VWL Lovers & Groupies thread: It all started with a Moose

[MiaSRN62]

Happiest birthday to ya Muushka !

 

[jimmytammy]

Somebody's got a Birthday...who could it be? Well its our friend Muushka you see!!

Happy Birthday Barb!! Hope you have a great one!!

 

[wildernessDad]

Happy Biryhday, Muushka!

 

[Muushka]

Awwww. Moose-birthday cake, a poem and dancing men! Who could ask for anything more! I loves my Groupies!

Stopher and DD family, you are still in our prayers.

 

[eliza61]

for a very important date....

Happy Birthday Muushka

Wishing you so much joy and love today!! have a great one.

 

[tea pot]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUUSHKA

 

[tea pot]

Look Muush It's Spring at the Lodge!

Look Muush a Happy Birthday Sofa Just for You

It Was YOU that LOVES this sofa right

Have a Magical Day


PS Thanks to goopysolelady for the pics

 

[horselover]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARB!!!

 

[stopher1]

Happy Birthday Muush!!!!


Thanks all for the prayers. It has been an extremely crazy, frustrating, dreery kind of weekend/few days. My dad arrived in So Cal last night (he lives in San Francisco) and texted me an update about my grandmother. She didn't recognize her own son, which is sad, but not unexpected either. He last saw her about 2 weeks ago. His sister is due in from Washington state tonight. Their brother (my uncle, with the previously mentioned heart troubles) lives 10 minutes away from the home that my grandmother lives in - so he and my aunt have been her primary family caregivers for the past 4 years or so.

He said that she is still in lots of pain, but was responding a bit more pleasantly to the nurses trying to help her, rather than barking at them. She is still refusing food, liquids and medication. Everyone is preparing for the eventual reality, but of course no one knows when that time will come - whether its now or still weeks or even months from now. The doctors told me uncle and dad that they estimate given her current condition, worst case in the next 36 hours or so, but probably a week or two, maybe a month. She has basically given up, and doesn't want to live anymore.

At her age, she has lived a long full life. She outlived my grandfather by 32 years, remarried a couple of years later, and then outlived her second husband as well. She's got a beau in the home, but told me a couple of years back that she didn't think she'd marry again... but was just enjoying the courtship She and my grandfather both were teachers, and spent many years working in elementary & secondary education. They spent their summers working with youth in summer camps, and in their 50's and 60's went on the mission field for 6 months at a time 6 different times to Alaska, where my grandfather died of a massive heart attack. With her second husband, a carpenter, they used their age and wisdom to influence young people in their church as Sunday School teachers for years, among other leadership roles, and made two trips to Israel once as participants, and the other time as the leaders/hosts. She was the 3rd of 6 children. She has 3 children of her own. She was married 62 years between both marriages, and has 7 grandchildren from her first marriage, another 8 from her second marriage, and 9 great grandchildren from both marriages combined. She's a diminuitive woman, towering over the youngest generations at 4'9". It has been a wonderful rite of passage for each generation when someone surpassed her. My wife, kids and I were blessed to be able to have lunch with her and spend a couple of precious hours with her in December. It was the first time we'd all been together with her in about 3 years... so these great-grands have some pleasant memories of her - especially since she was, like many years past, giving my middle son grief for having become "taller than grandma". Naturally she's been a primary topic of conversation in our house for the past several days.

Again, thanks for the prayers. Personally I'm praying that her pain and struggles will end, and she can be in peace. She's suffered from dementia the past few years, and this latest episode has seemed to rob her of everything she had left, and that's just no fun for anyone. She's had a good life, and is ready for its conclusion.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

HappyBirthday Muushka!!!!


Stopher - it sounds like your grandmother has had a long and wonderful life and that you have been blessed to have her as part of your life.

 

[Dizny Dad]

Stoph - Thanks for telling your Grandmother's story. It really brings the rest of us closer to her.

DiznyDi & I pray that she will find her Peace, and that in it, you will find it too.

 

[Dizny Dad]

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Moose-Ka,
Happy Birthday to you!

 

[franandaj]

Happy Birthday Muushka!

Stopher, so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I know just what that is like we went through a similar situation with my MIL except that she did not have the rich life and family. It's good that you have so many fond memories that you will be able to cherish for your lifetime. I hope she is at peace soon.

 

[tea pot]

Stopher
Thanks for sharing your grandmother's story what a blessing she has been to so many.
Praying for help to ease her pain and comfort you and all of your family.

 

[DiznyDi]

So happy to have checked the boards today. I would have felt just terrible if I had missed Barbs birthday.
Have a sunny and happy, bright and beautiful, magical kind of day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUUSHKA!

 

[Muushka]

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. I got some new pots and pans (my old ones didn't work with my induction cooking plate), a book and sunflower seeds! More birthday stuff to follow. Like this weekend. We are going to a B&B in Williamsburg and meeting up with HappyDinks Leslie and Bob. We are looking forward to that.

But I love all the virtual cards. Well, all but the birthday sofa . TP what am I going to do with you .

Stopher, thank you for sharing your grandma with us all. She is in our prayers.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Stopher1...loved reading about your grandmother. Wow....she is still dating too. What a wonderful full life it sounds like she had. I will be praying for peace to come to her. Bless you guys. This is always such a difficult thing to go through for all. My dh's mom didn't recognize him on and off during the 4 months we had her on hospice in our home. It's heartbreaking. Hugs.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. I got some new pots and pans (my old ones didn't work with my induction cooking plate), a book and sunflower seeds! More birthday stuff to follow. Like this weekend. We are going to a B&B in Williamsburg and meeting up with HappyDinks Leslie and Bob. We are looking forward to that.

But I love all the virtual cards. Well, all but the birthday sofa . TP what am I going to do with you .

Stopher, thank you for sharing your grandma with us all. She is in our prayers.

Have fun in Williamsburg Muushka with Happydinks, Leslie and Bob. It's such a pretty town. Happy Birthday wishes again !

 

[stopher1]

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. I got some new pots and pans (my old ones didn't work with my induction cooking plate), a book and sunflower seeds! More birthday stuff to follow. Like this weekend. We are going to a B&B in Williamsburg and meeting up with HappyDinks Leslie and Bob. We are looking forward to that.

Oh how fun! Say hi to Bob & Leslie for me!

But I love all the virtual cards. Well, all but the birthday sofa . TP what am I going to do with you .

I thought it was kind of, nice, sweet almost that TP sent you the sofa. Love it.

Stopher, thank you for sharing your grandma with us all. She is in our prayers.

Thanks.

 

[stopher1]

Thanks all for the kind words, prayers and good thoughts. She is a special little lady, that grandma of mine... double meaning intended! I know there's got to be a special place in heaven just for her. And with her love for Alaska... ... perhaps her place will even be Lodge themed?!? I know she loves moose, elk, deer, foxes and wolves... even polar bears. My grandfather was a hunter, and they had several racks hanging on their walls when I was a child. Pelts too. It was honestly very fitting that he died in Alaska. They had such happy times living there. Given the chance, I just have a strong feeling she would have really enjoyed staying at the Lodge...no doubt an honorary Groupie at heart, had she ever had the opportunity. I do know that they stayed at two of the great lodges of the National Parks in the '40s when my dad was little - Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, too bad they didn't make it a trifecta with the Ahwanhee at Yosemite.

So there you go. A tad bit more about her. A kindred spirit of the great wilderness we all love.