Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
My Tribute To A Wonderful Gal
Saturday, March 15, 2008, Stan and I attended a "Celebration of Life" in Salem, Illinois and I was asked to speak about my dear friend Linda. Truly this was one of the hardest tasks I have endured in my lifetime, (besides labor).
Linda was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in 2004, and received an exact match stem cell transplant from her sister. Her health was much improved for 2 years, but regressed this past year. She was a fighter until the end, she told me one week prior she was tired. I loved her.
The following is my tribute:
In 1975, we moved to Fairbanks, Alaska and I met a warm, enthusiastic, strong, organized woman who was an inspiration to others, AND we are both "Leos". While working as a new RN at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, I met my best friend, the sister I never had. The most caring, intelligent, and best nurse I have encountered in my professional career. We became fast friends, she at 5' 11, size 11 shoe, me at 5"4, size 5 1/2 shoe. She called me her "little buddy." She often teased me about my 3rd grade style hand writing, well, have any of you seen her printing? We were neighbors, and car pooled to work, we baked cookies, and she introduced me to Constant Comment Tea. We laughed and joked daily. She was frequently supervisor on our Med/Surg floor & was always willing to STEP UP (another Linda term), and start an IV, insert an NG tube, give a bath or answer call lights. When my son was born, Linda was the obvious choice to be his God Mother.
We have stayed in touch these 33 years, through moves, second marriages, children & the BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN. I introduced her to paper towels, she had never used them at home, she insisted they be white, and speaking of white, Linda, RN, MSN, always wore WHITE uniforms. She had a black long haired dog named PUPPY who jumped and licked, Linda would tell her BACK OFF PUPPY, this became our "catch all phrase", when we were annoyed with something.
In 1983, we went to the Phoenix Zoo, with Andrea, (her daughter), and my children, it was 113 degrees that day, she never let me forget it, and reminded me often, during our long phone conversations.
Linda was NOT a fan of costume jewelry, she liked REAL diamonds, REAL pearls, and Real gold. Yes my friend, these are REAL pearls from Singapore.(I wore mine).
We visited Linda & Mike at their beautiful home in October, we sat in her favorite room, the Sun Room. We reminisced, laughed, told stories & cried, and we drank Constant Comment Tea. She had told me numerous times about the deer that drank & fed at the pond & how much she enjoyed watching them. WELL, the deer were a NO SHOW that day! I teased her they were mechanical deer, and weren't plugged in, you know, like something at Disneyland!
Linda was a Neil Sadaka fan, WHO KNEW? A line in one of his songs is "I'll build a stairway to heaven because heaven is where you are". God needed a good nurse in heaven. So here's to you , Linda, your little buddy loves you. (I then raised a tea cup of Constant Comment tea).
Linda was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in 2004, and received an exact match stem cell transplant from her sister. Her health was much improved for 2 years, but regressed this past year. She was a fighter until the end, she told me one week prior she was tired. I loved her.
The following is my tribute:
In 1975, we moved to Fairbanks, Alaska and I met a warm, enthusiastic, strong, organized woman who was an inspiration to others, AND we are both "Leos". While working as a new RN at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, I met my best friend, the sister I never had. The most caring, intelligent, and best nurse I have encountered in my professional career. We became fast friends, she at 5' 11, size 11 shoe, me at 5"4, size 5 1/2 shoe. She called me her "little buddy." She often teased me about my 3rd grade style hand writing, well, have any of you seen her printing? We were neighbors, and car pooled to work, we baked cookies, and she introduced me to Constant Comment Tea. We laughed and joked daily. She was frequently supervisor on our Med/Surg floor & was always willing to STEP UP (another Linda term), and start an IV, insert an NG tube, give a bath or answer call lights. When my son was born, Linda was the obvious choice to be his God Mother.
We have stayed in touch these 33 years, through moves, second marriages, children & the BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN. I introduced her to paper towels, she had never used them at home, she insisted they be white, and speaking of white, Linda, RN, MSN, always wore WHITE uniforms. She had a black long haired dog named PUPPY who jumped and licked, Linda would tell her BACK OFF PUPPY, this became our "catch all phrase", when we were annoyed with something.
In 1983, we went to the Phoenix Zoo, with Andrea, (her daughter), and my children, it was 113 degrees that day, she never let me forget it, and reminded me often, during our long phone conversations.
Linda was NOT a fan of costume jewelry, she liked REAL diamonds, REAL pearls, and Real gold. Yes my friend, these are REAL pearls from Singapore.(I wore mine).
