Bluhouse News

Baby Shower

2012-03-05T07:58:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was the baby shower for Jeremy and Emily. It was held at the Bridgeport Firehall and was a really fun time. The food was delicious, the decorations adorable and the dessert was exceptional. The lucky couple received beautiful and useful gifts and little Addy will be the best dressed baby around. I think Emily will be able to change her outfit 5 times a day and not repeat for at least a week.

Felling Trees

2012-03-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Jim took down a couple of 60 foot trees . One was dead and needed to come down but in the process it fell onto a live tree so that had to then be taken down also. Now all that's left is the clean-up.

Jim and Josh Come To N.Y.

2012-02-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

The boys had a few days off from school so Jim and Josh decided to come to NY for a visit. Chris had made other plans with his friends so he elected to stay home this time. The boys arrived late Thursday night ( they left Ohio after Josh got out of school). On Friday Papa, Jim and Josh took a hike over to the State Park to check on their Geocache. Due to the lack of snow they were able to cut across park land instead of having to take the paved road.In the afternoon Josh and Papa did some science stuff. The hit of the day was the "Lava Lamp" they made using oil, water, food coloring and Alka-Seltzer. Saturday they went into Syracuse as Jim was looking for a good pair of hiking boot for his upcoming trip to Alaska. Jennifer came later in the morning and after lunch we played Dominoes. On Sunday all the kids came to dinner and we had a great time talking and laughing like we always do. On Monday Jim and Josh headed home around 9am and arrived safely back in Ohio later in the afternoon.

New Year's Eve

2012-01-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Jim and I both were down with nasty "Christmas Colds" so we didn't fell like doing anything special. Jim and Cathy had their belated Christmas get-together with Cathy's family. Her brother, Matt and his family and her Mom came and they spent a nice evening together. It wasn't a late night as Jim had to do his first shift of the new year on Sunday.

Wednesday-December 28th

2012-01-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

Today Jim and Cathy took a day for themselves and went to Syracuse for shopping and dinner out. Jim, Jennifer and the boys went to "The Four Seasons" to do some tubing and they had a great time. The hill was icy from the rain yesterday and was very fast. The only disadvantage was the mud at the bottom of the hill, a lot of which they managed to bring home with them. Needless to say, the washer and dryer were called into use to get the boys coats clean before their trip home tomorrow.

Tuesday-December 27th

2012-01-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

Today Jim and Chris spent some time going over what Chris is learning in science at school this year. It's always amazing how much more they are being taught now then when we were in school. After lunch we went to Syracuse to see the movie " War Horse". It was a great movie. We returned home to have a wonderful meal of Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese-one of the boys favorites.

Monday-December 26th

2012-01-05T11:09:00.000-08:00

This year Jeremy and Emily spent Christmas day with Emily's family in Hancock and came to our house on Monday. They will alternate each year so next year we will have them with us on Christmas Day. They arrived around 4pm and, after opening their gifts from us and our opening the gifts from them we had a great meal of Lasagna with tossed salad and Italian bread. Jennifer had made her fabulous Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake for dessert. It was like having Christmas all over again.

Christmas Day

2012-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

The kids all arrive at the house about 8am to the smell of baking cinnamon rolls. Once everyone is here we start opening the gifts. With eleven people it takes quite awhile as we open items one at a time so everyone can see what the other person received. We each take a turn and usually Jennifer passes out the gifts but, since the boys were here this year, we let them do it. About 1pm we head to Watertown to my Mom's house where all the sisters and our brother gather along with tons of nieces, nephews and cousins. Mom always prepares a complete Christmas dinner after which we open more gifts. We usually head for home around 6pm tired, but happy after a long day. This year Jennifer put the boys gift in a Barbie game box as a gag. They were very pleased when they open it to find a years subscription to "Game Fly" and not a Barbie Video Game.

Christmas Eve Night

2012-01-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

We have a tradition of making all kinds of snack type food for Christmas Eve. The kids all gather at the house around 5 pm and we enjoy the food and then spend the remainder of the evening playing board games and laughing ourselves silly. Around 10 pm we place all the gifts under the tree and everyone goes home to anxiously wait the opening of the gifts on Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve Visit from Santa

2012-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Jim's brother, John, and his sister, Colleen, portray Santa and Mrs. Claus at Christmas time. They appear at various public functions as well as visit private homes when invited. They stopped in to see us on Saturday afternoon to our great delight. Santa's white hair and beard are real.

December 24th-Jack Treats Boys to Bills Game

2012-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills were playing a home game on Christmas eve this year and since Jim and Cathy are here for Christmas Jack took the boys to the game as their Christmas gift from him. They had a fabulous time and got to meet a few of the "Buffalo Jills". They were treated to Bills hats and all the food they wanted. Inside they got to see John Elway who was in the suite behind them.

Our Tree-December 17th

2011-12-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we put up our tree. I should say, Jim put up and decorated the tree while I finished up the gift wrapping. As usual the tree is just perfect ( aren't all Christmas trees perfect?).

Alex's Christmas Wish

2011-12-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

My sister works at the TV station in Watertown so this year Alex, her grandson, was the Christmas Greeter for their family. What a cutie!!

Light On The Lake & Jennifer and Jeremy & Emily's Trees

2011-12-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to Syracuse and had supper with Jack and Jennifer at Jennifer's home. Then we went to Lights On The Lake. After that we all went over to Jeremy and Emily's home to see their tree and decorations. It was a fun night.

