Saturday, July 31, 2010

What an exhausting day!

We have been to several thrift stores - a few antique stores - and best of all Meijer Gardens to see Chihuly in the Gardens and the Davinci Horse. I will update tomorrow when I have more time - but the trip to Grand Rapids was REALLY FANTASTIC!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Reunion Planning

We had such a nice visit with John and Mary Beth and Joan and Tom and Steve last Sunday. We decided to send out postcards for the class reunion. Their home is so beautiful and the backyard is such a relaxing spot.

Steve took care of us all afternoon - we laughed until our cheeks hurt - and we had a preview of some of the foods that will be served at the reunion. IT WAS FABULOUS!

It's only a few weeks away and I can't wait to see our friends from YIKES 40 years ago.

Robbie and Sheala

A visit from the Jacklin family last night was such fun.

Pat and I had to go to the store because we only had chicken for dinner - no sides - so we went to Kroger and I bought 8 different salads, corn on the cob and a loaf of jalepeno bread and hummus and some sushi. (My grandkids LOVE sushi.)

Sheala and Robbie were playing cards in the kitchen when we walked in from the store and I set out the bread and hummus for them to eat. Joanna found some celery in the frig and had that with hummus, since she is now on the Atkins diet with Robin.)

The kids stayed in the kitchen playing cards and I went to sit with Jo in the living room. Pat started cooking chicken on the grill and we waited to see if Robin would get out of work in time for dinner with us.

Sheala was humming away in the kitchen (a sure sign she is winning at cards) and Robbie was laughing and bugging her. Joanna was working on Soduko (which by the way she does in pen with nothing scribble out or written over!!!!)

Then Robbie and Sheala decided to make smoothies - frozen blueberries that our neighbor picked for us a few weeks ago. Then Robbie sat on the couch with me and told me "there is no love in his family" he proceeded to tell me that Joanna and Sheala saw him fall on the stairs at home and they didn't even care - they just laughed at him - he wasn't feelin' any love! I told him I loved him more than life itself.

Our nephew, David, called and I talked with him a bit and then Pat talked with him until it was time for dinner. Then Robin came in, Pat brought in the chicken and we sat down to a yummy dinner. We sent them all home right after dinner (they usually help us clean up but we insisted they needed to leave for their errands).

Then we went to the park for a bit and came home. It was a very nice night in Saginaw.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Rain Rain Go Away

We have two outdoor weddings to go to today! The rain is threatening with gray clouds and nastiness out there! Hopefully the sun will peek out for the weddings.

We played cards with Bill and Amy last night - what fun. Bill and I even traded hands a couple times because we both were complaining so much about the rotten cards we were getting. One time I got better cards and the next time MUCH MUCH worse. We played a couple of games of Spades and a couple of Hearts. I don't think I've been up that late in a long while. We drank gin and tonics and of course I had leg cramps last night, all night long. But - it was a fun night.

It is official - I got my numbers for retirement - I'll take a hit by going a year early - but - we can actually do it financially. However, after January there will be no more Keno! A small price to pay to start having a great time with my sweetie!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

1/2 Day

Pat and I took off for up north this afternoon - what a nice ride. I can't take it for granite anymore - it feels so good to have my knee feel fine on a long ride - I wasn't sure I would be able to go on our adventures anymore - but not one bit of being uncomfortable when we went today! YEAH!

I haven't even started "cleaning for the cleaning lady" as my Mom would say and she comes tomorrow! I will have to scurry around in the morning in order to have the place be clean enough to be cleaned!!!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Remembering Paula

Being a Great Wife and Mother
A Sister and Friend,
Playing Pinochle – always my partner and
Always bidding high against David,
Cooking Sweet and Sour Pork,
Selling at the Antique Festival,
Going to Thrift Stores and Garage Sales,
Encouraging Artists and Painting Beautiful Art,
Opening and Closing Her Gallery,
Filling up Every Available Space with Treasures,
Coaxing David to Make More Space Available,
Camping, Talking, Laughing,
Enjoying Life and Making Other People Enjoy it, too.
I'll miss you Paula

Monday, July 5, 2010

New Business Card

I love my new business cards - I've resisted getting any but when I am at the craft shows lots of people ask for them - so - when Vista started advertising on TV I decided to try them - they were very affordable you just have to wade through one or two emails every day from them. All in all - that is worth the price to me.


Sunday, July 4, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE SCHMANE



Just a short fireworks from Saginaw, Michigan 2009 - Happy Birthday, Sister Dear - all these people were ooohing and ahhhhing for your birthday celebration!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

First Blueberry Pie

MMMMMmmmmm..... Our tenant, Marge and our next door neighbor, Juanita, went blueberry picking this morning - they came back and gave us enough berries for blueberry pie - the fruit was tart and the crust turned out great - mmmmm.... I know my friend Kay is cringing at the thought of ruining a good blueberry - but we loved it!

I spent the morning, with Pat's help, finishing up the dishes and knives from the Frankenmuth show - we had lots of bugs at the show and I didn't want to bring them in the basement so we left everything in the garage until I could get to them. Pat bullied me into doing it this morning and by the time we were done I thanked him - it has been on my mind but I just hate getting started!

Then we went for a nice drive - to the Wooden Shoe restaurant - it was a great drive but I don't think we would go just for the restaurant - even though we ate outside on the patio on the Tittabawassee River it was just an okay place. The Dockside in Bay City on the Saginaw Bay has us SPOILED.

YEAH



I just found out I can retire in January 2011 instead of 2012!!!!! I am SOOO happy - the smile hasn't left my face. We had our friends Bill and Amy and Jan and Jim over for dinner to celebrate - I tried my niece Kim's shrimp recipe - but I made it a little easier. We bought already cooked shrimp at Jack's then added:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp ginger
Juice of one lime

Marinated for 1 hour then we put it on a flat screen type grill pan and covered it with foil - then we put it on the grill for about 5 minutes - just to warm it up.

YUMMMMMM!!!!