The Monster on the Wall

That, Dear Friends, is a 7 feet long, heavy piece of drift wood, taken out of the Au Sable River up north.

1960--my Mother, sister and I were visiting her brother (my uncle), who had a home on the shore of Lake Huron.

One day we took a road trip to various places of interest in the area and then to the top of the hill with the Au Sable river lying far below.

My Mother spotted it and said, "Judy!  You need that.  Help me drag it up here."

So down we ran and hauled that heavy thing up the steep hill to the car.    Thanks goodness, back then, cars had larger, deeper trunks.

When we got it home, she put some heavy eye bolts on the back of it and hung it over our couch.  It has hung over every couch I have had, in every house I have had, until I moved here.

Now, it hangs over my den window, ready to come crashing down on my computer/monitor/desk at any moment.

It is one of my most prized possessions.   (and at the time, very dusty).  LOL

It's Friday. Again! Time goes so fast......................

I thought Salmon patties sounded good for supper.  It was canned pink Salmon and they weren't all that great.  I prefer Red Sock-Eye Salmon, but I ate one while it was hot and have been having one cold one, dunked into Ketchup for lunch the last couple of days.  The Food Bank only has pink canned Salmon.  "Beggers can't be choosers."

That's one of those new ceramic fry pans.  I'm not impressed.  Sure, nothing sticks to it, but that causes the food to just slide around and seems to me, to make it difficult to get under and flip the meat to the other side.  I had to toss my big 16" Teflon coated fry pan, it was just to heavy for me to maneuver and very worn.  At least now, I'm not ingesting flakes of Teflon--which is probably a good thing?
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I got my new tier curtains today.  I'm not in the mood to iron and put them up as yet, because I also have to wash the windows first.  

These are the ones being replaced.  Notice how you can see through the bottom tiers.  Not a problem during the day, but I have had neighbors tell me they can see me sitting at my computer when they drive by.  That makes me feel a bit creepy.

Then, I got to pondering.  

"Oh, Oh."  One of you just said that.  I know you did!

I am not fond of the curtains in my bedroom.

 What if I swap out the curtains in my kitchen to my bedroom?  These have been my kitchen curtains for a few years.  I could put the tiers from the den on this window.

Then put these tie- backs on my bedroom window--I used to have tie backs at that window and liked them.

Then take these curtains at my bedroom window, wash them, fold them and give them to the Salvation Army.

New curtains at the three den windows.  The den tier curtains at the kitchen window.  The kitchen tie-back at the bedroom window.  It would be like I had new curtains in every room.  Are you confused yet?
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John stopped in and brought me 12 jugs of Diet Pepsi.  They were on sale for .99@ at Meijers.  6 de-cafe and 6 leaded.  I am a happy camper.  I was down to one jug of de-cafe.  YIKES!!  A near miss there.  I am hoping when I have the colonoscopy, it doesn't show my innards all torn up by my years of drinking Diet Pepsi.  To have to give that up?  I'd have to go into rehab!!
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One tiny political note here.  I didn't watch the State of the Union address, or whatever they call it nowadays.   I don't care to hear what any politician has to say anymore.  I can't do a thing about their agendas, so I choose to ignore them all.  Whatever will be, will be.  And to think--I used to be so involved.  PBTTT.
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Well, the sun is shining today.  It is cold and snow has covered up my Daffs and Tulips that were about 4" tall, but the sun is shining.  What a weird and strange season this has been.

Enjoy your weekend.  I shall be cross stitching and watching old time movies on TCM or basketball games on ESPN.  Sounds heavenly to me.

You mean a lot to me.................

When I starting this blog, I never realized how much it would come to mean to me.  Not so much what I write, but the comments.  Yes, I use this as my kind-of journal because arthritis in my hands has kept me from writing anything with pen and paper--that is legible.  Typing is still fairly easy.

I let it all out here because it is almost like having a conversation with friends.  I have to say, I think most of you know me as well or better than a lot of my "real life" friends.  In a real life conversation, a friend might say, "Oh, stop being such a baby."  or "Why would you think something dumb like that?"  Here, the comments might say the same, but I can't see your facial expressions, so any negative comments wouldn't hurt as much.  LOL

To say that on this blog, I bare my soul, would be an understatement.  Sometimes (I have been told), I am TOO open.  There are things I should just keep to myself.  That has been preached to me since I was young.  Consequently, I have kept things to myself that were screaming to come out.  I have a permanent line of sores around the edges of my tongue from biting it.  

