Year End Recap 2022

 Here goes with the notable things that happened this year. 

Trica is living in Duluth Minnesota. 

Jen and Andy are in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.  Still teaching and they purchased another Air B & B so now they have two of them to keep them real busy....along with Sadie and Little Elvis. 

Savannah graduated from College this year and has her own Lash Extension Business and is doing great!

Maddie and her husband Brenton moved from Michigan to Grand Forks ND where Maddie is a Dental Assistant and Brenton works for Bobcat.  Hey Mikey is five years old and will turn six in 2023, he started Kindergarten last fall.  Little Miss Cee Cee is now two and will be three in 2023.   They will be joined by a baby sister due in July...another Great Granddaughter and we are thrilled.

Paige will graduate in the spring of 2023 as a Dental Hygienist..the job market looks good for her. 

Noah moved out of the busy Air B & B into his own place recently,  he is a Chemist at Simplot and enjoys his job.

Adam just graduated from Northland Technical College and moved into his own apartment yesterday. 

We are thankful for all of our  Children, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. 

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2022 was also a year when we had to say some very hard goodbyes.

My Cousin Sam's wife Kathy died at the age of 58 on March 18th.

Far Guy's sister Jan died at the age of 76 on April 21st.

Long time friend Tom died at the age of 71 on April 23rd.

Son in Law Andy's father died at the age of 68 on April 25th.

My Father Jake died at the age of 96 on December 19th.

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Not sure what 2023 has in store for us...

Far Side

2019 Year in review

2019 was a busy year. 
We had four big events.

The first was a long overdue trip to Hawaii.
We are forever thankful for our travelling companions:  Adam, Andy, Jen and Logan (a friend of the family) they made the trip much easier for us old people.  Eleven days in Hawaii where it is warm and the sun shines everyday!

The second event was ongoing for several months.  Trips to Minneapolis/St Paul to the University of Minnesota for a lung transplant evaluation.  Finally July 23, 2019 Far Guy was listed for one lung.  After a nasty fungus invaded his lungs the listing changed the first part of December to two lungs...so we wait.  Our bags are packed and we have a list of last minute things that must go along.

Our third big event was Maddie's Wedding....she is out first grand to get married.  Her husband is a really nice guy and he fits in our family quite well.

Maddie, Hey Mikey and Brenton

 
Our fourth big event was our 50th Wedding Anniversary on December 20, 2019.  Celebrated with family.

Here are the old married 50 years people

Family Updates:

Daughters

 Our oldest daughter Trica is struggling with some health problems and is unemployed at this time.  After 25 years of marriage she and her husband are in the process of a divorce. 

Trica and Maddie

Our youngest daughter Jen is still happily married and employed as is her husband Andy.  Miss Miney and Little Elvis the Shetland Sheepdogs are getting older but living a good life!

Jen and Andy in Hawaii

Grands

Savannah will be 24 in 2020.  She works several jobs and goes to school part time.  Her major is Elementary Education.  She still has her dog Chewy and a couple of cats.

Savannah

Maddie will be 22 in 2010.  She works as a Dental Assistant for a Dentist in Michigan.  She loves her job.  Her husband Brenton is employed in a machine shop.  They moved from one place to another in Michigan...so they had to re home their dogs;  Amos is now an emotional support dog in a Veteran's Home and Deacon found a home with a Veterinarian and family of children. 

 Maddie

Paige will be 21 in 2020.  She is working two jobs and going to school in Duluth Minnesota.  She will be taking the family cat Bailey back to Duluth with her.  Sadly Sigourney the Pot Bellied Pig had to be re homed... happily she found a family of pot bellied pigs to live with. 

Paige

Noah will be 21 in 2020.  He will graduate from The University of North Dakota in the spring with a degree in Chemistry. He and his girlfriend Hannah share a dog named Aphrodite

Noah and Hannah

Adam will be 19 in 2020.  In the spring he will graduate from High School.  He took a hiatus from his job as a prep cook for the Robotics season.  He is undecided about his career path. 

Adam

Our Great Grand

Hey Mikey! 

