Delightful Day #2

I don't know if I can stand all this delight and happiness.

I was getting real homesick for my "people's land" and needed the quietness and checking out the crops, so I headed north up to The Farm(s).

Just north of Howell, a small town to the west of me, I saw acres and acres of Sunflowers.

IF YOU CLICK ON THE PHOTOS THEY WILL BE LARGER AND LOOK BETTER.

The nearer I got to home, I saw acres and acres of Corn and Soybeans.  Out there we are serious farmers and wouldn't waste even a small patch of field for Sunflowers.  Also fields of golden stubble, left from the wheat harvest and the straw put into bales.  We wouldn't plant anything that wasn't going to be a good cash crop!

Soybeans

I was going to stop at Pam's house after my visit with sister, but decided to pull in on my way and see how it looked with her big barn gone.  It was falling apart, so she had someone removed it--for the barn wood.

She has a great view now, south, clear to the woods.

along with the always open view west to the woods 

Just as I was looking around, I saw her pull into the drive.  "Hey!  Who's walking around my land?"

"My land first!" I replied.

"I was coming up the road and wondered who the heck was pulling in my driveway."

Remember me telling you about the long perennial garden I had along the front of my yard.  Can you see where it starts to slope to the road?  From the spot where I am standing, to that dead tree, I had a 4' wide perennial garden.  It was gorgeous.  People would drive in and ask if they could have a "piece" of the many plants.

Here's what the house and barn looked like when we lived there and raised our kids.

I left there and up 1/2 mile to the corner, turned left and 1/8 mile to the Ancestor's Farm, where sis and hubs live.  Gravel roads still exist out in the country.

You can barely see their pond, across the road, by the barns.

My camera was acting up and everything turned out too light.

The big rock has a metal ring on the right side for tethering up a horse. 

Everyone has loads of gravel brought in and dumped to make a perfect driveway.
Last year, Chuck wanted the drive to look like it would have in the old days with grass going up the middle.  So, being an engineer, he measured and then worked up the center of the drive and planted grass.  I love it!!

This is what the house looked like before they moved in.

They had to tear down the little house, across the drive--the original 1st house, to add their new family room.  They took the ice house that shows behind the house and moved it over for a garden shed.

The view of Susan's rose garden, off the deck that Chuck just built.

The horse barn across the road is about the only decent barn left.  So they put a metal roof on to help save it and are painting it.  They got the white fence all done and now, Susie is painting the bottom of the horse barn, Chuck the top.

The other big barn is starting to gradually collapse, so they will probably get someone to come in and take it down, just like Pam did with hers.

Turn left out of their drive and back up to the corner.  This is the farm where I was born and where my son Mark, now lives.

Turned right and back passed Pam's on my way to the cemetery...1 mile east and 2 miles north.

Turn left and drive in a little and........there is all my family

 Moved the Angel Dog over to the other corner.

I hate that the marker gets discolored underneath

where the cement dog is.

Nothing much under the sod--a small trunk with Fred's ashes, 

his dog Tootz ashes

and this photo of them in a zip lock baggie.

Mother and Daddy--mine to the left

The two smaller markers at the top,

Great Grand Parents

 My beloved Grandma and Grandpa.

The two smaller stones at the top,

Great Great Grand Parents

A short distance away--My BFF

Over her name, it shows the location of their cottage on Houghton Lake, MI

Over Dick's name is a picture of their barn on their farm

On the bottom left, a rock that says "Love" with a butterfly, because she 

said she was "coming back" as a butterfy

On the way out, I noticed this dead tree with several Shelf Fungi attached to its left side. 

All of my Daddy's family and so many of my friends, all resting in the same cemetery.  Waiting for that "Day of Reunion".
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When I got home, at nearly 7:30, I found this photo Pam had sent me of Evan, when he stayed overnight with her,  standing beside my Daddy's little rocker.  That would be Evan's great grandpa.

What a blessed day!  The local weatherman predicts we are going to have the "best weekend of this summer".  YAY!

A Delightful Day

Weather perfect.  That makes 3 days in a row.  

Last night I got an e-mail from Karen and it read: "I have an appointment tomorrow morning.  Can I come out after wards and talk to you."

That last sentence sort of gave me a chill and I wondered, "Good Grief!  What have I said or done wrong now?"

Ever since the "to do" with Jennifer, which was in reality a huge misunderstanding, I get a kind of queasy feeling when one of my kids wants to "talk to me."  It kind of sounds like I am going to get a tongue-lashing.  You know, the old, "We need to talk," scenario.  Nothing good ever comes with those words.  I worried a bit about it and then thought, "I can't do a thing about it, so........."

She arrived at 9:45 and limped up the steps.  I opened the door for her, looked down and her left knee was swollen and black and blue with a scar!

"What happened!"

