Happy Birthday Titi!

Happy Birthday Titi!

May you have many more years of health and happiness!

Happy 82nd birthday!!!!!

Easter 2011

Not much in the ole Easter basket when you're almost 18 1/2, but still getting an Easter basket.

In Rocky's words "what more could you want, new episodes of Dr. Who and chocolate!"

18 year old basket = Dove bunny, Cadbury Chocolate Carmel Eggs, Jelly Beans, ITUNES gift card.

I made the cake on Saturday, finally.   For years I've had this (simple) recipe burning a deep hole in my Recipe Book............so simple.

Go to http://www.kraftrecipes.com/ 

(Oh, and I've been using the same basket since he was a very little boy)

Fresh eggs, nothing like it.  My neighbor down below is overflowing with eggs. 

She did promise us the first eggs from the chicks we baby sat one weekend and forgot BUT, here we go with a nice dozen.

Mom loved our Sunday egg and cheese sandwiches Pete made - yummo!

Bulbs

Hi, my name is Janie and I'm a bulb addict!  Help! I'm out of control!!!

I have finally demystified bulbs.  I did my research a couple of years ago and now consider myself knowledgeable in the area of bulbs - ha!  

BUT, I just knew about bulbs that you plant in the Fall, not Spring, soooo now I'm getting ready to start planting my Summer bulbs, and oh, there are soooo many ;)

Of course, my choices are deer resistant and I've picked the brain of many "Ashlanders" to find out what really works.  

Now, my only problem is that the weather has not been cooperating, it's gotten cold again, but there is hope, I think we should be warming up enough in a week or two and I can get them in the ground.  

And that should take me a good while, because like I said.......I'm a bulb addict, I've purchased a little over 100!

A very Happy Easter to all!

Sorry, I've been MIA but it's been so busy at work with all the changes.

I work half time for Marketing and Development in a building on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival "campus" after poor Peter passed away the Marketing Director got her wish to move all the Marketing and Communications people into one building, the building I "come" with. I say I come with because, I'm the receptionist. 3 months ago Marketing packed up and moved into our building, some of them working from home.  Their former space was redesigned and construction had started.  Now that it's all done and Development is out, the big shuffle begins, and their millions of maintenance requests.  It's amazing how everyone is so different and has different tolerances.  Also, on that list I had to purchase a new fridge, microwave, toaster oven, step stool AND shredder..........whew, I'm tired.  Development had taken all those items to their new space.  

Still to come......... dealing with all the members that are used to dealing with Karen, Development's Premier Concierge.  I will have to route them to the new building and of course explain why they have moved, yada, yada......

You see our "Premier" members are used to coming off the street and walking straight up to Karen's area, now they'll have to go to the other building and have the main receptionist call Karen and then they'll have to wait for her to retrieve them.

Also, we're (me still) right across from the Members' Lounge, so it's also convenient for our members (1,250 & up).

Lots of changes, like everything else it will pass and life will go back to "normal", whatever that is!

Happy Birthday Anni!

A very big Happy Birthday to my friend, Anni (bottom right)!
May you have a fabulous birthday!

It's been a year and we still miss him...............

Lizzie

It's been a while since I had some blog time and I have a few things to report.  One, I don't have enough blog time, two, there are 2 dogs in my house now!  I try to stay close to my dad when he's around and lately he's been around.  For a while I didn't know where was and when he was here he was sleeping a lot?  But that's okay because I like to lay around and sleep a good portion of the day too.  

Grandma Janie finally came back from where ever she was but she bought that little white dog back with her!  Actually he's not too bad because he does sleep a lot too.  Sleeping, napping - gooooood, meooowww!

I have to say one thing I do enjoy is when mom is making her milk for her coffee out of that strange machine on the kitchen counter (which I love to sneak up on) .  I get some of the foam she makes - yum!

Another thing I love...........people not picking me up and giving me lots of love - what's up with that!

I have to go and see what those dogs are doing, have to keep my one "good" eye open, and on them all the time!  You just never know.  

Spring

Spring has sprung!!!

My daffies are beautiful and my tulips...............well, the only ones that popped up were the leftovers that I put in a pot on the porch!  I'll have to replant the others that were in the boxes next year.  

