Man Have A Blog

One Mississippi, Two Mississippi

2011-06-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

Not until I actually LOOKED at my own blog, did I realize I still had not posted about our trip to Mississippi. I know, bad blogger :/.....sigh. Somehow, I just cannot keep up!! In April, after our quick trip to Battle Mountain, we headed to Mississippi to pick up a new truck for VMP from...where else? Mississippi Tank! I was really looking forward to this, as I'd never been to MS before! Les and I flew to Jackson, MS via Houston, TX. This last leg of the flight was very smooth, even though storms were predicted for the area. After landing in Jackson and getting our rental car, we drove to Hattiesburg...a bit more than an hour away to the south. It was daylight yet and we were struck by how GREEN everything was....well, that and how many dead armadillos were beside the hwy.! Every one of them on their backs...four legs pointing straight up....guess the little fellas are top heavy ;) That night as we lay in our hotel room, we could barely hear the thunder and lightening going on outside. Not much time to watch TV, and never mind the weather channel; we got up the next morning and expected to head over to MS Tank. Several phone calls later, it's clear the truck will not be ready today. The perfect opportunity to go explore. We've never seen the Gulf of Mexico, so we head further south to Gulf Port. Once in Gulf Port, the folks at MS Tank said to take Hwy 91, and we did! White sandy beaches and brown water. What?? no Caribbean blue waters?? Nope. White sand, brown water. Bleh. Is it always like this we ask? Yep. That's it. Hmmmm. Not what we expected...but it seems the Mississippi River is responsible for the brown in this area. We travel east to Biloxi. As all good Harley riders do....we find the local Harley shop. Not much to see there either....even though it's been a few years since Katrina hit...the effects are still visible. The Harley dealer is still in "temporary" quarters. Their previous location was simply "washed away". It's nearing dinner time and well, where do the locals eat? We want some real food! Hippie Nick (from the Harley dealership)....yes, that's what he's called....directed us to Darwell's Cafe. Now, Hippie Nick says be prepared...it's sort of a "Hippie joint".....er,ok. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise? Darwell's did not disappoint!! All I can say is YUM YUM YUM! I had their combo special; shrimp creole, cray fish etouffe, and seafood gumbo. Les had blackened filet mignon with lump crab and Darwell's special sauce. I think we will talk about this meal for years to come!! The next day the truck was still not ready, so we had a chance to enjoy breakfast at one the famous "Waffle House" restaurants, which are on absolutely every corner in the south. Pecans in the waffles... Then we killed more time at a Hobby Lobby. Wow!! That was a first for me too...a Michael's/Joanne's on steroids!! Huge! Les even liked this place :) Finally around 5pm. our truck was ready. We hear storms are coming in, so it's a good time to leave. The wind is blowing.....and only several days later did we find out that Alabama had been hit by a record number of tornadoes that day...179! Finally on our way, it was smooth sailing. Unfortunately, we were nearly TWO days behind schedule and so our days were long and longer :/. Arriving home in the wee hours just before dawn 4 days later! Some of the places we saw along the way....Art Doctor's new home in Show Low, AZ. , The Evergreen Cemetary (which made us laugh each time we thought of it because it was everything BUT green!), Route 66, Colorado river(first clear water we saw coming west...all others were brown). The states we were in...MS, LA, NM, TX, AZ. The best hotel on the trip...Comfort Suites, Clovis, NM. Best meal :) Darwell's Cafe, Biloxi, MS. Most surprising find...pipe wrench found in visor of the truck..aparently forgotten by someone at MS Tank; it rode up there for over 200 mi. before we discovered it. Most annoying...high pitched whine the wind in visor made anytime we reached 60 mph.(duct tape to the rescue). Whew! We have 3 weeks till we leave again!

Grandpa's Waffles

2011-05-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Our spring has been an incredibly busy one, with trips near and far almost every weekend. But.....when Ri called and said she was headed to Battle Mtn. and Casey and Lisa's house the weekend after our Mendocino trip.....we couldn't resist going and managed to squeeze in a quick trip to BM between the rest of our previously scheduled trips. It's not often we can be together with 3/4 of our family all in one spot!!

Immediately Les began planning....he'd bring the waffle irons and mix from home and on Sat. AM he'd make the waffles!!! His specialty :) Katie loves Grandpa's waffles and even talked him into adding some chocolate chips just for her!

Mendocino Coast and the Little River Inn

2011-05-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Over a year ago, Les and I were given a gift certificate for a two night stay at The Little River Inn in Mendocino http://www.littleriverinn.com/. This is a really lovely spot, with a view from every room. We had never stayed there before, but will definately be going back! Les' cousin Merv and his wife Diane made the long drive down from Snohomish to meet us there. Our first morning we made plans to head up the road 10 miles or so to Ft. Bragg to have breakfast at a "hole in the wall" that Merv and Diane had eaten at before. This was a first time for Les and I, but once again....we will go back when we are next in the area. Breakfast was delish....! Diane ordered "wicked eggs benedict". The hollandaise sauce for this dish was made with cilantro giving it a BRIGHT green color. I couldn't help taking a picture!! I had my favorite of biscuits and gravy. The whole place is decorated in a Wizard of Oz theme and as you can see...is truely a "hole in the wall". Next we headed over to Glass Beach, where years of dumping garbage over the cliff into the ocean has resulted in a magnificent beach totally littered with ocean scrubbed bits of glass. All well rounded and smooth. Since some storms had recently passed thru, the glass was particularly plentiful. We were excited with each new color of glass we found...and I guess you could say I got distracted!! The tide was out, so I wandered closer to the shore than I should have and before you know it....out of the corner of my eye, I saw a wave coming!!! As you can see by the picture....I didn't move fast enough and went for a roll in the surf :) Amazing how sand can get into everything....I had on a turtle neck shirt, fleece vest, and ski jacket. Jeans and my Dansko's. Everything was completely soaked nearly to my neck. Needless to say, we headed back to our room and I was thankful that I hadn't been able to decide what to bring for clothes and so had opted to bring it all!! I showered and changed, and off we went again :) A meal at Capt'n Flint's that night of fish and chips, a game of Phase 10 and our trip was complete!!! Can't wait to go again :)

Dinner at Bill and Susy's

2011-05-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, Bill and Susy De Kok invited us over for dinner along with a few other people. Susy had prepared veggies, beef, chicken, and sausages all cut in bite sized pieces. We were seated at the table and in front of us was a "Raclette". A sort of electric grill for the table top. Bill and Susy explained that this was a "Dutch style" dinner party and that when they visit relatives in Holland they always participate in this kind of meal. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all!! Thank you Bill and Susy!!

Raclette's can be purchased at Target online :)

Les' New Project

2011-03-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Ah, when you have grand kiddos, life changes. It's a good change, in fact, a fantastic, phenomenal, lovely change. There are now these new little people in your life that you would do just about anything for. They make you "remember when" their parents were your little people! And.....you think about what you used to do for them and with them and now you have a chance to do it over. In a small way, I guess. No pun intended. So, it came about that when Casey and Lisa had Katie, Les and I said, "what's something special we can give them?" Since we are sort of hands on kinda people, we immediately followed with "what can we MAKE for them"?

