Emotional Weekend

Friday night my granddaughter Kristine graduated high school. She is my oldest grand and the first to graduate. Though it was a happy and proud time I cried. I am so very proud of her. Not only did she graduate she graduated with honors (3.0 GPA for all 4 years). She also kept 3.0 all the way through her school years. She will be majoring in Criminal Justice in college. She loves CSI (TV show) and wants to do something along that line. She may change her major but for now that is what she wants. I was so very proud to be there (Newport, TN) in person to see her walk across the stage. It was late when the ceremony was over as it was a HUGE class so we spent the night with daughter Maggie and family. We sat up late talking and going down memory lane. Kristine's school had a senior lock in at school. Each senior and a guest could pay $10 at the door and were locked in at 11PM. They had games, movies, food, etc with teachers chaperones. They gave away money as door prizes and game prizes as well as each senior getting $70 cash as they left the next morning at 6AM. It was to keep seniors from going out partying and ended up drinking. Kristine came home the next morning and we had a nice big breakfast before heading back to NC .

 I had food to get ready for the family reunion on Sunday. That was another emotional day. I have missed the past 3 years so it had been awhile since I had seen my aunts and uncles. I was blessed to have all 3 of my daughters and their families there with me. That hasn't happened in a few years either. This is my mother's side of the family and it is hard being there without her. She never missed a one no matter how bad she felt. My cousin Wanda that was really close to mother kept calling me Bonnie (mother's name) and then apologize. She couldn't understand why she kept calling me Bonnie when she knew my name as well as she knew her own. I told her it was mother's way of letting us know she was there with us. Mother's sister in law Mae (Wanda's mom) has always been the one to take care of everyone. She was there when grandma and grandpa Woody were sick and needed help. She was there when my sister had cancer and helped our family take care of her. She was there when my stepdad was dying with cancer, when my mother was dying with cancer. She was always there to help without being ask and always knowing what needed to be done and just doing it. My heart hurt for her and her family when I saw her Sunday. She has dementia and it really upsets her. She hates not being able to drive. She hates not remembering things and asking who someone is over and over when she knows she really should know who they are. Her family are adjusting to helping her when its always been the other way around. Her husband, my Uncle Elmer has heart problems and is on oxygen all the time. He is weak. My Aunt Elizabeth, mother's sister is very feeble. She can't walk without someone steadying her. This aunt always had so much energy. I spent a lot of summers at her house growing up. She lived on a farm and was always canning or gardening. Mother's sister Judy, brothers Pete and Kelly are still going strong. I enjoyed sitting and catching up with all of them but it was so sad to know that next year some of them will not be able to attend because of their health. I enjoyed talking with all my cousins and their families. We had such fun remembering all the things we got into at grandma's growing up. Most of the kids went tubing down Deep Creek while the rest of us sat around talking. The water is ice cold even in the hottest part of the summer so the kids were the only ones dumb   brave enough. There was so much food there! All of my mother's side of the family can cook so there was all kinds of dishes I had to sample and there was even one whole table full of desserts. I got to spend a little one on one time with my brother Don. I don't get to see him often though we do text and talk on phone. All in all it was a happy yet sad day. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful family and so many wonderful memories with each of them. I have been babysitting Skyler as he has a bad cold and can't go to daycare until he is fever free 24hrs. Tomorrow hopefully he will be able to go as he really loves it and they spoil him rotten.  This Friday will find me attending the graduation of grandson Woody..... I am too old to be crying so much!  May your days be overflowing in blessings!

Back at the homestead William is feeding 3 wild baby bunnies. A farmer accidentally mowed over the nest and these are the only survivors. He has had them for 3 weeks and they are getting big and strong. Soon he will release them but hopefully I will be back before he does. William has been busy gardening and caring for the animals while we have been busy building rabbit houses, duck pen, and checking goat fencing. Trying to get everything ready to move the animals to the mountains. I know the goats will love the goat pastures as the grass is really thick and high and trees with limbs low enough for them to nibble on the leaves.

