Saturday Morning--

I have a big adventure this afternoon.

My daughter Karen and Great Granddaughter Della's shared birthday party and I get to go.

I'm pretty excited about it.

The power steering on my car has been quiet so I know the p.s. fluid tank is full and I am confident I can get there and back with no problems.

Of course, I will ask God to keep me safe, and I know He will, which gives me even more confidence.

See ya all later--Jude

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Saturday Night---

I would write about my adventure today, but I am sooooooo tired that I can't think clearly. LOL

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

Sunday Morning---

My Saturday adventure.

I drove through Brighton on my way down to Karen and Mark’s for the October Birthdays party, I noticed a full-blown, block long, sidewalk Trump rally. People holding up signs and flags and cheering. Well, I got right into it, blowing my car horn, rolling down the car window and holding my hand up high with the thumb up, cheering inside my car. It actually gave me goose-bumps. It seemed every car, in all four lanes, coming and going, was blowing their horns and yelling out the car windows. Never any doubt which way this area votes in any election.

When I got to Karen’s, the little birthday girl Della and her little brother Harrison, along with the parents and grandparents were getting their jackets on to go play in the leaf pile. I looked out the window and, there was an enormous leaf pile. Della came back inside and said, “I want GiGi to come play in the leaves.” Wait a minute. GiGi? That would be me! YIKES!

The enormous leaf pile was down on the lower level of their yard. The last time I was down there, it took every ounce of strength and a day long back ache, to climb that hill back up to the house. Oh, what the heck--I put on my jacket.

The going down the yard was pretty easy. I stood by the leaf pile and watched Della’s Daddy and Grandpa, “swimming” through the pile, under the leaves, playing shark. I started singing Baby Shark. Then, to this minute I have no idea what happened to my reasoning, but I spread out my arms like I was going to make a snow angel, and fell backwards into the leaf pile.

I sank down into the leaves and felt them cover me. It was sort of blissful…to peek up through the leaves covering my face and see the sky.

I sat up for a while and threw leaves at the kids, then it was time for me to get up.

Now I was faced with the consequences of my impulsive actions. I couldn’t get up. There was no way I could stand up from that position. I called Karen to help me. She grabbed my hand and pulled—that didn’t work. So she called Grandpa Mark, he took my other hand and they pulled—that didn’t work and it hurt my back and legs when I tried to push myself up. I asked them not to pull me, but just set their feet, hold my hands and I would use their strength to pull myself up—that didn’t work either. I have no leg or arm strength.

The thought went through my mind that we might have to call 911 for help. What I should have done is have my grand son-in-law Mike to come, stand behind me and while Karen and Mark pulled me, he could lift me up under my arms. Mike is about 10 feet tall and a strong young man. Didn’t think of that until afterwards………….Mark and Karen pulled and I tried to push with my feet and legs and finally I was standing up. The pain that was shooting through my hips, back and legs was…intense, for lack of a better word. Now I had to climb the hill to get back up to the house. Karen walked along beside me, I was holding onto her arm and we took that hill at an angle and…I made it.

The rest of the afternoon was wondrous. Oldest Grandson Marcus, whose birthday was Oct. 19th, opened his gifts, then Della and Karen opened their gifts—the amount of gifts Della received, looked like a birthday and Christmas combined. I got to play a little bit with Maddie’s little guy Ben, and Della’s little brother Harrison and talk to my grandkids and Della’s other Grandma. There were lots of hugs and laughter and fun.

Then at 4:30, I realized that I could hardly walk and it was time to head home. I was hurtin’ for certain.

The icing on the cake, so to speak. I found out I will have another Great Grand Baby this coming Spring!

The moral of this story—you just gotta dive in! You just gotta play and make memories. You can rest the next day, but you just gotta Carpe Diem!!!

Today, I am recovering and surprised that I don’t ache as much as I thought I would. I am remembering and smiling at each memory of yesterday. I am rejoicing in the fact that I got to experience it all.

 Yesterday I got to drive up the road to the Cardiologist's office and get a heart monitor stuck on my chest.  Not one of those hold fashioned Holter Monitor's with the 20 leads stuck all over your chest and a heavy bag to carry around on your shoulder, this one is small.

It has a smart phone sized recording and battery pack that I have to keep within 30 feet of me and if I have a "symptom", like a rapid heart rate, I put the info into the smart phone thingie.

I guess this the newest thing out there and probably the Cardiologist is promoting it, as there were 3 other people in the office getting one stuck on their chest too.

Well, since, at my suggestion, they changed my one med to a time-released one, my heart rate has been in the 60's and my BP in the 126 range, SO--I don't think I am going to have any symptoms to record, but..............it's kind of cool.....to have a mini EKG recording all the time.

In a week, I take it off, bag everything up and Fed Ex it back to the maker, where they check the readings and send a report to my Cardiologist...which I see again on Oct. 30th.