Hey Mikey will be a Big Brother this year!  Photo shamelessly stolen from his Mom's Facebook page

In other news;

Jen, Andy and Adam are hosting a foreign exchange student from Belgium.  He is a delight and will be greatly missed when he returns home. 

Jonas

Jen and Andy are building a new home in East Grand Forks Minnesota.  Andy is doing all the custom cabinetry and will be the general contractor on the construction project.  The plans are final and it should be a beautiful home that should be completed in 2020.

This year we said a final goodbye to  Far Guy's Uncle Archie and his cousin Stevie and to friends Al, Tess, Bill and to my cousins son in law Charles.

There are no pet deaths to report this year. 

We are most thankful for all of our family. 

In 2020 we look forward to the birth of our second great grandchild.  

To a lung transplant and full recovery for Far Guy.

Some changes that will make everyday life easier for us. 

Last year we spent New Year's Eve in Hawaii at a Luau.   This year we shall have a quiet evening at home...possibly I will cook a steak for supper. 

Far Side

New Year 2017 Ongoing Projects

Happy New Year!  We had a quiet evening at home. I think we must be too old to celebrate! 

I spent some time thinking of a word that I can concentrate on this year.  Nothing really stood out, until I read a something in another blog about finishing up your projects before the New Year.

Ongoing is my word for 2017.  All my projects are ongoing. Lately I have been collecting “stuff” to begin new projects without finishing old projects.   I thought about making a list…decided it was too long but then thought it might be good to refer back to next year…perhaps for a laugh.

I have five three ring binders and a whole bunch of page protectors.  I have collected items from the grands over the years…it will all be sorted and put into their own personal binder. The binders are up to date Jan 31 2017.

I will go through my photo archives and make a folder for each Grand.  I may even print some out.

Family Tree should be worked on…at least an up to date copy should be made! Five Generation Trees were made for the grands.  Generations beyond that are in progress. Copies were given to my brother Jody and my Parents.  I am waiting on information from my sister and Cousin David on Far Guys side of the family. Each branch of the family now has a folder or a three ring binder.  Feb 20 2017  Cousin Davids Info arrived March 3 for the Abbot side of the family.  It all needs to be checked for accuracy.  Cousin Verniel sent more Yliniemi/Leinonen family history and obits of family March 6.  I am still waiting for info from my sister.

I need to go through all my photo files…that may take all year.

I should get a year or two of my blogs printed into a book.  I use blurb to create the books.

Christmas Photo Cards will go into a album of some sort. Yes a three ring binder and page protectors hold all the Christmas Greetings from relatives and close friends. Completed Jan 26 2017

Christmas letters should be dealt with some way…not sure how yet…possibly I save too much “stuff.” Many were recycled the ones I kept are in page protectors and in three ring binders.  Copies were made for the grands of the letters their Mothers wrote at Christmas time.  Completed January 27 2017

Recipes…ongoing  I have been re writing some and then entering them on My IPad in a program called Recipe Book.  Jen and I have the same program so we can send recipes back and forth.

The Farm Diaries…ongoing for how many years now…four maybe five.  I will begin this years entries with November 1924.

I should wrap up my scrapbooking projects that have been ongoing for many years.  It has been so long I think Creative Memories has discontinued the size pages I was using…but I stockpiled some of those supplies too!

I make all my own cards, so some of those need to be made too. Completed a bunch of cards March 3 2017.

Find A Grave, I have photos and obits to enter.

Family Search is another of my volunteer activities…indexing.  I find it interesting.

My Wildflower Book for Eastern Becker County.  With the advent of many ways to publish small books this may be more of a possibility than I originally thought.

I started a quilt that was all hand stitched together back in 1995.  It is called Grandmothers Garden.  My Mother put a batting and a backing on it for me…now I will hand quilt it.

