Cake made by my friend Alicia.

Ellen Grace gets blessed

Today was baby Ellen's blessing. She had two grandmas, two grandpas, two aunts, two uncles and lots of friends there.

Have your cake and eat it too

Cousins Club

My distant cousin on the south shore was going to be at the Temple this morning so I met up with them. It was fun to see her little girls Cora and Jordan and take a few photos. We committed to getting together at least once over the summer at the beach or somewhere fun.

Friends from way back

I got a call this week from a friend from way back. We grew up in the same ward in Van Nuys and went to the same junior high and high school. The black and white photo is from Robert's 5th birthday party and that's Dan in front of me--I'm in the back ready to go in/out of the house. My mom called me "Miss Keep Moving" that day. Dan and his wife Liz had been in Maine this week and came over tonight (I love showing people my condo) and then we walked into Lexington Center and had dinner. It was really fun to reminisce about the good old days (we're old enough to do that now) and re-connect.

Me and book club

I usually don't end up reading the books for book club (I don't read much at home and my subway reading is limited since I'm only on the train for 15-18 minutes) but I try to attend now and then. And, I'm really quiet when I go (imagine that?). BUT, this month, I actually read the book (I read 2/3 of it a few years ago but started over this time). Almost. I have about 20 pages left and I WILL FINISH IT THIS WEEKEND. And, I'd like to see the movie with Julia Roberts (due out in August).

Overheard

Today a few people were in the reception area at work waiting for a meeting. One of them was holding large notebooks to be distributed to each attendee. Someone said, "Does it have both the Old Testament and the New Testament?" and another person quipped, "With the Book of Mormon inbetween."

No more free parking

I've had free parking for two months at work because of my foot problems. It takes 50-60 minutes to drive 10.5 miles so it's no picnic. I'm feeling much better and will start doing more walking--tomorrow!

Free clothes

A couple of friends have given me clothes recently. With no sisters, I never got hand-me-downs so I'm thrilled with the cardies and capris.

My FHE

My night included a car accident (just like this), cleaning the church, and helping a friend pack. I took Mass. Ave. home and was stopped in traffic when I was hit from behind and then I smashed into the truck in front of me. When I got out of my car and asked the guy who hit me WHAT WAS GOING ON he just stood there and finally said that he thought traffic was moving. I called 9-1-1 and NO ONE answered (after about a dozen rings---HELLO!)---I wanted the police to give him a ticket. In the meantime, the nice man who I hit suggested we share info (name, address, license plate number, insurance company) so we did that and then went on our merry ways. My friend asked me why I was so mad about the accident and I said because if you are paying attention while driving you don't HIT people. It looks like Bluebell is going out with a BANG!

I love after Church

Perfect pool day

In Chelsea today

That house was the only house on a very busy commercial street. And it's for sale. No neighbors. No wonder.

Double birthday

Adrienne and my brother Robes share the same birthday today. She is 15 and he would be 51. Happy Birthday, Sweet P!

Click here and here to see some other birthday posts.

R.S. Closing Social

We're not closing down for the summer so I'm not sure why we call it the "Closing Social". We had delicious salads/desserts, lots of interesting conversations, and writing messages in cool little books for the sisters that are moving this summer (sadly, nine of them). It was a fun night (minus the mosquitos). I'm looking forward to some summer "Relief Society Meetings" (everything's a meeting, right?!?).

WWYD?!?

A few weeks ago I received an invitation to a wedding Open House in Utah. The invitation doesn't say who the parents of the happy bride and groom are and I don't recognize them. I'm totally stumped. Should I send a gift? Should I ask WHO ARE YOU (for a good laugh read this)?!? Or should I apply for my AARP card ASAP?

What Would You Do?!?

My Boston anniversary

Twenty two years have passed and I still love this city. Click here to read something I wrote about moving here ("My Big Adventure").

I took a picture of every state sign on my move here. I dug through old photo albums tonight to find this picture.

7 cups for 7 riders

Everybody had a cup to use over the weekend.

A sundae on Monday

Tonight was the Arlington Ward meet-at-Kimballs-to-bid-farewell-to-the-families-leaving-this-summer activity. There are 9 or 10 families moving to various parts of the country in the next few months and they will all be missed.













I took this picture of a sundae that one family shared (this is a very common sight at Kimballs). I tried malted moo tracks ice cream for the first time and it was yummy.

I am the proud owner of...

...a PLUNGER!!! Six guests with working digestive systems plus one case of the stomach flu = two plugged up toilets. So on my way home from dropping the last guests at the airport I treated myself to my first plunger.

