Happy Birthday Catie!

Ran a few errands in Sequim today. Took back my solar cat tails to Home Depot and bought a couple of flowers to plant in the backyard. I forget what they're called but I thought they were pretty. Also picked up a red cardinal bird on a stick.  My lawn may never look like a work of art but at least I have cute toys.

I went out there to take a picture and almost stepped on this little guy. I hope he doesn't have a lot of pals hanging around but I did spend money on Deadline a while back. I think that's what it's called. Never have opened it but bought it because I had planted so many tulips.

Which reminds me....does anybody know what I'm suppose to do with the tulip bulbs?  I assume I just leave them in the ground but if I wanted to dig the ones up in the raised bed garden box, would I just put the bulbs in a paper sack in the garage until winter?  They're all done blooming now (way too short a season for my liking) and I cut the stems off near the ground.

I did quick shopping at Walmart, Home Depot and Costco before meeting up with Mary Norton for lunch. We went to Hwy 101. I had a Johnny Be Goode hamburger.

Here's a picture I took a few years ago of the hilly area above Kai Tai.  Below it is one my cousin took in the 40's of the same general area.

And here's another one I came across ..... Laurel Grove Cemetery from the golf course.

Well, I guess I'll get my pjs on and head to the recliner.  Sure hope I'm on the mend soon.  I get depressed when I have no energy or desire to work on any of my "projects."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER CATIE WHO JUST TURNED THE BIG 23!

two parties

Got a couple pictures from daughter Mary this afternoon of Catie opening her gifts. We all went in on a big flatscreen TV set for her 23rd birthday.  Also showing is a picture Mary took when she arrived home from work today. I assume the neighbors had a fire.

Also posted is a few Bob Blaurock sent me of his 70th birthday party last Saturday. I had to miss it and am kicking myself over it.  He sent me a lot of old car pics but I'm only showing a handful. Same with the people pics. More were sent but I didn't recognize anyone except Bob.

the real memorial day

Can't seem to get going this morning. It's 11 a.m. already and all I've done is load the dishwasher and sweep the kitchen.  I guess that's something.  I did write a few lines on my family history project but even that doesn't hold much interest for me.  Maybe I need a nap.  Seems like I need a nap more than usual these days.  I'll blame it on the gray weather for now.  Could be I've got a touch of something too.

I've been bothered with a pain in my upper right stomach for about two weeks or so. Kind of on the side more than the front.  Not all that extreme; just noticable.  The kind of pain that just hurts a little  and you say: Now what is that anyhow? Googling for a diagnosis doesn't help much help either.  Could be anything from gall bladder, liver, kidneys, bowel, or none of the above.  I'll wait until maybe the first of July.  If it's still hanging around after that many weeks, I'll get it checked out.

I know your "body innards" age just like any other part of your body and it's not unusual to get little kinks in the system from time to time.  I have a tendency to blame myself for any body part causing me concern.  Most of the time my guilt over being obese is legitimate but I know I sometimes I beat myself up too much, and I need to get over that.

Here's my pictures for today.

I picked up a wood snake at Swain's yesterday as I'd read cats sometimes avoid gardens where snakes hang out.  We'll see. Sammy was out there this morning and either he has no clue what snakes are or it didn't fool him a bit because he paid it little attention.

 Love to sit here at the computer and watch the birds come in to feed. Sometimes I try to get pictures but it's hard--especially with the hummingbirds.

Bought a few pansies while at Swain's too so my little area near the front door is looking nicer.

I decided to clean the outside and rubber seal of the freezer in the garage yesterday.  I WAS VERY CAREFUL using bleach water but.......

another pair of brown sweatpants that need to be cut off at the knee.  How does that happen?!

I went to Walgreen's yesterday to pick up my pictures but didn't look at them until I got home. Then I realized they weren't my pictures.  Took them back and they had to run my order again as they couldn't figure out what happened. Meanwhile, they were in the middle of running a 500-picture order so I would have had to wait a while.  I opted to come back in a day or two and they refunded my money so I don't have to pay for the reprints.

Most of the pictures were ones I got in an email that I decided would make good postcards for this guy I send to that lives in a nursing home in Gig Harbor.  Like these....

Guess I'll get on my bike for a few minutes and see if fresh air and exercise helps my doldrums any.
Will continue to cut out quilt squares while listening to an audio book this afternoon.  That's as good a way as any, I suppose, to pass the day.  Having lunch with Mary Norton in Sequim tomorrow. Intend to return my cat tail solar lights for another box too.  Darn things just won't work for me.

By the way, if you want to look at one really good picture book, see if the library has "From the Air--Olympic Peninsula".  Worth the money to buy as well.  I think you can get it in paperback for $30.
A Sequim guy (Woodcock) took the photos from his plane and another guy (McNulty)wrote about the scenes.  Wonderful  to see our area from the air. Everything from Ocean Shores to
Clallam Bay to Discovery Bay to Fort Worden to Port Angeles and Sequim.