I have a baptismal gown project. Completed baptismal gown on Friday June 9 2017

I will crochet a blanket for the new baby that will be arriving in May. I looked at yarn the other day…pink or blue that is the question. So I bought some yarn for a scarf for me instead! Yarn purchased March 4.  Blanket completed May 25 2017 

I am crocheting a hat for myself and have my Join As You Go Granny Square Afghan to work on when ever the mood strikes me..usually while watching TV.

The pattern for the Christmas Ornament for 2017 needs to be chosen and a prototype carved. R and D is completed June 11 2017 let the carving begin! Carving and painting has been accomplished August 27 2014 for 99 ( I think) ornaments.

I have many ongoing  woodcarving projects. Trillium completed and mailed Jan 2017.  Santa completed Jan 30 2017. 10 wooden houses completed June 11 2017.

I have the stamp and the idea for next years Christmas Card…I need some more supplies for that project! Supplies purchased Jan 24 2017

I need to sell some “stuff” on Ebay…that can be a part time job in itself!

Of course there are a few projects inside the house that need to be addressed and the whole house needs a deep cleaning/decluttering before spring.

Well now that I have listed them all…I am discouraged…when will I ever find time to do everything I want? One ongoing project at a time I guess. I suppose I can come back to this post and enter the date I completed a task…I wonder how many I can accomplish this year?
Happy New Year!

One of the local roads on December 31 2016.  The ditches are full of snow and we have snow banks now…that is what happens when it snows and blows every day.

Special Occasion Photo Project Completed January 26 2017
Taxes to the Accountant March 8 2017 Taxes sent electronically March 29 2017

Hello 2016

We ushered in 2016 at home, a quiet evening just the three of us.  Spaghetti was supper with garlic cheese bread and fruit.

Earlier in the day we took down the downstairs tree.  I organized some of the ornaments into a different storage container…and parted with a few.  One was broken, a few others just needed to go into the garage sale box.  Why is it when you de decorate the tree there is always one ornament left behind that you don’t discover until everything is carted upstairs?

No this wasn’t the one left behind.  This one has it’s own box and was carefully packed away.  It was a gift from Jen to her Dad.

I have made no resolutions.  Only intentions.

I intend to add photos and obituaries to as many of our relatives as possible at Find A Grave.  I decided this was really important when I found two of my Uncles in the wrong cemetery.  Their graves have been transferred to me on Find A Grave. 

I intend to add at least five recipes a week to an app on my new I Pad that my other baby brother gave me just before Christmas.  I haven’t figured it all out yet…it is a learning process.

I intend to organize the photos on my computer and actually print some photos of the grands.
I intend to work on the old diaries from Far Guy’s Grandparents.  Last winter I left off in October of 1921.

I don’t intend to take up jogging, golfing, scuba diving, mud wrestling or sky diving.
I would like to find time to paint and draw, and lay around in a hammock in the summer breeze.

The road home last Monday just before sunset.

Thanks for reading!  Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We spent New Years Eve day running errands in town.  I sat in the car soaking up some sun with Chance for some of them.  I am feeling much better. It was great to see something different.  I have not been out of the yard since Christmas Day.

The sunshine really helped to improve my mood, and the sun felt so warm!

As you can see we have very little snow….the clouds came in again before we got back home.

We spent the evening at a wild puzzle party.

I have not made any resolutions.  I am better off sticking with intentions.  I intend to get rid of some more “stuff.”  I intend to organize some of my photos and get a few enlarged and hung up in the house where I can appreciate them. I intend to finalize the prototype of next years wood carving….two are carved…but not painted yet.  There may be other things too…who knows?  I have lots of projects I am working on, maybe too many…progress is hard to measure when you flit from one project to another.  One of these days I will make a list.

Happy New Year!  I hope you are blessed beyond measure in 2015!

Happy New Year!

We are the last of the big celebrators on New Years Eve.  We enjoyed a quiet dinner at home of lobster, smoked ribs, Far Guys famous French fries and raspberries that we picked last summer.  Yummy!

Later in the evening we walked over to my other baby brothers enjoying the balmy –19 F or –28 C.  If you bundle up and walk fast you will not freeze to death.  It was still and quiet with the snow scrunching under our feet.  Snow sounds different at different temperatures. We visited and had some snacks and walked back home.  The kids here in Minnesota go back to school Thursday.  Winter break is over.

