New Year's Resolutions

Every year I make New Year's Resolutions and I am happy to report that the last several years I have kept the majority of them. This year I have even gone so far as to name my resolutions. This is going to be my "More or Less" year. I will be writing on my blog everyday to keep the record of my resolutions and to try to make sure that I do what I claim to be doing.
My "More or Less" goes something like this:
More exercise, less junk food.
More cleaning, less stuff.
More saving, less spending.
I will add more when I think about it, but for every "more" I come up with there will be a "less" to go along with it.
Please feel free to add your resolutions to this blog and let me know how you are doing with your own struggles. It is a new year, we all can use a new beginning and I hope this will help keep all of us united.
Have a Happy New Year!

One week and counting!

Only one week until Christmas Eve! You can feel the build up coming with each passing moment. I am one of the biggest fans that there could ever be for this time of year. I decorate my house so much that my children say that it looks like Santa threw up in it.
I have a Santa room, a snowman room, and a red, white, and blue room. There is some kind of Christmas tree in every room.
But even with all of the decorations, the Christmas music, and the extra baking, I think my favorite part of the holiday season is the greetings that you collect. They can come in the form of Christmas cards, telephone calls, or just seeing someone on the street and giving them a smile. Everyone seems happier and friendlier at this time of the year.
I try to carry this feeling through the New Year! I am hoping that my smiles and well wishes will rub off onto others and we can just pass it around through 2011!

Snow

It is snowing today! It looks like a giant snowglobe outside. The snow is swirling around and never seems to touch the ground. It always amazes me how nature can take you from orange and red leaves on the trees to the dark bark and bright white of the snow mixing together to make the perfect winter scene.
I love winter and enjoy it most inside with a nice hot cup of tea watching the glow of a fireplace or the lights on a Christmas Tree and being with someone I love.
So on this first snowy day for the winter of 2010, have a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea on me and snuggle up with someone or something that you love. It is a good day for living!

My Son

Last night had the distinct opportunity to attend church with my son while he was in uniform. He is in training to be deployed soon and I came to his camp to visit with him before he leaves.
I was so proud to walk into this foreign church with him. If felt great to sit beside him in the pew and feel so much at home. I cried at the sign of peace when strangers around him shook his hand and thanked him for his service and he replied to them, "It is my honor."
My heart is sadden with the thought of not being able to see him for a year but I know it will rejoice when I get to give him that giant hug when he comes home again.
I am proud of all of my children and the endeavers that they go through in their daily tasks. I can't take any credit for how well each and everyone of them have turned out because they have earned each and every accomplishment. THEY make me look good. THEY make me a great mom. Thank you!

Veteran's Day

It is the time of year that we pay tribute to our Vererans. Parades, speeches, and flags are in order for November the 11th. My father, who was in the Navy in World War II, never failed to honor this day.
So, on Thursday if you can please wear something red, white, or blue. Wave or wear a flag. And tell a Veteran, retired or still serving, thank you for what they have done.

Time Change

I am of the old school and I can remember a time when we didn't have to worry about changing our clocks back and forth. Then when they first started to do this it was about half of the year you were on fast time and the other half on slow, except for Indiana which stayed the same. Since my husband worked in Indiana and we banked in Indiana, we stayed on their time. My children and their friends got very well at telling the correct time in our crazy house.
After awhile, we got to move the days to change to the first of April and the end of October and at this time Indiana had to change and so did our house. Now we are the second week in March and the first of November for the fall back and the spring forward.
My question in all this is why do we even bother? The only thing that I can see that it does is to mess up our sleep patterns. Last year when we "fell" back, we had just gotten a new clock and I was afraid that it wouldn't automatically change like it said it would. So I laid there in bed and made sure. So much for that extra hour! I just don't understand why they don't leave it on the fast time all the time. Wouldn't that make sense?

Halloween

Last night I finished my last Halloween costume of the year. I had a couple to make for grandchildren. I always look forward to Halloween because it brings back many happy memories with my children. Some years it seemed like I had plenty of time to get the costumes together and they ended up looking great. But some years I just couldn't come up with any fantastic ideas and my kids went Trick or Treating looking like a bunch of lost children. I do apologize for this and try to hide those pictures. But no matter what, my kids made many older people happy by going around to their doors and just talking with them for a little while.
One very special memory of Halloween was my daughter's senior year in High School. She had a group of friends that wanted to go Trick or Treating in a neighboring town. I think there ended up being ten or twelve girls all together that met at our home and they all made ghost costumes out of sheets. I can still hear the giggles echo in our rooms as they got their outfits together. One girl had never gone Trick or Treating before and it was wonderful to see the excitement. Thankfully, most of the people in town didn't mind the "older" children coming around to get candy. I am sure the it made each and everyone of them smile. I know that I am right now just remembering the day.
I try to have candy around my house the last couple of weeks in October just in case there happens to be a child or two or more that happen to stop by. We live too far out for most, but hopefully one day a bunch of ghost show up on my door step for a treat.
P.S. Don't forget to carve your pumpkins from the bottom so that your top doesn't drop in on your candle or light.

I'm back!!!

I can't believe that it has been a month since I have written on my blog. So much has happened; yet so much has stayed the same.
My mom is doing well now and is back at home. Her pace maker seems to be working fine and she is healthier than she has been for a very long time.
The down side to this is that we came very close to losing her two weeks ago. She had a large TIA (stroke) while I was in the room with her in the nursing home. We called the family in because she couldn't speak, move, or open her eyes. We also had Last Rights given to her. That is the closest that we have ever come to not having Mom around anymore.
We are back to our regular routine now and are getting along just fine. She can get up and down from a chair and dress herself on her own. But most of all, she is once again sleeping in her own bed.
But with the good news there always seems to be some bad. Just as we were rejoicing in the fact that Mom was going to get to come home, her sister traveled home to heaven. Although it was very hard for mom to lose another family member, she was happy that my aunt didn't have to suffer any more. You see her sister had a major stroke a year and a half ago and she was confined to a wheel chair. It will seem strange not to go visit with her and my uncle every week, but I too am glad that she is singing with the angels.

It is apple picking time!

What a wonderful time of year, to be able to walk out your door and pick a fresh apple or pear! My pears are almost done for the year and we have enjoyed them greatly, but our apples are still going strong.
Nothing smells so good as homemade apple butter cooking on the stove, unless it is accompanied by some homemade bread.
And then there is apple jelly, pie, and apple sauce. Too much to make in too little of time.
But I think that my grandchildren love it best when I just peel and slice some. I can't keep ahead of the little hands reaching in for more. Happy Autumn!

Road Construction

I have never seen so much road construction going on at one time in my whole life. It seems no matter what road I take to anywhere, there is road work going on in one form or another.
I live in a rural area where it takes fifteen minutes at least to get to any of the towns. Every main road to every town is closed for construction. I went to the town East of my home today and had to detour. So, I took the route specified and had to detour on that road also for a bridge being out. Taking the third road in what should be a fifteen minute straight shot trip, I come across workers patching the road and making it a one lane street. By this time I am ready to just turn around and go back home, but I am not sure which way to go and I am not sure that it won't be under construction by the time I get there!

Coffee or Tea

I have realized through the years that most people either like coffee or tea. But the majority of people do not like both. Now there are some who like iced coffee and not hot coffee and some that like ice tea and not hot tea. But it seems that most people like one or the other, just not both.
I personally can't even stand the smell of coffee, but I do enjoy my tea, hot or cold. There is nothing better than to curl up with a good book on a cold winter's day and enjoy a nice mug of hot tea. My husband on the other hand doesn't like to start a day without his cup of coffee. Actually he has to have two or three cups.
I have a neice who works for a national coffee chain. She gets free coffee and/or tea every month that she works. The only bad part of this is that she doesn't like either. Therefore the aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents benefit from her job. I love it when she shows up with my favorite kind of tea. I think I will stop this blog and go have a cup right now. Bottoms up!!!

Patriot's Day

This time of year has a very special place in my heart. There is hardly anyone in the United States that doesn't remember the minute by minute replay in their minds of what happened on that day in 2001. September 11th is now known as Patriot Day and I am very proud to say that I honor that day, not just for those who died in the towers, or the Pennsylvania field, or even in the Pentagon, but for every single American who today can say that they are a Patriot.
One thing that stands out most in my mind that day and for days to come after was how blue the sky was and how quiet it seemed. How the planes stopped flying and it just seemed like the world was holding its breath. I see pictures from that day and it all comes rushing back like it has just happened.
Another thing that will forever hold a memory for me on that day is that when I got home from that long, long day at work that my answering machine was full of messages, one right after the other, from my children telling me that they were okay and not to worry about them. I had family up in Cleveland where the one plane had ended up circling. I had boys in Dayton right beside Wright Pat Air Force Base where it was rumoreed that it had also been hit. But standing there in my kitchen, hearing their sweet voices on that machine trying to reasure ME that the world would be okay, I thought of all those people who would never again hear the music of their loved ones voices and I cried for each and everyone of them. It still makes me mad to think that some horrible men could come on our soil and do this to US!
But the best memory of those days was how we as a country came together to shove thier terrorism down their throats. We stood together as a nation, as a family, as ONE! Everywhere that you looked there were flags, not just on buildings or on a pole, but on people and on their homes. Everyone was wearing red, white, and blue. We were proud of what we stood up against and shook our fists in their faces.
We are once again getting back to what we were before. We have lost some of that sense of pride in ourselves and in each other. We are starting to get complacent in our everyday happenings and we are opening ourselves to more of the same if we don't watch it.
Pick up those flags and wave them again. Don't wait for the 4th of July, or the Olympics, or an election to show that you are Patriotic; we must be this way each and every day. Hold your heads high and smile at your neighbors; don't stare down at your feet. Say thank you to anyone serving our country, be it politicians, fire men and women, police personnel, Red Cross Workers, missionaries, or whoever, but most especially our service men and women. Say thank you and mean it! We need to be glad that we are in a country where no job is meaningless and that we all need each other to survive.
Thank you for the chance to write this. Thank you America for being there always for all of us. I will always wave your flag. I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!

