It seems like just yesterday he was born, but today he turns 4 years old:
Here are some of my favorite pics of Owen James:
Happy Birthday, Little Man. Granny loves you!
Happy Birthday To Owen
Family
Bits And Pieces
This is just stuff I need to say, none of it enough to write a whole lot about, just some bits and pieces.
Sarah received her backpack and loved it! She wrote me by email to say how much she loved the Toy Story Mickey Mouse figurines I put inside, and the slapwear watches, and the DVD about stars and constellations. But, she most loved the Peeps stuffies that I regifted, the ones my sister sent me.
I went down to Kanab a couple of weeks ago and picked up my new partial plate that I had made. It cost me $1003, and it doesn’t fit. I have been back twice for them to adjust it, and I still can’t put it in my mouth. I am going back tomorrow, and if they can’t get it right this time, I am going to ask either for my money back or that they make a new one. I compared it to the old one (the one that broke) and it is not even the same shape.
My 85 year old mother was in the hospital for a few days. She woke up that morning and was dizzy and couldn’t get up, so my sister called 911. When the paramedics arrived, her blood pressure was 190 over something, and she was still dizzy. They kept her for a few days, ran some tests, and as far as my sister can tell, they didn’t find out what the problem was. She’s back home now, and feeling better. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers for her.
I haven’t had a chance to do any more sewing since I finished up Sarah’s backpack. I have so many things I want to make, but just can’t find the time to it this summer. We are short a couple of people at work, so we are working overtime, and long days. And when I have had time off I have had to run down to Kanab every week to get those stinkin’ teeth adjusted. Emily, I want you to know your quilt is FIRST on the list for this winter.
I made our reservations for staying at a campground in west Georgia for when we leave here in October. It’s a Jellystone park that is fairly new, and one of only two that we know if in the area, except for what used to be Tanner State Park. They charge $300 a month plus electric, which is a good price as far as a monthly rate at a campground in Georgia. After we leave there, we’ll be camp hosting at Unicoi State Park in Helen for about four months.
The cortisone shot I had in my foot for the plantar fasciitis worked great. It hurt a LOT going in, but it definitely caused the pain in my foot to go away. So, if you suffer with that affliction, don’t hesitate to get the shot. It helps.
Here is a new photo of Owen:
And last of all, I have to share this cutie photo of Amelia. I still haven’t met her yet, but I am hoping to get to know her little self this winter.
So, that’s all I got right now.
FabGrandpa 3: Cancer 0
FabGrandpa had surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma from the side of his nose on July 1. We drove down to Prescott, Arizona to the VA to have it done. We had been trying to get an appoinment since March, because the lesion kept getting bigger and looked pretty bad to us. But, the doctor did an excellent job on the surgery. You can barely tell he had surgery now that the stitches are out. This first photo shows how it looked–a big black spot on the side of his nose.
Here is another shot of the lesion. It started out looking like a pimple that never went away, and progressed into that black spot you see here:
The surgery was done in the doctor’s office. They put novacaine in his nose, then cut out the lesion. It required three stitches to close it up. They put on a bandaid, and sent him on his way. He said it didn’t hurt, and it must not have because he never complained about it once.
The doctor said to take the bandaid off after a couple of days, and just use an antibiotic ointment on it until it healed. Here is what the incision looked like with the stitches in.
We went back down to the VA in Belmont, west of Flagstaff, on July 12 to have the stitches taken out, and to let the primary care doctor take a look at it. When the stitches came out, we were both pleasantly surprised because we can barely see the scar. That doctor did a very good job!
If you are have fair skin, red hair, or freckles, then you should be using a sunscreen every time you go out in the sun. Even if it is a cloudy day, those UV rays can damage your skin. There are three kinds of skin cancer: Melanoma, which is the worst and most aggressive type of skin cancer, can strike anyone at any age. Basal cell is the most common type of skin cancer, and rarely metastasizes or kills, but can cause significant damage. Sqauamous cell carcinoma is the third type of skin cancer. All of you are related to FabGrandpa, get you some sun screen today and start using it! And everyone else too!
I Love To Sew
Yes, I do! Sewing is fun, and creative, and artistic. Sewing lets me take that pile of fabric over there:
or this fabric here:
and turn it into something beautiful and gorgeous and cute, like this laptop bag:
or this tote bag for my daughter in law made out of my son’s old Air Force uniform:
There are all kinds of things I can make and use my creativity, like quilts, which to me is the ultimate in sewing and art and creative juices flowing:
But, what sewing is NOT for me? Hemming pajama pants that are too long. Or fixing the crotch of your pants after they have ripped. That? is like me asking you to unclog the toilet. Like asking you to take out the trash. It is work. It is a chore. It is, well, just not fun. But, because I love you, I do it, and it takes me half a freakin hour to fix that crotch because those pants have some of the weirdest seams I have ever seen.
