Fun in the Sun

December 21, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

This is an amazing place, with three feet of snow and a bright sunny day.

The trip east was just fine. We had a forty five minute delay in Minneapolis, but the rest of the connections were fine. Meg and Dick weren't so lucky, and their 6:00 pm arrival actually was midnight. We drove to Normal the next day, though the predicted ice storm didn't really materialize and it was a fine trip. We got to do lots of visiting, and Meg, Betsy and I had lots of fun drinking gin and giggling. The dinner was good, and gave me a chance to catch up with cousins I hadn't seen for a long time, and with their very cute kids. On Sunday, I went back into Chicago with my cousin Alan.  In spite of the cold - it was 2 degrees Sunday morning -  my flight to Boston was without incident, and Sadie was waiting to pick me up. 

And of course, the best part of the trip has been spending time with Sadie, Greg, and Simon. He's a little terrible, but really very little. Mostly he just talks a blue streak, and like all my grandkids, is funny and smart. Lucky grandma...

Dinner Menu

November 23, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

Turkey, Stuffing - gluten and non, Cranberry sauce, cornbread, pecan pie, creamed (non-gluten) peas   Bob Wine   Yayoe Martinelli's, Kale salad, SomethingTofu (sounds like an upscale restaurant) Adam and Joanna World Famous Sweet Potato Casserole, Non-salted pumpkin pie   Jenny, Destin and Jordan Salad and mashersWhat did I forget?

Love you all, Fam. You are what I am most grateful for.

Jenny's Bio Family Connections!

May 19, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

You kids are all aware that I've badgered most of you into having your DNA tested - some for fun and some to look for any scary medical stuff, like my heart stuff.

Anyhow, the company will let you know if you are related to anyone else who took the DNA test. Jenny's came up with a very close relationship to a woman who'd taken the test and has a family tree on Ancestry.com, which I belong to. Jenny works in her Dad's dental office with a good friend Angela, and together with another good friend Jeannie, they took a look at her family (her first name is Destiny, and I'm adding that information is because of the coincidence of Jenny choosing Destin as a name for her first son.)

Jenny sent Destiny a message with her phone number and Destiny called yesterday. Jenny called me after the conversation, just bubbling.  Destiny is in the Navy, stationed in Orlando, and Jenny was planning to take Jordan to Disneyworld for his birthday, and I think they are hoping to meet.

I can't describe how happy and excited Jenny is. It's making water fill up my eyes and dribble. Please send prayers, meditations, good thoughts, or whatever you believe in, that this will be a loving and fulfilling relationship for Jenny and the boys.

Hands Across the Sea, Dammit

May 10, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

You may remember that last spring  I hosted an archeologist from Pakistan for the Archeology film  festival. I offered to host him again this year; the festival gets going with a banquet on Wednesday night. I hadn't heard anything about an arrival date, and expected him on Tuesday afternoon, leaving me plenty of time to clean up the mounds of dirty dishes, ironing hung about the living room. and dining room table strewn with undone paperwork. Ho! As in ho, ho, ho. At 7:30 this morning I had nearly finished my coffee and the comics when I got a phone call from the Director of the event, sounding a bit non-plussed and telling me Mr. Kakaputo was at the Eugene Airport and had been there since last night. I ignored the mess, except for the dishes, which had begun to mutate into strange shapes. I wrangled them into the dishwashes, took a Vicodan, and lurched forward, into the new day.

Wonderful vacation!

April 27, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

What a great time I had with Sadie, Greg and Simon! In spite of the fact that I took my heavy raincoat with the winter lining, there was nooo snow! In fact, I think it was warm every day I was there. Simon is fun to play with, and is talking up a storm. We went out to the farm of their friends, Isaac and Sorrel, who have a little boy about Simon's  age. And Simon and I walked all over the place,  stopping to inspect every piece of construction equipment in Greenfield. You are all going to enjoy him so much at the family get together!
On Saturday I took the train from New Haven to Washington, where Anna and her boyfriend Jimmy picked me up. I had a very nice time with them; I hadn't met her boyfriend before, and I thought he was really a nice fellow. I got to go to the Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Natural History, and stopped at the Art Museum.
But it was nice to pull in to the good old Eugene Airport and see Bob patiently waiting.
Remember that Russian Easter is this Sunday. I think I need some grandkid help on Saturday, but I'll contact you.

Where have I been for the last four months?

March 14, 2016 by Sue in Wielesek

I went to the Coast with my book club over the weekend, which was very much fun. Very very stormy though. We were in Yachats, and I remembered a nice weekend when Mom and Dad came to visit and we rented cabins in Yachats with all you kids and maybe some camp followers.

When I came back, Joanna's concussion had not improved and Adam had taken her to the ER. He and I switched places, and eventually she got a cat scan. She does have a concussion and all the crappy stuff that goes along with it, but not anything worse. Ie, her brain isn't bruised, and it's not bleeding. When the doc told her not to do things which might tax her brain, like watching TV, texting, or reading, she wailed, "Well, what will I dooo?" I tried to explain to him that for Joanna, not thinking was just not an option! Too many of you smart people in this family!