For awhile today, I thought it was Wednesday.
Got the latest genealogy book put together and bound today at the Print Shop. 109 pages long and it turned out really nice. It took awhile to find anything on one side of the family, but then when I did? BAM! A bit of stories and histories of the ancestor's. The book is ready to mail tomorrow, promised delivery on Friday, so my client can give it to her Mom on Mother's Day. That was my goal!!!
====================
I keep wanting to go outside and plant something. It was 32 degrees with frost last night and this morning. I cannot believe this nonsense!! Usually we can plant on Mother's Day around here, but I am thinking I will wait until next weekend. Where I used to live--just 20 miles north, we had to wait until Memorial Day weekend to plant.
In the meantime, tomorrow I am hauling all my pots and porch paraphernalia out of the shed. Get it all cleaned up and have the pots put in place. I also need to paint my porch railings and steps. So I may have to go to Lowe's tomorrow to get some sand paper and white deck paint. I have the gray left from last year. I think I am probably going to have to use a bit of sandpaper on the railings. The squirrels run up and down the railings all winter long, with their sharp little claws. My fault as I put the feeder out on one of the railings and feed them all winter.
====================
Dar came over tonight, just as Jeopardy was starting. She went back to the psycho-therapy place today, refused hypnosis, so they gave her a meditation thing. She sticks her fingers in her ears, hums, centers the hum on the middle of her forehead and then visualizes it going down the center of her body, bringing relaxation against the pain as it moves.
There is one problem. she can't do it because she can't put her fingers in her ears and close out all sound. If she can't hear extraneous noise, someone could sneak up on her without her knowing it.
I told her to go in her bedroom, close her door, sit with her back firmly against the head board of her bed. Then she would know that no one could sneak up behind her.
"But, I have to close my eyes to do the meditation and someone could sneak into my bedroom and I'd never know it until it was too late to defend myself."
OY VEY!!!!!
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Monday, May 8, 2017
Feeling great--at least today.
The sun woke me at 7:15 and the cats nosed me until I got up at 7:30. I felt great and remembered that I had salmon patties last night for supper. LOL
I had lots to do today and I did it all in fine order. I needed to go into Brighton and with all the Main Street construction going on, I decided to go in the back way. I came out on the side street by the Meijer grocery store, got my groceries--I had my list, up to the gas station and then remembered how hard it was to get on the main street if I went out the front drive.
So I went out the back way, down two blocks, then up to a traffic light and when it turned green, made a left turn on to the main drag. Up another two blocks to Michael's on my right, got my floss and instead of going further up to take a small side road out of that mall, I doubled back to the light I came in on.
Turned right and right on homeward bound. I stopped at the Print Shop (right turn) to get two pedigrees printed out and then home. Unloaded all the groceries and put them away.
The only mis-step I had was when I got home, I pulled into my driveway, then remembered all the groceries in the trunk, so backed out and up a bit and backed in to make the trunk nearer the porch.
I had kind of mapped out my trip in my mind with mostly right turns involved and everything was as smooth as silk.
I feel good about all of it. Oh, by the way, I had roast beef and a baked potato for supper tonight. HAH!
I had lots to do today and I did it all in fine order. I needed to go into Brighton and with all the Main Street construction going on, I decided to go in the back way. I came out on the side street by the Meijer grocery store, got my groceries--I had my list, up to the gas station and then remembered how hard it was to get on the main street if I went out the front drive.
So I went out the back way, down two blocks, then up to a traffic light and when it turned green, made a left turn on to the main drag. Up another two blocks to Michael's on my right, got my floss and instead of going further up to take a small side road out of that mall, I doubled back to the light I came in on.
Turned right and right on homeward bound. I stopped at the Print Shop (right turn) to get two pedigrees printed out and then home. Unloaded all the groceries and put them away.
The only mis-step I had was when I got home, I pulled into my driveway, then remembered all the groceries in the trunk, so backed out and up a bit and backed in to make the trunk nearer the porch.
I had kind of mapped out my trip in my mind with mostly right turns involved and everything was as smooth as silk.
I feel good about all of it. Oh, by the way, I had roast beef and a baked potato for supper tonight. HAH!
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Scary!
I am starting to notice something--scary.
My short term memory is getting bad.
When I first wake up in the morning, I am a bit confused as to what day it is. If you asked me right then, "What did you have for supper last night?", I wouldn't be able to tell you.
Sometimes, while falling asleep at night, I think of something I want to do the next day, but the next day---I have to really think hard and for a long time on, what it is I wanted to do, and even then I can't recall.
Last Thursday night, instead of being in my computer room the last place I am before I go to bed, I was watching TV and got up and went to bed. Friday morning when I came in here, my computer was still on and my night time pills were still in the little box. Thankfully, I have my table lamp in here on a timer, or it would have still been on.
To top it all off, last month I forgot to pay a bill.
I have some bills I pay by check and some I pay on-line out of my checking account. Along about April 28th, I was reconciling my checking account balance and was $40.00 less than what the bank was showing. I went check by check against my bank statement. I couldn't figure it out. On the list I print out of what is due, when it is due, I had lined out that bill, so I knew I had paid it.
Later that day, I got an e-mail from the company saying my account was overdue. I quickly got into that account and realized at once what I had done.
I had put in the information, what I was to pay, the day I wanted to pay, but had forgotten to click on the "submit" button.
EGAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I even forget how to spell a word and have to Google it to get the correct spelling.
-----------------------
I have no problems remembering birthdays or appointments. I have no problems when doing my genealogies. I keep things on schedule and in good order, but the other things......................
Now I worry what I may have forgotten something that is really important.
I have always been very organized and kept everything in my mind without needing to make lists. Now, I have to write everything down!
It's creeping me out! Do I need to see a neurologist and get a memory test?
My short term memory is getting bad.
When I first wake up in the morning, I am a bit confused as to what day it is. If you asked me right then, "What did you have for supper last night?", I wouldn't be able to tell you.
Sometimes, while falling asleep at night, I think of something I want to do the next day, but the next day---I have to really think hard and for a long time on, what it is I wanted to do, and even then I can't recall.
Last Thursday night, instead of being in my computer room the last place I am before I go to bed, I was watching TV and got up and went to bed. Friday morning when I came in here, my computer was still on and my night time pills were still in the little box. Thankfully, I have my table lamp in here on a timer, or it would have still been on.
To top it all off, last month I forgot to pay a bill.
I have some bills I pay by check and some I pay on-line out of my checking account. Along about April 28th, I was reconciling my checking account balance and was $40.00 less than what the bank was showing. I went check by check against my bank statement. I couldn't figure it out. On the list I print out of what is due, when it is due, I had lined out that bill, so I knew I had paid it.
Later that day, I got an e-mail from the company saying my account was overdue. I quickly got into that account and realized at once what I had done.
I had put in the information, what I was to pay, the day I wanted to pay, but had forgotten to click on the "submit" button.
EGAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I even forget how to spell a word and have to Google it to get the correct spelling.
