the true Christmas spirit

I just want to share a special thing that happened to me this holiday. On Monday the 22nd I went shopping by myself and enjoyed it. But apparently I was a little more tired than I realized at the end of the day and did something pretty stupid. I stopped at a table just outside a store where they were doing gift wrapping. I decided to have one large item wrapped so I wouldn't have to sneak it in at home. The only thing I had in my hands at the time was the big box and a small box with a gift card from the store close by. Anyway, while waiting I decided it was going to take too long and I left. And, you guessed it, I left the little package on the table (it was in a small designer box). So, with the chaos at my house and even Christmas morning (ours was the 24th), I just thought I had misplaced the box or that it was still with the leftover gifts under the tree. But after searching for it all day, I finally figured out where it probably was. But of course, the next day was the actual holiday, so I couldn't call to ask about it (most of you know, my shopping trip was in Palm Desert , 100 miles away). So I really wasn't sure who to call to check on it since the gift wrap was some Palm Springs Musical Association or something like that. But I did call the store where I purchased it to report it lost and see if they could cancel it out or something (assuming it hadn't been spent yet) and to my surprise, they told me it had been turned in and they would hold it for me until I could come back in with my receipt to claim it. I was shocked but totally happy about that. I would like to think that it was turned in because someone was totally honest and not just because it was Christmastime, but either way I am glad and it does mean a lot to me. ( so Ric and Diona, the gift will be in the mail soon).

Mary or Martha?

I've done it again! As I tossed and turned in bed last night even though I was exhausted and had soaked in a hot tub, had a cup of hot chocolate and took 3 motrims, I could not fall asleep. My mind has trouble shutting off, especially if something is bothering me. So I went over everything I had done this last week (see previous post) to see what was still on my mind. And then it dawned on me. I was so obsessed with the party preparations and the food getting done (smoked a turkey for only the second time and forgot it would take so long) that I totally blew an opportunity which we may never have again...why didn't we take pictures of my mom and dad with their 4 out of 5 daughters (and spouses) or with 10 of their grandchildren with spouses or with 17 of their young great-grandchildren? Why? How could I have been so absorbed that I passed up that opportunity? I'm sure we got some pictures taken of the evening (I will post what Ray took, but not enough) but I don't have one picture of my parents with this large gathering of kids, grandkids and great grands and I will never have that opportunity back again. I actually hate the way I worry about the wrong things and don't remember the major details. And it was fun to play the "how well do you know your relatives" game, but again, an opportunity missed. I should have played some game with mom and dad supplying us with bits of information about their lives so that the younger generations could have learned more about them.
Oh well, I have beat myself up enough now, I better get back to something more worthwhile.

What a great week!

Well it has been a busy and crazy week but we loved it. Ric, Diona and girls got here on Wed. 12/17 in the evening. We had borrowed an RV as an extra sleeping space and that worked out well even though it was cold. On Friday, Ray, Brandie and kids came to town. Now the house was full but the cousins didn't seem to notice it. Of course Saturday was the family party. That was too awesome to have so many relatives together just to visit and enjoy each other's company. All those little kids are growing so fast! I was so glad to have mom and dad back in Blythe and so grateful that it all worked out for them to get the ride here and home again. Even though the party ended fairly early (for all the long travels home) we, the Boltons, stayed up late playing games. After church on Sunday, we played more games and ate leftovers all day. We had a fun gift exchange and then the Lakewood Boltons had to head home.
I got up early Monday because I had not done my Christmas shopping yet! So I went to Palm Desert by myself and spent 8 hours shopping. In the meantime, Ric's family and Amy with her kids headed for North Palm Springs to go on the Tram and go play in the snow for the day. But they didn't even make it there. It was too windy and foggy for the tram so they also spent the day shopping (at Cabazon outlet stores). Tuesday was our lazy day except for the gift wrapping. Wednesday morning was our Christmas and Santa did find his way to our house. Since Cameron and Faith got a WII, we spent the rest of the day bowling, playing golf and tennis and fishing. Oh, and lots of car racing. But there were many other nice gifts shared. Ray is now looking forward to a sunny day so he can try his hand at real golf with his new golf clubs from Ric and Diona and girls. His sons love the game so he is anxious to give it a try too.
Unfortunately, all good times have to come to an end and early Thursday morning we had to say goodbye to the Virginia Boltons. They made it home late Thurs. evening and I am sure they are all glad to be home and sleeping in their own beds. Ray and Amy had to work today so Ryan, the kids and I spent the day cleaning up and started the Christmas take-down.
I'm sure it will take a whole week to get it all down and put away and the house back together again. Now I am exhausted and ready for bed. Thanks to all of you for your cards, pictures and the holiday letters, I love to hear from all of you. I will be sending out a letter with pictures after the first of the year. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and that you all will have a happy and safe New Year. 2008 was great and 2009 should be just as fine!

fun and games

We are counting down the days until the holiday fun begins. Our Virginia grand daughters will be here in 2 days and we are ready for their visit. We hope the weather will stay nice. It looks like rain is in the near future but the days have been sunny and warm recently. The mornings and evenings have been cold (by Blythe standards, not cold like some of you have experienced) but we have still had our warm days up until 3 days ago. So we are hoping the warmer weather will return for their visit. I wish I could say that I am completely ready for Christmas but that would be too good to be true. As usual, I will probably be out shopping after school gets out and after our holiday party and maybe even up to the 23rd!

Just a quick note about a joke we pulled off. Linda was the mastermind behind it but I was a very willing participant. We got 7 families in the ward to sign up to feed the missionaries for 7 nights in a row and then we conspired to feed them the exact same menu each night. I was the 4th night and even though they commented about the food, I convinced them that it was a new recipe we had at a Relief Society meeting and everyone probably wanted to "try it out". We had a broccoli/chicken/cheese casserole, rice, green salad (with only ranch dressing), purple koolaid and punchbowl cake. The kool aid should have been a real give-away since we always serve milk and water (and offer rootbeer) but I was insistent that it was coincidental. But it was also a very good meal, so they didn't seem to mind too much. But after 7 days of eating broccoli.... well I hope they are doing okay. We did this a few years back, but you have to wait for the right elders to pull it off right and these two were real deserving :)

Food and Family- a GREAT combination

I hate to post about our weekend without posting the pictures, but I can't figure out the downloading problem right now and I have time to write a new post. So we had a great Thanksgiving with beautiful weather, good food and lots of family and friends. Amy ordered a fried turkey from Popeye's to go with our traditional roasted one. We had all the rest of the goodies too including 6 different pies. We feasted! And then we played cards and stayed up late talking and laughing. Yes, we talked about all of you! We miss other family who couldn't be here. Then today, the girls went shopping and the guys went to the desert to shoot bb guns. We will now have a duplicate thanksgiving (leftovers) dinner and play some more cards. We are excited because Amy, Brandie and I found all 5 of our little girls (Mary Beth, Alainna, Isabel, Faith and Alisa) look a like dresses to take pictures in when they come for a visit in December. We got them at Bealles' Outlet for a steal and we hope they all fit. Amy and Brandie will get Cameron and Robert each a polo shirt to match. This is the best part of the holidays, having family around.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Today is an extra day off for me and the kids.It is nice to have the extra day to prepare for the big meal, even though for us that big meal isn't until Friday. But I am glad for the extra day anyway. We are planning a nice day in the desert with a borrowed quad for the guys and a fairly small familyThanksgiving feast in the evening with only Ray and Brandie's family and possibly some of Brandie's family from Blythe joining us. I'm pretty sure I invited the misssionaries to dinner too. But I am just cooking the traditional dinner, no plans for any experimentations this time. I am saving my creativeness for Christmas time. So I hope you all have a great day however you spend it and hope we can all just remember to be thankful for this beautiful country we live in and for our great families.