I know that I have strange ponderings and thoughts.  I can't really put some of them out there to "audible" friends.  I do have a reputation to uphold after all.  A perception that "they" have of me.

Here is my safe place.  Well, it is safe now that my kids don''t know how to find it.  Remember a few years back when someone in the family told my daughter Jennifer of something I had posted about something she had said?  She quit speaking to me and forbade me to see her children?  Remember that fiasco?  The person who told her loves to spread hurtful gossip.  Jennifer had quite misunderstood what I had posted.  Well. anyway.  I feel a bit safer here now that this blog is no longer findable on ANY search engine.  Anyone who finds me, finds me from another blog where I have commented.

That being said--or written, I get such help from your comments!!!  It could be an affirmation or it could be a different way to think on something.  Sometimes an "I disagree", or an "I know just how you feel."  Either and all of your comments just make my day.

I know that sounds trite, but it is the truth!

Guess what?  My Bestie, who doesn't comment, but sends me comments via e-mail, my Bestie, Bethie, is also have a colonoscopy on March 30th.  She's an old hand at it--getting one every 5 years like she is supposed to.  Too bad we aren't having it done at the same place.  We could ride together and commiserate with each other.  LOL   Misery loves company and all that.
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I woke up this morning to my big cat Buddy, kneading my left shoulder.  He was right on the spot that aches and his kneading felt sooooooooooo good.  Of course, the minute I moved and he sensed I was awake, he stopped and came around to nose my cheek with his cold, wet nose.  I had over slept and he was hungry!  It was a nice massage for a moment anyway.

I love that animal more than I should allow myself.  Growing up on a farm, I learned early on, it was not wise to love an animal too much.  Just about the time I became used to a pet, it either died or got run over by a piece of farm equipment.  I never became attached to a calf or lamb, because they were sent off to market.  So, I never had an inside pet.

Then---in my 50's, I got an inside cat.  I didn't want her, but she was going to be sent to the pound, so I grabbed her and she was mine for 13 years.  When I had to have her killed, it tore me up for weeks.  I swore that would never happen again.

Then I met Fred and in he came with his 12 year old dog, Tootz.  She was a love!  Then a few years later, Fred was in hospital, I woke up one morning and the dog couldn't move.  I couldn't get her in the car so I called the vet.  They came out and while Fred was on the other end of the phone talking to her in her ear, the technicians put her down.  Right there, in front of me.

I swore.  "No more pets!"

Six months later Fred suggested we get a cat.  or rather, "Two cats.  One for each lap."  I wasn't about to deny him anything, so off we went to animal control.  I got Buddy and he got Maggie.  Six months after that, Fred died and left me with one lap and two cats.  I've never quite forgiven him for that.  LOL.

Buddy has always been my favorite because he is so gentle and calm.  He sleeps right by my head every night.  Maggie was a frantic cat--hissing, clawing, biting.  She now has turned into a lovable cat.  She sits on my lap and pats my face with her paw until I pet and cuddle her.  She sleeps by my feet.  I have become so attached and in love with both of them now.

ARGGH!  I'm sunk.
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I bought a brand new black inkjet at Staples.  $49.95.  Can you believe that?  It's because my printer twins are old and the ink isn't manufactured every much.  It worked perfectly in my printer so up to the refill place I went to turn in the ones that didn't work.  We had a long, informative conversation.

The cartridges can get old, of course, and although they test them before they sell them, if not used soon, the sponge can dry up and the ink won't come through.  Probably not too many people buy that kind anymore, so who knows how long they hang on the shelf.

I asked if I could get my new cartridge filled when needed.  Yes.  It might take them a few extra minutes to refill it, but at least I would know it was fairly new and had only been used once before.  That is the way I am going to go from now on.

I got store credit for the black ones that didn't work.

They also have a March Special on an HP Envy printer and flat bed scanner, copier, fax, all in one for $99.99.  The ink refills on that one coast $18.00 for the color and $13.00 for the black.

My refills cost, $29.00 for the color and $22.00 for the black.  Plus I have that $25.00 store credit.  

Hm-mm.  
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Theresa--thanks for finding me!!  Where are you from?

Predictions

My predictions for 2017 was it was going to be a year full of change.

One of those changes will be happening on March 30th.

Have you ever gotten news and you felt a cold band wrap around your mid-section?  That's the way I felt.

