Bob and I had a quiet time... nibbles all evening..."Reacher" and something else on Netflix then cooking shows on PBS' "Create" .... then bubbly wine at midnight !
Decided that 2023 had been a good and bad year.. probably mostly good and most of the bad things worked their way to being taken care of!!
Here's hoping 2024 will be a good one... for us, our family and hopefully the world!!
Today is turning into another quiet one...it is sunny and warmish ( 46 F) and the washing machine and dryer are working away!!
I don't feel like cooking so we will be having soup and tuna sandwiches tonight with fruited jello and a green salad.
Tigger ( the orange cat) always seems to know when I am opening a can of tuna fish. I always buy wild caught solid tuna in water... and the cats love "tuna juice" - the water from the can. Tigger starts yowling the moment the can opener hits the can! I split the "juice" into two dishes and both cats lick the dish clean!!
Tigger's next thing was to get onto of my bed as we tried to put the newly washed bottom sheet back on... he digs his claws in and has to be removed or we will have a shredded sheet!! Now he's waiting for the top sheet...
The house has been quiet since Christmas... We are still working our way through the Christmas food things ( like cookies, Chex mix etc.).
.Except my teacher daughter, grand daughter and I went to see a very upscale kitchen etc store. That doesn't exactly describe Cockrells Mercantile down in Lee's Summit which is about 20 minutes from here. It's a complex of buildings... a larger remodeled house with everything from LeCreuset cookware to dip mixes to jams and jellies and so on... where Lili and I found a few things.I even found some things for next year's quilting gift exchange on sale ! 50% off!
There are other smaller redone houses - holding designer clothing in one, Fiestaware in another, baking items in a third, children's items in the last!!
The courtyard and paths are brick which was a little treacherous with the light snow and rain falling but the others (LOL) made sure I was safe.
On the way home we treated ourselves to LaMar's donuts!!
Today it was grocery shopping for me. My daughter and grandson headed out to the KC Zoo.. planning on seeing the new Aquarium, Penguins , polar bear and so on. All the snow melted and no new rain today, so the trip should have been fun!!
Also we were visited by a neighbor and his Junior Girl Scout daughter... it's GS cookie selling time. We ordered 5 boxes which will be here in February!! By then the Christmas goodies should be gone!!
We had a wonderful day yesterday... lots of brunch foodies, Christmas cookies, pecan pralines, Christmas crack, Chex mix... etc. I could go on...Orange juice and Proseco ( home made mimosas) to go with the rest!!
Followed by gift exchanging... Lili on the floor sorting through the pile and handing presents out! We were so busy that I forgot to take pictures.
Everybody had leftovers to take home!
Bob and I are exhausted today... we both keep falling asleep in our recliners ! No real reason for it but we are!!
I probably won't be blogging tomorrow so Merry Christmas or happy Holidays to all!
I think we are ready for everyone to arrive for brunch and the gift exchange tomorrow...we spent today finishing the last little things....
... but the day started with an unexpected phone call !Two family members are in Abu Dhabi ( part of the Arab Emirates) !!! Never had a phone call from that far away before! They are enjoying lovely warm weather... makes me a little jealous!
After pottering around finishing things I spent the rest of my quiet time reading!
Again... Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays !
Looks like we are just about done. Done enough for Bob to be trying another bread recipe. He has the new yeast packages I bought the other day so he should be ok.
One of the things my daughter, grand daughter and I loved on our celebration lunch were the roasted Brussels Sprouts with apples and lardons. So I went recipe hunting and found something similar.. roasted sprouts, bacon and apples. I will give it a try tonight.
Google has been showing up on my computer with pictures from Christmases gone by...some made us
sad... but here's one of of my kids way back when ... 1975 in Rochester, NY.... that one make me smile!
Wednesday my quilting group also known as a "Stitch and bi***" group met here for our annual Christmas get together...We exchange small gifts and eat loads of homemade goodies!! Good times were had with lots of laughter especially talks of being pulled over by cops.. no tickets but warnings for very inconsequential things ( according to us!)
Thursday was gift wrapping day... and emptying out the refrigerator's left overs .. I want loads of room for Christmas goodies!!
This morning I headed out for the grocery store.. joining loads of others. The parking lot was full as were the aisles. But the store was prepared with loads of checkout aisles and baggers! I am glad I did some emptying .. found room for the new stuff!! Think I have remembered everything... but I can go back tomorrow or Sunday!
My grand daughter received all A's for her college classes so as family tradition has it, we (her mother and I) took her out to lunch!! We went to Ophelia's in Independence, Mo and the food was great! Our starter was roasted Brussel sprouts with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples and lardon. When we saw that on the menu we whipped out the cell phones and found it is chopped pork belly. Sort of like bacon. Wonderful!
