More older stuff updated

These are some older figures we used to do. They are on stands - our current figures are pretty much all for the wall. These were hanging out around the studio for a while. Cheryl updated them with some added spirals, gave them a fresh coat of clear finish, and we are sending them off to a special event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. as part of their presentation of "The Color Purple".

This is the second set of these pictures - click here to see the others.

Clicking on the pictures will give you a bigger view.

A happy moment with Mom!

I've been using past pictures here when updating about Mom lately, but this picture was taken today - Tuesday, July 28th, 2009. Mom is back at Wesley Gardens. The worst of the chest pain of the past weekend seems to be under control, with the help of some extra meds. She even did a light session of physical therapy today! Memory is still a major problem, but visits from family and friends are greatly enjoyed! I'm proud to call these two lovebirds my Mom and my Dad!

Keep those cards and letters coming, and drop in for a visit!

Wesley Gardens
Violet Olney - Rm 512
3 Upton Park
Rochester, NY 14607

More friends enjoying our yard!

Definitely click on these pictures for a closer view!

Actually saw 4 of our tiny neighbors on one thistle blossom at one time, but did not get a picture!

Mom

Picture from last summer visit to Maplewood Rose Gardens in Rochester, NY.

Things have been going quite well with Mom. Therapy, and a somewhat better appetite have contributed to her feeling better, and being able to get around better. Three weeks ago, she could barely move around with her walker, and now she walks a fair distance with just a bit of steady arm holding. She is also making some friends at the nursing home, and seems quite a bit happier. Short term memory remains a serious concern.

We had a set-back yesterday though, and Mom is currently in a "Cardiac Evaluation Unit" at the hospital. She began to have some serious chest pain, and we took her to the Emergency Department. After some EKG stuff, and some blood work looking for heart damage enzymes, the consensus of the folks at the hospital is that she probably injured a chest muscle with the physical therapy efforts? I overheard one Doctor tell somebody "She has been working a lot harder than an 83 year old woman usually does." This seems to be one of those "we'll keep her for observation just to be safe" deals, with lots of discomfort, but no really serious problem. She'll probably be back at Wesley Gardens by tonight.

Friends enjoying our yard

I have no idea exactly who this is, but at about 3/8th of an inch long I can't believe the amount of amazing detail, color, and engineering in one of God's tiniest creatures!

Definitely click on these pictures for a closer view!

Yes, I know that there are probably lots of tiny creatures living on this guy, and maybe even some smaller folks living on them, but my camera does not go to that scale. I remember learning (many years ago in an Entomology class at Cornell University) about an insect that had other insects living on/in it. This particular insect had others living in the ears - small holes - on either side of it's body. Amazing fact all by itself, but even more amazing --- the tiny insects living in the ear on the left side of the body were an entirely different species from the ones living in the right ear! Before you go "eeewww!" too loudly, take note that if you removed these tiny ear bugs, the host insect could not fly!

Different view of the same visitor below.

Older pieces updated

These are some older figures we used to do. They are on stands - our current figures are pretty much all for the wall. These were hanging out around the studio for a while. Cheryl updated them with some added spirals, gave them a fresh coat of clear finish, and we are sending them off to a special event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. as part of their presentation of "The Color Purple". I'll post some more pictures in a few days. Clicking on the pictures will give you a bigger view.

Maya's Second Birthday

Deanna, Maya, and Casey

Casey, Deanna, Maya, and Grandma Cheryl share cake!

The Olney contingent - Great Grandpa Mel (grey t-shirt), Aunt Anne Markel (floral top), Grandpa Don (hat of course), Cousin Maeve (in peach dress), and Grandma Cheryl (blue top and bright socks).

Maya in her new Lazy-Boy Lounger with sock monkey print!

Aunt Mary and Great Grandpa Mel

Casey helps Maya with her new old fashioned tricycle!

More Tricycle practice

A well deserved rest after a very exciting party!

