I'm Still Here!

The high temperature today was:  61 degrees--sunny

Yesterday, 51 degrees, Rained all day.  Cold and damp.

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WOW--it's like I fell off the face of the earth for a couple of days.  Did ya miss me?

I was so busy on Wednesday and Thursday and by the time I got done watching the baseball games, it was too late to write anything coherent and I just fell into bed.

Wednesday, I swapped out my clothes in the bedroom closet, put the cover on the air conditioner unit, brought my planter of succulents in the house and then I went to the Chiropractor, the Rich People's store and got my hair cut.  My hairdresser calls my hair a "wild weed" because it grows so fast...and it has been 7 weeks--way over due.  I haven't colored it in 3 months and am enjoying watching as the grey creeps in all around the edges.  The back is very dark and the crown is blonde--so I sort of resemble a Calico Cat, but.....I don't really care.

Thursday, I had lunch in a small town north of Durand, with the school gal pals.  They had Coney Islands--real ones, not chili dogs and of course I had one.  It was not as good at the ones I get near the Flint area (where they were kind of invented), but good enough.  Next month we are going to a tea room.  Lord knows what I will get to eat there--maybe I will eat before I go?

Bethie had plants to give to my sister, so we stopped at the farm afterwards.  The last time Beth saw the house, the kitchen was not done, so she got to see that and she got to get some apples from Susan.  The apple crop this year was a bumper crop---well, actually, well over a bumper crop.  About four times more then last year.  Susan got out her "map" of the house and the gardens she wants to put around it.  Of course my sister has a garden map--doesn't everyone?  She and I both have the obsessive gene, LOL.

Beth's knowledge of plants and where they will grow best and where they should be placed, was of great help to Susan.  I interjected that I thought she needed an Eastern Red Bud tree, which was accepted into the plan.  I have always wanted one, so now, Susan will have one I can look at.  If I live long enough to see any of this garden come into full production!!

On the way to Susan's I drove down a particular part of a road that was my mother's favorite fall time drive.  The trees form a canopy over the road and this time of year it is gorgeous.  Sort of like this picture--which I stole from Google Images.

Then we drove into the cemetery so I could show Beth Fred's stone and mine.  She is the one who gave me the little angel dog statue that sits on Fred's stone.  His stone was already covered with grass clippings--the one reason I dislike flat markers--they get so dirty. 

My sister's front yard

The house where I grew up and our long driveway.

This is what the woods between Susan's and Pammie's home will look like in a week.

I love to wander through it this time of year.

This tree is just up the street in our park.  I like all the

different colors it has right now.

With all the hard woods we have in Michigan, it is truly beautiful this time of year.  However, in my opinion, there is no better viewing for fall colors then "out east"--where there are mini-mountains and high hills and you can view the colors as they range up the elevations.  Any trip I have taken out east, always were planned for mid to late September, early October.

So the ball games will start again tomorrow night in Boston.  The Tigers will win.  You see--it is all planned out in advance, LOL.  We play seven games--so Tigers won the first, Boston won the second, the Tigers the third, Boston the fourth and fifth, the Tigers should win tomorrow night and then in game seven--it's all up for grabs.  That way each team makes a lot more money if it goes to game seven.  LOL  Something like that--I may have the wins incorrect--who can remember?  That was a week ago!!!

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So today--what did I do?  Not one dang thing!!!  I woke up at 8:00 and did the morning routine--laundry to be done, which I did not do.  Vacuuming to be done--which I did not do.  I walked up to Pearl's to take her some of my tops that are too big for me and then I came home, watched my soap, leaned my recliner back and cats and I slept from 2:00 until 6:00 !!!  It almost feels like my body wants to go into hibernation mode. 

We are getting a Polar movement from way up in Canada and the jet stream is falling clear into the southern states, so we are going to be 40 & 50's and 30"s at night.  We need a freeze before we can have Indian Summer--which is liable to be in the 70's for a few days and then settle in to really cool temps.

I went around and made sure all the windows are shut tight and locked into place.  My back door is leaky, so Merle is going to put insulation on it and I am going to cover it for plastic for the winter.  I dread that, as I have a window in that door and it helps to light up my hallway.  Now--just another dark area all winter--I have enough "dark" areas in my life.  I NEED SUNLIGHT EVERY DAY!!!!!  I do have a "daylight" lamp that I sit under to cross stitch and all and, it really helps, but I must admit, as much as I like the snow of winter, I do get S.A.D. during January and February. 

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I have "permission" to take Alex, who will be 7 on Sunday, for his birthday shopping and supper.  Pammie will drop him off after school.  I sent Jen an e-mail to ask her and this is what she responded back:

I’m sure he would love to go.  I will ask him tonight, 

and you can make arrangements with Pam to get him on Monday. 

I would never stop my children from seeing their grandmother, 

although I do have to say that I hesitate given the fact that 

you complained on your blog so horribly about us 

and then talked about how you would still make the sacrifice 

 to take Elise out for her birthday.  

No blogging or photos of this trip (nor Facebooking)  please.  

I replied with a "Thank you."

She would never stop the children from seeing their grandmother--although I am not allowed to go to their house, nor their school, nor their church--but other then that.  Perhaps when they are old enough to get a license, they might be able to drive over here?  I wonder why she will do about our family Christmas get together?  Probably travel to New Jersey and spend the holiday with her in-laws so that she won't have to make excuses or be in my presence?  She's a lot like her Dad--she can hold a grudge like--forever!!!  I have always tried to reason with her and respond to her comments/thoughts/feelings, justify myself.  Not this time.  I will not get into an e-mail back and forth.  She is an attorney.  In her super logical mind I am guilty.  Case closed.

So anyway--Pammie said Alex is really looking forward to Monday, so he and I will have fun.  I can let him talk a streak and ask pertinent questions about what he did over summer and what he is interested in at school.  PFFT to you know who.

Tomorrow is another great day for cross stitching and crocheting and reading.  MSU plays Purdue at noon.  U of M plays Indiana at 3:00 and the Tigers play the Red Sox at 8:00.  

Onward and upward--ever forward--one day, one step at a time!