Flying the American Flag

Flying the American Flag is a privilage and should be treated as such. I get so mad when I am driving down the road and see a flag that is flying in three different directions because it has been ripped apart by the wind and is in shreds. I also get upset to see that the colors are pink, purple, and cream instead of red, white, and blue. I have also been witness to some that are so ragged on the edge that they look like they have been carried into a hundred battles.
Now I know that it is impossible to buy a new flag every week, but if you are going to fly it all the time, be sure to keep it flying pretty. From my past experience I have found that the cheaper flags fall apart a lot faster. We have bought some for around ten dollars and they seem to last through a couple of seasons.
I do appreciate that people have the American Spirit and keeping the Grand Old Flag flying high. I just wish that they would take pride in that symbol of these great United States and make sure that it is a good looking flag for all to see.

Labor Day

The non-official end of summer is Labor Day. Although the calendar's true first day of Autumn isn't for a couple more weeks, all vacations and summer activities seem to come to a screaching halt after this weekend. The weather has already started to cool down and if you look at the trees, you can see that some of the leaves are changing colors. Even the animals seem to be getting ready for several cooler months. Our dogs are starting to get their winter coats and the birds are flying South for warmer weather.
I personally like the different seasons. I like each one in its own unique style and natural wonders that they give. I also hate to see the end of each old season but enjoy the beginning of the new one.

O-H I-O

Tonight is the kick off for the Ohio State Buckeye football season. I feel like a kid in a candy shop. It has been since January since I've seen a good football game and I can hardly wait for 7:30.
It isn't just the football game, it is the fans yelling, "O-H . . . I-O", it is The Best Damn Band in the Land marching onto the field, it is also the players locking arms in the end zone and running out of the tunnel.
I grew up with scarlet and grey pounding through my blood. I see that big block "O" or a buckeye and it gives me chills. I hear "Hang on Sloopy" and yell out at the top of my lungs. But most of all, I see script Ohio and tears come pouring down my face.
There is nothing like Ohio State football and no matter where you roam or where you might live, once a Buckeye always a Buckeye. GO BUCKS!!!

Anniversary

Yesterday was my husband and my wedding anniversary. It was not a milestone one for us this year, but it is getting close to one. We have never done much for celebrating on this day because we feel like everyday is a celebration in our marriage. But we have had some strange spur of the moment anniversary parties.
On our twenty-fifth, our children thought that we should do something special. They all came home and we got pizzas from Pizza Hut. It just so happen that it was on a weekend and unexpected guests dropped in "just because". By the time it was said and done, we fed about forty people and the majority of them didn't even know that it was a special day for anyone.
A couple of our others were spent camping because it fell on Labor Day weekend and that is what we did to celebrate the end of summer.
One other one was spent at a local lake with Kentucky Fried Chicken for our meal. We played softball and fished. My husband's parents came along and the pictures that we took speak volumes. We had a great time!
This year was no different. It was just my husband and I celebrating since it was the middle of the week and we ended up eating at a local Tastee Freeze. The food wasn't the greatest and we had to swat mosquitoes through the whole meal, but we were together and had completed another year. It doesn't take a five star resturant or a room full of people for us to remember that so many years ago we made a pledge to always be there and to love each other. We thank God each day that He brought us together and for the many blessings that He has given to us both.

The Bagpiper

I received this in an e-mail yesterday and thought that I would send it on by way of my blog today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played with my whole heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless person. And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
Apparently I was still lost...."

Jiminy Cricket

I don't understand how Walt Disney made mice and crickets look cute. I can't stand mice anywhere at anytime, and last night the cricket that got into my bedroom was anything but adorable.
How can one small critter make so much noise? I got up twice to try to find it, but they have the sense to shut up just as you are ready to zero in on their location.
Well first thing this morning, after a sleepless night with the background music going, I armed myself with a can of Raid. Hopefully my slumber tonight will be chirp free.

Sleepless in Seatle?

I don't know if you have ever seen this movie, it is one of my favorites, but I wish I could find out where Tom Hanks got that orchestra that csme into his home to play that beautiful music when he couldn't sleep.
Last night was one of those sleepless nights for me. I could not get my mind to stop working. Okay, I know all the jokes, such as: "I never knew your mind worked in the first place!" or "What mind?" It was a very frustrating night.
I tried to read myself to sleep, it worked until I was just drifting off and smelt a skunk. Our dog, who kills any animal that happens to wonder onto our property, was sleeping outside and I was afraid he would tangle with the skunk. So, I jumped out of bed and called him in. After making sure that he hadn't already been sprayed, I tried to fall back to sleep but by now I was wide awake.
You know how it can be, I felt like "The Princess and the Pea". Even the smallest piece of lint felt like a bolder.
And then there is my husband! I don't think that man can hold still for a second. He runs in his sleep, he jerks more than a side of beef waiting to become Slim Jims, and he insists on sticking his arm under my pillow. Now to most people that may not sound like a big deal, but remember the pea reference above? Well, I swear that there was a tree trunk jammed up under my head. And then he is still jerking which makes his nails scratch across the sheet and it sounds like someone is scraping out the inside of my head.
So, here I am on a sunny Thursday afternoon feeling like my eyelids weigh ten pounds each. I am counting the hours until I can climb into my bed again tonight and that hopefully Tom Hanks' music will come floating in through my bedroom window and lull me to sleep.

Evening

Last evening, we decided to eat our supper, yes - I am from the country and say supper, out on the deck. It was a very pleasant evening with a soft breeze coming out of the North.
My husband had cooked the meat and vegetables on the grill so we didn't have to heat up the house.
Our patio set was one of the things that I had just refurbished and this was the first that we had been able to put it to use.
We had just settled in our chairs and were admiring the sunset when we heard the Amish neighbors across the field playing out in their yard. We couldn't see them because of the crops in the fields and the forest between us, but we could hear the children laughing and it sounded very sweet.
Out of the blue, one of them started to yodel. We stopped our eating and conversation and just listened to the wonderful music floating in across the way. It really did make a lovely end to our hectic day.

The Rat

When I was still in grade school, we moved over 100 miles South from where I was born. My father had gotten a promotion, not more money - just more work, and we had to relocate.
We moved to a home that had been standing empty for a couple of years because of being tied up in court with a divorce. The house was up a long lane and the yard was overgrown with weeds from the road clear to the house.
Since the place was empty and out in the middle of nowhere, teenagers had been using the long driveway for a lover's lane. My little brothers soon discovered that someone had left "balloons" and brought them in the house for someone to inflate for them. My aunts, sisters, mom, and I were trying to clean the very dirty house so we could move the furniture in when it got there. My mom was horrified when she saw what my brothers had and my one aunt quickly tossed the balloons, scrubbed the little ones' hands, and whisked them off with my little sisters to her home for safe keeping.
My father and uncles were out trying to tackle the yard. My dad saw that there were signs of rats in the barn and not wanting to alarm my mom after what she had just gone through, he quietly put out a bunch of rat poison and told all of us to stay away from the barn.
Several days later, while dad was at work, mom wanted to go see if the barn was usable. She told me she was going out to check it and I informed her that dad had told us to stay away from it. Thinking that he had said this because he didn't want the boys to get into things, she thought that it would be okay for her to go check it out. I told her that I would go in with her.
We went to the two big doors on the front and opened them up. We stepped just inside the barn and was letting our eyes get accustomed to the dark and also to look around for the light switch. To our right, on a beam about head high to us, sat a dead rat. My mom jumped a little when she saw it causing me to jump also. She stood there a minute watching it and finally determined that it had died in that position. We were looking at it making comments on how strange it was that it had breathed its last and ended up just perched there like that. Mom saw the light switch just to the right of the rat and reached up to turn on the electricity and that dead rat turned and ran.
I am not sure which way it ended up going because mom and I were in a foot race to the house screaming at the top of our lungs. I was only fourteen years old and my mom had had polio when I was born. I couldn't believe it when I finally ran into the house and there sat my mom at the kitchen table shaking and laughing her head off. Although this event happened well over forty years ago, we still can get a good laugh over the whole moving in experience and the day we saw "The Rat"!

