Recovery Time

Pat has been home a little over a week now. Thank you for all of your support and being with us in the hospital. He is lucky that Mike got him there in time. The doctors were able to give him the clot busting medicine right away and his stroke did not do as much damage as it could have.
He has therapy twice a week, physical, occupational, and speech. He needs the most work on speech, his communication and discriptive skills are still weak. He is improving the weakness on his right side with motor skills.
I will try to keep you all posted on his progress, feel free to call any time.
I love you All
Sally

Heavy Snow

So today we continued to get more snow. I think we have about 8 inches. Casey called out at work which was a good idea since the van is a mile away in a parking lot. When we got up this morning the snow had a thick layer of ice on top. Very hard to walk in let alone drive in. Portland required chains on all vehicles and recomended that you just stay home.






Annie was very confused at first because she just slipped and then fell through the ice. But she got use to it by the end of the day.

She had fun chasing her ball in the snow! It would go under the ice and she would dig it out. It was great fun watching her use up some energy.

She fell asleep on the couch when she was done. She is adorable.

The news said we are still in for more snow tomorrow, so we will just have to see what happens, I think some one confused Portland, Or with Michagin.

Light Snow??

Portland/Vancouver was suppose to have light snow this morning and much heavier snow later tonight maybe 6 - 10 inches So we have postponed our Family Christmas Party until Tuesday hoping it will be better by then. Well the light snow has dumped about 4 or more inches on us I can't wait until tonight!!

Casey took the van to work today, it has studs and he was comming home around 3:00pm when he was unable to get up our hill down by the main road, so he went on down to another road and that didn't work either, so he walked the back way home about a mile. Pat and Annie met him and walked him home.



Annie remembered her jacket, did Casey?
He has at least 1/4" of snow on his head!




I think someone needs to sit by the fire with a cup of tea.




LIGHT SNOW! Tomorrow should be fun.

I hope everyone stays safe and warm.

August Happenings

August was a very hectic month. Sorry I haven't post for quite a while. Pat and April came home from China on the 13th. As I said before April had been sick and we thought it probably was the heat. However when she came home, it just didn't get better, hard to breath, pain, dizziness, nausea, exhaustion, yea, she was fun. On August 20th she called from school and it was obvious I had to take her to the Asthma Doc. She examined her and said the pollution in Beijing had damaged her lungs, the lining was inflamed and irritated so were her tubes. So she was put on a heavy duty medicine. As we were leaving the doctors office, Pat called, his Step-Father had just passed away suddenly. He and Pats mom have been together for 17 years, so he was Grandpa Knute. Good Day, Oh lets not forget that August 20th is Pats Birthday. Yea... Pat, April, and I went to Roseburg for the funeral the next week, unfortunately Casey could not leave, since he had just been home for Zacks wedding. He will be home in a couple of weeks and we will take another trip south.
For the last year and a half I have been the chairman of our churches Call Committee, to find a new pastor. It has been a very stress full and busy time. Yesterday we had a vote and issued a Call to a Pastor in Washington. So until he makes his decision my job is done.
I haven't had a chance to knit since they got home so I am hopping that now I can relax and get back to my regular routine.
Lets hope September is a little calmer.

China News

I have heard from Pat and April more this week, They went to the Great Wall, and perfomed, perfomed at Tianamen Square, and also at a Soccer match. They are doing sightseeing now, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace among other places.

April has had a very hard time physically. She just hasn't adjusted to the climate and the other factors, long walks to practice, small amounts of food. We have several Doctors that are chaparones and they and Pat have been taking good care of her. She did have to miss the perfomance at the soccer match, two students near her right before they started had to get her down from the platform and to the closest directors, one from University of Oregon and the other University of Washington, the U of W director got his doctor/ chaparone and they took her to the medical tent. He told them he was her doctor and they let him stay with her the whole time, that was very nice. Now that the practices and perfomances are done they should do better, air conditioned stores and just staying out of the heat more.

Their Hotel

Tianamen Square

The Great Wall Performance

The Great Wall

Sweater progress

I have the back of April's sweater done, and I am working on the left front. My friend Teresa from McMinville is comming for the weekend and we like to spend alot of time knitting and chatting so hopefully I will get more done before April gets home next week.

