Visited our grand daughter Anya and her parents, John and Rachel. She is so cute and happy all the time.
We watched and played for hours with little Anya, 14 months old. She is such a delight. She is cheery and happily sports a contagious smile. She looks through her stacks of books and brings one right over, crawls into your lap to hear a good story from Grandma and Grandpa.
She has a surprisingly long attention span. It is interesting to watch children learn. Anya spent quite a while putting little square blocks down the tube from long spent Christmas wrapping paper. She figured out the five blocks could easily be retrieved from the other end when they slide down the tube. She picked them up one at a time and replaced them in the tube for a big slide. After many repetitions she had figured out how to hold 4 blocks in her little hands and slipped them in the tube.
Another time she was learning to get in and out of a Christmas sleigh. This foot here and that hand there and pretty soon she tumbled out. Up again to crawl in and work at getting out.
What a delight to spend the New Years weekend with her and her parents, John and Rachel. By the time we said good-by she had her Grandpa's number with her little flirty eyes and smile. She says lots of words some are understandable. Grandma was "ammow" and Grandpa sounded like Grandpa or our ears were playing tricks on us.
She has a Nana nearby who loves to visit and play with her. When we went to Diane's (Nana) for dinner, Anya played with Nana putting different shapes into an elephant. She learned quickly that you could just put them in the elephant's big trunks also. The ultimate in work around technology.
On New Year's Day 2010 Frog Park at Boston Common downtown and later we all went to visit Anya's other Grandma (Nana), Diane in Salem, MA.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
2009 Christmas stockings
Many of my co-workers decorated and filled Christmas stockings for needy children during the holidays.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Irene's 80th Birthday
We took a brief trip down to Albuquerque, New Mexico for Stan's sister Irene's 80th Birthday.
She had just married her 4th husband, Ben Miller two months ago. He is a quiet easy going guy. It is interesting to see older people engage in life together after both have had rich full lives.
He is polite and clearly answers questions when asked, but doesn't ask any of his own or pry into anything about you.
He was a crane operator for 17 or so years and lived in Danville, Illinois. We talked a little about how scary it must be to perch a top the crane as the boom maneuvers around moving equipment and building materials. I asked how he got up to the top of the crane. "Just climb up," was his reply. There is a cage that encompasses the metal rungs of the ladder, but still you are climbing up there with only safety rope. He also was a car mechanic for years.
Irene was thrilled when she opened the quilt and loved the colors. I know she would as she has many of the mauve rose colors decorating her home. Ben was so appreciative of the gift and knew first hand the work that goes into making a quilt. He said his wife (I assume first wife - probably deceased) made many quilts. When she finished them she wrapped them in a pillow case and put them in a dresser drawer. He said it as if she were still alive and you could just go over to the dresser drawer, open it and take a look at her handy work. He is 82 and life's experience intersect with the new life he is making with Irene.
Irene is happy once again - driven by guidance from the Lord who told her in a dream that she would be married to a wonderful man a year before it happened. Whatever people believe evidently comes true.
They showed us a photo video of their wedding. It was well done with heartfelt music and fade in snapshots of the beautiful day. Bob gave his mom away to Ben in a touching scene. Irene was dressed in a full length cream-colored wedding gown. She carried herself in the same elegant way that I have known from years past. The four tier wedding cake fed the many friends she has at their church.
Ben grew up on a farm in Danville, Illinois. One time a rival minister was looking for place for his tent. Ben's dad offered him a place in a field on their 80 acres. Ben got to know this man and his son Joel over the years that he would set up his tent. Joel became Ben's foster son (not legally) and is still referred to in those terms today. Joel is the minister of the mega Four-Square church where Irene participates.
Somehow Joel has taken over a 16,000 square foot partially built home, I should say mansion (castle). I guess the neighbors were delighted when Joel bought this place and started to fix it up as it had been an unfinished haven for drugs groups and other assortment of low life.
Well Ben meet Irene, they fell in love and got married. Now both have a companion to share they waining years.
On Saturday, November 28, 2009, we decided to head back to Danver as we heard these might be snow storm. Its no fun making a 7-8 hours drive in the snow. The snow never materialized.
Before we left we stopped at Old Town Albuquerque for a walk through the area on a brisk morning. Stan was feeling under the weather so mostly he waited in the car while I chatted with the Native Americans lining the sidewalk on their blankets in front of a building. They had jewelry for sale all laid out in front of them that sparkled in the chill. Their faces lite up early in the morning to talk with the few of us tourists out looking at their wares.
