Three Weeks of Fun

The last three weeks have been filled to the brim with fun.

First, was the Scrapbook Retreat at the Palouse Divide Lodge. I completed 30 pages and visited many hours.









I am thankful for my roomie and Friend DJ as I don't sleep very well and she understood and put up with my restlessness. For years, I put it down to the logging truck I tangled with in 2000 but it turns out that I have RA which accounts for my aches and pains. And why I have such difficulty sleeping in a bed. I sleep in my chair at home.

Saturday night was especially difficult and I gave it up and went upstairs just to see if anyone else was up. Sure enough I was greeted with smiles and hellos from Tina and Toni. Many thanks to the two of them for their care and concern.

It was 3:00 am and they hadn't even been to bed. Toni asked Tina if she were ready for bed and she replied with just a bit. At 4:00, Toni told Tina they weren't going now as they would just get to sleep and have to get up and they would be to groogy to drive home so they stayed up. Together we watched the sun rise. It was spectacular. Especially watching it with friends.



Following are a few of my favorite shots of the people I have come to call friends and the lovely Palouse Divide Lodge.

The weekend was soon over and I was off on my next adventure. I went to Yakima to visit my Aunt Sadie.

I stayed for 5 days and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
My cousin Wendy came over everyday with her daughter Allyson.
She always came after work so we didn't get much time to visit as she had to go home to fix dinner. I promised next time I would come on the weekend so we could really have a good long visit. Wendy is our Grandmother Stubblefield's youngest grandchild and I am her oldest.

Sadie is my Mother's younger sister. She has been a big part of my life.
We went to the craft store so she could get beads. She is into beading and got me going. It is fun but I must admit I probably won't being do much as I prefer Scrapbooking.
We indulged my scrapbooking needs and went to Bellas a lovely store in Yakima.
It was amazing how fast those days flew by and soon I was on my way home. Have I ever mentioned that I am directionally impaired. Well, I am. And I took the wrong turn at Othello and was headed to Royal City. Not my idea of the correct direction to get back to Pullman. A good thirty minutes on the wrong road I turned around and went back. Stopped for lunch and then got on the correct road. I must admit it was an interesting detour.
I was at the Drumheller Channels. Shelby enjoyed the view and the opportunity to stop.

I was soon home. On Tuesday I went to visit Mother. She was not having a good day her memory was really bad. I told her she just had holes in her memory and that it didn't hurt me one bit to fill in for her. We had a pretty good visit all in all and Dad stopped by. Mama is always thrilled to see Dad. I loved getting to see him. I was going to stop by the house but now here he was.

Wednesday brought me Morgan for three fun filled days full of talk, laughter, questions and Spider man.

We went to the Discovery Science Museum where he was most interested in the crawling through the tunnel and jumping and climbing the climbing tower. He enjoyed building with blocks and making tunnels for a ball to roll down. He was not shy in telling me he was ready to go home now.

I can't tell you how often we watched Spider Man nor the millions of stories I had to tell him about Black Spider Man and Venom. "Read me Black Spider Man. Why?" He would tell me stories of them also and then say, "Your turn." I had to take up where he left off.

We went to the store so he could get a Black Spider Man which entertained him for hours.
I had also brought home from Wendy's closed dollar store many items. It didn't take him long to sort through and find the ones he wanted. One thing he found was a sword. It is his Uko sword from Avitar. Don't ask, don't know but it was his constant companion.

We also went to the Park where I had to swing him higher. My back wouldn't let me play like I wanted but I think I did him justice.

A visit from Morgan isn't complete unless he gets to see Shawna. She plays right into his Spider Man needs and listens intently to his stories.

Debbie, his mother, said he slept very well all three nights. Guess I tired him out. Oh I slept well also and early to boot.

He is such a fun little person. I just love having him. It is just to quiet here without him. Though I must admit there were times when my ears were full to over flowing. I don't think he took many silent breaths between talking and questions but that is a OK.

This weekend has been very quiet indeed. I stopped up by PaperP als for their Remodeling Celebration. Got materials for my Card for Card Party and discovered when I got home I couldn't find something I needed to complete my card. Good thing tomorrow is Monday. Today I planted floweres and plants Aunt Sadie gave me.

There you have a very busy and fun filled three weeks. The rest of this month is going to be busy also as I will go look after my two grandsons. Once while their Mom goes to Australia to her brother's wedding and then again when she has surgury on her feet.

So, I sign out not knowing when my next update will be but I will be in touch.

The Valley Fair

I had no idea there was so much involved in showing an animal. By the time the Fair was over, I knew more about goats than I ever had or thought I needed to know. Marquis not only just paraded his goat around the ring he had to pose her, know her parts, and what she was used for.
Blue Bell is a Pagora that is a Pygmy and Angora cross. She is a fiber goat as opposed to the other types: Milking, meat, and companion.
The day before the fair he had to get her ready and practice one more time just how to show her , pose her, and conduct himself. She had already had a bath so didn't need that.

Here he is with Blue Bell. He is so serious.
















He was entered in Dress up. He had to Dress her up and his Mom had selected some clothing and accouterments. By the time they were finished Blue Bell was now, Minnie Pearl. Kymberly helped.













The next morning we were up at 5am as the people with the animal trailer would be there at 6:30 and we had three children who needed to get ready. Marquis had to have a particular outfit to take with him--Black pants and white shirt. I found out later that if she had been a dairy animal he would have had to be in all white. Learn something new everyday. Marquis' first showing was at 8:30. Angie packed a lunch in the cooler of taco shells, and stuff to fill them; lots of water; and granola bars. Finally we were off to Valley or at least almost we all had to go back for something we forgot and can you believe I had to go back for my camera.

