HE IS RISEN!

We were so blessed this Easter Sunday morning

to hear some of the most beautiful music by our choir.

Kirstin our oldest granddaughter was able to attend

church with Lee and I and we were so happy to have

her there. Kirstin brought us some beautiful

spring flowers. Thank you Kirstin!

Nathan, Stephanie & Isabella visited the grandparents

on late Saturday afternoon before Easter Sunday

Derek, Lana, Brendon, Bryce and Paige visited us this

afternoon and it was great to see them.

I only have one picture to share of Grandchildren, dressed

for Easter - well the young lady was in her Easter finery and

her brothers surrounded her quite nicely.

The Grandmother to the Rescue

In my early life (and I might add - a much younger Bette's life), I was a Indianapolis Checkers Hockey fan. And before that I was loyal to the Indianapolis Racers. Does anyone I know even remember the Racers or the Checkers? I guess that is something about me I fail to tell people. Especially since my sons went in different sporting directions. You know football and basketball were the sports of choice for those Lee Towle boys. Yeah, hockey probably isn't very important (yet at the time hockey seemed vital to me).

Recently my two oldest granddaughters have found out they like,(really LIKE hockey - Indianapolis Ice type of hockey. Leanne was kind enough to inform the girls that their Gram might be someone that would take them to a hockey game sometime. Thank you, Leanne. Jay and Leanne took them one night, so I think she thought she should share the joy......

That day arrived and I attended a hockey game for the 1st time in 26+ years - just for my granddaughters. Unfortunately Cindy was unable to attend that night. But Gram took Kirstin and Lauren, her friend and we headed to the Pepsi Coliseum at the Fair Grounds to attend the hockey game. Well that was an experience! I'm still in shock that I stayed up that late, followed two teenage girls around snapping pictures for them (I didn't even know I could do that kind of stuff anymore), came home and went to bed so tired I felt like I had aged at least those 26+ years that I previously mentioned.

If you have time check out the pictures. Thankfully the grandmother was the one snapping pictures, so none were taken of this 'very old looking, extremely tired, haggard grandmother escorting these young ladies.

A Hockey Game

Bette's #1 Retiree

Back a loooong time ago, well about 14 years ago, Lee lost his eyesight. At that time Dr. Wilson said "You can no longer drive". Fortunately there were two drivers in the Towle Family (the parent Towle's, that is). Driving became Bette's job.

Everything went well for about 2 days. Then the comments started.....

1. Watch, there is a car coming out of that driveway.
2. Be careful. The road is probably a little slick.
3. You shouldn't be driving so fast.
4. Can yoooou seeee okay? It's getting dark.
5. Watch.....
6. Be careful.....
7. Watch....

On and on. It continued for about 6-8 months. There were times when I thought "Oh my goodness, will this ever become normal".

I came across a comment in a magazine about that time that somehow just fit the situation.

Warning:

"Retiree on board. Knows everything and has plenty of time to tell you all about it!"

That's my Lee! Now 14 years later we have a wonderful driving relationship. Bette does the driving and Lee occasionally gives instructions.

Lee has given me a postscript to this story. "Bette, please add to your #1 Retiree story what I want on my tombstone. 'Gone on ahead. Waiting to give you all needed instructions when you get here'."

Parker Wade

Well, those pictures of Parker's birthday have just vanished in the wind or in the outer reaches of Bette's new PC. I wanted you all to see a picture of Parker and the only one I can find is one taken with my cell phone and one with one of his big sisters, Cindy.

Parker is such a sweetie, I just had to show everyone a picture of this newly four-year-old.

Jayde is a Star Basketball Player

Jayde really likes to play basketball. She played on her regular 5th grade team for Harris Elementary School this winter. Since then she has been playing on a traveling team here in Hancock County. They travel all over central Indiana playing every week and Jayde has had a lot of fun with that.

This past weekend the championship game was held in Connersville, Indiana and Jayde's team won. Of course I am excited for our granddaughter. Click on the picture below to see some of the events from Jayde's winning game.