Public Restrooms

Two of the most frightening words ~ EVER!!! Oh, how I hate to use public restrooms and it seems like I have had to use a lot of them lately. We went camping - public restrooms. Took a long trip - public restrooms. Had to stay in a hotel - almost public restrooms! Went to the drive-in - you guessed it, but I didn't!
Yesterday was the real kicker, though! My sister came into town and several of my siblings and our mom decided to get together at a resturant. With extended families, we ended up having around thirty of us sitting at a very long table in a large facility. There was no way you could visit with everyone. It took our waitress an extreme amount of time to get the drink orders, the appetizers, and our orders taken. My husband and I were helping our daughter-in-law at one end of the table take care of her three boys. This made visiting with others almost impossible.
By the time our food finally came, we had been in the resturant for over two hours. We finally finished eating and left to get into our cars. Did we leave? Of course not, we had to stand and talk in the parking lot for an extra half an hour. This is bringing our lunch together at a three and a half hour rate.
I had water, which since I am trying to loose weight is my usual choice of drink now, and the waitress and manager made sure that my glass was never empty. Although I had sat just several feet from the restroom inside, I didn't think about needing one until I was standing out in the parking lot. I thought that I would have felt foolish walking back inside, so my husband took me to a local retailer, building supplier, because he needed some things. I should have walked back inside the resturant and felt foolish, I am sure that it would have been a little bit better. But at least it was clean and I didn't want to turn and take my chances on making it somewhere else.
Since we had taken so long eating, we decided to stay in town because my grandson was having a birthday party at the local bowling alley at 5:00. We wasted some time in the store and then went through a drive-thru to get a drink. Of course I got a large one, it was very hot outside.
At the bowling alley, the kids and some of the grown ups bowled and I helped take care of the smallest ones. Somewhere a long the line, someone got me another large drink.
You would think that I would learn, but very shortly I was looking for that international sign that said women's restroom. After entering the dark recesses of the chamber, I really wished that I would have been wearing a Depends. You can not even imagine! There are no words to bring justice to my findings! I tried to cover the seat, but the tissue would only come off one very thin sheet at a time and speaking of time, I was running out of it. My legs were crossed and I was biting my lip to keep from screaming.
I finally sat down and to my surprise was blessed with reading material. Did you know that Edward Collin was hot? He must be because it said it on the walls four times. Also, Kat-Kat sat here - which made me pray that this was a person and not a feline.
There were some words that made me blush and some that made me ponder. I am not for sure which statement is true because it said that vampires were real people and then again some one said that they were not. One very intelligent person wrote that they had done their duty. As far up as they wrote this message, I am pretty sure they had to have been standing on the seat at the time and that would be a most peculiar way to do anything.
It was time for me to leave my little library and once again I had the distinct pleasure of pulling one sheet off the roll at a time. With at least twenty single sheets in my hand, it was still like looking through plastic wrap. I know it did a really fine job!
I went out to wash my hands and of course there is no soap, and the only drying material was just that, a roll of fabric towels that should have been changed a couple of years prior. (I used my shirt!)
I could not wait to get home and scour my whole body from top to "bottom"!

Fire and Water

On the news lately have been numerious places, both in the United States and other countries, that are suffering from great fires and huge floods. I have to admit that I have always been terrified of my house catching fire, but I think a flood would be just as devestating.
I am not sure if it would be easier to know that all of my possessions had gone up in smoke or to see them soaked with water and ruined anyway.
We just found out today that an Amish neighbors almost got burnt out last Thursday. One of their sons were reading with a lamp and fell asleep. While he was sleeping, he accidentally knocked over the lamp and it caught a chair and the curtains on fire before he woke up. The father of the household ran upstairs and put the fire out before it could do much damage, but it could have been a deadly fire. Also, look at all of those wild fires out in California. It seems like hundreds of homes get burnt out each year.
Then I see on the news that somewhere out west a fifteen year old girl was washed away in a flash flood and got killed. I am sure that she was just an innocent bystander and not doing anything foolish. And don't forget the floods in Pakistan. Wow does that look horrible! You can't help but feel bad for all the people over there.
So with these gruesome thoughts behind us, I would just like to say that I hope you have enough fire to keep you warm and plenty of water so you will always be refreshed. Stay safe out there, it is a wild world!

Young vs. Old

In our younger days, we couldn't wait to be older. We didn't like the start of school because it ruined all those summer nights and fun. We had to go to bed early so we could be on the bus in the morning. Our parents were allowed to stay up and watch TV to all hours of the night, we supposed.
We came home at night and had to do homework while mom got to have all that fun in the kitchen. We would help with the supper dishes while dad got to go sit in on the sofa and read the paper. Where was the justice in all of this?
Now we look at the young and think how do they get so much energy? How can they run and play like that and never seem to tire out? We wish we could get in on some of this fun.
We put them down for a nap and think how lucky they are to be able to rest in the middle of the day.
I guess when it comes down to it, we are happy looking into the future or the past rather than living in the present. I say we just enjoy today for what it is ~ a wonderful life.

Birds

What wonderful creatures? I am a novice bird watcher, not sure what I am seeing, but I know that there are some really beautiful ones.
This morning as I was looking out my window, I saw a male and female cardinal. They were busy at the bird feeder, but the male, whose bright red feathers were almost blinding, kept a lookout for his mate while she was feeding. When they were done or he had sensed danger, he let out a cry and off they flew.
Saturday, while we were out on the lake, we saw a majestic bald eagle. What a wonderful sight, and one that you don't get to witness every day. At first he was perched up on a high tree branch and then he took off and soared over the lake. We all just stopped and watched the graceful moves of this glorious bird.
At the beauty shop where my mom gets her hair fixed is another sanctuary. She has blue birds who nest there. They put up special boxes for them and they come back year after year to raise their new young ones.
Also, she has one of the biggest collections of humming birds that I have ever seen. There is a bird feeder right outside the shop window and they seem to flock to it. One day while we were in the shop, one of the humming birds tried to come in the front door. He kept pecking at the window in the door, trying to figure out just how to accomplish this feat. I finally was thrilled when he gave up and decided that his appointment to get his feathers curled must have been at another time or day.
I love to see a blue jay with its distinct color, but I get very angry with it when it trys to rob the other birds' nests. I guess there are nasty breeds in every walk of life. But all in all, no matter what the variety of bird that it might be, I will always take the time to wonder at them and to be thankful for their presence.

Is Anyone Out There?

Sometimes I feel like it is just me and this computer. I am not sure if anyone is listening to me. Computers are funny! Unlike a phone call where you can at least leave a message and hope that someone will listen to it sooner or later, posting a blog on a computer makes you wonder if anyone is reading what you are writing.
It isn't important to know, I guess, because it won't change what I write about. I just hope that if someone is reading that I am not boring them to death.
So if you are reading my words, I thank you. If you aren't reading them, I wish you would. If you think they don't make a lot of sense sometimes, I am sorry. If they make you stop and think, I am glad. And if they make you smile or laugh, you have made my day!

Racing Heart

Sorry for the break in the blogging, but I went on a camping outing and there wasn't any internet service. I guess they still think that when you go camping, you should rough it and not have some of the nicer things in life.
While we were camping, I had a few heart racing moments. The first one was my one year old grandson crawled way too close to the fire ring. Luckly my one daughter-in-law was Johnny on the Spot and got to him before he could reach the hot iron.
Another heart stopper was when we went out on a pontoon boat and I decided that it would be a good thing to jump off the side of it to go swimming. Little did I realize how deep the lake was. I usually only swim in our pond that is only thirteen feet. When this not too small body of mine plunged into the mighty depths of the lake, I went down way too far. At one point on the trip back up I was wondering if I had flipped and was really heading down further. All I could see was dark, murky water and no sunlight anywhere. I realize that it was only a few seconds that I was under, but it seemed like a lifetime. I know my heart started beating again when I broke through that glorious surface.
My last brush with a racing heart came at 2:30 Sunday morning. My husband had woken up to take a bathroom break and in the process woke me up also. I don't do well sleeping on a strange bed in the first place and waking up suddenly doesn't help. I decided to use the facilities myself. Believing that no one else would be up at that time and the restroom was only fifty yards form the camper, I didn't bother to put on my house coat. I was just a few feet from the campsite and I saw headlights coming up behind me. Now I am sure that without the protection of a housecoat, I was going to be quite a sight in my nylon nightgown with those lights shinning on me, so I quickened my footsteps. I turned towards the restroom and the car came to a screeching halt behind me. The car door opened and I heard footsteps running up the pathway. I bolted for the bathroom door, flinging it open, and sprinted to the open stall. As I reached it, I heard the door open behind me. I grabbed the stall door and pulled it shut. Through the opening as I was rushing to close it, I saw a women in desperate need of a bathroom. As I sat down, I noticed that my legs were shaking, my breath was labored, and my heart was racing. I was glad that I didn't need to use the restroom that bad or I am sure there would have been a puddle on the floor also. I chuckled all the way back to the campsite. It is good to know that this old heart can still take a little excitement.

Nothing but the Truth

Why is it that some people can not tell the truth? Even if they know that they are going to get caught in the lie, they will still tell one.
I can see smaller children not telling the truth because they don't know any better, but for adults - there just is no excuse.
I know one man that I can tell you what he is going to say before he ever says it because he doesn't know honesty if it jumped up and bit him on the lips. He was entrusted with some papers that were of importance to someone other than himself. My husband told me about this and I said, "I bet he throws them away because they are not having to do with him. Then he will make up some lie if the papers are ever needed again." Well, less than a year later my prediction has come true. He swears that someone stole the papers. Why would someone want to steal papers that had nothing to do with them? But then again, why would anyone ever trust this man with even toilet paper?
I pride myself with being honest. I don't break laws, I drive the speed limit, and I have the utmost respect for other people's property. I don't think it is asking too much to expect this same courtesy.

Back to School

Those words mean so much to so many. How can it be that the same three words can make some smile while others begin to cry?
In my daughter's family, her son - who will begin 3rd grade - does not want to even see back to school supplies. He is very content to just be at home enjoying the great outdoors and the pool. On the other hand, her twin daughters - who will begin kindergarden - are just too excited about starting out this new adventure that they will be embarking. They can't wait to strap on their backpacks filled with all of their new markers, crayons, and pencils. Now you would think that this would be the end of the emotions in this household, but my daughter, who happens to be a school teacher, is thrilled with the fact that they don't have to have day care anymore but at the same time she won't even let that six letter word (school) be said in her presence. She doesn't want to think about going back to work until the night before this tragedy happens.
All across this nation, some parents and students are happy about the prospect of that school bell ringing while others would prefer a never ending summer. My emotions are mixed. I personally don't like the idea of my oldest grandchild being in the third grade but I know that time marches on and with that age creeps up on us all. And then there is the fact that with the start of school comes the start of a new season. Fall is a wonderful time of the year, carving pumpkins and turkeys, playing and watching football, and leaves covering the ground. Yes, I can see where people can be happy and sad about the same thing. After all we are human!

People Watching

Have you ever been somewhere and have nothing to do but to watch people? I have had the pleasure of doing this several times in the past week. One of the times I already wrote about, the Urgent Care, and now I am going to comment on some others.
One of these times was last week when I was waiting for my daugter-in-law out in her truck while she was getting her two oldest sons out of Bible school. One of the doors to the church was locked. One by one, people would go up to this door and try to open it. It was fun to watch them, especially when they would see someone else try the door but still have to go try to open it themselves. One lady was so determined to open it that she would pull hard on it, wait a second and pull again. Then she turned as if to leave and went back and pulled again. She tried to open that locked door six or seven times. And then as she was finally giving up, a man came, they had a discussion about the door, and then he tried to open it also.
And then on Monday, my husband and I had business to do in a local town. After we were finished, he had a meeting in the same town so I went to McDonalds to wait for him. I had an opportunity to watch many individuals come and go. Also I got to observe the workers. The people who worked at this particular McDonalds were younger workers. They were laughing and getting along with each other very well.
The people eating there were an odd lot. Most of them came in twos or threes. Not many of them talked to each other. But there was one group of four men, looked to be in their early twenties. They ordered their food, joking with each other and the girl behind the counter, and then proceeded to have the best time while they were eating. They laughed and carried on the whole time that they were in the resturant. It was fun to watch them and nice to hear them having such a great time.
I enjoy listening, watching, and talking to people. We do make up a great bunch, don't we?

Pre-recorded Messages

I am going to rant today on the pre-recorded messages that seem to take up the better part of my day anymore. I can't seem to be able to call anywhere anymore without having to push 1 for this or 2 for that. Some days I just want to start pushing buttons as soon as I hear the phone on the other end start to ring.
The other day I had to push 1 if I needed English. (Why don't they just assume that I need English and ask the other guys to push 1 if they need another language?)
I then had to push 1 if I was a customer and 2 if I wasn't. (I can't figure out why I would call if I wasn't a customer. Are there really people out there just calling these numbers for the heck of it?)
The next prompt wanted to know what I needed with this department. If I didn't say exactly something that they wanted to hear, the recording told me that they didn't understand what I was trying to say and maybe I meant something else which she proceeded to give me about six different options, which none applied to my problem. She even did a "hum" while trying to figure out what exactly that I wanted to do.
I started screaming into the phone and at the end of my tirade a very polite voice - still a recording said, "I'm sorry, I did not understand what you said."
This prompted me to start choking the phone and saying some words that were not the best ones in the world.
At this time, I started to just push the "0" button to try to get a live person on the other end of the phone. Everytime that I pushed this a recording would tell me that this was not a correct response. After about the sixth time of trying to get an operator on the phone, the sweet voice came on to tell me that I would have to try my call later and proceeded to disconnect.
Obviously I was not needing the service of this company after all. Who cares if I now have a curling iron caught in my hair or not? I will just put a bow on it and tell everyone that it is a new style.

Alarm Clocks

How annoying are alarm clocks? They seem to pick the worst possible moment to go off! How many times have you been in the middle of a great dream and then the blasted alarm goes off and destroys all the evidence of the fantastic images that were just present in your brain?
Or how about those times when you have had the most restless night's sleep that you have had in ages? You finally slip into that blessed deep slumber that you so desperately need and in what seems like just a few moments later, there goes that radio again or worse yet you have it set for the non-stop, irritating buzzer.
Oh, you can hit the snooze button, one - two - three times and pretend that it helps, but in the end it just makes you start the day behind.
It makes one wonder how the pioneers did it? I suppose that they had the sun to wake them, or the cows that would have needed milking. But according to my children, it was probably the rooster, like the one down the road at the Amish barn. The annoying one that crows endlessly waking up everyone camping out in our back yard. I guess we should be happy that our alarms don't sound like a crazed rooster or a cow with a full udder.

Garage Sales

I went to the 127 garage sales with two of my sons today. My one son thinks this is a real holiday and the other one thought it was all junk. It is strange how one thing can take on two different meanings.
As far as the holiday goes, there were a lot of good bargains and we ended up with a few of them. My biggest bargain was a pair of Carhart coveralls for one of the grandchildren for a dollar. The best part of them is that there were no holes and all of the zippers work. You talk about b-a-r-g-a-i-n-s!
And then there was the junk. I agree with my son, there was too much of it. I sometimes wonder why people keep some of the stuff that they do and especially why they would put a price on it and set it out in public for others to see that you have kept this piece of crap. One place thought that they could hide the rust on a old wheelbarral with a thick coat of bright yellow paint. The rust under all that paint was bubbling up and making the whole thing look like it had a strange disease.
But the best part of the whole day was being able to spend time with my sons. I don't do this often enough. When we get together it is a whole big lot of us and that is great, but I do so love my one on one (or two) time together. Just out making memories on State Route 127.

Urgent Care

Last night I ended up in Urgent Care with my daughter-in-law because one of my grandsons fell and put his tooth through his bottom lip. He had to get a stitch put in it. It took us over two hours to get in and out of this emergency situation.
The reason that I am writing about this today is not to complain about how long it took us to get service or the fact that the chairs are very uncomfortable and way too close together to entertain three little boys for two hours. No, the reason for this blog is that at 8:30 on a Tuesday night there were more people in that waiting room than there probably were at the movies. I came to find out that there were so many there the night before that they ended up calling an emergency room at a local hospital to come take some of the cases.
The other reason for this writing is the interesting people that you can meet in one of these situations. There were people there who did not feel well and were clearing having some very strong issues with keeping their supper in their stomachs. Some of them had broken bones and some needed stitches like my grandson. There were children waiting for help and elderly also. It was clear that ailments were not to particular this evening.
But the most interesting case was the lady who sat across from me. She was ahead of us to be waited on and so we had a while to enjoy some conversation with each other. She had picked up some poison ivy on her right arm and leg from her garden. Her arm was swollen and giving her a great deal of pain. She was a mother of eight and a grandmother of eighteen. She had been trying to take care of this on her own for a week and was not making much progress, in fact it was getting worse. The thing that was the most interesting about her was that she worked in a hospital and didn't think about going there for help anytime in those last seven days. She waited until that time of night to go to Urgent Care because she didn't think that she could stand it one more minute. People are unique!

Slogans

As I was power washing my walk-out last night; yes, I am still at this task, I realized that I was running out of things to power wash. I tried to think of ways that I could go around with a power washer and help people out with some of their chores. The only real thing that I could come up with was a slogan for this kind of service, "Have power washer, will travel!"
I have come up with other slogans through the years, especially when I am doing something that I am not too crazy about doing. Some of my better ones was when I was younger and we had to pull weeds, set runners, or hoe strawberries. Those slogans were, "Save a strawberry, pull a weed!" or "A runner set today, will increase your pay!" and the ever lovely, "Be sure to bend, better strawberries in the end!"
But I do have to say that some of my best slogans came about the year that my mom and I spent several weeks in a row attending different relative's funerals. For some reason that year about everyone we knew had someone close to them pass away. We were not surprised when someone would call and tell us that they had lost a loved one. As we were sitting in our 9th or 10th funeral home, we started to come up with different slogans. This was probably not a good thing to do at the time because it made us giggle and it really wasn't the right place to be silly. A couple of our best ones were, "We mourn with the best of them!" "If you don't have a friend, we'll be there at the end." and the one that we thought would make a great bumper sticker, "You die, we'll cry!" Kind of catchy don't you think?

