events to remember

For Nov 2, happy anniversary to Rod and Mary. For Nov 7, happy birthday to Connie. Hope you all have a pleasant, happy day.

Anniversary

Happy anniversary to Mary Ann and Kent. A few days late, but better late than never.

Update

School is underway now and my afternoon route is bigger than last year. My boss is trying to hire a third driver to pickup the overflow from my area and kids west of the interstate. We got an applicant a month ago but he turned the job down after his interview. Last Thursday I heard there was a new applicant. Maybe we'll have better luck with this one.

Sept first I moved to a different apartment complex. Two or three weeks ago the building my apartment is in caught fire. There was no damaged to my apartment but the experience sold me on the importance of renters insurance. In the last month Fargo's had two apartment building fires. My building was the first. A couple weeks later a building across town caught fire. The second fire was much worse. No one was injured. Fire got under the roof and shot across so all three floors were lost to Water damage. It was a big building, like mine.

I've dropped network TV and gone with Netflix at home. Cable TV is so expensive and most of what there is to watch is junk. I hate network news and local news isn't much better. Everyone runs around ripping copy and regurgitating what others say. No thanks. I'd rather stick my head in the sand and pretend everything is hunky dory even if it's not. I can't live with the stress of what I've been paying to watch.

That's all for now. Take care, see ya later.

grandchildren

Just got word this week that Aaron and Amanda are expecting. This year is going fast. Our garden has been very productive and I'm been eating, giving away, canning, freezing a fair amount of produce. We still have apples to work on, and beets, and tomatoes. Feeling good. Darl is semi-busy. Work comes in variable amounts. Good to hear from all at different times. Lots to be thankful for.

Moving

I'll have a new address and phone number after the 27th of August. The address: 4311 15th Avenue South, Apt 313, Fargo, ND 58103. The phone number: 701-356-5872. My cell remains the same 701-388-1269.

My new apartment is in a quiet location not far from the one I'm leaving. It has centrally located mail, elevator and parking with convenient access to work and shopping. There are 2 bedrooms, both w/walk-in closets, a master bath and guest bath, laundry room, kitchen and dining area, and a covered deck off a living room w/vaulted ceiling. I'll have a double garage w/electric plugins and 2 remote openers. It's twice the living space, utilities are included and it's $152/mo less than the place I'm leaving. Not a bad move.

My friend, Keith, and his son-in-law, Marc, my chiropractor, will move the boxed and smaller stuff. I didn't ask them for help. They simply refused to let me do this alone. They've been so good to include me and make me feel like one of their family. I was a bit stubborn and hired a mover for furniture and appliances as I don't want to take anything for granted here.

The week I move I begin a new route with a new set of parents, staff and inevitable problems. Last year's first week was a nightmare of short tempers and fast tongues. I'm hoping this year will be less stressful. At the very least I won't be expecting things to run smoothly and people to behave appropriately so there's at least a chance I'll get through it okay.

Take care. Love ya'll. Loretta

August 20, 2010

Hi Sibs and all!

Just a quick update for you all. Our house has sold and we close the sale on the 13 of September. We also have put an offer in on a 3 bedroom condo in Centerville that hopefully will close the same day. I should find out on Monday (August 23) if our offer is accepted or not. The condo needs new flooring and some really heinous wallpaper removed and some painting, but has a good floor plan and lots of usable room. There are 2 bedrooms and a bath with a family room upstairs so that could be space for Sam and any visitors that want to come. It has a lovely covered patio and a 1 car garage, so my car gets to live inside! Anyway, life has been busy and a little unsettled for a while, but has the prospect of a lovely new home for us and NO MORE YARD WORK AND SNOW SHOVELING!!!! I can live with that!
Sam is starting back to school next Monday up at the U of U. He has decided to pursue a degree in English with a hope to going to med school after that. Big plans and lots of time to accomplish them.
Our love to you all, and get busy writing! I'd love to hear how your lives are going. I got spoiled having Mom here and hearing from/about you all more frequently. I miss that! Take care and know I love you all and you are in my thoughts and prayers. Love Delma

Summer time

I signed up for a begining stock options trading course online. It's a freeby, there's no credit card requirement to register. The training uses real time stock market quotes in virtual trading software with fake money. I get two 1.5 hour sessions per week for 4 weeks. My new moto is "Spend time! Not money!" 'Course that may reverse if I'm capable of learning something before I'm too old to use it.

