Where to start?

I have so much news I don't know where to start.

As to ears: They have been adjusted to try to keep the loud treble sounds from sending me into orbit. So far so good. With the fans on I do hear lots of background noise, but that is probably unavoidable. The ear guy is going fishing next week, so it will be two weeks until i go back to get it adjusted again. Seems to be going well, though. I should say 'hi' to his mom who is reading this blog. Your son is great.

As to dog: We will soon be taking him back to his mistress. She is back from Spain after an horrendous trip. They got stuck in Newark airport because of bad weather so she had to begin teaching immediately after they finally got here. I am sure she is rather discombobulated with the drastic change. I'll see her soon and get a full report.

As to eyes: My glasses are pinching my nose. I keep thinking I will get "toughened in," but it doesn't seem to be working that way. Sigh. I can watch television without glasses, so I will try to give my nose a rest.

KW and I went out to lunch on Tuesday to celebrate our birthdays. We went to Clara's Place on the outskirts of Alexandria. It is a place that has all kinds of stuff for sale in Clara's Barn, and then a little luncheon place. It is on a country lake with the concomitant peaceful view. We love it. Check it out. It's on the way to the Winery.

KW let me off at Cherry Street Books in downtown Alex. I love that place. The outside of it is darling, and the inside is filled with books (surprise, surprise!) and other colorful stuff. I wallowed around reading a bit here and there in this book and then that book. Paradise. When George was done with his errands he stopped in and picked me up for the ride home.

Take care and keep in touch!

"Ye that have ears...."

I took my new ears out for a test drive today. It's amazing the things you hear that you didn't know were making noise. For example, the keys on this keyboard are clicking away when i always thought they were silent! The car is much more noise-filled as well, and I can hear the floor creak under my feet in the kitchen. George reading the newspaper and shaking it to get it to suit his desires is so loud it almost makes me want to cry out in pain!

I took my new ears to the gym today and they seemed to be ok. I am quite a gal now with new eyes and new ears. Wahoo. Several of the gals oooohed and aaaahed at how small and inconspicuous they are. So far, I am very pleased. Time will tell.

I will be the most parsimonious of people for the next year as I will be paying for this miraculous acquisition of hearing. The aids are not inexpensive, but I believe they will be well worth their cost. As time goes on, I will continue to report to you. My equilibrium also seems to be better.

Take care.

Walking Poles

At this moment, this is the matriarch of our tribe. We should all be so active! Naomi uses this type of walking stick in Spain, so perhaps she will be just as frisky when she gets to this age! Wahoo. Way to go! The walking in Montana is either up a hill or down a hill, so the sticks really help.

I have book club today and we will be talking about the book, "Neither Wolf nor Dog" by Kent Nerburn. I found the book absolutely fascinating. I have a hunch that people will either love it or hate it, or a little of both. The author lives in Minnesota and we hope to have him talk at the Art Center next year.

So far I have had a "sit in the recliner" week. Hopefully I will have more oomph as the week goes on. I get a start on my new ears tomorrow. That should be a fascinating experience and hopefully will help me remove the "barrel" feeling from around my head. Yippee skippee.

Take care.

banana

Well, ok. This picture is cute but it arrived here by sheer ineptitude. It has the title banana. I wanted to see it because i couldn't imagine what it was. I clicked on it and it immediately was uploaded to the blog... Good night what a cute boy! And he has the banana game I found for him for Christmas in his hand. It's a letter tile deal that I got over at Cherry Street Books. The tiles are contained in a zip bag that looks like a banana. Thus the title "banana."

It is such a beautiful day after a stormy night. Lots of lightning, thunder, wind and rain. Just the kind of night I love as long as it doesn't get too wild. Much to George's dismay, the garden is getting lots of weeds because he can't get out to weed as it is too muddy.

Fran has all of her stuff in her new digs and now has the fun of getting all organized. I have never known anyone who loves to arrange and rearrange as much as she does! More power to her! Naomi will be back in Minnesota (si Deus quizer) in less than 10 days. The summer is starting to whiz by in its inevitable way. Pay attention to each day. Wow. Take care.

Spring has Sprung

I am looking out my window at two bunnies hopping around in the garden. They are really cute, but now that it is Spring and the plants are up - corn, tomatoes, onions, potatoes on our side and oodles of more exotic plants in our neighbor's plantings - bunnies change from being cute to being menacing. They don't seem to be nibbling the produce, yet, though.

The thrill of green grass is hard to exagerate. After a hard Minnesota winter, spring is a feast to the eyes. Now that I have my new eyes, the greens are even brighter!

Fran and I talked on the phone. She is beginning to become acclimated to her new environs. Her furniture will be arriving on Monday. Not to speak about her fabric collection, books, dvds and tapes, etc., etc. Then she will have the "fun" of setting it all up. Actually, she loves doing that so it should be relatively painless.

Naomi is living through her adventure in Spain. Her knee hasn't blown yet, and she will certainly have a tale to tell us. I hope she is taking plenty of pictures.

I am happy to report that our "It Figures" gym is up and running. How would we exist without our exercising buddies? The exercise is good for us, of course, but the fun is in the socializing. We do have a good time. I will report from time to time on how it is going.

Remember the furor we had about the spiders? Well, we have pretty well put that controversy to rest. We (Freddy) decided that it was phobia that made the spiders so big. At the moment, that is where our research remains. The spiders exercise, too, however, so they may just be waiting to launch an attack in a pumped up version. The mystery may reappear at any moment. (Exit with spooky music.) Take care.

Whirlwind

My mind is in a whirl. The last week has been filled with so many images and ideas. It was great to get the family together before Fran moved to Helena. We talked and talked. And then it was over. All of us is coping with some ailment or other, but we're still alive and kicking! Thanks to the next generation, we had this opportunity to get together. I salute you, Jeff and Sherry.

Then on Sunday we drove to Buffalo to pick up Naomi's pooch from Bed and Bone. The barking there is unbelievable. Luckily the establishment is out in the country or the neighbors would definitely have a reason to complain. He was his usual urbane self and we headed to I94 at Monticello and then on up to Evansville. A few miles north of Monticello it started to rain and we noticed an ominoous cloud to the South. I mentioned it looked just like the wall cloud Fran and I drove through a few years ago. We drove on home with no particular difficulty and then heard on the news that we had just missed a tremendous hail storm and tornadoes. Oofta. I hope Bed and Bone weathered the storm ok. Hugo had a tremendous tornado touchdown with a small child killed. Hugo is just north of the Twin Cities. Coon Rapids also suffered some and Parkersburg in Iowa had 7 deaths.

El Perro is doing fine. He is quite mellow and seems to be resting after his arduous time with all the other dogs. Naomi and Amy are having a great time in Spain. It is a tremendously challenging adventure as they walk many miles each day over very rough terrain. They start out early in the morning and walk up to 20 miles until early in the afternoon. They settle into a place that I suppose is like a hostel, and then find a place to check into the Internet if possible. We have heard almost every day from them via e-mail which is a great comfort. Nay has had a bad knee and Amy has had a killer cold, but they are soldiering on and hope to make the walk in the prescribed time period... so they can catch their flight to Madrid. (At least that is how I understand it!)

I will soon have new glasses and two hearing aids. Watch out world! Take care.

A man is beside me!

Jeff is sitting beside me but his mother, Fran, is in the other room talking up a storm. I am trying to show Jeff how the magic of blogging operates.

Of course, as you all know, my long suit is showing everyone what to do!!!

Take care.