Family Get-Together December 11th

2011-12-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

Every year at this time we try to have a family get-together at my two sisters homes in Rochester and Sodus. Anne usually has everyone come for Saturday evening supper where Scott cooks his famous Italian Lasagna and Meatballs. Unfortunately this year we had to miss that due to some weather issues. We did make it to Helen and Bob's in Sodus on Sunday where we had a delicious meal of Ham, Turkey and all the fixings.

December 4th-Christmas Decorating

2011-12-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

We spent the day putting up the Christmas decorations. We always get a live tree so that will come later in the month-closer to the 25th. The house looks quite nice with all the decorations , even with the ones the kids find annoying like the Teddy Bear who reads " Twas The Night Before Christmas" over and over unless you turn him off. I think he's cute and I bet there will be a little baby girl here next Christmas who will really like him too!!

Kane Mountain-December 1st.

2011-12-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Since we have been having such a beautiful Fall with sun and warm days we decided to take a little road trip with Jack to Kane Mountain in the Adarondacks. I brought my book with me and caught up on my reading while Jack and Jim hiked the mountain. While in the area we passed through Wheelerville and the Town of Morehouse (my maiden name) so we had to stop and take our pictures under the signs. After hiking we found a little out-of-the-way diner for some lunch before heading back home. It was a fun day.

Thanksgiving-2011

2011-12-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

Today Jim and I hosted Thanksgiving for my family and we had 19 in attendance. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures that day so I have used some from Jim and Cathy's Thanksgiving at Ohio and some from a dinner my Mom did the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The weather was beautiful and the food plentiful. We had a great time visiting and eating and everyone agreed they were not going home hungry.

Emily's Birthday November 26th

2011-12-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Emily's Birthday a little early-November13th -because of Thanksgiving falling so close to her actual Birthday. This was our first Birthday celebration for our new daughter-in-law. She had requested soup and sandwiches for dinner followed by an Ice Cream Sandwich Cake for dessert. Jim made homemade Broccoli Cheese soup which was delicious. The cake was awesome and we all agreed she made a great choice.

Mom's 91st. Birthday-November 10th

2011-12-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

Today we all surprised Mom by taking her to the FairGround Inn in Watertown for dinner followed by cake and ice cream at my niece ,Catherine's, apartment. Mom was quite surprised to see all of us and a good time was had by all.

Bus Trip To The Finger Lakes

2011-10-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Jim and I took a bus trip to the Finger Lakes. We were up at 4:45 in order to be in Syracuse for the departure time. The first stop was in Penn Yan where we spent a couple of hours at the Windmill. This is a farm and craft market run on Saturdays only through the Spring, Summer and Fall. There are a number of large buildings as well as many open air vendors. They sell produce, baked goods and all kinds of crafts handmade by the Amish and Menonite communities.Jim really liked their windmill. Our next stop was at Seneca Lake where we boarded Captain Bill's Cruise ship to enjoy a wonderful lunch accompanied by a Trio called the Boogie Woogie Girls. They sang all the old Boggie Woggie songs and were very good. We saw a lot of fall color along the lake shore and passed a salt refinery and Hector Falls. Our final stop was at a winery along the Finger Lakes Wine Trail where we did some tasting and buying. We arrived back in Syracuse about 5pm after a fun filled day.

Road Trip-Pixley Falls, Wetstone and Turbines

2011-10-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

On Monday Jim and I decided to play

hookey and we took a road trip. Our first

stop was at Pixley Falls State Park just South of Boonville. There were quite a few people there due to the beautiful weather and a "no school" day. Our next stop was Wetstone State Park just South of Lowville where we had planned on eating our picnic lunch by the babbleing brook. However, they had already closed most of this park so we had to settle for a table near the parking lot with a small creek nearby. This park was also quite busy with a lot of hikers. After spending awhile here we headed into Lowville and had dessert

at "LLoyds of Lowville", a small diner that Jim has had on His

"bucket list" for years. We then headed for home by way of Route

177 so we could check out the wind farm. They have put in a nice

observation center with information about the turbines. We had a

nice day and just loved the spectacular weather.

Windmill Maintenance -October 12, 2011

2011-10-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today SED came to do the annual

maintenance on the windmill. No

problems were found and the guide wires

just needed a small amount of adjustment. I

don't think I would care to have to climb to

the top of the tower and hang by a harness

to work on the turbine. I guess they get used to it after they do it awhile but I have to wonder how they felt the first few times.

Mesquito Lake Camping Trip, Ohio

2011-10-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Jim and Josh

decided to get in one more

camping weekend while the

weather was still nice. This park is

about 30 miles from their house so it makes a nice get away without

having to drive for hours. Josh really loves to go camping and is a

great little companion for Jim.

Jennifer's Trip to Anaheim, California-SharePoint Conference

2011-10-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Last week Jennifer went to Anaheim, California

to attend the SharePoint Conference . Since

Disneyland is also located in Anaheim she, of

course, made sure to spend some time there too.

Actually, part of the park was closed one night

to the general public and was open only for those attending the conference. She said

this was great because the lines for the attractions were much shorther than they would have been had the park been open to everyone. She had a great time, learned a lot and enjoyed beautiful weather.

Jim's Trip To Fort Worth- Fireman's Convention

2011-10-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Jim recently attended the Fireman's Convention that was held in Fort Worth,
Texas this year. Although he was kept busy
all week with classes he was able to get
out and take in some of the local sights. He
said he had a great week and learned a lot.

