This is terrific!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=GBaHPND2QJg&feature=youtu.be



Got this in an email today.  Worth watching....especially today with the terrible Colorado shooting news.  It's nice to be reminded that although we have more than enough crazies walking around, there are still GOOD FOLKS among us.

Gray Friday

My back deck sure was wet this morning. Guess I slept through the heavy rain.  Flowers certainly look healthy, though, so I guess it was a good thing.  Sure glad Hunter got my grass cut yesterday.

Poor ole lawn. Sometimes it looks green and pretty; other times it looks brown and pathetic. I did manage to get  a few windows washed yesterday and Hunter helped me pop out three screens so he could hose them down.  I  knocked over a house plant (while rearranging) and the dirt that spilled onto the carpet was kind of damp.  Maddie vacuumed it up for me but I should have tried getting more of the dirt up by hand first as it made the spot worse.  Hunter took some rug shampoo and a brush to it so all's well that ends well.  I'm taking it easy today. Kids went to the other grandma's house so it's just me and Sammy hanging out.

My sister sent me a small present yesterday.  She had gone to an estate sale for the Barton sisters and bought a ring there.  I vaguely recall seeing Jean Barton wearing it but I could be wrong.  It did look familiar, at any rate, and surprisingly, it fits.

 I really like it.  The Barton Sisters were Elsie Elaine died in 2003 and Sarah Jean died in 1993. Perhaps this ring was Elsie's.  I went to a yard sale there several years ago when Jean died and I bought a blouse.  I still wear it too. It's comfortable and one of my favorites.

The twins are going to camp the last week of July at Camp David, Jr.  Jenni went there as a kid too. The camp fire girls are having a big sale this weekend to help finance camp for some of the kids. I couldn't find too much I absolutely had to have but wanted to at least buy something so I picked up two rubber duckies for my bathtub.  I already had one.  Kind of a silly purchase but I'm good at that.

I was playing with the idea of hitting some carlots in P.A. just to browse other cars and get an idea what's out there.  Just couldn't generate any enthusiasm or energy for it, though.  Traffic was terribly heavy everywhere (especially in the Safeway neighborhood) and I decided a good place for me was at home.

I'm going to sew a few quilt squares, put together a few puzzle pieces, and add a few paragraphs to my book.  I think I feel a nap coming on too.

When I was cleaning out papers and cards the other day, I came across three cards that made me laugh all over again....
Asked to pick her favorite body part, Martha picked her nose.
(now that's funny!)  Well, it's funny to me.

Another one..
I feel so bad about forgetting your birthday..I'm tempted to grab a mirror and moon myself.

And the last one...
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray my youth I'll always keep. But if I've aged when I wake....
at least I'll still have birthday cake!

Okay. Time to get busy around here.  Made up some jello an hour ago and I'd better add the bananas before it gels and refuses to accept them.

Sunny Thursday

House was a little chilly when I got up this morning (earlier than I planned again thanks to a couple of early morning foot cramp sessions).  I put on some sweats and after breakfast, a crossword puzzle, and getting a letter written, I was out to the garage to vacuum and clean the inside of the car.

All done now and I'm sweatin' like a hog!  Sun is out and I'm hunting for cooler clothes to change into.  Hunter is mowing the lawns and will help me transplant those beautiful red flowers out front that the deer ate yet the hummingbirds love.  Gonna find a spot in the backyard for them

Have decided to wash windows today. Thankfully, I don't have that many.  After that, it's fun stuff like writing, jigsaw puzzle, and sewing.  Here's a picture my son-in-law, Andy, posted on Facebook. I love it so much I sent it to Walgreens to get a 5x7 so I can hang it in here on the wall.

Today would have been my cousin Claude's 82nd birthday. Sure do miss the ole fart!

Birthday Dinner and Beautiful Birds

Noticed the hummingbirds are very interested in the red flowers that I have in the back.  I had some of those flowers in the front too but the deer ate them. Have to remind  Hunter to help me dig that plant up and move it to the back.  These were taken through the window so they're not as clear as I'd like. I'll try to get some outside tomorrow.

