Now how great is that?

Christmas is coming and so is company---family to be exact. Now how great is that? This year has been a special family year for me----Spent summer time w/NJ grand/great grand children---visited every Braums/Sonic in town---and enjoyed lots of laughing, smiles---thanks Ms Phia and Master Ori  ( and of course LJ and Danny who made it all possible). Then a sweet niece and her delightful hubby visited this Fall. Now how great is that? Thanksgiving company from MN was wonderful----much too short but wonderful-Now how great is that? And now am expecting a wonderful Christmas visit from more family----YEA!!!!!! Now how great is that? Calls, visits, get togethers---just makes life special. Now how great is that?

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch-----better yet--come for a visit. Anytime!!!

Love, Mom

The Stockings were Hung...

...by the chimney w/care---for if Kat had not have made and sent them---there would be no stockings there. These are work of art stockings---one for each of the house animals---Woof! Thanks Kat!

Stay healthy, safe and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Sun's Up---Ma is "Well"

I'M WELL or should I say better---anyway as you can see above I am better than a "well."

Temp was 14 degrees upon rising. I'm out and feeling better....life is good. Went to Mass and  volunteered at rectory this AM.

Lots of time spent playing w/the "'Bobs"---they run in from the cold weather and look like they are wearing fluffy parkas. Run all over the place chasing each other and are real entertaining.

Stay healthy, safe, and stay in touch.

Love,
Mom

Cough, Sniffle, Blah...

Taking a BLOG break.

Catch ya later---in the meantime, stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

More Cleaning...

Another brisk morning, somewhat overcast and possibly expecting some moisture--rain/snow before the week is out. Mass this AM, ran an errand, home to eat, then off to St. Pat's to cover a Holy Hour, volunteer at rectory and back home to clean out more cabinets. Got only one cabinet cleaned out yesterday. Plan to get the rest of the cabinets done, then dig into the drawers and shelves.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Cool, Crisp, Sunny, Cleaning Day (CCSCD)...

Nothing like waking up to a CCSCD. Really invigorating. Mass this AM then home to do laundry, and putz.  Hoping to clean out hall/bathroom cabinets. Lots of discarding in order.

Stay healthy, safe, and in touch. (Thanks to all who sent recent grand/great grandchildren pics to me---luv having the Internet----Cute kids!)

Love, Mom

Constant Search

Planning Mass this AM, quick run to grab some groceries, then home to await out of town company/family to arrive. Looking forward to spending the week w/family. Spent a real eventful week and ended it yesterday w/Mass, breakfast w/friends, volunteering at rectory, noon movie (J. Edgar), early dinner w/friends, played w/the "boys" and in bed by 9:00pm.

Really cold/windy yesterday--some gusts up to 50 MPH. Loving not having the constant yard work but am searching for a time filler for the winter. Joined a couple of  groups for lunch/learn meetings and might look into a book club. Just don't want a constant commitment.

Hope your weekend is great. Stay healthy, safe and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Classes completed---all survived

Driver safety class went well. Breaking class down to four hours a day was great--w/one hour + of heating pad in the evening. Long periods of sitting is not my thing. Noticing the cooler weather is not serving my back muscles very well. Went to a noon/one hour back class presented by a Physical Medicine MD on Wed.---more sitting. Have made an appt. to see her for a maintenance back program plan (PT referral, do's and don't's, good back mechanics, etc.) 

Twenty-one degrees this AM. Went to Mass and volunteered at rectory until 12:30pm. Plan to pick up the house, read, and sit by the fireplace this evening w/the heating pad and the 3 Dogmingos.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Ta Da

Off to Mass, volunteer at rectory this AM, finish up driver safety class this PM. That is my day.

Hope your day is a healthy/safe one and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Snickers and Wiffle Balls

Snickers: Laughing (verb) not candy (noun). Know there will be snickers when I tell you I am taking a Safe Driver Course today and tomorrow. Wondering if they will have a driver verbal appropriateness section. Some are thinking---it's about time..some are saying it is too late---but I am reaping an auto insurance discount for completing the class. It is an 8 hour course but am breaking it down into 2, 4 hr days. Eight hours is too long to sit.  

