The Nose Knows Day 6

Looking better and better everyday...

Actually it just looks bad...coming along nicely...Larry is doing well and walked a couple of miles today...so you know that he is feeling lots better...sad to report though, Nurse Ratchet now has an evil twin sister...

Happy B-day Casey

Happy Birthday Casey!! Happy 14...2 more years and you will be driving....Casey is a great student, loves baseball, basketball and video games. Around us he is a little shy but very sweet..when we stayed at his house we rented his room from him! We love watching him play because he is a wonderful athlete...Casey hope you enjoy the day...lots of love to you and hugs!!

The Nose Knows Day 3

What a difference a day makes... looking better and able to take the bandage off...
Looks a little Frankenstein here!

This man loves to have his picture taken!!

Serious Larry here!

Doesn't feel so much like Quasimodo today...but I am happy to report that I am still feeling like Nurse Ratchet! Larry is one rucky dude!

The Nose Knows Day 2

Not as pretty as day 1 but all part of the healing process. Really I didn't hit him (well not very hard at least!)

He was feeling a little like Quasimodo here. All is going well, a little tired but coming along nicely...

The Nose Knows

The nose is a great thing...except when you have to have surgery on it....ou wee (haven't a clue how to spell that one)...Surgery went well to day and thanks to Dr. Summers he got everything on the first try...as you can see with the crater that Larry had on his nose..

This is when they were getting ready to stitch it back together again...seems impossible with this big of hole but it looked pretty good when the Dr. was done. Larry will have a nice character scare.

The Dr. didn't use any grafting or patching...he just pulled the bottom layer of skin together and stitched and then pulled the top layer over that...the stitches will self absorb in about a week and in a month all should look fine...I will probably give a daily pic on my other blog so look for updates...

Larry is now home and resting comfortably (thanks to 2 lortabs, a foot massage, 1 large diet coke and 2 hot chocolates) and of course the ever kind and loving Nurse Ratchet!

Happy B-day Adam

This was Adam's picture from his 45th b-day last year...I think he even looks younger if that is possible...Ad is Larry's youngest child....Adam lives in Orem, UT with his wife Julie and their 4 boys....Adam owns his own CPA Firm and has a very interesting blog not to mention very entertaining...here is a link AdamGarfieldCPA. Read it you really will enjoy it...So Adam... have a happy B-day we love you!

CONFESSIONS OF A CRACKPOT

Because the internet has been around for a couple of years now ...stories tend to cycle or recycle through your email. Reminds me of the jokes we use to tell as kids...so "Whats black and white and read all over?" Answer a newspaper (and if you went to Catholic school the answer was a Nun falling down the stairs) Little changes... because I still hear from my grandchildren this joke...so we will be seeing some of the same stories up until the time we die (good thing is... the older you get the chances that you will remember the story are slim...and thus you will be a story virgin once again). So today I received a story that I have received several times before and I was glad for the reminder that I am a crack(ed) pot...I know that I am not perfect and I think this is what drives me crazy...the feelings of being inadequate consume me at times and my ability to achieve anything. So I was glad that this story reminded me that even though I am not perfect I have done some good along the way...the only problem is where I was nurturing flowers others wanted a forest and that I simply can not provide...so I will just continue in this life to do the best that I can, love the Lord and my family and friends to the best of my ability and recognize that the crack (ed) pot that I am is OK...here is the story:

An elderly Chinese woman had two Large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. 'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'
'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

'For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. SO, To all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the Flowers on your side of the path!

Happy B-day Ron

Happy Birthday Ron! I think that he is 37 today...so correct me if I am wrong...he is married to Megan my middle daughter and they live in Colorado Springs, CO with all their children...Meg has 3 boys and Ron has 5 boys and 1 girl...their house hold is busy to say the least...Ron is a great guy and works as the Finance Manager for the largest Subaru dealer in Colorado Springs...I am glad that he and all his brood are part of the family...Happy Birthday!! (sorry this is the only pic I have of you)

Christmas is officially over at the Garfields

This is always a sad day for me...when all the Christmas decorations have been taken down and put away for next year...I try and stretch out the Christmas lights and glitter for as long as I can...Day after Thanksgiving to a couple of days after the New Years...in my house that is about all I can get away with...I know that really is a long time and yes I am thankful for that. There is just something magical about the lights and the decorations that I love to have around...the pine boughs (fake) but none the less green and festive, house lights, decorated trees, scented candles, Santa saying ho ho ho...people being nice, carolers at our door...the nativity scenes...the list just goes on...so I will be sad today and then tomorrow happy counting the days to the season next year...here is to the spirit of the season may it be in our hearts all year long.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

One good thing about living in a condo association for senior citizens is that when it is time to celebrate.. say like midnight on New Years with the loud clanging of pots and pans and horn blowers, fireworks, gun shots and echoing voices well...I would say that most of the condo owners are all tucked away in bed, teeth in the glass, hearing aids turned securely off, positioned on their nightstand and the Geritol has lulled them asleep long before midnight...so we didn't feel so bad...blowing our horns, clanging our pots and shooting off our guns (ok that didn't happen but we talked about it) and shouting Happy New Year!!! Because chances of them hearing us were slim to none...It has been a few years since we have actually been up to do all that and we did so enjoy it...It was a great way to bring in the new year....Larry and I had a memorable experience! So lets all make this a great year!!! Happy New Year everyone!