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

Did you watch the VP debate?  I didn't, but the big news seems to be there was a fly sitting on Mr. Pence's head for two whole minutes and he just ignored it.

I don't watch any of the debates anymore.  I am not an undecided voter and I don't need to waste my time listening to lies and misinformation and the interrupting and rude behavior that seems the content of our debates.

Which reminds me.  I gotta get my absentee ballot up to the township clerk's drop box.  It's only a mile away--an easy drive and drop off.

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

My Jennifer is here from New Jersey, on a business trip.  The first time since the shutdown in March.  Karen is going to have a cook-out on Saturday so we can all get together.  I am going because it is the only way I will get to see Jen.  On these trips from NJ to the MI law firm she works for, she is always too busy to drop in--or at least that is the excuse I hear.

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

I hope my son Mark will be there.  His cancer has come out of remission and he has been in the hospital-out patient for more tests.  

I am finishing up all my medical appointments that were canceled in March.  Got my Flu shot the other day.  The week of the 19th, I have an appointment with the Pulmonologist to tell me that my lung CT scan was fine--which I already know because I read the report on my Patient Portal and then the 22nd I have a dental cleaning.  I hate going to the Dentist.  Why do I hate going to the Dentist?  For a cleaning?  It's not like I have to have a root canal....or maybe I'm scared that she will find evidence that I DO need a root canal!

ARRGH!!!

See ya--Jude

 

 I don't quite know what it is, but I just can't seem to tend to my blog.

Sure, I can use the excuse that I have been working on a large genealogy and after working for hours on the computer, I am not in the mood to get creative and post on my blog.

While that excuse is true, there is just something else.

Some sort of deep weariness or depression, or a feeling of dread at what is going to happen next, that has come to live in my mind for the last few months.  Plus, I'm lonely.

Which is real stupid!  I don't see my kids very often in normal times, but it seems now, I CAN'T see them, so I guess it makes it feel worse.  It's like when we get snowed in and I look outside and realize I can't drive my car to go anywhere, EVEN THOUGH I don't need to go anywhere--it's the knowing I can't that makes me antsy.

I should be elated!  I finished a large genealogy and mailed it off.  My client lives in Oregon and had to evacuate to her son's home, but her home was saved, so I could mail the genealogy directly to her.  I had already received her check--considering it was 3 genealogies, one of her, her son and her daughter--it was a nice check.

I have another, not so much a genealogy, but a family story.  My client had files and files full of information on each parent and sibling.  Her parents and grandparents from Hungary, so I had what I needed.  It was just putting it into chronological order, with the story written around it.  I love it and am nearly finished with it.  My client is a younger sister to a best friend.  My friend died in 1995, so when I got to her file folder and saw her photo, it brought back some teary memories.  Oh, she would have loved this book.

I have another genealogy waiting in the wings.

So, I am busy and my mind is flourishing with being challenged to be creative.

...and the extra money certainly takes the budget worries away, for a time anyway.

So.  What is the problem?  

My back hurts--normal in my life.

My left foot hurts and I walk funny--nearly normal.

I go days without going anywhere--normal in my life.

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

I just don't know.  I am weary.  I am nervous.  I feel like I am waiting for the next awful world event to happen.  What horrible thing is going to happen.

I pray a lot.  I talk to God a lot during the day.  I consider myself to have a deep faith.  Apparently I am lacking in that or I would be doing better.  

I keep telling myself to be grateful that I am in good health.  Be grateful that right now, I have no money worries.  Just be grateful...and I am, but...........................

 

 Neighbor and friend Pearl was in the hospital two weeks ago.

I posted a while back that she has been "living" in her recliner.  Having such a hard time walking that she even slept in it.

Two weeks ago, she couldn't manage even to get up on her feet so they took her in.  She was having terrible pain in her legs and they thought she might have a blood clot.  She did not.

Then, they predicted that she had Leukemia.  She was sent home, but in bad shape.

I haven't been in her house to sit down and talk to her since her birthday March 1st.  Then the whole shutdown started.  Some days, I would walk down to her house and peek into her living window.  If she was awake, we'd try and talk and make sign signals and try and read each others lips and laugh.

Home Hospice came in this past Monday, complete with the requisite hospital bed.  Her daughter who has been with Merle and Pearl for the last couple of months, wasn't able to move Pearl around or get her up to get dress, so the taller bed helped.

Her daughter, with the help of the Hospice Aide did manage to get Pearl into her wheel chair and take her out into the sun on Tuesday.  Neighbor Jackie saw them and went over to talk to Pearl.  She said, Pearl only said, "Hi" and  just sat in the chair, looking down at the ground.

Jackie called me this morning at 9:00 to let me know, Pearl died around midnight.  I got dressed and scooted right down there.  

The daughter was there and Merle and her other daughter and the Hospice aide....and Pearl.  I happened to think that she looked just like I had seen her many times.  Asleep, with her mouth open, but....

this time...........................