Wiffle ball: Carpenter/handyman came yesterday evening to unclog the downspout. After much tapping and water---It finally opened up to expel a large gush of water, leaves and a wiffle ball---Hmmmm. Have an idea how the wiffle ball ended up in the downspout (see below).The wiffle ball was really brittle---had been up there a long time.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Face Time Fun

Had some Face Time w/VA grandchildren last night. Great fun!!! Loved the trumpet concert and dolphin movie review--thanks R. and M.

Have almost all the vines cut down on the east fence---plan to finish up today when it warms it up. (24 degrees when I woke up this AM---Brrrr.) Mass this AM, home to putz, play w/the "boys", spend some time w/Allie this afternoon. Have not turned on the furnace yet but spend great fireplace time each evening.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Sun's Out, Ma's In/Out

The rain gutter cleanout was a real trip---1 step forward, 2 steps backwards. Another of my certifiable clusters---no need for further discourse. Just call it done for another day. The sun is out--the temp is in the 40's, perfect for cutting down the clematis/silver lace vines on the east fence, cleaning some windows, and finishing up the house chores.

Mass this AM, volunteered at rectory, doing more filing, shredding, staying busy, etc.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Putzn' Kinda Day

 Rained  most of yesterday w/lots of thunder and lightening. Realized I had not cleaned out the gutters and watched the rain pour off the roof and not down the down spouts. Usually make a list (in fact, make lots of lists and left that one off the list). Have the ladder on the back patio and will give it a go today.

Tried a new thing yesterday. Perfect day to read. Left the "boys" upstairs and went to family room, kicked back in the recliner, heating pad on back, and read. Lots of whining, pitiful crying, and very versatile noises coming from upstairs. Spencer made a couple of runs down the stairs (the tags on his collar are noisy). Spent a whole hour and a half by myself w/o dogs all over my lap.  They hover---I am their food/petting/and total attention source.

Mass yesterday, ran errands, and home to eat breakfast by 11:30am. Off to Mass this AM, volunteer at rectory, do some laundry, pick up the house, clean out gutters, and putz.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Maybe rain, maybe a little snow...who knows!?

Have looked at the 3 day, hourly  forecast and it looks like we are in for quite a mix of weather. We'll see.

Took advantage of yesterday's great weather. Cleaned out the storage garage, swept, rearranged, threw away, etc. Worked in the back field, tossed all the dead limbs, raked up debris by the back fence, and carried it all to the deer blind section. Amazing how the debris ammends into the soil and the pile/blind becomes smaller.

Plan to go to Mass this AM, volunteer at rectory, run some errands, finish the laundry, possibly read, and  watch TV this evening.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Putz Queen

Quiet weekend---Mass, visited w/family, read, napped, lit the fireplace for the first time...nice.

Neighbor helped me cut/saw down a maverick limb/branch/trunk from the birch tree on the east side pathway. (Thanks, Jim).

Mass this AM, ran errands, then putzed most of the afternoon doing house work, laundry, and lots of nothing special. Planning on annual chili fest at the Rico household this evening.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Getting ready for settling inside...

Cooler mornings. Sunny and no breeze----nice. Mass this AM, volunteered at the rectory, lunch w/a friend, took all of the patio/deck cushions, tables, and ottoman's to basement and off to an afternoon movie. On the go most of the week. Last lawn care treatment done today. Starting w/a new lawn company---thinking this will be a major improvement.

Plan a quiet weekend. Might clean out some more flower beds---getting them ready for more leaves. Know where I can get a great leaf deal---bagged, delivered the whole schlemiel...

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Another Day at Ma's

Overnight company in from out of town. Ate a nice meal last night at Cheddars and visited most of evening.

Woke up to windy, cooler temps, and cloudy skies this AM. Mass then breakfast at Copper Oven w/company and back home to do more visiting. Thinking of doing some reading and possibly taking a nap later this afternoon after company leaves.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Luvin' the Fall

Worked out in the yard/garage most of yesterday. No wind, nice temps---perfect to get a lot done.