Almost perfect weekend

Some weekends are just okay and others turn out just great.We had our ward campout this weekend and the weather was perfect for it. Friday evening we had a chili cookoff and got to taste some really good chili and cornbread. We were then spoiled by the Reid family's yearly contribution of dutch oven cobblers. We had apple, peach, raspberry and chocolate raspberry- yum yum. Then the campfire with fun entertainment (including a lip sync performance of "I got you babe" by Sonny Ray and Cher Pat) and a scary story told by a real story teller just before the kids went to bed. Then we finished off the evening with more sugar, cuz what would a campfire be without s'mores? But the kids not being able to sleep was not my problem since I went home to my comfy bed and slept well then got up early to go back for the breakfast. Amy and her kids stayed and said it got cold but they slept well. Breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes was good and then my little cub scouts did their flag ceremony without a hitch. After a quick spiritual talk, the campout was officially over but really just began. There were several guys there with their desert toys and they took all kids for rides as long as they wanted to go. We had jeeps and rhinos and whatever else and the kids just went from one to another. I think there were at least 9 vehicles. And then one brother brought his rockets to set off and the kids loved chasing those when they came back to earth. This one event that we do annually is probably the funnest one we have. All kids can play freely and they all play together. There are no restrictions or limits to their play. We camp on a plateau over a small valley and the kids go up and down the hill and we can see them wherever they are.We all get filthy, but it is so much fun. The women sit on edge watching the guys in their toys and watching kids play and we have no responsibilities, just time to enjoy each other's company. There is always someone playing boccie ball or austrailian horeshoes or whatever. Even the babies seem to enjoy this event.

Once we finally decided to leave and come home, the cleanup begins. But after showers are done, laundry is caught up and cars unpacked, we all took small naps and woke up refreshed. I then took my car to a fundraiser carwash where it was detailed inside and out. Then I was able to fill it up for under $30 and that felt good too.

Amy, Faith and I then drove to Parker (45 min away) to see Twilight. Amy told me we should take my car since hers was still filthy from the campout (more about the clean car later) So in Parker there were no lines, no advance ticket sales, just walked right in. Yes, the theater was full of young teen girls and they were a little annoying during the film, but it was still worth it. Here is my take on the movie- GREAT! Yes, it followed the book very closely. And I loved Edward in the movie just like in the book. The other characters were pretty much as described in the book. Edward was the only one that looked way different than I had pictured him and I personally think this actor is not all that good looking, but the character is the same and I fell for him anyway. My problem was not remembering how much was going to happen in this movie since I read all 4 books at the same time and continuously, so I didn't remember what to expect in this movie( like where Twlight left off and where New Moon began) But, to my surprise and delight, this one left off leaving you wanting more, so I expect the sequels are coming. And Amy, who has not read the books, loved the movie and now wants to read the books. I was wondering if it was enough to just see the movie and to her it was. She is hooked. Faith went along just so she didn't have to stay home with the guys, and she thought it was good also, even though some of it got boring to her. But I think she wants to be able to say that she is a Twlight fan.

So the day was perfect so far... Well Amy was driving home and we had gone to a nice dinner prior to the movie, so she wanted to stop and get a shake for on the way home. But once she got to the drive thru, she saw rootbeer float on the menu and so she bought us all one. Faith was really tired and I knew she was going to sleep, so I didn't worry about her making a mess. She put hers in the cupholder and didn't really touch it. Amy and I each had part of ours on the way but had some left (melted) when we got home. As we were getting out of the car, Amy dropped her cup and the melted float went all over the front of the car. Oh well, after everything else had been so good, what could I say? except, of course, clean it up! Hope you all had a nice weekend too.

Cardiologist good news

Just a quick update- Ray saw a cardiologist today and the news was all good. Ray's heart is fine and he DID NOT have a heart attack. His heart and all arteries and valves and all look good. There was a slight trace of an ear infection, so he thinks it could have been the cause of the dizziness and weakness, and so forth. He is still going to give Ray a stress test in 2 weeks, just to make sure there isn't any other blockages anywhere else. So good news and a relief!

Families are the salt of the earth!

When I titled my blog "one day at a time", I was realizing that the only way I can make it, to endure to the end, is to take it one day at a time. Sometimes that means "hanging in there" and just getting by (pretty much what my job means until retirement). But there are other days that I think of it as just enjoying one day at a time. This last week has been one of those weeks. The littlest things seem to be my biggest pleasures. I watched my 6 year old grandson Robert play soccer and was so proud of his skills and wondered how he acquired them. But then I see his dad's interaction with him and knew where it comes from. So I started watching other relationships between my kids and their kids and felt so proud. Kids can be our biggest sense of pride (and also our biggest heartaches). Families are amazing. I love my husband and appreciate his patience and long-suffering with me over all these years. We are both different people than when we met so many, many years ago. We have evolved together and even though we have had some rough patches over the years ( especially teenagers and free agency...) we have endured together. Now we get to share the blessings of watching our kids and grandkids evolve. Life can be grand and I am so thankful for this time of my life. This time of the year is my favorite when family can get together and enjoy some time away from everyday life. I may not have my whole family together for the holidays, but I will be surrounded by some and I look forward to that. Our plan is for a WHOLE family reunion in July and I can't wait for that. I think it is so nice for cousins to be close also and I love to see them interact. I know that my kids were close to cousins growing up and it is nice that some still have a close bond even though they live so far apart. Families are such a blessing. If you are any part of my family, even extended family, I just want you to know that I love you and appreciate you. And to my kids and grandkids, let me just say "2 pieces" and hope to see you all soon. XOXOXOXOXO

Quick update

We meet with a cardiologist on Moday 11/17 but int he meantime, Ray is feeling fine and returned to work today.

