PROVIDENCE UPDATE... 3 MONTHS LATER

Good afternoon all.  For those of you who haven't seen Holly's new car, voila!  It looks like a smaller version of mine but the color is brighter.  She's having a new barrier that was damaged by an errant blown tire on I-15 installed tomorrow.  What a scary time that was for both of us.  We enjoyed giving it a good workout when we took turns driving to Hamilton, MT a few weeks ago.  She loved those 80 mph speed limits - moi not so much.

She finished paying off her CC bill and celebrated being debt free from that burden and took the thermometer off the fridge. Hurrah!!!

The blond boys and girl couldn't believe how many corn and soybean fields covered the Midwest.  We drove for hundreds of miles as it was making that  beautiful patchwork pattern we enjoy when we fly across the country.  All of the corn is for animal feed and most of it goes to China.

Justin's family and I had a great trip to see and "feel" Niagra Falls and a famous home built for a multimillionaire by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Buffalo area.

The boys were so nice to push me around on a transfer chair and one with pontoon wheels on it and grew more muscles while they did it.  After advancing to the top of Hill Camora a few thought it might be fun for grandma take an exciting roller coaster  chair ride all the way down on my own.  I was all for it, but they decided it might not be a good idea, HA!  The huge pageant was fabulous - bigger and better than when Papa, Brady, Holly and I had seen it a number of times 37 years ago.

Holly tried out the Casterson's newly purchased used camper after Rowan helped his dad get it set up.  Should be much better sleeping for family when they take it out each summer.  She didn't mind the cold nights out there.

One rainy day (which helped the raging forest fires nearby) she did pretty well bowling with the rest of family via Wii.

We spent some time in Rebecca's garden which had been taken over by weeds due to Jesse's recovery from ruptured bowl surgery and her AS and hectic schedule.  Holly spent early mornings out there and really enjoyed helping her sister's luscious vegetables get all the good nutrients before harvest during next months.

Dylan and Rowan love my favorite game of Clue and they are old enough now to be very good at it.  Jesse, Rebecca and Holly still did well as usual

, but as for grand-mama, she didn't have a clue!!!


The new curved glass in living room looks great and hopefully there will be no mope water leaks in that area.




Mike and helpers finished the new deck stairs and stained the deck which
sorely needed that coating.

He also installed new tract lighting above kitchenette so Holly can see what's she chopping each day.  Made a world of difference for her.


I've been busy harvesting our fruits and vegetables and canning and freezing what we will use this winter.  I'm also giving much of it away since our garden this year was a huge success and is producing enough for a family of 10.

I've been doing my part in helping out with the needs of our neighborhood  friends who need meals brought in and sharing my baked goods, fruits and vegetables with them.  Sometimes I'm exhausted, but the warm, feeling I get from serving others means so much to me.

Congrats to Haedyn who after turning 12 years old was ordained to the Priesthood office as a Deacon.  Now he'll be able to pass the sacrament in his ward each Sunday.  I'm so proud of him.

I continue to visit John, aunt Carol and cousin Gretta all not doing as well as I am.  I continue with my leisure time to make "stuff" for those who aren't as blessed as we are.  Holly helped get a folding table up yesterday so that I can start tying some quilts for charity.

And then there's Doyle!  He started bugging me again in MT about his financial woes (what's new) and since he can't go to Henry and Zella for help I guess I'm next on the list.  Holly has been a good listening ear and helps me talk the situation through.  But I'm too much of a coward to tell him what he needs to hear especially with his terrible financial record.  He's not doing well, will be 80 in Jan and I certainly don't want to cause him any more stress  (or another heart attack) than he's already put on himself with his bad choices.

Sarah, Indianna and family welcomed Shad home from middle east this weekend after serving his Army Reverse time there for a year. I'm so happy for them and glad he made it safe and sounds (and so did Lance, et al).  They'd heading back to their new home in Grand Junction, Colorado.

That's it for now......