Chili Sauce-What a Heavenly Aroma

2011-10-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Today Jim made a batch of Chili Sauce using my Grandmother's recipe. This is the best Chili Sauce I have ever tasted. I think the recipes from our parents and Grandparents are so much better than the ones you see today. We had a super good yield and ended up with 15 pints. We're set for winter

Visit to the Park-September 2011

2011-10-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today Jim took a walk down to

Pine Grove to check on his

Geocache. After he hiked

through the park to check out

the lake. Even the Burdocks are

pretty this time of year.

Jim's New Truck-Septemebr 2011

2011-10-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Jim has been saving for awhile now and was finally able to trade in his old van for a new ( to him) Avalanche.
Everyone seems to be quite pleased
with the new wheels.

Geauga County Fair, Ohio

2011-10-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

Every September Jim, Cathy and the boys attend the Geauga County Fair with their friends Asha and Brad and their daughters. The weather was beautiful and a great time was had by all.

Jim's Birthday-September 4th

2011-10-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated Jim's Birthday. The kids were all here and Jim chose

to have Hoffman Hot Dogs, Potato Salad,

Baked Beans, Corn on the Cob and his

favorite cake-Ange Food with Chocolate

whipped Cream. He received some nice

gifts including some ammuntion and targets.

Jeremy and Emily decided to try out the teeter totter.

Pumpkins, Apples and Sunflowers

2011-09-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

This year we had a spot on the lawn with no grass so Jim decided to plant some Pumpkins. Since it was late in the season all he could get were Martha Stewart Seeds which cost a bit more than usual. I guess they were worth it as we have never grow such big Pumpkins before. Also, the apple tree has quite a few apples-usually there are only 1 or 2 or none. My minature Sunflowers are doing well also.It was a good growing year I guess.

First Day of School-Tuesday August 30th

2011-08-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of the new school year for the boys. It's hard to believe that Chris is starting High School and Josh Middle School. Although they wouldn't admit it they seemed quite excited about the new school year.

Trip To Middlefield, Ohio Monday August 29th

2011-08-31T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today Jim and I and Jim and the boys took a short trip to Middlefield, Ohio to tour an Amish Cheese Factory and see a giant horse and buggy. Middlefield is said to have the largest Amish Community in the United States. After doing our sightseeing we looked up a few Geocaches on the way back home. Tonight the boys had their orientations at the school before the first day tomorrow.

Friday August 26th-Last day of vacation

2011-08-31T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today was a relaxing day at home . I got the laundry done and packed the suitcases for the trip to Ohio tomorrow and then we played some Dominoes in the afternoon. We have enjoyed this week with the boys and as usual it went by way to fast.

Thursday-August 25th-he NY State Fair

2011-08-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today Jim, Jennifer and the boys went to the NY State Fair in Syracuse and had a great day as always. They watched shows, looked at and fed some animals and of course indulged in all the great food that is available.

Boys August Visit-Wednesday

2011-08-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today was spent at home ad after lunch Papa took the boys out back to do some shooting. I think this is an acticity they enjoy the most

Boys August Visit-Tuesday

2011-08-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today the boys, Papa and Aunt Jennifer

spent the day at Thunder Island.

They enjoyed Minature Golf, a picnic
lunch and hours on the water slides.

Boys August Visit-Monday

2011-08-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

The boys are spending this week with us and we'll take them back to Ohio on Saturday. The have a busy week planned and it started on Monday with a horseback ride and then a picnic and swimming at Jamesville Beach.

Jeremy and Emily Get Married

2011-08-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 21st. Jeremy and Emily were married in Syracuse with a reception at Justin's Grill for the immediate families following the ceremony. They are now enjoying a honeymoon trip in Cancun before taking up residence in their new home in Liverpool. It was a beautiful day and we are so happy for both of them.

Jim, Cathy and Boys In Myrtle Beach

2011-08-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Last week Jim, Cathy and the boys took their annual vacation in Myrtle Beach. As always they had a fabulous time and this year they tried Parasailing. They had so much fun they can't wait to do it again next year.

Jennifer Is An Iron Girl

2011-08-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

On August 7th Jennifer participated in the Iron Girl Triathlon. She did very well and we are extremely proud of her.

Josh is Baptised

2011-08-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

In Jim and Cathy's church a person can choose to be Baptised. A few years ago Chris made this choice and now Josh has chosen Baptism also.

Air Force Museum-Dayton, Ohio

2011-07-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, July 24th Jim and the boys went to Dayton, Ohio where they stayed overnight and visited the Air Force Museum on Monday. It looks like they had a great time.

Jim and Josh's Camping Trip

2011-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

On July 16th Jim and Josh went camping at Findley Park for a few days while Chris was at his week of overnight camping. The had a lot of fun swimming, hiking and doing some Geocaching.

July Visit

2011-07-25T06:38:00.000-07:00

On July 8th Jim and Cathy and the boys arrived for a weeks vacation with us. We had a great week starting with a belated Birthday celebration for the boys on Sunday. The rest of the week we were kept busy with visits to Sonnenberg Gardes in Rochester, Old Fort Henry in Kingston, Canada, a trip to Montario Point for swimming, and lots of Geocaching and target shooting. We were also able to get everyone together and update our family photo. It was a good week but alas, as usual, it went by too fast.

Father's Day

2011-06-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we celebrated Father's Day with all the kids except Jim. After dinner they all did some target shooting which is their favorite thing to do. Since Jim couldn't be here we were able to include him in the "father and kids" photo anyway.