I went over, bent down and kissed her forehead and tried to hug her.  I had forgotten how cold and gray a person is when they have died.

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

Her daughter mentioned they were trying to find a good photo of her for the newspaper obituary and that they remembered I had taken some photos of Pearl at her and Merle's 60th wedding anniversary.

So, I scooted home, turned on my computer and into the picture files and found a couple that were okay.  I printed them out and took them back down to their house.  By then a couple of her grandkids had showed up and were visibly upset, so I scooted out of there.

When I got back home, I looked again at the photos and I must have missed looking at all of them them the first time because there was one, in the center of the file that was the best photo of her taken in 2013.  So, I printed that one off and back down to the house---it's only 60 steps away.

I wondered why the funeral home hadn't come to pick Pearl up.  She had been gone 10 hours, but as I walked home, I saw her son and his wife and kids drive up.  

As Pearl is going to be cremated, they must have been waiting for family members to arrive to "see" her one last time?  Too bad they didn't come to visit while she was still alive?  But then--Pearl had alienated her two oldest kids, so..............

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

Finally at round 1:00 this afternoon, a black, unmarked SUV showed up and took her away.  Done so swiftly and carefully that none of the neighbors would even know what was going on.

In fact, Dar called me shortly after they left and asked, "Do you know what's going on over at Pearl and Merle's?"  Her house does not face the street so she wouldn't have seen all the cars coming and going.

Their daughter said, "Now we have to worry about what to do with Dad."  Merle has Parkinsons Disease, but he is strong, walks everyday and some days, rides his bike around the park.

I said, "Well, you don't have to worry about that right now.  Wait and see how he does.  Let him feel his way along for awhile.  You'll be here everyday and you can keep track on if he is taking care of himself."

I said that because it was almost like she was ready to ship him to a home tomorrow and I know, as an old person, that I would want to be alone for awhile to get over the shock and used to the idea of being alone and just see how it went.  

Two weeks ago, Merle had requested that his daughter (a cigarette smoker) give him one of her cigarettes.  When she refused, he asked her if she would buy him a pack of Swisher Sweets--little, thin cigars.  He'd smoke two a day, out in his shed.  When she told me, she said, "Are you shocked that I'd do that?"

I answered, "Heck no. Why not?  At 85 years old, let him enjoy the days he has left."

Pearl Elaine Ott

March 1, 1936-September 17, 2020

    

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

I have been working on a genealogy for a client that has taken on a life of its own.  She decided she wanted one done for her son, which is like hers, but with photos of his family added.  Then she decided she wanted one for her daughter, who has a different father, and then the daughter notified me that she also wanted her husband family done too--so that their daughter and grand children would have all their ancestor's in the same book.

My client's book is 162 pages, her son's is 170 pages and her daughter's is 240 pages.

I am starting to print out the books this weekend and of course am having printer problems--because that is just a Murphy's Law kind of thing.

Other than that, my grandson that was supposed to have a big wedding on June 6th, and ended up having a small wedding, on June 6th and their big reception this past weekend.  Most of us that attended the small wedding stayed home from the reception so they could invite more of their friends---because of the social distancing and only a certain number of people at gatherings in our State.

It was waaaaay too far away and too long of a weekend for me to tolerate anyway.  

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

Other than that--I spent some time in the ER last week, chest pain and come to find out, it was nerve pain coming from my neck/shoulder blade.  They would give me nothing for the severe pain, telling me that nothing unusual showed up on the heart scans or lung x-rays, so they had no idea what was causing the pain.

I guess if they couldn't "see" the pain, it didn't exist and I was just some old, gray haired junkie trying to score some opiates?

One good thing came out of all of it, I found out my heart is strong and perfect and my lungs are clear and perfect too. The scans also showed my liver, kidneys, pancreas, gall bladder and even spleen are in great shape.

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

Other than that--I got my hair cut Friday.  This lady that Karen referred me to, is the best stylist for short hair that I have had in many years.  She is also expensive, or what I view as expensive=$40.00 for a cut and style.  I did her genealogy for her in a barter for my hair cut two months ago.  Friday I had managed to save $40.00 all month.  When we were done, she wouldn't take any money.  I asked if she would accept a Tip and laid a twenty dollar bill on the counter.  She didn't want to accept that, but she has a small salon and has been closed down.  Then she said that from now on my hair cuts would be $20.00.  I am thinking to myself that $25.00 sounds better.  I can get that much out of my budget every month--that's what I used to pay the stylist that couldn't cut short hair decently.

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

Other than that--I am finally over the anxiety that going back to the grocery store all masked up, hampered me for the first 2 months back.  Karen had done all my grocery shopping for 3 months and the first time I tried it on my own, the mask got so hot I couldn't breathe, there seemed to be too many people and I got anxious.  Well, I have now conquered that.  That's mainly how I get my exercise.  To the grocery store every week or 10 days and walk clear to the back and then over to the grocery department, up and down the aisles and finally out--about 3,000 steps.  My legs muscles are getting stronger now too--since I am back on schedule.