Thank you to Dawn Knox for these pictures. Grandpa Don left his camera home :-(

Teasel

Those of you who know me know that I tend to let things grow in my little patch of the world that I partially control. Letting Bull Thistles grow is a good example. My ancestors spent much time trying to eradicate them, including paying me to cut them down when I was a kid. I like to let my single example of something on my little city plot grow, and be observed carefully. On a big farm there might be thousands of thistles and teasels (their equally spinny cousins). I have just one teasel. The spiny floral heads are beautiful at all stages. Click the one above in pre-blossom state, and then the same one below a couple of days later.Probably some good Maya pictures later today, or tomorrow. Today is her 2nd Birthday!

My PSA score!

Do not click to make it bigger - we like it small!

Maya and Great Grandpa Tuesday

Before heading off to visit Mom today, I took Dad to the playground to see Maya, and about 50 other kids having a wonderful time! Dad had a great time, and I'm pretty sure Maya did too! :-) And I felt great.

Happy Maya!
Happy Cheryl!
Happy Don!
Happy Mel!

Mom missed it, but I guess that is just the way life is! She is still very unhappy about not being home, but seems to be settling in a bit. She even got a little gift from a new friend on her floor .... a little teddy bear - meant to make her feel a bit better, and it did it's job very well! After a few minutes she forgot where it came from, but she still felt good looking at it!

Mom

Picture of Mom last April.

Mom is not so happy these days. She seems to be sort of settling in at Wesley Gardens, but going home is definitely a constant theme. She is still not eating or drinking very much, and is very weak and dizzy when she tries to walk - even with the walker. She certainly has moments of pleasure with visitors and the staff, but is very confused about why she needs to be there instead of home. Dad has figured out how to bring in Podcasts of some of their favorite religious services, on his laptop, and they are enjoying that, along with reading their daily devotionals.

Visitors, cards, and bunnies are encouraged. Mom carries on a great conversation, and enjoys that. There is just sort of a big gap in her memory. She is very much in the moment, but can't figure out how she got to this moment?

Violet Olney
Wesley Gardens - Room 512
3 Upton Court
Rochester, NY 14607

Good thoughts, prayers, notes, and phone calls for Dad are encouraged too. His strength, loyalty and devotion to Mom are amazing!

Olney Road

Yes. This road is named after my family!

This sign is at the corner of Italy Valley Road and Olney Road, in the town of Italy, NY. (Dad has corrected me that this is not in Naples, NY - but is served by the Naples post office - thus the erroneous listing in Google)

Both sets of my grandparents (Florence and Earle Drake, and Pearl and William Olney) are buried just about exactly a mile from here! Most of my ancestors back about 4 generations lived pretty much their whole lives within 6 miles of this sign!

Mom

Violet Olney

More later, but we took Mom (Violet, Vi, Peg, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma) to the emergency room last Friday, and after a few days of stabilizing, we are taking her to Wesley Gardens rehab/nursing home today. She has been experiencing increasing difficulties over the past 2 years, and a more rapid decline since a fall a few weeks ago.

She just needs more care than Dad, even with help, can provide. Any prayers, thoughts, wishes, cards, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

Wesley Gardens, Room 512, 3 Upton Court, Rochester, NY 14607. http://www.wesleygardens.com/

Don can be reached at 585-734-0876.

Just a quick odd picture

I thought this looked kind of cool, and I didn't really have much to say or any great new pictures. I've been tied up a few days with my Mom sick in the hospital... trip to emergency room, etc. Looks like she will be OK, but it got a little scarry for a while. She is still there, but should come home when they get her stabilized.

Sesame Place!

Maya's love of Sesame Street, and the Sesame Street characters, especially Elmo, is well know in our family, so a trip to Sesame Place - a theme park devoted to young children and those big furry puppets - was the order of the day last week. Happy Maya results below.

I can't believe she will be two in a little over 2 weeks!
Thank you to Casey and Deanna for the pictures.