Jennifer's First Triathlon-June 11th 2011

2011-06-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Today Jennifer did her very first Triathlon held at Green Lakes State Park in Dewitt, NY and she did great! Her total time was a little over 2 hours and in that time she swam 0.5 miles, rode her bike 12.4 miles and ran 3.1 miles. We are so proud of her. After the race we went back to her house for a bit ( there was a good sized Snapping Turtle resting in her driveway) and then she treated us to lunch at the Outback Steak House. Jack was a good brother and went with her early this morning to tend to her gear and take pictures. Jim and I arrived in time to see her finish the running portion of the event.

Josh's Concert-May 26th

2011-06-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Josh has become quite an accomplished trumpet player. His school band held their Spring concert on May 26th and they played a number of pieces including some rather complicated ones. Good going Josh! Keep up the good work!

Cathy's Flowers

2011-06-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

Cathy was born with two green thumbs. Her flowers are so beautiful and she has an artist's eye when arranging her plantings. I think she should register for the Garden Tour ( does Hiram have a Garden Tour?)

My Birthday

2011-06-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my Birthday on Sunday, June 5th, even though it was actually the next Tuesday. Jim did sausages with green peppers and onions, salt potatoes, carrots and pasta salad. Jennifer made my favorite cake , half ice cream and half yellow cake. I received some money towards my flower purchases, an MP3 Player so I can listen to my favorite oldies while I mow the lawn since the local radio station has quit playing the 50's and 60's music I like, and a soaker hose to keep my roses watered without getting their leaves wet ( roses don't like to be wet).All in all it was a very nice day. Jim topped it off by taking me to lunch on Thursday. We went to "The Steak House" at Sandy Pond ( formally the Wigwam).

Chris's 8th Grade Formal and 14th Birthday

2011-06-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

Chris's 8th grade class had their formal dance on Friday, June 3rd and the theme was "Hollywood". He looks quite dapper in his purple jacket.

On Sunday , June 5th, Chris celebrated his 14th Birthday. Where has the time gone. I told him he needed to slow down-he's making me feel old.

Josh's Baseball

2011-06-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Josh is playing baseball this spring and summer and is a member of "The Cannons". They are doing very well having won over half of their games and Josh is becomming quite a good fielder. He really enjoys playing and looks forwrd to every game.

June Flowers

2011-06-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today I took pictures of some of the flowers that are in bloom. The warm weather and abundant rain have helped them come on really strong.

The Cemetary

2011-05-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

Today Jim and I went to Oswego and cleaned up Nana and Papa's grave and I planted some Red Portulaca . This is a good plant for there because it doesn't require a lot of care or water and thrives in the heat. The Stella d'Oro Lily I planted last year is growing nicely and will soon be in bloom. This is also a good plant for the cemetary as it will bloom all summer and also doesn't require a lot of care. Jim was happy to see they had put the NYS Trooper Flag at the gravesite again this year.

Jack's Cart

2011-05-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

Jack designed this cart for use at work and yesterday he and Jim made it. It is very sturdy and can be completely taken apart for transporting. It was quite a unique idea.

Jon's Birthday

2011-05-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Jon's 31st Birthday. He wanted "Breakfast" for dinner so we had Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Hash Browns and toast. His dessert choice was a Yellow Cake with homemade Chocolate icing. He likes T-shirts with "special thoughts" on them so we got this one for him. I think he had a good day.

Troop D Memorial Service

2011-05-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jim and I attended the Troop D Memorial Service for the deceased mebers of Troop D. We were able to place a rose on the monument for Papa and also, one for Uncel Jack.It was a very nice ceremony and was followed by a lunch put on at the Troopers station.

Mother's Day-May 8th

2011-05-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Today was Mother's day. Jim and the kids made a special dinner with all my favorites. We had Hamburgers cooked on the grill, homemade French Fries ( yum) , salad and Jennifer made me a beautiful yellow cake with homemade Hershey Chocolate Frosting and decorated with buttercream roses. After dinner Jim and I drove to Watertown to celebrate with my Mom and sisters. It was a beautiful sunny day although still a little chilly.

Jeremy's Birthday-Sunday May 1st

2011-05-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated Jeremy's 35th Birthday. His menu included Steak, salad, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Carrots and a Cheesecake for dessert. He received some coffee, some lottery tickets ( he won a few dollars with these) and some monetary gifts. It was a nice Birthday celebration.

Easter

2011-04-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

Easter was hosted by my sister, Helen and her husband Bob in Sodus this year. They had quite a crowd with most of the family in attendance. As usual the food was delicious and plentiful and we all enjoyed sharing the news with and about the various family members. I attempted my very first "Bunny" cake. He didn't look too bad. I did bring my camera in my purse but unfortunately that's where it stayed for the day so I didn't get any family photos.I need to do better with that.

Engagement

2011-04-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

Jeremy and Emily have become engaged and they came to dinner on Sunday so we could see her ring. We are so happy for both of them.

Ohio Visits New York

2011-04-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Last week the boys had the week off from school so Jim took some vacation time and they came to New York. We celebrated Jim and Jennifer's Birthdays ( they share the date) on Sunday and the rest of the kids came too. On Monday Papa, Jim and the boys went to Syracuse to see a movie. On Tuesday we all went to Watertown to have lunch with Grandma ( she's 90 years old). Wednesday they met up with Jennifer and spent the day at the Zoo. Thursday they had planned on doing some target shooting but it was a rainy day so we spent the afternoon playing board Games. Alas, on Friday they had to head back to Ohio. The visits always seem too short.

