We're ready for summer!

Hi everyone! As you can tell from this picture that we got a pool. Actually, little Raymond and big Raymond and Amanda (his girlfriend) are coming for a visit tommorrow, so we got the pool for the little guy to play in. We are all really excited, especially both sets of great-grandparents. It should be lots of fun. I'll make sure to let you know how it went.

Also, you guys can probably tell that Ed and I are still very healthy! Darn it!

Last week we took 4 days to take our 5th wheel travel trailer to Panguitch, Utah where we spent the last 2 summers. We are going to keep it there for the summer so the heat won't ruin it. And we hope to get up there a few times to get out of the hot weather and visit our friends . Well, got to go, I've still some cleaning up to do. Enjoy that wonderful Alaskan weather family and friends up there. Talk to you all soon, Love, Vicki & Ed

"Mary's" Tree

My Dad and his wife, Jackie were kind enough to donate a naval orange tree in Mary's name for our yard. Hopefully we will get many oranges from it in the years to come. Thanks for the sentiment you two. Love, Vicki and Ed

WHAT'S UP NOW

I know it's been awhile since I've been here, but alot has been going on. First of all, this is the new me! I still don't know if this is the job for me, but it gives me something to do and it's extra spending money to buy stuff for my favorite grandson. How do you like that clock? It was my Aunt Dot's (who passed away recently) and she gave it to me. It is from the late 1700's and has a gong that takes along time to get used to. And I mean ALONG time! The pictures I put around it are of my great and great-great relatives.

Ed's mom also passed away on March 11th. She had been failing badly and went fast, which was a blessing for her. So we have been getting all her stuff organized. Luckily it isn't much. Now officially Bently is our dog. It's like having a kid all the time. Thank God my Mom and Jack don't mind watching him now and then.

The good part is we have most of our freedom back. It seems weird sometimes and alot quieter now. Mary was very hard of hearing and always had the TV cranked up and the oxygen machine going too. .

I think that's all for now. Happy Easter Everyone! I'll try to be better. Bye, Vicki and Ed

GO CARDINALS!

I never thought I would be able to wear my Cardinals jersey without hearing derogatory comments. But guess what-me and about a million other Arizonans are all digging our jerseys out of the closet and are wearing them with pride. They finally look like the team that we thought they could be. I have to say that during the game with Philadelphia I didn't think we would win until the last play was over. I was so excited and Ed and I both had tears in our eyes when the final whistle blew. Phoenix is so jacked up. Even at work. people are wearing jerseys and cars have those goofy Cardinal flags sticking up. Win or lose, I'm very proud of the way they never gave up. So, all I can say is GO CARDINALS!

A New Haircut

I forgot to tell you all that I had my mom cut my hair the other day. It was getting so long that I never wore it down. It was almost to my knees. So I had 8 inches cut off. I don't sit on it anymore. It still goes to the middle of my butt though. Here's a picture to give you an idea. That's it for now. Bye, Vicki

Wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday

It's hard to believe it's Christmastime here in Phoenix. I sat out in the sun today and drove our dog, Bentley, to the dog park in the golf cart and felt like it was spring. I miss Alaska, especially at this time of year. Also my son and grandson. They are what makes this season special.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful time and not letting the economy get you down. At least gas is cheap now! Ed has a part time job as a janitor at two golf courses and one of the perks is free golf. So he is learning to golf and I'm psyching myself up to try it too.

Bentley, who is 10, got a squeaky toy for the first time in his life and he's obsessed with it. We have to take it away after about 15 minutes because he wants us to keep throwing it to him but he's panting like he ran a marathon. And even then he keeps looking for it everywhere.

Sounds pretty exciting huh? We're actually very content here and still looking to the future to hopefully do some traveling. From the bottom of my heart I wish everyone the best for 2009! Love to all, Vicki & Ed

My Trip To Alaska In October

I can't believe it's been since July that I've done a blog! It is really true that when you retire there's not enough time in the day to get everything finished that we plan to do each day. It has cooled down now at our home in SunCity, Arizona so we've been out in the yard doing some planting and trimming-there is ALOT of trimming!

Last month I finally got to go visit my son and grandson up in Anchorage. It had been almost a year since I'd been up there last. I had a great time and got alot of stuff organized in our home there. My brother and his wife live in our house now and they brought all their furniture. So between the two of us the 2 car garage was filled to the ceiling with boxes and a bedroom too. So Carla and I emptied half the garage and got the extra bedrooms cleaned out some and organized. I showed Carla how to build a fire in the fireplace which is a necessity as far as Carla and I were concerned!

My time with Little Raymond was wonderful. I got to have him several days and nights. We went to the movie Beverly Hills Chiquaua and we went bowling with his Dad, my son, Raymond and his girlfriend Amanda. The best part was a birthday party for my son at Chucky Cheese Pizza. My son thought it would be fun for little Ray to have some of his friends and it was a blast! I hadn't been there in 20 years and what a difference in games for the kids.

If anyone looks at this anymore, I just want to apologize for my lax in writing. I still can't believe it's been that long. I still think about you all at Village Inn and miss you. Have a fantastic Turkey Day! Much Love to all, Vicki & Ed