I have spent a good part of this afternoon updating this blog - and then somehow deleted it. I'll start all over again.

I spent most of the week at the lake. Maddog and Goldman took me down last Saturday. They had to come back to St. Louis Sunday and then my wonderful neighbors, Dave and Judy, checked in on me frequently. Leslie and Sam {that King boy] arrived Monday morning. Sam had his minnow bucket full and headed for the dock.

Leslie and I spent most of our week visiting {while Sam fished}. Leslie's son, Jeffrey, is on his second tour of duty in Iraq and his second tour recently got extended another three months. Needless to say, Leslie worries constantly about his safety. Keep him in your prayers.

Leslie retired week before last after 30 years at the medical prison in Springfield. Sam has a few years to go yet. He and I were both delivered by Dr. Macdonald from Marshfield. I was delivered by old Dr. Macdonald while Sam was delivered by Tommy, the son. There was, as you can see, a whole generation of difference in time.

Chris came to the Lake on Thursday to get me, and we came home Friday morning. We stopped by his and Shelly's house so he could show me all the work they've been doing on it all winter. I was very impressed.

Scott is coming here tomorrow for a Kentucky Derby party. [Yes, he is coming FROM Louisville to St. Louis for the Derby.] He has been to the betting windows several times this week. Last year I bet on the female jockeys and none won so I didn't bet this year. I asked if he was going to see the Queen and he replied, "I thought YOU were the queen, Mom."

Joe and Pete and some of their buddies joined Donald last week for their annual Florida deep sea fishing trip. Joe said they caught 188 pounds of various fish. He said they hired an 'entreprenur' to clean, dress, and freeze the fish. Was there any tilopia? Sam caught three messes at the lake. I don't think it added up to 188 pounds, but you know how fishermen exaggerate. It could have been.

Margaret is still going to the physical therapist for her back, but says the cure may be worse than the disease. She does say she is some better.

Sandi with 2 LL's will be here for a few days later in May and I'm hoping we can get things finalized for the summer get together. We are all three looking forward to her visit. She seems like a great organizer. We need her.

I heard from Bernie, Joe, Pete, Margaret, and of course Rose and Shirley, Chris, Scott, Brayden and Jalen, Goldman, Shelly and Sandi 2 L's, and, if I forgot anyone, I apologize, for my birthday. A lot has happened since my 60th in 2004, some good and some sad. It's been a fast three years.

I'm looking for someone to help me out this season at the lake. Driving, grocery shopping, cooking, a bit of housekeeping, and other household chores are mostly what I need help with. This person would have a private room, lots of time off, use of the Seadoo, and a small salary. Another part time job is also a possibility. Goldman will be available when summer school is out on July 13, but I would like to get down there way before then. If anyone knows someone who might be interested, give them my phone number - 314-452-3685.

Margaret is continuing her therapy and steroids for her 'bad back'. She says the physical therapy is quite painful, but she feels better after a while. Her doctor is going to try this treatment for a while before he tries something else.

The three possible resorts at the lake for the family gettogether which are throwing distance from the lake house are the following three among other places which I'll post next week
Aqua Fin, Alhonna, and Lodge of Four Seasons. The Lodge is very expensive. I'll check the phone book when I'm there next week but some of them are probably on line. There are lots of other places, too. I can put up lots of people if they don't mind a lack pf privacy. Joe, have you checked out campgrounds?

Bernie had an anxiety attack right before they returned to Spokane after Maudie's brother-in-law's funeral. Joe thought the anxiety was about being anxious. Maybe it's a family trait. Sometimes I get anxiety attacks about being anxious. He and Maudie called for my birthday and he sounded fine.

Well, here's a photo from around 1983. It is of Scott and me (Rose) just after we completed a 10K (6.1 miles) race.

Chris and Shelly have been a true inspiration with their half-marathon running. If you want to see photos of them crossing the finish line, go to www.runphotos.com and feed in "Spreitler" in the slot for last name. Up will come links to the photos.

Hi Folks! I just got back from Florida on Thursday night and so I missed cataloging Mom and Dad's sad trip to Marshfield and Conway for Uncle Oral's funeral. Uncle Oral was a beloved and respected man in his community and had fought cancer for several years. The cancer finally took its toll on Easter Sunday. The world has lost a truly good man. We will miss him and our hearts go out to their family, especially Aunt Viv and all their children.

Mom and Dad didn't sleep a wink the night before they headed out to the funeral and so the help from Uncle Joe - being their taxi and helping them get settled when they arrived in Springfield and then back again on the way home - was a Godsend. I was so blessed to hear that Uncle Joe was there for them - I can't tell you how much that means to all of us. Thanks again for being there for the parents.

Mom said the turnout at all the services was tremendous and there were so many flowers that they couldn't fit them all in the chapel where the funeral was held. They spilled out into the hallways and filled Aunt Viv's house. The family is definitely in our prayers as they say good-bye to Oral and move ahead with life. It has always struck me as how surreal life is that it just goes on when, in fact, it will never be the same again.

While they were there Mom's Aunt Dorothy passed away from Alzheimer's. She was the last surviving relative of our Grandma and one of Mom's favorite people.

This makes our family reunion coming up even more important to us. We are looking forward to the time together. Mom and Dad are already talking of heading out in mid-June stopping first in Portland for their grandson Dan's college graduation and 21st birthday on the 16-17th. Then they will begin their trek to Missouri. I am talking with Cyndi and her family about making the trip and getting in a visit to Six Flags while we are there.

I was in Florida with my son for a family event there - his dad's side - and we visited Busch Gardens. This has whet my appetite for amusement parks and now I've got Kyle and Jake interested...Good times. I have a dear friend who is in Ozark, MO and so I might try to jog down there for a day or two to check in with her.

I'm reminded by the calendar that Aunt Sue's birthday is coming up. (Its Sunday the 23rd, right?) I hope you have a wonderful day with all of your loved ones spoiling you rotten. Cheers!

No other news here except to say that Cyndi and I are inspired by Chris and Shelly's marathon running. While I don't see why anyone would want to do 26 miles at a time, I love a half marathon. 13.5 miles is doable and you don't feel like you will die at the end. I'm a walker though, not a runner, so my hat is off to you two. Cyndi and I have dusted off our sneakers and are determined to get in a few fun runs this year. Making exercise fun is a necessity in my book. Thanks for the inspiration.

Hope this note finds you all well and enjoying the spring. Have a great weekend. More later...

It's Thursday morning and we haven't heard from Margaret yet today to see how her therapy is working. As slowly as I type she may be through with breakfast before I can get an update on her condition.

Pete spends a lot of time advising the young men about questionable pointers about women. One of his first instructions to the men is "Check their teeth". Goldman had a first date with a woman on Monday and he followed Pete's advice - she has good teeth. His problem is that you've never told him what to do next. Pete, he's anxiously awaiting your advice for step 2.

Tuesday night - after my Monday night stay in the hospital - I started having small seizures. I had about 9 of them before daylight. Rose sat with me through the duration. She called the neurologist on duty who prescribed a dose of some medicine I already had on hand. One pill seemed to get them stopped and I haven't had any since. The seizure neurologist thinks an EEG monitor which would require another in the hospital is in order. {I may have the terminalogy wrong, but it's something to pinpoint a possible area of the brain that may be out of whack.} Probably some of you have suspected that of me for years.

I'm currently having physical and occupational therapies two to three times a week. Chris has been a trooper about some of the trips back and forth. Rose takes me too, and they both exercise in Forest Park while I'm having my sessions. The therapy seems to have helped, physically and mentally.

I just talked to Margaret. Her physical therapy isn't until 11. She says she doesn't have a lot of pain until the pain pills begin to wear off. Let's all keep her in our prayers.

We had Brayden and Jalen last week and hardly had time to think. Chris and I took them to meet Mark and Karen for lunch on Friday. Mark and Karen are getting married on December 22. Their other big news is that they have bought a huge sailboat and are keeping it on Lake Michigan. They have invited us to join them for a weekend on the boat, but we're going to wait until they have taken their sailing lessons. Mark will go to the Virgin Islands and spend several days with a crew in the ocean without docking.

Margaret is still in lots of pain with her back. She went to the doctor yesterday and he diagnosed a herniated disc. The doctor is going to treat her with therapy and steroids for two weeks. If that doesn't work they will do a nerve conduction test. I think this will pinpoint the exact spot more accurately. I'm not sure where they will go from there if therapy doesn't work.
She says she is really doped up but the dope doesn't completely ease the pain.