-----------------------
I have no problems remembering birthdays or appointments. I have no problems when doing my genealogies. I keep things on schedule and in good order, but the other things......................
Now I worry what I may have forgotten something that is really important.
I have always been very organized and kept everything in my mind without needing to make lists. Now, I have to write everything down!
It's creeping me out! Do I need to see a neurologist and get a memory test?
Saturday, May 6, 2017
The weather doesn't help.................
.........my mood.
I have always been very aware of the weather. My Daddy taught me a lot about what kind of weather was coming. No TV's back then with their predictions and forecasts. Daddy could tell by the way the clouds moved, how the wind felt and how the animals acted.
I distinctly remember a summer day when I was about ten years old. I was playing outside, enjoying the sunshine and Daddy came walking toward the barn--he was walking fast.
"You get all the chickens in the coop and haul your rabbit cages into the barn. I gotta get the cows up from the pasture."
"Why, Daddy?"
"See those clouds?" he pointed west, out in the country, you can see the sky from a long ways off. "There's a lot of wind in those clouds. We've got a bad storm brewing."
Well of course, I did as I was told. Took me nearly half an hour. Have you ever herded chickens?
I loaded my rabbits, in their cages, into my wagon and hauled them over to the barn and dragged them inside. Just then I heard Daddy getting the cows in their stanchions.
As we stepped out to head to the house, I could hear the wind roaring in those clouds and fat drops of rain pelting down.
Mother already had all the windows in the house closed as Daddy and I ran up into the back porch. A glass enclosed porch.
We stood in the kitchen, looking out the window that faced west. All of a sudden, Mother turned and Daddy grabbed my arm and we ran down into the basement. Michigan Cellar is what it was--stone walls and dirt floor. We could hear sounds of glass breaking, loud thunder and the wind roaring overhead.
When things calmed down a bit, we climbed up the wobbly wooden steps and looked around. Everything looked okay until we walked into the kitchen. Our big Willow tree that I loved to climb in, was split in half and it was smoldering. It had been hit by lightning.
We had twin pine trees in the front yard, where two rope swings hung from the lower boughs--one pine tree was laying on it's side. "There's hail out there six inches deep," Mother said.
Then Daddy walked out into the porch-room to go outside to check for damage. "Dorathy, come here," he yelled. Every west facing window in that room was shattered and rain was pouring in.
He stepped outside and stood on the cement step, I heard him moan. There sat our almost new car, at the end of the path that divided our lawn. It was covered in pock marks from the hail damage.
======================
Being in tune with the weather, the last four days of steady rain and temperatures in the 40's, with nary a glimpse of the sun, everything has made me moody. I shouldn't complain. When I see the news photos of the floods down south, I can't even imagine what those people are going through. There is water to the roof-lines of their homes! How do you ever recover from something like that?
==================
It's the 6th of May!! Mother Nature, bring us some warmth, okay?
The sun is out today and my mood is better. Still only a "high" in the 50's and freezing temps every night. The furnace still comes on from time to time.
I just saw a guy walk by in tank top and shorts, walking his dog. I ran to my indoor/outdoor weather station to see the outside temperature. 48 degrees! By the way the guy is dressed, I thought it might be in the 60's. Nope!
=========================
I DID walk up to Merle and Pearl's yesterday afternoon. I didn't know it, but this is the second time in a week that they had to call the ambulance people for help. She fell last week.
I asked her how and why she fell. Did she get dizzy? Did she black out? Wasn't she using her walker?
No, she wasn't dizzy. She didn't black out. Yes she was using her walker, but she has no strength in her legs and they collapse and even using the walker, she just goes down. She is so heavy that Merle can't get her up, so he has to call the ambulance people.
Two summers ago, when Merle was so sick and weak and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, Pearl seemed to keep herself going. She walked out to get the mail every day. She'd walk down here to visit. She worked in her small flower garden. She cleaned house and did it all--grocery shopping, driving her car.
The minute Merle was diagnosed with Parkinson's and responded (like a miracle) to the drugs they put him on.........it was like Pearl just sat down and gave up. She has always said that she wants to die first because Merle could get along better, by himself, than she could, if he went first.
It almost seems to me that she has decided to just give up, sit in her chair and wait for her last breath. WHICH IS STUPID, because she has NO health problems!! Her heart is strong. She doesn't have high blood pressure or cholesterol, no breathing problems. She takes two pills a day--for pain. That's it!
She could easily live another ten years, but of course, she won't.
She doesn't move because her legs hurt. Her legs hurt because she doesn't move. Her muscles are wasting away. AND SHE WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, and good or bad weather---her attitude still makes my mood sad!!!
I have always been very aware of the weather. My Daddy taught me a lot about what kind of weather was coming. No TV's back then with their predictions and forecasts. Daddy could tell by the way the clouds moved, how the wind felt and how the animals acted.
I distinctly remember a summer day when I was about ten years old. I was playing outside, enjoying the sunshine and Daddy came walking toward the barn--he was walking fast.
"You get all the chickens in the coop and haul your rabbit cages into the barn. I gotta get the cows up from the pasture."
"Why, Daddy?"
"See those clouds?" he pointed west, out in the country, you can see the sky from a long ways off. "There's a lot of wind in those clouds. We've got a bad storm brewing."
Well of course, I did as I was told. Took me nearly half an hour. Have you ever herded chickens?
I loaded my rabbits, in their cages, into my wagon and hauled them over to the barn and dragged them inside. Just then I heard Daddy getting the cows in their stanchions.
As we stepped out to head to the house, I could hear the wind roaring in those clouds and fat drops of rain pelting down.
Mother already had all the windows in the house closed as Daddy and I ran up into the back porch. A glass enclosed porch.
We stood in the kitchen, looking out the window that faced west. All of a sudden, Mother turned and Daddy grabbed my arm and we ran down into the basement. Michigan Cellar is what it was--stone walls and dirt floor. We could hear sounds of glass breaking, loud thunder and the wind roaring overhead.
When things calmed down a bit, we climbed up the wobbly wooden steps and looked around. Everything looked okay until we walked into the kitchen. Our big Willow tree that I loved to climb in, was split in half and it was smoldering. It had been hit by lightning.
We had twin pine trees in the front yard, where two rope swings hung from the lower boughs--one pine tree was laying on it's side. "There's hail out there six inches deep," Mother said.
Then Daddy walked out into the porch-room to go outside to check for damage. "Dorathy, come here," he yelled. Every west facing window in that room was shattered and rain was pouring in.
He stepped outside and stood on the cement step, I heard him moan. There sat our almost new car, at the end of the path that divided our lawn. It was covered in pock marks from the hail damage.
======================
Being in tune with the weather, the last four days of steady rain and temperatures in the 40's, with nary a glimpse of the sun, everything has made me moody. I shouldn't complain. When I see the news photos of the floods down south, I can't even imagine what those people are going through. There is water to the roof-lines of their homes! How do you ever recover from something like that?
==================
It's the 6th of May!! Mother Nature, bring us some warmth, okay?