My grand daughter took home a cute tree ornament .. small very elaborate cocktail in a mini glass!!
So her first University semester is done ( she completed 2 years in a community college) ... loving it, doing well and plans to graduate next winter!!
Off this morning at 9.00 to meet up with my daughter at her sister's house. The garage was full of gifts meant for senior citizen's living in the Oak Grove (MO) Phoenix Family housing site!! But before we could load up the cars we had to re-label some gifts. Guess there were two Linda's! We had to figure out which gifts went to which Linda!
Finally we headed out for Friendship Manor where we unloaded our cars! Volunteers will make sure gifts get to the right person!! I was glad that we had done a good job of labeling our gifts which had gone to a different housing site!!
It looks like my teacher/daughter and I will be taking my grand daughter out to lunch tomorrow... it is a family tradition for all A's on report cards ... even college ones!!
Ps ...the two with the same first names had the same first two letters for their last names
Well... today was putting up more "stuff" around the house. I want to be ready for our quilting group's Christmas get together on Wednesday evening. And I made another new to me recipe for my part of the refreshments - a white chocolate, craisin and pecan "candy"
Placed more of my Annalee things.around... so glad to put out my huge Annalee Santa mouse up on the landing..greenery along the handrails...He stands 30 inches tall!!
I always tie him to the newel post so that rambunctious cats don't knock him down the stairs!!
I started collecting AnnaLee mice, Santas, angels, reindeer , etc when we lived in Michigan way back in the late '70's. I still pick up a few now and then.
Tomorrow Bob, the teacher daughter and I join the non-profit daughter delivering Senior gifts. They have been stored in L's basement as she brought them home, car load at time, from downtown KC. Phoenix Family has a senior housing site in Oak Grove!!
My teacher/daughter is finally getting to feeling more normal after her bout with covid and she can smell and taste a little. So we went Christmas shopping!!
A local furniture store closed down maybe a year or two (?) ago. The building was bought and renovated this past fall ( I think). I remember shopping at the furniture store feeling like I would never finish wandering around looking at the furniture... and the new renovated business is just as huge.
The business is Queen Bee Boutiques ( Blue Springs, MO) .. and it houses MANY MANY small mostly craft business booths. Sort of like the antique malls. It looks very well organized and organized so that different booths are not near others of the same type. One large check-out area since all items are bar coded and nicely wrapped.
We found things just right for our gift exchange ( stitch and b***h group) and some impulse things for family members. I also found some snacks for our grand dogs Harper and Scout. I might have added more for them but they are big dogs and the doggie booths seem to specialize in much smaller dogs!! No cat booths at all !!
I put Bob to work on the lights around the front door this morning. He 's no longer "up" to step stools and ladders so this is our solution. He's also too frugal to want to hire someone... there are many businesses now that do this around here. And while the lights look great the cost is high.
I spent my time, lest you think I was work free, wrapping our seniors' "stuff". I use different paper for each and made sure everything was labelled.
Tomorrow we head downtown KC to drop things off! I received a reminder email just as I was about to send one saying we would be coming tomorrow to the organizer!! Then we got an email from our daughter... she will stop by tomorrow on her way to work and pick up things. Hooray no 45 minute trip in and 45 minute trip back home.
In exchange we will help our daughter deliver to one of the Phoenix Family sites out here in the suburbs (lol). She will have taken everything to her home in batches... we will help her take things to the site.
Our teacher/daughter is still not up to snuff with the remnants of covid... but is back to school , masked. As soon as her students are bussed back to their respective schools, she heads home and collapses! Friday is the last day before winter break...
Well... think we have the want/need Christmas lists for our two seniors filled. Some things were hard to find.. others easy. .....time to wrap?
I cleared off the dining room table and brought downstairs one seniors "stuff". We will label everything and pack everything into something. Then start all over with the other's stuff. Wrapping everything in two different papers ... to lesson the risk of confusion...lol. Then we take everything to my daughter's house and load op her car so she can take it to Phoenix Family Housing offices.
Our teacher/ daughter went to school today. She still sounded awful yesterday but she planned on a science experiment - making snow - today!! Sometimes I think/ know that she enjoys what she plans as much as the kids...everything from chess tournaments ... to rockets... to maps.... and loads of reading!!
Heard from her on her way home... the kids loved making snow. One type was a physical reaction... the other chemical. The difference was key to this science project. They also made gingerbread houses using graham crackers. The kids took them home... but not before finishing up their supplies by eating them!!
BTW.. she's lost her sense of smell and taste!
My daughter stayed home today.. not wanting to infect students, teachers and staff. So many are ill that she would have been pressed into substituting which she did not feel up to. So instead she is home , in an empty house ( husband at work, son at high school)....