Off to Mass this AM, run lots of errands, meet a friend for lunch, come home and do more outside. Looks like another day perfect day to get things done outside before the cold weather arrives. Trees are turning their beautiful autumn colors. Wasn't sure that would happen after all the heat this summer.

Stay healthy, safe , and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

and there I was minding my own business when...

So, I have finished all my little volunteer projects yesterday---headed back home on I-235 and heard a windshield ping. (Just a rock---no one shooting at me for speeding or following too close). Spent the rest of the day coordinating/completing repair of windshield.

Hoping it will warm up enough (currently 38 degrees) to complete some outdoor stuff.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Another Yesterday at Ma's

Yesterday:

• Posted a donation to Maddie and Ryan for the 10/22/2011 Leukemia/Lymphoma night walk. (Hope more of us respond to the donation request---I remember how the units of blood restored Pop's energy level.)
• Volunteered at St. Pat's a short while in the AM.
• Volunteered at SLC in PM (folded 100+ cloth napkins, wiped water spots off from 100+ 6.5 oz. wine glasses). Will return on Friday to help set up for another banquet. 
• Took all paper/mail/magazines, etc. to recycle bins at Leekers.
• Went to downtown post office, picked up mail, and delivered it to an office for another volunteer project. 
• Arranged for last lawn/weed spray of the year. 
•  Baked a great fresh (Fuji, orchard/apples---thanks Vicki and Joe) pie. Yummm!!! Not sharing---don't even ask. 
• Watched recorded TV programs in the evening. 
• Read and went to bed. 

Now, the reason for sharing all of this w/you----It's time for another contest!!!!! I am wearing my Pedometer (again) and logged lots of steps. Guessing how many steps can get you a week's stay w/room and board at Ma's Place. In fact, anyone who just guesses might win. The contest rules are real loose and flexible----my house---my rules. Think about it.

Have had no Masses this week due to the Priest's required annual retreat w/our Bishop. Have really missed going to daily Mass.

Okay that was my day---please stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

PUTZ

The word for today is PUTZ.
I shall put down my cup, sign off for today and go about my putzing. Nice!

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

IT

Guess I layed out today's planned "activities" a day ahead of time. Will add Fall is in the air---Woke up to 41 degrees. Sooooo---will bless you and call this IT.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Spending time

Mass this AM, ran a couple of errands, catching up on paperwork, housework----too cool/cloudy to get too excited about being outdoors today. Adding manuals (patio table/chair winter covers and chain saw operation) to my computer manual folder(s). So easy to have it at hand than search/store manuals. Just doing a lot of ---do I really need to do all this stuff??? Busy, busy, busy work. Call it a time filler(s).

Have a busy day planned tomorrow----volunteering at the rectory then off to SLC to set up for a 100 person/dinner. Speaking of the SLC---the Sat. AM SLC meeting was interesting. Mass will be celebrated  for our family on Wed. at SLC.

How about this for a place to be?---someone hiked there this weekend. (Thanks for the pic).

 Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Keeping Ma busy

Mass this AM, running errands, catching up on housework (sweeping, dusting, laundry), etc. Expecting  the sprinkler company to come this PM to winterize the sprinkler system.

Signed up for a "Cappuccino and Catholicism" meeting from 9 to Noon  tomorrow at SLC. Sounds interesting in fact both sound appealing to me. Will go to Mass at 8:00am out East then head back to the SLC for the meeting.  Also, plan to volunteer on the 18th to set up for a Priests banquet.  (Sm. section pic. of the SLC dining room)

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Moving about, Cracked teeth and Reading...

Cracked a tooth yesterday while eating cereal---just bit down wrong---tooth still intact---just a little jagged looking around the edges---one of the lateral incisors. Thank heavens, my dentist can see me this afternoon.

Have been doing an October volunteer project which requires daily trips downtown, then across town to complete the task. Volunteered at rectory yesterday AM after Mass. Trying to vary activities to get my back/knees working better. Love the cool weather but think it really stirs up tightness in my joints--Make note to self: Keep moving, must keep moving...

Am doing some reading, (thanks, Linda (& Vince Flynn)---too much reading), visiting some book stores and library to get my winter reading list/stash. Now taking allergy injections and have to stay in the MD office for 20 minutes following each inj.----more reading.

