A Pregnant Pause?

The last post was sent from my Mother's house after her successful glaucoma surgery. This should mean that she will retain the sight she has for her remaining years.  We are all grateful to Dr. Jeffrey Sheridan who said he would treat her as if she were his own mother! He did a wonderful job and his very caring nature added much to our confidence and her healing. 

The flower bed is an annual project.  Here it is in January.

January 10 we arrived in the Keys after moms recovery.  Our gang of friends at Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge planned a wonderful joyful welcome and we were so touched by the love and happiness we felt. We looked forward to our time with our friends and a chance to get into better shape.  It was also good to go to the sunrise group each morning and one day I captured a heart in the clouds for Latona.

Little did we know that Latona's daughter Katrina was developing a very dangerous infection in one of her legs.  We heard on January 17 that she had emergency surgery and with a lot of help from our friends Pat and Jean who live in the greater Tampa area, we were able to leave the van and to fly back to Bangor on January 19.  We hope we were some help to her in practical ways, but I am sure the most important reality was that her mother was with her for support and care. 

After she made a partial recovery, she encouraged us to go back to the warmth. So we made plans to return to Florida. She got the flu after we left unfortunately, and has a slow recovery since then. The doctor has talked her into staying off her feet for a while.  She is certainly in our hearts and prayers constantly.

We returned to the Keys by Valentines Day and planned to return to the Seven Mile Bridge for one of our favorite hikes. We included a dinner at the Sunset Grille to finish off a special day!

We were looking forward to February 21! Carrie, Jay, Sari and Lyla were coming to spend a week vacation with us at BPKFL.  The flights were nightmares but other than that we had a perfect week.

In addition to many good evening meals out and about, we enjoyed a day in Key West, saw the many street performers, and visited Mallory Square for the sunset.

We spent time in the pool at BPKFL...

And enjoyed time with the Key Deer...

We visited Bahia Honda State Park beach, and on our first day there we were visited by this Yellow-crowned Night Heron...

We hiked the nature trail and beach at the Fishing Lodge with the girls and explored a boat used by Cuban refugees.

And spent time with the whole family fishing from one of the bridges. 

Daddy love it as much as anyone!

It was a happy week. When they left on February 28 to return home, we too packed our stuff and on March 1 started our return trip from the Keys.  

As usual, we made a first stop in the Everglades, with a visit to the Anhinga Trail. Saw some old friends there...

The return route we take is along the Gulf side so that we can make an annual stop to see Debbie and Linden and family.  We enjoy their company and hospitality so much. It has become one of the high points of our journey.  

Pat and Jean hosted us again and we had fun. The pool they have installed in their home is beautiful and we enjoyed a swim. We squeezed in an oil change at a local Mercedes dealer! And then it was off to visit Mom for another week. And here we are.  We fixed the flower bed again since the plants had outgrown their space!

And we are enjoying time with them, cooking and reading, etc. and we know tonight will be Lawrence Welk night!

There has been a long lapse of time since I posted before. As you see, we have been busy with our families. Mom is doing fine now and she and Chick continue to amaze us with their vitality. Carrie and Jay have returned to their lives and we appreciate that they shared a vacation time with us. We continue to hope and pray for complete recovery for Katrina and feel grateful for her and her family.

              We are blessed this day! Thank YOU for sharing with us along the way.

Starting 2015

The past month has been busy, challenging and very rewarding. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, I called my mom to let her know we would be there in ten days or so. She started crying and said she needed us to come to Florida immediately! Obviously, we decided to start south the next day skipping a planned visit with one sister, my brother, and a special aunt and uncle. The immediate need was to make a plan for her eye surgery that we hoped would stop her blindness due to glaucoma.

She was scared and panicky.

To jump ahead, the surgery happened on December 16 and she is progressing very well. The doctor is very pleased with her recovery and if she continues to heal, she will not need drops or medicine for the rest of her life.  This would be the best possible outcome.

In addition to the eye issue she had other things that needed to be done.  Latona and I do all the cooking and the dishes to give her a break. There was outside maintenance on their home, delivering unneeded items to Goodwill, and the preparation for the holidays and the baking of the Christmas cookies.

She likes to share some of the cookies with her neighbours on plates like this...

We have also enjoyed her tree for the past few years. My siblings make sure there are packages to open on the big day!

                             

Our gift to ourselves was a hand wax for the van that made it look like new!  This is a picture of Worm who did a perfect job along with his father Phillip!

During free moments, we took a quick visit to the hot tub here in the park where mom and Chick live.

This became a time of renewal when we would be tired, worn out or frustrated.  

We want to be here to help Mom! We wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but it has been very challenging, to say the least, to give up our independence and life for this time.  I'm sure it has been helpful but very challenging for mom and stepdad also.

In addition to the hot tub, we have been thrilled to see our feathered friends here in Florida like the Sandhills Cranes.

