Too Early For This

It might be difficult to see, but this is what's going on outside at this very moment.

Looking out my living room window, past my porch toward the street light.

Expected 3-4 inches tonight.  Where is it coming from?  The  West side of the State--lake effect snow off Lake Michigan and yet, we are miles and miles and miles away from there--185 miles away and it's effecting us.  The winds are carrying it to us--25-30 mile an hour winds.

Oh well--it is expected to be 50 degrees by Sunday and warmer next week.

======================

I had my appointment at the Food Pantry this morning at 10:15 and I did better this time, but still...not what I am allowed.  I have 60# of food I can get.  Last time I got 25 and this time 42.  I have asked them to move me back down to 40#--I just don't need that much stuff.

I did score big on the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce so I can cook another 2 batches of spaghetti sauce for my guys for Christmas.  I had heard we were going to get a turkey, but I did not.  Maybe only families get turkeys.  They did throw in a pound of cheese--that awful slimy processed cheese that they give out for surplus needs.  I don't eat much cheese.  I tried to think how I could use if, but couldn't come up with a thing.  Pearl didn't want it, so......maybe Dar would like it?

Speaking of which--Dar had her procedure today.  They drained off a bunch of stuff from the "sac" and have come to the determination (like the ER doc), that she DOES have a hernia.  Which is also what I told her over a month ago.

She thought they could repair it with a laser, I told her I didn't think so and sure enough, they will do it out patient.  Put a screen in and fix it.  Takes about 4 hours and then they let you come home.  She had taken one of her tranquilizers and seemed in good spirits when she got home--she called, so I know.

========================

That's about all I have for today.  Tomorrow will be busy--making more spaghetti sauce, laundry, etc.  Glad I went out today so I can just stay home and watch it snow tomorrow.

  

My Dad's Side Of The Family

Confusing because:

Peter Waltz             1710-1790
Conradt Waltz        1739-1816
Peter D, Waltz        1760-1807
Conrad E. Walts     1788-1873  (Note the name change)
Peter Walts            1819-1899
Charles E.  Walts   1860-1943
Roy U.   Walts       1892-1942      
Charles J. Walts     1916-2008
Judith J. Walts       1939

They kept naming their kids after their father's or themselves.  Glad I wasn't a male or my name probably would have been Conrad Peter!

Lovely, in that I found out we came from Prussia, Germany on my Great Grandfather's side and from Hanover, Germany on my Great Grandmother's side.  And--for some reason, they all belonged to the German Reform Church in Jefferson County, New York.

=======================
I've been at this all day--and most of the past month and getting real close to the end.  I am entering all the "new" stuff on Family Tree Maker and when I am done, I will upload it to Ancestry.com--YAY.

Then I got the bright idea that I should put all this information and pictures I have found in a Shutterfly book for my kids.  I have given them all 3-ring binders with the info, but that was way back in 1999.  I have learned so much since then.

This project would give me something to do all winter--like I need that, as I am also working on my "How To" book.

At least--I am busy and that makes me very happy!!
================
So, I laid low all day and watched as Dar's car was gone most of the day, but...suddenly she appeared walking on the street, headed this way.  Right when I was in the middle of trying to figure out if Conradus Walts was related to me--he wasn't, thank goodness.

So, I had to stop.  She was all in a frustration mode because she couldn't figure out how to get her turkey at a reduced rate on the website where she was suppose to get a coupon stating that fact.  The website is for the store WHERE SHE WORKS!!!!!

After I tried for an hour and couldn't access the coupon, I said, "You ought to just go to the customer service desk and ask them."

"Great idea!"  she shouted.  "I'm going up there right now."

and off she went--thank you Lord.

So I went back to work until I got all of Conrad's kids worked out and their children's names.  My word--people had a lot of kids back in the old days.  I suppose because so many of the kids died young?  In his family, he had a son Nelson and a girl Lucinda and although 12 years apart, they died on the same day.  I wonder if it was from smallpox or the flu.  Sad.

Monday I have a 10:15 appointment at the food bank and this time--I have a list and I am ready.  Now that I know, I am not restricted on how many canned goods I can get--other than meat meals--I think I will do better to get closer to my goal--they always get so upset with me because I never get enough stuff.

