Grandpa..tell me bout the good old days....

Brrrrrrrrr.....what am I doing back in NY where it goes down into the 30's in May??? Next year we will be doing a lot of sightseeing in the southern states on our way back from Florida!! You can take that to the bank!!

We are having fun with our island family and friends. We were invited to Rex and Janet's (Ennis) for dinner last week, along with Brian and Patsy Parker. Lots of catching up on the winter happenings.

Janet our hostess and fabulous cook!!

Patsy and Brian....this is one of the few pictures you will see of Patsy without her infectious smile....sometimes candid pictures do not do justice!

Friday was Emma's "Grandparent's Day" at her school. Off we went across the mighty St. Lawrence at 7:45AM. Emma caught a ride with us....not too many kids ride to school the way Emma does!

Especially with such a good looking river captain, who also happens to be her Grandpa....

So we here we are at school...Emma who has a hard time being serious....

This is the serious pose I requested....I love her spirit and zest for life!

You can also see how much "Pop" is enjoying that grape juice and store bought muffin...!!!

Some Grindstone neighbors we met up with.... Dick and Chris Matthews with their granddaughter Taylor.

Grandma did get in a picture....it was taken by one of Emma's friends so it is a little blurry, but at least it's documented.

For those of you who ask us how close to Canada we are....this is the view from my office window. The island to the left is Deathdealer which is a Canadian island. The town in the background is Gananoque, Ontario. Make sure you bring your passports when you come to visit. As of June 1 they will no longer accept birth certificates.

We are all looking forward to the Memorial Day weekend. Robin will be flying in on Friday evening to spend a week with us (yippee..). Saturday is Uncle Clyde's memorial service and Monday we will be celebrating with my brother George and his family at their home in Clayton.

In my daughter's eyes.....

Finally back to the blogging. Life has not been exciting enough to record much of what is happening. We have been working, working and working. 7 months of paperwork filed, house spotless and starting to work on the gardens and beach. Salt is doing more of that than I am....it's still too cold,and muddy for me. I am spoiled after 7 months in the south!!

We have been enjoying the beautiful sunsets from our deck.

Things will be picking up over Memorial Day. When Robin called for Mother's Day, she said she had 5 days off over the holiday and was thinking about just bringing her books and coming to the island where should she could get some quiet time to study for her tests the following week. Within 2 hours she had tickets to fly in on the 23rd. Betty will be giving her some math tutoring while she is here. I'm excited, I love having the two of them together....we always have so many laughs. We have a pretty big weekend planned with Uncle Clyde's memorial service and a cookout at my brother and sister-in-law's (George and Cheryl). We are sorry to be missing Kate's graduation party in Binghamton!!!

Friday Salt and I will be attending our 4th annual "Grandparents Breakfast" with Emma. She always gets so excited about this day and I always am so glad that it means so much to her.

This is her latest project. Frank, her dad carves decoys, and he is now teaching Emma. This is her first decoy which she gave her mother for Mother's Day. She of course, had a lot of help from her dad, but is learning quickly. As everyone is encouraging her in this new pursuit, family and friends are placing orders. She now has 3 orders.

The sun is shining and there is not a ripple on the river. I'm off for a walk and then for a canoe trip!

He say, I know you know me....One thing I can tell you is you got to be free....

Grandma was able to make it home in time for Emma's art show. I LOVE her art teacher...she really lets the kids express themselves, and is so encouraging.


Here is Emma's Black and White Positive/Negative Collage for which won a first place ribbon (top).
This is her second place elephant mask....The painting was to keep with the African theme.


Here is Paige Durdon....(one of my very favorite little girls). Paige won not only first place for her sculpture, but also "Student's Choice Award".

Congratulations to both of our little budding artists!!

Emma has also been chosen to display one of her pottery pieces in the Hand Weaving Museum art show.

Salt and I have been pretty much hanging close to home just getting caught up on 7 months of absence. I am ordering new flooring and new seats for my boat so I can get it in the water and then have a bunch of appointments to attend to in town.

Jim came to the island today but we haven't seen him yet. Janet Ennis came over for coffee yesterday and since she spent the winter here on the island, it was fun catching up on all the happenings. Now that May is here the island will start getting busy. Can't wait for all my girlfriends to get back.....gonna be some good times coming soon!!

The trumpets blow and the bugles play...the circus is coming to town today....

Our last night with the kids, we took them to Norfolk to the circus. Here is Emma with her $15 snow cone. She and Rachael had to have the light up cup it came in.....I forgot how expensive the souvenirs and food is at these events!!

It was a good show and the first one for Salt. Who is sitting downstairs as I type, wondering why we came back to NY so early. I think the plan will be a couple of weeks at Myrtle Beach before we move on to VA Beach and home next year.

My all time favorite.... the elephants.....

Here we are all hooked up and ready to head out. I love being on the island for the summer, but early fall I will be OH so ready to travel again. We love this motor home and the experiences it opens up for us.We had to make a stop at the Mohegan Sun,,,,the casino at Pocono Downs. We played for about 4 hours and walked out with $14.00 more than we went in with.....for us that's a BIG win!!! Any time we don't loose, we consider it a win!!