I guess Bernie and Maudie went back to Spokane yesterday. They wanted to come up here but Maudie wanted to be with her sister at this sad time.

Goldman and I took the boys halfway to Louisville Saturday morning to return them to their Dad. They were so happy to see him. They like me to tell them stories when we go to bed. One night they wanted to know what I remembered about the first time I saw Aunt Rose. It was "Rosie, you forgot to wash your legs". I thought it happened in the car on the way to Grandpa's and Rose thinks it happened in church. Which was it?

Rose and Shirley made their monthly trip to Chicago last weekend. I stayed with the Hollensbe's. They always make me very welcome and at home. Their two kids, Josie and Luke, were so good and quiet that we hardly knew they were there. Quite a change from Brayden and Jalen who now are into wrestling as in Wrestlemania. We three old ladies hardly knew what they were talking about. They love to wrestle with each other, using phrases "Six-One-Nine, Takedown," and the like.

Chris and Shelly ran in a half marathon (13 PLUS miles!) on Sunday. They both finished and were very sore on Monday. Does everyone remember when Chris didn't even walk fast? For years he brought up the rear. They're going to try a full marathon in the fall.


I went for my 4th IVIG treatment in this latest series on Monday at Barnes hospital. The neurologists measure my strength every time I go in. This time there was a small improvement which gives me some hope. When I had the treatments iniatially in late 2004, the improvement took some time. I try to ride the exercise bicycle every day and use the arm bike, too. I walk where it is feasible. I've been assigned a new occupational and a physical therapist. They are both helpful which also makes me hopeful. Last week Brayden helped me with my new floor exercises and practiced his counting at the same time.

Pete called with his weekly update. It was so dry in Idaho that he has been having to water. It has been so wet here that most of the men I know can't mow. I think some of them are praying for more rain.

We got word through Joe that Maudie's brother-in-law died yesterday. Maudie and Bernie are flying into Springfield at 3 this afternoon. They will stay in the area until Monday, the 16th. We are hoping there's some way we get to see them.

Margaret is 'down in her back' and is going to have a CT scan this afternoon. She is in a lot of pain and can't seem to find a position to get comfortable in. I spent Easter with them, and all the kids and grandkids were there. They had an Easter egg hunt but had more hiders than hunters. Margaret and I lost my pills in the house on Sunday morning and were convinced we could hunt our own eggs.

Goldman and I went down to the lake on Thursday to see the work the guys did during work week. The remodeled expanded deck is spectacular. It was way too cold to sit outside. In fact, it was freezing cold with a chill factor of 11 degrees. Mike Madden, did it get your grapes? You will probably have lots of volunteer grape stompers when the time comes.

Rose and I are driving half way to Louisville today to pick up Jalen and Brayden. We get to keep them until Friday. Rose and Shirley make quite a team when they play wiffle ball with them. They get to take a shortcut from first to third. This gives the old ladies team a chance to score but it's a long way, even though they are allowed the short cut.

I'm working on the plans for the family get to gether in July. I plan on being at the Lake the month of July but it looks like the biggest gathering will be on the 7th and/or the 8th. I just talked to Bernie and Maudie and they plan on getting here around the end of June. If everyone will tell all the dates to everyone, it would be very helpful. If there are those who anyone thinks needs a snail mailing send us the addresses. Mailing address is 905 Barnard College Lane, St. Louis, MO 63130.

It's Wednesday morning. I got interrupted by our half way trip to Louisville to get the boys. Scott had his car full of stuff that the boys 'had to have' with them. Shirley has to go to Chicago today and hates to miss the time with the boys.

Bernie and Maudie arrived safely in Springfield yesterday afternoon. I've been trying to figure out some way to get down there to see them. Flights are very expensive and schedules are very limited. I talked with Leslie, my old neighbor there, and she was hoping I could come and stay with her. I'm not driving right now because of the small seizures that I was having so can't drive myself. Rose has to go to Chicago on Saturday so she can't come. If I can figure out some way to get down there Joe promised to take me on a tour of Turnbow {or is it Turnbo?}.

Margaret had a MRI, not a CT scan, yesterday. She can't get an appointment with a specialist until the 17th and is in a lot of pain. She says the pain medication doesn't work for very long.

Maudie, we're thinking of you at this sad time.

These are photos from Brayden's 4th birthday party at our house. He is with Granny, making a wish, and with his friend Goldman.

These are views of the new deck at the lake house. The guys raised the lower level so that now there is one large, continuous deck that is level with the living room.

I feel much better today. I went to the doctor, and she thinks it's just a bug of some kind. They took eight vials of blood so that probably made me more anemic. My blood pressure has been fluctuating so they increased that medication. I delayed the bone density test until next week.

My young men came home from the lake on Sunday. They finished enlarging the deck. I'm eager to see it so Goldman and I plan to go down tomorrow evening. He's off Good Friday.

Pete called this evening. He and Joe are getting ready for their annual fishing trip to Florida. "On the Road Again". Joe went to Branson last weekend to see Willie Nelson, one of my favorites.

Sandi Fellin {2 L's] called this week. I have tentatively planned the family get together for July 2 through the 12th. I'm sure most of you won't be able to stay all that time but I plan to be there and welcome anyone who can come any of the time. I'll put up as many people as I can and will post some motels and prices after I go down tomorrow. It's cold here and we're supposed to have a hard freeze Saturday night. That "King" boy brought me a load of wood this winter and I may have to have a fire in the fireplace.

Randy, Margaret and Norm's son, is just older enough than my two that they swear he 'led them astray' and also some of their friends when they were teenagers. Randy and family have now joined a church and Randy donates much effort to helping the less fortunate. When I talked with him recently about 'leading my boys astray' he said, "And now I can lead them back," - even Goldman because Jesus was a Jew.

Pete's son, Kelly, was 49 yesterday. Leslie, that King boy's wife, was 50 today. Happy Birthday to both of you.

My car got back from North Carolina yesterday. Marge and Norm had a wonderful visit with his relatives. I think his pride and joy, that truck, wasn't yet fixed to his satisfaction. As much as he loves that truck it may never be to his satisfaction.

Jana, Bob's grandaughter, is going to be in charge of telling the Kansas group about the summer gettogether. Jana, I'll call you if you don't read this on the blog. Her daughter, Ellie, just turned one.

Sandi, Tammy, Dick, Bernie and Maudie are the only ones coming for sure from Washington. I hope more of everyone from everywhere can be there at least part if not all the time. Joe, you're in charge of southern Missouri. Send me the email address for the Louisville relatives and others you keep up with. Some Maddens and Lafoes would be a treat to see and reacquaint.

I'm not feeling well today so am having to sideline the work to finalize dates for the family get-together at the Lake, for Girls' Weekend, and for the Fourth of July. The Fourth falls on a Wednesday this year, so that complicates things a little.

I talk to the guys at the lake quite often to hear of their progress. Sounds like they're having a great time and doing a great job. Doug is, of course, the foreman. When Scott arrived on Monday he became the 'cabin bitch' assistant. He and Goldman are the chief cooks and bottlewashers. They have been griping because they have to start first with breakfast before the other guys get up. Then in the evening the outside workers quit at dark while the inside personnels' work continues until much later. I told them that this has been happening to women since the beginning of time.

I had a correction comment about Margaret's birthday. It's the 28th so I guess Bob's was the 27th. Rose and I will probably have to relearn next March.

I'm having a bone density scan next Tuesday. No problems but the new primary physician thinks it's time to be checked again.

We have Brayden this week and us three old ladies collapse from exhaustion every night. Rose and Shirley played wiffle ball with him yesterday afternoon. When he got a really good hit he would have to chase it down himself. When they got a hit they had to take shortcuts to get around the bases.

Norm and Margaret are still in North Carolina. I keep cautioning them not to pop any wheelies in my car. Actually, I don't think it will pop wheelies. They're not sure when they'll be back but Norm is ready to come home. He worries about his grass and about starting his garden. Rose's tulips are blooming. The trees are budding. The peonies are starting to grow but won't be in full bloom for a while.

We had a wonderful weekend at the lake. Goldman picked me up about 11 on Friday and off we went. Danny Cullinane was there with a fishing pole in his hand. Goldman and I grocery shopped then Goldman picked Maddog up. Danny cooked steaks on the grill for a great dinner. Doug and Chris arrived sometime after I went to bed.