Stay healthy, safe. and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Something new in the area

RAIN!!!! It has been raining most of the weekend. That is worth celebrating----nice, gentle, showers...

Quiet weekend---Mass yesterday, nice visit w/grandchildren on their way to FL. Mass this AM, visited w/friend from Augusta and kids from VC. Am now in my pjs----plan to head off to family room (w/the Dogmingos), read the rest of the Sunday paper/book/magazines, watch some TV, and take advantage of some heating pad to the back time.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Ma's Blah

(Took this Kale pic  yesterday evening--a MN volunteer --thanks Kat) 

Busy day yesterday---another one today (Mass, Holy Hour, errands this AM, exterminator coming in PM). Tomorrow will plan to pick up some top soil and spread it around on some low spots in flower garden/yard. Have had ongoing projects to get ready for winter, e.g. seasonal furnace check, exterminator coming this afternoon to spray outside around the house for spiders/bugs and set sticky traps around inside, running sprinkler every day as well as usual cycles to prepare for winter "shut down."

Really like having the yearly maintenance plans---can keep ahead of things,  saves money plus if anything goes wrong you are priority---of course, always thought I was but now it is paying off---or am I paying off? Hmmm. Only one I haven't heard from is the "yard man" who applies fertilizer, herbicide, etc 4 times/year. Plan to look into getting another "yard man"---when asked about a certain weed(s) this summer he replied---"don't know what they are--they are a pest--probably just need to pull them." That I have--lots of work--probably not a good answer on his part. Have already had someone out for an estimate--so the last yard treatment will be the current "yard man's" last---hopefully, it will allow him some idle time to read up on weeds and customer response techniques. It will also allow me time to learn more tolerance (maybe)---it has been a lifetime in the working---probably need more than a season.

Stay safe, healthy, and keep in touch. (Loved visiting w/out of town grandkids/great grand kids last night--thanks.)

Love, Mom

Catching Up...(Yawn)

Catch up time:

• Cooler weather has been great.
• Caught another mole--Buster is a great "moler"--saw the fresh tunnel while edging the grass on Sat.--put the water hose into the tunnel--went to get the spade---and before I could get back Buster had his nose buried in the tunnel and came up w/a squealing mole. Had to chase Buster around the yard to get him to relinquish his catch--then the neck wrench/spade toss into the woods (the mole--not Buster).
• Tree trunk has been drilled out and treated properly w/herbicide. Thanks to some great neighbors. 
• Getting flower pots emptied, cleaned and ready for winter storage.
• Bird bath up---waiting to fill it w/water until the next good rain so it will settle in the hard soil. (Thanks, Keith)
• All the mulched leaves have been spread and just waiting for another load to be delivered (Thanks, in advance Keith)
• Shrubs that were moved and others that were pruned are doing well.
•  Off to Mass this AM, run an errand, and volunteer for a couple of hours this PM at SLC.

Enough catching up...Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

I'm Back...

...and almost like new---maybe. My back is on the mend ---moving better, thanks to my trusty heating pad and some restroration of common sense---maybe.

Off to Mass this AM. (Mass being said for our family this AM--thanks Vicki). Volunteering most of day at rectory/school. Add some grocery shopping, doing some house chores and just a tad more of that heating pad---should make the day/weekend perfect.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Pay Backs

Found out the weekend adventure w/the tree roots is getting back at me. Really stoved up throughout the day yesterday----all muscular. A good night's rest plus resolve to put the roots/tools to rest (as well as my back) and I am as good as new (maybe a slight exaggeration).  Feel better the more I get around this AM. It's a new day!

Off to Mass, volunteer at rectory in AM/school in PM.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Tree Roots--No!!!!!

(Kat---if you can find this guy send him down---I have some tree work for him to do)

Dug, trenched, hacked, and poisoned tree roots (all weekend) that were entering my yard (from the neighbors's yard) thanks to a tree that had been cut down over a year ago. The trunk had been grinded out but not killed and chips were never removed----therefore it lives (or hopefully, lived). Sending off live roots as big around as my thigh. Project still in the works---you can lift up the loose Bermuda and see the net work of "rootlings" attached and coming from the chips. Just want to keep my sprinkler system and house foundation intact.

