I Waste So Much Time!

Today's high temperature was:  78

Today's humidity was:  55%

70% dew point

Heavy rains in the morning

Horrible humidity this afternoon

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

I know it probably isn't nice of me to post the old guy's pix and make fun of them.

I know it probably isn't nice of me to post stories about Dar and her friends.

I know it probably isn't nice of me to post stories about Pearl.

BUT--it's what I observe during my day and then--I get together with you my "girlfriends" and we all gossip and tell stories and laugh about the weird things that go on in our lives.  I guess, because you don't know any of these people, I feel it doesn't do any harm.  We talk about our "stuff" and then laugh hysterically together, take another sip of your wine and I puff on my vap pipe, LOL.
==========================
I walked up to Merle and Pearl's last evening, around 7:00 and we chatted.  Pearl had started a new medication from "our" doctor for her arthritis.

"Is it working?  Is it helping?"

"I think so."

"Well--I think you have to take any medication for a couple of weeks before you know if it is doing any good."

"I took it for four days and...I seemed to be better...so I stopped for two days."

Merle looks up from his newspaper and says, "If it was helping.  Why would you stop taking it?'

"To see if it was working!  If I stopped and the pain came back, then I knew it would work if I started taking it again.  Lord--don't you understand anything, Merle?"

Merle took of his glasses, turned to her and said, "If you took it and it worked...wouldn't you assume that it was going to continue to work?  You aren't suppose to take medicine and then quit and then start up again."

She turned to me, "I guess I goofed.  I should take it every day---right?"

"Yes.  That would be best.  You need to be consistent with all your meds."

Merle is back reading his newspaper, but I see him roll his eyes and shake his head.

I would think that after being married sixty years--you'd just kind of let whatever the other person said, roll off your back, instead of trying to correct them.  Certainly, he knows by now her quirky ways.  Oh well...
====================
Today, I trooped into Brighton, through the orange barrels, construction tape and orange and yellow cones, to get my hair cut.  It had been six weeks and even though, Pearl thought it didn't need cutting--it was beginning to get "prairie dog" tails that stuck out in the back.  Let's face it--I like my hair short, so it will just lay in place and I don't have to worry about it.  It will look perfect by next week.  It grows like a wild weed!

When I got home, it was only sprinkling and so I got some pix of my newly blossomed lilies--Freddie's lilies, I call them, because he got me a lily plant every year for Sweetest Day.

The planters on the porch are over-flowing

I was watching TV this afternoon, puffing on my vap pipe and all of a sudden, BREAKING NEWS--there is a tornado near Indianapolis!  I have two blog buddies who live in that area.  I dashed into the den and got on Face Book and pleaded with them to let me know if they were all right.  I really was scared for them.  They answered back right away that they were okay.  One had seen it and it hit sort of close to her, but still okay.  

I was worried because, you know, they are part of this girlfriend's group and would be sitting here, sipping a glass of wine, smoking a ciggie and laughing at my stories!!

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

and now--the candidates for tonight---

 He lives way up in the Northern most point of

our Upper Peninsula.

I love the UP, but I'm really not into Michigan Hill Billies.

YIKES

No--he dyes his hair--I can tell

Well now--you do know I love a guy with a

John Deere!  

5'6" -- 145# 

 Look at that emblem on his shirt.

He's a U of M fan!

YUCK!!!

 Oh My--there are no words!

Wait a minute--wait a minute, here!!!
What do we have listed here?

SWWEEEEEEEETT.

Oh my--a man with a new baby in his arms

gets me every time!

Occupation:

Teacher / Professor / Education

Income:

$35,001 to $50,000

Religion:

Christian

Height:

6' 0"

Body:

About average

Hair:

White/Gray

Eyes:

Blue

Ethnicity:

White / Caucasian

Status:

Divorced

Children:

Has 4 children

Pets:    None

Sign:

Leo  / Compatibility

Smoking:

Social Smoker

A little about me...

Well rounded - love my family but active socially, sports minded (golf being my favorite) but not to extreme, love traveling & seeing new places, friends consider me easy to get along with.

About the one I'm looking for...

Ideal partner would have great sense of humor, share common interests, have high self esteem and feel secure, be outgoing and friendly...list getting a little long, so I'll stop here.

He's only 72--but look at his profile!!  

