Lyle and I are in CA with Chris, Lori, Gabe, and Ellie. Last week when we were taking charge, Lyle spotted a snail and I put it in an empty Panara cup. When Gabe got home from school, we showed it to the kids. We put it in a "cage" and watched it. We named it Up because he was always climbing to the top no matter how we set the cage. As with most wild animals in captivity, he died, but it was fun while Up lasted.

I Have a PIANO!!!!!!

Exciting news!!! I have a piano--I can play anytime I feel like it! Lyle saw an ebony Young Chang upright piano for sale on the Solivita ads and told me about it. I let it go a few days but last week Wednesday I decided to call. Daphne emailed me photos and I decided I would look at it the next day. I loved it right away when I played it. We agreed on the price and now I had to figure out how to get it from her house to mine. I called around and I finally got a lead. I called Ormani! He called back and asked how big the piano was and after checking it out, he decided it would fit in the back of his work van. He would clean the van out Friday evening and be on our driveway at 9:30 Saturday morning. I called back once with concerns and he said, "Don't worry about it Hahhnny! I am very strong!" By this time I had rounded up one friend, Leo. So we had Ormani, Lyle, and Leo to move a heavy piano. Well, Ormani was at the house by 9:15 Saturday morning. He did look strong. We picked up Leo and went to the house to get the piano. Daphne's husband, John offered to help also. Ormani picked up the end of the piano and stated, "Wow, this thing is heavy!" But he and Leo carried it out to the front hallway so now I can testify to the fact that Leo is very strong too!!! Now we measured the clearance they had to work with to get the piano in the van. It was 1.5 inches!! The four guys got the piano lifted up and slid into the van. Whew!! I checked if John was coming along to our house to get the piano out of the van. He laughed and said, "I come with the piano!" When the caravan got to our house, our neighbor Fred came over and with all of them, they got the piano into our garage. They successfully got it in the house, made the bend into our bedroom and now it sits there in all it's glory! It's a beauty!! Thanks to all who made it possible for me!!

Have fun checking out.....

Be sure to check out the sites I have posted on the left margin of my blog. One is Lyle's photo site. He keeps adding to the collection. The ones that he sells the most are of the Masters. He is hopeful for more sales this week because it's Master"s week. (I mention that for those of you who do not follow golf.) You can also go to Davonne's blog, A Work in Progress. She named it that because she always has a work in progress--even works in progress. Just this morning, I checked out Anita's blog and then connected to her web site, Lynita's. Check out the foo-foo and the jewelry bags. And she makes adorable mittens from old wool sweaters.

If it were Friends Day today, I would want hop on a plane, the kind that pulls banners behind it, and fly over Edgerton, MN and jump out for a cup of coffee and do some fun project together. We would laugh a lot because that's what we do! Shucks! When is Friends Day anyway?

Love ya! Fran

Davonne is published in Somerset Memories!

I am so excited! I finally have the Spring 2010 Somerset Memories in my hands. Late 2008, when I was reading through my Somerset Magazine, I noticed they were having a sort of contest for the ways one used a spool as an art piece. I excitedly encouraged Davonne to enter a spool she had made but she was busy and didn't know if she had photos and she had given the spool to Kayla and Dan. Sooooo, I said that I had photos of it and I would email them to the magazine. I did and I heard back from them that they definitely liked the spool and wanted Davonne to send in the spool. She did. I am a sort of an impatient person so I wrote several times to check on the status. I always got the reply that it was in the running. I checked in August, 2009 to make sure they still had the spool and got an email back stating..

"Yep, we most certainly still have the spool. You can let Davone know that her Celebration Spool has been selected for publication in the April 2010 issue of Somerset Memories. I will be contacting her."

I called Davonne! We were so excited! She said, "You introduced me to my husband. You helped me get my kids, and now you got me published. What's next?'' Who knows? Who knows?

April Advice Assignment

Early in March, I talked about the Book of Advice that Davonne, Anita and I are doing this year. Well, after much consideration and changing my mind a lot of times, I have determined the April assignment. It is to "Include somewhere or everywhere on your page the following items: a sheet of music, a picture from an old book or a postcard, and ribbon. You can use other what-nots, junk, soft hardware, or ephemera." I had always wanted to use that word-- ephemera. Just how does one pronounce that word? Even the dictionary does not offer much help! I need an audio dictionary. I remember when DQ had a brazier burger and Lyle ordered two brassiere burgers. He did it on purpose but it was quite a funny situation. I think DQ was the only fast food restaurant back then. And were there no package deals? I'll bet McDonalds came up with the package idea so that one can now say, "I'll take a number two!" for people just like Lyle so he does not get to smirk at the order-taker any more. Actually, I guess he could smirk about that line also. And how about that great new drink at McDonalds--the frappe! I've mastered how to say that since I love having one. I figured out a way to remember how to say it. Anyway, I have completed both March and April since I will be going to the kids next week and wanted to mail it off before then. I will post the photos of my page later, since Davonne and Anita are among my followers! :-)

Hit the Jack Pot on old fuzzy cards!

Last Saturday, while Lyle and I were "out and about," Lyle noticed a sign for an estate sale. He willingly turned around and followed the signs. Well, it was not an auction. Anyone who came just went in the house and looked around. Clothes were still in the closet. Lyle thought that was a bit creepy. There were lots of books, kitchen stuff, and junk. Most of the items were not marked. I gathered some stuff and approached the table. As I was waiting, I heard the guy working there say to a fellow worker, "Yah, people think they can bargain and complain about the prices. This is not a garage sale. It's an estate sale. They could go to Walmart and pay a lot more!" Having heard that, I wondered what my pile of stuff was going to cost. Well, it was not bad and I am so excited about my fuzzy greeting cards from the 40s and 50s. I love fuzzy cards--surprising since I hate furry things. I've concluded that fuzzy is a lot different that furry!