Resolutions

...I make them every year.  

Usually to be a better person, less critical, kinder.

...but then there comes a time when I realized that I WAS a better person.  I had reached perfection.  So there is no need for any more New Year resolutions!

NOT!!!  Just spoofing you.

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I don't go out to church anymore (maybe that should be a resolution?).  I watch 3 different Pastor's on Sunday morning.  Every day, between the noon news and my Soap, I watch Joyce Meyer.  I'm not real keen on her, but her program is conveniently placed and I do learn.

I seem to be getting messages from all of these pastor's.  Why are they all teaching on the same thing at the same time, I wonder.  Hm-mm, maybe it's a God whisper sent just for me?

They all seem to teach and quote from scripture that if you are facing a challenging situation, the longer you complain about it, the longer you will stay in that situation.  The secret, is to TRUST that God will provide everything you NEED.

Well, I know that!  

I've witnessed that many times in the last few years.

My faith has become deeper, my belief stronger.

I've had months when there was no way I had enough money to pay the bills, let alone buy anything special to eat.  I do get sick of eating Ramen Noodles, but they are filling.

I complain about it every month.  Rant and rave on here.  The bills go up, the income does not.  I get scared.  My faith weakens.

...and yet, every month something comes through to help.  Finding a couple of twenty's laid on my bathroom counter after my sister's visit.  A surprise, "thinking of you" note from my cousin with a twenty inside.  My daughter Karen bringing by some food that she knows I particularly love.  A check from daughter Jennifer.  Support from my sweet girl, Chris.

Maybe if I quit complaining about my situation and see more clearly the blessings I receive, my situation will change?

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My resolution:  if any of you remember this Bing Crosby song...

"You gotta accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative.

Latch on to the affirmative,

And don't mess with Mister In-Between."

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When I get scared, push that thought away with a prayer.

Know FOR SURE, that God will provide.  He always has, He isn't about to stop now.

Work on deepening my faith with that knowledge.

I have a feeling, deep in my "gut" that 2020 is going to be a really good year, not just for me, but for all of us.

Looking forward and onward and upward!

  

The family Christmas gathering up at The Farm was wonderful.
We have such a nice family.
No drinking.
No political discussions.
==========
Singing Christmas carols, while my sister played the piano.
Just everyone reveling in their love for each other.

The oldest and the youngest in the family

Well, Merry Christmas and isn't it a fine day!
or Bah Humbug--whichever.

Here I sit alone all day, as I was yesterday.  Christmas Eve--the DAY we used to celebrate our FAMILY Christmas.

Nary a phone call.
Not one single invite.
My sister had Christmas with her son on Eve.  Last year she promised me, no matter what, we would be together every Eve.
Hm-mm.

My grand daughter Susanna, got in from Portland last night, so I know daughter Karen and all her kids and grandkids are together today.  I could have gone over, for a visit, if I had been invited.

Ah-hh.  But why does it matter.  Jesus was born in September.  It was only some early Pope that decided to out-wit the Pagans celebration of the Winter Solstice.  He'd make a decree that Jesus' birth would be celebrated at the same time of year.

As my Mother once said, "Just so we celebrate it."

I suppose winter time is as good a time as any.  People aren't too busy in the midst of December.  

Pine trees don't lose their branches in winter, so we can drag one inside our homes and decorate it, like the Pagans did, but....be sure to put a Nativity scene under it to make it legal.
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I'll tell you why it matters.  TRADITION!!!!!!  You are SUPPOSED to be with family on holiday's!

So today is just an ordinary Wednesday.  Heck--even my dang Christmas cactus didn't bloom!  My Soap is even going to be on TV today.

Just an ordinary Wednesday.

Are we all counting down the hours?

Not so much here.  It's kind of sad.  Christmas was my favorite holiday for half my life.  It was so much fun, when my kids were young.  I got more excited than they did--I think.

I'd start in mid-November to put lights up on every bush in the front yard and climbed out the bedroom window to get up on the roof to anchor a big lighted star to the TV antennae and hang lights on the eaves of the house.  I had a garage door cover of the Nativity scene, but instead of putting it on the garage, I stapled it to a large piece of plywood and placed it in a small grove of trees we had, with a spot light on it.  We even had our home featured in the local paper one year.

The inside of the house was bejeweled too.  A real tree touched the ceiling.  Red and gold decoration and candles on every flat surface, or some years, blue and silver.  Lighted candles on timers, in all 30 windows...even the dining room chandelier was wrapped in tinsel and glass balls.  I had a long mirror that I put on top of the piano and laid clear lights along the surface, with a green garland and pieces of crystal to catch the light and sparkle.

Even when the grand babies started coming, it was exciting.  We got together on Christmas Eve with my folks and on Christmas Day, went to my in-laws for our celebration there.