On Saturday morning the work began. Doug is the foreman, but is also a very hard worker. Ray arrived with his trailer early Saturday morning. There was much measuring and planning going on after his arrival. After some exchange of opinions and ideas, off they went to Home Depot. Goldman is the 'cabin bitch' and was in charge of breakfast with Chris's help. The guys outside were unloading lumber, tearing out some of the old deck, digging around in the rocks, and other manual chores. The outside workers accused the cooks of frying one slice of bacon at a time. Goldman said "No, they were cutting each slice in half and frying it that way". We had kosher brisket for dinner. Goldman used his grandmother's recipe and she would have been proud of the results.

Work progressed all day. Tired as they were, they had a poker game that night. When they went earlier to get the lumber, they had my credit card. Maddog and Goldman got back much later than the other guys because they were looking for a hooker who would take credit cards. I don't think they found one

Danny's daughter's fourth birthday was Sunday so he had to leave in time to get home for the party. Chris and I left around noon. Ray had to leave Monday. Some are going to try to get back next weekend. In spite of all the work, these guys seem to enjoy it. Scott arrived here in St. Louis and brought Brayden to us on Monday. He says he wouldn't have missed this week if he had had malaria. Derrington and Dane arrived today. We have lots of great neighbors down there, and Jack and Teresa who live next door are making supper for the guys tonight. One year the boys had no heat or water, but I never heard any of them complain.

All the guys call me mom or momma. Some of the newer neighbors down there wonder just how many kids I have. The guys rigged up a video cam so they can show me their progress. They certainly aren't slacking. I'm so eager to see it for real. I'm hoping to get there for Easter weekend.

I can't thank the guys enough for their labor and their wives and girlfriends for the loan of their spouses. I remember their teenage days when I didn't like them, and they didn't like me. Now they are indispensible to me in lots of ways. Whatever I did to deserve their love, help, and attention is one of the best things that I've ever done.

Rose and Shirley have a worhshop all day Saturday. We have Brayden until Sunday, so he and I are going to Suzanne's so Brayden can play with Luke and Josie and I can visit with Suzanne on Saturday. It's a lots like ToyRUs at their house.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Margaret. Rose and I can never remember if the date is the 27th or 28th so don't worry about our posting the year. She and Norm are visiting his family in North Carolina.

I still haven't got much respone about the dates for our get together this summer. Get on it.

Just posting an update on current events. After Rose left last week Goldman took me to Margaret and Norm's. All their children and most of their grandkids came for dinner. Sabrina and family were preparing for their skiing trip to Colorado and couldn't make it. Randy's girls probably had important teenage engagements, so didn't show either. Chris and Shelly brought wonderful desserts. We played Trivial Pursuit but Sam, Catrina's son, Sam, asked if I was really playing. I was, but I couldn't answer many questions.

Norm had a fender bender Monday in his truck, his pride and joy. He almost had tears in his eyes when he showed it to us. He and Margaret are off to see his North Carolina relatives this morning and were going to take my car instead of their gas hog anyway. The truck will be repaired when they get back so, if there's a good time to have an accident, this was it.

We need some feedback about our family get together. The lake is usually busiest around the 4th of July. Most any time is good with me. I have several beds and air matresses and lots of floor space. Pick a couple dates and we'll decide when will be good for all. Tammy, we haven't answered your question about the timing because nothing has really been decided just yet. Your input would be important to the decision.

I'm going to the Lake tomorrow and staying until Sunday. It's workweek for my young men. They usually spend a week there in the Spring doing some project. Doug is the brains and boss but has lots of gophers. They're updating the deck this year. Last year they had no heat nor water for a while so I hope this year will be better accomodatios for them. They eat, drink, and work.

I had my treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday and had to get home from the hospital to get some rest. Every time I got to sleeping good they would wake me up to make sure I was okay and take my blood pressure. They forgot my lunch AND dinner on Tuesday. I got there at 8 am, per their instructions, so they could start the IV early. They finally got started it at 4 on. I was there until 3:30 until I got some water, and Rose is the one who got it for me. I'm really glad I'm not a veteran if things are even worse at Walter Reed!

Pete and Janet got home yesterday. I'm sure the kids and grandkids were happy to see them. Pete keeps the grandsons up to date on women. Like "check their teeth" on the first date and "remember, they're easier to get than to get rid of". Janet, you deserve a medal for putting up with him all these years.

Chris has my car for a couple days. I had cautioned him that I didn't want the dogs riding in it. Iasked him yesterday if they had been riding in it. He replied "Did you say dogS? I said "Yes, I said dogS." He said "No, THEY haven't been riding in it. I take them one at a time because they like to ride in the front seat." He's going to bring the car back when the gas gauge light comes on. Shelly, you probably deserve a medal, too.

Shirley is in Chicago. Rose is going up there tomorrow. I'm going to stay with the Abbotts. They're having their children and grandchildren over for barbeque and to play Trivial Pursuit tomorrow night. I think Margaret and Norm must have those cards memorized.

The neurologists want to try three more of the IVIG infusions. I'll have one next month, one in May, and one in Jung. Along the way, we will reevaluate. Keep praying. The seizures seem to be under control with the current medications. That's a different neurologist who treats the seizure episodes. I have an appointment next week with my primary care physician. I'll see that specialist for my anemia and escalating blood pressure. If hospital personnel didn't take so much blood, I probably wouldn't be anemic and, if they didn't make me so nervous, my blood pressure probably wouldn't be escalating.

Margaret had her checkup with her cardiologist this week and got a good report. {Another kind of specialist} She doesn't have to back for 6 months. She and Norman are planning a trip soon to visit his relatives in North Carolina. They are, of course, watching the price of gasoline closely.

I got my times confused this morning. I got up at 6, thinking it was 7, but it was really 5. Maudie taught me years ago 'Spring Forward, Fall Behind', but I did the opposite.

Margaret called me yesterday to check to see if I had had any more "chicken strokes". Joe, would you put in the comment section how it was that I got saddled with the nickname 'Chicken stroker" and also "Pepe la Peu". I've been called these nicknames for over 60 years, thanks to Joe. He named Rose 'Charlie Brown' and Margaret 'Bloomer Leg'. And Joe NEVER forgets.

Bob's favorite story that always made him laugh was when we once went to see Aunt Lois in Great Bend, KS., in perhaps 1978. I hadn't seen Aunt Lois for years, but Bob who lived near Great Bend had. He sent me to the door by myself to see if she would recognize me. She didn't. When I told her who I was, she looked me over good and exclaimed, "Why, you used to be such a pretty little thing." After taking another look she said, "Well, your hair is still pretty." Bob loved to tell this story to anyone who would listen.

We had this homely, fat girl who lived near us in Marshfield. Her name was 'Dorothy May'. We used to tease Donald about her and would call him "DoRnald." He hated this and would tell Mom on us. We would lie and swear we said Donald - not Dornald. Donald, we were really saying "DoRnald."

Margaret was telling me about Rose fighting with 'the Smiley girl' on the way home from school when we still lived on the farm. Margaret says Rose bloodied the little girl's nose. Rose doesn't remember what the fight was about, nor does Margaret. Does anyone else remember? Rose hates this story.

I've been kinda down in the dumps but, after waking up so early and thinking about some of these incidents, I'm much cheered up.

Pete called yesterday for his weekly update. They're heading back to Idaho the end of this week. Bernie, Maudie, and Kay were in Boise and were going to try to get together with Kelly and boys.

My young men [some of whom are approaching middle age] are getting their plans and schedules together for their annual work week at the lake house. Sandi -the 2 L Sandi - and I are trying to figure out a time to get as many of all of us together at the lake house as we can. We need suggestions, feedback, convenient times, etc. etc. etc. Help us out here.

I'm going in Barnes-Jewish Hospital on Tuesday for another overnight IVIG treatment. I've been having those small seizures again, and I hope it's just a matter of getting the medication adjusted. The neurologist who specializes in seizures will also see me while I'm in the hospital. I've also been "down in my back" - Isn't that a Marshfield expression? A trip to a chiropractor, back stretches and moist heat have helped there. I'm anemic and have to see a different doctor for that.

Vivian, a longtime friend of Rose's, was over today. She said she reads the blog often but has a very hard time keeping all of us straight. Sabrina asked her husband once if he had seen "My Cousin Vinny". He replied that he didn't even know she had a cousin named Vinny and had never met him.

Big families are wonderful.

Bonjour! Je suis a la maison encore! I am finally home again from my trip and posting some pics and news from the northwest and from the French West Indies. I spoke with Kaye yesterday from Boise, ID. She is heading home with Mom and Dad and they were stopping to see Kelly and also Glenn's children if they could. It sounded like they were having a good trip and should be home in the next couple of days. Tyson and I are going up to see them next weekend. Tyson will head down to Portland and we'll leave from here on Saturday for a short visit and then home on Monday. I am looking forward to seeing them and catching up.