The sun is out today and my mood is better. Still only a "high" in the 50's and freezing temps every night. The furnace still comes on from time to time.
I just saw a guy walk by in tank top and shorts, walking his dog. I ran to my indoor/outdoor weather station to see the outside temperature. 48 degrees! By the way the guy is dressed, I thought it might be in the 60's. Nope!
=========================
I DID walk up to Merle and Pearl's yesterday afternoon. I didn't know it, but this is the second time in a week that they had to call the ambulance people for help. She fell last week.
I asked her how and why she fell. Did she get dizzy? Did she black out? Wasn't she using her walker?
No, she wasn't dizzy. She didn't black out. Yes she was using her walker, but she has no strength in her legs and they collapse and even using the walker, she just goes down. She is so heavy that Merle can't get her up, so he has to call the ambulance people.
Two summers ago, when Merle was so sick and weak and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, Pearl seemed to keep herself going. She walked out to get the mail every day. She'd walk down here to visit. She worked in her small flower garden. She cleaned house and did it all--grocery shopping, driving her car.
The minute Merle was diagnosed with Parkinson's and responded (like a miracle) to the drugs they put him on.........it was like Pearl just sat down and gave up. She has always said that she wants to die first because Merle could get along better, by himself, than she could, if he went first.
It almost seems to me that she has decided to just give up, sit in her chair and wait for her last breath. WHICH IS STUPID, because she has NO health problems!! Her heart is strong. She doesn't have high blood pressure or cholesterol, no breathing problems. She takes two pills a day--for pain. That's it!
She could easily live another ten years, but of course, she won't.
She doesn't move because her legs hurt. Her legs hurt because she doesn't move. Her muscles are wasting away. AND SHE WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, and good or bad weather---her attitude still makes my mood sad!!!
Friday, May 5, 2017
Are there days................
.......when you get ticked off, for no particular reason?
Early this morning--well 8:30, I looked out and noticed an ambulance parked in front of Pearl and Merle's house. They weren't there very long and brought no one out on a stretcher and were soon gone. I called to find out and Merle said that when Pearl tried to get out of her chair, she slipped down so her shoulders were low on the back and her bottom was hanging over the edge of the seat and she couldn't get up. Merle couldn't lift her, so he called for help.
By 9:15 Dar was rattling my still locked front door and wanted to know what was going on with the ambulance. I told her what had happened and she scoffed.
"How could Pearl allow herself to get in such bad shape she can't even get out of her chair?!"
"I don't know. It's very sad."
"Sad? It's stupid! She needs to get into physical therapy!"
Then she jumped into her "it's all about me" thingie and went on to tell me she is going back to the Psycho Therapist next Tuesday so he can work with her on bio-feedback and other methods to rid her of her (imaginary) pain.
"Are you going to have hypnosis? He said it would help."
"Oh no! I can't be hypnotized. I can't allow that control to be taken away from me."
"Control is not taken away from you. You aren't unconscious! You are just in a relaxed state--kind of like when you are sitting in your chair dozing, but you still hear the TV. You can stand up at any time you want."
"No! That scares me."
"That's very sad. You talk about Pearl not helping herself and you are doing the same thing."
=====================
I'm ticked off at both of these women. They complain and moan and groan and yet...won't do a thing to help themselves.
Then, there's Jackie, directly across the street from me. Nearly 80 years old, went in Tuesday for shoulder surgery, at 10:00, and home by 2:00. No hospital stay. No going to the rehab place for a few days. Came home, with a pain pump and her grand daughter to stay a few days. What a woman!!!
============================
On Face Book this morning, there were 3 links friends had "shared". All three of the links were either from a "satire" or "fake" news company source. They just go along sharing these links without even considering if the "news" is true and thus, stirring up even more (usually political) anger from their friends that comment. I hate it when people start arguing with each other in the comments area. Argue with the person who posted the link, not with their friends that comment!
==========================
I am also ticked at President Trump. I just wish he would do The Job and quit with the Twitter. He talks too much and a lot of what he says is down right stupid!!
When he was rambling about how Andrew Jackson could have talked it out and stopped the Civil War and why was that war fought anyway. I just wanted to scream!!! Good Grief! Did he not have any history lessons in those schools he went too? Andrew Jackson died 15 years before the Civil War started. He has a bust of Andrew Jackson in the Oval office. He is one of his heroes. If so, shouldn't he know the history of the man's life?
I had to live through 8 years of Dumb and Dumber and now...4 years of Bozo the Yellow-Haired Clown?
There are a lot of qualified Presidential candidates out there. Why aren't they nominated?
======================
Then I just read a quotation on a friend's blog. "Keep busy in your pursuit of all, in these last years. Do not expect much from others. Take responsibility for your own happiness, without depending on anyone else."
This is painfully true to me and reminds me, I haven't heard anything from my kids or my sister since Easter.
================
Ever have one of these kinds of days?
I think I'll walk up to Pearl's and talk for awhile.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
I'm Okay!
I'm fine--really--just no time to post because I am putting the finishing touches on the latest genealogy and I want it done, mailed and arrival BEFORE Mother's Day!
Rainy and cold here for about 4 days in a row. That's good as it gives me an excuse to stay inside, away from others, and work!!!!!!!!!!
I just found out today that it is possible for one to stay in their comfy, jammies until noon and only have a teeny bit of guilt about not being dressed.
Monday, May 1, 2017
May Day
I have always loved May Day.
May Day, with sun and warmth and spring-like smells of new life. All the Maple trees are that vibrant chartreuse green and the lawns? Oh my! The Red Bud trees are deliciously pink as are the Magnolia bushes and that neon yellow of the Forsythia. Tulips and Daffodils give color to the green growth of future blooming perennials of Lilies and Iris, Peonies and Shasta Daisies. The Lilacs are starting out, from the top of the bushes downward and already their scent is noticed. Lovely.
It's all there, in my garden, if you look real hard through the downpour that has been going on for 3 days straight--if you step out on the porch, bundled up in your winter jacket, because it's 48 degrees.
Not exactly the May Day I prefer!!
==============================
Darlene came over Saturday night. Her brother and his wife had taken Dad to a movie.
It was exactly one year from her minor accident. Nine different doctors and specialists. Six months of physical therapy, twice a week. Another round of MRI's and CAT scans. There is nothing out of place on any of those scans. A bit of inflammation near her tail bone--that's it. Yet she claims to be in severe pain all the time.
Friday she had an appointment, 50 miles away, with a renowned (for the area) Psycho Therapist that deals with pain. Her appointment was 3 hours long.
She had to fill out a questionnaire of 150 questions--repeated in different formats to see if she gave the same answer each time. A memory test, in which she scored quite low. Some sort of brain scan, with wires attached to her head, in which she was asked questions. When the technician was putting the wires on her head, she had her arm in front of Dar's eyes and Dar jumped up and ran over to the corner of the small room.
#1--she cannot stand for anyone to get that close to her face. #2--she had the feeling the technician was trying to strap her in the chair and was going to give her shock treatments through the electrodes. So, they allowed her to stand by the door, that was opened a bit, while they did the test--so she wouldn't feel confined and could run out the door if she needed to,.