My doctor called.  My Colo-Guard stool sample test came back positive.  I have to have my first and I hope last, colonoscopy that day.  I'm not worried about the prep.  It will be spring-time by then and as my Grandma would say every spring, "You need a good cleaning out!"  My Mother would bring out the worm medicine and laxatives and if that didn't work, a warm soapy enema was in the offing.  

I am worried about the results.  I have had bouts of severe diarrhea and then constipation since July.  That's one of the "signs".

Every year I have the FIT test, which is a stool sample smear and all have been negative.  Then, on reading about this Colo-Guard test, I see there are a lot of people who have had false positives and clear colonoscopies.  But still.........................................

I have my lung CT scan on the 15th.  I sure hope that one goes okay.  My voice is still hoarse and that too is one of the "signs".  My chest x-ray last fall came back good, but chest x-rays don't always show tiny lung tumors. So....................................

GEEZ!!!  I'm falling apart!!

Well, if I'm going to talk the talk, I am going to have to walk the walk and put all of this in God's hands.  Not that He causes any of these health problems, but that He will help me get through whatever the future brings.
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Yesterday we had strong thunderstorms, high winds and a nearby tornado in Michigan.  Today, we are expecting snow this late afternoon.

I have to deal with the inkjet refill place again.  The black refills do not work!  Neither one!  I have tried them both in both of my printers, so I know, it is not a printer problem.  I should just break down and buy a new black inkjet at Staples and then---I'd know for sure.  They are so expensive--the new ones.  The refills are about half the price.  Oh---I just don't know what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!

After that, I go to the torture chamber.  So far all the maneuvers have done is cause my nerves to become more inflammed.  I don't think my left shoulder will ever get back into it's correct position--it comes forward a bit, but I am in it until the end of the treatments.
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So, today is Ash Wednesday.  I'm not Catholic so I don't get to have ashes on my forehead, dripping down my nose and I sure hope I don't tell someone they have a "smudge of dirt" on their forehead, like I mistakenly did last year.

I did learn something last night, as I watched Mother Angelica on TV.  The ashes are a sign to make us remember death.  That we all are going to die and return to ashes.  That knowledge seems to be an everyday thought in my life as I age.  I don't need a one-day reminder.

I know that Lent is a time of atonement and sacrifice.  We Methodists never "gave up" stuff for Lent.  When I was in the 9th grade, before going into my Algebra classroom, I stated to my friend that I was going to "give up Algebra for Lent".  Not realizing that my teacher was right behind me and heard that comment and was not pleased.

I rather like to take on something new for Lent.  Like calling a friend just to say I thought of them, or an e-mail or a note.  I think one day I will go over and visit Dar and her Dad and one day visit Merle and Pearl and one day visit Jackie.  

I never have quite understood why Catholics have the 40 days of Lent at this time of year.  Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days BEFORE He started His ministry, not 40 days before He went into Jerusalem and His death.  

Although, it IS a good time to have a period of thought and atonement BEFORE His crucifixion.  After all, He did it all for us.  Then the joyousness of Resurrection.  Christians would have no "religion" without His Resurrection.  

Sure, His birth was significant, but our church year begins on Resurrection Sunday--Easter.  If He hadn't come out of that grave alive, He would only be a great prophet.  He would not be the Son of God and we would not have all the promises He gave us to believe in.

So, March is coming in like a Lion.  Many will be anointed with the sign of the cross made on their foreheads with ashes mixed in oil and the rest of us have spring-time to look forward too.  A time of new life, as baby animals are born and flowers come up out of their cold, dark winter graves.

I'd say, there are a lot of reasons for celebration!

A Fun Day--mostly..........

A nice day yesterday.  I dropped off the genealogy book that needed binding on my way to Physical
Therapy.  When I walked into the PT office, I thought I recognized the coat hanging on the rack.  Then I heard the loud moaning and a couple of loud, "STOP!"  Dar was on the therapist's table.

As I walked past to get to the exercise bike, she reached out her hand and said, "Judy!  Save me!"
I turned and looked down at her and said, "Pick up thy mat and walk, my child." and made a sort of sign of the cross over her.  I thought Lori, the therapist was going to fall down laughing.  Dar just moaned and said, "Oh, get away!"

Just last week, she had made fun of me and scoffed, when I told her the therapist had hurt doing the maneuvers.  She had never had my therapist---until today.  HAH!!!  

As she walked past me, she was barely moving.  "My turn," I called cheerfully and then helped Dar on with her coat and held the door open for her.  She grunted and moaned as she walked to her car.

Then it WAS my turn and I clenched my teeth and never let one moan escape.  HAH!
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I have been wanting new tier curtains for this computer room.  At night, with my lamp on, you can see me quite plainly from the outside.  So after PT, I stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond and of course they didn't have the ones I had seen on-line, but the very nice sales lady said she could order them there and have them delivered to my home--free shipping.

As we put all the information into the computer, she asked if I had brought my 20% off coupon.  I hadn't and could see it sitting on my desk at home.  I told her that I also had an e-mail one which was the same.

She said, "Don't tell anyone I did this," and commenced to click away on the computer--adding the discount and special promo codes.  I had seen the original total and inwardly groaned at the $100.00, thinking I should not spend that.  When she was done clicking away, the total was down to $68.79--now that is a good price for curtains for three windows.  

The curtains are cotton, so they will keep any after-dark walkers from looking in and seeing me sitting at my computer.  
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Then I stopped at Taco Bell and ordered 3 soft tacos--I had such a craving for them.   I stopped at the print shop and picked up the book and was home.

Now, mind you, it was only 3:45 and you know what I did?  I sat there and wolfed down all of those Tacos.   Consequently, when 6:00 and supper time arrived, I wasn't a bit hungry.  I had some Cheerios and milk.
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I got a private FB message from Dar.  She said she was really sore and thought that Lori (the PT) was too rough on her.  I wrote back that Lori is the best one there and no pain, no gain, and that in the long run, she'd feel better for the deep, tissue massage and acupressure.
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I am ashamed to have such critical thoughts about Dar.  I know that she is really hurting.  It's just that she brags about what a high tolerance to pain she has, "I can withstand a lot more pain than most normal people."  She tells how hard it is for her to walk and yet, she and her Dad and her friend spent 6 hours walking around an historic town north of here and said to me, "You wouldn't have made it."

I need to readjust my thinking and become more sympathetic, caring and understanding.  I can be such a nasty, witch with the unsaid thoughts that go on in my head.  I don't like that about myself.

Nutzy Cuckoo Neighbors

It felt awfully early, Saturday morning when the alarm went off.  8:00--time to get up.  It was a struggle and I looked out the window.  Our record setting temperature from the day before, was now in the 30's and it was snowing.

I got the cats fed and went to the bathroom and so wanted to lay back down, but....8:15 is good enough to stay up.  Put my mug of milk in the microwave, got the milk nice and hot, two scoops of Nestle's Quik stirred in and came in to turn on the computer.  

I glanced down at the lower right hand corner to see what day it was and the time said: 7:20.

Wait.  What?

I trudged back to the bedroom.  My bedside clock said: 8:21.  Back to the kitchen to check the stove, microwave, my weather station.  All clocks read: 7:23.  

Oh Good Grief!!!!!  When I set the alarm, I must have pressed one time too many on that button and set it an hour early?

You would have thought I'd get a lot done, waking up an hour early.  That was not the case!
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I did have an interesting day Sunday though.

My neighbor Tammie came to visit.  She is the girl next door who claims to be a Wiccan.  At one time a Catholic and later a Seventh Day Adventist.  Her husband deals in magic, so when she met him, she started getting involved in that and the worshipping of different gods and goddesses.

She came over to inform me she has had a miracle sent from God and now belongs to a "Women for Jesus" group.  I have noticed lately, that her belligerent attitude and her penchant for FB arguing with people has tapered off.

Apparently she had a bill that was due, had not been paid for six months.  She has reacted to the company she owed in her normal angry way, but decided to get a bit humble and try and negotiate with them.  Glory Be--they are working with her and the pressure is off.  She sees this as a miracle because God knew she needed help.

Now, her life plan is to convert her husband from his "wicked ways".  "Can't he see that all his illnesses and surgeries the last two years are because he was worshipping the devil and being punished by God?"

I tried to explain a couple of things to her, but she is filled with the "fire", so I decided to let the Women for Jesus' group counsel her.  

"All you have to do is ask and God will give you everything."

I tried to caution that, "Sometimes His answer is 'No'," and encouraged her to keep praying because, "God and prayer WILL help you get through hard times easier." but, as I said, she is filled with the fire of a new convert, so best I let her find her own way.
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On the other hand, my other neighbor, Dar, who has claimed that Jesus sits on a chair next to her bed, seems to have fallen by the wayside.  She was over for a visit Friday night and I noticed crude words and a couple of "damn's" slipped into her conversation.

That would not have happened a year ago.  She found a church that she really liked, she said.  She went twice.  It was difficult because she sometimes had to work on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights when they had services.

She hasn't worked for 10 months and I had inquired as to how she liked her church.  

"Oh, I haven't been."

"Why not?  You have lots of time now."

"They didn't have any groups I wanted to join."

I guess to her, church is like a social gathering place.  She wants to be involved and for people there to "know" her good works?

When her Dad, a self proclaimed Atheist moved in, it was "God has sent Dad to me to show him The Way.  I know that is my mission."  She even got him, a life-long Democrat, to vote for Trump--which she took great glee and credit for.

Now she says she has doubts because God allowed her to be in that accident and that's when her troubles began.  She is in pain.  She can't work and God knew how important to her it was to work and be out and about everyday.  God seems to have left her.

I tried to counsel her in the same way I did Tammie.  "God never said you'd have a life without problems, but He will help you get through them.  Continue to pray."
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Both of these women are nutz!  I've thought that from the minute I met them.

I do not have enough training in theology to counsel either of them, or anyone else, for that matter.

I only know what works for me.  What I have witnessed in my last five years.  Things that could never be, "just" a coincidence and had to be a God whisper.  I guess both of them will have to find their testimony too. 
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Then, there's Merle and Pearl and Jackie.  Strong, yet quiet Christians.  Merle and Pearl can't attend church anymore, but they watch on TV Sunday morning and read the Bible every day and pray.  Jackie attends church every Sunday, but doesn't feel the need to get involved in the groups.  She reads her Bible every day and prays.

Tammie and Dar wouldn't do a thing for anyone, unless they got credit and praise for it, and they'd tell everyone what they had done.  Merle/Pearl and Jackie would give you their last slice of bread and wave away any sign of thanks.  

If you asked, they would give you their testimony and a God Bless You, to go along with it.  

I think I prefer the ones who lead quietly by example.  

I can never think of a title for my posts, so.............................whatever.

I decided it was time for me to put away my prideful nature for a bit and go back to the food pantry.  I haven't been since June.

Yesterday I went shopping for food,  I wanted to buy a roast so I could Crock-Pot it and have vegetables and the whole ball of wax.  Have you priced a cut of roast lately?

When I got home, I called Gleaners and got an appointment for this morning.  I found a nice frozen hunk of Choice roast beef.  The price on it was $18.50!! I also stocked up on diced tomatoes (for my spaghetti sauce), found a nice small cake from Meijers--which when I bought last month was $4.00.  Also a big bag of frozen vegetables--carrots, onions, celery--which will be great with my roast.  Also some King Hawaiian rolls.  John gave me some last fall--I had never had them before.  Oh my!  Delish!

Anyway, I am allowed 60# of food and I rarely get over #24.  Today I got #30.  I only take what I am going to need for a month.  There are so many that are worse off than I am, so if there are 20 bottles of water, I will take 5.  15 cans of cat food, I took 4.  Also got a can of Salmon, a dozen eggs and crackers to make Salmon patties.  

When I got home, I kept half the eggs and Hawaiian sweet rolls and took the rest up to Merle and Pearl's.  I wouldn't use a dozen eggs in 3 months.

Actually it felt kind of good to go back and see a couple friends who work there and when I got home, it was nice to tote in that extra food.  If any of you contribute to food drives and the like, thank you.  It is very helpful for us poor people.  
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I also had to drive on up to the print shop.  I took my pedigrees in Monday.  I hadn't heard a thing, so I called them yesterday and they said the copier that they use for the long, landscape paper had broken down.  I asked them to call when they got my copies done--no rush, no problem.

They called early this morning.  I think what really happened--they were kind of busy Monday and I think they put my order off to the side and just forgot about it.  HAH!  Oh well.  I have the pedigree pull-outs in the genealogy book and ready to take it in to be bound on Monday.  It turned out really nice and a pretty thick one.  Lots of information.

I often think that someday--in the way far distant future, a person will run across one of my books that his great grandmother had me do and get information and enjoyment out of it.  That would be wonderful.  I think these genealogy books could become family heirlooms and treasures.  Not because of me, I am only the go-between, but for the interest of their family background.  
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Unusual weather today.  Very warm, with severe thunderstorm watches and warnings, followed by a cold front tonight and some snow this weekend.  

Enjoy your weekend, whatever the weather.
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4 months old today.