Odd jobs

I'm going to head up to the library when I finish my cup of coffee. Need to get a couple of audio books to occupy me while cutting out quilt squares.  Think I'll buzz down to Walgreens too as I ordered a few reprints yesterday.

I took my bike out for 40 minutes this morning just riding around the neighborhood. Came home and noticed the freezer in the garage was looking kind of gucky.  Pulled out a bucket, filled it with bleach water, and scrubbed down some of the rubber around the edges. Then I noticed a whole lot of cobwebs around the hot water tank so I proceeded to wave the broom in that direction.  Next I didn't like the looks of the carpet pieces nailed to the steps going from the garage to the utility porch.  Very stained and yucky.  I'll wait until Hunter gets here to fix that, though. He likes to wield a hammer on gramma's projects, and I do have a couple pieces of old carpet that should do the trick.

Yesterday I sewed a couple of cross stitch "thingies" onto an old jean vest I had in the closet.  Kind of dorky looking, I suppose, but it won't be the first time I've worn dorky clothes.

Next I cut up an old black t-shirt that I had accidently spilled bleach on and RUINED! I cut out the design on the front (refuse to throw perfectly good stuff away) and made them into bookmarks.  When in doubt, make bookmarks.  hahahahahhahahah

                                                            NOW THAT'S DORKY!

Hmmmmm...now who I can I give them to?


Sitting here watching the neighbor help her little girl learn to ride a two-wheeler. Obviously just got the training wheels taken off.  Her younger sister is zipping by with her training wheels still on.  I don't really know my neighbors except to wave hello.  Been interesting, though, to watch their children grow up in front of my window.  One little guy who I watched learning to walk is now zipping by on his skateboard and bike like there's no tomorrow.  They grow up fast, that's for sure.

My oldest granddaugter turns 23 in a couple of days.  Seems like I was just taking one picture after another of her when she was two.

Gotta research how to get out a blackberry stain next. I should know that.  Spilled on one of my favorite yellow t-shirts yesterday.  Will I never learn how to eat without dropping food on my chest? Probably not.

Going to have to reread on how to discourage cats from pooping in my yard too.  The neighbor (who just moved back in) has a cat that thinks my yard is her bathroom.  Typical problem, I know; still irritates me!

Watched the first segment of Hatfield and McCoys on the History channel last night.  Costumes and scenes were very realistic.  Good acting too. Everyone seemed to hate everyone else.  Sad to say, they're relatives.  Ha ha    (I even heard the name Blankenship mentioned)

Okay. Off to the streets of Port Angeles I go.

Memorial Day

Monday morning and it looks like it's gonna be an okay day.  A little cloudy, a tad of wind, but more sun than gray.  I woke up rested and remembering yet again another dream involving a parade.  Always interesting to me to reflect on who shows up in these parades (it's ALWAYS a Rhody parade).  It's seldom about the participants in a parade; always the people on the sideline.  Last night two of the people left the sideline to get into the end of the parade.  They wanted to be a part of the serpentine for the high school.  As dreams do, the people morphed into other people. I do recall my oldest daughter, Sue, and my granddaughter, Catie.  For whatever reason, when they joined the parade, they were going to share a portion of a huge piece of black visqueen that was covering the high school entry.  Dreams!  So nutty sometimes.

Here's an interesting video I got in an email from Rose Johnson, and I'm going to try this out.



I had a relaxing Sunday yesterday.  Spent a couple of hours cutting out quilt squares while listening to a great book--Gap Creek by Robert Morgan.  I watched a Netflix movie (The Raggedy Man) with Sissy Spacek and while I'd seen it before, enough time had lapsed for most of it to be new again.

I went to bed and managed to finish reading a book (The Husband) by Dean Koontz.  Enjoyed it--and enjoyed the fact that I was actually finishing a book for a change.

I got an hour of weeding done near the front curb by the mailbox early yesterday morning. Even sitting down, an hour and 15 minutes seems to be my limit before fatigue sets in.  I was happy with the results.  Still can't get my cat tail solar lights to work so I took it apart and wiggled the battery and tried again.  I'll give it a few more days and if it doesn't give me the night pleasure I expect, I'll take it back.  Oh....that didn't sound too good, did it?  ha ha ha

Projects----  only one bin left of scraps to sort through. I'll keep the larger pieces for applique pictures I want to try out.

 Doesn't look like much but once I start sewing the various-sized squares together, I should have a blanket or two.

 Here's a favorite Blue Brothers t-shirt I ruined by getting bleach on it. Time to toss it out but I keep thinking maybe I can make something out of the design on the front.