A family of quail came into the front yard and I guess the mama decided her kid needed a bath.

Here's a shot I took at Appleby's in Sequim tonight. Saw my cousin, Dale and his wife, Joyce in a nearby booth.

Jenni took a picture of me and the kids as we were going back to the car.

They are so "into" their new Smart Phones.  Maddie especially.  It's quite an amazing gadget.  Takes WONDERFUL pictures.  She's putting people's photos by their phone number and she can give it a voice command to call.  She's standing by me in the kitchen and says:  Call Gramma Joyce.  Next thing I know, my phone is ringing and she's giggling.

She turned on YouTube in the car on the way home and Wayne's eyes really lit up.  He was sitting in the back with them and couldn't believe how clear and loud the videos and songs appeared.  YouTube is all Wayne likes on the Internet but he likes it a LOT!

Maddie is also excited that she can text her boyfriend in Forks now. They're texting Mary frequently when they can't figure out why something isn't working.  She's so patient with them.  Hunter is loving all the games.  It was almost like watching a new cycle in their life begin as their attention was riveted on their new little hand-held friend.

Well, tomorrow I think I'll try to stay off the computer.  Silly me.  We all know that isn't going to happen.  I do need to make an effort, though.  I want to get the windows washed and the inside of the car cleaned out.  And with that...I'm off to bed.

Keeping Stuff

Sometimes it's hard to sit down and force yourself to finish a project of sorting papers and "stuff" that keeps adding up in the catch-all box.  I kept getting distracted over and over again yesterday because I'd  stop and look this or that over, or reread a newspaper clipping, or greeting card, or study a picture.  It's even harder to pick and choose what is going back in the memorbilia save box (for the kids to toss when I'm dead). 

I'm still not totally contented with what I filed and how I filed it but I know part of the problem is being a virgo and we need things tidied up "just so." At least I made a little headway by putting various articles in plastic sheets inside a 3-ring binder.  Was interesting to me what I was ready to toss in the garbage and what I still had an attachment to.  I took pictures, of course.  I do have a blog, after all.  Hee Hee

 This little book will be a keeper for sure. My Aunt Velna drew it in 1925 or so and it shows my dad and his twin brother as they appeared then.  Even shows the old kitchen queen cupboard we used growing up and that I had raising kids.  Jenni uses it now.

 Velna was such a good artist.  One of the best ever!

 These are the booties that my first grandchild wore in 1989. Gotta keep those, of course!

 My baseball card collection and other cards from the 70's and 80's. Probably not worth much but someday maybe.....

 I don't think I've ever used my Elvis cards but there was no way I could throw the king in the garbage.

 This is a spoon from the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1933. The back says: Oneida Community Tudor plate.  I don't know where I got this spoon; probably a garage sale or thrift shop. Although I vaguely remember it being in my grandpa's house.  Not sure.

I'm amused all over again everytime I come across this cake topping from 1982.  I had a divorce party and this was on the cake.  I laughed a lot that night. We were at Margie Marshall's house although she was Margie Grondahl then.  I remember we somehow got ourselves locked out of the house and we had to crawl in a window to get back in---giggling the whole time.

I also browsed old photos. Noticed that some were barely hanging on so I decided to scan them and get reprints before they faded altogether.  I was mainly interested in the decorations in the background.  Also found it kind of fun to see all the furniture, curtains, clothes, and house decorations that I don't have any of anymore.

This was 1967 at dad & Mar's house on Cosgrove. I wonder if that dinette set was from when she lived at Admiralty Apts or if it was from Kuhn Street when I lived at home. We did have a table like that. The Redskin jacket on the chair would have been my step-brother, Steve's. Don't I look like the tired ole mom? That's Mary in the infant seat. I don't think they even sell those anymore.