Then, the divorce happened.  We still got together on Christmas Eve with my Dad, at The Farm house where my sister now lives.  Then, my Dad died, but we still got together on Christmas Eve.  Then, the grand kids grew up and it was difficult to get everyone together on Christmas Eve.

So, last year it was on the 21st and this year on the 28th.

BAH HUMBUG!!!

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I used to have a website with children's stories on it.  I had a lot of traffic on that site and it was a good place to advertise when I had one of my children's illustrated books published.  I had a teacher who e-mailed me and asked permission to print out and use some of the stories in her 1st grade classroom.

Then, over the years, it kind of died out, so I took it down.  Luckily, I had all the stories and illustrations saved in Word documents and picture files.

I decided to make a book for GGrand daughter Della for Christmas this year.  As I progressed along, editing and printing, I realized the book was going to be too big.  I had 197 pages!

I had a lot of short 2-3 pages stories and a few funny poems and then a longer story about adventures of a Scarecrow and another 3 different stories about a little girl named Emmy.  Plus, I had written 3 stories of biographical things from me growing up on a farm in the 40's and 50's.

So, I had 3 different books bound at the print shop yesterday.

I went searching on Google Images trying to find something for the Emmy book and I found a pencil drawing that looks so much like Della.  She might not notice, but I'll bet her Mom will.

I patterned the Emmy stories after my child self.  Della is a strong willed little girl, much as I was as a child.  The only difference, I got spanked when I acted that way.  LOL

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.......and the beat goes on around here.  I'm just looking forward to the new year.  Why it has any significance is beyond me.  It is just another day, but I like the way "twenty-twenty" sounds when I say it.  2019 was a bad year for me, so I guess I'm pinning my hopes on 2020.

Later....................................

Very worried about Ernestine: 'My Journey to Mindfulness'.  I sent her an e-mail and have heard nothing.

Also Bella Rum: 'What's She Thinking'--nothing since July 15th.

It's not like either one said they weren't going to post for awhile.

Both had stated they weren't feeling well.  

They aren't on Face Book so I can't track them through there.

These two ladies were important to me, in my blog reading, for a long time.  I worry and miss them like I would any of you who just stopped posting.  I guess we all need a surrogate of some kind that would post on our blog if anything happened to us.

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Boy--I've been sicker than a dog.  I came down with it 3 days after being at Karen's for Thanksgiving breakfast.  Must have picked it up from someone.

Started out with a sore throat, ears hurt, then running nose and cough.  The cough got so bad I decided, after 3 weeks, to visit the Doc.  He walked into the exam room and said, "You must really be sick to come in.  I usually see you twice a year."

So he put me on a super-duper antibiotic--the size of a horse pill, take one a day for 3 days and they stay in the body for 10 days.

I took one with supper last night and 2 hours later, got severe stomach cramps and diarrhea.  I guess there is more than one way to flush the bad buggies outta my body?
===============
I used to have a web site with children's stories and poems I had written.  I decided to put all those stories into book form and give it to 3-year old Great Grand daughter Della.

I have been editing and printing out for days now.  I need to get it done and to the print shop to get it bound by this Friday.
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We are having our family Christmas on December 28th, up at The Farm.  My sister posted a photo of their home.

That very large 162 year old home has never looked so good.
Each window has a wreath in the top sash and a candle on the sill.
Garlands around each porch post and doorway.

She has 5 Christmas trees that she puts up and decorates.  One all done in crystal and gold.  Another one in pink and white. 

Her house looks amazing!!!

I'm ready!!!!!

So Friday, my Knight in Shining in Armor, Randy the towing guy, came out with the battery. Unfortunately this Dodge Stratus, circa 1998, has the battery in the fender well and you have to pull the tire to get to it.

WHAT KIND OF DUMB SPIT IS THAT?

So he charged up my battery and, in the morning I was to drive into Brighton to his "yard" and he would install the battery.  I had no idea what it was going to cost, he told me not to worry about it.

Of course Saturday morning, when I tried to start the car, it 

just gave me the same old “click-click” noise, so I called 

Randy and he said he would be out in half an hour.

Randy came out at 10:30 to charge my battery and I followed him into Brighton, where he shares a repair shop with another guy.

He put my car up on the hoist and went all over the underside, checking the shocks, tie rods, struts, gas tank, muffler system and said everything was solid.

Then he pulled the tire to get at the battery. He had a 2018 battery from a car that was totaled and he wasn't going to charge me for. When he went to put it in, it wouldn't fit.

So he went in another room and I could hear him calling an auto parts store to get a brand new battery.

Now remember, he has never charged me one penny.

While we waited, he filled up all the fluid levels, checked the air cleaner, check the windshield wipers, air sprayed out all the leaves up by the windshield, even opened up the trunk lid, where my tree toads live in the summer, and cleaned out the "swamp" back there.

