It's Done!

Today's high temperature was:  70 degrees

Perfect

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Answers to comments:

Jean--I checked with the probate court in Genesee County (Flint), where the Will would have to be probated.  It had not been entered as of last month.  The clerk also told me that if everything was in Trust, the Will might not have to be probated.  If it IS--it is open for public viewing.  In the case of my Dad's Will, everyone listed as a beneficiary, got a copy of the Will.  What makes us uneasy is that Susan and I were told by our Dad that two of his investment accounts were in our name, but when he died, all were in Helen's name.  Some, signed with his name, suspiciously did not look like his signature--they had a backward slant.  She is left handed.  Then my grand daughter saw Helen, two days before the funeral, shredding a lot of papers.  We have known this woman all our lives, as they were next door neighbors and we all grew up and took family vacations together.  Even though she caused a lot of trouble between our family members, after she and Dad married, we just can't believe she would lie to us.

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Ernestine--my father had a two million dollar estate.  Much of it was land, which thankfully remains in the family, but a million was invested in varying accounts.  He was the only child--so he received all of the land and money from four generations--150 years.  It hurts to think that my family's hard work and heritage is going to someone else-- just about makes me physically sick.
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Jeanette--I have never confronted anyone or anything in my life--that is what has caused me a lot of problems--just not saying anything and waiting for good to come out of it--which is rarely does.  It is his mother-in-law, and I never would say a bad thing about her to them.  If she did lie, my statement to him of, "Then why would she tell us that?" would let him know she lied to us.

There are people who everyone in the community thinks is wonderful and yet they treat their own family like crap.  Look at Bing Crosby--everyone in the world thought he was wonderful.  Then you hear about the way he abused his kids and you just can't put the two personalities together.  Everyone in our community thought my Dad and Step-Mother were the epitome of fairness and goodness--and they were!  To everyone except family!   No one would believe us if we told the truth about them.  And it would destroy a lot of people's remembrances and feelings about them, so we won't say a word--to anyone else.
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Balisha--feets up!!

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Grandma K--my sister and I used to say that.  "Wow--there really is something true about those fairy tales and the wicked step mother!"  Just glad we didn't have to live with her!

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Thanks Sally.  You be careful working too.
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I will put the treads on the steps tomorrow.

A Good "Fall" Day!

Today's high temperature was: 67 degrees

Sunny and gorgeous!

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You guessed it, Julie.  The Leap of Faith.

I sent off a small, breezy note to my step-brother-in-law.  I didn't accuse anyone.  I just acted like we knew we had trusts coming from the step-mother and wondered when we might see them.  It has been six months.

Do you think this note is all right?

Hi Alan,

I am assuming that you are the executor of Helen’s estate.  We hadn’t heard anything and wondered if her Will had been probated or when we would have the paperwork transferred to us of the two trust funds. 

If you could let me know, I would appreciate it.

Thanks~~ Jude

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I am assuming he will call--have waited for the call all day--have been outside to avoid the call--because I am very nervous.  If he says, I don't know about any trust funds, I will just calmly explain to him that Helen told Susan and I that we would get the rest of our Dad's estate and she said she had put them into trusts.

I KNOW she didn't!  I KNOW she lied to us.  I KNOW she stole 2/3's of our Dad's estate that was suppose to come to my sister and I.  I KNOW it, but I am not going to let the steps get away with pretending everything is fine.  

I won't accuse.  When he tells me there are no trusts, I will be quiet for 2 or 3 heart beats and then say, "I don't know what to say.  I am stunned," or something like that.  I won't call her a liar, I will say something like, "Why would she tell us that?"

I will be very cordial and nice and then, my last sentence will be, "You are a damn Liberal.  You are always wanting to help the poor and take from the rich.  Well--I'm poor and you're rich so send me my money!!!"

Only kidding!!!  

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It was foggy and cold this morning, so I went into town before finishing up on the porch.

I planned all my stops, so that I wouldn't have to turn left on the busy streets.  Headed east and stopped to get my car wash on $1.00 off Wednesday, then on up east to the Rich People's store for some salads and CAKE and milk.  Then stopped at the ACE hardware to find a filter for the air purifier--they had none.  So headed back west and stopped at Meijers, to pick up the filter, and got the cutest zip up with pockets, fleece-like jacket--$14.00 and it looks real cute and slim on me.  Then I stopped at JoAnn's for some baby soft yarn to make a baby afghan for my chiropractor's receptionist, she's having a girl,  and then on, back home.

