I am still trying to figure out where I would go for one day that I could not return from. Murphy Miff said "Any South Sea Island, where it is warm but not hot, and not too dry." Seriously, I like where I am now although we sure could use some nice sunshine.

I just talked with my Pa who decided to go South for the Winter. I told him to enjoy the sunshine for me. They were out looking at golf carts so he could ride around in it down there. My sister, who is twice my sister (sister in law, and step sister both) is keeping tabs on him for me, And I am glad of that, since we just lost my beloved StepMom on January 1st. What a way to start 2006. Next week I am going to visit.
My husband informed me that the Secretary (Mary) where he works, is failing fast with cancer. She is doing everything she can to fight for life, and losing. The first chemo treatments quit helping, so they were trying another kind, and that is not working either. My heart goes out to her. My StepMom went fast, and maybe that was kinder. I struggled with that one.

Yesterday I had an eye exam, and the doctor asked me if I had been crying a lot lately. I had to say yes to that one. Surprised me that he could tell, but that is his job. Tomorrow I have the yearly mammogram, yay. That is always something to look forward to, huh. But that is part of my life being a Grandma. Having regular check-ups and all. Someone told me that a person starts going downhill at 50. Today someone who is 71 told me that 70 is when you start going downhill. Hey, I have no choice. I will get to that when I get to that. One day at a time here. This is who I am and what I have got, so I bloom where I am planted. And enjoy each day. Even if it is a breast exam. And even if it pours down rain, which it is doing, today, too.

So, my life of being Grandma today. I am sewing pajamas for little boy, who has already outgrown the first ones I made. He is eating baby food now. These pj's are too big, but he can grow into them. What else am I doing today: Working on one of the puzzles my daughter Angel sent me for Christmas. Reading "S is for Silence" also a gift from her. I am in my element.
By the way, I have gone International with my Grandkids. I have American, Vietnamese, and Mexican. Twelve in all. Thirteen if you count the little angel, and I do. My oldest daughter gave me three tall, wonderful, smart, ahem....grandchildren, who have grown to be great adults already. The International comes from Topekatrina: one awsome smart kind little Kenna, and two adorable boys, who have stolen my heart over and over again. The Mexican comes from my son marrying his sweetheart when he was an exchange student in Mexico. They have two boys. One looks like her and one looks like him. And they are smart, too. Sigh.

I have two canarys here at home. We started off with the pretty yellow female and had her for a year before I began to think she would like a companion. What I found was an orange South American canary with the flat feathers around his head. He sings all day long. They like each other, but don't like to be in the same cage. I got him because she seemed to be lonesome and she was starting to pull feathers off herself.
Now that's another story. We sprayed her cage and herself with Mite and Lice spray for birds, and kept her cage clean. Next, we put vitamins in her water. The latest thing we are doing for her is using Grannick's bitter apple spray, a tast deterrent for birds, so she won't keep plucking her feathers off. Because now she is not so pretty anymore with quite a lot of her feathers off. The back of her head is bald. I won't let her stay that way. I will help her get rid of that awful habit, and have my beautiful little yellow fluffy bird back, so help me. Grandmas have to help the little creatures that can't help themselves.

I like Jamba Juice, but it tastes better in Oregon; also there is no tax there. My favorite things to do besides visiting with my kids, is to go to the Library. I work part time as Statement Prep Clerk, and I like the comraderie of that, too. We only work four days the first of each month, and have a good team that works well together.

My thanks goes out to my family who are here to support me and who gave me some nice gifts for Christmas: to Timbo who found me a book on Chicago; wow. To Judith, granddaughter, who gave me the most Beautiful Poem! I love you, girl. To Angel, who knows just when to call. To Topekatrina, who is always there. To my Murphy, who is my rock, and takes such good care of me. Thank God for him. And I do feel blessed, I Know I am blessed, to have children who love me so much. I keep praying a hedge up for you all, always have; always will.

I should end this now with a joke or some contest or something. Hmmm Do you know how to catch a unique rabbit? How do you catch a tame rabbit? Anyone know? Did you hear the joke about this Bible student who kept being followed around by this girl named Shirley? He finally prayed about it, and thought that he would get his Bible and close his eyes and thumb through and point, and whatever verse his finger landed on would give him the answer to his situation. He pointed to Psalms 23:6 Haha; get it? Luv2ReedGrandmaK