I've been toying with the idea of dropping my cable service for tv. I barely ever watch so it hardly seems worth paying for. Twice already I chickened out before turning in my cable box. I mean, what if I really WANT to watch something (as if)? I turned it on twice and didn't even finish watching anything last winter. (I'm so glad we had this little chat :) I'm dumping it for sure now.

I've been friends with Keith since I started driving bus. He's introduced me to his daughter's family and I've been included in family gatherings... it's nice. They have three kids, girl/boy/girl... kindergarten/preschool/1yr old respectively. I've babysat for free a few times. I tell Alexa, Keith's daughter, "I like to think I'm being useful and that's payment enough" when she asks how much she owes me. If they ever get so used to me that they take me for granted I'll be so happy.

Char is still working at Navtech in Fargo. He has an apartment across the river in Moorhead, MN and a girlfreind, also in Moorhead. They work together at Navtech... where they met. She has two children. Char and I don't see much of each other since the divorce. He tends to see more of his dad because their separate circles of freinds are pretty much interconnected. If he ever finds reason enough to check in with me it won't be due to lifestyle similarities.

That's all folks.

June 21, 2010

Dear Sibs,

Well, my goal of writing every month didn't do so well for me, but oh well, I'll just write when I remember and can. I can't remember if I told you all that I have put the house on the market to sell. I am ready for a smaller place, and one without a basement, and no yard work and snow removal in the winter. I've found a condo in the area that I would like to get into, but it will depend on selling this place in order to do that. Time will tell. For the first 4 weeks we showed it between two and three times a week, but haven't shown it at all in the last 2 weeks. We are readjusting the asking price and see if that gives us some further interest. Houses are selling in the area so that is encouraging, just need to get this one to sell!
Sam was pretty excited last week to get a call-back on a part in a movie that he read for a few weeks ago. It is a low budget local production, but a part none the less. When he gets a call back that means they want to see him again and possibly leads to offers of actual parts. Wish him luck. He also got to be a featured interviewee on the Childrens Miracle Network Telethon that happens every year at Primary Childrens. He volunteers there once a week to play with any child who wants to play. One day he played Spiderman for 3 hours! Anyway, he did a nice job on the interview and didn't say 'um' or 'you know' a single time! Big accomplishment when speaking ad lib in front of a TV camera!
I found out last week that I didn't get the job I'd applied for with Davis County Health Dept. But I am at the top of their list for candidates for employment. They said they think they will have another opening (or two) this fall. Maybe that one will work out. It is weird to have to look for work; I'm used to being able to go to a hospital and tell them I can work there and they hire me. Now that I'm looking for non-hospital work it is a different situation. Wish me luck!
Well, gotta close for now. I love you all and hope life is going well for you. I love this forum of keeping in touch and think it is a great way for all of us to stay informed of each others lives. Take care and write as you can. Much love from, Dummy

Hello again to all.

Today has been a very melancholy day. Listening to the speakers in church talk about their fathers, I have spent the better part of the day reminiscing about Dad. The overwhelming feeling is one of wanting to tell him again of how much I love him and the desire to thank him for the example that he set for me. I am the man and father that I am due in large measure to him and Mom. I know that he had faults, but the way that he worked at overcoming them was one of the greatest legacies that he left to us. I love you all and just wanted to share these feelings with those who would best understand them.

