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dooley
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Recent Entries to this Blog It's Fall already!
Posted: 08 Oct 2015
Moving Day is approaching!
Posted: 04 Mar 2015
2015 already!
Posted: 01 Jan 2015
It's been a great while!
Posted: 30 Dec 2014
An anniversary comes but once a year!
Posted: 27 Aug 2014

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dooley's Blog




It's Fall already!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 1:27 am

We moved here to Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the middle of March so it's been about seven months since we left Texas. It was a mild winter here in Wisconsin 2014/1015 so there wasn't any snow after we moved up here. It was a good summer. We decided we wouldn't become seniors who sit around all day and stare at a tv. So, every day we get up and go to the bus stop and get on the bus and go somewhere. We go to the library, we go out for breakfast or lunch. We do our shopping daily so we only have a couple of shopping bags to carry on the bus. We did buy a metal shopping cart with wheels when we are expecting to get something larger than a couple of bags. I make reusable shopping bags now. I've made one for almost all of the bus drivers that we meet on our daily bus rides. Our son comes to take us shopping if we have something we can't carry on the bus.But, you would be surprised at the things that we have brought home on the bus. We started going on Wednesdays to our local Senior Center. They have a Writer's Group, 1pm-3pm. We go every Wednesday and everyone brings something they have written during the week and ready it aloud to the group. If it's a part of a project they can get comments on what they can do to make it better or how to word it so it makes the point better. Just positive comments, no critizing allowed without explanation. You can't just say you don't like it. We went there today. They want me to compile my stories into a book of short stories and see about getting it published. I only write for the enjoyment of it so I'm not sure about doing that.
It's been getting into the 40's at night but still gets into the 60's during the day. The trees are starting to turn from green to yellow and orange and today I saw a couple with red leaves. They aren't falling to the ground yet. I'm sure it won't be too long before that starts happening. I like fall but I'm not too sure about winter. We haven't missed too many days of not getting out to walk or ride the buses. But, if there is snow on the ground I think we will just hibernate with the best of them. We've been storing up some food for times when we won't be able to get out to go shopping.
We are thinking of looking for a senior apartment complex where there are more amenities on premises so we wouldn't have to go out during really cold snowy times. It isn't winter yet but I'm looking forward to spring.
dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 429 times


Moving Day is approaching!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 11:14 pm

We've been busy sorting and boxing stuff. We've taken much stuff to the local thrift shop. We decided if it's not something we really need and it can be purchased in Wisconsin should we decide we really need it that we will donate it to the thrift shop. We will be leaving Texas on the 18th or 19th of March. We have rented a Penske moving truck. Either Dan or Tom will drive it. I tried to tell them I could do it but they think it will be too much for me. I know it would be a bit slower than they will make the trip. I think it will take two or three days. Especially if we decide to stop and visit with wannabe. Not sure how much time is possible with three men wanting to get the trip over and just myself wanting to stop. I will miss Texas. We really liked living here and the people are so friendly and helpful. But, they are right, you know. We probably do need to be closer. I was thinking since dr doesn't drive due to health issues that if I was sick or something he would be stuck here relying on neighbors to get around to places he needed to go. We do live about 10 or 12 miles from town. We have six or eight houses within walking distance but you couldn't walk 10 or 12 miles to town. At our age it would take all day.
Our truck sure knows the way. It doesn't like sitting in the driveway. Our son is going to inherit it when we get moved as we will live in town and not need a vehicle. There are buses to use for transportation and dial-a-ride, too. Our son has said he will take us shopping when we have too much to carry on the bus.
It will be a "little" colder in the northern climate. They have snow which we haven't lived with in many years. When we have had to deal with snow in the last 25 years, it's been flurries or it's melted the same day. I don't think it does that in Wisconsin.
But, it's only two weeks away now and I'm starting to wonder if we will be ready to move. Dan is coming on the 14th to help us pack. We get the truck on the 18th. Tom is meeting us in Dallas on the 19th and will drive us the rest of the way.
It looks like a daunting job when you are younger but it's way more when you are halfway through your 70's. Well, almost halfway. If we are not ready, Dan will be able to stuff it into the rental moving van. But, if not it will be left and put to good use by the man who is moving in here. It's the landlady's father and she is just next door and there are about a dozen grandchildren running around to "help" with things. The oldest is 11 so they may be more trouble than help. Our grandsons who live near where we are moving are 12 and 16. They will be more help if we need it. The oldest is just getting his driver's license and will be wanting to drive and he can drive us if we need to go somewhere.
I think I'd better go see if I can find something to cook or reheat for our supper. I'll try to keep you informed on how things go. Computer is going with us and will be back in operation as soon as possible.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 439 times