Told me I didn't need to get an oil change because my oil looked as clean as if it was just filled. That saved me $29.00.

By then the parts runner was there with the brand new battery and I saw Randy guy pull out of wad of bills and pay the kid. When Randy moved toward my car, I stepped over and ask the kid how much it was. $106.00.

Randy put in the new battery, put the tire back on, went around and sprayed WD-40 on all the door hinges, the hood catch and the trunk lock mechanism. Then, he aired up all the tires.

Then he noticed that my heater knob that was broken off and I use a pair of pliers to adjust the heat and said he could get me one of those and that he is still looking for a seat belt that will work.

In the meantime, while he was putting the battery in, I left the work area and went into an office to sit down and write him a check. I was bound and determined I was going to pay him at least for the brand new battery.

He didn't want to take any money. All the time he has spent running out here. The time he has spent working on my seat belt and now the battery--nope, he didn't want any money. The labor costs alone, for all he has done, would have been $270-300 dollars.

I told him he saved me $29.00 by not having to get an oil change, he practically winterized my whole car. I feel so safe to drive it now, and I shoved that check in his hand, hugged him and took off before he could protest anymore.

I didn't think nowadays, especially in this high rent district, that there would be people like him that would help and want nothing in return.

The strange thing is, I never should have met him. I just stopped in on a whim at my service guys place to see what to do about the seat belt, and the towing guy was just bringing a car in. My service guy said, let me talk to Randy--he has a lot of spare parts.

Hey--things like that aren't a coincidence. He was a God sent blessing to help me.

When I told Karen about it, she said she and Mark would pay for the battery.  Another God send.

I sure have been blessed this past week.  What relief I feel to know that my car, not only will start right up, but that it is safe to drive. 
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I am real worried about Ernestine at "My Journey to Mindfulness".  She hasn't posted in 3 weeks.  Has anyone heard from her?

I get so frustrated and of course, it does no good.

My car is sitting in my driveway right now...dead battery.  I was just bragging the other day that I've had the car 11 years and I have never had to replace the battery.

Jinxed myself, didn't I?

The guy that helped me with the seat belt, said he had a couple of batteries and he would charge them up and bring them out.  That was yesterday at 2:00.  It is now today at 3:57 and I ain't seen head or tail of him.  I so dislike people that over promise and under deliver.  I would have felt better if he had just said, "I can't get to you until Friday," and then shown up on Friday.  I feel like I can't get away from my phone.  Afraid of even running across the street to get the mail in case he calls and I miss the phone call.

I had saved up enough $$$ the last 5 weeks to be able to get a hair cut.  Right now my hair resembles Bozo's hair style,  it is so long and unruly.  I had the appointment yesterday, but when I jumped into my car and turned the key, all I got was click-click.  ARRGH!!

Luckily I had gone grocery shopping on Monday, so cats had food.

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I've been working on the spaghetti sauce for the "boys" Christmas gift.  I can't seem to cook anymore.  I have a devil of a time getting the sauce thick enough and I follow my 40 year old recipe to a "T".  Maybe there are things I did in years past that aren't in the recipe, but of course now, can't remember what the little tricks might be?

I did get my Christmas cards printed out.  I have the Hallmark Card software, so I can make my own cards and personalize them for the kids and grands.  My "Special Girl" in Idaho, always sends me Christmas stamps so I don't have a great expense in outlay.

==============

I am not decorating for Christmas.  I can remember in years past, when my Grandma and older relatives stopped putting up a tree, I firmly avowed, "I don't care how old I get.  I will always put up a decorated tree!"

Yeah--well.  Little did I know that now that I am old and with a painful back, the very thought of putting up and decorating the tree, which takes 4 hours, let alone getting all the other nativities, Santas, village, angels out, which takes about 5 days, would become more than I would want to do.

My sister tells me, "Do it for yourself.  It will make you feel better."  Yeah, well not having to put it up and then take it all down will make me feel better physically.

I hung the cross stitched picture I made of a Christmas angel on the wall and called it good.

I am rapidly turning into an old, cranky, Scrooge!!!

I finished a genealogy for a young woman that I became friends with when I first moved here.  She had a writing group that I joined.  She has three daughter's...2 have autism and the youngest has learning disabilities.  I don't know how she does it, as the oldest one acts out at school and keeps getting suspended for a few days.  20 suspensions already this school year.  The oldest is in her senior year, very big and strong and fights with other students and teachers.

It is a real struggle for my friend.

She mentioned that she was interested in finding about her family tree.  Her parents don't want to talk about any of it, so she basically knew nothing about her grand parents.

I told her if she had the birth dates and where her parents were born, I'd do some research and see what I could come up with.  She did know that and even knew her Dad's father's name, but no dates for him.

