Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to my blog friends! May 2009 bring you happiness, good health, simple pleasures, and love to surround your lives!

Farewell

While I would rather bask in the idea of another Christmas past, I am instead forced to focus on much more serious matters. I received the call this morning that my beloved Uncle passed away early this morning. This incredible man has had to endure more in his life than most, and it never seemed to get him down. He survived years of discomfort from severe psoriasis, followed by a lengthy battle with liver failure until he was blessed with a life saving liver transplant, only to develop a highly debilitating brain cancer which required countless surgeries, medications, chemotherapy, and radiation. Despite it all he remained upbeat and determined to live each day to the fullest. A few weeks ago he developed Valley Fever, sustained several falls, and unfortunately was not able to sustain his fight for life. He passed away peacefully with his devoted wife by his side. While it does bring me comfort to know his suffering has ended, the sharp pain of those he left behind is still a raw, burning sensation that only time will ease.

Safe travels Uncle Harry! May you find peace, comfort, and a season pass for seats on the 50 yard line for the KC Chiefs waiting for you at the gate! You will be missed.

I'm late for a very important date....

OK, I have no idea why these are all showing blurry on the blog, but too busy to worry. Work is wild, laundry piling up, baking to do, presents to wrap, more presents to track that are now lost in UPS black hole, still no word if my son is coming, stocking stuffers to buy.......................

My most treasured ornament, a bell no larger than 1 inch, metal with glitter flakes. Was my Mom's at one time. Always loved it.

A very blurry nest, but oh well, a nest just the same. Went with all of Prince's ornies this year so only snuck in a few of my own touches just to annoy him, worked too!

OK, off to resume the labors of love. Stay warm and safe!

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas....

OK, have I told you lately how much I hate winter? Seriously HATE winter. Cold, snow, wind, ice, etc. It is just downright cold folks which makes me a cranky gal. Below zero kind of cold. Just plain nasty. Yet, it appears we will have a White Christmas this year after all. Mostly because there is no warmth in sight to melt what we already have, but also chances of snow next week. So, let's just hope on 12-26 it all melts and life goes on, ok?

Time is going way too fast this month. So much remaining to do and so little time. Half of the packages I ordered aren't here which makes me very nervous indeed. We have scaled back massively this year as so many are, so am pretty much counting on the remaining items or it will look like the Grinch came instead of Santa. My son is supposed to come, but has run into some tough times and will not be able to afford the trip unless the elusive Christmas bonus comes this year. I was so looking forward to him being here, but at this point it is looking like a miracle will be needed for it to happen. Will make for a sad Mom indeed if he can't be here as it has been too many years now since he was. At least my Princess and her "finance"-ya, don't go there, will be here. Somehow she managed to invite the "future in-laws" to my house for dinner on Christmas. There go the plans for an actual sit down fuffy Christmas dinner this year as my table is not big enough for everyone. Back to the old ham on the floor in your lap kind of deal. Oh well, it isn't like there isn't always WAY too much food to go around. Just had my heart set on a fancipants kind of dinner for a change.

Lucky we got the outdoor lights up before the weather hit. The inside is decorated too. Went with my mom's old tree which is literally like the top 1/4th of my regular tree. Just put on the Prince's ornies this year with a few of my sentimental ones. Looks cute but not quite the same. Downsized 4 large boxes of stuff for the Princess and another big one for the younger Prince from all my years of collected crap, I mean priceless treasures. Still have WAY too much but love it all too much. Will post pix if I get a second soon.

Anyway, stay warm and have a great weekend!

Nancy at

http://manicformosaics.blogspot.com/

has tagged me to list six unimportant things about myself. Wow, how can I limit it to just six? Hmmm, let's see:

1. I hate to wear shoes. Don't get me wrong, I love cute shoes and have way too many, but I refuse to wear shoes unless I absolutely have to.

2. I hate socks even more than I hate shoes. Rarely will you see me with socks on, even if I do wear shoes. I hate the awful toe seams that get bunched up in your shoe and drive you crazy. yep, most of the time my feet are bare naked. Doesn't matter if I am taking the garbage out in the snow, feeding the birds in the ice, sloshing thru mud...bare feet are the only way to go!

3. I love black and white cows. The more pathetic or ugly the better. I have them all over the house including a real hide on the back of my chair.

4. I don't like the taste of beer or wine. Seriously not even a little bit. I'm a Jack Daniels kind of gal. Suppose it has anything to do with the fact that it has a black and white label?

5. I can improvise like no body's business. Makes the Prince pull out the few hairs left on his head! Yep, I can use a butter knife like a screwdriver, a heel of a shoe makes a fine hammer, chewing gum to fix a hem in my pants (don't use double bubble though unless you are wearing jeans!)-whatever it takes, I'll make it work.

