Mundane Monday

Today, I am so grateful for mostly sunny and 68 degrees.

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Sally, yes I watched the game between Michigan STATE and Maryland--exciting.  As was the title game on Sunday,, but we lost to Wisconsin in Over Time, which is okay because I also like Wisconsin and we weren't even supposed to come close to beating them..

Now--I have to give you a gentle lesson--when speaking of Michigan State you do not call them just "Michigan".  Michigan is that other university south-east of here that we Michigan State fans hate. :-)  Kind of like the difference between Florida State and Florida.  Got it?
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Marla & Judi--Wish I had purchased a few shares of Amazon stock  when it first went public.  By the amount of things I purchase from them, and the huge stock increase, we'd both be rich!!!!!
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Jean & J.B.--I thought of using a screwdriver, but the letter opener was nearby--and yes, one of the clips flew off and just missed my forehead--I had my glasses on.  J.B.--it is part of the beach cottage thing I have tried to incorporate in this Michigan wee home.  I have quite a bit of bead board also, and painted furniture and a couple of oil paintings from the Outer Banks of NC.
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Jan--thanks.  I wish now it was twice the size. :-)
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Laundry today and a bit of clean up.  It is not advisable to walk out on the lawn and back to look in the shed in only your slip-on low moccasins.  The ground may be free of snow, but very, very soggy.

Dar came over for a half-hour at 4:00--she left at 6:00.  As usual, it was all about her.  I asked her to look at my new picture, she glanced that way, but did not comment.  She keeps telling me how alike we are.  Lordy--Lordy, I sure hope not!!!

And the highlight of my day:

Skippy Chippy came out of hibernation to start the clean-up under the bird feeders.

Isn't he precious?

Satisfaction

I have a beautiful photo I purchased.  I wanted it matted and framed.

Michael's wanted $100.00 to do it for me, BUT, they didn't have the narrow silver metal frame I wanted.

JoAnn's was a bust too.

So--I ordered a double mat from Matboard.com--they are located in New Mexico and even called me to make sure they had the dimensions correct.  Great customer service.

Got the mat--loved it.

Looked all over this area, no 12 x 16" narrow, silver metal frame.  So--ordered a perfect one from Amazon.  It arrived--perfect.  However the hanging wire that was supposed to be included was missing AND I could not figure out how to get the sawtooth spring clips off the back of the frame.  The instruction book, that was supposed to be included, also missing.

Pretty simple.  Right?  Push down on the spring clip and slide toward the center of the backing.  Unfortunately, I have no strength in my thumbs--or, if I managed to get it pushed down, I could not slide it out at the same time.

I jumped on-line with Amazon Customer Service and explained about the missing parts and how to get the clips out.

I got this message back from them.

"Hello, I'm sorry to know about the problem you've with the "Timeless Frames Metal Wall Photo Frame, 12 by 16-Inch, Silver". That's something we don't want our customers to experience. I've forwarded this issue to the appropriate department in the company. Each report they receive is investigated and the appropriate action is taken. We take this kind of information very seriously as it is valuable to us so that we can make sure this doesn't happen again. Given the situation, I'm not sure how you'd like me to proceed, so I'd like to offer the following options for you: 1. If you're interested in keeping the item, I'd like to offer you a partial refund of $6.79 which is 40% off the item price or; 2. If you want we can replace the entire item with upgraded One Day Shipping at no additional cost or; 3. If you want you can return the item for free and get a full refund. Please visit the following link to provide the information we requested:" I responded that I thought $6.75 was too much of a refund just for the hanging wire and that I didn't want to return the item and thanked them. An hour later, I got this message from them: Hello, Thank you for letting us know that you want to keep this item for a refund. In this case, there's no need to return the item for us to issue a refund. You're welcome to keep, donate or dispose of it--whichever option is most appropriate and convenient for you. I've requested a refund for $24.74, which includes the cost of the item and any shipping costs. You'll see the refund within the next 2-3 business days. Once processed, you'll also be able to see the refund here" So, I got the entire price of the frame plus shipping credited back to my Debit card.  WOW-- ================================================= : Now all I had to do was figure out how to get those clips off the frame so I could get the backing off. Got the letter opener.  Stuck the tip at the outer edge of the spring clip, nearest the backing, pushed down on the clip as hard as I could and pressed the tip of the letter opener against the frame and push/slid it out. I had to stop every second clip to rest my thumbs, but I "got 'er done"! I am very happy with my little vignette.