You know I love intelligent men!  

He's 6'0". 

I am outgoing and friendly.
  

I get along really well with Leo's--Pammie is a Leo.  

Blue eyes--I prefer brown, but 

then...................................He's not fat AND NO 

FACIAL HAIR!!!

Me thinks it is time I paid for a month's subscription-- 

just so I can send him a message and tell him how 

adorable I think he is. 

I'm warning you Jean--hands off this one!!  Besides, 

he lives too far away from you!  AND he is a 

Conservative!!!

Well--Let's See What's Going On

Today's high temperature was:  78 degrees

Today's humidity was: 62%

Steamy, plus showers just to make it feel like a swamp

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

To celebrate my 75th birthday, I decided that I needed to quit smoking "real" cigarettes.  Can you believe?  I have smoked for 55 years, and as yet have no effects from that addiction.  HOWEVER, I know it is an accumulative effect...so any day now, I could be diagnosed with COPD or worse.

Why have I continued to smoke, when all my friends quit in their late 50's or 60's?  Can't explain it.  It was part of who I was.  I have quit several times for varying lengths of times. Then something emotional would happen and the first thing I'd want "to make me feel better" was a cigarette.

Now--I have been advised not to quit cold turkey.  Because the nicotine has become such an integral of my internal system--almost like a hormone--that if I quit all at once, I very well could have a heart attack or heart rhythm problems, perhaps, even an emotional break-down from the lose of the Seritonin in my brain--the feel good hormone--because---nicotine DOES make you feel good!!

So--Sunday, I traveled up the road to the Smoke Shop and talked to the owner, went over how I had smoked, what I had smoked and all that and then he advised me on two different kinds of Electronic Cigarette Vapor thingies.

I chose this one:

Sorts looks like a flash light, doesn't it.

 I did not want it to look like a cigarette in any way, shape or fashion.  This is a nicotine delivery system--much like the patches, gum or lozenges.

The battery is inside this

It can be recharged

 On top of that is the nicotine oil tank

 Which is filled with this

Nicotine Oil

They call it "juice"

Put the tip on last and

puff away.

This particular one has that button that controls the wattage.  You click on it 5 times and the light shows, red, purple or blue.  The higher the voltage, the more smoke--which is really only flavored vapor.

You can get different strengths of nicotine--similar to the nicotine strength of the ciggies you WERE smoking.  I made a mistake and got 18%.  I thought the top of my head was going to come off.  I have smoked ultra, ultra lights for years.  So, I had to run back to the Smoke Shop and trade it in for 12%.

Later on, you decrease the percentage of nicotine and you also can get different flavors of oils--coffee, strawberry, fuzzy navel, chocolate.  I can't see myself going in for flavors--but who knows.

You still get the nicotine--which is the addictive aspect of smoking, but gradually decreasing.  You still get the warm feeling of smoke in your mouth, you still get the flavor (I chose menthol) AND you still get the sight of the smoke as you exhale.

But--there is no smoke smell--as it isn't smoke at all.  It is merely water vapor--the oil being heated a bit when you puff the "flash light".

What you don't get are the other 7,000 contaminants in a real ciggie.  Just to name a few, arsenic, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide,  lead, ammonia--all the good stuff.

Dar has been using hers for the last 11 months.  She now has no nicotine and is using the flavors--she likes coffee best.  I don't know why she is even using it anymore.  There is no nicotine in the juice--must just be the pacifier effect?

Although I figure it's way too late for me to reap any health benefits from quitting, the price of a pack of cigarettes is so far out of sight that I certainly cannot afford them.  So--onward we go.

I'm just really glad I never drank alcohol--I would be a mess by now if I had.  Probably feel really good, but still, an unhealthy mess.
==========================

My Stack and Grow has filled in nicely, BUT--I see very little dark blue in there--so I took a picture, printed it out and made a notation to put the Dark Blue Tiny Tunia's in the second level next year.  BTW--none of the "fancy" garden centers around here will grow or sell Impatiens--something about a dust mold that occurred two years ago.  So--I bought a flat at Lowe's.  They are thriving!!!

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

You might get a kick out of this story:  Dar was over this morning--she had purchased a pretty, glass bird bath and couldn't figure out how to put the bowl on the stand.  It was a pretty easy fix--she had the stand upside down.