Way to go Jayde !! Grandpa and I are very proud of you.

Jayde - Basketball March 2008

Horse Feeding

Lee was asked by our neighbors to feed the horses while they made a trip to Tennessee. That has become Lee's extra job over the past few years. Bette feeling sorry for Lee since it is cold decided she would help him complete this job.

The pictures below tell the story of the horse feeding event of March.

Horse Feeding Duty

Happy Birthday, Parker

Today is Parker's birthday. Parker is our now 4 year old grandson. We were there when he had his cake and you can see he was a very excited little boy.

(Well, I have a confession - I had the cutest picture of Parker with Brett on his birthday - THIS COMPUTER has eaten those pictures, I guess. I cannot find them. The folder that says Parkers Birthday 2008 - is empty, at least it says empty - but, they have to be there, and I cannot find them. FRUSTRATING! So until I get new Parker pictures you will just have to take my word for it. They were good.)

Hope your day is very special, little one. Well not so very little - a big 4 years old now.

Love from Grammy B and Grandpa Lee to you Parker!

Happy Birthday, Leanne!

And then there were 3!

Another birthday celebration for the Towle's. Today is Leanne's birthday! March 6, 1967 was a great day at the Towle house!

When you were born, we were absolutely thrilled. I had my girl. We had boys who were 2 and 3, and I was excited with the birth of this little girl. You know all frills and lace and everything 'girl'. How good is that! I can tell you it is the best. I am not so sure you were always excited as a little girl for me to be using the lace and everything pink. But for Lee and I that was a wonderful day.

So many things Leanne and I have shared through the years. She was my absolute rock at the passing of my own mother. There were times during those days I wasn't sure I could make it. Thank you Lan for being there for me (forgive me for using my nickname for you, but sometimes using 'Lan' expresses what I feel in my heart).

We spent some really fun trips watching her younger brother play basketball for U of I. Thanks for those times, Leanne. Now she is raising the next generation basketball player.

Leanne then as Bette's girl and now with Jayde, her future basketball star and Jason. This was just before Jason's marriage to Jennifer in Savannah, GA.

Hope you have the very happiest of birthday's, Leanne

Love from, Mom and Dad

Computer Difficulties

For three months now, my computer has been acting STRANGE! That is the only way I know to describe it. For absolutely no reason at all, the mouse will lock up, it CLICKS very loudly and then a blue screen appears and announces (well not out loud), but in capital letters DUMPING ALL PHYSICAL MEMORY! That is distressing. And some programs refuse to work at all and it is all very frustrating.

After talking to several different people - you know those tech savvy ones - I have decided the end is coming. I just don't know when. One person said, that is not good news. One said it is getting ready to crash (when asked how soon, no response). And one told me that is the blue screen of death.

What to do!

The computer crashed 3 years ago, and I had a new hard drive installed. But the rest of the insides are 8 years old. I think I need a new computer.

I went shopping online. After finding one I thought would work, I went looking for advice on what parts to upgrade to. My son has a friend who is one of those computer types and he told me what I needed to upgrade to and what would work fine for the kind of stuff I do.

So I made my order. I tracked my new computer from El Paso, TX - Fort Worth, TX - Champaign, IL - and finally Indianapolis, IN. Well now I was getting excited. It was scheduled for Saturday delivery. So I cancelled all trips to anywhere and stayed home. I was sitting at my desk gathering up all the CD's to programs I would be installing on my new computer when out the front window I saw the FedEx truck go past our house - actually traveling quite fast. No turning up my drive at that speed. So I thought, he'll be back.

Long story short - I finally checked the tracking results:

Mar 1,2008 1:26PM Delivery exception - Customer not available...

Excuse me - how did that happen. I am not sure how that driver determined I wasn't available going by my house so fast. Where was my policeman son when I needed him. That guy needed a ticket for speeding.

I told this story to let you all know - I am tempted to tell Hewlett-Packard they have the wrong delivery service. I want "My Big Brown Opinion".