Ray's hospital stay

I just want to clarify what happened this weekend. I was out of town visiting Ray & Brandie and taking Ryan to dental appt on Monday in Redlands I had Cam & Faith with me (we all had a 4 day weekend).Ray worked in the yard and around the house all day Sat. During the night Sat., he felt "weird" and said he was hot all night. When he got up Sunday to get ready for church, he felt extremely dizzy and weak. When he called me he said he he felt dizzy and that his legs felt heavy. Amy had just left for work, so he took himself to the ER. They hooked him up to the EKG and saw some peaks in the line, which meant there has definitely been some heart activity. They said they thought he had a mild heart attack but could not determine if it was just that morning or before that. (I mentioned in a previous post about one of these dizzy spells a few weeks ago) They determined that he should be admitted and monitored for at least 24 hours. He felt fine after that and the monitor showed normal activity. His regular doctor (Lucero) visited him yesterday afternoon and his determination is that it was not his heart but possibly his ear (middle ear infection?) He did not give him any medication and just told him to check back in 5 days. So, your guess is as good as ours as to what really happened. But Ray has decided to find another doctor out of town and go for a full physical. I will keep you posted with any news.

What type ballot did you use?

I cannot believe the different types of ballots we have had to use for voting. Last election (primaries in June?) we had electronic voting. Now that is the way to do it. Before that, we had a simple punch the card type of ballot. But this time, with the BIG ELECTION and with lots of measures and propositions to vote on, we got these HUGE paper ballots. I am talking about probably 12" x 16" cardstock ballots. And how did we have to mark them? One straight line connecting an arrow (front of arrow___________back of arrow) in black ink. I don't know what you were suppose to do if you made a mistake. And then they had the little booths set up and the ballot didn't even fit on the writing base. It was hard for it to be kept confidential.

So I am wondering if anyone else had that issue or did you get some simplier ballot to use?

I CONCEDE TOO

So the day after elections- how are you feeling? I will admit that I had some doubts with this election. I did vote McCain and am disappointed in the loss, but I do hold out some hope for Obama and some of his ideas. I do want to see the "change" happen as promised. I know his moral issues are not in line with mine, but it is the lawmakers, not necessarily the president, who can make those changes and I will continue to hope (and pray) for some divine inspiration to help keep our country in check. Other than that, I am happy to say that California has protected the marriage between man and woman and will not allow that to change. That was something close to my heart and I am glad to say that it passed (well, not 100% precincts have recorded yet but pretty sure we won). So how are you feeling after the results?

And just one more thing to my readers: AMY and JAMIE & AARON- you need to get writing, we want to hear more than just comments from you, get bloggin'

Weekend plans

Another weekend and another decision. As much as I want to go visit grandkids (and watch games), and visit mom and dad, I am torn because I always feel so behind in the sleep dept and just taking the time to relax. Also, there is always stuff to do around the house. I wish we didn't live so far away that it means getting up at the crack of dawn on the weekend to go for a visit.

Well, I think we gave up on the idea of going out of town. So, hopefully, we will sleep in until at least 6:00 and also get caught up on things around the house. One day at a time...

ARE WE THE ONLY ONES?

So most wards seem to have a trunk n treat activity now. When these activities started, they were introduced as an alternative to traditional trick or treating door to door. Now it seems like most wards are holding the activity on another night, even a week before, like Katie's ward last week. But our ward still holds it on Halloween during the normal hours of trick or treating. Ours is exactly that, an alternative to the traditional. Ours is meant to keep the kids off the street and safe. What is your ward doing? And how do you feel about this as an alternative- is it enough for the kids or do you still feel like you need to take them out?

Kids and Politics

For those who don't know, in California we are trying to save the traditional marriage between man and woman only. The church is behind this proposition and there are YES ON 8 signs and bumper stickers all over town, including in our yard and on our cars. Recently someone went around and stole the signs out of yards. But between this, the presidential debates and all the TV ads, the kids are picking up a lot.

Yesterday in all her 7 year old wisdom, Faith declared to us "Bobbie Jo is so dumb. She says No on 8 just because the guys promised to build a super WalMart in Blythe and is gonna pay our taxes!" She may be confusing a few issues here, but she knows the answer is YES on 8.

And I overheard Cameron and a church friend discussing the stolen signs. Cameron said, "it just doesn't make any sense, we already know what we are going to vote anyway, we already know what is right" You go Cameron, CTR!

HOMECOMING DAY

Unless you have lived in a small town like Blythe, you don't know about Homecoming. This town lives for these days. The parade starts at 4:00 and the game at 7:00. The streets will be lined for the parade and there will be floats from not only the 4 classes at the high school but from at least 5 other alumni classes dating back to class of 1960 or so. It is amazing to see. People travel to Blythe from wherever they may now live. They party all weekend. And then the game will be sold out and crowded. But it will be full of green and gold in the stadium. It is always fun to attend even though we have no ties to the past.

Ric, believe it or not, HSM3 is in our theater this weekend also. We always seem to get new movies on their release dates. So I am sure that is on the agenda for tomorrow.
Dad has plans to work outside while cool enough to do so but not cold yet.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Missing my new friends

This may sound really stupid to most of you, but I am missing some friends I have come to know very well over the last 6 weeks. Some of you know them well also, the Cullens, Jacob, Charlie, Billy and others. For those that don't know, it is the characters of the "vampire" book series. I have read the 4 volumes over the past 6 weeks and I became totally enthralled. I loved the Cullen family and Charlie was especially close to my heart. I could only read at the end of a 14 hour day so I did neglect some sleep time to read, but I couldn't stop reading. I am hard on myself too, so I didn't allow myself to read if I had other chores needing done. But lucky for me I took 2 road trips during that 6 weeks and while Ray drives, I read. I won't give away the ending, but I could NOT stop reading the last 300 pages at all. I guess I will need to find something else to begin reading soon.

What's been happening this week

First, I have to say, I am using Amy's laptop, first time ever to use a laptop and I love it but I am also really slow at it and keep making mistakes. But for some reason I am not able to blog or make comments on other blogs on my work computer anymore and so I am trying to quickly post something while Amy takes her shower.

We've had minor illnesses around here. Ryan woke up one day last week with his right eye completely swollen shut. It didn't open for 3 days. The doctor treated it as an eye infection but I think he got bit or stung just by the eye. But once it was opened, it was just fine. I have also had what is being treated as an eye infection for 2 weeks but still have a stye. It's ugly but only bothers me when I am tired. Ray had a dizzy spell which kept him home one day but doctor's ran some test and couldn't find a reason for it.

I had an old friend riding a Greyhound bus call me up and said she had a 30 minute stop in Blythe and I ran down to meet her and get in a quick visit. It's a shame when friends are only passing through Blythe... Oh, well. But Blythe is alive and well this week because it is Homecoming and anyone who knows Blythe knows that all the old timers come home for the events.

I finished up with a grant I was writing for a bus replcement and that is a big relief. Now I will begin looking for optional ways to purchase fuel because the district's budget is tight this year with next year looking worse, so we are trying to come up with some creative ideas for fueling the buses. But, I have to admit that I enjoy keeping busy at work, it helps the day go by quicker. I have only had to drive a bus one afternoon this year (so far) so when I did, it was enjoyable.

I have now finished the "vampire" books and loved them. But they did interfere with my sleep habits, so it is probably good that I am done. I am looking forward to getting into something else.