I think I better set my alarm--I have been known to sleep in until after 9:00 ya know.  :-)

Harsh, But True.

Does Anyone Have Some Phenobarbital I Can Borrow?

Feeling so great last night and this morning.  Calm.  Happy.  Relaxed.  Content.

Dar flew in at 11:00.  She was very hyper.  One doctor thinks she has a hernia.  The other doctor thinks she has an abscess.  She can't get a straight answer.  I tell her, "that's why you're having an ultra sound on Monday,, so they can determine what is going on."

"I can't stand it!  I'm going  crazy, Judy.  I tell you I am going crazy!  I knew I had to come over or I might just go mental."
<ah--you already are>

I noticed she had her phone and a notebook with her.

"Are you waiting for a phone call?"

"Yes.  The doctor is suppose to call me and tell me what they are going to do on Monday.  I have to know!  I can't go in for a procedure and not know what it's for!"

"You are going in to find out, what it is and how they are going to treat it.  That's why you have to have an ultra sound on Monday."

"Yes, but what it I get in there and they decide to do surgery?"

"Well...wouldn't that be a good thing.  You'd get it all done at one time and not have to worry about going back in."

"I am losing it!"

"Dar...you lost it a week ago."

"I did?"

"Yes, you were over here going through much the same emotional stress you are going through right now."

The conversation went on for about an hour--she justifying why she worries like she does, why she reacts like she does.

"What would you do...if this was happening to you?"

"I would go off my head, that's for sure.  You can't control a bit of it.  Give it to)--and I pointed skyward).  Let Him handle it."

"I have all my faith in God.  It is His will and in His plan."

"Then....why are you so stressed and worried?"

Just then her phone rang.  It was one of the doctor's.
====================

The most frightening thing happened.  I have never witnessed such a thing in my entire life!

I went into the bathroom, because I had to pee, but I wanted to give her some privacy.

All of a sudden, I hear Dar yelling, screaming, crying.  

I ran out and she was pacing and yelling and then she fell down on the floor on her knees..."YOU'VE GOT TO PUT ME OUT FOR THIS.   NO...I KNOW IT'S A LOCAL, BUT I NEED TO BE PUT OUT.  I'M CAN'T HANDLE ANY OF THIS!"

She's swaying back and forth on her knees--she's crying and then bends over and moans and then yells into the phone.

I don't know if you remember when I told you about the time I took her into emergency to get her little toe x-rayed?  How she got hysterical and started yelling and crying because she just knew they were going to admit her?  The nurse took me aside and asked me if Dar was on drugs?  Remember that?

That was nothing compared to this.  I thought she was going to have a stroke or a heart attack.

I went back into the bathroom until I heard her hang up.

"Okay--what was that about...and get off the floor and back in the chair, please."

'OH MY GOD!  OH MY GOD!  PLEASE LORD, HELP ME!"

"Who was that?"

"My doctor."

"And..what did she say?"

"She said.....OH MY GOD...she said they don't know if it is a hernia or an abscess!"

"You already knew that.  Why are you hysterical?"

'I NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO MONDAY."

"The reason you are going in Monday is so THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO!  GEEZ...WOMAN!"

"Oh, I'm so glad I was over here when that call came in."

"Really?  Do you even realize how you over react to things like this?  You are irrational!  You get hysterical.  You put yourself through so much stress...you act like you're crazy!"

"Oh.  I'm so embarrassed...for you to see that."

Well--I seriously thought of calling 911.  I thought you might need a straight jacket and a shot of Phenobarbital!"

"I'm allergic to it."
<of course you are>

"Okay.  You are going in Monday.  You are going to have an ultra sound.  They will probably probe the area, maybe even take a bit of liquid for testing and then they will know what is wrong and...they WILL fix it and this all will be behind you."

"Oh...I just can't breathe!"

"I want you to go home and take a Tranxene, eat something and sit in your chair and rest."

"I only take Tranxene at night."

"Go home!  Take a Tranxene."

"But..it might make me sleepy."

"Take.  A.  Tranxene!"

Got her out the door!  Went into the bathroom and got me an Ativan because I was so shaky!

------------------------------------------------------
On a different and much better note:  My mother got interested in genealogy in the mid-60's.  She was intent on finding out where my father's paternal side of the family came from.  She finally got the name of his 2nd great grandfather, (Conrad) and his birth and death date, but she never could find out where he was buried--we thought Watertown, NY.

After Mother died in 1970, I took over the search and found out a lot more about my family--both sides of my family.

Then in 1999, I found out Conrad's father's name.  It was Peter.  To make matters even more interesting, I found out that Peter's father's name was Conradt. Plus, (my) Conrad's son's name was Peter.

So--I had a Conradt, a Peter, a Conrad and a Peter--the last one was the one that bought the farm and built the house Sister Susan now lives in.

Susan and Chuck still lived in New York, so they would take weekend jaunts to the cemeteries around Watertown and Jefferson county--looking for Conrad--never found him.

I never found any record of his burial.  

For some unknown reason, I was just checking out his name this afternoon, on Ancestry.com--just to see if I had all the historical stuff on him and happened onto a page and...there was the name of the cemetery where he is buried!!!

Now, when Susan and Chuck go back to visit his family, they can go to this cemetery and see if they can find his grave and take a photo of his headstone!!

44 years, we've been hunting for him.  I was so stunned, I just sat here in my chair and kept looking at the name and the birth and dead date to make sure, he was the right one.  

I'm still stunned!!!!

So at least my day ended on a high note!

Gosh--I hope Dar doesn't come back until after the procedure on Monday afternoon!!!

Neighbor's and Such

Bella Rum--if you go into your e-mail address book--click on the tab to add a new contact.
Then, when the tab comes up to enter their name, and their address, type in:
000000000000     0000000         0000000000000000
That will now be the first contact in your e-mail address book and...IF anyone hacks your e-mail, they will not be able to send "fake" e-mails to the rest of the people on your list.  All those zeroes stop them.
===============================

We got snow squalls today.  At times, hard snow, but big fluffy flakes.  At other times, had, grainy little pieces of snow.  None of it lasted very long and it did not build up, although, because of the cold, some snow on the roof of the house.

I was just minding my own business today, playing around in Ancestry.com and working on my "How To" book.  At 1:00, I sat down to watch my Soap and at 1:14, Dar came busting in.  She was in a panic!

"I just got home.  I came right over.  I feel like I can't breathe.  Oh...you're watching your show.  Can you turn it off, I really need your help."

So I did.  "Come on in here. Sit down and take a deep breath--blow it out--another deep breath--blow it out.  Now...tell me what's going on."
<she can't breathe, so she lit up a cigarette--because we all know, that helps so much>

"I haven't heard back from the doctor...on what they are going to do about this thing....and it's getting bigger and today, it stings and hurts!"

"Did you hear back on what the CAT scan showed?"

"Yes.  The doctor called this morning, but...she hasn't figured out how to take care of it!"

"Maybe she will call you back.  She probably has to consult with other docs to see what is the best procedure."

"She wants me to see an orthopedic surgeon!"

"Whatever for?"

"She thinks it is an infection pocket coming from the pin I had put in my hip eleven years ago!"

"Hm-mm.  Possible."

"What!!?"

"You just had a bunch of dental work done.  Did you take your antibiotic beforehand?"

"Why would I do that?"

"They haven't told you, because of your hip surgery, you're suppose to take an antibiotic before any dental work because germs can get in your blood stream and go to the surgical site and cause an infection?"

"No."

"Okay.  I don't know...I think it's just an abscess of some kind and you need it to be drained."

"Well...I want something done now!  I can't stand all this worry!  What if it breaks and I get that infection all through my blood.  What if I go into Septic shock and have to be in hospital?"

"Oh Dar, you know you can't do a thing about it.  Worrying and going nutsy cuckoo isn't going to help.  You know that right?"

"That's why I'm over here.  For you to calm me down."
<groan>

"Okay...this is what you do.  Wait until around three this afternoon.  If you haven't heard anything back from the doctor, call the office and tell them you have to get this taken care of because you are in pain, it has swelled more and you are scared.  I'm sure they will be able to tell by the sound of your voice that you are in a panic."

So we talked of this and that and an hour later she stated, "Now I can breathe!  I knew you'd help me."

So we talked of this and that some more..of her kids and her job and her family and an hour later, her phone rang...and it was St. Joesph hospital calling.

She goes in Monday.  No CAT Scan.  So no contrast dye.  They will give her a mild sedative, they will use an ultra-sound to pinpoint the sac and they will give her a local anesthetic and they will aspirate it.  She has to be there at 1:30 and it should only take an hour.  YAY.
===============
About a half hour after she left, a knock and my door opened again and there was Merle--tool box in hand.  He had come down to insulate my back door for me--like he did last year.  

He wasn't too frisky, except for one time, I was standing behind him to hold the top of the insulation, while he stapled it in place, he did mention that it "felt good", but other than that.  Merle is about 5'6" and me standing behind him, leaning over his shoulders and head to hold the insulation, probably put my boobs into his back, but...hey, not my fault. I said, "Keep your mind on your work, Buddy!"

So I am now snug and warm and ready for the low temps that are coming in the rest of this week and next.

Life is just plain GREAT!!

I See In The Western Sky.............

.....cold weather and probably snow approaching! BRING IT ON!! I'm ready.

Dar had her CAT scan and she didn't react to any of the things she thought she was allergic too.  She doesn't know the results as yet, but "they" think, perhaps an abscess.  She pronounced it "absuss".

Pearl said she had another loose tooth.  She went to the dentist and it was only a cracked filling.  She got that fixed.

Merle had a flat tire and when he took it in, it was found that the valve stem had broken off.  They repaired it for free.

Life is good in the hood!
---------------------------------------
Today, at noon, I was just getting ready to get out of this room and I saw a car pull up in front of the house.  It was the same color as my neighbor Tami's car and I thought she had pulled up a bit to be able to back into her drive.  Then I noticed her car was already in her drive.

I looked again and the car was pulling away.  A few seconds later, it came back from the other way, stopped across the street, between the new neighbor's house and Jackie's.  There was an older man, dressed in a grey suit, with a full head of pure white hair.  Just as I was getting curious, I saw him take a picture of my house.  I trotted to the front door,..I was going to go out on the porch and say,, "May I help you?"  But he drove away.  He didn't speed away--he just drove slowly away.  I wish I had got his license plate number.  Dagnabbit!!

I had to run up to the store and on the way back, I stopped into the park office.  Rob, the manager was in the office, so I told him about the picture taking guy.

"Did someone stop in here and ask for my address?"

"Nope.  Why didn't you call us, I'd have driven right over."

"It was noon.  The office is closed."

"Are you being investigated by the F.B.I.?"

"Perhaps.  I have said some really bad things about the President on Face Book."

"Who hasn't!"

"Well--maybe it was a nice older gentleman and he was checking out the place because he wants to move in with me."

"That's possible."

"Well...he better be rich because NO ONE is moving in with me unless they are rich!"
===============
It is kind of unsettling.  Pearl said, "they probably had the wrong address.  You know there is another house with your house number on the street behind us."

"Yeah.  I know."

I guess I will wait and see what happens.  You can be sure I will be watching for him to return!
===========================

This is my Mother's father.  He was 31 and had five children when he enlisted in WWI.  He was a minister and poor and he thought his allotment check would help take care of his family.  He was a fine horseman, so they put him in the Cavalry, where he acted as Chaplain's mate, medic and bugler.  This next picture is of a small trumpet he used to wear on his watch chain.

Here he is when he was older.

I think I look a lot like him.

Beautiful Weather Day

Sunny and gloriously warm all day and, promised the same for tomorrow and then.....the Polar Vortex is coming down from Canada, where it came from Alaska, where it was pushed from that nasty hurricane up north.

I have nothing to do outside.  All my gardens are snug and ready for their big sleep.  There is nothing needed from the shed.  I have my snow shovel up on the porch, along with the broom..standing at attention, ready for action.

Soon, the gardens will be covered under a snug, warm blanket of snow.  They like that, for some reason.  When we have our 3 feet high drifts, I picture the bulbs and roots, underneath, just a snoozing away.  I think of gardens as places of Hope.

Life gets dark and drear during the winter, but there is Hope for a brighter future and sure enough, once the sun gets warm and the snow melts--there are new shoots and petals and blossoms.  

Always reminding me that during dark times, there will eventually come a time of sun.
=========================
I ventured up to Pearl's this morning and she was on the phone, trying to call me.  She had a computer question which I easily fixed.  Then we went back into the living room and had a nice hour long chat.  It was very pleasant.

I came home, ate a small sandwich and watched my Soap.  The Soap is celebrating it's 50th anniversary tomorrow.  I have watched from day one, when it was only a half hour long show.  I'd put the babies to bed for their nap, sit down on the couch, relax and watch my Soap....on my gloriously large 19 inch TV.  Back then, I could sit across the room and see everything on the TV screen quite clearly.  Now--sometimes I have a hard time seeing what's on the 32" screen a mere 10 feet away.  <Sigh>
=========================
I have my Mother's side of the family genealogy all done!!  All printed out.  Now all I have to do is put it back together in my big 3-ring binder.  I have made copies to take to my sister on Thanksgiving Day.   

I will start my Daddy's side tomorrow, but I think I have everything as we have researching that side since 1970, when my Mother started it.
=================================
When my little sister was about three years old, she got in a snit one afternoon.  Her favorite color was pink.  She wondered why the sky wasn't pink,  Mother explained, but Susie would have none of it.  The more she thought about it, the madder she got.  She stamped her foot, and put her hands on her hips and pouted and cried.  All afternoon.  Good Grief!

As I was walking across the lawn and out to the barn, at sunset, I looked and the clouds were a gorgeous shade of pink.  Light pink and dark pink and pinkish purple.

I walked back to the house and told Susie to come look.

She came out and I pointed to the western sky.  She looked up.

"Oooooh," she whispered.

Then, she ran back inside and dragged Mother out and she said, "Look what Judy did.  She made me a pink sky!"

I was sixteen years old and I will never forget, as she looked up at me, the sheer wonder and awe on her sweet, little face at what she thought I had done for her.  I felt like I was her Super Sister.

This evening, I took these pictures and sent them to her on Face Book, saying, "Susan, look what I did for you."

My Goodness!

Where do I begin?

Friday--my cousin came over and we drove up to the Holly Cemetery, where sister Susan and I had gone the week before.  Cousin wanted to take photos of the great grand parents graves and great greats.  We found them and a few I hadn't noticed the last time.

Then, on the way home, I took her to the little cemetery that I visited last Sunday where her great greats on her Dad's mother's side of the family are buried.  The ones I had done the genealogy search for.  I had such a fun time with her and realize...I really DO feel good when I have something like that going on in my life.

My friend Chris is in the November writing contest thingie--like the participants are to write 50,000 words in the month.  She had me do some Internet research on a couple of questions she had.  The rest of my time was spent with my nose in ancestry.com on the hunt for more names, dates and facts.  You know what?  Genealogy is NEVER finished!!  There is always another branch on the tree to look over.

When I was researching my Grandfather--just to make sure I had my dates and facts right, I came across a picture of him I had never seen.  He was quite young and very handsome.  On the bottom of the page was an email address for the person who had submitted it.  I contacted her--a distant cousin and she put me in contact with another distance cousin, so much of Saturday was taken up with sending pictures and stories through e-mails.  Fun.  Fun.  Fun.

Then I watched my precious MSU Spartans play the Ohio Buckeyes last night...and they lost.  Heartbroken?  Nope--I'm not really.  I had a feeling they were going to lose, so I wasn't really surprised.

Today, I received a Face Book message from one of my "borrowed" grandsons that he was playing in a Trombone concert tonight at the MSU School of Music and---IT WAS LIVE-STREAMED, so I could watch it on my computer!!!  What a treat!  The camera's took close-ups of the kids playing so I could see him as if I was right there in the audience!  Convenient.  I didn't have to drive up there in the dark to see him perform (which I could not have done) AND during intermission, sitting here, I cleaned up and dusted my desk.  LOL  I love the electronic age!

In between all my fun times, Dar came over Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings!  EGAD!  
Every once in awhile, I think she comes over to check and make sure I am all right and almost said, "You don't have to come over everyday.  I'm fine." but then, silly me, I realize that it isn't about me one single bit.  It's ALL about her.

Her alcoholic, drug taking oldest daughter was in hospital with liver failure, but seems to be doing better.

Her alcoholic, drug addicted son, got evicted last week, but has since found a place to stay. She refused to let him stay with her, so he is sleeping in a room at the local Catholic rectory.  They are going to help him find a job and pay his rent for him.

Her other daughter, that reported her for child abuse and left and moved to Indiana, is now leaving her live-in boyfriend and of course wants to come back here and move in with Mom.  Dar isn't going to let that happen either, because her daughter's name is on the title of the house and Dar is afraid, that if the daughter comes back, she will argue and fight with her and if she (Dar) leaves, for her own safety (?), the daughter will change the locks and won't let her back in. 

Dar is now working the Meijer Gas Station--she hates it, but knows they put her there because they are "probably" training her for a management position. <sure they are>

and

"I just don't know what I'm going to do when I have to stay in the hospital."

"Why do you think you are going to be in hospital?"

"For my surgery."

"But...you haven't had your CAT scan or ultra sound.  You don't even know if you have to have surgery.  Besides, hernia surgery is done out-patient nowadays."

"Oh no.  It won't be for me.  I will react to every drug and anesthetic they give me!"

"Well...if you think you are, than you probably will,..even if you actually don't."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it now.   Wait until your tests are all done.  Than you will know what to do."

Pearl called me Saturday night at 8:00.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked.

"Watching the ballgame."

"Oh Brother!"

and she hung up on me.

So I called her back.

"Just because I have the ballgame on TV doesn't mean we can't talk on the phone.  What's up?"

"Merle is sleeping in his chair...as always...and I just wanted to ask you a question about how to find that game you told me about...on FaceBook."

"Can you go back to your computer?"

"I suppose.  Oh Lord, now I gotta get up outta my chair and walk all the way there...okay, I'm on my way. 

I hummed the final jeopardy song as she moaned and groaned back down her hallway.

"Okay--I'm in front of it.  Now what?"

"Go to FaceBook."

"Wait!  I gotta turn it on first!"

again, humming the final Jeopardy song....

"Okay--wait--what do I do?"

"Are you in FaceBook?"

"No."

"Well--get in Facebook.....now..."

"Oh my gosh.  My cousin sent me the cutest picture of a cat."

"Ah..do you want to go to the new game...or..."

"Okay.  What do I do?

"That line at the top...left top where you can put in a person's name and find their Timeline?  Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes!  Okay..I got my blinker on there...now what?"

"Type in Candy Crush Soda."

"Okay--wait a minute...I can't type very well."

"Take your time."

"Oh.  What do I do?"

"Click on where it says allow or play ...something like that."

"Oh.  No...this isn't the right one.  This is Candy Crush and I wanted the new one...."

"It sorta looks like Candy Crush, but it's different.  There are soda bottles that pop and there are little bears to rescue.  It's fun.  You'll like it."

"Okay."

and she hung up.

About half an hour later, I went back to use the bathroom, looked out my window and could see her silhouette in her bedroom in front of the computer, so, I guess she was enjoying the game.

Life is good!
=====================
Have a good week.  I know I will!

I've Got No Complaints--well--maybe one?

Today's high temperature was: 58 degrees

Sunny all day

=============================

With this new time change, I am waking up at 8:00 every day!  That's early for me :-). but it feels like 9:00 and...........

Anyway--I went to bed smiling and I woke up smiling and I feel like I can breathe again.  I don't know why, but I feel a bit safer this morning.  What a sweep, huh?  The biggest majority in the house since 1920 and the biggest majority in the Senate since WWII.  I don't know if they can get any work done, but I feel better.

I listened to a few political pundits today and one of the things I found interesting; they said that most of the Democrats used nasty campaign ads, blasting their opponent, while the Republicans didn't--instead they focused on their own accomplishments.  People are so sick of the nasty stuff that may have made a difference.  There were quite a large number of cross over votes, as Democrats voted for Republicans this time.  A clear voice to the Prez. that even his own party constituents are not all that pleased with the job he is doing.  I imagine he felt terrible last night and this morning, but hey...he isn't the first nor will he be the last that this has happened to.  

More important, to me, is this may very well scare Hillary from running.  I can only hope.  Anyone but her!!  From what I have read and the Secret Service reports, she is one nasty, vicious, woman that has a mouth worse than any sailor.  Plus, Bill has a sweetie and if they went back to the WH, he'd have to give her up, unless he stays in Chapaqua--she lives just up the street from them.

I also heard a couple pundits say that this Republican sweep just may help President Obama because there are a few things he wants to approve, but his more Liberal senators don't like.  This way he could run it through the house and senate, where the Repubs would sign on and then he could sign it and blame the Republican pressure.  One of which is the Pipeline--he really wants it.

Who knows--time will tell.

=========================

Pearl called at 8:45 and wondered if I had any condensed milk.  I said I didn't and I wanted to know what she was baking.

"I want to make pumpkin pie."

"You use condensed milk in pumpkin pie?"

"No.  Geez...I said evaporated milk."

"Oh.  No I don't have any of that either."

After my Soap, I decided to run up to Wal-Mart.  I had to get paper products and stuff that I knew would be cheaper there.  I got Pearl a can of evaporated milk and dropped it off on the way home.

An hour or so later, she came down with a piece of pumpkin pie for me.  YUM!  but...it looked strange to me.  I didn't say anything...........

Pearl said, "I wanted a creamy taste so I put a block of cream cheese in it."

<ohmygosh-I hate cream cheese>

"Okay.  Thanks."

I ate it after my supper.  No--I tried to eat it.

Apparently she didn't beat the cream cheese to make it soft and creamy, she must have just worked it into the pumpkin mix with a fork because there were chunks of cream cheese all through it.

After the first gag, I threw it away.  Even the part where there was no cream cheese chunks, tasted funny.  I don't think she put a bit of sugar in that mix.

I have a pumpkin pie recipe that has whipping cream in it and it is delish--maybe that is what she was going for?

================================

See ya tomorrow!

  

Spooky

Today's high temperature:  56 degrees

Rainy all afternoon

==============================

I saw this posted on Face Book this morning and guess who it reminded me of?

My lawn guy showed up this morning and got the rest of my leaves mulched and bagged.  A good thing because today is the last day for the yard waste pick-up.  I only had a dozen bags this year.

So--no more lawn mowing to pay for.  YAY!

Do you remember the Hydrangea's Pearl gave me last month?  I put them in a vase and set them up to dry.  Look how nice they turned out.

Then

              and now

================

I'm so proud of Pammie!  She lives at Jen's for most of the week.  She forgot to get an absentee ballot, so, today, she drove all the way back up to Byron to vote and then drove all the way back down here.  She had to take Evan with her.  Took her over an hour and close to 45-50 miles.  I don't know many people with a commitment so strong to go through all that just to vote!  She is her Momma's child.  I have never missed an election--50+ years now.  I'm sure her vote for Governor probably canceled mine, LOL.

=======================

The high light of my day.  Andrew turned 13 yesterday.  Tonight we went out for supper.  I always stand behind the kids for our picture, so I can see how they are growing.  This year, we stood side by side--I wouldn't be able to see over his head!

He skipped 7th grade when he went into public school this year.  Plus, he takes two high school courses the first two hours of the day--Advanced Geometry and German.

I only had to ask if he liked the new school and...I got the whole lowdown on what happened last year in their church and church school.  I was horrified!!

I never cared for their head minister--he was so arrogant to me every time I spoke to him.  After Jen's and my fiasco, he is the one who told her, "honor thy mother does not come into being in this case."  I was shocked at that because I don't know ANY minister who would say that.  They would speak of forgiveness.  

Then, last year on his birthday when Andrew told me about the minister--had invited people over to watch the UofM versus MSU football game.  The kids were in the family watching with him and when MSU started beating UofM, he started yelling, swearing, threw a book at the TV and told the kids to leave the room.  Again, I thought  "what kind of a minister of the church is this guy!"

  

Well--the parents of the six graders had formed a group.  They were trying to enlarge the school to include 7th and 8th grade.  They were researching teachers.  The minister addressed the group one night and said, "Get someone who we could pay a low salary."  One of the parents remarked that they needed good teachers to prepare the kids for high school.  The minister said, "Well, they don't have to have accreditation--most of our teacher's don't and they are doing all right."

Jen was appointed by the group to check into this and she did and...found it not only to be true, but that they were teaching at below most other schools in the area.

In a science class that Andrew was taking, the teacher's would not address or let the kids read a chapter where it stated, "the earth was formed 4 billion years ago," because that statement went against the church's tenets.

The minister told the Associate Pastor to set the schedule for classes and times for the school.  The Associate Pastor was the principal of the school.   After working for several months on it, the minister took the job away from him.  This caused hurt feelings--as the associate pastor is a really good guy.

One day, during their 2 hour religion class, the minister had the kids watch a film on Evolution versus Creationism.  Afterwards, he asked Andrew what he thought.  Andrew replied, "I thought Mr. Nye made some good points.  I think that evolution and creation can be used together.  God caused the Big Bang and created our earth and everything on it. Evolution is how we have grown through the process."

WELL--the minister yelled at him in front of the class, then pulled him out of class.  Made him sit in his office and told Andrew that he was going against everything he had been taught.  Everything the church believed.

Jennifer was called in.  The minister got all over her and wondered what she was teaching her child.  When she explained that she was teaching her children to ask questions, to research and explore all different perspectives.  The minister informed her that she was a "just a woman" and it wasn't her place to teach her children anything about church doctrine--that was to be left up to him.  Jennifer told him, as the children's mother it was her duty to bring them up to be good Christians and that included being fair to others beliefs.  The minister told her to leave.

The next week, they got a letter in the mail telling them they had been "kicked" out of the church.  A week later, they got another letter that informed them, their membership had been rescinded--they were excommunicated and they were not allowed to even come onto the grounds of the church or school!

I can only imagine how Jennifer felt--the humiliation.  She worked hundreds of hours, pro-bono, for the school.  She was on many committees.  She thought they were top dogs in that church.  She must have been devastated.  The only redeeming feature is that, 20 families also left the school AND the church.

This is a Lutheran church and I know they aren't keen about women having any positions of authority in the church, but...................................this particular church seems to be strange in all their thinking.

So--basically that church treated Jennifer in the same way she treated me.  However, I feel no vindication in any of this.  I'd like to find that minister and slap the living "you know what" out of him.  How DARE he treat my daughter like that.  How DARE he treat my grandchild like that!!!

I told Andrew, "You guys ought to start going to the Methodist church.  We are all about free will and choice and asking questions.  We all approach our relationship to God in different ways."

====================

I will NEVER tell Jen what Andrew told me.  If, someday, she wants to tell me herself, that will be fine, I still won't betray Andrew's confidence.  She probably thinks I would say, "told you so", because six years ago I DID tell her I thought her minister was a bit too haughty in his sermons and the way he acted, but I sure wouldn't say anything like that to her.

Oh--he loved it when she headed committees that should have been his job.  He loved when they were paying huge amounts of money to the church AND school and encouraging other families to enroll.  But, one tiny disagreement on something that has been debated for years and has no real consequence to how my grandchildren believe--and they get kicked out.  

Can you imagine getting a letter from your church saying that you can no longer attend?  I suppose if I went to that church, I'd been kicked out long ago--one, for being divorced and two, for living with a man I wasn't married too.  Good thing the Methodist church is a bit more forgiving, loving and lenient.

=================================================
I wish I had a recent picture of Evan, but I did get the kids school pictures today.

Elise 10 1/2

                                                                  Alex 8


And this is what is spooky--at least to me--
                                                                   Andrew 13

My ex-his grandpa
at age 16

The same nose--eyes, thank goodness, Andrew doesn't have grandpa's pointy ears.

He's got MY slight cleft in his chin and a different mouth, but.....................you can sure tell these two are related!












Every time I see Andrew, it sort of shakes me--he looks so much like Gary did at the same age and I think, Andrew will look more like him, the older he gets.  He is going to be a handsome man!