Me, Tammy and Kaye in Olympia a few summers ago!

Thursday was Tammy's birthday! Happy Birthday Tam!

I had a wonderful vacation in the tropics. I was on a small, French-speaking island in the Caribbean. It was warm, beautiful, friendly and relaxing. I flew overnight to San Juan, Puerto Rico and then to Guadeloupe the next day. I was greeted by warm weather and warm smiles to the small airport there. No one was impressed with my French - especially me. I didn't realize how much I didn't know until people started talking to me. They talk so fast! They were very kind and many people I met were happy to practice their English, so I enjoyed hearing their British accents and learning how to converse in my pathetic French. I have since picked up some books and am determined to work on it for the next time...

Denise and I on the beach. Can you see that clear blue water? We did lots of snorkeling with her two fearless boys! 5 year old Nathan and 8 year old Matthieu.

Here's Nathan getting ready to jump in!

I stayed with the family of my good friend Denise, (I found out her nick name is Didi...that was fun!) Denise's father had passed away and the family was gathered there for the funeral. In spite of the sad circumstance we had a marvelous time. Denise is the tenth child out of a brood of fourteen! Makes our family seem small, doesn't it? I fit right in. Her brothers were very fun (much like mine!) and had decided they were on a mission to find me a husband. Unfortuately, my list of qualifications must have been too tough because I came away without any prospects...

We had lots of family dinners as several of Denise's brothers and sisters and their families live very close. They are all great cooks with lots of fresh fruit and seafood the meals were fabulous. The french bread and cheese alone would be worth living on. Needless to say, I am dieting furiously since being home.

Can you say Lobster?

At one dinner, everyone was trying to come up with a French name for me, but all they could come up with was something that meant, "full of sand". Not too flattering! So, Denise's brother George finally declared I should be called "George" since it is the same in every language. I think I'd rather be called "full of sand"! I felt like they were family and I made some dear friends! I'm sure I'll go back!

We hiked to the top of the point where this huge cross marks the Pointe De Chateaux, a beautiful lookout over the Atlantic Ocean. You can almost see the entire island from up here and the perch lends a view of nearby islands that seem just a few miles off the shore. The surf is especially rough and rocky here and filled with strong undertows and poisioneous black sea urchins. No swimming here.

That's me just to the right of the base of the cross. The view from up here is breathtaking.

About 30 years ago an overloaded passenger ferry filled with 200 peop;e capsized off this coast and only 5 people survived - Denise's dad, cousin and three of her brothers made it safely to shore at this treacherous point. We think the cross signifies the Grace of God to the Yoyotte family!

The outdoor markets are incredible. They are filled with native people selling their fresh fruits and vegetables and spices! The spices were especially great for this tourist. Fresh saffron and vanilla bean and columbo and nutmeg to name just a few. They also use lots of local herbs for homeopathic remedies. I bought some fresh jams (confiture) made from pineapple, mango, guava and coconut. This picture doesn't do it justice. The locals don't want their pictures taken and if you hover at a certain booth you get swooped by the owner and are compelled to buy something. I had to sneak this one in. Can you see the bottles of rum and fresh juices? Amazing!

I hope it was interesting for you.Thank you for indulging me with my pictures. I had a marvelous time but was happy to be home to America. To English. To news and familiar faces. We had lots of adventures, but there is no place like home.

I look forward to seeing you all in the summer! More news after I get home from Spokane!

Love you,

Sandi

We had Brayden from last Thursday until Tuesday this week so haven't had time to post an update. I flew home last Wednesday and Margaret and I met Scott halfway to Louisville on Thursday to pick him up. Scott drove over for a Blues Hockey game this week Tuesday and took him back. We are all three missing him terribly.

I went back to the neurology clinic at Barnes-Jewish today for a follow up visit with Dr. Lopate. His news was rather disheartening. The two IVIG treatments that I had recently did not achieve the improvement he had hoped for. When I saw him in December, he was leaning toward a diagnosis of motor nerve disease as opposed to a motor neuron disease. Motor nerve disease is autoimmune and is treatable while neuron disease is degenerative. He is very puzzled about my condition, but now thinks it is probably degenerative. He will do four more IVIG treatments in the next few weeks to see if any improvement happens. There isn't any other treatment that he believes will help if the IVIG doesn't. If none of the desired improvement occurs I am going to volunteer for any studies, research, and trial treatments the clinic is doing. Stem cell research shows much promise for conditions like mine and, though it may not be in my lifetime, similar conditions to mine, among many others, are being researched and and trials are being administered in lots of areas. This research gives hope to me and to and to thousands of others.

Meanwhile, I continue to do as much physically as I can. I do my exercises daily and, with love and support from family and friends (especially Rose and Shirley), I maintain as much independence as is possible. The hardest thing I've ever done is NOTHING.

I don't mean for this post to sound hopeless. I promise the next post will be more upbeat and won't just be all about me. Keep praying.

Yvonne has a website for her comedy club, La Nuit Theater which means "the night" in French(Yvonne is Shirley's niece). The site is: www.lanuittheater.com The entertainment there is a hoot. We cannot recommend it highly enough. A hint, though. Yvonne doesn't have a liquor license so it is BYOB. Saturday night after the performance we attended at the club, we came home and watched "Saturday Night Live." After the live improv exposure we had just had, SNL was BORING.

It's Monday from New Orleans. Sun is shining and temperature is in the 70's. Rose, Shirley, and I flew down Saturday morning. It was a very early flight but our faithful Goldman delivered us to the airport.

Pete called as we were boarding, and he and Janet were in Sedona, AZ. They had been touring all week and enjoying the sights. He hardly believed that I once walked down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I did helicopter out or I think I might still be down there.

Shirley's niece, Yvonne, has an impromp theater here in New Orleans. Rose, Shirley, Shirley's sister Loretta, great niece Savannah, and I went to a performance on Saturday night. I was anticipating a long, loud evening. It turned out to be a short-seeming hilarious event. A group of young adults entertained us, and the evening flew by. We went to the early performance and it was nice clean fun. Yvonne said the late show got a bit risque if there were no children there. I imagine that would be even funnier.

Rose and Shirley are going home on Saturday. I had planned to come home then too, but have the opportunity to keep Brayden for a few days so I'm going back early. The Abbotts will give me a hand until Rose and Shirley get back. Goldman and Uncle Ding have offered to help out, too. Jalen asked Scott the other day if it would be OK if he calls Goldman 'Uncle Goldman'.

I have a correction on the last posting. Rose added Joe's update for me but I had thought Joe's cardiologist was a woman. As Kelly Felin used to say "Her's a him".

Joe told me he had seen his cardiologist. In asking him in an e-mail about the meeting, I referred to the person as "he." This is Joe's response:

"She is a he, Dr. David Zolgafhari, MD. It was a very interesting and enjoyable visit. He said he keeps hearing about me from his friends and colleagues. He is the surgeon that did the surgery. Dr. Z also is a member of Hickory Hill Country (per Lisa). My heart Dr. is Dr. Anderson (same office) who is married to the dermatologist Lydia sees. The Heart Dr and dermatologist spouse have two sons who are Mary's past students! One son is now in Lisa's Spanish class and going to Costa Rica this summer with Lisa, Lydia and the rest of the group. Dr. Z said he decided to look at my recent Dr. charts from recent visits (to other Doctors) and then decided to call me in. Everything is real good but he explained the incision hernia in more detail. He visited for probably 15 minutes and mentioned being from Phila, PA and rarely having any contact with any of his patients outside the office (in Phila). He said it is nice to go to Home Depot, etc., and bump into people he knows and know him. I mentioned being stationed in Phila. and the NIKE missile base near his old stomping grounds. It was news to him as guess it was pretty well closed down before he was born.

Moral of the story, I now know what my son went through in high school. Anything he did, even on the ski trip to Colorado, got back to us before he returned."

This entry is a correction of my earlier post of today. Jana is Bobby's daughter - not grandaughter. She is, of course, Bob's grandaughter. Her mother, Cindy, Bobby's widow, is undergoing chemo and Cindy's oncologist has a newer chemo treatment he may administer if the current chemo doesn't continue to stabilize her condition. Keep her in your prayers, too.

At times the love and caring of a wonderful family and circle of friends keeps me going.

It's Tuesday morning and the snow is finally almost gone. It is warming up which I hope is a sign that Spring is just around the corner. Remember that old saying - If winter's here, spring can't be far behind.

