Highlights of My Weekend

Today I am grateful for a tiny increase in our outside temperatures and SUN!!

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Friday night: 10:10 - 12:30am--Michigan State Spartans, ranked 7th in the NCAA Basketball Tourney, beat Oklahoma and went into the Elite Eight.  EVERYONE (including me) figured we'd be out in round two.

Saturday:  Merle came down to help me load the dollhouse, table and stuff in the car.  I do not see how he is going to be able to go back to work next month.  He is frail!!!  Remember last summer, how sick he got with all sorts of tests--nothing wrong with him except, HE IS TOO OLD TO BE WORKING SO HARD!!

I didn't think he was going to be able to get to the car AND I was holding up the other end of the, not-really-heavy , but bulky wooden-house.  In fact, I did most of the lifting and when we got to the car, I put one end of the doll house on the back seat, and had him climb in the other door and slide the doll house toward him, while I lifted and scooted it along.

He could not get his legs in the car.  He had to pick up each leg, under his knee and lift it into the back seat.  I felt bad for him.

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Sunday--was going to church to hear the choir cantata, but sister called and wanted me to come out early.  So, into the car at 9:30 and on my way.

As I was driving out of town to get to the main road, a car came up quickly behind me.  I looked in the rear view mirror and saw it was a young man and his family.  He stayed right on my bumper, so, I gassed it up to 60mph (in a 55 mph zone).  We got to the main light, both of us turning left onto a busy road.

I put on my blinker to move to the left turn lane and he tried to get around me.  What the what?

I turned, he turned, then zoom over into the oncoming traffic left turn lane to get around me--thankfully no cars waiting in that lane--and off he went.

I was doing 62mph, he was way ahead.

This is a two lane road, so difficult to pass--and--up ahead, he was stopped waiting for the car in front of him to make a left turn--I had to stop also, but all of a sudden, he quickly zooms over to the right hand GRAVEL shoulder to get around the car.

"Wow.  This guy has a really bad emergency," I said out loud.

Up the road a mile and I see he is now waiting for the oncoming traffic so he can turn left--I pulled in behind him and stopped.

Where was he going in such a hurry?  The Bible Baptist Church!  Apparently a bit late for Palm Sunday service?

Now--I have always thought that we Christian's lead by example in our mundane daily lives.  We are kind and polite and responsible and this also includes,  how we drive!  He was in such a hurry to get to church to hear all about Jesus, that he endangered his own family and lots of people driving on the road.  It's a wonder he didn't meet Jesus on his way to church!!

As Forrest Gump would say, "Christian is as Christian does."

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No more incidences along the way.  As I passed other churches, all were ensconced in their pews--I could hear the Methodist's loudly singing, "Hosanna To Our King," (not really, but I knew that is what we'd be singing on Palm Sunday).

Drove up sister's driveway to park back by the garage.  I did not want her to look out and see the doll house in the car.  Stuck my head in the back door and told her to go into the living room and told Chuck to come help me.

Carried the dollhouse and table into the garage.  I figured they would want it out there to work on it--as the table needs reconditioning as does the house.  Then I called her out.

Well--she looked and started jumping up and down and clapping her hands like she was five years old!!!

"You brought me the doll house for me to take care of it for you?"

"No.  I brought you the doll house for you to keep---forever!"

"Forever?"

"Yes.  You always wanted a creamy yellow house with forest green shutters--go ahead and paint it yellow if you want.  Put shutters on it.  Put shingles on the roof if you want to.  Do whatever you want to."

"Shouldn't we keep it the same?"

"If you want too.  I've had it thirty years and now it is your turn."

"Who do you want me to pass it on too?"

"I don't care.  That is up to you.  Mother made it for US and....now it's all yours."

"Mother made it for you and then, I came along...."

"Yes and it was yours after I got married and then I took it back and now.........it's yours again."

"OH MY GOSH!!! Best birthday present EVER!"

Then she asked Chuck and I to bring it into the utility room where she could look at it and play with it this week. :-)

We had lunch and played a couple of games of UPWORDS, each of us wining a game, and at 1:30 I headed home.