Happy

Today, I am grateful that Tulip noses are poking through the cold, damp soil where some snow has melted.

Yes, Virginia, there will be spring!

Okay--I want to apologize for that last post when the words were banded with White.  I tried everything to go back and change it, but I guess I don't have enough knowledge to figure it out.  I did manage to get Feedjit back on my side-bar, although it took me five times.  Wasn't I just bragging the other day about my computer expertise?  PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL!!
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Very quiet today.  I have spent an inordinate time watching the Big Ten Basketball Tournament on TV.  Crocheting slippers and puttzing around.

A photo of my "healthy" lunch:

I saw healthy because I had meat, grain, dairy and veggies.  HAH!!  I do love Summer Sausage, cheese and cracker sandwiches.


TBT:  My wonderful parents by marriage, Paul and Arlene Miller and my kids

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Wacky Day

Today, I am so very grateful for beautiful spring weather and a new crown.

I got rid of Feedjit--did you notice.  East Orange, New Jersey was driving me nutz!  You cannot convince me that IT was a real person--not with it being on several blogs--open at the EXACT SAME TIME.  On mine for 2 secs and on another's at 3 secs, and another's at 6 secs?  That is just impossible!  I cannot be on your blog and another's blog at the same time.  So--I removed it from my side-bar--such power I have.  I will either find another thingie like it or I will put it back on--later.

I had spring fever today!!  It just jumped up and grabbed me and I was smiling all day and totally twitterpated!  The snow is gone from part of my front garden and little Tulip noses are through the ground!!

I drove up to Howell and got my permanent crown glued on.  It is so pretty white--two of them right in a row.  One of these days, I am going to eat popcorn and just crunch the heck out of it--three crowns above these two bottom ones, so I have no fear of breaking a tooth!!!!!  I am practically royal!!  Actually, my teeth are probably the most expensive thing I own!  LOL

Reminds me of Fred.  He had all his teeth pulled and brand new dentures--6 months before he died.  At least he went to Heaven with a gorgeous set of chompers!!  Actually, the mortician asked me if I wanted the dentures.  I looked at him like he was nutz!  I continued to pay for them for 3 more years.  I should have taken them and tried to return them and see if I could have gotten part of the $$$ back? (You do know I have humour noir when it comes to funerals and that sort of thing, right?)

I stopped at the tire store and had them check the pressure and air up my tires. I told the kid, it was spring and time to get into some drag racing, so I needed to make sure the "rubber met the road." He looked at and said, "I wouldn't put it past ya." and he doesn't even know me--and realize that what I said is true. or was true. or still could be true, depending on my mood.

Then I stopped at Wally World to pick up some Diet Pepsi and got a bit astray. PEEPS--two boxes of the wonderfully sweet, marshmallow chicks. Do you know they make green Peeps? YUCK! It has to be yellow chicks and white rabbits--I am into realism! (No--I'm not!)

4:00--Came home, carried in the groceries and sat down--Dar walked in. Egads and little fish hooks!!

"Why are there bags of groceries all over. There is no place to sit," she said and then laughed her horsey, Three Stooges kind of laugh.

"I just got home. You wanna sit down, put away the groceries."

and she did! HAH

Well-she was on hyper-manic mode and just had to tell me that she has had an epiphany and, she doesn't want to be anywhere near her children, so....she is going to move to Arizona!!

"That's a great idea!" I said. "You will love living in a warm all year climate!"

She went on and told me how her plan is going to come to fruition and yak a yak a yak-----then Pearl walked in.

Pearl hasn't been able to walk down here for five months! I was so glad to see her. She sat and we both listened to Dar's Dissertation--I was hoping there wouldn't be questions later because I was having a hard time understanding, then finally she said, "Oh I just keep jumping from topic to topic!"

Pearl: "I noticed that. I wasn't quite able to keep up with you and I thought it is just because my brain is slow today."

Dar: "No--I'm just all excited today. Jesus told me last night what I'm supposed to do and, because He told me, I know it is what I am supposed to do."

