Ancestry Sale

I saw an ad for DNA testing on Ancestry.com so Butch and I submitted our DNA and we received the results yesterday. This gives us something to do when it is raining but I am sure it is going to slow up the moving process.
Butch and I both thought we were mostly German and it seems we are both mostly not! Butch is 71% English and I am 79% English. I have 16% Scottish and Irish with a smidgeon of Norway and Sweden thrown in. You think you know what your mama told you but you may be off base just a bit.

My biggest surprise so far is connecting with my paternal father's side. My father was adopted when he was 3 months old by Sam and Anna Brock. His birth name was Van Horn. I grew up knowing that my father's name was Francis Duane Brock but I found one entry that had his middle initial as W so I wondered if perhaps his birth name was actually Francis Walter Van Horn. I wondered specifically because his father's name was Walter. Perhaps Sam and Anna changed it or perhaps it was just an error. I knew my paternal birth Grandfather Walter Van Horn was a twin and his brother's name was Wesley and when I checked close matches on DNA I located cousins on Wesley's side. I have contacted them through Ancestry.com so we will see if it results in any more info. Just that quickly it became exciting.

My paternal grandfather's marriage info. Good grief!! I just looked up Franklin Township. It is COOPER IOWA! Butch was born in Cooper. So was my mother and now I can add my paternal grandfather. Cooper has played a significant role in both of our lives.

And now back to the moving process!

Fall transition

We are in the process of moving from the house to the motorhome and we are about one-third done. Rain and cold will delay the process and we have had both. We also do not want to go crazy and do it all in one day as that can be a bad scene and scare the neighbors. I am a firm believer that we have an unknown number of decisions we can make in one day and if you exceed it all hell breaks loose. We are not in danger of that. Just sayin'.
Today is starting off cold. Some would say "ah pshaw" but for me, 41 degrees is not in my comfort zone. I am hoping it will moderate some so we can get this show on the road.
Till next time...

RV Battery Cells

Butch has struggled to fill our battery cells in the RV batteries. I plan to save this tip for him.

I am all about making life easier!

Quick Tip

A simple way to fill your coach battery cells

Are your coach batteries difficult to reach to fill the cells? Head off to the drug store and pick up a water bottle with an “enema” hose and fitting. Fill the water bottle with distilled water, hook up the hose with the shut-off clip. Now lead the “business end” of the hose to each cell and use the shut-off to open/close the fill-up flow.

Theresa's Birthday

Today is my sisters birthday. She was born on September 30th, 1952. I was 9 years old and I remember the day quite clearly. Tonight Butch and I were watching the weather report on the evening news and I told him the weather on the day Theresa was born was a nice day. Just then the guy said it was a warm day today at 87 but a record was not broken because in 1952 the temperature reached 90 degrees! Imagine my surprise at that strange coincidence.
💖Happy Birthday, Theresa!💖

Facebook Fun!

I found this ad on my Facebook page. They were selling T-shirts of course but I just wanted the picture so I snipped it as you know I always do. Later I got the idea that Butch would have liked me to actually buy him one. I knew he and a few other Brookers would really like this T-shirt or at least the message on it.

Mice in your RV?

You may want to read this article. I would love to hear of a first-person account of someone who has tried this method. Let's all go to the zoo!!
We are fighting ants at the moment. I wonder if it works for ants?

https://www.rvtravel.com/mice-invading-your-rv-lion-poop-to-the-rescue/

Today’s thought

“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” ―J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter author

Dead or not dead

Well, the dead phone came to life the day after I bought a new one. I probably would not have known had they not told me to erase all personal info from the dead phone before turning it in for trade-in value. It perplexed me because how do you erase something that is dead? Besides their reasons, I was not comfortable sending a phone with all the info intact through the mail to God knows where. So I tried again to revive it and I assume it needed a vacation because it started working. So I erased it. I reasoned that if it happened once, the dying I mean, then it could happen again so I felt better about buying a new phone. I do like the new one. It is the same brand- Pixel 3a. The features have come a long way in three years time. They rave about the camera on this one so of course, I will have to give it a run for my money.