We received special packages like this delicious treat, the famous Peanut Butter Balls by Rusty,

and a picture card from Becky...

Pictures of Carries and Jays girls in our mail package, and cards from folks who found our whereabouts

And a special card from my sister...

                                  

There were also lovely emails and Facebook messages that seemed to make us feel closer to all of those we love and always wish were closer.

So,from this spot in Wildwood, Florida I/we thank you for each of these special expressions of 

your thoughtfulness and caring.  More than any time, these have really perked me up and kept me going.

So, I am starting this year grateful for you, and for your love and friendship.

Shorts, t-shirts and crocs!

Driving from northern winter storms and cold nights to southern skies filled with sunshine instead of snow has been quite a relief for this snowbird!  Let me backtrack!

We spent a lovely fall in Maine through October. However, in November the weather started to get serious about winter. 

We wanted to stay but the cold was really becoming uncomfortable although the furnace in the van worked well.  One final thing we were able to do was to help Torrey transform her bedroom from a dark brown to a lovely dusty rose. It is fun being her Nanny and helping her learn to tackle any project she dares. Here with friend Cammmi!

Eventually, after almost two months on Chemo Pond, and a happy time with Katrina and Mike, we headed to Carrie's for an early celebration of Thanksgiving and Latona's birthday. Sari and Lyla love making a party for their Meme. Carrie and Jay really get into the party mode also. It was a wonderful happy time! They are so thoughtful!

I was able to get our blog printed and presented a hard-backed copy to Latona.

                                    

       

     After our great week in New Hampshire with the family, we started south!

   Time with my long time friends Janet(and son Damien) and Harriet was our first stop in Pennsylvania.

    We spent a few days with them before catching up with my siblings! Always nourishing to be with them. We love husband Nick too!

Because of our long trip last year, it had been twelve months since I had seen my sisters Dotty, Sherry and brother Joe, so I really looked forward to our time together.  My sisters and brother spoil us on these visits.  The first stop was with my youngest sister and her husband. 

We had our actual Thanksgiving Day with them and Forry's family in their Early American farmhouse.

They also treated us to a day in New York City. We visited Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Bryant Park, St Patrick's Cathedral, and a visit to Broadway to see the live performance of Kinky Boots. 

What a great day!  What a great experience to see and feel the energy of live theatre! What a thoughtful gift!

                          

      

Inside the Al Hirshfield Theater...

The visit wrapped up with a get-together with my other sister and her partner, her son and his family.

Although we had several more days planned with my siblings, we found out we needed to get going to Florida right away. We had talked to my mom that afternoon who asked us to come immediately. She just needed us. So it meant that we had a quick overnight with my brother and his family on our way through Harrisburg and then spent the next two and half days getting to central Florida.  Although still living independently, she just needed our help for several things. Her eyesight had been failing due to glaucoma and she will have surgery in a few days.

So here we are in Wildwood, Florida until after the New Year. I am cooking and doing some maintenance and Latona is doing dishes and helping mom with her hair. We will see the doctor tomorrow and make plans for my mom's surgery.  It is a privilege to be in my seventies and to have had my mother all of my life to this point!

We have no network here, so I am not sure how often I may be able to post on the blog.  So I want to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season! God Bless Us Everyone!

Where has time gone?

Hard to realize that a month has gone by since I wrote a post! 

We are in Maine one more week and then begin our journey south visiting family and friends along the way.  I want to share a few pictures of what we have been doing this past month. In addition to catching up with all our yearly medical check-ups, we have had lots of wonderful visits.  Our first stop in Maine, and our "home base" is Katrina and Mikes on Chemo Pond.

This always provides fun times with Torrey and her friend Cammi. Here they are on top of Cadillac Mountain during a visit to Bar Harbor.

Latona's family planned a get together and we had a chance to visit with her sister and brother and law, and...

    her niece and family, and brother and sister in law in China, Maine

Our friends, Joan and Lucille in Hancock, have an early Thanksgiving with the family and always include us!

When we visit them we have a hike to the ocean that we love.  

Always something beautiful to see this fall...

And of course, always a heart...

We went back to Hew Hampshire to see Carrie and the girls and to enjoy seeing them both

play soccer.  Here is Lyla,

With her team and mom, Carrie the coach.

And Sari with her travel team on a cold day in MA.  Brrrrrr....

Another visit we try to include when we are in Maine is a visit to the Orono Bog.  Torrey went with us and took this picture.

Another fun stop this fall, has been a visit to a place we heard about in Lamoine, Maine.

How about it...a road called Latona Lane, and right across from it, a dirt road that leads to

the Latona Spring. This is a source of pure water for the town.  What a thrill!!

Finally, I will share a beautiful sunset photo taken over Chemo Pond.  We are happy to be here, and also happy to think about starting south in a few weeks.

                                                 Big Pine Key, here we come!!!