Good News - Bad News

Good Sunday morning to all my family and friends. Hope you will be able to enjoy this sunny, warm Sunday in May.

The good news first. Hopefully you will be happy with my good news and remember me kindly when I relate the bad news.

You know we live sort of in the country. Of course I suppose some of the things of nature that happen to us happen to those of you in the city. But being this old Royal Oak Michigan city girl, I think of these things only happening in the country.

Well out my front window I observed a visitor in the yard. It could only be Peter chomping away. Lee has not put his garden in therefore - Peter picked the one side of the yard still in renovation and not much grass available, but he seemed content and happy to be there as you can see.

I was truly pleased to see Peter, since Lee has blamed me for the problem on the other side of the yard. We will never know who deposited eggs behind the evergreen. It seems the momma of those eggs has disappeared.

Lee says I probably scared her beyond her ability to cope. You see when I mow, I am within less than 5 inches of her nest. She has left - never to return it appears. Now 6 days later after we first observed the eggs - there isn't any mother. I keep checking. I can see behind the evergreen from the front door, and I have looked and looked. There hasn't been one goose or one duck, so I think she is gone.

I feel bad, but I didn't know she was there.

Someone suggested that I use the eggs for crafting purposes. I'm not sure about that. Anyway, I thought I would let you know the latest developments in "What's behind the Evergreen".

It's Anniversary Time!

Jay and Leanne

May memories of all you've shared

Be in your hearts today.

And may they fill the coming years,

With love that's here to stay.

Happy Anniversary

Love,

Mom and Dad

Congratulations!

All the Towle Grandchildren have had a good year and.....

School is OUT!

Let's see ..... We will now have Grandchildren in

Greenfield-Central High School

12th - Senior

Kirstin

9th - Freshman

Brendon

Cindy

Maxwell Middle School

8th Grade

Bryce

Greenfield Middle School

6th Grade

Jayde

JB Stephens Elementary School

2nd Grade

Klaudia

Eden Elementary School

1st Grade

Paige

Isabella

The Grammy has to do a little bragging today. What are Grandmother's for. Check out our newest Towle, Isabella Sue.

This beautiful little girl was 4 months old yesterday. What a charmer she is. She visited her pediatrician this week and her Daddy reports that she is 26.5" and in the 99% of height. Hmm......

Anyone who knows her Daddy, is aware he is 6'8" and played basketball in high school and college. On Izzy's website, Nathan noted "WNBA, here we come".

Love that baby!

What's behind the Evergreen?

Lee is on vacation for 2 weeks starting today. Of course I have a long list of "Honey, will you please do" things. Being a good husband, he is attempting to mark things off my list. He was out in the front yard this afternoon working in the flower beds as you can see The doorbell rang and he asked me to come outside and identify a plant for him. Or at least that is what he made it sound like I was doing. Knowing Lee as I do, I was somewhat cautious, but went out there, down the steps, around the mess (not easy for a one legged woman), just kidding. But I proceeded.

He asked "what is that behind the evergreen?" Very gently and carefully I moved the evergreen back and - Whoa - what did I find? I actually expected some sort of animal to jump out at me, but the mother of these eggs is not anywhere around the front of our house, at least not right now.

Sooo.................

We have Canadian geese and Mallard ducks in the pond across the street. Being a city girl myself, and not knowing at all what I am talking about, I said "Are they goose eggs?". Lee answered like the backwoods New Hampshire guy he is and said "duck!".

I did a little Google looking and I still think I am right? What do you think?

Happy Birthday

These birthday wishes may be

Just a tad, a smidgin' late

Bur Jason, you're always wished much

happiness,

No matter what the date!

Yesterday the 14th of May was Jason, our oldest grandson's birthday. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Jennifer, and we hope he had the very happiest of birthdays!

Burning of a House!

As the mother of a Career Firefighter, of course I always check out anything pertaining to the Fire Department.

My interest started way before I had a son who is a Firefighter. Many years ago, I worked as the secretary to the Physician for the Indianapolis Fire Department at that time. That was a very interesting job. Now to the story of "Burning a House"

This past Saturday, GFD was scheduled to burn a house in Hancock County. The owner donated the house to the Fire Department for training purposes. My Brett was one of the inside training instructors. Therefore I haaaad to go observe and get some pictures. This was the house prior to burning.



