Currently

 My intention this morning was to catch up on the blog, look through emails, and answer people who have waited on word from me far too long. Well, my intention was good.

For a long time, I have wanted to clean out my email addresses, and of course I picked today to start. After far too long working on it, I changed course. I am up to the ells. I started out at 474 entries, and I am now under 400. Next time I will start backward! Have I inspired you?

Jason and friend Glenn played in a pool tournament on Saturday at Sam's Place in Ames. They both finished somewhere in the middle. Both of them would like to try it again. I am sure they would both do better. Doing anything for the first time is a learning experience. 

When I returned to Iowa last Spring, I was certain I would have lots of spare time. Wrong again! My main goal was to stock up on earrings. I have dabbled a bit. That is a long way from stocking up. I still have hopes, but I have been "home" for nearly 4 months now and still dabbling. Sigh..

When I woke up this morning, the thermometer said 77 degrees! Now I like to walk in the early morning when it is cool, so I scrambled around and went walking my usual route. I do not know how far it is, but it takes me 45 minutes. By my calculations, that's in the neighborhood of 1 3/4th miles. In that calculation were my former routes of 2 miles to the 1-mile marker on the bike trail. 1 mile down, 1 mile back =2 miles. Time-wise, 1 hour. Knowing that was a year ago, I may have slowed a bit. That's my story, and I am sticking to it.

Rambling on... My thoughts are slowly looking to the ride South. I ran across the checklist Jason and I had so we didn't forget last year, and OMG! 

I haven't put it together yet for this year, but it will be much smaller.

Till next time!

Snapshots

 I have always had an interest in photography. In my early years, I was held back by taking rolls of film to the drugstore; it cost money, no chance to make changes. It was still fun, but I didn't have the money to get into it too deeply. Then came the Internet and everything changed! I started a blog (journal) in 2002 and tried to write in it every day.  I am still trying, but as you age, everything slows down. One of the advantages of taking pictures is that it lessens the need to be chatty. So when I was way behind, I would load up with photos. I still do that today. By the way, all of those photos and writings are still available for viewing. If you look to the left when viewing the blog, you will see the years listed. Pick any year, and you will see all the entries there; then pick any entry and start losing track of time!

This morning's deer. Taken at 6:30 AM on the west side of the hospital

Jason's squirrel. Taken in Boone Iowa.

His underside is all black, so Jason calls him (Neh-gro). Spanish word for black.

AI at work: I like it and will keep it. Cheaper than plastic surgery.

This is a different squirrel that is hanging out at Jason's house. Trying to find a cool spot.

Till next time!

Trivial Pursuit!!

 I am not going to say that word. You know what I mean. It goes without saying! When I returned from South Texas, I had so many plans.  I was sure I could take care of many of them quickly and easily. Actually, things are starting to get wrapped up and settled, and it feels so good!

The sale of the house should be settled this week, and that is the last of a biggy thing.

Trivia is welcomed here. I wish there were more participants, and I am hoping over time there will be. It is not about the questions or the answers. It is about the laughter, Keri's treats, and old and new camaraderie. After every session, I have people come to me and mention how great it was to hear the laughter on Thursday nights. I am hoping they will hear it at a closer distance and be a part of that laughter the following week. Oh, and by the way, it is open to people outside of Evergreen Ridge. The people who used to come to the pool hall Butch and I built to play trivia now come to my new location, and I so appreciate them. So dive right in and come to listen. Make your own assumption about it. 

I am happy with my life and hope I have another ten or so years to say that. 

Poem-unknown author

As president of the organization in the first park we were in in South Texas, I accumulated little bits and pieces of sayings, jokes, and other stuff. I ran across that folder in my search for something else; you all know how that goes! Well, I ran across this poem from the past and decided to share it with you.

 Back Home

If I had the power to turn back the clock,

Go back to that house at the end of the block…

The house that was “home” when I was a kid,

I know I would love it more now than I did.

If I could be back there at my Mother's knee,

And hear once again all the things she told me,

I’d listen as I never listened before,

For she knew so well what life had in store.

And all the advice that Dad had to give…

His voice I will remember as long as I live;

But it didn’t seem really important then,

What I’d give to live it all over again.

And what I would give for the chance I once had

To do so much more for my Mother and Dad,

To give them more joy and a little less pain;

A little more sunshine, a little less rain.

But the years roll on and we cannot go back

Whether we were born in a mansion or shack,

But we can start right now, in the hour that’s here,

To do something more for the ones we hold dear.

And since time in its flight is traveling so fast,

Let’s not spend it regretting that which is past;

But let’s make tomorrow a happier day

By doing our “good unto others”...today!

