Sunday, February 27, 2011

I'M BACK ...!

Sitting at my computer is very uncomfortable but just for my loyal readers; I will “suffer” through this writing with a smile on my face. In our comfy Penny the Pace, I had a wonderful recliner and an excellent position to kick back and babble on to my hearts content. So far we have not had time to set up our spare room as an office so I’m perched on a hard backed chair with my keyboard on a rickety folding table that we’ve carted around for six years as a place to put the grill on when we bbq’d outside. So … just for you’ all ... here goes!

BTW, thanks for you patience while my wonderful grandson Joe extracted the virus from my computer. He saved the day for his grandma that’s for sure. Thanks again Joe!!!

We’ve had a busy two weeks since moving in. As you know, we helped granddaughter, Sara and her partner, Jason get moved into their new little home. Then we helped my sister, Dixie celebrate her birthday at her daughter, Tammy’s house. The following Thursday we drove to Puyallup and helped Dixie and her husband, Paul (they are long-time antique dealers) set up their booth at the annual car/antique show at the fairgrounds (sorry, didn’t take pictures!!!!) then went back on Sunday and helped them pack up. While we were there, we bought out one vendor’s leftovers when the show was over so we had to pack that up and load it in our van as well. These will be items we will reprice and display at our next garage sale. They told us they “didn’t do this for a living” (as story we took with a grain of salt) and sold us almost everything they had left (filled our van) for $150. The full set of Noritake china (which we will keep) is worth $200 on eBay alone and there were two more partial sets of dishes of high value as well.

The following Monday, on Dixie’s actual birthday, we joined her and Paul, our friends, Gloria and Les, daughter, Bobbie and Sara (she was on shift that night but sat with us on her lunch break) for another wonderful meal and get together at the Casino buffet. As usual, it was a night of laughter and lots of good humored kibitzing between loved ones … something Phil and I never get too much of!

We have been working at our trailer every day, rearranging, rethinking where things should go and packing and pricing for our next garage sale as we go along. Phil built a wonderful spice rack for over the kitchen stove and then also built a four-foot long coat rack with shelf above in the hallway to eliminate the coat tree that just took up too much room inside the front door. It is working great!

This past Friday, we helped our friends, Sandy and Ray set up their latest garage sale in the Memorial Hall and will return today to help them break down and pack up. These sales are a lot of work and the more hands available, the faster and easier it goes. Sandy and Ray loan us their folding tables when we have our garage sales. A favor we really appreciate!

Saturday, I attended the baby shower for Sara given by her “sister” April Lamont at Bobbie’s house. Over thirty women attended and the presents were piled high for our newest Great Grandbaby due in April. This new little one will want for nothing once she enters the world … that’s for sure. Our granddaughter, Megan, her husband Joshua and son, Sean-Michael drove up from Longview for the shower and made the announcement that she is pregnant with twins, due in October. I already knew about them since she had called me after her first sonogram when two babies were obvious in the pictures. It was a thrill for me knowing that there will be three new greats coming into the world this year. With my recent heart surgery and brush with death, I feel like the luckiest person of all time to be here, alive and well for the arrival of these babies!

Thank you again for your patience and for stopping by!

Until next time …


Our group at the Casino ...
L-R: Paul, Les, Phil, Bobbie, Sara, Joy, Gloria and the birthday girl, Dixie.


Gorgeous snow covered trees along highway 101 on the way to Olympia last Thursday.

Just had to show you the beautiful bassinet I found at the local thrift store for $9.00!! I cleaned and disinfected it from top to bottom, washed the skirt and canopy and Sara loved it.

Cousin, Joe teaching Sean-Michael how to play the guitar! He was loving it!

Sara and the diaper wreath her "Aunt" Terri made for her.

Mother and daughter. Notice any resemblance?
It even got my attention this time!

Sara working her way through a huge pile of presents showing an "I love Mommy" pair of pajamas!

Four generations!
L-R: Megan, Sean-Michael, Joy and Violet.

Our darling granddaughter, Sara and her beautiful cake.

Joy with her FIVE GREAT GRANDBABIES!
L-R: Carly #1; Sara with #3; Joy; Megan with #4-5 and Sean-Michael #2.
Do I look happy or what?????

Sunday, February 20, 2011

IS IT JUST ME?

The blog is on hold until? I have picked up a virus and grandson, Joe is working to get rid of it for me. He has seen this one before and knows what has to be done.

Using Phil's laptop to make this post. Thank goodness for two computers!

Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully, I'll be back soon .......

Julie Joy

Monday, February 14, 2011

THE REST OF THE STORY ...

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL!

We crawled out of bed on Thursday (I think it was Thursday) and it wasn’t long before the power went out in Penny the Pace. Of course, she immediately switched to battery power but we had no heat (we use an electric heater to save propane) and I had no computer (I have a desktop). In a few minutes it came back on so we continued our morning routine and then it went out again. This time, Phil went into the house and checked and they were having similar problems. Part of the house was on, part was off and neither Phil nor Les could figure out what was going on. Les called the electric company and they sent a crew up to see if it was their problem or our problem (inside or outside the house). Well…

Come to find out, when Les hired the backhoe to dig out the parking space for parking our RV in Lester’s back yard this guy clipped the power line that is buried underground. Over the past year it has deteriorated to the point that it would lose connection but then for some unknown reason it would make the connection again. You see, we have had similar incidents over the past 10 months that somehow were resolved with Phil and Les changing plugs, etc., etc. Their house was originally built in the early 1900s and had been remodeled and renovated many times over the years so we never suspected the main line coming into the house.

