Never Too Far From Memories of Fred

There are so many memories of Fred as I walk the grounds and hallways at St. Luke's.  So many ER visits, admissions, and discharges. I am never too far from Fred, and it's been 18 weeks since he died.

My afternoon walk was uneventful, trying to walk off the cake I ate earlier for a coworker's birthday.  As I walked by the ER entrance, I thought of the many times I drove up with Fred, not knowing exactly what was wrong but knew he needed medical help, and fast.  Then, as I approached the discharge driveway, I remember the many times pulling up, looking at him in a wheelchair as he and a transporter were waiting for me to pull up and load him in the car, and how ready he always was to get home and get the heck out of the hospital. I walked by the pharmacy, and one of our friendly techs said hi to me, and I teared up.  She knew Fred's meds by heart and I was in there sometimes 2-3 times each week picking up one of his meds. I told her of my years of memories with Fred right here at St. Luke's, where I have worked for 15 years, and years prior to me working here, also with Fred.  She listened to my hallway chat about Fred, and was so kind to me, and said to come find her anytime I needed to talk.  

I go home now to an empty house, missing Fred every night.  Missing him sitting in the kitchen, along with Rocco, waiting for me to come home.  Coming home meant talking about the day in news, and the day at work, or talking about one of the grandkids.  I now walk around the hospital campus with Fred memories flooding my heart and my mind, knowing those are only memories now.  Some good, some not so good, since the last time I talked with him, bathed him, hugged him, and kissed him was on the 3rd floor of the hospital.  I enter my work place and my home, without Fred.  He is never far from me, 18 weeks after his last breath.

Christmas 2019

My 2 favorite girls, Allee and Suzanne. 

Celebrating a snow less Christmas in Boise.  

Merry Christmas to all!

Portland Prouty's

A long weekend trip for Fred and I to visit family in Portland.  We needed to hug our niece Jaime Prouty Spooner, who is in the fight for her life battling cancer.  

Jessica and Ryan Canady hosted a family get together on Saturday evening at their home in Beaverton, and we had a fun family visit.   #familyforever

Back: Fred, Tony, Chris, and grandson Easton Spooner

Front: Vicky, Ryan, Jessica, Adeline, Lincoln, Stan, Stephanie, Chris

Downtown Boise

Great sign in beautiful downtown Boise.  I had a print made of this, and then when Scott visited from Louisiana, I took it off my wall and handed it to him to take home with him.  He packed it up and hung it the day he was home in Shreveport.
Love Boise.
Love Idaho.
#downtownboise

My Anti-Bucket List

Bucket Lists are everywhere.  Here is a list of things I'll never do.    There are some things I DO want to do but here is what comes to mind of things I DON'T want to do. 

• I Will Never Go On A Cruise.    It's not a vacation when I am stuck with 3,000 people in a small space where I can't see land.  Ick.
• I Will Never Run a Marathon.   I am happy for my daughter and my husband who have both completed many marathons.  I am good at taking pictures at the start line, and again at the finish line.  I feel great, while they are throwing up.
• I Will Never Donate Blood.   The needle is too big.  And I have a weak stomach.  But I am glad others donate.
• I Will Never Own a Bird.   Birds are too unpredictable with ugly pointed beaks.  They flap around and scare me.  If I ring your doorbell, and see a bird sitting on the back of your chair, I will run in the opposite direction.
• I Will Never Wear Pointed High Heels.   Been there, done that, and my feet still hurt.
• I Will Never Jump Out of  Plane.    My brother-in-law died in a skydiving accident.  Enough said.
• I Will Never Get a Tattoo.   I think tattoos are very artful, beautiful, and expressive BUT how I feel today about a quote, flower, or dragon may not be the same as I feel in 10 years.  I wore neon green earrings with matching socks in the 80's, and thankfully, have donated those years ago, and they are NOT a permanent part of my life now. 

I could add more later to this Anti-Bucket List as age related wisdom takes over my brain.   I am not afraid to share this and I have no fear that I won't be a whole person by making this declaration!

Popsicles and Squirt Guns

There is nothing better on a hot summer day to get the squirt guns out of the toy bucket, fill 'em up and go after each other in the shade!  I also have a freezer full of popsicles that most of the kids in the neighborhood know about so I have frequent visitors under the age of 10.   Every neighborhood needs a popsicle lady and on my block, I'm it.

The kids were running and playing, and took a break to fill the squirt guns.  I looked at their cute faces, and thought to myself, I sure these kids remember each other in 20 years, 30 years, 40 years down the road.  I grabbed my camera hoping to get a snapshot of the kids, so they would remember coming to the house to cool down with popsicles and squirt guns.