Love, Pablo

Hello to all. It's great to hear news from various ones. Darl and I are again empty nesters. Susan and Justin finally got into a place of their own. A condo up in Eagle Mountain. About a 20 min drive. Don't see them quite as much. It's actually so quiet in the house, I find myself talking to our little dog. Telling her when I'm moving from room to room and what I'm doing. Don't know what that's a sign of. Maybe I'm getting old. Darl and I both went to Tennessee in May. Was a good v isit, but never get all done that I'd like to do. Hope all are well and we can take time to smell the roses and enjoy our lives. Take care.

Will Miracles never cease!

Well, I hope that you are all sitting down because it will come as a great shock to y'all, that I'm actually adding something to this blog. Thank you again Rod for resending the invitation.

Connie has just finished the school year and is looking forward to summer break. She has three interviews on Monday for three different position (at different schools), trying to find a different school to work at next year. She and her current manager did not get along, because her manager would not help very much and spent a lot of time reading her e-mails and "playing " on the computer, instead of help the other 3 in the lunch room. This caused Connie to have to work twice as hard as she did the previous year when her old manager would always be there helping. I hope she finds another school that she will enjoy.

Last night, Friday June 4th, I got to go up to Grayback Gulch with Mark & Ben (my grandson) to their Father & Son camp out. We had a wonderful time setting up our tent and cooking in the rain, but today was a wonderful day without any rain.

This Friday Connie, Rebecca & I will be going to our ward camp out outside of Emmett at Triangle Park, Black Canyon Reservoir. The following weekend one of our nephews is getting married in the Boise Temple and then we have the M&M (Max & Marie) Reunion in the Twin Falls area . Over the Fourth of July weekend, we will have the CPR (Connie & Pal Reunion) in our back yard. Since Annette and Patricia are both staying down in Provo for the summer, Connie and want to go camping just by ourselves a couple of times during the summer also.

AS most of you know already, EDS was purchased by Hewlett -Packard in August of 2008. Last November, my time at EDS was bridged with my HP service, so I went from working at EDS for 4 yr, 8 months to 27 yrs, 7 months in one day. So next Saturday, June 12th, I will celebrate 28 years with HP. Unfortunately, I will also be making just slightly more than I did when I started working for them. When they bought us, the froze our wages and they have them still in the deep freeze. Oh well, that is life.

I will try to post some tidbits every so often, just to make sure you don't forget about me.

Love, Pablo

Hello from AZ

It is about time David and I sit down and give this a try. I spend too many hours a week at the computer so really try to stay off it at home. I did manage to create a little controversy on my facebook page by suggesting that if you don't live in Arizona you may not understand our immigration issues. I won't go into detail but lets say my liberal sisters objected because opinions out weigh facts in their minds.

Summer is upon us and we seem to have a very busy schedule in mind. Next week we will start our vacation by going to San Antonio, TX. It will be the first time David and I have been there together in 22 years. So we will see some of the old sights and then take the girls to the water park in New Braunfels. We will spend 3 days there and then fly to Orlando where I won 2 passes to SeaWorld and a 2 night stay at Embassy Suites. We also have a old Army friend living there who we will get to spend sometime with. In July we plan on going to Boise for David's 30 year class reunion and then a weekend in Southern Cali.

Now I will let Micaela fill you in on her and McKenzie's activities.

I (Micaela) have just finished my Sophomore year. I have done pretty good with my grades.. I have a 3.8 GPA which puts me in the top 8 percentile. My goal is to finish high school in the top 5%. Last year I learned to drive and in April I got my license! I still play basketball and this year I played on the JV team. This summer I will go to the University of Arizona Position Camp where I will train with college coaches and players. Hopefully I can learn some new skills and improve the ones I do know. Next year I might end up on the varsity team. :) I love basketball and think I might try to pursue playing college ball.