One guy saw my Black Dog sweatshirt and was reminded of his yellow lab that he dearly loved. We talked about the meaning of various fetishes of jewelry that he had carved. Arrow heads for direction and protection. Bears for courage, good luck, and protection. They were interesting as was the guy selling them. So I parted with some money and put them in my pocket. Waiting for some good luck to come my way.
One the way back to Denver, we listened to rock and roll then some polka music. The road goes on and on through long expanses of grass land.
Colorado has much the same terrain until you arrive at Pueblo with more rolling hills, trees and mountains to the west. By the time we went through Colorado Springs dusk had come and gone and there was nothing but night with the red tailights glaring as the traffic packed in with fellow returning vacationers.
It was a good trip to see Irene, her new husband Ben and her son Bob to spend a slice of time with their family.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9/11 Memorial climb in Denver
Some 343 firefighters from throughout Colorado and Wyoming will participate
in a memorial stair climb Friday, Sept. 11, at 1801 California. The
memorial will be from 9 to 11 a.m.
Participants will climb the building's 52 flights of stairs twice to pay
tribute to the 343 firefighters who were killed when the World Trade Center
collapsed due to terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Started by Denver Fire District Chief Dave McGrail in 2004, the memorial at
1801 California is thought to be the only one of its kind in the nation.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Gene and Sylvia Swanson's 50th Anniversary
Gene explains my Grandmother Anna Swanson's frustration in trying to put on a girdle in hot humid Kansas City weather at their wedding 50 years ago.
Jodi Cyphers Wendi Swanson Shelli Kelly and Christy Freemyer singing How Great Thou Art. They are Gene and Sylvia's daughters
Jodi Cyphers Wendi Swanson Shelli Kelly and Christy Freemyer singing Children of the Heavenly Father
Gene and Sylvia wove together love and affection for their family and touched people in their lives with kindness.
I wanted to give them a remembrance for the occasion. Here is a sample of the quilt which came from fabric from my mother, their Aunt Frances.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Hail Storm 7-20-09
We had a big hail storm about 10 pm last night, 7-20-09. It hailed icy marbles to beat the band. Jack our dog and I ran downstairs. Stan found our wind up flashlights and crank radio and joined us.
The hail blew from the north and pelted the front windows. It tore our healthy flowers and vegetables that were just at their peak of production to shreds. There was a tornado warning in the area but we didn't hear about it as the power flicked off at the first burst of wind. It seemed to last about 15 to 20 minutes but was like a freight train rolling over our heads.
We peeked outside once the hail had subsided. In pitch black you can't see much except the three inches of hail piled up with leaves and pine needles. Our land line phone still worked so we checked in with neighbors and Jamie who was just getting a milder storm about 3 miles away.
It was eerie seeing the community all dark with flickers of flashlights dotting the area as neighbors ventured out to the survey the damage.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Evergreen Gate
Stan and I took a ride to Kittridge on Sunday morning for breakfast is Kittridge then on to Evergreen for a walk around the lake. It always gives a kick to see the sign on someone's lawn to "Keep the Gate Closed". There is no other fence there.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
4th of July 2009
Today is the 4th of July 2009. Happy Day to all of you to celebrate our freedom.
The old guy is a person I met at our Polka Club. I thought his character fit in for today. We found the VW Punch Buggie in our neighbor. I finally finished the 4th of July quilt I was making. Now we need to go on a picnic.
Spinning yarn from Alpaca wool at the farmers market in Golden Colorado
Zydeco is wild music from New Orleans - real Cajun style on a squeeze button box type driving sound.
Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners played from a while at the Golden 4th of July celebration.
The old guy is a person I met at our Polka Club. I thought his character fit in for today. We found the VW Punch Buggie in our neighbor. I finally finished the 4th of July quilt I was making. Now we need to go on a picnic.
Spinning yarn from Alpaca wool at the farmers market in Golden Colorado
Zydeco is wild music from New Orleans - real Cajun style on a squeeze button box type driving sound.
Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners played from a while at the Golden 4th of July celebration.
Friday, April 17, 2009
4-17-09 Denver Big Spring Snow Storm
It's Friday 4-17-09. The weather pros warned us the big spring snow storm was coming. I went to work this morning and stood in the chilly rain while I waited for the bus to pick me up to sweep me off to downtown to work. I watched the rain out my office window. The streets were wet as were the sidewalks most of the day.
