March 2023

Wednesday 3/1

The saying goes . . . . "March went OUT like a Lion" however, this year, so far, we can say . . . . "March came IN like a lion".

Shortly after midnight, we took this picture of our front walk

This morning, Steve shoveled about 4-5 inches from that same snow covered, walkway

This afternoon we left home for a trip to Vail Arizona!

We started our trip at the Boise Airport

It has been a while since we have done any flying but here we are, in the airport, waiting for seats and wondering if we will get seats and then texting . . . YaY, we got on!

This was a two-leg trip. Our first stop was in Salt Lake City. Our flight out of SLC was delayed about an hour so we had some lunch at Smash Burger and then waited for our flight.

After everyone was done boarding, we got our seats and headed to the plane.

With all the remodeling of the Salt Lake airport, we ended up on a little "adventure"

We began by walking down a very long, enclosed, switchback ramp. At the end of the ramp we walked a short distance to a kind of makeshift bus terminal. 

We boarded a very full shuttle bus and rode it quite a ways out from the main terminal to where our plane was ready and waiting for its passengers.

We got off the bus and walked up another, but much shorter, switchback ramp to board our plane to Tucson, Arizona

We had a somewhat bumpy flight to Tucson but as we approached our destination, we had some beautiful scenery

Once through the clouds, we could see the city of Tucson.

Trudi, Cora & Morgan picked us up at the airport and we drove about a half an hour SE to Trudi's house in Vail.

Thursday 3/2

We anticipated enjoying some warmer, and dryer, weather than we left behind in Idaho

HOWEVER

This is what we woke up to this morning

Though they don't have any winter clothes or gloves, the kids are having fun playing in this unfamiliar white stuff!

Morgan & Charlotte's short, but fun, snowball fight

Cora and . . . .

Wyatt !

The sun has come out and we suspect the snow won't last very long.

It is mid afternoon

The sun is shining and the snow is gone from this field of Saguaro cactus.

This afternoon Charlotte made a Blueberry Trifle

This will make a yummy dessert to eat after dinner tonight!

Friday 3/3

Just another school day at the Lansford's

Today, Along with English & Math, Charlotte is learning about the state of Texas . . . .

Morgan is working on Story Problems

Wyatt is getting ready for a cooking test and . . . .

Cora is in her room, patiently waiting for her turn to "Learn". 

Today she practiced writing her name, matching different hats to the person that wears each one and identifying her colors.

Tonight, after the kids had already gone to bed . . . .

Morgan came downstairs to announce, he pulled his loose tooth out.

Saturday 3/4

Today, we all piled in two cars and drove about an hour south of Vail to the historic town of . . . .

Tombstone, Arizona

Here are a few pictures of us around the town

Steve & Linda - hmmm, which way . . . .

should we go? 

Trudi, George & Cora - Morgan, Charlotte & Wyatt

Morgan's loves his toy tomahawk!

We went for a stagecoach ride with these beautiful Percheron horses, Jake & Leroy, leading the way.

Loading up

On our ride

Trudi, George, Morgan, Charlotte, Wyatt & Cora

Steve & Linda

Cora & Trudi - unloading

a group picture at the stage depot

Steve, Trudi & Cora, Charlotte, George & Morgan, Wyatt, Linda

After our ride we stopped for lunch at the O.K. Café,

 Home of the Buffalo Burger!

Though only one of us (George) actually ordered a buffalo burger, we all enjoyed delicious food. Some of  us had chicken, some had a hot dog or a patty melt and some had just a good old-fashioned hamburger. It all tasted good!

As we walked down the old wooden sidewalks to the café,

 we passed by . . . .

Lilly's

The O.K. Corral and . . . . .

This statue of Ed Schieffelin - the founder of Tombstone.

We had an enjoyable time in this historic old western town.

We even managed to find a little souvenir of our visit

After we returned home, around 5 p.m., . . . .

Trudi & George gave Wyatt his birthday present (a day early)

An Electric Bike !!

He was excited to put on his new helmet and give it a "test drive"

Happy 17th Birthday Wyatt !!!

Sunday 3/5

Today was Wyatt's 17th birthday 

Tonight we celebrated with Cake, Ice Cream and . . . .

a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" as he blew out his candles

Monday 3/6

Today we flew back home to Boise. Trudi drove us to the Tucson airport and we were able to get on a Delta flight to Seattle with seats in Comfort Plus. 

We were in the first row, so we had these fold-out video monitors instead of monitors in the back of the seat in front of us. Steve had a problem with his monitor. The Flight Attendant resent it... twice, but it never worked for him. 

We only had a short layover in Seattle and were pleased to be assigned seats in First Class... which means we got our beverage in a glass glass instead of a plastic glass, plus... we got to pick something out of the snack basket. 

As we were getting off the plane in Boise, we got a text from Debbi. She was working on a flight enroute from Houston and they had just landed... in Boise!  We walked down to her gate and waited for her. She introduced us to the crew then we visited while walking through the airport. She and the rest of the crew met their hotel shuttle and we waited a few minutes for Dave to pick us up. We made it home by 9:30, unpacked and had some dinner before crawling into bed.

Saturday 3/11

Spring is on the way . . . .

The Forecast . . . .

Today . . . .

Lilac buds and . . . .

Tulips 

Wednesday 3/29

Today Linda had an Angiogram. She has been experiencing Chest pain during exertion for the past 5 1/2 years. During that time, she has visited with a cardiologist and has done a couple of different stress tests... some normal, some mildly abnormal. The angiogram was to get a conclusive diagnosis of a possible arterial blockage. 

Since Steve was not allowed to join her, pictures of her experience are very limited! 

She was admitted at 9:30 a.m. and discharged at 3:00 p.m.

Steve waited at Dave's house during this time.

She had about an hour in pre-procedure prep time, an hour in the cath lab, about three hours in recovery and a half an hour for discharge paperwork etc.

They had a difficult time finding a vein for her IV. They ended up getting an Ultra Sound machine and searching for a vein with that. They tried the right arm, but even though the ultra sound showed the needle was in the vein, they couldn't get any blood... the technician said "she must be out of blood". They switched arms and were able, with the assistance of the ultra sound, to be successful at finding a good vein. They said Linda had tiny veins... maybe that's why she's always cold. The red & black wires were attached to electrode patches... 3 on one side and 2 on each shoulder.  

The catheter was inserted in the right wrist. During the procedure, Linda was awake enough to follow directions to take deep breaths but that's about it. After the catheter was removed, they used this inflatable pressure band on the catheter entry site. They gradually release air, reducing the pressure a little bit in 15 minute increments, until the all pressure is released and they are able to take it off. 

Linda was not supposed to use her right wrist at all for 24, and limited use for 48, hours. On Thursday morning she was able to remove the dressing, seeing for the first time the catheter entry site... not much to see and it does not hurt. She is not to lift anything with her right arm for 5 days. (there's not as much bruising as it looks like in the picture)

The results of the angiogram was that there was No Blockage. It is good to know her heart is strong and healthy but it still leaves the cause of her chest pain a mystery. 

Friday, 3/31

We were out in the garage today going through some boxes looking for a specific kind of wire....

Anyone else have a box with contents that look like this??? and NO, we did not find the one we were looking for in this mess. We did figure something out though. 

Well, March came in like a lion and this month hasn't brought much change. Though we only got rain here in Star yesterday, many areas of the valley got 1 - 3 inches of snow. The mountains received much more. The forecast is still showing more snow, frozen mix & rain for the next ten days. Spring has been a crazy mix of weather this year. It will be interesting to see what April brings.