The feet January 10 2009

Twas the week of the feet.  Linda Hallen on the left with a newly broken foot, the called it a Jones fracture.   the little bone that goes to the little toe.   She will be off of it for 6 to 8 weeks.  It might need surgery if it doesn't heal, and there is poor circulation in that area.    The foot on the right is Gary's with a week old sprain.   It is beginning to look much better.     More nasty pictures will follow.

Gary sitting in the lanai at the hallen's.   A lanai is a screened room.   Was so nice to sit out there even when it wasn't too warm.

First day in Florida.   Doesn't it look pretty.
Here it is again the next morning   it is really starting to bloom.   He is walking just fine on it now, and the color has returned to normal.

Here is Linda just sitting and enjoying an ice cream sundae the night after she broke the foot.  The other knee was hurt as she fell on one of those cement things in the parking lot.  

Our time with Spencer and family-1/1/09

Here are two of the goats, there are now four more.  A buck, a wether and 2 more does.   Hopefully hey are now expecting and there will be kids in the spring.

I think I got the last picture of the ducks,   they are no more.   They were dirty and ate a lot
Ahhh finally the kidlets,  Here is our Jolly Xavier,  he is so much fun, always happy



oops, forgot to get the red eye out.   

When we first arrived at Spencer's we went out to look at the animals, and as we were walking down a hill, Elizabeth slipped and slid down the hill.  Then Gary took his turn going down,   he slipped and twisted and sprained his ankle.  Couldn't have been too bad as he walked back to the house.   I, remembering my knee the year before at Gordons, promptly sat down and slid down the hill on my bottom.  Figured one injured person was enough for one family.

Here we all are, well some of us don't show in the picture, opening presents.   Meredith is very serious about seeing what is in her package.

Xavier looks half asleep here, think he had just gotten  up from his nap.   He is such a happy baby that we consider the J for his middle initial must be short for Jolly.   He is always laughing.

We had a great visit, Gary kept his foot up and iced, but it still turned purple and ugly. We had actually considered going back north at this point, but then finally decided that a couple of weeks in the warm would probably be helpful, so we continued on to the south lands.

New Year's Eve in DC

Here we are on New Years Eve during the VERY early morning driving with Jared and Stef to the train station to take the train into Washington DC to view the exhibit on Pompei.   It was a great show.  Amazing how those people lived.   For this picture we were heading east right into the sunrise.   It was certainly beautiful, almost made me glad that i got up that early.

The first thing we saw when we got into the city was the Washington Monument.  Beautiful clouds,  

to bad we didn't get up early enough to get the sunrise in Washington

We turned around to see the capitol building.  and the grass on the mall.   Was a very pretty morning,  to bad it was almost at freezing, and there was a strong wind blowing the whole day.  Oh well, we are thinking of a return trip in the spring or fall when the weather is nicer.   Will probably take one of those tour busses that you can get on and off wherever you want.   See all the sights and not have to walk.

We went over to the Smithsonian building where there was a beautiful Christmas tree right in the middle of the main building.   This was the only place that was open when we arrived.   Was nice to be in out of the cold with a bathroom, and a place to buy Hot Chocolate.  There were also exhibits here also.  

This waterfall was inside one of the art galleries where we saw the Pompeii exhibit.  The water came from outside and was behind a glass wall.   I could have watched it all day, it kept changing.  Note the next couple of pictures of the waterfall

This is a picture of Winfield Scott, I like the way the reflection looks.  He was displayed in a plexiglass box 

This was a cowboy right outside the museum.   It reminded me of the cute christmas ornament we received form those folk in New Mexico.  

 This picture of a house is an optical illusion it is hard to tell if you are looking at an outside corner, or an inside one.   Keeps flipping before your eyes.  it even dose  it in the photograph.  But not as much as it did in person. 

Another interesting  sculpture,  they were all over the place.  Even on a cloudy day it was interesting,  I would have like to have seen it in the sunshine.  The shadows would have been even more interesting.

And finally the train we took getting home.  We were all so tired we almost fell asleep on the ride back to where our cars were parked.   We had to drive slowly because the train in front of on the tracks was having some issues, but once we got going we made good time.   Havin a great time on our trip.

Christmas in Greenfield

After we left Vermont we drove south to Greenfield and Leanne's house.   Edward was at work so we didn't see him, but we saw everyone else/  Ben and Jenn and Hannah and their new dog Maggie all came for Brunch.   Was nice to see all of them.   