The new me

I have had quite a week. I will soon be all remade and be able, not only to see, but also to hear! I have ordered new "stylin'" eyeglasses with the help of KW. I have also ordered hearing aids for both ears.

George went with me and we met with the ear guy. He explained that I didn't suddenly lose so much hearing but that the coping skills I had developed finally had reached their limit to make sense of what I was hearing. So we will see how it goes. He said I could probably hear vowel sounds but not distinguish the consonants. I know that when I watch "Wheel of Fortune" I don't know what letter has been said until Vanna puts it on the board.

My family will be overjoyed now if it turns out I don't have to have the TV on so loud! John has cat-like hearing and the loudness hurts his ears I am sure. The reason I am sure is that he heaved a sigh of relief when I told him I was getting hearing aids! I am excited!

I am trying to get ready for our family get-together. It will be such a wonderful time!

Take care.

Hi Ho

I find that I begin my e-mails (in the subject slot) with hi ho. I didn't realize how annoying that was until I tried to find a specific sent e-mail, and there they were... hundreds (well, not hundreds - but many) of e-mails where the only specification was hi ho. Good luck finding any specific information.

I keep waiting for more comments on the last blog, but I guess the proverbial "when hell freezes over" covers the chances for more comments. I also like to have a picture to go with my blog and I can't decide what to include. Perhaps you could give me ideas of the kind of pictures I could use. As you all know, I aim to please.

I am anticipating our mini family reunion soon. My sister and her son and my brother, his wife and their daughter will soon be here. I am all aflutter. What a thrilling occasion. Hopefully we will be up to the marathon talking that will be taking place. My sister, brother and I are inveterate talkers and all others just have to listen to us. Wahoo. Should be fun for us... I don't know about the others.

Naomi is busy walking in Spain. I hope her legs hold up. If they can actually achieve their goals (and I am sure they will) they will be in awesome shape when they return.

Take care.

Wow times two!

How about that for taking your ease! We came back to Naomi's apartment to find JYY taking his ease in the bed. How cute is that?

Today is the day N starts on her trip to Spain. Oofta. I just got a call from her and she is already to go but is at loose ends as she doesn't need to go for another hour! Talk about efficiency! JYY is off to Bed and Bone for a couple of weeks, after which George and I will have him.

By the way, Fran, after your discription of my painting I wonder if the rule of double negatives applies? Two negatives make a positive. If that is true you must really love the painting and I know now what to give you for your birthday! Lucky you!

I am catching a cold, so I will follow my usual rule and hit the deck for a couple of days. Drink lots of liquids and take lots of vitamin C. I seem to be existing on the deck now, so I don't know if the rule really applies. My lack of energy is the pits. Ah, well, spring will soon have sprung and summer is a great energy booster!

Take care.

wadya think?

Well, folks. ... which do you prefer? Rotten Pears or this version, called Putrid Pears. I await your votes!

The weather today is beautiful. Sunny and mild breezes. I took a meander up to Battle Lake and everything is springing up! Wahoo.

Take care.

Well, finally....

The sun is shining brightly.

This is the rotten pear picture as I found it. I have since done a bit to it so you will have a chance to comment on which version you prefer. (or none?)

We went to St. Paul to visit Naomi and had a fun time. I got a hair cut. We visited Fran. She got to see Naomi's apartment. I found the book we're reading in book club at a second hand book store. "Light a Penny Candle" by Maeve Binchy. I am just beginning to read it and it is very charming. All in all a fun time!

Now I am at home and trying to get up enough energy to go shopping for glasses. KW? When should we go? She promises me we can find me some cute ones. I want cheap but cute. Do you suppose that is possible? Or is cute always more expensive. We will see. I promise a picture when it is all accomplished.

Take care.

SNOW

Wow. I94 was closed from Moorhead to Alexandria for most of the day. This is the backyard. The box deal is a "green house" that our neighbor was about to fill with tomato plants and a glass top. Luckily he hadn't quite gotten to it. Give me a break.

Our trip to Mpls has been postponed for the present because of the blizzard. The change in weather seems to be affecting me more than it used to. Luckily, I don't have any particular thing I am responsible for doing as I find myself feeling definitely miserable.

Have to be down to my studio and stir up some more "jello." My reaction to seeing the two paintings was interesting. In the new painting there is some inner energy that is hard to describe. Both paintings were done with actual pears as "models." The first is more realistic, but the second has a sort of inner energy that I like. Different time of year, too, so they were different types of pears. After I had done the first painting, I forgot the pears until I came down to find them totally rotten. I painted two of them. You will see them in the next blog.

With anticipation, Take care.

First Take...

This is a picture of the first painting I did of five pears. Hmmmm. Interesting to see the changes from 2004 to now.

We are in the midst of a wild winter snow storm! Yesterday was springlike and today is raging blizzard. Go figure. One of the worst storms I have been in was on May 1 in Iowa many years ago. We were planning a trip to Minneapolis, even had our coats on, when we changed our mind. If we were hale and hearty it would be a lark, but now it could be a disaster. Sigh. I do love driving in terrible weather.

I'll take a picture tomorrow and put it in the next blog. Take care.

Variation on a Theme

When all else fails, return to the original name of this blog: "Two Pair and a Spare." Once again I am not getting the best photo of this masterpiece, but it will give you the idea.

I think it is the smell of change in the air that makes it difficult to type. My daughter going to Spain for her long walk; my sister moving to Montana; my eyesight much improved, but very strange; spring is springing; Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I really liked Bananafish's idea of writing about some of my favorite artists. I will mull a bit and get back to you. My mind is already furiously speeding around.... WHICH ONE TO START WITH. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Take care.

Mute? Me?

I know it is hard for my faithful readers to fathom, but I have nothing to say. Had book club this week. Went to poetry night. Have gone to the gym. All fun things, but I have nothing to say. Perhaps you can write a comment to grease the wheels of my mind and loosen my tongue (I suppose it should be "loosen my typing fingers." I await your nudges. Take care

Little Miss Two Eyes

This is how I watch television, Fran! The dark glasses are for wear outside, in the car, and anywhere there might be a danger for dust particles or whatever to get into the eyes because of wind or fans.

One side effect of being able to see without glasses is that I now notice I have very furry eyebrows. I couldn't see them before without my glasses, and with the glasses they were covered up. I will have to renew my expertise with a tweezer!

My poor husband is suffering with shingles. He has terrible pain in his left ear and is generally miserable. This year he has had bacterial pneumonia, a compressed disc in his back, emergency gall bladder surgery, acute bronchitis, breathlessness and a fainting spell, --- and now shingles. We are hoping that spring will bring relief from all his woes. Put a golf club in his hand and seeds into the garden and he will feel better.

Hope to see you soon! Take care.

All Right, already!

How about those shades? I'm trying to decide where I fit in in the dark glasses categories? Audrey Hepburn? (I should be so lucky!) No. An old lady who just had cataract surgery. That is preferable to a Britney Spears wanna be.

I feel so excited about being able to see again that I sort of forgot there were other issues... like putting one foot in front of the other. But i do feel much better.

Tonight is hoops night! I do love to watch basketball and the final dance of the final four... how much better can it get? Take care.

The other eye...

They go to great lengths to make sure that they are working on the correct eye. When you check in they ask which eye and put an orange bracelet on that arm. Then they put an x over the eye as they are prepping you. Many times they check on who you are, and which eye you are having done.

The worst case of not following protocol was the doctor who removed the well kidney from someone with cancer in the other kidney. That was just recently, too, and was well publicized. Oofta.

