Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Degree!
A week ago last Sunday my brother Gene and Jeanie came to have dinner with us.
Gene was not feeling well and laid down on the floor which is his habit when he is ill. Brandy however was taking this as an invitation to play. Ill or not he grabbed her up for a little roughhousing before he went to sleep.
Jeanie, Jay, and I spent this time visiting as Gene rested. The music channel had something that Jeanie could get into and she did a little dance to it.
I received a call yesterday saying that Gene was in the hospital with fluid in the lungs. He was to stay over night so they could try to drain some of it out. I’ll call today to see how he is doing. I guess he really was getting ill. It is hard when you get our age to determine the degree of seriousness until you right down on your back.
An update:
Looks like brother gene will be in the hospital for at least three days so I’m planning on getting over to see him tomorrow afternoon or evening for a while.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Work?
This morning it quite snowing so Jay went out before noon to plow the driveway.
It was starting to warm up a little so I gathered the garbage, recyclables, and newspapers to go down to the street for Tuesday pickup. Sweet hubby has plowed a spot at the end of the driveway near the road for me to put the containers. Now in weather like this I don’t pull them down to the street. I start with newspapers, the recyclable container, and tied magazine in the bed of the pickup. Then I lower the tailgate and using bungee cords I attach the garbage cart to the back of the truck. Aha all items get down to the road and I don’t have a heart attack doing it.
But back to the plowing....
Look at Jay’s face ---He is having just too much fun to call this work!!!
Quiet Sunday
A phone call yesterday morning from middle son Les asking what our weather was prompted me to dig out this picture from five days ago to show you. A lot of ice not only making walking with Brandy outside difficult but driving was questionable also. We decided that the visit that was planned could wait a week or so until conditions were a little better. Les sounded disappointed and was apologizing for not coming up. I told him not to feel bad I needed him in one piece not in an accident--that it was not a problem to delay the visit.
So we spent a quiet Sunday crocheting and staring at TV. But more importantly we didn’t have to worry that part of our family was unsafe!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Second Happy Day!
Wes , Wife Deb, Jasmine, and Dakota came today with a delicious cake and gifts in hand to celebrate yet another birthday day.
Dakota gave Brandy a run for her money.
While Jasmine pick out and packed clown outfits for a high school production.
We had Pizza, birthday cake and ice cream for lunch. My presents were a tin of Royal Dansk Chocolate Wafers, a miniature rose plant, and a plaque.
But the thing that really caught my eye was the plaque.
This will be placed on the table near the Golden Years Suck Pillow and will remind me to smile every time I see it.
Thank you oldest son’s family for a great chat and the lovely gifts!
Friday, February 23, 2007
A Happy Day!
Indeed it was a Happy Birthday. A serenade by phone all the way from Long Island, NY plus the following gift.
A CD and DVD from the Eagles Farewell Tour from Melbourne. Also the CD and DVD of The Who Live At Lyon. Their first new studio album in in 24 years! Ah sweet music while ring out around here. Thank you Dar and Mike.
From my sweet husband the following.
Three books by Debbie Stoller with the title that as he said caught his eye! They were just the thing he said! Yep they are the STITCH ‘N BITCH series consisting of The Knitter’s Handbook, The Happy Hooker (crochet), and the S ‘n B Nation. All beautifully illustrated with stories and patterns of items to make. The granddaughters will love some of the items to come out of them.
I received calls from all three of my children with a promise of a visit from the oldest and family on Saturday and the middle one on Sunday. Cindy was up last Sunday as you know from the blog entry. I also received three e-cards from my dear friend Pammie and a landline from my brother.
We spent part of the morning at Dr. Ross’ office receiving good news on the progress of Jay’s eyesight. We then went to Oliver T’s in search of more delicious cookies like the ones in the doll basket I won. I found a little tin of them but the large tins are a Holiday item. But I sure don’t need a lot of them any way with my ample figure. (that means fat to you skinny guys)! Our next stop was Bed, Bath, and Beyond for a new Food Saver because after several years and lots of use our old one decided it had served us well enough. Finally lunch at Arlene’s Diner then home.
