Saturday, September 30, 2006
Another Busy Week.
Been a busy week and I feel I accomplished a lot. I finally had a few nice days to finish painting the front of the house, plus put two coats of stain onto the side porch floor. I might have to wait till next spring to paint the back side of the house. There is a lot of scraping that needs to be done on the back which might take me all day. Then I would need a nice day to put the primer block on, then another nice day to paint the top coat. Then, I would need at least one more dry day to allow the paint to dry fully before it rained. Need at least four dry days that are warm enough for paint to dry well. If I wait till spring than I would be able to do two good top coats so it would last more years. The house doesn`t look bad, but the front had some places where the paint had blistered up and needed scraping and repainting before bad weather sets in. I do believe the blistering was caused by the fuel guy getting his fuel sprayed onto the house as it was only blistering up on that section around where the fuel line is located. Lately we seldom get more than one or two dry days before it rains again. I should have started earlier in the year. God willing, I hope to be able to finish it next spring.
This week I have most of my outside work done. I repotted 31 Amerillas and have carried them upstairs to rest for the winter, or until any of them decides to bloom during the winter. I tossed 4 smaller new ones- I sure don`t need more to take care of. They have such beautiful large flowers when they do bloom.
The next day I heard we were having a freeze that night, so that meant time to repot all those flowering plants in my side porch flower box and bring them inside for the winter. That meant another job had to be done first. The table that hold the plants during the winter sits in front of the laundry room window that held the air-conditioner. So, I had to remove that large air-conditioner from the window and take care of it. Seems like one job usually leads to another job needing to be done.
Quite a few years ago I realized it was getting to be way too much for Walt and I to lift and carry that heavy air-conditioner. So, I made a table the height of the window and large enough for the air-conditioner to fit upon. I added casters to the bottom of the table to make it easier to move, plus a shelf half way up the frame to make the table stronger. Then I found an old piece of floor lineolium and cut it to fit the top of the table to make it easier to slide the air-conditioner off the table into the opened window, and also to make it slide easier out of the window and back onto the table to put it away. So now all this is done for this year except for the cactus plants waiting to be repotted. Was going to do that today, but went to the bank and to the grocery store instead.
Yesterday I managed to cut down all the new brush and new trees starting to grow in the next lot. I noticed one tree was dead and so I decided to cut it down before the winter weather brought it down. I used the camp saw to saw it down as it was only about 3 to 4 inches thick across the trunk. When a son stopped by and saw the tree cut up, he asked me what I used to cut it down. When I told him the trusty camp saw, he was surprised it did it. Told him that after all these years the saw blade sure could use some sharpening. I also cut off the lower branches that were touching the ground on the apple tree , plus the one on the eucolyptus tree that also touched the ground. Figured they would be healthier with the branches off the ground and the apple tree branches out of the snow.
Then all I have done the past few hours is sit and rest. Well, I have been on the comp and did some crocheting while resting. Need to get another baby sweater finished for another baby shower in a month or so. Just found out the neighbors daughter is expecting a boy. I had started two sweaters- one for a boy and one for a girl. Had the hooded part finished on both before I heard it was a boy, so now I will just work on the boy sweater and put the girl one away till later.
I should have washed and waxed my car today, but was too tired. Going to rain again tomorrow, so can`t do it then. I have some of that advertised "Nu Finish" that I am thinking of using in place of the Meguiars cleaner and wax that I usually use on my car. Wjhen I asked my son, he said he used it on his boat and it dries real fast so i should do a small section at a time.
Well, just thought i would let everyone know why i haven`t found much time to write this past week.
Now, I am going outside with hopes Sassy will come inside again tonight. She only refused one night in the past 4 nights, so wish me luck.
Sassy decided she wants to stay outside tonight. Since it will be in the 50`s all night I won`t force her. Last night was in the low 30`s and we had a freeze, so I was real happy she was willing to come in then. She is a pretty smart dog. I don`t think her eyesight is as good this year, but hoping I am wrong. My youngest daughter told me today thatshe had to have her pet put to sleep this past week. Slash was about 17 yrs old, couldn`t hear well, almost blind with fighting cancer for the past few years. One of my sons had to have his old dog put to sleep a few months ago as he didn`t want to see it suffer any longer. His other dog died from old age last yr. They were both old dogs. So hard to lose a pet especially when they have been with you for many years. I worry about Sassy as her facial hairs are turning gray and her eyesight seems to be failing. She is looking more like an old dog, but still wants to play with me like she was a puppy. I think she has arthritis in her back hips. She is so important to me and such good company.
This week I have most of my outside work done. I repotted 31 Amerillas and have carried them upstairs to rest for the winter, or until any of them decides to bloom during the winter. I tossed 4 smaller new ones- I sure don`t need more to take care of. They have such beautiful large flowers when they do bloom.
The next day I heard we were having a freeze that night, so that meant time to repot all those flowering plants in my side porch flower box and bring them inside for the winter. That meant another job had to be done first. The table that hold the plants during the winter sits in front of the laundry room window that held the air-conditioner. So, I had to remove that large air-conditioner from the window and take care of it. Seems like one job usually leads to another job needing to be done.
Quite a few years ago I realized it was getting to be way too much for Walt and I to lift and carry that heavy air-conditioner. So, I made a table the height of the window and large enough for the air-conditioner to fit upon. I added casters to the bottom of the table to make it easier to move, plus a shelf half way up the frame to make the table stronger. Then I found an old piece of floor lineolium and cut it to fit the top of the table to make it easier to slide the air-conditioner off the table into the opened window, and also to make it slide easier out of the window and back onto the table to put it away. So now all this is done for this year except for the cactus plants waiting to be repotted. Was going to do that today, but went to the bank and to the grocery store instead.
Yesterday I managed to cut down all the new brush and new trees starting to grow in the next lot. I noticed one tree was dead and so I decided to cut it down before the winter weather brought it down. I used the camp saw to saw it down as it was only about 3 to 4 inches thick across the trunk. When a son stopped by and saw the tree cut up, he asked me what I used to cut it down. When I told him the trusty camp saw, he was surprised it did it. Told him that after all these years the saw blade sure could use some sharpening. I also cut off the lower branches that were touching the ground on the apple tree , plus the one on the eucolyptus tree that also touched the ground. Figured they would be healthier with the branches off the ground and the apple tree branches out of the snow.
Then all I have done the past few hours is sit and rest. Well, I have been on the comp and did some crocheting while resting. Need to get another baby sweater finished for another baby shower in a month or so. Just found out the neighbors daughter is expecting a boy. I had started two sweaters- one for a boy and one for a girl. Had the hooded part finished on both before I heard it was a boy, so now I will just work on the boy sweater and put the girl one away till later.
I should have washed and waxed my car today, but was too tired. Going to rain again tomorrow, so can`t do it then. I have some of that advertised "Nu Finish" that I am thinking of using in place of the Meguiars cleaner and wax that I usually use on my car. Wjhen I asked my son, he said he used it on his boat and it dries real fast so i should do a small section at a time.
Well, just thought i would let everyone know why i haven`t found much time to write this past week.
Now, I am going outside with hopes Sassy will come inside again tonight. She only refused one night in the past 4 nights, so wish me luck.