I got home, just before my soap started and then afterwards, got out on the porch.  I got the second coat of grey on the floor and steps.  I noticed a few spots on the spindles where I had hit the white with grey and decided to touch them up, BUT, I had to wait for the grey to dry.  

I had two large holes in the white risers, where the knots had fallen out, so I put some white duct tape over them and gave the risers a third coat and touched up the spindles and the railings again.

I was done with the last riser and went to step back and the plastic chair from the porch was right behind me.  It hit the back of my knees and I sat down hard.  Then the dang thing rocked backwards and we both crashed down on the cement driveway.  The chair broke in two.

I lay there for a few moments, paint brush still in hand.  As I was going down, I held it up in the air so I wouldn't lose it and have it fly  up and then land on my car on the way down.

Both my hips were still in their sockets, I hadn't hit the back of my head, blood was pouring down my arm from where the cement and my left elbow had met--I had a terrible gash.

Figuring that nothing was broken--I lay for a couple more seconds, trying to figure out how I was going to get up off the ground.  

I rolled and scooted over to the back of my car, then sat up, but how was I going to boost myself up to a standing position?  I can't get up off the floor, let alone the ground.

I finally took a change and got on my knees--YEEOUCH!  Grabbed on the top of the trunk and put my right foot down on the ground--my oldest and best hip, and hoisted myself up.  Took at look at my gashed elbow, and headed for the back door.  As I walked past the garbage pail, I threw the paint brush in!

Put some Neosporin on my bleeding elbow and two bandages and then into the living room to sit in my chair and figure out if I was hurt anywhere else.

All appears to be good.  My tailbone, back, left shoulder and neck hurt.  Probably undid all the good the chiropractor has done for me in the last month!!!  But nothing broken.

I am lucky.  When the chair split, there was a sharp edge that could have pierced me.  Whew!  I was very lucky.

So the sealant will cure over the next couple of good weather days, and then I will put on the stair treads and the motion detector stair lights and it all will be good to go.

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An hour later, Pammie called and said, "Momma, I just wanted you to know that I finished staining my deck about an hour ago!"

"Me too!"

"Oh my gosh.  We finished at the same time on the same day."

"Yeah we did, Honey.  And it only took three weeks AND, your deck is three times the size of mine, so...you are the winner!"

Then I told her about my fall and she had a laugh--then said she was sorry, BUT "WE ARE DONE, MOMMA!  and we don't have to do it again for a long time."

"I'm NEVER going to do it again," I told her.

Then she said, "I dumped all my paint stuff, along with my spattered clothes in the garbage pail.  I kept the paint.  I used almost five gallons."

"I dumped all my paint stuff in the garbage pail too, except the roller frames, the roller tray, one plastic tray liner.  I will put all that back in the box that used to hold my paint tools that I gave away because I was never going to paint again.  I used less then two gallons and have about half left which I will store in the inside closet to keep it good--just in case I need to do the railing again.  I am NEVER going to paint those spindles again!!"

"Me either!" she exclaimed.


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I will post pictures tomorrow.  I will also keep you up to date on the Leap of Faith.  They may not have received the note.  Probably up at their summer home, renovating it with the money they got from their mother, that was my Dad's and mine and Susan's.  

GR-RR!!

A Really Good Day!

Today's high Temperature was: 67 degrees

Sunny and nice

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Because Jean asked.  This is the baby quilt I have just started on.  They come in a kit, with pattern and color chart and floss.  The quilt is all made and the design is stamped on the front of it.  Reading from a chart, I cross stitch in the appropriate colors.  I keep the stitches between the quilt front and the backing--so no stitches show on the back.

This is what it will look like when it is all done.  They sell for around $40 dollars, I just happened to get this one at the Salvation Army for $2.99!!!  I have to have something to do with my hands, while watching TV, so this, and a crochet project are always near me..................

.....stored out of sight, in this wooden box next to my chair.

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A week ago Monday, the tree across the street looked like this

Today, it looks like this.....

...and this

I got the first coat of grey on the porch floor and steps!!!  I do believe, I will finish the arduous job tomorrow!  I really like it!

This evening, I ran up to Howell to pick up some KFC for supper.  I haven't had any in years.  I got a piece of breast meat, a cup of cole slaw (theirs is the best!) and two biscuits.  $5.61--not bad and it actually tasted good.