Lunch on the beach

After dropping Adrienne at the airport, Jennifer and Emma and I went to Kelly's on Revere Beach. Jennifer had a fish sandwich, Emma had the chowdah (a good post-stomach flu lunch) and I had a hot dog and onion rings. We sat near the beach and enjoyed our lunch. It was a beautiful sunny day. And then it was back to the airport for the last time.

the Patton girls

Birthday(s)

Emma turned 12 in April.
Adrienne turns 15 on Friday.
Tyler turns 13 in June.
We celebrated all their birthdays tonight with Texas Sheet Cake, ice cream and plenty of candles.

A tisket a tasket...Emma in the basket

Emma has been under the weather today so the girls put her in a shopping cart and wheeled her out to the cemetery to play. That's cousin love.

Another great Ride

Kimballs, of course

Boston Temple today

Ride story #5

In the Spring of 2005 my sister-in-law Kim called and told me that Adrienne (age 9 at the time) wanted to do the Ride. I figured she meant when Adrienne was 15. Nope; she meant that year.

Adrienne earned the money for her airline ticket (she had a lemonade stand, traded some gift cards for cash, and was a mother's helper) and did some "training" rides through her South Florida neighborhood (though never anything close to 25 miles). I knew the Ride would be tough for her (it's tough for me).

Adrienne and I rode together (while her brother Jamel and the guys did the 50 mile Ride) and I encouraged her along the way. You could have heard me yelling "You're a superstar, you can do it, keep riding!" through the Boston suburbs to a determined little girl (and she was little) who lost her dad to a brain tumor before she was even three and a half years old. At one point, when Adrienne was behind me a bit, I called Kim's cell phone and left a message asking her to say a prayer for Adrienne because I didn't think she was going to make it. I knew Adrienne would be devastated to not finish. Everyone at home would be asking her how the Ride went and she'd have to tell them she didn't do all 25 miles. And, honestly, I knew I couldn't talk her up for the rest of the Ride. About the time she and I were 7 miles from the end my cell phone rang and it was my friend Tadd telling me that he and Brian had finished the 50 mile Ride. I asked Tadd if he'd ride back towards us to encourage Adrienne. He and Tadd did just that. I kept riding knowing that if I stopped I might not be able to start up again. Brian and Tadd stayed with Adrienne offering words of encouragement and singing to her. A man driving a support car for the riders passed them and asked her a few times if she wanted to catch a ride to the finish but she stoically nodded her head, "No." She walked her bike for a bit and then got back on a rode some more. When Adrienne rode under the balloon arch at the finish line, this same man stopped his car, walked over to her and gave her a big hug and told her she had accomplished a great thing and that he was proud of her. His support car was the "sweeper" that followed the last person to finish the Ride. [This man knew nothing about Adrienne so I tracked down his email and sent him a letter telling him about her and why she was there doing the Ride that day.]

That was a BIG day for a little girl. To quote Brian, "Adrienne miraculously finished the 25 miles. She gained not only unseen pride from her dad, but she also tapped into an inner strength that is now hers forever." And to quote Tadd, "Your determination to finish on your own, reminded me of the great marathoners of the world collapsing as they finished their own races. The difference between you and them, is not only your age, but in your reasons for riding and your vision for doing so. I imagine really great things will come from you."

I kept saying to her, "YOU DID IT!!! And now you know you can do it again!"

Adrienne will be riding again this year!

Ride story #4

My niece Emma from Portland, OR did the Ride for the first time when she was 9. This was her take on it: "It's much harder to have a brain tumor so we shouldn't complain about riding twenty five miles."

This photo is from 2008, the second year Emma did the Ride (that's Chuck with her).

The first riders have arrived

Emma and Jennifer traveled from Oregon to Washington, DC a week ago and then took the train up from DC today! Emma helped me prepare the crawl space for pioneer village.

Ride story #3

About ten years ago the aforementioned Brian and I weren't on very friendly terms (he's an old boyfriend from a long time ago) and I knew it would be uncomfortable to see him at the Ride. So a few weeks before, I went to his place of employment (the fire station), rang the bell, and when he opened the downstairs door I told him that I didn't want him to do the bike ride (I guess I temporarily forgot that it's a free country). There was some uncomfortableness and then Brian quietly said, "Robes was my friend too and I want to Ride in his memory." What could I say to that?

Brian has done every Ride since 1998 and is a good friend to Robes' kids and our family. He helps transport bikes and is a true team member (proof of that in upcoming Ride story #4). That's him wearing a red shirt on the far left in the Boston Brain Tumor Ride website banner this year.

Thank you, Brian, for always being part of PATTON'S ARMY.