It took me awhile, but I finally found a "path" and once I found that, up the tree I climbed.  LOL

I knew this young woman couldn't pay, although she insisted she would.  My rates are $7.00 an hour for the research and putting the book together, i.e., writing the story and scanning and adding census reports, military records, marriage licenses, death certificates---whatever I can find in my research.

When she asked me how much it would cost, I told her, "about $100.00 and you can pay me as we go along."  One day she stopped in with groceries--milk, bread, a can of soup, cheese, a candy bar and a jug of Diet Pepsi.  I found the receipt in the bottom of the bag, so I credited her invoice for that amount.

I got her book bound last week and the total for all of the research work I had done, the acid free paper for the book, printing out the pedigrees and the book binding came to $234.00.  I "fudged" and printed out an invoice for her with a total of $108.00 and apologized that it was $8.00 more than I had told her at the beginning.

====================

My daughter Karen scolded me.  "Mom!  You, of all people, can't afford to do these genealogies for free.  That work helps you pay the bills your Social Security doesn't cover.  I suppose you gave it to her before she had paid for all of it."

"Yes."

"Mom!  Don't you remember that woman that never paid you?  You mailed her the book and she never paid for it.  That's why Jen and I told you to get a hundred dollars from the person, before you started any research for them."

"Yes, but............"

==========================

BUT.....this young woman knew nothing about her heritage.  She wanted to know.  I wanted her to know.  I found the cemeteries where her grand parents are buried.  I found photos of their grave markers.  I found photos of her Great grand parents.  I found that a town in Ohio was founded and named by her 6th Great grand father.  I found she is German/Irish.

....and the look on her face, when she saw her book, was way more important than the money I may have missed out on.  

My neighbor John.  You remember John, who stopped in to visit everyday with his dog Maisey?  He always cleaned the snow out of my drive (and all the neighbors)--for free.

Well, after Maisey died, he decided to go back to work.  He works nights at a nearby elementary school as Janitor.  He did stop in about a year ago and as we talked, he told me about professional "cuddlers".  Because elderly people get so lonely and miss out on human touch, they now have people you can hire to come to your house and sit on the couch, watch TV and cuddle.

He said that he knew of people that didn't hire the pro, they just got together once in awhile to cuddle.  He wondered if that would be something I was interested in.  Now John is a good Christian man and I know he would just cuddle and not even think to take it any farther, but in my mind I was all "EWWW" about it, so I told him it would be great if he wanted to come over and watch a Michigan State basketball game with me, but I wasn't interested in sitting on the couch, cuddling.

At one time, he WOULD come over and watch the Michigan State versus Michigan football and basketball games with me. He'd sit on the couch, me in my recliner.  He's a Michigan fan and we had a lot of fun ribbing each other.  But--I must have hurt his feelings because I have not seen or heard from him since.
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Merle and Pearl.  Merle has Parkinson's, but he still mows his own lawn, shovels his own driveway and walks along our street every trash day and brings Dar, Jackie and my empty trash cans up to our porch.

Pearl on the other hand, sits in her chair 24/7.  She even sleeps in it now.  A couple of years ago, she just stopped walking, because her legs hurt.  She went to several doctors and physical therapy, but refused to do what they told her to do....so there she sits.

You know what happens when all you do is sit---now she can't walk.  She has a walker to use, but even with that, her legs collapse and Merle can't get her up, so he has to call the ambulance and the ambulance people have to haul her up and back into her chair.

They average two ambulance calls a month--and they are not charged for it.  The people told Merle to just call and they would come right over.  Their station only 1 mile away.

Their oldest daughter that lives about 80 miles north of here, comes down once a month to clean the house.  Pearl never has a good word to say about her.  Their youngest daughter, that lives just around the corner from here takes them to their doctor's appointments...Pearl recently diagnosed with Diabetes, and helps with yard work.  She is her Daddy's girl and not quite all that in love with her mother, but with that one, Pearl thinks the sun rises and sets with her.

I try to get down there for a visit every month.  It takes an effort on my part because I know what awaits me.  Pearl is very bossy and tell me how I should live, what I should do and if I express any feelings, tells me I'm nuts to feel that way.  
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Then there's Dar.  Her Dad is now 96 years old, living with her at her suggestion.  Daddy has a ton of $$$ and I think Dar thought it would be good for her to have him near to help out.

That was 2 years ago.  He drives her nuts.  LOL  He insists that she take him in the car everyday.  In this past year, Dar has had a hernia surgery, and both hands done for Carpal Tunnel.  He got mad because she couldn't drive and stated that when her left hand was done she could still drive with her right hand and vice versa.

She and her best friend Sheila--a neighbor did manage to get away for a 4 days trip up north.  Dad was angry that he couldn't go with them and Dar had to jump through hoops to make arrangements to have her brother take him.  Dad hates her brother's wife, so he stayed in his room, at their place, all 4 days.

Four times a year, Dar and Sheila like to go up north to Frankenmuth--a city that has Christmas all year round.  They always take Dad with them.  They go on their birthdays so they get whatever their age is percent off their chicken dinner.  Dad is now up to a 96% discount, which he thinks is fabulous and is determined to make it to 100 so he will get a free dinner.

He is sharp as a tack and might just fulfill that wish of his.  He had given his 3 children their inheritances, so Dar got a huge sum, plus she got a $200K settlement on her accident case, so she is rolling in the green stuff, but with Dad following her around the house and making negative comments, she is beginning to wonder if her "suggestion" that he come live with her is worth it.

When he first moved in and I asked her if she thought it was a good idea because she likes to travel and wants to travel to Greece, she said, "He's 93, how long can it last?"

Oh....I do love you ladies!  How can people I have never met, bring me more uplifting feelings and support, than people I have known for years?

Yes, I do get this way every year, right about this time of year.  I think what "niggles" at me if, when my father was alive, the family Christmas was ALWAYS on Christmas Eve.  We all knew that.  We all made our arrangements to not interfere with Christmas at The Farm.  Everyone kowtowed to him and....he wasn't even that nice.

Now, I am the eldest in the family.  I am the Matriarch.  Why do "they" think they can change up tradition?  They would have never done if when he was alive, but now................................

I feel like Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof.  TRADITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Just as I was having a two-day depression, pity-party...I do those so well, daughter Karen called and we went out to lunch. I had a gift card at Panera Bread so I got to pay for her lunch this time.

We yakked as fast as we could, and laughed a lot as we always do, then over to the Meijer store where she went one way and me the other--I of course buying cat food AGAIN, she got me some Pepsi and Chex Mix, while I searched for a Giant Hershey bar, she got stuff for her too and we met up front.

She likes to go through the self check-out, so I let her and I also let her pay for my groceries. LOL

It brought back a nice memory of when Karen was little, I'd take her grocery shopping with me--I'd give her half the list and she'd run all over the store getting the items I needed.

She is a busy woman in her retirement. Doing a Bible Study, helping with the Montessori kids at church, and a book club with friends, plus tutoring two different kids in two different locations this afternoon--that is just her schedule for today.

She is something else, so beautiful, loving and kind and everyone that knows her would attest to that fact!

I feel like the world has been lifted off my shoulders!

I am just wondering if I should even post anymore.

There is absolutely nothing interesting going on in my life.  

Nothing anyone would want to spend time reading about.

I can't even come up with an interesting illness, that people would want to follow, empathize, give advice.  I suppose that is a good thing.

Yesterday, I put the humidifier together, filled with water because everything I touched, I got a shock.  

Today I vacuumed the kitchen, living room and den.  And dusted.  Set up the air cleaner here in the den.

Oh, you did hear we got 9 inches of snow last week, right?  It's been unusually cold since, but I love the cold weather.  I had an appointment last week at the Pulmonologist and she asked if the cold weather bothered my breathing.  I told her "No" and she did a breathing test and said, "Your lungs are great for their age.", which struck me as funny.  My lungs are the same age as me, right?

or maybe not.  Maybe they are 6-7 months older---'cause they were growing before I was born?

My Christmas Cactus is healthy and nice and green and not one single bud on it's stems/leaves/fronds...whatever those things are called on a Cactus.  Everyone I know, who has a Christmas Cactus, are posting pictures of how theirs are loaded with buds.

This is my exciting and interesting life.

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No one is having Thanksgiving this year and I just found out our family Christmas will be on the 28th.

The traditional family Christmas Eve, which was celebrated for over 100 years, is now whenever--sometime in December.  So that means I will be home Christmas Even and Christmas Day.

Why don't I just slash my wrists now!!!!!!!?

Ever since my 80th birthday in June, I ponder on why I am here.  What good am I to anyone?

The kids don't call or visit.  The grand kids--well, I have no idea what is going on with them.

I don't see my sister very often.

It's hard.  At one time, I was the "hub" of the family, but then......I haven't been the hub in many, many years, so why does it bother me?

I feel like I am totally useless to anyone.  They would all get along just fine if I weren't here.

I think it is difficult for a once vibrant, involved in everything, socially active person to become irrelevant, but that is what I have become.

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I have this fantasy.  I sometimes sit and ponder on it and see it all falling into place.

I have a new car--a small SUV.  I pack it up with everything I will need for a month and...I just take off.  I tell no one that I am going.  Just like my kids and sister do--they go on vacations, or trips, and never inform me they will be gone.