Reunions

What better time to catch up with family? This past weekend we had two reunions at our home. Having the party barn is the perfect place to have them.
We put the air conditioners in for more comfort for the oldest generation. We did have a very enjoyable evening on Saturday, my mother-in-law's family, and ended up sitting outside for the majority of the festivities. We also had a campfire and made a ton of Smores before everyone ended up leaving in the very late hours of the night.
Sunday, my father-in-law's family, was the day that we were extra glad for those air conditioners and fans. The pond was also used to its full potential.
It is nice to see my husband's family members and to catch up on all the happenings through out the past year. I am very sad that my husband's brother and sister couldn't attend. They missed out on a lot of fun.
But as for my family, you can't complain about half of my children and their children showing up to help and to enjoy. The others would have been there I am sure had they not been out of state. They all called to see how things turned out and I appreciate them remembering the family.
Some people look on reunions as a chore. I look on it as a time to make sure those family bonds are strong. We need family to keep us going. It doesn't have to just be your immediate family, those outer branches come in handy when you need to grab on to an extra hold or two. I thank all that attended these reunions this year, I thank my children for helping, and I hope that we have as good of a turnout next year. Keep in touch, family. We love you all!

Too Modern

I know that today's younger generation has so much more technology than we had growing up, but I am beginning to wonder if that is all that it is cracked up to be. When I heard this year that they were no longer going to teach school children how to write in cursive because it is a dying art due to the use of computers, it made my heart sad. I have seen some beautiful writings in my day and how sad it would be if the handwriting looked like everyone else's. When I was in school I couldn't wait to learn to do that wonderous thing on paper. I guess we should have seen this coming when shorthand went away a long time ago. My mom can still do shorthand, but she is the only one who can read it so I don't know if it really says what she says it does or if she is just winging it.
Speaking of improvements, the gas stations of today are so impersonal. You used to be able to pull up to the pump and a guy with a white hat came bounding out to fill up your car with gas, wash your windshield, and check your oil. He usually knew you by name and talked with you the whole time that you were in the filling station. I miss the old fashioned gas pumps that had the colored balls going around on the inside of that perfect little globe. I loved to sit there and watch them going around. Remember the smell from the leaded gas? Wow! How long ago has that been?
And what of car seats that keep children in one place? We used to pack so many of us in one car that it was like being strapped in. Remember riding up in the rear window? That is if you were lucky enough to be one of the youngest in the car. If you had two small ones, they could both fit up there.
Now we have people who come to our homes even in the country to pick up the trash. I loved the smell of leaves burning in the fall ~ does anyone even think about that anymore? I can't remember the last time that I even heard of someone burning leaves.
Between the smell of the leaded gas, the polution of leaves burning, and the riding in the rear window, we are lucky that there are enough of us left to create that younger generation who will never know how to write a proper signature.

The Cable Guy

I can not figure out this occupation. I have had them tell me that they will be "there" between 8:00 and 5:00. They have showed up anywhere between 7:30 AM and 10:00 PM. Yes, that is right, one actually called and told us he was running late but would be there yet that day. He ended up coming a little before 10:00 that night and we had to get out flood lights so he could see what he was doing. Another one misjudged how far it was from Dayton to our house and showed up at 7:30 in the morning. It was nice to get it out of the way instead of waiting around all day for him to show up.
Recently we had to have them come out to our house again to switch their equipment for the digital revamp. They told me they would be there between noon and 5:00 that afternoon. I had to leave mom before 11:00 so I would be sure to be home when they got there. When it got to be 4:45 and they still hadn't called and weren't there I called the company. They had forgotten that they were going to come to our place that day. They said that they would send someone the next day or the day after that at the same time. I told them this was unacceptable and that they needed to send someone out yet that day, I didn't care what time it was going to be. They ended up sending not one but two of their top guys only to discover that they had already updated our equipment. I would have been very upset had I taken another day off just to find this out.
Today my mom switched TV providers. Yesterday they told me that it would be between noon and 5:00 and would take an hour. I received a phone call at 9:10 telling me that he was running early, shock, and would be at Mom's in about an hour. I quickly got around and came over to Mom's. It took me less than half an hour. When I pulled in there ahead of me was the cable guy and it didn't take him an hour to do the work, it took him 2 and a half hours. It wasn't that he didn't know what he was doing or took his time doing it, it just took that long.
So, it just goes to show you that you need to plan on the cable guy coming between 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM and he can stay anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours. When it comes to the cable guy, just be glad he got there.

Power Washing

I love to use a power washer! It makes everything look so nice. I am thinking of asking for one for Christmas. Right now I am using my brother-in-law's.
I have used the power washer on the bricks on the fire ring. Thank goodness it took off most of the soot from the oversized campfires that we have had lately.
I used it on all of the benches that go around the fire ring. They turned out to look brand new. I have to put some weather proof sealer on them yet and maybe a little paint to some.
It has been used on our deck and it made it look like we put brand new boards on it. I still need to put the stain and sealer on it also.
Then there is the front porch siding and the rocking chair on the porch. A little touch of paint might be needed for them also. My husband said that before he knew it I would probably power wash the whole house and party barn.
The only problem with using the power washer is that it creates more work. Did I mention the stain, sealer, and paint that I need to reapply to everything I power wash? I think the house is safe. Maybe another time!

Cry

I have been known to cry at a drop of a hat. Show me a Little House on the Prairie episode and I can tell you what it is about and what is going to happen, but you can also count on the fact that I will cry at some time before the end of the show. That is what I do.
My family have come to expect me crying at every little thing such as; a grandchild singing a song in a school performance with the rest of his class, a gift that has been given to me with much thought and love, or even a rainbow in the sky. They carry extra tissues with them for these kind of occasions.
I have a close friend that swears my tear ducts are connected to my bladder.
The one time that I almost died laughing from crying happened in church. You know those times when you start laughing and can not stop but you are in a situation that you shouldn't be laughing and everything just keeps making you want to laugh more? Remember the Mary Tyler Moore episode where she laughed at the clown's funeral? Kind of like that!
Well, as I said, we were in church and a song was being sung that reminded me of my childhood and my dad. I started to cry, just some tears running down my cheeks, and my oldest daughter, who was about seven at the time, put her arm through mine and her head on my shoulder. It was a very sweet and tender moment. After a few seconds she whispered in my ear, "Mom, are you crying because that lady is singing so awful?" There across the aisle from me was one of the so-called self appointed patriarchs of the church singing very loudly and a little off key. I started laughing and every note that she sang made it a little worse. I was still crying and people started to think I was becoming hysterical with my grief. I had to get up and leave the church. I went to the car and laughed so hard that my sides hurt. It still brings a chuckle to me even now after all these years. I will never hear that song again and not smile.

Are you crying again?

Are you crying again?

The Airport

My son flew into a large airport yesterday, Columbus. His plane was supposed to have landed at 9:45 PM. My husband and I left home around 6:00 because it is a two hour drive from our home. While we were in route to the airport, my son, who was flying from Okalahoma City headed to Chicago to get to Columbus, called and told us that his flight had been divertated to Madison because

Funerals

What a strange tradition we created when we, as a culture, decided to start viewing people when they die. I know you want to remember the loved one, but looking at someone when they can't look back just seems sort of strange.
I went to my first viewing and funeral when I was ten. I had nightmares for weeks, maybe even months, after that. I couldn't smell flowers for the longest time because it would remind me of my uncle lying in a casket.
The funeral and viewing that ended up staying in my mind, even to this day, the longest is my father's. It was so hard on my mom and if I had it to do over, we would not have had the viewing for two whole days and my mom would not have been left to sit up by the casket by herself while we, the children, sat in the first row of chairs ~ oldest to youngest. It was horrible watching her go through that.
So, I have planned my funeral. There won't be one. If someone wants to see me, they can come see me while I am able to laugh with them or kick them if I have the mind to do it, not while I am lying on my back with my hands folded across my chest. (Now that would be a sight.) I will allow my loved ones to see me before they turn me to ashes, but only anyone who has seen me sleeping.
I don't want a bunch of flowers. If someone wants to remember me with flowers, send a rose bush that way my family can plant it. I only want one one long stem rose, doesn't matter what color, sitting on a table. No pictures of me set up, but there can be family photos.
The best part of my funersl, I want people to bring a covered dish and have a party. They can sit around the campfire all night long and tell good stories about the crazy things that I did with my life. I hope that there is a lot of laughing involved with these. I do so love the sound of laughter.
I think that this sounds like a solid plan. It sounds a lot better than my one sister's who wants the top of her casket to be turned into a taco bar.

Sounds

I am a person of sound. I love to hear the birds singing in the trees. I love the sound of rain hitting the roof and knowing what wonderful things are happening because of this refreshing water. Or the sound of fire crackling in a fireplace or at a campfire.
I love music. I need to have music playing most of the day. It doesn't matter what kind, but I prefer the oldies and Christmas music. I am not too fond of Country, but I can listen to it if it isn't twangy.
But there are some sounds that I can do without. I think I can live the rest of my life without hearing fingernails on a chalk board. Thank goodness most of the chalk boards are a thing of the past. Now everyone is going to the wipe off board, yea!
How about the sound of a dentist drill. I don't think anyone, not even a dentist, can say, "Now that is a sound that I love!"
Then we have the snores and grinding of teeth. These can really distrub your sleep.
Glass breaking is another sound that is disturbing. Even if it isn't something that you really liked, which nine times out of ten it is, you know that you are going to have a mess to clean up. And I usually get cut on at least one piece.
But one of the worst sounds ever is on a hot summer day, reaching for your ice cold drink and the sound of an empty glass coming up through the bottom of your straw. That is one of the worst sounds in the world. Thank goodness the ice and beverages are usually close at hand. Make sure you keep hydrated on these 90+ days!