Ride story #2

This article ran in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel on Father's Day 2001--click on it to read it. [Robes was a sportswriter for that newspaper.] Jamel is working and preparing for college (and going to Europe next week) so unfortunately he won't be doing the Ride this year (after 9 years of participating). Hopefully he will join us again; he's a big part of PATTON'S ARMY!

Picnic pals

My friends Bruce and Phoebe (and their mom Emily) met me today for a picnic on the grass near the MIT dome. It was really fun. I promised Bruce that next time I would wear the right shoes so we could have a running race on the grass.

Ride story #1

This Sunday is the Ride that I do every year so in anticipation of the big day, I'm going to share a few Ride stories.

Not long after my brother Robes was diagnosed with an anaplastic astrocytoma brain tumor, I found out that The Brain Tumor Society was in Boston. And not long after that I heard about their Ride for Research. That first year (1998) Robes was still battling brain cancer. And, a friend-of-a-friend (Mary) was in Boston getting radiation for a brain tumor and I was showing her around New England over the weekends and taking her to church. So Mary and I and her mother, who was in town from Utah, decided that we would volunteer at the Ride. My friend Brian and three of his firefighter friends did the 50 mile ride that year. As soon as they rode off I stood there thinking I should be riding. And, ever since then, I've been doing the 25-mile ride.

Happy Mother's Day

Art gallery

Ellery had colored some pictures for me and made me a bookmark that she gave me when I arrived in Texas last week. These beautiful flowers now adorn my wall (by Bruce's artwork).

Shabby Apple speaks

I heard CK Woolley speak tonight. She started the Shabby Apple dress company. I've been wanting to meet her since I heard about the company because her real name is Athelia and that is my grandmother's name! CK talked about fortunate frustrations that led her to start her company and shared lots of fashion ideas and tips. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her speak. I introduced myself to her and she was surprised to hear about another Athelia! Click here to read more about CK.

Gifts for the folks

Mother's Day is tomorrow and my dad's birthday is next week so I made my parents a set of quilted placemats. The gifts have arrived (I just got the "thank you" call) so here's a photo.

New skirt

When Katarina Witt competed in the Winter Olympics she was asked in an interview what she had done during the day and she replied, "I bought some dress."
















Tonight I made some skirt. [The denim was on sale and the end of the bolt so 2 yards cost me $7.50. It took more than 5 but less than 40 minutes to make.] Have I mentioned lately that I love to sew?!?

Mother's Day guest blogger

I'm a guest blogger today on my friend Laura's blog. You can read my post here.

Car salesmen these days

Things may be winding down for Bluebell. I did a bit of car buying research today and even got approved for a loan (it doesn't take long). Email from my brother Chuck said "get a Yaris".

On my way home I stopped at the local Toyota dealership. I asked a young salesman for a Yaris brochure. He then asked an older salesman if they had any. That guy shrugged his shoulders and went to the back room and a minute later handed one to me. I thanked him. As I walked out the door the young salesman said, "A Honda? You should trade it in and get this 2010 Camry. It's a beautiful car."

I thought for sure they would ask me if I was interested in buying a car.

Cookies by the dozen...

I made these chocolate chip cookies a few weeks ago and I wasn't crazy about them. I made them with my BIG cookie scoop and they were too big and too flat for my taste. Everyone that I shared them with loved them, however, so I decided to give them another try. Tonight I made them with my small cookie scoop. I've already had two of them so I guess they get a thumb's up!

Status of stitches

AFTER A MONTH, they're all finally out. My finger is still a bit sore. I am putting bacitracin/band-aids on it for a few days. Then some $25.99 scar cream that I splurged on. My finger actually looks better than I thought it would. And I go back in six months to see the plastic surgeon and hope everything is still A-OK.

One more Texas post

The wildflowers. I loved the Texas wildflowers.

My Texas weekend

I really enjoyed my trip to Austin. It was great to see friends, eat BBQ and tacos/nachos, shop, rest and take lots (and lots) of photos. And hooray for non-stop JetBlue flights!

I missed my blogiversary

Yesterday marked four years of blogging for me (and this is my 1778th post)! No give-away, JUST KEEP READING IT!!

Thank you.

Arlington Ward Reunion

Tonight we had an Arlington Ward reunion in Austin. It was great to see some old friends.

Top row L-R: Rich and Diana Nelson, Kip and Leesa Thompson, ME, Bryce LaPierre (his wife and 2 1/2 kids were out-of-town), Tory and Adam Thompson.

On the couch L-R: Lauren and Jenna Nelson, Nicole Thompson, Maddy Nelson.

I met the twins

Some Boston friends moved to Austin and had their twins about a month ago. I was thrilled that I could meet them and photograph them. Fortunately they're moving back to New England (Maine) so I'll get to see them now and then! Dallin and Julia are adorable.