Well, Amy needs the computer for homework (what nerve!) so I guess I will close now. I will try to post more often but sometimes there isn't much to say. But, I will mention I spoke to Grandpa today and he says to tell everyone that they are doing well. They just had full physicals and got clean bill of health except a little high cholesterol which they should be able to control with diet (it helps having a dietitian cooking for you). He told Grandpa his heart sounds great. And Grandma is losing weight (about 1-2 # per week) so she is happy. They really seem happy.

Wonderful trip to Salt Lake City/ General Conference

Well we had a great visit with Di and Rich this past weekend. We have not been to Salt Lake City for a long time (20 years?), so we were totally impressed with the beautiful city. At least the area around temple square. We spent one day doing the tourist stuff and then one full day at conference. Between Di and Rich's missionary tickets and our cousin-in-law's Tabernacle Choir tickets (Ed Thompson directed the choir in the Sat. AM session) we had great seats on the main floor of the beautiful 21,000 capacity conference center. I took the picture of the Presidency from our seats. And of course, I think the talks were given directly to me.

It was fun to spend the day with the Berrys as we toured the "underground tunnels' of SLC (even if we didn't run into a general authority). It was a beautiful day on Friday but rained all day Saturday. We parked up a hill ( I added the picture for a little sympathy) from the center and had to walk to the car to have our "picnic" lunch in-between sessions and then back up there again after the last session. It was no problem for the others, but I realized I won't be running any marathons in the near future. And with the added rain... plus I'm a little bit of a klutz, so me in church shoes, in the rain and walking up a big hill, not a good combination. So I solved the problem by removing my shoes and putting on a thick pair of socks to walk in. Yes, my feet were soaked, but at least I didn't fall down, trip, or break an ankle.

The other great part of the trip was me and Ray having some alone time. Even though I have to admit I'm not the best traveling partner. We stopped in Vegas on the way and I bought the 3rd vampire book so I could continue reading the series without interruption. So, needless to say, I read until I dozed then woke up and read again. Not that Ray minded too much, he is a true trucker and listens to "Road Dog" radio. But, like I said, I love having some time alone and away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives.

Well, I managed to download my pictures, now if I can just learn how to arrange them, space them out and be able to write under them and all that. I'll keep working on that. And now that I have all my pictures downloaded, I will do a random picture blog of all the pictures that go with my previous posts.

Book Review

We had a nice visit at my parent's new apt. in the retirement home. We haven't been back since the day we moved them in and there were boxes all over the place. It was nice to see it all unpacked and looking like home for them. They have just enough stuff so it doesn't look too crowded but does look personal. I especially love the patio and the garden spot that mom is having the gardeners create for her. She had them take out all of the blooming flowers (pink and purple) and put in more ferns and plants. She wants her area to be different from the rest. She has brought some of her desert rocks and some pots with white & orange flowers. We had a nice visit but since we had Cameron and Faith with us, it was a little harder. They were good, but there is no yard to send them out to play, only the patio and garden and with the apt so small, they get on our nerves after awhile. They tried to play quietly, but it can only be that way for so long. We were there for over 3 hours. But, we all enjoyed the visit and I am glad to see how happy they are. They have one unfriendly neighbor, he scowls at the kids, but we just ignore him.

I should also mention (to my nieces especially) that I am now reading the Stephanie Meyer books. I read Twilight and loved it and am now 3/4 the way through New Moon. I am not liking New Moon as much, but will definitely keep reading the next books. Our public library has them but there is a waiting list. As soon as I finished Twilight, I put my name on the list for Eclipse because I figured it would take me that long to read New Moon. Linda has Twilight and New Moon, so I only need to reserve the others at the library. Very interesting books, who would have thought?

Why the yard sale you ask?

Just a glimpse at how much stuff I had accumulated in my closet. Yes, I have a large walk-in closet, but even so, it was ridiculously full of STUFF. I took it all out (over spring break and Ray was gone to MS) and then refused to put anything back in that I had not touched for a full year. Therefore, I got rid of craft supplies (and many enrichment night started-but-not-finished projects), clothes, shoes, etc. I had old roadshow scripts, cards from every occasion, talks we gave at church in 1988, etc. Yeah, it needed a spring cleaning. It is so amazing now to open my closet and realize how big it is.

So, if my closet looked like this, can you imagine what my garage and storage unit looked like?

Back to reality- school bus accident

So a nice smooth weekend means a crazy work week- it's Tuesday and before I even got to work, a driver called my cell to tell me another bus had been hit and they had just called 911. It was just around the corner from home, so I was first on the scene. It looked worse than it was. There was metal all over the road. But, our bus was actually parked at the curb, picking up a student and a truck driving east into the low sun, sideswiped the bus. But it did a lot of damage to his truck. He had 2 kids in the truck and we had 3 students (1 wheelchair) in the bus. Luckily, the girl picked up was already in her seat and seat belt on because the impact was significant. There were no injuries. But it was a rough way to start the day! No, I didn't take any pictures, my boss came with his camera and took pictures while I did the report, so i have nothing to post.

River Day! all about relaxation

Well, we finally did it- we took a day off! I mentioned before, i feel like we have been moving for 4 weeks now. Every weekend we moved "stuff" around -to and from storage to the yard sale and then to the church, glad that's over. So we actually planned a day at the river for Saturday. Ray, Brandie and kids came in late Friday night. We got up and packed a lunch and took off for the river. We ended up at Mayflower Park (6th Ave) and got a picnic cabana with access to a little beach area. We set up the easy-up, launched the sea-doo and we were good to go. It was only 100 degrees, so it was hot enough to appreciate the river but not too hot to sit out in it. We perched the chairs in waist deep and just kicked it. I actually borrowed Linda's copy of "Twilight" and got into some serious reading. We took turns taking kids for rides on the sea-doo and see who could "spray" the group the most. We just about had the river to ourselves and that's the way I like it. So, after 7 years of owning a sea-doo, for only the 2nd time, I actually took it out myself (with Faith and Robert). I am actually afraid of the river because of it's low spots, sand bars and just the other boats and crafts riding, but this was a perfect day for me to ride. The guys all played some boccie ball and did some not-too-serious fishing also. It was a great day. We went home, jumped in the pool for awhile and then barbecued some ribs. We celebrated little Robert's 6th birthday. If only every weekend could be so simple!

some pictures (if I do it right!)

Today's blog is just sharing some pictures to go with all my previous posts. Okay the first 2 pictures came out. This was G & G the night before they moved from Blythe and then they are in the new apartment "pooped out" after the move (pictured with a few little helpers)

Yard Sale- too much work!

