For Everything There Is A Season

To clarify--Pearl knew that I had promised to help Dar FIRST, when she asked me to go out with them.  I was hesitant at the time to even slightly agree to go with them..and she knew it was a "maybe I can" sort of thing.  She even said, "Well, if you can, you can and if you can't, you can't"

When I asked Pearl what time they were going to leave, she didn't know--in fact, she wasn't even positive it was going to be last night.  She said, she would call and let me know.  She also knew that I had not been feeling well.  She also knows I really cannot afford to go out to eat.

Then, she just bops in here as they are leaving and expects me to be ready to go...when I didn't even know what time they were going or if they were going?  When she found out that I was still feeling sick, she could have said she understood and quietly left--instead of getting on my case and calling me Miss Crabby.

As for Dar's behavior--well, we all know, that remains a mystery.
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I have felt much better today.  The headache appears to have gone.  My neck is still a bit stiff.  I have an appointment with the Chiropractor tomorrow afternoon, to see if he can help.  I will not get a massage, because that costs $15.00 and Medicare/Insurance won't pay for that.  I will get an adjustment, which is covered.

Today, I spent a good amount of time outside--well, a good amount for me.  I keep trying, but I cannot work for more than half an hour without stopping to sit and rest for 15 minutes.

It wasn't all that long ago, when I could work 4-5 hours outside.  I could get ALL my yard work done in a day's time.  Now---well, it just ticks me off that I have to stop and rest and, even with that, I can't do more than an hour before my legs start to tremble and my hands start to shake.

I try to be thankful that I can do what little I can do.  Before the hip replacement surgeries, I could do nothing!  I couldn't bend over.  I could hardly walk.

Today, I had to lop off the big Zinnia plants--their stems were so thick.  They were seven feet tall , so in order to get them into the yard waste bag, I had to bend over and cut them into three sections.  Then bend over and gather up the piles of raked up waste and put into the bag.

Then, I trimmed off some low growing Rose of Sharon bush branches, Lilac branches, Weigela branches and rake those all up.  I took the bird bath apart, washed it and put it into the shed.

That's all I got done and it took an hour.  The yard waste people came yesterday to pick up one bag and all the bundles of branches my BIL cut off the Privet bushes.  They won't be back for two weeks.  Since I don't want the bags I filled today, sitting around and get wet, I dragged them down to Merle, as he will take them in to the golf course and dump them into their yard waste bins, for me.

He had told me to just set them out by the street and he'd pick them up for me, but.....I didn't want to take a chance that "someone" would think that was too much work for him, so I hauled them down and put them in the back of his pick-up.

Pearl did seem a bit cool to me, but.........................
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I'm glad to see the old guy, across the street, working on his own without his son's direction.  He made his back steps and did a great job!

We are expecting low 30's temperature tonight so most of my annuals will freeze.  That is all right with me.  I am not covering any of them.  It is time.  I am cleaning everything up real nice--making sure that it is in perfect shape, so when spring arrives, everything will be ready for a new growing experiment.

It is the season to put everything to "bed" and snuggle down for the cold and snow ahead of us.  The night's are becoming longer and Mother Nature is telling us it is time to rest.  

I hope tomorrow, I can start on the porch and all my container plants there.  When everything old is put away, then I have 50 spring bulbs to plant and...that should do it.  

Does Anyone Have a Gun I Can Borrow?

Last night, I took a heavy duty pain pill--a nice opiate I have left over from hip surgery, and went to bed at 10:00.  I slept good and woke up feeling quite a bit better.  BUT along about 10:00am, the neck and headache tried to come back.

Monday, Dar told me that she had a day off on Wednesday and she wondered if I'd come over and drain and flush her water heater for her.

"I'll help you,"I said.  "We can work together and then next time, you will know how to do it yourself."

"Oh.  Okay.  I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and I have to get my hair cut, so I will call you when I want you to come over."

"Afternoon would be best for me."

"Okay."

======================
Yesterday, Pearl asked me to go out to supper with them, their daughter, grand daughter and great grand daughter, to celebrate the birthday's of the daughter and grand daughter.  I adore her daughter and grand daughter.

"What time?"  I asked.

"I don't know."

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know that either."
<okay>

"Well, Dar asked me to help her drain her water heater and, if we get done in time and if I feel better, I would love to go with you guys.  Just call and them me know."

"Okay."
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By noon, I was really feeling rough.  I didn't really want to do anything.  The headache is like a migraine, in that any noise or light really makes it hurt worse and makes me nauseous...but I had made a commitment to Dar, so.............

I hadn't heard from either one of them, so after my Soap, I heated up my rice sock, put it behind my neck and kicked back in my recliner to rest.

My front door opened and in walked Pearl...at 5:00.  I had slept three hours!!!!!

"We're getting ready to leave.  Are you ready?"

"I guess I can't go, Pearl.  My head and neck still hurts, I'm kind of sick to my stomach and Dar hasn't called yet for me to go over and help her."

"Come on.  Get up and come with us.  My neck hurts too and I'm going."

"Do you have a headache that any noise or light makes it throb and you feel like you're going to throw up?"

"Well...no."

"I do and I don't really want to go...anywhere."

"Okay, Miss Crabby.  Just stay home."  and she walked out the door.

Oh GEEZ--now I've made her mad

I got up and went potty and took two Advil and back to my chair.  I must have fallen back to sleep because my phone woke me up at 7:00.  It was Dar.


"OH MY GAWD!!  I just realized that I was suppose to call you today and let you know when to come over."

"Yeah."

"I woke up this morning and my back was frozen.  I couldn't even walk!!!  I had to cancel my doctor's appointment."

"Gosh...that's awful."

"I did go get my hair cut---because I HAD to get my hair cut, but................."

"You couldn't walk so you didn't go to the doctor's but...you did manage to get your hair cut?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

"Anyway, Sheila and I went out for dinner and on the way back...I realized that I hadn't called you!"

"Your back must feel better."

"It does.  Do you want to come over now and do the heater?"
  <it's after seven and it is getting dark, NO you dumb broad, I don't want to do it now>

"It's kind of late.  I haven't felt too great today either.  Can we do it another time?"

"Sure.  You don't feel good either?  Good thing we didn't do it."
<yes, but it would have been nice if you'd called and told me that THIS MORNING>

"Okay--talk with you later.  Bye."
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When the maintenance guys leveled off the lawn across the street and brought in top soil, I thought they were going to put in the grass seed.  I was out getting my mail and asked.  My pal Aaron, the head maintenance guy told me, "Not until next spring, Jude."

"We used to sow the seed in the fall, cover it with a thin layer of straw and by spring it was growing," I said.  "Now, they are going to have to contend with all that mud all winter and next spring."

Aaron said, "We have to let the yard settle."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah."

So, when I got up this morning and saw this...I decided I should put in my application to be Maintenance Supervisor!!!

Sowing the grass seed and putting down the straw cover

Later, I worried when I saw the Old Guy out working alone.  He was sawing away.  It tickles me because, his son's don't trust him to do a thing on his own.  Although, he was a carpenter for over 50 years--he can't work with his older son (the park manager) because "all we do is disagree and fight about how things should be done," so his younger son, also a carpenter and he built the deck.  Which, was too high and his older son was the one that crawled under the deck yesterday and cut and shortened the posts!

So--now, Old Guy is working alone?  I wonder what son's are going to say.

...and lookee here--he the made the frame for the  steps and they look like mighty fine steps at that.

Don't you love his saw horses?  A couple of kitchen stools!!!

Oh--about that gun I wanted to borrow?  At first it was for me...but now...maybe a murder suicide? 

It Is Really Noisy!!!

I woke up this morning with an awful headache, stiff neck and my Tinnitus is really loud.

Nothing has improved through the day, except I am dizzy and feel nauseous now.

I was doing a tour of the park and saw Merle and Pearl coming home from the doctor, so when I got home, I ran right up to their house.

The good news:  All tests results are in--there is absolutely nothing medically wrong with Merle!!!
His sleep study test revealed he only woke up once during the night, and that was to go to the bathroom.  He only snored twice, for a few seconds!  Amazing!!

So--why is he so tired?  Why can't he walk as fast as he used too?  Why does he feel punk and his voice is weak?

Is he just too old to work anymore?  He mows grass at the golf course.  Easy job.

Pearl said to him, "I'm done with ya!  You've been milking this all summer.  No excuses anymore!"

If it isn't medical, than it has to be psychological--right?  Depression because he has realized that he can't do everything he used too?    Early dementia?  Nope they did a memory test with him and also a CAT of his brain.  Who knows?  Maybe he just needs a nice, not too strong anti-depressant.  I recommend 20 mg of Celexa.  

I didn't actually mention that, but..................................
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Early morning work began on taking the new deck across the street, down.  Actually, all they did was get under it and cut the post off about 4 inches.  You see, the retired carpenter and his son, an active carpenter, made the deck too high and the front storm door wouldn't open.  HAH!!!

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I got the rest of the front garden cut back and weeded out.  I know, it looks like there is grass in there, but that is my Grape Hyacinth, that comes on, nice and thick after it blooms in the spring and I don't cut it back.

I dug up tons and tons of Rudbeckia--it is soooooooo invasive.  I dug up my pink Coneflower over by the edge of the front porch and put it in the front garden, and took a chunk of Rudbeckia and put it in the Coneflower hole.  My Coneflower hasn't looked very good this summer and I think, it isn't getting enough light.

I planted all my gardens 10 years ago.  Since then, the trees have grown and become larger and more shade is now on the gardens.

It looks so forlorn.  I still have some Tulips and Daffs to put in

here.  Next spring, it will be lovely.

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

It was a nice bright, sunny day, so I decided to drive around the park to see what kind of color is going on with the trees.  Do you want to come along?  Just hop in the passenger's side--I'll give you a guided tour.

Heading north to the main road--Grand River.

The exit--to the right is Brighton 2.5 miles.

To the left is Howell, 2.8 miles

When the traffic cleared, I just did a "U" turn

so we can come in the entrance

Office straight ahead.  Stay to the right, please 

Continuing on--office to the left

One way going in and out

To our right, is an open field.

Sand Cranes love to play here

 Around the circle--to the right, please

This tree is always so unusual in the way it gets it's color

each and every fall 

More color down a side street-- Biscayne Street 

Oh My Gosh!  That's Merle and Pearl's car in front of us!

End of the entrance street.

Pearl and Merle went right, down our street.

Let's you and me turn left and look at the lake

Nice sandy beach off to the left

Fishing boats and Kayaks over to the right

Rich people's homes  across the lake

Across this nice open way, is another part of the park

and an area for people to store their RV's.

I wish my place backed up to this big open area! 

Back up to our corner 

The residents here did the corner, round flower bed.

Nice touch.

Heading west up Lakeview Lane

Nice Burning Bush coming into color --Pearl's neighbor 

Merle and Pearl's.  Yes, it is a "regular" mobile home, which are

no longer allowed in the park.

They got it for free 6 years ago, but had to put new vinyl siding on it.

Dar's off to the left and Jackie's is the blue one.

Tami and Ron--to the right where the red car is

New neighbor's on left where the street ends

Here we are--back home.

It's a really nice park.  Kept up well.  Quiet (except for July 4th), especially back here, away from the traffic on Grand River Road.

BTW--Grand River Road or Historic US-16, as it once was known,  goes all the way across the State.  To the East--it ends in Detroit.  To the West--in Muskegon..  Of course, there is expressway I-96 that runs (more or less) parallel, but sometimes, I find it fun to get on Grand River and travel up toward Lansing and go through all the little towns and farm land along the way.

Here's a neat link about it.  Grand River Road

I love Monday's!

Ah...yes...popcorn and milk.  You have to be "born" into it or you probably wouldn't like it.  I have a picture of my great great grandparents, sitting around the old wood stove, eating bowls of popcorn and milk.  It was always our Sunday night supper.

Microwave popcorn does not lend itself very well, to this treat.  You need popcorn that has been popped using a big old pan on top of the stove, or one of those poppers used in the fire place.  It pops really nice with no hulls or hard kernels.

It is not at all like cereal--other than we ate it from cereal bowls.  It has salt and butter on it.  Nice and crunchy and the combo of salt and milk--yummy!!  You gobble it down so fast it hardly has time to get soggy.  Then you fill up your bowl with more.

You are usually introduced to this treat at the age of one.  No need to worry about a little one chocking on it as it is moist.

I am proud to say we are now on our 6th generation as my grandkids all love it too.  I always thought it was a German thing.  None of you have ever had it?
======================

I have loved Monday's for years and years and years.

When I was a school kid--living out on the farm with no close neighborhood kids to play with, weekends could get quite boring.  I loved Monday's because it meant I could go back to school and see all my friends.

When I was married, Monday's meant the hubs went back to work, the kids went to school and I had peace and quiet in the house.

After my divorce and when I got a job, weekends were lonely and boring.  Monday's meant I could go back into the office and see all my friends there.

Now--weekends around here are boring and lonely.  Usually on Monday, activity picks up.  Also, it feels like a whole new, clean and sparkling week has arrived and I can get started on projects.

Today--Monday--across the street:

taking back the temporary front steps

The inspector arrived.  He looked at everything, under the deck,

 at the deck, walked on top of the deck and left.

I guess we are A. OK.

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Surprises starting happening around here about 1:00.  Got a call from my sister--Chuck had things to return to Lowe's.  They were coming here afterwards so Chuck could cut the dead branches out of my Privet bushes.

They looked nice enough last September.

Not so nice this summer 

Most of this is young Maple or Rose of Sharon suckers

Chuck got busy and CAREFULLY, ONLY, cut out the dead branches.

 These two do have growth at the bottom

 This one, not so much

 This sad one under my bedroom window.  One little sprig, down by the ground.

 Chuck says, "They will come back.  Just hope live long enough to see it."  ha

The Fur Kids are sure going to miss, sitting on the window ledge in living room and bedroom and gazing at all the birds that used to nest and live in these bushes.  I am going to miss the one outside the bedroom window that I always felt lent me a bit of privacy.

It is nice, in that, all the old/big/dead branches are gone and now, as the bushes grow, I can just trim off the tops, with the hedge trimmers, and keep them neat and tidy.  I do like, neat and tidy!!

Neighbor Tami mentioned on FB that, "your yard looks so empty," to which I so wanted to comment, "at least it isn't cluttered with junk like yours," but of course I didn't say that.

<you know--I have come to the conclusion that I really am NOT a nice person.  Outwardly--ah yes.  But the things, in my head, I think of saying or doing--a whole different nasty woman!>

Chuck then helped me get the 2x4's laid out on the shed floor and he put all the heavy boxes back for me. I could have done it myself, but....I just stood there and sang, "It's so nice to have a man around the yard....."

A bit of weirdness about the 2x4's.  I posted that Merle had seen the shed floor and I told him that my BIL was bringing down some 2x4's to put over the rotted out places.

Unbeknownst to me, Merle hauled over four 2x4's and put them in my shed--On the floor--over the rotted out spots.  Apparently he did this on Saturday while I was inside.  He called to tell me about it on Sunday.  Hm-mm.  

"Thank you so much, but...don't you need them?  Chuck has some left from their building he was going to bring."

"Nope.  Had them stored under the trailer.  Don't need them.  Knew you did."

"Okay.  Thanks."

I strolled up to their place tonight at 6:30, to take a book to Pearl and I told them that Chuck and Susan had been out and cut back the bushes.

Pearl:  "We know.  Could hear that chain saw all over the neighborhood!  What a racket!"

Merle:  "Yup.  Kept me from taking my nap."

Judy:  "Thanks again for the 2x4's.  Chuck put them down and put back all the boxes.  I think it's going to work great."

Pearl:  "What 2x4's are you talking about?"

Judy:  "The ones Merle brought down and put in the shed."

Pearl turns to Merle:  "When did you do that?  and, why didn't you tell ME?"

Merle says nothing and just smiles.

I got that creepy feeling again, so I jumped in with, "Pearl, you knew my floor in the shed was rotted out.  I told you, right."

Pearl:  "Yes.  Your brother-in-law was bringing down some 2x4's to put in there."

Then she turns to Merle, who has buried his face in the newspaper, "How did you know the shed floor was rotted out?"

Merle:  "You musta told me."

...and I quickly turned the conversation to the Detroit Tigers losing out in the playoffs!!

She complains that Merle is so tired that he can't do very much--won't even help her make the bed or vacuum the living room anymore, but...he is hauling FOUR 2x4's down to my shed?

Yes--I know.  He is a nice, caring guy, but............

I am not liking this circus event!