Alex's Baptism

2011-03-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, March 20th my nephew Alex

was Baptised at St.Patrick's Church in

Watertown with a lot of the family present.

He was really good and especially liked it

when the water was poured on his head.

After the ceremony we all went to Mary and Ray's house for a delicious buffet followed by cake.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

2011-03-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids were here for dinner and we had our traditional St. Patrick's Day meal consisting of Corned Beef and all the trimmimgs.

Deer Visit The Birdfeeder

2011-02-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

This morning we had a couple of visitors to the birdfeeder other than the birds. You know Spring is coming when these guys start showing up.

Olive Garden and Roses

2011-02-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jim and I were in Syracuse so we decided to celebrate Valentine's Day a few days early and had lunch at Olive Garden ( one of my favorite places). We topped it off by getting two of their fantastic desserts to bring home for later. Jim also presented me with a dozen roses. The sun was shinning and the skies were blue for a change so it was a perfect day.

Piggy Sitting

2011-02-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jennifer had to go to Florida to take a class for work so Jim and I picked up Reese and brought here home to spend some time with "Grandma and Papa" while her mom is away. She's a good little pig and likes to "talk" to Papa-probably because he's the one who feeds her.

Snowy Day

2011-02-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

Last night we got about 18" on new snow which meant Jim was out snowblowing the driveway yet again. The birds were really enjoying the feeder today and we were able to get some nice photos of them. I also took a few pictures to show how high the snow has gotten next to the house. Enough already Mother Nature-we want Spring.

Sunday Get-together

2011-02-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

Today Jim and I hosted Sunday dinner for the family. Tomorrow would have been my Mom and Dad's 69th Anniversary so we wanted to remember the day even though Dad is no longer with us. We had 19 guests, the food was delicious and the weather co-operated. One of my nieces brought her Wii and hooked it up to the TV. The kids had a great time singing and dancing while the adults got to visit and catch up on the family news.

Jennifer's New Sink

2011-01-31T08:24:00.000-08:00

Jennifer had an old porcelain kitchen sink that had rusted quite a bit along the edges so on Saturday Jim helped her put in a new Acrylic sink. The job took a bit longer than they thought it would but it turned out nice.

Perfect Report Card

2011-01-31T08:15:00.000-08:00

Last Friday the boys got their mid-term report cards and Josh had all A's. Jim had always told the boys that if they were to get all A's he would double the per A payout which is $5.00 each in the grade school so Josh walked away with $50.00. This is a great incentive to study hard because the per A payout goes up significantly when they get to middle school and then again when they enter high school. Great job Josh!!

Josh's First Band Concert

2011-01-31T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday Josh had his first concert since he started learning to play the trumpet. Jim said the band did very well for only having played together for a few months. Josh has decided he likes the trumpet and he's going to continue with it. Hopefully Jim and I will be able to see him in a concert one of these days.

Visit To Ohio After Christmas

2011-01-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, December 26th, Jim, Jennifer and I went to Ohio to spend a few days with Jim, Cathy and the boys. We did a gift exchange , played lots of board games, learned how to play "Texas Holdem" and had some delicious meals. The weather was good on the drive there and on the retuen home. We came back on Wednesday , had supper at Zebb's ( thank you Jennifer) and then drove through "Lights On The Lake" before returning to Pulaski.

Christmas Day In Pulaski

2011-01-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

The kids were all here by 8am and we headed into the living room to begin opening our gifts. The biggest surprise for Jim and I was a 42" LCD Flat Screen TV that Jack, Jennifer, Jeremy and Jon had gotten for us. We never expected anything like that. Around 1pm we all headed to Watertown to spend some time with my family at my Mom's house. We were all saddened to be spending our first Christmas without Dad. We arrived back home about 6pm and started packing up the car for our trip to Ohio tomorrow. Jennifer is the only one going with us this year as the boys either had to work or had made other plans.

Christmas Day In Pulaski

2011-01-08T08:56:00.001-08:00

Everyone arrived by 8am and we gathered in the living room to begin opening our gifts. The biggest surprise was Jim and I received a 42" LCD Flat Screen TV from Jack, Jennifer, Jeremy and Jonathan. After opening the gifts the boys set up the new TV and then watched a movie for awhile. We went to Watertown around 1pm to spend some time with the rest of the family at Mom's house. This was our first Christms without Dad and it was a little sad. We arrived back home about 6 pm and started getting things packed up for the trip to Ohio tomorrow.

Christmas Day In Ohio

2011-01-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Christmas morning in Ohio. I think everyone had a good day.

Christmas Eve In Pulaski

2011-01-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

We had our usual snack and game fest this year and we even had a visit from Santa ( Jim's brother, John). Jim's siser, Colleen and her friend, Walt also stopped in for a visit. We played a new game tonight that Jeremy brought called " Bezzer Wizzer" and it was a lot of fun.

Christmas Cookies

2011-01-08T08:01:00.000-08:00

As is our tradition the week before Christmas I made a batch of sugar cookies and then, when the kids came for dinner, we put them to work frosting them. As you can see they can get creative but not too artistic. They have a lot of fun and that's what counts.

Christmas Eve In Ohio

2011-01-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve Jim, Cathy and the boys attended church services at which time Josh did a solo on his trumpet for the congregation. After the service they returned home and put their gifts under the tree, set out the stockings and began the long wait for morning to arrive.

Tree Decorating In Ohio

2011-01-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

The week before Christmas Jim and Cathy and the boys went to the Christmas Tree farm and cut their own tree. They thought they were getting a small one but once it thawed out it was huge. After some struggling to get it in the house and then having to buy a new tree stand because the one they had was too small the tree was finally up and decorated-and it's a beauty.

Josh's Violet

2010-12-24T15:03:00.000-08:00

Josh is raising a rabbit as his 4H project and her name is Violet. He got her whe she was a baby and she's grown considerably since then. She is litter trained so she is able to come into the house each night for some "family time".

In Memorium

2010-12-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, December 12th my Dad passed away from complications from Parkinson's disease. He would have been 92 years old on January 8th. He was a wonderful, loving dad and he will be missed.

Donald C. Morehouse Sr.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2010
Donald C. Morehouse Sr., 91, of 822 Lawrence St., died Sunday, December 12, at Samaritan Keep Home where he was admitted last June. He was born January 8, 1919, in Dexter, NY, the son of Charles R. and Eunice Nottell Morehouse. He graduated from Dexter High School in 1938 and enlisted in the Army in 1941. He served a year with the 101st Calvary regiment, four years with the signal corps and three years in East Africa, Asmara and Eritrea. From 1948 until his discharge in 1953, Mr. Morehouse was in charge of the radio-television studies at the Chaplain School, Fort Slocum, New Rochelle, NY. In 1954 he was employed by WHEN -TV in Syracuse, as a transmitter engineer until the fall when he came to WCNY in Watertown. Mr. Morehouse was promoted to chief engineer of WCNY-TV and WWNY radio on January 3, 1960. He was employed by the broadcast company for over 35 years until his retirement in January 1987.

He was an avid ham radio operator, acquiring his first radio at the young age 10 years. It was also common knowledge in his circle of friends that "if Don couldn't 'fix it' you might as well throw it away." Another past time over the years was trying to win the lottery.

He married Helen Fargo, daughter of Louis and Anna Fargo of Adams Center on February 7, 1942 at St. Patrick's Church, in Watertown. Mr. Morehouse is survived by his wife of 68 years, and five children, Donald C. Jr. and Christel Morehouse, Lowville, NY; four daughters and their husbands, Helen and Bob Hillis, Sodus, NY, Anita and Jim Wheeler, Pulaski, NY, Anne and Scott Greene, Heneritta, NY, and Mary and Ray Weston, Watertown, NY; 15 grandchildren and 3 step-grand children, 9 great grandchildren and 9 step-great grandchildren. A half-sister, Paulanita Beam pre-deceased him in 2008.

He was a communicant of St. Patrick's Church.

A Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, December 15, at 1:00 PM, at St. Patrick's Church with the Rev. Donald Robinson, pastor officiating, burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery. Calling hours will be Tuesday from 4-8 at the Cleveland Funeral Home.

Josh's Concert

2010-12-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

Josh's Christmas Play

Josh's class put on a play today, based on "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Josh was Who #5. They also read poems, and his poem was called "The Treehouse".

Flooding In Pulaski

2010-10-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

On Friday there was some flooding in Pulaski due to the heavy rain on Thursday. The Salmon River was closed to fishing from Altmar to Pulaski and a retaining wall on River Street collapsed ( it was in bad shape anyway). Jim and I went uptown and took a few pictures. Pulaski made the news on all the Syracuse TV stations.

Yearly Maintenance On The Wind Turbine

2010-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today SED came and did the yearly maintenance on the wind turbine. I am always so amazed at how quickly these guys can clmb up the tower and then hang there for a couple of hours while they adjust everything. Everything tested out OK and it only needed a few minor adjustments and some tightening. The tower was out of kilter a bit so they streightened that by adjusting the guide wires. Now we're set for two years.

Jim's Birthday

2010-09-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Jim 's Birthday was Saturday the 4th of September but we celebrated on Sunday the 5th so the kids could be here. We had a nice dinner and he chose Hoffman hot dogs, salt potatoes, corn on the cob and an angel food cake with chocolate whipped cream for dessert. After the kids left Jim and I went to my sister Mary's house in Watertown as they were having a family picnic and it was my Dad's first outing since going in the nursing home.

Jim's August Visit-Friday Aug. 27th

2010-09-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

Today we styed here and had some fun. Jim made a giant sling-shot using one of the trees out back and some strips of truck inner-tube. Later they did some shooting and used some of the exploding targets Jim had gotten for Father's Day. I took Chris over to the local Skateboard Park so he could try that out. Tonight all the kids came for dinner. Tomorrow Jim and the boys have to head back to Ohio and, as usual, the time went by way too fast. What a great summer we have had.

Jim's August Visit-Thursday Aug. 26th-State Fair Opens

2010-09-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today they all went to the opening day of the New York State Fair. The boys love going to this and Jim tries to get the time off so they can come every year. They got there just as the buildings were opening and stayed until they closed. They had a great time seeing all the exhibts and activities and enjoyed the Trooper shows, seeing the animals, trying out the bungee cords , tasting all the great food and just having a wonderful time.

Jim's August Visit-Wednesday Aug. 25th

2010-09-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today Jennifer took the boys, Jim and Jim to Thunder Island for the day where they had a great time with all the water rides. They were there all day and had a picinic lunch.What a great way to stay cool on a hot day.