Sassy decided she wants to stay outside tonight. Since it will be in the 50`s all night I won`t force her. Last night was in the low 30`s and we had a freeze, so I was real happy she was willing to come in then. She is a pretty smart dog. I don`t think her eyesight is as good this year, but hoping I am wrong. My youngest daughter told me today thatshe had to have her pet put to sleep this past week. Slash was about 17 yrs old, couldn`t hear well, almost blind with fighting cancer for the past few years. One of my sons had to have his old dog put to sleep a few months ago as he didn`t want to see it suffer any longer. His other dog died from old age last yr. They were both old dogs. So hard to lose a pet especially when they have been with you for many years. I worry about Sassy as her facial hairs are turning gray and her eyesight seems to be failing. She is looking more like an old dog, but still wants to play with me like she was a puppy. I think she has arthritis in her back hips. She is so important to me and such good company.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Two of my High School friends
Today, an internet friend of mine was telling me about her future vacation toCalifornia with her sister and brother-in-law. This reminded me of my friend who moved to California. I had plenty of school friends, but this is just telling about two sisters who remained my friends all thru High School and on thru our adult lifes.
I was invited to California many times in the past but was unable to go back then. I lost that great friend a couple years ago. We had grown up in the same neighborhood and went to school together. I was a couple years behind her sister and a couple years ahead of her. The three of us were real close. Their Mom and Dad used to include me on many of their family week-end trips to visit their relatives who lived in the state of Vermont. I used to enjoy those week-end trips. I also spent many nights at their home when I was in high School. Growing up we lived about a 20 minute walk from each other.
I was just a Freshman in my first year of high school when I met Pauline. She was in my brothers class and we all walked part way home from school together. Thats how we became friends. Her and my brother were juniors- 3rd year of high School. She had talked me into joining the "Tickets please" club with her. The best part of belonging to that club at school was that we collected tickets at all the different sports- basket ball, baseball , football, plus at the dances and other doings. So, I got to see all our school home games for nothing. That was great since my baby sitting money could stretch just so far. But what it was spent on is another story.
When the Juniors had their Junior prom, the club chose me for one of their ticket collectors. You can imagine how exciting that was for me-- having to wear a long gown and getting soo dressed up for something I was still too young to attend. There were so many others they could have chosen that were in the 2nd year Sophmore class, 3rd year junior class with them, or even the 4th Grade Senior class. And here they were asking a little freshman to do it for their most important Dance they would ever attend in their full 4 years of High School. They had only known me for a few months in the club and some had been club members during their whole high school years. I considered that a great privilege to be asked. After the ticket taking was over and the Dances began, I was even more amazed when some of the girls asked their dates to dance one dance with me. They sure were not expected to do that. It was enough to be seeing all the beautiful decorations, watching them crown their King and Queen seeing the other kids taking part in the coronation ceremony. I still remember the decorated chairs sitting under the tall arched trellis covered with vines and flowers. And the two gold colored crowns being placed onto the King and Queens heads. Their class had voted before the dance and the winners were the ones crowned and the others that were named to vote on ended up being part of the ones to stand up their beside where they sat. Last years King and Queen were also at the Dance as they were the ones who put the crowns onto the heads of the new King and Queen. It reminded me of seeing a bride and groom sitting under the flowered covered archway with all the wedding attendants standing on either side of them. So many lovely gowns, guys all in tuxedos and all the girls were wearing either corsages on their dresses or had those wrist corsages.
Oh, I forgot to mentioned that those collecting tickets were also given a corsage to wear on their gowns. That was my very first corsage. The next one was when I was the maid-of-Honor at my older sisters wedding, and after that I had a corsage to wear when I was a bridesmaid in a cousins wedding . Over the years I had many corsages, but that first one still means a lot to me. I kept that corsage for many years till it started falling apart from age. I didn`t know how to preserve them, or I might still have it today. And even the food after the dance was nice. It was all so exciting for someone who was my age- just turned 14 yrs of age at the time. Just starting High School was exciting for me. I wasn`t allowed to date till I was age 16, but I was allowed to attend all my high school dances. All this excitement and fun because my new found friend had talked me into joining the Tickets please Club with her. I often wonder how much influence she had in my being chosen. This dance was her junior Class Prom.
Now to get back to my friends and their families- I spent a lot of time at their home, even over nighters. Many times on Friday nights their Dad would yell to us, calling us chattermouths and remind us that he had to work in the morning . We thought we were whispering so they couldn`t hear us, but of course sometimes we would get laughing over something and that -they would hear. They lost their Dad years later. I still remember the last time I saw him. I had stopped to see my friend Pauline, her younger sister was already living in California at the time. When I knocked on the door, their Dad answered the door and told me that both Pauline and her Mom had gone shopping. So, I started to leave. He reached out the door, gently grabbed my arm and asked me if I could stay and talk with him for a while as they would be back soon. He said he could use someone to talk to. So there I was still chatting with him when they got home. Then they insisted that I stay for lunch with them. The next time I saw him was at his Funeral.
When the younger daughter, Eva, married she moved to California to live, but we still stayed in touch. I continued to visit her sister and her Mother till her sister Pauline passed away and then the younger sister-Eva took her Mother to live with her in Calif. I really missed them all, By then I had already lost my Mom and their Mom had always been like a second mother to me. It was like losing a second mother.
I used to talk to them a lot on the phone. Their Mom knew she had left her home and flew to visit her daughter, but she never realized that where she was living now was a very long ways from where I lived. In fact she still thought she was still just visiting them and would someday come back to her own home. She was always asking me when I was coming down to see her. Her daughter always told me that anytime I wanted to come see them, she would make up the other spare room for me. She made sure I always knew I was welcome at their home. In the beginning I still had kids in school, so felt I couldn`t leave home, plus Walt and I had never taken a vacation without the other. I could have, but guess I just never thought about going alone. Plus, we really never had any money to waste while we were raising our kids.
Their Mom was in her nineties when she asked me why I never came down to see her anymore. At the time my car wasn`t working, so I told her I had no car. Her daughter didn`t want her mother to know they had taken her so far away from her old neighbothood. She always thought she was still within driving ways from where I was living when she used to drive up with Pauline to visit me. Usually, it was me who did the driving down to see them. I was living about a half hours drive from their home after Walt and I built our own home in a near-by town..
One day- a few weeks before she died- they had hunted the house for her and the daughter told me they found her Mom sitting in their car. When they asked her why she was in the car, she told them- Dot`s car isn`t working, and If noone is going to take me up to see her, then I am going to drive myself up to see her. She had turned in her Drivers licence when her older daughter passed away- she was in her 80`s then. She told me she had to keep her license for Pauline who was in a wheelchair the last few years and now she didn`t need it and so she was turning it in. We had talked on the phone just a couple days before that and she told me- There aren`t many of us old friends left, so we have to stick together.
When I heard that she wanted to drive up to see me, I wanted so much to go visit them, but at the time Walt was on oxyagen and wasn`t doing well and I didn`t feel it would be right to leave him alone, so I didn`t go. I was invited again the following year after he passed away, but felt my kids needed me and that I wouldn`t be very good company till I could handle losing him. I will always wish I had gone and would have if I had known she was in bad health. She never once said she was having any medical problems, but afterwards her husband told me she knew she didn`t have long to live. I will always be sorry I hadn`t thought of myself just this once and headed off to California. Eve had told me to come visit for a couple weeks, and once I was there she was sure I would love it so much that I would never have wanted to go back home. But, I knew I would miss my Family enough to hurry back home after a couple weeks.