<yes, I miss the doll house, okay?  but...it was the right thing to do.  She has two grand girls, 8 and 11, they will enjoy it>

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Sunday:  2:20 pm.  Michigan State Spartans beat 2nd ranked Louisville, in over-time, 76-70.  Never should have happened!  I was shaking the whole over time!  I still don't believe it!  Now, next weekend we go into the Final Four and play #1 Duke--who will beat us, no doubt in my mind!!

Bummed!

Today, I am bummed, but so grateful for people who can fix things.

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Yesterday, my shoulder hurt bad, but not as much as the day before.  Honestly, on Wednesday, I really thought I had a heart issue, because the pain was in my arm and back and jaw.  I was kind of scared.

I rubbed in a good amount of horse liniment (that Fred swore by) and woke up yesterday without too much pain.  Of course, the more I moved around, the more I did, the more it hurt.

More horse liniment last night and woke this morning with not too much pain.  It has localized in my shoulder now and down into my wing bone.  I have an appointment Monday at 2:30.

I had a funeral visitation, up in hometown, that I wanted to attend.  A 98 year old lady from my ex's side of the family.  I really adored her and knew when I went, I would also get to see my sisters-in-law and brothers-in--law.  We have stayed close through the years.

At 9:00, I turned on the shower and let it run and.........no hot water!!  The pilot light had gone out--this occurs about once a year--strangely, at this time of year.  I tore everything out of one end of my bedroom closet because the water heat is in a space, behind a fire proof door on the west end of the closet.

 You can see what a tight squeeze and you have to lay on  your tummy to see the end of the pilot thermocouple to light it.

I had one heck of a time trying to push down the gas button, while using my long candle lighter to light the pilot.  I tried four times and I just couldn't get it.  My shoulder was screaming.  I called the office to get one of the guys to come do it--a three minute job at most, but by law and because of insurance they aren't allowed.  Last year they were, now they aren't.






I called Pearl and asked if Merle thought he was able to do it.  I know he has back problems, but he said, he's be down after his eye appointment.

3:30--Guess I wasn't going to make the 4-6 visitation.  Plus, we were having some kind of mini-blizzard outside.  Merle came in and we headed back to the closet.

"Yep.  No problem.  I can get this.  Do it to mine."

He laid down on the floor, on his tummy, with two flashlights and the lighter.  I stood over him and straddle him and turned the gauge on to Pilot and pushed down on the gas in-flow button.  Nothing.  He tried five times and...nothing!  I could see that he hadn't a clue as to where to put the lighter--he couldn't or wouldn't or didn't know how to get his neck down that far!  If I could lay flat on the floor, I could have done it myself.

45 minutes later--4:15--I sent him home, sat down in my chair.  My shoulder and upper arm were burning.  I took a few deep breaths, asked God "WHY??", I wanted to just sit and cry for awhile, but I won't allow that, grabbed the phone and called the people who put in my furnace last year.  AAA Service.  They can come out this late afternoon.  $89.95 for the service call!  

$89.95 just to drive one mile here!

Parts not included.

I just sat in my recliner and rocked until the guy got here. 

I have $25.00 in my checking account.  I have no credit cards.  What am I going to do?
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Then I remembered, I had a $100 bill tucked away in an envelope in my desk drawer.  Last month, at this time, I had $150 in there, but had to break the $50 for pizza and $11.00 for Elise then had to get a jug of milk and some cat food.

The kid arrived at 5:15--really nice kid.  I sat on the end of the bed and asked questions while he worked--because when it happens again, I want to know what might be wrong.

"No problem with the thermocouple.  It needs to be a 2+ and it's registering 3.  Wiring is all right."

He took the flame lighter, hit the gas in-flow button and the flame roared into life.  YAY.

He put the water heater back together, along with the fire proof door that is so hard to take out and put back in.  Filled out the order paper, I signed, handed him my $100 bill, he gave me back $10.05 and we sat in the living room and talked for an hour!!

What a great conversation!

$89.95 to do a three minute job, that Merle could have done if he weren't so damn old!!!

