Bits and Pieces

Things I see coming home from the hospital: 

The Kaufman Performing Arts Center, 

home of the symphony, the opera and the ballet in KCMO

A Royals Banner at the top of Signal Hill (where Fox 4 is) 

The view from the top of the 12th street viaduct in KCMO, looking down towards 

the West Bottoms, and Kansas City, Kansas, in the distance. 

I have driven up and down this bridge thousands of times in my working career. 

Kemper Arena is off to the left at the foot of the bridge down there, where I ushered and 

took tickets for 16 years.  Sadly, they are discussing tearing it down. 

There used to be lots of old buildings along these two blocks before the bridge. 

31 miles of these kinds of trees make the journey better. 

I took the dogs out to run again when I got home... I confess I have to come home before rush hour, because the speeding traffic scares me.  

See that green tree in the distance, in the center of the picture?  It is just beginning to turn, 

and I have been waiting for it.  It's the Creme de la Creme of October trees. 

And this last picture, you ask? 

Well, it's kind of funny... I just took the trash out for it's pickup in the morning. 

This is our neighbor's house, and I noticed as I came up the street tonight 

that it is all decorated for Halloween!  There are figures standing by the door (you can't see them here) and it is all lit up. 

It is the only one on the block. 

These are the neighbors who have NEVER spoken to us... the man has literally passed me within three feet on the riding mowers, and never acknowledged me.  I was stunned to see this, stunned. 

I don't think I've seen his wife in 6 months. 

I'm still stunned.  I admit it. 

Keith did not have a good night last night... and he is facing a lot of big decisions in the next few days.  We are hoping to have him home by the end of the week.  

I'll try to stop posting pictures of the pasture once I have him home and resting. 

Thank you all so much for your prayers and good thoughts! 

Party Day

Oh. My. Goodness. 

We had a great time, and as it happened, both families were not here concurrently.  Jim's family was held up because Jacob's game was at 1 instead of noon... and Keith had told his family to be here at noon, when I thought we were eating at 2.  I took the eggs down to the food kitchen/thrift store, and stood around visiting (and shopping, again) and then wandered home with my finds.  Imagine my surprise when stepdaughter Amber and baby grandson Jace pulled in ten minutes later!

I had already done the potato casserole, thank heavens, and we popped the ham in to warm up right away! 

Once Jace got here, Keith was useless.

Yes, he's a little doll.  He had a Mizzou outfit.

Here's the Star of the Party with Mom Amber, left, and Aunt Andrea, right.

There was a lot of visitin' goin' on...

Then, the first families all departed and Jim and Amy and the kids came... so there was a second round of eatin'

And present openin'

And then we had a couple of hours of quiet and rest...

I started out with a Christmas Sweatshirt, honest.

I know you're all beginning to think I spend all my time on the couch.

After our rest, we dressed up in our good duds and went to the Kansas City Ballet performance of the Nutcracker, at the new Kaufman Performing Arts Center.

Here are Keith and his parents in the lobby.

And here is the lobby we were in:

Yes, it's mighty spectacular, and there would have been pictures taken from that second-from-the-top tier, but the camera locked down.  I have a message "Memory Card Locked" which I have never seen before on any camera I have had.  I was able to take the pictures off it, but not erase them.  I have no idea what I have done, and tomorrow, when I am less exhausted, I'll read the manual and try to figure it out.  I did take the card out to show my mother in law, but only as I normally do. I was unable to take another picture, including any of the lobby from above. 

Though I have seen the Nutcracker literally hundreds of times, it still represents the Christmas season to me, and it was a wonderful end to a blessed family day.

It's 11:39, and Keith is already asleep, as I will be shortly!  Back to regular farm news tomorrow!