We visited Linda & Mike at their beautiful home in October, we sat in her favorite room, the Sun Room. We reminisced, laughed, told stories & cried, and we drank Constant Comment Tea. She had told me numerous times about the deer that drank & fed at the pond & how much she enjoyed watching them. WELL, the deer were a NO SHOW that day! I teased her they were mechanical deer, and weren't plugged in, you know, like something at Disneyland!
Linda was a Neil Sadaka fan, WHO KNEW? A line in one of his songs is "I'll build a stairway to heaven because heaven is where you are". God needed a good nurse in heaven. So here's to you , Linda, your little buddy loves you. (I then raised a tea cup of Constant Comment tea).
Friday, February 15, 2008
Here's The After
Cabinet courtesy of IKEAGranite courtesy of Solid Rock
Sorry for the "flash", but I hope you get the general idea, glass doors, lights in the top of the cabinet. Three side shelves, the antique pitchers were my mom's.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Before & After
A long over due blog.
While visiting in Ohio in October, we received a phone call from Melissa, telling us one of our kitchen cabinets had fallen off the wall! WHAT? She took pictures for us (and insurance purposes), and started cleaning up for us. Glasses, dishes, platters, antique serving bowls, you name it. Malc came after work and helped clean up the disaster area, which reached from kitchen to living room.
Approximately 1 month ago, Stan replaced the broken cabinet with an IKEA glass door cabinet with a light. Wow. It looks great. We also were unable to match the manufactured counter top (DARN) not really, so we had Jupurana Persa Italian granite counter tops installed. Oh my gosh, it looks so nice, I just love it as does Stan, and it definately changes the looks of the kitchen. I am lovin it.
Stan has been travelling more recently, and there will be more in the near future.
He hopes to see our newest mother to be,Sarah, for whom we are so excited and Katie, and cutie patootie Casey Lee whom has mastered the army crawl.
Connor is now walking and jabbering, and developing his personality.
My mom continues to decline, although yesterday she was more aware, and asked about Stan.
We have enjoyed about a week of warmer weather, we are expecting snow tomorrow.
While visiting in Ohio in October, we received a phone call from Melissa, telling us one of our kitchen cabinets had fallen off the wall! WHAT? She took pictures for us (and insurance purposes), and started cleaning up for us. Glasses, dishes, platters, antique serving bowls, you name it. Malc came after work and helped clean up the disaster area, which reached from kitchen to living room.
Approximately 1 month ago, Stan replaced the broken cabinet with an IKEA glass door cabinet with a light. Wow. It looks great. We also were unable to match the manufactured counter top (DARN) not really, so we had Jupurana Persa Italian granite counter tops installed. Oh my gosh, it looks so nice, I just love it as does Stan, and it definately changes the looks of the kitchen. I am lovin it.
Stan has been travelling more recently, and there will be more in the near future.
He hopes to see our newest mother to be,Sarah, for whom we are so excited and Katie, and cutie patootie Casey Lee whom has mastered the army crawl.
Connor is now walking and jabbering, and developing his personality.
My mom continues to decline, although yesterday she was more aware, and asked about Stan.
We have enjoyed about a week of warmer weather, we are expecting snow tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
My 2nd Christmas, and more of my 1st Birthday
December is a big month for this guy.
The 14th is the birthday, with Christmas following, 10 days later. We have all decided these events should be celebrated
as two.
Tooth #3 has emerged, the next milestone will most likely be walking. He is fast on all
fours, he will be running circles around
fours, he will be running circles around
Gramma soon.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Happy 1st Birthday, Connor!
December 14, 2007
The celebration of C-Man's 1st birthday was a well attended event, with lots of friends and family, and of course gifts and well wishes.
He was diagnosed the same week with several food allergies- wheat, eggs and peanuts. Needless to say we are all on alert, reading food labels, and thinking twice before we give the little guy anything to eat.
I made him this little cake for his high chair, he didn't quite dig in to it like his Uncle Michael and his mommy did, back when they turned one! We bought the mixes at the local health food store, no wheat, gluten, eggs, sugar etc. He has taken 2-3 steps by himself, and also stands alone briefly. It won't be long he will be walking.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Winter in the High Country
Once again, Stan went on a business trip, and "old man winter" arrived in Flagstaff!
We received 17 inches of snow at our house, and 5 feet up at the Arizona Snow Bowl ski resort.
Arizona is welcoming the snow, as we have experienced drought conditions in the past few years.
Our snow blower was put to use by our neighbor Steve, he blew through the snow at our house and at his own. (I do think he enjoyed playing with the new toy).
Flagstaff will have a White Christmas this year.
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