BUT--the conversation I had with that young man and all he told me about his Mom and Dad, his wife and kids was worth more than $90.00 any day of the week.  Plus, he told me a new way to flush and drain my water heater--at least 8 steps less than I do, so the lesson was worth it :-)

Now--I gotta figure out how to put some more emergency $$$ back into that envelope!

Thank you, God.  You always provide.

A Pain In The Neck

Today I am grateful for............still trying to think of something.

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...and if I could, I would say this:

"Mark, you will call your mother on Mother's Day, send her a card and a bunch of flowers and you will come and put down the ten bags of mulch she wants."

"Pam, you will have Christmas Eve at your house so we can all remember back to the years we lived there."

"Karen, you will have a family picnic at your house and it will be on my birthday.  Remember the BIG birthday party you all planned on giving me--4 years ago?  Well, this can take the place of that."

"Jennifer, you will call and invite your mother to every school, sports, or church function your children take part it.  You will also invite your mother to come over to your house for supper, once a month."

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 I have crocheted a dozen pair of slippers in the last 4 weeks.  These are for me because my other ones are wearing out and always were a bit too big.

If you remember, I go to the Chiropractor occasionally.  I have a recurring shoulder problem.  Well, actually 25 years ago, I ripped a ligament near my left scapula.  Every now and then this all flares up and hurts so much it makes me nauseous.

It has been hurting off and on for the last month--coincides with all the crocheting?  Maybe.

This morning I woke up at 3:00 with the most horrendous pain in my shoulder--neck--scapula; running  down my numbed and burning arm into my numb hand.  Left side--hm-mm.

At 3:30 am, I assumed it was a heart attack, middle of the night stuff is always scary, so I got up and walked around.  The pain lessened a bit.  I was not sweating, I was not dizzy, I was not nauseous, my heart wasn't doing anything stupid.  I took an Advil and went back to bed, laying on my right side.

At 6:00, I woke up again--pain as bad as before.  I got up, took another Advil and sat in my recliner for a while.  I rubbed some horse liniment on it and back to bed.

I woke up at 9:00 and it still hurt a bit, more up in my neck then shoulder.

I took a Naproxen.  Put my hot rice sock on it and sat in my chair for most of the day.

I decided not to crochet anymore--I have two pairs of slippers to make for CHRISTMAS--they can wait a while.  I decided to call the Chiropractor and then changed my mind and called my orthopaedic surgeon instead.  I do believe this can be helped with physical therapy and the only way I can get into his physical therapy office, is by a referral from him, and his physical therapy team is the very best around here.  April 2nd, 2:10pm

He will want to give me a Depo-Medrol (cortisone) shot, but I am opting out on that big, long needle, unless he puts me out with Versed first!!!

I am so tired today and just not "with it", in fact, it is hard to type this without a whole lot of mistakes.  It's like my eyes just want to close--and maybe I need to recline in my chair and take a short nap.

Hm-mm.  See ya----

The Best Day

Today I am grateful for God's blessings.

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I just had the best day I have had all year!!!

Yesterday was my youngest grand daughter Elise's 11th birthday.  

Pam and I talked over the weekend and Pam said she would get with Elise's parents and set up the time and day I could take her out for her birthday supper.

Today was the day.

I drove over and parked at the end of the street so I could pick-up her and her little brother Alex when they got off the bus--and drive the few hundred yards up to their house.

Then I got to go in and see Pammie AND Andrew and Baby Evan--who came right to me for a hug, as did Andrew the oldest.

The lovely girl has long, skinny legs

like her Gramma, other than that, 
blond hair and blue eyes, we

do not look anything alike.

She's a homely girl, but then again, I was too at that age.

She is going to become a beautiful, blond, tall young adult.

Then, Elise and I were off, but...I had no intention of going to Red Robin for an hour of talking and supper, Oh No, not devious old gramma.

I asked Elise if she liked Pizza and then I asked her if it would be all right if, instead of eating out, we went back to my place so she could help me with a project.

"Oh yes!"  she said.

<score!>

I am getting my doll house, that our Mother made, ready to give to Susan for her birthday this Saturday. My mother made it for me when I was 4, but Susan played with it too and I figure, now it's her turn to have it in her house.  Besides, I could use the space that it takes up in my bedroom AND most importantly, I want her to have it when I die and this way, there will be no question of "who it should go to."  As each of my daughter's played with it too.

