Yesterday morning, I got a call from Karen.
"He's here, Mom.  You oughta see him.  A full head of blonde hair!  and he has your cleft in his chin!"

Born in the hospital where Maddie is a nurse.  She had Catholic  mid-wives deliver the baby.  He was born 9 months and 6 days after his Momma and Daddy's wedding.

All those years of ballet training must have made strong pelvic and stomach muscles because...6 hours labor, no drugs and Karen said, "she said once, 'oh--that kind of hurts.' "

One of the Mid-wives stated, "Madeleine, you were made to have babies."

Karen said it was like a birth in the olden days.

When he was born, they cut and tied the cord and put him up on Maddie's chest, skin-to-skin, and left him there for two hours.

No checking him out in an isolete, cleaning him up or putting drops into his eyes.

Just Momma, Daddy and baby.

They didn't even weigh or measure him until two hours later.

Grandma and Grandpa.  Look at my Karen.  Isn't she beautiful?  59 years old and looks like a young woman.

Then the whole family showed up.

Most of my grands and my 3 greats. 

Born only 7 months apart, he and other great grandson 

Harrison will no doubt be the best of pals.

Then in the evening, Daddy's showed up.  I don't have a photo, but there was about 10 of them.

8#  6oz.  21" tall

First blonde born in either family.

Of course, his great gramma was blonde, HAH!

His Daddy's family are pure, beautiful German's and devout (traditional) Catholics..the women always wear a head covering in church and the services are done in Latin.

There are 7 children in the family, all boys.  Each has 7 names--Saints names or Catholic names.  It is their family tradition.

So let me introduce:

Benedikt Leonel Lourdes Aquinas Anton Dominic Athanasius

I have no idea what we are supposed to call him!  Maybe Ben?

My second grand child Susanna, Mark & Karen's second child, has been a runner most of her life.

She was on the Cross Country team in High School and got an athletic scholarship to Grand Valley State University, a college over on the Western side of our State, where she also ran Cross Country.

Now to my way of thinking, why anyone would want to put their body through that kind of stress and pain--running miles and miles, is beyond me.  I was more of a sprinter.  I could run really fast for a short distance.  She is just the opposite.  It takes her a few miles to get warmed up and then she is off like a Greyhound.

She got hired by New Balance shoes out in Portland, Oregon, as their Marketing Director.  She went to many States, setting up the New Balance display and running in the 10K races.  She's also been to England and France to do the same thing.

About five years ago she was telling me that she wanted someday to run the Marathon for the Olympic Trials.  That was her goal, knowing full well she wouldn't win, but just wanted to run and finish.

Well a Marathon is a lot different than a 10K.  She did run a half Marathon in Chicago and then last year, ran in the Boston Marathon and finished.  26.2 miles.

Can you imagine?  What would you think about while running?  Over two hours.  Wouldn't you get bored and just want to quit?  Wouldn't your back, legs and feet start hurting?

By running in the Boston Marathon and finishing with a decent time, she was qualified to run in the Olympic Marathon trials.

New Balance was planning their early spring conference and going to Boston, as usual.  She asked if they could have the conference in Atlanta, so she could run the Marathon.

..and so she did. 

Mom and Dad were at the start line, halfway point and the finish line.

Because of an injury three weeks ago, her time wasn't all that great, but she did have 31 women left behind her.

All that really matters, she accomplished her goal!

Pondering on the Coronavirus. Bad stuff! I'm glad I don't live in a big city like New York or Boston--where to get anywhere you gotta ride a bus, train or subway. Packed in with people you have no idea if they are healthy or carrying the Virus.

How about Detroit? No cases yet, but very easily could be. Innocently going to a concert at Ford Field or where ever and catching this deadly disease.

No--I'm not a germaphobe, but I do try and stay away from crowds this time of year and sanitize my hands the minute I get out of the store and back in my car. Then after I carry the bags in, wash my hands.

