the remaking of a kitchen

when the mafiosa meet we often speak of jean. i think it would please jean to know that we continue to meet and have become better friends since her death. i knew jean and i knew tressa, but the other three, carol, sally and maureen have also become important friends. i can honestly say that there is no way i would have met them if not for jean. how amazing and what a wonderful legacy of friendship and connection she has left the five of us!
we religiously meet each month which of course is much better than jean and i managed those first few years. this coming december lunch will include our white elephant exchange and will be much fun and we will again think of jean!

Labels: carol, friendship, jean, legacy, mafiosa, maureen, sally, tressa

today was lunch day for the mafiosa 2. we were at the dock cafe in stillwater and as always it was the greatest fun. we had a window table and were able to watch an absolute downpour. it made us feel absolutely brilliant the we had chosen to eat inside rather than the outside that was offered! i love that place any time of the year....it is always a brilliant scene watching the st croix river flow by the cafe. it was a little late for fall color, but still quite beautiful!

Labels: dock cafe, mafiosa, stillwater

we had a lovely time in omaha.....we couldn't find a motel in lincoln, so had to settle for omaha. then ann contacted me to see if POSSIBLY we would be in town on that very weekend. we were, so ann and i got to spend a whole day together. a delicious and rare treat! ann cooked a wonderful brunch for us and then we decided to go to the lauritzen gardens and that was another treat. we walked all over the place and saw so many special garden areas, and sat and enjoyed at several places. we also visited forever. i had called leigh anne to see if we could possibly get together. ann had never met meredith, so la made it happen. ann loved meeting jane's granddaughter and we all just enjoyed a short visit.
don and i took ann out to dinner later that evening....we went to the greek isles, and as always it was pretty tasty! ann was in town for the consecration of the new episcopal bishop of nebraska. jane and carroll were picking her up for lunch before heading to the big event, so i drove over to say good-bye again to ann, and a hello to jane and carroll.
this is a bit out of order, but thursday night we were planning to meet haley for dinner, and when i called her she said her mom and dad had just arrived! that was a lovely surprise! we enjoyed dinner and of course a long visit with david, kyla and haley. haley gets gold stars for getting to parents to join us!
then we drove to lincoln on saturday for the football game with ohio state. we had time to wander around campus which is always fun and then the game. the first half was deadly for nebraska....it ended 27 - 6. the second half wasn't much better, but then nebraska got going and the game ended 34 - 27 in our favor. an amazing turn around and a rather exhausting game to watch. lots of ups and downs and finally the win! yay! we had parked in a ramp, and the cars just were not moving, so finally we got out and on our way, but arrived back at our motel at 1:30 am. oh my.

Labels: ann, david, football, gardens, kyla and haley, leigh anne, meredith

it's been a very busy fall.....lots of time spent at the library. several local authors giving readings and of course the great decisions group. i have set up many many chairs. most of the volunteering has been basic labor! i've enjoyed both the programs and my fellow volunteers. all good things.
siena is again the star of the banned books display. her I WILL READ BANNED BOOKS t-shirts are quite a hit. nice to have some grandma bragging time. :)
we have another trip to a nebraska game and then rob and deanne's wedding in omaha before we are done with travel for awhile.

Labels: banned books, fall colors, siena

i can't believe i haven't posted since our april visit to california. it was a lovely visit by the way. we enjoyed our first seder dinner to celebrate passover. it was a delicious meal and the passover readings were very lovely. we always enjoy the silver family so much!
now it's been several months since our visit for siena's second birthday. this time she was clued in to the need to open presents with gusto and even started singing happy birthday which was very sweet. the house lisa and jean rented was perfect for a family party. the boys and siena had a blast running around in the yard and siena ran around inside with her balloons. it was a great party!
since then we have stayed around home, gardened, enjoyed the fresh vegetables from the garden, and finally started painting the yellow room a more palatable color. not done yet, but it will be.
we drove to colorado the end of august....stopped in hastings and met kari and family for dinner and then got to see the newly redecorated family room and saw the choice of surface for the counter tops....which have now been installed. then on to ft collins where we were treated to dinner at megan's and got to see griffin and meet macklin, saw aaron (briefly) and ashley as well as jack and liz of course. the next day jack drove don and i up to estes and then on up trailridge to the top....we hadn't done that in years. a real treat! then we went to the volleyball match and watched nebraska lose to csu. we did not love that, but as jack said, it probably would not hurt ne, but would give the csu program as huge boost. i tried to believe that was a good thing. :( the next day we went to jackson's the sports bar showing the nebraska football game against tn chatanooga....that turned out better and we were able to be crazy fans with rest of the red clad fans.
we drove to denver the next day and spent a couple of more days with patrick. it was great to see him and we took another drive with him....through a canyon and into boulder and around in that direction. then we headed east and north to home and a couple of days of r and r.
we have been to one game against washington and that was fun.....the next one in against ohio state and we will go a day early so i can have a day with friend prenty who will be in omaha for another event. we go back the next weekend for rob and deanne's wedding and then the game with mn the next weekend....plus the husker huddle prior to the game. the next day jack arrives to spend a week with us.....have to get the painting done before that! we have various ideas for road trips and restaurants to visit. busy fall, but really enjoyable!

Labels: colorado, football, jack and liz, kari, volleyball

we are back.....we arrived home (early!) on wednesday night and judy was our faithful taxi driver. it was good to get home, of course, but always hard to leave the family in california. david called wednesday morning and we met he and siena at aunt mary's where jewlee was working one of her shifts. :) brunch was great and siena kept us entertained....nunu joined us for a bit and jewlee too, with frequent interruptions to help other customers.
it was really a great visit....we did so many things. one thing we will NOT do again is plan a flight that arrives around midnight. there was confusion about the rental car which was finally fixed and other issues too, but we finally arrived at pat's b and b around or after 2 am. good grief. of course we did not sleep immediately and it may have been closer to 3 (make that 5 our time) when we finally nodded off. we awakened early and then got the word to meet jewlee and siena for breakfast at rick and ann's at 9:30 or earlier if we could make it. we had a cup of coffee with pat and then hoofed it to the restaurant. more later

it's hard to believe that i started this blog 5 years ago! i have fallen down on the job recently and not posted as often as i'd like. life is good. that is the really best thing happening right now.
we skyped with sarah and siena on monday night and with jewlee and siena yesterday. it was great fun to see her and have her talk with us. she told us she was going to give us hugs and kisses when she sees us....something pretty special to anticipate. :)
we leave this evening for a week in oakland so we will have lots of opportunity to enjoy the family there. i cannot wait!!

Labels: sarah, siena and jewlee, the blog is 5

some more photos from another skype call.....i do love those calls so much! it is such fun to hear siena saying so many new words. whatever anyone says, she will try to repeat it. that can be a bit scary, and we will all need to watch it in the future!

Labels: sarah and siena, talking and loving

jewlee was blowing on her face, which always makes siena giggle. it was great fun!



this was a call with siena and jewlee......siena played hide and seek with one of her toys and then grabbed jewlee's hat and had a great time with that!

Labels: jewlee and siena, jewlee's hat