Lost thier Dad in 1981, Pauline in 1999, their Mom in May of 2005 and Eva just six months later in Nov. 2005 . Eva had the pleasure of caring for her mother for 6 years which brought her so much pleasure. She once told me that her sister had her mother for all the years since she had moved to live in California, and now it was her turn to live with her mom. I told her that as much as I missed seeing her mom, I was happy that she had taken her to live with her. She also had grandchildren and and a great grandchild that got a chance to realy know and love their Gram and great Gram. A while ago I came across an old picture of Eva and myself acting crazy like teenagers can. Pauline had taken the picture. I e-mailed this picture off to Eva`s husband and he told me he gave copies to all the kids so they could see what their mother looked like when she was a teenager. I got to meet her husband a few times when they came home to her mom`s and he is a great person and was a very loving husband and a great Dad, not only to theirs but also to hers from her first marriage.
Wonderful people, gone but never to be forgotten.
One more thing to remember about my friends. Pauline was the type who did what you would expect her to do, while Eve was one with a mind of her own. She didn`t dress like everyone else, she was one of a kind. Sometimes you would think she was a young kid when she got kidding around and she loved wearing her huge ribbon in the back of her red red hair. While her sister was the more serious type and you would never catch her goofing off that way. They were so different, but still so much alike with their loving hearts and their caring for others ahead of themself. They and their parents will always be missed.
I was invited to California many times in the past but was unable to go back then. I lost that great friend a couple years ago. We had grown up in the same neighborhood and went to school together. I was a couple years behind her sister and a couple years ahead of her. The three of us were real close. Their Mom and Dad used to include me on many of their family week-end trips to visit their relatives who lived in the state of Vermont. I used to enjoy those week-end trips. I also spent many nights at their home when I was in high School. Growing up we lived about a 20 minute walk from each other.
I was just a Freshman in my first year of high school when I met Pauline. She was in my brothers class and we all walked part way home from school together. Thats how we became friends. Her and my brother were juniors- 3rd year of high School. She had talked me into joining the "Tickets please" club with her. The best part of belonging to that club at school was that we collected tickets at all the different sports- basket ball, baseball , football, plus at the dances and other doings. So, I got to see all our school home games for nothing. That was great since my baby sitting money could stretch just so far. But what it was spent on is another story.
When the Juniors had their Junior prom, the club chose me for one of their ticket collectors. You can imagine how exciting that was for me-- having to wear a long gown and getting soo dressed up for something I was still too young to attend. There were so many others they could have chosen that were in the 2nd year Sophmore class, 3rd year junior class with them, or even the 4th Grade Senior class. And here they were asking a little freshman to do it for their most important Dance they would ever attend in their full 4 years of High School. They had only known me for a few months in the club and some had been club members during their whole high school years. I considered that a great privilege to be asked. After the ticket taking was over and the Dances began, I was even more amazed when some of the girls asked their dates to dance one dance with me. They sure were not expected to do that. It was enough to be seeing all the beautiful decorations, watching them crown their King and Queen seeing the other kids taking part in the coronation ceremony. I still remember the decorated chairs sitting under the tall arched trellis covered with vines and flowers. And the two gold colored crowns being placed onto the King and Queens heads. Their class had voted before the dance and the winners were the ones crowned and the others that were named to vote on ended up being part of the ones to stand up their beside where they sat. Last years King and Queen were also at the Dance as they were the ones who put the crowns onto the heads of the new King and Queen. It reminded me of seeing a bride and groom sitting under the flowered covered archway with all the wedding attendants standing on either side of them. So many lovely gowns, guys all in tuxedos and all the girls were wearing either corsages on their dresses or had those wrist corsages.
Oh, I forgot to mentioned that those collecting tickets were also given a corsage to wear on their gowns. That was my very first corsage. The next one was when I was the maid-of-Honor at my older sisters wedding, and after that I had a corsage to wear when I was a bridesmaid in a cousins wedding . Over the years I had many corsages, but that first one still means a lot to me. I kept that corsage for many years till it started falling apart from age. I didn`t know how to preserve them, or I might still have it today. And even the food after the dance was nice. It was all so exciting for someone who was my age- just turned 14 yrs of age at the time. Just starting High School was exciting for me. I wasn`t allowed to date till I was age 16, but I was allowed to attend all my high school dances. All this excitement and fun because my new found friend had talked me into joining the Tickets please Club with her. I often wonder how much influence she had in my being chosen. This dance was her junior Class Prom.
Now to get back to my friends and their families- I spent a lot of time at their home, even over nighters. Many times on Friday nights their Dad would yell to us, calling us chattermouths and remind us that he had to work in the morning . We thought we were whispering so they couldn`t hear us, but of course sometimes we would get laughing over something and that -they would hear. They lost their Dad years later. I still remember the last time I saw him. I had stopped to see my friend Pauline, her younger sister was already living in California at the time. When I knocked on the door, their Dad answered the door and told me that both Pauline and her Mom had gone shopping. So, I started to leave. He reached out the door, gently grabbed my arm and asked me if I could stay and talk with him for a while as they would be back soon. He said he could use someone to talk to. So there I was still chatting with him when they got home. Then they insisted that I stay for lunch with them. The next time I saw him was at his Funeral.
When the younger daughter, Eva, married she moved to California to live, but we still stayed in touch. I continued to visit her sister and her Mother till her sister Pauline passed away and then the younger sister-Eva took her Mother to live with her in Calif. I really missed them all, By then I had already lost my Mom and their Mom had always been like a second mother to me. It was like losing a second mother.
I used to talk to them a lot on the phone. Their Mom knew she had left her home and flew to visit her daughter, but she never realized that where she was living now was a very long ways from where I lived. In fact she still thought she was still just visiting them and would someday come back to her own home. She was always asking me when I was coming down to see her. Her daughter always told me that anytime I wanted to come see them, she would make up the other spare room for me. She made sure I always knew I was welcome at their home. In the beginning I still had kids in school, so felt I couldn`t leave home, plus Walt and I had never taken a vacation without the other. I could have, but guess I just never thought about going alone. Plus, we really never had any money to waste while we were raising our kids.
Their Mom was in her nineties when she asked me why I never came down to see her anymore. At the time my car wasn`t working, so I told her I had no car. Her daughter didn`t want her mother to know they had taken her so far away from her old neighbothood. She always thought she was still within driving ways from where I was living when she used to drive up with Pauline to visit me. Usually, it was me who did the driving down to see them. I was living about a half hours drive from their home after Walt and I built our own home in a near-by town..
One day- a few weeks before she died- they had hunted the house for her and the daughter told me they found her Mom sitting in their car. When they asked her why she was in the car, she told them- Dot`s car isn`t working, and If noone is going to take me up to see her, then I am going to drive myself up to see her. She had turned in her Drivers licence when her older daughter passed away- she was in her 80`s then. She told me she had to keep her license for Pauline who was in a wheelchair the last few years and now she didn`t need it and so she was turning it in. We had talked on the phone just a couple days before that and she told me- There aren`t many of us old friends left, so we have to stick together.
When I heard that she wanted to drive up to see me, I wanted so much to go visit them, but at the time Walt was on oxyagen and wasn`t doing well and I didn`t feel it would be right to leave him alone, so I didn`t go. I was invited again the following year after he passed away, but felt my kids needed me and that I wouldn`t be very good company till I could handle losing him. I will always wish I had gone and would have if I had known she was in bad health. She never once said she was having any medical problems, but afterwards her husband told me she knew she didn`t have long to live. I will always be sorry I hadn`t thought of myself just this once and headed off to California. Eve had told me to come visit for a couple weeks, and once I was there she was sure I would love it so much that I would never have wanted to go back home. But, I knew I would miss my Family enough to hurry back home after a couple weeks.