Our mother made it, it should go to my sister and then, she can pass it down to whomever she thinks should get it.  Perhaps my first great grand daughter, who knows and I will be dead, so I won't care.

Elise sat in front of the doll house and took out the furniture from each room, dusted it, handed it to me and I wrapped it in tissue paper and placed it in a box.  The small, miniature items, for each room, I put in small, brown paper envelopes.

Elise had a ball looking at each tiny little thing.  Her mother made her a doll house also when she was 6, but of course, her brothers trashed it, which I knew would happen and is one reason I DID NOT give Jen (although she hinted) this doll house years ago.

This doll house is now 71 years old.  There is a brass plaque on the end that states it was made for me by my mother for Christmas 1943.  

I ordered pizza at 5:30 and Elise and I sat in here and I showed her all the pictures I have of her since the day she was born--things of us doing stuff together, on and on.  She remembered a few of those times.

Then she told me she had ordered a Japanese puzzle box and how she like things like that.  "I love things like that.  I wanted to buy a set of those Matres--Matros--Russian Nesting dolls, but they were too expensive."

So we came in here and Googled the correct name:Matryoshka, pronounced, matreshka.  I walked out into the kitchen, picked up a small box and lifted the lid.  Inside are a pair of miniature Russian nesting dolls that my great uncle sent me while he was stationed in Russia after WWII.  I handed the box to her.

"I want you to have these."

"Oh, Gramma, you don't have to do that."

"I know I don't, but I want too.  I want you to have them.  They are very old and I want you to protect them.  Keep them away from your brother's and you might be able to keep them until you are my age."

<I already know what I am getting her for Christmas. :-)>

Then we sat in the living room and all of a sudden, my cuckoo clock went off, Elise looked up and said, "I remember Grandpa Fred used to pick me up and run with me over to the clock so I could see the cuckoo!"

Oh. 
My. 
Gosh!  

She was 2 and 3 years old!  Fred did that with all those kids when they were little.  It brought tears to my eyes that she still remembered.  That she even remembered Fred, he died when she was only 7.

Then she talked and reminisced about Fred's dog, Tootz.  She looked around this room at all the pictures.  Pictures of her Mom when she was a little girl.  She had never seen most of the pictures.  She hasn't been in my house for 3 years.

Elise played with the cats and the pizza arrived and we ate and talked some more about Downton Abbey and school and church and her friends, and her older brother who is not nice to her at all, and....just all of it.

I got her back home at 7:15 and Pammie said, "I thought maybe you had kidnapped her."

I looked at Elise and said, "Well we were thinking about getting in the car and driving to the ocean, weren't we, Elise."

"Yeah Aunt Pam.  Gramma and I talked about it and we wanted to...but I have Volleyball practice tomorrow night."

Then she gave me a tight hug and I said, "I love you, Sweetheart" and got back in my car and cried all the way home and just kept saying, "Thank you, God.  Thank you for this time."

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I worry so that the kids will forget because I only get to see them a few times a year, but...I have a feeling that they will never forget their Gramma...no matter how far away they move or if I never see them again.

Building memories.

Best Day Ever!!!

Well?

Today, I am grateful for Part D, prescription drug plan.

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33 degrees today

I've got nothing, kids.

I got up late--did laundry--watched my Soap--went to Wal-Mart to get my prescriptions--I only pay $2.65 for each one.

I got 3 phone calls from an 800 service number that I ignored and 1 phone call from Dar that only lasted 2 minutes.

Worked on my How To book.

Read and commented on your blogs.

Life is good!

My Dear Friend, has started a blog, maybe you'd like to read and see and comment?
http://maybenotdone.blogspot.com/

...And The Beat Goes On....

and I wish I had a very large stick to beat my neighbor!

Dar came over, rattling my locked front door.

I opened it---

"Why do you have your door locked?"

"Because it's after 8:00 and it's night time!"