 This picture caught my eye becaue of the guitar behind the couch. This was 1966. Had I stuck with practicing, I could probably be a damn good player today.  Sigh.... This is Susan with our puppy, Dee Dee,at our house in San Pablo

 This is the Kirkland house in probably 1969. That coffee table had a very heavy (and movable) marble top. I still have that white candy dish (a wedding present) but of course, I don't smoke Salems anymore.

 This is our San Pablo house again.  I actually wore sleeveless blouses then. I was always homesick in California. I see the pictures on the mantel are of our wedding day, my sister, her son, Eddie, and Susie's baby picture.  I see Salems are still being kept close at hand in a candy dish on the marble.  I stilll have that dish too. Another wedding present. I think both came from Eisenbeis' shop.

 I enlarged this one hoping I could see what books I had on the shelves. I'll have to study it more later. All I can see for sure is Information Please, Hotel, Kon Tiki, and the large Bible on the second shelf.  Yeah, I know...the things that keep me amused.

 Here's a picture of me and Mary Gaboury in the back yard of the San Pablo house. She came down to visit in 1966 I think it was.

This picture of the three girls was really fading fast.  It was one of those professional ones you have taken in Sears or some place like that.

Well, I think I'll go take a quick nap in the recliner.  Woke up at 5 a.m. with a bad foot cramp again. There's a new fawn in the neighborhood today. Her and her mother have come onto the lawn twice. Have noticed an increase in birds too. Goldfinch, wrens, robins, quail, crows, and a couple others I'm not sure of.  I'm going to Appleby's with Jen, Wayne, and the kids tonight. The twins are 12 today and  got smart phones for their birthday.  Needless to say, they were VERY HAPPY!

Should I? Maybe.....

Been kind of an odd day.  Set up the card table in the kitchen so I could start a jigsaw puzzle when I wanted some new project to play around with.  Mary gave me this Wizard of Oz puzzle in a neat tin yesterday when I met her at the bridge.  It's two puzzles really. One of Judy's face is 300 pces and another Oz scene is 500 pieces.  I'm going to put them in a plastic bag when I'm done so I can use the tin for sewing stuff or whatever else I might want to store stuff in.

I sat down to eat breakfast (yogurt, toast, and coffee) while I worked a crossword puzzle in the new book I got in the mail.  I had studied the reviews of each book on ebay and chose one that was a challenge but yet easy too.  I'm having a lot of fun with it. Actually, I have quite a few crossword puzzles to choose from around here.  I love puzzles.  I happened to glance at my toast and noticed MOLD!  Darn it!  Another trip to Safeway.  Oh well, I needed gas anyhow.

The clerk gave me my money back on the bread even though half the loaf was gone.  I had paid $3.50 for that loaf of 7-grain SW bread that makes wonderful toast and I wasn't about to toss the second half of the loaf away.  I'll think twice about buying that bread again.  I had to go across town so I stopped at the bread store.  Got two loaves of bread and a package of bagels for under $6---plus they let me pick a free item and I chose 12 hamburger buns. (Froze them up individually when I got home as I often only need one or two at a time)

I went out and sprayed the clover in the front and backyard this morning.  Noticed that I seem to have more birds than ever this summer.  Not sure if it's the seed or because  I changed the location of the feeders.  They're fun to watch, at any rate.

I found a few pictures on Facebook that relatives had posted, plus I got some in emails so I thought I would share those today.

 A house in Amsterdam that cousin Cindy's daughter took while there. (She's a flight attendant)

                                    Cousin Cindy's cat, Smudge, in her yard.

                                   Cindy's sister, Marlee, out in their boat in Gig Harbor

                                Cousin Ilene selling hotdogs at her stand in Bellingham

                   Cousin Lee Arey and wife Elaine strolling Fort Worden beach

I had problems with my carseat buttons yesterday while stopped at the bridge.  I use those buttons daily to get in and out of the car as it adjusts the seat forward and backward.  It got stuck and thankfully, it was at a spot where I could drive.  Getting out of the car was not as easy, however, so I decided to take it to a shop downtown to see if he could fix it.