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Other than that--I have a bunch of doctor's appointments and yearly tests that I canceled in March to attend to this month.  AND, I have another genealogy awaiting me and still another one on the horizon.  I probably will be busy with them right up to Christmas time.

Are we going to get to celebrate Christmas with our families this year?

So I just figured out 2020

and it's pretty obvious what happened.

"Baby Shark" is an ancient

chant that opens a portal to

Hell

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

I just had a thought.

Does it matter who gets elected on Nov. 3rd?

If Trump gets elected, the Dems. have the majority in the House of Reps. and they will continue to stymie him.

If Biden gets elected, the Reps. have the majority in the Senate and they will shoot down everything he wants to do.

Each Party will blame the other one. Nothing will change, nothing will get done.

Just the same ol', same ol'.

I don't often have dreams that I remember, but this one was weird.

I was sitting in my recliner, I had the front door open and I heard something. I looked up toward the screen door and there was a lady with a little curly headed boy. He was about a year old and she was bent over, holding his little arms kind of up to steady him as he stood.


I didn't recognize either one of them and then she looked up and smiled at me and then I recognized both of them.
The woman was me and the little boy was my son Mark.

I didn't get up to go to the door and they didn't come inside.
We just looked at each other and smiled.
I wonder what the dream meant.
===========================

I thought the last election was bad, this one is going to flat out put me in the ward.

Trump has that brash, New York bully attitude/personality about him that I just hate.

Biden had/still has a propensity for being a liar and a Plagiarist and he appears to be senile.

I'm afraid in a debate, when Trump gets to beating on Joe, Joe is either going to lose it in a fit of anger, or get so muddled in his thinking, he won't be able to form a complete sentence. That will embarrass him and I actually would hate to see that happen.

Our Country is in pretty bad shape when these two men are the best we have to offer for the highest office in our land.

August?

Already?

I can remember sitting here on New Year's Eve and when the ball dropped, I thought, "What a great year 2020 is going to be!"

Well, Gezz Louise!  Guess I was wrong again.

The life interrupted Covid months.  How many now?  Five!  

I have managed to get out to the store a few times,  only getting a few things, because that mask gets hot and I get anxious.  I makes me go back to the feeling I had when my 2nd husband, tried to smother me with a pillow.  I thought I had rid myself of those memories, but....

I have a new genealogy to work on with another two waiting in the wings.  This is the weirdest thing, but at my nephews wedding, I was telling my daughter Karen that I needed a genealogy to work on to cure my boredom and give me a reason to get up in the morning.  That night, during my prayer time, when I was done, I just happened to say, "And oh yes, God?  Could you send me a genealogy?"

Three days later I was notified by, what is now my newest client.  That's the quickest answer to prayer I've ever received!

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

I managed to get my grandson Stephen and new wife Carolyn's wedding sampler framed.  They were married June 6th, but their wedding reception is going to be August 30th, unless our governor decides to shut us down again.  I called Karen and asked her if the next time she in near-by, she could stop and pick it up.

Oh my!  Blogger has changed things up.  It took me forever to figure out how to get that photo inserted.

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

So--who can I gossip about?  Merle and Pearl--remember them--my neighbors.  Pearl is into year 3 of sitting in her chair doing nothing.  They have once again retained a physical therapist to come out for home visits, but I know Pearl.  She will only do the least she can get away with and not do any of the home exercises they tell her to do during the week.  She loves just staying chair-bound and having her daughter and Merle run and get whatever she wants.

Their daughter lives here in the Park and she stops by everyday to help them get ready in the morning.  She is going back to work this next week.  So Pearl decided to hire someone to come in every day to help her get dressed and get fed.  She wanted someone for an hour.  The visiting nurses minimum time is 3 hours a day, at $25.00 an hour.  That's $375.00 a week!  So now Pearl is trying to get her daughter to quit her job and take care of her.  She hasn't even wondered what her daughter is going to live on with no money coming in from her job.

Merle escapes to his shed whenever Pearl falls asleep in the chair.  He mentioned to his daughter that he wished he had some "little cigars".  So she got him a couple of packs of Swisher Sweets.  He's a much happier camper now.  LOL

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

Marilyn, my neighbor across the street, a bit to the right...whose husband died last year...has lost so much weight that as she was walking out to get the mail, her jeans fell right off.  She was doing fine before the quarantine, but now is using her cane and sometimes her walker to walk outside.

Jackie, my neighbor directly across the street, has suffered.  Early this spring she was out working in her gardens, as normal.  Now she is using a walker to get around.

It has affected all of us in the same way.  From not going to the store to walk around or getting out, our calf and legs muscles have become weak and our balance is off.  