Then the doctor came in and talked to her for over an hour.
She had to recount the accident, or what she could remember about it and she became quite anxious and near hysteria. Doc thinks she has PTSD. The accident was a minor rear-ender with only a small repairable dent in her back bumper and no front-end damage to the other car.
The doc flat out told her, she has magnified the accident into an "unreal" major incident. That her mind has locked into it and the pain she is feeling? Purely in her mind, feelings, emotions.
He can help her with the (imagined) pain, through talk therapy and hypnosis.
She claims she cannot be hypnotized and so there is no reason for her to go back to him!
She will not allow herself to be hypnotized because she is afraid of what will happen while she is "out". I tried to explain the whole process to her and that she wouldn't be "out", but............
When she left, I walked out with her as far as my mail box, we were talking all the way, and I talked to her as she walked the few steps to her house. She walked right along, as straight and flexible as can be. I did that on purpose, to see if my talking could distract her from the pain she usually displays when she walks.
Well, we've known for years that Dar is a mental mess. I've seen her weird actions so many times. Now, she has even given up reading her Bible and praying, which was such a great part of her life. She said, "It doesn't make any sense to me anymore. God has left me and I don't know how to find Him again."
I told her, "This is the time when you should be praying more. You are trying to control everything again and you know--you can't do that. God hasn't left you...you have allowed your mind to be so filled with all this junk--imaginations, fears, jumbled thoughts...there isn't any room for God."
That doesn't sound very kind, but Dar reacts better to straight, sometimes hard talk.
"I know. You're right." she said.
===========================
AND--I best get too it!
Saturday, April 29, 2017
WHEW!!
I've been absorbed with the latest genealogy I am doing. So absorbed that I had no desire to write a post and, there's nothing else going on here.
I got stuck! I had no problems finding all I needed for the father's side of the family, but when I started the mother's side? Three generations up and could not find the parents. Nowhere could I find that guy's parents. Not a birth record. Not a census listing his parents. Not a marriage or death record that listed them.
I perused State records, not listed in Ancestry.com, but just in Internet State records. Nothing.
I Googled his name. Nothing. I spent hours searching. Uncharged hours because I didn't feel it was fair to charge my client for the hours I spent searching for something I KNEW HAD to be there and I just couldn't find! That was Thursday.
I took a break and got my hair cut. I had been trying to get an appointment with the new stylist I have at Fantastic Sam's. They don't DO pre-appointments. You call the day you want and see if your stylist has an opening. (I hate that!) So Thursday, I had to run into Brighton and figured, as long as I was in town, I'd just drop in and see. I was at the point where I'd take ANYONE to get the long hair off my neck! Well, I walked in and asked and it just happened that the stylist was sitting in her chair with no customer.
YAY! I was outta there in 30 minutes. I don't really like it there. Not much personal interaction. I had known my last hair stylist for 14 years. She had done my daughter's and grand daughter's hair and that's how I found her. She knew most everything about me and me, her. Then she died and they set me up with another one in that salon, and we got pretty well acquainted. Then she decided to get her own salon, many miles out of town and three round-abouts to get to her.
Karen recommended this stylist as her friend goes there and the stylist DOES know how to cut short hair. But....it's kind of like a drive-thru oil change place. You go in, you get your hair washed and cut and out you go. When she was done with the cut, she whipped off the cape around me and headed off to turn her ticket into the cashier. By the time I got to the cashier, the stylist was gone.
Bada Boom, Bada Bing. No "Hi how are you?". No,, "Thanks, have a nice day." In you go and out you go. I did get a decent cut this time, after she finally relented to cut it shorter in back. She "thinks" (I guess) that I want fringes hanging down the back of my neck. When she was done, I asked for a mirror so I could see the back and then asked her to cut it much shorter. "Shape it in from the sides to that natural point I have on the back of my neck. I don't want to look in a mirror and see any hair hanging down behind my ears." She did! I don't think she likes it that way, but it was perfect!
It only costs $17.00, which is half what I used to pay, so--------in and out we go and no chit chat!
=======================
Friday morning I got right back into the genealogy. I was searching again--places I had already been, thinking I had missed something. Then--all of a sudden, a message came up on the monitor that asked if I wanted to link into another search program. It is not connected to Ancestry.com, but can be linked (like Ancestry) into the program I use to collect, sort, record and store all my information.
What the heck, right? Why not. I opened an account, it's free, when it came up, I put in the name and--Oh My Gosh--there he was and his parents and his parents and on and on back 11 generations!!!
YOWZA!!! What a gold mine!
So that's how I spent Friday--and that's why I didn't post on here.
Onward and upward I go. Printing out information, scanning records, inputting the info into my Family Tree Maker. I also ordered two brand new inkjet cartridges and a box of the special paper I use because.....I am going to be writing and putting the book together sometime next week!
YAY!!!
I got stuck! I had no problems finding all I needed for the father's side of the family, but when I started the mother's side? Three generations up and could not find the parents. Nowhere could I find that guy's parents. Not a birth record. Not a census listing his parents. Not a marriage or death record that listed them.
I perused State records, not listed in Ancestry.com, but just in Internet State records. Nothing.
I Googled his name. Nothing. I spent hours searching. Uncharged hours because I didn't feel it was fair to charge my client for the hours I spent searching for something I KNEW HAD to be there and I just couldn't find! That was Thursday.
I took a break and got my hair cut. I had been trying to get an appointment with the new stylist I have at Fantastic Sam's. They don't DO pre-appointments. You call the day you want and see if your stylist has an opening. (I hate that!) So Thursday, I had to run into Brighton and figured, as long as I was in town, I'd just drop in and see. I was at the point where I'd take ANYONE to get the long hair off my neck! Well, I walked in and asked and it just happened that the stylist was sitting in her chair with no customer.
YAY! I was outta there in 30 minutes. I don't really like it there. Not much personal interaction. I had known my last hair stylist for 14 years. She had done my daughter's and grand daughter's hair and that's how I found her. She knew most everything about me and me, her. Then she died and they set me up with another one in that salon, and we got pretty well acquainted. Then she decided to get her own salon, many miles out of town and three round-abouts to get to her.
Karen recommended this stylist as her friend goes there and the stylist DOES know how to cut short hair. But....it's kind of like a drive-thru oil change place. You go in, you get your hair washed and cut and out you go. When she was done with the cut, she whipped off the cape around me and headed off to turn her ticket into the cashier. By the time I got to the cashier, the stylist was gone.
Bada Boom, Bada Bing. No "Hi how are you?". No,, "Thanks, have a nice day." In you go and out you go. I did get a decent cut this time, after she finally relented to cut it shorter in back. She "thinks" (I guess) that I want fringes hanging down the back of my neck. When she was done, I asked for a mirror so I could see the back and then asked her to cut it much shorter. "Shape it in from the sides to that natural point I have on the back of my neck. I don't want to look in a mirror and see any hair hanging down behind my ears." She did! I don't think she likes it that way, but it was perfect!