It was an interesting observation - watching my son don his fire gear and get ready to fight a fire. All 65+ lbs. of equipment on his body.

My Brett and I during one of his breaks. Christy and I took Cindy, Klaudia & Parker to watch. Joining us were a couple of school friends of the kids.

Below check out some of the pictures I took.

GFD - Training Burn

It's a Small World!

You hear that comment from time to time thru life - It's a Small World. Well yesterday my family proved that yes indeed it really is a small world. June is coming up and the end of that month will be when the local Towle Family has a Family Day at our house. I am planning to do pictures of Grandparents/Grandkids and various other groups. We are fortunate enough to have Jason (our oldest grandson) and his wife coming from Atlanta. Everyone else is here in town. Lee's brother, sister & husband will also be here - so I'm planning on a lot of fun memories.

Okay now to the small world part. I sent out a preliminary e-mail to all my kids and their spouses to let them know the plans. The one to my daughter-in-law, Lana aka - ltowle@ should have been lgtowle@ went to NH. Later on Monday I sent out another e-mail giving them some additional information. I received that second e-mail back, returned by someone named "Leslie Towle". Leslie? I said - I don't remember any Leslie Towle's. Hmmm.

Well the story expanded. Leslie lives in New Hampshire and his youngest daughter lives in Fishers, IN. He called his daughter, and asked her to check out whether there is a Towle Family Reunion they are missing that they should know about. Hmmm.

Stacy, the daughter, called Stephanie, our Nathan's wife. Stephanie told Stacy to call Nathan. She did and Nathan did his best to give them the information they were requesting. Are we related?

Leslie not satisfied with that information sent me another e-mail today giving me his Towle genealogy - his history goes back to Philip Towle in Hampton, NH in the late 1600's and asking for our history. Well it turns out we go back to the same Philip Towle in Hampton, NH in the late 1600's and yes we are related somehow, but at this time I haven't figured out exactly when and where.

What are the odds. Like I said "It is a small world". As far as I know, Leslie and his family of Towle's are not attending our Towle Family Day in June!

Planning a Scrapbook!

I have had a really fun day today. As some of you know, I made a scrapbook for my son when he ran for political office year before last. That was a very rewarding activity and I found myself hooked on scrappin'.

Somehow being hooked and being good at something doesn't always go hand in hand. I am planning a scrapbook of my granddaughter Paige regarding her recent surgery & hospital visit. With 144 plus photos to work with - I was in a panic. So I asked for help.

My friend at church, Martha Going who encouraged me regarding scrapbooking during the Derek scrapbook was good enough when I explained my problem to offer to help me. I spent the late morning and part of the afternoon at her home going through pictures - many, many, pictures - and making sense out of it all. Martha was an absolute jewel. I don't know how to thank her enough for all her help.

While Martha was sorting pictures, I was able to play with her girls. They are both sweethearts, Sarah Brooke and Ashley. Check out how sweet they both are. Thanks Martha, Sarah Brooke and Ashely. Martha had to leave for a few minutes to go pick up David. While she was gone, Ashley sh0wed me some of her smiles. This is one in the above picture.

Before I left, Sarah posed for me here on the left. Aren't they both the most beautiful girls.

Archiver's visit

I received my Mother's Day gift from Leanne, Jay and Jayde. I was very excited and absolutely stunned when Leanne & Jayde came out last weekend to give me my Mother's Day gift announcement.

Leanne wrote a poem for me announcing what my gift for Mother's Day 2008 would be.......

Happy Mother's Day!

A gift for Mother had to be found,

We looked and we looked all around.

We searched with our eyes of brown.

We couldn't find anything so our face was a frown.

Oh what could it be, what would she like?

We didn't know - a new bike?

That wouldn't work, she walked with a cast.

The perfect gift was found at last.

A letter that came in the mail to Leanne.

Yes, that's the gift, now here is the plan.

A trip to Archiver's we must go.

Yes we are we will not accept NO!

You can go there and look and look.

Hundreds of items you can buy to scrapbook.

So this is the plan, you pick the day.

Love, Leanne, Jayde and Jay!