Dar--you remember Dar?  Her Dad that lives with her just turned 99 and is in excellent health.  He gets around pretty good and still demands that she takes him out for a Dairy Queen every day!  Dar is the kind of person who had to get out every other day or she said, "I will just lose my mind!"  The quarantine just about did her in--mentally.  She walks 5 miles on her treadmill every day, so she's still in pretty good shape.  The other day, she was walking home from visiting Jackie and she saw a guy walking a dog.  So she rushed over to the dog to pet it and it bit her!  So she has been doctoring with that--antibiotics, steroids, etc.  Doesn't she realize?  You don't rush up to a dog that doesn't know you.  I don't even rush up to a dog that DOES know me--I let them come up to me.

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

We did get a much needed rain today and more promised for tomorrow.  I woke up to the sound of rain--lovely--except it was coming in through my bedroom window screen all over the window sill.  It is nice though for the temps to be moderate enough to have all the windows and doors open--when it isn't raining in, that is.

Stay safe my friends in Florida and along the East coast.  There is a hurricane name Ass or something like that, that is coming at ya.

XX OO  Jude

Attended my nephew--my sister Susan's only child, wedding.  They had it out to The Farm, outside under all the 150 year old Maple Trees.  My nephew, Adam, would be 6th generation in our family and nice to have the wedding at the family Homestead.  Very small--about 50 people.

While I was there, got to have our 4 generation photo taken with Madeleine and my youngest great grandson, Benedikt--Beni.  I call him Bug, because he is as cute as a bug's ear.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

FEELING BETTER:

Here, in Michigan, we are trying to break a weather record set in 1954.  Consecutive days in the 90's.  The old record is 11 days...I think we are on day 9 or 10.  I don't remember us getting all upset back in 1954.  July was supposed to be hot and of course, we didn't have weathermen coming on every hour to tell us how hot it was or that we had set a record.  It was miserable, I'm sure.  Just like it is miserable now.  The main difference?  Now I live in an air conditioned house.  Back then, it was, lay on top of the bed and try and sleep while sweat poured off you and made the bed soggy.
================
I saw a memory on my FB page this morning.  11 years ago I wrote, "Life is not the way it is supposed to be. Life is the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference."

I was a lot smarter back then.  While the statement is true, I'm not coping very well with all that is going on.

I feel restless, but am not motivated to get out and go anywhere.  It's too hot.  I don't want to have to wear my mask.  I need to save the gas.

So, I prowl around the house and then, end up sitting in my chair, watching something dumb on TV and cross stitching.  I have even been know to fall asleep in my chair and take a nap around 4:00.  I am not a napper and don't want to get into that habit.

Tomorrow afternoon I have an appointment to get a hair cut.  It's been nearly 7 months.  I'm hoping that will make me feel like a new woman.  I'm getting awfully tire of this old one!

A high anxiety morning for me.

Karen has been picking up my groceries, these long 4 months and last night I was thinking that I should get back to doing my own shopping.

This morning at 9:15, I loaded up the back seat of my car with 3 bags of bottle returns.
I checked to make sure I had everything I needed. Even some ice water because the A/C in the car only works occasionally, and I knew it was going to be hot.

I prayed that God would protect me and keep me calmed and relaxed. I even had a note at the top of my list that read, "You can do this. You'll be fine."

I got to Meijer and hauled all 3 bags of bottle over to the return place only to find a sign that said they were closed until they got more containers. Oh well, no problem. I put the 3 bags back in the car. The guy behind me was upset and yelled the "F" word three times in a row.

When I got in the store and checked my list, I realized it was "backwards" as I usually go in the pharmacy door and back to the pet food section first. Oh well, no problem I started at the bottom of the list and worked my way up.

No Brownberry 12 grain bread that I like. Oh well, no problem, I just opened a new loaf yesterday.
I thought I was in the Howell store, but I was in Brighton, and everything is laid out differently. I was confused. I did find Koegel's Thick Slice bologna that I like for my noon sammich, Karen hadn't be able to find it the last two times.

I chugged along. My back and legs were already hurting. I am so weak. My balance is off, then I just happened to look down and I was and had been going the wrong way in the aisles. They have arrows on the floor, directing which way to go.

I went out into the center aisle and just stopped for a moment. I checked the "saying" I had written at the top of my list, got my bearings and did manage to figure out how to get to the Pepsi and milk aisle going the way the arrow showed me I must go.

Finally done with the grocery part, off to the more quiet part of the store where the pet food is, then up to the pharmacy area to get some soap and finally plodded along trying to find a check out.
=================
My Bridge Card had been reloaded last week, so my list was mostly food products and knowing Meijer would rather we use our cards, instead of cash that I normally use, I had put $$$ in the bank so I could use my debit card.

Got it all checked out and loaded, reached for my debit and Bridge card and..........................

The mask was hot. The long, heavy hair on my head was sweating. Tears sprang to my eyes as I explained to Dave the Cashier.

"I forgot to being my cards with me!"

"No problem." he said. "I'll push your cart over there. I'll keep the receipt, you go home and bring back the cards.

