snow flakes were falling.  Yep, we might get 1-4 inches of the white stuff.  The weather people aren't sure what's going to happen.   Monday it's suppose to be 75.   Holy cow.  We'll get through this crazy Spring weather by telling ourselves..."Just keep your chin up!  It will be warm soon!"