Les had made Casey and Jerry and Ri a toy box when they were little, and it got used constantly and we still have it today. It was bench style so they could close it and sit on it....which they did many times with one of them inside! It was great fun! Practical, useful, and special, cuz Dad made it. So, it was decided......a toy box it would be! One was made for Katie a little after she was born, and now it's also for Tys and Trenton and someone special due in July.

Then came James and Lucas and now Peter......they need a toy box too!!! So, Grandpa get to work!! And so he is.....now that he no longer "shares" his shop space and can lay out his wood and keep it clean, the project has begun! I wish I would have gotten a picture of him sitting in his recliner with graph paper on clipboard....furrowed brow.....in complete concentration....but you can imagine it can't you? For now...here is the beginning of the toy box project for James, Lucas and Peter.

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my cell phone kept sending me a message stating I was out of room! It had content overload! Yikes.....what does that mean??? I cleared my inbox of rec'd msgs. Then I cleared my sent msgs. Then I moved on to My Pictures. Oy! Could THIS be the overloaded content? Uh....maybe so. It's funny how you can lose track of all those pics you store on your phone. Every picture that's been sent to me, like the cute purse Ri was buying, or the wrecked truck Casey helped put back on it's 18 wheels, or the "new ride" Jerry just purchased. It struck me that as I went thru these pics that "my picture" folder on my phone was a sort of diary for my life over the last year or so. And then there were the little projects that I took pictures of to blog about and well......never got to. So, here are some of the things I wanted to share with you and never did :). I made these "enameled" tags http://www.cantstopmakingthings.com/2010/07/french-enameled-numbers.html, and had so much fun with it, I ,like the blog title says, couln't stop!! Enjoy!

Snowshoeing in the Sierras

2011-02-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

Ever since snowshoeing in Idaho with Ri last year.....I've wanted to snowshoe with Les right here in California :) I was convinced that Les would enjoy it as much as I had. We checked into renting snowshoes from our local sporting goods here in Modesto....and after finding out it was going to cost us over $75 for a weekend, we decided we would go ahead and put that $75 toward shoes of our own instead.

I promptly began a search online and found used shoes for Les on Ebay for just slightly more than the $75 we would have spent on the rental. After a couple of failed bids on a pair for me, I finally found a pair in my price range and won the bid! Yay!! We decided these would be our Valentine's gifts to each other :)

Finally the day arrived for us to head up in the mountains and try the shoes out! A huge storm had just passed thru and we were excited to see what kind of tracks we could make :) As we headed up, there were grey skies and snow flurries.....yikes. The temp. topped out around 20 degrees, but as we drove farther, we saw blue skies.

Pinecrest Lake was our destination. After a few adjustments on the snowshoes, we were on our way for a trek around the north end of the lake. Gorgeous......just gorgeous!! I think it's one of the best Valentine dates I've ever had.

My Heart's Desire

2011-02-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

That's an appropriate title for a February 1st post...don't you think? But, I have another reason...because today is Marie's 30th birthday. Happy Birthday Ri!!

I could not let this day pass without a bit of reminiscing of the day Margaret Marie (aka Maggie Marie, Margo, or Ri :) was born, as well as the days leading up to it, because...you see, little Marie was my heart's desire. After a very difficult pregnancy with Casey and Jerry, their premature birth and health struggles when they were toddlers.....it was a risky move to get pregnant again. But we wanted....hoped for....prayed for a little girl.

Oh yes, another healthy BOY would have been wonderful too....but a girl....well, I wouldn't let myself dream of it for fear of disappointment. I would certainly LOVE another boy, but a daughter, well, that would be a 'gift' indeed.

As my pregnancy progressed, all seemed well. I felt good despite the awful morning/all day sickness I always endured for the entire pregnancy...it wasn't quite as bad the second time.....and so when Les needed foot surgery, we didn't put it off. I would manage....7 months pregnant, two toddlers, and a hubby on crutches. No sweat :)

I had a Dr's appointment so I left the boys napping in bed, Les in his recliner, and headed off to Modesto. Just the usual pregnancy check. I sat on the examining table and had my blood pressure taken. No comment from the nurse. My Dr. entered and after greeting me, said that I needed to head right on over to the hospital. What? No!! Why??? Your blood pressure is off the charts and I'm calling you an ambulance. We'll call your husband and he can meet you there. NO!! this can't be happening again! My baby...it's only 7 months....I went thru this before....no Lord please..... I sat on that exam table and cried, and cried, and cried....literally. The Dr. came in twice to see if I was ready to leave and each time I said no. My mind was whirling...I drove here, Les can't drive, who will watch the boys? I can't go in an ambulance.....no no no. Unbelieveably, I convinced the Dr. to let me drive home. I was to be back at Modesto City Hospital in an hour. It was January 31, 1981 and my actual due date was April 1st.

I was admitted, blood tests, and amniocentesis to determine baby's actual age/size and lung developement, then steroids to make the baby's lungs grow fast....24 hrs. was all we had. The amnio could have told us the sex of our baby, but we said no......I couldn't bear knowing yet. We prepared ourselves for the worst, and hoped for the best. We trusted God KNEW....we didn't understand why we had to go thru this yet again, but still we trusted.

My doctor came in and explained I would need to be transported to Sacramento and a larger hospital where they could handle "at risk" deliveries......like mine would be......my baby. Would my baby live...would I? Trust...that 's all we could do. God KNOWS...He knows....

February 1, 1981 @ 7am the petosin drip is started to induce labor. It's grueling labor...HARD...from the first contraction to the last. It shouldn't be happening this way. I'm utterly exhausted from 12 hrs. labor. My doctor decides "nothing's happening soon" and heads home for dinner. His intern takes watch over me. She is kind and tells me her parents are Drs in Ripon. Ripon? How can that be? They were missionaries before....I know them! Are you a believer? she asks. I nod, as I can't work up the energy to speak. She asks if she can pray with me then.....I'm crying again. Yes! yes please. I can't remember what she said, but it comforted me. Three contractions later, this intern, who I'm sure God placed in my room, delivered our sweet Marie. "It's a girl!!" Really? really really really? Are you sure??? And then I saw her. It was true! We have a girl..... a girl. I can't believe it.

This was our family now, and we had our girl. There wouldn't be any more babies....

We named her after one of the finest women I've ever known.....Les' grandma, Maggie Haveman. Maggie was strong, kind, and sweet, though not sickeningly so. She was practical and had a ready smile and sharp wit. She was a good cook too, and liked to knit. All but for the knitting part :) I believe Marie lives up to her namesake quite remarkably. We are proud to call her daughter, and on that day 30 years ago, I thank God that He saw fit to bless me with "my heart's desire". Love you Ri!

Fall Color Tour

2010-11-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Our Campsite

Bishop Creek Canyon

Bishop Creek

Conway Summit at the base of Virginia Lakes

This is the way we roll!