He wasn't all that interested in trying. Suggested I take it to the Toyota dealer where I bought the car as "they would probably be able to save me a little money fixing it themselves."  FAT CHANCE!  I drove there anyhow just to get an estimate.  Stood in line waiting to talk to a technician.  The old guy in front of me was being instructed on how to use his mail-in rebate for the oil change.  He kept telling the tech he couldn't see that well and where should he sign his name, etc.  This guy had some real odd looking glasses in his basket too.  Almost looked like kids space glasses or something.  I can't understand how he can be driving with eyes that bad.

Anyhow, by the time I got my turn, the guy came out to monkey with the buttons, couldn't get the seat to move, and said he'd look up the motor in the catalog.  I thought "uh oh...he's gonna say $200 at the least."  He finally came back and WITHOUT LABOR, the cost was $654!  Are you kidding me?!  Why would I pay that?!

I decided as long as I was already there, I might as well see what it would cost me to buy a car.  Not a new one, of course, but newer than the 1999 I'm driving now.  Just wanted to get something like a small SUV that would be easier to climb in and out of.  I only wanted the  numbers so I could come back home and research and look over my finances and THINK ABOUT IT.

He was a nice guy (lives in Hadlock) but of course, he wanted me to buy right then and there.  Nope. Not quite ready yet....just thinkin' on it.  This is the one I'm leaning towards...

                                                        2011 Toyota RAV4.

The price seems okay ($19,950) and while I'm not keen on drawing out of my money market account (inheritance from dad) I really could use a nicer car.  My mobile home in Sequim will give me a few thousand dollars payoff in December so that money could go back into my savings as well as pay off the car altogether.  My payment would be $150 a month and there's no penalty for paying off the loan early.

I haven't test drove it yet or really looked the inside over closely but I'm thinking I might go back. It has 31,000 miles and I'd be given about $3000 trade-in.  Ironically, when I got home, I started playing around with the car seat buttons again and I was able to make the seat move.  Odd.  I wonder if that was God telling me not to buy another car.  I do love my old Avalon. It's never given me any problems at all and that's not something I take lightly because I've had car problem troubles most of my life.

Well, I guess I'll get to sorting all those collections and scraps of  paper memorbilia that I've been needing to file properly.  It'll be fun once I get started.

MY FAVORITE SWEATSHIRT

 I pulled out my collections of newspaper clippings, magazine articles, cartoons, cards, old letters, etc, and while I'm not quite sure how it's all going to come together, I'm determined to get everything filed so I can find it when I need it.
One of the scrapbooks I came across was old newspaper articles from 1990 and 2000 on the Redskin controversy. I'd forgotten the letter I wrote on this subject a dozen years ago. Made me laugh when I read the letter appearing the next week saying my letter was bitter venting. All the opinions then are exactly the same thing being written this week in the Leader and on Facebook.  One side says they're proud to be a PTHS Redskin. The other side says we're bigoted racists who just don't know any better, and they're determined to right the wrong that we've done against Native Americans.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.  It's kind of a shame, though,  that people don't put as much energy into trying to repair real problems we live with these days.  Like inflated costs for health care, gas prices that gouge the pocketbook, our food and drug supply that we can't trust anymore, politicians who waste taxpayer's money, filthy language in movies and music, and what you have to pay for a candy bar......the list is endless.

Using politically correct language is all very well and fine, but at some point you have to use a little common sense and think for yourself. I feel kind of sorry for those folks who are offended by our school logo.  They're making a mountain out of a molehill but....that's okay.  They're entitled to their opinion just like I am.  And my opinion on this particular subject is the only one that matters to me.
R-E-R-E-R-E-D-S-K-I-K-I-K-I-N-S! GO REDSKINS!  (always did love that cheer)

                                                    MY FAVORITE SWEATSHIRT