While sitting in my recliner at night, I either work on a crochet afghan or make up cross stitch pictures.  I may make a bookmark out of this one....or maybe sew it onto a shirt or jacket. I like doing the smaller pieces. The one I started yesterday is larger and has two giraffes eating a basket of flowers.

And yes, I do realize just how boring this blog gets on some days.  But, this is my life, needles and thread and all.

I've got a load of whites in the dryer and a couple of items thawing from the freezer. Gonna make zuchinni patties for supper (ground up squash with onions and spices and cracker crumbs fried like potato cakes)  Yum!  Also took out a package of blackberries to bake a pie.

I think I'll finish listening to my audio book and cut out more squares while I wait for the berries to thaw.  Don't forget to fly your colors today.

By the way....here's a video of John Glosson who was on ABC's Duets show the other night.  He hails from Douglas, GA, and is friends with cousins of mine. (The Dubberlys) He sang at their son's wedding and catered the rehearsal supper.  Terrific voice too!

Sittin' on the deck of the day

Ahhhhh.....nothing like having your front and back lawn cut and being able to sit on the deck to smell the grass and admire the new look.  Amazing what makes me happy these days.  Wayne and Hunter arrived at 1:45 and were finished in an hour and 15 minutes.   I just love them!  Here's the before and after shots.....

Saturday afternoon

I went out to the curbside garden spot to weed for an hour and a half.  I should have started at 7 instead of 9 as it got warm and uncomfortable within minutes.  I filled a wheelbarrow with weeds and while the spot looks better, it still looks bad at the same time.  Maybe another hour and a half will make a difference.  I'll try later on tonight or early tomorrow.

Made a Safeway run as I needed salad fixings and wanted to buy something to have on hand for Wayne and Hunter when they come over.  I picked up pepperoni sticks for Wayne and Fruity Pebbles for Hunter.  I should have bought Wayne a beer (me too) but I forgot. Have to settle for iced tea or juice.  It was kind of crowded in the store so I paid for my sack full and came on home. I did stop at a new thrift store on 8th Street to drop off some donations I had sitting in my car.

Guess I'll go out and scoop doggy poop to have the lawn ready for mowing.  Then I'll settle in to cut some quilt squares.  Am determined to clean out my large plastic bins of material remnants.  Meaning the little pieces that aren't any good for anything except quilts.  With the cost of material these days, I don't throw out much of anything.

Happy Anniversary yesterday to my brother, Dana, and my sister-in-law, Lill.  37 years! Wow!  I can still remember that wedding at the Rainer Nat'l Park.  I cried and cried.

And Happy Birthday yesterday to my cousin, Bill Dubberly. (Joan Arey's youngest) His email said he was preparing to leave Columbia, South America to head home for a visit. Home base is Wichita, KS but his job keeps him in the Philippines and other places around the globe.  I saw a guy on the new show "Duets" who hailed from Douglas, GA where one of Bill's other brothers lives. (Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles is from that town)  Anyhow, I asked Bill if he knew John Glosson who sang and he said they knew the family as his grandmother attended the church where John's dad was pastor.

And last but not least, Happy Birthday today to my son-in-law, Andy Krogermeier, in Renton, WA.

                                                    Wayne, Andy, Todd, & Joe last fall

Saturday morning

I took one of those sinus pills that make you drowsy before I hit the sack last night.  Woke up an hour ago and I'm thinking my day of allergy misery is going to be limited to yesterday.  I'm counting on it, anyhow.  Sitting here looking out on my front lawn with lots of pretty clover and knee high weeds at the curbside.  I charged my electric clippers yesterday so I'm going to plop myself down on my handy dandy shower stool and see if I can't get the front weeded.  It's full of that weird looking grass that looks like you'd find in a swamp or wooded area. Not sure what it's called but I've seen it growing nearby and it's grows and moves along like wildflowers.  I've dug it out once but it keeps returning.  I'd like to make that area out there pretty with curb appeal but the deer often graze there and have a daily snack.

My daughter, Mary, sent me a couple of photos from their outing last night in downtown Seattle. Her "group" was out celebrating Brian Glessing's birthday. The first one shows a large ferris wheel being constructed downtown. That should change the city landscape a bit.  I love ferris wheels.

Candi Lopeman,Shari Baltes, Mary Baldridge, Teresa Baltes (I think), Jenny Liden, Tami Rohring
(using maiden names here)

Here's a couple of pictures my cousin, Ilene, sent me from her dad's collection. Does anybody recognize where this is?  At first I thought Sequim but it actually could be anyplace.

And here's one of my aunt Velna and I "think" her husband, Darryl and their sons, Bob and Claude.  Darryl was killed at the PT paper mill in July 1938 when he fell in the hole of a ship being loaded.

Well, I think I'll go take before pictures of my yard now so I can post after shots later this afternoon.