Terrific Tuesday--at least the evening was

Today's high temperature was:  47 degrees

Sunny--cloudy--sunny--cloudy, but no rain!

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They are having snow in our Upper Peninsula and we are expecting a few wet flakes on Thursday.  Good thing I don't have anywhere to go on Thursday.  Although--it is my daughter Karen's birthday.  The day she was born, we were into Indian Summer and it was 73 degrees and sunny.  Most everyone of her birthday's, it has been warm and sunny.  Probably this year, our Indian Summer will come in November, because we haven't had a freeze yet.

I was getting dressed this morning and I heard the front door open and in walked Pearl.  She called out and looked down the hallway and there I stood in my underpants, putting on my bra.  "YIKES!" she yelled.  "My eyes have been burned.  I'm blind!!"

"Oh, shut up and sit down."  I retorted.

She had a good laugh seeing me in my nothings!

She came down to bring back the new Nicholas Sparks book I lent her.  She got the new one first this time because I hadn't seen my sister when I first got it.  I will give it to Susan next. 

 I am reading a fascinating book on Jack and Jackie Kennedy right now.  Those poor kids--they sure had a tumultuous life!  Neither one of them had a decent childhood, so they grew up with trust issues and not knowing how to give love.  Reminds me kind of like Charles and Diana--married because Jack's father said it was time--picked her out--all for political reasons.  Jack kept right on with his affairs--Jackie knew all about them.  She refused to let it bother her--after all her father was a womanizer too.  The only one she really worried was the year long affair he had with Marilyn Monroe.  J. Edgar Hoover found out about it and told Jack to end it before it got out in the press.  Three days later, Marilyn killed herself.  Jackie smoked over 2 packs of cigarettes a day, which they figure caused her miscarriages and still births.  Jack was very sickly and in constant pain.  They both took a lot of drug injections to keep going.  They put on a good show, but that's all it was.  They were suppose to be the perfect young family, so that is what they portrayed to the country.  Jackie was very unhappy, Jack didn't really care.  He was just going to live as he wanted.

Isn't it strange.  The media never said a word about it.  Back in those days, they protected the President at all costs.  Now that fifty years have past, a lot of the records are being opened up for public knowledge.  Sad--very sad.

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I looked out my window this morning and sure enough, the Hummingbirds nest is still there.

Then I saw something else in Jackie's tree.   

A huge wasp/hornet/yellow jacket nest.

As I walked back across the street, I spotted this little

beautiful red leaf in with all the ugly brown ones.

I looked around--there is not a tree that color around here--

where did that little leaf come from?

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I didn't do much today.  At six fifteen, I left to get over to the high school for Madeleine's band and marching band concert.  They charged me five bucks!!!  Usually they are free.  It was a looooooooong concert.  A concert band, two symphony orchestra's,and their best wind ensemble (which Maddie plays in) and then the marching band--which is my favorite part.  250 kids marching into the auditorium, playing as loud as they can--sends shivers through my whole body.  Then, they played the school fight song, which I have been working on memorizing and I could sing along--fun.

I don't know if any of you remember, but at the first Marching Band concert, when Maddie was a Freshman, when the band played, "God Bless America"--I stood and sang along.  Half-way through, I noticed that in an auditorium that holds probably 1,200 people, I was the only one standing.  I asked my daughter why and she said, "I don't know.  We always stand at the football games when they play it."

So--I apologized to Maddie, hoping I hadn't embarrassed her.  She said she thought it was cool.

So feeling of a rebellious nature (which I seem to have become in my old age)--the last two years, I have always stood and didn't care if anyone did or not--and no one ever did.

Tonight, I couldn't get my regular seat, so I had to sit down in front, about five rows from the stage.  When the band played "God Bless America", I stood up and noticed that my daughter Karen stood up beside me.  Then I noticed everyone else in the place started standing.  I guess it's kind of hard not to see a six feet tall woman, down in front standing and they thought they all should, so---like a bunch of sheep--everyone followed my lead.

After the concert, Maddie and a couple of her friends came up and grabbed me and said, "Gramma, you accomplished your goal!!"  I guess, over the years, she has said something to her band friends about her Gramma being the only person standing for the song.

To me--that song is very patriotic.  It is almost like a hymn or a prayer.  We all stand for the National Anthem, why shouldn't we stand in respect for the playing and singing of God Bless America?

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Karen walked me out to my car, after the concert, so I could give her birthday present to her.  She said, "Mom--it's suppose to be cold and maybe even snow on my birthday!  What is wrong?  It is always sunny and warm on my birthday.  Mark even said, "your Mom is going to be mad because it is always sunny and warm." "  

I told her that I was sorry--that when I heard the weather report, I was upset too, but..."You make my whole life sunny and warm and that's all that matters."  Then we hugged and "love you's" and went on our way.  I tell you--without her and Pammie, I don't know what I would do!!!
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Okay--I got no response from the note I sent a couple of weeks ago to my step brother-in-law, so today, I sent him this longer note.  Tell me the truth.  Is it too much?  I don't think I sounded angry or accusatory, do you?

Now I wait to see if there is any response to this one.  I doubt it because that family, doesn't like to confront anything that might be objectionable--much like my own family.  We all are a bunch of stupid Ostrich's--never voicing an opinion, never bringing up any subject that might make someone uncomfortable.  We wouldn't want to broach a subject honestly--someone might not like us if we did!  I tell you my friends--I do believe I AM becoming a rebellious old woman!!!
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October 22, 2013

Hi Alan,

I suppose you think I have gone “ ‘round the bend”.  By your non-response to my first note, it is apparent that you have no idea what I was talking about.  So, an explanation.

Six months after Dad died, Helen took Susan and I aside and said, “I don’t want you girls to worry.  You will get the rest of your Dad’s money when I die.” 

The next year, while she was still living at the farm, in the summer, she told us, “I have decided to put everything in trust.  It will make it much easier for everyone.”

Therefore, I assumed that she had set up a trust for each of us, for what was left from Dad’s investments.

It has been six months and I hadn’t heard anything.  I am preparing my own final distribution and wanted to make sure I had the beneficiary correct on the trust.  That is why I wrote the note to you.  Wondering the status on the process of the trusts.

I guess there were none set up for us or surely you would have known about it.

I am sorry for the confusion my first message may have caused.

Take care,

Jude
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I don't think it should hurt any one's feelings.  I certainly am not angry with my step-sisters--they probably have no knowledge that their mother STOLE MY SISTER AND MY INHERITANCE!!!

I need to put this behind me and just forget it.  But DAMMIT (sorry), you all know how stinking poor I am.  A hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars would sure have helped me live out the rest of my life without worry and left something for my own kids!!!

(Okay--so now, not only am I becoming a rebel, but a nasty, mean, cranky, critical old woman!!)

So--let's see what happens tomorrow.  Maybe I can get through one day without wanting to slap the heck out of someone, LOL.