Penguin Party

Our only grandson turned one. His mom did a very cute penguin party for the big day, and I was trying to learn how to embroider with my new sewing machine using furry fabric, so I whipped up a penguin for him.

After cutting out the pattern I covered the fabric with a wash away embroidery stabilizer so that the fur or nap of the fabric didn't come up through the design and ruin it. I then used a cut away stabilizer in my machines' embroidery hoop and sprayed it with fabric glue to attach the fur (white minky). Apparently there are several fabric choices that cannot be hooped or else they will show "hoop burn" when eventually out of the hoop and it won't look as good.
It is amazing what these machines will do, and I just entered his name on top of a snowflake looking flower as easy as pie. I couldn't figure out how to use the new software program made for the machine, which would have enabled me to add snowflakes so I put it off till I have more time. The flower was quick and okay, I guess.

Hindsight shows me that just his name may have been a better choice, but my penguin did turn out pretty cute ehh?

Getting around GJ (The Grand Valley)

Last week saw me driving to San Francisco to enjoy the big city, and this week I found myself flying to my "happy place," so I can visit with and help out my 84 year old parents a bit.
My mother is recovering from a pretty extensive replacement surgery on her shoulder, and my father who is usually "Johnie on the spot" in the helper department has landed himself in the hospital with congestive heart failure (CHF) so we are focusing on him more than mom at this point.
My father is going to be just fine after they wring out all the extra water from his legs and tweak his heart medicine a bit so that it hopefully doesn't repeat itself in the near future. He had his knee replaced a couple of months ago, and the mitral valve in his heart repaired (effects of rheumatic fever as a child) in 1993. This somewhat compromised heart, along with immobility, age, and probably other factors has given him some CHF.

I'm going to show you the hospital and views of the valley.
This will be fairly boring so you may want to move on to something else. Just sayin'.
Here is an old shot from 1960 of the hospital, pretty much the way I remember it from my youth.

 Now, after several remodels, here is a picture of the new hospital.

 

Brad and Camille at Dr. Kelly's office building (our brother) where she works

Anyway, my little sis and her hubby, took me up to the hospital's new wing to look out at the big valley that I grew up in from 8 stories up and on a big hill.

 This is the new St. Mary's Hospital towards the north-west from the street.

Now, up on the 8th floor towards my parents home and the home I grew up in. Bookclift mountain chain is on the horizon. Intersection of 7th Street and Patterson Road, and old hospital wing in the foreground.

To the east are more hospital buildings and in the skyline is the Grand Mesa. (worlds largest flat topped mountain, with hundreds of lakes and a decent ski resort)

Mesa State College and the San Juan Mountains in the very very tiny weeny background.

My high school in the middle of the picture. G-J-H-S , Go Tigers!!

...and my Dad's computer is not cooperating with me so ....later.

It's later now and I was able to get home to Nor Cal and use my own computer. Ahhhhhh, nniiieecce!!!

Just one last picture to add of the western view towards the Colorado National Monument where the Colorado River runs toward Utah through all the cool red rock formations.  Squint and you can see some inspiring monoliths, creviced canyons, and coke oven formations that make up the beautiful park.

Getting Around San Fran

I have lived an hour away from one of the most interesting and beautiful cities of the world for more than 16 years now and I have just figured out the layout of this fabulous city.

Oh, I've been able to find my way to the major hot spots, and if I needed to go someplace new, I'd just mapquest it and I'd get there just fine, but now I understand better how it is all laid out.  Being there for a few days and not using my car was what helped me put it all together.
The Hubby had a conference with all the mucky mucks from the biotech world and since I have no kids at home anymore, I was able to tag along with him to the hotel room and just enjoy the city.
Katz and her girlies came for one hang out day. We walked around California Street, and into China Town. I showed her Britex Fabrics, which is a favorite store and she rather appreciated it, then we Anthropologie'ed onto the night.
I walked to the Ferry Building, MOMA, shopped at the main mall, Macy's makeup makeover, found The Ribbonerie which I have ordered things from through the mail and is truly "The Ultimate Ribbon Store," had some great meals with the Hubby, and all sorts of fun things.
Now, I can explore better and not feel like I'm going to get lost.
Good Times!

Obi

My walking buddy had to put her dog Obi Wan Kenobi down. He was just too sick and had stopped eating as his health declined. I've missed walking with him for the last 6 months or so, but after the previous 10 years of walking with the fun loving, fine feathered Golden Retriever, I'd gotten to know his sweet personality quite well.

"See ya later Ob's."

Remembering Bud

One of our best friends from church was buried last weekend. It has been a shock to our family that such a seemingly healthy man, that is in our age group, had a heart problem that took his life.
"Bud" was a young men's leader to all 3 of my boys, and taught Sunday School to one of my daughters. My children knew he cared about them and he shared the good and the bad through his example to each of them at various times in the 17 years that we knew him. He didn't have children, and so the kids at church were his.

Bud loved his wife, his extended family, swimming, basketball, the Oakland Raiders, reading, apparently writing, the BYU Cougars, fixing up his house, dogs, music (he had a great tenor voice), and the youth.
He leaves behind a wife who is a great lady, and we hope we can help support her as she learns to live without him.
We will definitely miss our loved friend.