Way to go Avalanches!!!!

Big weekend of basketball! Jeb's team won the state championship in Vt and my grandkid Bailey's team the Adirondack Avalanches finished their season on Saturday by defeating Dannemora to finish their season UNDEFEATED! Way to go Avalanches! Bailey (left) and her sister Jenna celebrate the win!

They had a whirlwind weekend! Friday night was Fun Night at school - swimming and tons of activities - Saturday the game, birthday parties - Sunday Bailey's basketball party at a bowling alley in the Forks and Girl Scout Cookie sales. If you want some Girl Scout cookies let me know. The sales help Bailey's troop and they are donating some of their profits to the local Food Shelf and North Country Life Flight. If you don't want the calories, you can buy a box ($3.50) each to donate to the Food Shelf.

I so much enjoy the view from our house of Poke-o-Moonshine and the valley in front of us. I've posted several pics in the past but here is one where you can actually see Poke-o-Moonshine as the sun hit it early one morning last week. Today I can't see much of it, a little haze and snow have moved in. Also, here's a pic of my dad in his rocker (in front of the woodstove in the kitchen) with his new best friend. When the dog is outside, Jesse that cat comes and takes Coco's place.

Congratulations to the Hazen Union High School Wildcats (Hardwick, VT) and especially #5 Jeb! They won the state championship last night. Jeb is the son of my pals Tim and Steph. Way to go Jeb and team!!!

Jeb's mom Steph (left) and Auntie Sheila at the big game!

Looks like Jeb has a nice fan base!

Chore Boy

My dad is feeling better.

I worry that he is going to die of boredom however. He reads but doesn't do much else. Now that he is feeling better he wants to "move around." So I was cleaning the fridge this afternoon and he offered to help. I feel slightly guilty over have a 93 year old scrub my fridge but I remind myself the activity is good for him.

He did a fine job. He always called himself the "chore boy" when we would do a meal when my mom was alive. He would peel the veggies and often do the dishes or at least the pots and pans. He has been a great help to me when I cook a roast or boiled dinner - he peels all the vegetables. It is all good for him. He needs to have something to do - even if it is scrubbing my grungy fridge!

It's Friday again! I hope you have safe and restful weekend. Find time to do something fun. And of course, enjoy every minute!

Not the best joke this week, but certainly not the worst I've ever used either. Enjoy!

Guy walks into a bar and grill with a full-grown ostrich behind him. The waitress asks them for their orderThe man says, 'A hamburger, fries and a coke,' and turns to the ostrich, 'What's yours?''I'll have the same,' says the ostrich.A short time later the waitress returns with the order 'That will be $9.40 please,' and the man reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.

The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, 'A fish filet,salad, and white wine."The ostrich says, 'I'll have the same.'Again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.The next time the two enter the man orders pastrami with pickles and mustard with a Dr. Brown Cream Soda. 'Same,' says the ostrich. Once again the man pulls the exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table.

The waitress cannot hold back her curiosity any longer. 'Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change in your pocket every time?''Well,' says the man, 'several years ago I was cleaning the attic and found an old lamp. When I rubbed it, a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there.''That's brilliant!' says the waitress. 'Most people would ask for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!''That's right. Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there,' says the man..The waitress asks, 'What's with the ostrich?'The man sighs, pauses and answers, 'My second wish was for a tall chick with long legs who agrees with everything I say.'

My sisters owe me some money. $12 each in fact. When they visited a while back they liked my 911 sign we have on a tree at the bottom of the driveway and asked me to order some for them. I ordered them a couple weeks ago from the Ausable Forks Fire Dept. and yesterday I called and left a message to see if they were ready.

They called my house last night to tell me they were ready but I was in Ausable Forks and happened to be at a Rotary Club meeting in the ambulance garage. The phone rings at the Rotary meeting and a lady hands me the phone, "Hi Jan, I'm calling from the Ausable Forks Fire Dept. to let you know your signs are ready. I'm across the street at the Fire House and I can meet you outside in the parking lot." So out the door I went with the $24 cash (I happened to have $28 in my pocket - good thing) and got the signs. My husband told them I was in the Forks at the Rotary meeting so it saved me a trip back to get them. They are nice heavy aluminum signs - reflective and a bargain at $6 each. If you want one you can call the Ausable Forks Fire Dept or let me know and I'll help you get one. You don't want the Fire Dept. or ambulance to have any problems locating your home.

The Ausable Rotary Club is a wonderful group of folks, doing just amazing things in the community, locally and globally, with their small club. They invited Mary Jane Connors, President and CEO of North Country Life Flight to be guest speaker and MJ invited me, a former patient, volunteer and her pal to join her and tell my story. MJ did a wonderful job of telling the Life Flight story and I shared how much I appreciate that North Country Life Flight helped save my life and minimized my disabilities back in May 2005. I brought along copies of the StoryCorps interview MJ and I recorded in Saranac Lake last summer for everyone. The Rotary Club presented a check to North Country Life Flight and I thank them for that and a wonderful evening. UPDATE: Theresa called to remind me I owe her so she only owes me $6.11!

Been catching up with lots of friends - some I hadn't heard from in 20 years - thanks to Facebook I tracked them down. I also recently heard from my friend, and another former boss at PBS, Jo Flick (pictured happily painting). Jo now lives in Montana and I was happy to see and hear that she is still creating beautiful watercolors. Years ago, I was the lucky recipient of one of those beautiful creations. I've asked Jo for permission to share some of her work with you. She agreed. She invited me to Montana for a visit and even said I could pick out another painting to take home when I go. One of these days David and I will take her up on that offer - Above is a desert painting, "Vulture Peak," she did for a friend’s new house in Arizona – 20 in tall- 40 in wide! Just beautiful Jo! Below are some photos she sent of Glacier National Park. No wonder she is inspired to paint!