A little Ancestry

Frank and Elizabeth (Grandparents to Colleen) wedding picture. Theolinda Elizabeth (mother) , this is her high school graduation picture. Colleen Catherine, US Army AirForce. Met and married, John Wilbur Hughes in 1949 - introduced by their friends Glad and Walt Liebig.

Not much to report from last week... pretty quiet after the big birthday gathering. An appointment at the lab for some blood tests on Wed... called Dr. today to find out results - he said calcium levels have normalized (I guess that is a good thing) we have a followup lab work on 4/8 with a check up scheduled. no more infusions at this time. Quiet weekend, gathering strength for Kristen's wedding weekend April 3rd. The Cruz Cleaning Crew, Maria and her husband in on Wed to give the house a good cleaning after the Party. Mom spent a few hours in the "parlor" looking thru all the collages. See her plate collection above the window. Oh yeah, finished the Jig Saw we started last Sunday.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ah, the corn beef is cooking, she's wearing her green, she's erin go "bra less" and she's raising her toast to you all ...
"Here's to it and from it and to it again, if you ever get to it, and don't do it, you'll never get to it, to do it again.... SO LET'S DO IT!!!!"

Happy 87th Birthday!

What a wonderful and memorable 87th year celebration…. Mom received so many phone calls and card from everyone during the week. She sure loves the attention. We topped off the week with two day casual drop in open house. All the friends, neighbors and relatives in the area stopped by to wish her a happy birthday and just sit and visit – there were over 25 people. She has always loved to have the house full of people. There was so much laughter and chatting and eating and laughter and jig saw puzzling and laughter and birthday cake eating and laughter… it was so good for her spirit and ours. She was a little pooped out by Sunday afternoon, but we are so grateful you all could be with her to share a special moment or remembrance. If you missed it, just give us a call and we can set up a special audience for you! Ha – so sayith the Queen! I have created a beautiful photo book for her to keep of all the pictures we created that day… I will keep the scissors away from her, else they end up in a collage!.

Making Lasting Memories

Road Trip... Mom in the passenger seat with her Coffee and "Sweet'nLow" , she will be alert and help with the navigation as always, pointing out all the familiar sites and landmarks as we head down to Kristen's wedding shower this weekend (March 7). I plug in my traveling music, Bob Seger's greatest hits on the Ipod so as not to disturb Mitch in the back seat, who is already back to sleep, head back and mouth wide open. We have all made this trip so many times in the past, but this trip I'm making many mental notes so I can keep them fresh for the blog. You have to love the California freeways ... we're doing 75 in the fast lane of 280 which posts a 65 MPH limit and I have to increase our speed just to merge into one of the slower lanes and then take up a slower pace. This is Jones's maiden trip and he settles in nicely for a quiet ride once he gets to make a quick roadside stop on 152. We arrive at the shower thrown by Joanna and Heather right on time and mom gets the queen's chair and remains there the entire day where she has a birds eye view of every event. We all pay homage to the tower of cupcakes that Joanna and Christine created the night before and the shower starts off with a comfortable introduction and story telling session as to how we all know Kristen. Linda, Kristen's future mother in law, gives her a blessing knowing that Jason is a high maintence kind of guy and Auntie Janice chimes in with "Kristen has had lots of practice with her brother Michael, so she will be able to handle that". The shower was so well planned with laughter, chatting, games, lunch and presents - all done according to the "agenda" and Joanna and Heather made it look effortless and everyone had a great time. I'm so thrilled that CC had the energy to enjoy every minute. Gary, Allen and Mitch headed to the Casino and buffet for lunch... all came back with full tummy's and Gary and Allen with a full wallet, Mitch came back with pride in tact but no big win!. And to top it all , after the shower Gary and Joanna made a "delicious paella" for us Saturday night.

Mom enjoyed a video Joanna had taken in 1990 of Granny Hill making pies in their kitchen. She watched it three times. Joanna will keep the pie tradition alive, but Allen and Chris brought down the last of the "Apple Hill" pies to share for desert, which was very tastey, but not like Granny's.