Keep your eggs fluffy

 Why Chefs put vinegar in scrambled eggs. A few drops — approximately 1 teaspoon for every two to four eggs — of apple cider vinegar or a mild wine vinegar helps loosen the proteins as you whisk, making the cooked eggs fluffier and softer on your palate. (If you hate rubbery scrambled eggs, this is the tip you’ve been waiting for.) Vinegar gives the finished eggs a creamy texture, but without the added calories and saturated fat that come from cream. Any acidic ingredient will do the trick, including lemon or lime juice, or a smidge of buttermilk or plain yogurt.

A look back

I am trying to find the year we were workcamping in Michigan. To be more precise, I was looking at old blog entries and came upon the one below. I found it interesting and wondered if you would too.

Found it! We workamped at Thunder Bay Golf and RV Resort in the summer of 2010. This video was a wonderful nostalgic event for us.

http://youtu.be/c74Q_KkwKEU

Monday Mourning

Moodiness mixed with raindrops,
Makes for a soup that is blue.
I need a walk in the sunshine,
And find something productive to do.

I have found myself to be fractured and distracted today. We need to get some work done, but it is outside work, and we are having a rainy day here in northeast Michigan.
I broke Butch's chair yesterday. It was on its way to being broken anyway; I just finished it off. I was cleaning it. It needed it. I forgot about its delicate condition and jerked it around, and whoops- broken. He can no longer recline. Angel is not going to like this. So then, as always happens, he decides he is going to fix it. Butch's mind is locked in the 50's where you could go downtown to the hardware store or blacksmith shop and find parts for anything that had parts. So far, no luck. We have contacted the chair manufacturer (Flexsteel) by email, and we will see what that brings. Our hopes are none too high. So for you women whose men are none too handy- at times it is not all it is cracked up to be. A quest for something unattainable is not pretty to watch.
I mailed off two bracelets today, or rather Butch did while he was off on his quest for parts. These two are going to Missouri. I counted up the other day, and I think I have done 7 so far. They are fun to do because they are finished quickly and then off to the next idea. Also, they are easier to do in warm weather than an afghan, and we are always in warm weather, or at least we try to be. I still plan to do Swedish weaving.

Some pics of my latest move.

 I recently moved from one apartment to another. It was painless. I took a few photos of my new digs. This is my front door, and now I have my nameplate added. It is under 122. The white thing with the hole in it is what I am supposed to turn over if I leave. It is a way to tell if you are in or out. The out side is red. I remember sometimes!

Living room

My bedroom

I love being reacquainted with my Nikon. I almost had myself convinced my phone was just as good. It isn't.

This is how I do it...

 ...as often as I can!❤

Writers Block

 It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. It's usually when there are so many good things to write about at the same time that I have trouble sorting it all out. So if this entry sounds discombobulated, you now know why. 

Throughout my life, I have used "words of many colors," so to speak. It isn't something I am aware of. It is something I get reminded of. My son Jason has the same thing happen to him, and we assume he picked it up from me.

Enough, already! 

My house is sold! The 30 days that are a part of house sales will be up on July 23rd. That is when we must have it finalized. It will take place sooner than that. The auction is finalized, and I will get the check sometime after July 15th. I know it will not be a large check. I didn't have that much to sell. Butch and I lived small. I called the buyer to find out how he would feel about me leaving the parts that didn't sell for him, and he graciously said, "Yes". There are things there that, had I lived in a larger place, I would have kept. I figured he would feel less put upon if he found a few jewels among what was left. 

My pool game gets better with each of the things I have had on my list taken care of. Jason was here on Sunday, and I played pool better than I have for quite some time. It is all about focus, actually. Hanging on to that focus is the hard part.

Yesterday I gave my camera a thorough cleaning. I have always liked it better than the phone camera, and once again I have been reminded of the differences. So here are some random photos I have worked with in the past few weeks.

This is a photo of a classmate of mine taken at the reunion a while back. This was taken at Pat's place as she was hosting it. Pat Limburg Rusnak was born 2 days before I was in the same hospital. I like this photo of her.

One of the advantages of a good camera is being able to manipulate the photos to my liking.

I happened to see this Amazon bag, and the saying in the middle caught my eye!

This is my great-granddaughter Nina Grace, who was in Iowa with her grandparents, Rich and Donna. The girls got hooked on Diamond Art. 

I've been hooked lately on watching hummingbirds. It is so much easier to get good shots with a good camera! Look at those tiny little feet!

This is a new view from my new location.

The best moon photos are with a good camera.

Class of '61 reunion.

Taken at the house on Cedar when I was waiting on someone!

View from my window.

That is enough for today. Thanks to all who are still checking in on me.