First Days

I have gotten a few e-mails from Pat and April since they arrived in China. They are 15 hours ahead of us so when I am getting up they are going to bed and visa versa. Pat will send some pictures soon probable today. The Olympic website has updated now so check them for photos and announcements. She is with the Skyview and Hockinson High Schools. www.beijing2008olympicorchestra.com

April hasn't been feeling well since she arrived. She has always been susceptible to heat exhaustion since she was very little, and we do well at getting her through it. The chaperones had her miss the first practice and Pat said she spent most of the day in bed. I hope that did it and today will be better.

I am doing good. Annie and I just do what we want and I have been watching a lot of movies. I finally saw the Star Trek-The Next Generation Movies. I also have finally gotten a chance to work on April's sweater I started, hopefully I can post my progress soon.

And They're Off!

Pat and April left yesterday. They went to Seattle to meet up with the others from the NW Delagation, about 600 The Vancouver, Wa. group will be in the Seafarers Parade tonight. Then more rehersals until they drive to Vancouver BC on Tuesday and fly to Beijing from there. They will meet with the other orchestra members from around the world I think on Wednesday of next week, altogether there are 2008 members of the official orchestra. The official website is http://www.beijing2008olympicorchestra.com/ Once they get there they will start posting. I will be getting some pictures from Pat and I will put some of them here when I get them.




Pat and April getting reading to leave.





They took 3 bus loads from Vancouver, WA up to Seattle. Vancouvers group is about 150 plus chaparones.

Zack's Wedding

We went to Roseburg this weekend to my nephew's wedding. It was a beautiful day, Colleen's dress was so amazing, it was perfect for her. The reception was held at Zack's grandparents ranch. It is very large and a great setting for a large group. It was great getting the family together.

We had a great time we took turns dancing with Zack, grandma even danced, gotta admit, that was kinda scary! Mom doesn't move that fast.

Kate and Casey were both able to make it, we were so excited. On sunday Pat drove us back to Vancouver and then took Casey up to Seattle so he could fly back to Alaska. He will be done at the end on September.

Pat and April leave on Friday to China for the Olympics. This will be a hectic week trying to get them ready to go, but they will have an amazing time. More on that later.

New Car

This weekend we bought a new car! It is a Lincoln MKX. It is very comfortable, I like it alot.

I haven't posted much because we are trying to get Pat and April ready to go to the Olympics. One of the things on the list of "To Do's" was to buy a new car. I think the van will be fine but to be on the safe side Pat wanted to do it now. I can't believe how much we need to do in 2 weeks. I know everything will get done and they will have a wonderful time. Once in a life time.

Lace Cardigan

Since the votes were tied between starting a Christmas present, or making April a summer sweater I decided to make the sweater. It is going to be a black lace cardigan. Getting started was definatly tricky, but once I got going I think I am getting the hang of it. Here is a picture of the back, there is a lace border, kinda scalloped, and then the lace pattern.

Socks

Well, I just finished my first pair of socks. I used the magic loop method of knitting 2 socks at a time with 1 long needle. I like them ok, but I know now things I will change next time. Now I have to get back to that frustrating cardigan of mine.

Pat's sister Laureen from Idaho was flying home from a visit to Roseburg on Tuesday, and had a 4 hour lay over at PDX, so April and I picked her up and we met Pat for lunch. It was nice to see her we only see her every 2 - 3 years or less so I think Pat enjoyed their visit. Hopefully it won't be so long until next time.

Memorial Day

On Monday, Pat, Casey, April, and myself, drove up to Multhnomah Falls to have breakfast in the lodge. It was a cloudy day but the falls were still very beautiful. It was nice to have Casey home even if it was for a few weeks. He left on Wednesday to fly to Alaska. So far he has enjoyed working on the train that travels through Denali. They go up from Anchorage to Fairbanks, spend the night and then return the next day. He is working as bartender on the top of a double decker train that is almost all glass. He is getting amazing veiws. We will see him again in July for the wedding.

We I got the heel flaps done on my socks. Now I have turned the heel and am working on the foot. It seems to be going well I should be done soon.