With their sophisticated equipment, the power company found the problem … right under Penny the Pace. We had to move so they could dig down and repair the line the next day. We hurriedly packed all of our daily essentials, the rest of the food in the frig and freezer and Little Sophie’s bed and food and filled up the van and the pickup. Penny was readied for travel, slide came in, jacks came up (without a hitch after sitting idle for 10 months) and Phil drove her over to a large vacant parking lot nearby to wait out the repair job. We took our booty up to Hidden Haven Mobile Home Park and officially moved in! We will continue to live in chaos for awhile as I try and find places for everything to “have its place” but we are in no hurry. So far so good!

Celebrated my little sister, Dixie’s 61st birthday last night (a week early ‘cause her daughter, Tammy (the official family party giver) will be on a cruise in Mexico celebrating her 5th wedding anniversary on the actual day). It was a wonderful party as usual with family and many friends attending. The food was wonderful and the company was great! I’m sure all had a wonderful time!

PS: As you can see … my HERO got my computer working and I’m back in business!

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time ...
Little Sophie is in her favorite spot in the middle of chaos and this picture was taken BEFORE we moved in! It looks worse now.

Someday soon this too will pass .... HA!

The power company arrives along with an electrician Les hired.

The meter was checked out and passed inspection.

The men were holding down the sectional.
L-R: Danny (daughter, Bobbie's special friend), Lester (Gloria was home sick), Andy (good friend of the family) and of course, my hero, Phil. Dixie's husband, Paul had just vacated the spot between Danny and Les (he HATES having his picture taken and I'll never figure that out because he's so darn cute ~~~ :)

My handsome grandson, Joe helping his cousin Tammy with the kitchen clean up.
They have a special bond since Joe was born on Tammy's 10th birthday back in 1980. She was so excited, she made herself sick and didn't get to see him until he was three days old.
Dixie's granddaughter, 16-year-old Jessica preparing her mammoth baked potato for the one and only item she ate for dinner!

That little girl ate it all too!!!

Gorgeous cake ... delicious too I might add :)!!
Oooops! Blew the diet ...

Just one counter full of the feast prepared by my niece for her mother's birthday dinner.
You name it ... we had it!

My sister, Dixie blowing out her birthday candles.

She hated birthdays and didn't want gifts or cards for years but now Dixie says that after spending six months in a nursing home and having five or more hip surgeries she is now thrilled to celebrate her birthdays and treasures every one.
All I can say is ... it's about time!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

We had to move, tell you more about it when I post. For now, another postponement. I am on Phil's laptop. My computer was just hooked up and is making things difficult for me. Phil will work on it and I'll try again later................................

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

THE COUNT DOWN BEGINS ...

After many months of preparation, we have at last gotten a new home for granddaughter, Sara and her partner, Jason. They have rented a two-bedroom mobile home in one of the two mobile home parks in Shelton. It isn’t fancy, is well used and not too well taken care of but with some ambitious scrubbing and a little help from us, it will work just fine for now. The best part is that she is now only five minutes from work. Her baby is due in April and they had been literally camping out in a small travel trailer about ten miles from town for the last few months. Before that, they were literally homeless when the car they had been living in died. Sara was at her wits end and desperate for some help. Her mom had been doing as much as she could and was literally tapped out financially and emotionally. She needed help!

Since arriving back in Shelton, we have been unable to ignore their predicament and made it our business to insure things turned around for these kids and with perseverance, transportation and a little bit of money (loans they will pay back) Phil and I have assisted them both in getting steady employment, a bigger place to live and a decent car to drive. Sara is cashiering at Little Creek Casino and will qualify for many benefits after her trial period and Jason (who has little experience and no primary skills) is washing dishes at one of the busiest restaurants in town called Blondie’s that is owned by a friend of ours. He is doing well and likes the job. The head cook has told him he is willing to train him to do some cooking eventually and Jason is looking forward to learning some new work skills.

The last three days have been spent getting them moved into the new place and their old residence cleaned up so they will get their deposit back. Sara says it is not perfect for sure but certainly cleaner than when they moved in. However, at the time, they were frantic for a roof over their heads so they were willing to overlook a lot of things.

Phil got the satellite dish online up at the trailer (there was already one on the roof) so we have TV using one of the TVs from Penny the Pace for now. We plan on buying a bigger flat screen after we move in. He also called Comcast for a high-speed Internet connection that will be hooked up on Friday. Also, this week we will move the couch and loveseat up to the trailer (Gloria and Lester gave us their old set and have been storing them for us) and start finishing up the office and the hallway. I think we will probably move in before they are completely renovated so I’m estimating our move in date to be in about a week.

We went to great granddaughter, Carly’s first basketball game last Wednesday. It was so much fun to cheer her on and watch how intense she is about the game. The apposing team was from Shelton Middle School’s 7th grade and most of their team was a head taller than Carly. Her speed and agility is her greatest asset under these conditions … we really enjoyed watching her play. She loves the game!

Thanks for stopping by and again, I apologize for being so late this week but I have been just a wee bit busy!
Until next time …


Sara and Jason's new home.

Our Carly, number five in the blue and white uniform guarding her "man".

On the bench waiting for the coach (on right) to let her go back in.

On the run with her eye on the ball ...

At last, a guard who is no taller than she is ...

Two number fives ... on apposing teams battle for possession of the ball ... !

Monday, February 07, 2011

ONE MORE DAY ... SORRY!

I just need one more day ...

Sunday, February 06, 2011

DELAY OF POST ... again :(

Just too darn tired to work on the blog today. Been helping granddaughter, Sara move. I'll tell you all about that and our moving in progress tomorrow.

Please come back then ...