Hello Poppa... welcome to Gurnee!










Now who could have more fun with the box....??? Ben and Sam both enjoyed the packaging more than what was in the box.... of course the contents were actually for Mom & Dad ...






And talk about sitting at a table for food... Ben is a happy camper when there is food to be eaten! He seems to be generally a happy camper... but the smile does appear to get a little bigger when there is something to eat or when the glass is full of milk!




Oh Naomi.... is that you?? Why sure it is... but when you turn around....












oh my.... how did you get that basketball under your shirt?
Well, I guess you really are ready for number three to arrive... almost.... here is one fine little Mom!









And here is one fine little boy... making his strong man face... hard to do ... when the smile is just wanting to be there too!

Sam and Poppa went for a ride on the Milwaukee County Zoo Train. Poppa wanted the smokey engine.... Sam wanted the diesel .... Sam got the diesel!! But Poppa got some good pictures of the smokey one!!

We did have to wait in line.... and it was just our luck to land on the diesel train!! Sam was happy!!

Of course the real steam engine has a far better whistle!! and is so cool to listen as it starts up at the station! The engine is coal fired and the water tower is right beside the station!!

Sam was a little unsure about the goats... but little brother was terribly excited and wanted the attention from the goats as we made our way through the "domestic" section of the zoo...

Okay, so you want me in the car... I like rides.... let's go!!

Sam was enjoying his ride on the train.... probably his last free ride... since after three there is a small fee to ride! But actually, a very nice ride through the wilderness of the zoo.

Another shot along the way... the ride was long enough to be enjoyable and not so long that you are "waiting" for it to stop. In fact, Sam was ready to go around again!!!

Well, there will be more pics latter but this is a good start from a great weekend with the kids!!

A collection of pictures that may or may not be appreciated by all .... no animals were lost in the making of this post... some were relocated.... and some moved on....








Let's start with the first BBQ of the season...
Hmm... what is that puff ball on the coals?








What's this... the ball is moving!










Oh... a mouse house! Let's relocate them to a box... outside the bbq and then adopt them ... (well let's not get carried away)











Okay... let's have a count of heads or feet.... they seem to be packed in like sardines here !!










Psst..... Phoebe.... what do you think little girl.... are you going to be able to handle your job here in the years ahead??










Okay .... so Mom is under the burner rather than on top.... gets hot under there too!! Talk about being in a hot spot.... a cat above you and a flame below!!










Guess maybe we should move out!!
Hey Mickey.... let's get out of here!










And what do you expect me to do... once these guys get bigger and want to move in where it is warm for the winter??

I think I like my ladder and my loft!! It is quiet and mouse free!

Dad has done very well since his surgery in February... more recently he decided to try a retirement residence in town.

As of this picture we were in the process of moving him into his new residence. It was not that he really wanted to leave his house... but it is lonely and difficult to be making meals and eating alone day after day... when you are 87 years of age!










Here is a shot of the new sitting room that seemed rather small to start with but now has become quite a cozy and comfortable room.
Looking a little cold... we were getting things in place... and before long... with some lights being hung... and pictures being hung... the room started to take on a lived in... and warmer spot to settle into.








The same place ... a couple weeks later... once the Internet, tv and telephone were connected and he was feeling much better about his new place.









The big hanging light is a treasure that he built a few years ago. Lots of stained glass in it...! The real thing!














A new connection and new address.... but at least the email... stays the same!
Well... almost the same... and while a few "computer challenges" arise... he has quite a few friends that will come along and help when required.








The birds were quiet pets... so they were allowed to come to Pathway's.
Eddy of course moved to live with Phoebe and is hoping that we will all be back in the north real soon!








The furniture from the house fit into the room like it was made for it!! It was a tough decision ... but in retrospect I believe the right one for him at this time.








The girls of course were hung on the wall... right away.. and the furniture placed... to allow for comfort and convenience.

Once Dad moved into his new place he meet his new neighbour who had a four wheeled scooter .... he was impressed with her ability to get around town on her own... and so the search began for a new set of wheels. (quite honestly ... I am glad to see him trade the two wheeler in for a four wheeler!)

So once we all had a turn on this little machine ... we let him park it by his door and went in for a visit!
Some of us... of course had a better excuse for using a scooter... what does mobility mean to someone with a broken ankle!!

No ... you can't take it with us!!

It is Dad's scooter!

Well I better move to the next subject!!

Okay, we are going to try and make a few different posts tonight. For some time now we have been gathering pictures ... but with little time and access to load... they have not appeared. Phoebe is just making her -self at home in Bruce and Oshawa. Of course brother Eddy is really more at home while in Bruce but does come along ... almost willingly to Oshawa! Eddy is a little camera shy tho.... so not nearly so many picture of him!

With a little round spot in the sun... one can get comfortable and just fall asleep in any area!

Lest you think that all she does is sleep... I will have to try and capture here sprinting from the bedroom to the sun room through the kitchen and over the ladder, under the table and around the island twice... in a few seconds! The eyes are focused and the paws move so quickly....

Dad likes to have her come sit with him.... and she does do that when the urge occurs!!

Eddy was riding back with me to Oshawa for the first time a few weeks ago.... he was coming home with me since Dad moved into Pathway's Retirement Residence.

More on that later....

But for now... the humiliation is that he (Eddy) gets to share his dish with Phoebe... she knows enough to stay out of the bowl when he is chewing... but she does press her luck a little at times!

Of course this is a scene that would never have taken place with Cooper...

The life of a Phoebe is really not that bad.... with all these spots to sleep what more could you ask for...


Life might be hazardous if it were not for walls to keep your head from dropping off the table...

or a soft cushion to support you...



and then of course you just need to have a perspective from on high...

and once you learn how to navigate a ladder.... the possibilities are endless!!

Okay ... for those of you who do not like reality shots.... turn away... if on the other hand you don't mind ... here are the ankle shots from start to now.... or at least after surgery.


There is not supposed to be all the little bits and pieces in the longer bones!






So with a little hardware .... stainless steel is really a good strong component.... the long screw joining the two bones together must come out before the ankle will function properly.



Here is the handy work.... notice the nice margins and spaces between the bones.... well aligned ... Now!!


So to protect the repair a nice fiber glass wrap worked well. If only I could have had a few of the "wraps" to keep in the workshop.... imagine the possibilities for water activated fibre glass cloth!!!


Of course the graduation to an air cast took place yesterday,,,, with an extra fee... one gets to keep this piece of technology!!


And now for the real thing.... wrapped up for a few weeks brought its own surprises....


And now we prepare for the next phase....