Sunday's ride home. Mom comments on all the green - this trip is so beautiful in the spring especially ... miles of blooming orchards, the green rolling hills speckled with cattle, the meadows of yellow sourgrass being manicured by sheep, fields of artichokes and grapevines and as we approach Gilroy, the aromatic smells from the garlic fields. As we pass Magdalena turnoff, she pipe in "oh we'll have to give Glady a call and let her know we made it home safely, she'll be worried". ( she says this on every trip, like clockwork!). All the while mom is counting the motorcycles she sees on the trip, she calls out 18 as we round the corner to head up Crespi Drive... I said what about all the Hells Angels we came across in Los Banos!... "Oh there was too many of them... they didn't get counted. " !

Candi Visit

Candi dropped in to visit Friday afternoon after her Rite Aid trip. We watched "American Idol" together .

CC going to Coarsegold on Saturday just a quick overnight trip to attend Kristen's wedding shower. More pictures to follow.

The Caregivers...

Here is CC at the VA clinic last Wednesday getting her infusion (every 3 weeks) to help keep the calcium levels in check. She loves coming in - not for the infusion, but to see her friends at the oncology clinic and let them see her happy self, rather then that "lousy feeling Colleen" when she was going thru the Chemo treatments.

Above is George, Debra and Judi - with CC , they are great people and so caring - CC is so greatful to have them on her team. We missed her other favorite Deborah AKA "George" but hopefully we can get a snap of her next visit.

Below is Mary Kay, she is a hospice nurse and has been coming in weekly to make sure CC is feeling good and keeping a good attitude! That really helps.

Rosalie has been helping CC since September, thru all the hard months of Chemo. She was with her sometimes every day, but now she comes just two times a week since CC is more herself. Thank you Rosalie, for everything you do!.

March 1, 2009

Happy Birthday Dennis.... mom's first phone call today.

Then we entertained Glady Rose and Kathy who came up from Santa Cruz on this stormy wet dreary day, but their presence made the day brighter by sharing stories, and pictures and going thru some old Princeville memoriabilia.

Glad brought her a birthday card... "You and I, we go way back, we've shared a lot together-so many happy times and tears, so many thoughts and dreams - Many friendships come and go throughout one's life, and yet ours has always changed and grown and gotten stronger -- And I just wanted you to know, especially on your birthday, how much that means to me... how very glad I am to have such a good friend in you. " It was so very special to see these long time friends together again and now mom is taking her nap, the one she told Glady "oh I never nap during the day!"

February 28, 2009

We had some great phone calls from long time friends this week Joan G. from Pacifica Boat Club days, called in from Idaho so was great to catch up... and Mary Ellen W., mom's cousin from Washington called and they had a nice visit. And of course all the regulars call in on schedule. Mom loves to hear from everyone and is so happy with all the attention... I think she forgets why some times but that is ok as long as she is feeling good and not in pain, then it helps with her positve attitude and cheery disposition (as always).
We are looking forward to a visit on Sunday from Glady Rose and her daughter Kathy. I cooked up my vegetable strata for a late brunch provided we have good weather.! keeping our fingers crossed.

Mitchell had the day off today (saturday) - he is so great to stick around the house all week while I am at work, he keeps a close eye on mom. I'm so pleased when he has a chance to get away with friends. Robert and Reed G. took him to SF today to see the tall ships and spend some time at the maritime museum.

This is our good neigbor Connie on her front porch. She sneaks over every morning and leaves a cup of fresh coffee and the news papers on our rail for mom. She is also so good to drop in and check on her or be on call if we need her. It's nice to be able to share my baked goods with her. Remember those old recipes mom went thru last week well today, I tried a few. we made a great zucchini bread. Also tried an old recipe for bing cherry sherbert ice cream... Some times those old tried and true recipes are the best. - mom went to bed early today as she was quite tired, so I hope she can enjoy in the a.m.

The social worker from Hospise, Miriam C. has been so helpful and provided lots of guidance and support in her two short visits. She is moving on to another position and we will miss her alot.

Mitchell and his good friend Olive with mom. We had a nice Pork roast dinner together Wed evening. Olive is a great artist and spends lots of time at the kitchen counter working on her craft. Her watercolors are just amazing and CC is always asking for her and her bubbling personality.

Last Wed had a visit to the VA Clinic for a quick blood test... waiting for results - I'll call on Monday.

Jim M. our good neighbor dropped in for his run with Jones. He and his wife Jeannie (and the girls too, Ashley and Collette) are such good neighbors and we are so grateful for all their help not to mention the great parties they throw and we are most always invited and mom has made quite a few.