Lost thier Dad in 1981, Pauline in 1999, their Mom in May of 2005 and Eva just six months later in Nov. 2005 . Eva had the pleasure of caring for her mother for 6 years which brought her so much pleasure. She once told me that her sister had her mother for all the years since she had moved to live in California, and now it was her turn to live with her mom. I told her that as much as I missed seeing her mom, I was happy that she had taken her to live with her. She also had grandchildren and and a great grandchild that got a chance to realy know and love their Gram and great Gram. A while ago I came across an old picture of Eva and myself acting crazy like teenagers can. Pauline had taken the picture. I e-mailed this picture off to Eva`s husband and he told me he gave copies to all the kids so they could see what their mother looked like when she was a teenager. I got to meet her husband a few times when they came home to her mom`s and he is a great person and was a very loving husband and a great Dad, not only to theirs but also to hers from her first marriage.
Wonderful people, gone but never to be forgotten.
One more thing to remember about my friends. Pauline was the type who did what you would expect her to do, while Eve was one with a mind of her own. She didn`t dress like everyone else, she was one of a kind. Sometimes you would think she was a young kid when she got kidding around and she loved wearing her huge ribbon in the back of her red red hair. While her sister was the more serious type and you would never catch her goofing off that way. They were so different, but still so much alike with their loving hearts and their caring for others ahead of themself. They and their parents will always be missed.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Hurrah!! Sassy came inside today.
It was on the 13th that Sassy followed my son into the house and then stayed in all night and part of the next day. Then for the next 6 days she again decided she didn`t wish to come inside anymore.I thought I had lost again.
Well, here it is the 20th and for some reason she decided to come into the house this morning. She stayed in all morning, went out for a very short time and then wanted to come back inside. I am more puzzled than ever. It is 4pm now and she is still inside. She went to the door a few minutes ago. I asked her if she wanted to go out and she headed back into the laundry room and laid down by the back door. It is a bit damp and chilly out today and maybe that has something to do with her coming inside. But last winter she stayed out all thru the cold winter- she never came in once.
Boy, she sure has a lot of energy. I haven`t accomplished much today. She spent all morning wanting to play. It is good to see her inside and wanting to play. She got so excited that she started barking. She is usually very quiet unless she sees a squirrel or cat going across my property, or someone she doesn`t know goes by my house. She is very active when outside and likes to play. Yesterday when I was playing outside with her she ran around me and her heavy chain tripped me up. As I went flying, I grabbed for the shed I built beside my side porch. Thank goodness my hand caught the shed and I was able to steady myself or I would have landed face down onto the paved driveway. That is my only worry when playing with her outside- fear of falling. A couple years ago my Dr told me to be careful not to fall or I would break my hip. I hope he was exagerating, but just in case I am more careful.
Sassy is such a strong dog that she just runs and snaps a regular dog chain. We had her on a run when she was younger and she just kept pulling those long hooks right out of the house or shop. So we gave that idea up and we drove a metal fence post deep into the ground, but she kept pulling it out. We finally bought some cement, dug a hole, filled it with cement and set about a foot of the fence post into the cement. That finally held her. The chain she is on is soo heavy that I hate putting her on it, but nothing else can hold her. She runs so fast that there is no way I would ever catch her if she got lose. The last time she got lose was over 4 years ago. She snuck out when Walt had opened the door and off she went. Calling her to come play, holding out treats, nothing worked. Finally she went into a neighbors yard with their dog and the neighbor managed to catch her for us. Being alone now, I am very careful to keep her hooked up. If she keeps coming in, I will have to start watching when any of the family stops by so they don`t let her out. We used to keep the side door locked so they had to knock giving us time to catch her before the door was opened. If she keeps coming in, i will have to go back to locking the side door that everyone uses.
Wow, she sure is playful today. My bro stopped in this afternoon and was he ever surprised to see her inside. He said "You finally got her to come in. How did you do that?" I told him that his guess was as good as mine, she just came to the door and when I asked her if she wanted to come in, she didn`t back away and go off the porch.
I just had to stop and play with her some more. I don`t want to refuse playing with her while trying to get her to like being inside again. Now it is almost 5pm and she is still inside. Who knows, maybe this will become a habit after a while. it sure would be good if she does stay inside on the cold winter nights. I would be relieved as I was a wreck all last winter worrying about losing her in the cold nights. She is already 10 and a half years old and her face hair is turning from black and white to a dull gray. She is starting to look older and I worry about losing her.
She isn`t standing in the hall and whining like she used to do. So, maybe she is finally going to accept the fact that he isn`t coming back.
When one of my Uncles died his horse was given to another uncle who also lived on a farm. The horse refused to eat and they tried every idea the vet offered. Bucky, the large work horse was just missing his master. Even after Bucky started eating some, he still didn`t show his strength anymore. He looked like a real old horse with no will to live. He only lived a little over a year and he was a strong healthy horse when his owner died. We knew he died from lonliness for his owner. So, I know how some animals lose the will to live when they lose the owner who raised them from a baby. He was born on the first farm and grew up to pull wagons, the plow and other farm equipment. He didn`t do this hard work on the second farm.
Walt used to walk up to Sassy and talk to her like you would a horse. When he told her to back-up, she would start walking backwards in front of him and as long as he kept saying "back-up, come on, back-up", she would continue to walk backwards. Walt used to get a kick out of watching her. Walt was never a dog person till I got this dog. When he spoke, Sassy listened and if he raised his voice, she obeyed him. With me, she would still keep trying to get me to play longer. I would have to tell her "all done" before she would stop teasing me to play longer. Even though I was the one she followed all over the house, she did show him respect. I do feel that Walt dieing here in the house has a lot to do with her whining every time she needed to walk by the doorway to the living room. Maybe it took her 2 years to realize he wasn`t coming back. Maybe she feared she would disappear like he did if she stayed inside.
Maybe she is starting to realize that I stay inside and I am still here. I am happy to have her in with me. I hope it continues, especially with the winter weather on it`s way.
It got up to 62 F today. I need some more dry warmer days to finish painting the house, plus the side porch floor also needs to be repainted. So far I only finished the front of the house last week. I should have done the painting last month, but there was just too much else needing to be done. I have all the insulation in the shop waiting to be stapled up, plus the Lauan board to put over the insulation. This I can get done on the rainy days if I have to. I managed to get 4 of the earth boxes empties, still have 3 more to get emptied. I clean out all the plants and roots and then add the soil to the cement block flower garden beside the driveway. It makes things there grow better the next year. My garden is over for this year.
Thanks to everyone who sent the wishes for Sassy to come back inside with me.I greatly appreciated it. Who knows, maybe your wishes helped. Keeping my fingers crossed that she keeps coming inside. Would even cross my toes, but then my shoes wouldn`t fit. :):)
Well, here it is the 20th and for some reason she decided to come into the house this morning. She stayed in all morning, went out for a very short time and then wanted to come back inside. I am more puzzled than ever. It is 4pm now and she is still inside. She went to the door a few minutes ago. I asked her if she wanted to go out and she headed back into the laundry room and laid down by the back door. It is a bit damp and chilly out today and maybe that has something to do with her coming inside. But last winter she stayed out all thru the cold winter- she never came in once.