I knew right where they were. In the envelope that I carry my cash and Bridge card to pay for groceries.

I may have broken the speed limit getting home, but all the other cars were doing 55-60, so I joined in the fun.

Ran into the house--there were the two cards in the purple plastic envelope with the sticker that says, "GROCERIES".

Back to Meijer, limped in and found Dave. He finished the customer he had and then signaled for me to come forward. He rang up the receipt and the card reader asked me if I wanted to take $6.00 off my order, through my M-Perks.

I thanked Dave several times and told him, "I would hug you, but I know it's against the law right now."

Trust me. I will call corporate and put in a good word for him and he will be in my prayers tonight, asking for a blessing on him.
=================
All the way home, I argued with God, reminding Him that the least He could have done was remind me about the needed cards. As I pulled into the park entrance, the A/C starting blowing nice, icy air. I guess that was God's answer--giving me a break?

I backed in the driveway, up close to the porch steps and again asked, "Dear Lord, help me carry in this stuff."

So weak in my arms I can barely lift the sack with two Pepsi's in it. Lack of exercise has turned me into a wimp!

I am exhausted. My back and calves are screaming, BUT I did it and I will be fine!!!

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

Later----I'm sure you want to hear the rest of the story.

Putting the groceries away, I sat down to look at the receipt. The total charge was $84.49. I thought, "That can't be. The only non-food I got was a Thistle Seed sock for the birds and dishwasher cleaner." I looked further and realized that my Bridge Card hadn't been rung up and $84.49 had come off my Debit Card.
EGADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So, I took a big drink of cold Diet Pepsi, went to the bathroom and headed back up to Meijer customer service.

Credit my Debit Card? Nope had to give me cash--I thought Meijer didn't like dealing in cash?

Ran my Bridge Card for $62.12--the amount of cash they had given me as a refund on my Debit Card.

I decided while I was there, I would speak with the manager about my cashier Dave. I told the manager a brief scenario and he thanked me and told me, for every compliment, the employee gets 500 points---which later turns in a bonus of $$$$$. YAY

Then I decided, as long as I was out, I would stop into the Smoke Shop to get some more E-oil for my Vape thingie and a couple of CBD oil pain patches. I headed up toward Howell. They were closed.

The nearest Smoke Shop? East end of Brighton!

Turned around and back on the road and 6 miles back to that Smoke Shop. They DID have the brand I like, so I was in luck.
===========
I missed my Soap, which I can watch tonight, but I got it all done and....I AM NOT LEAVING THIS HOUSE UNTIL ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something I posted on Face Book this morning:

I watched a TV show last night about Socialism and Communism--closely related.
So far, any attempt to have a Socialistic government, have failed and failed miserably--especially for the people living under it.
Look at , Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua to name a few.

First, Socialistic governments want to get rid of their old people, who they believe are a drag on their economy. Next comes the elimination of children and adults that are mentally compromised, e.g. Autistic, Cerebral Palsy, Down's Syndrome, any condition that would keep that person from being productive to support the economy. Of course, Christians are eliminated, along with anyone else who is not of the race of that Country. You are regulated as to the number of children you can have. Many girl babies are either aborted or killed at birth. The population needs to be regulated.

Everyone is equal. Everyone works for the good of everyone else. Everyone gets the same amount of food, the same clothing, the same everything. Everyone on the same economic scale, except for the government leaders of course.

Without Capitalism to help drive the economy, it doesn't take long for it to fail.
Everyone still gets the same, which is starvation and loss of more life. People eating the vegetables from the fields where they work, are shot. They are being selfish for taking food from everyone.

As more people escape from the Country, even less people to work the fields, clean the streets, pick up the trash. Killings break out as people rob others to get what they need to sustain their life.
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Now my mind is going into high gear. LOL

Free college, sounds good. Free health care sounds great. Let's pick a medium economic "salary" for everyone. Let's say we all get $100K a year--government benefit of course. You can work at a higher paying job, but you will still only get $100K a year. Your neighbor can sit home, watch TV and drink beer all day and he will get $100K a year.

College is free, but why bother going, knowing that with or without a college degree, you will only get $100K a year.
I can sit here, in my elder years, and get $100K a year. Free health care, so no need to worry about having to pay for health insurance.

If I get sick and have to go to the hospital, of course I've had to wait months to get into the hospital, the shot they give, to eliminate poor unproductive me, will be free.
Hallelujah!

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My friend Helen's response:

 I lived under that system after WWll. We were starving and freezing toward the end of Hitler's Dictatorship. He had to have food for his troops.

We were fed when the Americans entered our city. I don't know how long they occupied our city. Germany was divided among the Allies. We then were occupied by the Russians , Communism /Socialism. The same as far as I am concerned. Again there was starvation, freezing (no coal) and raggedy clothing. Our salvation were occasional Care Packages from America and food and clothing packages from relatives from America. Coffee and Cocoa was coveted by the shopkeepers and richer people, not for money, (money was worthless) we bartered for food. Usually bread and potatoes. Potatoes were the most versatile. We figured out that just a plain potato could be used in about 5 different ways. Jesus was always there for our family. " Give us our daily bread." Not every day but he sustained us.

