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We salute the Grammy nomination of the late great Dave Van Ronk's final concert album:
". . . and the tin pan bended and the story ended . . ."

CONGRATULATIONS! Watch the 47th Grammy's and look for DVR's Wife and Producer, Andrea Vuocolo Vanronk, and our beloved Christine Lavin [who helped edit it]
February 13, 2005 8PM on CBS.

click here
William Valdez is our Son-in-Law Extrodinaire.
You can support our troops via this site, and support William, personally, if you wish. His TFT ID is 1862195
Thank you!

Listen to Hober

US Faces of the Fallen:

•US Fatalities in Iraq

•US Fatalities; "Operation Enduring Freedom"

 

This is late in coming, but better late than never I hope.

Here's a fabulous opportunity for a good cause. If you don't want to take advantage of it now, at least take a look at this amazing artwork. Here's a few pieces, but on his website, you can read his words about his art which is special too. Here are a few images I pulled from his site Meet Rob Schouten!
Definitely visit his new Gallery if you're near Seattle or the island. I know that I can't wait!

    
    
  

Victory"
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 01:11 PM - link -    

 01:41 AM - link -    

Another visit with Mom, we left earlier than usual, and this may have to do with our visit, but Mom was speaking in a more "low level" way. By that I mean that she was speaking more similarly to what we're used to, almost sentences instead of inappropriate words that are combined together and don't make sense.

As we were let in from the locked door [it's a closed facility], when I asked how Mom was doing, the reply was "She is Gerry!" which means that she was back to the "cruise director" mode-- bossing folks around and "helping".

That was brilliant news.

Mom recognized me immediately, no names, but absolutely her daughter she loved. She saw Gordy and was psyched to see him, 'smatter o' fact, she was very loving verbally and physically with him, hand holding and complimenting him.

So it was a good visit. Of course, on the ride home, my mood just dropped into despair. The blues weighed me down, and I felt so sad. I am not sure about what was dragging me down so hard and heavy like that. There is so many things going on in my life, and within my core of my loved ones, from healthstuff, to great job advances, but that doesn't "hit the spot". I sometimes think it's because when I visit Mom, I never know how she'll be, and what I am able to do to be her advocate, but that's not it, but it is a bit closer. And then there's my challenges that I've been trying to attack with vigor, but that isn't all of it, as I had some hope again, so I don't know why it vanished, except that some times, like today, the pain is huge, and I have to cave and take a pain pill.

Suffice that things are not happy for me, I feel overwhelmed and sad.

BUT, Mom was doing better, and I'm thrilled.

There has been some chat about Mom being discharged, so I wrote a letter to her "team" and requested that they try Careage, and offered some guidelines in contacting them which would maybe swing their answer to say yes this time. But, that is truly way too soon, but the word was put out there, and if Mom could be nearby it would be fabulous. So, no jinxing here, just hoping hoping.
##

 01:38 AM - link -    

It's been truly an e-ticket week, more than typical methinks.

Shit hit the fan when I got a call first thing yesterday AM from WSH from the on-call doc who said that Mom had been unconscious for about 5 minutes, and they got her breathing again with oxygen, and would it e ok for Mom to go to St Clair:? I said yes, but do not let her get admitted. They wanted to have her get tests and CTscan etc.

Not to have a repeat of last time she was in ST Clair, I phoned back to make sure that they took snacks, like a banana etc. to stave off any sugar drops and that awful feeling etc. I also made sure that they did indeed make sure that Mom's appropriate records went with her. I was told that there were strict instructions given, with the records, to the EMTs, and that there were snacks sent with the person from WSH who accompanied Mom in the separate car.

When I phoned the ER, I was ultimately transferred to Laura. She was very knowledgeable, and helpful. After each call, and information, I would then ask when it would be best to call back, and was told what she thought would be best, so there was mutual respect, as I didn't want to do it to the point of annoyance, but entrez-nous, if things changed, I would certainly step up to the plate and make sure I made noise until I got what I needed, but there was no need this time.

Gordy and I had chatted at first call, and we were ready to drive down to see Mom, but we were both still so exhausted, and my back kept seizing up, 'smatter o' fact, pain to the point of screaming, and not being able to stand upright at all...and I had no clue what part of me was keeping me bent. It was very very scary. So, I told Gordy to go back to sleep while I do some phoning and "Ground work".

In the meantime I did call Marilyn, and we came up with a game plan, if nothing by noon, I'm going down. It was good to unload to her, and have a huge, scary, cry.

