Tulips, Tulips, Oh Me, Oh My

On Friday Frank and my friend Diana went to the tulips in Skagit County. Diana had never been to Rozengarde,the tulip display garden. It was a gloriously beautimus day and it was the best way to enjoy the full impact.
Sunday we received a call from Kali and Gabe wanting us to join them at the tulips again. His two sisters, one from Seattle and one from San Diego were here and we had the wonderful opportunity to meet them.
Monday, my friend Cindy Boswell (Miller) called saying, "I haven't seen the tulips yet. Do you want to go?" I couldn't resist saying yes. We explored each and every blossom with eager gardner's relish. Afterward we lunched on Shrimp Omlet at our favorite hangout in Mt. Vernon, Calico Cupboard. All in all WHAT a WHIRLWIND weekend!

The Sun, The Sun, The Sun

It was so great to have one entire sunny day at my disposal.
I gave up the studying on-line for in my backyard.

My project was to string wire for my raspberry vines. I have a raised bed and a row along the back fence. Since I really didn't know what I was doing, it all turned out great in the end. I strung the wire and then proceeded to turn the vine on it's side. After many frustrating tries I finally managed to secure the vine to the wire and it all looks so professional and all. I just had to stand back and admire my two hours of work. I'll really enjoy it in July when I have real raspberries on which to munch.

I did a crazy thing this week. I was going to fertilize the back lawn. I got out the spreader and found that the mechanism to open and close it had rusted. My husband said it was probably because I left the weed and feed in the spreader for six months! No duh!
So, being the stubborn, persistent, and single-minded person that I am, the lawn was fertilized anyway. I have a huge plastic colander. I filled it with weed and feed (about seven pounds worth) and methodically sifted the stuff into the grass. Looking back I think I am a crazy person to have done it that way. It took about an hour and my arms and back let me know they weren't happy! Bright spot, the weeds are dying!

Surgery Week Yea! (Not)

Monday afternoon April 7th I had the dreaded Colonoscopy. My visiting teaching companion, Robbin Foules drove me to Everett since I couldn't drive after the operation. The usual IV was administered to put me out and before I knew it the whole thing was over and I was in recovery. The good news is they didn't find anything wrong and the better good news is I do not have to undergo this for another 10 years!!!! To all those who are fearing such an ordeal, it's not that bad. There other things out there way worse. That same day Frank received the results of his MRI for his Brain Tumor. In two months the tumor has not grown so they are sure it is NOT malignant. That was super news. Now we wait to hear what they will do next. Shunt maybe?
Thursday, April 10th, Frank had shoulder surgery to take off bone spurs that had been causing much pain. He has three miniature holes in his shoulder with one stitch in each. The surgeon did microscopic surgery so after three days Frank is off his Percecet. The operation was successful and they gave him a shot of cortisone in his other shoulder which isn't as bad.
Tonight Michelle and Dave Goodwin came for Sunday dinner. I fixed Sweet and Sour Chicken. It was delicious and Dave and Chelle each took some home for lunch tomorrow!
It is alway fun to visit with them one on one. Dave and Frank launch into legal talk and sometimes Chelle and I just listen cause it is so interesting.

Nauvoo and Layton, Utah

We left Nauvoo after staying overnight at Motel Nauvoo, drove to Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith was shot by a mob. Brent had the opportunity to testify of Joseph
Smith being a prophet there in the room where he had been killedl. We tried to drive from Illinois to Utah but had to stop in Nebraska for a short few hours of sleep. We enjoyed visiting with our son David and Rachel and son Rhees. Brent had not met Rhees before and it was fun seeing them meet for the first time.

Boone N.C., Kirtland Ohio, Nauvoo, Illinois

We figured that on this trip we spent at least 100 hours driving and Brent drove all those hours. Boone N.C. we stayed with my cousin Melanie Winklemann. She is Myra Helton's neice and Uncle Vernon Helton's daughter. We had a nice short visit. She wasw so very kind and hospitable. It was hard to leave. I wish that we could have stayed longer. By the time we arrived in Kirtland, Ohio the Kirtland temple was closed but we took pictures outside. It was impressive just to view the outside and think that the pioneers built it with very little money. We stayed in Cleveland then on to Nauvoo the next morning. Tiredness was beginning to set in as well as an aversion to riding day after day in the car. (Will my legs ever straighten out again?)




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Disneyworld, The Place of a Thousand Dreams

Florida was such a climate switch for us. The temp was 95 with 90 percent humidity. We enjoyed EPCOT and toured the many cultures. We liked the Norweigan water ride. It cooled us down. Brent loved the Canada exhibit and Frank loved the giant guitar comemorating America and rock music. I got dehydrated at the Haunted Mansion and almost fainted.I grabbed Brent who told me to drink more water. Even with drinking more, later up went my lunch when we were in line for a fun ride. We ducked out and made a 6 p.m. race for home so I could recuperate.

New York Here We Come

We stayed one night on Times Square in a Best Western. Our plans were to take in a Broadway show for me. When I saw how expensive the hotel was I decided we better take off. So we toured Times Square and saw the Manhatten temple.

We tried to find the ferry dock to the Statue of Liberty. After forty-five minutes of Brent keeping up with the best of NY taxi drivers, we took off across the bridge. We found the Statue of Liberty park. The journey to the Statue included Ellis Island. All in all it was an exciting part of the trip. The view of the Manhatten skyscrapers was stunning.

Pictures of PEI - Mother Nature's Hidden Secret

Wheels For Fun Tour

On PEI I wanted to go to Avonlea, where "Ann of Green Gables" was filmed. I've never seen water so crystal clear and blue and such green ,grassy, endless fields.

Kirtland, Illinois and the Palmyra Temple were exciting church history sites to see. Then we drove eight hours to New York city, got lost and spent an hour driving down the island Manhatten is on. Driving through Harlem took us through the non-tourist sections of Manhatten. We stayed one night and toured Times Square for a couple of hours. The highlight of Times Square was not the bright lights and touring skyscrapers. It was taking a picture in front of the Manhatten temple.

We traveled to North Carolina and visited with Bishop Eskelsen and his wife, Joanne. We visited the NASCAR race track close by their home.

See the USA in your Chevrolet

We've been back from our trip back east six months. It seems like six weeks.

We flew to Hartford, Conn. bought our car and headed on our Wheels for Fun Tour!

After resting for the night we spent over ten hours in the car on our way to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The scenery along the way was breath-taking. The leaves were just changing colors and we took the coastal road north through Maine. I could not help but take pictures as we drove.

We arrived in Halifax at 1:30 a.m. and slept a few short hours until time to go to the mission president's home for breakfast the following morning. We bought a map of Darmouth and proceded to go to the Mission headquarters for directions. Long story short, we got supremely and utterly lost. With our cell phone we called. They told us to stay put and they would come escort us there. So our fanfare meeting Brent was him hoping in our car in a pouring rainstorm, saying "Hi Mom, Hi Dad. Let's go." We missed the entire breakfast but had a great visit with President Jacobsen and his wife.