Done

Candy Land is going into retirement, until further notice.

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).

Here's The After

Cabinet courtesy of IKEA

Granite 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.

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.

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

Gramma soon.

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.

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.

Aloha

Stan and I spent 10 terrific days on The Kona Coast, The Big Island of Hawaii, in September.

This island is where my family lived for 8 years in the 80's. We were busy everyday, driving around in our little Ford Focus rental car, which by the way, got 34 MPH. Wow.

I had an itinerary in mind for our visit, and we pretty much stuck to it.
The evening we arrived, we were met at Huggos on the Rocks www.huggos.com , right on the water in downtown Kailua-Kona, by Jenny and Dain, friends from 1979. Jenny and I worked in an OB/GYN clinic, and have kept in touch over the years. I was also a patient there while expecting Melissa. We had such a great time, and Stan enjoyed their company as well. She is a kind and giving person, with a very infectious laugh that I just love. She greeted each of us with fragrant plumeria, pikake, and cymbidium orchid leis, & Kona Coffee. We had some great tropical drinks and "pu pus", which are appetizers. That evening there were hula dancers and Hawaiian music. What a way to begin a vacation.

We also drove around the island to Kilauea volcano, which is an active one, but of course no lava flow the day we were there. Other attractions, Akaka Falls, Mauna Loa macademia nut factory, Hilo Farmers Market, sugar cane fields, rain forest, anthurium farms, coffee farms, the black sand beach and miles of beautiful coastline.

On Wednesday, Sheryll and Guy (more old friends we met in La Maz class in 1980), took us to the Kona Village Luau http://www.konavillage.com/ (she also has the "spirit of Aloha" in her) I have to say it is the best one I have ever attended, (and I have seen a lot), it told the story of old Hawaii and the dancers and music were exceptional. The food was authentic, from Kaulua Pig (which means the pork is cooked in burlap, buried in the ground with hot lava rocks on top to cook it. The meat is covered in ti (tea) leaves, which are long green leaves. Other authentic foods were served buffet style, chicken long rice, lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, poi, fish, turkey, white rice, haupia coconut (pudding) which the local people eat, 3 times a day, fresh fruits, and purple sweet potatoes, Oh, and of course Mai Tais! It was great visiting with them also. Everyone loved Stan.

We discovered a few new beachs, Stan swam with the turtles and snorkled and used the boogie board too. Not me, I am not a fan of the water, so I sat on the beach and read magazines, very relaxing.

We ended our vacation with a sunset/booze cruise where the food was good, music excellant, and the Mai Tais were flowing and going down easily! We danced into the sunset, doing the Macarena, a Conga Line, and shaking our booties, till I tore my achilles tendon. 18 days later I am still in an air cast! I guess I am not a young chick any more!

We are still talking about the fantastic Hawaiian vacation, and we hope to journey back again in the near future.

Arizona Road Trip

We recently took a trip to Southern Arizona in the fifth wheel. We stayed at this old style rv park, and ate a great breakfast ! Stan will post pictures of the late model Airstream trailers and more.

We also visited Karchner Caverns, Bisbee, and Tombstone.

More on the trip at a later time!

Did ya miss me?

We have had a lot on our plates lately, for sure.

Life has been busy with grandbabies, work, household projects, and my health issues, but all is well.

We have been enjoying the monsoon season here in Flagstaff, lots of days with summer rains, nice for our zucchini and tomato plants, and the yard and flower beds.

We attended free summer concerts in a local park a few evenings,there are some talented folks up here in the high country.

Molly is well, still thinks she owns the sidewalk out front, actually the street too, and lets us know when there is a person walking, or actually has the nerve to walk their dog on the sidewalk. She is a kick. It will be interesting to see the interaction between her and Gilmore, and the Hulme pack of dogs!

