A Wonder Full Day

Today's temperature was: 78 degrees

Today's humidity was:  58%

Sunny and breezy

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I woke up feeling a bit rough again, but told myself to "Get it together, Girl" and I did.

Shower and load of dishes in the dishwasher, load of laundry...some games on Face Book and then....off to my hometown of Byron for lunch with the Old School Gal Pals.  Today we went to the Golf Course.  I used to practically live there for 20+ years of my life.  Organized the Tuesday Morning Ladies leagues and won the Club Championship one year.  I played my last round of golf in September of 1988 and haven't been back.  A lot of changes I was anxious to see.

Drove through town so I could see what they had done with our burned out down-town.  They have knocked all but two of the stores down and are filling in and smoothing out the land.  It looks weird, but it looks better than those burned out buildings looked.

 October 2012

 June 19, 2014

 The town still isn't sure what they want to do with that half-block on to the corner.  They really can't afford to rebuild.  Some developer may come in with the $$$--we are hoping they put the restaurant back where we used to always have lunch.  It did a good business and people came there to eat from as far as 50+ miles away.

Then I drove up a block to take a pix of my church

This church means a lot to me.  My mother's father was minister there from 1931-1935.  My parents were married there.  I was baptised there and confirmed, married, kids baptized and some married there--friends married there.  All my family members had their funerals there (and I will too) and friends funerals--on and on.  70 years ago, my Mother bought and planted all the pine trees around the church.

 Then it was on up two blocks to the golf course.

I got out and took some pictures.  The 1st hole.  Now--when I played,

it was a straight shot down the middle.  Now there are trees all along

the right side.  AND paved cart paths?  La Dee Dah!!

This is the same hole in 1982--you can see how the trees have grown

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There were ten of us for lunch and the one woman that we ALL dislike, wasn't there. 

<insert big smile>

We sat at round tables pulled up together, so we could all talk and hear--it was great.

Today was mainly to listen too and support our Dear Friend Beth, whose son recently died.  She told of his many accomplishments--the fantastic life he lived in The Czech Republic, all that he had done for the town he lived in...and more.  I thought I knew most of his history, but I found today, I knew very little.  He had a wonderful, giving, albeit, shortened life.

Then there was news of one Gal's grandchild's wedding...another ones news of her children and grandchildren who live in OK.  We have a newlywed in our group and she told funny stories of her hubby and his kids.  We had a small "organ" recital about our internal health problems.  We chatted about what kind of mementos we could safely lay on a grave marker of a loved one--without worry of the treasures being stolen.  We laughed about sex--whatever that is--well, maybe out newlywed friend knows.  There was laughter and tears and it was wonderful.   We always leave with saying, "Well--the good Lord willing, I'll see you next month!"

Then Bethie followed me out to The Farm so she could see how Susan has utilized the vintage fence Beth had given them and a vintage cultivator.  Even though Susan and Chuck are back in Binghamton, NY to meet their newest grandson, his parents home on leave from Germany, Susan said it was fine for Beth and I to come out.  I noticed that the men have the new metal roof on the horse barn, so I took a pix and sent it to Susan so she could see.

Bethie and I walked around the house and she could see, a lot of the perennials she gave Susan last fall, are now flourishing.

New metal roof on the horse barn.  The old roof was leaking and Susan and Chuck have ALL the old family antique machinery and furniture stored in there.

Then, coming back home, a half-mile, I stopped in to see Pammie.  Jen and family are in New Jersey and Pammie has this week off.  I noticed her gardens were looking good so I stopped in to chat and tell her how good the place is starting to look.  Jed Clampett has moved a lot of his rusted out cars/truck/junk out.

She had just divided and planted these Hosta's about two weeks ago.

...and then I remembered--I have wanted a photo of the

"Heart" stone that the mason put in the foundation,

when they built the house for my grandparents.

That was his signature, of sorts.  He looked all

over the farms until he found a stone, shaped like

a heart and he put it in every foundation of

every home he built.

I had bushes planted there and we didn't know that stone was

even there, until Pam and her hubs moved in and, in turn,

pulled out all the bushes!

Then Pammie told me that she is going to have "my" Crab Apple tree cut down (you can see it in the first pix--on the right edge) because it is dying, branches are splitting and of course, full of tent worms every spring.  She is going to have the Centennial Farm sign put in that spot.

I had quite forgotten that in less than 6 years--this farm will be 100 years old--in the same family for that time, and the State and Power Company will give you a Centennial Sign--like this one at Susan and Chuck's.

This is a big deal--at least to me.  I don't know many people who still have the same farm their ancestor's had 100 years ago.  

Then, in 2035, if my son is still alive, and he ought to be, his farm will qualify.  Of course, by then, Susan and Chuck will be dead and...who gets their farm?  Oh Gosh--I don't even want that thought to come into my mind.  I have worried about these farms and this land most of my life--at least the last 50 years--I just can't worry about what happens "after".

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This afternoon, on my way out, I stopped and dropped off a pair of sheets Pearl had me order from NoMoreRack.com.  She said she'd come down later to pay me.  So--when I heard her coming in my door at 7:00, I figured she was bringing me the $31.00. 

 Nope.

An hour later, her daughter stopped in with a bunch of stuff she had bought at an estate sale.  It is all Americana art work and that is not my particular decorating style, but I looked through it.  The daughter didn't want it--had already picked out what she wanted and didn't want any money for it either.  She was really determined that I pick out something because, "July fourth is coming and you need to decorate for it."

<not me>.

I will put out the God Bless America sign because it is metal

and the weather won't hurt it--for a little while.

I thought perhaps Susan would like the flag one made out of buttons--

she's all into the Americana stuff

All the time Pearl was here, she said nothing about the money--so you know what that means.  She has forgotten and I am going to have to bring it up.  I hate that!!!

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Karen just called--she and Pammie and I are going to lunch tomorrow, in Brighton, and afterwards to a ballet recital at a ballet "camp" where Maddie has been in intensive ballet learning mode all week.  It should be fun.  

However--it is the same restaurant where Fred and I were going to have his 70th birthday party and our surprise wedding--but I didn't say anything about that to Karen.  I think I will be all right--I just won't think about the "what should have been" and concentrate on the "what is."