So far Bob has not brought home Covid from his helping with the new dishwasher.. hooray! Masking and boosters seem to be working in his favor! BTW ... new dishwasher is a bomb!
Talked Bob into finding our adress list of relatives and friends... time to start writing Christmas cards??
Tomorrow I will be heading out to the grocery store.. list in hand for our stuff.. lists for our seniors as well. We have gotten most of their wants/needs... just a few hum drum grocery store things to go!
Then is will be wrapping and labeling time...
Our younger daughter left school early the other day feeling awful. Didn't feel any better yesterday so stayed home.
One good thing about being home was that she could be there when her Christmas present arrived... a new dishwasher. Bob was on standby and masked. The delivery men took away the broken one and brought in the new one... carrying it up the stairs ( inner and outer) using back straps!!
Then Bob and our s-i-l put in the new one after he got home from work. Our daughter supervised (LOL) and still felt awful... Bob still masked!
Today she reported that whatever is going around at her school tests positive for Covid and she has it! Oh so glad Bob was masked every time he was there!
Our daughter is so glad not to be washing dishes by hand!
We're so glad Bob was masked, that I was home and that we have had the latest Covid boosters!!
Bob and I went on our first Christmas wants/needs lists from two seniors who live in one of Phoenix Family's sites.
One said on his list that he never had Christmas as a child and that he doesn't read or write. BUT he wants a writing practice book as he is learning to do both.. I think I found one at Hobby Lobby! We found most of what is on his list ...
The other one wants a wire folding cart ... We hunted all over Wal-Mart and had several employees look up the cart on their cell phones... nope! But we did an on-line search , when we got home, and found one. But now we are worrying on whether she can assemble it and whether it is sturdy! Did find an adult coloring book for her! And a huge tin of flavored popcorn..
I don't think we done as much searching for listed items in a long time.. and are exhausted.
Our younger daughter... the teacher one.. seems to have picked up what lots of the kids and teachers have... the dreaded stomach bug. She headed home early and was planning on a nap ( woke later and felt and sounded worse - taking tomorrow off)
At Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby three little boys decided I was ok...One in the Wal-Mart's check out line was young enough to just be able to say "hi" and smile with dimples! He winked at me and when leaving I got a big bye-bye. Two little brothers in Hobby Lobby wished me "Merry Christmas". We discussed whether they had seen Santa yet .."no" not to talk to but had seen him at the fish store. Yes they had been good and when they did see Santa we discussed not crying so their Mother could get a good picture.
Enjoyed it.. especially since my grand son is now 17 and towers over me.. sometimes even gets down on his knees to give me a hug.
Heading out tomorrow for some more things on their lists like canned tuna, chicken, soups and Hershey bars ( his favorite).
I tried a new recipe today... coconut pecan pralines. I thought I had failed somehow . I followed the directions and at the end I scooped the mixture onto wax paper over cookie sheets. . The recipe writer suggested placing them into the freezer to cool. I put them on the deck - 40 degrees.
Well they didn't harden and I had to peel them off the wax paper. A sticky mess. Turned them upside down on the cookie sheet hoping to harden the sticky bottoms.
FINALLY 5 plus hours later they have hardened!! They taste great but they are super sweet. Not sure I'll make them again... depends on the reactions of my family, I guess!
We have been taking "steps" towards Christmas... I made a huge batch of Chex Mix and gave some to both daughters. Started baking cookies. Made "crack pretzels" for my grandson ( he loves them!)
I shopped for more things for Christmas baking,,, and impulsed some necessary food stuffs.
Went to Dollar Tree for plastic containers for whatever I've made... colorful tissue paper for wrapping...Andes Chocolates ( mostly for my younger daughter. They were her grandfather's favorite and the chocolates remind her of him).
The Hallmark store for cards. I found some by Unicef which remind me of what we need most of now - peace. While looking I didn't put some card boxes back correctly ... so down they went with a crash. The cashier came running to make sure I was ok..she was concerned ( nice).
Talked with my grand daughter who wanted some ideas for presents... We talked about present coupons for "help with needed tasks". One she is thinking about is for her parents. She wants to make a special dinner for them. She has been working in Houlihan's kitchen and has learned lots!!
Tomorrow I will try a new recipe for non-baked cookies. Hope it works.
The PO tracks my bears that I sold and mailed... fun watching the tracking. The packages went all over : Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama
The purple glass recycling bin awaits us at the grocery store!! Our recycling bin ( three stack able units from IKEA) is getting full.
I do love chucking our glass into the purple bin...makes a great noise! And it's nice knowing more bottles will be made from everyone's trash!!
I managed to find two Christmas presents online at Amazon...I can't believe how quickly they will arrive. I placed the two orders this evening and one is supposed to arrive Wednesday.. the second on Thursday.