McKenzie just finished up her Freshman year at University High, a college prep school. It really has challenged her in a way no other school has done. She ACTUALLY got Bs on her report card, which before high school she never got below an A. She has gotten into choir this year and really seems to enjoy it. McKenzie has a lot of friends and we tease her about being a BIG flirt, though she will always deny. ( Both of my little girls have turned into beautiful young women. Insertion by Mom)

Gabi, is attending summer school at ISU and will graduate next May if everything goes as plans. She works at a physical therapy office as a transcriptionist . Gabi always seems to get along very well with her bosses. She enjoys Idaho and I don't think she will ever call Arizona home.

Spencer, works at the Harkins theatre as an assistant manager and would still like to try to go on a mission. He is working hard to try to put in his paperwork by the fall.

I am still at Southwest Airlines. I am able to pull morning shifts with either Monday/Tuesday off or Thursday/Friday off. Somehow those weekend days still allude me but I pay people to pickup my Sundays so I can do my calling as the Ward Librarian. What a great calling. You get to say hello to most everyone in the ward and make sure they have what they need for their lesson without preparing one yourself.

David is getting the miles he needs at Ashley but we would all love it if he could make the same money without being on the road. Dispatch tends to frustrate him at least once a week but he enjoys driving.

Love you all

Mary and David's family

May 2, 2010

Dear Everyone!

Okay, I'm gonna write again; it's been a month and maybe if we try to add something once a month that would be often enough. Or too often? Anyway, I'm going to try the once a month thing. It's about the only way I keep a journal, so at least it would be a help to me.
Well, the big news is: I put the house up for sale! Yes, after several years of planning for this stage, it has finally happened. Hopefully it will sell fairly quickly and I can find a condo with NO snow removal and NO yardwork that would be in my range. I also want something one level; no more stairs. So that is the big news.
Some little news is: I didn't get the telephone nurse line job. Darn. But I am still applying for various jobs. Something will work out. It's kinda weird for me to have to search as I'm used to being able to walk into a hospital and say 'I'm a nurse so let me work here' and they do let me. Times change. The job that I want now is probably something that more people are competing for since it would be not so physically demanding and hopefully not so many different shifts/holidays. Again, something will work out.
Sam has finished the play he was performing in. It seemed to be a lot of fun for him and I think he gained some good experience. He worked with some very impressive talent. He has also done an audition for the Fox network show 'Glee'. They had open auditions that ended on April 26. It was an online process that included voting by the public. He had one of the highest rated and watched auditions, so is very hopeful that he'll get a 'callback' and actually get to audition in person with someone from the show. He's also started giving voice lessons to Malaysia (Greta's granddaughter) and just last night got another client to start working with. Of course they are non-paying clients right now, but great experience for him. He's been practicing scales on the keyboard so that he can play for the lessons, and has been able to record the lesson and make a CD to give to the client at the end of the lesson (excellent for practice through the week). He's very determined to make performing arts his career in some way or another. He'd love to be the performer though. His Essential Tremor is affecting his voice and ability to perform somewhat. He has a vibrato that is harder to control and it also makes hitting some of the notes in a certain range difficult because of the tremor that is affecting his vocal cords. He is on the full dose of medication that was started for the tremor, but so far has seen no response to it. It could be like so many meds that take a while of being at full dose before seeing an effect. His bipolar meds also got adjusted because he is having so much trouble sleeping, which the docs feel is a manifestation of his 'manic' part of bipolar. Boy there is so much to learn about our bodies. I think the MAN upstairs is even smarter than I gave HIM credit for since HE knows all about this stuff. Please keep Sam in your prayers as this is a real challenge for him to learn about and manage.
Well, better go. We are going to be with Susan and Justin as they bless their precious Cooper today. Hope you are all doing well. Please know of my love and concern for each of you.
Love, Dummy

hmmm dashboard?