Zimmerle connected

This past Saturday we had an event at our house. It is loosely called a girls day out and it started a long time ago now that I think about it. My Aunt Ruby lived in Jefferson just a few blocks from where we now live.  My mother and Aunt Ruby were sisters-in-law and very good friends. When it came to pass that they were both widows they would take trips together. Aunt Ruby was the person I would go visit with about all the things you really want to know about when you are young but not yet wise. I know many of my cousins felt the same way about her. And my cousins have told me they felt the same way about their Aunt Fern, otherwise known to me as Mom. So in the course of time, we were all scattered to the four winds but every now and then we would get together at a restaurant in Jefferson for a girls day out. A Zimmerle connection was the glue that bound it together. Since we have moved to Jefferson in 2010 we have revived the tradition with gaps here and there. Both Aunt Ruby and my mother have passed but there are a number of cousins, mostly female who still attend. We had a most pleasant afternoon. Those attending were my sister Theresa, her daughter Tara with her BF Mark, my cousin Phyllis and her niece Joanna, my niece Karla and her son Devon, and my cousin Liesa. Unable but really wanting to attend was my sister Myrla. Her dog Hewy is in the process of dying and she could not bring herself to leave him alone. Those who know her would not be surprised.
We had a very fun afternoon and we hope to repeat it next year.

Dead Pixel Phone

I had to do a search to see how old the dead pixel phone is and it is 3 years old, almost exactly. I thought it was older than that but the "Oh well, it is what it is, comes to mind." It is dead and that is the bottom line. A new one has been ordered and I hope it gets here soon. They tell me it will be here between September 27th and 30th. Yikes! So I guess calling Butch's phone is your best bet if you need to get in touch with us or there is always email. There is never a good time for this to happen but better now than when we are en route to Texas.
An added note; I have been through all the tech support on the old phone. I have tried all the tricks to wake it up and none of them have worked. Now I am weighing the options of getting insurance on the new one. Is it worth $5 a month to have it insured? Hmmmm.

Gordon's in Mexico

Our longtime friends Donn and Peggy Gordon spent some time in Mexico and one of their fun activities was helping the baby turtles get to the ocean.






After their fun with turtles, they went back to their accommodations and watched the moon. Quite the life, wouldn't you say?

For a family full of readers

I saw this and it hit home as well as making all the avid readers in our family come to mind.

After 60 years of marriage

This quote rings true.
" True love doesn't happen right away it's an ever-growing process. It develops after you've gone through many ups and downs when you've suffered together cried together laughed together. "

Ricardo Montalban

Homecoming

Butch and I went to Devon's homecoming parade in Ogden IA last Friday. I was remembering how the weather was a year ago. There was a cold north wind and we were trying to get sheltered by a building while still being able to see the parade. This year was very opposite; everyone was looking for a patch of shade. I did see a forecast that promised a warmer than normal fall for the entire country. That would be different.

 Sometimes it is all about the car!

Our boy Devon is in the center with the visor

And speaking of homecoming, we experience it twice a year. We come home in the Spring and then we go home in the fall and honestly that is how it feels both times. Last year at this time we moved into the motorhome early because we didn't want to winterize it and the temps were getting low enough to be a worry. We still plan to move into it well before we go but so far we are not feeling pushed into it by the weather. We are less than a month from takeoff and it hardly seems possible.

After the parade, Butch and I went to Boone taking the old 30 highway. It is always a nostalgic trip for me because as a youngster Mom, Dad and we three kids, Theresa wasn't born yet, would go to Boone to the Drive-in theater. And this was the road we took because New 30 was not yet in existence. It is a beautiful drive.

Make Time

Deer on the trail

Keri and I were deep in conversation while walking this morning. I am sure it was very important. 😏And then Keri spotted young deer very near the edge of the trail. When mama deer tells her youngsters to stay put, they stay put so it was easy for Keri to get pictures.

New art on the trail

There were only two new art pieces on the trail when I took this picture but now there are three. I will be getting more pictures. The placement is super because you can see all three as you drive by on the highway and yet they are nearly lined up. They are done by a fellow from Churdan Iowa who does metal artwork and he does it very well. Here is his website: https://olson-iron-works.myshopify.com/collections/all

On the trail...

I took these photos this morning with my phone on the bike trail.

The beans are turning.

We can see the end from here...

I 'borrowed' this from a friend and thought it worthy of posting.

Many of us are between 65 and death, i.e. old. My friend sent me this excellent list for aging . . . and I have to agree it's good advice to follow.

1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together

5. Don’t stress over the little things. Like paying a little extra on price quotes. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone - apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

REMEMBER: “Life is too short to drink bad wine and warm beer.”

It has been awhile

I try to read Colleen's writings every week but sometimes I get behind. I especially enjoyed the one that follows, maybe because she is a good writer but maybe because she is my friend and I miss her now that she is in Florida. And in several instances, I was wishing she was sitting across from me and I could respond readily to what she was saying. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it too.

