Thursday morning

Just got my hair trimmed, hoping I could do something with it before the alumni reunion on Saturday. It's no use, though. It is what it is and I'll just have to accept the fact that I'm pretty on the inside.  Ha!  NOT!

Gotta go pick up the twins at the high school in an hour and a half. Tomorrow too, and then they're out for the summer.  Maddie will work at Traylor's to save money for a car.  Gees. How'd that happen? Had to laugh when Jenni told me about how she was explaining paychecks and taxes to Maddie so she wouldn't expect to get as much as she thought she would.  Maddie was aghast that the government would take that much.  That's just B.S! she says.  Only she didn't abbreviate it.  ha ha Welcome to the real world.

Hunter and I are going to leave for Renton next Tuesday instead of Thursday so he can make a few extra dollars doing chores for Andy.  I think they need some painting done, lawn work, and power washing. It'll be fun spending time with my two grandsons.  And my oldest granddaughter too. I'm sure she'll be over as she lives nearby. Wish I didn't look like such a beauty in a bathing suit. I'd think about using the pool at her apartment house.

Mary plans on taking me to downtown Seattle so we can ride Ride the Ducks. I'm excited.

Interesting Looking Back picture in the Leader yesterday of old Fort Worden.

Got these two of Jake in his back yard last week.

He's going to start a new daycare place next week and since Mary got another contract at T-Mobile through the rest of the year, her and Andy will carpool each day to take him there as they'll be working at the same place.

Had dinner at the Asian Buffet in P.A. a few days back.  It was pretty good. Lots to choose from and much bigger inside than I thought.

Been watching "Luck" on Amazon Prime and while I can't barely follow the story line because I don't understand horse racing, I'm intrigued to stick with it just because of all the stars--Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina, and lots of others.

Lots of activity outside my window today. Coast guard neighbor's moving van has parked and they'll be relocating to California soon.

Posted on my Town Kid blog at the Leader website this week. "Port Townsend Memories". You can read it at www.ptleader.com and go to blogs.  Took a couple days for it to appear as the Leader site was hacked and now they have to manually look over the submitted blogs to make sure they're not spam or smut.  I don't understand how hackers get such a kick out of being stupid. Obviously, their lives are in the gutter.

Gonna head back to the sewing room now. I spent hours working on my quilt yesterday and should be able to get it hemmed up today. I was going to hand quilt it but did half of it and decided it looked crummy. Back to the sewing machine (where it still looks crummy but not quite as bad)  Ha Ha.

Relaxing Sunday

I planned to get up early as I like to catch the CBS Morning News show but I was just too dang tired this a.m.  Partly because a good-for-nothing neighbor in the alley allowed his dog to bark from 10 to past 12.  I even got in my car at one point to drive the alley and see which house was to blame.  I should have known it would be the pig house.  Actually, I can't tell for sure which house is to blame. One has a nice lawn kept cut but has several junk cars parked behind their house in the alley; the other has tall grassy lawn and (I think) one junk car and a mattress.  I don't understand how people can be so tacky when they have such close neighbors.

                       that mattress has been out there a long time. I'd bet money rats live under it.

                               the windows are even broke out of this piece of crap

                                           Just take it to the dump if it doesn't work!

Had to get after the neighbors on one side of me yesterday after the boys playing ball hit my large
living room window.  I went out on the deck but they had made a quick exit into the house.  I decided I'd better have words with the dad.  Thankfully, he's a nice guy and even made the boys come over and apologize.  I had four of their balls in my yard by this time. I think they need to move that trampoline/basketball hoop to the other  side of yard which borders an empty lot.

The neighbors on the other side of me are moving at the end of the month. Coast guard family being sent to California.  I never did really get to know them but then again, they're a young couple with kids and have their own circle of friends. Why should they get to know the ole fat lady next door?  ha ha

I was determined to get a backing prepared for my quilt so I spent a little time going through my material bin to see what I had that was big enough.  Finally found an old curtain (I think) but I needed to sew on a couple of strips to make it big enough.  Wasn't about to go invest in more material when I can use up my scraps.  Even if the end result looks like an Oakie made it.

Sue dropped in and gave me a hand at cleaning and weeding around my three trees in the backyard. Needed someone who could get down on the ground and really tug on the grass and weeds.

I managed to get the quilt back at the point where I could set it aside until tomorrow when I tackle putting it together with batting. I hate that part the most.  My quilts invariably look pretty pathetic but I keep on trying.

