Wasted Wednesday

Today's high temperature was: 94 degrees

Today's humidity was:  74%

Feels like temperature:  104

One year ago today is was an actual temp of 102, so I guess we are doing better?

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Not really a wasted Wednesday--it is much too hot for this old gal to be outside for very long, so.....

I spent the greater part of the day, drawing up the floor plan for The Little House On The Corner.  Have you ever tried to draw a floor plan using an Excel spreadsheet?  At least you can make the columns smaller to represent the squares/grid, but ---WOW--it was challenging.  Then, when you print it out, none of the grid shows up, unless you change the borders, and then the grid covers up your nice indoor walls and such.  This is what I have so far.

If you click on it, it will come up larger--you kind of get the idea?

The living room is a challenge being so long and narrow, but my farm house living room was like that and I had no problem arranging furniture in it.  You can see how large the bedroom is--it even has two ceiling fans. One would be over the bed and I do not like a fan over the bed--don't like air blowing on me.

Friday, I will draw it out on graph paper and then--I have little "to scale" pieces of all my furniture and I can arrange it to see how it would fit.  FUN!!!

After my Soap, I went up to the Wal-Mart to pick up a prescription.  Man--it was so hot walking across the concrete parking lot to get into the cool store.  Today, though, the car A/C decided it would blow through the vents, instead of the defroster, so that at least was nice.

I made another sun catcher--I thought for Pearl, but I think I cooked this one TOO long--I kind of like mine that shows some of the beads.

Tomorrow, I go up to Durand to the golf course for lunch with my school gal pals--then I will stop by The Farm on my return home and who knows---I just might go back in the Little House On The Corner to take some more pictures, LOL.

I sent an e-mail to a friend of mine who has three rental homes.  She said $750.00 was WAY over what any other rentals that size are in the area.  She said $500-$550 was more in line with prices.  Of course, even at that price, I still can't afford to move there.

It has been three months since Jennifer told me never to darken their door again.  I sure am missing the kids!!!  My sister and her visiting SIL drove over to Jen's house, while Pammie was baby sitting and Monday night at supper, the SIL was telling how cute little Evan is.  Giving her high fives and a hug when they left.  I got tears in my eyes, but I pretended I had a coughing fit and got my napkin up to my eyes to get those tears away.  Apparently she does not know of the strife.  I keep praying God will bring about a reconciliation--that's about all I can do because I can't talk to her.   Tough--no one in our family has ever had this kind of thing.  We tend to ignore stupid things our family members might say or do and just keep on loving them.  It all smooths out in the end, but....I don't know about this time.

Bad, severe storms expected Friday when a cold front comes in and cools us down.  I don't care!!!  I just can't take this kind of weather!  And no---I will not complain when winter comes--I never do.  I feel much better in the cold weather.  Of course, this is July and that is when we get our two week heat wave--then everything will taper off and be nice again.  I am looking forward to 70-75 degrees with humidity at 35%.

Toodles--talk with you tomorrow.

A Nice Tuesday

Today's high temperature was:  95 degrees

Today's humidity was: 72%

Feels like temperature was:  100
This same weather until some time Friday when the jet stream drops down over us again.

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I am so sick and tired of all this racial stuff that is once again surfacing and causing so many people so much angst.  IF Mr. Sharpton, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Obama and the NAACP wouldn't have become involved in a "simple" manslaughter case--we wouldn't even have known about it. 

I saw this on Face Book this morning.  Really--what IS the difference?  Other then the racist Doo Dah's got involved and made the difference.

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Pearl came over yesterday morning and....they have taken Lily back to the animal control shelter.  Sigh.  Pearl said Lily was a bully and she was tormenting Tiger.  I think Lily just wanted to play--like when my Maggie jumps on Buddy and wrestles with him.  But, Lily has claws and Tiger doesn't so--he was scared of  her.  I told Pearl way back in March, that Tiger was too old to bring in another cat, but Pearl wanted a more affectionate cat.  Well, Lily was that.  Every time Pearl sat down, Lily was on her lap.  Every time she got up, Lily followed her and Pearl said?  "She's a pest!"

So, they took her back without any feeling of remorse or guilt.  I'm the one who feels the worse, I think.  Taking a cat out of a shelter--keeping it free and well fed and then taking it back?  Makes me feel like if you took a child out of an orphanage, kept it for two weeks in a nice, happy environment and then took it back and walked away--I hope cats don't have the feelings like a human.  Oh--I know they don't.  Lily will probably be happier with all her cat friends she is use to playing with, but...................Pearl is not going to look for another cat and for that, I say, PRAISE GOD!!!

What really was more upsetting to me, I was talking to Pearl about the book and movie, "The Help" that we all read and then watched the movie.  She didn't know what I was talking about!  

"Remember we read it last year?"

"Nope.  I have never heard of it.  What is it about?"

So I gave her a synopsis and she still had a blank look on her face.

"I never read that book.  I never saw that movie."

"Sure you did.  I got the book and gave it to you and then when I got the DVD, I gave it to you and Merle to watch.  Remember?  He thought it was boring, but you said you thought it was good?"

"I am telling you, I don't know anything about it!"