Marquis already had one blue ribbon for a poster about his type of sheet, of course, he had help.



Mommy had to be sure he was dressed just right as was she. She was also showing but didn't have to be dressed as he was.


















Finally he was ready and waiting. Kymberly and Daniel were also waiting with Daddy.






















At last, he brought Blue Bell into the ring.














He did a wonderful job and was very patient even when Blue Bell wanted to go back with her friends and drug him through the ring. He got up brushed himself off and stood patiently with her.






















He and Blue Belle took a blue ribbon.










Angie and Marquis both showed a Fiber Goat. Angie showed Freckles and Marquis showed Blue Bell. He got a purple reserve ribbon and Angie Champion Purple.

After another Blue Ribbon for Marquis and Purples for Angie we took a break at 1:00 for Lunch and the Parade. We watched other members of his 4H group show their animals. Then, Matthew treated us to Corn on the cob, Huckleberry Tea, and a piece of pie. We watched a little entertainment then went back to the goat barn to get ready for the Dress up show. Marquis' cousins, Makalah and Amiah helped him. Angie held Blue Bell while they dressed her. When they were finished, Blue Bell took second. He had such a great day.

Marquis' Grandma Glenna took a Superintendents ribbon with a Grandpa she made from wool fiber. She shaped it with her hands. It sure is cute.














Finally, it was 4:00pm and we were all very tired. Angie and Glenna stayed behind to get all the animals loaded and back to their homes. Matthew and I took the three children home.

Sunday Marquis got another surprise. Evidently points are awarded for each ribbon and type of ribbon then Money is paid for the points earned. He got $7.00 and Angie I am not sure. He was thrilled and very proud of himself.








Angie's Ribbons
















Daddy is just hanging up Marquis' Ribbons .












It was a wonderful weekend and I awoke Sunday to Happy Birthday Grandma Christy and two little boys piling on top of me. What a wonderful day.

But my exciting time wasn't over. I stopped by Camp Suburu and picked up my new Impreza. My Outback had over 112,000 miles and was starting to give me headaches so I traded it in on Friday and they put an undercoating on it and sprayed a protectant on the seats and did some other things. I love it and I no longer, nor does anyone else, have to worry about me having a break down as I also have roadside assistance and other helps. It gets up to 30mpg.
Here is my car. Isn't it a beauty. Happy Birthday to me indeed.

HBD to Me

Yesterday was a wonderful day.

I had already decided how I was going to celebrate my 58th and that was to sleep in and not do a thing except go to breakfast and have Ableskievers. I woke at 5:45am and tried to go back to sleep but my mind was on a whirlwind jumping from one place to another, so, when Matthew called at 7:00 to tell me Happy Birthday I could honestly tell him that no he hadn't awakened me. We talked for a good long while even though I will see him this weekend. I am going to go up to watch Marquis show his goat at the Valley Fair on Saturday.

Angie is planning on making me a special dinner. Says I am never there for my Birthday and now she wants to make a deal of it.

Matthew finally asked where I had taken his folder of information for his MIT and told him that Debbie, who works in the French Admin building across from the Grad office, took it for him. Evidently the Education Dept couldn't find any info. To figure out why the left hand didn't know what the right hand had done with the stuff the left hand needed I spent awhile on Campus. All is good now.

I stopped to see Debbie and she asked what I was up to. I told her I had gone to breakfast to celebrate my Birthday. She said she didn't know it was my BD as it wasn't on the calendar I had made her at Paper Pals. Any way we had a nice little visit then I came back home.

No sooner had I stepped in the door than the phone rang and it was my little boy in Afghanistan, Kevin. It was so good to hear his voice. He said he had gotten sunburned on a little leave he took to the Persian Gulf on a boat. Asked him why he didn't use sunscreen. He said he had but had forgotten a few places (face, ears, feet) then he said that he could get sunburned going outside at night. Which is true.

We talked for a good hour. I told him about my plans to plant flowers and a tree or two. Told him I wanted a Tulip Tree but they were mighty expensive. He replied for me to check out the prices and let him know. He would try to get me one. Now itsn't that sweet. I hated saying goodbye but since he is 13 1/2 hours ahead of us I knew he would be thinking sleep.

Now, I was in the middle of lunch when the phone again rang. It was Debbie inviting me to their place for dinner. I didn't tell her it was my BD for her to do anything I had just mentioned it in passing. Any ways I went to Bill's and Deb's.

Morgan said he had got me the boquet of flowers. Bill and Deb game me a lovely neclace and I got cards.

Morgan showed me where he had signed.


What fun! I even had live entertainment.


Don't ask just enjoy! He had a hat for every character or googles or sunglasses.






Was a skateboarder named Danny.

He arrested his dog, Emma.










Was his Mommie's lap dog and many more.






Oh and had to have a picture of his foot taken.










No sooner had we finished eating than he wanted cake and icecream.











So




Deb brought out the cake full flame and all.













Morgan helped me blow out the candles before we set fire to the house. Then, we ate cake with Tinroof Sundae Icecream.













I got home about 8:30 and saw that I had a message. It was my girl friend from Chewelah wishing me a HBD. I called her and we talked for awhile.

What a simply glorious day. One filled with fun, family, friends, laughter and love. Now I ask you, friends, what better gifts could one ask for?