It only costs $17.00, which is half what I used to pay, so--------in and out we go and no chit chat!
=======================
Friday morning I got right back into the genealogy. I was searching again--places I had already been, thinking I had missed something. Then--all of a sudden, a message came up on the monitor that asked if I wanted to link into another search program. It is not connected to Ancestry.com, but can be linked (like Ancestry) into the program I use to collect, sort, record and store all my information.
What the heck, right? Why not. I opened an account, it's free, when it came up, I put in the name and--Oh My Gosh--there he was and his parents and his parents and on and on back 11 generations!!!
YOWZA!!! What a gold mine!
So that's how I spent Friday--and that's why I didn't post on here.
Onward and upward I go. Printing out information, scanning records, inputting the info into my Family Tree Maker. I also ordered two brand new inkjet cartridges and a box of the special paper I use because.....I am going to be writing and putting the book together sometime next week!
YAY!!!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Life is Humming Along
It was 81 degrees today and a bit sticky and I am probably the only one in Michigan complaining about it. I have a fine tuned preference for 68-75 degrees and humidity around 40%. When the humidity gets real high, it makes me physically sick. I had a bad heat stroke when I was 15 and ever since then............ I took the cover off the air conditioning unit this afternoon--just in case, but I guess it is going to cool down a bit the rest of the week.
I spent all morning on the genealogy. I wanted to get a hair cut, but my stylist at Fantastic Sam's was all booked up. At that place, you cannot make an appointment ahead of time. You have to call the morning you want your cut and get a spot in the schedule. I called at 10:04 and was told the stylist I wanted was booked up until 7:00pm.
Now, I ask you, if I called 4 minutes after they opened, how many calls came in before that to fill up my stylist's schedule? I "think" they are allowing people to call the day before, but they sure won't let me do it.
So, I will try tomorrow and if she is "booked" I will just ask for someone who knows how to cut short hair. My hair is long and thick and hot right now.
===========
At 7:00, I walked up to visit Pearl and Merle, but couldn't find them home, so I walked across the street to visit Dar and her Dad. Her Dad now sits out in front of the house, in a chair, in the sun, with his shirt off. Now to see a 95 year old man shirtless can be a bit staggering. I don't know why he doesn't sit in the sun in the back yard, but.............................
Dar showed me her new Smart Phone--some kind of fancy thing I will tell you. You can talk to it and tell it where you want to go and the GPS will talk back as you drive along. Talk about distraction!
Then she told me how many On Demand movies they watch on TV--those cost $4.99 to watch and they watch 2 a day.
Then she started telling me about the new sneakers she got.
" I was told to get a good support shoe Now, you know I don't like to spend money (oh really?), so Dad and I walked around the store for about 3 hours, talking about it. Then I decided......................."
Just then Dad threw his hands up in the air and said, "Just show her the damn shoes!"
I just about chocked on my laughter and said, "We gotta hear the story first, Mickey." he rolled his eyes.
She went and got them and took them out of the box. They are slip-ons. Sketchers. I don't see as how they are very good in the support department, but.........................................
=====================
I got my January cross stitch project--finally--mounted on the foam core. I could not find a frame narrow enough or long enough. So I just put a nice heavy backing on it and glued a hanger on the back.
Up above the back door it went. It just fits that 6" space.
I spent all morning on the genealogy. I wanted to get a hair cut, but my stylist at Fantastic Sam's was all booked up. At that place, you cannot make an appointment ahead of time. You have to call the morning you want your cut and get a spot in the schedule. I called at 10:04 and was told the stylist I wanted was booked up until 7:00pm.
Now, I ask you, if I called 4 minutes after they opened, how many calls came in before that to fill up my stylist's schedule? I "think" they are allowing people to call the day before, but they sure won't let me do it.
So, I will try tomorrow and if she is "booked" I will just ask for someone who knows how to cut short hair. My hair is long and thick and hot right now.
===========
At 7:00, I walked up to visit Pearl and Merle, but couldn't find them home, so I walked across the street to visit Dar and her Dad. Her Dad now sits out in front of the house, in a chair, in the sun, with his shirt off. Now to see a 95 year old man shirtless can be a bit staggering. I don't know why he doesn't sit in the sun in the back yard, but.............................
Dar showed me her new Smart Phone--some kind of fancy thing I will tell you. You can talk to it and tell it where you want to go and the GPS will talk back as you drive along. Talk about distraction!
Then she told me how many On Demand movies they watch on TV--those cost $4.99 to watch and they watch 2 a day.
Then she started telling me about the new sneakers she got.
" I was told to get a good support shoe Now, you know I don't like to spend money (oh really?), so Dad and I walked around the store for about 3 hours, talking about it. Then I decided......................."
Just then Dad threw his hands up in the air and said, "Just show her the damn shoes!"
I just about chocked on my laughter and said, "We gotta hear the story first, Mickey." he rolled his eyes.
She went and got them and took them out of the box. They are slip-ons. Sketchers. I don't see as how they are very good in the support department, but.........................................
=====================
I got my January cross stitch project--finally--mounted on the foam core. I could not find a frame narrow enough or long enough. So I just put a nice heavy backing on it and glued a hanger on the back.
Up above the back door it went. It just fits that 6" space.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Good Day
Another day of windows and doors open to let in the 72 degree air. My gosh. I love this time of year!!
All of my windows have blinds. I hate the top of the blinds contraption to show. Therefore, I am obsessed with Valances. I was sitting in the bathroom looking at my back door last weekend and I thought to myself, "It has no character. Just a back door, with a window and blinds.
So, when I went to Walmart yesterday, I bought a tension rod = $2.37, screwed it out to the correct width and put one of the valances I took out of the den and put on it.
I love it!! Dressed it up a bit. Considering the fact I rarely use that door, I don't think it will ever get in my way.
I have another surprise for tomorrow. A cross stitch I was working on that is now blocked and stretched on foam core.
All of my windows have blinds. I hate the top of the blinds contraption to show. Therefore, I am obsessed with Valances. I was sitting in the bathroom looking at my back door last weekend and I thought to myself, "It has no character. Just a back door, with a window and blinds.
So, when I went to Walmart yesterday, I bought a tension rod = $2.37, screwed it out to the correct width and put one of the valances I took out of the den and put on it.
I love it!! Dressed it up a bit. Considering the fact I rarely use that door, I don't think it will ever get in my way.
The garden around the Lilac bushes that Karen edged for me.
Hostas coming up in there too.
The view out my kitchen window by my table.
Monday, April 24, 2017
The weather outside is delightful, but my Dear you are so frightful..........
.....wait. That's not the way that songs goes, is it?
The weather IS delightful!! low to mid 70's--my perfect temperature. Still in the cool 40's at night. No annuals planted in Michigan as yet--we all know about last frosts and even late snow.
I am waiting for this next weekend. That is when I am going to haul my garden and porch decorations out of the shed, hang up the wind chimes, bring out the pots and get them situated where they belong.