Bob and I adopted two seniors from our daughter's non-profit. We were sent a short biography and a list of wants/needs for each. Things have to be at the non-profits office by the 17th.. so better get going!
I'm still sitting at my computer while I box sold bears and print out USPO "click and ship" labels and Paypal details....
I'm not complaining because it means I sold a lot of my bears!!
I made one trip to the PO to put boxes in the rotating barrel and will be going again tomorrow. Lucky me the PO lobby is open 24/7!
With "click and ship" I can print postage labels ( paying for them through PayPal or a credit card)... no standing on line. Especially good at this time of the year!
Today starts this weekend's "Bear Blitz" ... an online artist teddy bear show.
If you have been wondering why I am The Glass Dragon it is because I have been making teddy bears and friends forever ! I am getting closer and closer to 7,000 bears and friends.
If you want to take a look at this weekend's sale page... here is the link
https://gdragonbears.weebly.com/
(hope I have done that correctly)
Bears are being bought.. which is great! Tigger has decided he wants to be close by while I wait
I between waiting times I have started on Scotch shortbread cookies..
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The thermometer on the fireplace reads 53 so far this afternoon.
We had planned to clearcoat our wooden snowflakes downstairs until Bob read the label on the can...It requires very good ventilation! So downstairs is a no-go but out on the deck will work once it gets over 40 degrees F... and it has!! BTW... the class was fun.
Here they are after two coatings. ...the final drying time!
Temperatures reached almost 60 and there are just little bits of snow/ice left!
Had some errands to do so picked up a few decorating things on the way... a new Christmas cactus (white) to replace the one that went belly up on the deck when we were gone! A real Christmas greenery display for on the front steps... and a fake greenery garland for in the house.
Bob and I went to a craft class Sunday... decorating a wooden snowflake. Mine looks very different from his but we are happy. We sprinkled epsom salts on top for glitter and have been waiting to make sure the snowflakes are totally dry before spraying with clear finish. The snowflakes are pretty large - about 12 inches in diameter and will look great hanging near the front door ( outdoor entryway).
Bob finally helped hang our "Happy Holidays" banner and a new from Target "Merry Christmas" banner outside and another "Happy Holidays" banner inside on the coat closet door ( I think I will staple cards to it!).
Forgot to publish yesterday...
I went on a Wal-Mart run for some things I needed for the family batch of "home made Chex Mix"... I found everything and added some impulse items. When I headed to check out I found there were no cashiers.. only scan and go booths.
Rats... rats... each store's scan and go booths are different and I was leery of Wal-Mart's. The person who "helps' told me no cashiers came to work today... but SHE.. she was very helpful! Got everything checked out, paid and headed home!
Looks like people ( daughters and grandson) are coming Sunday to "help"... We make a huge amount to make sure everyone has some!
Then it's cookie making time from Sunday through Christmas!!
This morning I found 3 - 4 inches on the deck and when I went out to fetch the paper I discovered there was a crunchy icy layer underneath. Here's hoping it all disappears by evening..
I am not exactly sure how apple slab works since my daughter made it instead of apple pie. It is a layer of crust in a 13 x 9 pan with sliced apples and a streusel type topping. The apples have cinnamon on them.
The Blue Springs snowplow did "do" our cul-de-sac! Not the center but a ring along the edge! Who cares.. no pile at the end of our driveway!
Everywhere I look people are saying "snow"... no one says the same amount .. from 1 inch to 8 inches. Some say a wintery mix. So we'll see what we get!!
When I went out for the mail it was starting..tiny little wet drops.
We are still working through leftovers. Bob had his first turkey sandwich for lunch ! It will be another "turkey dinner" for dinner tonight!! I'll be whipping some heavy cream to go on the apple slab we have instead of pie!! Changed our minds.. pies for both! The apple slab and whipped cream can wait!
It's now late in the evening and there is a dusting of snow.. It has stopped but what will we have by next morning?
3 - 4 inches on the deck!!
I swear it takes longer to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner than to make it!! When Bob and I went to bed we still had one load of dishes to run in the dishwasher!
No cooking for awhile... turkey sandwiches , left over charcuterie things, left over veggies, crackers and dip ... will be the menu for tonight ...at least!!
BTW ..rewarded myself after finishing things with a piece of pecan pie for breakfast!!
The turkey is in the oven... veggie scraps and the turkey neck are simmering away to add the liquid to our gravy... stuffing is in the crockpot...pies are covered with foil and out on the deck to keep cool...table is ready to be set...
Bob and I are waiting for everyone to show up with their sides!!
Way too much food but all delish!! Sent some home to our grand daughter who had to work ( kitchen at Houlihan's restaurant)...
Only one almost disaster... the crockpot stuffing! Luckily I checked it but found the strip it had been plugged into hadn't been turned on! Put some in a covered casserole with the turkey and turned the rest up to high! Disaster averted!
BTW...every body had stuff to take home... the girls took each other's home!!
Bob and our elder daughter spent time yesterday lugging things in the backyard where the builder had left them when he demolished the old deck and built the new one ! The deck is a full flight above the backyard and the new one has a great stair case... so up they lugged things! I remained on the deck being handed smaller items...
Now as to the huge grill... too heavy for them to get up the stairs. So it is protected under the deck for now!
Harper and Scout ( her two dogs) love the new deck and have chosen two opposite corners where each can survey the backyard and their neighbors' yards!! And they love racing down the flight of stairs if they see a squirrel or some other creature! Or if someone throws a ball or toy from the deck to the ground!!
The rest of the deck amenities will wait until spring... but since yesterday was warm for November we enjoyed sitting at the table and chairs with a drink and cookies! Just rewards for our "work".
We went back out to our older daughter's today. We had some outdoor stuff planned but rain arrived early this afternoon and stayed!!
The dogs were delighted to see us and we helped with some household chores. It has been very busy at our daughter's non-profit so household chores had been delayed. She "re-paid" us with dinner .. a new recipe. Pre-cooked bratwurst wrapped in crescent rolls and baked... plus raw veggies ( carrots, snow peas, peppers, tiny cukes) and home made dip. All good especially since I didn't have to cook!
On our way out we took stuff to her trash bin and placed it out by the street.. tomorrow the trash guys come!!
As I was finding a spot for our turkey in the freezer I remember the "good old days" when the kids were young and we had a big freezer.
We lived in Rochester, NY and there was a little Italian grocery store on the corner,,, which meant home made cookies and desserts such as cannolis at Christmas.... plus we could order a side of beef! Butchered as I wanted it and wrapped for my freezer!!
When we ( Bob and my daughters and I) went back to NY for my sister-in-law's memorial service we spent our last day in Rochester reacquainting ourselves with our old hometown!! Our house is a different color.. the neighborhood is still great and the corner grocery store is still there...but not a little Italian one.
Those Christmas cookies and cannoli were great.. our beef was good... the freezer was full.... BTW the grocery store owner was glad to weigh my son on his scale to see how "the baby was growing!|"!!
I have started buying things for our Thanksgiving feast... at least my part of it. Some things have been parceled out to my two daughters and my grand daughter.
I found my turkey at Aldi's. May have been able to get it cheaper or by buying a ham or something else... but Aldi's had Butterball turkeys and somewhat cheaper!!
So it in my freezer it went.
Still more to get, of course. Like Pepperidge farm herb bread cubes for stuffing. I have used them for almost 60 years and won't be changing now!!
But this start of "accumulating" things has me feeling in the holiday mood!! And my freezer looks much more organized! I'll have to clear out a spot for the turkey in the refrigerator when I start thawing it Saturday night!!
Told my daughter the sale stuff I had seen in Aldi so she will shop tomorrow. Some of her items will part of our family dinner but some she will buy for herself. She has a second dinner for her family on the weekend afterwards.
My trip to the grocery store ended up being different than I expected. As I drew into a parking space another car was trying to get into the spot in front of me. The driver was having problems and the car was sporting a Virginia license plate.
I couldn't see the driver and on the next try the driver scraped the car in the spot next to it... quite a long scrape and fairly deep. The driver pulled back out and went to another parking space.
Not quite sure what to do... didn't feel like I could knock on the car window... you know we hear about road rage etc. So I went into the grocery store and told the customer service rep. She contacted the manager.
So we two went out into the parking lot after I told him what had happened and he asked if I could recognize the cars etc which I could. He took pictures and contacted the damaged car's owner.
The owner came out and looked his car over... not too happy. The manager told him he had video if necessary. At the same time the Virginia car's driver got out and came over apologizing telling the three of us the car was a rental and getting out her insurance card.
At that point the manager and I left ( though I did leave my name and phone number wit the customer service person)... Both cars were gone when I left for home!
I sort of feel like a snitch but if it had been my car that was damaged.....
Dominic loves his trombone which he plays in everything (including jazz band) except marching band where "the powers that be" switched him to the euphonium .
The final results were Blue Springs were number 1 in the semi-finals for class AAA with awards . In the finals for all classes they were number 4 nationally with only larger schools beating them. They received an award for music.
Everyone was back at the high school... ready for parents to pick them up... at 7.45 this evening. They ( four Arrow Stage Lines busses ) were given a police escort with lights flashing!!
Dominic, our grandson is off with the Blue Spring Golden Regiment to Indianapolis for the Nationals Band competition. They all left Thursday... stopped somewhere for a quick band review since the band has not performed in a covered stadium before... and arrived Friday. Early trials were done and Blue Springs made the semi-finals ( one of 30!) and will perform again this morning.
