Surprise…

The following day of Mom’s 90th birthday, my sisters Barb and Karen and I had a surprise birthday party for Mom with some of her “card ladies”. Barb got all the paper products and a Bingo Game, Karen made a cake and I made individual chicken pot pies and jello. Barb got Mom out of the house by telling her she wanted to get a new snowblower at Menard’s and she would drop Mom off at WalMart. Karen and I decorated and got things ready while they were gone. Mom’s lifelong neighbor Dorothy was in charge of contacting the “card ladies” and letting them park at her house. Barb did some fancy driving on the way home so Mom wouldn’t accidentally see the cars in Dorothy’s driveway. We had the ladies come over about 20 minutes early just to be safe.

The ladies were all sitting around the table when Mom came through the door and they yelled “Surprise, Happy Birthday!” Mom was so excited! They chatted for awhile then started in on Bingo, and a mean Bingo do they play. haha!

We served lunch about an hour later and they all raved about the pot pies, making me promise to give them the recipe. (oops, I have yet to do that) They sang Happy Birthday, ate cake, drank lots of coffee and then there were cards and presents. Mom would give each one a ‘look’ when there was a present or money involved. That’s my Mom! She had a great time and was very surprised and very happy. It’s not everyone that gets to celebrate 90 years.

Happy Birthday Mommy…I hope you have many more. I love you!

My Mommy…

On December 12, 2010 my mother turned the enviable age of 90.  We celebrated it by going out to eat at her very favorite restaurant, Old Country Buffet. Whenever I take her to a doctor’s appointment and we decide to make a day of it and eat lunch, she usually says where ever I want to go is fine with her. But we both know that she really wants to go to OCB, and that’s fine with me, because I too like OCB. The salad bar is wonderful and that is the first place I head for, then I usually get a little piece of meat and something else and ending with the bread pudding. Anyway, enough of what I like, it was her day and she ate more than I’ve ever seen her eat. She thoroughly enjoyed herself. After we stuffed ourselves we went back to Karen’s and had cake and opened presents. She got some things that she wasn’t expecting and that’s good!

Wine and Cheese…

A few weeks ago on a cold snowy day in December, David and I took a little day trip to St. Croix Winery in Wisconsin.  Andy had given us a gift certificate for a five sample wine tasting with cheese and crackers, a tour and bottle of wine. We had the certificate for months when I thought I better take a look at it and see when we had to use it by. I’m so very glad I looked at it, because it had to be used by the first of the year. We called and made reservations the same day for the next Friday we both had off. The tour was a little lacking, but only because it is a very small winery. They hold special events there and it can be reserved for special happenings such as parties and weddings. They get their grapes and grape juice from California because they don’t have enough grapes yet. The grapes they have growing are special for this climate so they can leave them up and not have to bury them. It will be several years before they have enough to do much with, but they’ll get there.

I’m not much of a wine person because most of the wines I’ve had are too dry for me and make my nose stuffy. These wines though, mmmm, they were very good. Even the reds, which I always thought were dry, were Not! I didn’t get stuffed up either, and I found out that is because they use the smallest amount of tannin allowed by the FDA so their wines don’t give the headache and stuffiness.

Our ‘Free’ wine tasting event ended up costing us $46, because we just had to get some of the wonderful cheese we sampled and an additional two bottles of wine. They were so tasty! I think I may become hooked. hahaha

 

 

 

 

Thanks Andy, we had a great time, and we plan on visiting other wineries.

Little Bit…

I put the drawing of Annie on hold for a bit so I could complete a Christmas present for Andy of his favorite kitty, Little Bit. I had a tough time with his right front leg and shoulder. It pretty much looks like the picture I took, but there is still something wrong that I just couldn’t fix. I’m sorry Andy, but at least you have a drawing of Bitty now. I hope you like it…