I had some projects that kept me out of trouble.

I always sort the Christmas Cards, I try to make gift tags out of them, the letters I staple together and put in the “library” for a few weeks so Far Guy reads them all.  The photos are added to my collection.

I am not sure what I will do with them…I have years and years of them saved…along with many volumes of Christmas letters. The letters are a bit of history, births, deaths and marriages.  Some of the letters had surprises in them…a photo of a baby that made one of our friends a Grandpa for the very first time, in one other a sprig of pine so the entire letter and card smelled like the north woods.

Perhaps I need to make sure they are marked with the year and find a proper album for them. What do you do with the photos you get as Christmas Greetings?

I have put off making a list of things to do …I have also put off any thoughts of resolutions.   I have a few intentions for 2014.

Organize: Organize what I can.

Declutter:  Donate or sell some of the “stuff” that is stored away in boxes that we haven’t looked at in ten years or more. 

Two intentions…that ought to keep me busy for most of the year.

Happy New Year!  I hope your year is filled with many blessings

2012 In Review

I started a review of what I felt was important back in 2008, I have continued the same format every year.

2008 is in regular type, 2009 in BOLD, 2010 thoughts are in Red, 2011 thoughts are in blue, 2012 will be in purple.

The children are all employed, and reasonably healthy. Trica our oldest daughter still struggles with Pancreatitis. Ditto..Trica is still struggling..she might just be a tad more cranky too. She has pancreatitis from a Gall Bladder surgery years ago. Trica is on  temporary medical leave from her job as an RN.  She had a very scary episode in October which we now believe was a direct result of a prescribed medication that was taken off of the market in November.   She still struggles with Pancreatitis. Everyone still has jobs, Trica is enrolled at UND and in three years she will be a Nurse Practitioner.  She still struggles with Pancreatitis. Everyone still has jobs, Trica is still studying to become a Nurse Practitioner..she is half done. Trica still struggles with Pancreatitis.

We still struggle with Doctors and Far Guys Trigeminal Neuralgia. We are comfortable with Dr. P he seems adequate. There are no miracle cures..Trigeminal Neuralgia is a rare disorder that you must just learn to live with...easy for me to say..Far Guy is the one with continual pain. Dr. P is still taking good care of Far Guy…nothing is new with TN, it is still one of the most painful disorders known to mankind. Dr. P is still taking good care of Far Guy..no great discoveries are forthcoming to fight this rare disorder. With Dr. P’s blessing Far Guy had several steroid injections in his Trigeminal Nerve.  The results are mixed..some were not so good and made the pain worse..others took the pain away completely for six weeks.

No new Grand-babies..No divorces..a few deaths (two cousins and a very dear friend) This year five friends died.. Rhonda, Jim, Sam, Charles and Pat. Two family members, my Uncle Delbert, and my cousins fiancée. No Grandbabies ( I think the baby years are over).  Deaths we had a few..My Aunt Marie and Far Guys Aunt Esther.  No new grandbabies and no divorces. Deaths we had a few.. Aunt Violet, friends Ardith and Elsie both from Indiana and friend Tammy succumbed to breast cancer.  No Grandbabies..I guess I should really give up on this since our baby turned eleven:) Deaths..My Cousin Rosemarie and Far Guy’s Uncle Willard.

No new pets, and no pet deaths. In 2009 Madison got a new kitten that she named Ziggy. Trica found a new home for her Pomeranian Daphne or "Daffy". Daffy now gets to be the Queen of her castle and no longer has to tremble in fear and hide under the couch to escape her terrorist companion Dakota who had a stroke a number of years ago and has an ongoing thyroid problem and is just not right in the head. I miss Daffy..she loved me. When they all lived with us..she was my constant companion. Paige got a kitty that she named Skittles and Savannah got a  pitch black kitty that she named Luna.  Andy went out and got himself a Sheltie puppy who is named Little Elvis. No new pets and no pet deaths.  No New pets or pet deaths..although Dakota is not looking real good.