I heard from Pete, Joe, and Bernie, among others this weekend, all calling to check on me and to cheer me up. Bernie and Maudie were in Casa Verde, Az., and looking forward to going back to Spokane. Bernie sounded a bit homesick. Kay-Kay, as we called her when she was a little girl, is going to make the trip with them and then fly back to Mesa. Joe has an appointment with his cardiologist tomorrow to check a small hernia in his incision. He didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about and Norm showed me he has one, too, and it is nothing to worry about, but Joe, keep us updated.

Pete and Janet are going to head for Idaho on the 13th. They're spending one night at Circus-Circus in Las Vegas enroute but Pete says they aren't going to gamble. As Aunt Mit used to say "I've heard bugs poop underwater before". Pete and I agreed that gamblers are like fishermen. It's not that all fishermen are liars. It's just that a lot of liars fish.

Goldman took me to the Abbotts on Saturday. Margaret and I aggravated Norm Saturday night reminiscing about old times. He gets tired of our laughing and arguing about what really happened 50 or 60 years ago. Chris picked me up Sunday and took me home and Shirley and I watched a couple episodes of Desperate Housewives Sunday night.

Jana {Bobby's grandaughter} and John called Sunday night to see if we could watch baby Ellie yesterday. Their daycare had President's Day off and they didn't. They brought her over Sunday night and she slept through the night on a pallet in Shirley's room. She is almost walking and a joy to have. Shirley and I spent the day being entertained by her. She seemed to like Shirley best and then me, but when Dad and Mom got here to pick her up, she would have nothing to do with either of us. Rose is coming back from Chicago today and hated missing our day with Ellie.

My neuromuscular condition hasn't made any notable change for the better or worse since the IVIG's I had last week. I have had a few mini-seizures but I'm still hope the adjusting of the medications will remedy that. The neurologist told me that I've developed anemia but I have to see a different doctor about that. I only weighed 109.5 yesterday morning. Rose and Shirley can't lose weight and, much to their chargrin, I can't seem to gain. They would like to develop just a touch of anorexia.

Again, I hope I don't sound too down in the dumps. Keep praying.

It's Saturday morning and we have a bit of new snow on the ground, but the temperature isn't quite so cold. Rose has to go to Chicago this morning for a workshop and to see clients. She'll be back Tuesday. Shirley and I are going to watch some of the previous seasons of 'Desperate Housewives', our new addiction. We joined Netflix some time ago but it takes 3 or 4 days for us to get new episodes so we guilt Chris into getting them at Blockbuster and that is much quicker. We're like Mom was when she watched 'As the World Turns'.

I didn't intend to sound hopeless in my last blog. There is still no definite diagnosis for my condition. There are some neuropathy cases that defy diagnosis and baffle the experts. I may be one of those. Keep praying. I am surrounded by loving caring people. The list would be too long for this blog. Rose and Shirley, ALL the Abbotts, Chris and Shelly, Scott and family, Goldman, - just to mention a few. My faithful blog readers keep abreast of my ups and downs and trials and tribulations. Shelly thinks Goldman will definitely go to heaven someday even though he IS a Jew.

Everyone helps me whenever I need it. I was talking to Brayden yesterday and told him I was going to come over to Louisville and kick his dad's butt. He said, "Granny, you can't because you are old and have bad hands, but I'll help you and we'll do a wrestling move on him".

Rose's flight is on time so she's scurrying around to get things together. Goldman is coming over to take her to the airport. Chicago is always cold. Sandi, are you basking in the sun while we are shivering in frigid Missouri?

It's a cold Friday morning after an extremely cold week. We have some snow on the ground but not enough for another snow bear. Rose's snow bear builder helper celebrated his fourth birthday on the 12th. Scott, Sherry, and Jalen took him to Chuckie Cheese for supper and then to the circus. When he was going to be four, he told Scott that Scott wouldn't have to carry him around anymore. His leg was in "great pain" though at the circus except at an intermission when all the kids could go play on an indoor playground. He made an amazing recovery when the intermission started but suffered a terrible relapse when the intermission ended.

Scott has totaled two cars in the last week. Chris has offered to give him a refresher course in driver's education. He had one of them on the way home from work on the night before the circus. He got a bit banged up in that one but HAD to go to the circus because the boys were so looking forward to it. He's considering buying a four door pickup now. He had a Saturn station wagon vehicle but was incensed when anyone referred to it as a station wagon. He always referred to it as his 'truck'.

Rose took me to Barnes-Jewish hospital for my second IVIG treatment on Wednesday. It was a rather disheartening over night stay. The neurologists were disappointed in my lack of strength gain. The IVIG treatment usually produces a more remarkable improvement than the one that I had last month. I have had IVIG's before, the first one in November, 2004, and periodic ones since. If my improvement has been because of the IVIG's, it has always been gradual. Dr. Lopate is now leaning toward whatever I have being degenerative rather than autoimmune. I go back to see him in a month at which time we will discuss other possible treatments or continuing the IVIG's. Dr. Lopate said other possible treatments carry a greater risk of side effects, including death. Keep praying for me. Jalen was praying one night at supper and he asked God to "help Granny because she needs a lot of help." I do.

I'll try to pick up where I left off. Joe's computer is now back in operation. Rose and Shirley are back from their sad trip to Louisiana. I had a wonderful weekend with the Abbotts. Catrina, Robbie, and Lizzie were there for supper on Saturday evening. Margaret made one of her down home fried chicken dinners with lemon meringue pie for dessert. Sabrina, Alex, and Bret came after dinner because the boys wanted to play Trivial Pursuit with Margaret and Norman. Sabrina didn't play and was ready to leave long before the boys were. What a great compliment to Marge and Norm!

Goldman has been wonderful about taking care of us three old ladies but he nearly blew it on Saturday. He and I stopped at the casino last Saturday after dropping Rose and Shirley at the airport as we were enroute to the Abbotts. I was playing one machine and Goldman was playing one in a different row but kept coming over to make sure I didn't need anything. There was an elderly man at the machine next to me and when he left he told me that my 'husband' could have that machine if he wanted it. When I told Goldman this he got a worried look on his face and exclaimed "I must look really old today". I told him to get his foot out of his mouth because I was sure the man thought I looked really young.

Chris took me to the Barnes-Jewish Seizure Clinic on Monday for the appointment I've waited for for almost two months. [It was the miniseizures that caused me to look for a new neurologist in December, but the Barnes-Jewish neurologist deals only with neuromuscular issues. He, in turn, sent me to this Clinic, after more waiting to get another appointment.] This doctor, a woman, thinks the seizures can be controlled by simply changing my medications. I am a good candidate for this to work since medication worked so well before. She says the seizures are most likely an aftermath of the encephalitis and, like the other neurologists, doesn't think the neuromuscular condition and the seizures are related.

Margaret and I found a phone number for Wanda and called her this weekend. She still lives in Okeechobee but will move to Alabama with a daughter when her place finally sells. Ricky is doing well and was there when we talked to Wanda. The deadly storms in Florida weren't close to her.

Norman still has some pain in his fingers from his snowblowing incident. He has to see the doctor again today. He and Margaret seem to be really enjoying their retirement. They have a daily routine which my presence disrupts, but he takes the disruption well.

Pete, you never did say who sends the check for the refrigerator replacement.

Good morning from St. Louis. Temperature here is about 15 and I don't know - or want to know - what the wind chill is. Our furnace wasn't working one morning this week but it turned out to be a minor thing and the repairman got here before we froze.

We had some bad news this week. Shirley's brother-in-law, Clark, died in the middle of the night on Thursday. He had been very ill for quite some time. His widow, Shirley's sister, Loretta, is our vacationing card playing companion. She is our fourth Golden Girl anytime we have the opportunity to be with her. Rose and Shirley are leaving this afternoon for Louisiana to attend the services and to help comfort Loretta and her children. Their son, Michael, lives here in St. Louis and he and his fiance, Leslie, were already in Louisiana. Their daughter, Yvonne, and grandaughter, Savannah, live near Loretta. Shirley is their 'Aunt Rose' and Loretta's 'sister Sue'.

I have the appointment with the seizure clinic on Monday. It took weeks to get the appointment so I don't want to cancel it and decided not to go to Louisiana. Goldman and I will drop Rose and Shirley at the airport this afternoon and then Goldman will take me to the Abbotts. Chris will accompany me on Monday so he can again list my occupation as exotic dancer. The other doctors didn't seem to believe him so he's going to try to convince this new group.