So, I gave her the book and the DVD (again)---I am hoping when she reads it, it will all come back to her, but I am doubtful.  I have never had any experience with someone who has that kind of forgetfulness.  I must remember to be patient and not try and "make" them remember, because that only confuses them, I think.

Oh yes, as she left, she turned and look at my garden and said, 'I see your Rebecca is about to bloom." (That would be my Rudbeckia, folks.  I wish she'd just call them black-eyed susan's, then my teeth wouldn't gnash.)

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Yesterday afternoon, after I checked out the Little House On The Corner, I went down to The Farm, to have supper with my sister, brother-in-law and his sister and her hubby, here on a visit from New York.  They have never been in Michigan, so Susan and Chuck are taking them all around--to Frankenmuth, and up to The Bridge.  We had a good time, but Susan had warned me that Loretta (the SIL) is a bit tiring to be around.  Man--the woman is cute and sweet, but she never stops talking--and talking fast!  

"Judy--our brother Ed is coming up here to visit Susan and Chuck.  He is about your age and you should meet him.  He has lots of money and is a widower.  You need to get out and meet men.  You are a beautiful woman--you never know what is out there.  You still have time to find a really good marriage."

<good grief>

Then my sister chirps in to say, "Yes.  He is tall and nice looking.  He also has heart disease, has a Pacemaker and has Diabetes."

Without thinking, I just blurted out, "Oh good grief!  I just got done taking care of that, why would I want to go through that again!!?"

For some reason, I just can't get it through people's heads that I HAVE NO DESIRE to have a man in my life--not even as a friend.  Not entirely their fault, I suppose, as for the last twenty-five years I TOO thought I had to have a man in my life--so they are going on what they have observed.  I can't explain it to them--took me a while to figure it out for myself.  All those years, after my divorce, I "thought" I needed a man for security or love.  I was desperately looking for love--desperate being the operative word here.  Thus, I was very needy and there are quite a few men who look for that in a woman.  Thus, I put up with a whole lot of "their" crap!

Then--along came Fred.  He didn't want anything from me.  He loved me and wanted to make my life happy.  He adored me!  He liked me and all my idiosyncrasies.  He didn't want to change me in any way.  He was always on my side--he "had my back" as they say.  He was the entire package of all I had searched for.  Now--why in this world, after having that, would I EVER want another man.  I would judge him against Fred and...he would fail.  No matter how nice he was...he would fail.  

I can't even stand to talk with a man, who might show interest in me.  He doesn't have Fred's voice, or his smile or his laughter, or his calmness.  I find myself comparing.  And it's just not that---I REALLY enjoy my independence now.  I am so selfish that I REALLY like getting up when I want to--going to bed when I want to--watching what I want on TV--not having to cook or clean up the floor around the toilet, or sharing my bed!  I REALLY like it!  So...............................................

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Dar didn't have to work today, so she KNEW I would want her company.  We chatted about  expenses and how frugal she is (right).

"How much was your electric bill this month?" she asked.

"I'm on the budget plan so I pay the same every month.  Let me get the bill and see my usage."  I came in here and got my bill and went back into the living room.  "Let's see--I used 14.0 kilowatt hours.  Way down from last June when it was so hot and the A/C ran all the time. Last year I used 17.8"

"You are kidding!  I only used 1.7 kilowatt hours!"  I just stared at her--so many words in my head and no way to phrase them."

"What?" she said.

"Dar---I think you read your bill wrong."

"No.  I didn't.  It says 1.7."

"Okay.  One point seven kilowatt hours--that would mean that your refrigerator ran for a day (exaggeration on my part) and you didn't use any electricity for the rest of the month!  Are you sure it didn't show  ten point seven?"

"My bill was only forty dollars."

"Well, mine was forty three dollars, so....by that comparison, you used a bit less then me.  Probably ten point seven."

"No.  I know what I saw on my bill."

"IF they are charging you forty dollars for one point seven kilowatt hours, then...my bill at ten point seven, would be over four hundred dollars."

"Well...I know what I saw."

This from the woman who thought a 90 mile drive would cost her two hundred dollars in gas.

"Okay," I said.

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I know--I am TOO obsessive.  I am TOO critical.  I just have this thing about women living alone not knowing what the hell is going on.  Dar has lived alone for 15 years--she should be more aware.  Pearl does not live alone, I fear the day she might, but.....this is just an instance.  Neither one of them know the names of the drugs they take nor the dosage!  I just find that unfathomable!  When I have asked either one of them, "Oh--I take blood pressure medicine too.  What one do you take,"  inevitably, they will both answer, "The blue one."  

The BLUE ONE?  Did you ask your doctor?  Did you read the side effects?  Did you inquire as to WHY?  No.  No. and No.

 I HAVE to quit thinking that I am the teacher of the world!!!  How can people go along being so uninformed?  Oh well--I suppose it is an easier life!  I just need to learn to keep my mouth shut!!!
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So--I made the sun catcher.  It didn't turn out as I thought it would.  I will try again.  It doesn't look that bad, but it still shows the bead shapes.  I was talking to another customer at JoAnn's and she said when she made hers, she cooked them longer than 20 minutes and at 450 degrees, so I will do that with the next one.

The ones on the left are from the Face Book "recipe".