She just got back from a 4 day trip up north with her friend, Sheila.  Dar has never seen the Mackinaw Bridge or Mackinaw Island.  She said that most of Sheila's travel itinerary included places to eat.  They did manage to find a small shop that makes Northern Michigan Pasties.  Dar gained 3 pounds!  She would have rather seen some natural sites--the Falls and Big Spring and a casino or two--which are prevalent in that area..  

So--this occurrence made Dar's other friend, Jane, extremely jealous.   So, Dar is going to the west side of our State on a four day junket with Jane.  There will be natural sites to see and...Casino's!

The jealous triangle continues between Jane, Sheila and Dar.  Although, Dar swears she won't get in the middle of it and every time one of them starts to gossip about the other, Dar stops them and says, "Work it out."

Jane sneaks down to Dar's via the back way--between their houses (both on the same side of the street) and the woods.  If Sheila sees Jane walking down the street, she waits until she think she is at Dar's, then calls and tells Dar she had to see her right then because of an emergency.

If Jane sees Sheila walking, via the street, she waits and then calls Dar and tells her she has a problem and has to talk to her "right now!"

Jane and Sheila live directly across the street from each other, but Sheila and Dar work and take lunch together and that makes Jane mad because she feels Dar owes her that extra time too.

Earlier this spring, Jane had a lot of damage done to her place because of the ice storms.  She got her insurance company to pay for a new carport and roof and she paid to have all new siding and windows put in her house.  Quite an expense and it looks real nice.  New raised gardens put in and a lovely raised deck in back of her house with privacy fencing.

Sheila decided she wanted a new back deck put on her house and had that done.  

This morning, Dar told me that Jane is so angry with Sheila's spying and interference that she is putting her house up for sale and moving to another one, two streets over.  That way, she can walk down the far street, just down a few yards from me, and come up the street to Dar's and Sheila won't be able to see her movements!

The trouble is, Jane will never get the money she has invested in her new stuff, out of the sale of her home and the new house is a double-wide and going for $20,000.00, but--she's doing it anyway.

Dar says, "Does this remind you of third grade?"

"Sort of," I laughed.  "You know--it IS harder, or at least I have found it is harder, to have a 3-group friendship.  You need 4 in your group."

"Oh--do you want to join our group?"

"Ah...no thanks!  They get mad enough as it is if they call you and you tell them you are over here!" 
.
"That's why I tell them.  I am trying to show them, I have more friends than just the two of them!"
<which I don't view as very nice of her to try and add me to the mix>

"Well...I can't afford it, but if I could...you and I could take a weekend trip over to the EAST side of the state and drive them both nuts!."

We both laughed.  Just hope she didn't take that seriously.
=============
Well--let's see who we find today as one of my matches on Our Time:

 Now--he looks like a real, pleasant fella.

Plus--I hate beards!!!

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

Oh wait--I just went back and looked and--hm-mm, now.

Not too grizzly.  Kind of cute--although "cute" is a real hard word to use when viewing guys in their 70's!  He looks pleasant.  Hm-mm--he lives in Brighton.  He's 6'1"--he goes to church every Sunday--a Lutheran--well, I can deal with Lutheran's.  He has a summer home on Lake Huron! You know how I love a cottage overlooking the water! OH--oh--he's old=76.

Well now--what do we have here?  75--lives just 20 minutes south of here.  Doesn't say how tall he is, but looks kind of tall.  Wait--he reminds me of someone I know.  

Oh--now I remember.  My ex.

I am having a bit of fun with this dating site thingie.  You can put your profile on it without having to pay a subscription fee.  Of course, you can't message the guys, but.........you get to see what's "out there" every day.  I've got nothing better to do each morning, LOL.

Nothing Else To Do

So, I just read Jean's blog post http://misadventuresofwidowhood.blogspot.comand, because she had read where I spotted an old friend on Our Time (a dating site), she also went off adventuring to see what she could see.

And what did she see?  You'll have to read her post.  It is hysterical and very true.  LOL

Most of these poor old guys write the same profile.  The ever present, "I like walks on the beach and holding hands,"  sounds like the lyrics to a song I once knew.  "A few extra pounds" could mean anything from 10 pounds overweight to 50 pounds overweight.  

