It's Great to be Grand!

     It's hard to believe two weeks have passed already since the last update of this blog.  I wish I could report that we've been outdoors enjoying spring weather and catching up on yard work.  In reality, southeast Idaho experienced an unusual spring this year in that we were still getting measurable snow into the middle of May!  Friend Dixie and I attended a wildflower lecture on Monday, May 16 presented by a retired professor of Botany from Idaho State.  He's lived in this area over 30 years and commented it's the weirdest spring he can remember.  Gives me hope that it won't be like this every year!

     Glenn took advantage of the less-than-stellar spring weather by tackling our spring cleaning.  Equally hard to fathom is that we've lived in Idaho three years on June 4 and in this house for two-and-a-half.  The woodwork needed a good going over and so on.  This week we'll wrangle the kitchen and my always-in-a-state-of-paper-chaos office.
     The cool, wet weather didn't stymie my rhubarb plants, though.  My very favorite fruit pie is rhubarb and we harvested enough of the 'pie plant' already for two of them.  Yum!

     Of course, much of our time is spent interacting with the grandkids.  Mae has captured our hearts just as her brother did.  She's a little sweetie and developing so quickly.  Already she's trying to pick up her head and attempting to focus on the world around her.  Miles adapted easily to the concept of a permanent addition to his world and kisses her frequently.

(05/08/2011)  Mae sleeps on Meg's shoulder during our combined

 Mothers Day and Glenn's Birthday celebrations.  The hospital staff

sent her home with two tiny bows plastered to her head.  They used

KY jelly for the 'glue'.

     I posted two tongue-in-cheek pictures from Mother's Day previously, but the two of the kids here were taken that day as well.  With two little ones now, it's getting a bit tougher for the Jurgens' to get their whole group rounded up and out the door with some semblance of organization, but it sure is wonderful for us when they do and then make the trek up the hill.

     Meghan took Miles to pre-school screening this week.  Yipes!  Pre-school already!!  Miles is a smart little guy, but as I say "nobody's patsy."  He's an observer of group behavior and determines in his own good time if and when he wants to participate.  It came to no surprise to me then when Meg reported he clammed up at several of the stations and absolutely would not get his ears checked!  Certainly, he knows his name (address, too!) and all of his body parts.  But he felt no need to prove what he knows to anyone, especially strangers!  Kids.

(05/08/2011)  Maize, blue and Miles!  A good friend from Hamilton, OH sent Miles a gift when I attended my last District Five Altrusa conference in Dayton.   She also sent 100 pennies.  The bank plays Hail to the Victors each time a coin passes through the slot!

(05/21/2011)  The Jurgens visited on Saturday evening for dinner.  Maesi sat on Grandpa's lap for a long time (her brother, too!).  As her namesake used to say "She's filling out nicely!"  The dot on Glenn's forehead is all that remains of having had a mole removed recently.

     As summer approaches we're optimistic about Glenn's recovery from the arterial bypass surgery.  Doctors removed the stitches and staples about two weeks ago and the swelling is down about 99%.  He's walking almost daily now, increasing his distance gradually. He still ambles along fairly slowly, but no longer feels the need to take his cane.  A good indicator of the strength returning:  he's back on garbage can duty again -- since our driveway is one-tenth of a mile in length and coming in all uphill -- that's a lot to be said!  He'll be having an ultrasound on Friday the 27 when doctors will evaluate the flow of blood to his foot.

     Fortunately, throughout the days of Glenn's surgery and recovery and the arrival of Mae Elizabeth, my health remained excellent.  I did visit the doctor on Wednesday, though.  The previous Friday, May 13, Dixie and I participated in a group hike near Kinney Creek.  Mother Nature called to me during the stroll, but a little visit into the weeds resulted in a surprise.  That Sunday Glenn looked at my back (without his glasses) and reported an unusual looking mole.  Monday morning, I asked him to check it out again -- uh-oh -- it moved!  Not a mole but a tick!

     As a precautionary measure, I made an appointment with a physician.  Glenn pulled the tick out of my back and we saved it preserved in rubbing alcohol.  The combined wisdom of two doctors resulted in the declaration that it wasn't a deer tick, but a dog tick and likely no concerns of Lyme disease.  However, I was prescribed a single large dose of antibiotics just in case.  Another bullet dodged.

     After finishing the housework our next project will be preparing for a family reunion we're hosting with the Jurgens' over the Fourth of July weekend.  It appears that all of Glenn's extended family (with the possible exception of brother-in-law Neil who may have to work) will be here, including his mom Rita.  Sister Vicki and boys will be flying in from Michigan and all of Gayle's children and families (the "Arizona Davises") have plans to be here.  We're hoping to make it a fun and relaxing time for everyone.  We're also hoping summer is still here.  .  . and warm, sunny skies prevail. 

     We're all excited to have Miles and Simon (his soon-to-be three second cousin) and Celia (nearly two) meet and play.  Josh has been working great guns on a custom-built swing set of his own design; his goal is to finish before the little ones arrive.  He got slowed down a bit last Sunday when a broken and slipped drill bit bored a small hole in his left hand.  A visit to the emergency room, bandages and antibiotics patched him up.  He was back at it this weekend.

     And, a final thought.  My perennials are starting to show signs of life in the front flower bed and for a short time the tulips bobbed their heads along our back drive.  That is, until deer came along and nipped 'em all off.  A killdeer is nesting on three eggs in our driveway and the irises are poking their heads up, finally.  Hopefully, this time spring really has arrived and we can enjoy having the grandbabies outdoors soon.  That would be great!