Heard via Facebook that the band did well!! Standing ovations for BS and a Texas Band. Should hear by late this afternoon how they did in the finals.
My daughter and her husband drove there too and "earned" tickets to the event by volunteering. They had to be at the stadium before 7 this morning and their job was to sell programs. They head home Sunday as will Dom and the band.... you would not believe what it takes to get these kids to the Nationals! Buses for people and semis for instruments, sound equipment and "scenery"!! It's a long trip ... over 8 hours!
This is the end of Dom's Golden Regiment years. He graduates in May and will be off to college!
Later... they were top in their category with all three special awards ... just finished performing the finals at 10.45 Eastern... now everyone waits!
Finally heard that the BS Golden Regiment made 4th nationals... everyone excited... kids , volunteers , parents and "workers from music dept." super tired!! It was a long three days!!
We made it home yesterday afternoon and collapsed for awhile. I didn't feel up to cooking and the fridge was pretty empty so we headed out to the Texas Roadhouse.
Our trip to San Diego was good... the weather was great. I even got a sunburned face! We , Bob and I, took the "Hop on Hop off" trolley around San Diego going to Old Town , Little Italy and Balboa Park. We got off at the Park and walked over to the Air Museum. The San Diego Zoo is also in the park but a 30 minute walk from the trolley stop... too far for us.
The trolley does drive through the park so we did see some things. The park was very busy... it seemed like all the schools in the area were having a field trip day!!
We also went on a commuter train ride... Bob finally figured out the ticket machine! The train took us to the northern suburbs where we got out... used the bridge to get to the return tracks and road all the way back to the hotel backwards!!
The worst part of the trip was figuring out Daylight Savings Time and getting to the airport for our 9 am flight.... the hotel room clock/ alarm wasn't changeable.
As we sat and waited for our plane... the bar across from us was playing the KC Chief's Germany game. It was obvious there there loads of Chiefs fans... lots of cheering !
Blue Springs has been having "trick or treat" events for the past week.. Main Street for the city's part... restaurants, churches, nursing homes etc. Whoever.. wherever...
So tonight after days of rain and cold weather only a few young teens showed up at our door for candy! Guess we'll be eating some candy ourselves when we return from San Diego!!
The wedding is over...wasn't sure my grand daughter would make it down the aisle.... she was so nervous and stressed! Looking wonderful though as was the groom in his tux. My son-in-law walked Lili down the aisle...when all was said and done Lili was in smiles.
We are looking forward to all the pictures... the photographer took millions.
Everything was quiet Sunday.. people were recuperating!!
Today would have been our son's 55th birthday....our younger daughter left a loaf of banana bread tied to our screen door early this morning before either Bob or I were up. She came back later and we added a candle, had coffee and talked about him. There is still a huge hole in our family.
Older daughter, Bob and I head off to San Diego early Wednesday morning. A non-profit development convention for daughter... sight seeing for Bob and me!
I bet the Spire techie was glad he was done with our meter before the rain started. We have had two days of rain rain rain with fog .. we have rivers in the road gutters and swimming pools in the backyard.
Going anywhere on the Interstate meant drivers who weren't happy with the wet roads... going 20 miles BELOW the speed limit and having trouble staying in their lanes!
I went downtown to my hair stylist... had to have a trim for Lili's ( grand daughter) wedding Saturday ! She came over with her Mother to fetch her wedding dress which has been hanging in one of our closets safe from her cats at her apartment and safe from ours here!!
The groom had his final tux fitting and things are getting into ready mode!!
Spire Energy set us up with an appointment to replace our gas meter and make any adjustments if necessary. It had emailed us providing a link to their appointment "book".
The technician arrived on time and set to work... turning all off all gas appliances:furnace, kitchen stove, gas fireplace and hot water heater . I could hear all sorts of bangs from outside where the meter is/was.
When putting in the new meter he found he was missing a part and had to call another technician to bring one.
When done he had to restart everything and check with our "smart" thermostat that all was a-ok!
This was "free".. but Spire wanted to make sure all the readings were accurate and so that they got their money...lol
Sunday meant putting some of the deck back together ( at our daughter's house) ... the contractor put back the gazebo which had been on the old deck ...we added chairs and the table and had a celebration dinner!! The dinner included lentil stew with croutons which our daughter had learned from local Moroccans when she was there with the Peace Corps and wonderful fresh apple bars with whipped cream!
Lots of talking and watching the dogs enjoy the new deck which is "oh so much bigger" than the old one!!
My daughter's new deck is coming along. It is bigger than she expected and the floor and steps are done enough for the dogs to come home. They don't mind no railings... but my daughter does. No going down a full flight of stairs from the deck floor to the ground without them!!