I had a really great day--even though my A/C in the old car doesn't work real well--Oh, it gets plenty cold, but the blower fan sometimes wants to blow through the window defroster instead of out the vents onto me.  I guess there is a short in the blower motor--because if I go over a bump, it switches directions and won't come through the vent until/unless I go over another bump.  So, when it is coming out through the vent, i drive very carefully and when it switches back to the window, I hunt for bumps in the road. LOL.

I watched my Soap--oooh, so good.  Then I made out an address mailing label.  Stopped at the Salvation Army for a drop off, on to Michael's store--it was empty and closed.  Say What?  I was just there last month.  On to the post office where I mailed my package and asked, "Where did the Michael's store go?"

"Oh, it's down--next door to JoAnn's."

Cool--off I went to JoAnn's.  How convenient can this be?  If you can't find it at JoAnn's or if you can't find it at Michael's, instead of having to get in the car and drive to the other store--you can just walk next door.  Personally?  I LOVE IT!!!  So, I got some more beads, some copper wire to hang them from--because I want to make a sun catcher for Pearl.  Then drove on over a half block to Pet's Mart to get some wipes for the cats fur--as I cannot give them baths, then on down two blocks and got my hair cut--pretty short, but it feels great.

Then I went to the Rich People's Store to get my sweet cherries and my salads.  There was an old guy in front of me and as I walked from the store, he was headed over to the handicapped parking and I realized he was parked next to me.  AND this was his car!

Not the exact car because I don't have a cell phone camera, but.....

A beautiful, low slung Lamborghini parked in the handicapped slot, complete with blue and white tag hanging on the rear view mirror--talk about a strange effect.

So, being old and bold, I walked over and said to him, "Is this street legal?  And...are you old enough to drive it?"

He turned around and said, "Yes it is and yes I am."  Then he laughed.  

"Would you like to take a seat,?" he asked as he opened the passenger side door.

"Oh yeah.  I would...but if I got down in there,  you'd have to call a wrecker to bring their winch to get me up and out.  Two hip replacements have left it difficult for me to get into and out of a low car."

"Oh...I know what you mean," he said.  "I've had knee replacement, a neck surgery and now I have to have my shoulder worked on.  I'm fifty-eight years old and falling apart!"

Fifty-eight?  He looked at least a decade older then that.

So he climbed into the Lambo--sort of back into the seat and I just stood there.  He looked at me, "Can I just stand here and listen to it when you start up and drive away?" I asked.

"Sure, Honey." he says and starts the motor.

Nice low purr.  Then he backs up, which is no easy feat for him because he can't turn around to see who is behind him and then he starts forward--and then hits the gas and WOW--beautiful, low, powerful growl out of that thing, but I hear him having a hard time hitting the gears.

Showing off I suppose.  I turn toward my car and start giggling and said to myself, "If he keeps that up, he'll burn out the clutch before he gets it broke in."

I got home in a few, picked up the mail, backed in, opened the car door and I could smell this:

The heavily scented Star Gazer Lily.  Wow--it has a sickeningly, sweet,

wonderful scent.  I've always loved them!

  

      

The Little House On The Corner

Today's high temperature was:  92

Today's humidity was: 74%

Feels like temp: 102

Me no like!

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Unfortunately--I love it!!!

Coming from Pam's, heading west-toward Mark's.

2.5 car garage.  I would have no storage problem!!

Entry way from garage, up three steps into kitchen.

Bath and bedroom are off to left through door.

Living room, straight ahead through kitchen

basement is to my left and back a bit

Living room from bedroom door--looking west.

18x24

That alcove over on the far wall has faux brick areas.

I would put tons of plants in that alcove!!!

Bedroom from bathroom door.

Huge--bedroom and seating area

20 x 24

Bedroom from living room door--windows are facing east

The head of my bed would be on that far wall--north--

which is suppose to be good for you to sleep with

your head to the north.  

Bathroom from bedroom through to entryway

Smaller room with aqua carpeting.

Smaller room which would be my computer room

As big as the one I have now--south facing window

Sorry it's blurry, I was shaking a bit

Kitchen between living room and back entryway, also has eating 

space off to left in kitchen.

See the faux brick pieces on the back alcove in the living room?

That would have to go!!!

Looking out the bedroom window, facing east, toward Pammies.

The woods where I played on the right.

It is way larger inside then it looks from the outside.

It has a full basement--cement block--and tall enough for me to walk comfortably.  A utility/furnace/water heater room, two small bedrooms.  The basement is very cold.  Today she had a fan set up at the top of the basement stairs and it was cooling the whole house--which amazed me as hot and humid as it was outside.

The people that had it before, were into faux painting.  I like the kind of metallic faux surface in the bathroom because it is my colors of blue/green/amethyst, but I would have to get a new high profile toilet stool and it has a tub and a shower--which I could now handle, but would really miss my beautiful shower room I put in here.  

The kitchen is kind of a gold color on the walls and the living room is kind of faux painted mud color and the bedroom kind of faux painted something.  A lot of earth tones--which I hate.  I prefer very light colors and would like it if it were all painted white and I could have bright color accents.   

The carpeting is only seven years old, but in kind of bad shape. She has a repair guy coming in to fix it however. There is a deer feeding station just outside the bedroom windows and there is an outside light to turn on to watch the deer come into eat after dark--in the winter months.