2015 already!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:45 pm

It's 2015. I thought we just started 2014. Where did it go?
As you grow older, time speeds up. Did you notice how much faster time goes now?
I went around and installed 2015 calendars in each room. I have three left. Do I need more than one in some rooms? We don't have large rooms now. At one time when the boys were growing we had a large house with many rooms. We could each be in a different room and move around and not meet each other. I'm sure glad we don't have a big house now. Keeping up with chores in this small house is enough for me.
We still have a fairly big yard. But, we live in the country. We have neighbors but we have wildlife abounding, too. I went out to feed the birds this morning. We have lots and lots of birds. With all of the rain we've been having I had to clean out the feeders because rain and seed make mush that clogs the holes. It must have made them happy because before I got back into the house there were dozens of birds out there. The cardinals are my favorite. There are some who stay all year. A few are so big I wonder how they lift off to fly. They do enjoy their food. If the feeders are empty too long they fly to the porch railing and holler at us.
I hope everyone had a great 2014 and enjoyed the last evening. We stayed home and had a quiet evening. Our neighbors entertained us with their cheery bonfire and laughter and fireworks. We went to bed early but they had fireworks going off all hours of the night. I think the last ones I heard was about 3 am. They must all be still sleeping because there are about a dozen cars still parked out there. I wonder how everyone found a place to sleep. The floor, perhaps?
Our boys and their friends used to cover the floors with their sleeping bags on New Year's Eve.
No snow here, just rain. That's fine with me. I've shoveled my share of snow in my lifetime. I'll start another year tomorrow. Number 74. Where did the time go?

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 387 times


It's been a great while!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:11 am

It's been a great while since I've written a blog on Gardenstew. As many of you may know about three years ago I was diagnosed with a form of cancer. I had some surgery and was told that it was all removed. But, I have this medication that I was going to have to take for about five years, once a day. I haven't had a problem with the cancer since then but with the medication. It has many side effects and one is lethargic. Some days I have trouble making myself get started doing anything.
I try to do at least something every day. I am still sewing the aprons and tote bags and now reusable shopping bags without the lining that tote bags have in them. I sell them at a monthly flea market. It isn't open in the winter months or if the weather is bad.
I had a smaller garden in the past year but it didn't do real well because it was also very hot and dry. Everything had to be watered daily. We are on a well with several other houses so had to be careful not to use more than we really needed. There are animals that need the water, too. The landlord recently dug a large pond that is gradually filling up with rainwater. It will be used for watering the animals and gardens, etc. It will save the well water for people usage.
My tomatoes did well and some peppers that I had in front. Our biggest enjoyment this past year or two have been our birds. We have two big bird feeders and a sunflower feeder. We have lots of cardinals, sparrows, wrens, quail, and doves. There are sometimes blue birds and blue jays and some small yellow birds. I've forgotten their names. In about a month the winter weather will have receded enough that I can start to plant some cool weather plants.
We are thinking of making a great change in our living arrangements though.
Our sons have decided that at our advanced age we need to be living close to one of them. The one that has been chosen lives in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. We went to visit for Thanksgiving. I was raised in Wisconsin so it will be like going home again. We will be living in a senior housing complex so I'm not sure how much gardening we will be able to do. There are community gardens where you can have a space to grow a vegetable garden and there are balconies for growing potted plants. We could also maybe grow something out at our son's place.
We have been keeping ourselves busy doing other things. We belong to a writer's group that meets monthly and we belong to a Tuesday night club that meets every Tuesday night at a local restaurant and chats and tell stories and generally keep things a bit lively so we don't fall into a rut. I enjoy writing and so does dr.
It's been a wet winter, no snow, but a lot of rain so I think a garden will do much better this summer. I will start some seeds and if we leave our neighbor can use them. There are some children old enough to have an interest in gardens now.
I will try to come more often now and write about daily happenings. I do that on facebook for our boys, just to keep them up to date on our doings around here.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 393 times


An anniversary comes but once a year!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:35 am

