Shopping with Ron

A little intermission while I put together the reception photos.





He really wanted the Bob Marley hat but I bashed the idea. Instead he bought twenty five dollar hand carved maracas.

The Wedding

Since the primary purpose of this cruise was the union of my oldest son Tad and his lovely girlfriend Missy, I suppose we should make it the premier event on the blog. But I did want to set the matrimonial stage by showing you the vessel and/or the wedding chapel.

They were married on February 25th at 4:00 pm on the ship which was docked at the Port of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Officiating was a magistrate from Minnesota. She wasn't a pastor but she looked very Scandinavian and I am sure must have had some Lutheran blood in her somewhere.

Missy with her mother, Lynn Hanson











Shelley Johnson, Missy's sister and Erik. They were the witnesses.









Mother with 75% of her boys.







A done deal!

Our Little Home Away From Home

Thought I would set the stage for the next few blog entries. This was the big boat, or more commonly referred to as "the vessel." The Carnival Valor was home for us and 3000 plus other vacationers. Forty-six were tied to the Wald - Espeseth wedding. What a mere drop in the bucket, oh excuse me, the vessel.




Ours is the last little tug. The bay at St. Thomas.



Ron checking out his resting position. It appears to works as well as it does at home.







Some of the various neighbors we had over the course of seven days.









The ship on the right is the Valor and the Disney ship is coming in for a landing. This is in Nassau



I spotted this bench on one of the upper decks. I was wondering about burial at sea?

Happy Birthday to Lainey

Grandma and Grandpa Davis are wishing you a special day as you turn TWO! We love and miss you. We also cannot wait to see your new baby brother. Love you Lainey and Happy Birthday!!

Attempting

After some attempts I was able to upload a picture. I randomly snagged this one as I was sure it wouldn't work. So now you can see a tree in Miami. I have taken 378 pictures. With more to go!

Today is wedding at 4:00 on the ship. I thought is was on the beach, shows what I know. Reception to follow and a family dinner at Scarlett's, where you have to pay. It should be good, as the "free food" is terrific.

A few sea sickness folks, just woozy from the rolling. Yesterday was windy. Last night was bachelor and bachelorettes parties. Fun but I bugged out at 11:00. Hate to break tradition for being a cheap quick drunk and home I go. Eleven pm is almost a howling all night affair for me.

Let's try one more photo. A no go, sorry.

Travel Updates

I am trying to upload pictures and it isn't going good. Connection problems keep coming up. I'll try later. Trip is good but weather has been partly cloudy and in the 70's. Still lots of sunburns showing up. Catch you later. From the big water - ML

And Away We Go

Friday the 20th and after some harsh words and tense moments we were on the road by 12:30 pm. What you could see of the road that is. We had a few inches of snow to blow around with 25 mph winds, North Dakota style. It made this destination even more enticing.

Arrived in Bismarck by 3:30 pm and went directly to Applebees. A night sleep and we were on our shuttle to the airport by 6:45 am. We were off, flying the friendly skies. But not before spotting Governor John Hoeven, who flagged me and my Nikon with a wave.



Mickey, the Mrs Gov. was with. My she is skinny. Not enough buttered lefse in her diet. We sat with his Chief of Staff, Mr. Raushenburger, (Incidentally, Governor Hoeven and Mickey flew coach, good use of our tax $$) who's Dad was from Kief. For the non locals Kief is a microscopic village about 30 miles from Velva. It is almost a Velva connection. They were all on their way to DC after arriving in Minneapolis, where all of North Dakota connects with the outside world.

Our flights were uneventful after that brush with greatness. As we are sitting on the runway waiting to blast off I captured this shot out my window. Upon close observation, in the distance, you see a row of what looks like white smoke. That is a snowplow ripping open a North Dakota snow chugged road. Do you have any idea how common that scene is this winter?



We are now resting at the Miami Airport Hilton, pretty upscale for the likes of us. Ever on the prowl for an interesting event I did spot this little runabout out our hotel window.



By the way, just because I am on vacation I don't feel the need to curb by imbibing. This is what a $10.00 Caesar's, at the Miami Hilton, looks like. I had it made with Absolute Vodka, just for you Jolene. It was tasty.

Grillwork

A few days late in my entry but I wanted to get the home front news out before "the trip of a lifetime" (for me anyway!) takes precedence. Little LULU got her braces strapped in place last Monday. The first few days were a discomfort but she is pretty much back in full swing. Pink and Orange for her color combo. Incidentally, this world of wire is costing more than the trip. She looks so grown up, or a least like a teenager now. She is eleven going on seventeen.

