Sunday, August 1, 2010

UPDATE on Mom-In-Law and CAMPING at Bayshore and JAMESON birthday party

We received good news via Pete by phone calls yesterday and an email last night:

Mom's fever was measured at 101.8 this evening.  White cell count is about half of one percent. Hemoglobin dropped from Friday to this evening. She has lost 15 pounds since the last measure, Mom attributes the weight loss to the sores in her mouth and throat, nausea and poor taste in her mouth.  Her Oxygen level is still good.  Morphine is helping a bit with the pain. Infection is identified in bladder and throat. She is coughing up phlem from her throat and with the help of morphine is getting some sleep. She is receiving IV fluids and antibiotics.


She is in isolation with no visitors until her white cell count goes up...   if she continues to improve, they might let her go home later this week if she regains strength.  We are all hoping and praying for her.  Thank you so much everyone for your kind words of support, your prayers and you well wishes.  I printed them off and put them in a card for her, so she knows so many of your good people care about her!


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We had a nice time camping Friday night at the campground here at Bayshore.  As the last 2 sites around us were taken, one by a nice couple from Sturgeon Bay in Door County, turns out they know Steve's brother and wife very well, and we also had some other folks in common too.


And on the other empty site, we watched a big 36-38ish ft motorhome pull up, and back in very skillfully into a difficult site across from us, slow and steady wins the race.  Not only was the site tilted side to side, but also front to back.  It was the only site left and they were determined to get in there.  Once they successfully maneuvered it in, as the driver got out, we complimented him on his backing-in finesse!   They had three cute little pomeranian doggers, that all yipped in unison in agreement with our words.  LOL  But they were good and quiet campground doggies after that.

Supper was a treat of Italian sausage, sweet corn and spiced rice... yummmmm


We put in our little pittance of $5 to the rangers for some firewood, for the tiny bundle ... (we forgot to take some from home)   and had a little campfire.  Large metal campfire rings here with a flat section with a cooking grid, but we think you would have to get the fire going first in the open area, then shovel the burning logs and coals back to under the grid to be able to cook on it.



We turned in early Friday night and got a good night's rest.  Saturday morning we awoke to rain rain and more rain.... (the weatherman said *scattered showers* ===  he lied)   He also said it was going to be very hot and muggy.   I was thinking about the nice outfit I had brought along to wear for Jameson's 2nd birthday party-- if it was going to be too hot, I would be sweating bullets.  On TV with morning coffee, I saw an ad for Kohls having a special sale that started at 7am!   It was 6:15 am and I decided to do a quick run 10 miles down the highway to see if they had anything I might like.  Steveio insisted on coming along too. Ack.  I hate shopping... and I hate it even more if I have a hovering husband, suggesting outlandish clothes or getting lost where I have to go looking for him!   He did BOTH of those things of course in the half hour we were in the store.  Didn't find a sun dress, but I found 2 nice lighter summer tops for sale and we headed back to the campground.  Through the pouring rain.  It was a high speed windshield wiper type rain, and we could barely see the road.  Scattered showers... yah ... right.... if you say so, Mr. Weatherman.


Now it was time to get out to Jesse's folks house in Rio Creek for the party.   By 10 am we were loaded up in the car with our 2 portacribs they were borrowing, 4 lawn chairs, 2 folding tables, a cooler with 2 big salads, video camera and birthday presents.   Wheeeeeeee   Guess what?  The rain stopped and held off for most of the outdoor party.



They had a blowup bouncy toy for the kids, plenty of food, and lots of babies to hand around.  


Grandma Lisa (Jesse's mom), with wee Scarlett and Jameson clinging to her.   
Granddaughter Allegra tries out her new shades from her goodie bag.




Jameson was insisting he was FIVE, not two. 
Jameson loved his Sesame Street cake, with Grover and Elmo flying in a plane


For some reason, our granddaughter Chelsea decided she didn't like her Uncle Dan...
but our granddaughter Allegra was thinking her daddy is just wonderful. 


Daddy Jesse entertained us on Jameson's new ukulele, while Grandpa Wade looked on with humor.


Our granddaughters, Allegra and Chelsea

Sassy boy Jameson is tossing pieces of bark into the flowing waters of this unique fountain... 


We waited for updates on Steve's mom so that kinda threw a damper on the celebration.   Pete called during the gift opening, just as Jameson was opening a present from his Great Grandma and Grandpa Pfundtner, what timing!   With good news that she was doing better, we were able to relax a bit more and smile and enjoy the little guy's party, which is what she wanted us to do.  She is in isolation so can not have visitors anyhow, they don't want to chance any more infections.  She wanted us to keep on camping and do the birthday party without her.

Oh, by the way, it was cold and damp at the party, I could have worn the original outfit I had planned on, and never had to go shopping for anything new afterall!