I now have this patch off and I can see well through both my eyes! I have all kinds of folderol that I have to do for a week... drops, etc., but the truth of the matter is that I can even read quite well. This for a person who was unable to find her glasses if she laid them down in other than the proper place. I put my glasses on in the morning and took them off and put them on the bedside table. It feels weird not to have the physical sensation of the glasses on my nose. I bought a cheap pair of little reading glasses to help with doing crossword puzzles, etc., but I can see television fine with no glasses at all. Miraculous.

On the next blog i will show you my dark glasses. I definitely am a star! Take care.

Clarity!

It is such a blast to have this cataract surgery. Kudos to KW for trucking me over to the hospital and fetching me later! It's fun to do it one eye at a time so that you can compare the vision in one eye with that in the other. With my left eye the snow looks sparkling bright, but with the not yet done eye it looks dull. Colors look way different! I wonder if it will affect how I do art. It's so exciting. Yahoo!!

Fran.. don't worry about your stuffing of the ballot box! I just about fainted when I saw those four comments before I had even turned around. Great! Then I saw what it was and wasn't quite as excited, but the thrill lingered! I love your comments! I'm so glad I talked to you on the phone as I feel I understand your reasoning behind your move. I'm not thrilled, but I do see your point. It'll be fun... especially since Jeff is going to help with the move, etc. No worries!

Well, I just can't get over the difference in the color perception. Wow. I am reading somewhat better now with that newly fixed eye, also... life is SOOOOO interesting.

Take care.

old goggle eye

If you think this is easy to type, think again. I don't have my glasses and I can see better through the deal on my left eye than I can through the goggle-less right eye. I go this morning to have my eye looked at by the eye doctor which is exciting. The goggle thing is like a honey comb and i can see through it. I am sort of reading this through that with the lens that has been implanted in that eye... even through the honey comb. Wow.

Hopefully I look pleasant enough for Fran. I get zeroed into taking the picture and forget to look pleasant! And I can't really see the picture, so I'm not sure.

Turns out that instead of an ear infection, George has shingles on his face. I have a delightful picture of that for you at some future date. Oofta.

I will report back after my appointment with the doctor. I'm excited! Take care.

Tah Dah!

Okee doakee! My newest finished painting. Hard to get a picture of it, but this is the best I can do.

Now I'm working on more pear portraits. Fun.

Fran is dithering on about moving to Helena, Montana in the fall. Her son Jeff and daughter-in-law Janiece live there. That is a place that _I_ can imagine living. The mountains and camping around there are the greatest. But what is Fran going to do without the skyway for her winter walks? I imagine there is a mall or something near her proposed condo for her extensive walking excursions. Hmmmm. It is distressing to think of her being so far away. I will have to hop on the Amtrak and visit her. I hope the trains go there. Yippee!

My glands are healed. I am ready for a new week. The snow is shrinking. Life is good

Take care.

Once again...

into the fray. Hopefully the rabbit tracks will be clear to Matthew. The snow today is all starting to melt and coalesce into lumpy, bumpy whiteness. I think it is so interesting that around tree trunks is where it disappears first. The trees drink the moisture? i don't know.

I am doing all I can do to get over my swollen glands. I will soon be having cataract surgery and I want to be in tip-top shape for that. Not that it is possible for me to be in tip-top shape, but as good as can possibly be. I am staying close to home, drinking hot water with lemon juice, and generally trying to be a good girl. Right.

I will soon have a new painting to show you. Yippee-skippee. And I just finished re-reading "The Memory of Running." I love that book. A weird story interspersed with astonishing insights into life.

Take care.

cof, cof

My swollen neck glands must have affected my desire to put a picture on this blog. George was talking about all the rabbits that were cavorting in the back yard (to Matthew) so I tried to capture their marks with a picture, and now I see that I should have lightened the picture and turned it around. Ah, well. Maybe on the next blog.

Karen W. just showed up at the door for a confab! What fun to hear about her trip and to share news. I don't know what we talk about, but it sure is fun! Wahoo.

Well. I have a sore throat so I will get my plaid scarf and sit in my recliner with the afghan pulled up for a comfy day. I may even feel well enough to do a bit of painting. I am almost finished with the art deco one I showed the start of in the blog a few blogs ago. I'm sure you can hardly wait.

We loved book club. The book, "The Memory of Running," was a winner, we all agreed. "Three Cups of Tea" will be our next opus. We are meeting the middle of April because I should be all healed up from the cataract thing by then... double Wahoo. I made deviled eggs and open faced sandwiches with two kinds of Ezekiel bread and cream cheese. Instead of jello I had a pear half in juice with a prune perched on top in a pretty dish.

Take care and enjoy the break in the cold!

New Art!

Well! How about this image? It is acryllic on canvas. I call it "The Conformist" or "Untitled."

I imagine Karen W. is back from her trip. Welcome home! Hope you are tanned and well rested.

I am off to more doctor's appointments today. I will have my eyeballs measured for the cataract surgery and my nose checked to see if all went well from my squamous cell surgery. This getting old is interesting. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

Tomorrow is our book club. We are going to discuss the book, "The Memory of Running." From off-hand comments made by the bookclub members, they have liked the book. That makes me feel good as I was the one who discovered it. I am having it at my house so I have to start to get serious about what to serve. Hmmmmmmmmm. Deviled eggs, jello, and something else with coffee. There ya go.

Take care.

yippee skippee

Wow! Look at the plaque on those teeth. To say nothing about the adorable boy looking bravely through.

I am actually back on track. Almost. I still tire easily and need to rest periodically, but I'm back on track.

This political news is so interesting. To think that we have about 8 months before the election and we are going to have to hear all this palaver until November is almost more than a person can bear. So far I think it has been extremely informative. The numbers of people being energized to vote in the primaries is just astounding. I wonder if the enthusiasm can persist clear into the fall, however, or will we all be driven to reading Harry Potter to escape reality? I certainly hope that whoever wins the election finally wins it resoundingly so that there is no more bitterness about the outcome.

I have a big day planned. One of the things George and I will be doing is attending a 55 Alive presentation. Generally it is monumentally boring, but it saves us money on our insurance so we can endure a bit of boredom. I generally also learn a thing or two. Actually, I think some of the younger people could benefit from the same teaching. Driving is heading toward being a contact sport! Love seeing the cops on the highways to slow people down a bit. We generally drive the speed limit and people pass us as though we are standing still. Grump, grump.

Have a great day! Take care.

hippity-hop

Home again!

This is one of the awesome pics from the aquarium. When I got home and heard that our It Figures gym is in dire danger of disolution, I felt as though I was being threatened by a similar fate as was this young fella.

What would we do without all the laughs? To say nothing about the exercise? We have to rally around and figure out what to do to save our wonderful meeting place.

I was very tired after our trip home. I sank into my great recliner for an extended snooze. When I got up, I was not able to do much of anything except return to the comfy spot. Finally I went to the gym this morning but promptly went back to the chair after I returned. We are planning a trip to Mpls. tomorrow, so I better perk up!

Great to be home! Take care.

hi ho

Well. I hate it that I can't have a picture for you. I'll be home next week so I will put something great in then! Right.

I had a down day yesterday, but today I am feeling well. I made a batch of negrinhos, Naomi, and it didn't turn out very good. lumpy. Hopefully it will taste good. This stove is so mysterious and I had it on too hot, I think. Oh, well.