It also appears between the braces and the cruise we no longer can afford haircuts for the children. Oh well, such is life in the fast lane.

P.S. The first published photo with the new Nikon, what a machine!

Trips are Hard Work

Trips are hard work. I am spinning trying to get this cruise in order for just the two of us. Order being clothes, packing, suitcases has even become an issue. The children are whining because: one wants to go with, one wants to stay at a friends and the third one hasn't tune up her orchestra yet, but I am pretty sure we will hear something before we're out the door.

I have a friend coming to stay and "ride herd," that includes the pet menagerie. I wonder if she remember we have fish, along with the Bud'ster and Ella Bella Kidee. She used to live here so she is also familiar with heating system, etc. I have to condition her to the clutter. She hates clutter and we have a boat load of it these days. In a way, she will be on her own cruise - what with the boatload!!

There is also things to get accomplished at work before I go. We are due for our state survey, any day. They usually walk in on a Monday or Tuesday and proceed to "examine" the place and quality of care. It is horrendously nerve wracking, awaiting the visit and of course, after their arrival. Some years we do great, other years they find issues to be fixed. Last year we received one citation: we didn't have a something valve on a floor drain in the mechanical room. We have survived without it for 29 years - those were some harrowing times, we just didn't know it. They can visit while I am gone or at least wait until I get back. Please don't throw it on us this week.

This whine qualifies as bitching if I were hung with a new rope. I should be lucky I get to have a super vacation while my oldest son gets married. It is all how you look at it.

Never Say Never

I am still a little bit in shock that I actually did it, but I went to a tanning bed for the very first time, ever! Not one to approve of them, I still don't by the way, but I was worried about toasting up a wee bit too much on this cruise. Looking like a lobster and peeling like an onion didn't appeal to me. So, I took the plunge.

My mother would be horrified if she knew. She was anti sun the last 50 years of her life and her smooth skin was a testimonial to sun avoidance. She would come to the pool when I was a kid with bottles of suntan lotion (this was eons before sunscreen was even a whisper in the Coppertone lab) come back shortly thereafter and make me come home NOW. More often then not, she scored with her gloom and doom projections, I burned and peeled.

Later on in my big girl years she would send me hats for gardening and sitting on tractors. "Stay out of the sun" couldn't be harped on enough. I am sure she was crest fallen when Myles bought me an 80 John Deere tractor for my 25th birthday so I could work summer fallow without a cab.

I believe that too much sun is not good for anyone and shows up remarkably in later years. Even now there are people younger than I who tan year round and actually it isn't appealing. The darker they get the more odd color they take on. It ceases to look healthy, forget Sunkist. Even more odd is the spray painted look.

So I go to get a haircut and I am telling my stylist, who happens to have a tanning bed in her salon, about my concern over tanning and burning. Before I can ponder or say BURNT, I am in a tanning bed, minus my clothes. A full seven minutes. It takes longer to hard boil an egg. Seven more sessions to go and I just may have the luminescent white cooked out of me.

On a lighter note it wasn't too bad in the roaster. It might have been a blessing in disguise (forgive me mom!) but those ultra violet rays, a new hair cut and a highlight seems to have pulled out of my funk.

Back to Business

It has been almost two weeks since my mother passed away. I have been inundated with all the regular things that go on in my life, and then a few extras, all gently embedded in grief. Life does go on whether we are up for it or not.

On a realistic note, it was a blessing that she went so peacefully. There was so little quality to her life. I went every day, either after work or on my days off. We would sit, she in her wheelchair and I in her recliner (she had two recliners in her private room, but always opted for the wheelchair) We would watch Ellen and Dr. Phil. Many many times she would look at me and say, "I have no idea what they are talking about." On the weekends we would watch Turner Classic Movies. Many of the movies I would remember from years gone by or with a classic story line. One time we were watching "The Cinderella Story" with Drew Barrymore and I would preface now and then, she looked at me and asked "How do you know so much about this story?"

Many memories, but now I much march through the finalizing of her belongings, her business, her life. My brother and I have been wading through the house since Dad died, almost ready to put it on the market. So it isn't like we just started yesterday. But as I said, there is the everyday stuff that goes on: meals, laundry, bills, clutter, problems, etc. I also like to keep my hand in the pleasurable things like writing and reading. I am getting so worn out. How do people do it who have lots more to deal with then I? Maybe there is some real found truth in God only gives you what you can handle. It should read: what you can barely handle.