Locust

We heard our first locust on the 5th of July. There is an old wives' tale that says that this means 6 weeks until the first frost. My children who have become school teachers claim that it means 6 weeks until school starts. They are pretty close with that one.
To me it means that fall is right around the corner. It seems like we have just got our summer started and already the bugs are telling us that it is coming to an end. Don't get me wrong, I like all of the seasons and am glad that I live in a part of the United States where I can experience the different changes to the plants and vegetations not to mention the temperatures. I just wish that the locust didn't have to sing the fact every night that we are coming into cooler weather. But if we look on the side of the locust, they only have a short time to let their voices be heard so they have to let loose when they can.
So my advice to everyone is to enjoy this hot weather as much as you can. Sit out on your deck a little longer each night, enjoy an extra meal on your patio, or make sure you get in enough of the summer activities to fill those memory spots in the dead of winter. We will have enough time to sit inside and watch the nasty weather in a couple of months.

Weddings

We had a family wedding over the weekend. My sweet and handsome nephew got married to a beautiful girl, not just her outward appearance, but her personality also. They make a lovely couple.
The wedding and the reception went off without a hitch. Everyone had a wonderful time with the dancing, eating, and visiting. We don't get together often enough. Almost all of my children and their families were there. They enjoyed seeing all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins and catching up with each other.
They had one of the most unique things that I have ever seen at a wedding. Instead of having a register book, they had a photo booth. It was similar to the old fashioned ones that they had in the malls and fairs except that you got to select different ways of presenting your pictures. They came out with two strips, one was put in a scrapbook that you signed for the newlyweds and you got to keep the other one. It was a nice way for them to remember all the guests.
It is so much work for so few hours, and sometimes you wonder if it is really worth the trouble. But after seeing the glow on that couple's faces and watching the great celebration, I would have to say it was well worth the effort.

Containers

I bet I could go to any home in the United States and find at least one container that doesn't have a lid, or a lid that doesn't have a container. I think we should all gather in Hometown, USA with our containers and lids and if someone has one that matches, you flip a coin to see who goes home with the complete set.
But there are other containers that can drive me just as crazy. I have lotion, from a brand name company, that I can never get the last two ounces out of the container. They make it so it is impossible to do this task. You can pound, shake, and squeeze to your heart's content, but you will end up throwing the thing away with the last of your lotion inside. One day I got desperate enough to take one of my kitchen knives and saw the blasted thing in half. As they say on TV, "Do not attempt this at home." Not just because it is dangerous to saw a round container in two with a knife of any kind, but it also left little shavings in my lotion and I had to throw the crazy thing away anyway. So, I have come to the conclusion that I am not purchasing eight ounces of lotion, only six. It helps me keep my sanity. (I am sure that I will still try to shake, squeeze, and pound those last drops out.)

Towing a Car

Today, coming back from town while traveling down a back road, I came upon two cars, one was towing the other. It looked like the wife was in the first car and the husband in the second. Neither one looked happy with the situation.
Now if you are a woman and have never had the pleasure of towing a car, well God Bless you and make sure that you never take the opportunity to do this feat. I personally have had to do this and refuse to ever again. No matter what the woman does, it isn't right. You can drive exactly as they say and in the end that isn't what they meant at all. You just can't win.
The only exception to this was the day that my dad had my mom help him try to start the tractor. He was driving the car pulling mom on the tractor. She was suppose to try to turn it over while he was going around the block. They got back in the driveway and the tractor still hadn't started. Dad thanked her for helping and said that he would have to try something else to get it going.
Mom came in the house and pulled me to the side. She made me swear not to tell dad, but she had forgotten to try to turn the key over on the tractor while he was towing her. They had just driven around with Dad yelling back to Mom, "Anything happening?" She would yell back, "No, not yet!" They had just taken a nice trip around the block with the neighbors watching and waving. Mom never let on that it could have been any different. Dad passed away without ever knowing the truth. It has made me smile on many occasions when I have brought it to mind. The image is very vivid and I wonder how different it might have been had dad ever found out the truth.

Blocked

I haven't written on my Blog for a couple of days because my brain has been blocked on what to write about. Now anyone who would know me would think that this is very odd as I never run out of things to say. But for some reason, it is harder tring to write something that others might think worth reading.
It is complicated not to sound too sappy when writing a Blog, but you also do not want to have it too simple. If you try to make it funny, it sometimes comes out just stupid, or if you try to be serious, it can be boring. You are not suppose to put in personal details but try to make your postings timeless.
It can be hard to come up with something interesting. If it is interesting to me, will it be interesting to someone else? A fine example is this entry. . . I am sure that I will come up with something better tomorrow. Until then, let me leave you with this thought. My brain may be blocked, my thoughts can be scattered, but having you as friends, is all that really matters. Keep smiling!

Toilet Paper

Who ever invented toilet paper knew what they were doing. Why not create something that is forever going to be a neccessity by everyone? It is not something that you can reuse or recycle. It just gets flushed away and then you need more. I wish I could come up with an idea like this.
To think that shortly before I became potty trained, people were still using magazines and catalogs. Thank goodness that changed before I needed it. I had to, however, experience the out house until I was in the third grade when we updated the family home with indoor plumbing. Let me tell you that it is not fun to have to use the facilities outside when it is below zero and the freezing air zips through those holes or so hot that the smell alone could kill you.
But back to the paper issue, once again by the time I was old enough to run into the store for mom to get a package of toilet paper (trust me, in a family of fourteen you run to the store often for those items) it only cost twenty-five cents for a four pack. Then a brilliant late night host decided to come up with the toilet paper shortage and the price skyrocketed.
You can get all different kinds; two ply, quilted, extra soft, super strong, or really cheap and rough and any of them will usually get the job done. We used to be able to get them in colors, but that turned out to not be a good idea. Sometimes you can even find it in your oppossing football team's name. I personally always get a certain name brand.
You can either have it roll over the top or go down the back. I like the over the top because I feel like it is always ready. I am not sure that there is a right way or a wrong way to do this feat.
But the one thing that gets me about the whole toilet paper issue and my reason for writing about this subject is, "Why do people hate to change the rolls?" When the children were all at home, it always seemed like everytime I went to the bathroom the holder would be empty. I always blamed the boys for this for I knew my daughters would never let me down. I think I might owe my sons an apology. Now it is just my husband and myself in the home. We have two bathrooms and way too often there will only be just a sheet or two left. He doesn't dare use it all because he might be forced to change the thing. One day the culpret even had the nerve to write me a note on the roll to let me know that he had left me three sheets this time. He had to remove the roll from the holder to write on the toilet paper and the cardboard roll and then he put it back in place. Does anyone need a roommate?

Laughter

I love to laugh! I love to hear others laugh! There is nothing like the sound of real laughter. However, I do not like a fake or forced laugh.
I have a grandson who is not a year old yet and he has the biggest, funniest belly laugh that I have ever heard on a little guy before. When he laughs, people actually come over to listen to him. While looking around at the people watching him, there are smiles and more laughter. It is the sound of the future.
But the best laugh that I ever heard and rings through my mind to this day, is the laugh that came from my uncle, my mom's oldest brother. He was a giant of a man, not only his physical side but also with his personality. He passed away when I was only ten years old and I wish that I could have known him better. He loved life, his family, his country, and he laughed with his whole being. It was a deep, genuine sound that would seem to bounce off the walls. Like my grandson, when anyone would hear him, they didn't need to know what he was laughing about, they too would be compelled to join in. This is the sound of the past.
The sound of the present is anytime that I see or hear people having a good time. This past weekend is a good example. We just celebrated another year of freedom. As a nation, we have come through a couple of hard years, but the laughter, thank God, is still there. Take the time to join in and have your own bout of genuine laughter.

4th of July

What a great weekend we have had. Our fammily has a campout each year with a different couple being the camp directors. This year it was my husband and I and we did M*A*S*H for our theme. In the past we have had a variety of camps such as; Fear Factor, Old Fashioned Farmer's Days, Pirates, Logging Camp, Indian Camp, and Margaritaville.
As our grandchildren get older, we are trying to incorporate them into the competitions. This time I had them in the different games along side the adults. I finally figured out that they were getting tired when one of them said, "No more games, Grandma." But I think all in all they totally enjoyed their time here at the old homestead.
We had great food and drink and fireworks that lit up the sky last night. We enjoyed a hayride and campfires with Smores and popcorn. We had a talent show and I learned that there is not a whole lot of talent in our family but a lot of fun and laughter.
We had an airplane fly overhead and drop bags of candy. He was 5:00 Charlie. The grandkids loved that one.
The tents were beautiful at night with all the lights everyone had on display. But it was very sad to see the empty spaces when they all went home today. But we know that we will all be back to enjoy another 4th of July next year when our theme is going to be Firefighter's Freedom. I will let you know how that one turns out. Have a safe and wonderful 4th of July.