I need to paint the porch steps and the railings--the squirrels I feed all winter have done a bad number on my porch railings. Dug off the paint and gotten the railings all dirty with their little muddy paws!
Today, I worked all morning on the newest genealogy, laundry was chugging away in the washer. Every time I took a bathroom break, I'd fold the ones in the dryer, throw in the wet ones and put another load in the washer.
At noon I took my break. Noon news and weather, small sandwich, then my Soap and at 2:00 the TV goes off. I usually get back to the computer work, but today I had to make a run up to the Walmart. It was pretty quiet today. I had to get wet and dry cat food, litter, Scotch Tape and typing paper and a tension rod for something I want to try. Also some fruit and salad makings for me and of course, the obligatory Diet Pepsi. and gallon of milk. HAH!
========================
I have never seen my Tulips open this wide!
Which reminds me, I must get my bird bath situated.
If my tension rod idea works, I will show you tomorrow.
The weather IS delightful!! low to mid 70's--my perfect temperature. Still in the cool 40's at night. No annuals planted in Michigan as yet--we all know about last frosts and even late snow.
I am waiting for this next weekend. That is when I am going to haul my garden and porch decorations out of the shed, hang up the wind chimes, bring out the pots and get them situated where they belong.
I need to paint the porch steps and the railings--the squirrels I feed all winter have done a bad number on my porch railings. Dug off the paint and gotten the railings all dirty with their little muddy paws!
Today, I worked all morning on the newest genealogy, laundry was chugging away in the washer. Every time I took a bathroom break, I'd fold the ones in the dryer, throw in the wet ones and put another load in the washer.
At noon I took my break. Noon news and weather, small sandwich, then my Soap and at 2:00 the TV goes off. I usually get back to the computer work, but today I had to make a run up to the Walmart. It was pretty quiet today. I had to get wet and dry cat food, litter, Scotch Tape and typing paper and a tension rod for something I want to try. Also some fruit and salad makings for me and of course, the obligatory Diet Pepsi. and gallon of milk. HAH!
========================
I have never seen my Tulips open this wide!
...and the Gold Finches are back!!!!!!!
If my tension rod idea works, I will show you tomorrow.
Friday, April 21, 2017
A Good Week----------------------
Kathleen Gentile, thank you so much for the lovely card, which touched my heart, and the information clipping. I DO get help with my Medicare insurance. Thank Goodness.
=======================================
I am hoping to get back on the daily post bandwagon. I'm trying to get everything organized once again. I cannot believe how tied to this computer I have become. Face Book starts and ends each day. Plus, I had 256 e-mails to go through, bills to pay and a new genealogy to start.
You know how I get when I am researching a genealogy! Time flies by. I am so engrossed in the search. Just when I think I have found all that I can on a person--there's another tiny clue that needs to be investigated. I am trying to keep myself at 4 hours on the genealogy and then get out of this room and do whatever household chores I have to do.
I forgot one item when I was spring cleaning. I need to strip my bed and flip my memory foam topper. I remember how heavy that thing is an how unwielding it is to maneuver. I gotta do it though. Don't be scared for me--I don't have to climb anything. HAH!
Did I tell you, Karen came over on Tuesday to help me do some outside chores? She cleaned up that large oval garden I have around my Lilac bushes--she wanted to mulch, but I have too many spring bulbs and Hosta's coming up right now--we need to wait.
Then she hefted a couple of plastic storage boxes out of my office closet for me to put things in. Then she ironed the new office curtains while I sat in here, on my desk and put them on their rods. What a great help she was!!!
I am done with Physical therapy. Glad to report that my neck and shoulder are doing great. I had 5 sessions left on Medicare for the year, so I had her work on my lower back. Lost cause!! All the PT did was irritate it and make it inflamed and it hurts worse now, than when she started. HAH!!! When a person has herniated discs, arthritis and spinal stenosis, there isn't much to be done to help.
I have heard people discussing taking Turmeric supplements to help with arthritis. I read up on it and knew I probably couldn't take it. Anything that has the words "anti-inflammatory" on the label is off limits for me because they all interact with the blood thinners. So no--Advil, Alleve, Naproxen, Aspirin, Vitamin E, Fish Oil--nothing like that. I can take Tylenol which helps hardly at all. Even though I knew I "probably" couldn't take it, I did call the doctor to ask. He said, "Absolutely not."
We got about 2 inches of rain yesterday and none of the predicted severe thunderstorms, thank goodness. We did need the rain. All of our spring flowers look much better than they did a year ago. My Forsythia had few blooms on it last spring, this year it is loaded and gleaming beautiful bright yellow.
Guess there's nothing else going on around here. Hope you have a great weekend.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Honey Pie
Honey Pie or HP, as her initials are on the front of her, is back from the computer hospital. A bit longer than we thought as Honey Pie was 19% away from a massive stroke where she would have lost all her memory and everything stored in her brain. Consequently, Honey Pie's hospital bill was about $130.00 more than expected.
Good thing I requested she have a colonoscopy as she was stuffed with cat fur and dust. Then she was given a new "cloned" brain and everything stored in her old brain was transferred over to that. 2GB's were added to her heart--free of charge.
She is alive and well, and faster than when she was a young girl.
===================
I worked on cleaning her room all day Monday and part of Tuesday, so the only time I really started missing her a lot, was Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The house was entirely clean. There was nothing to do Wednesday morning, but I managed to find a good documentary about the Hatfields and McCoys to watch on the History Channel.
Then I watched my Soap. The hospital called at 2:30, with her release, but I had PT at 3:00, so I had to wait and go pick her up at 4:30.
When we got home is was raining like crazy, but I got her into the house. I think she gained weight while she was in hospital. What good PT did to my back was ruined by my having to lift and carry her into the house.
But she's home and now I can get back to my computer work. YAY!!!
=====================
Washing Windows Video
Dusting the Monster
Good thing I requested she have a colonoscopy as she was stuffed with cat fur and dust. Then she was given a new "cloned" brain and everything stored in her old brain was transferred over to that. 2GB's were added to her heart--free of charge.
She is alive and well, and faster than when she was a young girl.
===================
I worked on cleaning her room all day Monday and part of Tuesday, so the only time I really started missing her a lot, was Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The house was entirely clean. There was nothing to do Wednesday morning, but I managed to find a good documentary about the Hatfields and McCoys to watch on the History Channel.
Then I watched my Soap. The hospital called at 2:30, with her release, but I had PT at 3:00, so I had to wait and go pick her up at 4:30.
When we got home is was raining like crazy, but I got her into the house. I think she gained weight while she was in hospital. What good PT did to my back was ruined by my having to lift and carry her into the house.
But she's home and now I can get back to my computer work. YAY!!!
=====================
Dusting the Monster
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Quick Note.
I had a lovely Easter at daughter Karen's and Mark. Pammie was there too. 4 of the 5 grand kids and the great grand baby, who loves and smiles at everyone except me. She pouts and starts to pucker up when I am near her, so I stay a bit away and wave at her and make funny faces.
