If you recall I told you that last Fall my Mum, Pop and I went to a garage sale and we found 9 very negeclated and sad gnomes.  I talked my Mum into taking them home with us.  These gnomes looked as if they hadn’t been out in public for many years.  Their cloths were torn and faded, their hats were a wreck and all in all looked like a bunch of misfits.  Mum promised she would send them out to have new cloths and hats made for them and make them once again presentable to the public.

Well, I want to introduce you to “Grace”.  She is the first one to come back looking refreshed and ready to meet the world once again.  She said they made new cloths and hat for her, she got a message, hair cut and something about getting a pedicure, whatever that is.  Doesn’t she look great.  Grace is the first girl gnome in Mum’s garden. 

I’m going to take special care of Grace as we have some scoundrels in the gardens also.  Grace looks as if she is able to take care of herself quite well but everyone can use a friend and I’m going to be hers.

Welcome to our family Grace – I know you’re going to like it here.

Monday was a sad day and also a day of celebration.  You see my Grandma died and Monday was her funeral.  Sad for us of Grandma’s family and friends,but also a celebration because Grandma is finally reborn into a new body that works much better than it has for a long long time.

We all cried and laughed.  Cried because we will miss her so much and laughed because we shared lots of good memories of times spent with Grandma.  We reunited with family and friends that we hadn’t seen in a long time.  We watched a video of times passed from when Grandma was a little girl herself, a young married women and mother, a grandmother, great grandmother and even pictures of her as a great great grandmother.  What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful mother and grandmother.

Grandma’s funeral reminds us of how quickly time passes and times we’ll never get back.  I think Grandma and Grandpa were there with us during those difficult days.  They gave us strength and hope and love.

Bye Grandma – we’ll all miss you so much but it’s time now for you to go have fun times again with those you also loved that had to go before you.  Mum says that Grandma’s love was unconditional.  The best tribute we can pay to Grandma is to do the same.

We’ll love you and miss you – Bye Grandma!

Pop says the Calumet Inn is a “diamond in the rough”.  I don’t know what that means but I know I liked it.

Me, my Mum, Pop, Sisters and their families and my Uncle and Aunt stayed at the Calumet Inn in Pipestone, Minnesota when we went to my Grandma’s funeral.

Mum says this place is really old.  She said it was built in the early 1900′s.  It even has a couple of ghosts.  Friendly of course. “Charlie” is the most famous but sorry to say we didn’t get to see him.

The current owners are working hard to restore this Inn back to it’s original look.  That must be hard to do and Mum says very expensive.  If you want to stay at a place that is perfect in every way, this place is not for you.  If you want to stay at a place that is quaint (Mum’s word), needs some tender loving care, has lots of character, has beautiful woodwork, has a staff that goes out of their way to make your stay enjoyable, this is the place.

This Inn has four floors with each room different from the next, many decorated with beautiful antiques.

We enjoyed spending time in the lounge.  We had our meals there and spent time with family and friends.  As you can see the bar has the most beautiful woodwork and the artwork on the walls is second to none.

Don’t turn away after the first look.  This place will soon be a 5* Inn.  We’ll be back.  I recommend you give it a try.

Today was a hard day for me.  Mum, Pop and me went to see my Grandma in the nursing home.  Mum said we needed to go to say good-by since Grandma won’t be with us much longer.

Grandma got a lot sicker a few days ago and her nurse says that she won’t be getting better this time.  Grandma didn’t even know we were there but I felt good that I could see her and say good-by.  Maybe she knows I was there.  I hope so.

Mum says we shouldn’t feel so sad but should celebrate the long life that Grandma had.  I’ll try to do that but it’s hard to say good-by.  Grandma was always so happy to see us.  I’ll miss her smiles and hugs.

Mum says we were lucky to have this time with Grandma.  I think so to.  Not everyone gets to say good-by.  Sometimes we get so busy with ourselves that we forget that there are people who we need to say “I love You” or ‘I’m thinking about you” to.  We forget that just taking a minute to call or send a card can make a difference in that persons day.

If there’s someone special in your life – take a minute and tell them that.  You might not have the chance to do it tomorrow. 

Love Ernie