The garage is "to die for" as they say.  I have never had a garage.  It would be nice to be able to park my car inside--especially in the winter.  All of my stuff I have in my storage shed and in the closets in this house would fit in there with room enough for anything anyone else around me needed to store there.  It was amazing--with a nice work bench all along the west wall.

There is a nice vegetable garden out in back, and a lot of flower gardens--unfortunately, there is a lot of work to do on those flower gardens--they are mostly weed gardens, but--little by little, I could do it.

ALL of my big furniture would fit in the rooms very comfortably with room for more, LOL.  Especially the bedroom.  I would most probably use the seating area of the bedroom for my computer area and use the little bedroom for my book shelves, etc.

The windows are nice vinyl, with double panes, like mine--self storing screens.  

HOWEVER--there is only ONE closet in this house.  The entryway from garage into house.  I would need to buy a wardrobe for my clothes.  There are no windows in the kitchen and I so love to look out while I am washing dishes.  There is no window in the bathroom as it is right off the bedroom and backs up to the kitchen on the south and the basement stairs on the north. I do not like a bathroom without a window.  

I WAS conscious of every vehicle that went by and how fast they were going--it would be a bit noisy for me, but because it isn't continual traffic, I probably wouldn't notice it after awhile.

There is really only one thing wrong with this house and my living there.  I CAN'T AFFORD IT!

So--I checked it out.  I told you I was praying about it and asking God if it was in The Plan or not and although I haven't heard any more "words" from Him, since His "Check it out"-- I am assuming it is NOT in The Plan.  

The owner, Judy, said for me to take my time and think about it. It won't be ready to move into until late August.  So unless I heard that I have inherited the part of my Daddy's estate that I am suppose to get...I won't be moving "home".  And that is all right.  I feel at peace about it.

I wish I had taken more pictures--from different angles, but she was with me and I didn't want to make her feel like I was imposing or whatever.  I will be back in the area this Thursday and if no one is there, I will just go in and look around some more.  Hee Hee  She told me too anytime I wanted and even have my sister and Chuck look it over.

Now I have the movie in my head of how it looks.  I can go into each room, when I can't sleep at night, and visualize how I would put my furniture.  I can get my graph paper out and draw out the design of the house--just for grins.  

Most rentals in the area go for 600-650 a month and those are in town and include garbage pick-up and some utilities.  I don't need garbage pick-up, but---this is way over priced, although IT IS a house and not an apartment.  The last tenants paid $800.00, so she will charge whatever the market will bear.  BUT, even at $550.00, I couldn't afford.  AND it is a half hour drive to get groceries, doctor, dentist, civilization, LOL.

Like I said from the get-go--if I were to be diagnosed with something really bad in the next year--I am only a few miles from a cancer treatment center here.  Only 1/2 mile from a small hospital emergency room.  Only 30 minute drive to the BIG hospital Fred was in and where I most probably would be if needed.

SO-----I have to realize that just because I feel thirty years old in my head--I am actually probably less then 10 years from dying and I need to be nearer facilities for the "olden's".

Oh...but.....unfortunately...I LOVE IT!!!

Sunny Sunday

The high temperature today was: 88 degrees

The humidity today was:  59%

Sunny--hot

Tomorrow--hotter, in the 90's.

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This is what I saw first thing this morning.  Yes--it is a squirrel, right outside my window, upside down in the Mulberry tree, having his breakfast.

Church today was great.  Our minister was on a weekend retreat and the women of the church took over.  There was a flute solo and then a flute duet, then two ladies stepped up to the pulpit and told of their favorite hymn and why the words meant so much to them.  How it had encouraged them, or enriched their lives, or brought them back.  The one lady, who had been raised in a Christian home, had strayed away from the church when she was a young married.  She wasn't living a sinful life, but she wasn't going to church anymore, or even thinking about it.  Then she attended her grandfather's funeral and one of the hymns they sang, made her realize that she needed to get back her prayer life, her involvement in the church, her closer walk with God.  

I told her after church that I appreciated her testimony so much.  That I was also like that.  Raised in a Christian home from my birth and I too, has taken it all for granted and stopped going to church.  Then I said, "A lot of us raised that way seem to stray--more so then someone who comes to Christ later in life.  BUT when we come back--it is always better and stronger then the first time."

The other lady spoke of her favorite hymn "It Is Well With My Soul", which is one of my favorites.  I have sung it as a solo in choir and as a duet.  It was one of Fred's favorites also and he and I sang it as a duet once AND it was sung at his funeral.  I did fine while we sang it--I was having a great time.  Then the song ended, we sat down, and all of a sudden, there was a great amount of water running down my cheeks.  GEEZ!! I so hate to cry in church.  I had to turn to reach in my purse for a tissue and the couple who sit behind me each week, saw the tears and he reached up and patted me on the shoulder, which ONLY MADE IT WORSE!!!