I notice in my dashboard controls the "Edit Posts" tab (hmmm, I wondered, what would that delete button near the orange draft do...?). Well wouldn't ya know it I deleted my first entry which was actually a draft that had not officially been published. Being the obsessive compulsive freak that I am, I had copied and pasted it into a notepad before clicking the delete button. This then is my first (though deleted) entry:

"Great idea! Do we have to take turns or can we just come here and post whenever we have something to say? Waiting for a turn can be frustrating. Head Start's out on May 18th... then it's back to collecting unemployment until school starts again. I'm staying home to save wear on the car and the expense of driving for awhile so I'll miss you guys this year and next but who knows... things could change. Gotta sleep now, I work early and it's late now. Love U's Guys & Gals"

OK, that's over... on to what I came here to do before I confused myself with reality. Maybe I'll get the right button this time and make this a PUBLISHED entry instead of a draft.

I had a date last night with someone I'd met in Begining Experience group. He'd moved to Minot and was on his way to Minneapolis stopping in Fargo for Dr. appointments and our date. We did dinner and dancing at the VFW. This was the second time we'd met for a date. He must think he's the patron saint of divorced women. I'm glad he lives in Minot and not in Fargo. Keith, my friend from West Fargo bus driving days and I are going to a concert with his daughter and son-in-law tonight. It's a guitar playing singer/song writer that the Universalist Unitarian Church brought in as a fund raiser. We're going out after the concert so we could end up at the VFW tonight. I'm hoping Minot Man has left town. I might want to clock him upside the head if I see him again.

Love and take care... for the time-bing that's all folks.

hello all, I am finally getting around to checking and doing a few things on the computer. Great to see others are not as slow as me. Darl and I are about the same. No major complaints. We see a few of you more often than others, but usually hear if anything else is going on. Susan and Justin, along with baby Cooper are still with us and doing well. Susan can actually fasten a few of her pants now. That makes her happy. If anyone likes to read interesting stories. Hearts Afire by Blaine Yorgenson is really good. Its historical fiction. There are actually three books. Would highly reccommend. Probably have to get through the library on an interlibary loan. Hope all find something to enjoy and be thankful for in their lives.

FYI for those who remember...

Found the following in our Coeur d'Alene Press yesterday:  
Do you remember our next-door (to the north) neighbors in Idaho Falls when we lived on Wheeler Street? 
I had not even thought of them until this showed up, and when I told Marene about it and my suprise that Bob Edstrom was living here, she suggested that I share it with the rest of you in the new Blog, so here goes.

Posted: Friday, April 9, 2010 7:08 am

Robert Gale Edstrom, 85, of, Post Falls, passed away in Coeur d’Alene on March 9, 2010. He was born April 4, 1924, in Oregon City, Ore., to Bernard A. and Sophie Marie Edstrom.

The family moved to Spokane later that year, where Bob attended local schools and graduated from Rogers High School.

From December 1942 to June 1946 during World War II he served in the Medical Corps attached to the Army’s 42nd Infantry (Rainbow Division) in the European theater. His division liberated the Dachau concentration Camp near Munich, Germany.

Bob married Wanda Fry in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Nov. 7, 1947, while working as a civilian for the Air Force. They resided in Hart Mountain, Wyo., from 1948-1950 while he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation.

From 1951 until Wanda’s death in January 1997, the Edstroms lived in Idaho Falls, where Bob worked in the accounting and budget department as a prime operating contractor for NRTS/INEL, the Idaho Nuclear Engineering Laboratory.

For 12 years after retiring he volunteered as a chaplain at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

He moved to Post Falls Oct. 1, 1998, and married Jean Arkin on May 14, 1999.