Biggest Adjustment..Far Guy's Trigeminal Neuralgia and how it affects our day to day life. Ditto..we must always be flexible.... it just may not be a good day, or a good week.Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

Biggest Change..Closing the Greenhouse business, a very wise decision. I miss it, but I am getting over it. Well I am way over this one..this years biggest changes..lifestyle..healthier eating..more exercise. Biggest change this year..being able to see without glasses after my cataract surgery. Biggest change this year was leaving Far Guy and Chance on their own while I went to work at the Museum…they can survive without me!  Biggest change this year..hmm..Chance and I having one day a week off while Far Guy works at the Museum..we love our day off!

Biggest Frustration.. Doctors that don't know their butt from a hole in the ground, and the phone ringing. Ditto.. and gaining weight because I quit a nasty habit..that I enjoyed..but now my metabolism is all out of whack.  For now and since July I have been an ex-smoker.  It ain't easy..it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life.  I have however curbed the desire to lick every ash tray I see..and those smokers outside freezing their skinny butts off..I envy them..perhaps I will get over that with time..old habits die hard..I began to smoke as a teenager..that was well over forty years ago.  My daughter said "Mom we would rather have you alive and healthy looking and a little fat, than dead and skinny." The phone ringing still irritates me..and now that Far Guy has a cell phone sometimes they both ring at the same time. We are still non smokers..fatter ones.. Ditto..Still non smokers..still fat too. Ditto..still non smokers..still fat too. I still hate the phone ringing and most Doctors irritate the heck out of me.

Happiest Moment..a very nostalgic Ferris Wheel Ride last August with Far Guy. Playing a little "kissy face" stopped at the top! I had to think on this for quite some time.. I had many happiest moments this year and if I had to pin it down to just one moment it would be watching Chance and Far Guy on the lake shore of Lake Superior..watching Chance run between us. The happiest moment this year: When our oldest daughter Trica woke up after being unconscious for more than 24 hours..and she knew who we were. The happiest moment this year was finding out that Far Guy made the Emergency Life Flight to Fargo alive and that he had no Heart blockages..he had treatable pericarditis.  The happiest moments this year were spent with the Grands..at Guitar Concerts, Hockey Games and out on the lake.

2012 Notes:  Chance is in good health, he takes a baby aspirin every day to help with his stiff joints.  He is as spoiled as ever…and rarely is left alone.   I am not sure who is most forgetful Far Guy or Chance.  Chance feigns forgetfulness every evening after his first treat..and more often than not Far Guy forgets and gives him a second treat.  They are quite a pair.

Happy New Year’s Eve..stay safe..use a designated driver or call for a ride..or  don’t drink alcohol..have a soda instead! :)

2010 In Review

2008 in in regular type, 2009 in BOLD and 2010 thoughts are in Red.

The children are all employed, and reasonably healthy. Trica our oldest daughter still struggles with Pancreatitis. Ditto..Trica is still struggling..she might just be a tad more cranky too. She has pancreatitis from a Gall Bladder surgery years ago. Trica is on a temporary medical leave from her job as an RN.  She had a very scary episode in October which we now believe was a direct result of a prescribed medication that was taken off of the market in November.   She still struggles with Pancreatitis.

We still struggle with Doctors and Far Guys Trigeminal Neuralgia. We are comfortable with Dr. P. he seems adequate. There are no miracle cures..Trigeminal Neuralgia is a rare disorder that you must just learn to live with...easy for me to say..Far Guy is the one with continual pain. Dr P. is still taking good care of Far Guy…nothing is new with TN, it is still one of the most painful disorders known to mankind.  

No new Grand-babies..No divorces..a few deaths (two cousins and a very dear friend) This year five friends died.. Rhonda, Jim, Sam, Charles and Pat. Two family members, my Uncle Delbert, and my cousins fiancée. No Grandbabies ( I think the baby years are over).  Deaths we had a few..My Aunt Marie and Far Guys Aunt Esther.