The Coin Purse

My husband likes to hold on to and use things that he is familar with. For instance, his cell phone is still one with the pull up antenna. He just keeps getting new batteries for it. Thank goodness he didn't have one of the original car phones or he would still be using it.
Speaking of cell phones, he keeps using the same cell phone holder even though it doesn't close anymore. I bought him a new one for Christmas last year, but he thought he would stay with the old one because it wasn't worn out yet.
Don't even approach him about his wallet or his socks and underwear. If they don't have a bunch of holes in them, they are still good.
But the one thing that is probably his most used possesion is his coin purse. He made it when he was in Bible School as a elementary child. It is leather, sewned together on the sides and closed with a snap that has long ago pulled through the leather but he can still fasten it with the hole and slip it around the head of the snap. He is always so careful to get into it because it looks like it will fall apart if the wind would blow just right. And you know if something would ever happen to my guy, that coin purse would be the one thing that I would want to hold on to forever.

Farming

I live in a rural area and today while traveiling down one of our back roads, there was a local family, consisting of many seperate families, bailing straw. They had taken a break for their noon meal. The wives had brought tables and lawn chairs. They had set up the lunch right there along side the road in the field. Little ones were sitting under the table to be in the shade. The whole family seem to be having a great time.
It was a very pleasant sight to see a family unit working and eating together. It brought those simple pleasures to the surface and made me think of how our fore fathers probably had similar lunches and suppers. It is refreshing to see families still working hard.
In these times, it is easy to let things like family values disappear. Thank goodness that there are still some that exist. It made me feel good and it has put a smile on my face for the whole day.

The Party Barn

Doesn't that sound like a happy place, "The Party Barn"? Oh, it is! And it is a very special place at our home.
It is where you can go as a little child and find such wonderful toys. There is a loft with an Ertol play table which is covered with animals, tractors, roads, houses, and barns. There are trains and Legos. There are even toys for little babies so they too can have a good time.
It is also where adults can go to watch college football or movies on TV. There are comfortable chairs and sofas. Or if you want to play cards or games with someone, volunteers are ready to join in.
You never have to worry about something to eat. There seems to be plenty of food and cold drinks at all times. Some of the best snacks are out in "The Party Barn".
Not far from the door is a pond for swimming, or fishing, or ice skating in the winter. There is also a campfire ring to make you feel cozy even on warm summer nights. It is great to make hot dogs and Smores there.
But the best thing about "The Party Barn" is that it brings loved ones together. There seems to be a lot of laughter going on inside and oh how I love those hugs and kisses that come with the territory.
So, if you are ever in my neighborhood and would love to stop in for some good old fashioned home cooking and fun, come right ahead. There is always room for one more.

Compliments

Have you ever given a complete stranger a compliment? I love to do this. Like the other day in church, the gentleman sitting behind me had a beautiful singing voice. At the end of the service, I turned around and complimented him on his ability. I could tell that he was very proud. We said a couple of words to each other and went on our seperate ways, probably never to speak to each other again. But he knew that someone appreciated his gift.
On another occasion I saw a woman that had clearly taken the time to get herself ready that morning and look outstanding. I went up to her and told her that she was beautiful. It took her back for a minute and then I could see that she was thankful for the compliment.
It is easy to compliment the people that you love, but not a stranger. People do things everyday to help make this world a better place, be it by something they do or something they create. Take the time to let them know that you appreciate what they have done. You will be surprised how good it will make you feel and probably them also.

Sunday

Don't you just love Sundays? Especially ones in the summer where you can sit out in the sun by the pond, or jump in the pond because it is way too hot out there. You don't have to heat your kitchen to cook meals because the grill is always ready to go and if your lucky that man of yours will do the cooking.
In the distance there is the sound of thunder because the atmosphere doesn't like all of the heat either. It is a far off storm, so it isn't interupting your quiet as of right now. Here the birds are still singing and there is a beautiful breeze blowing.
If you are lucky, some relatives or neighbors will drop in for some ice tea or lemonade. Or just enjoy that book that you haven't had the time to read.
It is good that one day a week is here for us to enjoy. It is good to be alive!

The Drive-In

As I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do with my family was to go to the drive-in. We had a great one near our home, "The Amanda", that was very affordable. We could each get in for fifty cents and could buy a jumbo tenderloin, the size of a dinner plate, for another fifty cents. The sandwich was so big that you could easily make it last for the length of both features.
The movies were always great ones with actors like John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Doris Day, John Wayne, Rock Hudson, Clint Eastwood, did I say John Wayne? (We sort of loved the John Wayne movies!) We would talk for days about the great time that we had and relive the film over and over, not to mention any new good looking actors that were introduced to us, such as Fabian, Patrick Wayne, or James Caan. I still have some of the play bills, showing the upcoming movies, that the owners would give you as you drove in.
The other night I went to the drive-in with part of my family. There are less than 800 left in the US. We are fortunate to have several in our area. It cost us four dollars for each adult, another one near us charges $12.50 per carload. This is still a great bargain for two movies. We have to supply our own sound system, as we didn't take care of the ones that were originally provided by the theaters.
Our popcorn also has gone up in price, and it was a little on the stale side. I miss the freshly popped popcorn and the smell of it that you could get from going to the drive-in.
We seem to always pick the nights when it rains, at least this is what my husband thinks. The other night, in fact, we ended up being in a thunderstorm warning. It only shook the truck a little. (We got all of our chairs and ourselves inside before the hard rain hit.)
It is more difficult to come across those memorable movies, they just don't make great Westerns anymore. In fact the majority of them I wish I hadn't bother watching. But when you are with your family, those memories are the ones that you want to keep. Such as the atmosphere that you attain in the preparation just to get there. Lawn chairs are a must and your coolers with your drinks. You don't need to count on the concession stand for snacks, you can bring what you want with you. These days I try to take fresh fruit and yogurt. (I have to keep that diet going.)
So, here we are on a Saturday night and I think we are once again off to the drive-in. I have the drinks cooling, the radio and the chairs are in the truck. I am not sure what is playing, but I know I will look forward to each minute of family time. Hopefully the rain will stay away! And as the saying goes, "See you are the movies!"

ME

No, I am not writing today about a state, but more about a state of mind. Have you ever had a conversation with someone and no matter what you are talking about the subject always ends up about them? How annoying is that? You can talk about the weather and they have to say how they were in the worst storm in history or that they were caught in the last rain shower and got soaking wet.
You can talk about politics and I am sure that they ran for something at one time and got robbed in the votes because someone had it out for them.
Try any subject that you think couldn't possibly pertain to them, and I bet somehow they did, tried it, or are an expert at it.
It is hard to carry on a conversation with these people because they know all the answers and do the majority of the talking. And as you can tell, I love to talk and it is very hard for me to keep quiet.
So if by chance you are ever talking to me and I am acting like the person I just describe, please say, "You know there is a lot of ME in YOU!"

The Fire Pit

We have a fire pit out by our pond that has changed through the years. At first it was just an old tire rim sitting on a patch of ground. That was fine until we ran into a rainy season and the legs of our lawn chairs sunk in the mud.
So a plan was hatched to pour a cement pad to support the tire rim and our chairs. We should have researched this a little before pouring the cement. The first fire we had cracked the cement, and we still needed to move our lawn chairs because we were to close to the fire. So the only thing sitting on the pad was the rim.
So on to plan B. Now keep in mind that we went several years with the not right/cracked cement pad. It also needs to be noted during this time that grandchildren were coming too close to the fire when they were walking around and we were afraid of them falling and getting hurt. So we decided to put down pavers in a circular fashion that would be large enough to support a slew of chairs. We placed a rock barrier around the rim to keep little ones safe. This worked like a charm the first year and then the mortar started coming apart from all the heat of the fire and this caused the rocks to start falling. And on top of all this, the grandchildren couldn't lay their hot dog roasting sticks on top of the jagged rocks.
So last night plan C became a reality. We went to Menard's and bought a type of landscaping brick that works well around the rim. There is enough space between the bricks and where the fire will be and there is no mortar that can crack. It is flat on top for plenty of roasting sticks. I am hoping that this will be the final plan for awhile. I like the way it looks, the colors match the pavers that we have down. But the best part of the plan is that we are officially ready for the first smores of summer.

Amusement Parks

Yesterday we spent the day at Cedar Point. I don't care which amusement park you might attend, the response is still the same, "What a great day!" You might be tired, you might be sunburnt (use that sunblock), and your feet might feel better if they fall off your legs, but the day itself was great! If you don't believe me, look at the pictures you took.
My grandchildren were wonderful. They couldn't get enough of the riding. Even my two year old granddaughter was still going strong at 10:00 P.M. and was riding those crazy cars tooting those noisy buzzers. She got off and ran around to get on again. When we finally pried her from the yellow Mustang for the last time, she waved goodbye to it until next time.
We rode boats, trains, planes, cars, and trucks. We had pictures taken with Snoopy and Charlie Brown. The adults got to walk onto and ride every single roller coaster that they desired. It was hot, but we kept our cools. We kept hydrated and made sure that they children had plenty to eat and time to sleep.
As we were leaving the park last night at almost 11:00, my two grandsons were busy talking about all the fun they had and thanking mom and dad for bringing them to the park. Before we got back to our motel, they were already talking about the trip back next year. Only 364 days to go!

