Auntie Jan: Flowers, Birds, Songs & Laughter

My "Mother's Day" Double Delight - 1st bloom

Good morning son! How's the weather in heaven today? Or, do you have weather? I mean how could there not be clouds and sunshine right? When God gets angry do you have thunder and lightening? The bigger question is, does God get angry? I would imagine He does. We do some pretty stupid things down here. I would hope that we're getting smarter and are doing better, but somehow I think NOT! I really don't worry too much about God's anger. But I know for sure he has a sense of humor and I love that about Him...or her, whatever your train of thought might be.

Anyway, how ya doin'? Summer is definitely here in New York. Thursday and Friday this past week we hit 95 degrees. I can heeear you! I know we lived in the San Joaquin Valley and that it was 105-108 degrees most of the time. Believe me, that's totally different than 95 degrees here. Talk about drenched in sweat! Holy Cow! I felt so bad for Jamison. In late afternoon on both days he was having trouble breathing. I finally put him in the tub, drenched and soaked him in tepid water and just left him wet. He finally cooled down. Dad did the same thing for him the next night before we went to bed and he did better. The poor little guy has his tongue out and dragging on the floor. It was much cooler yesterday and it's absolutely beautiful outside this morning.

I put a bird feeder right outside our living room window and we have birds in the shrubbery in the front yard. Jamison loves laying in the window every morning and watch them as they flutter in the trees and enjoy the feed from the feeder. We have a couple of squirrels that come up on the front porch since we put the feeder there. This morning we had chipmunks. They can't get to the feeder but they love the seeds that fall to the porch.

We're still waiting for our new front porch. They told us it would be about the third week in June...so far, not yet. I've decided to concentrate on the back patio/deck. My "Double Delight" dad bought me for Mother's Day bloomed for the first time yesterday. It's as beautiful as always isn't it? Since we don't have our front porch yet I'm going to focus on the deck. It's really nice out there. There's power too so I can sit out there and write. I'm shopping on Craig's List for a couple of old, comfortable chairs so dad and I can relax out there. I'd like to get a fire pit so we can stay out in the evenings. Hopefully the fire and smoke will help keep the mosquitoes away. The back deck is surrounded by trees so it's a very nice place to be in the afternoons. We have plans to build flower beds around the outer edge of the deck. I'd like to plant a couple of trees along the fence. Our deck sits up higher than the yard next door so we overlook their back yard. Smaller trees would help with privacy. If we get the front porch rebuilt this year I have great plans for there as well....and it all entails flowers.

Josie's 1st Dance Recital 2012

Your Uncle Bill has been here in Troy since Friday. It's been really fun to have him here. We're going to Maine in August and that will be a lot of fun too. We're trying to keep a low profile while he's here so he can spend time with Jon and Corey and the kids. They don't get to see him a lot and so it's great for him to be able to go to their events and spend time with them. Yesterday he started at 6:45 am and hit Josh and Dylan's soccer games. I hear that Josh had a day to remember. He's goalie. Dylan is no slouch either. Josie is thinking about soccer next year. Last night we all went to Josie's first dance recital. As you would expect, she was adorable. There were probably about 25 students ranging from adult to Josie. She's the youngest at 4 but she did fantastic. She enjoys it but if someone said, "no dance next year" she'd just be off to something new with not much of a fuss.

Yesterday dad and I had a great day just being at home. He's working on getting the bed put together. He's is having to drill new holes for the bolts in the bed I bought. Someone put them in crooked so he's having to cut them off and drill new ones. I spent the entire day in my studio. I made a couple of cards but I spent most of the day finishing up one of my Rockin’ & Readin’™ Rocking Chairs. I have the listing ready to go in my Etsy store Auntie Jan Creations but need to finish up the library bag with the books. My intent is to get it posted before I finish up for the day today. I also finally got my personalized greeting cards set up this last week on Etsy. Customers can now place their order on line. After answering a few simple questions, to give me an idea of what the person likes/dislikes, I can personalize the card. I get quite a few order by just word of mouth but need more. Hopefully, now that the opportunity is on Etsy, I'll get more orders. We'll see how it goes. I'm sure it will need some tweaking but I'll get there. Once I get the rocking chair listed I think the next project is going to be one of my Rockin’ & Readin’™ Rocking Horses. I'm working on building a standard list of words that go on the chair and horse but leave people the option if they have choices of their own. Customers can also add the child's name to the back of the chair at no additional cost. Anyway, you encouraged me along this path and I just want you to know that although it's been a few years since I started and a lot of life happened in between, things are getting back on track. Yesterday was really the first day that I felt like I actually accomplished something in my studio. It felt great. I have many projects sitting in the dining room, but that doesn't mean I'm not constantly searching on Craig's List and along the side of the road for that one great piece of "someone elses junk to transform into someone elses treasure! Never give up! Isn't that what dad's always saying?

You, Auntie Di & Grandma

So, what are you up to lately? When I was talking with grandma last week, who by the way, fell a few days before and landed flat on her face after hitting the door on her way down, that I could hear grandpa chuckle every once in a while. One time would be when he would have looked at grandma's black and blue face, hands and arms and say, "Mother, mother" and give a chuckle. If you heard him chuckle, that's what it was about. Other than falling and knocking herself silly, she says she's doing fine. It's summer and warm and so she's been able to get out and do some visiting and check out the world. It's really difficult in the winter because Auntie Di can't lift the wheel chair anymore and it's too unsafe for grandma to try and walk when it slippery. This is the perfect time of year because it's not too hot yet and she can ride along and stay in the car if need be. That window doesn't last very long though. Before you know it it's too hot and there's no sitting in the car anymore. They seem to manage though. Hopefully, Uncle Ron will be able to retire before long. I know he's tuckered and ready. After all, he IS older than me!