Jim's August Visit-Tuesday the 24th

2010-09-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Jim and the boys came to spend a few days with us and take in the New York State Fair. They arrived on Monday the 23rd and left for home on Saturday the 28th. Today Jim and the boys and Jim and I went to Watertown to see Mom and then give her a ride to the nursing home to see Dad. After visiting we had lunch at KFC and then went to Mary & Ray's to use the pool. Chris got in some sakteboard time while we were there also. It was a nice day

Jack's Birthday

2010-09-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Jack's birthday about one month late as we were taking our cross country trip in July . I don't think he minded it being late and we all had a good time. He chose a Coconut Cream Pie as his "cake" for the occasion.

The Longaberger Basket Factory

2010-09-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Before Jim and I headed back to Pulaski we took a day and, along with Jim and Cathy and Chris, went to see the Longaberger Basket Factory in Ohio. We were able to tour the factory and see how the baskets are constructed and had a chance to browse through the factory store where they sell the retired baskets and the "seconds".

We then went to the "Village" where there are a series of shops set up featuring all the baskets and dinnerware made by Longaberger. They even have a Yankee Candle Shop there and had a candle made exclusively for the Longaberger Basket Fest that is held each year.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 26

2010-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Twenty six days ago we started out on our cross country trip to visit family on the west coast. Yesterday we arrived back home with great memories of all we had seen and all we did along the way.

Like in the song “America the Beautiful” we saw the spacious skies of Montana and Wyoming where the land is flat and there is hardly a tree or hill between the fields and the sky. Now we know why this is called “Big Sky Country”. We saw the amber waves of grain as we drove through the plains states and the purple mountains majesty as we traveled up the 11,000 foot elevation to see the Medicine Wheel located in the Big Horn National Forest and wondered if our brakes would hold out as we traveled down the other side. We saw the fruited plains as we drove through Washington where there are endless apple trees and grape vines.
We spent three days in the fantastic Yellowstone National Park where Mother Nature can be seen at her best. What must the early settlers have thought when they came upon this land with its geysers, hot springs, mud volcanoes, and more? Thank you Teddy Roosevelt for having the foresight to declare this land as a National Park so many years ago so we can all enjoys its majesty today. What a thrill it was to see the magnificent Buffalo, one close enough to reach out and touch, although we chose not to. We did say good morning to him and he actually replied in his own way. We missed seeing the elusive bear but enjoyed the antics of the Prairie Dogs and saw a coyote and a number of Bald Eagles.
We were able to spend time in South Dakota where the boys had a taste of the old west as they rode horses at the circle B Ranch and we saw the fantastic Mount Rushmore and were able to be there for the evening light show which was fantastic. We went to see the Crazy Horse Monument that has been in the works for 50 years and isn’t expected to be finished for another 130 years, if ever.
We spent two weeks visiting family on San Juan Island in the small town called Friday Harbor. We were able to experience the quieter lifestyle there and find out what it is like to plan any off island excursions around the ferry schedule. I would imagine the islanders are all avid readers as they spend their time waiting in the ferry line, sometimes to find they are not going to fit on this ferry and will have to wait another 2 ½ hours for the next one. We were treated to the awesome display put on by the Orca Whales as they were feeding and the playful nature of the Sea Otters as they vied for our attention. We spent a day on Orcas Island and drove to the top of Mt. Constitution for a fantastic view of the surrounding area and the other islands.
As we headed back home we were able to stop and see “Devil’s Tower” which we learned was named by mistake when an interpreter mistook the Indian name “God’s Tower” as “Bad God’s Tower” and thus called it “Devil’s Tower”.
We also had some unexpected stops when we came across the Historical Rangers Station in the LoLo National Forest and the Smoke Jumpers School in, Missoula, Montana. And, we had stops at unique places like the “Corn Palace” in Mitchell, South Dakota and of course the “Spam” Museum in Austin Minnesota.
We learned some things as we traveled across the country too. We learned that there are great places for picnic lunches and almost all of them come with a squirrel or a chipmunk for entertainment, we learned that the rumor about mother and daughter-in-laws isn’t true ( in our case anyway), and we learned that young boys don’t care too much for long days in the car but after awhile the “Oh God-how much longer” laments cease as they realize it doesn’t make the time go by any faster.

Jim and I want to thank Jim and Cathy for including us on this fantastic voyage across our great country. We saw so many wonderful and awesome things and there are so many more we hope to see in our lifetime. It was so much fun to see the boy’s reactions to some of the new things that they were seeing and as Jim said so many times during the trip “it doesn’t get any better than this”.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 25

2010-09-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Very warm and humid today. It was in the 80’s at 8am. We had breakfast at the hotel and headed out to Mitchell, South Dakota and our first stop of the day-“The Corn Palace”. We arrived shortly after 10am and started our visit with a 15 minute video on the history of the Corn Palace. All the murals on the outside of the building are changed every year while the ones inside never change but the corn is replaced every 10-12 years as the colors fade. They use about 12 varieties of colored corn for the murals and the cobs are sawed in half and nailed to the boards that the murals are on. After visiting the gift shop we headed out to our next stop of the day-Austin, Minnesota where we will visit the “Spam” Museum.

We got to the Spam Museum around 3:30 and it was just as much fun as Jim and I remembered. The boys enjoyed seeing the video and then using all the hands on things throughout the Museum. After checking out the gift shop we set out on the last leg of today’s travels and after a total of 500 miles we arrived in Onalaska about 6:30 pm and Jim treated us to dinner at Applebee’s before we checked into the hotel. Now Papa and the boys are at the pool.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 24

2010-09-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

It’s going to be another great day. The sky is blue and it’s going to get quite warm by this afternoon. We were up and out of the hotel at 8am and our first stop was breakfast at McDonalds after which we picked up some subs at Subway to take in the cooler for lunch.