 

No new pets, and no pet deaths. In 2009 Madison got a new kitten that she named Ziggy. Trica found a new home for her Pomeranian Daphne or "Daffy". Daffy now gets to be the Queen of her castle and no longer has to tremble in fear and hide under the couch to escape her terrorist companion Dakota who had a stroke a number of years ago and has an ongoing thyroid problem and is just not right in the head. I miss Daffy..she loved me. When they all lived with us..she was my constant companion. Paige got a kitty that she named Skittles and Savannah got a  pitch black kitty that she named Luna.  Andy went out and got himself a Sheltie puppy who is named Little Elvis.

Little Elvis                            Skittles

 

Luna and Savannah

Biggest Adjustment..Far Guy's Trigeminal Neuralgia and how it affects our day to day life. Ditto..we must always be flexible.... it just may not be a good day, or a good week. Ditto

Biggest Change..Closing the Greenhouse business, a very wise decision. I miss it, but I am getting over it. Well I am way over this one..this years biggest changes..lifestyle..healthier eating..more exercise. Biggest change this year..being able to see without glasses after my cataract surgery.

Biggest Frustration.. Doctors that don't know their butt from a hole in the ground, and the phone ringing. Ditto.. and gaining weight because I quit a nasty habit..that I enjoyed..but now my metabolism is all out of whack.  For now and since July I have been an ex-smoker.  It ain't easy..it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life.  I have however curbed the desire to lick every ash tray I see..and those smokers outside freezing their skinny butts off..I envy them..perhaps I will get over that with time..old habits die hard..I began to smoke as a teenager..that was well over forty years ago.  My daughter said "Mom we would rather have you alive and healthy looking and a little fat, than dead and skinny." The phone ringing still irritates me..and now that Far Guy has a cell phone sometimes they both ring at the same time.  We are still non smokers..fatter ones..

Happiest Moment..a very nostalgic Ferris Wheel Ride last August with Far Guy. Playing a little "kissy face" stopped at the top! I had to think on this for quite some time.. I had many happiest moments this year and if I had to pin it down to just one moment it would be watching Chance and Far Guy on the lake shore of Lake Superior..watching Chance run between us. The happiest moment this year: When our oldest daughter Trica woke up after being unconscious for more than 24 hours..and she knew who we were.

2010 was a good year, it had it’s ups and downs.  Together we make it through each day..helping and leaning on each other. We try to find some humor everyday.

Happy New Year! :)

Today we are having a short lull in-between blizzards..we are staying home and safe and warm inside. I am going to venture out for some photos..that I will share with you tomorrow.

New Year Arrives

We had a quiet evening at home. We watched the New Year begin, some big ball dropped someplace..New Orleans maybe. I was in the tub, playing splash the water at Chance, I can see the television while soaking my weary body in the tub. Chance loves it when I splash water at him..he smiles! He is my faithful companion every night and waits for me to get out of the tub so he can lick the water from my toes. When I say "Thank you Chance, you did a great job! " He quits..I am rather ticklish. Far Guy hollered "Happy New Year Honey!" Thus began our New Year.

Years ago we used to go out, we are too old for that stuff anymore. The best New Year Eves that I can recall were when our girls were almost teens and we would go to the Church for the evening, and play board and card games with other young families. A safe place to share some fun and we would all be safely home before midnight. For a number of years I was stuck working every New Years Eve, Far Guy would be at home with the girls and I would be stuck with the crowd that thought the only reasonable way to usher in the New Year was with a drink in one hand, at a Black Jack table. After the Bar closed, I would have to take my totally sober working self through the streets of Fargo and Moorhead watching for drunk drivers. So I guess you could say we have run the gauntlet of New Years Eve Celebrations..I prefer the quiet evenings at home.

There were some fireworks out here in the boonies. Shortly before midnight they could be seen. Scared the crap out of Chance, it must have been some idiot down on the lake or maybe my nephew.

Rumor has it that it was 35 below zero in these parts yesterday morning..I can only verify that our thermometer showed 25 below. Colder than a witches titty on the shady side of an iceberg:)