Well today was the day and Leanne, Jayde and Kirstin took me to Archiver's on Southport Rd. What a fun, fun place. I made a free card while I was there. And I found an album, supplies for the album, and many, many embellishments to make future scrapbooking pages and cards extra special.

A bag full of treasures went home with each one of us. What fun! Now we are thinking about planning a scrapbooking day for us sometime soon!

Check out Jayde, Leanne & Kirstin! This has been a very exciting loving day for me spent with my daughter and two of my granddaughters doing something we all like very much!

We ate lunch at Steak & Shake before coming home. I had the most enjoyable morning, I don't have the right words to tell my joy. All I can say is Thank you from deep inside for all you did for me this Mother's Day,

The President's Coming - well former President....

It was my job this week to pick up my granddaughter, Jayde, at Harris Elementary. The bell rings at 2:20pm and the kids start pouring out of the building.

Word last evening was - the former President Clinton would be visiting Greenfield today. Greenfield??? I didn't know we were big enough to have a President visit us. Well, I guess whether you are Republican or Democrat, that is news.

My son being a police officer was probably going to be involved. He talked to his Dad this morning at Lee's work. Lee informed me when I picked him up that Derek told him I wouldn't be able to get near the school, I would have to walk from Michigan St. WHAT??? No problem I guess - that is only 6 blocks from the school - guess it doesn't matter that it is pouring rain on Friday afternoon. Doesn't matter either that his mother is an injured (in a cast shoe), mature (not 'old') female. The President is coming!

Well I made it to the school, saw plenty of police cars, fire trucks, ambulances (wonder why they needed those), and many, many parents & grandparents picking up children in the rain. They were pushing everyone to hurry and pick up your child and get out of Dodge - no really get out of Greenfield Middle School, Harris Elementary parking lot. Just hurry, hurry, hurry!

Well, the President made his appearance in Greenfield late this afternoon. It didn't matter to him that is is raining today - to Greenfield Middle School he came! And we all hurried to get out of the way so his motorcade could bring him to the School doorway. Wonder if there was an umbrella over him on his walk from the car to the school - some of us were not that fortunate. That's okay. The President was here!

She's home ! !

Paige came home this afternoon. Her Mom and Dad brought her home about 2:30. Her back was a little sore where her incisions were and the car ride was a tad bit rough. But she is home and all is well. Thank God she is well enough to be home. Thank you to all who prayed for our Paige. We are so grateful - thank you so much!

Here is a picture of Paige with her Daddy at one of Brendon's baseball games - pre-surgery at Riley Hospital. Before we know it she will be well enough to go to a baseball game for her brother - at Riley Park.

Paige on Wednesday Night!

Paige in the playroom on the 4th floor at Riley!

(Don't you love the way she always shows Grammy she recently

lost a tooth when she poses for my pictures of her)

Paige is progressing. In one day, she went from flat in bed to sitting up, walking (very carefully), taking a ride in a Riley wagon around the hospital to playing in the playroom that same evening. What a joy to see our girl up and around. She is making a wonderful recovery.

Her surgeon feels that she will be able to come home on Thursday (well, yeah I mean today) and we are so happy. Three days after major surgery this tough little girl is snapping back really good. Great update on a terrific little girl, Paige Elizabeth.

Paige Update!

Here is Paige on Tuesday with her surgeon, Dr. Jodi Smith

Paige is recovering well at Riley Hospital. Major surgery is just major even for a little 5 year old. But she is once again talking (almost all the time) even though her medication is making her somewhat groggy. Being Paige, she struggled to stay awake most of Tuesday afternoon and early evening.

As you can see in his picture, she is not quite half way sitting up - the goal was upright by 24 hours. She will make it there sometime Wednesday morning. There are periods of pain that overcomes her and being 5 she reacts accordingly, but thank God she is doing well and we are confident she will be back to a normal for Paige very soon. She has experienced a lot of "stuff" for a little girl and I am so proud of how well she copes.

Grammy loves you Paige. See you later today!

Sunshine Society - Greenfield-Central High School

Last fall I received a letter informing me that I had been chosen by a Sunshine Society Member as her "Ideal Woman". Wow, that was exciting. Wonder who this young lady is....gifts were exchanged between the two of us throughout the year.

I was invited to Greenfield-Central High School to find out who my Sunshine Society Member is. My final gift was ready and my poem to her written and I read the letter one more time.