Joe's generator blew out his computer and I guess it's still in the shop since we haven't had any emails from him. He said it's three years old. Pete claims that if you replace a refrigerator every seven years, it will pay for itself. Maybe computers are similar and have a three year economic span. Pete, I replaced my refrigerator at the lake a couple years ago and I'm still waiting for a check. Who's supposed to send it?

I can't tell a lot of improvement from the first two new IVIG's yet, but improvement was slow and very gradual when I had these treatments before. My next infusions will begin Valentine's Day. I'll have to stay overnight in the hospital again which I think is totally unnecessary and makes a long night.

Does anyone keep in touch with Wanda Jean? These awful storms in Florida has made us really think about her and we wonder how she and her family are doing.

Pete just called for his weekly update. He had a birthday this week but didn't do much celebrating since "Ma" had a cold. Bernie and Maudie are nearby and Pete told Bernie that he was an expert at hooking up satellite dishes and volunteered to hook up Bernie's. He had to admit to Bernie after several attempts that he didn't know as much as he thought he did. Is this an inherited trait that we all have, exaggerating our expertise?

The guys are organizing their annual work week at the lake for the last week in March. In reality, Doug tells them how and what to do and has to watch to be sure they do it right. Goldman claims that he can now pull nails out of boards without supervision. Doug, how many years and nails did it take to teach him this? Their project this year is making the deck one level which means fewer steps for me and also so we spread out a bit because we tend to group around just one of the tables. Goldman does most of the cooking during that week except for breakfast. Breakfast is Scott's task and he can never cook too much bacon. Goldman always cooks brisket using his grandmother's recipe at least once and it's always a mover. I don't think they have any sit down organized meals. They eat either when they get hungry or when the food is ready - or both.

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest! We talked to Mom and Dad on Monday night and they were heading from Mesa to meet up with Uncle Pete and Aunt Janet for Pete's birthday! Ground Hogs day, right? Happy Birthday Uncle Pete! From there they were headed to Casa Grande to meet up with some friends and stay a couple of weeks, then back to Mesa to celebrate Kaye's birthday on the 27th. Dad talked like Kaye is thinking of coming back with them for a visit to Spokane. I think they are aiming to be home in early March.

Mom grapefruit picking in Arizona.

Kaye and her son Chris were going out to try to pick grapefruit while it's in season to send home with Mom and Dad. I hope they get a chance to get some - it's absolutely delicious! There is a woman Kaye knows who has about a dozen grapefruit trees that are just loaded. Each year she invites us to pick there and take away as much as we can carry. Since grapefruit are so big it only takes a few minutes for you to have all you can use. Kaye has an orange tree in her backyard and we've scoped out a beautiful lemon tree down the street from Kaye where they usually let us pick. BTW - I'm including myself here because I usually visit while Mom and Dad are at Kaye's home and we all go. This year is different since I'm heading out for two weeks in February to work on the freckle count. (More on that later.)

I got home Tuesday about noon from Olympia. (Olympia is about two hours north of Portland in Washington state, where Tammy, Tyson, Cyndi & Dave and their two sons, Kyle and Jake live.) I went up on Sunday for an impromptu trip to hang out with Tyson. We shopped and ate out, played with Tammy's dogs and watched our favorite tv show together - "Heros". It was nice to be with him. We had coffee with Tammy in the morning on Monday when she had a few minutes from the legislature and lunch with Cyndi and Dave at noon at Red Robin and then went out to the Oyster House for dinner. On our way into the restaurant in the evening Mom and Dad called so we got caught up on their whereabouts. It was like being on a mini vacation with your family! Thanks for having me, guys!

Now I'm furiously packing and getting ready for my trip. I leave on Superbowl Sunday to travel to Guadeloupe for some sunny, tropical relaxation for two weeks. I hope I've thought of everything while I'm away. Glenn will come to water the plants and a teenaged friend, Eric "offered" to drive my car for me...Not so fast Eric! Since Doug speaks French he will be my contact person if anyone needs to get ahold of me - he knows how to reach me. Thanks Doug.

Tammy with Elvis and Charlie!

Well, I'd better get back to my suitcases. I have three graveyard shifts right before I go, so I am trying to get mostly done tonight. Hmm...did I pack the sunscreen? Sandals...bathing suit...shorts...?

I'll send postcards and post some pics when I return at the end of the month. Hope you all are well. Catch you later.

Our snow is gone and the snow bear has melted away. We had to take Brayden to Mt. Carmel on Tuesday to deliver him to his dad and have been bereft without him. He was overjoyed on seeing Scott, and we no longer existed. We played the Johnny Cash song "A Boy Named Sue" on the trip over there, and we had to repeat playing it several times while he tried to figure it out. He wanted to hear "the Sue song" again.

Norman was snowblowing his driveway last Sunday and somehow got his fingers caught in the contraption. He didn't make much of the incident at first and was more concerned about a perfectly good pair of gloves. Margaret insisted he go to the emergency room and he had, in fact, cut off the tips of two fingers. The surgeon grafted skin from his wrist to repair the worst finger and sent him home. Norman made Sabrina and Catrina dig the glove out of the trash can when they finally got home late that night. Despite his protestations, the girls threw it away.

We had a newsy email from the newly weds, Anna and Dan. Dan will be transferred to Spokane at the end of March. Anna is still traveling to Florida for her classes and will have to go in February, April, and June. She will have the summer off. Dan will have to stay in Virginia until the end of March to complete a project he is currently involved in. Anna said business at the print shop is steady, which is good.

Rose, Shirley, and I had dinner at Jana and John's last night. Their baby, Ellie, is almost one and a delight. She's about to walk, has 6 teeth, and keeps them both hopping. Jana made a delicious dinner and John always remembers to get my favorite wine.

Pete called this morning. It was 72 degrees there and about half a million people taking advantage of the warmth. Janet is having lots of pain in her back and now in her hip, too. Pain patches help some but not completely.

Bernie and Maudie are wandering around Arizona and must be relishing the weather. Maybe it's an inherited trait because Sandi says Bernie is always cold and so is Rose. Right now she is wearing my vest - one we got after we visited Spokane and saw the FeLLin vests.

Chris and I had lunch Friday with Karen and my stepson Mark. Mark and Karen had big news to announce. They're engaged and have set the wedding date for December 22. Karen already feels like part of the family and, in fact, IS.

Joe was without power for 12 days. The generator he bought blew his computer out so we're behind on news from him. Pete talked to him this morning. Joe was going to Marshfield because he heard there was vandalism at the cemetery.

Goldman continues to be helpful when we need a man around. He is driving Chris's orange Del Sol. We always know when he arrives because of the roar of the little engine in that car.

Our Snow Bear and Brayden

Hi All! It's a beautiful, sunny, and warm (50 degrees) day in Portland. I'm sitting in my home office wishing I was out jogging around the golf course! It is a far cry from last week as we had snow, ice and freezing temperatures here for a couple of weeks. I was so happy that Mom and Dad are in Arizona and missing this cold weather up here, (Spokane isn't thawing out yet. High today of 32 degrees with 5 inches of snow on the ground! Brrrr!) I spoke to them yesterday. They're in Phoenix (Mesa) at Kaye's it isn't that warm yet. Mom said Dad was missing his fireplace because he can't stay warm enough. If they head home now they'll just get home by the time it warms up in Arizona and they'll wish they were south again. I hope they decide to stick it out and wait for the temperature climb up. They so love the heat!

Here's a picture of my little house in the snow! I decided to call the Christmas lights "winter lights" since they are still up on the house in January. They are so pretty in the snow! I guess I'll have to take them down now that it's almost spring. We don't get snow here in Portland very often so it's a big event. There was lots of ice and Portland has lots of hills so chains were required. Growing up in Spokane I feel confident driving in the snow, but the city was requiring chains so I had to crawl around on the floor in the garage and get them on before heading to work for a graveyard shift. (At least when you head to the mountain to go skiing you can enjoy the fun at the end of putting on the chains. No fun just doing it to get ready for work.) With teeth rattling and my rearview mirror jumping around I bounced my way into work at a whopping speed of 25 mph. Honestly! I made it safely and spent the next 12 hours selling lots of power to California, Idaho and Montana because of the same cold snap. Good times.

Mom and Denise and I on Christmas Eve.

I'm getting ready to trade my skis in for snorkeling gear. In February I get to go to Guadeloupe, an island in the French West Indies. (Did you hear me say "Carribean"?) My best buddy Denise is from there and left a week ago with her husband and two small boys. Her father passed away after a long illness and so she went "home" to be with her family. She has asked me to come an join her there when her husband has to return to Portland for work. I'll be helping with the boys and whatever I can do to help her mom get back on her feet. It won't be all work, of course. Those tropical temperatures and white sandy beaches will require some attention from this tourist while I'm not being Auntie. All in all, I am honored to be able to be there for my friend. I'm sure I'll be posting more on that after I get back.