Hey--I grew up in the era of Polio when they had no idea what caused it and so perhaps I am more cautious?

This Coronavirus is one tick on the clock away from being a world wide pandemic.

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We have had 5 days of pure sunshine.  A very mild winter, but now it appears, winter is coming back for a major slam.  I am seeing reports of 7.1" here and one model shows 9-10" here.

Well, I had to go to the store to get more cat food--per usual and was out of water and milk and Diet Pepsi, so I'm ready for whatever Mother Nature brings our way.

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I am working on a nice long genealogy and have another smaller one waiting and got a call this morning to do one for a friend.  Her family is from Hungary so it's going to be tough to find many ancestor's.  The Russians had control of a lot of those countries and the Commie's burn a lot of records, so somethings are near impossible to find.  But I told her I'd give it my best.

Genealogies bring in a little extra money--the better to afford to buy cat food.  Maybe one of these days I'll get enough tucked away so I can buy a new pair of blue jeans.  Mine are wearing out.  LOL

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March is just around the corner and March and September are when I have my various doctor's appointments.  I called this morning to make one for the 16th and the 18th, then will see my primary guy for my Medicare Wellness check-up on the 26, with blood work done a couple of days before.

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My granddaughter Maddie is due on March 4th.  I am so nervous!  She is a nurse and has to work double shifts sometimes and plans on working right up to when she goes into labor.  She will be so tired, how can she ever push a baby out?

I just don't know about this modern day society.  Woman wanted to be equal and all that and have put themselves in positions where they work harder than men.  And men don't have to abuse their bodies by having babies and then recovering and going back to work while they are still nursing those babies.

Well, maybe all the exercise she gets from walking the hospital aisles will give her an easier labor?

Dentist the other day.  Just a cleaning and check-up by the Dentist and of course, she found two teeny cavities, so I have to go back and I don't really like the dentist's chair!

It seems that all my teeth hurt.  Pulling away from the gums, deep pockets at the gum line.  I am now using a special toothpaste, but it's probably too late to help.

Question--do you remember back in the day when we pronounced gums, "gooms"?

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I was planning on going to the Old School Gal Pals lunch, but we got heavy snow that morning, so it was canceled.  I'm glad because it was at a restaurant that is a bit further than I like to drive, and my sister wasn't home, so no visit with her to use as an excuse to go.  I'll try and make it next month.

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This CBD balm/lotion/cream, whatever it is really works great!  I can't believe it.  I think the CBD pain patches work best, but they can get expensive.  They are only suppose to bring relief for 24 hours, but the last one I used on my back...I left it on 3 days and after I took it off...my back hasn't hurt since!  3-4 weeks ago?  I keep waiting for the pain to come back because there is no way that little patch could help pain that I have had for 5-6 years!!!

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I paid the rest of the month's bills today and have $1.33 left in my checking account.  Keeping a lot balance like that, keeps hackers away.  HAH!

I am working on a nice genealogy, with one waiting in the wings.  You know I get obsessed with this research and working up the pages AND it sure helps bring in a little bit to help my finances.

Personally, I think I am better than that guy on TV show "Finding Your Roots"; Henry Louis Gates who does genealogies for important people.  I usually find more ancestor's than he does and he has a whole staff that travel to Europe, or scan records in Libraries and people pay him thousands.  He does give them a huge, in colored pedigree chart, which is something I cannot do.  Oh...I do pedigree charts, but they aren't in color and 4'x6'! LOL

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Not much to do the rest of this week.

There is a good mini-series on the History Channel about George Washington.  In real life, he wasn't anything like what we studied in school.  He lied all the time.  Had a temper and at times, was none too bright.  Which shows to go ya, politics hasn't changed much in the last 250 years.

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See ya later--Jude

Saturday was Madeleine's baby shower at Karen's.
The snow was quite heavy, but I managed to get there okay.
My oldest grand daughter Helene, had done most of the work--even though she works has a 3 year old and a nursing infant.  Karen and her husband were in Aruba the whole week before the shower.