"I had knee surgery last Tuesday.  I just got the stitches out today."

"Why didn't you tell me?  I would have prayed for you."

She waved her hand at me, "Oh, Mom.  It was so quick and fast and I've been busy.  As they were wheeling me into the operating room I wondered, 'Did I call Mom and let her know'"

"And you didn't."

"It's fine.  No big deal.  I was home an hour after the surgery.  It was just an arthroscopic repair."

Like the time she called me from the hospital parking lot and said, "Mom, I thought I'd better call and let you know.  I'm having a hysterectomy today."

We had a wonderful conversation.  After the first 20 minutes I realized, she was just here for a visit, not a scolding.  She was here 2 hours!!!!!!  She told me about what all the grand kids are doing.  We talked about her and her siblings going up north for a weekend together.

I thanked her for getting me over to her house so I could see Jen and her kids.  Then she said something that made my day---no--my year.

Jennifer's husband Eric, was so angry at me 4 years ago and hasn't spoken to me since.  If I had the opportunity to go pick up one of the kids for their birthday supper--which was the only time I was allowed to see them, when he saw my car drive him, he'd go upstairs or out into the garage.  Eric is one who will hold a grudge forever.

I noticed the day I went to see Jen and the kids, that he was in the kitchen when I walked in and said, "Hi, how are you?"  To me.  When I hugged him, he didn't resist or pull back.

Karen told me that morning, Eric had asked Jen, "Shouldn't we go over and visit your Mom?"  Jennifer was busy getting the kids breakfast and said, "Sure, if we have time."  

Karen said, "I thought, I'm going to make this happen," and she said to Jen, "I'll call her and see if she can come over."
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I know--this sounds weird, but after Karen left today, I just sat and pondered.  I feel like I am no longer the pariah of the family.  I no longer feel rejected, neglected or left out.  I feel content and although,  my four youngest grandkids live far away, and I might not see them for another year or so, that's okay too.  It's been a long 4 years, having this heavy sadness on my heart, and now it's gone.

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After Karen left, I turned on the TV to watch the noon local news.  About 4 minutes into the program, the TV went black. I checked my phone--dead.  I came in here, no Internet connection.  Our Cable service was dead!  

It is a strange feeling to be without Cable service.  I have come to reply on these electronic devices, that the house seemed to quiet.  I couldn't make a phone call and I couldn't finish my FB games.  I was gonna miss my Soap!  YIKES!!

I walked over to Dar and Pearl's and sure enough, they were out too, so I knew it wasn't just me.  Dar called Comcast to report the outage.

I decided to go up to the gas station.  As I was pulling out of the park, I saw the Xfinity repair truck coming in.

When I got home, everything was still dead.  What to do.  Well, the TV still worked, we hadn't had a power outage, so I turned on the DVD player and watched a good movie.  When it was over, the TV, phone and Internet were working.  Come to find out, some construction guys in the back of the park had cut the main Cable line.  Every thing's all better now.
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Supper tonight.  Salmon patties and Sweet Corn.

Yes, and my bottle of water.

<Oh, by the way, just to make you all feel better, I now have to get up in the middle of the night to pee.>

I'm going "home" tomorrow afternoon.  When Susie called to see what time I was coming, I asked her, "How long has it been since you made Broccoli salad?"

"A long time, " she said.

"Man, I've been craving it all week."

She called back 30 minutes ago.  "Now you got me craving it.  I'm going to run into town tomorrow morning and get some grapes and Broccoli, that's all I need.  You can take some home with you."

YAY.  I think tomorrow is going to be another delightful day.

A little of this--a little of that............

This photo is for Debbie.  She prefers white corn, which I kid her is "wimpy".  I prefer this kind.  Nice big kernels of yellow that get stuck in my teeth and I have to floss them out for a half hour after I eat it.  HAH.  What I had for supper last night, along with some mac and tuna salad.

This little doll is nine months old yesterday and "almost" walking.

My Cone flowers have never been this tall, nor the blossoms this wide.  I have a Star Gazer Lily that has 7 blooms on it, usually I have 3.  My Stack 'N Grow is doing well too.  When I sit in this computer room, I can smell the scent from the Star Gazer.  Wonderful!!

I just started this afghan for Pearl's expected grand baby.  I can only do one round a day because it hurts my hand.

 This is coming along--pardon the wrinkles.  I was curious as to how many stitches this will take.
14 count Aida cloth, which means 14 stitches to the inch, I got the dimensions of the design and
ta dah--when completed it will have 334,246.  No wonder my hand hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Nice Surprise

Two years ago, my neighbor across the street when i lived in Saginaw, died.  After Fred died, she called me every Tuesday afternoon at 4:00.  I wrote a post about not knowing and then finding out she had died.

If you have a mind to, you can read that post here.

Much to my surprise, I received an e-mail from the couple who moved into her home.  They had wanted to do a bit of research on this quirky lady they had heard about.  For some reason, my blog post came up.  Apparently because I had posted her obituary?  I guess.

It was nice to communicate with them.  I found out the once large and beautiful gardens I had there, were dug up and turned back into grass, but the little Lilac sprig I planted, has turned into a nice tall Lilac bush.

Then, they told me that a play-scape in the park next to our two properties had placed a dedication to Phyllis.  She always worried that the children didn't have a nice place to play.  She would be so pleased.

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I awoke to a cold house--62 degrees.  I had left the bedroom window up last night.  I checked my weather station on the kitchen counter and it was 59 degrees outside and the humidity was 47%.  I opened up all the windows, but it got chilly feeling--that nice breeze was coming from the NorthEast.  I actually had to put on a long sleeved shirt and my socks.  No barefooting today.  It is now about 69, since the sun has finally come out, and a perfect day.  Such a change from the last 10 days of heat and humidity.
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I have no plans for the week, but I'm getting homesick so I think I need to plan for a visit up to The Home Stead. 

Mini Adventures

Thanks to my blog buddies.  I consumed 3-14 oz bottles of water yesterday and nary a dizzy spell.  You are all geniuses!!  But then--too much water can flush out sodium and I don't want to be low in sodium because........that condition causes dizziness.  HAH.  I think 3 a day is my new prescription.

Already had one consumed by noon today.  See--I am catching on and thanks for your advice.

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I had to put some gas in the car today.  It is an Ozone Action day here, but that yellow, "fill-me-up" light on the car's dashboard has been on for the last 3 days.  The conditions were cloudy, so I hoped I wasn't releasing very many fumes to add to the hole in the ozone layer.  I had a laugh when I went inside to pay, I was talking to the young kid who was manning the cash register today, have seen him whenever I go in, he's very nice.  We were chatting about the ozone layer, pollution and global warming and he replied, "Those people are weird.  Global warming is a naturally occurring geological event, every few centuries.!"

I laughed to myself at his classification of weird, as I looked again at those huge circle things he has in his ear lobes, a silver half ring in his nose and a small lightning bolt tattooed just above his right eyebrow.  

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So as not to feel too guilty about a trip into Brighton and adding car exhaust to the atmosphere, I also stopped at Michael's.  I needed 1 skein of embroidery floss.  One! I walked the 100 steps back to the cross stitch section, then noticed baby yarn on sale so grabbed two of those One Pound Balls of baby yarn.  Pearl's grand daughter is having a baby girl in October.  I feel the need to crochet an afghan for her.

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As I came out of the Michael's parking, there was the old "vet" sitting in his wheel chair.  I had stopped last month and given him a twenty.  He has a new sign today, "74 year old Vet.  Homeless and Hungry."  I noticed he was smoking a ciggie--looked like he had rolled it himself.  Today he had a knitted stocking cap on his head, a mustard colored T-shirt and khaki cargo shorts.  I didn't have a twenty, only a ten to give him today, but I got that same missing toot smile as before and a "God Bless you Miss."

As I drove away, I thought to myself, "Probably scammed again.  If he can afford tobacco, he probably can afford food."  My second thought, "Oh who cares.  I'm not here to rehabilitate him, I'm just here to give him money for a beer, or tobacco and make him smile."

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Hey--it's only 3:20 pm and I'm on my second bottle of water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nearing the end of July already?

I do believe my neighbors across the street, live in the only home in this park with no Central Air.  Even the old timey mobile home owners have had it installed in their homes.  It's not that these neighbors can't afford it.  They have lots of money and both their cars have A/C.   I wonder why not their house and how they get along in the hot and oppressive weather.  

Well. O.J. Simpson got his parole.  He has served his time for the "robbery" he was convicted of.  In my opinion, 9 years ago he was set up.  The people that had his personal items; family albums and photos, other personal items and were threatening to sell them, set him up.  They knew exactly how he would react.  The guy that told O.J. to come to his room to make a deal to get his stuff back, also set him up.  The guy who confessed that he, not O.J.,  was the only one in the room with a gun, set him up, and the jury who convicted him of the robbery set him up, because of murders they thought he had committed in 1995.

This trial was a "comeuppance" for O.J.  People said at least he would have to serve time.

I guess these last 9 years, while he was imprisoned, he was a model prisoner.  Commended by his jailers.  Took classes and counseled other prisoners.  Organized a softball league of 18 teams, that he was rules and conduct chairperson.  He also spent quite a bit of time with the Chaplain and has said that God has forgiven him for his actions, and he has grown deeply in his faith.  Yeah--he's still an arrogant cuss, but at 70, I think he's going to calm down a lot as he ages.   

Besides that, "they" will be watching him constantly.  He's just going to get older and fatter as he lives out his days in Florida with his kids and friends. 

To me, he is a sad case because when he came out of poverty to play at USC, he was phenomenal.  After college he was still a great football player.  Then he got all caught up in the Hollywood big time lifestyle and that was his downfall.  He got the arrogant, know-it-all, my way or the highway temper that a lot of those people "out there" fall into.  Everyone tells them how wonderful they are and they can do no wrong, and...they believe it.

Oh well--we'll see how he does now.
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I went up to check out Merle and Pearl's ramp.  Holy Cow!!!  It looks like a mini-deck.  Merle has even put his chair on the level part before the last part of the ramp starts.  It is NOT too steep and I think it will work great, if Pearl ever gets brave enough to use it.
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It's getting hot again, so I'm about to close this place up and turn on the A/C.  Have a good one.  

Good day

It is hot and humid again, so we are all closed up inside our homes--kind of like in winter, but the A/C blower is running, instead of the furnace blower.

I'm feeling pretty content and happy tonight because, I had errands and appointments this week and now I look at a blank calendar for the rest of the month.  I just simply enjoy the feeling that I don't HAVE to go anywhere.

I scored big time at the Food Bank this morning.  I found a 2# package of ground beef that I can make up into patties, freeze and have them when I crave a hamburger AND a package of 3 Rib Eye steaks!!!!  3!!!  Also got some Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, a few cans of cat food, 6 bottles of water, 1# of sugar, a box of biscuit mix and Cherry Turnovers!  I am just so happy to get the meat.  Maybe I can make it last for a month.

Came back home and what a mess.  My neighbor across the street, Jackie, has 6 car loads of people staying at her house, during the day, until Sunday.  They have no place to park, so they park on the edge of this narrow street.  I had a hard time getting my car out and back in my driveway.

Merle has parked his car in the other spot on my parking pad, because there were 3 large trucks, parked along the street by his house.  They are putting in a ramp for Pearl.

I managed to get down our now 1 lane street and out to the Doctor's.  He had a nurse practitioner student working with him today.  I gotta tell you, she's a lot better than he is.  I got a real check-up.  I even had to get up on the table so she could listen to my tummy sounds and check my legs and ankles.  Then she sat me up and checked my heart, my lungs, looked in my ears, nose and throat and listened to my carotid arteries and checked for lumps on my neck.

When she was done, the Doc came in and said, "Your blood work is perfect again.  Are you having any problems?"

"Nope.  Just back pain and the arthritis.  I wish I could take Prednisone every day for the pain."

"I know.  I'm sorry....because you are on the blood thinner, you can't take anything except Tylenol."

"That doesn't really work very well for me."

"I know...sorry.  You're very healthy otherwise.  Now get outta here and I'll see you in February."
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On the way home, I noticed the traffic light at the main intersection was out.  So we treat it like a four-way stop, right?  Except at that intersection, we have 5 lanes of traffic on each side of the street.  A right turn lane, 2 going forward and 2 left turn lanes--going in each direction.  The lights are coordinated to let the lanes go at different times.  It was 5:00, heavy traffic.

As I got to the dead light and was going forward, people were trying to turn left in front of us and come across from the other street.  Let's just say I was lucky to get out of there alive.  Just as I proceeded to cross other street, a guy decided he was going to come across from the street on my left--I saw him, stepped on the gas hard and he narrowly missed my back fender.

When I got home I walked down to Merle and Pearl's to check out the ramp.  It comes off their narrow back porch--they had built a wider landing, which is nice, but then the ramp goes down at a steep, at least it looked that way to me, angle.   If Pearl tries that in her wheeled walker, the walker is going to get away from her and she is going to fall.  If she tries to go up it with her walker or in a wheel chair, she won't have the strength of make that steep angle.

I kept any and all opinions to myself and will wait and see what happens.

She also has a new doctor that her daughter found for her.  She doesn't like my doctor anymore because he told her the reason she can't walk very well is because she rarely walks and just sits in her chair.  He advised her to keep moving and gave her instructions to at least walk out to the mailbox everyday.

She doesn't like the new doctor either.  "I don't like her attitude," she said.

"What was her advice?"  I asked.

"She told me I had to move around more.  I had to walk more."

Which, of course, is the same advice I have been giving her for the last two years.  When she sits in her recliner 12 hours a day, then tries to get up and walk, her legs are weak and her back hurts.  She did that all winter last year and then wondered why she could barely walk this spring.

Use it or lose it, Baby!!!

I did get some advice today from the nurse practitioner today.....drink more water.  She thinks the dizzy spells I get are from dehydration AND Diet Pepsi doesn't help, because of the caffeine.  I told her I was up to one bottle of water a day now.  LOL.  She told me to work my way up to at least 3 bottles a day.   I've had two today.  I have to pee every half hour!!!!!!!!!!