"That's so great." I said.

Pearl: "What did the Lord tell you?"

Dar: "I'm selling the house and moving to Arizona--hopefully this coming fall!"

Pearl: "I thought your daughter owned the house."

Dar: "Her name is on the title, but I am seeing an attorney this week and we are going to figure out how to get her off it and....."

Pearl: "That is going to cost you a pretty penny."

Dar: "Not with my connections!"  
<Three Stooges nuck, nuck laugh.>

She finally left at 6:00.

Pearl: "Lordy! That woman--everything in life is all about her, isn't it?"

I nod.

Pearl: "When I came in, I almost turned around and left! She didn't even ask how I'd had been--nothing."

"She wasn't over here to inquire on anyone else's life. She wasn't here to converse. She was just here to tell me her news, so...I just basically sat here and listened."

Pearl and I had a nice chat and since I didn't have to put away my groceries (LOL), I wasn't in any hurry. At 7:00 I realized what time it was and that I hadn't eaten a thing all day.

Just about then it was starting to get dim outside, so Pearl toddled back home--using her walker so she can walk pretty good. I stood out in my driveway and watched until she got home, up her drive and into her house okay.

I had warmed up Goulash for supper--nom, nom.

Our Dear Friend, Balisha.

...and our sweet blog sister Balisha/Patricia is gone.   Simply Balisha--a nickname her husband Joe had given her, when first they met, because Balisha rhymed with Patricia.  She found such joy in the simple things.  Her beautiful gardens--who will tend them now?  Her poetry--she was so good with words.  Her plants waiting for spring in the sunny window in her basement.  Her older friend Elizabeth that she used to visit.  

Sitting quietly in her chair, on the back of their property, by the gardens she had planted there in the woods line.  She was a healthy as can be and then---BOOM!  It happens that way, it seems.  We are going along, feeling good, enjoying life and the next day, the dreadful diagnosis.

...and with Ovarian cancer, by the time the diagnosis is given, it is way to late to cure it.

Perhaps because my best friend ever died of this same wretched disease, I was stunned when I first read Balisha's post about her diagnosis.  I felt that cold knot in my stomach.  I knew--and I was swept up in such sadness.  Real sadness and grief for this beautiful woman I had never met.  

This blog-o-sphere thing we have going on is amazing and wonderful--at least to me.  I become quite close in feeling to many of the women whose blogs I read.  So often, when they are sick or sad, I think, "If I could, I would get in my car and drive to their home."  It is possible to do that, but impossible for me.  Wouldn't it be wonderful--arrive at their home, knock on the door and when they opened it just say, "Hi.  I'm Judy!"

We could sit and talk, they drinking their cup of tea, me sipping on my Diet Pepsi.  Then a few hours later, it would be time for me to leave and I'd hug them so tight and whisper, "I love you" and come on back home.

I wish I had the power of Captain Kirk's transporter!!!

Now Balisha is gone.  The space she took up in the field of atoms that surrounded her, will fill in.  The earth will not stop spinning, life will not stop.  It doesn't seem right to me.  Everything should just completely stop--at least for a few minutes--to honor this lovely woman.

I know when I tend my gardens or plant and watch grow the Purple Hyacinth seeds she sent me, I will think of her.  As long as there is one person left in this world who remembers her, she will exist--in our minds at least. 

Yes--Great Day

Today I am so grateful for a daughter who called me and invited me out to supper.

A strange and weird thing.  Remember me asking if my "visitor" from East Orange, New Jersey would comment and make themselves known to me.  Well--four other blogs I read also have that visitor on their Feedjit--the thingie that tells where your visitors are coming from.

Very strange is that the East Orange, New Jersey "visitor" is on ALL our blogs at the EXACT SAME TIME.  Now--that is impossible.  Curious as I am inclined to always be, I tried to find out why.  I contacted Blogspot, they don't really know because it isn't part of their system.  It is an add-on we have put on our side bar.  Feedjit seems to be slow in responding, but did see a bloggers help section that talked about it and it is some sort of monitoring device.  Not that they read our blogs--they don't.  It just pops in there a couple of times a day.

While this doesn't really concern me, it does tick me off.  I just may disable Feedjit for a while to get rid of it.  My blog, while not completely private, cannot be found by any search engine.  I had a hard time getting it off Bloglovin because they want ALL blogs listed and have them--without you knowing.  Because of the problem I had two years ago, I don't want my kids or some relatives/friends/neighbors to know I have a blog or go searching to see if I have one.

People can still access my blog through blogs I leave comments on and that is wonderful.  My kids would never read those blogs to see my blog title.  I'm not paranoid, I'm just a bit leery and my blog is my journal and a place where I can put all my feelings down, if I want too.  Some of those feelings cannot be shared verbally with family members--they'd think I was seriously daft.  I don't want them to know I am on Welfare and Bankrupt.  I am the eldest, strong one in our family and have to maintain that facade, HAH!
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Strange and Weird--last night around 5:00 a knock at my door.  There stood a man that looked kind of familiar.

"Hi Judy.  Remember me?"

"You look familiar, but I can't remember your name."

"Jeff--Darlene's son."
        <OMG>

"Well Hi...what can I do for you?"

"I have forgotten my Mom's phone number and she isn't home.  She isn't at work, I checked.  Do you have her number."

"I sure do."

I got it and a piece of paper and pen and told him and had him write it down.;

"Thanks.  The house is locked.  I've walked fifteen miles and I want to call and see when she'll be home.  Bye."  and off the porch he walked--very fast.

So, I watched him as he went across and up the street to Dar's.  I could see he was using his phone.

I sat down again and quickly, he's back at my door.

"Do you know someone named Denise?"

"No."

"Well I dialed the number you gave me and a  Denise answered."

"Let me call your Mom."  so I hit my speed dial number for Dar and she answered.

"Hi Judy."

"Hi Dar.  Your son Jeff is here and he is trying to phone you."

"WHAT!!!!!"

"Yes, that's right."

"OH MY GOD.  WHY IS HE THERE?  HE IS IN REHAB!  DID HE LEAVE REHAB."

"He wants to know when you'll be home."

"OH MY GOD.  OH...........I'M PUMPING GAS--AS QUICK AS I CAN!"

"Okay, see ya.  Bye."

"She is on her way."

"Okay--thanks.  I gotta get out of these wet boots."

and out he goes and back to Dar's.

I sat back down in my chair--knock at my door.

"Can I come in and sit down to change my boots."

"Sure."

In he comes and plops on the couch and changes into some sandals.

"Can I use your bathroom to wash my hands."

"You can use the kitchen sink.  I have better soap over there."
<no way I am letting this person out of my sight>

He sat back down, lit up a cigarette and started in.  He reminded me of Dar when she is wound up and hyper, but he is much, much worse.  He talked very fast, fidgeted all the time.  His words and sentences ran together--I could barely make out what he was talking about, but somewhere in there, he said that he walked out of the half-way house because he saw jobs open in Brighton, that he is skilled and can make a lot of money, work near-by and live with his mother and he finally has a diagnosis of his mental condition--bi-polar with hyper-mania.

"Thedocdrewalineandshowedmethatbi-polargoesupanddownoverthatline.  (inhale)
With my--ah-hyper mania,(inhale) Istayabovethatlineallthetimeand (inhale)
when I DO getdepressed (inhale) Ibarelygodownfarenoughtotouchthatline." (inhale and swallow)
  <got it--I think>

Of course 35 years of alcoholism and drug use haven't helped his condition.

Dar FINALLY arrived and came in.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?  WHAT DID YOU DO?"

No, "Hi how are you."  No hug from Mom.  Just that scowl and distance.

"Mom--I walked twenty-five miles to see you." (he told me he had walked fifteen). Can we at least talk. I have so much to tell you."

They finally left and Jeff thanked me profusely.  He really has a nice personality and is always polite.

I was exhausted.  He was here 20 minutes and I felt like I had been held captive where the noise never ends and they are trying to drive you crazy?
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9:30--another knock and it is Dar.  My door is locked, so I unlocked it and...in she busts!  She is only slightly less hyper-manic than her son had been. 

"I'm so sorry he came to you."

"It was okay.  I was glad to help him find you."

"Were you scared of him?"

"No..why--should I have been?  I thought maybe he was drunk, but I wasn't scared of him."

"No.  He's totally sober! "

"Wow--he really is hyper."