What attracted me to Fred on his dating site profile--9 years ago, is...he wrote the most fantastic profile.  I couldn't believe a man could spell or use such correct grammar.  In fact, at one time in our three weeks of communicating via e-mail, I accused him of having one of his daughter's write his words.  His profile photo sure wasn't too cute--at the time he was dyeing his beautiful salt and pepper hair and it had taken on the reddish shade that happens to so many men that dye.  But--it was the way he wrote and expressed himself that got to me.



So today--here is my latest find.

He swears it is a recent photo, but good grief--do men still wear this style?  He looks like he is trying to emulate John Travolta in "Staying Alive!"

So that's what I did with my Sunday evening!!!  

Hey--don't judge, it's good clean fun and--"nobody knows my name."

June 21st. The First Day of Summer. The Longest Day of the Year.

My Diamond Jubilee Birthday

YIKES!!

I still chew my tongue when I am concentrating on something

and using my hands

Look at the size of those candles!!

I must have been very special OR more likely,

those were the only candles Mother had in the house

See my right hand going for that frosting?

Every time I turned another year older,

Grandma was hauling me to the photography studio

Story about this very same hammock--when Mother went into labor, Grandma called the doctor out.  He came from a town about 20 miles away.  He checked Mother and said it would be quite a few more hours.  Grandma would not let him go back to town and paid him to lay/rest/snooze in that hammock until I was born, at 8:15 that night.  .

I changed this around to be more like how I am

A 75th birthday is called: Dodranscentennial, which means, "A whole unit, less a quarter."  So--I guess that means, I am only playing with 3-quarters of a deck?

Another Wonder Full Day

The high temperature today was:  65 degrees

Cloudy, cool and rainy in evening

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

It took me 15 minutes to drive 2 miles into Brighton.  Four lanes and a middle turn lane, down to two lanes.  This is all I saw--stop and go--stop and go.

I am always early for any event--usually way too early--not so today, when, of course, we had a time constraint on the amount of time we had for lunch!  I finally got here at 12:38.

and we ate in this room--very swanky place

I kept mis-saying "Ciao Amigo's and Karen kept saying, "Mom--this isn't an Italian-Mexican restaurant!"  Well, I knew that, considering this was the exact room Fred and I had reserved for his birthday, our surprise wedding!  I was just flustered.

I had no idea what to order and really couldn't tell from the menu, which was written with a lot of Italian words--so Karen suggested we have the Amici Gorgonzola salad--although, I don't like Gorgonzola cheese (I don't think) so they put Parmesan on mine.  Dried Michigan cherries, pine nuts, shrimp or chicken (I got the shrimp) and cheese and some sort of really luscsious dressing.  Out of this world--and it should be for $14.99!  What I REALLY wanted was the Filet Mignon--I do like beef, but at $30.00, I didn't want to burden my daughters with that hefty bill!!

Suddenly it was 2:30 and we had to scoot to get to Madeleine's ballet camp recital.  We all drove out to Jen's which is on the way.  Jen is not home, but Pammie and I parked in the driveway and hopped into Karen's car and off we went--about a 10 mile fly, down the freeway.

The recital was held in the dance studio--we were all lined up along the edges of the little room, over by the ballet barre.  Karen did get a chair for me, but everyone else sat on the floor.  Talk about close!  I could have reached out and tripped Madeleine, if I wanted to be extremely cruel!

i wish I had a better camera to take video's

It was over in less than an hour.  Maddie had been there all week, every day from 10:00 to 4:00, practicing--she was exhausted!

...and my precious Susanna was there too.

We all came back to Jen's to pick up our cars and Pammie had to go in and check on the animals.  I came back into Brighton to get gas, as it was only $3.79 a gallon and has been $3.90 around here.

Then I took the back way home from town so I wouldn't have to drive in the construction mess.  Hee Hee--they think they can fool me?  No way!

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

I was sitting here clicking around on the computer and checked out the, "Our Time" dating site and one of my matches just happened to be!!!  

You will never guess.

I should make you wait..................

The boy I met when I was at MSU for the 6 weeks music program--in 1956!

  

Richard Spencer Dunham!!!!!!!!!

<just saying his name gives me chills>  

The 6'2" track athlete mystery man, my girls have heard the story.  The "city" boy my mother warned me about and was so much nicer to me than the farm boys I went to high school with.  My precious--Little Richard and I was his Long Tall Sally. 

