What a Day!

Monday, January 10, 2011...and my 98th Birthday!

It started off with "head bumps" from Leo, the cat, during breakfast.

Then, with yet another set of padded earphones...(earphones are made for people with HAIR and without hair, you need LOTS of padding!)  I'm listening to a new CD that I got for my birthday...songs from Sunday School!

I read the paper and then I like to listen to the CD - sometimes while I'm eating breakfast.  I keep the magnifying glass there so that I can read the titles of the songs.  That way, I know when to get ready to sing along!

Kerry, Brad, Rachel, Mike, and Kyle and Leah all got together and sent me an HP ePrint Printer!  Tom and Leo set it up for me and now I can receive e-mails and photos without a computer!  This is GREAT!  They all sent me birthday greetings...big print...and photos ...so I can read and reread them again and again.  If you want to give it a try, here's my printer's e-mail address:  axu7846oks56@hpeprint.com.

Here's the "Big Boy"...right next to my bed!

Barbara puts them into a 3-ring binder so that I can always see the pictures and the notes.

Then the e-cards started coming in...Thanks, Frank and Pat and thanks, too, to Terry and Jack!
Just when I thought I couldn't get any more technologically literate, along came Skype!

So...here I am, kicking back in my chair, with yet a different set of earphones, talking and looking right at Rachel, Gunney, and Mike and then Kerry and Brad!  I also "skyped" with D.J. earlier in the day to see how it would work out.  Now I can see who I'm talking to...and can even offer a sip of my Bailey's (if I feel like it!)

After another lobster dinner and more birthday cake, and now I feel like Six and Biggie...

Six says, "I don't think I can take ONE MORE balloon!

Biggie says, "Thank God it's over for another year!  I'm getting TOO OLD for this!"

Thanks for taking the time to read through my blog...

Birthday Celebrations- January 9 and 10

My great-grandson's birthday is the day before mine so we decided to celebrate together.

 Carl made his own sign so that everyone could find the party!

The party was  held at Ray's shop in Mountain View...a restoration center, a Volkswagen Museum, and also the place that Ray keeps all of his car collection.   Carl chose a monkey invitation and so the whole birthday party was designed around monkeys.

Ray is the designated cake designer and baker.  For this party, Carl wanted an island with a big palm tree filled with monkeys...and sea animals all around the island. Here's what Carl got!

And Carl was PLEASED!

Now...for the 98th Birthday Party...

Since everyone was in a "birthday mood", I celebrated my birthday with family right after Carl's party.

Balloons announced my birthday...and terrified the cats!

I started my day with coffee in bed...while watching judge shows at the same time.

The big box in the hall was a surprise...and explained all of the loud noises I'd been hearing upstairs.

Tom has been working nights and weekends rerouting electrical and plumbing in the bathroom  The whole purpose has been for this...and now I can't wait for the job to be finished so that I can use it.  Use what?  Take a look...

Yup!  It's a REAL WALK-IN BATHTUB with heated jets!!!

I even got some rubber ducks for my new tub!

Hard to believe...but I am now officially 98 years old (or young, depending on how you look at it.)

When Barbara brought the mail in, I was surprised to find a very large envelope in with my birthday cards.  Guess what was in it?

I have an autographed picture of my favorite judge...Judge Judy...and I have the photo in a frame on my nightstand.

I also received a card and a note from my godson, Bruce Horan.  He never forgets my birthday and this time he even put a letter in it.  Barbara thought I should post it here so with Bruce's permission, it's here. You might have to enlarge it to read it...that's what Barbara did for me.  When I read it, I said "Just when I thought I wasn't worth anything, I find out that I did something good in my life for someone."  Thanks, Bruce!  That was nice of you to take the time to write to me.

Carl likes to show me how to play games on the i pad.  Nothing like having a 6 year old as your "teacher"!  Opening presents was fun...just when we started, the power went out so out came the candles and we went on.  Ray and Tom were concerned because it was getting dark and very cold so they went up to Ray's shop and brought back a generator so that I could have my heated mattress pad and my TV on during the outage.  Thanks, guys!

No power means no cooking so Barbara called up Round Table Pizza and ordered in.  Of course, as soon as we got the pizza, the lights went back on!

Time for the cake...a chocolate chip ice cream cake.

I blew out a few candles...one for each decade and then it was time to eat the cake.

Here we are...the Birthday Boys!

Even Jelly (Carl's black lab) came to the party...and so ends the night.  More tomorrow...

Happy New Year 2011

 Well, here it is...New Year's Eve...and I'm ready to watch the ball drop in Times Square...but not until after dinner.

 Barbara made me my favorite dinner...lobster tail, escalloped potatoes, fresh asparagus, applesauce, drawn butter, and...of course, a glass of Bailey's Irish Cream!

 Ready...Get Set...EAT!

 On New Year's Day, Carl invited Barbara and me to a party up in the mountains.

 Here's the view from the deck...lots of redwoods, steep ravines, and a very full stream at the bottom of the ravine.

 Their house is a real log cabin, heated by a very big fireplace.

 If it were a bit warmer, we'd probably have stopped for a dip in the hot tub...but as it was, we were happy to get into the house and sit by the fire.

Carl wouldn't let Ray and Siobhan take down the tree until we had a chance to see it so it was good that we made the trek (AND IT WAS A TREK!) to La Honda in the Santa Cruz Mountains to see the tree!

 Here's Carl's room...with toys galore!

And here's Carl, setting out the food for our "party"!

 Of course, we had to check out all of the pets...including the 9 newts...and we got to see them during their feeding time...crickets everywhere!

 Carl REALLY wanted me to hold one so that I could "pet it"!

 We got to watch a Curious George video...wouldn't have missed it for the WORLD!

 Lots of food...some prepared especially for the party by....Chef Carl!

Barbara brought a face painting kit along for Carl...and Carl LOVED it!  Not only did he have his face painted, but he also painted his Mom and Dad!  (We got out JUST IN TIME!)

All in all, not a bad way to start the New Year.  Here's wishing everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year!