Quick Jones Visit

I had a doctor's appointment in M'boro and took the chance to hang out with the Joneses the rest of the day.  Before I came home, we went out to eat, and the boys enjoyed some Easter cookies. Always fun to be with this bunch!

G'ma's Fancy New Recliner

Betsy & Mikayla Visit. And a surprise one.

Betsy and Mikayla came to Shangri La and we had a wonderful visit with them.  While they were here, we decided to walk the Barren Fork Greenway.  Along the way, we met Keeley, Kyndal, and Kimber.  We enjoyed being with all of them on such a beautiful spring day!

A Little Rock Island Fun

Maddie, Kennedy, Jacob, & Eli spent then night with us at Little House while their mom and dad went to Chattanooga to celebrate their anniversary.  They brought pizza with them and then we had popcorn and a movie while we watched a movie.

The next morning, we had a breakfast of doughnuts and fruit, and then went for a walk along Norton Springs Rd.  It was drizzly and chilly, but still a fun adventure.

Later, we loaded up and headed to Rock Island.  We hiked the trail across from Twin Falls while the drizzle and chilliness continued.  We would have liked to have hiked farther, but the drizzle turned to rain and we headed back.

Lunch at Bino's warmed us up and filled our tummies, and we headed to Shangri La to hang out for a while before Matthew & Jenny got back.  Even with the yucky weather, we had a wonderful time!

I feel loved. Or like I'm on a guilt trip. Or both.

On March 9th, Ceseley called me.  She sounded pretty down and out - not her usual talkative, bouncy self.  It seems she misses me.  And wants me to come to her birthday party in April.  And it doesn't have anything to do with my iPad.  I almost believe her ;-)

Later, her mom sent this picture to me, with this note:

  C made this before she called you.

I think the tears pack an especially powerful punch.

Those are some mighty big tears.

I guess I'm gonna have to try to figure out a way to make her smile.

A Belated Birthday Lunch

The third round of winter fury began the night before Mom's 98th birthday.  This time it was in the form of sleet - of which, we received about an inch.  Having lunch with her on her birthday has been the routine for many years, now.  It was not to be this time.  So instead, on March 6th, Joe and I took lunch to her and had a nice visit.  I made a Chicken Pot Pie and and Angel Food Cake.  I bought a salad to go with our entree and some strawberries to go with our cake.  It was a good kick-off into her 99th year.  Whew!  That's a lot of mileage!!!

There was still quite a bit of ice in Spencer.  After we left, we went by Little House to see what things were like there.  There was less ice, for sure, and there was little wind and plenty of sunshine, so we went for a walk.  So beautiful.