Ex hubs and his wife stopped on their way home from Florida. She is in the sun so much, her face is one mass of brown wrinkles. She looks terrible and she is way younger than me.
My last post until probably Wednesday, when I get my computer back. I am expecting major internet withdrawal!!!
and these two--oldest grandson Marcus and his love Morgan. She is a ballet dancer too and I have known her since she was young. She also is a farm kid, raising pigs, and now studying physical therapy. She could come in real handy for this old gramma!!
Ex hubs and his wife stopped on their way home from Florida. She is in the sun so much, her face is one mass of brown wrinkles. She looks terrible and she is way younger than me.
My last post until probably Wednesday, when I get my computer back. I am expecting major internet withdrawal!!!
and these two--oldest grandson Marcus and his love Morgan. She is a ballet dancer too and I have known her since she was young. She also is a farm kid, raising pigs, and now studying physical therapy. She could come in real handy for this old gramma!!
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Don't know where to begin...........
............so I didn't!
I looked around.
Such a mess in here! I don't even know where to start! Curtains have to come down and wash the windows and it is difficult to get to those windows. Which means I have to take everything off my desk and use it to sit on to reach the windows, and brace the back of my calves when I have to stand up to replace the curtains.
Just cannot handle it right now, so.........................
================
No one in their right mind would go grocery shopping on the Saturday before a Holiday. I had no choice.
There was a white rabbit wandering around the store, scaring all the little kids. I told the rabbit I thought it would work better if she stood by the greeter so the kids could see her when they walked in, from a far, and then let them decide if they wanted to come up and say. Oh no, she kept rushing over to where they were, held captive in the cart seat, and they yelled and cried. It was a zoo in there.
================= I am going to Karen's Sunday for a late dinner, early supper? 4:00.
Monday morning I am taking my computer to the hospital and it might be in there for at least two days, so I won't be back on-line until late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
I have PT on Monday, so it looks like Tuesday might be a good day to tackle this room?
I will let you know if I survive and if I don't? Pammie will post to let you know. LOL.
I looked around.
Such a mess in here! I don't even know where to start! Curtains have to come down and wash the windows and it is difficult to get to those windows. Which means I have to take everything off my desk and use it to sit on to reach the windows, and brace the back of my calves when I have to stand up to replace the curtains.
Just cannot handle it right now, so.........................
================
No one in their right mind would go grocery shopping on the Saturday before a Holiday. I had no choice.
There was a white rabbit wandering around the store, scaring all the little kids. I told the rabbit I thought it would work better if she stood by the greeter so the kids could see her when they walked in, from a far, and then let them decide if they wanted to come up and say. Oh no, she kept rushing over to where they were, held captive in the cart seat, and they yelled and cried. It was a zoo in there.
================= I am going to Karen's Sunday for a late dinner, early supper? 4:00.
Monday morning I am taking my computer to the hospital and it might be in there for at least two days, so I won't be back on-line until late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
I have PT on Monday, so it looks like Tuesday might be a good day to tackle this room?
I will let you know if I survive and if I don't? Pammie will post to let you know. LOL.
Friday, April 14, 2017
GOOD Friday!
I had a wonderful experience this morning. I had to run up to Brighton to get gas in my car. I had $40.00 bucks cash in my pocket. I put $20.00 in my gas tank and proceeded to drive on home.
As I was driving up to the light to turn left and get on Grand River, I saw a man, sitting in a small, motorized wheel chair. He had a sign, "Homeless, Hungry, Veteran." I thought to myself. "Yeah, right! Homeless in Brighton, the city of wealthy professionals? Probably a pan handler." Although I have never seen a pan handler in Brighton.
But then, I got to thinking. "What if he is for real? I am so sick and tired of not being able to trust and doubting everyone and everything I see. So, I turned and went around the block.
He was parked in a bad spot to get to him. I couldn't figure out where to park. So I went around the block again and pulled into a spot across from him.
I walked over to him. He didn't look real old--maybe in his 60's, but he was bearded and wrinkled, with sad eyes and when I got closer, he sure smelled like he was homeless.
I fished the twenty out of my pocket, "Hey man," I said. "I hope this helps."
He "God Blessed" me three or four times. I leaned over and sort of hugged his shoulders and wished him a "Happy Easter", got back in my car and smiled all the way home.
I have always been a trusting person. Has it gotten me into difficulties? Oh yes! Caused me a lot of hurt? Sure. Over the last few years I have become cynical and doubtful. I am a bit wary of what people say and do. I hate being filled with such doubt about my fellow human beings. Today, my heart felt something and I followed that feeling.
I don't care if he was a pan handler with $10,000 in the bank and he was just out trying to scam up enough money to buy a jug of booze. I don't care if I got "taken". I felt I wanted to do it, so I did. On this day, of all days, when the Lord I believe in, gave it ALL for me? I am the one who got blessed today!
=======================
When I got home, I ran up to Gleaner's Food Bank. Talk about being blessed! I got a nice Choice Eye of Round roast and a Rib-Eye steak!!! Yowza. A bag of salad greens and canned chicken to put in it. Canned Pears and Mandarin orange segments. A box of Cinnamon Rolls and Croissants that I like to use for my sandwiches. Fresh potatoes, onion and carrots, box of sugar, a bag of flour, can of Salmon to make salmon patties, Ritz crackers and cheese, and more.
I kept watch of the family in front of me, going round and round the aisles. Great Grandma, Grandma, Mother and the cutest little tan boy about 8 years old. He was trying to be so helpful and they never once scolded him, even when he got in the way of his Grandma.
When I got outside, they were loading up the back of their old, rusted SUV. I walked over and asked them to take my detergent and toilet paper and a dozen eggs, that I didn't need. "You might need extra eggs for Easter," I said. (We are allowed a dozen eggs and I don't eat them, so.....). They thanked me and wished me a Happy Easter and from the back seat, out scrambled that precious little boy with his tight curly black hair and big brown eyes and put his hand out to shake mine. "Thank you, Ma'am and God Bless you,"
When I got home, I took 2 Cinnamon rolls from the package of 8 and took the rest up to Merle and Pearl's and the bag of flour over to Jackie's. She is always baking cookies and sharing with us.
I am ashamed to say I had nothing to give to Dar. She has a cleaning lady come in every week for 2 hours--at $20.00 an hour. There is nothing I could give Dar that she would want or need.
======================
Ya know--all of us are basically good and generous people. Over the past few years, Presidents and politicians, movie stars and VIP's, even some churches have tried to turn us into cynical, critical people. Boy, it's easy to sit in our homes and look out for only ourselves and family. Life becomes "all about us." Protect ourselves.
Today, for some reason, I had the opportunities to put myself out there---which I haven't done in a very long time. It turned out, I am the one that was blessed and feeling happy and had my spirit renewed.
Happy Easter. Happy Spring!!
As I was driving up to the light to turn left and get on Grand River, I saw a man, sitting in a small, motorized wheel chair. He had a sign, "Homeless, Hungry, Veteran." I thought to myself. "Yeah, right! Homeless in Brighton, the city of wealthy professionals? Probably a pan handler." Although I have never seen a pan handler in Brighton.
