Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Please
Man, I can’t seem to crawl out of the rut I’m in!! I want to write, but nothing will settle long enough to be put down!! It will soon be the Fourth Of July and I see nothing to celebrate. The paper says they are recalling people to be sent back overseas. I’m still reading of people being killed over there. Please tell me something good!
Saturday, June 26, 2004
More Craw Cleaning Coming Soon!
One of the last two flower beds are clean and about a quarter of the last one is cleared. The Sam’s Club shopping is done, the truck, after checking the last receipt showed the oil change wasn’t due yet. So we confirmed this with the Dealership and worked the magic to get the oil change light to go out.
Today we went to my eldest’s and went to dinner with them. I must confess I couldn’t take kneeling to finish the flower bed today. I still have one more week to get it done.
This last week I broke down and ordered a new vinyl blind for the bay window. The one that was there when we moved in was of an undetermined age. A couple of months ago one of the cords that control raising it decided to wear out and let go. I went for awhile just adjusting the slats and not trying to raise it. Then this last week the other cord on the other side gave up the ghost. I realize that the window faces the backyard and isn’t seen from the street, but dammit I could see it and it looked like I didn’t give a rat’s ass how dilapidated it looked. So a new one is on order and should be here soon.
I’ve find myself getting extremely upset over the war, the killing, and the seemingly useless path this country is following to impose our way of life on others. The other thing bothering me is this plea bargaining that seems to be the only way to settle things anymore. I’m going to have to address both these subjects in the near future to try to settle my ulcer down. So bear with me because it is coming!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Been Gettin’ Dirty
The 20th marked a visit from the Evil One and Family, with kind of a lazy day for three people and a fun time for Courtney and I. We had the lawn tractor out mowing (Court was the driver) and I was weed wacking the inclines too steep to drive on. By the end of the afternoon we had worn out both Momma and the John Deere.
Monday brought out old muddy bottom, but with the new kneeling bench and weed hog I managed to clean up two flower beds leaving just two more to go. Kneeling was greatly improved; no stones or picker bushes to contend with. The weed hog made loosening the soil and removing the weeds and grass much easier and I dumped three bushel baskets of them out behind the shed.
Today I did nothing, but recover from the last two days. The shoulder was being a pain, but you can’t say I didn’t exercise it. I have the rest of this week and next week to finish the last two flower beds, finish the rest of the mowing hopefully with the tractor, if it is running, or the lawn mower, do the Sam’s Club shopping, and get the truck in for an oil change.
The first of July starts another round of Doctor visits. So the schedule that I have for the last of June is a must do. But generally we are both feeling better or, as we say, we are in good shape for the shape we are in! Seeing it is now the second day of summer our attitude should be much improved also.
Stop by when you can!!
Friday, June 18, 2004
Old Muddy Bottom
Just call me ‘old muddy bottom’ because that is my new name.
Kneeling on stones, sitting in dirt that’s how I got my fame.
I got seven little flower beds filled with grass and weeds,
To try to clean out all of them has brought me to my knees.
When I was young and robust with energy to spare.
It wouldn’t take any time and the beds would all be bare.
But age has now crept up on me to take me down for the count.
But stubborness and pride makes me choose another route.
A Weed Hog and a kneeling bench my sweet hubby bought for me,
Will make my job much easier and less pain is what I’ll see.
And when that last bed is cleared and neat, ready for the rain,
I’ll make my trek back to the first and do it all again!
A Verse For Your Dad
June 20th being Father’s Day made me think of a needlepoint my daughter had got her Daddy some years ago. It has hung in two of our homes. I want to share it with you.
What Makes A Dad?
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
Ha knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it-- Dad
unknown
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Stress Test
A call from the Doctor yesterday told me the stress test was good. Now I’m not quite sure if that means that I was stressed enough to permit a good read out and pictures or that my blood is still flowing to where it is supposed to flow! But good is a good thing in any context so I’m going to settle for that. 
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
We Are Jammin’
Sunday the first batch of Apriocot Jam was nine cups. This morning we started in again and the results were 10 cups of Apricot jam and nine cups of Nectarine Jam. We of course being the hubby and I.
So now our beautiful haircutter will have her Strawberry-Rhubarb and daughter-in-law Deb will have her Apricot. Now I have to log off and scrape the kitchen floor clean!! That ends the jammin’ session until the berries come in!!! 
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Another Day--No Dollars
Eleven jars of Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam now sit on my kitchen counter canned last night by me (believe it or not). Yes Miss Non-Domesticated me actually set about to create a tasty treat to spread on anything you feel like spreading it on--and I do mean anything. My only problem now is it isn’t setting up very quickly and as a sauce it may run all over the sheets(oops I mean bread!!) 