Catching up

I have'nt posted in a while so today is catch up day. April has been home from school for the last 3 weeks do to a pinchced nerve in her neck. So we have been in and out of doctors offices and helping her feel better. Casey also came home from Florida during that time, so no blogging for me.





I picked up some new yarn called Happy Feet and I am learning how to make socks. I have always wanted to so this should be fun. I am using a technique called Magic Loop Technique it is knitting 2 socks at a time using 1 long needle. It is kind of hard to get used to but I think I would be one of those who have "2nd sock syndrome" when you finish the first sock and then can't seem to knit the 2nd one. So this way they will be done at the same time.





Pat took a day off last week and we drove to Cannon Beach to spend the day. It was going to be in the 90's here in Vancouver, so we thought the beach would be perfect. Yea, good idea, it was 98 in Cannon Beach, Or. Has that ever happened? We still had a great time. Annie loved to play in the water, and I like the cute little shops they have in town. It was great to spend the day together, before Casey heads to Alaska.



We had the family over for late Mothers Day, Grandma's Birthday and Martin's too.



Cousins, Zack, Josh, Molly, Casey & April.

We were missing Kate and Molly's husband Rob and the kids were home sick



We got to meet Zack's Fiance Collen. We will all be going down for their wedding in July.

It was great geeting together with everyone. I look forward to more family things this summer.

Sweater Woes

Well I got the first sleeve done and I took it all out! Augh! I needed to make the armhole bigger and I was to aggressive on my decreases so I am just doing it over. I would rather take a while than to have it not fit right.
Since yesterday was our first day of over 70 degrees since October, Pat was out doing alot of yard work I think he has more to do today, but at least we can be outside. Annie sure enjoys playing outside in the nice weather.
April's school is going well, 7 weeks now, she is in a 3 week bread class right now, its amazing what she is bringing home. If you want bread give her a call, seriously, we have so much bread its crazy.
I will try to post more this week, pics on the sweater soon.

Time for a breath

Last Week was very exhausting more mentaly than physicaly, It seems like I was busy with volunteer stuff almost every day for the first couple and then I kinda zonked out in the middle of the week. I thought because April would be in Florida for spring break that I would have all the time in the world, no it was just the opposite. I did buy a bunch of movies last week and got to watch some of them toward the later part of the week. I bought some of John Waynes later stuff the good westerns from the late 50's to his last in 1976. You can't go wrong with a good John Wayne movie. I got out of the house on Friday and had lunch with my niece and her little ones. That was fun we need to do that more often. On to sweater news I did get a lot more done on the first sleeve it was frustating to take it out but I am plugging along and I am hoping I can get a bunch more done on it this week, I will post a update picture soon.

Weigh In Tuesday

So last week I didn't post how weigh in went. It actually wasn't too bad, however, I am getting very discuraged and decided not to go back to weight watchers for a while. I am still going to try to lose weight its just the healthy thing to do, I just need to do it at home for a while. I will still weigh in on Tuesdays just at home. So now I have to adjust to the fact that I am now dealing with a new scale. So that is my excuse this week! But next week no excusses.
About my sweater I think I need to take out the first sleeve because as I knit my stitch gauge loosened up therefor, my final inches are now differant. Frustrating but fixable. I need to figure out my new gauge and then add on stitches for that gauge.
I had my piano tunned yesterday, the man who tunes it is very talented he is blind and is amazing at what he does. He aged my piano to 1903 due to style, material, and company. He said it had been completly refurbished probably sometime in the 70's. That was exciting.

Do you remember when...

Yesterday I drove down to Salem and spent the day with my cousin Jackie. I enjoy spending time with her, we have so many memories of times long ago, and I can learn alot about my heritage from her, I have 2 large boxes of pictures from the early 1900s and she enjoys trying to figure out where it was taken and what relative it might be, she usualy knows fairly quickly. She took me to Mcleay Or. for lunch a few miles east of town, it looked like something out of the old west, very quaint and the restaurant was full of old beams and antiques. We had a great time and when we got back to her house she gave me a jar her grandfather (my great grandfather) had brought over from Scotland in the late 1800s that he kept his pipes in. I was speechless. It was very special that she wanted me to have it. It now has a home on my piano next to his journal from 1883, and his ledger from 1903. I was a beautiful day clear blue skys and I think it got up to 60!