We are going to go to Ben Franklin to try to find styrofoam balls for a planet poster for grandson. Then we may go to a driving range so George can try out some of his clubs. It has been so cold here, or rainy, that the golfing has been hard to come by.

We also have to meet grandson's bus at 3:30. Life is great! Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Take care.

Nauticus visit

Yesterday the five of us visited the USS Wisconsin and the Nauticus museum. If you are reading this blog, Dana and Naomi, I saw some Koi fish swimming and identified by name in the fish tanks. Brought back a nostalgic Scrabble twinge!

The Nauticus is a museum of the history of the navy. It was extremely interesting and designed to be hands on for children (and adults!) One of the most fun things was to use one of the undersea deals they use for exploring shipwrecks. They had prongs to reach out and pick up stuff much like the deals at the supermarket to pick up stuffed animals.

It's hard for me to remember I am in Virginia where so much of early American history took place. All of a sudden I will be struck by a name and realize THIS IS THE PLACE THAT HAPPENED. Quite a thrill.

I am really missing Naomi today. It was great for all of us to be together at once. Take care.

Safe and Sound?

Well, safe. How sound will have to be for others to say. Our trip went without a hitch, but after getting up at 4 Fargo time we were already tired by the time we arrived in Norfolk at 12:05 Norfolk time. Our flight had made such good time that we arrived before the ground crew was ready for us. Then the motor in the mobile stairs didn't work and they had to borrow one from another airline to get us off the plane! Worked just fine, but took about 25 extra minutes!

Matthew is off to bed now and the rest of the crew is watching TV. I have already seen the movie so I thought I would blog a bit.

George and I are still just resting up. Beth and John made a scrumptious Thai dinner for Nay's birthday. Beth baked an angel food cake which we had with strawberries and whipped cream. Let me tell you about it when I see you, KB. We had a great time and it was fun for all of us to be together. I have already seen Stuart Little 2 twice with Matthew. Fun.

Take care.

On our way!

We're on our way once again attempting to make it to Virginia. As you might remember on the last trip we thought we were going to Virginia and wound up in the hospital in Fargo with George having a gall bladder-ectomy... or whatever. So now we are trying again!

This is my painting in progress. I am having fun once again. I painted this on a canvas panel that once held a portrait. I gessoed it and started over! Voila. It's never over until it's over.

Fran is back. She sounds as though she had a great time! Now she is trying to get herself organized enough so that she can start the art thing with a new rug and some other projects. We are definitely into art, as Fran's two daughters and my daughter are also artists! We're a frisky bunch. Naomi plans to be out in Virginia, too, so we can celebrate her birthday together.

If we can weather the extreme cold and make it to Fargo, it should be fine. I'll try to blog while I am in Virginia. Take care!

With a smile, Fran!

Hopefully I have satisfied my sister. I hadn't realized that I wasn't smiling as I was most interested in managing a picture of my nose. Sorry.

She has had quite a trip and promises to tell us all about it. I am planning to go to Virginia to see the family, so I will also have a trip to tell about. You should all be on the edge of your chairs.

Take care.

A Stitch in Time

Saves Nose! I will have these stitches removed this afternoon, and soon the whole episode will be over. It will be interesting to see how much of a scar remains.

The Great Super Tuesday is behind us. This is definitely the most energized the populace has been in a long time. Democracy is on the rise! Wahoo. It is extremely interesting to watch the electorate rise up and vote. I watch with interest as each state does its thing. And the people running keep on giving their pitches to all of us. Whom I will finally wind up voting for in the general election depends on who is running in the parties. I am an Independent, so they better woo me. Right.

See ya at the gym. Take care!

By a Nose

It's interesting to have the parts of your face spiffied up occasionally. I'm like the movie stars. I have had my eye lids done and now I've had a nose job! I had a squamous cell carcinoma removed from my nose and I should have thought ahead and got hold of one of those Groucho Marx noses to wear. Too bad.

This is a very temporary condition. I am to wear this bandage for two days and then wear a bandaid. Eventually the doctor said there won't be any sign of this major surgery. Right. We'll see.

My next adventure into facial surgery will be to have cataract surgery the end of March. Such fun when you get old. Wahoo. I will not only be able to open my eyelids, but see through the eyes. That is a definite plus, you must agree.

Take care and stay warm!

whew

If these apparitions don't scare you, nothing will! My daughter and her dog went out for a session of cross country skiing during that REALLY COLD session we had last week. Please notice the paw protectors on el doggo... and the glowing eyes. wow. the skier's eyes were surrounded by ice on her eyelashes, but that does not show up on the picture. Hardy Minnesotans! wow.

She has started a new blog with several of her friends, and if you go to the Naomi link on my blog, there is a link to the new blog there, I believe. She and her doggo are now in Minneapolis.

George is still coughing, but we hope his bronchitis will soon be better. I am fine except for a sprained middle finger on my left hand. It is amazing how much work that finger does. Until a finger or toe is sore you have no idea. It is even noticeable in the typing of this blog. ... and opening the car door or picking up stuff. It is used a lot. I fell in the fluffy snow and had trouble getting up. I had to get at just the right angle to get enough leverage to hoist my aging body back to my feet. Oofta. Luckily I had my cell phone with me if I couldn't have gotten up I could have called for help.

Oh, yeah, and the other night we had a carbon monoxide scare. Our detectors went off at about 2:30 a.m., so we went outside and called 911. The lights were sort of dim and I guess the electricity was just faint enough it caused the detectors to sound off. We had the sheriff, the first responders and other folks in attendance, but it was caused by the blowout of a circuit breaker somewhere. After everyone was pretty sure it was the faint electricity which caused the problem we went back to bed about 4 a.m. Luckily there was no harm to my computer, but I had a terrible time reprogramming my TV and my VCR/DVD. sigh. These new addictions to technology take some attention.

We are going to have warmer weather this weekend. Hopefully not so warm that we will have melting problems. ... Then back into the deep freeze. Wahoo. Take care.

Rats

I just

finished writing a long blog entry and then it disappeared into that oddity called cyberspace. Bummer.

I was remarking about the beautiful cold sunny day. No wind, but about zero degrees. And the fact that Fran used good sense to change her plans again. It is, afterall, a woman's prerogative!

We read the book "love walked in" by Marisa de los Santos for book club. Donna liked it and Carol and I thought some of the writing was good, but we thought the plot was contrived and way too predictable. The fact that so many of the characters were stunningly beautiful also was a bit off-putting. That combined with the over use of movie references overcame the positive parts of the book for us.

We are going to be reading "Water for Elephants" for our next book. I have read it and have a copy of the book which I cannot find. Bummer.

Then we are starting a marathon read of "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. It is Oprah's pict and is a tome. One needs to go to the gym to establish good arm muscles just to hold the book. It has good reviews, so we will see.

Have a good cold day! Take care.

Book Club

We have book club today. I don't know just what to think of the book we are reading. It has a few strengths and many weaknesses in my opinion. I will be eager to hear what the other readers think of it. I will let you know later.

And then it is to pick another book. That is always a challenge. Any suggestions?

We have doctor's appointments this morning, so up and on my way. Take care.

Hi Ho

Just a quick note to let you know we're still alive and kickin'. We have been embroiled in health issues and many doctor's appointments, etc. As Naomi says, we need a social secretary to keep track of it all.

I last told you I was going to the eye doctor. Discovered I need cataract surgery, so we have been busy getting that started. The target date is March. George is busy with a herniated disc and the pain all down his right leg, and all the attendant work to decide what to do about that. And so on and so forth. Naomi has been here to help us with some of this, and we are doing well. It's just that I haven't had the moxy to chatter on about it. I will soon be back to my normal (!) self. Is that good or bad? We'll say good.