Since so many Germans were fleeing a wall was built to keep them FROM fleeing.No one left and many died trying.
When my cousins turned 65 they received permission to get a passport and Visa to come to America to visit us. They were here for maybe 2 months. Not allowed to go to Canada. They wanted to see Niagara Falls so we took them on the American side. We took them so many places. They drew a crowd at Bill's Food Market in Durand. They became highly excited when they saw all the different kinds of pickles. This was an impossibility under Communism/Socialism. The were fascinated that people could have garage sales. 

Yes every one was the same. No matter where you went to buy your food, the price was the same. No specials or sales. You had a job, most times it didn't matter what your education was. Since all incentive to do better for yourself was taken away all were poor. My relatives were allowed to come because they were 65 and the government didn't care if they never came back. They would be less of a draw on the state.

If you became a Communist you had some more privileges such as traveling to other Communist country, even the Black Sea.

They had collective farms, crop and dairy. They didn't do well since the government owned them. The workers didn't care and worked their required shift whether they were finished or not and walked off . There was no incentive or reward, monitary or other wise.

After 29 years of poverty and locked up to keep you from leaving the WALL came down. Another cousin went to West Berlin and said " I stood in front of the store windows and wept uncontrollably." "What fools we've been." They had no idea of what they didn't have.

Our kind of government is the best in the world. You have the opportunity to make something of your self. That is why so many come to America. The people that hate America and seem to want to destroy her should go and live in a Socialistic / Communistic country.

I am sorry for my rant Judy. This just fired me up. I don't have time to read what I wrote so let's hope it makes sense.

Blogger and I were in a fight.  For some reason, it wouldn't let me post photos, which ticked me off, so I didn't post.

Grandson Stephen and Carolyn's little wedding was just lovely.  I think I liked it better with just 50 of us in the church.  It seemed more intimate.  I don't have many photos of it as yet, just the ones Karen took.  We had a nice late lunch out at her place afterwards.

Yes I hugged him.  I hugged all of my grandchildren and didn't wear a mask.

 Grand Daughter Helene, holding the great grand babies and cousins.

Della, Harrison and Benedikt

I got to hold Benedikt, for the first time, and whisper his blessing in his ear.

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Last Friday Karen took me for my first pedicure as an early birthday gift for me.  I did wear my mask this time.

I just about slipped when I got up out of the chair with those slippery little flip-flops on.

It is sort of a tradition that daughter Pam paints my toenails on my birthday, but since I wasn't going to see her, Karen took care of it.  My feet still feel smooth.

Pammie called me Saturday because she had to work Sunday, on my birthday.

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Tomorrow is going to be my first real day out.  I am going to the Print Shop to get a genealogy to barter with the hair stylist for a hair cut.  She is the best, but I can't afford $40.00 every 5 weeks for a trim so I will give her the genealogy and get a free cute.  As long as it took me to do it, it should be worth 3 hair cuts. LOL

Then I am going to Michael's.  I need to make arrangements to get the kids wedding sampler, stretched on foam core and framed.  Their Big Do isn't until the middle of August, so I do have time.

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Well, how do you like the way the world is operating now?  BLM who I understand is an extreme left-wing instigators who don't really care all that much about black lives, they just want to cause more division and riots and anything that will mess with the election.

Tearing down Statues?  Although I am wondering why the Statues of FDR and LBJ are still standing, as they were big time racists.  Back in the day, some chuckled when LBJ signed the Civil Rights bill because he really disliked blacks, but he was forced into signing the bill.

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The Virus is still with us and probably will be for months or another year.  We have had only 28 people died in our County.  All in nursing homes, because our Democrat Governor, like Democrat Governor Cuomo, decided it would be a good thing to put recovering hospitalized people in a nursing home for rehab.  Although those recovering people were still contagious.

I am wearing a mask if I have to go out to pick up a prescription and I will wear a mask tomorrow to go into the stores.  One of these days, I will have to get over my slight case of agoraphobia that has settled in from not being able to go anywhere, and force myself to start getting my own groceries.  I kind of dread that first trip and if I am in the cat food aisle, picking out different kinds of wet food and NO ONE is around, I am sure I will pull that thing down under my nose so I can breathe!!!

I watched the funeral.  All 4 hours of it.  I had to click onto another channel a couple of times when it got so noisy.  I don't see how those women can sing like that and not ruin their vocal chords!!!  and why some speakers had to politicize a funeral is beyond me.  There is a lot in this Country that I guess I don't understand.

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We are having massive severe thunder storms all this afternoon.  The weather man said, "Hurricane force straight line winds, which can as much damage as a tornado."  I mention it on Face Book and people comment, "Be safe."  I live in a manufactured home--there is no "safe" from a tornado.   I really wish my weather man would be more reassuring than trying to scare me to pieces.