6. I drink coffee 24/7. Literally. Too many years of night shifts in CCU I think.

There, six useless pieces of drivel to bore you to pieces. I'm supposed to tag people, but I don't think that many even read this blog. So, play along if you were unlucky enough to see this post of way too much information about my silly self! Or not, I won't hold it against you. Well, not for too long at least!

View from our front porch-someday....

OK, I wanted to share with you the view from our front porch-well someday at least. When I talk about heading to the middle of no where all the time, this is what I mean. Some of the last undisturbed country in our great country is here. Unless you have been there, you seriously would not believe me.

But first, I want you so see Prince's mom in her favorite chair in her favorite spot in her home. The stove you see is the ONLY heat source this house (or her) has ever known. The large white box behind her is filled with chunks of coal and logs. Yes, I said coal. She was rather upset last year when we "modernized" the stove with the fan blower which is on the top of the pipe in the photo. Before that, if you wanted to get warm you better be standing in the VERY near area or it is downright nippy. But honey, stoke this baby up with coal and it is roasting! Everyone has tried to talk her into a pellet stove but NO WAY!!

Now, Mom gave the kids some of her property that surround her family home. We have the farthest corner from the house which is currently the edge of the property and covered in Russian Olive trees. The other kids didn't want it as it also contains the natural spring-can you say IDIOTS? Shame on me..... I see seclusion and a pond. They see thorny trees and a swamp-yep idiots.....

So, the new GPS also has a walking mode. Off we went to mark our new homestead. Here is the Prince trying to make any sense of the lady in the box as we roam the middle of nowhere land.

At last, our own little corner of the world. That clearing will one day hold my new home, complete with a stove that will heat the house not just my chair! See what I mean? Built in privacy. Those trees have thorns over 3 inches long, some have trunks over 3 feet in diameter. No sneaking around my house or you will be SORRY and bloody, ha!

Here is another view of the area from farther back. See those mountains in the distance? Gotta cross them on dirt road to get here. Yep!

Ok, now that blogland thinks I have lost my mind to want to live in the middle of nowhere hellville. Think again folks. No traffic, phones work sometimes, aside from family the closest house is over a mile from your house. No smog, no rude people, everyone knows your name and will literally give you the shirt off your back if you need it without even asking.

Behold, the view from my front porch-someday.......

Birthday Bash

During our Thanksgiving trip, we also had to make additional travel for a birthday party for the Prince's uncle. They were having an 80th Birthday bash for him and despite the long way we could not miss this one. Uncle Bob suffered 3 strokes this summer and had complications following surgery to repair his carotid arteries. He is doing extremely well and NOTHING keeps this man down. There were literally hundreds of people who came by to wish him well and enjoy the party. These cowboys know how to party!


Look, a live band for a birthday party! How's that for classy? Not to mention the fact they were darn good too.


Below is the birthday boy on the right with his wife Betty. Look closely... Remember he has had several strokes and his coordination is still a bit off. The crazy woman still trusted him enough to two step with NO SHOES ON!!!! Here is the best part, he didn't step on her toes even one time!

The couple on the left is Prince's other uncle Clel and his wife Maureen. Clel has developed Alzheimers and has deteriorated rapidly over the last year. He still has some pretty good moments, but they are becoming fewer and farther in between. It is heartbreaking to see this strong, independant man losing his cowboy way of life before our eyes. He even knew us this time, which he didn't the last time we saw him in July. And seriously, when the music started-LOOK OUT! This old boy can dance and didn't miss a beat! Funny how you lose some parts and not others. Guess it is second nature to him as it didn't matter the tune, he knows the steps!


This one is precious to me. Prince and his 85 year old mom cutting the rug with the best of them! This woman is also declining rapidly, has had 2 knee replacements along with a hip. She is VERY unsteady even with her cane and her memory is also fading before our eyes. I'm not even sure she knew it was my Prince she was dancing with at this moment, but she was having the time of her life regardless. All night she kept saying I wish I could dance too, so they finally made it to the floor just before we had to leave. She is still talking about it today.

And finally, a very, very poor photo of the gang at our Thanksgiving feast. Well actually, this is during our second desert round but hey, what did you expect? Right before the Prince opened his birthday present which was a shiny new GPS system. Wanna mess with a GPS system? Take it to the middle of nowhere Utah and I promise, that woman gets so confused she doesn't know where to tell you to turn! Just remember, even if she says turn right, better make sure there is really a road there! HA! Thank God the Prince can navigate those roads with his eyes closed. Now, if only he can do the same with the GPS in our little city my life will be pure bliss!

On the left is Laurie, Prince's daughter who is staying with Mom, then the Prince, then Dana the SIL, then Bret his brother who just had his 3rd surgery on his wrist, then Mom with her back to the camera. The table in the photo was made by her grandfather in the early 1900's (yeah, the chairs don't match-they go to an old table we gave her she refused to use).