It's a good day..........

Cool/cold, but the sun shines.

27 degrees when I woke up this morning.

Yesterday, Don the Lawn Mowing Man came by and for two hours, raked up every single leaf on me and my neighbors yards.  I have 8 yard waste bags stuffed.

This morning, when I looked out--it was raining leaves!  That freeze and a little breeze must have sent a signal to my Maple trees to shake off their leaves.  There is as much in the drive and on the lawn as there was yesterday morning when Don started.  LOL

The genealogy is coming along nicely.  I didn't get back as far as I wanted, because on the Paternal side, they are fairly recent immigrants--70 years.  The records I would have to access are from a country that is in much upheaval, so the records are inaccessible.  POOP!!  I need to learn how to hack archival records in foreign countries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot believe how fast time goes when I have my nose buried deep in genealogical research.  It is so interesting and I am skipping from one record to another, printing them out to scan later.  I heard the cuckoo clock tell me it was noon today and I looked up and couldn't believe it.

This afternoon, I ran up to Howell and got my yearly oil change.  Since I only drive about 2,500 miles a year, they told me once a year oil change would be enough.  The old oil wasn't even dirty!!  Got all the fluid tanks filled, the tires checked and inflated.  Got $7.00 off the price.

Then I bopped over to the next door car wash, ordered up the super-dooper, wash, under carriage and all that and got a $1.50 discount on that.

Drove on up to the bank to deposit a gift I received, and then home.  All in one hour.

I parked my car on the other side of the drive so that empty space could fill up with leaves.

Sorry--wanted to insert a photo, but blogger won't let me.

Tonight, Salmon patties for supper and then watch Survivor and cross stitch.

I got all my nylon net scrubbies and dish cloths done for my 13 people.  I could start my spaghetti sauce project now, but I think I will wait until after Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow--lunch with the Old School Gal Pals.  Forecast of snow squalls.  YIKES.

Time change--Life the same

I had a neat blog to post on Friday.  However blogger and I had a fight and he wouldn't let me post any photos and half the post was in a different font and color--quite on it's own.  After 90 minutes, I just gave up.

Nothing much happening around here anyway.

I woke up on my own--which is usually 9:00, but the clock said 8:00.  It made me smile.  At least today, I didn't feel like a lay-a-bed, lazy bum.  LOL.

I saw the ambulance go passed and sure enough, it stopped at Merle and Pearl's.  She had fallen again and because she is so heavy, Merle can't lift her, so they just call the ambulance people.  They don't get charged for it--I imagine their insurance company does however. I wonder how long they will let this 2-3 times a month calls be made.
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Michigan State beat Penn State in the last few seconds with a field goal.  I never thought that would happened and had reconciled myself to Michigan State getting beat.  Penn State is like my second favorite BIG Ten college and the first of the season, I thought they would win it all.  They still may, as they will be in the playoffs.  

This Saturday we play Ohio State and there is no way we can win that one.  We have a true Freshman quarter back, but he has been doing great.
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Sunday, my grand daughter Susanna, from Portland, OR, ran in the New York marathon.  Apparently there was a way to watch her run--Karen had texted the others kids on how to do that.  I was left out of that  message.  It's almost like the kids don't remember that those lovely smart phones that they text with can also be used to make phone calls.
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The news from Sutherland, Texas just makes me sick.  It is a small town, just like my hometown of Byron--about 700 population.  I could just imagine some mad man walking into one of our two churches and blasting away.  Our sanctuaries are small--it's amazing that all the congregants weren't killed.

He was going after his mother-in-law who goes to church there, but happened not to go on Sunday.