For the last 30 years or so, or as long as Les was driving truck on the west coast, he's taken me on a "Fall Color Tour". Every year, about now, he would come home and say "it's time for your fall color tour hon' !" I knew just what that meant....he was beginning to see the trees along the way north turn their fall colors in earnest. I'd pack my bag, and the next trip north, I was along for the ride! He knew all the BEST spots.....and as we rode along would tell me to look left or right for that spot, or even a particular tree he had seen, that was a brilliant red or orange. We'd talk till we were both hoarse......about anything and everything. Lots of goals and plans for our life and family were made on those fall color tours. Five years ago, when Les quit driving, so did our fall color tours. Not on purpose mind you, but simply a part of the changing times of our lives....weddings, grandchildren, and now I get to see Les EVERYDAY! So this year, my sweetheart came in the house one day and said "Hon' it's time for your fall color tour". He'd been checking online to see just when the optimum time would be to see COLOR on the east side of the Sierras. He said he had a few vacation days left....com'on...let's GO! So we did.....and were not disappointed.

We camped at Virginia Lakes, 9600ft. evevation in a gorgeous spot. These pics are from the campsite and in and around the general area...say a 50 mile radius. The picture with Les and Mickey in it with all the beautiful trees is taken in Bishop Creek Canyon. Gorgeous!

Trip to Chicagoland

2010-10-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

All summer we'd looked forward to our trip to Chicago and visiting Jerry, Bernice, James and Lucas. We weren't disappointed! What fun we had. Les and Jerry did their favorite MAN activity...getting grease under the nails and searching the countryside and city for just the right bolt. Oh yeah, they complained and acted frustrated...but we know the truth! They enjoy the challenge and the hunt for the right part and then finding it and finishing the project!! Another highlight was, of course, Jame's 3rd birthday. If you read Bernice's blog, then you know it was a Thomas the Train theme. After going to the children's museum in Naperville, we stopped for dinner at a train themed diner. It was REALLY cute! The train entered the kitchen on one side and then came out the other laden with all our yummy eats. The next time around it brought out our ice cream dessert....topped with a birthday candle for James. A good day indeed.

We also whiled our time away with shopping at an outlet mall, a really fantastic one, in Aurora, antiquing in Crown Point, Indiana, visiting with friends, and going for walks in the neighborhood. Going for walks was one of my favorite things to do...all the houses in Jerry and Bernice's neighborhood are just plain lovely to look at. White with painted shutters, or wrap around porches decked out in inviting wicker seating and the most humongous lush hanging ferns I've ever seen in my life!! Just like the picture on a magazine cover. If only I could transform MY house to one of those.....sigh.

It IS good to be home again though we miss our dear ones in Illinois....perhaps, someday we can all live a bit closer together....tis a dream ..................................but you never know ;-)

A quilt for James

2010-09-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, when Grandma Dora entered the Bethany Home, she wanted something to keep her hands busy. Embroidery was something she could still manage, so off to Beverly's I went, in search of cute small projects. These little quilt squares were just the ticket! I found the coordinating fabric over a year ago and just now was able to finish the quilt in time for our upcoming trip to Chicago for James' 3rd

birthday!! I think it turned out pretty adorable

myself =) !

Fall is on it's way....

2010-09-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

We woke to the sound of a tractor's approach....not unusual for 6AM on a week day in our little rural area of the world. The tractor...which turned out to be a swather, stopped in front of the house. It was followed by the silage trucks, and just like that, summer is fading into the distance. Everything in my house would soon be coated in an ADDITIONAL, hahahahaha, layer of dust. I've been working hard lately to purge and organize all the "stuff" one accumulates in 25 years of living in the same place. I'd just FINALLY managed to see the TOP of my craft/sewing table and actually had my sewing machine set up there. The window was open.....and just like that....in a snap! MY nice CLEAN work space was filthy! Aaaaaaarrrrgh! On the bright side....we have our view back. The coast range is once again a gorgeous scene at sunset thru the front window. Ahhhhhhhhh.....fall is on it's way.

New bathroom!

2010-08-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Over a month ago, I began to work on re-doing our bathroom. For years...nearly twenty I believe....the bath has been decorated with a painted latice work and climbing roses on a beige background. I went for a BIG change and painted it a Laura Ashley color, Apple Green#3, and bright gloss white. The handles on all the cabinets and drawers were removed and replaced with glass knobs I purchased on a recent trip to Snohomish, Washington. The bird hooks and modified toilet paper holder came from Capitola, CA., two years ago. I've been hanging on to them with this project in mind....that's how long I've been pondering this re-do!!

Since my brain doesn't work in a grid pattern ;), my wonderful "measure twice, cut once" hubby, laid the new peel and stick tile for me....thank you honey!! It looks great...don't you think?? So nice and fresh!

Loveseat that I love.....

2010-08-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ah...loveseat that I love....let me count the ways :)

1.Thou art lovely to look upon.

2. Thou art the correct color...in that burgundy plushness.

3. Thy pillows and cushions are soft and lush, but supportive due to your 56 pocket, ultra high coil density, roboticaly placed, ultrasonically welded seating.

4. Thy size is diminutive, yet adequate, just long enough for me to lounge with feet elevated....oh, the thought of it!

5. Thou art curved and rolled in precisely all the right places...sigh.

6. And lastly, though certainly not least.....the one thing that made me love thee at first sight, ah, thinking of it makes my heart pitter patter......... thou wast, ahem, half price!

It's a cat's life.....

2010-08-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Whoever said "it's a dog's life" .... never owned a cat.

Left to right....Sugar, Cinnabon, and Bob

Conference call

2010-07-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is the way things go at our house.....talk on the phone outdoors, and everyone (chickens, goose, cats, dogs, goldfish, steer, goats...you get the picture...) thinks you're talking to THEM. It's such a ruckus that sometimes you can't hear who you're talking to in the first place.

Mr. Tree and the girls who love him

2010-07-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mr. Tree has lived here for some time now, but it is only recently that the girls truly discovered their love for him. They surround him and sit at his feet day after day, cleaning between his toes. At various times during the day they take turns leaving their gift of gratitude. They entrust him with their most precious possession, an egg :). Each one vigorously announces that they've left this gift; proud to let the world know that they've done it! Or, is it the same RELIEF we feel when a job is well done and we want to shout it to the world?! The analogies could go on forever here.....

Down the road on a Harley

2010-07-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

A new beginning....

2010-07-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

After being off this blogsite for a year and a half....I've decided to give it another try. I quite honestly was not feeling blogworthy for quite some time. It was a burdon. One more thing on a long list of chores. However, after so much enjoyment from looking at the blogs of those who are nearest and dearest to me, and encouragement from a good friend; I begin anew. A weekly entry seems do-able so that's my goal......

Great Blue Herons? or Sandhill Cranes?

2008-12-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we were awakened to the sound of herons calling to each other. "Breakfast is served...Breakfast is served"! :) It was a grey foggy morning, and though we looked and looked, we couldn't see anything. Then as the fog lifted...there they were. Hundreds of them across the road, eating to their hearts content. Watching them fly in to the "restaurant" was quite something. Their wing spans are 6' plus. We have always called them Herons but after looking in my birding field guides, I have come to the conclusion that these were not Herons, but Sandhill Cranes. Herons DO frequent our area, but they are primarily, believe it or not, carnivorous. They feed on fish and small mammals! Sandhill cranes on the other hand are grey, with a very similar look, but feed by "probing and gleaning the ground for insects and waste grain". Well, this was not waste grain! The field had just been planted but a week before!! Either way, Heron or Crane, they were fun to watch and listen to.