Pride

I have to report today on how proud I am of my family. We are staying in Sandusky tonight so we can go to Cedar Point tomorrow. We went to eat at a resturant for supper and on our way back to the motel, a car was broken down in the one lane. Cars were zooming around it or backed up behind it and being very impatient. I was in an Explorer with my husband and one of my sons and his family. My son pulled up next to the car and asked if they needed some help. The driver reported that her battery light had come on and the car just died.
My son immediately pulled around her and into the nearest parking lot. As soon as our car stopped, my husband and son jumped from the vehicle, ran back to the broken down car, and started pushing it into the parking lot. My daughter-in-law jumped out of our car and grabbed the jumper cables.
When trying to jump their car didn't work, my son took his family and myself back to the hotel, got his twin brother and some tools, and went back to the broken down car to help my husband who had stayed there to try to figure out what was wrong.
They finally had to call a tow truck because they figured out that it was the fuel pump that had stopped working. At this point my family could have walked away and let this be the owner's problem. But they came back to the hotel and after letting my husband and his twin out, my son drove two more trips to take the family of eight to their hotel. He could only fit so many in his car at once because of the car seats that were in there.
I am proud that my family took the time to help a stranger and her family. I felt sorry for the cars that couldn't take the time to see if they could also help. Even just asking and then not doing anything about it is better than sitting there honking the horn.
Let's wake up people and help each other. Maybe someday you will be on the wrong end and be the one needing the help.

Old Wives' Tales

It has always made me wonder if when someone says the phrase "Old Wives' Tale" are they talking that the wife is old and if so, what age makes her old? Or is it the tale that is old, and in that case was it once a young tale?
Either way, have you ever just said, "Oh, that is just an old wives' tale.", and then gone a head and try out whatever it is that the tale was suppose to be? Well, I have and let me tell you that a lot of them work.
For instance, putting salt on your hands and rubbing them together like soap after you have peeled or cut up an onion. This takes away the smell (taught to me by my grandmother - yep, she was old!) Or there is always running a needle through your hair to help it go through the material easier (my mother - she is just older than me.) And the oldie but goldie, cut the bottom out of a pumpkin instead of the top when making your Jack-o-lanterns. Then all you have to do is sit the pumpkin on top of your candle and the lid never falls in on it. (Brought to you by Martha Stewart and she is old!)
But my best one is if you burn any of your fingers, squeeze them instantly on your earlobe with your thumb and the burn will transfer to your lobe and you won't get a blister. Do not wet your finger first, just stick it on your ear and squeeze. Hold it there for a few seconds. (And yes, it does work, but no old wife here - just my dad!)

My Mother's Hands

I was looking at my mother's hands as she was doing her sewing yesterday and it took me back to my grandmother's. I remember sitting with Grandma and watching her as she sewed, played cards, cooked, or held a baby and remembering the transparent skin and the veins that showed through them. I remember holding that same hand as we would cross a street and thinking that it was soft and rough at the same time. I asked Grandma about this one day and she told me that it was because she worked hard, but tried to keep them soft with lotion. She said that some parts were easier to soften than others.
Both my Grandma and Mom were never strangers to hard work and I suppose this is what caused them to have the tougher hands. But I know that neither of them would have changed the life that they had. My mom seems very content to be what she is today and let others do the cooking and heavy cleaning for a change. She, as well as Grandma, would rather hold a baby than go shopping or visit with a bunch of strangers at some kind of club.
I look at my hands and know that someday they will look the same. I have never had to work as hard as mom or grandma, for I have more modern conveniences than they would have ever thought. But like mom, I much prefer holding my grandchildren to almost anything else in the world.

Happy Little Bug

Driving at night on country roads can be a very dark experience, but it is even more so with approaching bad weather. I could see houses with their lights burning in the windows, but everywhere else it was pitch black. I was trying hard to make it home before the storm hit the area. Much to my surprise, as I turned onto my road, there to greet me in the side ditches were hundreds of lightening bugs. Now, on a regular evening in June, these unusual creatures can make me smile with their twinkling little tails, but tonight they were a beautiful beacon leading me home. I slowed down so I wouldn't hit any of them on my windshield and just enjoyed their company on my final mile of my journey. I appreciated the fact that the first ones of the year were there to greet me when I needed them most.
I am so thankful that in our ever so busy lives that there are still some things that bring wonder, like butterflies, rainbows, children, and my wonderful, lovely, fire flies.

The Mower

I am always amazed at the difference between men and women. Not just their physical difference, but their mental ones also. Turn a woman loose in a shopping mall and she can spend hours not spending a dime, but looking at everything from purses and shoes to clothes and perfume. While at the same mall there is a man sitting, waiting, and totally bored out of his mind.
Then on the other hand, take a man to a lumber yard or a hardware store and they are in seventh heaven. Just mention power tools and they start to salivate. There isn't one made that they don't need.
But if you want to make a man completely happy, put him on a mower. The bigger the better, and if you throw in zero turn, you will have a hard time getting him to get off of the thing.
So, here is my message to all the ladies. When your guy is really starting to bug you, or you are tired of cleaning around him as he sits on the sofa, look out the window and mention that the grass looks a little too long. Or better still, go to the local service station and bring him home a can of gas. He will be so happy that he won't even notice you leaving to go to that mall to buy that cute little purse that you saw last week.

The Car

I decided to take a weekend trip with my sister and her children. We didn't want to put the miles on our already over-miled cars, so we rented one. Fate seemed to be trying to step in and steer us away from doing the whole outing from the very beginning. We had to keep overcoming obstacle after obstacle, but we finalized the itinerary and looked forward to the trip. Little did we know that it was going to turn into one of the longest journeys of our lives.
We left at 11:30 and made it to Cleveland at 5:30! Why so long, you ask? Did they go shopping, or to a park, or maybe they stopped to have a nice relaxing meal? Oh,no! We had a rental car that at special times, like getting onto or while driving in a four lane interstate, would decide to go top speed of 40 miles per hour. Have you ever been traveling along and have a semi-truck practically run you over by coming up on the back of your vehicle and then quickly going around you way to close? Multiple that by hundreds and you have my driving experience. I called the rental place when we first got started and they told me to hit the reset button. That seemed to help until we hit Findlay, and then we also noticed a burning smell happening. My sister called back to the rental company and they informed us that it was the breaks sticking and they thought that it would clear up shortly. He informed us that, "It would work for us." Let me tell you that it didn't!
Now we are in Cleveland and am not looking forward to the return trip. I guess I always did want to live in a big city!

The Beauty Shop

Each Thursday morning I take my mom to a local beauty shop to get her hair fixed. Each week there is the same group of ladies there that I have come to know and love. Each one is unique in their own way and are very special. Today I started to think about this relationship that we have created. Two years ago I didn't know any of them, including my mother. I have loved my mom since birth, but never really knew her. It has been a pleasure to get to know more about her and now this group of rag tag ladies at "the shop". If I had not quit my job, or had such a hard time finding another job, I wouldn't know any of them. In two years we have lost loved ones and comforted each other, lost weight and rejoiced in the victories, shown pictures of loved ones and loved pets, show our talents in what we create and what we can accomplish. The majority of these ladies are a lot older than I, but I look forward to hearing what they have been through in the previous week or what is happening in the world around us and what we think about it all. I know that things will change some day, but I thank God for letting me have had the chance to know someone that I might not have ever looked twice at while walking down the street. Look for a new friend in any of the different opportunities that life might give to you.

Grandchildren

I took a few days off from blogging to spend time with my grandchildren. They always amaze me in what they can say and do. Sometimes their insight into life is equal to that of an adult and usually more profound.
The other day while walking out to the party barn, which seems way to far to a little person with smaller legs, my grandson asked me why we didn't "park" the party barn closer to the house? To him it seemed like it should be right outside the door instead of the 50 yards or so that it is. I tried to explain that it looked better there and that it served a greater purpose being closer to the pond. He still thought that it would have been nice to have it by the house, especially when you need to use the bathroom.
My other grandson, who got sick in the night on Saturday, had a very funny experience early Sunday morning. His mom had put a trash can beside the bed in case he had to vomit again. Around two o'clock in the morning, his mom heard him crying and ran to his bed thinking that he had gotten sick. When she got into his room, she found him stuck in the waste paper basket with his bottom down inside and his head, arms, and legs flaying around. He must have fallen out of bed and landed smack inside the trash can. He didn't even remember it the next morning.
I get to spend tonight with three more of the grandchildren. I so enjoy each and every minute that I get to be with my family. I am sure that I will have more stories to tell tomorrow. Have a great day!

The Storm

During the evening hours yesterday, my husband's fire fighter's monitor sounded an alert that there were approaching thunderstorms with a tornado watch until five o'clock in the morning. I am not a big fan of storms, especially nasty ones, so this was not thrilling news for me. My son's family is visiting for the weekend and I did not want to keep them up all night, but I wanted to be able to move them to safety if the need arose. So, I decided to stay awake until the crisis was over. At twelve thirty, the house was up, not for the storms, but because my three year old grandson got sick. After changing the bedding and getting everyone settled again, a huge storm came through. I was on the brink of getting the household back up when things seemed to calm down. I was just getting ready to head to bed, thinking the world was safe, when the monitor went off once more. I figured this was just an all clear signal, when to my amazement it stated that the alert was now until nine in the morning. My all night vigil seemed to be a never ending task. But thankfully, around four the radar started to clear and I felt like I could get some sleep. My deep slumber ended abrubtly when my other grandson, the one with the automatic clock set in his head, was up and ready to roll at seven. So I have just one question this morning, "Is it nap time yet?"