Apparently the gun laws we have in place aren't being obeyed, as he had no license, had been court martialed and arrested for abuse.  The Air Force said they had "forgotten" to put him on the list to not to able to own a gun.  So when the "sellers" checked his background references, there was nothing there to keep him from buying.
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I got a nice e-mail from a lady who wants her husband's genealogy done.  I am happy and excited!  You know how obsessed I get over doing a genealogy.  I spent 4 hours today digging.  I think it's going to be difficult, because a lot of the records I want come from "across the big water" and they are very difficult to get, but.......................dig I shall until I run into that brick wall.   Hopefully I can find some things to fill in the blank areas they have.
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I did get my water heater drained--really good.  Still a bit of small pieces of lime and calcium in there, but not like before AND I got all the rust out of the bottom.   My sister Susan and her hubs, came down and put the plastic up on my back door for me.  This year, I didn't pack it with pink insulation, we just used a heavy duty plastic.  That way, I could leave my blinds partly open and the afternoon light still comes in through the plastic.
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Tomorrow, I go back for my lung CAT scan--to check and see if there are any changes from when I had it done back in February.  This is a free one from Medicare that is available ONCE, to check for cancer, to ex smokers between the ages of 50 and 77.  Mine came back in February with notice of a tiny nodule in my lower right.  Because of that, I can get another one in six months.  Simple, takes about 10 minutes, no contrast.  I will be anxious to see if the nodule is still there, has grown, or has shrunk.  Sometimes they appear and six months later are gone.

Other than that and my lunch with the Old School Gal Pals on Thursday, my week is free and you  know where I'll be..............on this computer with my nose stuck in old census records, passenger lists, death notices and grave yards.

November

Let me first apologize to any of you born in November, but I really dislike this month....and February...I don't like that month either.

Maybe it's only "up north", but November is a dismal, gray, chilly, dying month.  February is a dismal, gray, chilly, dead month.

Perhaps this Delightful Koala bear will make the day brighter?

This photo strikes me as laughable because I can remember, when Karen was home schooling her 5 children, they were not allowed Trick or Treating.  The (Catholic) home school group  got together, each child dressed as a Saint--each child required to tell the history of the Saint they were dressed as, then they could have their All Hallows Eve party, and go to Mass the next morning for All Saints Day, attired in their saintly costumes.

Karen seems quite content now to allow her very first grandchild to take part in pagan festivities.  Ha HAH!
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I am crocheting--a dish cloth and nylon net scrubbie for each of my "girls" for Christmas.  It is difficult nowadays to find the good kind of nylon net--the scratchier the better.  Prom dresses no longer have an under-skirt of the net.  Nylon Tulle is used, but...Nylon Tulle does not make a pot scrubber.

Apparently I was suffering my shaky hand syndrome when I took this photo.

I have 12 of these sets to make.  I try and remember what color their kitchen is so I can match the yarn for the dishcloth and scrubbie edging.  

I got the Nylon net at JoAnne's--4 yards--$7.20, but when I got to the counter to pay, it was on sale.  I got 4 yards for $5.00.

Last spring my sister had given me some cotton yarn (scrap) balls.  There usually is enough left in each ball to make a dishcloth.  Some were leftover cotton yarn balls from slippers I had crocheted for all the girls a couple of years ago.  

The dishcloths have nubbies on them, which help clean off the dishes.  The Nylon net scrubbies are wonderful--they scrub good and they won't hurt Teflon or best china.

It's a poor gift for sure, but I'm poor.  My girls are all so sweet that they will rave over their measley gift and act like it is the nicest gift they received.  

Last year I wasn't poor and got each one of them a Salt lamp--they loved them--still do.

Carpal tunnel rearing it's ugly head in my right hand makes for pain in crocheting the stiff, Nylon net scrubbies.  I make one a day, then go to my cross stitch, which causes pain in my left hand.  That way, I even out the pain.
I know--I am a weird person!
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As for my "boys", their gift gets a bit more spendy.  I make each one two quarts of spaghetti sauce.  It takes two days to make one batch--about 6 quarts.

I have 7 boys, that equals 14 quarts.

Luckily, over the last few months, I have been able to hoard about 6 cans of diced tomatoes on each trip to the Food Bank.  I also found a package of frozen Johnsonville hot Italian Sausage, which I make small meat balls out of.  I will need to start looking for some lean ground round at the Food  Bank.  Then, I will only need to buy a couple more packages of Italian Sausage, green peppers, onions and tomato sauce.

It is a mini chunky sauce  and simmered for two days so it cooks down nice and thick.  We want no sauce sliding off the spaghetti.

I got the recipe 30 years ago from my tiny little Italian friend, Francine (Frankie) and it is superb!!!  My boys love it!  It is easy to please boys with gifts.
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Then I will have to scare up $20.00 each for Jen's four kids--they won't be with us for Christmas (again) this year.

I don't have a clue what inexpensive little gift to get for Darling Della... and don't really know if I should even get started buying for her generation.  I'm sure there will be more "greats".

So, last year I spent about $500.00 for Christmas, this year it will be around $120.00.  I may have to cash in my "change" jar to get it, but....whatever works.
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We are having Christmas Eve at The Farm (Susan's) this year.  Last year it was at Karen's on the day before Christmas Eve--and it upset me a bit.  This year it will be on the Eve--our traditional family Christmas gathering day.  It is now around noon because over the years, kids have places to go.  My son and his lady go to her Mom's, Christmas Eve afternoon to spend the night and Karen and her family always go to evening Mass with her hubs family--so we have had to adjust our celebration time.  We break around 4:00, which is okay--makes it easier for me to get home before dark.
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What really matters is that we will all be together--except Jen's family--so we won't all be together--let's not think about that okay?  Let's just be grateful that most of us will be together and the tradition still carries on.

Personally? I want the Holidays like they were 60 years ago--which is stupid, because half the people from 60 years ago are dead!

Personally?  I really look ahead to New Year's Day, when the Holidays are over and I have managed to keep my complaints and grouchiness quiet and hidden while my smile is ever present, pasted on my face and my words are always loving and polite.

I can be such a fraud!  HAH!
  

BOO!

Am I the only human in the US of A, that hates Halloween?

No, not because of Trick or Treaters, I don't get any here, no not even because it is a reason for the thugs in big cities to vandalize and burn.  I just hate the whole thing about it.

Dead people coming out of their graves to flit and fly among us?  Why would that be fun?

Witches and the bats flying in our faces and poking us with broom sticks?  Why would that be fun?

Zombies trying to drag me into the pit?  Why would that be fun?

Pagans and witches with their blood rituals?  Why would that be fun?

I've never liked it--even as a kid.  I certainly didn't like the Halloween parties I was forced to go to as an adult.  Just another excuse for grown-ups to get drunk and act stupid.

Now, more than ever, it is so mixed up with paganism and the occult, that it repels me.  

Remember my neighbor Tammie?  She was a Catholic, turned Seventh Day Adventist, turned Pagan.  With an enormous pentagram on her front door.  She was even married on Halloween, in the local cemetery.  Last spring she was out, hugging and praying to some godess, for the tree that was going to be cut down.  She's spookier than  anyone I know!!!

I just wondered, am I the only one that hates Halloween?

Genealogy

If any of you are interested, or know of anyone who would like their genealogy researched, please send me an e-mail with your mailing address and I will send a brochure, which explains all that will be compiled and included in your Family Tree.

I am running a special price, from now through the end of year.  $5.00 an hour, instead of the usual $7.00.

Thanks.

This and That

My clock radio woke me yesterday morning to this song:  You Were Always On My Mind.
and that dang song put me in a mood that started my day off really bad!!!  I have a love/hate relationship with this song.

You see....my husband and I were separated for 18 months before our divorce was final.  We dated off and on.  The last few months he started dating our mutual friend--I had encouraged him to date her.

The night before our court date, we went out.  A dinky, dim bar near where we lived.  There was a country-western group that sang and we danced.  

Then, they sang this damn song.  We got up to dance and hubs started singing those damn words in my ear.  Truest words he had ever said to me.

We drove back to my place--the home we had lived in and raised our children in, we went to bed, probably closer than we had been in years.  He left around 5:00am.

Ten hours later, we sat on a bench in the courthouse ante-room, holding hands and crying, as our lawyers worked out a "deal".  Then into the court room.  I clearly remember hearing the courthouse clock chime 5:00, as the judge brought down the gavel and said, "Divorce granted."
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The ever present argument I have with my brain:

“Ooooh. Look at that!”
“Hm-mm.”
“I could really use that.”
“Hm-mm.”
“I think I’ll get that.”
“No.”
“Yeah, but…I like it.”
“No.”
“But—I would really enjoy that.”
“You don’t need it.”
“But…I want it.”
“You can’t afford it.”
“Oh.” (sigh)
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Just saw this posted on FB this morning.  Madeleine was sending her ballet teacher a Happy Birthday post.  Maddie was 4 at the time.  So cute.

  

  

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I drained the stupid water heater yesterday.  My back was killing me.  First I had to removed all my clothes from the closet to get to the back where the heater is, behind the wall.  I piled everything on my bed.  

Dar came over during the process.  After she left, I put it all back together and thankfully, when I pushed the gas control to "On", I heard the WHOOSH of the flame and knew it was all working.  Put the piece of wall back.

Then Dar's friend Sheila stopped in with two cans of soup for me and we talked.

Then it was supper-time and just then my cousin called and we talked for over two hours.  Then I got interested in watching the World Series and it was late by the time I went to bed.......................only to find all my clothes from the closet still piled on my bed.  

So--there I was, near one in the morning, sorting out winter and summer clothes to put back in the closet!!
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Today, I am sitting in my recliner and watching back-to-back football games, U of M at noon, Michigan State at 3:30, and cross stitching and crocheting ALL afternoon!!!  My back needs a good rest!!!
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Darling Della's 1st birthday photo gallery.

Her constant companion and guard--Rupert

Score Card

Because Luna Crone asked and my other new blog buddies.

My family Score Card.  LOL

My little sister and only sibling, born when  I was 13.
Susan Ellen

 Susan and her husband Chuck and (our) Ancestral Farm where they live--Farm settled on  in 1855. 

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My children:

Mark-14, Pamela-13, Karen 11- Jennifer 1

 2013-Mark, Pam, Jen, Me, Karen

Mark Templeton

and his "wife", live on the farm where I was born and grew up.  This farm 1/8th mile north of ancestral farm.  Mark is a disability retired GM machinist.  Cindy drives school bus

2016

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Pamela Ann

Works as night janitor at High School

Lives on my grand parents farm--1/2 mile east of Mark's farm

Where we moved in 1967 and raised the kids 

2016

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Karen Helene

Her children--Madeleine, Stephen, Marcus, Susanna, Helene

(youngest to oldest)

 2016

Karen & Mark and family

Stephen--Michigan State University-- medical school
Helene--married to Mike with Della--works in the same company as her Dad
Susanna--lives in Portland, OR, works for New Balance Shoes, travels around the US, running marathons and promoting New Balance
Karen and hubs Mark--married August 29, 1979
Karen teaches math at a Catholic high school
Mark works for government contractor--studying satellite photos--top secret
Madeleine--the ballerina, studying nursing at Eastern Michigan College and teaching ballet
Marcus--graduated University of Michigan--Nuclear Engineer, works for DTE, engaged to Morgan

2017-House with addition on left

Their eldest child Helene Mary and her Hubs Michael

and Della Helene

Karen's oldest son Marcus and his fiancee' Morgan

Wedding date--June 2, 2018 

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Jennifer Dorathy

Jennifer and Eric
Married in Boston, MA, September 23, 2000

Jennifer is a partner in a Corporate Law Office

Eric is a Prosthetics and Orthotics Engineer

Andrew, Alex, hubs Eric

Elise, Jen, Evan

Their home here.  Now they live in New Jersey

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How Della got her name.

My fathers mother--my precious Grandma

Helene Mary

My Mother

Dorathy Della

My Karen Helene

Her Helene Mary

Her Della Helene

Whew!  Are there any questions?