Then I watched my Detroit Tigers win one against the Oakland A's. Thursday we go to the tie-breaker.  If Detroit loses, we are all done with baseball.  Every year, they get into the play-offs and every darn year they lose and don't make it to the Series.  We shall see.

I took a leap of faith today--we shall see how it turns out.  Either it will be well received or, I will be the black sheep of the family.  YIKES!

Later--Jude

An Icky Day

The high temperature today was: 55 degrees

Rainy-windy.  Sunny-windy.
Cool, but warming coming tomorrow

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What did I do all weekend.  Well--not much, LOL.  It had rained pretty hard Saturday morning, so I knew I could work on the porch.  It must be nice and dry. So............

Saturday, there were to back-to-back football games on.  MSU won and U of M won.  Then I watched the Detroit Tigers--late, as they were playing out in CA.

I did this during the first game--

The filling of the pill boxes ceremony

This is the box I store all my prescriptions and supplements in.

All filled for the next 13 days.

The box I keep them in.

I finished this during the second game.

It is now in the storage box for the future great grandchildren.

Pammie called me and we chatted for an hour.  

Then--at 9:00, a terrific pain hit me in the left side of my back--just above my waist and below my ribs.  Then it seemed to come around to the left side of my abdomen.  I thought it was because I had sat all day and put strain on that part of my back.  But then, it also felt like a kidney problem--I have kidney gravel or it may have been an intestinal thing.

When you were little, did your Mother ask you everyday, "Did you have a BM?"  My Mother did and it embarrassed me so much.  Sometimes I lied and said yes, because if I had "No", after two days the bottle of Milk of Magnesia came out and I got a tablespoon of it.  Did you ever have to take that stuff?  Oh my, it gagged me and sometimes I threw up.  I'd be backed in the corner, yelling, "No! No!", but she'd get it down me.  

Then, when I was in the hospital and rehab, after my hip surgeries, the nurse would ask me the same thing.  It embarrassed me then too and I'd lie and say, "Yes."  I had my own laxative hidden in my purse and when I thought I needed it, I took it.  I wasn't about to take their Colace every day!!!

Well, I thought perhaps that was my problem this time.

I woke up Sunday morning, real early so I could get ready for church and the pain was there, still as intense.  So--what to do.  I drank a glass of prune juice.  I took a kidney gravel dissolve capsule and I took an anti-inflammatory and went back to bed.  When I woke up at 2:00 in the afternoon, the pain seemed a bit less.  I drank another glass of prune juice and rubbed some of the Absorbine horse liniment (that Fred swore by) on my back.

I felt icky all day Sunday and mostly sat around and watched golf all afternoon.

We had rain all day Sunday.

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This morning, I awoke around 8:00 and the pain had lessened.  The sun was shining, but within an hour, it was raining again.  I guess we will have rain today and tomorrow, so I am not worrying about working on the porch until Wednesday.

I took another kidney pill and drank a glass of Miralax--as nothing was moving in the intestinal department.  BOY--when this all works, I will be glad I am close to home, LOL.

I canceled my appointment at the chiropractor because the thought of a massage, turned me off.  The girl that does it is a "strong" massager and it hurts, so I knew today, it would be unbearable.

More liniment on the sore spot and an anti-inflammatory--it feels more like a strained muscle now.  We shall see.

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Pearl came down tonight to let me know that her daughter got an approval to buy a home and live here in the park.  She has a beautiful, double wide, over by the lake, with a wrap-around deck and a big back yard, overlooking the lake and the woods.  I am so glad for her.  She has had a rough life and it is finally smoothing out.

These are my two kids.  They were napping together on the floor.  Each had one arm around the other's neck.  Then Maggie woke up and started grooming Buddy.  He decided to walk away and she grabbed at him, so he jumped on her and they tussled for a while.  Never a dull moment with these two around.

He finally got away from her and went into the litter box.  Maggie hid over by the couch and when Buddy came out of the computer room, she leaped on his back.  He jumped straight up into the air and took off and she chased him all the way down the hall to the bedroom.  Then they came tearing back up the hall, straight through the living room and into the computer room.

What a pair!  I am so glad I have them.

What To Do

Today's high temperature was: 78 degrees

Sort of humid

Cloudy/sunny/cloudy

Thunderstorm came through around 8:00 p.m.

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Rain was predicted in the a.m. today--it did not come.  I checked the radar and it looked like it would get here around 2:30--it did not come.

What to do?  Should I paint or not?  I finally went out and painted the risers their second coat of white.  Then I went all around and touched up any places I thought needed more white.  I am sure I am NOT going to like white risers, as people are going to bump them with the toes of their shoes.  If all this white was plastic, it would be just a matter of cleaning it off, but.................................I still wish I had used a good, hard finish paint, instead of a stain.

I went back out at 2:00, because the sun was out, and sanded part of the floor.  Then I painted the edge of the floor grey--I think I am going to like the grey color.  I painted one board, just so I could see how it looked when it dried, and then my back was screaming from bending over to do the risers and the deck edge, so I sealed everything up and am going to wait.  

It is so humid today, but a cold front coming through later and then next week, it is only going to be in the '60's.  This time of year, in Michigan, you just never know what kind of weather you are going to get each day--in fact, it can change DURING the day.  Such fun.

I came inside and spent the afternoon washing and cleaning all my colored glass things that sit out.  Nice and shiny and the shelves they sit on, nice and dusted and washed down.

I kept looking out at the weather and the porch--such a yearning to get out there and get really started on the floor, but my back said, "NO" and if it is going to rain, I don't want the floor to get wet.  It takes at least 24 hours for the stain to get nice and set up.

Homecoming today at my hometown school.  I was singing the school song this morning and it hit me.  I may not remember what I ate for supper last night, but, I remember all the words to the school song and I've been gone from high school for 56 years.  Weird, isn't it?  What we do and do not remember.

I haven't been to a school function there, since Jennifer graduated, 24 years ago. She was Valedictorian.  She was also the homecoming queen her senior year.

 Karen was homecoming queen and Valedictorian 10 years before.

At the time, little Jennifer was the flower girl-at 7 years old.

I made Karen and Jen's dresses--pink velvet, with the lace topper.

I knew how to sew back then, LOL.

I was on the homecoming court, the second year they had it--way back in 1955--October 22, actually.  Back then, you didn't have to be a senior to be the queen.  The teacher's picked the queen, based on her academic skills and grades--so I had not a chance of being queen.  Some 15 years later, my little sister was on the homecoming court also.

I remember the night I was on the court, so well--I can close my eyes and see all that happened.  Afterwards, Gary and I had a date, having only been dating for a month--he a Junior, me a Sophomore.  I waited for him to come out of the locker rooms, after he cleaned up from the game and we got in the car to go to the dance.

He said, "You may not have been chosen queen, but you will always be my princess."  I didn't know what to say.  Quite a speech from a very quiet, big athlete to say--especially back in those ancient days.  I will never forget that or our first date, or our lives together.  Too bad he didn't continue to feel that same way over the years.

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Oh let's be honest here--if I were still married to him, I would be stark staring crazy and bored out of my skull!!!!

We'd probably still be living in the farm house.  No repairs made on it over the years, because he wouldn't let go of a cent of HIS money.  We would winter in Florida from October until April--being away from the kids at Christmas Time, so that he could play his golf--yawn!  He probably would still be drinking and there would be fights.  I would still not be allowed to have taken a job, gone back to college--nothing that would make me independent.  NEVER!!  That was all made very clear over the 27 years we were together.   I would have to drive everywhere, because he can't anymore.  I would still be doing all the work, inside and out, because---well--he just doesn't do that sort of thing.  I seriously doubt he knows how to cook or anything--according to his second wife--he does NOTHING.  And of course, anything I did, he'd be there looking over my shoulder and telling me I was doing it wrong!

Sure, I get nostalgic at times, and sure, I'd like the security of the GM retiree's pension--no worries about money, but I wouldn't be allowed to spend any of it and I dare say, even MY OWN Social Security would be put in HIS account.  NOPE--better this way.

Regrets that our marriage ended, that it was so bad we couldn't revive it, but no regrets that it did end.  I am very proud of myself actually, that I didn't stay in an emotional and sometimes physically abusive marriage just for the security--just for the money.  Like a few of my friends told me I should--those friends, still married to men that have become worse over the years.  I've gone to the 50th anniversary party, where the husband and wife were never together through the whole thing.  They can barely tolerate each other, but.....their kids gave them the nice party. 

Sad.

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Later--Jude

  

Progress

Today's high temperature: 78 degrees

NO RAIN!!

Sunny, nice breeze

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Wind from the South today, so I had to listen to the Interstate noise.

I am very sensitive to noise.  With Tinnitus in my ears 24/7, I don't need any added noise.

Painting--that's all I'm doing.

Tomorrow, I will start on the steps.  YAY  Gotta sand first and make sure there is no loose splinters and no mold.  I stood on my head to get the lower risers on the steps, painted white, but--got it!!

It's looking good.  I can't wait to show you pictures, when it's done.

Later---Jude

P.S.  Glad you found your slippers, Jean.  On top of a filing cabinet?  Seemed like a good place at the time, right?  Me thinks we are all declining and our memories are shot!!! My slippers still remain vanished.  LOL

Almost

Today's high temperature was:  76 degrees

Sunny, soft breeze, comfortable--beautiful!

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Ah-hh.  October in Michigan...how beautiful it is.

The tree across the street gets more color every day

I got out to the porch at ten this morning and painted until noon.  Then, back out at two and painted until four-thirty.  Everything that is suppose to be painted white, is painted white.  Two coats on it all--except the railings and posts by the steps--they have one coat on.  

It was a beautiful morning.  The wind was coming in from the west, so I didn't hear the continual roar of the Interstate.  The birds came to the feeder and chirped around a bit and the wind chimes, hanging over head, tuned to the notes in Pachelbel's Canon in D, made a nice backdrop of soft music.

I think it is going to be a drippy day tomorrow, so I will use that time to go back to Lowe's for another brush and to Wal-Mart for some Diet Pepsi and pick up a prescription.

Apparently the exercise is good for me as my shoulders and arms aren't near as tired as the first day I started and my calves aren't getting those nasty cramps in them I had a few weeks ago.  I am generally, all over tired, but I recover quite quickly with some rest, sitting in the recliner for half an hour.  However,my bottom really hurts--from sitting on the hard steps to paint, I suppose.

I have sanded all the wood first, so the railing by the steps, is nice and smooth.  I want to paint the risers on the steps white, but I haven't a clue as to how I am going to get down low enough to see and paint that bottom one.  That will come the next opportunity I get to paint.  Should be interesting.

No painting this Saturday as I just found out, Michigan State football starts at noon and University of Michigan football starts at three.  I shall have a favorite day--sitting and watching back-to-back college football games.  Last Saturday, they both had "byes", so they didn't play--I almost went into withdrawal, LOL.
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I am not paying any attention to what is going on out there in Washington D.C. because, I truly don't give a rat's patootie.  Both sides actually seem to delight in fighting.  He won't give an inch, so they won't give.  They present a plan and he sticks out his tongue at them.  He presents a plan and they thumb their noses at him.  It's not his fault, it's their fault.  It is not their fault, it is his fault.  It is all rather second gradeish in my opinion.  Too bad we aren't back in the day where Harry Reid and John Boehner could just get together and have a duel.  Meantime, they are getting their pay, while people who have planned trips to D.C. or the National Parks are having their vacations ruined.  IDIOTS!!  All of them!

I got an envelope from the RNC, wanting my opinion on some planks in their platform and of course, a donation to The Cause.  I gave them my opinion and then I wrote them a small note and said, "I am a life long Republican.  A moderate.  I would send in a contribution, if I thought you were still the Grand Old Party of my youth, but since,  you seem to want to kill that notion with promoting the Tea Party, not only will I not contribute, but if one of them is nominated, you can take my name off the rolls of the Party."

I dislike every Tea Party candidate I have seen!  They are way too radical for me--so far off to the Right, I can't see them.  That is why I have never been a Democrat--they are so far off to the Left, I can't see them.  They always seemed the radicals to me--now the Tea Party is becoming the same way.  There are no moderate, sane candidates that I know of.  Nancy Pelosi is just about the weirdest person I have ever listened to and Ted Cruz is the same.  

There has only been one time in my life I didn't vote for a Presidential candidate--back in 1964.  Goldwater scared me--he wanted to go into Viet Nam with more troops and I couldn't vote for that.  Johnson, on the other hand, said he wouldn't send any more "boys" over there, but he was such a weird duck, I couldn't vote for him.  Of course we all know, he lied like a skunk and increased our troops in Nam, only to have a huge failure.  

We shall see what 2016 brings--if I am still alive.  It may be another election that I don't put my "X" in the box for either person.  Instead of getting a bumper sticker that says, "Don't blame me, I didn't vote for him."  I will get one that says, "Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either one."  HAH!

Ever forward!