John, Jana, Ellie, Caitlin Moore

Jana is our grand niece, granddaughter of Brother Bob.

Pete and Janet'a House in Spring

I got home yesterday after a wonderful visit with Scott and the boys in Louisville. Scott drove me half way back, and Groves met us and drove me the rest of the way home. Groves had bought a car (a Mini-Cooper) earlier in the week and had intended to drive it to the halfway meeting place, but a terrific hailstorm destroyed the sunroof and put numerous dents in the metal. His insurance company will probably total it. He brought the 'company car' to pick me up since rain was in the forecast. Doug and Suzanne had lots of hail damage too. I went back to the eye doctor this morning, and now have my next appointment scheduled three weeks in the future. I'm probably still going to need reading glasses when the eye drops and checkups are finished and my eyes have adjusted. I have therapy tomorrow, and then Linda and I will leave for the lake Wednesday. The patio here at home is finished and Rose and Goldman did lots of planting while I was gone.

Garden in Early Spring

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Garden in Early Spring

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Brittany and Alex

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Shirley, Alex (Sabrina and Dave Smith's son) and his friend Brittany in the Sand Tray Room

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Batter Up

Elvis Look Alike-Our Own

My Birthday

I've been on Brayden's computer most of the day trying to figure out how to contribute to this blog and after many attempts and several calls to Rose and Scott, I finally completed my tries. This will probably be a short post since Scott will be home soon and Brayden has a baseball game tonight IF it doesn't storm. I had a wonderful birthday and want to say thanks for all the best wishes and attention that I got. Scott, Jalen and Brayden brought me flowers and took me to Applebee's for dinner. Both boys got great report cards.

Alex and Date - Prom Night 2012

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Alex with Sabrina on Prom Night 2012

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SUE'S BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARTHA SUE!!!!!

LOUISVILLE

I'm up early this morning waiting for Goldman to take me halfway to Louisville where we will meet Scott. I will spend a few days with him and the boys. Pete and Janet called with their Saturday morning call yesterday. Kelly's 10 year old son had shot a wild turkey a couple weeks ago, and Pete said they were going to smoke it. I was curious about what they were doing with it meanwhile. It gets frozen meanwhile! I talked to Elaine Madden Raymond yesterday, and they're coming to Missouri this summer and would like to get together. She really liked the picture of her Dad we posted. John and Jana and the girls are coming some time in June, I hope Trish, too. I can't find Joe and Debby's email address. Could someone send it to me? I love company. Since I'm off to see Scott and the boys, hope they do too.

Louisville

I'm up early this morning in anticipation of spending some time in Louisville with Scott and the boys. Linda can't stay with me next week so I am off to Kentucky.  I hope the boys are looking forward to seeing me as I am seeing them. Goldman is going to take me halfway where Scott will meet us.

 I had my second cataract surgery this week, and now it's lots of eye drops and the night shield (which we forgot last night}. I can see distance much better [I'm not so cockeyed] but have to wear readers for unclose.  The eye doctor says wait a bit until my eyes adjust to update my prescription. Meanwhile, Walgreen's reading glasses help. I go back on the Pepose Vision Institute on the 30th.

 My next post will probably be from Louisville and I'll try to get Scott to forward pictures to Aunt Rose while I'm there.  Brayden always sets his Apple computer up for me to use when I visit.  Jalen may have a concert on Monday and Brayden has a baseball game on Wednesday. Always special events for Granny!  

Spring

That's a great ancestral picture and wish we had more of them. They're probably around, but no one knows where to find them. Rose is the one who can enhance, crop, post them when and if we can find more. I got back to St. Louis last Sunday and had therapy on Monday. Yesterday I had my other cataract surgery and went back for followup visit today. The doctor advised me to wait to get glasses since I may not need them. I've worn glasses so long that looking for them to do anything has become a strong habit. I can see better already. I've been wearing my FitBit which I mostly use to measure my activity. The FitBit is an encouragement for me to increase my activities of the prior day. I don't always increase. Linda and I won't go to the lake this weekend because of my cataract surgery, and she is going on a retreat next week. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Right now, Rose is planting spring flowers. She keeps pretty busy practicing the guitar on a daily basis and seeing clients and seeing to me. I just talked to Margaret and she's back home. She says the kids are all so good to her but it's nice to be home.

Fwd: Today' blog

Begin forwarded message from Brother Joe regarding the old photo we posted.  Already Joe filled in interesting info we didn't have.  Thanks, Joe

The picture was taken on the farm where Mom's folks (Grandad and Grandma Madden) The farm is northeast of Fair Grove, MO. Pete and Janet may be able to answer if the house is still standing. I think it was either torn down or moved north about 1,000 ft or so? P&J went by there on there last trip to MO.

