Christmas At The Farm.

Pictorial Family Christmas--missing Granddaughter Maddie and her Dad Mark with the stomach virus.
Missing Jennifer and her family in Disney World, but other than that........................
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Ancestor's farm.  Settled in 1850.  The house built in 1857 and renovated in 2012,

The farm from Susan's kitchen window--where I was born and my son lives now.

Between the entry-way and the family room.

 Sister and me

2nd child and oldest daughter--Pammie    

My eldest, son Mark and 3rd child, Karen

Poor Mark--bloated from the steroids he has to take

to keep his cancer at bay.

Susan's son and his two girls

 My grandsons, actually I just met the one on the left.  Susanna, from Oregon, boyfriend from Alaska.

James, a  nicer man I have never met--next to my own grandson's

Marcus and Stephen.

 My grand girls--Helene, Morgan and Susanna holding Della.
Actually, Morgan isn't official until June 2, 2018 when she and Marcus will marry.

Our family tradition since I was a little girl.  The singing of the carols here.

Sure glad I rode up and home with Karen.  The outside photos were taken at 1:00.  By the time we left to come home, there was 2" of snow on the ground and another 5" predicted.  Karen has a nice new car and new snow tires.  We never slipped a bit on those country roads.

...and Darling Della celebrating

Hanukkah two weeks ago.

Merry Christmas

May you find moments of peace, 

contentment and love

this weekend.

Blessed Day

I left kind of early this morning so I could stop in to visit a friend on my way to our Old School Gal Pals lunch.

Becky is Pam's friend, but she and I visit a few times a year.  Her house is immaculately clean and decorated to the nines for Christmas.

Lunch was wonderful and my best friend Arlene's, daughter stopped and paid for ALL our lunches!!

Then out to The Farm to visit sister and drop off my presents, so I only have to tote in my food on Christmas Even.  She only put up 5 trees this year.

Entry Way by front door 

Family Room

Crystal Christmas Trees on the mantle

in the dining room 

Between Dining and Living Room

The Christmas Angel cross-stitch I made of her on the wall

Corner of the living room 

her special memory tree in the bedroom

This is the house where we will celebrate our Christmas.

Click on this to see a video of her house. Susan's

Dear Dar.

Yes--Dar.  Dear Dar.

She came over for a visit.  A conversation.  Well, her kind of conversation.

Usually when I visit someone, my first words are, "Hi. How are you?"  and then I listen to their answer.  Dar's first words on walking in my front door are, "I had to come over and vent!"  She has yet, in the 7 years I've known her, asked how I am.

She walked in, threw her coat on the couch, dumped Buddy out of the rocking chair and sat down with a big, "WHEW!"

Before she could say a word, I asked, "I haven't seen you in two weeks.  How are you doing?"

"I met with my attorney.  My tail bone is getting better.  I am going to have surgery on my shoulder January ninth and.......we have an infestation of bed bugs."

Wait.  What?

"Get your nasty self outta my house!"
did I say that?  Of course not, but I started itching.

"My attorney tells me he can get back all the money I have spent on doctor's bills.  He says he can't get me anything for pain and suffering and I still have pain and I have suffered!"

Breath.

"I am finally feeling more comfortable with my therapist.  I am beginning to trust him.  He knows not too get to close to me, not to walk around behind me and...he let's me smoke during our sessions."

Breath

"My right arm and hand are still numb, but the surgeon thinks that when he fixes my shoulder...all that will go away.  My tail bone is better.  The inflammation is going down, but...they can't do a thing for my neck and the doctor told me, I will have to live with it for the rest of my life."

Breath

"My doctor and therapist both told me I probably won't be able to go back to work...ever...but I won't accept that."

Breath

"I had a flare up of my herpes, but it's better now"

Breath

"My daughter texted me...first text I have gotten for three years.  She wants to move back here.  No way--I just ignored the text and I'm not going to respond."
even though her daughter owns the house Dar lives in.  

Pause, as she lit another cigarette.

I quickly jumped in, "And the bugs?"

"Oh...the bugs!  Well, about three months ago I started getting a rash.  It got larger and worse.  I thought I had Lyme's Disease, so I went to the dermatologist.  He took a biopsy of one of the areas and told me I had "mite bites".  Like dust mites, you know."

