Pumpkin Sunrise

  Good morning! How are you doing? I am doing much much better after being unwell for over two weeks. Onward and upward! As I stated earlier, we went up to see our daughter and son in law in the Boston area to help them pack up some boxes for their apartment move. Since we were packing, I didn't take many photos, but here are the ones that I did manage to take. We popped into the Catholic church in Harvard square, I've been in this one before for Mass. We didn't attend Mass this visit because they have no air conditioning (I would die....). This is the church we did attend Mass. I cannot remember the name, but it was pretty!!  Below are all the things I bought every single time I was in a bookstore. I love bookstores immensely. As you know, I try to support independent bookstores and it is a goal that is easily done. Last week I started the cross stitch sampler for the grandbaby to be and it's been slow going. However, I try my best to stitch at least one hour a day if ...

  Hello! We had an exciting long weekend, we flew up to Cambridge, MA to visit our daughter and son in law and arrived home earlier today. We had a fantastic time and it's going to take me a week to recover. Inside I'm a spring chicken but my body is yelling at me 'no you are not!'.  Yesterday we were at the Isabella Garner museum  with them and spent most of the afternoon there. We love to go to museums and it was interesting to see where the stolen art (!) was taken from as well as which rooms. This happened in 1990 - my husband knew everything about it, I knew nothing until we got there. Over the weekend we were in four bookstores, we hung out at Harvard Square, drove to Concord and toured Louisa May Alcott's home, which I LOVED. I've read Little Women about four times. We attended Mass on Harvard Square as well.  We had lots of good food at lots of good restaurants. Oh and I met our new to us grand-cat named Puck who is a sweetheart.  I am so tired and hope...

  My weekend was spectacular because we saw our grandkids and spent some quality time with them. Our little granddaughter turned one! She is the sweetest. Our grandson is thoroughly enjoying the terrible twos and is on the brink of being a three year old.  I had a great time, of course the trip caused some aches and pains as it always does. Also the AC in the car was misbehaving and that makes my symptoms worse. But I am once again, home sweet home, enjoying my ordinary boring life.

  Good morning! I hope all of you are having a fine weekend. I'm popping in to do a post since tomorrow morning I'll be busy visiting my dad and my step-mom.  Earlier this week, we went to London Ontario to visit his mom. We stayed at the nicest hotel named the Idlewyld Inn and Spa . Our room was perfect and everyone we met was kind, friendly and helpful. We will definitely stay there again whenever we are there for a visit. We had a nice time with his mom and took her about town doing what she wanted to do and eating at restaurants where she wanted to eat. I think we made her happy. We had nice weather going up and back, but sadly on the way home a major highway was shut down in Canada due to construction and they didn't give detour information. Our US phones act like they are gasping for air in Canada when they try to use the satellite.  The navigation app on my phone used up most my battery, but we did find an alternate route, got back into the USA. My phone breathed a...

  Last Thursday, we left with my husband's brother and sister in law to go to Hocking Hills, Ohio to meet up with our son, daughter in law and our grandkids at a lodge rental in the woods until Monday morning. We had so much fun! We did some hiking and ate out at restaurants and did the tiniest bit of shopping. Our grandson loved being outside, collecting rocks and other treasures. Our granddaughter crawls and sits up and loved to make a beeline for an outlet or a cord (who wouldn't??). Our grandson is in the terrible twos stage and had a melt down at least once a day. I wish I could act like that when I am discontent - It would be cathartic and freeing, but kind of alienating to those around me. Being the Grammy, I found it endearing but little too loud. We had nice weather, chilly but mostly dry. I was disappointed in the lack of cell phone reception at the lodge but they had mediocre wifi so I was connected sporadically. Since we both have elderly parents, I want that connec...

  Good morning! How are you?  We had a super quick weekend getaway to Indiana to celebrate our grandson's second birthday! Both sets of grandparents were in attendance to spend time with the grands and we had fun at the little birthday party with our children's friends.  I cannot believe he is TWO!  I have to confess, I do love two year olds when everything is NO. (I can say that with joy because I am a grandparent and not a parent). He says 'no' to everything, adorable and funny.  I did a lot of car knitting. I am now on the friend's baby blanket for her first grandchild. I'm making lots of progress! I hope to catch up with all of your spaces in the next day or so!!