Hmmm...not a lot of other news from me! Glenn and I are scheduled for dinner for his birthday this week. His birthday was the 9th, but I have been sick with a cold, so we put it off until this week. He has recently got me addicted to sushi so we are sushi buddies now. Not sure what movie we'll see, he's a sci-fi kinda guy and I'm the drama or romantic comedy type. I guess I'll let him pick because it's his birthday afterall.

Tyson is keeping me informed on football. Two weeks until the superbowl. I'm not sure I want to root for Chicago because they are the team that eliminated the Seahawks, but I'm thinking Aunt Rose and Shirley will be rooting for them so I might just have to get over it and join the party. (I was rooting for New Orleans yesterday after Hurricane Katrina, can you blame me?)

Tammy is busy as the legislative session is in full swing while she also works on finishing her master's degree. (Don't you think that should be capilized!? Master's Degree!) So, we have a Portland shopping weekend planned for when she resufaces in the summer. A woman can never have too many pairs of shoes, right?

Aunt Sue is in our prayers as she undergoes the latest round of treatments. Thank you for posting some of the details so we know how to pray and are aware of what is happening. I wish I was there to give you a hug and spend the day with you.

Hope you all are doing well and getting excited for the summer family event at the lake. I am looking forward to it.

Stay warm there in the coldest part of the country! If I worked there, I'd make certain Uncle Joe's power was on long before now! (If I could...) You're all welcome to come to my house until the spring!

Love you,

Sandi

Brayden and Jalen on their four-wheeler

Brayden and our Snow Bear

Another quick note. The treatment was uneventful. Each dose costs about $10,000. so that is one reason I have to stay overnight in the hospital - so they're sure it isn't wasted. My blood pressure flucuated some so they would stop 'dripping' periodically. Rose had class last night so Goldman picked me up and we had a nice dinner at Outback Steakhouse.

Chris and I are meeting Scott halfway to Louisville this morning to pick up Brayden. We get to keep him until next Tues. or Wed. I doubt that he is as excited as the "Golden Girls".

I had an email from Joe this morning. They are still without power. It went off last Friday and still has not come back on.

Chris is on his way so I've got to get my shoes on. Keep praying.

I got some news from the neuromuscular clinic doctors 2 days early. THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TREATMENT. Dr. Lopate told me when I was in his office that if he confirmed it was motor neuron that there was no treatment and nothing he could do. My affliction is still not confirmed either way but is not typical of ALS or motor neuron so treatment will begin as soon as they can get it set up. I will have 2 IVIG treatments 30 days apart. I will have to stay overnight at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for the first one. They can do the second one in 30 days.

As I was typing the above, the hospital called and I'm to have the first treatment tomorrow. I have to check in the hospital at 8 in the morning. The seizure clinic is a different group of neurologists and they were waiting for the results from the neuromusclar doctors to see me. The nurse who called about admitting will try to have them see me while I'm there anyway.

Goldman pickred me up from the Abbotts yesterday and then we picked Shirley up at the airport. Then Goldman and I joined Sabrina and family and Margaret and Norm for dinner out. It's been very cold here. Goldman has been driving Gossamer, Chris's orange Honda Del Sol. It's a two seater, low to the ground, and loud. We took my car to the airport and dinner and left Gossamer here. When Goldman brought me home and tried to leave in the Del Sol, it's so cold here that he couldn't get the door key in to unlock the car. When he used to leave his old Lexus over here he would leave it unlocked and the key in the ignition. He's acknowledging the advantage of a rusted out, dented old car that will only turn right.

My nose looks worse than it feels now. The stitches should dissolve. Ding hasn't called today yet to see if I'm any prettier. Goldman reminded me what happened to Pinocchio's nose when he lied so I'd best be very truthful because it might hurt worse if it grew.

The ice has melted here and was much worse at the Abbotts. Pete said Joe was without power or cable Saturday morning. We haven't heard from Joe so don't know if he has electricity yet. Bernie and Maudie were somewhere in Arizona yesterday and were headed to Kay's.

Keep praying. I think prayers are working.

Just a quick update before I'm off to the Abbotts and Rose off to Chicago. Shirley went to Chicago on Wednesday and missed most of my pain and agony. Joe and Chris assured me that removal of skin cancer was no big deal. THEY LIED. Rose dropped me off Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. for the procedure, and we thought I would be done in time for her to pick me up and take Shirley to the airport for a 11:30 flight. WE WERE WRONG. I was there until 4 that afternoon and had 37 stitches in my face and I don't know how many in my ear. Chris's comment was "yes, but did they make you pretty?" I was in so much pain on Thursday that Norman called to check on me. That really concerned me because sometimes when I call their house and he realizes it's me, he tries to pretend he's a recording. I'm much better now after Rose hovering and keeping ice packs hourly until Friday. The cure was much worse than the disease. It was a basal cell type cancer, the least problematic, but had to be treated.

Chris brought bagels for breakfast Friday morning. After he ate, he told me he had to go back to his car. I inquired about what he forgot. He had left his "diary in his purse". The daughter I never had. . . . In reality, he is training for a marathon and had left his running log/journal in his gym bag.

Mike Madden, Uncle Curt's and Aunt Virginia's oldest son, has recently been keeping us updated on his life. His daughter, Lauren, is starting college. Mike lives in Kansas City and is in the process of starting a grape growing project near there. It will eventually be a vinyard and winery. This is an investment for his retirement. If social security funds run out before he reaches that age, he says he will just stay drunk. In case some of us want to join you, are you going white or red?

That was a wonderful update from the FeLLins. By comparison, we are pretty dull. Pete hasn't called yet today. The Abbott clan is way behind on updates. Get busy.

Hi folks! It's the west coast slacker here - finally offering an update from our neck-of-the-woods. We have had such a wonderful Christmas season that Doug and I were just commenting on how fast it flew by! Today is the 8th of January 2007 already! I am just catching by breath since everyone was here and am reluctantly putting all the decorations away and settling into the New Year with lots of resolutions.

Dad, Mom, Tammy, Doug, Jake, Kyle and Sandi!

We had one of the best Chritmases ever! I had a week off which was perfect, but also means I have lots of shifts at work stacked up waiting for me when I returned. (Thus the delay with updating the blog...) Mom and Dad arrived on Friday before Christmas and the festivities began! They stay in a RV park not far from my house and so Glenn, Tyson and I ran out with a light dinner to welcome them. They were pretty tired, but we laughed and talked and kept them up late anyway. I spent the day on Friday making quiche for Christmas morning. (Doug said he was a Real Man, but he would eat it anyway just because it was Christmas and his birthday!) Glenn got a new little video camera to catalog the Christmas events and caught Tyson and I on tape arguing about trimming the Christmas tree. It was hilarious. I had no idea how funny we are when we are disagreeing. (Okay - yelling at each other. BTW - If that video ever makes the blog I'll be making another hilarious one with Glenn when I hear about it! )

Cyndi and Dave with their wonderful boys and Jack Russel Terrier named Louie arrived on Saturday night. Christmas Eve consisted of church and getting ready for more family! We had a BBQ salmon dinner with Rizotto that my friend Denise had to rescue when she arrived. I guess I had forgotten how to make it.

A huge surprise for us was when Glenn's son Tim and his new bride, Roxanne arrived at the door on Christmas Eve. We didn't know they were in town, (they live in Boise). After dinner, Doug and Cecile arrived and we enjoyed our tradition of opening Christmas pajamas. We all exchanged names and so it was a blast opeing funny jammies and laughing especially when Dad opened his pink boxer shorts. (I'll have to get that picture on the blog! I didn't take the pics so stay tuned...) Mom and Dad stayed well after midnight as we stuffed more than a dozen stockings. We had to line them up on the stairs because there were so many!

Tim and Roxanne!

Christmas day Steve and his three sons arrived and we opened presents until we were tired of it. One of my favorite presents was some restored pictures for Mom. As you may know, we didn't really have a camera while we were growing up, so any pictures are very precious to us. There are a few that have been mangled and passed around so many times over the years that they are falling apart. I smuggled them away from the farm a while back and was so surprised to know that I could actually scan them into my computer and retouch them and restore them! Me - even me! I put them in a frame for Mom and Dad and now have them archived on my computer. Amazing!

