Memorial Day

Ha, summer starts unofficially here in the States this weekend.  Half of the US is on the road to visit the other half.  No kidding.
Of course we'll be joining the ones on the road.  And yes, our trip will take us more than 50 miles from home, more like 120.  And yes, we are going to be lunatics who will start at the height of rush hour, between 4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon.  Hmm, I don't remember traffic jams on the way out to the sheltered island on holiday weekends, but we must have sat in some.  Considering we need to go around/over New York City....
Oh, well, but to be there!   I remember the smell of the wild roses last Memorial Day weekend.  And we'll see the parade that goes around twice, because it's so small.

I had help cleaning my basement and my garage.  You have no idea how huge that is!  Huge.  If I wanted to, I could even get a car into my garage, after the junk has been taken away!
And I'm ashamed to admit I had no idea I  had this many jelly jars!  I better get cracking making jams and jellies.

And yes, I'm still walking.  In a city these days, part of the time.  With blocks and blocks of houses, but it still feels like suburbia, with tree lined streets, trees that bloomed already and are now green, little gardens in front and back of houses, sidewalks, a pretty park that is being used by early morning walkers or runners.

Next weekend will be a long one, and we are going to our nation's capital.
I will be reporting with photos!

In the meantime, have a great holiday weekend!

A day without rain

Here is a grandchild that I visited last week:

She is cute and tiny, and perfect!

And here is her proud family:

It's been raining every day.  With sunny breaks in between sometimes, but raining every day none-the-less.

Today is gorgeous, low 80's, a beautiful almost summer day.
Over the weekend we went hiking, and it was lovely, and look what we came across:

no, we don't know what kind of snake it was.  It also seemed hurt, and I am not in the habit of giving first aid to snakes.
The rest of the hike was uneventful, but lovely.
Busy week, and a busy weekend  coming up.

MA weekend, again

Yesterday Jessica's and Matthew's parents came back from a short trip to Italy.   Big excitement all around, parents happy, kids happy, and Oma happy (she got to go home).
The kids slept with me.  We piled in their parent's bed, and the kids were allowed some TV.
Last night Jessica said to her father:
Daddy, I slept on your side of the bed, and you need to change your pillow case, 'cause I drooled on it!

One of those things one needs to write down.

Cathy is visiting from Germany.  She's here on a business trip, and she'll go on to visit her Mom here in the States.
In the meantime it's Saturday, Cathy left, and the weekend has started.
Life goes on....

Children

The week is glorious.  Weather is springlike, sunny, mild, flowers very suddenly are here, and I swear I just turned around and everything is green.  The dogwood is blooming, and I'm just a little bit sorry that I won't be seeing my pink dogwood.  I'm babysitting for two of my grandchildren, since the parents left the country to celebrate a birthday.
I'm doing fine, the kids are very cooperative, but of course they get to sleep in bed with me, watching TV before I turn it off!  (and almost unlimited Xbox - sssshhhhh, don't tell!)

Yes, that's what grandmothers do.  We walk to school each morning, and if I have time, I walk to pick them up, and they get to walk home too.  It's not yet 4 PM and I have walked my 10,000 steps.
Did I tell you all how well I did at the last doctor's appointment?  Not on meds yet!  Keeping diabetes in check by walking and watching my carbs.  That's all I do!  Yes, and I managed to lower my cholesterol.  Really.

And someone else watches with me so I don't overdo.
And for that someone is the photo of the church we attended at Easter below.

News of the baby?  She went home!  She took her Mom too, of course, but the little peanut is doing fine, even though her mom has a cold.  But they'll be more comfortable at home, I'm sure.
Welcome home, Kate!

More celebrations

How do you like the header photo?  Cool, isn't it?  Yes, at that moment and from that advantage point it is the greatest city in the world.  Where I celebrated a birthday.  And was celebrated - it was so lovely.  A matinee, dinner near 5th Ave., in a lovely Italian restaurant, finished off with gelati, and a stop of a view like that - oh, please, show me something better.  With such lovely, lovely, none-better company.
Yes, even at my age, there are 'princess nights'.

The dark tower growing slightly to the left of the middle with the cranes on top is the new World Trade Center.  After 10 years it's about time that something grows in the awful hole.  

Makes you wonder what the holdup was.

big, shiny city

More to celebrate:  Mother's Day, with a soccer game, the company of grandchildren, a dinner, the company of a special person, just so nice, and a beautiful, sunny day.
Topped off with the news of the birth of a new granddaughter: Katherine Margaret.  Margaret being the name of my mother.

To my kids, thank you.
Chuck and Sue, thank you.

To M, thank you from the bottom of my heart, it couldn't have been better.

A hike, a birthday and a mishap

On Saturday I was babysitting two little boys.  One nine-months old, who needed to go in the stroller, so we could go to the playground with his brother, who is almost 4.
The mother thoughtfully put her mountainbuggy stroller in my trunk, so I could use it.
I took it out, tried to open it, and it promptly collapsed.  So I grabbed it by the front, pulled the wheel from under the stroller forward, snapped it in place, and realized my thumb was caught.  Truly caught in the stroller.  No way to pull it out, to slide it, to twist it, it was caught.  The baby was sitting in the dirt next to me, the four-year old running up and down the drive way, and I had a stroller stuck to my thumb.

Not a single clue as to how to open or close it.  Nothing, nichts, nada.  I tried what levers I saw, nothing was budging, still had a stroller stuck to my thumb.
Luckily I had my cell phone on me, called a friend, who also luckily lives within 2 miles of me, and was willing to help.  She came right over, tried various levers and buttons, and also couldn't figure out how to make the stroller collapse.
So we unscrewed it - that is, she did.  Can you imagine?!
And yes, you are allowed to laugh.

Sunday was time for a 'short' 5 plus mile hike.  And it was glorious.  The weather perfect, and everything pretty and green:

Getting a close-up of the moss

 A lean-to to spend the night.

 Anyone know what kind of tree this flower is on?  It's fairly small, all by itself in the middle of the park

 On top of the mountain.  

And another lone blooming tree.

And a birthday celebration:

Blowing out the candles.

I had made the potato salad that she knew and loved from HER Oma.

A great party,

and a full weekend.
Happy Birthday, Erika!
I am so proud of you, and I love you