What's New?

The Rangers will be World Champions! (crossing fingers)

Andrew and I had a wonderful time in San Francisco and Mill Valley! Andrew agreed he needed a restful, relaxing vacation..... so he pedaled a rented bike across the Golden Gate Bridge (not everyone's idea of R&R). We did lots of sightseeing in San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Sausalito. Andrew was surprised at how much it resembled Colorado, where we love to vacation, especially north of San Francisco, with pine trees and lots of hills! No surfing and bikinis, but lots of beautiful scenery and amazing things to do.

It's finally getting cooler here! Happy Dance! Love it, love it...

Murr C is headed to a high school reunion this weekend with her lifelong best friend.

Shannon and I are working on her wedding "Save the Dates" on Sunday.... fun!!!

Gong Gong and Pop Pop are headed back from Carlsbad, California where they found a rental condo for next July!

Danny is working hard at UNT and his job!

Kevin was nominated by the Austin Advertising Federation as Best Media Buyer at the Austin Ad Fed's Big Wigs Award Show!

I just realized that I have started using exclamation marks at the end of all my sentences, a habit I've acquired since working at Bradbury Lane, I think...

Lately...

Murr C went on a "road trip" with her three cousins last week, and had a FUN time! Andrew, Missy and I each stayed with Papa C and Cyril the cat while she was on her trip... pics above AND below.

Gong Gong and Pop Pop are back home from California, just in time for lower temps here! We are so glad they're home, and enjoyed meeting them at Agave Azul for lunch.... Pop Pop's new favorite restaurant.

Stephanie and I made a Homecoming garter for her date, Aaron. Thanks, Stephanie, for inviting me; it was a lot of fun!

Shannon, Missy and I met for lunch and to talk wedding plans!

Danny and Danielle started back at UNT, and even have a class together this semester.

Kevin and Rachel are enjoying Austin life!

In between all of that fun was a lot of normal, mundane stuff like settling with the insurance company, roofing company, gutter company, HVAC company, and on and on. BUT, we are blessed to have a home, unlike so many who have lost theirs in the Bastrop and East TX wildfires.

Murr C's painting
supplies, in the
early morning light

Murr C and Papa C's chairs

Andrew and I,
Ted and Pam
enjoyed seeing
Emily at the
Kessler Theater!

Weekend in Austin

Spent a fun weekend, seeing Kevin and Rachel's new apartment on Ladybird Lake! The view from their balcony of the Austin downtown skyline is amazing, and their "back yard" goes right down to the water, with paddleboarders and people in kayaks and canoes. Had Tex-Mex with Kevin and Rachel at Guerro's on South Congress, explored the SoCo area, then went to B.D. Riley's Irish Pub on Sixth Street to hear an amazing blues guitarist named Alan Haynes. We were walking around on Sixth St. at 1am! The next morning, Andrew and I headed downtown for some photo ops and a bit of window shopping, then met Danny and Danielle (who had just arrived, for the beginning of their vacation in Austin), and Kevin and Rachel at Hut's Hamburgers on Sixth St. A very fun weekend!

What's New

Quickly, before I head off to work, here's a bullet list of what's new:

Gong Gong and Pop Pop returned from a 5-day stay in San Diego
Murr C and Papa C hosted Kelley and friends, Mike & Missy over July 4th weekend
Andrew and I visited Mike and Margo over July 4th weekend
Kevin and Rachel are moving in a couple of weeks, just south of downtown Austin
Danny will be 21 in just a few weeks!
Danny has a second part-time job, at Paulio's
Danielle is enjoying her job at Frilly's in Denton
Andrew is staying very busy with his hobby/side business
Andrew & I saw Horrible Bosses last night at Studio Movie Grill
I'm reading Redeeming Love and Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
Danny made homemade chicken and dumplings, from scratch
Off to work at Bradbury Lane...

Saying Goodbye to Papa's Tree

The night after Father's Day, winds from a strong storm knocked down Papa's pear tree in the front yard. We awoke the next morning to discover the 14-year-old, majestic tree severed near the base, and leaning against the tall front window. The four of us planted the tree together when Kevin was 10 and Danny 7, in memory of Papa. We will miss walking out the front door, looking up at that beautiful tree, and remembering -- especially during the Spring when the blossoms were so beautiful...

Congratulations, Dallas Mavericks!!!

This poster has been hanging in our garage since Kevin gave it to Andrew for Father's Day when Kevin was 8 years old! Yes, that's a drawing of Jason Kidd, who also played for the Mavs in 1995!

Kevin & Rachel on Lake Travis

This would have been REALLY fun had Kevin not cracked a couple of ribs taking a hard fall. My adventurous family and their injuries!

I've never planted hollyhocks before...
I think I like them! Also added hanging
baskets in the back to cover up the lovely
box that Verizon installed. Crossing my
fingers I can keep everything growing!

Cooking an early 21st birthday dinner
and cupcakes for Danielle tonight! She
will be 21 on Saturday.

Mom is home!

Mom was released from the hospital late this morning after tests showed no lung damage or pacemaker problems. The doctor is assuming that she had some kind of muscle spasm (like she had in her neck several years ago) that caused the painful inhalations. She is feeling better and slept most of the day. Pop Pop says that although he likes to "play dumb" when it comes to doing laundry, he will do his best for a few days. I'll be going over every day to help out, too. Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers. It was quite a day yesterday, but much better today!