It was nice.  Lots of people so we didn't play time consuming games.  It took the kids two hours just to open the gifts!

No excuses for not posting.

I'm working on an involved genealogy and by the time I get done with all that searching, scanning, printing, writing--my mind is rather tired to come in here and try to be clever.  LOL

I have also been watching the Impeachment trial.  Especially last week when it was in the Senate.  I felt I could be an unbiased observer and listened closely to both sides and this morning to their closing arguments.  I have made up my mind and...glad it is coming to a close as it pre-empted my Soap every day!  You know I wasn't happy about that.  Then I'd have to figure out a time in the evening when I could get my Soap on Demand to watch it.

I was sitting here Saturday and I heard my front door open and in walked my youngest, Jennifer.  I nearly fell out of my chair.

She has been in town for over a week and I prayed every night that God would nudge her heart for a visit.

She quit the law firm where she has worked for 15 years and joined another one that deals in Non-Profits, that is her specialty and also some kind of financial something that I couldn't understand.  I did hear her say she met the 94 year old man who "invented" the Visa Corporation, she showed me a photo.  I hope I acted properly impressed.  Maybe she can get me a 0% Visa charge card.  HAH!  

Their new home is finished...she even showed me photos and while she is here, her husband was moving out of their rental home and into their new one before the end of the month.

I did feel a bit uneasy.  She still has traits of my step-mother.  She does like to gossip and told me negative stories about when Pammie lived with them and how her brother is angry at the world and even some negativity about Karen.

I listened, but made no comments.  When it comes to my kids, I am not going to comment on any gossip from any one of them against the other and I felt like if I did say something, Jen just might take it back to them.

I kept steering her back to tell me about her kids and how her oldest is doing in college and her daughter being watched by college volleyball coaches, even though she is only a Sophomore.  How Alex, the 12 year old was put into a Gifted program, but decided not to go because then he would miss school time with his friends and how the youngest, 8 year old Evan is such a nice boy.  All her kids are nice, polite, and respectful.

Or, I'd get her to talk about the friends she has met, the church they go to, her mother-in-law who I really like, Eric's job...those kinds of things.

We had a nice 2 hour visit and I was so glad she felt that she could just drop in without feeling she had to call first.  

Sunday she went up to The Farm to visit with my sister and my nephew who is near Jen's age, then she went to her brother Mark's to watch the Super Bowl with Mark, his fiance and Pammie.

Jennifer stays at Karen's when she is in Michigan and her new law office is only a 20 minute drive from there.  The other one was down near Detroit...lots of traffic and a time consuming commute.

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I watched the Super Bowl yesterday.  I had heard who was going to perform the half-time program and figured it would be nasty and I didn't want my eyes to see that and have it imprinted on my mind, so I didn't watch it.  I enjoyed the game though and even though I rarely watch professional football, the team I was rooting for won.

I am starting to get notices of increases in rent, health insurance and car and house insurance.  The increases took way more out of my budget than was my Social Security increase this year.  I've decided not to be scared or worry about it.  Last year was terribly difficult financially for me, but I made it and was never late with a payment.  I figure I can do it again, so...."I laugh in the face of fear", knowing God will supply all that I need.  

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We have had such a mild winter here.  Only two snowstorms that needed snow to be shoveled.  We had a couple of inches of snow over the weekend.  Jen even asked if I wanted her to clear off my driveway and I told her, "No thanks.  It is going to be 52 tomorrow and it will melt all the snow." which it has.    54Sunday and 52today.  We are expecting measurable snow on Thursday, but I have no where to go until Saturday, so, I'm not concerned.

Saturday is Maddie's baby shower.  I've had her baby stamped cross stitch quilt done for months.  I just need to wash and iron it.  It will be a nice day to honor her and her hubs.