Boy, she sure has a lot of energy. I haven`t accomplished much today. She spent all morning wanting to play. It is good to see her inside and wanting to play. She got so excited that she started barking. She is usually very quiet unless she sees a squirrel or cat going across my property, or someone she doesn`t know goes by my house. She is very active when outside and likes to play. Yesterday when I was playing outside with her she ran around me and her heavy chain tripped me up. As I went flying, I grabbed for the shed I built beside my side porch. Thank goodness my hand caught the shed and I was able to steady myself or I would have landed face down onto the paved driveway. That is my only worry when playing with her outside- fear of falling. A couple years ago my Dr told me to be careful not to fall or I would break my hip. I hope he was exagerating, but just in case I am more careful.
Sassy is such a strong dog that she just runs and snaps a regular dog chain. We had her on a run when she was younger and she just kept pulling those long hooks right out of the house or shop. So we gave that idea up and we drove a metal fence post deep into the ground, but she kept pulling it out. We finally bought some cement, dug a hole, filled it with cement and set about a foot of the fence post into the cement. That finally held her. The chain she is on is soo heavy that I hate putting her on it, but nothing else can hold her. She runs so fast that there is no way I would ever catch her if she got lose. The last time she got lose was over 4 years ago. She snuck out when Walt had opened the door and off she went. Calling her to come play, holding out treats, nothing worked. Finally she went into a neighbors yard with their dog and the neighbor managed to catch her for us. Being alone now, I am very careful to keep her hooked up. If she keeps coming in, I will have to start watching when any of the family stops by so they don`t let her out. We used to keep the side door locked so they had to knock giving us time to catch her before the door was opened. If she keeps coming in, i will have to go back to locking the side door that everyone uses.
Wow, she sure is playful today. My bro stopped in this afternoon and was he ever surprised to see her inside. He said "You finally got her to come in. How did you do that?" I told him that his guess was as good as mine, she just came to the door and when I asked her if she wanted to come in, she didn`t back away and go off the porch.
I just had to stop and play with her some more. I don`t want to refuse playing with her while trying to get her to like being inside again. Now it is almost 5pm and she is still inside. Who knows, maybe this will become a habit after a while. it sure would be good if she does stay inside on the cold winter nights. I would be relieved as I was a wreck all last winter worrying about losing her in the cold nights. She is already 10 and a half years old and her face hair is turning from black and white to a dull gray. She is starting to look older and I worry about losing her.
She isn`t standing in the hall and whining like she used to do. So, maybe she is finally going to accept the fact that he isn`t coming back.
When one of my Uncles died his horse was given to another uncle who also lived on a farm. The horse refused to eat and they tried every idea the vet offered. Bucky, the large work horse was just missing his master. Even after Bucky started eating some, he still didn`t show his strength anymore. He looked like a real old horse with no will to live. He only lived a little over a year and he was a strong healthy horse when his owner died. We knew he died from lonliness for his owner. So, I know how some animals lose the will to live when they lose the owner who raised them from a baby. He was born on the first farm and grew up to pull wagons, the plow and other farm equipment. He didn`t do this hard work on the second farm.
Walt used to walk up to Sassy and talk to her like you would a horse. When he told her to back-up, she would start walking backwards in front of him and as long as he kept saying "back-up, come on, back-up", she would continue to walk backwards. Walt used to get a kick out of watching her. Walt was never a dog person till I got this dog. When he spoke, Sassy listened and if he raised his voice, she obeyed him. With me, she would still keep trying to get me to play longer. I would have to tell her "all done" before she would stop teasing me to play longer. Even though I was the one she followed all over the house, she did show him respect. I do feel that Walt dieing here in the house has a lot to do with her whining every time she needed to walk by the doorway to the living room. Maybe it took her 2 years to realize he wasn`t coming back. Maybe she feared she would disappear like he did if she stayed inside.
Maybe she is starting to realize that I stay inside and I am still here. I am happy to have her in with me. I hope it continues, especially with the winter weather on it`s way.
It got up to 62 F today. I need some more dry warmer days to finish painting the house, plus the side porch floor also needs to be repainted. So far I only finished the front of the house last week. I should have done the painting last month, but there was just too much else needing to be done. I have all the insulation in the shop waiting to be stapled up, plus the Lauan board to put over the insulation. This I can get done on the rainy days if I have to. I managed to get 4 of the earth boxes empties, still have 3 more to get emptied. I clean out all the plants and roots and then add the soil to the cement block flower garden beside the driveway. It makes things there grow better the next year. My garden is over for this year.
Thanks to everyone who sent the wishes for Sassy to come back inside with me.I greatly appreciated it. Who knows, maybe your wishes helped. Keeping my fingers crossed that she keeps coming inside. Would even cross my toes, but then my shoes wouldn`t fit. :):)
Friday, September 15, 2006
my heart goes out in many directions.
My head is going in circles. Soo very much to think about. A couple weeks ago we learned that one of my older brothers has a leg that could break at anytime. He had osteomylitis at age 13 and back then they had none of the newer meds to fight osteo with so all these years that leg often breaks out and starts draining again. The osteo was too far advanced when the newer meds were discovered, so they can`t help him. Dr says that the osteo eating away at the bone for so many years has deteriated the leg bone so bad that it could break at any time. The Dr also said that right now my brother is actually walking on air and he is surprised he can still walk on it. He added that when it does break, the leg will need to be removed above the knee. I thought that was enough for me to worry about till I received a phone call from a granddaughter who is only 37 years old.
This sweet granddaughter has had a rough growing up life- a Mother who was never a true mother to either of her kids, a father who decided he wasn`t able to care for two kids. A woman she baby sat for finally got custody and cared for this granddaughter thru her High school days. I had nothing to fight with since her mother was my step daughter. I didn`t even know what was going on until after the court hearing was over. I have stayed close with both this granddaughter and her brother who lives in Florida. Wonderful, loving grandchildren. I knew she had been having some tests done at the hosp and had a Dr apt. today. Well, today the granddaughter called to tell me what the Dr told her. Her Heart is so weak that it could stop at anytime. He called it Cardiac myopathy and told her her Heart was beating way too slow. She is on cumiden and gets 2 shots a day to try to disolve the blood clot behind her knee. Her pro coagulation time isn`t very good. She has become unable to walk and she says the pain is unbearable. This is a person who never complains with all she has been thru- more than any child should have to go thru. So, my heart is breaking for her and my brother and my older sister who just lost her husband.
This granddaughter has two children that she loves so much and her biggest worry is about what would happen to them. I know her brother said he would raise her son ( his Nephew) if he was needed, but the other child was her husbands child that she got full custody of when they Divorced. There is the fear that the birth mother`s family might go to court for her if anything happened and they never bothered with her all these years. I don`t think they could win as the girl is now old enough to choose where she wants to live and she told me a while ago that she would take her brother and run away if she had to go live with them. It would be bad to ever separate the two children. I pray we never have to worry about any of this. I pray my granddaughter`s health improves and she is able to raise her own two kids.
I had the furnace fellow come clean my furnace today, so one more thing done before winter. It has rained for the past few days so I haven`t been able to get anymore painting done. Today I noticed a few places where the paint is blistering on a couple boards on the house beside my front porch. It has been about 4 years since it was last painted. Seems like it should have lasted longer than that.Sometimes I wish I was three people so I could accomplish all that needs doing before winter.
Thought I might have won the fight of getting Sassy to come in the house more. But, she hasn`t been back inside since I let her out yesterday morning. She comes out of the dog coop and comes running to meet me the minute she hears the door opening, but stops on the porch and doesn`t want to come in. I`ll just keep hopeing!!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
More about Sassy, My border Collie
A good thing happened last night and this morning.