More later as George has a myelogram today and I am the appointed chauffeur. Take care.

wow - Memories 11

You have stirred up the pot stirrer! Hmmmm. What should I blog about today as I now have 8 comments on the last blog? Eight. Good heavens.

I think I will write about something from my youth. I was a child with bad tonsils. As they had the theory then that they shouldn't remove tonsils until your tonsils were not infected I had a big problem. I usually missed one day a week of school sick at home with a pesky sore throat. Finally, the summer I was 15 my tonsils were good enough that they removed them at the hospital. I immediately drank tons of ice cold water, and then my throat would not accept anything else for a long time. I have the idea of two weeks, but that doesn't seem feasible.

When I finally recovered enough to have malts and shakes, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. That must be one of the reasons people love to have their tonsils out! Another perk of being "weller" was that I finally got to go a summer camp.

The folks let me go to Girl Scout Camp. My first summer camp adventure. Six of us slept on canvas cots on board floors under a canvas tent. There were many such tents as this was a large camp.

I was a stranger to all of the other Girl Scouts there, so when I met a girl from another town I was nice to her (of course) and she promptly became my shadow. I was raised to be nice to people. She latched on to me as she didn't know anyone else, and the other girls were not very nice to her as she was a scholarship student from their town. One day we split up as I was taking lanyard making and she was in a pottery-making group.

All of a sudden the air was rent with terrific screams. They seemed to go on forever. We found out later that the girl whom I had befriended had bit another camper 18 times because the girl had said something disrespectful to her. 18. As a human bite is one of the worst bites for infections, I was certainly glad that I had been nice to her.

The moral of this story is be sure to be kind to those you meet because it is hard to know what the consequences of nastiness are. Besides... we should be nice. It's so much more fun than nasty. Take care.

New Year!

This green should wake you up! Green is the color of new growth, and that is my prayer for all of us this year. I hope that we will allow new ideas and actions to flower into beautiful new inspirations.

My brain has been on vacation as I have been reading too much. My new chair is so comfortable that I have taken a quiet vacation sitting and reading. You know how a dog looks when he comes out of the lake and shakes the water off his coat? That is how I feel today. I am shaking myself and getting back in the game. I will have to limit the HOURS spent in the comfy new chair! I have an appointment with the eye doctor today. Perhaps new glasses will also help.

Take care. And may all your resolutions be good ones and be carried out! Aye, there's the rub. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Ah, the misery of mis....

To all of you who know Freddy, this is for him. He eschews the use of computers, so he will not read this himself, but those of you who have heard our contentious conversations (!) will be able to relay the information to him. Perhaps I will print it off so he can read it.

Our latest excursion into the world of "mis" was talking about mischief. It turns out that mischief is a word in its own right which is harm or trouble, especially as the result of an agent or cause.

We got into this whole discussion because I once said something about Fred's contentious demeanor. In other words, his argumentative behavior at the gym. Then I got to thinking about misdemeanor. Misdemeanor is somewhat the same as misbehavior. So demeanor could just mean behavior. Misdemeanor has come to mean something specific in law enforcement. As does gross misdemeanor.

I looked in the dictionary and there is a list of over 200 "mis" words at the bottom of the pages. "mis" is a prefix when applied to various parts of speech, meaning "ill,"mistaken," "wrong," or simply negating: mistrial, misprint, mistrust.

However, there are some words which simply begin with mis like mischief or miserable.

As you can see, I am hard up for a subject right now. The "chif" will say good night before she becomes miserably mischievous. Take care.

The Pressure, the Pressure!!!!!!!

The truth of the matter is that I sometimes have nothing to say. I know that to some of you that seems almost impossible, but there you are.

I suppose I could always take refuge in a memory post. I have lots of that written up which I have not yet shared.

Or, I could just talk a lot of blarney as I usually do. Then you could comment on the mindless quality of what I said, and we would all be happy.

Actually, having the new chair has given me such a comfy place to read, that I have been immersed in stories. I am rereading a series of mysteries by Nevada Barr in which the heroine, Anna Pigeon, is a park ranger. Each volume tells of her adventures in one of the National Parks. I am presently reading about Carlsbad Cavern and its environs. Fascinating. This is the sixth book in the series, so you can see I have been reading feverishly. The first five dealt with the West Texas back country, Lake Superior, the Anasazi, A wild-fire in a California setting, and an island off the coast of Georgia. She is a woman who has dealt with widowhood by escaping into the wild.

One of the fun sidelights of growing old and losing some of the memory synapses in your brain is that you can re-read favorite books without remembering the details. And so I am saving all my favorite series for later perusal. This series caught my eye about at Christmas time and I am gobbling up the adventures.

I suppose I have ten or more such series of books. I am well supplied into the future. New chair, lots of books, trips to the gym, friends that get on my case when I don't write my blog. What more could a woman want? HMMMMMMMMM? Take care.

What's in a chair? ME.

All Naomi had to do was sit in my chair and she promptly herded me to the furniture store so George and I could get new chairs. My chair looked ok but was broken. I had sort of brain-washed myself into putting up with it, but Naomi was absolutely appalled. George's chair wasn't bad but the fabric was wearing out, so we decided we could just as well buy two new chairs and be done with it. They are of the softest leather and JUST GREAT.

We consider it a Christmas present to each other. Lazyboys rule!

We're supposedly going to have some snow this weekend, so we will sit in our cozy chairs, eat pop corn and watch movies. Life is good. Take care.

Christmas memories... 10

I wish I were having a memory this year with this fellow. When we were with him last we gave him this owl - to bring the mail, a la Harry Potter. Sadly we have had to send his Christmas presents via regular mail ... but we hope to see him soon in the new year.

When I was a child, Christmas was a big deal. Before we could open our presents on Christmas eve, we had supper, the women would wash the dishes, I would lie on the couch - sick with anticipation - and then we would gather in the living room. Each of us had a special poem or song which we had learned for the Christmas program at church, dad would read the Christmas Story from the Bible, and then - finally - we would get to open the presents.

One year I opened all my presents when I was alone in the house. I very carefully removed the wrappings and then carefully rewrapped each present. What a mistake that was. It removed the anticipation and excitement. I never did that again and I caution all children to resist the urge!

I remember some of my gifts. When I was very small I got a beautiful pale blue cradle for my doll. I think my dad made it of orange crate wood. Mother had made a gorgeous pink silk quilt and pillow to fit in the cradle. While we were under the shadow of the depression, many of the presents were "homemade" items. Still the best of the presents one gets.

One of my favorite presents was a big fluffy "adult" pillow for my bed. I also got a bottle of lilac scent Eau de Cologne. The trouble came when the two collided. I spilled the fragrance on the pillow. I never appreciated perfume again and never used much even as a young lady. It took much airing out of the pillow before I could stand to use it once again.

I love the Christmas story. God's thoughts are not our thoughts. To send his son as a baby in a stable is so awesome. It's all turned so upside down. I love it. No kingly triumpant trumpets before a powerful potentate! No.. a baby in a barn! When we returned from Brazil, I complained that I didn't have a creche scene as I had left our old beat-up dime store version for someone in Brazil. The cry went out and I soon possessed a collection of creche scenes. But they are only important to us if the occasion they remind us of is part of our faith story.

I present to you God, the baby. The baby starting on his journey. If you have faith as of a mustard seed this journey can be yours. Take great care.