This was the new church I started attending after Fred died.  On the advice of the funeral director, given to my question, "How can I get a Methodist minister to do the service?"  I really liked him.  I hadn't been going to church for a few six  years, as I didn't like the bigger, snooty church in Brighton.  This is a small church in the town west of me, Howell.  It seemed every Sunday, most hymns would make me cry.  Then I found out the minister's wife had died.  He was driving and lost control on an icy road, their car hit a tree, she was killed instantly.  At the time, they were in their forties, with four children--two still at home.  The whole congregation cried that Sunday, when he told us.  I wish I had a picture of him--you would guess his age to be mid-sixties.  He in fact, is nine months younger then my son, 54. The tragedy had aged him beyond belief.

For the first six months, I cried every Sunday and I was so embarrassed.  I told him one Sunday after church that I was going to have to quit coming--unless he promised not to make me cry.  He said, "But crying is good for us.  It cleanses us.  It's okay."

I think I have written before about how I never cry at funerals. I didn't cry at Fred's.  I don't ever cry in sorrow.  I cry at weddings, graduation, seeing the grand children performances, but never at anything sad.  Not the case so much now..at my best friend's funeral, when I walked by the casket on the way out and something hit me and her death and the repression of sorrow I had from Fred's all came together, and I collapsed.  Talk about being embarrassed!!!

For the last year, I haven't teared up too much in church--usually I am a grinning fool while we sing because the hymns, that I have known ALL my life--make me so happy.  Until today.  So--if crying is good for us and cleanses us--then I am good and I am clean.
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So, yesterday I saw something on Face Book and I wanted to make it.  So I stopped at the Wal-Mart on the way home and bought some plastic beads to make this:

~So simple! Layer cheap plastic beads in cake pans (no lining required), melt at 400 for 20 minutes,let cool, & then just flip them out. Drill a hole in it to make it a suncatcher! Great "craft" for kids (choose the colors, arrange them in the pans) to make as gifts for grandparents or teachers.

The trick will be to get down low enough so I can look in my cupboards and try and find my cake pans.  I haven't made a cake in a few many years.  I hope my oven doesn't catch on fire.  I haven't used my oven in a few many months.  I will post a picture when I get it made.  I hope it turns out.  I am going for the blue/green/purple.  Of course there wasn't just a box of beads those colors--so I had to buy extra and will pick out the ones I want.  Maybe I will make a multi-color one for Pearl.

Then I got home and came in to change before I got the other few things I had purchased out of the car.  On the way out, I noticed that my Rose of Sharon bush had one bloom on it.  I have four bushes, pink, red and bluish purple.

They look like Holly Hock blossoms don't they?

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Then I noticed a bunch of birds in the Maple Tree, so I had to run over and scare them away, they were looking at my Hummingbird's nest.

So--I no more got in the house after carrying in my packages and Dar appeared.  She goes to church at 8:00 in the morning, so she is ready for her Sunday visit over here around noon.  Well--I go to church at 10:30, so I am just getting home at noon and ready to eat and...in she walks.  Sits down and starts in with her review of her day yesterday.  I don't remember all of it because I was trying to eat my antipasto salad.  

After about an hour, she said that she had seen the picture of the hummingbird and the nest, that I posted on Face Book and she wanted me to show it to her.  So I jumped up and outside we went.  Then I had a major dizzy spell because I had moved way too fast, and I couldn't look up, because I couldn't keep my balance.  I walked around a little bit, with my head lowered and finally was okay to look up and point it out.  She was impressed--gasp.  

As we were watching, the bird came out and Dar said, "Oh my gosh--that's the same one that comes to my feeder!!"

"Wow--that's cool," says I.  But of course, I could not keep my big mouth shut, so I said, "How do you know it's the same one?  Does it have distinctive markings?"

"It's the same one, I know it is.  It's a Hummingbird...right?"

"Yes."

"Well I have a Hummingbird at my feeder all the time!"

"Do you think there might be more then one Hummingbird in the neighborhood?"

"Probably, but....I know...that's the same one."

Okay!!

Then Tami, from next door, must have seen us because she came stomping over and said, "Where is the nest?"

I showed her and the bird was just coming back to the nest.  "Oh," she said.  "That's the one that eats at my feeder all the time!  She will bring her babies to my feeder when they hatch."

"How do you know that's the one that eats at your feeder?" asked Dar.  "I see her at mine!"

"She just flew in from that direction," says Tami pointing at her house.  "So I know---it's the same one!"

Okay!!

Apparently it is a matter of pride who's feeder this bird eats at?  So I just had to throw it out there with, "Well, she may eat at YOUR feeders, BUT--she lives in MY tree!"

Hee hee hee!

They both laughed and I was super dizzy again so I went and sat on the porch.  Just then, the bird exited her nest and headed a bit south, across the street and I heard Dar say, "Look--she going to my house and MY feeder!"

I sure would miss all of this if I moved out into the Little House On The Corner!!!  NOT really!

So--an hour later, Pearl walked down to see the bird.  Now Pearl also had trouble with balance looking up.  Well, I'm glad no one had a camera to take a video of both of us, hanging on to each other, swaying back and forth like two drunk old ladies and practically falling over.  Finally I said to Pearl, "Can you see the nest?"

"Yes...oh the bird is in there."

"Well, I will hold you while you look and I will look down at the ground to keep us both steady."  and I did and it worked!!!

I got back in the house and noticed my phone blinking, so I pushed the re-dial.  It was my neighbor, from the years I lived in Saginaw, who has been calling me EVERY DAY for the last TEN days to tell me all her problems with contractors putting in a new kitchen.