Today the railings are being built and new steps from the kitchen door to the deck!! It looks like my daughter's celebration dinner on Sunday is on!!
BTW a neighbor asked in he could have lumber from the old deck. He didn't say what for but my daughter agreed and he took quite a bit. Less for the deck contractor to load into his "bin" !!
The deck is done..It looks great... .and so we are waiting for the paint to dry ... then the chairs, table, storage chest and grill can be put back. Sunday tasks and then a celebration dinner!!
We got together again yesterday to work on on filling the dog holes in our daughter's backyard... much easier without the dogs or the old deck!
But it was cold and wet... not quite rain but definitely not dry. Our grandson did a great job of wheeling wagon loads of dirt from the driveway where Home Depot left the bags of dirt to the back yard!
Another BUT... this weekend of "work" plus the cold and wet weather has left all of us sick... just colds but we all feel yucky. Since the younger daughter is a teacher she took a Covid test...NEGATIVE ! Yay!!
Bob went to check on the new deck... nothing done!! But the lumber had been delivered! Fingers crossed that work will start tomorrow. ( If I was my daughter I would be really angry that they hadn't started work today!! The dogs are being boarded ... expensive... since without the deck and its stairs the dogs can't get to the yard for potty breaks. They are supposed to come home Wed. and the contractor promised the dogs would have stairs by then!)
It was a cold damp cloudy day so no "ring of fire" could be seen... but that didn't stop our work. Our daughter's deck is down and boy did things look different!
My other daughter and her husband helped fill in the dog holes... much easier without the deck and without the dogs. My s-i-l wheeled loads of dirt from the driveway to the backyard!! Bob dug up concrete patio blocks. My two daughters "weezeled" old dirt and raked new dirt into the dog holes. I was told to sit !
I guess the old deck was more "stuff" than the contractor expected... there was a huge pile of boards etc. alongside the garage. Hopefully he will take them when he is back on Monday to start building!
After we called it quits it was off to a Mexican/bbq restaurant ... which is next to the vet's office. One could here Harper baying in the kennel ( that is where the two dogs are being boarded!)
After eating we split up and each of us went home for a nap !
Well... the temperatures will be lower again with possible rain...
Our daughter's deck is being demolished...the dogs are being boarded. There is no way for the dogs to reach the backyard for poo and pee without the deck and its stairs.
So this weekend will mean more hole filling..and tired daughters , Bob and myself. Monday the new deck goes up.
If the deck is done and its stairs, the dogs return. Wonder if they will be surprised??
I finally was brave enough to try making a new ( to me) shrimp recipe for dinner tonight.
After thawing and peeling a bag of raw shrimp I followed the recipe ! First was a wine and melted butter for the bottom of the baking dish. Then the shrimp was coated with melted butter, garlic and lemon juice and this was topped with panko crumbs, grated cheese and melted butter. Into the oven till the shrimp turned pink and the crumb mixture topping browned.
It was good... Bob even had seconds!!
Yesterday... it was split pea soup with carrots, celery, potatoes and a can of chopped ham. Soup means fall doesn't it??
Next soup will be a new recipe - chicken and rice ( a blend of white and wild). Kind of looking forward to that one... lots of veggies and spices!!
Bob, elder daughter and I spent the weekend doing work!! She is having a new deck next weekend and wanted to repair the "dog dug holes" along the house's back wall. ( More to do next weekend when the old deck is gone!).....
so we removed old plant roots, moved bags of new dirt from her trunk into the back yard and generally cleaned up. None of us can manage long spurts of labor!
I'd say we accomplished quite a bit! The weather was great... at the end of the day we treated ourselves to Chinese on Saturday and Mexican on Sunday. No cooking to cleaning up!!
More holes next weekend when we won't have to be underneath the old deck!!
My daughter and I also made a trip to the Vet's thrift store to leave a trunkful !
Our daughter has a Bradford pear in the back yard. This year it has loads of little "berries" - pears?? The dogs love them and will stand on the hind legs to pick them.
It is also where a squirrel loves to sit ... on the very highest branches. The dogs watch it avidly... hoping to catch it as it jumps down onto the fence and escapes.
I slept for 9 plus hours last night...Never do that!! But I feel much better today. I even went to a craft show in Lee's Summit which is a 20 minute drive.and found some little things for our Christmas gift exchange
Today Bob turned on the furnace! When he woke up this morning the temperature was in the 40's and there was a frost alert. Now it is 56!
Guess we won't be needing the air conditioner till next year!!
Spent way too much time sorting through all my jewelry for an opal pin... which was my grandmothers. Lili and her mother wanted to for Lili's wedding... something borrowed. At one point I was afraid it was lost but just as I was about to give up I found it in a little jewelry box! Big sigh of relief... partly because I found it and partly because I didn't want to disappoint both my daughter and grand daughter.