The sun is shining today. The thermometer that hangs in the corner of my little slab of a porch reads 78 and climbing. It is a go out and read in the swing day.
Another reason for the feeling of well being is that the MRI test showed no tear of the Rotar Cuff just Arthritis and lots of it in my right shoulder. To me that is very good news. The Dr. suggested physical therapy and when I ask to try exercises at home he suggested exercises from the internet. So hubby, the helpful, caring man that he is, searched the internet for me. The first exercise he found said to cure the condition to take a gallon paint can, empty the paint, fill it with lead. next take the paint can in the hand of the affected shoulder and start to swing it in a pendulum motion. With each swing try to bring the can a little higher in the arc. When the can mkes a complete circle and you hear a crack you will feel the painful tension release as your arm hit the sidewalk! Needless to say we check further for other options!
I took a Stress Test last Friday morning and the treadmill damn near killed me. It was set up in a large semi-trailer beside the Dr.’s office and I swear I moved the trailer a foot and a half forward with all the foot pounding I was doing. That was some serious sweating and gasping for breath I’ll tell you. I’ll hear the results of that in a couple of days. Until then I’ll continue to skip on my merry way--fat, dumb, and happy-- the only way to be!!
Well the Hubby has just sat down to start pitting and chopping apricots for the second batch of jam to be made in the Axsom domain this week. This is his project so I’m on my way to the swing.
I’ve finished reading ‘DaVinci Code’ by Dan Brown and ‘The Night Belongs To Me” by Mary Higgins Clark and enjoyed both immensley. So it will be ‘Blow Fly’ by Patricia Cornwell and “Deep Woods’ repellent that will accompany me to the swing.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Two Fs
This has been a very heavy couple of weeks in Momma’s Corner. The attitude has been in the cellar long enough. ( oh great now my fingers are growing short again and I’m spelling that-- thay)
So to continue with a little fact and alot of fantasy!!!
This is the fact: I had a dream the other night that I was hired to work in a resturant. I have no recollection of my age but I did some amazing things to improve business. But no matter how hard I tried no one would take me seriously. Then I happened to look in a mirror and found I hadn’t put my teeth in when I started working!!
Now the fantasy:
1. I always fantasizied that I would answer my door someday and someone who looked Sam Elliot would take my hand, smile, and lead me to the most beautiful black Harley ever built. He would help me on and we would ride off into the sunset. Yeah --right--can’t you see it? White haired-244 pound-broad overhanging both sides of the buddy seat. 
2. Another dream was riding in a sleeper cab, going on a run. Coffee in the thermos, breakfast in Ohio, supper in North Carolina, and brunch in Florida. No ties just freedom to travel the country. Then reality set in--who would want to travel with a bossy old bitch for more than 100 miles.
3. Another wish was to have a motorhome or a fifth-wheel with everything self-contained. In Michigan I would have a piece of property with septic field, electricity, and water on it. I would take my home on wheels and travel anywhere I pleased, stopping for as long as I wanted along the way, and heading home to my place in Michigan when I got tired. Who am I trying to fool --I’m tired all the time 
4. As a teenager I was tall, a little on the heavy side, with brown hair and eyes. I could cause guys to step off the sidewalk into the street or almost run into light pole. I always wanted to be that way, to continue to please and be pleased by the men I would choose. But alas ‘twas not to be! 
Now all these things would have to be based on remaining 25 the rest of my life and being a hell of alot richer than what I am because as I learned some time ago “The Golden Years Do Suck” my friend! 
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
The Rest Is Earned
In the last few day two people who played a role in our lives, even though on the edge, have passed away.
First was a step nephew in Florida. I have not seen Danny since right after my brother, his step-father, was killed in an accident in 1978. My nephew Robert was a half brother to Danny, but after Robert’s mother died we lost track of Danny.
Yesterday my sister-in-law from my first marriage passed away. I have known her for at least 41 years. A woman who never said a mean thing about anyone in all those years. She was always a little scattered, but you couldn’t help but love her. These last few years, as her health started to fail, we didn’t see much of her. A thing I’m going to regret for a very long time.
Sometimes we lose track of people who have come into our lives and spent time with us when a death or a marriage turns our path in a different direction. Tonight there is an empty spot in my heart, but there is also guilt. Guilt because I got too busy living to remember family from the early years.
Rest easy you two—the struggles are over and you both have earned it.