I meander around the country.  I've always wanted to see Vermont in September.  I stay for a week, on the ocean, in Nags Head, North Carolina's Outer Banks.  I get off the interstate and travel the back roads, stopping along the way to see whatever takes my fancy.  I might even stop in at Oak Island, in Nova Scotia, of spend a week in North Dakota with my special "daughter", Chris.

I wonder how long it would take before anyone realized I was gone.  Two weeks?  Maybe longer.  Someone would notice that I hadn't posted on Face Book.  Someone might contact Karen and ask, "Is your Mom all right.  She hasn't posted on Face Book in two weeks."  Then Karen might call and leave a message.  The next week, she might ask the other kids or my sister if they had heard from me.  She might even drive up here and ask a neighbor.

No one knows.  Would they worry?  Would a police report be made for a missing person?  Would there be yellow police tape around my house as they checked for clues?  Would my face appear on a milk carton? 

I have no cell phone to trace my whereabouts by GPS.  

And when I returned, would there be an ambulance ready to take me to the nursing home---where I could be watched 24/7?

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Just a selfish, revenge fantasy, that would in the long run, prove my true irrelevance.

So much time wasted by Congress on all these different hearings.
Wasted time that would be better spent on working on Bills that would help our Veterans get the care they need...when they need it...and not have to wait.  In a decent VA hospital or facility, not one that is falling apart.

Why can't these hearings be carried on CNN, or FOX, or MSNBC, or C-Span and not on the bit three channels, ABC,CBS and NBC?  I mean if you are a real political junky, certainly you would have Cable and have those channels accessible.

Not on NBC where the hearings will pre-empt my Soap!!!!
Just when my Soap is doing what no other daytime Soap has done.
A time jump to one year later!
C'mon!!!!
==========================

Last Saturday was one of those perfect days for me.  Not something most women would get excited about, but...3 football games on TV consecutively, starting at noon.  Ohio State vs Wisconsin at noon, Michigan State vs Penn State at 3:30 and University of Michigan vs Notre Dame at 7:30.  11 hours of watching football?  

You know why I like it?  I sit in my recliner and work on my projects--cross stitch and crochet.  I don't watch every football play, listen mostly, but look up when there is some action.  At half-time, I get up from my chair and load the dishwasher, vacuum the living room, do some laundry.  So...........I'm not really lazy. LOL

This past Saturday, yesterday, only one ballgame and it was boring.  I spent most of the afternoon watching "Property Brothers" and cross stitching.

Now we have the dreaded time change.  So many people hate it, I don't know why we just don't stay on Eastern Standard Time and forget all about Daylight Saving Time.  But the "fall back" affects me less than the "spring forward", I still will feel a bit discombobulated for a couple of weeks.

I set my Cuckoo clock back an hour in the middle of the week.  I don't consciously hear that clock anymore, but I figured, unconsciously I'd hear it and even though the other clocks stated 4:00, the Cuckoo would cuckoo 3 times and ease me into the time change.  I know.  I am weird!

Well it was kind of nice to wake up this morning at my normal 9:00 inner clock and realize it was only 8:00, according to the clocks.  I felt like an early riser, but of course tonight, when TV programs are on at 10:00, but in yesterday's time and my inner clock time it is really 11:00, I'll be dozing in my chair.

It's all very confusing to me.
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This great grandchild of mine, Harrison, is only 3 months old.  He is in the 90+ percentile for height and weight.  He is going to be an enormous kid!!!  He looks so much like his Dad, it's spooky!

Well, it has been a while.

Finally, after more than a month, I think I have my BP back under control.  It didn't take much to throw it off, but took a long time to get it back.  

Karen came over and cleaned up the brush piles I had made from trimming Lilac bushes, then she trimmed the hedges along the East side of the house and dug out all the grass clumps in the little front garden.  I lost all my beautiful Iris because the grass had grown around them and practically buried.  I took up the Iris I could find and have planted them in the 3 big pots I normally grow my tomatoes in.  I hope the Iris come back.  I had some real beauties a couple of years ago.

When she was done outside, she came in and with much protesting from me, she vacuumed the living room and den and then mopped the kitchen, laundry area floor.  I have never had anyone, ever mop my floor for me.  It made me feel kind of weird.
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A Dear Friends husband died after months of her taking care of him at home.  So, I had to drive up to Durand for the visitation.  I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing.  I just walked into the room, walked up to her and took her frail, 5'2" body and wrapped my arms around her and just hugged her for a long time.  She kept saying, "Judy. Judy." and I just rocked her back and forth in that hug.
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This past Wednesday, Karen and Pam, my sister Susan and granddaughter Madeleine, went to see "Downton Abbey" at the theater.  They have luxury seats in this theater.  Leather, wide reclining chairs.  We all loved the movie, as we all had watched the entire series from Day One.  To me, the best part is just being with my girls!

