Happy Birthday, Judy!

This is your gift to have some place to talk to the Johanson family.   Ron is the one who really wants to write here so he will be posting also.   I really have nothing to say like all the other wordy family members.   But I do like to be in the know and not be the last person who ever knows some thing pertaining to the family members.

The Lind group baked cookies yesterday and Barb asked why we didn't stop by and see her.  I explained that it was the same reason why we didn't stop and see Sandra.   No one was home at either place.  I can't remember what day it was but I think it was a Monday?  Barb and Ken go to the cemetery and maintain the grave sites so they aren't all covered with weeds.  I think he also takes along some of the men who work for him to help with the cleanup.  That is very nice I'd say as some graves were getting covered with weeds.

Jill put lots of photos of our Medford trip on line.  Have you seen them?  Where are you planning to go next?   I mean before you go to Botswana.  Claire and I are going to the Chiwawa river to see Uncle Ron.  I'm not sure what we will do there but it will be very little but listen to Ron and watch Joey do his tricks.

I hear many positive comments about your hair color.   Too bad you didn't try the original color first and saved yourself all the cost and time of dyeing your hair.   Your life will be much easier now I'm sure.

Write and tell me all about your 71st birthday party.

Memorial Day Reunion

I can't remember whether it year 44 or what but it has been a long time.  I talked to your sister today and Leslie cut us short so we can get ready to be there early and visit then.  Leslie is our leader and she loves to be in charge I believe.

We have so many activities planned this year.  Miles will do hip hop for us when we play the right songs.  The twins love sports so they will be happy with any kind of ball.  I think Leslie is taking over your nature activities as she mentioned pond water and magnifying glasses.  Nancy is into the gasoline powered airplanes so that will give everyone plenty to do just getting them started.  And the PA system is just what we needed to keep all the loud folks happy.

So I want you to feel lucky that you aren't missing much.  We will send photos.  I should mention that I'm taking the photos of our trip many years ago to Cinque Terre.   Pat and Jill are planning a trip there in the fall.  It will be very different with none of you older folks there.  I'm not including me since I am now the oldest.  Maybe I can get out of the scheduled chores this year. 

Are you driving now and still being careful with the jumping up, down and over?   

Aide to Non-Ambulatory Patient

This is what I hoped you would ask me to be but when you neglected to mention your upcoming surgery you left out your family.  I’m slowly getting over it.  Luckily Ron did not spare us a single detail of his muscle replacement so I hurried and asked if he needed a caregiver.  It turns out Jill was ready to leave and Ronna ready to arrive leaving the patient with only a few hours of independence.  It seemed like a proper time for me to volunteer especially since he won’t be at Memorial Day retelling the surgery. 

It is finally Spring here now after weeks of rainy cold.   The grandsons have been in soccer and today is the last day.   It gives me a purpose for Saturday in the morning.  We went fishing last Saturday.   The small lake was stocked with trout so it was only a matter of puting in the line and a fish was on.  This started the fish problem, first by figuring out how to take the hook out, where to put the fish, and then baiting the hook to catch two more allowed for each boy.  It didn’t take long to get the limit and then the exciting part was bringing them home and cooking them.  The boys liked the heads on and were eager to eat the tail since the internet said it was the best part.  This is Lucas taking a very, very small taste. 

Nancy says we need gas powered airplanes for each boy and girl at MD.  I haven’t worked that out yet but I suppose I will.  I hope someone will help John get them all going.  We also hope to get a few more activities, perhaps the Bounce Castle, and maybe sculpting bars of soap with jack knives.   That is a child’s suggestion. 

Have you looked at Shizuo’s site lately?   They had a big clean up day and must be getting ready for a wedding next month.  Jasmina posted photos of our Kenya trip on FB.  It seems years ago but it was a great trip. 

Can you bend to 90 degrees yet?  I hear you are walking all over town.  Good going!

No Memorial Day For Judy

We will miss you this year. Are you sure you won’t be able to rent an electric wheel chair like Ron? He thinks that will work for him. You can get wheeled off and on the plane. I just wonder how long it will take to completely be independently walking. It will be strange without you there.

Nancy and I had a good time when she flew to Spokane for Rachel’s sixteenth birthday. You know it wasn’t really to visit me. Rachel was here for a volleyball tournament and she played all day on Sunday. We caught most of her games in between touring homes here in case Brett wants to move, checking Diana’s new home location and Charlie and Katie’s farms near Rockford. It was such fun. John took us on a tour of his property so we could see the trees they’ve planted, the well they pump, and the ditches he was digging. He looked like he was really having fun but I could only see work, work, work and then the beautiful mountains and prairies in the distance.

We looked at photos but no one wants any and they are all too small anyway. We also looked at old jewelry that Nancy says are collector’s items according to her friend who loves old pins, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Nancy took one or two of Grandma’s old pins to see if they were perhaps valuable. Who knew someone would actually want old jewelry. Miles loves the old jewelry as he thinks it's valuable like the pirates seek. We’ll see.

Claire, Nancy and I went to the Interplayers Theater in honor of Lucille and Nels who never missed a play there. We saw An Infinite Ache which was so good. Perhaps you had seen it a few years ago. It was so well done with only two actors.