My Border Collie, Sassy has refused to come into the house in over a year. When I first lost Walt, Sassy would stay in the Laundry room and whine every time she entered the hall that runs between the Laundry room and the Dining room. She acted afraid to come thru the hall and past the front room doorway. After almost 2 years of this whining and her fear of the other room, she just started staying outside all the time. No coaxing or treats could convince her to come in the house. At first I thought she might be smelling that Walt had died in that room. So, I scrubbed everything and opened the door and windows to air out the room. All this work accomplished nothing. She still refused to come into the house.
Last winter I worried a lot with her staying outside in her coop- even in the coldest part of the winter. My neighbor picked me up some hay to put into her coop to help keep her warm. But I still had trouble sleeping due to worrying if she would be alright out side. I used to check on her every time I awoke all thru the coldest nights.
Now, here it is, over 4 years later. Yesterday one of my sons , along with his son went with me to the vets where Sassy got her tetnus booster shot so I could renew her license. When we arrived home Sassy surprised us all. She was still on her leash and my son asked if I wanted him to hook her back up on her chain. I told him, lets see if she will come into the house. She followed my son inside and he walked all over the house with her following him everywhere he went. We were all so surprised. After 4 years she suddenly decided to lay down in the house without whining.
When my son and grandson were going to leave, my son asked if I wanted Sassy chained outside. I told him, lets see how long she will stay in. After they left she went to the side door like she wanted to go outside. I pretended to ignore her and was waiting for her whine to go out. She never made a noise, just headed into the laundry room and laid down. She ended up staying inside all evening and the whole night. The next morning she went to the door. I fed her just a little before letting her out wifh hopes she would want to come back in to finish eating. But she just went into her dog house and laid down.
It took a lot of work to get her back inside. A short time after she finished eating I decided to give her a bath. The white around her neck area was dirty looking. Have you ever tried to lift a dog that weighs over 60 pounds to put her into a tub when she doesn`t want to go in? Boy! is she heavy. I pushed some steel wool into the drain to prevent any dog hair from going down the drain. By the time I was finished, I think I was wetter than she was, if that is possible. After toweling her as dry as I could, I used the hair dryer to dry her some more. She doesn`t like the noise of the hair dryer. When finished and the tub was cleaned and scoured well, I had to mop and clean the whole bathroom. A lot of work just to have a clean dog. But she is so pretty when she is clean.
Then she wanted to play. You wouldn`t know she was ten and a half years old the way she was wound up. She stayed in the house till 11 am this morning before she again asked to go outside. Now she is laying back outside in her dog coop.
I am hoping this is the beginning of her again coming into the house like old times.
I keep wondering what she might be thinking. Is she afraid that if she stays in the house that she might disappear like Walt ? Did it take her 4 years to accept that he is gone? Did she sense his being here? So many questions, but no certain answers. I only know how good it felt to see her walking thru the house and being willing to spend the night inside with me. I hope it continues and that once the furnace starts she doesn`t want out of the heated house.
She is starting to look older with her face hair turning gray. The thought that I might someday lose her is beyond what I want to even think about. I feel so protected with her here. She was worth all the work training her not to jump, not to nip like all sheep dogs do, and how to sit when the little ones want to give her a treat. She is one smary dog.
Wish me luck! I hope she will want to keep coming inside with me again like old times.
My Border Collie, Sassy has refused to come into the house in over a year. When I first lost Walt, Sassy would stay in the Laundry room and whine every time she entered the hall that runs between the Laundry room and the Dining room. She acted afraid to come thru the hall and past the front room doorway. After almost 2 years of this whining and her fear of the other room, she just started staying outside all the time. No coaxing or treats could convince her to come in the house. At first I thought she might be smelling that Walt had died in that room. So, I scrubbed everything and opened the door and windows to air out the room. All this work accomplished nothing. She still refused to come into the house.
Last winter I worried a lot with her staying outside in her coop- even in the coldest part of the winter. My neighbor picked me up some hay to put into her coop to help keep her warm. But I still had trouble sleeping due to worrying if she would be alright out side. I used to check on her every time I awoke all thru the coldest nights.
Now, here it is, over 4 years later. Yesterday one of my sons , along with his son went with me to the vets where Sassy got her tetnus booster shot so I could renew her license. When we arrived home Sassy surprised us all. She was still on her leash and my son asked if I wanted him to hook her back up on her chain. I told him, lets see if she will come into the house. She followed my son inside and he walked all over the house with her following him everywhere he went. We were all so surprised. After 4 years she suddenly decided to lay down in the house without whining.
When my son and grandson were going to leave, my son asked if I wanted Sassy chained outside. I told him, lets see how long she will stay in. After they left she went to the side door like she wanted to go outside. I pretended to ignore her and was waiting for her whine to go out. She never made a noise, just headed into the laundry room and laid down. She ended up staying inside all evening and the whole night. The next morning she went to the door. I fed her just a little before letting her out wifh hopes she would want to come back in to finish eating. But she just went into her dog house and laid down.
It took a lot of work to get her back inside. A short time after she finished eating I decided to give her a bath. The white around her neck area was dirty looking. Have you ever tried to lift a dog that weighs over 60 pounds to put her into a tub when she doesn`t want to go in? Boy! is she heavy. I pushed some steel wool into the drain to prevent any dog hair from going down the drain. By the time I was finished, I think I was wetter than she was, if that is possible. After toweling her as dry as I could, I used the hair dryer to dry her some more. She doesn`t like the noise of the hair dryer. When finished and the tub was cleaned and scoured well, I had to mop and clean the whole bathroom. A lot of work just to have a clean dog. But she is so pretty when she is clean.
Then she wanted to play. You wouldn`t know she was ten and a half years old the way she was wound up. She stayed in the house till 11 am this morning before she again asked to go outside. Now she is laying back outside in her dog coop.
I am hoping this is the beginning of her again coming into the house like old times.
I keep wondering what she might be thinking. Is she afraid that if she stays in the house that she might disappear like Walt ? Did it take her 4 years to accept that he is gone? Did she sense his being here? So many questions, but no certain answers. I only know how good it felt to see her walking thru the house and being willing to spend the night inside with me. I hope it continues and that once the furnace starts she doesn`t want out of the heated house.
She is starting to look older with her face hair turning gray. The thought that I might someday lose her is beyond what I want to even think about. I feel so protected with her here. She was worth all the work training her not to jump, not to nip like all sheep dogs do, and how to sit when the little ones want to give her a treat. She is one smary dog.
Wish me luck! I hope she will want to keep coming inside with me again like old times.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Bad news
I received a phone call shortly after my last post. My older sister`s husband passed away . She lives about 3 to 4 hours drive from me and when I get more details I expect to make the trip to be there.
Yesterday I was so happy celebrating my 75th birthday with many of my family showing up and one Daughter and her husband taking me out for Lunch. They had my youngest granddaughter with them. I couldn`t believe any 2 year old could sit there that long waiting for her food without complaining at all. She was a real little Lady. The restaurant gives little ones 4 crayons and a 3 page coloring book and she was busy coloring in the book. Every once in a while she would say " Where is my food?". One of her parents would tell her they had to cook it and would bring it to her as soon as it was cooked. Only 2 years old, and she just said- cooking it? I have seen many kids much older than her that were a big problem to take to a restaurant.
Hard to believe that was just yesterday when i was feeling so happy.
Now I feel really down. He was a wonderful fellow and a great one to have for a brother-in-law.