Have a newspaper day

September 4, 2019Greene County News Online

~a column by Colleen O’Brien

This column is going to start off sounding political but read on. It will swerve to something more palatable: breakfast.

To know what‘s really going on, I listen to or read online all the news sources – MSNBC and FOX, The Beast and The Guardian, Epoch News and the NYTimes, National Review and The New Republic, NPR and Rush Limbaugh and of course GreeneCountyNewsOnline.

Not all of it is easy. I listen to some of the news for a long time; other news I read for a little bit to get the gist of the point of view. Some days I ignore the “other side.”

So far, I have not been influenced by broadcast or print news to change my political leanings. I assume, therefore, that suggesting a switch to unfamiliar stations or periodicals now and then to hear what the other side is saying probably is not going to convince anyone to switch party affiliation. It is interesting to see different points of view, however.

My very nonpolitical friend asked me why I have to listen to the choir singing the same song every day. This friend is the same one who years ago, when I was complaining about trying to find my morning newspaper in the snowdrift, asked me why I would even think about trudging out in the cold for news that was going to be the same as yesterday’s.

She just didn’t get it, the addiction to news, especially in the form of newspapers. I ignored that what she meant was that I was never readying anything NEW anyway.

The older I get, the more her points make sense to me. But the older I get, the more habitual I seem to be, the routine of perusing the news early in the morning a comfortable piece of business that goes along with the joy of my favorite breakfast. You might know this feeling — looking forward to your coffee and toast or your tea and oatmeal, day after day, year after year.

Breakfast may be the most nostalgic meal of the day, accumulating over the decades to a favorite, beloved continuum in the accumulation of otherwise pointless experiences.

For many years, my breakfast was shredded wheat with milk and sugar, plus black coffee. I don’t know if it was the long-term effect of lack of variety, but when I began to have digestive problems, my doctor told me I had to give up wheat and dairy. This was a mighty hardship, my morning repast being wheat and dairy. Along with the removal of a kind of childish anticipation that this breakfast engendered in my dawn mind, I became childishly whiney about having to change it.

Had I only known. My altered breakfast routine was the first wedge in ensuing insults having to do with the aging process.

I have been in search of THE breakfast ever since. My trying to land on something as pleasant as shredded wheat with milk and sugar has been a vain endeavor. I’ve been through peaches and cream, oat muffins, non-dairy smoothies, bacon and eggs, non-gluten waffles (a truly awful waffle).

The other sadness relating to the passage of time was when I had to give up the morning newspaper. I’d been reading a morning newspaper since before kindergarten when I discovered one Sunday after Mass that I was READING the funnies. I’m not quite sure when I really began reading the morning news, but I pretend it was then. Sixty years later, when the price of print news began to skyrocket – about the time I realized what it meant to be on a retirement budget – I gave up the increasing monthly price of a delivered newspaper.

Ever since I’ve been trying to figure out what to read while I’m trying to figure out what to eat. Novels are for the evening, or perhaps a slow day’s afternoon. Magazines are for lunch, not breakfast; maybe while waiting for somebody to show up. Poetry is for the onset of moodiness. TV doesn’t figure in at all.

Each day since I had to give up newsprint and shredded wheat with milk has been a hunt for something illusive – nostalgia, the good old days of doing what I wanted, a decent digestive system that growled for a stellar breakfast. Anything but the actuality of the misnamed “golden years.”

I do read GreeneCountyNewsOnline at breakfast once a week. Some days I peruse one or two of the four free articles a week I can access from The New Yorker until they shut me out for not subscribing. Or the free access to the Manchester Guardian, which is a revealing look at us from the advantage of not living here but in Manchester, England. Sometimes I read the Huff Post, although they focus a little too much on entertainers I never heard of.

Reading a computer at breakfast – which is how I get the above news – is kind of revolting to me because it is NOT print news; and really upsetting when I spill the oatmeal on the keyboard. It is not as bad, however, as having a television on – the morning people on TV are too yakky, too petty, too shallow and too happy. I am happy at Happy Hour; I prefer no talking during the breakfast hour.

Sometimes I just munch on toast and gaze out the window at the trees. This is satisfying but lacking in substance. It’s morning and I’m supposed to be informing myself for the coming day, not dawdling and daydreaming about squirrels.

The dilemma continues. If you got this far, thanx for reading. Hope you’re having a newspaper day…and eating just what you want for breakfast.