But then, I got to thinking. "What if he is for real? I am so sick and tired of not being able to trust and doubting everyone and everything I see. So, I turned and went around the block.
He was parked in a bad spot to get to him. I couldn't figure out where to park. So I went around the block again and pulled into a spot across from him.
I walked over to him. He didn't look real old--maybe in his 60's, but he was bearded and wrinkled, with sad eyes and when I got closer, he sure smelled like he was homeless.
I fished the twenty out of my pocket, "Hey man," I said. "I hope this helps."
He "God Blessed" me three or four times. I leaned over and sort of hugged his shoulders and wished him a "Happy Easter", got back in my car and smiled all the way home.
I have always been a trusting person. Has it gotten me into difficulties? Oh yes! Caused me a lot of hurt? Sure. Over the last few years I have become cynical and doubtful. I am a bit wary of what people say and do. I hate being filled with such doubt about my fellow human beings. Today, my heart felt something and I followed that feeling.
I don't care if he was a pan handler with $10,000 in the bank and he was just out trying to scam up enough money to buy a jug of booze. I don't care if I got "taken". I felt I wanted to do it, so I did. On this day, of all days, when the Lord I believe in, gave it ALL for me? I am the one who got blessed today!
=======================
When I got home, I ran up to Gleaner's Food Bank. Talk about being blessed! I got a nice Choice Eye of Round roast and a Rib-Eye steak!!! Yowza. A bag of salad greens and canned chicken to put in it. Canned Pears and Mandarin orange segments. A box of Cinnamon Rolls and Croissants that I like to use for my sandwiches. Fresh potatoes, onion and carrots, box of sugar, a bag of flour, can of Salmon to make salmon patties, Ritz crackers and cheese, and more.
I kept watch of the family in front of me, going round and round the aisles. Great Grandma, Grandma, Mother and the cutest little tan boy about 8 years old. He was trying to be so helpful and they never once scolded him, even when he got in the way of his Grandma.
When I got outside, they were loading up the back of their old, rusted SUV. I walked over and asked them to take my detergent and toilet paper and a dozen eggs, that I didn't need. "You might need extra eggs for Easter," I said. (We are allowed a dozen eggs and I don't eat them, so.....). They thanked me and wished me a Happy Easter and from the back seat, out scrambled that precious little boy with his tight curly black hair and big brown eyes and put his hand out to shake mine. "Thank you, Ma'am and God Bless you,"
When I got home, I took 2 Cinnamon rolls from the package of 8 and took the rest up to Merle and Pearl's and the bag of flour over to Jackie's. She is always baking cookies and sharing with us.
I am ashamed to say I had nothing to give to Dar. She has a cleaning lady come in every week for 2 hours--at $20.00 an hour. There is nothing I could give Dar that she would want or need.
======================
Ya know--all of us are basically good and generous people. Over the past few years, Presidents and politicians, movie stars and VIP's, even some churches have tried to turn us into cynical, critical people. Boy, it's easy to sit in our homes and look out for only ourselves and family. Life becomes "all about us." Protect ourselves.
Today, for some reason, I had the opportunities to put myself out there---which I haven't done in a very long time. It turned out, I am the one that was blessed and feeling happy and had my spirit renewed.
Happy Easter. Happy Spring!!
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Another Lesson
I baby my back and shoulder--because of the pain. You know, the more you sit to relieve the pain, the worse it gets from not using those muscles/joints.
I have found, when I "work", although my back and shoulder may hurt, they recover quite well with rest AND I feel so good at knowing that I have done something really useful (to me), that the work renews my spirit and I feel better emotionally.
Spring cleaning. It has taken me a while to get motivated, so I made out my list of what needed doing, so as not to miss cleaning something that I get used to looking at and forget--it needs a good cleaning.
For example, the ceiling fan in the living room. It is kind of a scary thing to do--standing on a low stool, looking up and taking off the glass shades and reaching up to wash the paddles.
At Christmas time I bought this 3 step ladder with the hand grip on top. I can lean my leg against that top platform and feel quite steady.
I think I told you last year about the special cloths Karen gave me to wash windows. The blue one is for washing, the purple one for drying/polishing.
These things are a wonder! Just use plain water and wash the window or mirror, or picture frame glass with the blue one, then dry with the purple one. Once over, and there are no streaks--none! The greasy film is gone and the glass absolutely sparkles! Amazing. Sure saves my shoulder and not spritzing Windex and then going over it with 452 thousand sheets of paper towel.
It took me less than 4 minutes to do both kitchen windows!
Another product I absolutely have to have with our rusty, calcium laden water is:
Over time, my white clothes and kitchen curtains have become a sort of rusty/beige. Put a cup of this in the washer, put the curtains in, agitate for a few minutes, then let soak for 20 minutes, add detergent and put through the wash cycle.
This is what the curtains looked like last week.
This is what they looked like yesterday after their treatment in the soak.
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Bedroom and bathroom on Monday. Laundry area and kitchen on Tuesday and today, the living room. I pulled out every piece of furniture into the middle of the room and dusted it, cleaned out the table drawers, vacuumed my chair and couch and vacuumed the carpeting where they one sat.
Then put everything back and vacuumed the rest of the carpet. Put up the new metal art that Jen gave me for Christmas, under the cross-- over there by the couch. Everything looks so clean and shiny, the place smells good and I feel so comfortable.
Not a very good photo. Off to the right, you can see the computer room, and the room I will tackle on Friday. I should take a before photo just to scare you all. LOL
Tomorrow, lunch with the Old School Gal Pals and a visit with my sister at The Farm and maybe a stop at the cemetery to say "Hi" to Fred.
I have found, when I "work", although my back and shoulder may hurt, they recover quite well with rest AND I feel so good at knowing that I have done something really useful (to me), that the work renews my spirit and I feel better emotionally.
Spring cleaning. It has taken me a while to get motivated, so I made out my list of what needed doing, so as not to miss cleaning something that I get used to looking at and forget--it needs a good cleaning.
For example, the ceiling fan in the living room. It is kind of a scary thing to do--standing on a low stool, looking up and taking off the glass shades and reaching up to wash the paddles.
I put the glass shades in the DW, along with other colored glass,
that needed cleaning, and the fan turned out nice.
Another product I absolutely have to have with our rusty, calcium laden water is:
This is what the curtains looked like last week.
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Bedroom and bathroom on Monday. Laundry area and kitchen on Tuesday and today, the living room. I pulled out every piece of furniture into the middle of the room and dusted it, cleaned out the table drawers, vacuumed my chair and couch and vacuumed the carpeting where they one sat.
Then put everything back and vacuumed the rest of the carpet. Put up the new metal art that Jen gave me for Christmas, under the cross-- over there by the couch. Everything looks so clean and shiny, the place smells good and I feel so comfortable.
Tomorrow, lunch with the Old School Gal Pals and a visit with my sister at The Farm and maybe a stop at the cemetery to say "Hi" to Fred.
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