Turning Sixty-nine

Yesterday was my 69th birthday.  It was a wonderful day.  There were Skype visits with Todd and Kristy in Norway, Laurel, Dawson, Eric and Ashley at Milestone and my sister Sandra in Frontier. Phone calls came from family and friends, including one from Clare in Las Vegas, Kirk, Shauna, Carter, Lindsay and Jamie in Lampman, my brother Alan in Frontier and Howard's sister Ardis in Edmonton. There was a flood of greetings on Facebook from Norway, the US and Canada.  We enjoyed a Chinese supper at the Club Cafe with Jodi and Abbey.  After a day like that, I'm already looking forward to turning seventy next year!  Uff da!

A year ago today I started blogging so this is the first anniversary of the mrshojo blog.  I read over my first blog and realized I have some unfinished work to accomplish.  I talked about plans to make a quilt for Todd using many of his tee shirts from volleyball days.  Those shirts are still in a box in the basement at the farm.  Todd will be home for his birthday this year.  Do you think I will have a quilt ready for April 15?  I'll let you know when that day arrives.

Howard and I have been watching 100 Huntley most mornings this winter.  Today's program featured an interview with Justin Bieber's mother as well as an update on George Beverly Shea.  Justin, at age 16, has been nominated for a Grammy award this weekend - Best New Artist.  Bev Shea, age 102, will be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.  The program this morning showed a clip of Bev Shea trying out the new organ that he was given on his 100th birthday.  He is on the computer and recently learned how to watch 100 Huntley online.  We are never too old to learn something new!

2011 is the 400th anniversary of the King James version of the Bible.  That was the version that I grew up with and used for my two years of confirmation classes.  All my memory work, and there was a lot of it, was in that version.  I have never read through the entire Bible so that is my goal for my 69th year.  We have a large print KJV at the farm so I will bring it back with us and do some of the reading from that version.

I have enjoyed the blogging experience and will continue doing that.  I started doing birthday blogs in October for Aunt Ruth's 89th birthday so will keep on with that until I have covered the family in  October this year.

I took out another year's membership in Ancestry.com so hope to get some more work done on our family trees, a never ending project!  We owe so much to the pioneers who came before us.  They made so many sacrifices and we are enjoying the rewards.  But they also enjoyed riches that have nothing to do with material things and the present generation could learn lessons from them in that regard.

It is humbling to become the "older generation" as we part with those who were once above us in the family tree.  In January we lost Aunt Ruth, Mom's younger sister, so just have my Aunt Helma, age 96, and Howard's Aunt Viola, age 93 as senior members of our families.

I have enjoyed reading other blogs, especially the ones I am following.  I have learned much from them as they share their life experiences.  As children of God we are called to bear one another's burdens, to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.  Blogging is one way of doing this as we open our lives to our readers.  Thank you for reading my blogs, sharing our good times and bad and most of all, for your prayers.

We are adjusting to city life, although we haven't gotten out a lot in this cold, snowy winter weather.  It's changing now and we are looking forward to a family gathering here this weekend.  Kirk's and Laurel's have no hockey on Sunday so are planning a Weyburn visit.  We'll be missing the annual meeting at Trinity but choices have to be made and this time family has priority.

Howard is doing well, attended a respite day at the Weyburn Special Care Home on Tuesday from 9:30 to 4.  It included some exercises and activities, a whirlpool bath and shampoo, a hot meal at noon plus morning and afternoon coffee breaks, all for $8 a day.  There was also entertainment in the afternoon.  It is a great program for care givers as it is a "free day" for us.  I did some shopping, took care of some business and spent the day just as I pleased.  He will be going every Tuesday when we are here in Weyburn.

Well, it's lunch time so I better get off the computer and find something to eat.  It's been great chatting with you, even if the conversation is one sided.  Maybe some of you will try blogging too!