Stan called to let me know the snow was building up in Lakewood. I walked 3 or so blocks through more cold rain to catch the bus home. The bus came right away at the stop thank goodness. As we drove west the rain turned to gentle snow.
Once home I watched snow tumble down for an hour or so. It seemed nice enough out there so I put on my boots, grabbed the snow shovel to shovel the front walkway. The pine trees boughs were heavy laden with snow. I pushed about twenty shovels full off the sidewalk close to the street. The snow was about 8 inches deep with a couple of inches of slushy wet snow on the bottom of the pile. This stuff is heavy and harder to shovel then expected.
Our snow blower would only pack up with slush if we tried it on this stuff.
So I just watched it fall through the living room window. Big FGs (Fat Globs) as we used to say when we went skiing and saw this kind of action. It has been snowing about 2 inches for the last 4 hours. There is about a foot on the lawn now. The grass should be really green in a couple of weeks.
I went out to take a few photos to capture the softness of the scene. The birds were chirping. A few cars were driving up the hill in front of the house. When I was out shoveling I noticed a car had ran off into the ditch up the street. It was finally pulled out by the tow truck. It took him about an hour to maneuver the vehicle out. Many cars were backed up behind this accident.
We will probably be holed up here are a couple of days until the sun comes out and melts the snow next week.
Stan called to let me know the snow was building up in Lakewood. I walked 3 or so blocks through more cold rain to catch the bus home. The bus came right away at the stop thank goodness. As we drove west the rain turned to gentle snow.
Once home I watched snow tumble down for an hour or so. It seemed nice enough out there so I put on my boots, grabbed the snow shovel to shovel the front walkway. The pine trees boughs were heavy laden with snow. I pushed about twenty shovels full off the sidewalk close to the street. The snow was about 8 inches deep with a couple of inches of slushy wet snow on the bottom of the pile. This stuff is heavy and harder to shovel then expected.
Our snow blower would only pack up with slush if we tried it on this stuff.
So I just watched it fall through the living room window. Big FGs (Fat Globs) as we used to say when we went skiing and saw this kind of action. It has been snowing about 2 inches for the last 4 hours. There is about a foot on the lawn now. The grass should be really green in a couple of weeks.
I went out to take a few photos to capture the softness of the scene. The birds were chirping. A few cars were driving up the hill in front of the house. When I was out shoveling I noticed a car had ran off into the ditch up the street. It was finally pulled out by the tow truck. It took him about an hour to maneuver the vehicle out. Many cars were backed up behind this accident.
We will probably be holed up here are a couple of days until the sun comes out and melts the snow next week.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Warren's Vacation
4-14-09 Warren Boyles is visiting us from Tasmania, Australia. He stopped in San Francisco first then to Denver Colorado and up to Rocky Mountain Park by Estes Park.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Alan Swanson's 70th Birthday
Happy Birthday to you.!.
Alan Swanson celebrated his 70th Birthday on February 28, 2009. He was born in 1939 in Greeley, Colorado on February 27. His parents Harold and Frances Swanson must have been so proud to have their first baby boy. What a joy to bring in this new life to their farming community.
He grew up learning the hard work and toil it took to work the land and feed a family. Early on his older sister Nancy worked in the fields doing whatever it took to help out their parents. When he was about 5 or so, Nancy about age 8, was driving a tractor pulling a hay-sled through the field to pick up the bales of hay. Alan was evidently hanging on the back of the tractor and slipped off on to the ground. The sled ran right over top of him. If it weren’t for the small ditch that he had fallen into the sled would have crushed him instead of badly bruising him. Can you imagine a parents concern at the thought of an accident like that with their son.
Our Dad was a great gadget person. He liked to tinker with stuff and you could hear him whistling in delight as he fiddled with things at his desk. I imagine that Christmas he started Alan with an American Flyer train set was one of those whistling, fiddling, times.
It was probably about 1950 and Alan was around age 11.
The plywood board provided the base for the track. The engine had smoke billowing out of the stack. Cars were very interactive for the time. There was a bright-red cattle car that stopped at the cattle yard. The little red Herford cows scooted out of the car using electric current and probably some kind of vibrating magnet to move them down the ramp into a corral.
There was a snazzy Pullman car that lit up and another car that delivered milk cans with the same idea as the cattle car. I am 7 years younger than Alan and delighted in watching the train and playing with the small parts. Sometimes Alan let me work the controls.
We lived in this old farm house on a farm that we rented from Royce J. Tipton. The upstairs bedroom floor became the space for the train set and all its glory mostly in the Winter around Christmas time. The rest of the year the cars were boxed up and the plywood propped up against the wall.