With that in mind, the fear and waiting continued. And, guilts about not being there, but as Marilyn kept reminding me, that I need to "take the oxygen" so I can be there for Mom. I know the logic, but the reality stinks.

Well, they found nothing wrong from the labs, and Mom apparently refused to let the CTscan happen, and they chose not to sedate her [yes!] so when I phoned the last time, they said she was walking the ward [which was taboo last time...] but she kept stopping every few feet and was tired. That is so not like her at all. That concerned me.

She made it back, and did well soon after she was back in her place familiar.

The moral to this story (besides Mom being home and appearing to be typical for her of late) is that the elevating of the last time at St Clair and having chats with the "right" people, truly did make a positive impact, and she was cared for in a much better and personalized way.

But, OTOH, I hate this. I hate her having to go through this, and the last few times we visited has been all about her being afraid, scared, anxious, lonely, unhappy, unable to speak, and wanting to leave and come home.

Monday, during our visit, she had a new mannerism that she was trying to use to express something very very important to her, and at one time she said she was feeling "nutsy" which isn't goodness. No matter the question posed to her, in so many different ways, I did not get through to her and get a "gestalt" that "this is the problem"...so to help her, and /or solve it, never came to fore, and I just feel like crap for not being able to get to the core of it.

Oh I hate this.
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 01:45 AM - link -    

Some more catching up etc.

The latest on me and my health is that

• I have had a resurgence of my back siezing up, and the awful pain that come from moving. I walk hunkered over like an old crone, and have used my sticks to move. In the house I grimace and move, but outside, I daren't go w/out sticks. CRAP! Not again...although this is old stuff from the FMstuff, so maybe I'm unwinding my owies? Dare to dream?

• I'm going to make an appt. with a local chiropractor who Julie referred me to. I've but the call in to him, I'll letja know. His hours are strange, or good, depending on which side o' the Dr /Patient bit o' the relationship one is on. He works Mon, Wed and Fri, 9-noon, then 3-5:00. Good hours if you can get 'em.

  One hope is that he can determine where the carpal tunnel stuff originates since there are a whole lotta blockages up the line to the collar bone area and the cervical spine that may be causing the pain v. only or including the carpal tunnel which may or may not need surgical release.

  Also with this low back beast recurring, well, maybe he can help in that arena too?

• I am also starting to see Celeen again re: cranial sacral work at Oriental Healing Arts, which I look forward too.

• I had started to do small exercises, but with the back flare, I've no clue as to what might exacerbate it, so I'll back off, yet again for a while. Humbug.
  

We finally had our "xmas in April" with Katie, Mike and Colby! Mike had an over-niter on Friday, and on Saturday we took the prezzies to Katie's when we took Mikey home. It was fun - except Mike took offense with what we thought were his fewer xmas presents than he hoped for. Letting Mike be "santa" isn't good, cuz he only see's who gets them v. what he gets...which blew up in our faces 2 years in a row -- I hope Gordy finally understands when I suggest he doesn't insist Mike play santa's helper now?!?

He started "pouting" and mumbling (just audible enuff) for me to hear, "I get 5 coal pieces, and everyone else gets presents..." and so finally, when talking to Mike, I said that we'd be happy to give him more "little prezzies" next xmas, instead of "big ones" if he'd prefer. No real answer, just mumbles and pouts, until he said "Why do I get COAL?" and to my horror, ding! I got it...and I said, to him, "oh Mike? what is your last name?" and he said "Coa....then stumbled and laughed" he got it -- coal = coale!!!!

But he also forgot that this was a gift for the WHOLE family, not just his, but the sad thing is he thought we thought he was a bad boy and punished him!!! Sheeeeit! No Coal for Coales again... ooopsie!

But it was warm and fun, and we met the newest member of the family, Beau, a longer haired dachshund, v. long and short -- so Katie dubbed him a "tweener wiener dog". We all aren't thrilled with Beau for his name, but it will emerge, his proper name, in time.

Gordy is lobbying for Buster.

Katie said that Beau looks like Zach, and sure enuff, there is that resemblence .

There are photos to post, none from xmas from my camera to my chagrin, but some our the visit w/Mike to Ft Casey -- methink that was too much, and the next AM I woke up with siezed up back...but pushed through to play outside with Mike but that was foolish on my part -- but I hate being in pain and not moving and not having a life, and not being able to have fun with my grand-kids. I hate this "life" and need to get beyond it and be moving again. Maybe a CPT visit is in my future? We'll see.

Well, I have pain from writing and being in this position on the laptop, so I'll be back anon to talk of Mom and other stuff.
##

 01:24 PM - link -    

Time to catch up some more stuff and nonsense.

I have a new MD, aka General Practitional, or Primary Care Physician as of Monday on the 7th. His name is Z. G. Petrak, MD. Just prior to my appointment with him, I saw a photo of him and his partner in one of the local rags, the "Marketplace", and he looked tad stern, but what photos often leave out, is the soul, mind and heart of a person, sometimes lucky for them, other time, as in this case, it lost so much of what this man is about.

He's a warm, caring, smart man. And, he laughed at my jokes [well, laugh? not so much, but a grin and a chuckle is a start ]. He also has a whole heapin' helpin' of humanity. And, the way he thinks and approaches things is fresh, which is one of the pluses in getting a new doctor, at least one hopes that will happen, fresh eyes and opinions.

I like him, and felt he liked me too. I don't mean he's like, oh boy, Zoe is coming in today or an appt., I just mean he treated me with respect, and of late, that is far far far from the treatment I've been exposed to of late. But that is a huge post for another time, if at all.

So this is good. I will be seeing him in a month.

Tomorrow, I pick up copies of my records from WCP. For now I'm leaving Mom's there, but I want to talk to someone about what they think is best /smartest. I don't think Mom will have a private MD for a long while, so do I move it or not? On the down side, they had already lost some of my chart and paperwork already, could it be worse with Mom's? Or safer? I got to think this through.

I had an appt with both Celeen and Julie today [cranial sacral therapy, and accupuncture in that order]. A lot of body work fer sure and a lot of new feelings, thoughts, and, new pieces parts added to how to look at my health. Julie and I came up with a possible game plan that sounds reasonable.

There are 2 chiropractors she feels good about, and I am going to the one in Freeland, Dr Casey. We hope that he can use his tools to determine what is going on with me, and then try to get things in order from his specialty POV, using the "activator" v. manual manipulation -- it's much better for a person with FM. It will minimize the "fibro-flare" associated with tender points.

So there will be a many pronged approach with many new "eyes", and I hope they will talk to each other v. my having to be the disseminator of what is happening in each office, i.e. their protocol 'cuz -- my layperson-speak, and tmy sieve for a brain is the long way around to appreciating what each person is doing, and working towards.

I also met with Gary, and we decided to hang in, for now, with my current meds. He will talk with Marilyn to get a broader and more true picture of what has been happening, because I wasn't doing so hot in expressing my general mood(s) of late. I love with care-givers speak to each other.

I also have been thinking that this year may see me back at CPT again, I so wish that I could get back to that place I was back in February, when I grew strong and had hope for a while and thought I'd be traveling, walking easily, starting exercises for fitness and fun, like tennis, and asst. things like that, and all the while as I grew stronger, then start searching for work...oh the dreams that started to become a possibility, when all of a sudden, I messed up my foot, and knocked my body out of whack, and undid so many things accomplished, and steadily, my hopes for health, and the dreams I began to think were possible, left me so quickly.

So, with the latest series of events, I am going to start to to hope these medical folk that will be in my future will help me find ways to move physically, and get more independent surely, even if slowly, and lose medicine and lose pain and gain brain and ability...hey, a gal can hope, right?

Gary said that one of my priorities is to get some sleep. Since the CPAP burns my nose, my options are limited, but Dr Petrak came up with the idea to ask my DDS if they can help me with some oral appliance. I hope he can help so I can get stage 4, restorative sleep...ah...dare to dream? [yeah all puns intended...]

So, tomorrow will be a long day, and I'm still not asleep, and Mikey comes by about 7:30 AM...about 3+ hours away -- egads! Then up to O.H. to pick up my charts, then down to Dr P's to drop it off, then a day with Mike, and I hope I can hold up and be fun for him...hope hope hope. It's been so horribly long since last we played together.

He's sleeping over Friday night, so we'll have more time with him. Both Gordy and I have been zonked and running full bore to get our things done...the list never gets under control...but we're so tired, both of us, and this is not good to present tired grandparents -- Mike deserves fun creative and mobile ones, and tomorrow, well, I hope his expectations are more realistic than typical.

Heck, I wish we could do our christmas that remains undone, we could open up his goodies and all, and maybe play with some of them. I have no recollection what we gave them...oh well, it will make it like opening new prezzies for us too to see what they have wrapped up.