Lots of laundry done following above project---Ironic, had allergy testing done yesterday and found one of the things I am allergic to is trees----among other things. Go figure! "Boys" are safe----no allergies to dogs.

Off to Mass, volunteer at rectory/school then home to do more tree/root/destruction work.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Blog Break

(2011 Lantanas, volunteer marigolds)

Planning to catch up on outdoor stuff this weekend so Fall/Winter can settle in w/Ma quietly (rare) enjoying and not planning. We'll see. If I was a gambler---I would not make book on that one---Ma and quiet do not go together.

Mass yesterday, attended a Holy Hour for a friend, and volunteered most of afternoon at rectory. Nice.

Mass this AM, run some errands, and do the the "catch up" thing. The weather is so beautiful---difficult to stay indoors. Gee, forgot-----still have that @#&(*^&(&)*^% mole to catch.

Have a great weekend, stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Moles and Birdbaths

Another cool temp day (61 degrees)---Nice! (The Sonny Day arbor---tying up some of the vines today, using the smooth side out technique so you can see the plaque.)

Worked on transplanting some flowers yesterday and trying to flood out that mole---who now----from the looks of the tunnel work in my flower beds is one energetic rodent. The "boys" show no interest in the mole pursuit until I uncoil the hose and grab the shovel. Why can't they just put their paws to work and dig on their own----why do they need use of my tools to catch moles??? Think it is a team effort??? We'll see.

Handyman showed up in new pair of Polo leather tennis shoes and dressed for supper. The bird bath is still where it was---leaning against the fence, (more lop-sided than ever). Must make a note to self---Will need to remind him that his retainer dinner was eaten and he still has a job to complete.

Off to Mass this AM, pick up some groceries, and hopefully, work in the yard the rest of the day.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Luving this Weather

Feel a song coming on----"Did nuttin' yesterday---just nuttin' yesterday... and am not ashamed to admit it." Have you ever had a whole day of putzing? Could not do it every day but yesterday it just seemed like the perfect thing to do. Felt real close to where's Waldo? Was here, there, and everywhere. Most exciting of all----went to an out of the way bookstore, chatted w/the owner and clerk, naturally, bought several books----have wanted to do that for ever (putz all day)---just did it. Plan to officially name 09/20/2011, as  "Ma's Nuttin Day."

Mass this AM, volunteer at the rectory, run some errands, then yard work the rest of the day. Got a mulched leave delivery yesterday afternoon (thanks Keith) and will begin spreading them in the flower beds. Perfect timing w/Fall on its way. Found the ground is really hard and cannot get anything past 6" down---wanting to move the birdbath, pulled it up and now cannot get it back into the ground---good move---Huh? My carpenter/handyman, who  is on a perpetual retainer----has an auger/like bit that fits onto a drill. He will be here this evening to secure the birdbath back into the ground/put my new pole chain saw together (for the price of supper/after dinner glass of wine.)

Got a couple of neat VA kid pics yesterday evening----cute kids!!! Thanks, Linda and Kurt for having those kids.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Took some pics

Woke up to 3 snuggling "boys" this AM--thundering and lightening outside. Cool weather w/rain showers continues...Took some pics throughout the day yesterday while the "boys" and I tried to get our last mole of the season. This mole has eluded us for almost a week---he is sooooo done. We are going to stay on his trail until the last leaf of Fall drops if necessary.

Until then will just take pics, read, and wait...(Featuring: volunteer MN Kale (thanks Kat), Karl Forrester native grass, 2 (dahlia) native grasses, blooming silver lace vine (on the Ray arbor) and autumn clematis vines on the east fence--note the large native grass to the right---surprise---it is in the path of the showering sprinkler head and has really grown this summer.  May need to move it back a bit in the Spring.

Mass this AM, run a couple of errands, possibly do some volunteering at the convent this afternoon, or attend a neighborhood stamping party.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Fall is here...