Grandpa and Dad

Dad's finally at peace. I really should have know, since I know he's an analyzer, that it would take him longer than it did me. It's been very difficult for both of us having you gone but I think much more so for dad. Dad must miss you differently. I don't know how to explain it. For crying out loud, why should I try and explain it to you? You're right there in heaven with God, you ask Him! I know that it was your intent from the day you received the news and diagnosis that you didn't want to leave any of us with debt or regrets. In order to help you with that goal we gave in and tried to do everything you asked. (Stopping here for a minute. Excuse me for just a minute.) Okay, I'm good. Anyway, remember when you were younger and how funny dad was. In fact, at one point years ago I can remember saying to him, "don't be so silly". Well, I won't ever say that again. When you got sick and dad changed, I really missed that "silly man" and I know you did too. I know you wanted dad to be the dad he had always been and you missed it. I know, because I missed it. I missed him. He disappeared and we desperately, so desperately, wanted him back. Poor Kristen, she thinks she knew dad, boy, one of these days she's going to get the surprise of her life! Anyway, he's laughing again son. He's really laughing. It's coming from his heart. He's laughing. I didn't know if he'd ever come back and I guess even though I wanted it and I knew God could do it, I didn't know if God would. (You been talking to someone up there?) When we talk about life and things now, he's really part of the conversation. Believe it or now, we were at Jon and Corey's last night celebrating Father's Day, Josie's recital and Sabra's birthday (Which is entirely another story. Just so you know, Sabra's birthday was in May and this is the first time we've seen her ALL summer. She's been gadding about all summer and didn't leave one single moment for any of us!) That's another story though. So anyway, last night. Dad had fun! I know, remember the parties we use to have at the

Sabra & daughter, Shivani (The gadabouts!)

house? I know, you could hear dad laughing no matter where you were. I haven't heard that laugh for over five years. It sure is good to hear again. We loved you son. And even though we tried to do everything you wanted so you wouldn't have anything else to worry about I need to tell you, as a mom, I have one regret. I know you wouldn't agree. I know it's what you wanted. You made all of it very clear. I just wish I had been more vocal about what I wanted. I mean after all, you're sitting up there in "cushy" land and I'm down here having to live with what I did! Geez son, thanks a lot! And it's not anything I will ever have the opportunity for a "do-over". I should never have left Springfield while you were still there. I know you didn't want us at the hospital. I know you wanted us to remember you while you could still move and get around but you know what, I should have been there. I can't speak for dad, but I should have been there. Okay, I've said my peace, enough said.

Julie and her gang are packing up and heading for Kentucky. That's about as much as any of us know right now. Once they get there I think the girls are coming for a visit. It would be nice to see them all but we'll start with the girls. It's about the same distance from here to where they'll be in Kentucky as the trip from Springfield to Groveland. I'll let you know more as I know more.

Chicken update: Now we have chickens in three stages. We have adult chickens, we have teenage chickens and we have baby chickens. We have the regular chicken coop and the adult chickens free range all day. We have a outside daytime pen for the teenage chickens, we have an outside daytime pen for the baby chickens. The adult chickens roost in the chicken coop at night. The teenage chickens are gathered and sleep in a large tub in the bathroom upstairs at night and the baby chickens are gathered and have a warm nest in the upstairs bathtub at night. At tub which they are quickly learning can be easily left behind if they just flap those little wings a couple of extra times. They have yet to learn there is a huge dog downstairs that just happens to LOVE chicken!

Hamster update: So, Josh was at his dad's last week. Josh has a hamster in his bedroom that lives in a house as big as the state of New York! So last week, while Josh is gone of course, this 3- good-legged, blind hamster is running through his tunnel, three legs at at time, and runs smack dab into a wall of shavings that he has pushed ahead of him in the tunnel, the entire time he has been running. Well, he's pushed so much of it ahead of him that when he runs to make one of the corners in his tunnel, smack, the shavings have become so thick they can't make the corner. They can't make the corner, and neither could he. The poor little guy with three good legs is stuck. He can't go forward, he can't back up, he can't see so he stands there with his head stuck in the shavings. Move ahead a couple of hours. Jon comes in to check the hamster and get him food and water; finds the hamster with his head stuck in the shavings and has almost suffocated. Corey appears from somewhere (she's always doing that), they break the tunnel and get the little guy out. He's about 80 percent gone and just barely breathing. This poor little white hamster (no, that's his natural color), blind, only three good legs, barely breathing, is just laying there. Now, I'm not saying they gave him CPR, I'm just saying, Corey WAS in the room! Anyway, it appears they saved the day. Let me tell you, you NEVER want to let Josh "lose" an animal. Any animal, but especially that hamster!

Well son, dinner tonight with your Uncle Bill. I think we're going to Cracker Barrel (wish you were here). Next week is the Consultant's Meeting most of the week at KJCG, some exciting things going on there. I'll share those with you next week.