So, it's now another 20 minutes later, and I still am not asleep, but I'm zonked. So no re-reading what I wrote, so I apologize in advance for any repetitions, any repetitions, and sentences that make no sense .

Mike's coming tomorrow! Oooooooweeeeee!
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 04:29 AM - link -    

As promised, update regarding Mom as of today's visit.

It was not the best visit.. but there have been a lot worse ones. As Gordy and I were let in, the people all started to walk towards us, screaming, chatting, asking, etc. sort of like a scene from "Night of the Living Dead"..very surreal, and sad and also spooky and scary-ish. Later we found out that there were 3 fights earlier that day that they had to break up. These people are amazing to do what they do day after day and with compassion. Wow.

So, we rounded the corner, and Gordy went to the desk to sign in, and I saw Mom (wearing the lightweight "jacket" I brought last week) and she was looking for something, and her hair was long, and the clothes were close fitting, so she looked frail and thin. I opened my arms up high and wide and said, "Mommy!" and she looked up after a couple of times as I walked towards her, and her face "crumbled" into tears, and she said "Jonni! Take me home I can't stay here anymore"...damn, that is one thing I am unable to do no matter what...the state still has "custody" of Mom and that kills me.

I held her and let her cry, and asked her some questions, and suggested we go into "our room" and eat first. Gordy joined us, and we tried to make her feel better. She ate well after a slow start, and she loved the look of the table (I brought some flowers and pussywillow from the yard) and at first she was a "chipmunk on speed" as Gordy dubbed it when folx talk at lighting speed.

After a time she did chat more calmly, and ate, and Tammy came in and we talked some, and it was ok. She was very upset though, despite our best efforts at distraction. When we finally were getting ready to leave, Mom said, "I'm nervous, I don't want to be alone here". That is behaviour from a while back when she didn't /couldn't be alone, especially at night. She was very unhappy we were going, and asked us to stay, and also take her with us.

We got Tammy in and told her Mom was afraid to be alone, could she hang with Mom, and she said she could, but Mom was not having that distraction. She asked when I'd be back, and she was unhappy with my replies...a resounding "No! I don't think so!" with her angry look that is truly one I have seen most of my life growing up with her -- anger and some "hatefulness" too that is a Mommy /Daughter thing we had as I grew up. It hurt me to the quick, but I guess my pain is not near what Mom is experiencing if she's afraid, feels unloved, and is hurting and lonely and alone and surrounded by these people in this mood.

I feel so absolutely impotent again, and wish I could do something she needs, like take her out and take her home. But it is not going to happen as far as I can forsee.

Gordy took some snaps, as did I, using his little cell phone camera. I must say by the end of the visit, despite her despair, at least she got those "roses in her cheeks" back again, and looked a little less "drawn". Oh Mommy. What to do, what to do....

I have a killer head, and other owies. I meet with my new MD manana, we'll see if he's going to be a
"match" for me or not, and how he feels about my complicated health issues. Wish me luck, and also on Wednesday. This is a tough week with lots of MDstuff, and two not here on the Island even.

Well, I'm so exhausted, and hurty, I hope I can grab some zzzzzzzz's before I have to arise for my appointment manana.

Please send good thoughts Mom's way.
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 03:03 AM - link -    

Time for some more catching up. I think I will save Momstuff for after my next visit with her, on the 'morrow, that way it will be very fresh. I also hope there will be good news to report from the visit as well. She just looooooves her "american spaghetti" I make her. Tres gourmande .

Well, onto more jlg-detrius, eh?
So, I missed the connection of both Dad's Birthday (March 20th -- he always preferred to call it "Spring Day", and April 2nd, to light the Yertzeit). Dad died in 1999, April 2nd, which was Good Friday that year, so I remember we all chatted about his come back on Sunday...no blasphemy intended, just "black humor" aka "funereal humor" aka "joking" while trying to hang onto some silly "magical thinking" -- I just did not want him gone.