That's it.  As usual my life is not much to "write home about".  Simple.  Quiet. Slow.  Uncomplicated.  Mostly stress free.  

I love it!!!!!!!!!!

Oh My Gosh!

I have never had someone come in and clean my house and I was kind of intimidated when the cleaning lady came Monday to scrub the kitchen floor.

None of my corners on that floor are square.  Crumbs, cat hair and anything the vacuum couldn't reach have lodged themselves in the corners--especially by the stove and dishwasher.

She got down on her hands and knees and went to work.  Starting back by the bathroom in the washer/dryer area, and worked her way into the kitchen.  She's 72 years old!  Delightful.  She talks constantly as she works and is so funny.

While she was scrubbing the floor, she also cleaned the table and chair legs--the bottom cupboard doors, the front of the fridge, stove and dishwasher.She told me she would charge me $10, I told her I would pay her $20 and ended up giving her $25.00 for the extra she did.

How nice it is to walk barefoot across that floor.  To look down and see "square" corners again.  It looks as good as the day I moved in.

After she was gone, I vacuumed the living room and the house was done--cleaned for another few months.

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I decided it would be a good idea to change the filter in my large humidifier.  It sits by the back door and I had moved it into the bathroom to get it out of her way.

I took it all apart and put the parts in the shower.  Then I eased the bottom pan up to the shower to dump the water.  My back hurt, my hands were a bit shaky and I ended up dumping most of the water--about 2 gallons, onto the bathroom floor.

Not a problem if I had tile in there, but that floor is carpeted.

What a mess!!

I grabbed every bath towel I own and laid them down and walked on them, trying to sop up the water.  Then I put the towels through the spin cycle in the washer, dried them and back on the carpet to sop up more water.

I did that 4 times!  Then I closed the bathroom door so when the furnace came on, the heat would concentrate in that room.

I sure hope the floor doesn't rot underneath.  It feels pretty dry today.

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I grew up in the '50's, was in high school in the mid to late '50's.  At that time, we were lectured and cautioned on NOT smoking Marijuana.  Smoking one Marijuana cigarette could kill you or destroy your mind so you'd go crazy and have to be put in a mental institution.  If you were caught with it, you would go to jail for life.

Well, I can tell you...all us kids were scared to death of it.  I remember in the mid 70's when I found out my two oldest kids had used it, I was in a panic.  I was threatening to send Mark to military school and Pammie to the girls reform school in the western part of our state.

Marijuana is now legal in our state, but I am still scared of using it.  Hey--I'm just as afraid of drinking alcohol!

This last year I have heard that Hemp Oil or CBD oil has none of the THC products found in Marijuana and it really helps with pain.  Still kind of scared, but suffering with this back pain, that has finally localized to one spot, I stopped in at the Vape shop yesterday and talked to the kids about it.

They had CBD oil that you can put a few drops under your tongue, EYUCK.  They have the oil that you can use in your Vape device--didn't want to try that and then they have patches with CBD oil that you put over the area where the pain is located.

So, I bought two patches.  They are supposed to work for 24 hours.  When I got home, I slapped one over the pain area and waited.  Honestly, I have to tell you...I was shaking and scared of what might happen.

Would I suddenly start acting weird?  Would I get the "munchies"?  Would it make me sick?

Well...no.  In two hours most of the pain was gone.  It didn't even hurt when I pushed on that area.

When I woke up this morning, patch still in place, I could bend over to get the cat dishes and feed them.  I could walk without pain.  I do have mild achiness all across my back, like normal, but the spot where it was most severe...there is no pain.

Does this mean I am going to turn into a junkie?  At $8.00 a patch, that's unlikely.  Now, I am on the look out for the CBD oil in lotion form in a bottle, that I can rub all across my lower back.

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Don't tell my kids their mother is using a by-product of the Marijuana plant.  I can imagine the ribbing I'd have to take!