Thanksgiving Day

2008-12-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

Think I should post for Thanksgiving before I do my posts for Christmas! Now that's a novel idea isn't it??

We picked up Mom from Bethany Home on Thanksgiving Day. She was anxious to go and looking forward to having a good 'ol home cooked meal. I don't think she was disappointed! It was going to be just Les, me and Mom for the meal, so Les suggested I cut back a bit on the whole Thanksgiving FEAST idea. But you know, it's like cooking spaghetti.....when you put it in the pot, it never looks like enough! So, you keep adding.... Well, if we were having a turkey then you HAVE to have dressing, gravy and mashed potatoes..right? Then, it just doesn't taste like the full meal if you don't have cranberry sauce, home made applesauce (by Les), jello salad, green bean casserole and hot buns from the oven. A FEAST it was! Les helped out by BBQing the turkey, so the oven was all mine.

After such a feast, with the sun shiny and bright, it was time for a "walk". Since Grandma was in the wheel chair, it was a "ride" for her :) We started out taking the easy way...down the paved road, but quickly changed out minds and decided we could roll in the orchard just as well. It was a gorgeous fall day....all the leaves were a carpet for the wheelchair and Mom thoroughly enjoyed herself as did Les and I.

Another treasure added

2008-11-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I like to peruse Ebay. I go to the section called EAPG, or, early american pressed glass. Since the early 80's I've been collecting a pattern called Minnesota. It was made by the U.S. Glass Company and there are 64 different pieces available (in Minnesota pattern), some more rare than others. They were manufactured in the mid to late 1800's, and were the poor man's version of cut crystal. I happened to be looking around the EAPG section the other day and found this little treasure. I already had one large dresser jar, but this little one was so cute! And cheap! $9 added this beauty to my collection and I couldn't be more thrilled :)

Trip to Reno

2008-11-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Lake at the top of Hwy. 4

Reno in the distance

Wow! We had a wonderful time taking a little trip to Reno. On the way over we had the Tahoe loaded down with the desk and bookcase for Katie, a box full of kitchen items and a turkey for Ri, and a chair headed for Ri's house as well. That, along with our luggage, made for a full Tahoe!! We started out on Sat. morning and just "meandered" up to hwy. 49 to Jackson, making stops along the way at the kitchen store and of course, the Harley dealer. It was a very relaxing trip over the hill. We were able to meet the Bronco fans (Casey, Lisa, Marie, and Ri's friends Meredith and Stacy) for dinner Saturday night. Lots of fun and so nice to just visit again. The guys transferred all the goodies from our car to the other two cars divvying up all the bootie, while us girls enjoyed a leisurely stroll thru the nearby Barnes and Noble. Sunday morning we met for church at the OPC in Reno and then headed home once again. What a nice visit and ride.

Latest Project

2008-11-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

One of my latest projects was cleaning up and repainting this desk and bookcase for Katie to go into her new room! The desk has traveled around the family a bit. Les and I purchased it new and unfinished from Al's furniture. It started out in Casey and Jerry's room, then moved to Mark and Philip's room, and now back here again for the last several months while we decided what to do with it. As you can see, paint and some new knobs can make quite a transformation! So nice to see it all "girly" and ready for Katie to make her mark on it too!!

From the Tool Shed to the Living Room

2008-11-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

This old buffet, which I have loved since I was a child, has finally made it into the living room. If I had a dining room, it would be there in it's appropriate place....but for now it resides in the living room. It has a long history in our Van Laar family....one which each of us remembers in a slightly different way. When I was a child, 5 or 6 I believe, my Dad brought this home from the Modesto Cattle Auction. Just the thought of the auction brings about the memory of the sights and smells...from the auction ring with it's sawdust floor and bleacher style seating, to the auctioneer with his fascinating speed talk I could never understand, to the coffee shop on site where we got a treat! There was a huge Quonset hut there filled with antiques....mostly estate sale stuff. I am assuming that this is where Dad got the buffet. My love for antiques and anything with a history was in place already at that age. I absolutely LOVED going into the Quonset hut at the auction. People's lives were spread out there in the dust for all to see. Rich, poor, and in between. Lovely burl bedroom sets with marble topped side tables, old discarded wringer washers, and Formica topped kitchen tables accompanied by red vinyl and chrome chairs. The buffet came home in the cow trailer and was promptly placed in the tool shed. It had two drawers which locked (the top ones were lined in burgundy velvet) and seemed a good place for Dad to "lock up his tools". It had some nice storage space as well as another counter top to work on. Work bench space was a premium in the tool shed. With 4 boys who wanted to tinker too, there was always something spread out on the counter. I thought it was much too lovely a piece of furniture to be treated that way, but Dad was a practical man and the buffet served him well as a cheap work bench. If you look in the pictures, you will see where motor oil was spilled across the top and down the front and left side. There were bits of red paint dispersed all over the top and front..... International Red, of course. There was some green too, though I don't believe Dad ever had a John Deere! It was also known in the family for having the name my brother's teased my older sis with, emblazoned in red spray paint on the back! I won't write it here...she might come for me! I was living in Washington as a newlywed when the day came for Mom and Dad to move off the farm. "Dad, please, I want the buffet!" "That 'ol thing?" "Oh yes Dad, I'll fix it up!" The buffet journeyed to Washington and back again. It sat in the garage on N. Ripon Rd. for 8 yrs. being used in the capacity it had grown accustomed to....storing tools. Then it moved "home" again nearly 23 yrs. ago with lots of promises to "bring it in". Finally she's here...she shined up better than I imagined. Do you see the glow? Briwax and Formby's is all it took. The motor oil? Well, I just think of Dad, the auction, and good memories. Besides, it's great storage, don't ya know? When Mom moved to the home, I got all her "good" dishes and silverware. They're now stored in the perfect place. Dad's old tool box and Mom's good china....it fits doesn't it?

It must have been Electrifying!!

2008-11-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

Facing south in the blast zone where the tree used to be! Our friend Art parks his truck on our yard and occassionally works on it here as well. Last Thursday he was working here and a big thunder and lightening storm rolled thru. He heard a big lightening crack and instantaneously the "boom". Uh oh, he thought....that hit right here on the yard. But after looking all over the yard and up at the barn (after all, it's the highest spot), he could find no evidence. It wasn't until Durk came to push brush on Saturday that we discovered the "hit". It was out in the orchard about 10-15 rows north of Bacon Rd. Durk had noticed odd shredded pieces of wood laying here and there and wondered...where did THOSE come from? That's not what chain-sawed wood looks like....and some of the hunks were far too big for the pruners to have left behind. Then he saw it, a tree that had been literally "blown up" and out of the ground. We went to have a look, and here are the pictures I took. They don't nearly show the scope of what this "blast" must have been like. The wood pieces are in a radius of approx. 300+ feet. We found wood from this tree across the road south of Bacon and nearly to Jackson. It appears that the lower 3-4 ft. of the tree (the main trunk) was just blown apart into shreds. The trees around it also took a hit from all the flying wood, aparently. They are all skinned up and shredded wood is dangling from limbs 10 rows away. I know it's hard to see on the pictures, but if you look amongst the leaves you will notice the shredded bits of wood. They range in size from a couple inches long to 3 ft. long! Awesome!