Maddie is nearly 5 months pregnant.  Her tummy looks like she has a soccer ball under her shirt.

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As I was trimming Lilac bushes a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the trunks were so crowed at ground level.  Every few years, Lilac bushes need to have the largest, oldest trunks cut out and of course anything that is dead, plus, I had a 15 feet Maple tree growing up through one of them.

I asked my brother-in-law to bring his chain saw down with him when they came to put plastic on the back door to help keep out the cold, winter drafts.

He trimmed out of lot!  Now the air and sun can get down to the roots and help the new saplings grow.

We had six bundles to tie up with twine and put out by the street for yard waste pick-up.

While I was outside helping him, my sister shrink-wrapped my back door.  She does such a great job you don't even notice there is plastic there.

Yesterday was also Karen's 58th birthday.  Her granddaughter Della shares her birthday and is 3.

Karen, Della and Harrison who is 3 months old.

We are having normal October weather.  There are so many hard woods in this area, that the scenery out my windows is ablaze with reds, yellow, orange and an occasional dark green pine tree thrown in for contrast.  I love this time of year!

My, my.  Time does get away from me.

Getting at the yard work to be done.  Daughter Karen was coming today to help, but had to baby-sit for her grandson Harrison, who has pink-eye.  Nine weeks old and looks six months.  He weighs 14.5 pounds and is 24 inches long.  Pediatrician says he will roll over soon and be early in crawling and walking.

Look at the mitts on that kid!!!!

Della, who will be 3 in two weeks, had preschool pictures taken.  She is a strong willed little girl and was very upset that her mother wouldn't let her wear her flower girl dress for the photos.

I told her mother she needs to get this kid into modeling and then Mom could retire. 

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In preparation of Karen coming to help, I trimmed back my Lilac bushes, taking off all the lower branches.  Now I have piles of brush all over the side lawn...Karen was going to take it home with her and put it in their burn pile.

My lawn mowing kid is suppose to come and take out the raised bed garden I have on the side of my shed.  Yesterday I cleaned out all the weeds and Zinnia's that were in it, in preparation for his visit.

Not only have the timbers rotted, but rain water off the roof of the shed, pooled into that raised bed and then drained under my shed--which I have just discovered was not placed on a cement slab--thus the shed's floor boards on that side have rotted away!

Karen was going to help me clean out the shed so I could get some boards down to replace the rotted ones.

Today, I am headed out to cut back the front garden and wait for Karen, who promises to be here on Monday to trim the hedges.

This has been the perfect week--sunny and high 60's, to work outside and being we live in Michigan, I know this weather is not going to hold.

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I have been battling high blood pressure since the first of October.  A mix up in my prescription had me taking 1/4 of the dosage and it took me a couple of weeks before I realized what was wrong.

So back on the correct dosage and it has taken a week and a half before blood pressure has returned to  normal.  Plus, working on a couple of small genealogies has kept me busy.

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A rattle underneath my car let's me know I have to get that checked out before winter sets in and of course, no extra money to take it to the mechanic.

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My neighbor's ex husband died last month and she is now getting his Social Security.  She's poor too, so this has really helped her.

So, on a whim, I checked on the SS web site, under the heading, "Ex Spouse Survivor Benefits" and sure enough.

When my ex dies, I will get 100% of his Social Security.  I figured it out as best I could--I will receive $2,000.00 a month!  Twice what I get now!

EGAD!!!  Now wouldn't that make my life a lot easier?

Not that I want him to die or anything, but hey--it's good to know these kinds of things.

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I could get off Welfare.  I could get this room painted.  No constant worry about how to pay the monthly bills.  I could get my car fixed or even.....lease a new one!

No doubt God is going to punish me for even having these thoughts and I will die before the ex does.  LOL

For some unknown reason, since Fred died, I have not been able to read any book all the way through.  I can't believe there is any correlation between the two events, but.................

People have raved about books they are reading and loaned them to me to read and three chapters in, I'm like "Meh" and put it aside.

Maybe it's because my memory has dwindled and when I pick up the book to read the next chapter, I have forgotten what happened in the chapter before?

I don't know.

Then a couple of weeks ago, I was reading a blog I follow:

http://cominghometomyself.blogspot.com/ and the author stated she had finished a book she has been working on for 20 years.  It was on Amazon.

I read a description of the book and also because I wanted to support a fellow blogger, I ordered it.

OH MY GOSH!!  I love this book!!!  I can't put this book down!

I love the way the publisher set it up--nice large print, so it's easy to read.  The style in which the main character's thoughts are printed.  The whole store line.  It is fascinating.

Just go to Dee's blog, the link above, and she has a description of the plot.  You might be interested too.

I guess there is nothing wrong with my memory or my interest in reading.  It just takes a very special kind of book to hold my interest.