Breath

"I had to shower with a special soap and launder all the bedding.  It seemed to get worse, so I went back to the dermatologist.  He looked again and told me to go home and check my furniture and mattress and see if....if there were any little, tiny black specks."

Breath

"Sure enough.  So I called him and told him and he said they were bed bugs instead of mites!"

Breath

"My housekeeper won't come back into my house.  I had to get pest control to come out and fumigate--they've done it twice and are coming back again next week."

Breath

"I had the garbage men come and take my mattress and box springs--my new recliner and Dad's mattress, box springs and head board.  You can see the tiny little black specks on the carpeting under the beds, along the wall above the furnace registers."

Breath

"I have to wash all my clothes in the hottest water and dry them on the hottest dryer setting.  What can't be washed, I have to take to the cleaners or throw out.  Same with my drapes, all blankets and sheets.  I have been to the laundromat three times and done 25 loads of laundry."

Breath

"All clean items have to be put into big zippered bags and all bed buggy ones also in zippered bags until they are cleaned."

Breath

"That's why I haven't been over.  I didn't want to bring any in here."

"But.,.you were over here two weeks ago.  You had them then, right?" I asked.

"Well, I didn't know I had them then.  I'm sure I didn't bring any with me.  If you see any tiny, black specks, look careful, but...I'm sure I didn't bring any in."

Good grief, Woman!  You said you are still seeing them in your house.  You're sitting in my chair and you have a wool sweater, bed bug breeding ground, on your self.  Go away!!
did I say that?  Of course not.

After she left, I did wash the cushion she was sitting on.  I wiped down the chair with water and bleach and sprayed where she had thrown her coat.

...and I've felt itchy every since!!!

That's It!!!

Get a grip on yourself, Jude!!!

Finances or the lack thereof, will no longer be posted on this blog!  It makes me sound whiny and ungrateful and "poor me", and like I'm asking for a hand-out.  I dislike people that complain that the government doesn't give them enough assistance.   The government owes us nothing, financially.  

If I was stupid enough to get divorced, or to sign off on his pension, or to keep that big house, instead of selling it, NO MATTER how much pressure I was getting from my Daddy, then all that is my problem!

Yes--I got money from "our" estate sale two years ago.  I spent some of it on a new living room, which I probably should not have done.  I took $150.00 each month to supplement my budget.  I paid to get my car fixed with a new undercarriage, radiator, exhaust system and tires.  I got my kids nice presents last year for Christmas.

I have $200.00 left from that sale.

But--I am NOT poor.  I have a nice little house, with a fairly new roof and furnace.  I have an old car, that runs like a new car.  I have my health.  I have a mighty God that has sustained me these last 25+ years and I believe He will continue to do so.

I just finished a genealogy.  I am working on a new one.  I have two promised in the new year.  You know how much I love doing them for people.  The money I receive is secondary, but I am grateful for it and it will bring my budget into the "black" at least for a few months.

Nope.  No more complaining and no more venting.  How boring to "listen" to someone whine about their finances.
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By the way, Dar came over for a visit yesterday.  Wait until you hear about that!!!
   

Here I Am!

I'm still here!  Still standing!  Just been busy.

Genealogy stuff.  I get so involved, I don't pull my head out of the tree top, for hours and hours.
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Well, let's see--it snowed 3 inches.  Then two days later, it snowed 9 inches.  So far this past week it has cost me $45.00 to get my driveway cleaned 3 times.  I thought I would get a budget break now that I don't have to pay $40.00 a month for lawn mowing.  I think we have enough snow for the entire winter--just my opinion.

Had to miss the Old Gal Pals luncheon--they called it off and rescheduled it for this Thursday, which is a good thing.  It's suppose to be 40 and sunny this Thursday.

My SS raise was $20.00 a month, so to the welfare people, that signifies an income increase so they cut my food assistance from $28.00 to $19.00 a month.  Even though expenses have increased.

There are percentages and cut-off amounts involved.  It is all very complicated on how they get to their assistance amount.  I am allowed expenses of $547.00 a month, with an income of $1,000.00, to get assistance.  Even if the expenses are more, that doesn't count.  My cut-off is $547.00.  So, with my $20.00 a month "income increase", my income went up to $1,001.00.  One dollar more than I am allowed.
Thus the decrease in food assistance.