Now I have lost 2 of my 3 brother-in-laws in the past couple years. I think I said the other one was little over a year ago, but thinking about it, it was a little over 2 years ago. So 2 of my sisters are in the same place I am. I feel so sorry for them.
Yesterday I was so happy celebrating my 75th birthday with many of my family showing up and one Daughter and her husband taking me out for Lunch. They had my youngest granddaughter with them. I couldn`t believe any 2 year old could sit there that long waiting for her food without complaining at all. She was a real little Lady. The restaurant gives little ones 4 crayons and a 3 page coloring book and she was busy coloring in the book. Every once in a while she would say " Where is my food?". One of her parents would tell her they had to cook it and would bring it to her as soon as it was cooked. Only 2 years old, and she just said- cooking it? I have seen many kids much older than her that were a big problem to take to a restaurant.
Hard to believe that was just yesterday when i was feeling so happy.
Now I feel really down. He was a wonderful fellow and a great one to have for a brother-in-law.
Now I have lost 2 of my 3 brother-in-laws in the past couple years. I think I said the other one was little over a year ago, but thinking about it, it was a little over 2 years ago. So 2 of my sisters are in the same place I am. I feel so sorry for them.
Dear Abby- this mornings topic.
Something I just read in an dear Abby`s column that reminded me of what I taught my children about not judging a book by it`s cover , as the old saying goes. Another old saying- never judge anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. I did my best to teach them how to make their own decisions and not be influenced by their friends thoughts. Life is full of choices and to be able to handle them you must first learn how to handle your own self. You must be able to see two sides to every situation before you can decide which one is best for you to do. Watching my children raising their children made me proud. I watched one son support and raise his 3 kids alone after his wife left-- all 3 Graduated from High School, one from College, one is making a career in the Marines, one is a school teacher and the youngest one has a job. One daughter supported her 6 kids with very little help from her Husband, working a full time job while attending college days, tried for years to make a bad marriage work before she gave up. Another daughter finally ended an abusive marriage , worked three jobs to support herself and her 2 kids and will be getting remarried next spring to a wonderful lad. He treats her kids and her grandkids better than their own father does. Five of my 6 kids own their own homes. My youngest Daughter is married and a prison Guard, youngest son is a roofer and construction worker. My twins- one works for the school system and the other for the Town. One, with his wife adopted two children and it is so nice seeing these kids looking so happy. They were sister and brother, but had grown up in different foster homes and never got to know each other till they were adopted, and now here they are growing up together like sisters and brothers should. Four of my kids are now grandparents. My how time flies. Only 2 of my grandchildren are still in high School, plus the youngest is only 2 years old. So far, only 1 of the 17 grandchildren has quit school. I think that tells a lot about what good parents they all became. I tell all this to explain why I am so proud of my kids. They are all very hard workers and such loving parents and grandparents. Many times over the years , I wanted to give my point of view, but I knew I had to stay out of their marriages and let them make their own decisions. One of the hardest things about being a parent is keeping your thoughts to yourself when every ounce of your strength has you wanting to jump in and knock a head till it wakes up and acts proper. But, other than stepping in to protect someone from physical injuries , my feelings were- I didn`t make their marriages and I don`t have the right to end them. They have to either make it work, or end it themself. Whenever someone asked me why I didn`t do something, I would answer-- I didn`t make their marriage and I can`t end it. It is their decision to make and if I did a good job raising them then they will be strong enough to handle their own problems without any interference from either their father or I. All I could do was be there for them when needed
Sometimes I see someone trying to handle some very hard problems and I have two feelings come to mind-- first is wishing I had the power to remove those problems, next is to thank God I am not going thru what they are. Ever feel that way?
Here is the Dear Abby one that got my mind thinking this morning:
DEAR ABBY: I recently learned a lesson about not judging a book by its cover. A young man and his divorced mother moved into our quiet neighborhood of mostly retirees and young couples who have not yet started families. When we first laid eyes on the young man, we saw a guy with shoulder-length hair dressed all in black -- complete with black fingernail polish and black eyeliner. Everyone thought the worst: "Oh, no! A heathen devil-worshipper!" A few months later, he presented himself in ragged jeans, a flannel shirt, his head completely shaved. Again we thought the worst: "He's turned into one of those neo-Nazi skinheads!" I later learned from his mother that her son is a sociology major at a university about 200 miles from here. (He had to evacuate during Hurricane Katrina as a large portion of the campus was destroyed.) The black attire we first saw was for a costume party he was attending that evening. He grows his hair long to donate to Locks of Love, which uses it to make wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair during chemo, hence the shaved head. He spends his summers working with groups going to underprivileged countries to teach the children to read and write. He also goes with Doctors Without Borders to help inoculate people who have never had the basic childhood vaccinations against rubella, tetanus, etc. I feel completely ashamed of myself for forming such an opinion about this wonderful young person simply from his appearance at a distance. I have since gotten to know him during his weekend visits home to see his mother and have discovered what an intelligent, compassionate, giving individual he is, and I am honored to have him as a neighbor. Please warn your readers not to make the same mistake I and the rest of my neighbors made in judging a worthwhile young man by his appearance at first glance. -- ASHAMED IN BRANSON, MO.
Sometimes I see someone trying to handle some very hard problems and I have two feelings come to mind-- first is wishing I had the power to remove those problems, next is to thank God I am not going thru what they are. Ever feel that way?
Here is the Dear Abby one that got my mind thinking this morning:
DEAR ABBY: I recently learned a lesson about not judging a book by its cover. A young man and his divorced mother moved into our quiet neighborhood of mostly retirees and young couples who have not yet started families. When we first laid eyes on the young man, we saw a guy with shoulder-length hair dressed all in black -- complete with black fingernail polish and black eyeliner. Everyone thought the worst: "Oh, no! A heathen devil-worshipper!" A few months later, he presented himself in ragged jeans, a flannel shirt, his head completely shaved. Again we thought the worst: "He's turned into one of those neo-Nazi skinheads!" I later learned from his mother that her son is a sociology major at a university about 200 miles from here. (He had to evacuate during Hurricane Katrina as a large portion of the campus was destroyed.) The black attire we first saw was for a costume party he was attending that evening. He grows his hair long to donate to Locks of Love, which uses it to make wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair during chemo, hence the shaved head. He spends his summers working with groups going to underprivileged countries to teach the children to read and write. He also goes with Doctors Without Borders to help inoculate people who have never had the basic childhood vaccinations against rubella, tetanus, etc. I feel completely ashamed of myself for forming such an opinion about this wonderful young person simply from his appearance at a distance. I have since gotten to know him during his weekend visits home to see his mother and have discovered what an intelligent, compassionate, giving individual he is, and I am honored to have him as a neighbor. Please warn your readers not to make the same mistake I and the rest of my neighbors made in judging a worthwhile young man by his appearance at first glance. -- ASHAMED IN BRANSON, MO.
Just goes to show how gossup can be incorrect and can also hurt others. Do not judge, lest we be judged ourself. Another saying I was raised with.
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Just received some bad news. My older sister`s husband was just admitted into the hospital near where they live and the outcome isn`t good. Please say a prayer for him, my sister and their family. They live over 3 miles drive from me, so I can`t get there for her the way I wish I could. He is a wonderful brother-in-law. My daughter was hoping he would be able to walk her down the isle next spring in her Dad`s place. That shows what a great person he is.
Thanks everyone. Nothing can help except hopefully the power of prayer.