Ah....sweet relief

2008-10-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Finally the water came and we can look forward to no more dust across the way.

Dulce de Calabaza

2008-10-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

About a week ago a friend of ours, who sells pumpkins in all the western states, gave us two giant pumpkins and one for eating. Mind you, I've never been one to cook my own pumpkin for pumpkin pie, etc. But the story he told us intrigued me and I did a little research on it. He said this particular variety of pumpkin was selling very well due to the Hispanic market. Calabaza is pumpkin in spanish. It turns out, it's a specialty item that they use to make candy and treats. The flesh on the Calabaza is finer and creamier than your run of the mill pumpkin/jack o lantern, and since I got mine for free (they normally sell for about $25) I decided to take a "culinary adventure". For no other reason than that I really love dulce de leche, I decided to try dulce de Calabaza! (which by the way, was the most common use for calabaza)

I perused many web pages with recipes for dulce de calabaza.....every one basically similar, but a tad different from the next. Following the intructions, I hacked and carved my way thru the calabaza. I needed 1x1 1/2" pieces and some unrefined cane sugar. I found the sugar at the local market in the mexican food section. Some of the recipes said you could substitute regular brown sugar....don't try that, those turned out...well, icky! To make a long story short.....you have to really LOVE this stuff for all the effort it takes to make it. I soaked the pieces overnight in lime water, then in the morning, drain/rinse, drain/rinse, repeat. Cook at a boil for 5 mins. Let drain for 1 hour, then after coating them with a "slurry" of water dampened sugar, I placed them in a glass 9x13.

Well, the calabaza begins to 'weep' and the sugar coating gets watery...hmmmm. Didn't look too appetizing at this point :/. Into a 300 degree oven for 3 hours they go. Surprisingly, they looked better as they baked. They come out a dark caramel color, with the same caramel flavor mixed with an undertone of....what else? .....pumpkin. Let them air dry on parchment and then roll in more sugar. Either I did something wrong, or the appeal of these escapes me. They are sweet, sweet, sweet. Will I ever make these again? Nuh uh.

On the flip side, I wanted to use the remainder of the calabaza on a savory dish. I chose Pastelon de Calabaza, or "savory pumpkin pie". The dish is similar to what we are familiar with as hamburger pie, only the hamburger is prepared mexican style with chili, olives, tomatoes, etc. The recipe says to mash the cooked calabaza like you would potatoes and layer it on the bottom of a 9x13, with the hamb. combo in the middle and more calabaza on the top with cheddar cheese. I only got as far as the mashed calabaza part and how you have to add an egg and flour to "improve the texture". I did as instructed and when I asked my taste tester (Les) what he thought of the mashed calabaza....I got a thumbs down. Sigh. No sense wasting a pound of hamburger!

The cows and goats sure do like mashed calabaza though!! They all have orange smiles.

Warmin' up America....one block at a time

2008-10-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday morning at Bethany Home, Mom and I participate in the "crochet activity". They serve coffee at 10am and then when coffee is finished and all the ladies are sitting at the tables yet; it's a perfect opportunity to bring out the crochet hooks and yarn. Someone donated the yard from an unfinished project. In order to put a purpose to the project it was decided that the finished afghan would be donated to Warm Up America. WUA is a nonprofit which distributes knit or crochet afghans to those in need. You can check it out at http://www.warmupamerica.com/home.html . It's a fun project and I enjoy very much sitting and crocheting with "the ladies".

Here a chick there a chick everywhere a chick chick

2008-10-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

One day after arriving home from Chicago, Les and I noticed that we were missing a chicken :/. We knew we had seen her once since we'd been home, but not lately. Rogue Chicken and Rooster were around, but not the pretty Red Hen. I think most of you know about Rogue Chicken and how she just showed up at our house one day about 4-5 years ago. Rooster is her son, and Red Hen her daughter. They're a scrappy bunch of chickens and have managed to survive on their own without much help from us! Every now and then when the weather gets colder, we throw some cracked corn out...puts a little fat on them and keeps them warm. So, back to Red Hen. She had gone missing and we feared the worst for her....coyotes abound around here, and a chicken really needs to pay attention to stay alive. Ah well, one down, two still around. Then, a couple of days ago...there she was, with a couple little surprises at her side! Awwwwwww......aren't they cute?

Visit to Chicagoland

2008-10-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Well, the pictures pretty much say it all :) We had a wonderful time in the Chicago area with Jerry and Bernice. Since we were not able to be at James' baptism last fall, we thought it only fitting that we could make it for his first birthday. Providentially, Jerry and Bernice's new house also closed the week before we arrived and we were able to be a bit of help in moving and painting. I DO love to paint! Throw in some fun days spent at Starved Rock Park and the new Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI., not to mention a little antiquing, and it was a perfect vacation. Didn't want to come home! Thank you for the wonderful time Jerry and Bernice :)

Dust makes a beautiful sunset

2008-10-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well, after returning home from Chicago last night, we were unpleasantly surprised to find that the "work" across the road STILL was not complete! Ugh! If anything....it had just gotten worse.At one point it was so thick with dust that our light sensor controlled yard light lit up!! About the only good thing you can say about it all is that it does make for a beautiful sunset. Hopefully they will finish by Saturday, when the weather prediction is for RAIN...yippee!!! I hope it's a downpour.

Country Livin'......in the dust :/

2008-09-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last week the corn was cut and chopped in the field across the street. It's always nice to watch it grow and then after our view of the Coast Range has been completely blocked by 12' corn....it's good to see it go again. Following the chopping of the corn, always comes the dust with discing and planting, only this year so far......we get double or triple the dust :/. After installing a new irrigation system, the farmer who owns this property now needs to level it out so the flow of water, for flood irrigation, will now be moving east to west. Previously it was north to south. In the last few days there has been a flurry of activity, pulling out the old concrete irrigation pipe and hauling it away, and now the levelers have come. When they're finished....they will be followed by further discing and then planting for the next feed crop...usually some kind of sudan grass. Thankfully we leave for a week's vacation tomorrow....the dusting will be over by the time we return! But, for now, it's "eat my dust" all day long!

Frustration!!

2008-09-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

I tried to straighten out the text with the photos.....but I can't get it to move appropriately when I edit!!! Can you regular bloggers help me!!??