Another time Alan was a teenager about 18 or 19 working with some farm equipment. He was reaching for a light switch by standibg on a a plow. The plow slipped and tipped over slicing partially through a couple of fingers on his right hand. No one was home except me, his little sister. I was about 10 or 12 at the time.
I remember going to the hospital with him that day. He drove letting me know that I had to drive if he passed out. His hand was bleeding up a storm. I sat on a chair next to the desk where the doctor was looking at the damage. The doc asked me if I was his wife. For heaven sakes couldn’t he tell I was a kid and this was my brother. Boy some of the things we remember about situations.
The doc proceeded to fix up Alan’s fingers connecting, the parts as best he knew how. Today and throughout his life Alan still can’t exactly lay those fingers out straight.
Alan was just a good person. We spend a lot of time as a family going to church with lots of singing and harmonizing in the choir. Alan continued that love for music in high school performing often in a barbershop quartet with three of his best friends. They looked so dapper in their white sport coat and black shirt and tie. Imagine in the 1957 era finding a black shirt at the local Hibbs department store. I think our Mom probably had to die a white shirt black.
Hello Mary Lou
From the First Hello
He went off to college to Colorado State University in Fort Collins to study agronomy. He had this very cool car, a 1958 robin egg blue Chevy with a continental kit. It was a chick magnet for sure. Being the responsible person he was, he came home every weekend back to Greeley to help his Dad with the farm chores and to milk the cows.
College life changes you and opens new horizons. He married Cathy Miller, a pretty gal from Oakland California, in a charming ceremony in the chapel on campus. He joined the military service as was mandatory at that time as a second lieutenant in the Army. I remember visiting him and his young family, Lisa his daughter and infant Charlie, with our parents to Williamsburg, Virginia. How proud our Dad was at this visit to share time with his son and family. It was during Thanksgiving and we all had dinner at the mess hall on base. Small interesting pleasures.
Vietnam lurched on the horizon and Alan trained in South Carolina to lead soldiers through the jungle. Choices we make lead the pathways in our lives. He opted not to re-enlist and instead moved his family to Gilroy, California working in insurance.
Life goes on and Alan’s love for the climate in California never changed. Things just didn’t work out with Cathy so they divorced and several years later Alan meet the Janine, the love of his life. They blended their families and lived as we say – Happily ever after.
The love for singing, trains and zest for live continues today. At his celebration several of his friends from his barbershop groups treated us with a few songs. The beautiful sound of perfect harmony resonated through the high cathedral ceiling in Alan’s home.
Wail til the Sun Shines Nelly
In his garage for the past couple of years Alan has been working on an eight foot model train module called Cloverly with displays and sets reminiscent of our farm community. There is a station for Swanson Farms, a grain elevator similar to the one close to where our Mom grew up on 5th street and a cement truck sporting the name of Joe Gibson’s contracting. This truck is a reminder of our Grandfather’s business building homes and setting concrete sidewalks along the streets of Greeley using horse and cart of course not a truck. It is very interesting to bring in the past with current technology.
Alan’s son Charlie joined in the fun with his wife Rochelle and three of their children, Justin, Maren and their cute little brother. How fun it was to see the family resemblance in Charlie. The transfer of business acumen seemed to be carried forward genetically from our Dad, Harold and Grandfather Carl Swanson. Those traits must be ingrained in the genome.
Our cousin Bill Morris and his wife Sharon also joined in the celebration. The house was filled in family and friends celebrating with Alan on his special day. Their cute little white dog, Abby added to the fun with her perky ears and a sweet disposition.
Alan Swanson
/object>
Alan Swanson celebrated his 70th Birthday on February 28, 2009. He was born in 1939 in Greeley, Colorado on February 27. His parents Harold and Frances Swanson must have been so proud to have their first baby boy. What a joy to bring in this new life to their farming community.
He grew up learning the hard work and toil it took to work the land and feed a family. Early on his older sister Nancy worked in the fields doing whatever it took to help out their parents. When he was about 5 or so, Nancy about age 8, was driving a tractor pulling a hay-sled through the field to pick up the bales of hay. Alan was evidently hanging on the back of the tractor and slipped off on to the ground. The sled ran right over top of him. If it weren’t for the small ditch that he had fallen into the sled would have crushed him instead of badly bruising him. Can you imagine a parents concern at the thought of an accident like that with their son.