Birthday "Boy", 10 years old 09/13/2011

Luvin' the cooler weather (and bonus rain showers). Getting caught up on the outdoor stuff, gathering/freezing some herbs, plan to remove the rubber edging between the daylight windows on replace it w/some cement landscape blocks (after the next nice rain).

Busy day yesterday: Mass in AM, retinal eye check up in afternoon, dinner w/friends @ 6:00pm and home by 9:30pm to be met/greeted by 3 "where the heck is our apple source?" hopping, jumping, loving dogs. Planning on meeting once a month to try out different eating places. Looking forward to doing this.

Busy day today:  Mass this AM, went downtown to meet w/one of the volunteer persons, home at last--all windows open--54 degrees. Going to do laundry, pick up the house, sweep,  file some paperwork, grill some pork chops----going to also read/possibly even nap.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.
Love, Mom

Catching Up

What a wonderful weekend! Out of town family arrived safely----great visit----so much fun catching up. A real treat to see them after all these years! Life is good!!!

Putzed most of yesterday----went to the nursery and picked up a couple of Jackmannii Clematis to place behind a half circle metal  trellis in the front of the house, centered (hopefully) by the brick, in between the windows. (Am now minus the nine bark in front and the red tip to the east---thanks to my trusty spade , lots of diggiing, dragging, pitching/tossing stumps in to the trash cart---will probably have to refer my trash collector to the back surgeon by end of stump/shrub removal season.) Note pic: This is what I am hoping the clematis will look like in a couple of years.

Off to Mass, volunteer at rectory/school this AM, then run an errand w/Allie later this afternoon...
Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Plants and Blah

Mass this AM and volunteering most of the day at the school.

Lots of yard work done yesterday and looking forward to getting more done on Saturday. Transplanted/moved some ajuga, pulled weeds, got all the native grasses planted. Deciding whether to  replace/not replace some shrubs. Has been such a hard summer on them. If I keep them they will all be in a rejuvenation stage (approx. 6" high). Lost (?) some of my (new) Nandina but am not removing them (yet). They seem to "pop" back from dead looking wood to sprouting new foliage in the Spring. We'll see.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Today...

Waking up to 50+ degree weather each morning and loving it. Open up the house, shut off the A/C, and spend the day out of doors in the flower beds, moving, deadheading, pruning, digging up shrubs, scooting rocks around...Thinking this is Fall and loving it. The "boys" also are loving helping--doing some canine rototilling and rolling in the grass.

Volunteered at the rectory for several hours yesterday, completed a volunteer home project, and plan to repeat another day outside----may hose off/wash down  front/back decks and throw in some reading on the back deck when it's done. 

Off to get ready for Mass---stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

More Pics and Stuff

 Found some more old pics to share. Was able to search more sites and found one of the Iola Theater (it is a stand alone pic and not connected as I remember to the Iola Hotel---I sure hope the Iola Hotel really existed and was not a figment of my imagination----for gosh sakes I lived in the place!!!.) The other pic is Jefferson grade school. I went from the 2nd to a portion of the 6th grade at Jefferson.

Always wore my hair in french tight braids w/ribbons (usually very colorful plaid ones). In fact, they were so tight when I moved out of town and started at my new school there were comments made that I may be oriental. Think the taut braids might have helped my facial skin turgor but sure played heck on the challenged hair follicles.

Can still remember all of my teachers names. Remember especially in the 2nd grade, Ms. Hess was getting us excited about a trip we would be taking on a plane. I was ready!!---I was getting so excited until we left our coats in the cloak room and paraded down the hall to the auditorium--knew something wasn't going to turn out like I planned. She told us at the entrance to the auditorium that we would be watching a film about a little girl---Susie--taking a trip around the world , then we would go back to class and talk about all of the countries Susie visited. I was having no part of Susie's trip---I balked at door of the auditorium, grabbed the door post, would not budge, had to be physically dislodged and placed in a chair facing the wall outside the auditorium throughout Susie's entire European trip.  Got the silent treatment from Ms. Hess for a couple of weeks and most likely helped her determine she would never have a desire to have her own children. From then on we maintained a you are the teacher, I'll do my school work, and we will pass you from the 2nd grade. Must have been those tight braids that she didn't like----Hmmmm.