The invitation told me to attend the desert banquet on

Monday, April 28th

5:30pm

Cougar Meeting Room

Greenfield-Central High School

A Sunshine Girl for me to see,

To Greenfield-Central I must flee.

I know she is so very sweet,

As special a girl as I'll ever meet.

And now the time is finally here,

My thoughts I'm keeping very clear.

I'll see my very own Sunshine Girl,

Tonight I'll meet this Special Pearl.

My Sunshine Girl was none other than my very own Kirstin Erika Renee'

Paige at Riley Hospital for Children

Paige posed for Grammy as she left to go to surgery! Whitey went with her.

Paige went in for Surgery on Monday, 4-28-08. This Grammy of hers was waaaay too tired after arriving home to let everyone know how she is doing. So this morning I can tell you all, she came through surgery and this morning is recovering at Riley Hospital.

Her surgery went well according to her physician, Dr. Smith. We are so happy that God answered our prayers for Paige and she came through the surgery successfully, and we are trusting her recovery is uneventful and soon.

We love you, Paige, GET WELL SOON!

It Rained - not literally, but enough to fix the Earthquake Damage

I guess you can tell, my foot is hurting today, so I am sitting at the computer a lot. And here I am with another post.

The kitchen light was fixed this morning. And I didn't even have to wait for actual rain. The first picture shows Lee on a ladder. My ladder at the moment of the photo is empty, since I had to play photographer as well as assistant. Aren't I wonderful, so versatile.

The second one shows a light attached to the ceiling as some lights are meant to be, not hanging from one end.

Thank you Lee - now you have made your wife so very happy.

Burnt Toast!

It is a well known fact that Lee likes his toast WELL DONE, or as he puts it High Definition. He sits with a bunch of guys at Jim Dandy on Saturday morning each week while I do weekly shopping at Walmart.


The guys have learned how Lee likes his toast. Lee has learned over the years to get his toast as done as he likes it he has to tell the waitress burned toast and then it comes to him just perfect. Burned as far as most people are concerned, but really good to Lee.

Today at Jim Dandy, a wife of one of the Saturday morning coffee guys was with him and when Lee sat down, she asked if he was the "burnt toast guy" to which Lee answered yes. She said she is glad to have a face to attach to the burnt toast. Apparently Lee is getting a reputation around town! I'm really not sure what kind of a reputation that is, but so be it.

Visitors at Grammy & Grandpa's House

A call came from our youngest son - he was coming to visit. What a treat that is. Because with Nathan comes a little girl we haven't seen for a while. Isabella and her Daddy came to see us and we were delighted to have them here.

This little girl is growing so fast and is all smiles, coos and she just turned 3 months old. What joy to have her here!

Check out the pictures of the youngest Towle!

Isabella's Visit

Grandparents Day, Eden Elementary, Greenfield

We were at Grandparents Day on Friday at Eden Elementary School for Paige. Every school has a different plan, but that makes it all so much fun. We signed in and waited for Paige in the Gym. Her other Grandparents, Kenny & Mary Gregory, Lee & I waited patiently for our little girl.

Our first stop was cookies and punch with her in the Cafeteria. Paige lost her 1st tooth this week and she was excited to show it while sitting in the Cafeteria.

After our little snack, we went back to the gym to have our picture taken with Paige. That went rather quickly and we left there to go the Library for the book fair. Anyone who has grandchildren, probably little girls more than boys, knows that the book fair is a favorite place. And girls like to shop, even if it is at the school book fair - not necessarily for books, I might add.
Paige was successful in convincing a Grandmother to buy her a black & white kitty. And that made the day. Paige was one very happy little girl.

After the book fair, we then proceeded to Paige's classroom and met Mrs. Stevens her teacher. Paige showed us around her room and showed us her picture on the wall that she had colored. When it was time for the Grandparents to leave, Paige showed us the picture of Grandma & Grandpa that she had made. We also were privileged to get a picture of Paige with her very own proof of loss of a tooth.

It was a fun day with our 5 year old Granddaughter! Paige is a sweet little girl and it is a delight to be with her.

Thank you Paige for a fun afternoon. Below are some pictures
Paige and Grammy really like!

Grandparents Day - Eden