Thinking of Bella Rum and not knowing what is going on.  In my funeral papers I have told my daughter Pam to post on FB and this blog that I have died, if it is sudden.  Maybe by the time I die, I won't have a blog.  Who knows?  Do they even allow personal computers in the nursing home?  

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Speaking of dying.  I went for my six month check-in at my primary guy today.  My blood work was perfect, not one deviation from the reference norm.  He came in the exam room, listened to my heart, lungs, carotid arteries and then said, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Go home healthy woman and come back in March."

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Wednesday my daughter Karen her daughter Helene and the two Grand babies, Della and Harrison, came for an afternoon visit.  The little guy is 7 weeks old and already smiling and cooing at me.  Even Della at nearly 3 and has never been to friendly toward me, played with me and when they were getting ready to leave, I asked if I could get a hug goodbye.

Karen interrupted and said, "She doesn't really like to hug," as Della was coming over with arms wide open to hug me.  There is still hope for our relationship. LOL

  

Have any of you been following Bella Rum's blog?  "What Shes Thinking?"
She hasn't posted in 3 months and I am worried.
I sent an e-mail , but no response.
If any of you hear or know what is going on, please let me know.

Well, what have I been up to?
5'11", but now I'm 5'10'.
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Nuttin' much going on here.
The Stink Bugs are back, ever trying to get into the house to "winter-over" up in the ceiling trim and produce more Stink Bugs in the spring.

I keep telling myself I need to get outside and cut back and clean up the perennial gardens, but for some reason, I don't.  There are many excuses.

#1.  The yard waste people just came and they won't be here for another two weeks, so I have plenty of time.

#2.  It isn't even Autumn yet, so I have plenty of time.

#3. I have to drag so much stuff out of the shed, in the wheel barrow to get it done.

#4.  The sun is too hot.

#5.  It's too cloudy and it might rain.

#6.  It's going to make my back hurt.

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It is such a procedure nowadays!.

Gone are the days when I could work outside for 4-6 hours and enjoy it and live to tell about it.

Now...I have to load up my wheel barrow with: Loppers, small garden shears, electric hedge trimmer, long extension cord for said trimmer.  The yard waste bags.  My trowel.  The rake.  My hand digger.  My folding chair so I can sit to do most of the job.

Today would be a perfect day.  My back feels pretty good.  The sun is nice and it is only 74, but...the yard waste guys came this morning so that means, if I cut back/cleaned up, I would have to store the full bags in my shed and then haul them out September 30th.

Maybe, if conditions are right, I will get out there on Saturday the 28th.  I don't work on Sundays, no matter how nice it is outside, so that takes out the 29th.  Besides, the 29th is Rosh Hashanah.

Oh good.  Another excuse.  If it is a special Jewish or Catholic day, I can't work.

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I had lunch with the Old School Gal Pals last Thursday.  Our Senile friend was picking on someone other than me, for a change.  She tells these "stories" and then turns to someone and says, "You remember Ruth.  You were there."

Ruth does not remember because it never happened.

Like the time my friend Bethie wasn't at lunch and Senile Liz went on about how Bethie's husband offered me a ride home, but he kept stopping and the ride home took seven hours and I thought he was kidnapping me?

"You remember Judy.  How you told me you were so scared you'd never get home?"

Never even close to happening.

We don't know where she comes up with these things.  Some are humorous and we laugh, unless it involves one of us.  Then whomever she has involved, looks confused and says something like, "No.  That wasn't me.  Must have been someone else." and we keep on eating, or someone will jump in with another subject.

Ah--the joys of getting old!

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I did get to stop in for a visit with my sister at The Farm.  Probably the only reason I go to the luncheon.  If they are held in the town near The Farm, I use that day for a visit with Sister.  When "they" want to go some where else and it is not convenient for a stop on the way home at The Farm, for me, I usually do not attend.

Although with Senile Liz, I probably should attend all the luncheons if only to defend myself.

Sister and I sat in her smaller living room, which used to be the parlor in the olden days.  Very nice and cozy and we just talked--about her son and my kids and her giving me information about my daughter Jennifer and Jen's oldest, my grandson Andrew who, at 17 years old, just started college at some private college near Boston.  He hates it!

I think he should have taken a year in between high school and college.  What do they call that year?  I know there is a name for it.  Of course, I have not mentioned my thoughts to anyone.  I feel like there are spies in the family that would report back to Jen of "Do you know what your Mother said?!"  

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My snoopy, gossipy cousin who got me into trouble with Jen and caused me to delete my original blog and make this new, unable to find in any search list one, has somehow gotten on my friends list on Face Book.  Every time I post something, I can feel her lurking in the background.  I am putting her on my "restricted" list so she can't find me.

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That's about it.  Here I sit, with my excuses and my paranoia.  How pitiful. LOL