Jan 5 - Jan 24, Same 'ole + Family Birthday Week

   I am really loving my Skylight Frame, that shows a slideshow of my uploaded photos.  I have started uploading our various RV travel photos, as well as family photos.  Friends and family can email photos to the Frame and it automatically uploads them.  Email to:  eviepless@ourskylight.com   My biggest problem is technical, as after uploading around 750 photos, the app on my phone won't work as it should.  After 15 emails with the Skylight Frame tech support, they still haven't figured out the problem.  Oh well, sigh.  

I did an outdoor visit with Tamara and kids.  We had a really nice winter walk around their neighborhood.  Tamara's news is that she is changing nursing jobs, and will be starting at the Greenfield Bay State hospital.  Better working conditions, better pay, and closer to home.  They even created a specific job just for her, so she can continue to work 3 long days-Fri, Sat & Sun.  

Then, the next weekend, I visited with Anica and family, and we went to a nearby playground.  However, that day it was really cold, with a biting wind.  The kids lasted longer than I did.  But, both visits were really nice, as I wouldn't get to see them in person otherwise. 

Then we came to Birthday Week.  Joe and Robbie's birthdays were Jan 21st, Peter's birthday was Jan 23rd, and Lou and Claire's birthdays were Jan 24th.  For Peter's birthday, since it was a cold sunny day, we decided to get out of the house and went for a scenic drive.  We ended up in Ipswich, MA along the coast.  We found Crane beach and Castle Hill on the Crane Estates, both now owned by a Trusteeship, open to the public.  The beach had a nice boardwalk over to the water, but the wind was so cold and strong, that we took one look and went back to the car.  Nearby was Castle Hill, which has a huge mansion built by the Crane's around 1910.  It has beautiful landscaping, incredible views from the top of the hill of the ocean and the surrounding salt marshes.  The whole estate reminded us of Downton Abbey estate, although maybe not quite a large.  This would be a nice place to walk around when the weather is warmer.  And, the film Witches of Eastwick was filmed at this estate, so we watched it last night.

On Sunday, Jan 24th, we did a big family/cousins/siblings Zoom birthday party!  What fun!  Nieces and nephews I haven't seen in a long time were there with their families.  It was so nice to catch up.  I even found childhood photos of the birthday folks to show folks--see below.

Skylight Frame photos:

Tamara's family outdoor visit:

Anica's family outdoor visit photos:

Crane Beach and Castle Hill on the Crane Estate photos:

Peter's birthday photo:

Birthday photos:

Happy Birthday, Peter!

Dec 20, 2020 - Jan 4, 2021 Holidays and Bringing in the New Year

    I spent several weeks putting together my 2020 Xmas family collages (one of the grandkids, one of the families, and one of Peter's kids & grandchild).  I also printed the 5x7 photos of each of the now 10 grandchildren for the front of my refrigerator, and many 4x6's of family and cousins, for the side of refrigerator and my wall photo frame.  Then, I also printed off my 2020 Holiday newsletter for the Seasons Greetings cards that I mailed out.  That takes dedication to do each year! 

    We had a Covid Christmas this year, as well as a Covid New Years.  A Zoom call with the kids & grandkids, and Scott, Amy & Adelle.  Then another Zoom call with the siblings & cousins.  Very delightful way to spend the day, when you can't be together in person.  In some ways, more relaxing and less cooking.  But, I still prefer the in person connections.  

   We have been taking our daily 2 mile walks, whenever the weather is nice enough (not snowing, not raining and above 30 degrees).  When we can't do that, I am joining Aimee or one of her instructors with the online Jazzercise classes.  I do love walking downstairs and jazzercising.  Peter is trying to get his exercising in on the stationary bicycle (I think he has to work up to doing it regularly, and for long enough).  

    I have been organizing my refrigerator photographs from the last 10 years, that I have previously taken off the frig and stuffed an album.  When the album was overflowing, I finally decided it was time to organize them all.  Interesting walk down memory lane, to see each grandchild born, then get older through the years, via photos.  

   Gabe gave me a "family tree sculpture" for Xmas, so I needed to print off little photos of each grandkid (fortunately, there were 10 little picture frames).  Putting that together was a bit of a challenge.  Tamara gave me an electronic photo frame that shows a slideshow of your photos.  It also allows others to email photos directly to the photo frame, by attaching a photo and emailing it to:  eviepless@ourskylight.com  I have been uploading our RV travels, 50 or so photos at a time.  This is a really delightful thing to have sitting on my kitchen counter.  We get sucked into watching the slideshow of photos and say, "Oh, I remember that.  Gee I was actually there!" And, it's a great way to see current photos of family & friends.   I love it.

   I also got a scrumptiously soft and warm blanket robe, that I am delighted to use downstairs in our somewhat cool basement, while we watch our movies/TV series.  And, we received a few games, one of which we will need Aaron to walk us through and teach us how to play it.  But they look like a fun thing to do of an evening.

  Here's hoping that 2021 will see the end of Covid, that we can resume our RV travels, and actually be able to visit with friends and family again.

Xmas Zoom and Xmas photos: 

 Our daily walk photos:

Family Tree Photo:

Refrigerator & wall frame photos:

Evie luxuriating in her blanket robe: