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?

October 24, 1961-October 24, 2016-2017

It was a sunny, 72 degree Indian Summer afternoon, when my 3rd child, Karen Helene, was born,  October 24, 1961.  Her middle name was to honor my Grandmother, Helene Mary.  We called Karen our Gerber Baby.

Last year, on the morning of Karen's birthday, her oldest daughter (Helene Mary) presented her with her 1st grandchild, Della Helene. 

Today, they celebrate their mutual birthday's.

Deep in a dark hole. Up in the sunny skies.

It's been awhile since I posted.  I just didn't have it in me, so to speak.

I found out Wednesday that I would not be able to attend Della's 1st birthday party on Saturday.  I got an e-mail from Karen that they were going down early in the AM on Saturday and staying overnight--so I wouldn't be able to ride down with them.  Had I called Pam?  I could ride down with her.

Well, I didn't even know Pammie was invited.  They all text each other back and forth and of course, I get left out of that communication.

So I called Pammie Thursday, before she went to work and she said she was riding with Mark and his partner, Cindy.  In Mark's truck, that only has a teeny-tiny back seat.  No room for me.  She asked why I didn't drive down myself?

Because these kids know so much about my life--NOT-- apparently they are unaware that I have no idea how to get to my grand daughters, that the party was to start at 4:00, which meant I would have to drive back in the dark, which I can barely do and on unfamiliar roads?  Impossible.

By Thursday night I was pretty bummed out--especially since I had left a message on Karen's phone at 11:30 that morning and she had not returned my call.
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I asked God to figure something out, but didn't really think that was going to happen.  Hey--I can handle a
"no" answer to my prayers.

Friday morning, I finally felt at peace about it.  I didn't care anymore.  I would just sit home on Saturday and crochet/cross stitch and watch football.

Friday afternoon, about 3:30 the phone rang and it was Karen.  "Mom, I've been trying to figure out this whole party transportation for you, that's why I didn't call you back last night.  I just don't  know what to do."

"Oh Karen.  Don't worry about it Honey.  I have to realize at my age and not being able to drive a distance or after dark, I am going to miss out on some things and it's okay.  Just send me photos from Della's party."

We hung up.

The phone rang again, about a half-hour later.  "Mom, I'm here shopping for food and it just occurred to me.  We are having supper tonight to celebrate Marcus' birthday.  Helene and Della will be there, along with Marcus and Morgan, Maddie--Susanna is in from Oregon--all except Stephen will be here.  Would you like to come down and have supper with us?"

"Of my  Gosh!  That would be wonderful!!!"

"Can you get home from our place after dark?"

"Sure.  I have before.  I come up the service drive next to the expressway, then come through Brighton and home.  Lots of street lights all the way."

"Okay--we'll eat around six.  See ya.  Love ya."

I hung up the phone and starting laughing.  "God, you have a weird sense of humor," I said.  "You crack me up!  I'd like to slap you sometimes, but...thanks".

I often forget the promises to stop worrying and give it to God.
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I had a better time than if I had gone to the Saturday party with all the people that were invited.  It was such a lovely evening and I got home just fine.  

The new addition to Karen and Mark's home.

Enlarged the living room, now that their family is growing.

 

Della looked at me and I said, "Rip and tear!"

 and...she did!

It was so nice, weather-wise, that we ate out on the deck.

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Photos from her party--

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Sunday afternoon, I had just come back from a walk down to visit Pearl, ate a couple of string cheese and was wondering what to do with the rest of my day.

I heard someone coming up the porch steps and in walked, Jennifer.

No big deal, right?

This is Jennifer!  Jennifer who lives in New Jersey and I rarely get to see.

I leaped out of my chair and ran to hug and kiss her!  She brought me a plant in a heavy earthern jug with a froggie on the side of it.  So cute!

So surprised.  She is on business in Michigan all this week.  Speaking four different times at a conference on Impact Investing.  Apparently she is the expert on Non-Profits and at these conferences, people are coming in from D.C., New York, Dallas and Atlanta.  There will be around 3-4 thousand people at the conference.  She isn't a bit afraid to stand up in front and talk.

She sat beside me and showed me tons of photos of the kids, she has on her phone.  

They are breaking ground on their new home construction this week.  Her hubs is home and will handle all of that.  She is the main bread winner (she always has been, which kind of ticks me off), but it looks like his father may be ready to turn over his Prosthetics and Orthotics business so that her hubs will make some better money and.........she longs to retire from the active law work.

She has had Lyme Disease since June and she is very tired.  She's also tired of traveling all over the country and over seas to the conferences.  Evan is only 6 and she wants to be able to spend more time with the kids AND she has all  sorts of plans how she can do consulting, pro bono, volunteer, etc.

There is one thing with Jen.  She will never be one to sit still.  She is a Type A+ personality, has an enormously high IQ and is driven to help people.

She is a Republican with a Liberal agenda.  HAH.  She loves big business and the money the corporations bring in and she loves to tell them about Impact Investing, Non Profits and getting their money to people and programs that need it. 

She has been working pro-bono and representing some of the DACA young people.  She's only 45, so she still has a lot of time for a new "career".
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So, all in all, at the beginning of the week, I was not posting, nor was I on Face Book.  I was so discouraged and frustrated, sad and depressed that I couldn't talk to anyone and now.............?

Which just shows to go ya, hang in there, because you never know when a rainbow is end in a pot of gold in your front yard!