Mending pants is not sewing. Just so you know.
First Barbecue Of The Season
Yesterday was my and FabGrandpa’s “Friday”, the last work day before two days off. Since it was a gorgeous afternoon, we decided to get out the grill and eat outside. Our friend, Terry, came over, and we had a “grand” time just hanging out.
I cooked up some country style pork ribs, mashed potatoes, and baked beans, while we had a couple of beers and a weeee tiny bit of tequila. Cause you know it was Friday! And while I totally forgot to take pics of the food, I did get a great shot of just the day:
We’re having a little get-together with some more of our friends tonight–a wine tasting and appetizers–it should be a lot of fun. Can’t wait!
Family News
These days there is a lot going on in the Fab Family. Most of it is good news, however, there is one item that has weighed heavily on my heart–Beccca, my oldest daughter, lost her baby back in April. It was a very sad time–we both cried so much, but since I had announced our happiness in the beginning here, I feel like I have to also need to let you all know about the miscarriage. She is doing ok now, and so am I, but for a while it was tears every day.
Now, on to the good news, and there is a lot of it. First, my youngest daughter, Emily, graduated from the State University of West Georgia with a Master of Education degree. I am so very proud of her! She teaches biology and special education at a public high school in Georgia. She is a wonderful teacher, and loves her job.
Here is her son, Spencer, at one of his Cub Scout meetings:
Next, Seth, my son who has been in the Air Force since 1994, just received orders to Pensacola, Florida. We are from Georgia, and he has not been stationed this close to home since he enlisted. We are so looking forward to being able to visit with him and his family more.
- Sarah, Seth’s oldest daughter. She’ll be closer to him now too!
And Sarah is a budding artist! Look at this drawing she did for me:
Becca has some good news, too! Her sweetie, Ken, proposed atop Mt. Evans in Colorado yesterday, and gave her a gorgeous sapphire engagement ring! They are getting ready to move to Calgary, Alberta, Canada next month, but then they are coming here to the Grand Canyon to get married! We are so happy for them!
- Becca is engaged! She’s pointing to her ring.
I’m glad there is more good news than bad. I think they are all doing just fine.
I Got A Nook
My birthday was over a week ago, but since I have been so sick I haven’t even felt like playing with my new toy, a Nook Color e-reader. I am so excited about this! Our library here at the North Rim is lacking in every way–there are only about 200 books from which to choose, and I have read every one of them in the three seasons I have been working up here. There used to be a bookmobile that came twice a month, but the driver quit last summer and as far as I know, there hasn’t been a new one hired.
The Nook is lightweight, and fits into my backpack so I can take it with me anywhere. That means I can have several books, heck, even a HUGE stack of books, with me all the time. If I don’t like the one I am reading, I can just click over to another one. Easy.
In addition to all the newest books and best sellers that are available to purchase, I can get loads of free e-books from the Barnes & Nobles webpage. Just a click and a tap, and they are downloaded directly to my Nook, anywhere there is wi-fi available. OH! and did you know that you can lend your Nook books to other people to read, and borrow books from them as well?
I bought a very nice case to protect my Nook too:
While I haven’t had much chance to read anything yet, I have been reading “Testimony” by Anita Shreve. She is one of my favorite authors at the moment. I have had no trouble reading the words, because you can “pinch” and make the font bigger to suit you. Turning the pages is just a tap of the finger. Can you tell I am in love with this gadget?
I am so in love with it, in fact, that I have started a forum for people who also love their Nook, to chat, talk about books, lend and borrow books, and just generally love on their Nooks! You can join it for free by clicking on FabGrandma’s Nook Club. (Just keep in mind the forum is a work in progress. I’m just so excited about it I wanted to get it out there for you all to enjoy) I will also be putting a link up at the top of the page to make it easy to find. Come on! join in and let’s talk about our books and our Nooks!
Oh, Now This Is Too Sweet!
I know I just made you look at Amelia yesterday, but OH. MY. Goodness! Look at this:
If you think that is a good photo, just listen to this: My son made the #1, and my daughter in law and her friend took the photo in their garage, using a sheet as the backdrop. How smart is that? I think they did a fabulous job of it, and saved a ton of money too! Good job, Seth, Sarah, and Jennifer.