We leave in a few short weeks for the destination wedding of Tad and Missy. I am looking forward to it but geez, so much to get ready before we go. Time marches on and waits for no one, including me.

Bill and Evie's Family

We were all together, so after the burial and back at the church, it was time to gather the family for a group photo. As we were posing and configuring I had to comment how Grandma Espesethish I was becoming. She always made sure group shots were taken. Inevitably, we would moan and groan, but as the years passed we are glad she made sure the pictures were taken.

This picture is the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Evie and Bill.

Tom is on the far left with Billy, Carsten, me, Ron, Tad and Erik in the back row. Second row: Will, held by Nancy, Lacy, David, Elizabeth, held by Karlie, Missy, and Nicki Espeseth. In the front, all by his lonesome, is Collin Espeseth

Beau Davis Reid

While my heart is hurting, it is also bursting with joy. A new baby has entered into the world. Beau Davis Reid, son of Nicole and Robert and brother to Lainey Grace was born last night in Spokane. Go to the blog www.laineygreid.blogspot.com (or go under favorite sites "All About Lainey" on the right of this blog) to see our newest grand baby. We are so happy for them and thankful there are women like Jennifer to make this possible.

Evie

My dear sweet mother passed away yesterday, the 27th of January, about 1:15 in the afternoon. How I will miss her, but yet know she is in a better place.

She had been hospitalized last week for pneumonia and dehydration. After some aggressive antibiotics and IV fluids she responded fairly well. My brother Tom was here for the weekend and had some good time with her.

Maybe she figured her ducks were in a row now after his visit and decided it was time.

She went pretty peaceful, after a few short hours of distress. It was much to be thankful for. I have seen families wait and wait, while praying for peace.

She was ninety four and had a nice life. I will always love and miss her.

You can only have one mother
Patient, kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.

Author Unknown -
Taken from Hazel Gackle's funeral bulletin.
January 26, 2009.

Will the Kitchen Sink Be Next?

This weekend there were 165,000 purses for sale on ebay. Times must be rough, to sell your purse??? I hang on (oooh , play on words there) to them for what seems like forever. Under my bed is a Rubbermaid container full of "I might just use this one someday" purses. Today the purse count was down to 96,000.



Then I found this one of Fergie with her purse. She just married Josh Duhamel. He is from Minot. She has been spotted in the Magic City. More brush with greatness possibilities

Hello Big Sky Montana!

On MapLoco I spotted a Big Sky Montana entry. The "relations" (I love that down home folksy term for relatives) are out skiing for their annual trek to Big Sky. Myles and I use to go with, it was a wonderful time full of good memories.

It was also a brush with greatness for us. Ted Turner and Jane Fonda were (Ted is minus Jane now ya know!) spotted skiing and eating VERY close to us. Ted's home base ranch, the Flying D, is in the neighborhood. Ted and Jane sitings were quite common in those days. Jane even chatted to Sandra, my sister-in-law, at the salad bar. Now that is a Brush with Greatness.

And nothing takes us down memory lane better than the Kodak!

This where I trot off to get some memorabilia of past trips. Wrong answer. I found ONE! And this was pinned on my sewing room wall. (Most likely I found it and jabbed it up to put away - someday) Now I am thoroughly puzzled as to where the Big Sky photos are. Fifty billion pictures and I can never find the ones I want when I want. Such organization.

This is moi with Carsten,(how's that for a motherly grip??) about 4 months old, standing by Ted and Jane's Land Rover. Upon close inspection you will spot a Georgia License plate.



So much for old time photos. I did find the Big Mountain trips. So should the relations check the blog again. Hi, ski one for me, better yet, hoist one.

You don't suppose it was Ted, checking out the blog?

Deep Snow, You Betcha!

Unofficially we have had 73.5 inches of snow. That is over 6 feet. Yikes! This morning it is -22 below.

The Plot Thickens

My rotator cuff patient was on the mend and doing fairly well until he developed a blood clot in his lower calf, which radiated pain to the bottom of his foot. "Excruciating pain" was the verbiage.