Wonders Never Cease

I ceaselessly read about the wonders in the electronic gadget world. i don't understand much about it, but I am amazed by the complexity and helpfulness of what is available for sale.

Then I have an age old problem and find a simple solution to it that tickles the socks right off my feet. I could never keep my blue hymbook open and on the rest made for it... it would collapse and fall onto the keys. Yesterday I amazed myself with my brilliance. I put the Minnie bag closer on the top of the pages. Yippee. No more problem.

It is small victories like this that keep me going. A non-electronic solution. It's amazing how thrilled I feel even just looking at the picture. All I have to do now is play the piano. That is an entirely different problem.. But now I can at least attempt it!

Take care.

snow not so bright

I woke up today with a high blood sugar count (for me). I tried to remember what I had eaten yesterday and realized in the furor of the day I had really eaten four meals rather than just three.

I had two teeth repaired with new fillings replacing those which were fast coming undone. George had the four new tires on the sweet buggy allined or something, and in the middle of all of that, I sat and enjoyed myself in Cherry Street Books. Book stores are so marvelous. I held myself back and only bought two new books. The one we are reading for book club and one other. I feel virtuous. I have my eye on two others, too, but they will have to wait awhile.

Anyway... I was thinking back over my day and realized that we had stopped for coffee between teeth and tires and I had an English Muffin. Then later, I still ate lunch. No, no. That is not permitted. Too many carbs for this little lady. It was really an adventure drinking the coffee, too, as my top lip was completely useless. I had to flop it over the cup and hope for the best. I did well, however, as I did not spill on my shirt as I usually do!

Anyway, back to the snow not so bright. Even when the sun is not "out" brightly, we have confidence that it is under the clouds waiting to wow us once again. Patience is what is called for. Patience is one of the qualities that is most difficult to develop. Some people have more trouble with it than others. I'm not sure, but I used to be much more patient than I am now. I seem to have grown into a feisty old lady. Wahoo. Here I come, so you better.. Take care.

Snow Bright

Absolute cold. No wind. Blinding white. Shadows are a welcome relief in the pristine landscape.

I do appreciate the view from this window beside my computer. When we lived in Brazil the houses on either side of us were three feet away, and our windows fronted on blank cement. I cannot feast my eyes enough on the vista from the window here in Minnesota. I love sweeping vistas.

I think Brazilians who come here to live probably feel isolated with our spaces on every side. They love to feel close to their neighbors. They probably feel safer clustered together. I feel claustrophobic without plenty of space in which to stretch out. They also must feel scared by the extreme cold that we accept with nary a shiver. I love the change of seasons.

To each his own. It's great to be able to choose a preference. Have a wonderful Christmas . Take care.

warning lights

Don't you love those warning lights in cars? We have been known to call them idiot lights, because they basically don't tell you anything and are often lit because of a little ice on the wire or just because they're feeling somewhat tempermental. I like the gauges that tell you a little bit about the function they are monitoring. Like the gauge for how full your gas tank is or how warm the engine is. That information is forthright and worthwhile... and you can deal with it.

Life is somewhat the same. We are either hooked up to warning lights or information gauges. The warning light type thing is just a twinge that doesn't indicate much of anything but a sort of malaise. However the gauge thing is much easier to handle. You can check your blood sugar and it actually tells you you need to eat something if the reading is low.

We so often misinterpret the little warning lights in life. We read too much into an off hand remark, when really the person who is making the remark is on a different wave length entirely. But it is good to ask so that the problem can be cleared up. Or a little twinge in my heart probably indicates a heart attack, but further research indicates heart burn.

Naomi is driving back to Mpls. from Evansville and there is a warning light on the dashboard that no one can discover its meaning. She has stopped at three different places and everyone tells her to go ahead if there is no more indication of a problem. The book that should fill her in is large, black and not very understandable. Sigh. She has asked enough. Now she must drive the car with the hope that all will be well. As her mother I would like to wave my magic wand and make the blessed light go out.

She says she has seen several cars in the ditch. Great. Maybe the little light on the dashboard is the least of her worries. Sigh. God bless her and help her on her way. I've worried enough.

Take care!

slight correction

After reading the comments on the last blog, I can see I need to make a slight (!) correction. When i say I love DRIVING in bad weather, I must hurry to enlighten you that I meant RIDING with George in bad weather. The two of us have managed to drive through the most horrendous snow storms and it is exhilarating. Whether I would be quite as fearless if I myself were at the wheel is another story. When the weather is good I am probably too fearless at the wheel.

I am of the old school. Usually, if George is in the car, he does the driving. I supposedly do the navigating. I have found that with the deterioration of my eyesight, navigating is more difficult. The size of street signs leaves a bit to be desired, and saying "turn here" as you whistle past a street just doesn't do the trick. I suppose this is one of the reasons old people creep along, driving the others on the road furious. So far I have never had to endure "road rage" but there will be more opportunities, I'm sure. It would be interesting to see my reaction to road rage. Would I rage in return or conciliate? It might depend on the situation. Ignoring the rage would seem the safer option.

Stay cozy as the wind and snow rage. We're having some good old fashioned Minnesota weather. Wahoo. Take care... and curl up with some cocoa and a good book.

Winter's a'comin!

Well, if you aren't convinced by the reading on your thermometer, you will be when the big snow storm comes on Saturday. I'm convinced it's coming as it is approaching from Colorado and will be roaring down on us in the afternoon on Saturday.
We will have to get reacquainted with the concept of emergency kits and blankets in our cars. We need to be sure our cell phones are well charged (Maybe it would be a good idea to bring the plug in charger with... hmmm.). The hardest thing for me is to refrain from just driving somewhere for the thrill of the inclemency of the weather around me. I do love driving in terrible weather.

I attribute this to my Viking blood. Any kind of big challenge rouses my fighting instincts. I even wrote a poem to that effect that was mercilessly made fun of by my instructor. He was sure that I didn't have that fighting instinct in me that made it reasonable to compare myself to a Viking. Hmmmm. Obvious to my friends that he REALLY didn't know me very well.

Of course, my cooler head usually prevails. But the look in my eye of absolute ferocity usually does the trick. I love living in the area that has four distinct seasons. Without the awfullness of winter, spring wouldn't be nearly as appreciated. At least, that is my position!

Take care.

Ring around the Rosy

The first snow is always fun. I especially like it because it highlights certain as yet unforseen things. This is a picture of the first snow highlighting how George did his final tilling of the garden. I hadn't realized that he did it in this neat rotary motion. Too cool.

I remember being on a trip with him. He was fishing in the Snake River, and I was just doing my thing waiting for him to return. I made a mound of dirt with a miniature road snaking around and up it. At the top of the mound I put an opened oreo cookie, imitating a volcano. Somewhere I have a picture of this master piece. Very convincing except that you can see my toe in the bottom corner of the picture. Now I would simply crop the picture, but at the time doing that to a slide was next to impossible.

That was one of the events during a five week camping trip that we took in 1956. We went out west to California, north to Canada and returned through Canada and the Dakotas. It was a blast. We stayed in a motel either 4 or 5 nights, but the rest of the time we camped. The camping craze was just getting started in America. We had a little umbrella tent, a station wagon and a camp kitchen that George had made for the back of the station wagon. When we would be getting set up, all the campers would come over to ooh and aah over this innovation. When we sold that station wagon, we tried to burn the camp kitchen as it no longer fit in the new station wagon. Now THAT was a job. It did NOT want to burn. It only finally gave up after a struggle.

