End of Year 2011

I Know I've been MIA for a few months now but sometimes life catches up and even runs a person over. Mac Last March on his 82nd Birthday

We've had a hectic, sometimes very sad and sometimes very happy days lately. In October, after my last post, my father-in-law, Mac that had been living with us since last April and going through cancer treatments succumbed to the desease. He was in terrible pain in the last days and weeks and declined quickly. We are very sad but yet very thankful he is no longer in pain and suffering so. My Dad, My Husband and his father Mac

It's hard to help someone when all you can do is be there and can't take the pain and desease away from them. It was also bittersweet, spending those months with him because we got to spend alot of time talking and just doing little things that created comradere and closeness. I know my husband will always treasure those moments they spent just sitting together talking about nothing in particular. This summer before he got totally down with the cancer we were able to get him out fishing on the boat twice and fishing and sitting at the little ponds near our house several times as well. I took him on several drives up into the low lying hills against the mountains around Pikes Peak and just looked at the scenery. Mac's Last Boat Ride in September

Mac at the Ponds near our house

Our dogs, both Mrytle and Mable were his buddies and watched over him constantly. It was obvious they sensed his illness and pain and worried over him. They moped at the top of the stairs watching down at the front door waiting for him to come home, after he went to the hospital the last time, for days and days. I guess we have too in our own way. Mable

Our dogs, both Mrytle and Mable were his buddies and watched over him constantly. It was obvious they sensed his illness and pain and worried over him. They moped at the top of the stairs watching down at the front door waiting for him to come home, after he went to the hospital the last time, for days and days. I guess we have too in our own way. Myrtle

Through out all of this I have been extremely aware and talked to my father-in-law about the fact that "EACH DAY IS A GIFT!" I think he embraced that and tried to do just that. He kept his positive attitude and didn't give up until the very end. He did enjoy many of the small moments every day and got to read maybe 50 or 60 books over those months that he hasn't been able to do in many years. He loved reading and I was hard put to keep him supplied but it was such a joy to see him contentedly reading and not concentrating on his situation or pain. Some of Mac's Special moments and gifted days

Most people have experienced some kind of loss among their family and friends so I know you probably have had the wistful feelings of emptiness we are feeling here. He missed all the last major holidays this year that we were looking forward to making extra special for him knowing they would probably be his last, but nothing is worth going through the extreme pain many people experience with last stages of many types of cancer, so in the end we are thankful he is free. I do hope to get back to blogging more soon but have just been regrouping and keeping things going with family and friends through the busy holiday season and our mutts too. The grandkids needed attention of course and I hope to spend more time in that arena in the new year. I hope to get out and visit each of you as I can and see what all I've missed in your lives and blogs in the last few months. Take care and God Bless!

FINALLY....I'm back.. We had our end of the season camping trip and boat rides and had a ball. We even celebrated 2 birthdays while we were there. This was my one and only camping trip for the year so I really enjoyed it.


First Evening at the Lake




First Evening at the Lake My daughter, Amber, the other camera gal Our 1 yr old Bully Dog, Mable's first boat ride! Mable stays by hubby just to be safe Our Veteran Bully Dogge Myrtle stands guard over Mable as the little one contemplates abandoning ship Had to have a fire..hotdogs and marshmellows, yummy The boys show us how it's done My brother gives marshmellow roasting lessons to three students from India who joined us for the weekend. They had never tasted never a marshmellow never mind roasting one. Tulisa gives it a try first and become proficient immediately Rama goes next and has no trouble roasting or eating the yummy treat Siva follows up a little more tentatively but enjoys his first experience quite well Girls and Boys had to come back for seconds even though the giant marshmellow were each as large as 3 of the regular sized ones. Just too much fun. One Nephew just had to charbroil his just becase he could..of course. Amber and her youngest cuddle by the fireside. What better place for a little togetherness. Take a guess...... It's the dancing moon of course... Then of course the was the birthday party... My dad turned 79 years old and Rama just turned into a young whipersnapper of a man... Uh..Oh... Rama knows something is up..... Talk about pie..oh..cake in the face.. What a sport.. (especially since it was the second time in a week that Rama got a pie or cake in the face..) Rama knows how to share too, with my brother, the culprit that is.. Dad is happy as a lark to be face cake free, which leaves more to eat, yum Bet you can't guess who that is....smile Curiosity..moss twisted it's way up this dead bush by the lake's edge...hmmm Eeek...Look what the kids found...a Trianchula (sp?) Gotta have a little excitement.. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "What goes around, comes around"...Just ask my brother, the cake instigator

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I haven't been able to post on my blog for awhile due to a gllitch in the system I guess. I have a complete blog ready but can't get it to post so I'm hoping this will go through and then maybe I'll try again. rjm

Whew..What a summer so far....