Tomorrow night my oldest grandchild graduates high school and it really makes me feel old and a little sad. Am very proud of Kristine and the path she has chosen but wish she wasn't growing up so fast. Sunday is family reunion on my mother's side. Sad that she won't be there because it was one of her favorite times of year. But she will be looking down and smiling over everyone. She only has 3 brothers and 2 sisters left from their big family and the reunion gets smaller each year. Just a happy/sad time for me and I don't handle emotions very well. Life goes on and blessings overflow each day. May yours be overflowing too.

Catching Up

Got a message from my friend Corky that I needed to post as she needed a "fix". So here you go Corky.

Grandson Justin is home from the hospital and having his appendix removed. I sat with him during the day so Melody could work as she used all her sick days when he had surgery for the bone infection. His wound from bone infection is healing nicely. We drove to Asheville this morning bright and early to see his doctor there. He still has to take antibiotics for the rest of the summer but no skin graft as it is healing nicely. Instead of home health coming 3 times a week to change the bandage he has to go to the wound care center. That is 3 trips a week and his teacher comes twice a week to keep him up on school work. His schedule along keeps everyone busy.

Skyler has had a cold and slight fever. He can't go to daycare until he is fever free 24 hours. He is going to spend the day with me tomorrow. I have so much fun with him. I have been helping Megan clean walls and paint . She is fixing up her house and it is looking so nice. I have plans to help her some this week as well.

Had the best Mother's Day ever! The first time since 2006 that all 3 girls and I got to spend it together. We had a family cookout at Megan's. Grilled chicken and shrimp with steamed veggies, grilled corn on cob, pasta salad, and lots of finger foods to nibble on while everything was cooking. Also had choices of different cakes for dessert. It was so good being with the girls and families. We joked, laughed, and talked way too much fun but can't wait to do it again. I was blessed with so many gifts from them as well as beautiful cards. It was a Mother's Day I will never forget.

Since graduations are coming up this month as well as a family reunion my plans are to return to Hidden Haven at first of the month. Kristine graduates May 24th

 and Woody graduates May 31st. Anyone else notice graduation invitations are lot fancier than they use to be?

 The family reunion is the 25th so hopefully things work out and I will attend all these and then head back to help William on the homestead.

We have planted a garden here but have had a few days of cold weather and a little frost. Hoping it will still make it. The flowers I planted around the cabin are protected by the roof hangover and are doing really well. The humming birds have found my feeder and keeping me busy filling it. I have 2 others I brought with me that I am going to clean and hang tomorrow. I have the one feeder right outside the kitchen window and love watching them feeding. The air conditioner is in that window so I have a big pot of gerber daisies sitting on the outside part where the humming birds swarm to them too. All the posts down the goat fence next to the cabin has bird feeders on them. I keep them filled and enjoy watching all the different birds eating. Lots of cardinals eat from the one closest to the cabin but don't go to the other ones. They are beautiful.

Got a window box built and placed underneath the living area window. I am wanting to put mint in it along with a couple of flowers. Just think it would be nice to smell the mint when the window is open. I don't plan on turning the a/c on until I absolutely have to.

Granddaughter Kristine went to her prom last Saturday. She is a smart young lady. She got a beautiful dress but knew she would be dancing and wanted comfortable shoes. Her and her boyfriend wore sneakers! I just love this photo showing them off.

 So that's what has been keeping me busy since last post. Not much homesteading news though I did make soap for the girls for Mother's Day. I also helped Melody load firewood as Joseph split it last night but it didn't take very long. They cut wood all summer to sell in the fall and winter. Last year they sold out in just a couple of weeks even with all the cords of wood they had stacked so this year means cutting lots more. They have to save some for themselves and our cabin!

Hope you spring is going good and your gardens and animals are well and healthy. Have a blessed one!

This and That

Grandson Justin who was doing so well after his bone infection and surgery is back in the hospital. His appendix ruptured today. So looks like I will be at the cabin for a little longer this trip than planned. I was suppose to go home last Friday and it got postponed for a couple weeks so glad I was still here today and he wasn't home alone.

It has rained almost every weekend since I have been here and guess what... suppose to rain again this weekend. Going to a mother daughter church breakfast this Saturday and hopefully going to church Sunday with all 3 daughters.

Had a very wonderful time last Saturday when some of the church members went to a local nursing home and sang old time hymns. It was such a blessing to me and I met some really nice people there. They enjoyed us and we enjoyed their singing along and talking with us.