After the party was over, we cleaned up and packed the car, we headed back to our campground.

Back at the campground, we drove down the cliff drive to the water... to the bay waters of Green Bay.  

I snapped these quick outta the car window, so they are a bit crooked.

It's a popular fishing boat ramp, and there were trucks and trailers as far as the eye could see in the parking lot.  When our kids were little, they didn't like camping here.  There is really no beach or swimming area for kids, just the boat launches, rocks and piers to moor your boats at. 


Up at our campsite, we let out the dogs, asked the neighbors if they had barked (they hadn't).   When we do have to leave the dogs in the rig, we close the windows, turn up the volume on the tv and pull the shades so they do not notice anything from the outside. They just sleep and wait for us to come back.  We have set up the video camera from time to time to see what they do while we are gone, and it's a pretty boring film.   A yawn, a sip of water from the dog dish, and curled back up to snooze.  Good doggers.

We unpacked the lawnchairs from the car and got ready to make supper.  The wood was a bit wet for cooking outside, so inside the rig we cooked up some spaghetti dinner with garlic bread and a big salad for supper.  But we took it outside to eat at the picnic table.   NOW the clouds blow away and the sun comes out and it gets warmer.


After a nice walk around the park with the dogs, we stopped to chat with the neighbors.  They shared their campfire with us, and we brought over our soggy wood to add to their pile.  If you put one wet log in with 3 or 4 dry ones, they all burn about the same.

We sat up around the fire till almost 11 pm before turning in.  Things were quiet and comfortable, but cooling off a bit.  So we closed up the windows on the motorhome and that had kept the residual heat from the day inside. But about midnight I was feeling chilled.  Didn't want to get up and start the furnace which I knew would blast us out of the rig.  Then I remembered, we had electric hookups here!   So I just reached down outta bed, plugged in the cord for our electric mattress pad heater, and flicked on the controller on my side of the bed.  I was soon toasty warm and cozy for the night. Ahhh sometimes it's nice to be pampered camping with full hookups!    LOL

Woke up Sunday morning to sunshine, and sweet fresh air after opening all the windows and lovely birds singing.  It sure is good to be camping!   I baked up a tray of triple berry muffins....  (from a mix)


Since the mix makes a whole dozen, I brought some over to our neighbors as a *Thank You* for sharing their campfire last night.   

Now we are sitting out in our lawn chairs, updating this blog, sipping coffee, and watching all the other campers pack up and get ready to head out.  Checkout time is 3pm and I think we are staying till the last possible minute to enjoy the day. 

9 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great weekend except, of course, for the illness. Looks like everyone had a good time!

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  2. Karen,

    I was overjoyed to find that Steve is not perfect, and I now have something that my wife says I am better at than Steve!!! I learned years ago that hovering when a women shops is just torture. Now when I get tired of trying to find a good comment on each and every garment touched by my wife, I go sit down somewhere and people watch until she gets through shopping. Works for us. Now if she can just whip up some blueberry muffins, we are good to go!

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  3. Awesome pictures! Thanks for allowing us to be a part of Jameson's birthday party! And a special thanks for helping out with our crazy kiddos. As my Mom would say...paybacks for all of the years I caused her hair to turn gray.

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  4. So glad to hear your Mom is doing a bit better, we hope this continues and she makes a rapid recovery, Boy after being home a week I wish we were in the spot next to you, I would have built a heck of a fire for some of those muffins, Are they my favorite, Blueberry, Glad to see you had a great weekend and got some good news, and also a nice birthday party to boot. Two years for Jameson, wow, he will be driving before you know it. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

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  5. Hmmm ... Mattress pad warmer. Sounds like a very good idea. Something to add to my futures file.

    We have a water bed, not the old bag kind, but one with plastic springs and baffles so it is really supportive. Of course we know we can't take it with us. One of the things I love about it is it is warm when you get in on a cold night. I had dreaded loosing that. Now I think a mattress pad will do the job just fine!

    Funny how little things can make a difference.

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  6. Glad to see the Bayshore campground worked out so well for, and happy the sun came out just in time for Jameson's party. We will continue to pray for Steve's mom and that she begins to feel better real soon!!!!

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  7. I want to come camping with you. The food you serve would make even a gourmet chef green with envy.

    Oh wait, I'm on Weight Watchers, please pass a rice cake. :c(

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  8. So glad to hear Steve's mom is doing better. We will continue to keep her in our thoughts and prayers.
    Looks like a wonderful birthday celebration!! I love that cake....so cute!
    Glad you are having a good time camping...nice site! Have fun!!

    Mike & Gerri (happytrails)

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  9. Thoughts and prayers are with you all as you wait for Steve's mom to continue to improve.

    Awesome pics of the family!

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