This is the little Creche that Gary's mother had all these years.  I tried out my real close focus and think the picture came out quite well.   It really looks deep.   I had never noticed that before.   Dottie always had fake snow around it.   Leanne put green leafy branches around it.   Much better than the snow which probably doesn't happen in Bethlehem, especially when the sheep are out in the fields in April.    So we all think it looks much better, and more realistic with the green leaves.
A shot of one of Leannes Village houses.
After feeling compelled  to go places on Christmas morning and finally deciding that they would be staying home Leanne has decided that she will keep her pajamas on all day on Christmas, and she did.   Here we all are out on a walk on Christmas afternoon.   That is Jenn on the left, then Leanne, and then Rachel on the right.   The rest of us were there, but in back of the camera person.
And finally Maggie, with the Big Stick.   It was far longer than she was, but she insisted on carrying it with her on our walk. 

Merry Christmas in Vermont-12/25/08

We had a delightful time in Vermont with Gordon and Carrie and Geoffrey and Ron and Gabriel.   We arrived on Christmas eve and had a nice dinner then went off to a Christmas eve service at their church.  We sang lots of Christmas Carols and heard Christmas reading.   When we returned home we got the little guy to bed and then as all parents and grandparents do, we wrapped Christmas presents.   I remember the first time I was allowed to stay up and wrap gifts for Hank.   I felt so grown up.   We were living on Holyoke street at the time, so I must have been in 7th or 8th grade.   We even played with some of the toys.   One of the toys was a target that one held on their left hand and a dart type ball with a suction cup on it.   It was lots of fun.   Enough for the past,   on to this year.

Christmas Morning and the tree that Gordon hiked out into the woods to get.  He chopped it down and brought it home.  Geoffrey has had a good time rearranging the ornaments.  We had to wait for Geoffrey to wake up  I think you need at least two children for them to get up early on Christmas morning.   We heard some noises from downstairs and figured that he was coming up.   And boy did he come up wearing only one sock.   Gordon was close behind carrying a diaper and some clothing.   I didn't take a picture.   He did get excited when he saw all the wrapped presents under the tree.   He was eager to give us the things for us.   We got a lovely collage of pictures of all the children and grandchildren that Carrie put together.   Thank you everyone for sending pictures.
Gordon and Geoffrey opening their stockings  M&M's were a hit
There he is  Christmas Boy

Geoffrey and Ron opening a gift.

Finger Crayons from Leanne.   He sure was having a good time with them. 
Geoffrey and Papa opening the Thomas sheets that we gave him We still haven't seen the bedroom all done up with the train theme.
Gordon and Carrie are looking a little sleepy, must have been a long night.
Carrie and Geoffrey having a little snack while he was taking a break in opening his presents.

Here he is playing with his Thomas stuff.   

Snow in Rhode Island - 12/19/08

The tree is the Lindon on the far side of the driveway.   This was before Christmas.

This , obviously isn't from Florida.   This was our big snow storm that we had before Christmas When we left to go to Vermont before Christmas the snow was this deep.  The picture was taken from the back door.   When we returned from All our Christmas travel we were down to almost green grass.  We measured the snow, and it was about 13 inches.

Lorraine's Birthday bash - 12/13/08

This was the time of the big Birthday bash  Many people attended, there were friends and family, and of course the Birthday girl herself.   We didn't get pictures of everyone, and some that we did get didn't come out as well as I would have liked, but a good time was had by all

First we have Evvy and Jack Russell, they have been friends of the Mathieu's for as long as I can remember.

Then Elaine Mathieu Mandeville.   Elaine is the daughter of Henry's Brother Gene.   She drove in from Milton Mass for the big event.   Not pictured is her sister Barbara who arrived a bit later, actually after Henry and Lorraine had left for home.   She drove over to Easthampton for a visit.

Ricky and his girlfriend Janet were there,   Ricky is the brother of Elaine and Barbara.   The other sister, Nancy was not able to attend, she had a cold and didn't think it would make a great birthday gift.   We are thankful  that she didn't share.  

Hank, was of course there, as it was his house.  I missed taking pictures of Gary who was there and Hanks kids,   you can see the three of them in an earlier post.   I was holding the camera and Susan, if you look closely was holding the cake   you can see her hands underneath.   

And finally Lorraine Mathieu   Happy Birthday Mom

Thanksgiving2008

we went to Easthampton to celebrate my mothers birthday.  Got a good picture of Cam and gregg and Olivia wrestling on the couch.  

Here is a picture of our blow up manger scene looks like the light is out on the left hand side.   oh well, better luck next year 

This is a picture of Laselette shrine all lit up for Christmas.   We stopped on the way to bring Adam and Jessie to the airport.   The lights were quite pretty and then we saw some

Swans

Then before we left home i got a good picture of Gus sitting with our stuffed animals