Tuesday, February 12, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

My mother is incredible! Yesterday she celebrated her 87th birthday, and was busy all day. My sister Mary brought Mexican sombaros down with her from Wisconsin and had a festival party. Sister Lori's boyfriend Tony's parents were on their way to a polka fest in Los Vegas, so they doned the hats, dug their accordions out of their van, and serenaded her with Happy Birthdays as she strolled around Westpark collecting hugs from the residents. She had a pizza and cake party at 2 for her girlfriends, and kept going all day. She takes care of her own house and finances, plays cards at the clubhouse almost every day, swims in the pool for an hour of aquanautics almost every day, and rarely takes a nap. And for all this, she takes an occasional vitamin or asprin.....doesn't even take blood pressure medicine! I think she will outlive all her daughters if she keeps going like this! We are all so fortunate to have this fiesty Irish Mom, and wouldn't trade her for June Cleaver! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!! We love you!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

BACK IN ARIZONA









Had a wonderful three week trip to Florida, cruise to Belize and Cozumel, visits to St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Epcot in Orlando, Biloxi, New Orleans, San Antonio, and to Roswell to see the UFO exhibits and visit sister Ann. Was a great trip, and wonderful way to begin my 61st year, but we were about museumed and moteled out, so was good to be home and it my own bed again. We didn't make Washington DC as planned, but figured that works best for a trip all by itself.




Have spent the week unpacking, doing laundry and bills and income tax, cleaning up the place (left right after Christmas, so still had THAT mess waiting for me!), and of course, spending time with Wylee and Bart again.




Not much down time, and have started more projects. Found tile on sale at Lowe's, so Conrad is tiling the bathroom floors...with a bit of frustration as I don't always have the tools he needs around here. I am also looking at putting steel security screen doors on my house and Mom's, and am hitting the garage sales watching for a self-cleaning gas stove and good double bed for guest room. Would love to re-carpet my bedroom and extend my Pergo floor into the kitchen....but think that will wait until next winter.




This weekend is Gold Rush Days, so will take some time off from chores to see the parade, eat the BBQ, watch the rodeo, and browse through the exhibits. My sister Mary and hubby will be here tomorrow, so may check out the dance with them Saturday night. Busy weekend!




Although we are complaining about the unusual cold in Arizona this winter, compared to the bitter temperatures my friends in Minnesota are dealing with, this is a piece of cake. Sue emailed that they were cancelling the Valentines party team sorting this weekend because of the cold, friends Ampe's are traveling through a blizzard in Wisconsin returning from Carolina, and sister Mary is white-knuckling a drive through blizzards to get down here for Gold Rush Days and Mom's birthday. And this weekend will be a sunny 70 degrees here. Life is good.