Anyhooo, the conundrum for me later was do we light the candle every Good Friday? or April 2nd? or do I track down the hebrew calendar and do it that day? Not belonging to a temple, we wouldn't get those anniversary notices that we woud get back east as a reminder. This year, the 9th anniversary of his passing, well, I just messed up royally, not for lack of love and love and more love and loss of and missing him, nor loss of respect for Dad - not hardly, but my forgetting and losing track of it all makes me feel like I failed him in yet another way [failing him about Momcare is my first guilt..just writing the words make me sad and start to have "leaky eyes"...he would want so much more for Mom than I have managed to give her, but what it could be, I've no idea as I do try the hardest I can to make it the easiest I can think of for her -- trying to be creative in our visits etc etc, but in the end, she's there, on her own, for the rest of the week, and for me to make it down more often is not doable. Doing it as frequently as we do now is so very hard on both myself and Gordy as it is].

Time just was all blurry and my theory for the past few chaotic years is that "it" is all "just one day". It's APRIL already, and we still didn't have our Christmas of '07 with Katie, Mike and Colby yet. Horrors.

We also have not sent off, the prezzies which have been ready to mail, to Jenny and Miz Robyn for their January birthdays. I feel like crap about it. Pure unadulterated crap. Seems to be this year of the Rat's theme for moi.

Today Rob (He's always been Bob to me - we've known one-another since Mr Fusco's Algebra "split lunch" class at Conard High, aka I was 15!!!) phoned, and I was here this time to answer it. I know he thinks that I "screen" my calls, but I don't have an answering machine that would allow it, au contraire, I have voice-mail c/o Whidbey Telephone, which does not let me discriminate. It's a real phone leveler.

But today we got to speak for a nice while. He sounded so fine and happy and quite centered. There was a "bounce" in his voice. I loved that. He had just come back from a trip to Costa Rica which, according to him, was even better than his trip to Iceland which was the trip to which all of them were held up to until now. He did send me some snaps, and I'll share 2 (without permission - but I'm sure he'll have me remove it if it bothers him). I am waiting with bated breath for the latest photo of his daughter, Katie, who is 15, and I'm sure a heartbreaker if she takes after her Dad in the charm and looks department hehe, karma .

  
La hummingbird & Pictureperfect Costacoast

Speaking of Rob, there's Robby, of Coale infamy, and Gordy stopped by his place of work today and caught up with him. All is going well, and I love that! He's an amazing man who is so sensitive to what peple are feeling -- and a looker to boot! Things are going well for him [knock wood] and it was via hard work and determination. He's now working at Mukilteo Coffee Roasters which is a surprisingly huge contender in the coffee bean world; internationally, they beat out Starbucks in some markets...and Robby is with them during the early growing pains when they opened their "facility in the woods", and has worked his tail off with /for them. One thing that Robby excels in is his "coffee art"! I've yet to see it, but will look forward to seeing his work. Gordy plans to take some snaps and create a book online. Gary and Beth (the owners) are noticing Rob's range of skills, and dedication, thus he is starting to reap the rewards, such as heading to Hong Kong to doing some training in the near future. Literally "Kewl Beanz"!

Of course, work leads to my project for Robin Dowling, owner of The Gallery Salon and Day Spa. I did a site for her (currently it's only 2 "splash pages"), which is still a work in progress, but feel free to visit the site, and bookmark it if you are local to the Island.

Well, I gots to get some paperwork ready, and try to write up some sort of a compilation of events /dx, rx et al for my upcoming new MD appts this week. Scary stuff, a lot rides on this week re: LTD, insurance, Rx et al. I'll take any good vibes you all are willing to give.

Peace!
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 10:19 PM - link -    

It's been a long while between posts again, but I'll try to play catch up as briefly as possible .

It's been a hard bit o' time of late, but that's typically my reason for being remiss...maybe soonly, I'll be saying that I had such a fabu time that I couldn't take myself away from life to write.

My dear friend, who I met a few lifetimes ago via DEC, told me her Mom passed away. It is a sad thing to lose one's Mom, and I feel for her so much. Her Mom has lived with her for the longest time, ever since I knew Jacqueline. At the end, her Mom was in a home, her care was so acute, and that really never relieves the daughter much, since then there's the visits, and the sadness and seeking of moments of recognition and lucidity. Luckily, Jenny, Jacqueline's Mom, did not have Alz, but no illness is kind.

Jennie Luciano will be sorely missed.

Also in the obit section of this post, my dear friend, I dare to call him friend because we had such a strong connection despite our little contact, Grey Eagle, passed last week. That totally blew my mind, as I felt he'd be here on this planet forever. He was an incredible man. I first met him when he was on TestingTesting reading his works on "air".