Around 12:30pm we reached “Devils Tower” in Wyoming. They have a really nice picnic area there so we stopped there first and had our lunch. After eating we drove up to the tower and checked out the visitor’s center. Next we took the 1 ½ mile walk around the base of the tower. Today there were a few people climbing up the base of the tower but no one was climbing the sheer face. You have to have a permit and be an experienced climber to go above the base. While here we saw a ton of motorcycles. The town of Sturgis has a rally every year and the 2010 one is coming up this week I believe.
After leaving Devil’s Tower we drove to Wall Drugs in Wall, South Dakota. We arrived around 6pm and looked around and did some shopping and had dinner. This is an interesting place with lots for the kids to do. They have an arcade where the boys did some shooting and played some video games. This started as a small drug store and grew over the years to cover about half the downtown section of Wall and has become a major tourist attraction.

We left Wall about 8pm and drove to Murdo and arrived at the hotel about 10:30pm ( we crossed into Central Time as we drove here). The pool was open until 11pm so the boys went for a quick swim with Papa while Jim unloaded the van.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 23

2010-09-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

We left Spokane, Washington about 8;15 am headed to Billings, Montana some 550 miles away. The day was sunny and, although cool in the morning it warmed up nicely during the day.

We stopped for gas in Kellogg, Idaho and right next to the gas station there were some art sculptures made out of metal so we took a picture of a few of them-a cowboy on a horse and a Fokker Tri-plane.
We continued on our way and soon we were in Montana. As we were driving along getting close to Missoula, Montana we saw a sign for a Historical Ranger Station in the Lolo National Forest so we decided to check it out since it was only 4 miles off the highway and the kids needed a break from riding. While there we got a picture of the boys with a wooden mule named “Splinter” that represents the mules that are still used today to get supplies to the firefighters during a forest fire. They also had a forest service fire truck there that they are currently using.
While at the ranger station we saw an ad for the Montana Smoke Jumpers Museum that was 20 miles up the highway. The boys really wanted to stop and see this and, since it was on our way anyway, and, they agreed not to complain because we would be getting to the hotel late, we stopped. We took the 2pm tour and it lasted about an hour. We saw the “ready room” where the firefighters store their gear so it’s ready at a moments notice. We also saw where they hang the parachutes after a jump to be inspected and repaired if necessary and also the room where they repack the parachutes after use. Outside we saw the plane they use for dropping water and fire retardants on the forest fires and the plane they use to fly the firefighters and their equipment to the site of the fire. All the backpacks and gear made from fabric other than the parachutes are made by the firefighters during their shifts when they aren’t fighting a fire so they all have to learn to sew. There is a room full of sewing machines and fabric for this.
After seeing the Museum we got back on the road and decided to just have some snacks as we drove instead of stopping to eat so we’d get to the hotel sooner. We’ll have dinner once we get there.

We arrived at Billings around 7:30pm and Papa took the boys to the pool. We have a two room suite tonight so we are all staying together. We had supper in our room since we had already bought food for lunch and then didn’t use it today.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 22

2010-09-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

We were at the boat dock in time for the 10:55 am ferry but it came in late and we didn’t leave until 11:30am.We were sent on our way by all the Coles who came to the dock with us to say good-by. We had a wonderful 2 weeks with them and want to thank them for opening up their home to us and for all the great meals and fun activities. After docking at Antecortes we drove about a half hour to a town ( I can’t remember the name) and got gas and then some groceries at WalMart.

Once these errands were done we got on Route 90 and drove as far as Ellensburg (about 200 miles) where we stopped for supper at KFC. Along the way we passed a huge wind turbine farm that looked like it was just being built since none of the turbines were operational yet.We got back on the highway and reached Spokane about 8pm. After unloading the car the boys jumped in the pool for awhile. It seems good to be off the road.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 21

2010-09-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

Today was spent cleaning out the van and going to the car wash. This afternoon we did the packing and loaded everything we could into the van. I think we are ready to head home.

Tonight we all went downtown to the “Rumor Mill” for dinner. Cathy C’s parents were able to join us and we had a nice good-by dinner together.
After we got home Jim took some family pictures of the Cole family and also some of the cousins together.

Friday Harbor Trip-Day 20

2010-07-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

Foggy day and quite cool. The kids had planned on going swimming today but it was just too cold. They were quite disappointed.

Jim and I borrowed the truck and drove into town to run a few errands and get some groceries. Later, Jim and Cathy W. went to finish their shopping. We only have one more day before heading home and tomorrow will be a laundry and packing day. Jim wants to pack the van tomorrow night and then he’ll drive it into town early Saturday morning and park it in the ferry line so we’ll be sure to get on the 10:55 ferry. Jim C. will follow him into town and bring him back here until it’s time to go and then they’ll drive us back to town to catch the ferry.
Today Jim (papa) walked down to False Bay and collected some sea glass. On the way there he took some pictures of a Madrona Tree. This tree has two layers of bark and it sheds both of these and then the trunk and branches turn red. It stays green all year but some of the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. This tree is very common here and can be seen all over the island. Also, the island is covered with Blackberry bushes and the berries are just starting to ripen. You could have all the Blackberry Pies and Jam you could ever want.

Jim C. has a coffee roaster and today he’s roasting some coffee beans for us to take home. Tonight we had another cook-out with bacon cheese burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, and Papa’s potato salad. Tonight we are going over to Cathy C’s parents house for awhile and then we’ll probably finish the card game we started last night.