(Oh--there is such a neat story about those weeks at MSU)

We see each other about every 5 years, or so.

He stopped in last year and it was so good to see him. He still has that adorable grin that I used to love, that funny laugh of his and boy-oh-boy--he is the VERY best kisser and hugger I have ever known.  

I think I posted about how he stopped in driving, his renovated Corvette, took me to lunch, and then, when we got back here, he wanted a tour of the house--"I'd really like to see how you have decorated your bedroom," he said, with that cute crooked smile and adorable laugh.

(He stopped in another time, just after I moved in here and said nearly the same thing--shortly after he told me that God had sent him a wonderful woman and they were getting married.  At that time, I told him, "Richard--I'd go straight to Hell if I slept with you..after you tell me God has sent you a good wife.  You better just head on back to East Lansing and be content with God's blessing on you.")

BUT--Richard is a player!!  

He is looking, on the dating site, for a "serious relationship or marriage"--which is hysterical.  He has had both many--but they never last--BECAUSE--Richard always finds someone better looking or sexier.  Now--he is 76--but I can't see as that part of his life has changed all that much--but he sure is a charmer!    AND, he is really, really polite, caring and nice.  He would move Heaven and earth to make you feel loved and wanted and happy!

<did I mention he is the best kisser in this world?>

BUT--

IF he and I ever got together in anything other than a friendly relationship--I would be madly IN love with him in about--hm-mm--probably 30 seconds and he would be madly in love WITH me for--hm-mm--maybe two weeks?

Well--I have been there and done that in 1986--after my divorce and...Judy is a lot wiser now!!!  BUT--OH MAMA--HE IS GOOD!!!!!

He has a "gear head motor lounge" in his basement

with all sorts of vintage stuff from the

1950's, including a drive-in movie

speakers and post (that I gave him years ago.)

He belong to the Corvette Club and has

renovated many Corvettes and is now a

judge for the shows and travels all over

the USA!

BUT--

In his dating profile, he wants a tall woman (that's me), aged 55-68 (that ain't me).  He last girlfriend was 45--and he is now 76. 

He is 18 months older than me and--I do not date men older than me.  Basically, he is way too old for me!!

but..OH MAMMA...HE IS GOOD!!!

 <be still my heart!!>

A Wonder Full Day

Today's temperature was: 78 degrees

Today's humidity was:  58%

Sunny and breezy

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

I woke up feeling a bit rough again, but told myself to "Get it together, Girl" and I did.

Shower and load of dishes in the dishwasher, load of laundry...some games on Face Book and then....off to my hometown of Byron for lunch with the Old School Gal Pals.  Today we went to the Golf Course.  I used to practically live there for 20+ years of my life.  Organized the Tuesday Morning Ladies leagues and won the Club Championship one year.  I played my last round of golf in September of 1988 and haven't been back.  A lot of changes I was anxious to see.

Drove through town so I could see what they had done with our burned out down-town.  They have knocked all but two of the stores down and are filling in and smoothing out the land.  It looks weird, but it looks better than those burned out buildings looked.

 October 2012

 June 19, 2014

 The town still isn't sure what they want to do with that half-block on to the corner.  They really can't afford to rebuild.  Some developer may come in with the $$$--we are hoping they put the restaurant back where we used to always have lunch.  It did a good business and people came there to eat from as far as 50+ miles away.

Then I drove up a block to take a pix of my church

This church means a lot to me.  My mother's father was minister there from 1931-1935.  My parents were married there.  I was baptised there and confirmed, married, kids baptized and some married there--friends married there.  All my family members had their funerals there (and I will too) and friends funerals--on and on.  70 years ago, my Mother bought and planted all the pine trees around the church.

 Then it was on up two blocks to the golf course.

I got out and took some pictures.  The 1st hole.  Now--when I played,

it was a straight shot down the middle.  Now there are trees all along

the right side.  AND paved cart paths?  La Dee Dah!!

This is the same hole in 1982--you can see how the trees have grown

=========

There were ten of us for lunch and the one woman that we ALL dislike, wasn't there. 

<insert big smile>

We sat at round tables pulled up together, so we could all talk and hear--it was great.

