Welcome to 2001!

"Moved into Apt. 708 at Pioneer House on Saturday October 20.  Stayed at Nancy's Saturday and Sunday nights.

October 21, 2001:  Started to unpack.  At noon Mary, Mitch, Anna, Nancy and Tom ate at Boston Market.
October 22, 2001:  Nancy helped unpack.  I stayed in my apartment Monday night.
October 23, 2001:  Dane and Kyleah came in p.m. and helped unpack, then we played Rummicube and watched TV.  Nancy went to Omaha with Bill.  Jenny had surgery -- one kidney had a spot of cancer.  The kidney was removed."

Well, things started off at a bit of a hectic clip; unpacking, going out to eat, and a surgery in the family all in the span of three days.  Grandma doesn't say that she went along to Boston Market, but I am sure hoping she did.  Or at least if she was tuckered out, that we brought her back something.

What she was kind enough not to memorialize in her journal is that when she came on Saturday for that first time, the paint on the walls of her bedroom was still wet.  I was in charge of painting and as per usual, procrastinated.  In my defense, I was a single mom at the time with a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old.  Those aren't the best ages to bring kids along and trust that they won't get paint on them somehow.  But, I had lots of advance notice and did not manage my time all that well.  All's well that ends well, however. 

I think I will never forget Grandma and Maude (her walker, for those who aren't familiar with that name) all but dashing down the hall from the elevator to see her new place.  She had trusted the Lincolnites, led by Tom and Merilyn, to pick out a place and get it ready for her.  So, she had not seen her new home until the night she moved to Lincoln.  And she was in a bit of a toot to get to it, as it turned out.

You can't tell from the photo -- must have been the flash or bright sunshine coming in -- but Grandma had her new place painted the same colors as the Winside house.  She said it was because her things already went with that color, and that is good, solid logic.  But for me, there was the added bonus that the place immediately seemed like her home.  It made for a smooth transition and she seemed so much at home right away. 

I like this photo for many reasons, but mainly the lovely smiles.