WE ARE IN WICHITA KS AND NO SNOW

We are at a lovely "Best Western", had a good nights sleeps and what a crazy start to our trip. We went to bed on Friday night by 9pm. I was so exhausted from the packing up the camper. I don't know where Jim gets all his energy but by 11pm he woke me and said "lets go". Two house later we were on the road. I think of the things I forgot and have to la ff. I mean there are homemade croutons in the oven.
Jim drove 16 hours to get here with stops for gas and eats and ice cream bars. Hagendas' - really good. We finally drove out of the snow in Kansas about 1 to 2 hours before Wichita.
Whichita was a cattle destination the the old west so they could ship the cattle back east via train for the Eastern market. It's on The Chisholm Train and Little Arkansas River and also know as The Air Capital of the World because of the mfg. of small aircraft like Beech and Cesna.
We plan on being on the road this morning by 8am. You should see the fog out now. Should be gone by 9am they say.

GRANDMA WAS 99 YEARS - 48 DAYS OLD WHEN SHE DIED

I just am having a difficult time reporting about Lillian's demise. She had a very strong turn for the worse almost 3 weeks before she died. I regret the pain she had to endure, the two hospital stays, the move to a new nursing home. All of that when you are almost blind is so very disrupting even when the nurses are kind and patient.
Lillian was very used to "The Manor House". We moved her to "Homestead Rehab and Nursing Center" where she could get more care, her Doctor, Dr. Ottosen was part of that decision, it also is connected to the "Deer River Hospital" so we didn't ever have to take her outside again. Her second hospital stay all the had to do to run some tests was wheel her over to the hospital.
I guess it was just her time to go because her system started shutting down starting with no eating and hardly any drinking.
The thing I feel so good about is her body was telling us it was time to let her go, I said my goodbye to her the Thursday before she died, someone was always with her those last 3 weeks and in all honesty, the suffering was minimal. I really didn't think she would be gone this soon. I had just purchased her some new slacks and jackets for the nursing home. she wore them once I think. I sat with her on that Thursday, I had hung the "Amazing Grace" poster photo above her bed and sang to her rubbing her arm and holding her hand. The music, the words seemed to calm her, that was when my tears came. Them came because of the pain she was going through. There were quite a few days she just yelled out in what seemed like pain every other minute or so. That afternoon we wen to hospice and signed her up and they took over managing her pain and end of life. It happened the following Monday at 8:50 am. We had the funeral on Wednesday at 2pm with Bonnie her niece officiating. Jane sung beautifully 2 songs, "Amazing Grace and In the Garden or was it Have Thine Own Way". She is at peace, Jim said goodbye to her on the Sunday before she died.

IT IS FEB - CAN GOING SOUTH BE A REALITY

Well here we are in Feb. - On Jan. 31st I finally met with Dr. Oxenhadler in Duluth and he said we need to wear the neck brace another 10-12 weeks so I may as well wear it until I get back to Minnesota. Should be hot by then. It is either that or surgery and I am in no hurry to hear I need my neck fused whatever that entails. Yuck.
We finally had a thaw - last two days have been beautiful, over freezing. So nice to see some of the ice melt off my little three trees I have on the deck.
Some sad news - we had Lillian put into hospital on Friday night because of some health issues. Been up to see her every day but she sleeps most of the time and doesn't communicate at all. She is now 99. My goodness to live to be so old. I think she will recover, her heart and blood pressure are excellent so it's just a matter of time until she is back to her normal.

CAT SCAN REPORT

Here I thought I was going to get some good news yesterday and my Local Dr. O. called me today and told me she was not happy when she read the report. I am not heading as I should and I have no idea what that means. New Neck? Anyway under no circumstances am I to go without my brace and to make sure I keep my appt. with Dr. Oxenhadler in Duluth on the 31st. All I can say to that is Oh Darn.

CLEANING BIG FISH IN SNUGGIE

Well there is no doubt that we will be having Walleye Filets today, tomorrow and the next day. BIG FISH.

BIG FISH

Jim came home from his Thurs - Fri. night fishing weekend (a weekend is whenever you want it to be when you are retired) with a 28" walleye fish!

We usher at church this weekend. I have been baking like a crazy person but it's fun. Made Blond Brownies, Chocolate Cookies, Cranberry Nut Oatmeal Cookies and Date Oatmeal Nut Cookies.

A NEW YEAR 2011

I wanted to have a picture of Otto and Makons on my blog. We just had a new stained glass window put in by Dale Hillstrom of Federal Dam. We love it and also have new granite on the face of our fireplace.

I haven't visited my blog forever. Lots has happened but what I am excited about is in one week I get a cat-scan on my broken neck - I have had this collar brace on since Nov 19th and I am ready to have it removed. The new year is certainly a year to celebrate.

Our Skye has a new home in Mounds View and has become quite the fixer upper. Lots of fixing to be done but just think of it, all our kids have their own home and they are all currently working and that is cause enough to celebrate.

Our Mac and Laura are expecting a baby late April. A boy to go along with big sister Hope. What a blessing. Mac had a successful surgery last Nov and got his basement finished before his surgery.

It was more than fun to have Alexis and Skye here overnight on Christmas Day. Now that was all the Christmas present I needed but Jim still came through with a bunch of "Oscar" stuff. My kids will forever know me to smell like "Oscar".

We will be ushering for the next 3 weeks so I am starting the baking now. Made Oatmeal-Cranberry Nut Cookies yesterday and will make another cookie this week but don't know what yet.

Had prayer group this morning. So much to pray for in this crazy world we live in. We prayed for the Tucson victims and families and for the shooter. How tormented he must be or full of the devil. Don't know which but needs our prayers and so does his family.

I cannot wait till I am writing about our trip South in our new camper. My 25th Wedding Anniversary present. Jim is full of surprises and My sister Heidi and brother Mark are going to fly out to Laughlin in April to visit us. Yipee Skipee.