Today was mainly to listen too and support our Dear Friend Beth, whose son recently died.  She told of his many accomplishments--the fantastic life he lived in The Czech Republic, all that he had done for the town he lived in...and more.  I thought I knew most of his history, but I found today, I knew very little.  He had a wonderful, giving, albeit, shortened life.

Then there was news of one Gal's grandchild's wedding...another ones news of her children and grandchildren who live in OK.  We have a newlywed in our group and she told funny stories of her hubby and his kids.  We had a small "organ" recital about our internal health problems.  We chatted about what kind of mementos we could safely lay on a grave marker of a loved one--without worry of the treasures being stolen.  We laughed about sex--whatever that is--well, maybe out newlywed friend knows.  There was laughter and tears and it was wonderful.   We always leave with saying, "Well--the good Lord willing, I'll see you next month!"

Then Bethie followed me out to The Farm so she could see how Susan has utilized the vintage fence Beth had given them and a vintage cultivator.  Even though Susan and Chuck are back in Binghamton, NY to meet their newest grandson, his parents home on leave from Germany, Susan said it was fine for Beth and I to come out.  I noticed that the men have the new metal roof on the horse barn, so I took a pix and sent it to Susan so she could see.

Bethie and I walked around the house and she could see, a lot of the perennials she gave Susan last fall, are now flourishing.

New metal roof on the horse barn.  The old roof was leaking and Susan and Chuck have ALL the old family antique machinery and furniture stored in there.

Then, coming back home, a half-mile, I stopped in to see Pammie.  Jen and family are in New Jersey and Pammie has this week off.  I noticed her gardens were looking good so I stopped in to chat and tell her how good the place is starting to look.  Jed Clampett has moved a lot of his rusted out cars/truck/junk out.

She had just divided and planted these Hosta's about two weeks ago.

...and then I remembered--I have wanted a photo of the

"Heart" stone that the mason put in the foundation,

when they built the house for my grandparents.

That was his signature, of sorts.  He looked all

over the farms until he found a stone, shaped like

a heart and he put it in every foundation of

every home he built.

I had bushes planted there and we didn't know that stone was

even there, until Pam and her hubs moved in and, in turn,

pulled out all the bushes!

Then Pammie told me that she is going to have "my" Crab Apple tree cut down (you can see it in the first pix--on the right edge) because it is dying, branches are splitting and of course, full of tent worms every spring.  She is going to have the Centennial Farm sign put in that spot.

I had quite forgotten that in less than 6 years--this farm will be 100 years old--in the same family for that time, and the State and Power Company will give you a Centennial Sign--like this one at Susan and Chuck's.

This is a big deal--at least to me.  I don't know many people who still have the same farm their ancestor's had 100 years ago.  

Then, in 2035, if my son is still alive, and he ought to be, his farm will qualify.  Of course, by then, Susan and Chuck will be dead and...who gets their farm?  Oh Gosh--I don't even want that thought to come into my mind.  I have worried about these farms and this land most of my life--at least the last 50 years--I just can't worry about what happens "after".

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

This afternoon, on my way out, I stopped and dropped off a pair of sheets Pearl had me order from NoMoreRack.com.  She said she'd come down later to pay me.  So--when I heard her coming in my door at 7:00, I figured she was bringing me the $31.00. 

 Nope.

An hour later, her daughter stopped in with a bunch of stuff she had bought at an estate sale.  It is all Americana art work and that is not my particular decorating style, but I looked through it.  The daughter didn't want it--had already picked out what she wanted and didn't want any money for it either.  She was really determined that I pick out something because, "July fourth is coming and you need to decorate for it."

<not me>.

I will put out the God Bless America sign because it is metal

and the weather won't hurt it--for a little while.

I thought perhaps Susan would like the flag one made out of buttons--

she's all into the Americana stuff

All the time Pearl was here, she said nothing about the money--so you know what that means.  She has forgotten and I am going to have to bring it up.  I hate that!!!

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

Karen just called--she and Pammie and I are going to lunch tomorrow, in Brighton, and afterwards to a ballet recital at a ballet "camp" where Maddie has been in intensive ballet learning mode all week.  It should be fun.  

However--it is the same restaurant where Fred and I were going to have his 70th birthday party and our surprise wedding--but I didn't say anything about that to Karen.  I think I will be all right--I just won't think about the "what should have been" and concentrate on the "what is."