With my parent's move and downsizing, they left a lot behind. Some of it was stuff that Amy wants for a future house/apt. and some of it I wanted but had to clean out some of my stuff to make room for it. So the yard sale actually took a whole week of work to make it happen. Luckily, we had mom and dad's empty garage to use while sorting through everything. Last Saturday we spent 4 hours cleaning and sorting through the storage unit. Then once it was clean and had lots of room, we started taking stuff from our garage and from mom's garage to put away. We then brought all the yard sale stuff to the empty garage and all week long we tried to sort it and group it. I put an ad in the paper stating 6-11 AM on Sat. So, at 4AM, Amy, Ryan and I went over and start pulling the stuff out and put it on mom's long driveway. We had so much stuff and it took us the full 2 hours to get set up. We had like, 20 bags and boxes of clothes and didn't have time to sort it. So that was an unorganized mess. But I sold all clothes for $1 a bag and if they wanted stuff, they had to dig for it.

Well, we got slammed at 6:00 AM. The vultures were waiting. And the first ones there are the "professional yard salers" who come for the bargains on the big items. That was okay with me. I really wanted to just clean up and get rid. Since the driveway was so long and I was the only adult working the sale (Ryan, Cameron and Faith were there too, but Ray and Amy had to work) I know I got ripped off. I cannot remember selling lots of stuff, some big items, some newer items, but they were gone in the end. Like I said, I don't mind if they really needed it, but I hate to think it was just to re-sell or for their own profit.

But at the end of the day, we had got rid of a lot and we had pocketed some money and the kids had sold lots of their toys and each earned about $10 of their own. Even Ryan got about $5 in tips for being helpful. I didn't try to make big profits and some people took advantage of that, but I had 2 different customers who insisted on paying more than I was asking. And we sold a lot of items for a quarter because the kids and I saved quarters in our FUN FUND jar all summer long to do one fun activity at the end of the summer (which we still don't know what we are going to do) so, all quarters all day from every sale, went into the quarter jar. Now we will just plan our fun day and spend our money. They were real good in the summer with daily chores while we worked, and even did a reading program with me that added quarters to the jar. I think we will do something in San Diego, but not Sea World. Maybe Legoland or maybe just the zoo and museum/ aquarium.

Now we will take all the leftover yard sale stuff to the church on Thursday and the church is having their annual "Rummage Give-away". I did advertise the give-away at my yard sale too. Now I will have to learn to stay away from yard sales to keep my house from getting crowded again. The cycle continues. Oh well, glad that is behind us.

This coming weekend will be just fun and relaxation. Amy is off, Robert, Ray and Brandie and kids are all coming to Blythe for a day at the river. We will take the waverunner out and spend the day on the beach. We plan to bbq some ribs and just kick back. Big Robert's birthday is Friday and little Robert's (Ray and Brandie's) is the 27th so we are celebrating both. Robert has not been "available" to celebrate a birthday for 12 years, so we are going big on this one. I will write more next week (and by then I should have pictures downloaded to add).

The MOVE

Well, Grandpa and Grandma are settled into their new apt. They packed way too much stuff! I think they forgot how small the apt was. But, we could not convince them to trade the BIG desk for a smaller one or to leave behind a shelving unit. So we took it all. Thank goodness they had a couple of workhorse neighbors who owed them some money and helped them load up to pay their debt (side note: and glad one was obviously "on something" because he had the adrenaline of superman!) Ray and Bob, Linda and I were all there to supervise and help in little ways. The truck and trailer were loaded by 8:00 AM and mom and dad drove their car off into the sunset without looking back. Ray and I and kids were going to drive the truck but gave them a good 1 hour head start. At that end of the move, Kathy, Chuck, Josh and Angie and kids and Ray Jr with his 4 kids were there to help unload which gave Ray, Ryan and Dad a little break. After we got all the stuff in the apt. there wasn't much room to walk around. We all left them there to unpack and rest up before they had to go to the dining hall for dinner.

We spent the night with the Middoughs having pizza and playing cards. We were tired but had a great time. Thanks Kathy and Chuck. We went to Sacrament meeting with Ray and kids (Brandie had to work) and then we left for home by way of Covina to check back with the folks.
They had obviously been up late or got up early and had been busy unpacking. The apt was taking shape. But they also discovered they had too much stuff and sent us home with 2 coffee tables, 2 book cases and lots of tote boxes. They also found out that they had left behind some stuff they did need. So they are settling in just fine. They were real happy about the meals they had except dad decided he needed to eat a little less each time because he is not used to 3 meals a day at those intervals (7:15 , 12:00, 5:00) He wasn't hungry at the right times! Mom has to walk a good 2 block walk to the dining hall, so good exercise 3 times a day. The nurse had been there and did a full assessment on them (documented every bruise, cut, cross toes, etc on their bodies). I think all the residents saw the 6 little kids visiting on Saturday and enjoyed having them there. The kids were a little bored but we walked around and met some people.

All in all, the move went smooth and I haven't cried yet. I thought it would be harder. I am going to the empty house today to clean, maybe it will hit me then. C'est la vive! (spelling?)

1st week of school and my parent's move

Wow! what a rough week so far. As long as I have been in the transportation department (in any capacity) my first week of school is rough. I worked all summer at leisure and thought I was so much more prepared for this school year start, but no such luck. It's not really "us" though, it's the parents who don't worry about the kids bus schedule until the day they need it. Nevermind the fact that it was printed in the newspaper a week ahead of time. Starting at about 8:00 AM Sunday morning, they start calling wanting to know the bus number, time, etc. for their kid. And they had the guts to leave a phone # for a return call- what's the saying? " a failure to communicate on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part" (something like that) When I called in to check messages Monday at 4:15 am (this is the time I check messages daily to see if I need to call in a sub) I had 23 messages from parents wanting information. Needless to say I did not return any of those calls. In fact, when I got into the office at 5:00 AM until I left at 5:30 PM, the phones (2 lines) rang non-stop. Because of district layoffs this year, I lost my office clerk. Therefore, when I was on one line, a mechanic, a driver, or anyone around answered the other line. Amy dropped by for a quick minute and ended up answering 5 calls and, I should add, did a great job of giving them the info. they needed. My driver trainer is in the office too, but she works an early shift then leaves for 3 hours and works the late shift (supposedly for me to work a regular 8 hr shift and go home- haha!) And Monday was Cami's birthday, so I literally set the timer on my desk to go off at a good time, so I would remember to call her and wish her a happy birthday (and then my niece had her new baby boy that day too!) Anyway, that was how Mon and Tues went, then yesterday got better and today is even better. I may work only 8 hours today.

