Happy 24th birthday baby boy!

 

 The boys checking out the newest member of the family! Rande already seemed worried about your future!! (Actually he was so proud to just hold you...) Happy 24th birthday Ky! I hope its an amazing year ahead for you. xo

I have been awake since 0337 and just hate that tossing and turning hoping my mind will slow down enough to let sleep return. Yesterday was such a stressful day waiting to hear how Ky did with his Alaska interview. He flew in the day before and Ingerlise picked him up and became his Norwegian mor. They also met with her daughter in law who is in training with Alaska to go over his interview questions. We all felt we had done everything possible to ensure this would have a positive outcome. Their interview begins at 0800 and if you make it thru the day you are hired. Very different from American's process but Alaska also makes sure you really wanted to fly for them with their company presentation. I received a text around noon saying out of over 60 people there were only maybe 10-15 left and he was one of them. Woohoo! He had a one on one interview coming up which I felt he would nail. I don't know anyone more personable and conversational than Ky and I was sure they would see what we all see in him. Jerry and I both received the dreaded reply an hour later that no, they were sending him home as well. I wont lie, I cried my eyes out because I really wanted him to get a chance to start over and do something he would enjoy. Traveling! What a perfect birthday gift to start a new career.  Honestly its not like we were hoping for him to be president or anything. Its a low paying, thankless job and yet so evasion to get and so many trying. No matter how I try to justify his not getting hired...too tall, too young, too outgoing, knows too many languages, :^) none of them make me feel better. As a parent you simply want life to give your children chances at happiness now and then. Hopefully he is able to pick himself up and find something new to feel passionate about.

I was also sooo hoping he got hired by Alaska so we would have free passes to Seattle whenever we wanted to. I contacted Isenhower Winery and I am finally going to be their artist of the month, actually months, in Aug and Sept. I need about 6 more pieces which I can accomplish if I try. Last summer I was so prolific because seriously when its 100+ outside why not sew?! Wish me luck and this time I WILL not back out. The airfare is a bugger however.

I am proud to say I finally finished the graduation gift I was making for my sweet friend Meghan in Fort Collins.  I was worried she might not like it as I always do, but it seems to be a winner and she does! I even used some bow hair from Jerry's grandfather bow! I wish her endless luck and good fortune in her music therapy career.

This took me so long to make with so many stops and starts due to company I am now struggling to find my mojo. I am trying to make another rooster piece for my art show and it has sat here for a week. I just hate the beginning and ending of a project because they are definitely the most difficult for me.

Good news to report about Wolfgang...he has risen! He is up on his feet and getting around although I hear falling a lot. Timothy says his shoulder is working just not his front leg. Its all good news for the granddog considering what he had to endure. Looking fwd to seeing him again with the bounce back in his life!

Rande was back this week with his band Youth Lagoon and David D his lighting guy. They played at Coachella on Friday and then came by for a bit of dinner on Sat. He brought a few friends they had picked up along the way and the musicians minus Trevor. I really enjoyed visiting with them and always love seeing David. They left yesterday and played in San Diego which Timothy and Jammie managed to make. Its pretty exciting to see all the wonderful stops they will be making this year including a month in Europe. I dont understand their lifestyles on the road but love that they are seeing the world expenses paid!

Speaking of which Timothy and his band had a college gig at WSU and he and Ky were able to meet up briefly. I always love photos of my boys together as adults being friends. 

We have had the most horrible few days of endless wind and dust and sand blowing. Our pool was absolutely brown with fine silt everywhere. I have been cleaning my house nonstop and basically sick of this powdery dust even in our lungs. Rande was at the music fest in the midst of the dirt flying and said he woke up with mud in his eyes. I believe it. Hoping today is nothing but blue skies and back to normal...

Doesnt make me want to swim...

This is our patio..

You know how you to start to clean and then get serious about it? Then you are disgusted at how dirty things are when it feels like all you do is clean? I would have fired my maid this week if I had one. Instead I offered her a beer for working so hard all day. I am a fair employer if nothing else. Now if I can just get her busy in my sewing room creating cool stuff!

Thanks for checking. xo

'Its a lovely day in the neighborhood...'

Our lives have been busy since I last wrote which is a good thing.  I find myself thinking when summer arrives I will have plenty of time to take naps and float in the pool.
Our visiting or part time friends are all beginning the process of returning home. Our MN friends left the end of March so we managed to squeeze a few more happy hours, bike ride, and hike into the schedule to last us until next year.
Rande arrived the 25th and the five of us hiked Box Canyon. It was a wonderful day and an impt one for J and me. While he was at Mayo our friend John added to his doctor board a photo he had taken hiking Box Canyon. All the hospital staff and doctors asked J about it and would add 'lets get you well enough to do it again.'

Last year with Timothy and Jammie

This year 

I doubt if our friends plan to hike with us again after this day. I tripped and fell right off the bat and landed on a rock on my knee cap. They were sure I would want to go back to the car...but of course I wiped my tears and trucked on. I am not a quitter. Then a bit down the hike J's sole came off his hiking boot. It had simply rotted and fell off! We laughed and he continued on until the other one also came off. Seriously?!? He said it was like walking in moccasins...again they were sure we would want to turn around. J is not a quitter either and we finished the hike. We were a bit slower than last year but that is life now. Great day and an amazing accomplishment for Jerry.

Ky had his interview with AA and felt it went as well as could be expected and is enduring the long wait to hear from them. He also has a final interview with Alaska coming up on the 16th~ how nice to have a back up. We are all praying, crossing fingers and sending positive energy that he gets hired and gets another chance to begin again.

His first unaccompanied flt to DFW...he would be perfect for the job!

 

 

Got a chance to go back in time and went to a Boz Scaggs concert in Palm Desert. I loved it and the musicians in his band were all so talented! Its such a thrill to experience artists enjoying their passion. Boz still has a great voice and brought back wonderful memories for me.

We had Easter dinner and my mom's birthday here on the 31st. She turned 88 and is still going strong and throwing parties! It was a laid back day but good food, good wine and way too much to eat! What is it about holidays that makes us always go too far?!?

We also had some sad news...Timothy's dog Wolfgang...(see him above?) got hit by a car. He may lose a front leg and has been really struggling to heal. We went over last weekend to help them move and it was so sad to see him just lying there. He could barely hold his head up but he definitely knew how to wag his tail. Aren't dogs the best?! I hear from Jammie he continues to gain strength and hopefully our bundle of cuteness and energy is coming back. Speaking of adorable dogs...

Gracie enjoying a beer at the brewpub!

Our dear friend Ingerlise is here for a long weekend and its always fun to have her. It was raining in Seattle so she is delighted to be in the sunshine warming up. Yesterday we went to the Indian Wells Art Festival and both bought beautiful glass vases. I cant wait to pop some flowers in mine and class the joint up. 

Remember my wonderful rose garden we have been working on? Well look at it now! I just love sitting outside enjoying all the colors and fragrances the roses offer. May cut a few to try out the new vase today!

Hope you are all well and happy...and thanks for dropping by~