An anniversary comes but once a year. It marks the day you stood up in church and recited vows to each other. It meant something to us and it was a death do us part vow. So, after 53 years we are still here and still together. I remember some of the early anniversaries and I don't remember them all. I remember we went out every year and had a meal and Brian bought me roses. Today a lady asked if he bought me flowers. I told her he didn't buy them today but I have flowers and butterflies to go with them and they last much longer than store bought flowers. She didn't understand. I had roses just last month and they lasted only a few days in our heat even with me changing the water every morning. I had rather have a rose now and then for no reason but love. Brian surprises me with one several times a year and they have more meaning than ones bought for an occasion that calls for buying flowers because it's expected of you.
With the years come routine and every once in awhile you break that routine and do something different. We've done many different things in the 53 years and we've lived many places. We've live in about a dozen different places in four different states. We liked every place we've lived. Sometimes, like the move from Arizona to Texas it is just time to move somewhere else. The climate was different in Arizona than in Wisconsin and it is different in Texas than it was in Arizona. Pennsylvania also had it's own climate. There was very little snow in Philadelphia. There was almost no snow in Arizona and in Texas but Wisconsin had many feet of snow each year. Brian tells people when we left Wisconsin that we went until no one knew what a snow shovel was used for and then we stopped. We still don't have a snow shovel. A broom does a very good job on the amount of snow we've had everywhere but Wisconsin.
Our oldest son was born in the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Brian was in the Navy when we got married. The other two were born in Wisconsin. They all live in different states now. I guess they got the travel bug from us. Well, the youngest and his family live in Wisconsin. The oldest lives in California and is an expert in the growing of grapes and making wine. He has a PhD to prove it. The youngest is a pediatrician. He went to college when he was just 16. We had to sign all sorts of papers just to leave him there. It was only two hours from home. While he was still there we moved across the country. The middle child has a degree in Electronic Instrumentation. He works on the electronics on those huge machines in an open pit copper mine in Arizona. He learned electricity and electronics while spending a few years in the Navy and got his degree piece meal. We are proud of each and every one of them. Did I get off of the subject? Every anniversary is another year spent with a person we love and cherish. I am hoping we have many more left to us. We are both in our 70's but mostly healthy. We do have our problems as we age but doesn't everyone. They are not something we sit and worry about or even think about most days. Our truck doesn't sit in the driveway most days. It takes us to breakfast or lunch or to the library or museum or to visit friends. Today, it took us to lunch at the Woodbine Hotel. That's a haunted hotel. It has ghosts on the third floor. I have not visited the third floor so I cannot personally attest to the ghostly visitor.
This was a very good day for us. We spent it together as always but maybe a little more together instead of us each doing "our" thing and getting together for some parts of the day. We are truly blessed to have found each other at that roller rink when I was only 18. I was 20 when we got married and he was 21. People thought we were too young or didn't know each other well enough. But, we knew better and we made it work for us. You can't just give up when the going hits a rough spot. Work around it and let love have it's way.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 462 times


Shopping today!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 3:17 am

Since we didn't go shopping yesterday that was our day today. First we went and had breakfast. Then, we went to Huntsville and did our shopping. I got everything on my list and then some. We went to WalMart for decaffinated tea bags. I use them to make iced tea. I drink a lot of tea and it has to be the decaffinated kind. We bought some other things there, too. Then, on to HEB for a few things. Then, to Kroger for the rest of the stuff on the list. They had peaches on sale and tomatoes. I bought lettuce and just a small bag of potatoes. We don't eat a lot of potatoes. But, I may make some potato salad. I did buy eggs today. I have a few to toss. Tomorrow we will go to the dump so it's a good time to toss them, I think. We stopped in Midway at the cafe and had lunch. It's a small place but the food is very good. We ate there one before and liked it. Maybe we will go back there again sometimes. It's not all that far away.
Home and things put away by 3 pm. Supper in town and home again before dark. Dark doesn't come at 6:30 pm in summer. So, that rounded out our day. Hope you had one as good.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 333 times