 

The guy on the left was Uncle Ezra Stone, Grandma's brother who was crippled as a boy by a fireplace falling on him during a tornado.  He took turns living with his siblings. You should recognize, Mom (Pregnant with Donald or Sue?)  and Dad.  Aunt Mit and Wanda are in the picture.  Guess who the boy is in the hat-Brother Bernie.  Uncle Kent must have been home on leave and in uniform. It looks like an Army Air Force uniform. Seems like military people had to wear their uniform even when on leave.  Can anyone answer that:  Mom may have been pregnant with one of the girls instead of Donald as seems like Kent was gone several months before the war ended, in 1945.

 

That is a start.  Pete should be able to add some more details.

Edited

We used Apple's iPhoto and the Genius Scan App to enhance and crop this gem.

Circa 1945

Can anyone tell us who the people are and the setting? We know some but not all.

Shelly in her snorkeling gear

Opening Day

I just talked to Margaret and she's still at Stef's. She was in good spirits and says she is feeling much better. I'm hoping she can come down here to the lake for a few days this summer. I tried to get Brother Joe to come see me this week but he had a lot going on. On Monday, Pepper, Mary Beth and Joe went with Lydia back as far as Warrensburg. Lydia then drove on by herself. They left Springfield around 11:30 and got home about 7:00. Then on Tuesday it was volunteer day at Wheeler Heart & Vascular. That afternoon from 1 til 2, it was Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program. He forgot about about the Springfield Cardinals game and missed it. Wed. evening he had a Museum Board of Directors meeting. Thursday was a NARVE and he had a vet appointment for everyone's dog. I'm still here today but he may be resting. He has a raincheck and it is raining with thunder and lightning today. Linda is making potato soup and has enough food cooke for the weekend. She is a superb cook and a great companion. She's going back to St. Louis but Chris and Mad Dog will arrive. Today was supposed to be opening day for the Cardinals but they will probably get rained out. Rose is going to a retreat this weekend. She's leaving this evening and will get home Sunday. Chris and I will go back Sunday, too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHELLY

I'm waiting for Linda to pick me up and then we're heading for the lake. Pete and Janet called with their Saturday morning call. Idaho had snow last week! Spring is coming in Missouri but it's still not hot. Hope everyone had a great Easter. Rose and Shirley and I had some prize ham which was just as good the next day as it was Easter. Chris took me to lunch on Saturday. Shelly had to work and he wanted to shop for her birthday (the 11th) without her. We went to lunch at a place we used to go to when we worked at Midwest Recovery. I hadn't been there in years. Then he wanted to shop for some snorkeling stuff for Shelly's gift. I had never been to a diving shop and didn't know what he was looking for, but he found it. Happy Birthday, Shelly.

IVIG Treatments

I have had dozens of IVIG treatments over the past seven-plus years, the first big one over seven days in St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL, in November 2004. That one arrested the progression of this mysterious malady and led to improvements in my balance and walking. When I finally found Dr. Glenn Lopate at the Neuromuscular Center in the Center for Advanced Medicine here in St. Louis in 2006, he immediately began IVIG treatments, at first monthly, then tapering off to the current schedule which is one every five months. Coupled with intense physical and occupational therapy, the treatments keep me hopeful. This past Monday-Tuesday, I was in Barnes-Jewish overnight for the IVIG. The neurological floor where I have always stayed before was booked, so I was in the Schukar Unit, the section of the hospital that handles overflow patients of all kinds. And an excellent place it was, too! The nursing staff was so fine that I wondered if there were some kind of competition for excellence going on. Of course, it also helped that Dr. Lopate was his calm, competent, assuring self, that Brother Joe came for a visit, and that my son Chris brought me a Steakburger from Steak 'n Shake.

Chris special shoe

Chris and Sue

Cardinal red on opening day

SAXOPHONE SOLO - SAM KING

Here is a link to a video of Sam (son of Catrina and Robbie, grandson of Margaret and Norman) playing a  saxophone solo.  Quite a talented young man, handsome, too!  He is scheduled to play in a state-wide competition soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=889ppr2FEng&list=UUTTH3VnhiOyEUFsnMHlHdig&index=1&feature=plcp

IVIG

I'm back home after my IVIG treatment and ready to watch the Cardinals begin their regular season tomorrow. Rose dropped me at the hospital yesterday morning and Brother Joe visited me (to my surprise) in the afternoon. Chris brought me a steak burger for dinner and we had a good visit - all three. I did anyway. They didn't coordinate their times so missed seeing each other. Chris brought me home today and supper is nearly ready.

Is 1948 OLD?

Sunday morning and Scott and Brayden have to leave very early. They just arrived yesterday but have school and work tomorrow. They went to a hockey game last night with a bunch of their friends, so we didn't see much of them.

 When I visited Louisville last time, I decided they needed a cook book. I selected one of which I have a duplicate at the lake house and have had for many years. In a short conversation we had with Brayden this weekend, he asked, "Who would give someone a 1948 cook book?"

 Goldman and I finished our great Spring Break on Friday. I have my periodic IVIG tomorrow and Tuesday.  I think Linda and I will begin staying when we can after Easter.

 Pete had already talked to Joe when we talked yesterday. Joe is keeping busy with the Frisco museum. Pete says it's Spring commencing in Idaho.  Here, it's already summer.