After accomplishing all that starting with getting up at 6 am to do it a little siesta was in order so we snooze for a couple of hours before thinking about supper. A paczki took the place of birthday cake and Jay put on Schwan’s St. Louis Ribs so we feasted! All in all a full and happy day!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Smile!
The road has had some lonely times
The hills presented a difficult climb
But the joys I’ve lived, love I’ve felt
Are the hand that life for me has dealt.
The mistakes I’ve made were tragic then
But I learned so much, made great friends.
The aches and pains that come with age
Are a part of turning another page.
When I awake to another dawning.
Stretching, standing, lots of yawning.
I have to marvel I made it this long.
That I’m still singing life’s happy song!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Brown Truck
Oh the big brown truck just came up the driveway and Brandy and I are waiting at the door. A package with my name on it. Gotta open the box to see what it is. Two gifts wrapped in green paper and ribbon. Oh oh the card says Happy Birthday so that means I can’t open it until tomorrow. But I can say thank you Dar and Michael anyway. I can’t hardly wait!!!!!
What’s The Word?
Let me start by saying I am no Domestic Goddess!
As I set up the ironing board this morning I felt the senility creeping over my brain. I don’t iron. If I have, it has been about a dozen times in the last 35 years with the exception of when I sew costumes. Yep in my household if it ain’t wash and wear it don’t get bought. I don’t care how lovely it is or how inexpensive, the thrill is gone the minute I read the label and it says press with a warm iron.
Now I apply heat to clothes with a dryer, to dishes with the dish washer, and to my body with the thermostat but I don’t iron. For years I have said the hardest part of ironing was setting up the board so I didn’t! Oh sometimes the hubby or the kids left the house looking like they had slept in a cement mixer but by the end of the day they looked that way anyway. I figure people would look at them for the first half of the day and say what a piss poor wife/mother they have. But in the second half of the day they looked like everybody else.
But things have changed here lately. The old ironing board has been up two times in the last ten days to iron a tablecloth and some shirts. Now the shirts were gifts from the sons and I used to hide them in the back of the closet where hubby couldn’t see them. But the need for shirts that open in the front started with dialysis and the hiding had to stop.
Now I admit I was a little ashamed to send him off to treatment in a rumpled shirt so I conceded the point and finally hauled out the iron. As I stood there staring at my task I had to recall do I iron the yoke first ( is that what you call the area across the shoulders in back)? Or do I do the sleeves first! I know I iron the plackets before the body and then the rest of the garment. I thought this was like riding a bike --you didn’t forget.
Oh well the deed is done but I am still sitting with furrowed brow trying to remember the word for the back of the shirt across the shoulders!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Ready To Step Out!
While Cindy and David were here yesterday I requested some one to try to take a decent picture of me for my upcoming birthday. This is not an easy task my friend for my face looks like a river bed that has long been dried up. Pesky little age spots are popping up like oil spots on a driveway and my skin is fitting like a Shar Pei at the kennel club! My dear hubby, ever helpful, suggested a fine fix. “ Try a bag over your head ,” he said grinning. What an excellent idea I thought. It would give me that smooth, suntan look I dearly love. Yes I’ll do it!
David got me a paper grocery bag with handles so I could hold onto my head in case it swelled up with pride and a marker pen to draw my lovely smile, gorgeous eyes, and perky little nose. 
I was truly a lovely woman. Just so proud of my fabulous looks.
At this point Cindy decided that if I wanted to step out in my new head she wanted to go too.
So there we stood in our beautiful heads getting our picture taken and I like an idiot am smiling inside that paper bag like it really made a difference!!!!
Ah Hah!
On February seventh I reported a game of cat and mouse to you with a sad ending. But that has changed my friends as of yesterday the little red mouse and the little gray mouse raised their paws in victory! And even a little surprise!!!
Yes!!! My darling daughter(the red mouse) helped me ( the gray mouse) to soundly trounce the tails of those sneaky cats!
Despite the fact that they tried to look evil we knew we had squash the meow out of them this time. This old gray mouse was please as punch with her early birthday surprise!!!!