I love to camp. Some of my friends consider it torture. To each his own! Fer sure.

Take care.

Blue

Your urging to display a recent art work got me to photographing this start of a new art work. If you notice the background of my blog you will see - BLUE. It seems to be a trend.

Fran has been taking a course at the Loft in writing a memoir. As a result I have been following suit and dredging up some memories. What I have discovered, however, is that things that I remember as clear as a bell have been altered by having gone into the family lore. Then I begin to doubt by memory, as I was a particularly obtuse teenager. I was smart, but I was also somewhat isolated. I should start to relate some of my activities as a teenager at East High in Madison, Wisconsin, to see who would come out of the wood work to challenge my memories. I am also trying to protect those who are in my memories before I include them in my blog. So I probably fudge a bit here and there.

Memory is such a tricky thing. Fran has done research and is doing her work based on a superstructure of history. My memories are just memories. Not based on anything but my failing remembrance of things past. So those of you who are part of that memory time will just have to give me a break! And point out differences when there are some!

Have a great Sunday. Take care.

Thanksgiving

It just goes to show you that I am a bit slow these days. I am writing about Turkey day the day after Thanksgiving. I am really immensely thankful for my friends and family. Carol and Carl had us over yesterday for a sumptuous feast. I appreciated the feast, of course, but the better part of it all was the get together part with good friends and their family.

The sparkle of friendship is just the best thing in the world. To be with people who are fun and with whom you can speak your piece as you wish is so wonderful. As I grow older, I find that I speak my piece a bit more than I used to. (Hey, what if I spoke my PEACE - that would be better maybe!) But to be able to share that which bubbles up to the surface of your mind with those close to you is a great blessing.

During my life time I've thrown kisses on occasion. Surely you have done the same? Where you kiss the palm of your hand and throw the kiss to the person who is leaving. The person catches the kiss and presses it to his heart.. then does the same back to you? Consider yourself the recipient of SEVERAL thrown kisses. The fact that you soldier on and read this blog means that you are worthy of those kisses. Thanks for everything! And Thanks Be to God!

Take care.

Memories - 9

Dad knew a car dealer who was extremely proud of his accomlishments. Dad was the sort who didn't believe in putting on the dog, so he took delight in playing gin rummy with Ted and beating him. They both thoroughly enjoyed the contests. They kept meticulous records on lined yellow legal sized pages. There was some way they could play so that each game would contribute the scores in the next game.. all way too complicated for me to care to figure out. But they would play hour after hour. My dad the peasant with Ted the bon vivant sophisticate. It was an entertaining time. Mom would make great meals and they would talk and play gin rummy.

One Sunday Ted took us (Dad, Mom and me) out to dinner at the fanciest hotel in Madison. He ordered the best steak, I think it was chateaubriand, for us. As we were teetotalers, he couldn't impress us with his knowledge of wine, but he did the best he could. As we finished the meal, he asked, "Well? How was it?" Dad paused, patted his mouth with the linen napkin, and replied, "Well.. It was filling."

At that reply, I got the giggles, Ted joined in, and we laughed until we cried. Somehow, Ted always tried to impress and Dad always impressed without trying. The people around us looked at us with disapproval, but we were beyond caring.

Memories 8

Fran went off to St. Olaf College when I was only six years old. She got the starring role in a play, and mother and some other ladies and I went up to take it in.

She was great. I didn't quite get what was going on, because when she paused at the steps contemplating going up into the attic where Rochester's wife was hidden away, I shouted, "Don't go up there!" I took her welfare very seriously even then. After all, she is my sister.

When we got back home we discovered that Bud had broken his arm while we were gone, and the tin pan that was used for rinsing the dishes had rusted. Dad was not as good a housekeeper as mother. He was NOT, however, responsible for the breaking of Bud's arm. That was entirely Bud's own fault. He wasn't able to jump as far as he thought he could.

Bud had rigged up the closet in his front bedroom as a little office. He had made himself a crystal set radio there. That was how we heard the news of Pearl Harbor. I can see the scene yet - as can anyone who has been involved in the news of a great disaster. I was standing behind him as he sat at his small radio set. I didn't understand all the ramifications of the news, but I knew we were in great trouble as a country. Bud and I took the news to mom and dad.

Take care.

Brrrrr.

This time of year is a mixture of cold and not so cold. It's a difficult decision deciding which coat to wear. Should I wear my honest-to-goodness winter coat which looks as though i am Mrs. Santa Claus, or should I settle for a fall coat? The last couple of days I have opted for the Mrs. S. C. coat. Better safe than sorry, eh wot?

Those of you who like to chat with Naomi should take a chance and take a peek at her blog. The link is on the side of this page. It is entitled "Naomi." Such a surprise. And now that you have mastered the fine art of leaving a comment on this page, you could do the same on hers! The other links I have on tap are sort of dated, but she is trying to get hers going again. Give her a look-see. The last two blogs have awesome pix of her new house.

She is the one who got me going writing this page. It has been so much fun. Now that she has moved away to Portland, it is one way we can stay connected. We also talk on the phone. I must say, however, I miss her close proximity. Such a sweety.

Take care. And DO check out Naomi's blog... pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

Memories 7

All through my childhood, I slept in the upstairs back bedroom and Bud had the upstairs front bedroom.

"Beau Geste" was the first book I stayed up all night to read.
I was reading away when the alarm clock woke Bud to go on his early Sunday morning paper route. I had the lamp on, so he came back to see what was happening. I feigned sleep, and he gently took the book out of my hand, pulled the quilt up to my chin and turned out the lamp. He was such a sweetheart of a brother... and still is, actually, my sweet brother.

I have always been a voracious reader. One day, when I was supposed to be helping my mother with Spring cleaning, I was hiding out in the attic reading "Gone with the Wind." The attic was a portion of the second floor. At the head of the stairs if you turned right and opened a door, you entered this wonderland. All sorts of marvelous things were stored in the attic including a large collection of Big Little Books. Because I was supposed to be helping, mother called and called, but I sat as still as a mouse in the attic reading. I imagine mother knew where I was, but knew she could get more done if I wasn't trying to help.

I am amused at myself that I still have these very books in my hands. After sixty some years, I still feel an attachment to the books and the memories they evoke. Now, if only I had that collection of Big Little Books... that would be a treasure trove. Do you all remember what they were like? Great fun.

Take care.

Bellyaching 1

NEVER hesitate to beat the drum for a new blog. I depend on your feedback for encouragement. I am having a bit of trouble with the blog master, so this is not Memories 7, but bellyaching 1.

We are home. Fall approaches. George is recovering just fine from his gallbladder surgery, but now his sciatica/herniated disk in his spine is acting up as he has been unable to do all of the exercises he was assigned and which were really helping him. He cannot at the present moment get out of his recliner. Hmmm. I'll let you know how this progresses.

I have figured out how to upload a picture (download?) from my camera. It was necessary to give my little sweetie, the computer, a different command and there it was. Now I am having difficulty getting the blog to download the picture. Endless irritations. As long as I have ultimate success, I don't mind a few bumps along the road.

Remember to beat the drum. Multiple drums are just the greatest! Take care

Memories 7

Tah Dah!!