Can you tell it was nearly 105' on the day I snapped this picture? I asked the kids to pretend they were getting stung by a bee, and I had one chance to get a picture of their reactions.  It is priceless!

Giovani, Anastaysia, Mia, Aliyah, Jackson, Mason

Happy Birthday Allee!

Where, oh where, has the last 3 years gone?  Our little sunshine, Allee Maree, turns 3 today!  As I walked out of the hospital last night after work,  I remembered 3 years ago to the day as I walked in to wait for her birth.  She is a blessing, and I love this little squirt so much!

This is Allee on her 3rd birthday.....she likes the color pink...she has her first dance recital on May 18th...she goes to swimming lessons twice a week....she has thick, curly blond hair...she calls her blanket her "blanklet"....her favorite food is sausage pizza....she is a leader, but gentle......she likes chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk....she can draw a complete circle and count to 12....she wears a size 8 shoe....she likes to read at least 2 books at bed time....she rides her Balance bike with ease and enjoys the wind in her hair....she took gymnastic lessons this year and learned to tumble, jump, and giggle...Allee is left handed and left footed....she loves her dogs Tulo and Mattie, and Rocco too.....Nannie spends the night with Allee when Mommy has school and Daddy travels for work and we play, dance, eat treats, and stay up late....Allee's only living great-grandmother Betty Wood turns 88 years old this June...Allee is loved very much by her mom Suzanne, dad Jeff, brothers Rem and Griffin and all of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Happy Birthday Allee ~ we know you will rule the world, all with a big smile and a wave!

Allee - Carl Miller Park Fireplace in Mountain Home

Easter 2013. Egg Hunt on the Blue Turf & at Nannie and Papa's in MoHo

Springtime.  Grass.  Eggs . Egg Scramble.  Peeps.  Cute kids.  And, Jesus.   

It's what Easter is all about.

Florida Beaches

I see so many pictures all over the web of fabulous beaches, seasides, sunsets....and thought, wait, I have my OWN fabulous beach pictures that I want to share with the world!   Kick off your flip flops, grab a cold beverage, and enjoy my view!

Agreed

As the tide rolls away after another beautiful Florida day

Sunset looking toward Caladesi Island

Clearwater Beach Sunset

Another view...Clearwater Beach Sunset

Hibiscus and Shell at Sunset

Sunset Sail

Beach paradise in a love bench for two

Beautiful Pink Ladies

Shelly and Starfish

Pinky at Night

Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico in Dunedin

Ooops...our long walk sunk our chairs!

Pier 60 Clearwater Beach

Downtown Skyline at John's Pass

 A perfect way to end a beach day on bikes

Please leave me alone while I come out for some sun!!!

Sunset on Victoria Drive Dunedin FL

Sunset at Clearwater Beach

My own parking sign

This customized woody is cute as a bug!

Dinner at the diner in the middle of the Gulf - Rod and Reel Pier

A couple of 'mingos

Sail on..sail on...sailors

Fire Pit at the Sand Pearl, Clearwater Beach

Sand Pearl Resort shell display . . . Clearwater Beach 

I Second That

Love me a colorful beach umbrella

Sunset with the Sisters

Allee Turns 2!

"You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine, You Make Me Happy When Skies Are Gray".....


Sunshine Party and Allee Turns 2!   Allee is a bright spot in my life, and brings out so much love inside of me, and giggles, too!   Allee invited a few of her special friends, and a few of her special relatives, and we had a sunshine party in the park right behind her house!

We had tons of fun with yellow and white decorations.   Yellow, really, makes everyone smile doesn't it?  Yellow lanterns hung with ribbon from the trees, a special sunshine cake especially made by our favorite baker Sharon,  yellow cookie bars, lemon yellow cupcakes,  banana pudding cups with mini vanilla wafers and whipped cream, chocolate dipped yellow pretzels, mac and cheese bites, pulled pork sliders, watermelon, Thai salad, toddlers cups filled with grapes, cheese and a pretzel, and lemon crazy straw cups.   A big bouquet of yellow balloons lasted the entire party .... and only came loose and flew away as the last little toddler was toddling home.

My sweet granddaughter is turning 2.  Can time just....stop?

Our Sunshine.  Allee

Birthday Girl on the Slide

Yes, it's my birthday and I am going back to the slide!

Yellow Flowers...Happy

Sunshine Cake, Sunshine Pretzels, where are the cookies?

You Are My Sunshine Party!

Can we say it again...we love yellow cookie bars? 

Bubbles for the little sunshiners

Great Grandma Betty, 3 weeks shy of 87, and Allee

Allee lovin' her new kitchen, and phone from Grandpa Steve and Grandma Beth

Allee and Nannie

Dad, Allee, Mom