So off to Minot on the 2nd, a Friday, for a sonogram to confirm the suspicions. The hospitalist put him on 325 mg Aspirin (one!) one time per day. I opted to go to work instead of going with him, which was a big mistake. Ron doesn't do information well. He hears what he wants and usually certain words bellow to the forefront. In this case it was "chest pain, difficulty breathing" but he failed to hear the words "superficial thrombophlebitis, and highly unlikely". He did not have a deep vain thrombosis (DVT) which could result in chest pain and shortness of breath. He was sure the aspirin therapy was some kind of joke, he thought he should have had more aggressive treatment than a mere aspirin!

So lucky Mare gets the weekend with someone who is sure he going to croak before sundown. I called my friend Carla, who has had three clots, she was of some comfort and help. Her last clot had traveled to her lung. She was sent home on Coumadin, which she will take it for the rest of her life. And guess what? Carla has lived to tell the story.

To make what could be a long story a little less long: he did survive the weekend, although a 30 second side pain on Sunday night was harrowing. I'm sure he would have liked the ambulance on standby - at the foot of the driveway - but knew I'd never go along with that.

So here we are today, the 12th of January, with already our 50th blizzard and/or snowstorm, (had a short one last night) or so it seems, just under our belts. Ron and I were determined to get to his appointment, which was cancelled on Friday (you guessed it - snowstorm) for the shoulder and clot. Carsten was snowed in at his friend's house 25 miles out in the sticks so I was the designated snow blower, the one to get us out of the driveway. A one armed man and a shovel, bad combo. As I am getting the snow blower going...

When what to my wondering ears should appear?

Ron has fallen down the basement steps (we have an outside stairwell in the garage that goes into the furnace room) letting out a sickening, gasping, groan. His arm in a sling and he is in a heap at the bottom of the cement stairwell. The steps had become ice covered from a thaw the day before, before the quicky blizzard. I shudder when I think of his crash, the hard ice and nothing to stop him but the wall.

He didn't want the ambulance, just me, an old EMT to get him up. The damaged sites: the elbow (the sling helped protect it) and flank. "I think I busted a few slats," he whispers in a breathy monotone.

After some assessing we went to his appointment with the orthopod. How handy after a glancing blow to the ribcage. So in we go, me marching and he hobbling. They did take a picture of the chest to look for any busted slats, to cop a phrase from the injured party. He didn't see any breakage, but said he could have a crack. His pain is awful - let's use excruciating again. In fact, on the way home he said this is worse than the shoulder ever was, and I would never make through this kind of pain. I, who carries on over a hangnail. Time to reflect: childbirth X4!

The last dazzler for the day was when I took the script down to the pharmacy - mind you back in Velva - and Dr. Scott had made it for Darvocet, which he is allergic to. So Ron had to wait for Scott's practitioner to get into the office, to order another pain med - for the slat. Finally, at 3:30 pm, Ron was able take pain meds and rest. I, on the other hand, went back to snow blowing.

Here We Go Again

We are awaiting the full blast of this week's blizzardo. Expected is about 6.3 (who decides the .3? It went from 5.9 up to 6.3) inches of snow during the night and 30 mile an hour winds tomorrow. Sounds like a recipe for more trouble.

I guess first I should be a little more clear on my jargon. A blizzard requires snow and wind of 35 miles an hour for four or more hours. We only have a winter storm in our midst. We could have gusts to 34, but only gusts. Just a winter storm.

It has been quite the winter for us. We have over 50 inches of snow. It is everywhere, and still coming down. My son Erik (who is 32 today - Happy Birthday Erik!!) said one of the guys on the township board was out to the farm today (where we used to live) and was looking around at what roads should be closed as they are too difficult to keep open. Country folks are getting into town when they can to stock up and hope it isn't too long before they get out again.

We have had exemplary employees, who live out of town, staying at the nursing home because they know they will be needed for the next day. Living in town now I no longer have snow days. I usually can get to work (up the hill) and sometimes have to pinch hit in other departments. But back in my farm days, I was always glad to get home and be home when it stormed. In 1996/97 we were stormed in for nine days. That was a long spell! Thank goodness I didn't smoke or there could have been real trouble.

Well, so much for my love of winter. It hasn't paled yet, but I am thinking about it.

A little addendum: When Erik was born it was -28 below and we had gone to Minot to stay in a motel (with my sister in law and her husband as she was due too) because a "killer blizzard" was predicted. It didn't all out blizzard (remember the specs!) but it did block the roads. I went into labor that night so it was a good move on our part. Our little nine pound Erik was born at 4:13 in the morning.

Never Give Up

I am now trying this approach. It helps if I pay close attention to directions.