My mom is failing, she isn't the same person, I miss my mama. She knows me and Stan, and seems happy in her world. The director creates a memory box for each resident, I filled out a questionaire, and submitted her high school graduation picture, it is a beautiful photo. Scrapbook materials were used to signify special interests in her life, such as the horse shows my older brothers participated in for years, and her love of of going on cruises. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, she placed a stocking and Noel in the box. Very clever idea.
I take Connor to her assisted living facility on Wednesdays, and that does bring her joy, as well as joy to the female residents, by the way, there is only one male. That fact is amazing in it self, and just shows that the women out live the male population.

We had a yard sale today, it is amazing how things accumalate, it doesn't help that we both are "savers"! The garage seems much larger now.

We are looking forward to our trip back East and spending time with the Ohio gang.

Babies Babies Everywhere!

We enjoyed seeing our "little" Casey Lee and mommy Katie a couple weeks ago, the time went by quickly and I definately enjoyed my baby "fix"! Stan and I and Great Grandma Marie enjoyed our time with them, and visiting and eating, well you know.
We hope to make a trip in our new fifth wheel in September or October, and catch up on the Cincinnati gang.

Casey & Pap

Thanks Kathy, we have been busy and I have taken a lot of pictures. I will post more soon, we now have Great Grandma here too!

Caseys Coming! Caseys Coming!

On Tuesday, Gramma and Grandpa (Pap?), and of course Molly will be picking up Casey Lee and Katie at Flagstaff airport for a weeklong visit!

Loads of pictures to follow of Casey and his older buddy, Connor!

HOORAY!

Four Generations

My mom Gerry, my daughter Melissa , my grandson Connor Michael, and I were interviewed and photographed for a front page story in the local Flagstaff paper in honor of Mothers day.

I am attaching a link, and we hope you enjoy the story, of motherhood, then and now!

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2007/05/13/news/20070513_front%20page_21.txt

Nurse Ratchett Returns!

Well, I knew it would happen, the "nurse" in me has returned and I start a new job tomorrow.
I am now an employee of Flagstaff Medical Center, in the Bariatric clinic. My patients will be in a six month program consisting of nutrition, exercise, & psychological therapy prior to weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass, stapling, or banding. The position appears to be similar to my last position as a research nurse and I am excited to be back in the medical field and make new acquaintances. My Scrubs are all ironed and my lunch bag is pretty much packed.
An OB/Gyn office called me last week, and wants me to fill in for their nurse on Tuesday and Thursday. When it rains it pours!

By the way, I DID wear all white, and a cap, and of course my waist was this thin!

Casey Lee Hulme, grandson # 2!

This handsome young man was born April 10, 2007, weighing in at 8# 6oz. Look at the hair on this guy! Katie and Matt are the proud parents.

We hope to head east for a visit in late May.

Congrats and good luck.

Gramma Candy

My First Easter!

Michael Edward & Connor Michael

We celebrated 29 on the 29th, with lunch in Prescott, my rum cake, a couple gifts, and a big surprise for Uncle Michael! He was thrilled to see his nephew as one of his surprises.

Uncle Michaels Shoes

Ok, I admit it, I am a saver. Kitchen gadgets, shoes, purses, greeting cards, baby clothes. I am not alone in this addiction, Stan the Man is also a saver. Nuts, bolts, screws, electrical wire, fuses, tools, if you need it, he has it, & can fix it.

I found a box recently, labeled Michael & Melissa, baby clothes. Oh the treasures it held, tiny crocheted hat and sweater and bibs,& shoes, a tiny yellow pair of flip flops with pink stripes, (remember Melissa was born in Hawaii), Brownie and Cub scout uniforms,an orange Fisher Price radio with the song "My Name is Michael". That little radio has earned a place on Connor's changing table, & I crank it up when it is changing time.

The baby model is wearing Uncle Michael's shoes,they are 29 on the 29th! The golden birthday.

There is more in this Pandora's box!

We Love Our Green Vests!

I couldn't miss the opportunity for a "perfect Kodak moment" of my 2 favorite fellas, in their green vests.

Are they COOL or what?