I sat down to watch golf and that was relaxing. Then I set my VCR to record The Tonys tonight so I can watch Bill O'Reilly's show about the original Lone Ranger.  Then I'll probably tune in Louie on Amazon Prime.

I brought in the fans from the garage and have them set up around the house. It doesn't usually get as hot up here as it does on the Seattle side but we do have those days once in a while where I need to hook up the regular a/c unit to a window.  I need someone to help me lift it onto a table when I decide to use it, though, as you need to empty the water pan and I've discovered it's much easier to access the pan if the unit is up off the floor.

There must be a couple of teenage boys next door as I've got two girls in my driveway acting especially "cutesy" like they're performing. Oh to be young again. Course I never acted like that!  Ha!

The hummingbirds have been buzzing on a daily basis out front. Going through the nectar more quickly too. I think there are four now. Here's one I took a few minutes ago.

And here's Jake playing at his cousin Catie's pool. Her apartment is near Mary and Andy.

Got my car washed yesterday by the Varsity Girls. Maddie is in the green shirt.    

                               And here's two of Jake playing in his backyard.

Maddie started bussing tables at Traylor's Restaurant yesterday.  Jenni worked there for several years.
Here she is  with two of Jenni's coworkers.

Tomorrow is quilt sewing and the usual genealogy research and sorting project.  Think I'm gonna bite the bullet and make a dentist appt too. I'm wayyyyyy over due.

Well, the buzzer just went off so I'd better take the piece of salmon out of the oven and have supper. Fixed a tossed salad to go along with it even though I didn't have any tomatoes (which I think all salads need) Still, I think it will be tasty -- lettuce, shredded carrot, slice of red onion, swiss cheese chunks, green beans cut up, hard boiled egg, and chopped celery.  Yummmm!

In the Sewing Room today

Started early measuring, cutting, sewing, pressing.  A slow process but I'm putting a little bit of a dent in the pile of material I've saved.

Nothing special but it should look halfway okay when I finish.  I've never been real confident in my quilt productions.

Took a break to run down to Walgreens to pick up some reprints but alas, their machine was down and I have to return tomorrow.  Which is okay 'cause Maddie's Varsity track team is having a car wash right next door and I have a ticket to get my white marshmallow clean.

Walgreen's is right next to Jack in the Box and since no one was in the drive-thru I decided to stop and get a burger. Drove down to the view lookout where everyone goes to eat and took a few pictures.

I set out fresh nectar again 'cause I've got 4 birds coming around now and they go through it in two or three days.

Ordered a CD on Amazon today. Been wanting this particular CD ever since I saw it on Gail Davies' website.  Her family lived in my neighborhood around 1960 before they moved to South Kitsap. The family was very musical and her and her brothers performed in the Jefferson County Fair talent show one year.  Gail and her brother, Ron (who has since died from a fatal car accident) were very successful in Nashville and Ron's music has been performed by all the top people.  This album features those folks singing Ron's songs and the profits are donated to his charity.  Here's a picture of Ron and Gail singing at the BlueBird Cafe in Nashville, (a very popular spot down there).  I met up with Gail when Mary and I were in Nashville several years ago.  She wrote a book about her life and it was pretty interesting.

I made a yummy chicken soup for supper tonight. Well, I think it's gonna be yummy.  It certainly smelled good while it was cooking.

I ran the humidifier in my bedroom last night hoping I wouldn't wake up with another pounding sinus headache. I also forced myself to use three pillows so I was halfway up.  I think it helped but something is definitely in the air 'cause I feel like crap!  Scotch broom is blowing in the wind across the street and I suspect it might be part of the problem.  But oh well....scotch broom is alive and well EVERYWHERE so I might as well accept the fact.

I took one of the generic allergy pills I had bought that was supposed to be like Claritin.  I happened to look at the ingredients yesterday and man!  I saw a few things I'm pretty sure I've read that are really bad for you.  I'm going to think twice about taking it again.

Played my old cassette tapes while sewing and while I totally enjoyed the tunes, it was kind of sad in a way to think that an awful lot of those people are gone now.  Johnny Cash, Elvis, Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, Tammy Wynette, one of the Everly Brothers, Rick Nelson, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, and Bobby Darin.

Thursday around the house

I finally managed to get myself settled at the sewing machine today.  I had gone back there a few days ago to straighten things up and look over various projects I had abandoned.  I have noticed that the dust from the material bothers my eyes and nose but I'll keep at it anyhow as I've resigned myself to always being stuffed up anyhow.

I had a box of little quilt squares I'd cut out. Some 2x2 and others 2-1/2x 2-1/2.  I think I'm going to make a couple of small quilts but will need to supplement with plain squares in between or I'd never get it done. Trying to make a blanket with tiny squares is very tiring and you can lose interest.

 these are  the smaller squares although the pictures make them look pretty much the same size.

These are just odds and ends of little pieces of material that I saved. I find it hard to throw out any material unless it's really long and stringy.

I set up my tape player and pulled out all my cassettes so I am enjoying listening to my really old music. Most of which I had forgotten about.  I do dearly love some of these tunes and hope to get them on to CDs at some point.

This is the 'church ladies' banner that hangs over my sewing machine.

I was trying to remember how to use the delayed button on my camera (or whatever you call it) and took this one of me as I wanted a different picture on my Facebook page. After I posted it, though, I decided it looked too much like me and it needed to come down.  ha ha

Outside of sewing, I did manage to get my bedroom closet cleaned out. It's amazing how much better it looks.  Catie started her new job in downtown Seattle today and sent me this picture of the view from her desk.

And  I guess that's all for today. Here are three pictures I got in an email yesterday that I thought were kinda cool.

                                                      llamas that had just been fleeced

                     A panda bear hugging a man after an earthquake had scared him

                                                            A pretty pink bridge

middle of the week

Always curious when I see a police car go past my house slowly.  Just call me Gladys Kravitz!

Having another bout with "distress in the lower tract" this a.m.  I've been keeping a food diary (sorta) but apparently I'm still not close to knowing for sure if it's something I'm eating that is causing this unsettling problem.  Going to go off coffee again and see if I can't eliminate whatever it is I'm not supposed to be eating.  I did have a slice of cheese in my turkey sandwich the last couple of days so I'd better omit that tiny thing too.  How irritating!

I woke up early (5:30 a.m.) and much to my dismay, couldn't go back to sleep.  Just hate it when that happens.  I might as well get used to it, though, because this is apparently how the game is now going to be played.  My last lab results on blood draws showed better numbers than the previous test (which I had when I was sick but wasn't positive I was sick) so I guess I'll just assume that whatever is wrong inside isn't something that is going to kill me.  On the other hand, well...never mind...we won't go there. Ha Ha

Which reminds me of a show I watched on Netflix last night that gave me some out loud laughs. Or was it Amazon? I don't remember. Anyhow, I don't often get out loud laughs from tv these days.  It was Louie, the stand-up comic and he was discussing death. Always an interesting topic. He said: (although I'm paraphrasing)

People seem to be very concerned with death.  I don't understand that. They're especially interested in what happens after death. I can tell you exactly what happens.  Everything continues as it was before. Dogs catch frisbees in the park, we have another Super Bowl...  Everything goes on but you're not included. All the activities in the world take place without you. Cause you're gone.

Somehow that tickled my funny bone.  I know. I'm weird.

The activity outside my window this morning is a guy in a tractor clearing curbside weeds. Too bad they can't come in and clear out the entire block of scotch broom. It'll never happen, though. If the guy who owns the land ever decides to build, then it will be cleared. Course then I'll be annoyed with all the hammering and construction and new people moving in. There's just no pleasing me. Ha ha

Saw two pictures in the Leader this morning (online edition) that I absolutely loved.  Am hoping I can get a reprint of the aerial view.

below is a picture from 1954.  I have it in jigsaw puzzle form on my wall.

I entered my clue in the PT Film Fest contest this morning.  I've never gotten it right in years past but I'm positive this time that my guess is correct. Now if I can just win something. Would especially like to meet the star as he's one of my favorites.

I spent two and a half hours at the PA library yesterday looking at reels of film on microfiche of past Leader issues.  Had specific dates written down that I'd copied from the Jefferson County Genealogical page of married names and dates.  Was hoping there'd be pictures but I guess they didn't do that much in those days.  

Was kind of interesting to see how weddings were written up compared to today. These days you usually just see a picture of the bride and groom with a caption underneath.  In the old days, you got to read about who poured punch and cut the cake and they were big on telling you about the flower arrangements.

As usual, I was dismayed that I never talked to my aunts and uncles and my folks about their wedding days (and all kinds of other topics too)  I wondered, for example, why my dad's twin (my uncle Jim) wasn't dad's best man or at least an usher. And while I know why my dad wasn't Uncle Jim's best man (he was overseas in the marines) I do wonder why Jim and Lillian opted for a small wedding at a house near North Beach while dad had a bigger wedding at a church in Chimacum. And why did my Aunt Elva take out a license in PT but travel to Hoquiam to get hitched.  Drives me crazy that I'll never know the answers.

I decided to type out my folks' wedding announcement and Jim and Lillian's as it didn't reproduce that well.

October 22, 1942 Leader

Alice Gray Nisbet Bride of John Blankenship

At an attractive wedding performed by the Rev. Ralph Stevens in the Chimacum Methodist Church Sunday evening, Miss Alice Gray Nisbet, daughter of John L. Nisbet of Chimacum, became the bride of John Blankenship, son of L.G. Blankenship of Port Townsend.

               The church was decorated with autumn vines, ferns and flowers. Willard and David Purnell served as altar boys and lighted the scores of white tapers that illuminated the church.

               The service was read at 8:30 o’clock before an altar banked with pink and white chrysanthemums, dahlias and ferns. Preceding the ceremony, Miss Mary Eleanor Pitney sang “Oh Promise Me,” accompanied at the piano by Miss Frances Westergaard, who also played Lohengrin’s wedding march on the organ as the bridal party proceeded to the altar.

               The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of white chiffon with full length veil of bridal illusion. In her shower bouquet were gardenias and ferns.

               Miss Mary Janice Bishop, the maid of honor, wore white silk voile and carried pink and white carnations. The bridesmaids, the Misses Ada Thoren, Lois Kilmer, and Lena Mae Coulter, were dressed in pastel gowns of blue, pink and green and carried harmonizing arm bouquets.

               James Thiele served as best man and the ushers, close friends of the groom were Fred Scott, Thomas Tjemsland and Michael McCullem.

               A reception in the church parlors followed the ceremony. Mrs. Chris Westergaard, aunt of the bride, poured, assisted by Mrs. H.F. Purnell, at a table lovely with sunburst centerpiece of pink and white tapers in a crystal bowl, and a huge three-tiered bride’s cake. Mrs. John D. Phillips cut the ices and Mrs. Hilda Cook presided at the punch bowl.

               Miss Bishop, the maid of honor, cut the cake after the bride and groom made the first cut. The bridesmaids assisted in serving the 125 guests present.

               The bride has lived the greater part of her life near Chimacum and has attended Chimacum high school. The groom was graduated last year from the Port Townsend high school and is employed at the National Paper Products Company.

February 3, 1944 Leader:

Under the WA WA Column from High School News

Lillian Luttrell Weds

At 5 p.m., Thursday, January 27, at a simple home ceremony, Miss Lillian Luttrell was married to Jim Blankenship. Only close friends and immediate members of the family were present

The bride was attired in a light green suit, with brown accessories and a corsage of gardenias and mock orange blossoms.

Jeanne Robbins was maid of honor, Gene McCart served as best man.

There was a beautiful four-layer wedding cake, white, with pink rosebuds.

Well, today is the day that I scoot on back to the sewing room and get started on projects I've put on the back burner.

54 years ago

I'm pretty sure I graduated high school on June 1st.  Hard to believe that was 54 years ago! Maybe I'll post my class here as a memory of that night.

Here's my class as freshmen and as seniors. (click to enlarge)

Sadly, I hear the old Lincoln School Bldg is probably going to be torn down. Such a shame but it's had a long run, that's for sure.  I love that old building, and I never tire at collecting pictures of it.

                            I lived in that white house in the foreground from 1973-75.

So many memories for so many people in this old building. I sure hope I can get a brick as a keepsake.

I plan on traveling into PT on June 13th for the annual alumni reunion.  Probably won't stay for the dinner and dance but I will be packing .... and shooting.  (with my camera, of course)  I wonder if I can drop 25 pounds in two weeks.  I may have waited too long.  Ha!

Discovered a pretty neat show on Amazon Prime the other night. It's a series from HBO called 'Five Days.'  Was driving me crazy to figure out who two of the stars were so I had to look them up.  They were both from Downton Abbey.

Granddaughter (the runner) just stopped in to sell me a ticket for a car wash downtown this Saturday. My car needs it and $5 sounds like a good deal. She took off running to the other gramma's house 'cause I was an easy sell.

Well, gotta go throw something together for supper and change the calendars.  Maybe I'll try and get out and about this week to take some pictures.  Haven't felt real good the past few days. Allergies, I suspect as scotch broom is blossoming all around me.  Big Time! Here's a view from my front step.