(no Laurie, the deer did not eat them)

Old friends

As I get older, I get a little weepy, just can't help it, the waterworks just happen.

Linda has been my friend since the first day I moved to Vegas, literally, I think it was the first week I was there.  As an old friend of Pete's she literally welcomed me with open arms and it's been that way ever since.  She took over the role of mother and friend for me when I moved to a strange place with no familiar face, except for Pete's.

I was 29 going on 30 when I moved there and I learned many things from her.  She was my maid of honor at my wedding, she gave me a beautiful bridal shower and helped me with wedding planning.  When I had Rocky she took over the role of "grandma" and it's been grandma ever since.

Of course when I moved to Oregon it was hard to leave her and all my friends: I left lots of history there in Vegas.  I lived there almost as long as I did in NY (where I was born and raised)!

When the doorbell rang at 8am in Henderson first morning I was there, I wasn't surprised to see Linda standing out there.......I hadn't seen her in 5 years (that's a long time when you're over 50).   I jumped up and welcomed her in.  She wanted to help with packing but I just wanted to visit: it had been so long.  She ran out and got me a latte (bless her)!  She left around 11:30 for a doctor's visit. We made plans to have dinner Thursday evening with Harold (hubby) and grandkids Dylan and Ava, whom I have known since their births (they spent a lot of time at Linda's house).  Of course when I got to the restaurant and saw the kids, okay, the waterworks!  They had grown so much and they are great kids, Linda has done a great job.  Rocky and Dylan had a special bond, definitely as cousins: Rocky still says "I miss Dylan".  

After dinner at a great spot, "Settabello" we went over to Linda's to visit some more.  I took the photos above of all of us.  

Pete and I have definitely decided Rocky is going to Henderson to stay with grandma a little this summer.  They will all be happy about the visit.

Burney Falls

I am not the best of long distance driver's.....actually hate it, like to nap during that time.  But, when I'm on a mission and determined about things I will take care of business.  

Friday morning we finally made it out of mom's condo around noon.  We filled the tank and off we went, looking like The Clampettes.  

We made it to sis in law's house around 6ish, just in time for a very yummy dinner of elk steak, baked potatoe, asparagus, salad, and of course a great peanut butter pie: a great B&B Laurie, thanks so much!

We got up early and left around 9am for our final trek to Oregon.

Along the way, we stopped outside of Mt. Shasta and visited Burney Falls, I knew that mom would enjoy that.  She actually enjoyed the whole long ride, she looked at it as an adventure.  She and Tedi (15 year old poodle) did great!

We arrived home safe and sound and now in the process of unpacking her personal effects.  

Could not go to Vegas and not get together with the Vegas Babes (as Anita has so rightly named them).

We had dinner on Tuesday evening at Cindy's (thank you Cindy and Jim) and on Wednesday at the Cheesecake Factory.  Yummo to both nights!  

Diane and I shared the red velvet cheesecake, wish I had known it was so fabulous, I might have had one to myself!

Old friends are the best friends..............we share a lot of history, that's for sure.

Vegas bound

While thoughts of Spring and starting to work on phase # ? of my extensive garden are in my head I must go back home.............this time to help mom.

Leaving this afternoon to help mom, clean her apartment and pack up her things until she makes a concrete decision as to whether she will rent her place.

You see she's going to try staying at my place and my brother's (New Mexico) half time, each.  She's not too sure if that will work but will tweak, if necessary.  

The plan (as of today) fly to Vegas, help her out, drive her, her dog, her car and a few of her personal affects back here.  She'll be staying here for a couple of months, go to New Mexico and return for the holidays.  

On our way back Friday we'll stop half way at my sis in law's and continue on Saturday morning to Oregon.

Don't know if I wrote about this but during the holidays I converted my guest room to "mom's room", switching beds with Rocky so that the guest room was a little roomier.

Since she went home late Feb. I have cleaned out the armoire, closet, etc. and left it a blank slate for her "stuff".  

It's a new phase for me............son going to college and mom (and dog) moving in (part-time).  

One thing I know for sure......life is about change.

This arrived yesterday! 

Feeling borderline weepy about all this. 

Thank godness I have a lot going on right now so I can't dwell on it.