"You gotta turn on the TV.  They are rioting in California.  George Zimmerman is going to give a statement.  The President is going to say something--you gotta---you....."

"Oh Phyl, I don't want to watch any of it.  Okay?  I'm going to watch the Tiger ballgame.  I am so sick of all the media coverage of this trial and the verdict."

"Oh...okay...I just thought you'd be interested."

"I was.  I watched parts of the trial almost every day.  The Prosecution did a piss poor job.  The verdict is the only one the jury could come up with because of the piss poor job--it is tragic and the trial is over and I just don't want to see anymore about it.  I am so done with it."

"Okay.  There were five white kids killed in our town last night, by a group of ten black kids and NO media coverage on that."

"Yeah.  I know."

"Okay.  Bye."

Maybe if I moved to the country, I would get a new phone and NOT give my number to anyone?  Out there, I wouldn't hear anything on the news about the mess in Detroit.  I wouldn't hear anything about the mess in Flint or Saginaw.  I would listen to the Lansing news and that town apparently, is still civilized--to a point.  OR--maybe I will go back to where I was a few months ago when I LISTENED TO NO NEWS PROGRAMS!!!  Yeah--that sounds best.

Tomorrow I will get up and do whatever and at 3:30 I will head up to The Farm for supper with my sister, brother-in-law and his sister who is visiting from New York.  AND I will stop and tour the Little House On The Corner and take pictures and walk away and be just fine with it all.  Honest.

Did you see the movie or read the book, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"?  There is a line in there that has become a favorite of mine.  "Everything will be all right in the end.  If everything isn't all right, then it isn't the end."

Thank you for listening.

  

I. M. H. O.

The verdict was correct--legally.

The State did not have enough evidence beyond doubt so the jury had only one way to go.  Legally.

There was not enough evidence to begin with, for prosecution, that is why the sheriff didn't arrest George Zimmerman at the time. Legally.

Then the racists got all involved.  Sharpton, Jackson and the President?  Since when does a President give an opinion like that--he shouldn't have.

Then the DOJ got involved and turned it into a racial crime.  (I have heard reported the reason they did was that the black racists and the President thought it would appease the black people that feel their young men are arrested unfairly--which they are.)

Then--they called for GZ's arrest and he turned himself in.  Then they fired the sheriff.

Well--get this, GZ is bi-racial, his grandfather is black.  He is a registered Democrat.

The way the Florida law stands, if you feel the slightest bit threatened for your life, you can defend yourself, shoot the person, hit them upside the head with a baseball bat--whatever.  What a great excuse!!  "My neighbor said that he was going to beat me up someday, so I shot him."  "My husband raised his hand to me, so I stabbed him to death."  Stupid law in my opinion. Too far reaching.

IF GZ was black, there never would have been a trial.  IF Trayvon was white, there never would have been a trial.

The media turned it into a circus, as usual.  So much coverage you could watch the trial all day long, if you wanted to.

Now Sharpton and his idiot squad will probably put Trayvon's poor parents through another heart wrenching trial by telling them they ought to sue Zimmerman in a civil trial.  Have you ever seen classier people then the Martin's?  To go through that day after day and remain passive?  I wouldn't have been able to.

Should he was gotten out of his car?  NO

Should he have confronted the kid?  NO

Did he take his position as Neighborhood Watchman too seriously?  Probably.

Will there be race riots?  If the Black Panthers have their way and Sharpton stirs them up.  YES

This should not be about race at all!!!

Was the verdict correct?  Based on the evidence, or lack thereof,  presented--yes.

You cannot be on a jury and make your decision based on emotions or your feelings--that's why I hope I am never on a jury for murder trial because if someone confessed, "Yes.  I shot him."  I'd say, "then off to jail you go for life."

I think probably GZ needs to move to Canada or Mexico, because, unless he gets facial reconstruction, or goes into Witness Protection, he is a dead man.  Someone will go up to him, he will turn and raise his hand and they will shoot him--in self defense--you can do that in Florida.

You remember how Casey Anthony got away with murder?  I think they need better prosecutors in Florida courts.

But...Wait!

The high temperature today was:  82 degrees

The humidity today was:  60% (going back up)

Sunny and nice

======================================================

Oh, how I love you people!!! All the caring comments--the encouragement and the caution given to me.  I want you all to know I AM NOT DISTRESSED IF I CAN'T LIVE IN THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE CORNER!!!  I also want you all to understand something--as chatty and let it all hang out, as I am on this blog--I am not like that (usually) to people.  None of my neighbor's know that I am even checking out the house.  My kids don't know--my sister only knows that I am going to look through it--she wants to come up the road to see it too, because she is curious.

I use to write copious amounts of thoughts in my journal.  With my arthritic hands, I can't write very well anymore--my handwriting is very crooked and it hurts.  SO--this has become my diary--my journal--the place I get all my ponderings/wonderings/feelings/thoughts down where I can look at them.  I don't care if you read my (this) personal diary.  It's not like I am hiding some secret tryst--although that does sound like a bit of fun.

THEREFORE--I want your feedback!!!  I want your HONEST comments and opinions.  You are NEVER going to hurt my feelings with anything you may say. Who am I suppose to get advice from if it isn't people my own age--with experience in these kind of things?  Advice is nice--to me anyway, but don't forget--I keep my own counsel.  If someone commented, "Go get a million dollar loan and buy the house," and I DID and it turned out badly, I wouldn't blame them.  Or if someone commented, "Look you idiot--don't get in over your head!" I wouldn't be miffed.  and  even if I did EVERYTHING wrong, none of you would type in the "I told you so" comment.  I sometimes leave very bossy comments on other's blogs and afterwards, I always wonder if I should go back and delete it, but--I never do.  They aren't going to live their lives based on what I say--as I am not going to live my life based on what you guys say.

I just want HONESTY--it is so rare nowadays and I appreciate all comments because often, a comment will snap my head back and I will think, "Geez--I never thought of it that way,"  which is really helpful.  SO  DAMMIT--post whatever you want to!!!  

I have two friends who read this blog and even though they don't comment, they do send me an e-mail with their thoughts and advice.  So many times, they will say something I never even thought of and it is so helpful.  Who else can I get feedback from?  I certainly am not going to ask Dar (oh geez--never) and Pearl probably would give her opinion based on her own emotions--I know she wouldn't want me to move. 

Nope!  I need you guys.
==============================================

Now listen to me--I wasn't even thinking about the Little House On The Corner and when I woke up last week and my first conscious thought was "check it out," at first I didn't know what it meant and then I remembered my brother-in-laws comment on my birthday weeks ago.  So--after the past 18 months when I seem to be getting God Whispers or Freddy Whispers--even though I don't quite believe in Freddy Whispers and don't really know if God Whispers, I thought...perhaps.  So I had to check it out, knowing all along that it probably was not going to be a possibility--but it's kind of fun to think of, so I HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT!!!

I knew last night that it isn't going to happen and I slept well. I got up this morning and had to run into town to get more inkjet cartridges and as I was driving, I noticed that Brighton is having an art fair.  Cool beans!  Then I was watching the heavy traffic and not even thinking about houses, and someone said in my head, "but you forgot.  You will sell your place and have money."  and...I had never thought of that.  So Julie?  Maybe that is when you were leaving that comment on my post?

When I got back, I was wondering of how much I could get for my place and as I drove in the park--there was the manager walking down the street, I have NEVER seen him walking down the street (ah ha--a sign?) so I pulled over and he came up to my car.

"Hi Rob--how's it going?"

"Pretty good.  Did you need something?"

"Yeah--I was just wondering...you've been inside... seen my place, do you think I could get a good price if I sold it?"

"You're not thinking of leaving us...are you?"

"Not really---I'm just speculating."

"Well...it's a buyers market right now--at least here.  We have fifteen to twenty-five people a day come in the office to see what we have for sale.  I've got a forty thousand dollar unit over on the other side and I've got six people in a bidding war for it right now."

"Is it worth forty thousand."

"No--it's worth about twenty-five, but people keep moving the price up with their bids."

"Wow."

"Hey," he leaned closer to my open car window, "don't tell anyone I told you this, but don't sell it to the park.  You put a sign up in your front window, "for sale by owner".  That way you wouldn't have to pay us a commission and you wouldn't have to deal with a realtor.  I'll bet you'd have people knocking at your door the first day the sign went up.  We are having a lot of traffic through here."

"What kind of price should I ask?"

"Oh--you could probably get twelve for it.  You just put on a new roof, right?"

"Yeah and a couple of years ago, I had that walk-in shower room put in."

"If I were you, I'd ask thirteen five for it--you can always come down.  In fact...I know someone who would buy it tomorrow.  You are in a great location in the back and you have landscaped it nice--yeah....let me know when you are ready."

"Okay--Rob--remember, I am just speculating," I laughed and drove off.

I figured I'd be lucky to get ten for it, so that was nice news to hear.  Anyway--that money would help make the decision BUT--at 800.00 a month for what it would cost me to change residences, times twelve months is $9,600.00 and then most of my "stockpile" would be gone and then...what would I do the next year?  It's not like I have extra income coming in that I could save and put aside.

So--Pammie called me and we chatted--The Idiot has a house and is about to close on it.  He will be out by Pammie's August 9th birthday--she thinks, LOL.  

Hey--do you know what my smart daughter did?  Five years ago, she made him sign a lease and pay rent each month--which he has never did.  So that way, when she asked him to leave, he had no reason to fight it because--he had not kept the lease agreement.  Boy--I don't know how she got so smart--maybe legal advice from her youngest sister?  Anyway--I have been worried that he was going to cause trouble, but...............guess not.  YAY!!

=======================================

Then I casually mentioned, "Did you know the house on the corner is for sale or rent again?"

"No.  I knew they had sold their house, I thought maybe they were going to live in it."

"They have--just until their house was ready, but they are out of it now.  They are having it all painted and cleaned and putting in a Be Dry system around the foundation because there is a bit of water in the basement, and a new roof over the front half."

"You oughta check into it, Momma."

"Well---I did."

"How much do they want for it?"

"A hundred thousand."

"WOW!  If they want that--for that little place, and a quarter acre, my house must be worth a million!!  What do they want for rent?"

"Seven fifty."

"Oh--good grief!!!  For that little place?"

"Yeah--seemed a bit much to me too.  And I'd have to pay for garbage pick-up and get new appliances--or good used ones and you know I gotta have my internet connection and I gave away my lawn mower, so........."

"Well--how much garbage do you have?  One bag?  You can run it down here and put in with mine or take it down to Aunt Susie's. Internet connection isn't available out here--not high speed, so you'd have to get what Aunt Susie has--I don't know what they pay.I can mow your lawn--or Uncle Chuck would probably run up on his rider and do it for you."

"Yeah--I thought of that, but...I'd be a long way from Wal-Mart, doctor's, dentist and I couldn't just decide I wanted a Sub way for supper and drive up the road a mile to get it."

"Nope," she laughed.  "The nearest Sub Way is probably at least fifteen miles.  You'd have to pack a lunch to make the journey," she laughed again.  Of course, you'd be closer to family, but you probably wouldn't see any more of us, then you do now."

"Yeah, I know.  I can't afford it anyway.  Just wanted to let you know.  I AM going to go through the house Monday, just because I am so curious what they have done with it."

"Why the hell not!  Can't hurt to check it out."

=============================

So--there ya go.  It's strange that I never even thought about the money I'd get for selling this place.  I have never sold a house before.  I gave my house to Pammie and after that, I was always living in someone else house.  I have also never rented, so I don't quite know what all that entails.

I wouldn't want to buy it even if I could get it for the appraised amount of $75K.  I would prefer to rent so that when I die, my kids wouldn't have to deal with selling the place.  They could just move all my old furniture out to the burning pile and be done with it.

I would be very far from stores and that would cost more in car gas money.  So--there are many reasons not to move back "home" that are practical.  HOWEVER--emotionally, I would be happier..maybe. I would be near my sister--probably would see her only every couple of weeks as I do now, but we might go grocery shopping together. You all know that basically, I am a hermit, so I would never get lonely out there.

HOWEVER--I cannot make a decision based on emotions.  I've done that too many times and lived to regret it and...came out in debt because of it, LOL.  

So--unless I get a notice in the next month, that I have indeed inherited 1/3 the rest of my Daddy's inheritance--I won't be moving.  And if I don't move and still get the inheritance, I will get new carpeting for this place and smile.  I am under the impression right now that the step-mother lied to my sister and I, which would not be out of the norm.  When my Daddy died, it took three months for any of us named in the Will to get notice. So--going on that, I am thinking we should know any time now, and we haven't heard a thing. My Jennifer, as an attorney, could find out, and no one would know, but I certainly am not going to ask her.  Susan's son, who works for the State government, says he can too and Susan said the other day, she's waiting until August and if we haven't heard, she is actually going to tell him to find out for us.  Hm-mm. 

That's the way it feels right now--it doesn't seem to be affecting me in any way.  If it worked out and I could move--that would be okay.  And if it works out that I stay here--that will be okay too.  Most old people I know are, selling their country homes and moving into town--I would be doing the reverse, which in actuality, is probably stupid.

But--I AM going to tour that house--dammit!!!  I probably won't like it--that would be a good thing too :-)

Oh--I just found out today that my best friend's home is going to be rented out also.  Just a mile from Byron.  I am NOT going to check that one out.  What would I do with a ten room house?  Been there--done that.  Besides, it would creep me out big time to live in her home!!! 

==============================

Hey--this morning I saw movement in the maple tree just outside my computer room windows--it was a hummingbird in her nest!!! My camera isn't THAT good, hasn't a very strong zoom,but it was cool beans anyway.

Pic #1,Way up to the right,sort of middle where the branch has a crook and a Y shape.
Pic #2--there she is.  Pic #3--THERE she is!!

==========================
Oh, I forgot--for those who asked?  Fred and I were going to buy a manufactured home and move it out to the field south of the Big House.  We checked it all out.  The house would cost around $50K for a double wide. We then would have to put in a well, a septic tank, a basement--a garage?  We did all the calculating--it would have cost near $100K--that field already has a driveway, so we wouldn't have to pay for that, LOL.  Then, there would be property taxes.  But--then Fred had his heart attack and we stayed here, near all things--which is what I should will do BECAUSE--who knows what month I am going to get a bad diagnosis and want to be near treatment centers?

Yes--I can sell my unit here outright, but in order to live in this park, the tenants must have a FICO (credit score) of at least 650.  So, I could sell it, but first they would have to have park approval.  I think they are trying to keep the Welfare people out, which is funny because...MOST of the Seniors in here, that I know, are on food assistance, rent assistance, fuel assistance.  Not by their own choice of course, but---things happen over the years--the price of everything goes up except Social Security.  

We do not have one black person in this park. I know that sounds strange to all of you, BUT the county I now live in use to be the main seat of the Michigan KKK.  Now, of course, that organization (?) is not active, but....... I have lived here 10 years and have only seen 6 black people.  Can you believe that?  Weird.  

I know there are around 6 families that attend the school my oldest grand kids go to and they are well educated, rich people who work for the U of Michigan and live out here--20-25 miles away.  I hope I don't sound bigoted--I'm not--it just has always seemed strange to me. 

Oh well--that's not a big deal I have to ponder on, I guess.

See you tomorrow.