Another cool morning--50's, house open, Mass this AM, then home to plant some perennial native grasses (plant sale at Menard's yesterday). Have all kinds of animals mulling around in the field--owls, deer, squirrels, and just caught a familiar odor of a skunk.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch---fun Face Time last night w/VA family---now that's keeping in touch---loved it!!!!

Love, Mom

Cool Weather

Really a great change in the weather. So Invigorating. Worked out in the yard, garage, baked, grilled, dug up a shrub, and did it all yesterday.

Today: Still cool, wonderful, clear skies...Mass this AM, volunteered at rectory, plan to run some errands, read out on the back deck, and just plain enjoy this cool weather. 

For now: I am OTD and DTR.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Blog Break

Mass this AM, ran errands, now home to get some house things done before the heat sets in...Expecting a 106 degree day.

Have a great weekend, stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

More from Ma

Temperature is currently 106---almost immune to it. Car thermometer registers 113---must be all the heat from the concrete/asphalt surfaces. Makes coming in doors a real treat.

More to add to the previous old time story: Became a regular at the Montgomery Ward store as well as the theater and shoe shine  parlor. 

Shoe Shine  Parlor Story: This was a very small 2 chair operation squeezed between the Iola Hotel and the Iola Theater.  This was a time when polished shoes were consider very proper attire. Talked my dad into buying me a pair of cowboy boots so I could join in on the fun. Did I mention the shop was owned by one of the 3 black families in the community? It was so fun to listen to the chatter, singing, and watch the dancing antics as I sat in the chair having my boots polished. Very entertaining fun.

Montgomery Ward Story: The store had an entire area devoted to saddles. All of the saddles were placed on tall wooden braces--about horse high. Now that I had my boots (really shiny boots) felt I could strike up a deal w/the owner to do some work around the place in order to sit on the saddles and live my imaginary dream (at that time) to be a cowgirl. Ever seen a cowgirl wearing shorts chasing horse flies away from the store window? That was my new job but could not find it in my heart to kill all of the big horse flies. Came up w/the idea to bring some thread w/me, catch the horse flies, tie the thread around their necks, and walk them down the street. Walking w/them tied up, flying in all directions created a lot of comments. Looking back one might even consider it a certifiable event---proved to be nothing new w/this cowgirl.

Theater Story: Theater tickets were 12 cents/a piece, could get popcorn/drink/ticket all for 25 cents. The theater was such a wonderful place, real cold inside, ornate design and featured some of the best technicolor movies ever made.  Some of my favorite movies were Paleface, Desert Song, and The Greatest Show on Earth. (Vicki and I can actually still sing a great song, "Come to the Circus", from the last movie.) Remember when Jackie took me to see Cat People, really scary about a black panther---it was already dark when we walked home---I was really terrified by the movie---a neighbor let their barking dog out about the time we passed their house--Jackie grabbed me saying "there it is, run for your life." I screamed, took off running, every porch light in the neighborhood came on and our mom was waiting on the front porch after identifying my familiar scream. I can't remember what my mom said but know Jackie came out smelling like a rose.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

More pics

Mass this AM, volunteered at rectory and now home to pick up/putz.

More pics of long ago:

Couple of pics of the Kelley Hotel and one of the old Iola court house. My mom worked at the Kelley Hotel. We lived across the street at the Iola Hotel  where my dad managed  the 49 rooms. It had a wonderful large front porch, and nice roof top to see all the Holiday parades. To the South of the Iola Hotel was a Montgomery Ward Store and a shoeshine parlor and the Iola Theater to the North.

The court house was located in the central square w/a door on each side of the building.  The door locations provided a great entrance and exit for our local kid speed skating group. We would separate into small groups, gather at each door, hollar "GO" and rip through one door and out the other----the sound was maddening--- all that metal wheel clatter going over the closely placed  tiles w/kids laughing/ and squealing. This was a weekly event until poor planning (we did it the same day/time  each week) led to our getting captured by the clerks who had fun chasing us and even more fun calling our folks to come and get us. Think it took about a month for the clerks to figure out our schedule.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom