Who's with me now?

I love doing genealogy.  I eat, sleep, and talk genealogy anytime someone will let me.  I went to one of the Historical Societies today.  The staff is getting friendlier since they have seen me quite a bit lately, plus I am behaving.  Upon arriving today the parking was atrocious.  I found a spot but there was a car parked too far from the curb, so if I tried to get into this spot I would hit the car.  So I was trying to get in the spot my way when someone else came and moved their car.  Yes, I pulled in only to get the wrath of some elderly couple that had to wait three minutes till I moved my car.  Very impatient people.  I continued on my quest and was sitting at my table all alone reading a book, I hear this noise.  I couldn't see anyone around so I ignored it.  Then I hear another sound, okay, what was that.  When I heard it the third time I just figured someone was with me again.  They are at least friendly!  What better day than Halloween.....

What do we leave our children?

As we age and get to the point we are unable to live independently, what do we do with our personal things.  Oh, but wait a minute, we are now too old to even sort through these things that we needed so bad when they first made them.  We used the items, then something new came out and the first item sat on the shelf collecting dust.  Now along comes the only adult child left and this person is elected to clean out your apartment.  Will this person know what to keep, or what to throw out?  Usually they don't.  All of these things meant something to you, but not to them.  You must also wonder if that child has room to take all your worldly possessions with them.  This becomes a problem in many homes.  I guess you just go in and do your best.  What else can you do?  It sure isn't easy.  I think it is time to clean out the house - myself.... 

Snow already!

We have been hearing about the big snowstorm all week.  Usually the forecast changes by the day.  We are expecting about 6 inches of that white stuff.  Snow was suppose to start in the wee hours of the morning.  Just great, I must be 30 miles away by 8:30.  Oh well, we will take the big 4 wheel drive - mine, not the wimpy one - his.  The first thing I did when the alarm went off was to look outside to see if the snow was there.  Ah, bare ground.  Let's go!  We finished our project two hours later, and when we left the building the first flakes were falling.  Within minutes it was coming down fast and furious.  We agreed to get closer to home before we stopped for breakfast.  The closer we got to home the less snow was falling.  Maybe it will bypass us.  Upon arriving at home it really started falling.  Now hours later it is still snowing.  It was suppose to stop at 6 inches, so why is it still falling?  Any volunteers for moving snow from one spot to another?  The more the merrier......

Friday

Do you have a certain day that you do things?  Okay, what do you do on Friday?  I try to set aside Friday for grocery shopping.  Why Friday?  Habit!  Bob will ask what I plan to do the night before and I laugh - shop for groceries of course.  What would happen if I didn't go shopping for a week?  Believe me, we wouldn't run out of food.  I have a pantry down stairs and there is an array of extra food, just in case of an emergency, like floods or lots of snow.  Even if I am sick I still show up at the store.  I can say very few times have I had to go to pick something up during the week.  Now I do have a friend that does certain things on certain days at certain times.  I am not that bad, yet.....

Nothing to write!

I am a writer and today I have nothing to write.  I just can't come up with a subject today.   I feel like I am back in school and the teacher would make us write a composition.  Sometimes it would take quite a bit of thinking to come up with a subject.  At least now I can use the excuse, "writer's block" if I can't think of something and I won't be judged and given a bad mark.  So stay tuned and please check back with me tomorrow.  Have a good one.....

The Island!

How would you like to go to an Island get away with people you don't know for 40 days.  For those days you must go without food unless you catch it or win it.  You aren't allowed to take your normal personal supplies or changes of clothes.  A vacation?  I don't think so.  I need my soap, shampoo and deodorant.  I would really miss my bed, food in frig, and the use of a stove.  Now if I am in a motel it is okay but to be on an Island without the comforts of home, I can't do it.  Flushing toilets are also a necessity.  Guess I wouldn't make it in the wilderness..would you?.....

New Game!

I love playing games on my computer.  I bought some games at the local store and installed them.  I got to be a pro at this.  It is easier than I thought.  It also came with an offer to buy another game for $2.99.  So I went and looked and found one, used it for the trial period and decided to load it on the computer, Mckenzie will like this one too.  How hard can this be.  Okay, I have to give email address, next is a password, okay, next is payment, okay, then send order, not bad, all done.  Just at that moment the internet shuts down.  Okay, now what.  I got the internet back on and tried to get back into the game center and it won't take my password.  Ah, come on.  I just did this.  I hit the "don't remember password," even though I do remember it, and they will send me a new one.  I liked the old one.  Now back into the email.  Yes, there it is, and one that confirms that I bought it.  Good, lets hit on this one.  Wow, now all I have to do is go to this site and there is my game.  Oh no, it wants my password again and it won't take it.  Back to email to retrieve the new password.  Okay, let's try again.  Yes, it worked! I now have a new game.  Is it usually this hard?....  

Rewards!

Remember when our children did a good deed or did a great job on something, we rewarded them.  Well one day I decided to reward myself.  Now, it's not what you think.  You see, my Mother's apartment is rented till the end of the month.  She is too frail to clean everything out herself, so it is left to me to do.  How do you decide what to save and what to throw away?  I don't have room at my house to store everything, I already have a garage full of Stacy's things.  So slowly every day I can, I have been going down to box things to give to someone who needs these things.  Then one day driving home, I decided, I should get a reward because I am working myself to death, and drove into the Dairy Queen that I pass by.  They have a caramel milk shake that is so good!  So that is what I do.  When Bob went down with me, I told him he needed a reward and I took him there.  Then I told him I had just started rewarding myself.  Hey, this way he will come and help me.  He does love ice cream too.  Oh, by the way don't tell the Doctor, I think he would get mad.......   

Yard work!

All summer we have tended to the flowers and grass to make them look better than the next persons.  And all too soon it is time to do fall clean up.  Some of the flowers have died back already so they needed to be cut.  My job of course.  Some of the evergreens need a trim, also my job.  Then there is the rhodadendrum, his job, I got there before he did.  When he does it it looks like the tree cutters got it, he cuts it right down.  That is not a trim!  So if I can get it before him, I trim it and hide the clippers so he can't go finish it off!  This is how we do the yard work.  I want to cut the forsythia bushes down but he doesn't want them cut like I want.  They also come up every year and go wild.  Oh well, till next year they will stay the way they are, and we get to start all over.  Isn't it easier to live in an apartment and let someone else do all this work?....

Indian mounds

Paybacks are fun.  After Bob fooled me with the swamp fire it was my turn.  We were driving one day past the field that held mounds of rocks.  From the looks of it they were piled by the farmer so he didn't hit them with the plow.  Bob said "I wonder what those rock mounds are?"  This will be fun.  I told him that it was an old Indian burial ground and the Indians buried their dead that way.  I am into genealogy you know, so I should know about these things.  He took it hook, line and sinker.  For days he marveled about those Indian fields.  I snickered every time I went by.  Days later when we were passing the same spot, he started to laugh.  It hit him what those rocks really were.  Hey, I did have the upper hand for a few days and it was fun.  Stay tuned..... 

Swamp fire

I use to be a city girl until we moved to the country.  We use to take rides in the country but it just isn't the same as living there.  When the lights are turned off for the night, it is pitch black outside.  No we don't have street lights.  We are lucky to have telephone poles!  This one night looking out the window after dark the woods appeared to be lit up.  It was really pretty.  It looked like the trees were glowing in the dark.  It was so cool I called Bob over to see it.  He called it Swamp Fire.  It only happens on clear nights.  There is a chemical in the trees that glow in the dark.  Wow, I was amazed.  The next day I went to work and told everyone who would listen about the swamp fire.  Some really laughed.  I couldn't wait to see if it was there again tonight.  Yes, it was a clear night and it was there.  Yes, a clear moon lit night, with the moon shining between the branches on the trees and ground.  Okay, he won that one.  I will pay him back before I tell him I figured that the swamp fire was a tall tale.  Find out tomorrow what I got him on....

Recouperation

Well I guess I have to do the dishes.  I woke this morning to a toe that no longer hurt.  Wow, whatever he did it helped.  It's not swollen or sore.  I am suppose to put a band aid on it twice a day.  Can't get any sympathy for it.  Bob asked this AM how it was.  I had to say fine because he was watching me walk without grimacing!  So back to doing all my usual house hold duties without  a day off.  Guess I'll have to find another reason...... 

Toes!

Going off the beaten path a little tonight.  I have been nursing an ingrown toenail for weeks.  Of course it hurt and I never showed the doctor.  After trying to heal it myself, knowing it wouldn't, I finally made an appointment with the foot doctor.  Now, him and I go way back, he was the foot doctor where I use to work, so he knows I an a coward when it comes to shots.  Yes, I know he has to do it to numb the toe.  I hid my face.  If I don't see it it doesn't hurt.  Wrong again.  Okay he is done with that.  We talked while my toe got numb.  He moved his tray in front of my foot so I didn't have to watch.  I would have passed out.  He was done rather quickly, it was bandaged and off I went.  I could walk fine.  Later when the numbness wore off it started to hurt somewhat.  Now, if I limp around I am sure I can get some sympathy, maybe even get out of doing the dishes for a while.  I do have to stand you know......  

Beggers!

It's not easy chasing the dogs away from the table when we are eating.  We have one that will sit back a little waiting for food to be thrown her way because the little dog sits on her hind legs looking like a meercat, begging for food.  Now, neither dog is starving, they just want people food.  I have tried chasing her away but the second she begs, she gets rewarded, by him, not me.  Sally gets a reward for being there. Yes, he is helping ruin the dog.  I have told him when the dog gets too big to walk, he gets to pull her around in a wagon...... 

Normal life!

There have been times in my life I have said the words, "I'm bored."   After that I got sick and was no longer bored because I spent my life at Doctor appointments and tests.  Then Stacy and the kids moved back to help me.  There went any boredom that I had.  It was fun.  I never knew what the kids were going to do next.  Take me here, take me there.  I used the calendar to keep me posted as to who was where.  Then the routine settled down, either that or we just got use to the new routine.  Now I have Grandma here too.  I get no peace.  I haven't seen the end of a show or heard the punch line since she got here.  I think 8:00 is quiet time to watch my shows.  She thinks it is time to have a conversation, the same one we had last night and the night before.  I want a normal life, but what is normal?.....

The cute little puppy

This cute little puppy is the Queen of the house.  I have been demoted from the throne.  Whoever goes to bed first gets the puppy.  She loves being on our bed.  So she also likes to cuddle up right next to you and won't move.  She has claimed her spot for the night and don't try to move her.  She will jump right back in the spot before you can sit.  I shove her and she returns.  So someone gets to sleep on very little bed while she lays in the middle.  By morning she is belly up and covered with her little blanket!  She is so cute.  My life has gone to the dogs!....

Electronics

Everyone knows what I am like with electronics!  The eight year old has an iphone (this is what the kids call it.).  To see her use it is a riot.  She is a wiz at it.  She whacks the buttons and really knows what she is doing.  She loves showing Mommy and I what she can do with it.  Yes, she then hands it to me and says, "Here Gram use it!"  "Yea, right."  I can't even turn it on let alone use it.   Please don't make me get a new phone.......

Who's driving?

Bob's car is in for repairs, so I am driving him around at times.  It is my car after all.  Well, of course I am driving too fast, taking the corners too close, and doing jack rabbit starts.  I took the car for an oil change and he was looking in the glove compartment for something and came across my insurance card and registration and both were expired.  I just brought down the insurance card that I got in the mail.  No, I never looked at the dates.  They send it and I put them in the car.  Then he tells me the registration is from 2009.  I know it was there because when I got the car inspected I had the correct one.  Oh well, I will be getting a new one in a few months.  No this isn't good enough.  He is telling me it is illegal to drive it without them.  I laughed!  Do you know how many people are on the road driving illegally?  Lots!  Well, to stop the carrying on I went to the car registration place and got a new registration and also got a new insurance card.  He feels better now.  Wait till he finds out he drove the car without those things in the car, they were here in my purse!  I'll tell him tomorrow..... 

Ancestors

I have a good time looking for my Ancestors.  It is fun to collect them.  So far I am not nobility but there was a castle at one time that has since become a Bed and Breakfast with a haunted gate.  An Earl also graced us many years ago.  Now we have accumulated nurses, engineers, wood workers and numerous other occupations to be proud of.   We each had our own paths to walk and walk we do.  Not one horse thief graces the family.  There were plenty that had towns that were named after them.  Some were land barons and gave land to the community for churches and schools.  I have some who lived a mile away and am having fun finding them.  For anyone who says they want to find their roots - I say go for it.  Just watch the people in the cemeteries, they may try to haunt you.....

Old shows!

Grandma likes all the old shows.  I don't mind watching some that aren't reruns that I remember, but I have seen the same rerun three times in a week.  Yes, the Lucille Ball Show is funny, but not after the third time.  At least some of the Little House on the Prairie shows aren't reruns.  I didn't see them when I worked second shift.  Then, when we are watching a new show she wants to talk, especially when they are saying the punch line.  I haven't seen the ending of a show in days.  She stays quiet during commercials and talks when the show comes on.  I do try hard to listen but sometimes it doesn't work.  Oh well another show is on, hope I can find out who wins - tonight.......  

I'm hot, she's cold

There is no happy medium, I'm hot, she's cold.   I turn the air conditioner on.  It is 80 degrees in here.  I can't breathe.  She has a sweater and a blanket on.   I am in shorts.  It's hot outside so there is no relief out there.  I tell her if she had some meat on her bones she wouldn't be so cold.  She laughs.  She tells me the same story every day about animals being destroyed.  I can't take that.  I live my life up, she lives her life down.  Every few days she likes to argue with me and make me feel guilty.  I remind her I am only thinking of her.  Of course this is the aging process and I know it well from working with the elderly for so many years.  Now I live it on a daily basis.  Just don't let me lose my scense of humor.  Please......

Sleepless in Nicholson!

Another sleepless night with Grandma.  I, once again was exhausted and was in bed by 10:30.  Ah, the soft sheets, the warm covers, the dog hogging the bed, yes, bedtime.   Bob was already asleep.  I got comfortable and still couldn't sleep.  About 11:15 Grandma was talking loudly in her sleep.  Yes, we are now awake.  She stopped for a while and all of a sudden out of the dark we hear a howl!  We have heard this before.  Stacy comes flying out of her room!  "What was that?"  We laid in bed and answered, "Grandma!"   "That didn't come out of her."  "Yes it did!"  She chuckled and returned to bed.  We just laid there wide awake and laughing.  The dogs were even scared.  Bella stayed close to Bob like something was going to get her.  The cats took off downstairs.  It was really funny.  We finally fell asleep again only to be roused again with Grandma talking.  Oh well, the only one that was sleeping was Grandma, we were all waiting for the next scene.  It is a full moon after all.....     

My house, quiet?

Quiet!  I don't know what quiet is.  My house is bouncing at all times.  I seldom get a chance to sit now that Grandma is here.  Bob and Stacy are great helps for me, but she does keep me busy.  With a case of occasional confusion it sometimes really gets interesting.  Once she is in bed I do get a little peace.   Then there are nights like last night.  It doesn"t do any good to go to bed early because I always lose sleep anyway.  So I went to bed at 10:30.  I am exhausted and fall asleep within 15 minutes.  At 1:30 I hear someone hack.  It is the puppy.  She ran off the bed went to the gate, hacked and barfed on the floor.  Bob cleaned that up.  I tossed and turned and finally fell asleep again only to be woken by Grandma yelling from the living room for Bob to come help her.  She needed some reassurance and settled down.  Back to bed we went.  Yes, more tossing and turning.  Along comes 5:30 and once again Grandma is calling.  She is up and in the hallway.  We both jump up and run again.  Back out we go and settle her down again.  We both need sleep.  She catches cat naps but we don't.  All I have to do is sit on the couch and shut my eyes and she calls my name or the phone rings.  Help, we are sleep deprived!....

Gone!

What a beautiful day!  It was on the cooler side but once again the sun came out.  It dried up the grass.  The grass was on the to do list.  The yard was starting to become over run by leaves.  Maybe it will get cut today if it stays like this.  Wait!  What is that sound?  A lawnmower?  Yes, the grass and leaves are gone.  Wait!  The papinkies!  What papinkies?  Oh no, the papinkie patch is also gone!  What happened?  The aliens made me do it!.....

That bright thing in the sky!

Wow! That bright thing in the sky came out today.  Yes, they call it the sun.  It felt warm and dried up the morning dew.  The clouds even moved out of the way to accommodate the beams of sunshine.  Now we can see what needs to be done outside.  The new chore list will include: cutting the grass, clean the rain gutters, pull up the remainder of the garden, unhook the pool filter and drain it, and that is just the beginning.  I also want to cut the forsythia bushes and the rhododendron bush back this year.  The next few days will be clear and dry, we will see what really gets done.....

Papinkies

We are now over run with papinkies.  They are mushrooms.  We never had them before.  I thought they stayed small.  Not mine they are growing bigger by the day.  More are now popping out.  I have looked under them to see if there are little faries under them but haven't found any so far.  I will keep looking.  When I find one, I will put her in a little jar - no lid, she needs oxygen to breathe.  Maybe if I catch her, no more mushrooms will grow.  They really are taking over the lawn.  Quite interesting.  Where are all the mushroom pickers?.... 

Aliens

Someone said that the sun will return in two days.  Wow!  I thought the Aliens came down to Earth and took it away a months ago and left the Earth rain in it's place.  We have had the wettest September since 1950.  Very few days had that bright thing in the blue sky.  Even when it wasn't raining it was cloudy.  So tell me did anyone see the aliens that took the sun.  Maybe if we ask them nice they will return it.  It sure would be nice.....

Yard sale?

Yard sale day is all over.  It started with a sleepless night on my part because all I was doing was thinking of the great day we were going to have.  Hopefully the rain will stay away.  I got up at the crack of dawn.  It took a while to get the ladies up, they had a late night the night before.  Eventually Stacy showed up and then Mckee got up.  Set up was done and we were waiting for our first customer.  It didn't take long.  They bought a few items and off they went.  It was quite a while between customers.  There were a few sprinkles but the real rain held off.  It was chilly enough that we needed the little heater on.  It was a slow day.  Mckee kept begging for customers.  All I can say is the next time I decide to have a yard sale, slap me.  I never do any good.  Needless to say it should take at least two trips to take all the leftovers to the Salvation Army.....