Apologies from an Intermittent Blogger :(

2008-09-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Oma relaxing at the top of the pass Sorry, sorry, sorry, for doing such a bad job of keeping up on this blog :/. I will try to do better in the future.....but I'm having a hard time figuring what is a good "regular" time to blog. Our summer has been very busy so far....even though we are having a "staycation" this year. Les and I decided that we would concentrate on some "projects" that have needed to be done for several years now. We have been tackling those and making some progress!! In June Casey and Lisa and family were here for two consecutive weekends, and we had a great time heading to Yosemite and just spending time here at the house. It was nice for Grandpa and Oma to have a chance to see Katie splish splashing in the pool!! And Tys....well, he's all boy! Next on the agenda was a surprise for Les from me.....I told Les to "save the date" and on a Thurs. evening we got dressed and headed out for a location Les knew nothing about :) He tried to play it cool....but as I drove he couldn't resist asking where we were headed and then trying to guess our final destination! It was a Ken Davis concert (Christian comedian)...we had a blast! The next few weeks were filled with preparation for a bridal shower for Elaine Hannink, Johnny and Lauren's wedding, and a trip to Lynden, WA. for Les to help out Gladys and Marion on their new house. While he painted in Lynden, I did a little painting of my own!! For several years now, my bedroom has been in a state of well....hmmmmm.....upheavel? Preparation for something better?? Anticipation!! After rearranging the furniture about 4 years ago and finding several black widows hiding in the shadows between carpet and baseboard, we ripped out all the carpeting. The plan was to paint the floor, just like the LR.....and of course, the walls would be painted too. That was, ahem, 4 years ago I emphasize! Something just kept getting in the way, like weddings, babies, baptisms, new jobs, back surgery....you get the drift. So, this was my chance... I'd been dreaming of color schemes, and wall treatments. Earth colors....land and sky. They go with everything and the blue would be calming and serene....just what I needed :) The floor came out beautifully in the same muted green as the LR and the walls are actually 4 shades of blue. Darker at the bottom and blended and swirled up to the top to create a sort of mist rising to sky. I'm actually still working on it....there will be some birds in there sometime soon :) In addition to painting the bedroom, I had some fun with my bedside table. Using several different mediums, I just love the way this turned out. I should have taken a before pic! Les returned home from Lynden.....surprise, surprise....bedroom painted...ta dah! Now for the new (been sitting in a box in the garage for 4 yrs.) bed frame. Wow, I love it! In between painting walls, I worked on loads of tomatoes and peaches that brother Herman gave us. Spaghetti sauce cooked all day while I painted. It worked out beautifully. Les and I have had a few little "one day getaways" in the TR6 as well as on the Harley. The most recent being a trip to the top of Sonora Pass with Charlie De Vries. He came down on his bike from Victoria, BC, and stayed with us for about 5 days. We had a really nice visit and a gorgeous ride to the pass. That was about a week ago, and now we are looking forward to a short trip to Chicago next week. I'm hoping for fall colors..........I'll keep you posted....honest!!

Starbucks for the Ages

2008-07-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

On June 3rd, the day before Aunt Jen arrived, I felt it wise to inform Mom that Aunt Jen was coming, so as not to *shock* her at the birthday party the next day. Of course, Mom's short term memory isn't what it used to be, so it was still somewhat of a surprise :) !! But I digress.....

Anyway, after I told Mom that Aunt Jen was coming....what she said next was unexpected! She looked up and with tears in her eyes, looked out the window of her room, across the street to Starbucks and said "when MY sister gets here, we're going to go over THERE for coffee!" Mom just loves to get out of Bethany Home..... even if it's just across the street! On Thursday, June 5th we all gathered at Starbucks and had coffee. Wish fulfilled :)

June Begins with a Party!!

2008-07-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

June 4th was the day they celebrated all the June birthdays at Bethany Home. They do this once a month....celebrating all the birthdays for that month with cake, coffee and a little program which includes singing and the reading of each person's biography. The biography's are the best part....hearing how each one met their wife or husband, and other significant happenings in their life. They then each choose a favorite song to sing and this is done at the end of the program and led by the pastor. It's a fun time for everyone. This year though was a bit extra special for Mom. She has a special place in her heart for her only living sister Jennie. Aunt Jen flew out from Sioux Falls, SD and arrived just in time to hear Mom's biography. This is their first look at each other. You need to be there when it happens....but it's so sweet, and there is so much joy in their meeting once again. Each time they say good bye...they think it will be the last time they lay eyes on each other on this earth. So......when they are able to see each other, well, it's special....a tangible kind of special that you feel when you are there. You hear the intake of breath, the quiver in the voice, the shining in their eyes....and then we all have a shine in our eyes too as we struggle not to puddle up ourselves. Aunt Jen's son Merlyn and his wife Kathy accompanied Aunt Jen on the plane and were able to greet Mom too.

Mom's Biography as read on June 4th

Dora Fredriks was born on June 7,1918 in Siebert, Colorado in a sod house on property that her father homesteaded. dora was the oldest of four children. Dora's father farmed crops and Dora helped with milking cows, gathering eggs and housework. Dora also remembers collecting buffalo chips to burn for heat and going to church in the neighbor's barn. Dora was also a "Mother's helper" - she helped mothers with their babies and housework. Dora's family moved to So. Dakota. In her early 20's Dora and a cousin moved to Artesia, CA and lived with other cousins. Dora's California cousins told her that "they had a guy for her to meet". She met Herman Van Laar at a church function. Dora and her cousin saw Herman sitting in his car. Dora's cousin said, "I'll sit in the front with him", and Dora said, "No, you won't". Dora sat in the front seat. She dated Herman and 18 months later became engaged, then married.

They lived in Artesia and their first three children were born there. Dora was a good housewife and mother. They moved to Waterford where they had a diary. Here two more children were born. Then they moved to Salida where they had another dairy and added another child to the family. During this time, Herman fell off a haystack and broke his back- at this time they started farming almonds. Dora also helped out financially at this time by cleaning apartments.

Herman and Dora eventually retired and moved to Ripon. Six months later Herman passed away (Oct. 15th 1980) A year later, dora married Gerald Fredriks and they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary before Gerald passed away (2007).

Dora remembers some trips her family took- to Yosemite and also salmon fishing on the Klamath River. Gerald and Dora also did some traveling and camped in the desert of So. CA.

Dora's hobbies are crocheting and embroidery. She also enjoyed canning fruits and vegetables for her family.

Dora is also known by her family as having a saying for everything-

Here are just a few- "Be not simply good, but be good for something"

"once a task is first begun, never leave it till it's done, be it large or be it small, do it well or not at all"

"Kindness is to do and say the kindest thing in the kindest way"

Dora has 23 grandchildren, and 41 great grandchildren.

Dora has been a resident here at Bethany Home since February, 2007.

Happy Birthday, Dora!

May 2008

2008-07-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ah, May 2008 seems so long ago! And it is!! A lot has gone on since May...it's been a very busy time. So, I'm just going to touch on the high points to get myself up to date and up to speed to current day :) The highlight of May for us, was a much anticipated visit from our little James. Uh yes....Jerry, Bernice and Marie too :)..... But James.....such a little cutie and a trooper too. Jerry, Bernice and James flew out from Chicagoland to be here for the annual Van Laar Wiener Roast. We also began to celebrate Mom's 90th birthday then. I say began....because the celebration lasted for nearly a month! We had a wonderful time together....and this was a momentous occasion for Les as this was the first time he had opportunity to lay eyes on his little namesake. We just spent the entire time relaxing, visiting, and preparing desserts for the wiener roast. Bernice and Marie made us a fantastic dinner on Sunday......beer brined bbq'd porkchops, stuffed baked potatoes, asparagus done on the grill and topped off by a spectacular and VERY yummy raspberry cheesecake made by none other than Ri!

2008-05-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

In the year Casey and Jerry were born, Mother's Day fell a couple of days after their birth. I celebrated my first Mother's Day in the hospital. On that first Mother's Day, my dear sweet husband brought me 2 long stemmed red roses....one for each baby boy. This is the way it has been for the last 30 years, on Mother's Day I get flowers....always 2 red roses in the arrangement, or corsage as we used to do, and when Ri came along, he added a pink rose. This past weekend I received a bouquet of beautiful flowers from the children and grandchildren. They arrived on Saturday, and were here waiting for me when we arrived home from our weekend away. Les had no time to get me flowers. He was in business meetings all day Saturday and then we travelled home. It was just one of those things....I really didn't think of flowers from him for Mother's Day. Sunday morning he let me sleep in while he prepared coffee and breakfast as he always does on Sundays. When I walked into the kitchen I saw another smaller bouquet on the counter. In a pretty blue glass that just shone in the sunlight coming thru the window. "What's this now? " I had to smile.....this bouquet had come from my own garden, but no matter....it had 2 large red roses, 1 large pink rose, 3 little pink roses that were also loaded with tiny buds beside. I knew about the large roses, but the little ones? He explained, " the 3 little pink roses are for Katie, Tys, and James.....the buds are for the grandbabies to come."

30 years ago today

2008-05-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

At 12:13 and 12:15 pm today, thirty years ago, Les and I had a life changing experience. Casey and Jerry were born two months prematurely. Oh what a day that was for us....worry, anxiety, tears, and most of all fear. What was going to happen to our babies? What was going to happen to me? Would they live, would I live to see them? After they were born, they were wisked away and I didn't have an opportunity to see them for days. I didn't know what they looked like. I didn't get to hold them. I stayed in one hospital while they went to another. I rested in a darkened private hospital room hooked up to monitors regulating my blood pressure, while they lay in an incubator across town with chest tubes and no names. Twin A and Twin B. Les went back and forth, babies, wife, babies, wife...this hospital and then that one and back again. We prayed. Only thinking of the next minute, then the next day. Little did we realize what a tremendous blessing and experience this was meant to be.....then and forevermore. Adversity truly does make you strong. It was rough going at first, but after a time things got better. Casey came home first, and Jerry a month and a half later. They grew and grew and grew! Even if I am biased, I will say they were the cutest kids on the block! When I took them to the mall in their twin stroller, strangers would stop us and comment.....I couldn't get any shopping done! People will still come up to me at church and say...."and how are the twins? We prayed for them you know....we remember when they were born." So many people, so many prayers. God was very good to us that day. He blessed us with happy healthy boys who grew into Godly men, sons, husbands, fathers and brothers. In adversity the depth of our thankfullness to God increased as we leaned on Him. Our life was made fuller and richer through those trials thirty years ago. I could only think then of the next day, but now I look back and see God's goodness. Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY AND JERRY!

Movin' on UP

2008-05-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

A week ago today we began the big move....or at least we tried to. Les and I had flown up to Boise to help Ri move into her new apartment....upstairs. Our sweet girl needed a bit of help as her foot was still in the large black boot which is, I think, longer than the depth of the stairs! This makes it very difficult to negotiate the staircase, let alone carry anything while you are doing it! We felt needed for sure. Merv and Diane (Les' retired cousins) meanwhile, were bored in rainy Snohomish, WA, and offered to come help us old 'uns move the darlin'. Course, that would make 4 old 'uns, moving 1 young'un.... hmmmmm. It's a fact of life, no matter what your age, you will not be able to resist the call for help from your offspring. There was one hitch though, Ri's landlord didn't get the memo. She decided to do Ri a favor and paint the entire apartment on the day we had planned to move all of Ri's worldly possessions upstairs. This is a very nice gesture, and actually the painting turned out great, but it sure messed up our plans for the weekend. The plan was: Thursday move, Friday move, Friday evening bring in the young guys to move the big stuff, Saturday PLAY! Since painting didn't get done till 10pm Thurs. night, and floor waxing (Ri has gorgeous hard wood floors now) didn't get done till noon on Friday, well, we hustled!! I should say Merv hustled. Without him, Ri wouldn't be moved right now! At the end of the day he asked Ri if she knew how many steps there were coming up to her apartment? When she said "no" he replied "I DO!" :) I packed boxes downstairs while Merv and Les hauled them upstairs and Ri and Diane emptied them out again. It was a good system! Even though we didn't have EVERYTHING moved and unpacked, we went and relaxed Saturday morning at one of my favorite places in Idaho...the Library. Not THE library, but a coffee house in Meridian that serves wonderful light cinnamon rolls and very good coffee in a converted Craftsman style house. Every room is filled with books and doodads, easy chairs and board games and behind the Library is another house filled with antiques for sale. What could be better? It was a great way to relax and enjoy a piece of my birthday! Even though we didn't get our full day of play...what we had was wonderful. Merv and Diane headed for home, and we headed back to Ri's NEW home, looking forward to making space to walk! The new place is full of character....arched doorways, hardwood floors, and lots of big beautiful windows! Old fashioned ones, with a crank to open them and green and white striped awnings. The counter top in the kitchen is Formica....reminiscent of our house here in CA. In fact, Ri even commented, " I like this place cuz it reminds me of home". Awwww. The apartment had been occupied as a commercial work space for a photographer for the previous 5 yrs. and I believe had never been cleaned during that time. I went to work on it with relish....as I told Ri...it's all about instant gratification. Windows that had not been washed in 5 years were a challenge to make shine, but shine they did. I had to cut thru layers of paint just to get them to open and then sit on the ledge and "hang out the window" to reach the entire pane! The finished product was worth it! Sunday I relaxed at home (I forgot to pack my dress shoes) while Les and Ri went to church. It was a gorgeous day...sunny and bright in the 70's. The windows sparkled and were cranked open to let the breeze in.....ahhhh, can't get much better than that. Isn't it funny how sometimes exhaustion feels GOOD? Monday morning we got up in the dark, packed our queen sized bed into a suitcase (airbeds are wonderful), and headed to the airport. With hardly anyone there, we breezed thru check in and security and were able to board our plane early. With all the passengers accounted for, and a strong tail wind on the way home, our flight arrived in Oakland 25 minutes early. Wow! Never had that happen before. We were back in CA by 8am and headed home by 9. Les went to work and I headed over to my Mom at Bethany to help her settle in to her new room....yes, she moved too! Even though she only has a small amount of personal things to hang on the wall, mostly pictures of family; there were still some things that could be discarded. When you move, you really realize how much "stuff" you have in your life. We cling to it for weeks, months, and even years. Moving it from place to place, packing it away, but never letting go of it. I look at Marie, who is at the beginning of her "accumulation" of worldly possessions, and then at my Mom whose possessions are stripped down to pictures on the wall, and the clothes she wears. Les and I are in the middle somewhere with more than Marie and lots more than Mom. The contrast is striking. Even though the year is nearly half over, I resolve from this point forward, to treasure only those things worthy of being treasured.....and to get rid of things right now that I would toss out or give away if I were moving! OY...it's going to be a long summer! I'd better learn how to Ebay......

2008-04-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, that a little girl sitting in a chair on top of our TR6!