Anna and Shirley (Peggy) as toddlers. The photographer at the newspaper where Dad worked took this famous shot!

Tammy arrived from Yakima, leaving Dick at home sick, and we opened more presents! We had more food, of course and then had to say good-bye to Cyndi and Dave (and Louie) who had to drive back two hours to Olympia taking Little Red, my old Toyota home for Kyle to drive. They both had to work the next day. All the others were able to stay but Mom and Dad turned in early that night. (Gee, I wonder why!)

Kyle and Jake stayed for the winter installment of Aunt Camp. We (attempted) to go snowboarding on Wednesday, but the mountain was experiencing some extreme weather. We finally drove to the back side of Mt. Hood and found a small resort where they were able to take a lesson and play around. I'm hoping they are hooked. I need more ski buddies. Now, if we can just get Cyndi to like it...

Kyle and Jake in a blizzard on Mt. Hood!

On New Year's Day I headed up to Seattle via a stop in Olympia to have lunch with Cyndi, Tammy and Dick, (who was feeling better), Tyson, Kyle and Jake thanks to Tyson's good planning. I stayed the night with Doug and Cecile and went to the Seattle Pacific Science Center on the 2nd to visit the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and didn't want to miss it. It was facinating and very faith affirming. I spent nearly 4 hours in the exhibit! Then back to Cyndi's for a great dinner that Dave prepared and a game night with the Olympians! (Have you ever played Would You Rather...? What an hysterical game.)

Home to Portland around 11:00 pm to the quiet and the official end to the holidays. I stayed up and roamed around my empty house reflecting on the whirlwind and how it was such a wonderful event to have my family descend on my little home for Christmas. Somehow, my house felt bigger having everyone here. I am blessed to have my little house and a beautiful family to make it a home.

Now with the New Year upon us I will using my new Ipod Shuffle that the Langsons got me to get back to the gym so I can keep up with them when we jump into the summer and the 4th Annual Aunt Camp week. My resolutions include changing jobs to a 8-5 M-F routine. I need more structure and routine in my life. (Regular sleep, regular exercise, et al) This past 5 years of shift work have been great, but I'm ready for a change. I'm looking forward to the family reunion at Aunt Sue's lake house this 4th of July. I wouldn't miss it! Keep me in mind while you're planning it. I'd like to help as much as I can from a distance. I feel bad that I've come the last two times and been a freeloader! I hope to bring as much of the 2L Clan as possible!

Another major event happened on New Year's Day. Anna married her love from high school - Dan Lemon! (Now she's officially Anna Banana-Lemon.) They announced they would be tieing the knot and had a quiet ceremony on the 1st. What a way to start 2007! Hmmm, that leaves Steve, me, Glenn and Tammy as the only unmarried ones left. Maybe we can improve on that this year....?! Congrats Anna and Dan!

Anna and Dan Lemon on January 1st, 2007 - their wedding day!

That's all for now. Great to hear how your holidays were filled with fun and family. I hope your New Year is filled with promise and bright days on the horizon. With the dawning of each new day I'm filled with gratitude for the closeness we've enjoyed this last year and look forward to being more a part of each others' lives.

Happy New Year!

Sandi

I hope I can capture an occurence that happened here on Friday. I had spent a good part of the morning updating the blog. When I finished and tried to publish the update, my update disappeared. I am not computer savvy so I enlisted Rose's assistance. She said things don't just disappear and the update must be somewhere but she couldn't find it. When Chris comes over, the three of us bombarded him with questions and problems that he can usually solve. My question that day was "Where is my update?" He messed with my computer for a while and then told us this story.

When he was in high school he once was assigned reading and making a book report on the novel The Old Man and the Sea. He waited until the last minute and was up typing the report on his first computer, an Apple 2E, at eleven o'clock the night before the report was due when an electrical storm came up. The power in the house went off momentarily. When the power came back on, his nearly completed report was gone. Try as he might, he couldn't retrieve his work and had to start all over. What he was telling me was that sometimes things disappear and can't be retrieved.

After he left and was at a poker game with his friends, I called him to tease him that he was right and sometimes things just disappear and can't be found. I couldn't find my blog update but, in the process of searching, I found his Old Man and the Sea report he had lost in eleventh grade. Needless to say, he didn't believe me. If anyone finds my update please post it.

Jana, John, and Ellie got home from Christmas in Kansas. They didn't incur any bad weather with all the storms in some parts of Kansas.

Pete called Saturday morning. Bernie and Maudie had arrived in Arizona Friday tired from their travels. The four of them went to dinner and then to bed early to recuperate.

Rose got some new saws for Christmas and has been busy at carpenter work all day. She is building some more bookshelves in their office in the basement. For those of you who haven't been here, the bathrooms are the only rooms in the house without bookshelves. They may be next.

I spent a long time updating this morning and somehow lost it all. I'll try again.

My last update focused on my health so this one will be about current events. Goldman and Maddog picked me and the boys up for a New Year's Eve party at the Hollensbes'. Doug and Suzanne made a fabulous prime rib/ lobster dinner. The kids preferred chicken nuggets but were almost too busy to stop playing and eat. The Slayton and Cullinane families joined us. Goldman had to go down to the basement occasionally to soothe and referee. Being a schoolteacher makes him very good at this. Rose was under the weather but the doggie bag they sent fed us for two days.

We had to deliver the boys to their dad half way to Louisville on Monday morning, much to our reluctance. We were just into our return to St. Louis when Scott called. He said "Mom, I don't want to upset you, but Brayden just said he misses Aunt Shirley the most cause she's the nicest". Rose and I had worked very hard to show them a good time and Shirley had been in Louisiana since Thursday. Go figure.

Shirley returned from visiting her family in Louisiana on Monday night. Her brother-in-law is still not doing very well but has shown a bit of improvement.

Joe, we may have to get some pointers from you on sailing. Mark, my stepson, has bought a 36 foot sailboat that he's going to keep on Lake Michigan. He and Karen just returned from a week of lessons on sailing in Florida. We've been invited for a sail with them, but I'm not going to get deck shoes until I'm sure they have the hang of it.

I had lunch with Chris and Mark today. We're back to our Friday lunches and are planning another lunch in Evansville, Brick's hometown. We eat at a 'Miss Muzzy" type cafe there with about the same prices that Muzzy charged, so we all grab for the check.

Chris took me to the dermatologist/surgeon about my skin cancer. Joe has had the same thing and so has Chris. The doctor was also a cosmetic surgeon but Chris decided everyone there was on their first trip. He filled out the form for me and listed my occupation as an exotic dancer. I don't think the doctor believed it.

Rose and Shirley are going to Chicago next weekend for their monthly trip. I'm going to stay with the Abbotts and Margaret and I are going to work on plans for reunion this summer. Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome. Joe has already been busy getting things in the planning process.

Our West Coast editors have been slacking off. Fill us in with the happenings.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone. 2007 may be an even better year. There's some news about "my journey back to health" that I hesitated to post but decided to ask for prayers and best wishes in the coming weeks.

I went to the neuromuscular clinic at Barnes Jewish last Thursday. Rose, one of my many staunch supporters, and I spent the whole day there. I saw about 13 neurologists. At one point there were 5 of them in the room. My neurologist in charge is Glenn Lopate. There is lots of stuff about him on the internet. They drew vials of blood [I thought they were going to have to give me a transfusion when they were done], poked me, shocked me, pinpricked me, tested my strength, watched me walk, hooked me up to various machines, and probably did some other things to me I either forgot or didn't know about. They even watched Rose walk to see if we had an odd "Felin" walk.

After all this they did not come to any diagnosis. Nor has any of the other testing and doctoring I've done for the last 3 years. They may have a diagnosis in about 3 weeks when they get all the results of the tests back. I may have a motor neuron disease which is not treatable. Dr. Lopate said he cannot rule that out but he's leaning toward a possible motor nerve disease which is treatable, and he will be the one that treats it. This is some of the most possibly positive news I've had for 3 years. It's going to be a long 3 weeks.

This group of neurologists deal strictly with muscles and nerves. Since I had encephalitis a couple years ago, I've had intermittent 'spells' for which a different group of neurologists deal with. I'm waiting for a referral from the muscle/nerve group at Barnes Jewish to see that group of doctors.

Meanwhile I had a biopsy on a spot on my nose which turned out to be basil skin cell cancer. I'm having that removed this Friday.

I don't like to dwell on my condition but wanted to let everyone know my current status.

I continue to marvel how good people are to me and would name a lot of them but I type too slowly. The computer would go into one of its modes.