Bob was a Sunday school superintendent and elder at St. John’s Lutheran Church; was a member of Fellowship Club, Lutheran Layman’s League, Golfing committee at Pinecrest Golf Course, Full Gospel Businessmen, Chaplain at Kootenai County jail, Governor’s Prayer Luncheon committee Real Life Ministries, Life member of VFW, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Lloyd, Virgil and William. He is survived by his wife, Jean of Post Falls; his children, Robin and Joanie Edstrom of Mountain Home, Denise and Tom Muhly of Cheyenne, Wyo., Jill and Jim Dawson of Post Falls; his grandchildren, Kip and Kristen Edstrom of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mistie and Alec McKinney of Mountain Home, Sarah and Leonard Oltman of Mountain Home; Heidi and Tim Norton of Siguiri, Guinea, W. Africa; Jonathan and Julie Muhly of Moscow, Russia, and James and Jessica Dawson of Post Falls. He also left numerous great-grandchildren and step-children and step-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, April 17, 2010, at Real Life Ministries Bldg. 2. Lunch will follow, and then military honors and committal at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls in the Veterans Memorial Wall.

In lieu of flowers, donations at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls may be made to Bob’s favorite charity, Esther Estacion, (Tagbilaran Baptist Church on the memo line) c/o Sally Murphy,  224 S. 14th St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

Greetings!

I am here now. Glad to see an effort to revive the R.R. It has indeed been awhile. I am not able to post for REAL right now, but will do so soon.
Love,
David

Hi, Guys...
Just a follow-up on the mechanics of posting to this...

When you go to the Blog page for this  (randallandannaskids.blogspot.com), you will see the blog page with the latest additions thereto. Anyone who comes to this blog page will be able to see anything that has been written and will be able to add a "comment" (which is NOT the same as a NEW POST)  You will notice that up on the right-hand corner of the form there is a control line that includes  "sign in".  When you do sign in, with your e-maill address and security code, another entry will appear on the line :  "NEW POST".  That will show up whenever you are signed into the blog and if you want to write anything, you choose "NEW POST"  and write (or copy something that you have pre-written when you were in Word or Wordperfect, etc.)  (Only those who have been given author rights will have the option to Post.)

This makes getting around in the blog and posting to it a little more simple (which means easier).
Also, if you do a google search on "Randallandannaskids" the blog will show up in the results and you can go to the blog by clicking on it.
Happy Blogging, and lets get the others to sign on (Greta, Darl, Paul & David)

LoveYa,  Rod

I doubt that a strict "schedule" would be needed, but if there isn't one, we gotta have some way to get regular input from all...
Rod

PS  Any questions about how to get into the blog to add further posts? If there is no option for "NEW POST" at the top pf your page,  go to http://www.blogger.com/home and sign in under your (probably google) e-mail address and code.  Then you will be taken to a page that will allow you to enter a new post or edit previous posts.

Yippee!

Dear Sibs,
I heartily endorse the proposal to begin the round robin again. I miss you all!

As my first entrance, I'll just give you a quick update on Sam and I. We are okay! Sam is doing better with his bipolar condition; the meds seem to be helping. He has also been officially diagnosed with 'Essential Tremor' which is a condition that causes him to have a fine motor tremor. His has been present for at least 10 years, but has become severe enough that it is seriously affecting his ability to do daily living cares (shaving, eating, holding a cup, etc.). He saw a neurologist and got started on a medication to hopefully help him. This is a familial condition, and perhaps you all could be aware of that and let us know if you know of anyone else affected by it. Like Mary Ann; you have had a tremor in some movements. This is probably related to essential tremor. Some cases seem to be non progressing and some, like Sam's, totally progress to unmanageable levels.

I had a telephone job interview last thursday for Aetna Insurance Co. to be a telephone health information line nurse. Will find out in 2-3 weeks if they will offer me the job. Keep your fingers crossed.

Greta is staying here with us for a while til she recovers enough to manage on her own at home. She seems to be making a normal recovery (so far) and hopefully that continues. I know it isn't any fun for her to go through this.

I'm heading out now to go see a play that Sam is in at a local theatre. It is called 'HMS Pinafore' and is a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Lots of fun to watch!.

Love to you all, Delma