Miami - Nice Place to visit - Wouldn't Want to Live There!

I recently spent a month living in Miami with our daughter Michelle who is awaiting a multi-organ transplant.  She can't be alone and someone needs to stay during the day so her husband can go to work.  So... we ventured down for the first watch in mid April and stayed until mid May.  It was beautiful but we didn't speak the language. :)   We didn't get a chance to do much sight seeing this time around but I expect we will be going back in a few months or so.  I loved the weather (except in the laundry room of the apartment building where there was no A/C).  We were right next to MIA International Airport which was interesting... pretty neat actually.  The noise wasn't bad either which surprised me.  We were able to get out one night and tried some Cuban food... DELISH!  Other than that it was a rather uneventful trip.  We are hoping to be able to do some sight seeing next time though.

 

The day before we left we went to my grandbaby Kellen's first Birthday party.  I made the cake and we drove 100 miles with it to get it there.  I was worried it wouldn't hold up to the distance but it did!  Kellen loved it (with both hands).  It was cute because she didn't feel good that day and was crying pretty easily but every time she got close to the cake she'd stop crying and her little tongue would come out (lickin' her chops)  funny little monkey!

A few days after our return I did a cake for our grandson Lil' Jack's 3rd birthday.  He wanted Grama-Pat to make him a "green cake".  How could I resist!  So we traveled 165 miles with another cake and it made the distance too!

                                          He picked the toppings off the "pizza" and ate them :)

Our neighbor had a milestone birthday so I made him a cake too.

So I've been traveling and caking... life is good when sunshine and cake are involved no matter what else is going on!

Back At It

Things have finally calmed down just a little bit.  Michelle was transferred to the Miami Transplant Institute 2 weeks ago (Now beginning week 8 of her journey) so we aren't at the hospital 24/7 at the moment.  I got hubby enlisted to help me re-do the kitchen (I did the cabinets - we both painted) - it took 2 weeks by the time we finished everything including painting the dining and living rooms.  What better way to start off the week and the nicer weather & longer days than to say "Hello" to Spring and have a nice fat slice of lemon cake with lemon butter cream icing?!!!

                                          Lemon cake with lemon butter cream icing!  YUMMM!

It felt good to be back at it.  I just realized I hadn't done a cake since Christmas Eve for my friend Janet!!! 

Michelle is in a holding pattern now.  She's not getting better, but after nearly 2 weeks of tests she was put on the list awaiting a multi-organ transplant.  She will need a new stomach, intestines, colon and kidney.  Her liver has bounced back thank goodness.  She is unable to walk or even lift her hips from being in the bed so long.  They are having a hard time finding acceptable re-hab for her since she has an NG tube with suction.  She can't swallow anything either.  She is on TPN (IV nutrition) too.  She is able to swish water around in her mouth and spit it back out but can't swallow since it has no place to go.  She is unable to take any anti-depressants (I'd be a little discouraged in her shape too) since they don't make anything that can be given by IV or shot.  You'd think as advanced as medicine has become there would be something to help out people in her condition.  She is ver discouraged, misses her family and is worrying about everything under the sun.  Of course not being able to do anything but lay in the bed, be poked and prodded by doctors & nurses and watching TV I'd be stuck in a worry mode too... not much else to do after all.

Please pray for her, and her little family. Her girls are still here in AL, but they miss there momma & daddy and Chris and Michelle are missing them too.  Please pray there will be a donor soon and she can get on the road to recovery.   Please pray for her to have better spirits and for the finances to work themselves out.  They need all the prayers they can get.  Thanks.

Mission Accopmlished, Almost!

Here are some pictures I took while in mid-project of the cabinets.   They required several coats of various things to get the end result.

                                                       Doors & drawers EVERYWHERE!!!  

  

 They took over the whole dining room and it was lots of fun letting the dogs in and out for a whole week like this.  Poor Puff our 3-legged redneck dog was very cautious of walking on the plastic.  (He has a hard time keeping his balance on slick surfaces)

 We decided to go ahead and paint the kitchen (and dining room and living room) while we were at it.(You can see pics of the 'before' dining room above).

 Here is the “almost” finished project – still need new counter top & flooring but this will have to do for now.

Here it is!

Like my bar stool???  I painted it to go with the other yellow accents in the kitchen.  I LOVE IT!

                             This is another look at the dining room - getting the border off was MURDER!  

                               I'm happy with the "caramel" color walls - did the living room the same color.

It almost killed us (or we almost killed each other??? lol)  But, mission accomplished until we have more pennies in our piggy to buy counter tops and flooring.  I think I can live with it a bit longer now though.