I did move my car, out from under the big Maple, and to the other side of the drive.  I also have a small cord that I loop over the inside handle of my storm door, pull inside, close the front door and tie that cord around the inside front door knob.  Just to keep the wind from whipping that door open and slamming it against the porch railing.  That happened once years ago.  Ruined the door.

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I got all rebellious and smart alecky Saturday, when at the wedding and afterwards, I didn't wear a mask and was hugging everyone in sight.  I was even mentally swaggering around when I got home.  Pretty smug that I wouldn't catch any bad germs.

Now today, with seeing number of cases rising after the slight opening up, and the famed or infamous Dr. Fauci saying we are still in the early stages of the pandemic, I'm not feeling so smug.

Beauty salons open here on this coming Monday.  Of course, I was going to be first in line.  After the wedding, I don't really care what my hair looks like, and it looks weird, but I think I just might wait until late June, early July before I get all antsy and go out.  I have 7 bags of bottles to return.  4" of hair to get cut off, and the kids wedding present to get matted and framed, but..................

When our Governor finally allowed dog groomers to open up again, I got on the phone and called.  I told them I needed a shampoo and a hair cut.  We booked a time. They offered to clean my ears and paint my toe nails, which I thought was nice of them.  Then they asked if I wanted my anal glands expressed.  I hung up the phone.

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The wedding yesterday was beautiful.  Probably the most beautiful I have ever attended.  Only 25 people were allowed to attend, so it made it seem more intimate.  I had time to talk with my grandson before the wedding, gave him my blessing and his penny I had saved from the day he was born--1994.  There was lots of hugging and I even got to meet and hold my new great grandson.  The grandkids were a bit hesitant about the hugs I wanted.  Afraid they may infect me with The Virus.  I told them, it was worth it and I was more than willing to take a chance.

The bride's grandma and I fell instantly in love.  We sat in big comfy chairs before the wedding and talked and talked.  Then the boys--my Marcus and the groom Stephen walked us to our places.  I cautioned them to walk slowly because Bride's Gramma and I both have back/leg issues.

After the ceremony, bride and groom walked out, followed by the two witnesses, then the parents.  Everyone else just stood around, so I got up, crossed the aisle and took Bride Gramma by the hand and we walked out by ourselves.  

There was a small reception at Karen and Mark's the rest of the afternoon.  For some reason, the bride's Uncle took an interest in me and we sat alone and talked for a couple of hours.  If that kid was only 15 years older, I may have "Cougared" him, but from knowing he's the father of the bride's, younger brother, I'd put his age at early sixties, and that's just a bit too young.

I almost reconsidered when I learned he is a Master Gardener.
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Speaking of gardens.  Such a beautiful cool day today, I went out to dig the tall grasses out of my front garden.  I also have a giant Burdock living among my Hosta's.  It took me 30 minutes, sitting in my camp chair while digging.  I don't have enough strength to push a shovel in the ground, so I had to cut off the Burdock--knowing full well, it will just grow back again.
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Maybe I should make the long trip to the kids reception in late August and renew my friendship with Master Gardener, Scott?  

I do believe I've lost all logical reason.

Monday was the most perfect day.  My kind of weather.  69 degrees and sunny.  I had the doors and windows open.  It was lovely.

After my Soap, I decided to clean the house.  Scrub the bathroom and kitchen.  Vacuum and dust, wash some windows.

I had planned on going outside and weed the perennial garden of all grasses that are growing in it and sweep off my porch and the 457 million Maple Whizzers I have on my driveway.

Instead I cleaned house.

Yesterday, it was 90 with high humidity, I was closed up in the house with the A/C running.  What a perfect day to clean house...but I had already done it and it was too hot to work in the garden.

I watch the weather report.  I knew what kind of weather we were going to have, so why in the world would I switch up my days and clean on a cool day?

I think senility and my ability to think things out and get organized has flown the coop.

Today, it is 89 and high humidity.  I stare out the window and look at my perennial garden, with the grass growing taller and taller.

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I have been watching too much of the News, so yesterday I took great pains to notice things right here in my corner of the Universe.  I take these things for granted, most of the time, and just sort of look through them.  By the time night fell, I was very relaxed and calm.

 Mt east facing kitchen window sill.

The morning sun makes all the little pitchers shine

A Finch at the Thistle seed sock feeder 

My neighbor's Chinese Chain tree.

The yellow flowers hang in chains

The Red Bellied Woodpecker eating from

the bird feeder because I haven't hung out

his suet.

Red Cardinal.  

Whenever I post a photo of a Cardinal on Face Book,

someone invariably comments, "Oh, Someone you

love has come from Heaven to visit you."

Ah-hh, no, it's just a hungry Cardinal. 

Oh yes, my 457 million Whizzers on the driveway.