He was native american, and what stories! The stories, and his work, mostly were about Vets, especially Viet Nam veterans, and the stress and hell they experienced. He made a safe place for them to tell their stories. At one point, we chatted about doing a web site, but it wasn't to be, the work was too complex at the time for alluvus, and that time was better spent with him working directly with people v. a site.

Now I wish we had persued it then, since he'd have been online and available for all time...but he was such a great guy, funny, smart, kind, and a heart of gold. Brilliant. He was my Dad's age!!! And his birthday was the same as mine. Small world some times. Coincidence? nah! He also was my Tom McPadden in my heart on the west coast. I think I may have written of Tom (aka "Donkey") from my days at Koenig's Art and Drafting supply days? He was so dear as well. If I have not written about him, maybe the time is now, or soonest.

Segue onto huge hearts, and that I ran into Beverly Graham, of cat-giving infamy [through her I have received both Zach and Val] and pure soul who just gives and gives and gives despite her personal demons and chronic illness. I won't name them here, but she is a fighter that manages to create more fabulous environments for people in need.

She started, in Seattle, Operation Sack Lunch. Many moons ago, it was all about handing out sandwiches to the local homeless, and then being picked up for doing this without a license, and now, OpSackLunch is HUGE, feeding so many, and also finding places for them to stay the night. Amazing. Bev also has written law for the state of WA -- a far cry from handing out sandwiches, or is it? Just in how she is perceived, and the quantity of people she helps.

She's also a fabulous musician, and recently, on the end of her latest email, was a link in her .sig file, and I'll share it with you Let Your Heart Break!

Another organization for you to check out (a subsidiary of Operation: Sack Lunch) is Occupation: Next Step.

Some "Next-Steppers" - you can read their powerful stories on the website

   
Zachary Kaboodle Graham.Gillman and Valor Bartholomew Graham.Gillman
- such amazing fuzzles

. She, Olivia, still has kitten moments, and sticks it out on occasion -- LOVE!


Miz Olivia Rose Gillman

Speaking of animals...well, my mind has to go to Terri and Jenna and their love for animals is boundless. My Grandmother on my Mom's side, Lillian [I've mentioned she was on the radio and called "The 2nd Kate Smith" because of her contralto singing...] loved animals too. Mom used to say she loved them more than she did her and her brother Jay. I'm not so sure she's right, but if she felt that way...well it was real for her. That piece of my Grandmother, aka "Grangraw" (and my grandfather's nom de grandkids was "Granky" WWIT?) has been passed down to us female grandkids (Terri and me), and great-grandkids (Jenna). Well, on to Terri, the latest is that her dearling Dondear has to have surgery at the end of this month -- it stinks, and I won't go into details, they are not mine to share, but please send healing light and love his way. He's a special guy, and he deserves to be feeling well at the end of all this. Prayer is goodness too.

Not to be out-done, the Coale-side of the family has had it's share of nasties too, with Katie dealing with some scary health issues (on the mend now "knock on wood") as has Mikey, with a very high fever that found him in the ER at WGH, but he, too, is on the mend, and soon to be on school break (we are hoping to have some time with him next week -- at one point [shhhhhh] we looked into a surprise trip where we'd tell him to pack his overnight bag, and we'd do a quickie down to disneyland, and back, but dang, the prices were not to be...nor did Gordy and my health cooperate either...maybe later?!? hope hope...!).

And dear Doris found herself also doing a hospital run, but thankfully she's back home snug as a bug "knock wood" yet again. The only problem with a huge family, is that loving these people can hurt a heart when the shit hits the proverbial fan, and, as we all know, it rarely happens with appropriate moments to recover in between. The pluses, well, there are no words for a hug and kiss and some laughter from family.

BTW, Jenny, Bill, Robyn and Evan closed on their house, and moved in PDQ! Their first house -- that is so amazing, we can't wait to see snaps, and later, see it in person - maybe that would be a good visit with Mike when we can swing it and all the stars are aligned as needed.

So, that's it for now. The next post will be more about Mom, me, Gordy et al.

I love Mom so dearly, and basically, she's doing amazingly well. She even reads!

We don't usually get to see "that piece" of her, Gordy and I, but that's ok -- she can relax with us at least, right? I love her so much! I miss her so much. It was good that she was doing well for Gregg's visit, and she was just so happy to see him (as was I)!!! More news later on - sooner rather than later I hope. As a teaser, let me tell you that Gordy found the LIFE Magazine on ebay that his Grandfather, Griff, graced the cover of -- Kewl Beanz!
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 12:39 AM - link -