Ear update....

Last visit I said no more updates, but really, you HAVE to see this.  No more need to warn those with weak stomach's - the ear is looking quite healed.  I know it's not quite there, but I "wear" it and know how tender it still is, but the results on the front are outstanding.

 The back looks bad, but in all reality it is 1,000% better than it's been.  There are still little "lesions" but nothing horrible, and not really notice unless you are morbid and zooming WAY in like I do to see how well it's healing.  To my defense I had a VERY hard time staying out of the pool this weekend, and last weekend as well, staying out of the ocean.  Looking at this now let's me know that every time I have NOT gotten in the water it's been a good choice.

There are a very few spots that are in need of more healing time.  It's almost "normal" on the back now.  I figure in about two or three more weeks it will look as good as the front as it seems to be healing that direction - front to back.  The front looked horrible for a while, and it healed, so there is hope for the back as well.  Now if I could just not SLEEP on it.  There's the million dollar investment - someone needs to invent a way to get a molded ear protector for those having ear surgery to allow them to sleep at night and not crush their poor ears.

A Party here, A party there

Well, this was the party weekend.  I’ll add pictures when I get home tonight (if all goes well).  Sally was able to come up and share in all the festivities and I think we pure wore her out, she’s going to have to go home just to rest up from all the activity!

Friday started at 3pm with a party for Liz’s really good friend “C”.  She’s going to be moving overseas after this summer and is quite sad as they had been looking at a house in our neighborhood that was PERFECT for their family.  However, jobs and opportunity for the parents was much better overseas, so off they go at the end of the summer.  We’ll be sad to see them go!

Her birthday wish this year was to have a party at the house they had been looking at in our neighborhood. I told her mom “D” that, although she couldn’t have a party at HER house in the neighborhood, she COULD have on at mine :o) And so the party was born. We had a GREAT time and a pool full of teenagers. They are a great bunch of kids. We started out at 3pm and I finally had to call it at 10pm – they had a GREAT time!

 Lizzie and little sister M with the cake they made for C - they did an awesome job!

 Are you counting?  Yes, that is SEVENTEEN in the pool - there were two more on the sidelines (kids that is) and one of them finally made it into the pool :o)  Talk about a FULL house!!

 The grandma's hanging in the shade, or what's left of it.  We finally had to bring out the easy up and sit it over the hot tub so we could dip our feet in the cool water and enjoy the rest of the evening.

They're in school mode lining up for hot dogs and burgers :o)

I had to chase them out of the yard at 10pm.  I think that's enough since we stared at 3pm, don't you?

Saturday was Butch’s 50^th birthday party.  We had a good time and a lot of folks from the scuba club were able to make it.  The roll call was Mike, Jane and Grady, Theresa, Adam and Natalie, John and Mary Jo, Richard and Patty.  Butch’s coworker Dave and his wife.  From my work we had: Dave and Marie, Karen and Chris.  From kids and schools we had Amy and Kevin and their two kids, Debbie and George, their two kids and her mother Sue.  Neighbors Eve and Pat and their three boys and we had a whole patio full and a good time was had by all.  We started out at 7pm and the timing really couldn’t have been better as there was a good breeze coming up by that time.  Everyone seemed to have a great time and the last folks trickled out at close to midnight. 

Before - 16 years ago!

After - 2010

The horrible thing?  I brought my camera out with me to the deck, but didn’t take a picture one.  How very sad is that?  I was having way too much fun going from group to group, chatting and catching up and enjoying the night.  Bad wife, bad wife!

Sunday – we all went into napping/recuperate mode!

House Guests

Well, they are more of an interloper than a house guest!  If it weren't for the "poop on the stoop", they would be welcome to stick around for a bit! 

The first night that Butch and Liz saw these cute barn swallows was last night just about sunset and there were 8 to 10 of them hunkered down.  Liz threw open the door and growled at them.  You heard a thump, thump, thump as one or two of them hit the window in their effort to escape - poor little things!

This time I was trying to be more "gentle" with them, because as I said, I find the little critters delightful - we don't use the front door that much!

Nifty, Nifty, look who's Fifty!!

Yes, those are Rabbits in the yard... 50 in all. 

 The sign reads as follows:

That's OLD (and a lot of rabbits!)

Memorial Day Weekend

Never, never, never tell your MIL to "go fly a kite" ha!  She and I set up the kites and rather enjoyed them - they flew quite well!

 Butch and Liz went WAY out and watched for critters in the water.  He saw two sharks - one about a 4' and one about 3' - then two HUGE Southern Rays out there.  Maybe I'm glad I was stuck on shore?  Yeah, my doctors appointment on Thursday landed me stuck high and "dry" for two more weeks - drat them!!  I almost didn't even go to the beach I was so bummed I couldn't get in the water... it was too tempting to wade.  I would want to fall in ;o)

This is the first time one of ours wanted to take a friend with her to grandma's.  Lucky girl got to take Ms. S. with her on the trip - they had a BLAST!  Little girls body surfing!

 Yes, that IS Butch in there with them surfing in the shallows!

 Lizzie called in from the outer edges :o)  She enjoyed going WAY out there this time

 No, it won't say what you think when she's done... she's in LOVE with a band called SHINee (Korean Band of all things)

 For someone that got to bring a friend, she's really showing her "good" side right now, eh? 

Sigh.... 11 going on dead!

 I saw this little guy poke his head up from a distance... so I got up and went to track down his hole, just as someone went walking RIGHT through this area.  They buried his hole.  So I was standing and looking quietly when the man behind me came up and asked what I had lost... um, my mind?  I want a picture of this crab :o)  I sat down and he finally came out!

What is going to G-ma's if not Goofy Golf!  A tradition :o)  We had a good time - even if quite a few balls went OFF the course and into parking lots and neighboring holes :o)

 Grandma and Liz wanted in on the paparazzi act too!