Merrily we roll along #2

2008-04-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, while Marlene was visiting, I ordered a pair of reading glasses from a little store in Jamestown. I got the call this week...your glasses are in. Hmmmmm... the perfect excuse for a Triumph ride! Saturday was nice and sunny, but cool. No matter...we have heat in the little TR6 so we're good to go. We packed a lunch, a thermos of coffee, and made plans to splurge on a Frosty when we got there. As we headed east, Les said, shall we take a different way? Sure, why not! So, farther east we went on Claribel Rd. than we had ever been before....in fact, it turned to dirt. The view was spectacular. We had the trusted DeLorme along so we were in fine shape except for the fact we were on a dirt road in a convertible. After a few jogs here and there with intermitant pavement, we found hwy. 108 back again. With Les, you're not on a road trip unless you drive on dirt somewhere! So, with our dirt road quota filled for the day, we headed into Jamestown. First stop, the Harley Dealership, of course. Then on to the old downtown and "Le Petite Maison" where my glasses awaited purchase. With purchase complete, we meandered thru some of the antique shops. The last shop we entered was my kinda place! Lots of individual "booths" and great prices. As I walked thru, I spotted the most adorable little wicker rocking chair. As I was thoroughly examining it, Les walked in. Every Oma and Grandpa should have a little chair for the little ones who visit.... don't you think? We'll paint it red to match the wicker setee! Yes! We negotiated a deal with the shop owner and then suddenly looked at each other...uh oh...we're in the Triumph today! Will it fit in the back seat? Oh, it's such a beautiful day and we'd have to put the top up for that.... Maybe it'll go on the luggage rack? Les, who should have been an Eagle Scout, and is ALWAYS prepared, said the magic words...we have rubber snubbers. Out the shop we went with adorable chair in hand. Now at the TR6, which is parked on the main street, we became the entertainment for any and all passing by. One little white chair and one little red car equals hilarity! We tried this way and that way, upside down, sideways and other ways. Nope...the only way was upright on the luggage rack. Have you ever seen National Lampoon's movie "Vacation"? Picture that. Off we went with a smile on our faces...we did it. The little chair was coming home with us. When we rolled into the lot to get our frosty...we heard exclaimations of hey look..."it's the Beverly Hillbillies..2008 version". We still had to go farther up the hill to the Twain Harte Pharmacy. As we hit the highway, we worried about our little chair in the wind. Would it make it with just rubber snubbers?? We know someone who lost a chair out the back of their vehicle and that was sad...*wink*. I told Les not to worry, the pharmacy would have rope. Rope in a pharmacy he asked? Yep...this place is AWESOME...you'll see. Sure enough, we got our rope and the fabric I was searching for (yes, fabric in a pharmacy too) and headed out to check on our little chair atop the car. There were a couple of people standin' around and some cute comments were made...and then the guy parked next to us says, " can I take a picture?". Sure, we reply......then he says, "with my daughter in the chair". Uh...how much does she weigh? "She's little...only 2yrs. old". Ummm...OK. I kid you not, and as you see I have the picture to prove it! I think we'll be talking about this little jaunt for many years to come.....every time I look at that adorable wicker chair, I have to smile. I'm looking forward to seeing our own little ones sitting in that chair and making new memories but I'll always remember the day we bought it and how it looked on the back of our little red car :)

Merrily we roll along

2008-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Every year around this time the home puts on an event called the "Hat Parade". I got to participate with Grandma this year. First they gather all the residents in the far dining/activity hall. Everyone has on their hats and wheels, anxiously anticipating an outing in the fresh air and sunshine. Most have family members who have shown up for the event, ready to push the wheelchairs for a couple of blocks. Some of the "pushers" have brought their own hats...like me. Of course, there are hats of every kind imaginable. The retired fire captian has on his white with a black brim dress hat, the farmer his straw hat, and one lady has a hat festooned with fresh flowers from her daughter's garden. As for Grandma and me, she's wearing the pink petal hat she wore in one of her children's weddings as mother of the bride or groom. I don't know who's. I am wearing the hat I made for the GEMS Mother/Daughter tea last year. After the activity director announces the route we would be taking, the parade is headed out the door. God provided a wonderfully warm and shiny afternoon for the parade...it couldn't have gotten any better. Out the door and into the sunshine the parade rolled past the apartments and then down the street. Oohs and Ahs were heard when we passed someone's yard who had particularly pretty and fragrant roses. Someone would say, "why I used to have roses like that". Around the block we wound, with a stop in front of a scotch broom bush in full bloom for the perfect photo op. and back into the home. The parade was over all too quickly for some, and not soon enough for others. Grandma was so happy to feel the sun on her face and smell the flowers. For me, it was another reminder that every moment spent with loved ones is precious and the little things in life sometimes mean the most to us. It's really true.... don't forget to take time to stop and smell the roses.

Dutch treat

2008-04-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know what I was talking about when I mentioned balkabri in the previous post....Balkabri is a cooked mixture of ground meat,oatmeal, graham flour, corn meal, and various other grain flours and meals along with spices like clove and nutmeg. It looks like meaty oatmeal and while warm is spread in loaf pans or a 9x13, covered and refridgerated. When it's cooled it is a firm solid brick of balkabri. Grandma would slice this firm balkabri into thin pieces and fry till crisp. While they were hot and sizzling on our plate we would then pour karo syrup over top....kinda like fat and stroop. Yum yum. Now...for those of you who will ask what is fat and stroop? It's leftover bacon fat heated till nearly smoking and poured over toast on your plate followed by a generous amount of once again...karo syrup, or if you prefer, maple syrup...our family favorite! Let's not get into the artery clogging factor...

Our shade fell away....

2008-04-17T22:39:00.000-07:00

We had some excitement here on Monday afternoon. After high temperatures on Sunday...97 degrees....we thankfully experienced what are called the "Delta breezes" on Monday. The breezes blew and then gusted all day long. Around noon our old Chinese Elm said enough, and half the tree came down. It crashed across our kennel which now bears a definite "U" shape on the east corner. So sad. That tree was even bigger when I was a kid growing up. It was the shade for the resident "shade tree mechanic" who had worked in that shade just two days before. It was the place where the kids had their tree house and spent many hours playing and reading books, spying on those beneath them, from their lofty perch. Lawn chairs were hauled up there along with drinks and snacks hoisted by rope from far below :) Coming before those memories are many more of family life here on the farm. My Dad used to park the old McCormick tractor there...it didn't have rubber tires, but steel ones with blades welded diagonally to them for traction. The limb that came down is the very same that beef was hung from for butchering. Along with those butchering memories comes memories of the kitchen table with the family gathered 'round enjoying fresh liver and onions, tongue for sandwich meat, and our favorite....balkabri. Mmmmmm...I can see my Mom frying it up crisp and tasty, smell the aroma, and nearly taste it on my plate with karo syrup on top. Yum. Half of our dear old tree remains and we hope survives any further winds that come along. So it will stay...no trimming for now and we will continue to appreciate half as much shade.

Day One...Man Have A Blog

2008-01-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Everyone I know has a blog now, so thought I'd join the crowd......since it's free, well, why not? Here goes....