Makes a whole lot of sense, doesn't it?
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I have been paying my house insurance monthly.  $30.00 a month.  To save money, "they" switched me over to paying every six months.  It saves me $10.00, but the six month payment came due the first of December and I didn't expect it.  $170.00 all in one swoop.  So I am paid up, until June, at which time, I will go back to paying it monthly.  Egads!!
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Oh--why do I post about my financial problems?  It makes me embarrassed, but you are the only ones I can talk too.  Plus, just think how great and blessed it makes you feel to NOT have such problems.  LOL
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I have all my presents wrapped and packed in canvas grocery bags to take with me Thursday.  I will stop in at sister's on my way home and put them under her tree, so that I don't have to tote them all in on Christmas Eve.  Good idea.  Right?
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Have a great pre-Christmas week.  Rejoice on the 21st--the Winter Solstice as that means---the days will be getting longer!!!!!!!!!!

It's a New Week

Monday morning and I'm sitting here watching the snow.  You can't tell in the photo, but it is coming down heavy.  2-4 inches the weather guy says.  Wonderful!  I love it.  It's so pretty.

...and the reason I ran up to Walmart yesterday.  I heard this was coming.

So today, I can stay inside, watch the snow falling, and wrap Christmas presents, fill the freezer bags with the finished spaghetti sauce, watch my Soap, do some laundry, cross stitch and in general, enjoy myself.
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It occurred to me that I needed to get a small gift for Della.  I have no idea what toys she has and I sure can't afford to spend much.  As I walked along, there was a whole box of "Pet Toys".  $5.00.  I looked down into the box and lo and behold, a dog toy that looks similar to their real dog.  Nice and soft and cuddly and even squeaks--just as a dog toy should.

When I got home, I cut off the tag that designated it as a "dog toy" and wrapped it up for Della.  Sh-hh.  No one will know the difference.  I hope.

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I do manage to have fun every time I go to Walmart.  I decided to plump up the gift to my boys, and get them a box of spaghetti and a can of Parmasan cheese, box it up along with the tag,
"Two quarts of home-made spaghetti sauce are waiting for you, in the red and white cooler on the front porch.  Don't forget to take it with you.  Love Gramma Judy", or Mom or Judy.

Do you know how much 6 cans of cheese and 6 small boxes of spaghetti costs?  Good Grief!!!

Then I went looking for a gift box that it would fit in.  None to be found.  In that aisle was an old guy hunting for the same thing--a simple gift box.  I know because he asked me if I knew where he might find one.  We both looked and all we came up with were mailing boxes.  Too deep, but the right length.  "Guess this will hafta work," he said.  
"Not what I wanted either, but guess it will work."
Then we both grabbed a roll of bubble wrap to stuff the boxes with.
"Geez!  Look at the price of that," he said.  "Newspaper would work better."
"Yeah, it would," I answered.  "But I don't get the paper anymore."
"Me neither," he replied.
"At that price, we probably could subscribe to the paper for a couple months and have all the stuffing we need." I said.

He nodded and chuckled.  "Have a nice day," he offered and off we went in different directions.

As I strolled over toward the Diet Pepsi area, an older guy in an electric cart came zooming around the corner and nearly smashed into my cart.  "Sorry," he said.  "First time I've used one of these dang things."  I smiled and went on my way.

The next aisle over, I got to help a tiny, little old lady get a bottle of salad dressing off a high shelf.  Then turned around and helped another short lady get a gallon of spring water off another high shelf.  Got one for myself too and we both wondered, "Why do they put heavy stuff so high up?"

As I turned to exit that aisle, the guy in the electric cart reappeared and nearly rammed into me.  "Sorry," he said and then kind of grimaced as he recognized me.
"Hey.  Did someone pay you to run me down?"
He let go with a huge laugh.  "No Ma'am."
We laughed and I went on up to the produce section.  

Wandered around a bit and then I saw him again.  He was headed straight towards me.  He glanced up and saw me, so I stopped dead in my tracks, then spun my cart around and pretended I was running away from him, as I headed, quickly toward the cashiers.  I could hear him laughing.

Yep.  I do have fun at the Walmart!