But in addition to crazy busyness at work, we had a freak windstorm Mon night which knocked down our fences, blew furniture in the pool and just made a general mess around here. And of course, my mom and dad are moving this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents 2 pieces, but right now they are driving me crazy. Mom keeps finding little things she wants me to have (or my daughters or grandkids or whatever) and wants me to stop by and get it. They also wanted us to take all their leftover furniture to the thrift store and take the big items we are keeping (bed, dresser, dishwasher, etc) this week. Well, besides having no time to drop by and being too tired to do anything after work, we finally convinced them that we will leave all that behind when we move them out Saturday and then we will, at our convenience, move the rest. They wanted to walk out, lock the door, and hand over the keys to the Masonic Home when they got there on Sat. I had to convince my mom that we would go back in and clean after they moved out, so they would allow us to do that. I realize that they have been packing for the last two weeks and are absolutely going stir crazy sitting around waiting for moving day, but I just can't do it their way. And, don't forget, Bob and Linda are the other helpers and Bob is principal at the high school- what do you think his week has been like? So, yes, we will be exhausted on Sat at 6:00 am when we load up and head out for the 3 hour drive to move them. And we will still be tired Sunday am when we get up to go to church with Ray and Brandie (we get to see our grandsons passing the sacrament for the first time) and we will still be tired as we drive home that afternoon. But come Monday (thank goodness for holidays) we can finally catch up on some sleep. Oh, and just to add to the tiredness, I have a stye on my right eye and have been treating it for a week with no results, so by the end of a day I have totally blurred vision and a burning eye. If not better by Monday, I will probably get in to see the doctor on Tues. (and yes to those who are wondering, I have checked my sugar and it's good- not high)

So, hopefully my next post will be something more amusing and fun- until the next time...

Amy's good news/ our future plans

Amy is now enrolled in her Bachlor Degree/ RN classes. She has to commute to Phoenix once a week (for now, it may be 3 days a week when clinicals start) and it will take 2 1/2 years, but she is on the right track. She is very excited and anxious to start Sept. 29. Luckily she has friends in the Phoenix area and can spend the night. The hospital will work with her on her work schedule. The only bad part is that she may not get too many weekends off with needing 2 days during the week, but it is a sacrifice she is willing to make.

And this program fits right into our plans for the future. Ray and I had talked seriously about our plans and decided he would try to retire in Aug. 2010. I will continue to work for awhile so we can adjust to finances and stuff. But then we will purchase a 5th wheel and take off for awhile. We plan to work as campground hosts at least for the summer to see how we like it. We figured this would be a good job for all of us. Ray and Ryan will enjoy meeting new people and I can still do some "paperwork". We hope to hosts all over the country and then may be able to decide where we will want to live. We will then sell the house and buy something smaller somewhere. Ray is still hoping for Mississippi but I still want to stay in California but northern and closer to the ocean. I love California weather and the Pacific Ocean. That part we have not decided on yet. And it may depend on where all the kids end up. Ric and Diona are thinking about Washington (state) again and Ray and Brandie have talked about Oregon. Cami is in Virginia now and looks like she plans to stay there. And Amy will be just finishing school and will be able to go anywhere. So we will see where we end up. But wherever, we will have a 5th wheel parked outside to house visitors anytime. It's nice to finally have concrete plans in place and give us something to work towards. Ray will have worked for 45 years by then and I will be just at 30 years. Time flies when you are having so much fun!

Memories are great

Leave A Memory
I got this from Linda's blog and she got it from Christie's blog!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you... either on your blog, in my comment box, or I will email you back!
3. If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all ☺....thats not true---go ahead and say it---see if it changes anything!

Cami in Virginia

I just want to update everyone on Bolton family happenings. If you don't know, Cami moved to Norfolk, Virginia 2 months ago. Her boyfriend, Gentry is from there and was moving back and she decided to go too. Ric and Diona live in Virginia Beach which is about 10 miles away. Gentry has been working since they moved back there doing side jobs with his uncle and a few friends. He has done painting, tiling and even some screening. He also LOVES doing music recording stuff and has had a few jobs with that also. That is what he would like to do full time but it hasn't happened yet. In the meantime, he does keep busy helping his uncle with a painting business and the friend who is a contractor. But Cami had not been able to find anything and was getting discouraged. But she called today to say she got the job she really wanted and starts on Monday. She is the receptionist in an oncology practice. It's her first real full time job with benefits and lots of perks. They pay your membership to COSTCO or SAM'S CLUB, Christmas bonuses, company picnics, 401K, etc. She is so excited. And the best thing about her move to VA is that her and Ric's family can get to know each other better. She has been over there several times to have dinner with them or go swimming or babysit. The girls love having her around too. I think it helps her not to be too homesick. Now, if I can just get back there for a visit....

BTW, did you see my link to Ric and Diona's blog- it's new, check it out!

Dance Festival

Do you remeber when the church used to have those great dance festivals at the Rose Bowl? Well, I got to attend another one Sat. night. I was lucky enough to have been in a dance festival in 1984 and it seemed like that was the last one I heard about, until recently. I still receive a newspaper which comes from the Upland area (LDS Trumpet) and it was announcing an upcoming dance festival which included the Chino Stake (my old stake when we lived in Diamond Bar). I decided I wanted to see if it was as GRAND as I remember it, so I sent for 3 tickets. I planned on Ray and Ryan going with me, but they had other plans, so I took Amy and Faith. It was at the University of Redlands, so only a 2 1/2 hr drive. But it was so worth it. There were 12 stakes, 109 wards involved. 3000 youth!!! It was great. The deacons did their own routine which was done with basketballs. The beehives did a couple of dances themselves and then the Mia Maids and Teachers did a couple of routines to Beach Boys music medley (the theme was "California Dreamin") The Laurels and Priests topped it off with some ball room type dancing to Disney music. Faith loved the whole thing and hopes she can do it when she turns 12. There were in-between shows on stages with specialized talent including polynesian dancers, a group of steppers, a young and rising country music sensation (I don't watch it but I heard someone in audience say she is on "Nashville Star" a reality show on TV) and two sisters who did a whole latina salsa dancing and singing routine. Then the finale was a total patriotic show with about 200 missionaires running in with first the 50 state flags as a chior sang Fifty-Nifty United States and then the others came in with the American flag and lined the outside of the field as the 3000 youth, now dressed in red, white or blue polo shirts, lined the field in the formation of the flag. It took a full 15 minutes to have all 3000 get on the field and that was with them running on. So they then had a slide show of actual military serving from those wards and then a moment of silence for 2 from those wards who had been killed in action. Then the whole patriotic music show began and ended with fireworks. It was beautiful. I'm sure it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for those kids who got to participate and something they will never forget.

Faith was so impressed, when we got in the car and started driving home, she had been quiet and we thought she had already fallen asleep (it wasn't over until 10:00 PM), but then she said, out of the clear blue, "thank you grandma for bringing me to this" And I am so glad I did.

Missing the family

It's July. Our family was together last July and will be again next July, so now I am sitting here thinking about how much I miss everyone NOW! We aren't taking a vacation this summer since Ray took his time off in March to go to Mississippi. But it is hard to be in Blythe when everyone else goes on vacation and it is too hot to do anything. I do not like living so far from family. I guess this post is just a sounding board today.

Family baptism

We had a great time in Lakewood this past weekend. Amy and kids left on Friday, stopped at Soak City in Palm Springs and then on to Kathy's house for the night. Kathy has her 3 grandkids from Surprise, AZ staying with her for the summer, so Cameron and Faith slept on air mattresses with them while Amy went just down the street to Ray and Brandie's house. In the meantime, Ray, Ryan and I got up early Sat. and drove to Lakewood. All of us Boltons then went to Santa Monica Pier and beach. We enjoyed driving with windows down and sunroofs opened. Just to get out of Blythe's heat is a treat, but the ocean was great too. I have not enjoyed being in the water like that for a long time. I scared Ray and the grandkids because I went so far out, but I loved it. The waves were just right.