Monday, September 04, 2006
a change in one of those I tagged
I am removing the 3rd one in my tagged list ( hillgrandmom- life on a Hill) and replacing it with -Denny and " Not so normal news". Hope that is ok with Denny. After reading some of Denny`s blog, I think he will have some interesting answers.
I learned that hillgrandmom is not a shared blog, but an old one. Sorry for the mess up.
Thanks to those who agreed to accept the tag from me.
Since today is my Birthday, I have been kept too busy to write a post. It is now after 11pm and I am too tired to write more tonight.
I learned that hillgrandmom is not a shared blog, but an old one. Sorry for the mess up.
Thanks to those who agreed to accept the tag from me.
Since today is my Birthday, I have been kept too busy to write a post. It is now after 11pm and I am too tired to write more tonight.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
I`ve been tagged by Karen
Sunday, September 03, 2006 11:50AM
Subject: tagged by Karen
Here are my answers to Karen`s questions:
Are you happy/satisfied with your blog with it's content and look?Does your family know about your blog?
Yes, my Family knows I have a blog. I am satisfied with my blog, but that doesn`t mean I won`t try to improve it`s look in the future. Would like to know how to make the little dog interact without my going to it`s site. Great grandchildren love watching it do it`s antics. Saw the pet being active on one blog, so know it can be done.
Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?
Doesn`t bother me one way or the other. If I wanted it private, then I wouldn`t post in on the blog where others could read it.
Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?
It showed me more truths about other Countries. Better to hear first hand than thru the TV. or newspapers. Understand people from other Countries better by reading their blogs.
Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?
When I am reading a friends blog, I often see an interesting comments on their blog that has me heading to read their friends blog.
What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?
I have it, but only check it once in a while. I find that a few good comments mean more than knowing how many checked out my blog.
Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?
Not really. I do sometimes imagine their character from reading their blogs, but not their looks. Actions such as kindness, caring and true feelings , are much more important to me than what they look like. A kind warm hearted person is a wonderful one to have for a friend, looks alone never makes for a good friend, must have good character to go with or without the looks.
Admit. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?
Yes, it shares and makes some great friends. It is a good way to save memories for the Family to keep after I am gone. It sometimes releases tensions and gets my mind off other disturbing thoughts. It helps me remember things from my childhood that I hadn`t thought of in years. That means that my Family will know even more about my childhood and about other members of my family.
Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?
Sometimes world events are mentioned by people who saw it first hand, which can be more true and real than what the news tells on a topic. Events can sometimes play a big part of blogging.
Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it's a normal thing?
Polite criticism can sometimes be helpful as long as it is done in a polite caring way. I don`t approve of the type that slams others or is done in a vicious or deliberate way to hurt someone. Criticism should be saying something that would be helpful to know.
Do you fear of some political blogs and avoid them?
No, because if I disagree I have two choices-- can either leave a comment giving how I feel, or I can read it and then move on without leaving a comment. So, why should I fear reading them.
Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?
Yes, it did shock me as I had never heard of such a thing happening where I live. Had me asking myself " What ever happened to freedom of Speech". If they wanted to shut down a blogger running an indecent blog involving young kids or indecent pictures or anything that is breaking a law, then it wouldn`t bother me to hear they were arrested, I would approve of it. But there must be a darn good reason for the arrests before I could approve of any arrests and just having a difference of opinion should never be one of them. .
Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?
Not really as I am also printing them all off and placing them in a large three ring Binder for my Family to keep after I am gone. Figured it might come in handy to the future generations- both medical wise and learning more about their family history. Only have one wonder- will someone in my family let the internet and blogger friends know so they won`t have to wonder where I went.
What do you like to hear? What's the song you like to put its link in your blog?
I could never choose just one song, I love Country Love songs and also those that tell a story- such as
"Some Gave All"; Church Hymns; Deck of Cards; It`ll Come Back; Daddy, Don`t you walk so fast , etc..
Five bloogers to be the next "victims"? Let's see ...
1 - Monica- Monica`s thoughts
2-- Suemamma- For the family
3. hillgrandmom-- Life on a hill
4. Mr Haney --ramblin on
5. Nan -- Small piece of the world
Hard to find some that haven`t been chosen lately. Hope I picked the right ones to continue on with the tagging. Thanks everyone.
Subject: tagged by Karen
Here are my answers to Karen`s questions:
Are you happy/satisfied with your blog with it's content and look?Does your family know about your blog?
Yes, my Family knows I have a blog. I am satisfied with my blog, but that doesn`t mean I won`t try to improve it`s look in the future. Would like to know how to make the little dog interact without my going to it`s site. Great grandchildren love watching it do it`s antics. Saw the pet being active on one blog, so know it can be done.
Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?
Doesn`t bother me one way or the other. If I wanted it private, then I wouldn`t post in on the blog where others could read it.
Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?
It showed me more truths about other Countries. Better to hear first hand than thru the TV. or newspapers. Understand people from other Countries better by reading their blogs.
Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?
When I am reading a friends blog, I often see an interesting comments on their blog that has me heading to read their friends blog.
What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?
I have it, but only check it once in a while. I find that a few good comments mean more than knowing how many checked out my blog.
Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?
Not really. I do sometimes imagine their character from reading their blogs, but not their looks. Actions such as kindness, caring and true feelings , are much more important to me than what they look like. A kind warm hearted person is a wonderful one to have for a friend, looks alone never makes for a good friend, must have good character to go with or without the looks.
Admit. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?
Yes, it shares and makes some great friends. It is a good way to save memories for the Family to keep after I am gone. It sometimes releases tensions and gets my mind off other disturbing thoughts. It helps me remember things from my childhood that I hadn`t thought of in years. That means that my Family will know even more about my childhood and about other members of my family.
Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?
Sometimes world events are mentioned by people who saw it first hand, which can be more true and real than what the news tells on a topic. Events can sometimes play a big part of blogging.
Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it's a normal thing?
Polite criticism can sometimes be helpful as long as it is done in a polite caring way. I don`t approve of the type that slams others or is done in a vicious or deliberate way to hurt someone. Criticism should be saying something that would be helpful to know.
Do you fear of some political blogs and avoid them?
No, because if I disagree I have two choices-- can either leave a comment giving how I feel, or I can read it and then move on without leaving a comment. So, why should I fear reading them.
Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?
Yes, it did shock me as I had never heard of such a thing happening where I live. Had me asking myself " What ever happened to freedom of Speech". If they wanted to shut down a blogger running an indecent blog involving young kids or indecent pictures or anything that is breaking a law, then it wouldn`t bother me to hear they were arrested, I would approve of it. But there must be a darn good reason for the arrests before I could approve of any arrests and just having a difference of opinion should never be one of them. .
Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?
Not really as I am also printing them all off and placing them in a large three ring Binder for my Family to keep after I am gone. Figured it might come in handy to the future generations- both medical wise and learning more about their family history. Only have one wonder- will someone in my family let the internet and blogger friends know so they won`t have to wonder where I went.
What do you like to hear? What's the song you like to put its link in your blog?
I could never choose just one song, I love Country Love songs and also those that tell a story- such as
"Some Gave All"; Church Hymns; Deck of Cards; It`ll Come Back; Daddy, Don`t you walk so fast , etc..
Five bloogers to be the next "victims"? Let's see ...
1 - Monica- Monica`s thoughts
2-- Suemamma- For the family
3. hillgrandmom-- Life on a hill
4. Mr Haney --ramblin on
5. Nan -- Small piece of the world
Hard to find some that haven`t been chosen lately. Hope I picked the right ones to continue on with the tagging. Thanks everyone.