It's still summer!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:30 am

Here it is the middle of August, almost. It's still summer here, meaning it's hot, hot, hot and more hot. Each day is in the upper 90's and it says the weekend will be 101 and 102 degrees. It's good that every where we go has air conditioning but getting in and out of the truck and into a building raises the sweat on you forehead. It has a habit of running into my eyes so I have to have a kleenex in had to wipe it out again. I am not fond of winter but could use a shorter summer and more spring and fall. Fall is my favorite season. When I was a kid it was a time of weiner roasts and hay rides and, of course,back to school. Some kids have already gone back to school. They have the year divided up a lot different than they did when I went to school. They get more holidays and time off. I didn't have a big garden this year and what I had didn't do very well. I'm getting old enough that going out in the heat of the day to tend to things is a bit daunting. I always intend to get up early and do it and some days I manage it and some days I have other stuff to do. You know how the "other stuff" keeps sticking it's head in where it doesn't belong. It's the things that has to be done instead of the things that you want to do. We are retired so we don't have as much other stuff as people who are working or have kids to get ready for back to school days.
I still try to do a bit of sewing every day. I have four aprons hanging on the back of the door now and one that is a work in progress. I'll maybe get it finished tomorrow. I sell some but it seems I like to just give them to people same as with the shopping bags. It doesn't cost me a lot to make them and I like to see the happy smiles on people's faces.
It's my keep busy project. I was told to find something to do to keep busy so I didn't sit and stare at the tv all day. It would be hard to do that because we don't have a tv. We haven't had one for seven years now. I don't miss it. Sometimes when we go to eat there will be a tv and I see the news or weather. Mostly the news isn't good news and I can look outside and see the weather. Or read about it in the paper or check it out on the computer. So, I don't miss the tv.
Sometimes I'm on the computer since I have a facebook account to keep in touch with my kids. I also play some solitaire or mahjong on it. I sew and I read and I do crossword puzzles. I cook and clean occasionally. One thing I do every day is dishes. I never leave dishes sitting dirty. It's a habit that I learned from my mom. When I was working maybe I did occasionally but I had the boys at home to do them. I think they still do them with the help of a dishwasher. I don't have a dishwasher, never really wanted one though one time I did have one.
Well, anyway sometimes I write and we belong to a writer's group that meets once a month so Brian and I both write something for it. They think I should pull together all my Boomer Rabbit stories into a book. I think there are about 20 of them. I just never get around to doing it. That "other stuff" gets in the way, I guess. Maybe someday!
We're still feeding the birds. Well, Brian feeds them and I keep their water tubs filled. The squirrels seem to come and help themselves but the birds knock enough on the ground that would be wasted so I'm not going to complain about it. Once in awhile I see a little rabbit but they seem to prefer the grass that grows from the seeds. Most of the birds are cardinals and I like to sit and watch them. They have always been one of my very favorite birds.
So, we are not sitting around staring at the tv. We find all sorts of things to keep us busy. I still come to Gardenstew every day even though some days I don't write much. Wannabe and I exchange private messages to keep in touch every day. It's just an extra touch since we do chat sometimes. She lives in Illinois and I live in Texas. I think now that of the six brothers and sisters, each one live in a different state. I wonder how that happened. I think we all moved around so much when we were kids that we all chose a place we liked when we were a kid. Though I never lived in Texas I do like this part very much.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 313 times


Here's a new blog for you!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 3:30 pm

I truly have been neglecting my blogs. I don't know why since I do come to GardenStew every day and sometimes more than once a day. I promise I will try to do better.
It's been hot and humid and I've been staying inside for most of the time. I didn't plant a large garden this year. I filled the peat pots with soil but that's about as far as it went. I have problems with my knees and when it's humid I don't function too well outside. I do keep the grass and weeds down for the most part. I have to keep the scrubby brush cut in the front yard under the bird feeders so the neighbors cats don't have a place to hide.
We have two wild bird seed feeders and one for sunflower seeds. We have lots of cardinals and some woodpeckers and chickadee's. Sometimes some big doves and on the ground where they spill the seeds are sometimes squirrels and rabbits. There are four water tubs from small to large that I try to keep cleaned and filled.
So, I guess I go outside some every day. dr keeps the feeders filled though. He does them twice a day. There are lots of the juvenile cardinals there now. It's fun to watch them change to their full colors. I don't see so many female cardinals right now. They must be resting up from the spring.
I picked a cucumber this morning. It was from a vine that somehow migrated from the garden area to the middle of the back yard. There is a smaller one in the garden area. The peppers didn't do well. The tomatoes have flowers but no tomatoes. It got too hot too early but if I keep the plants watered maybe they will get some when it gets cooler again. That will be a couple of months yet though. Not much rain so I do go out and water the plants and bushes and trees some between times.
Still doing sewing. Aprons and reusable shopping bags. I've been giving shopping bags to all my friends and relatives for the cost of the postage for sending them.
Except for the arthritis we've both been doing okay this summer. No emergency trips to the doctor lately. Hopefully no trips until routine appointments the end of September.
I'll try to write a short blog on here every now and then instead of doing it every six months.
Take care now and have a great day.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 355 times


Cloudy, Gray and Gloomy!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:13 am

I was thinking that it had been a long time since I had written a blog here. I checked and it's been seven months. Where has that time gone? I guess I have been neglecting my posts on here, too.
On Saturday, I went around and found all my peat pots that I had from last year. I have several sections of small ones and about 20 three inch ones. I found some flats that I purchased plants in from Home Depot. I found some trays about 3 inches deep and 15 x 18 inches in size. I had two bags of potting soil. I filled all the peat pots and flats and trays with the soil and planted some seeds.
I am starting everything in pots and containers this year because there is a side effect to feeding the birds. They seem to think that any seed that you put out belongs to them. We have been feeding them twice a day but I think when it gets a little closer to spring we may eliminate one feeding. There are so many of the big birds and even more of the cardinals and little birds. But, I'm off the subject. I do tend to ramble at times. I had the pots and containers and flats sitting on yard tables in the back. I watered them yesterday because they were dry, especially the peat pots. This morning it was cloudy and gray and foggy. It was misting most of the day. I checked the weather and it says only 50 degrees tomorrow and 35 tomorrow night so I decided since I had that greenhouse that dr fixed for me from the windows that I should move them inside. The seeds haven't come up and the soil won't freeze but I thought I'd move them inside anyway. So, I loaded them onto the garden wagon and dr pulled it around to the greenhouse. As I was loading and unloading the garden wagon I noticed something that I hadn't thought about. Some of those birds had been checking to see what I put in those containers and peat pots. Now, I will have to wait and see what comes up. I'm sure that some pots will not have anything growing in them. But, I did put more than one seed in each pot so maybe they didn't look too hard if they found just one seed. I have peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peas and beans and marigolds planted in the containers of various sizes. I do hope that something comes up. I can plant them in the vegetable beds and flower beds when they are a reasonable size and the birds should not eat them. I'm hoping when we cut down on the feeding that some of them will move to somewhere else.
I was talking to a friend the other day. They live several miles from us. They, also, feed the birds. They have the same ones that we have and in the same large flocks. She said that to get rid of the black birds they quit feeding them altogether for close to a week. The big black birds leave and when they start feeding the birds again only the cardinals and little birds come back. I might try that but I think I will wait until the weather gets a little nicer.
We've had a colder than normal weather this winter but not near as bad as the northern climes here. We only had a dusting of snow one time. Wannabe has had snow upon snow upon snow. She has also had the minus wind chills. Some nights were minus 20 to minus 40 below zero. I'm glad I'm living in Texas. We had a week when the nights got down in the 20's but without a minus in front of them.
We have had many, many gray, cloudy, gloomy days. We have rain, rain, rain, rain. But, it's not actually rain. It's drizzle, drizzle, drizzle, drizzle. Today, you could go out and walk around and come back inside. You didn't even get wet. But, it was misting and you could feel it on you face. You could see it on the truck windows. We went into town and with the wipers on intermittent low the window stayed dry all of the time. I finally turned them off and the breeze kept the window dry.
I get a little depressed with all the gray, cloudy gloomy days. I try to keep busy with my sewing and playing some computer games and of course, I come and check what is going on in the garden world but haven't been posting much. Who wants to catch my gray, gloomy weather?
Maybe when March gets here it will turn to better weather and spring will arrive. I'm sure that last year I had planted peas and spinach and cool weather crops by now. I'll just wait patiently and see if anything comes up in those pots. I may even dig in the dirt in the backyard garden and plant the spinach and beets and see if the birds discover them. I could get some netting and cover the seeds until they grow into plants.
So, you all have a good gardening week and I hope the birds don't discovered what you've planted.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 340 times


Wow! It's been a long time!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:45 am

It's been a few months since I wrote a blog. I'm not sure why. I was trying to write one about once a month. I'll just blame it on my medication. When a medication has side effects, you can blame all sorts of things on it. Actually, I'm doing well enough that I seldom think about the medication. I do take one pill every evening but it's a lot less than some people have to endure so I count my blessings.
It's been a hot, humid and mostly dry summer. Spring wasn't too wet either. My garden is done for the summer. It was a chore keeping it going in the heat but last week a deer found it. I have a fence and we haven't been bothered by deer since we moved here to Texas. I know some people have problems with them though. I think the reason is the oil people have disturbed their habitat and they are moving around more. There are several oil sites within five miles of here and one just up the road from us. It's between here and where we get to the highway going into town. Those trucks are in and out all hours of the day and night and they are noisy and dusty and generally a pain. But, with all the noise and lights and trucks the deer don't know if it's day or night or where to go to bed down. So, they wander up and down the roads. I have a bird feeding station in my front yard. I have three or four tubs for water. Two larger ones with rocks in them for standing area and some smaller ones for drinking water. They use them all for drinking or bathing. There are two bird feeders. The birds don't mind sharing it seems. The deer comes and clean up the corn they spill on the ground. There is a resident squirrel that comes every day too and once in awhile, a rabbit. The deer just ate about three quarters of our peach tree. It didn't have any peaches because a late frost got the blossoms. The deer did eat every tomato on the plants. It didn't care if they were red or green or yellow. It didn't seem to care that the plants were not all green any more, just a mixture of green and brown. I keep watering them, hoping they will come back when it gets cooler but I think it may be a hopeless case. I have a pot of lemon verbana sitting right next to the bird area and it's just fine. I suspect they don't like the smell. A friend told me to get smelly baby powder and sprinkle all the plants. I did that and so far they haven't eaten any with powder on them. I sprinkled all along the fence thinking they wouldn't like it either and not jump it but the water tub is empty every morning. Maybe I should put a tub outside the fence but I don't want to encourage other wild animals to hang around. There are wild boar and skunks and well, some not so nice things out there.
I still have a few things in the back garden. Mostly eggplant but lots of weeds. The crepe myrtle is doing great and getting bigger. They had lots of blossoms this year and a couple still have some flowers. The heat got some things and Chance only has rosemary right now. I sprayed the little fig trees the other day. They have some fungus and the grasshoppers are nibbling. The spray is supposed to stop both of them. I think it may be time for another course of it. The land across the road is like a large green jungle. You can't even walk through it. So, why does all the animals and bugs think they need to come and eat my stuff.
I've been sewing off and on and going to a market or show once in awhile but it's really too hot to sit outside right now. I'm making shopping bags right now. A friend from the thrift shop wanted me to make her 30 shopping bags and she would supply the material. So, I told her that I would. Her mother passed away and she didn't get me the material until last Monday but she didn't need them until August 12th so I have time to get them done. I have 25 of them done this week. I only have five left to do and about 10 days left to do them so I think I will be okay. She brought me three kinds of print material and I had some plain material so I made contrasting handles. She was okay with it and I think they look better than all print ones. She was pleased with the samples that I showed her. I'm taking tomorrow off completely from sewing. Brian and I are going to go out somewhere. We call it a shopping day but we do a lot of other things and stop for lunch somewhere. It's just a get away from it all day. You really need one of those at least once a month. Our truck has lots of miles on it from our get away days.
We decided that as we are getting older (not old) that we needed to sort through our things and eliminate the clutter around here. Well, you know how it goes. You eliminate two things and bring home three. Brian is going to build another shed to put some of it. I was sorting what I wanted the grandchildren to have and putting a label on it. That isn't going too great either.
I have a grandson who will be six in a couple of weeks. He is in first grade this year. Brian has a niece with a little boy who is five. He will go to kindergarten. Fintin was telling his mom it wasn't fair because they got all the mail and he never got any. So, I started sending him something every couple of weeks. Sometimes a letter, sometimes a card, sometimes a book..I thought if Fintin liked getting mail then Aidan would like getting mail, too. So, now I send them both mail every couple of weeks. When I send a card or a letter I try to add something of interest to them. I sent a package of flower seeds and book marks and little pictures. The other day I found some 4 x 5 stencil cards that I'm going to put in cards, one or two at a time. There are about 30 of them so that should give them something to do if they use the stencils to make pictures and paint or color them.
So, that's what I do to keep myself busy. No tv, just computer and sewing. Brian does outside things and reads a lot and we both write and belong to a Writer's Guild here in town.
We still keep our hands in the dirt and pull lots of weeds.

dooley

This blog entry has been viewed 382 times




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