"You should see him when he IS drunk or on drugs.  He talks even faster and can't sit still."

"I've seen you when you were kind of like that."

"Oh--I know, but not lately--right?  I can't have him around me or I'd be like that all the time and I'd die from a heart attack or stroke.  He's not living with me--no way.  I don't know where he's going to live, but it's not with me.  I can't even.................."

and on and on she went while I sat and nodded my head and thought, "that poor kid didn't fall too far from the momma tree."

Apparently she took him out to supper and then took him back to a friend's house--the friend an alcoholic, which I did mention probably isn't the best place for Jeff to stay.  I guess today he is going to try and find a half-way house--there are three in Brighton and four in Howell.

I was so whipped after she left, that I went to bed at 10:30!
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Karen picked me up this evening and we went out for supper.  We had such a great time.  We talked and discussed and laughed and giggled and on the way in the car hooted so loudly with laughter that she almost missed turning in my driveway!  

It's a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood---

Today, I am so grateful, not only for the bright sunshine, but for the 52 degree temperature!

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So nice out that when I went out to get my mail, I walked on up for a visit with Pearl.  No need for a coat. :-)

I just about went nutsy-cuckoo last night with NO Downton Abbey to watch.  There was nothing else on TV.  Too early to go to bed--even if the clocks said 11:00, my head said it was 10:00 and I was not sleepy.  Sleep came this morning when the clock said 8:00, but I felt like 7:00.  This too shall pass, not any too soon for me!!

 Got granddaughter Elise' slippers done.

She is almost 11 and wears a size 9 shoe--YIKES

Then I realized that I would forget, next Christmas

which pair belongs to who, so........

"Mom, it's time for supper." 

I spent quite a bit of time yesterday, working on the family history story I am trying to write. I have the "lists" like this:

William Henry Bush

Born:  April 9, 1838

Holly Michigan

Died.  November 14, 1908

Holly, Michigan

on and on.....................I have all that nicely printed and set up in my big genealogy books, with their date of marriage, their wife's info, their kids.

What I am trying to get, is that information written in story form.  I want the newspaper clippings, obituaries, armed services records--where they served and as much as I can about that person.  I have pictures, but I have more text than pictures.

Let me tell you--back in the day, they sure knew how to write an obituary!!  Like these a couple of greats back--

"At a full age, like a shock of corn in its season, Peter Walts, another of Shiawassee County's aged pioneers, passed to his reward at his home in Burns Township, on Saturday morning, May 13, after a severe and painful sickness of over nine months, bearing every trial patiently to the end."

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"Mr. Relyea entertained a great antipathy to secret societies. It is related to him that when casting his vote at an election, he would always make it a point to ascertain whom of the candidates belonged to secret organizations. He was a man of great force of character and integrity of manhood."

He's the man who at age 92, laid up with illness, hired a horse drawn wagon to come and get him to go to the polls to vote.  They put a straw pallet in the back for him to lay down on, and carried him into the polling place so he could cast his ballot for Republican Benjamin Harrison, who was defeated by Grover Cleveland.   

Interesting facts like that, I want in my book, so my kids can read and see if they have the same traits as their ancestors.  I can see that my father did.  I also found mushy love letters from my father to my mother before they were married. No one that knew my Daddy in his later years would think he ever had or especially ever expressed his feelings like that.  WOW!!

I've heard the stories, seen the clippings on each individuals page in my big genealogy books, but to be putting them down in story form, is so much fun.  

It's interesting that six generations back on my mother's side, were two brothers from Scotland who ran a slave ship.  When Britian confiscated their ship, one went to Virginia and was one of the largest landowners and slave holders and the other brother (thank Heaven my direct ancestor) became a Methodist minister.  We have had a Methodist minister on that branch, until my kids level.  My cousin was the last minister in our family.

No horse thieves, nor murders in the family--I would think a slaver will shock my kids enough.  Only two divorces, until my generation.  Not a one of my ancestor's died from cancer--kind of reassuring.  Most of them lived long lives and died of heart disease or stroke.

It is an interesting and fascinating "vocation" I am involved in right now.  Gathering all the information and photos I have in several different places and putting them all into one story book.

I even have my title--"From There to Here."  The legacy of our family.