"Well, I'll only stay a minute, I just wanted to dump something on you."
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Sally--I am nearly six feet tall so I don't need to stand on a kitchen chair, or anything for that matter, to put together my hanging lamp.  Thanks for worrying though.  Love you---

Catch-Up

Today, I am grateful that I am an Easter person.  

I live on the other side of Easter.

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I am sure to offend someone.  I don't wish too.  I do not wear a crucifix around my neck.  Karen and I were discussing this the other day.  Karen, a strong Methodist who converted to Catholicism and is a strong Catholic.  She sometimes wears a crucifix and sometimes just a plain cross around her neck.

She said, "It is to remind us of what torture Jesus went through to save us."

"Okay...but why concentrate on that?  Jesus isn't still hanging dead on that cross.  He is risen and alive.  The cross is empty.  The grave and death couldn't hold him and it can't hold us."

That is the reason Protestant churches have "empty" crosses.  That is why I wear an "empty" cross--well, mine does have a dove on it--representing the Holy Spirit---I suppose.  

So I told Karen, "I am an Easter person.  I concentrate on Easter and what happened that day and after.  I don't concentrate on what happened for a few hours on that terrible day."

"Well, Mom...I do too."

A difference of opinion?  A difference in denominational beliefs?  No big deal.

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I have been busy!!  Thursday I went to hometown Byron to have lunch with the Old School Gal Pals--we tried the new deli.  Small, but they do have a couple of long tables.  I had the Italian Wrap and it was better than the Italian Sub-Way that I like.  We laughed and giggled and it was very fun.

Then out to the cemetery to visit Fred and my ancestor's, then to The Farm to visit Lil' Sis.  We played a game of UpWords and our Mother's favorite ForeSite.  Both word games.  We usually are pretty close in scores, and I always win, but this time she beat me and you could see the "AHA" niggle of a smile on her face.

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Friday, I started the work on my dingy, old lampshade for the hanging light in my kitchen--which I never turn on, but...the shade was driving me nutz!

As you can see, it has a special hanging thingie on the top.  I have not been able to find a replacement shade, so I decided to paint it with latex paint.  Yes, I said, paint it.

No, the paint did not make the fabric stiff.

(Note: slippers and sox on kitchen table.  I am such a slob.)

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I was so excited on Friday because Michigan State was playing in the NCAA basketball tournament and I was already.  I had my snack's on my plate for lunch and settled in.

I checked my "bracket" to see what channel the game was going to be televised on.

WHAT THE WHAT?

I have four hundred and fifty million channels on my cable package, however I do not have TRUtv, which is the channel the game was going to be on. 

Why would they not show it on a local channel in this area?  Considering MSU is in this area?

Not to be undaunted, I just turned on the local CBS channel and watched the Indiana game so that I could watch the "ticker" at the top of the screen that was keeping track of MSU v Georgia score.  HAH!  We won and I will be able to watch tomorrow when it is on TBS..or is it TNT?  No matter, I get both of those channels.

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Then Dar came over!!!  Her first day back at work since her 3-day diarrhea incident.

She was all charged up and flying high.  She is soooo tiring!!  She wears me out just listening to her because she talks fast, jumps from topic to topic and throws in people's names that I do not know.  I guess she assumes I know who Greg is?

"Wait--who's Greg?

"My nephew.  You know that."

<ah, no I don't.  Never heard of him>

Apparently her estranged daughter is coming for a visit next Saturday and bringing two of the grandchildren with her.

"Where are they staying?"

"Not at my house!" Dar exclaims.

"Where are you going to see them?"

"At the restaurant up the road."

"But...that's only a half mile away.  Won't they want to stop in and see your house...especially the grand kids?"

"I don't care.  They are not getting in.  Connie might get in and then declare residency and kick me out!"

"How in this world are you going to consider a reconciliation if you start out with this defeatist attitude?"

"It's up to her to apologize!"

"Well, it's going to be difficult to get into any meaningful conversation in a restaurant."

"Well, that's the way it's going to be."

<sigh>

"Have you heard anything from Jeff?  Did he go back to rehab?"

"I don't know and do not care.  He isn't bothering me anymore..that's all I know."

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GEEZ LOUISE!!