Our Dad was a great gadget person. He liked to tinker with stuff and you could hear him whistling in delight as he fiddled with things at his desk. I imagine that Christmas he started Alan with an American Flyer train set was one of those whistling, fiddling, times.
It was probably about 1950 and Alan was around age 11.
The plywood board provided the base for the track. The engine had smoke billowing out of the stack. Cars were very interactive for the time. There was a bright-red cattle car that stopped at the cattle yard. The little red Herford cows scooted out of the car using electric current and probably some kind of vibrating magnet to move them down the ramp into a corral.
There was a snazzy Pullman car that lit up and another car that delivered milk cans with the same idea as the cattle car. I am 7 years younger than Alan and delighted in watching the train and playing with the small parts. Sometimes Alan let me work the controls.
We lived in this old farm house on a farm that we rented from Royce J. Tipton. The upstairs bedroom floor became the space for the train set and all its glory mostly in the Winter around Christmas time. The rest of the year the cars were boxed up and the plywood propped up against the wall.
Another time Alan was a teenager about 18 or 19 working with some farm equipment. He was reaching for a light switch by standibg on a a plow. The plow slipped and tipped over slicing partially through a couple of fingers on his right hand. No one was home except me, his little sister. I was about 10 or 12 at the time.
I remember going to the hospital with him that day. He drove letting me know that I had to drive if he passed out. His hand was bleeding up a storm. I sat on a chair next to the desk where the doctor was looking at the damage. The doc asked me if I was his wife. For heaven sakes couldn’t he tell I was a kid and this was my brother. Boy some of the things we remember about situations.
The doc proceeded to fix up Alan’s fingers connecting, the parts as best he knew how. Today and throughout his life Alan still can’t exactly lay those fingers out straight.
Alan was just a good person. We spend a lot of time as a family going to church with lots of singing and harmonizing in the choir. Alan continued that love for music in high school performing often in a barbershop quartet with three of his best friends. They looked so dapper in their white sport coat and black shirt and tie. Imagine in the 1957 era finding a black shirt at the local Hibbs department store. I think our Mom probably had to die a white shirt black.
Hello Mary Lou
From the First Hello
He went off to college to Colorado State University in Fort Collins to study agronomy. He had this very cool car, a 1958 robin egg blue Chevy with a continental kit. It was a chick magnet for sure. Being the responsible person he was, he came home every weekend back to Greeley to help his Dad with the farm chores and to milk the cows.
College life changes you and opens new horizons. He married Cathy Miller, a pretty gal from Oakland California, in a charming ceremony in the chapel on campus. He joined the military service as was mandatory at that time as a second lieutenant in the Army. I remember visiting him and his young family, Lisa his daughter and infant Charlie, with our parents to Williamsburg, Virginia. How proud our Dad was at this visit to share time with his son and family. It was during Thanksgiving and we all had dinner at the mess hall on base. Small interesting pleasures.
Vietnam lurched on the horizon and Alan trained in South Carolina to lead soldiers through the jungle. Choices we make lead the pathways in our lives. He opted not to re-enlist and instead moved his family to Gilroy, California working in insurance.
Life goes on and Alan’s love for the climate in California never changed. Things just didn’t work out with Cathy so they divorced and several years later Alan meet the Janine, the love of his life. They blended their families and lived as we say – Happily ever after.
The love for singing, trains and zest for live continues today. At his celebration several of his friends from his barbershop groups treated us with a few songs. The beautiful sound of perfect harmony resonated through the high cathedral ceiling in Alan’s home.
Wail til the Sun Shines Nelly
In his garage for the past couple of years Alan has been working on an eight foot model train module called Cloverly with displays and sets reminiscent of our farm community. There is a station for Swanson Farms, a grain elevator similar to the one close to where our Mom grew up on 5th street and a cement truck sporting the name of Joe Gibson’s contracting. This truck is a reminder of our Grandfather’s business building homes and setting concrete sidewalks along the streets of Greeley using horse and cart of course not a truck. It is very interesting to bring in the past with current technology.
Alan’s son Charlie joined in the fun with his wife Rochelle and three of their children, Justin, Maren and their cute little brother. How fun it was to see the family resemblance in Charlie. The transfer of business acumen seemed to be carried forward genetically from our Dad, Harold and Grandfather Carl Swanson. Those traits must be ingrained in the genome.
Our cousin Bill Morris and his wife Sharon also joined in the celebration. The house was filled in family and friends celebrating with Alan on his special day. Their cute little white dog, Abby added to the fun with her perky ears and a sweet disposition.
Alan Swanson
/object>
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