  Good morning! How are you? We had a long weekend up in London, Ontario visiting family. This time we met up with our son and his family and shared a house rental while up there. I am grateful that I had extended time to spend with our grandchildren and be a part of their lives.  Our grandson is full of energy and is quite spunky. He is a lot of fun. Our granddaughter is wonderful and is starting to get into a routine of sorts. However when she is up crying in the middle of the night we are all up in the middle of the night, ha ha. We had fun visiting my husband's mother and brother and is family. Cousins and Cousin's children gathered for a lovely luncheon hosted by my brother in law and sister in law.  Of course I was in another basilica attending Sunday Mass. We sat in the back with all the other young families thoroughly enjoying the little ones wiggle and squirm. I'll be catching up with you in the coming days! How was your weekend?

  view from our hotel window Hello! How are you? Well, I've been a traveling woman. We drove (drove!) up to Cambridge Massachusetts on Friday. Ten and a half long hours in a car to visit our daughter and son in law. We had a great time. We stay at the same hotel in Porter Square which is about a mile from their apartment.  Besides eating lots of great food the entire weekend (sorry no photos), we went to the Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday. On Sunday after Mass and donuts, we hung out in Harvard Square doing lots of shopping then went to the Harvard art museum. I bought many notebooks, novels, washi tape and bars of chocolate, all necessities. My husband found a work planner that is set up the way he likes it with the week on the left page and notes on the right page. Yesterday we were up at 4 a.m. to leave so we could be at the dog kennel to pick up sweet Frodo before they closed for the day. We had a wonderful time but golly, I am feeling old these days. I'm sore from head t...

  Hello friends! How are you doing? How was your weekend? My brother in law and sister in law from Ottawa, Ontario visited us from Wednesday afternoon through Sunday morning. We haven't seen them since September 2019 and we were grateful they drove down here to visit us after visiting my mother in law. On Thursday, we took them to the Phipps Conservatory . (I know I was there just last Sunday!) My husband and I enjoyed the second pass through the greenhouses.  On Friday morning we went to the Strip district  and walked around dropping into some stores then having lunch at a local pizza shop. On Saturday, we visited the Carnegie Science Center so they could see the miniature train display. Each day we went out for lunch and then I cooked dinner at home. The weather was spectacular so dinner was outside on the patio. We had the best time ever.  We did lots and lots of talking, laughing and catching up. I did little to no knitting!  How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How is everyone this morning? I was away visiting my mother-in-law for most of the week with my husband and returned home yesterday afternoon. Oh my, the older I get the more I am a homebody thru and thru. This visit was challenging because I had some weird stomach bug the day I arrived and could barely function.  Thankfully it was short lived but the recovery phase was long and I still don't feel quite like myself. It was nice to see family but it was even nicer to be home. Sadly I did not take many photos. I did knit in the car though!  Believe it or not, the sun is out! I feel like a vampire squinting and shielding my eyes, ha ha. Later today after the BIG blog reading catch up and internet stuff catch up, I'll walk Frodo and soak in the sunshine. Maybe it'll be warm enough to sit on the back patio. Gratitudes: -my bed - my kitchen - my coffee mug - my coffee! - silence - Frodo snuggles - phone calls from the kids - mighty to do lists! - big salads - su...

  Hello! How are you? I've missed visiting your spaces and hope to catch up with you all during the week.  My it's been such a long time since I wrote here. Before I get into what I've been up to this past week and weekend, I want to let you know that my dad went home on Saturday!! He will continue to receive therapies at home and he is so happy to be sleeping in his own bed (just like me!). Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers, they mean a lot to me. Anyways, last Sunday we drove to Indiana to visit our son, daughter-in-law and grandson and to help out with childcare for the week. Their babysitter was taking a vacation. What a delight! We spent so much time with him. Sadly, he had another ear infection but was quickly put on medication and improved. In their neighborhood they have a local park that we walked every single day. We bundled up our grandson and off we went. He loves to eat bagels and blueberries and goldfish. When I laughed, he would laugh. He is a hap...

  Grab a cup of coffee or tea, this is the extended weekends version of my life. On Friday we drove to Cambridge MA to visit our daughter and son in law. We were in the car for eleven hours because of a highway road closure and the GPS snaking us through the countryside of Pennsylvania. I was so tired of being a car! We arrived safely at our hotel and checked in, quickly dropping off our bags. We had pizza and homemade apple cake at their house. Delicious!! Saturday we walked over 20,000 steps and my arthritis symptoms acted up. Flares are just awful and they sneak up on me. Each time I think there's something wrong but cannot quite figure it out. We were all over the greater Boston Area doing some shopping and sight-seeing. I didn't take many photos, I was living in the moment. We toured three churches (cannot recall any of their names...).  Sunday after attending Mass we had some donuts for second breakfast then did more sight-seeing. Our son in law drove us around which hel...

  Hello! Oh boy have I missed this space. I haven't taken a break from here for a week, ever. So the break was good. My husband and I went to a residential area of Virginia Beach with our son, daughter in law and our sweet grandson! Sadly, our daughter and son in law were unable to attend due to work schedules. It was HOT, too hot. I stayed in the air conditioning most of the time because I am sun sensitive due to Sjogren's Syndrome. However, mornings and evenings were fine for a walk on the beach. Also the added bonus of staying inside was baby duty! Our grandson is perfection and he is such a happy baby. How blessed am I to have had this opportunity! I am so glad we were invited. Of course, I did NOT knit a single stitch, painted a picture or journaled about anything. All I managed was reading The Stand whenever there were pockets of time. Each evening I was tired from the vacationing. I forgot how busy babies make a day. I need a vacation to recover from the vacation, ha ha....