We all ended up at Josh and Angie's house for a great barbecue that night, thanks Middoughs. They have a above-ground pool set up there and me and all the kids enjoyed a good swim. Then we went back to respective homes, showered all the kids and put them in a huge tent in Kathy's backyard (9 kids in all). They slept reasonably well when they settled down but it was early up on Sunday since Ray and Brandie's ward starts at 8:00am and we were all going together. Needless to say, we all took good Sunday naps. Then at 5:00 pm, we all went back to church for the baptisms of Anthony and Josh (our 2nd and 3rd oldest grandsons, Ray Jr's ). Grandpa Ray had the honor of baptizing them and I was asked to speak. It was a nice baptism and well attended by their new ward. We met people in the ward who we knew 20 some years ago when we were in Long Beach 2nd ward, one guy from our Diamond Bar ward, and one guy in this ward knows a guy from Blythe who I know well because he used to be an assistant superintendent in our school district.

Amy and kids, with little Alisa (Ray&Brandie's 2 yr old) left for Blythe from there. Amy also took Ryan so that Ray and I could stay an extra night ourselves. We slept in Monday and then went for a leisurely day of sightseeing and reminiscing , visiting the Queen Mary, Shoreline Village and Seal Beach. After a nice lunch, we went back to Ray's and got the boys to go home with us. They will stay the week with us and then Brandie will come to Blythe this weekend for her "Love" reunion and take them all home. It should be a fun week.

Warning: boring post

I started the weekend by leaving work at 1:30 on Thursday because I ran out of things to do at work. There was only a skeleton crew working throughout the district and every time I thought of something I needed to take care of, I would make a phone call and get a voice mail. So, I gave up and went home. But then all I did at home was housework. Amy had been off for 2 days and the kids didn't have school on Thursday, so they each had a friend spend the night on Wed. So I had done nothing for 2 days and since I still had energy from doing nothing at work, I spent the energy well and did lots of housework.

The rest of the weekend was just about as boring as it gets. It was very HOT so not much to do. We spent 4th of July day indoors until about 4:30 when a ward family came over to swim. Another family joined us about 6:00 and then we barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone took off about 8:00 to go see the fireworks at the fairgrounds. Amy got off work at 7:30 so she took the kids. Ray, Ryan and I realized we could see the fireworks from our front yard, so that is as far as we went.

Saturday was ward temple day and youth baptisms for the dead, so Ray was a designated driver. I was home with the kids and babysat for another ward family so they could attend the temple. We swam a lot and worked on the rain gutter tracks for our cub scout rain gutter regatta. I did a pretty good job I think (other than slicing my thumb open). The regatta will be held Wed., so we will cross our fingers the track works without any leaks. Cameron also painted his boat and got carried away with some stickers. Now this is where I should be inputting some pictures, but I still don't know how to do that, so let your imagination go wild.

Sunday was equally as uneventful as the rest of the weekend. Church was ...well, it was fast and testimony meeting, what can I say? Then the missionaries came for dinner and I did fix an extra nice meal for them (Elder Kerr's birthday was Saturday). I made chicken cordon bleu, ricotta pasta, corn, salad and a yummy strawberry cream pie. They ate, shared a scripture and were gone by 6:00 PM which made for an early evening.

This blog is serving as my journal, I guess, and so I am just writing to write. Don't mean to bore you all, but it was a boring weekend. Next weekend promises to be better, we will be going to Lakewood for our 2 grandsons' baptism. Ray Jr.'s 2 oldest boys who are 12 & 14 are getting baptized. They have wanted to for years now but their mom would not agree until now. They are excited and love their new ward (they are off at scout camp this week). I am hoping to make a weekend in Lakewood/Long Beach and not just the usual day drive.

I LOVE THIS JOB!

Wow, I haven't been able to say I love my job in months! But, right now, during the summer, I love my job. Since it is too hot to be outside and I would be stuck in the house anyway, I may as well be stuck in the office and getting paid for it. I can get so much done in the summer that I cannot do during a school year. I love to clean out files, reorganize things and even try to find ways to make things run smoother when the chaos begins again.

I only wish I had this AM energy at the end of the day when I go home. But, that is the problem with the hot weather, it tends to wear you out quicker. I always thought it was good to have my washer and dryer in the garage and not in the house, but now I hate to go out there to do laundry. I always do a load of laundry before going to bed in the evening and another when I get up at 4:30, but if there is any more than that to be done...

Just a reminder to all you Californians (and soon-to-be... A & J) today the new law is in full force- no talking on a cell phone while driving. The fines are small, but I have a feeling (and inside CHP information) they are really going to be enforcing this law. Get your bluetooth ready!

My parents future looks good

My sisters Linda and Rhonda and I took our parents to Covina Hills to visit their "soon-to-be" retirement home. They will be retiring to the Masonic Home of Covina. This is something they have planned for the last 35 years or so (maybe longer). It is one of the benefits of being a lifer mason. Both our parents have been active Masons for 50 years now. We always knew this was their plan, but until about 3 years ago, we didn't pay much attention to it, or think about it. In fact, I will go on the record and now repent for my "mental scolding" of mom and dad for not planning financially for the future. They have been "retired" for quite a few years and have lived on a meager pension for awhile. They have always paid their bills and were able to buy a small home 12 years ago, but they never had extra money. They have lived modestly to say the least. I know the beginning of the month was always better than the end of the month for them. But none of that really matters now. It turns out, they have planned well for their future. They are going to be taken care of the rest of their lives. Yes, it will cost them a little but even that turns out to probably be the best thing. They will give the deed to their home to the Masonic Home who will, in turn, sell it and keep all but 1/4 of the profits. Well, like I said, mom and dad have lived modestly and have not been able to keep up with the maintainence of the home the way a older home needs. So, if they were needing to sell their home to be able to finance themselves, they may not do too good because the home needs some attention. But 1/4 of the profits will put some money in the bank for them and with the selling market down (especially in Blythe), this works to their benefit. And they also turn over all but 1/4 of their monthly pension. Again, that just gives them a little spending money and that is all they will need. (more about this in a minute) And, this arrangement leaves no room for my sisters and I to have to make decisions on their behalf or worry about dividing the "estate" amongst us. I think we all agree that is something none of us would look forward to doing.