This is a picture from a year ago or so. We never made it to Virginia. We got to the Holiday Inn and George was stricken with GREAT PAIN about 2 am. So all of our flight plans got cancelled on the spot and in the morning we found a hospital which had walk-in-care. We entered at 8:45 am and left at 4:15 pm. George had every diagnostic test until they determined that his Gall bladder had to be removed NOW. So the doctor called MeritCare and a surgeon there (Blessings on all the doctors and nurses) and by 6 or so, George was having his gall bladder removed by laproscopic (sp.) surgery. Voila. He's doing well today and we trundled home to Evansville. Ah, the miracles of modern surgery. I had my gallbladder removed some years ago, and it was a major slicing deal. This new way is really slick.

We will have to trundle off to Virginia again soon, but, for now, we are content to sit in our recliners and recover. Oofta.

Take care!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

This is a picture of George and Matthew contemplating the chess board when we were at Lake Anna.

I am interested in your comment, Naomi, about Grandpa's temper. He was "risible." The quality that made it easy for him to be funny and laugh, also made it easy for him to "fly off the handle." I remember his taking us out into the yard to pick a slender branch that he would devest of its leaves and make into a "switch." He would hang that switch in the kitchen above and behind the mirror that hung above the sink. Then when we were being difficult, he would look at the switch with a great and horrific scowl, and we would laugh. He never actually used the switch, he would just use it in that good humored way to help us change the activity, whatever it was.

I found myself using this technique in teaching. I would make a hideous face and slam a book on the desk to shock the students out of bad behavior. Never had to do any more. They would laugh because the faces I made were so awful, they were funny.

We kids learned that dad would "blow up" about small things, but when real emergencies arose he was always there ready to do whatever was necessary. Broken bones or illnesses were handled with great care and attention. He always "had our backs" as the kids say now.

I have an endless store of stories about my dad. I will trickle them out for your amusement and amazement as time goes on. And then there's mom. Wow. You will have to stay tuned to get all of these memories into your own memory box.

Take care.

Memories - 6

I am the baby of my family. My sister Fran is 10 years older than I and Bud is 6 years older.
Our family has always had a love affair with Lake Waubesa outside of McFarland, Wisconsin. Now people have all kinds of fancy speedboats and sailboats, but when I was a child we seemed to have lots of "make-do" boats.

Dad was always patching up rowboats and I have the vestige of a remembrance of his building a boat in the basement.

One summer day, Bud and I took one of our fabulous leaky rowboats for a trek around the lake. We went for quite a ways before we realized that the boat was leaking badly. Turns out all we had to bail with were two little coasters. We made sure to stay close to shore so we could abandon ship if necessary without drowning. We worked like mad, I bailing and he rowing, and we finally got home safely to the lagoon.

Dad had two trailers set up down on the lagoon which fed into the lake. In that way, Fran and her friends could stay in one trailer, and Bud could stay in the other trailer to stand guard! There was a little store on the lakeshore where Mrs. Barr would make us small pies as a special treat. I didn't get to go with Fran, of course, but when she was gone off to college and grown up, I got my chance.

Dad would always take me to do things once. He took me hunting rabbits out around Mud Lake, once. He took me fishing over by Hog Island, once.

The time we went fishing, we were over on the other side of Lake Waubesa when the motor ran out of gas. He had to row all the way home. He was fussing and fuming. I was sitting quiet as a mouse. When we got back, we rushed home, he rushed up the stairs and woke Bud from a sound sleep to accuse him of not putting gas in the motor on purpose. Of course, on cooler consideration, he knew that was foolish.

The adventures of our family on Lake Waubesa continue to this very day, as Bud's offspring continue to live on the shores of Lake Waubesa. Living on the lake is lots of work, but the fun seems to outweigh the chores. Boating of every kind is in our blood.

Take care.

yippee

Did you notice the second comment on the last blog? Izzy is back in this cyber-space world. I was so ecstatic to hear from him and Enid that I'm sure I shouted a little shout!

As to why a dill pickle would be bad if you had mumps. I can't explain the technical reason, but I think because the glands in your neck are all swollen that when the dill pickle (which is acid and vinegar) hits those glands, WATCH OUT. You will just have to take my word for it that it hurts big time.

My camera does not want to connect to my computer at the present, so I am going to have to go shopping for a new one. I'm shopping the internet, but I will wait until we visit out east to go shopping with the expert advice of my son. For the present, I cannot include pix of stuff I have collected which give me memories of the past.

At our book club we talked about the book, "Catseye" or "Cat's Eye." Margaret Atwood is the author of this fantastic book. It takes real courage to read, as the plight of the young girl is so traumatic it is almost painful to think about. Actually, it is not "almost" painful, it is excrutiating. I have been remembering the moments of the past in this blog, but she is such a master of the details of each thing. She describes how they washed clothes, and each of us four members of the book club lit up as we went through each detail. We can remember all of the things she describes. Of course, we are all old enough to do so!

The air is crisp, the sun is shining, the leaves are almost all off the trees, it is a beautiful fall day. Take advantage of this short hiatus before the snow flakes fall. Wahoo.

Take care.

Memories 5

This is a picture of my brother and his wife, Elaine, with their great-grandchild, Mattias. I have lost track of how many great-grandchildren they have.

Many of the memories I have of my early childhood involve my brother. I always called him "Bud" so that is how I will refer to him in these blogs. He has been an inspiration to me throughout my life. The sad thing about aging is that it is difficult to get together with those who mean so much to you, but memories perhaps will bridge the gap.

As an adult he has become famous in the family for his "Laughing Man" stories. A story with many convolutions as the heroes (mysteriously resembling those to whom he is telling the stories) find their way through the jungle/woods filled with shadows and incipient terror. And then ---- the terrible laugh of the "Laughing Man"... and finally, a way out.

Bud was and has always been my hero. He was the greatest brother a girl could ever have. The only really mean trick he ever played on me was when he experimented with giving me a dill pickle when I had the mumps. We discovered that it REALLY DID HURT. I must admit that I probably would get the prize for being the peskiest little sister possible. I always wanted to be right in the middle of everything.

Bud has always been very involved in the Boy Scouts and he was going for a merit badge for camping so he took me with him while he set up his campsite near Lake Waubesa. He had the tent up and the little ditch dug around the tent, when all of a sudden he realized he had done all these preparations in the middle of a cow pasture. All had to be moved to the other side of a fence. He sent me out to hunt for a spring, and I proceeded to look for a long time thinking he meant a bed spring, not knowing what a water spring was.

More about my dear brother next posting. Take care.

Memories - 4

I was very cute as a small child, and my brother made a big fuss over me. He would take me to his Boy Scout meetings in his wagon, and I became a sort of mascot. Later, when I wasn't so cute anymore and had graduated into the pest category, he no longer took me along. This infuriated me, and I would chase after him until he outdistanced me.

I seemed to make it a habit to be infuriated. I remember having a temper tantrum lying on the floor between the kitchen and dining room. Mother was setting the table and she ignored me completely by just stepping over my screaming, kicking body. Now there was a woman who knew how to handle a kid!

I remember my father coming home from the bank for his noon meal and a short power nap on the couch. The couch was a black mohair affair. When it was time for him to return to work, mother would tell me I could awaken him. I would go and try to pull him off the couch. After about three tries, he would roll off the couch with great moans and groans, roll out into the room and give me a big thrill.

My father had a favorite red oblong eraser. He misplaced it and I found it. He made a big fuss about my great feat, and after that, whenever I wanted a favor, I would scootch up to him, bat my eyes and say, "Raser, daddy" and he would laugh and give me what I asked for. Another thing he would do is lift me up high, hug me tight with my face up close to his and say, "Hearts are flying!"

My heart is flying out to all of you today! Take care

Memories - 4