We stopped in Owego (at the Hickories on the Susquehanna) and spent some time with the family. Here we are out to dinner with my brother Joe, his wife Rindy, three of their 3 children, Paul and Matt on either side of me and Janna left and front. Next to Janna is my niece Alice. Was so good to see everyone after a long winter.

We stopped back at their house after dinner where I got to snuggle with my girls.

Paul was supposed to have a game the night we were there but got rained out. Although we would loved to see him play, it was fun having some quality visiting time!!

We are now home on the island.....the river has been beautiful...just like glass. We have been busy trying to get everything organized. Salt came over 3 days before I did and opened the house. I stayed in town and did all the shopping and cleaning the motor home for storage. Salt is now working on the outside, hoping to get the beach area cleared this year. While I am catching up on inside work. My next task will be to try and get some perennial gardens in. Still researching what the deer won't eat!!!

Robin is doing well with her knee; she is back to work (sitting only) and will be back in school on May 4.

I miss all you guys in Florida.....I know you are all heading for home soon. I will be waiting to hear from you as to when you will be coming to the island.

Can you put some more makeup on my cheesecake....

On Thursday before we left for home we took Robin and the family to the Cheesecake Factory for her birthday dinner.

Here she shows the little Bath and Bodywork hand sanitizers that Emma bought her. I bet with this Swine Flu she will be glad she has them Emma!!

Mike doesn't look the least bit interested in anything except that big piece of Godiva chocolate cheesecake......

We promise not to embarrass you Rob.....right....wanna buy a bridge????

This was MY cheesecake....white chocolate, caramel, macadamia.....I don't need to say anymore (except NUTRISYSTEMS on the way).

Salt with Key Lime....they said it was low carb but it tasted way too good to be low carb?????

Vera Bradley....from Mike. right style, right design....Yea Mike!!

I come when the children are sleeping and hide eggs in each cranny and nook....

We celebrated Easter at the motor home. The kids all had their tents pitched so the Easter Bunny had his work cut out for him trying to make sure everyone was asleep before he left his baskets and hid the eggs.

Emma and Rachael built a bunny house....Betty and Kriston helped and wished Grandma wouldn't come up with all these great ideas and leave!!

Here they are coloring their eggs...These two are a pair!! Emma wrote a chapter in her book on her cousin Rachael and all the things they do when they come to the Island....so cute! They both are counting the days until they are out of school and Rachael can get here. Rachael is already planning a menu of all the things she wants Grandma to cook when she is here.....

Robin was sitting having her coffee, when all of a sudden she started yelling...."Oh my God...a squirrel is eating the plastic eggs." You should have seen her hobble on that bad knee when she saw he had one with money in it!! She didn't need to worry; he took a small bite out of the money and went for the chocolate. We did wake the kids up and have them go out and start hunting the eggs. It is always so much fun to watch the expressions on their faces every time they spot an egg.

Rachael was beside herself when she opened the prize egg....it had a $100.00 bill in it. The kids always look forward to see who will find it each year. They are all so good about not being disappointed if they don't get it. They know there is always next year. Besides Mike had to work so he didn't get to hunt....otherwise there may have been some pouting....ha ha....just kidding Mike!!

The moms always are happy when Grandma is on sight for holidays....Santa and the Easter Bunny always bring more when Grandma and Pop are there!!

It wasn't as warm this year as it was last year, so the kids weren't able to use the pools. They did find a lot of other activities to keep them busy. Besides miniature golf, the park had all kinds of activities planned for the entire weekend.

Rachael being serious....

Mike with a beard full of Smores...

The girls just having fun....

Since Mike was working and I was spending all my time with Robin, Salt, Betty and Kriston kept the girls busy with a trip to the Aquarium, bowling and a movie.

Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on....

After leaving Florida, we spent one night in South Carolina before heading to VA Beach. Our timing was perfect. Robin took a spill at work and ended up with some pretty serious damage to her knee. She was so distraught, as she had to take a leave of absence from school. Fortunately her surgeon found an opening and was able to get her in for arthroscopic surgery two days after we arrived. He was so sweet....he said he sure didn't want to hold her up from becoming a nurse...there is already a huge shortage!!

Betty, Emma and Kriston arrived a couple of days after we did and took over with entertaining the kids while I took Rob for her surgery and appointments at school to reschedule her next mod.

While we were at the school, I was peeking in one of the lab windows. One of the teachers came with a key and took me on a tour of the new facility. These dummies are SO cool.
This is the pregnant woman (she actually gives birth) and don't you just love the expression on her face. Obviously this was designed by a woman!!

She was totally anatomically correct, but I didn't think the pictures were blog appropriate.


The baby.....

And the $30,000 man who speaks 23 different languages. This guy is set up to perform every procedure you can think of!!

Here is Emma with one of the 7 four leaf clovers she found. I have never found one in my life and she just goes along and picks them out of nowhere! I was checking all of them out to make sure she wasn't tricking me. I guess she has more patience then I do. Emma patience??????

The girls loved the campgrounds for bike riding.

Monica, one of Robin's friends from school joined us for dinner and a campfire on the weekend.

Dave and Kriston wait patiently for Poppy's famous burgers....