In return, my parents will soon be living a life above the standards they are used to. This home is gorgeous! It is in a nice neighborhood of Covina, but very well isolated. The entire grounds are immaculate with very well maintained lawn and gardens. The "compund" consists of a main building where the business offices are and it houses the parlor, dining hall, full workout gym and jacuzzi, massage room, beauty parlor, ceramics room and puzzle room. This is where the monthly activities are posted on an entire wall (weekly and daily handouts are available in the dining hall ). There are 3 separate apartment buildings with about 12 units in each. For each 6 units, there is a washing machine and dryer room (with free soap). Most apts are on the ground floor, but the "ground" floor is actually up because of the rolling hills throughout the grounds. There are stairs, ramps and elevators in each building. A lot of the residents use walkers to get around and it is completely walker friendly. My parents originally thought they would like an upper unit with a balcony instead of a patio, but after this visit, they are convinced there isn't a bad apt. in the complex, whatever they get they will be happy. The apt. itself is small, but fine for two. Each unit has a 2 burner stove, a microwave, a refrigerator, cable hookups, a walk in closet and a "seniorized" bathroom with grip bars and seat in shower. They also have 3 cords in the apt that if pulled, gets a nurse at the door within minutes (also, phone off hook signals a problem) there is a 24 hour nurses station to monitor. The unit has, as mentioned, a private patio or balcony. By private, I mean that it has walls between you and your neighbor but not a wall to prevent you from having a view. The gardeners keep up the garden spots but will personalize your own spot for you (roses vs pansies vs desert scape, etc) The other big building on the compound is the recreation room. It has card tables and couches and there is a large screen TV, pool table, ping pong table, shuffle board, etc. It has in it, a video closet where you can "rent for free" one of over 100 videos. A library of paperback books including a "large print" area. There is a computer lab with 6 computers for their personal use. There are 2 stores, one sells grocery items and personal needs stuff and one sells items made by the people in the home (knitted booties, aprons, etc) Oh, I forgot, there is also a "new to you" thrift store where everything is free (they dispose of deceased residents stuff this way or other residents donate unwanted stuff). This recreation room is attached to a huge barbecue/ picnic area for group parties.



Some of the activities they do are: monthly birthday party for all that month's birthdays and they bring in entertainment for this monthly party, bus trips weekly to different local shopping including grocery stores, Target and WalMart, etc. Also, monthly activites to sporting events, runs to Las Vegas or Laughlin, shows, concerts, zoo, etc. Different masonic lodges from surrounding areas come in once a month to provide a barbecue and may offer square dance or something. There are also daily classes like ceramics (they have a complete room with kilns and all right there), needlepoint, exercise classes (I forgot to mention the swimming pool where they have daily water aerobics). If there is interest, there are outings just to outside restaurants or movie theaters. The "activity committee" suggests ideas and gets everyone's input and then arrangements are made. The parlor I mentioned is a beautiful sitting room with a grand piano, cherrywood book cases full of classic hard back books and elegant furnishings. This is a gathering spot for some of the entertainment. The dining hall is very exquisite also, with round tales with linen tablecloths and napkins and fine dinnerware. Each resident is assigned a table in the hall and has a personal server for that table (4-6 per table). There is a salad bar also. They are served 3 meals a day. But there is also a 24 hour pantry available which has snacks, fruit, milk and juice, ice cream bars, etc. And don't forget, each apt has capabilities to cook for yourself. The menu in the dining hall is simple with one entree and one healthy option (usually fish). But then there is salad and fresh fruit bar and the entree includes soup and sides. We ate on Friday lunch which is always Mexican and we had enchilada soup, beans, rice and 2 hard tacos which were made with carne asada (and we had choice of soft taco). Then they came around with dessert (churros) but asked if we wanted ice cream also. It was all very good.



Now to the part about money. Once they are in this home, they are here for life. Their medical care and medicines are taken care of. If they need more care than the home can offer (they have a "sick bay" for someone with flu or something like that) they will be hopitalized at a local hospital with one of the 5 "on call" local doctors taking care of them. They also will be sent to a nursing or convalesant home if necessary but the bill is taken care of by the home. The home provides all the meals, housekeeping changes sheets once a week, all paper goods and soap are provided for the apt. They have a "scheduler" on staff who makes all your doctor, dental, and beauty appts for you and then they pass out a paper in the dining hall with your weekly appts. Even the cable for the TV is provided. Local telephone service is provided and even long distance rates are so low that they say no one has ever paid more than $5 a month. My dad can keep his car if he wants (and since he is 80 and his current license doesn't expire until May, he will keep it at least that long) but they have their own buses which take them to appts and all the outings. Even the trips to Las Vegas and Laughlin and stuff only costs them about $15.00 for the day. My parents can do some volunteer stuff around the home (like my dad will definitely want to work in the "grocery"store since that is what he did for a living) and even my mom will probably want to sort mail or something. They can be alone in their apt or around people all day.



Well, I am fully convinced that this is a great move for them. I am even envious. I will miss them being just blocks away, but I will look forward to visiting them in their new home. Now, it is the waiting game. They have been approved, done their 3-day visit stay, and now are just waiting for an opening which is supposed to be within 6 months. I told my dad that I thought the only downside of this is that they will have all these new friends (only 77 residents in the complex) and will have to see them die. This is a closeknit group. So, unfortunately, when there is an opening for them, it will be because someone has died.



Sorry for the looooong blog. I am excited now that I have seen the home and just hope to share it with others. I am glad for my parents' insight and persistance to get what they want for their future and hope I can be as lucky when I get to that age. I love my parents very much and wish them the best for their real retirement years.

I'm going to try also...

Well, I'm not sure what I'm doing, but I will attempt to blog. I have no idea how to set it up and personalize it and no idea how to insert pictures and stuff, but for now I will keep it simple.
I enjoy reading the blogs of nieces and nephews and now my sister blogs too, so I will try to get my kids and grandkids going too.

It is summer in Blythe. We stay in as much as possible so I will have more time to sit at the computer and write. I am working early hours (6:00AM-2:30PM) and stay in for the most part, so I don't mind working right now. If I were home, I would probably try to do too much which would require me to go outside and then I would be miserable. So, I stay in the office and answer one or two phone calls per day (compared to 2 lines ringing constantly during the school year) and only have to deal with 8 bus drivers for about 2 hours a day (compared to a staff of 28 all day long during the school year) I am getting so much done that I don't get to during the year. I usually spend my days "putting out fires" and don't do too much "ahead of time" stuff.

Amy usually has 2 or 3 days off during the week, so I only have to worry about Cameron and Faith a couple of days. They are attending summer school (and loving it! new friends, new teachers, no homework) and then on my days, they go to the Rec Center for 50 cents and get to play games and do arts and crafts (and Faith gets to dress up). It all works well. Then the family always goes swimming. That's a given! I cannot imagine not swimming every night. That is my favorite time of the day. And I think it helps us all to sleep better. The kids have 4-H rabbits that we are trying to keep alive. They normally stay in the garage with fans on them, but lately it has been too hot and they have had to be in the house. I don't like the smell (even though I make them keep cages clean) and the mess (shedding fur, wood chips pushed out, etc) but I would hate to have to deal with them walking out and finding a dead rabbit. And they are good rabbits and did well this year at fair competitions, so we hope to keep them another year.

I will write another time about the family, update everyone about what is new with everyone and where they all are. But for now, that's it. Not much to say but wanted to start somewhere.