Status 8am Wednesday

A very nice night nurse talked me into going home at midnight last night, assuring me they would take good care of Mom. Dad got some sleep last night, and then was back at the hospital at 7am. Mom feels better but did take pain meds through the night. She is hoping to be released today so she can recuperate at home.

Gong Gong's Status Tuesday night

Gong Gong was moved to the regular hospital part of Medical Center Plano at around 6:30pm because she is having a lot of pain when she inhales, and although the xray does not show a collapsed lung, there is something going on out of the ordinary. I'll be going back and will post again next time there is any change. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Gong Gong's Status

Gong Gong will be staying at the hospital (Medical Center of Plano) later than originally anticipated because she is experiencing pain in her right shoulder (in addition to the normal discomfort to be expected on the left side, where the pacemaker was inserted). The doctor is speculating that she may have pulled a muscle while on the operating table, possibly in reaction to the icy cold "goop" that they put on her to "ground" her during the procedure. So, she is on morphine and sleeping now. The earliest that she would be able to go home would be around 6pm. She is in an outpatient surgery recovery "bay", so I'm not sure what they will do if she isn't feeling better when she wakes up... move her to an inpatient room to spend the night? Will post again when we know more.

Gong Gong

I think most of you know by now that Gong Gong will be getting a pacemaker on Tuesday morning. She and Dick Cheney will be pacemaker buddies! (smile, Gong Gong!!!) Gong Gong doesn't like to discuss her medical issues, and she may tell me not to post any more about them, but for now, please keep her in your prayers that she will experience no side effects and will feel so much better after this procedure. We all love you, Gong Gong!

Spring is Blooming!

Crossing my fingers
that my few little plants
survive my brown thumb!
These images are NOT from
my garden, unfortunately,
but from public spaces around
Coppell.

Mom in the Hospital

Mom was admitted to the hospital Friday morning when she woke up so dizzy that she couldn't move. She'd been experiencing off and on dizziness for awhile, but nothing like this. Two days before, her new doctor, Dr. Mike Lee, had started her on a new drug, Metoprolol, a blood pressure lowering med, to treat her recently-diagnosed leaky heart valve. Mom's sensitive to the effects of all medications, but she started feeling really bad, and the doctor told her to "tough it out" for another week and he'd reevaluate her symptoms. Well, Friday morning she was so dizzy and weak she couldn't move, so Pop Pop called 911 and she was taken by ambulance to Centennial Medical Center in Frisco. Her heart rate was fluctuating between 42-45. They discontinued Metoprolol. Fast forwarding to tonight, her heart rate has been fluctuating, but is now starting to level back off near 60, and the cardiologist says he will probably discharge her in the morning. She will see a highly-recommended ENT doctor, Dr. Hwang, who will evaluate her ongoing vertigo-like dizziness that she's been experiencing for several months, beginning with a hearing test. She had an MRI while she was in the hospital, so that Dr. Hwang can evaluate the results with regard to her dizziness. Her doctor will need to decide what the next step needs to be in treating the leaky heart valve. We love you Mom/Gong Gong and Pop Pop!!!

What's New

Haven't posted in awhile! I seem to spend all my computer time working on stuff for Bradbury Lane, which I enjoy doing! Pop Pop is finally starting to feel better - yay! Andrew is sick with bronchitus, that lovely illness that seems to recur annually once you get it the first time, and is coughing his poor head off and staying in bed resting (not! he's working of course...). I've been cooking him lots of good stuff! I cooked a "recipe" that Mom shared, that was really good - coated kale leaves lightly with olive oil, then baked at 325 degrees for 15 mins.... really good! Shannon and Jeremy are engaged, and I've seen her lovely ring (via an iPhone pic)... I believe they're getting married next summer - congrats!! I'm sure Shannon will plan a lovely wedding! It was great visiting Kevin and Rachel last weekend, for Kevin's 24th birthday! "The Dans" came, too, and we hung out downtown and ate at a cool little place called Wazoo's and looked around Lance Armstrong's bicycle shop, Mellow Johnny's. The Dans spent the night with K&R (and went out for some live music) while Andrew and I stayed at a Pricelined hotel nearby, then we all met for lunch at Chuy's before heading back home. The next day, we were greeted with wet carpet and a pipe leak under our foundation in our livingroom. $$$$ Then, sadly, Papa C had a fall and a visit to the doctor for stitches, and now has 2 black eyes... see Murr C's blog at http://www.circus24-7.blogspot.com/ Gong Gong started new heart medication for a leaky heart valve, but the doctor says the medication will work, and she is excited about golfing soon, and starting a vegetable garden with new friends in the retirement community where they live.

Happy Valentine's Day

Words can't describe what a wonderful man I am blessed to be married to! This rose is from the beautiful bouquet that he had delivered to Bradbury Lane, where I work!

See Jack Nap...

27 1/2 years

Andrew and I were watching a tv ad, about a couple celebrating their 1/2 year anniversary at Taco Bueno (something like that). We thought maybe we should celebrate our 27 1/2 year anniversary next Sunday!