Mostly, of course, we spent every waking hour talking, laughing and trying to remember things. When we left John’s property we tried to think of his daughter’s name. I remembered Jake but we couldn’t think of McKenna or Finley. It takes two or more old brains to make one fact-finding brain these days. It also means we need to see them more often.

It is cold and rainy here today. My pool is under a dome waiting for the pool paint to cure for a few more days. Warm weather would be good for it. The lone painter almost has the entire outside of the house painted now and if it ever stops raining he can finish the garage. Nancy was good help with matching paint colors. She and Larry are on their way to Palm Springs now that the taxes are completed.

I know you are remembering no 90 degree bends and careful stepping up the stairs. It looks like a long recovery if you are to do it correctly. You don’t want to follow in Ron’s path.

Bar None

Here is a sample of the bar cookies I got to take home and eat after sitting through 3 hours of a baking demonstration. We also ate plenty of cookies there but the intent was to go and learn how to make the delicious desserts so we could bake them for our guests. It took me only 30 minutes of the class to realize that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. No, not really I paid good money to sit there and listen to how to mix and bake the bar cookies. I blame Connie and Mary for getting me into the class in the first place. You'd think by the time I get this age I would know better.

It is snowing like crazy here today. Big flakes are coming down. Down onto the swimming pool which is covered by a large air house that has now fallen into the pool under the weight of the snow. The pool service man was certain it would be warm enough to repair the fiberglass surface before the pool needs to be filled.

You have caused an international alarm due to your recent surgery. I thought it was so nice of Shizuo to write from Japan. And Uncle Ron's message to you was very thoughtful also. So I'm sure that will make a difference in how you enter surgery the next time. Will the second hip replacement be next? Oh, that's right, you won't tell us until it's over.

Last week I was at Peyton and Walker's for a few days. They are doing well in school and are crazy about baseball and football. They keep mentioning teams and scores to me and I have no idea. We even went to church on Palm Sunday and it wasn't just for the Egg Hunt. I hope it helps. Here are the boys with the girls next door.


Your sister will be here next week. Your ears might be burning. We will save your old photos for Leslie. Be careful on the stairs.

Bad to the Bone

That’s what happened when you allowed someone to cut your hip bone into two sections. I assume you also added some artificial bone in the hopes that you could end your suffering. You must have been in excruciating pain to want this to take place. Did you get a second opinion also? Mostly I’m not happy that you didn’t allow anyone to assist you in your recuperation. I guess you were afraid we would be eager to be your nurse and you hate to be dependent on anyone. I do know how to wait on people however but it might be tough after a week or so.

We are continuing with winter here. It snowed and rained all day today much like all the past days. Claire and I take Miles to gymnastics on Monday and hip hop on Wednesday. We have good times talking and then taking Miles to dinner anywhere he selects. We get a break next week as it will be Spring Vacation. I got invited to go to Portland for a few days with Brett’s family so if the Whistling Pig is in the harbor we may try to get a meal there.

Saturday I met Charlie, Missy and boys at a huge wrestling tournament just a block from my house. Lucas and Miles went along and we all enjoyed the sports event with little boys and girls wrestling all over and receiving medals for winning. We stayed an hour or so and actually missed Taylor and Colton’s matches but we didn’t miss Charlie joking and poking and hassling all the little boys. Miles and Lucas think he is very funny. Charlie now has a tractor for clearing his rural property so he can begin building a house one day. And it won’t be all that far from Diana and Jim’s home which they will soon begin building.

Nancy has an airline ticket to Spokane so I am actually counting on her being here the second week of April. It seems Rachel has a volley ball tournament in Spokane so that is her grandma’s real reason for being here. Hey, that’s fine with me as she’ll stay at my house and we will go though old photographs. Shall we throw that one out with you topless on the beach in Nice?

I’m sure you will be happy if all of them get thrown away. I hate to phone you in case you’re busy. Be careful and don’t fall down the stairs. And remember to do your exercises.

New Floors

It only starts with different flooring but then it eventually involves painting a few rooms to match the trim on the floors. It’s complicated but mainly just means the bedrooms are full of furniture and there is no walking on the floors. Anyway I stayed outside for an hour or so today as the sun is shining and Spring is on it’s way.

Ron knows what is wrong with his hip now but he doesn’t know which doctor can fix it. Apparently it is a new procedure and he was told to head to the Mayo Clinic. He really can’t go too many places until Joey stops being carsick. He’s tried Peptid AC and some health food potion which tend to keep Joey well for part of his car ride but before it’s over he starts vomiting.

Betty is anxious to meet Joey so as soon as he gets well Ron has a plan to drop him off at Betty’s house. He’d hate that really because he’s found that all the girls stop him on the street so they can pet Joey. He’s a real babe magnet.

Diana and Jim are seriously looking to build a new home in the Spokane area. I am very excited to think they might be here when they sell their house in Kennewick. We had a phone visit this morning and everyone seems to be doing fine in the Taylor-Wells families. Go to YouTube and search for Taylor and Colton Wells so you can see their recent wrestling match and hear their grandpa yelling, "Good job1"

It will soon be time to start thinking of Memorial Day. I hope you’ll organize the walk in the creek as you know the habitat and can keep the kids in line. Just don’t be so hard on Lucas. We need t-shirts and the bounce castle. What else?