I have been going over and helping Megan paint and redo their house a few times a week. I realize I am too old to get up and down off the floor after painting baseboards and that my eyes don't work too good when painting after dark. Have fun with her though and get in some Skyler time.

My friend Debbi from LA sent me a box of VHS tapes. Had plans to watch movies with some of the grands Friday night but will have to wait and see how things go with Justin. Some of my grands are old movie buffs and love watching VHS tapes so we try to do that as often as we can.

Melody is finished with this semesters courses and passed all her classes. I look forward to having her home right after work instead of having classes and not getting home until 9PM. Know she and her family are happy about that too.

William is overwhelmed with things back at the homestead while trying to care for everything and still do his handyman jobs. Am hoping things calm down for him and that I get back there at least by the end of the month to start downsizing animals and taking over the animal care to free his time up. This delays our getting animals and things moved by the end of this month but that is okay. Things happen for a reason and I am learning to be patient (or least try to be patient) and accept things as they take place.

It has been so cool since we planted the garden I don't think anything is going to come up soon. It is suppose to get down to 35F at night next week. This week so far has been 38F and 39F at night and early mornings. which is too cool for gardens.

Bella and her puppy wandered off one day last week. William looked for them all day and our neighbor finally found them at the church. Well today (after me reminding William a LOT to fix the fence) they wandered off again and animal control picked them up. Cost us $221 to get them back. This was fees and fines for not having them on a leash and for microchips which they make all animals get that get picked up. The puppy also got a rabies shot which he was already scheduled to get May 14 so that is okay. Think after this hefty cost William will be out fixing the fence. Bella is lonely I am sure. She is my dog and follows me around all day. Sleeps in the floor of whatever room I am several times during the day and when she is outside she is right by my side when I come out the door. I think she just got lonely with William being busy and me not there and decided to go on a adventure. She has been staying in the yard all the time but is now back in the goat pens and hopefully the spot she found to get out of is fixed and she will be okay till I get home.

Life has its ups and downs but each day is a adventure I enjoy finding the blessings in.

Good Result Day

Today I went with Melody to take Justin to 2 doctors appointments in Asheville. The first doctor took out his picc line which meant I no longer needed to give him IV meds during the day. The second doctor said his wound was healing good and that there shouldn't be a need for skin grafts. He can also go swimming the end of July which makes Justin very happy. He no longer needs the wheelchair and only needs crutches when he is away from home. That means I can make plans to head back to the homestead for a few weeks to get animals ready to bring up and get some more downsizing done. William will be happy to have some help with the animals and Rusty will be happy to have his "mommy" back.

Quintin (Megan's son) was in the hospital a few weeks back with mono and what they thought was Lyme's disease. He went to a specialist in Charlotte, NC today. They drew blood and sent it to Yale to check for Lyme's disease but the doctor thinks he doesn't have it. He is taking the antibiotic till the test comes back and they know for sure. He got the okay to go to football practices as long as he takes breaks and doesn't overdo. He still gets tired easy but hopefully will soon be back to his regular self.

While in Asheville we went out to lunch and to a Goodwill that sells its items by the pound. I loved it!! Some items were 59cents a pound and some were a dollar and a few cents a pound. Furniture, tvs, and heavy items were priced by the piece. I got a few things for the cabin and a few items for me. We are planning a trip back to Goodwill with Megan and Maggie once I get back up. We could have stayed there all day as they kept bringing out huge bins of items every few minutes. My kinda store!

 Granddaughter Hope has learned to play the ukelele. She has played it over the phone for me and then Sunday evening she sat and played and sang for me. She and Quintin are also learning to play the guitar.

Melody and family have finally got their garden planted. We went over to where it was tilled up last evening. Hopefully no more frosts are coming in to get the tomatoes. The flowers and plants I set out around the cabin are taking off and growing. I have a few seeds I am going to plant tomorrow and will be bringing more plants back with me. Think they will like the mountain weather much better than the heat and humidity and should do well here.
Things are going well as William and I work toward getting moved to our cabin. Still lots to do at Hidden Haven but we seem to be on schedule. Lots of blessing to be thankful for here. Hope your day has been filled with blessings!