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!