Surprise Visit

Dear Friends.

This year has been a wonderful whirl of visits from their Montana cousins that have never been here before. In January, Marcus spent several days with the family and we were thrilled to get to spend time with him.

In March, Hilja (sister to Marcus) came to town with friends and arranged to spend the day with Lisa and Nikki and the group that comes attached. They had fun riding the light rail to Phoenix and getting to know each other again.

Then last weekend we got a call from another cousin who was visiting in town and we got to spend Sunday afternoon with Bridget and her young son, Alex. Shawn did his magic with the smokers and pork and we had a wonderful time.

What a great smile. I think he looks like his Uncle Dan.


The kids had a great time hanging out in the back yard and entertaining Alex. Eli and Wyatt were teaching him to play basketball.


I'm not going to say what Eli is doing while he was sitting there but I think it is what it is, because here is another shot of the same contemplative look.

When I said show me your "snagletooth"- I got this
and this

and this

and finally this

Do you think the rest of his teeth will ever match this one.

It was one of those beautiful spring days to just be outside and enjoy yourself and it was made better by a visit with Bridget. We hope you come back to see us again.



Thanks for listening, Jan

Touring Miami Arizona

Dear Friends,

Last Friday I ended up in Miami (AZ) with lots of time to kill. I went to the quilt store and had a good time. I picked these pieces to make Morgann a new quilt. I hope she likes it.

After I did a couple of times around the shop and made my purchase I still had time-I was waiting for Judy to meet me for lunch at Guayo's and getting really hungry just thinking about it.

Since she was not even into Globe yet, I decided to check out some of the back streets of Miami. I drove through area north of Sullivan St. (the street with all the antique stores) and this is what I found:
a solid wall of this beautiful ice plant.


Cement stairs up steep hillsides to front doors, an old police car-straight out of Dragnet,


some really interesting buildings-most of them abandoned and some in very high places


and some very colorful ones.
This was interesting-the shell of a block 2-story behind this very well kept manufactured home
I loved this tree!
And then I saw this house-a little smaller, but it reminded me so much of Gin and Irwin's house in Butte. It brought back a wave of memories. Mat couldn't see it, but I did.
And then Judy arrived and we had a wonderful lunch. She got a much needed break and I, well let's just say I saw my future and it wasn't pretty.

That's all for now. Later, love Jan

Easter Saturday

Dear Friends,

We had a wonderful morning. Our families (Marla's and mine) got together at Lisa & Kelly's for a wonderful brunch. We had sour cream pancakes, egg casseroles, lots of wonderful fruit and Marla's orange crescent rolls. You should have joined us.

Carly made this cute centerpiece using Reeses Candies and Shana and Christie put together the fruit decorations.





The kids got to hunt Easter eggs (we learned a very long time ago to hide only the plastic ones!) And then we dyed several dozen real ones. The kids had fun and it was a wonderful day to be outside. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

Miss Abbie, Wyatt and Eli-Happy Easter!
More to come... love, Jan