Tomorrow we have a "dirt moving" planned... filling the holes that my grand dogs ( Harper and Scout) have made. I can't decide whether it will be too cold or whether to be glad it will be cold. Oh well... at least it shouldn't be raining!!
The covid booster shot made my night absolutely rotten.. including nightmares .Bob's was just an achy arm.. lucky him. Today hasn't been too bad though I am prone to go to sleep at the drop of a hat. No more temp!!
Our CVS seems to have plenty of vaccine...just a drop in and fill out some paperwork.
RSV takes one's doctor sending in a prescription.
Think it's back to snoozing on the recliner
While we were at Target's pharmacy to pick up Jack's ( the striped gray cat) pills we checked into the availability of the new COVID booster and the RSV vaccine.
The COVID booster with or without a flu shot was available right then... the RSV has to be prescribed by one's doctor. I am allergic to the flu vaccine.... so after filling out paperwork I received the COVID booster.. Bob filled out the paperwork and received both.
We both felt that a little more protection for COVID was a good idea since we are headed out to San Diego the beginning of November.
BTW I started feeling a little wonky right away...so am taking it easy this afternoon.
Taking it easy wasn't enough... ended up with a temperature , goose bumps, shivers and felt rotten. A short nap helped ... food didn't!
Think I will wait before getting the RSV vaccine
We went to the "handmade market " even though the temps reached the low 90's. Only a couple of food trucks so it was a good thing that I had planned something for dinner on a "what if" basis!!
There were lots of crafts etc vendors.. spread out in the BS movie theater parking lot.. under the theater's entrance over hang and in the lobby. Those inside and in the shade were the lucky ones!
We came home with wonderful "specialty" flavored cinnamon popcorn, local honey. local red raspberry jam and a tasty banana, craisin and pecan loaf ( which we had with our dinner!). I also picked up a few things for Christmas exchange presents.. won't say what since who knows who will read my blog!!
There were several young booth vendors... one offering salsas etc .. one making jewelry... two manning the popcorn booth. Good for them!! Nice stuff too!
Hearing fireworks outside .. checked the Chiefs score. They won !!
Tomorrow afternoon the parking lot next to the Blue Springs movie theater will host a "handmade vendor market"! The promoter has been doing a great job of keeping interested people aware of what will be there on Facebook! The vendor number is up to 44 plus food trucks!
The specialty popcorn booth will be there...loved the many varieties last time!! Maybe I'll come come with some new type?!
Also looking forward to picking up something for dinner... Bob and I usually choose something different things and split between us!
The weather is still quite hot by mid-afternoon... currently in the 90's... It starts out in the low 60's so I open the doors and air things out. But 90's doesn't feel like fall!!
We are joining our elder daughter at a non-profit convention in San Diego! We leave Wednesday Nov. 1st and return that Sunday!!
We will be staying at the same hotel we stayed at the last time we went... it's right on a big bay and we had fun watching boats go up and down.
So we have started going back to walking ( in preparation for this). We are definitely out of practice... it was just too hot this summer to do laps at the park. We want to do a few touristy things in San Diego...maybe the zoo, the train museum and ride the trains than run all over the place!
Walking is going to be part of all this...practice has begun!!
The Kansas City Star had a section in the paper Sunday of fall recipes... I am going to try some of them starting with one I tried tonight. It was like a turnover but used chicken, black beans,salsa, cheddar cheese and spices including a tablespoon of chili powder! This filled a 5 inch circle of pie dough folded in half, sealed with egg wash and fork made crimps!! Baked in the oven... I served them with a little sour cream ( my addition not in the recipe). A keeper... may make a few additions..green peppers, onions?
Maybe the pumpkin cheesecake bars will be next...
Bob and I finally made it to a new place in downtown Blue Springs.. Bean Counter Cafe ! For a sort of brunch .. It is in the old second hand bookstore place...with lots of updating.
The menu is large with CHOICES!! One orders at the counter , pays and is given a sign to place on one's table for the server.... and one's order is delivered. Bob had a sandwich.. I had a wrap.. we both has a salad as our side.
The cafe has its own pastry chef so after finishing our brunch we went back to the counter and chose pastries to take home for later ( They were great!)
Downtown's parking spots were few ...so we checked out other places walking back to the car. I found a shop full of little booths with hand made items ... Bob watched a train crossing over Main Street while I looked! Next door is a wonderful cupcake shop... next time we will go home with some of these!
Wonderful day to be out and about!! Our teacher/daughter said it was a great day for outdoor recess... freeze tag and sidewalk chalk drawing!!
this weekend is Blue Springs' Fall Fun Fest...all sorts of things happening down on Main Street. This morning started with a parade. The high school marching band was part of it!
Here is my grandson as he marched by on the euphonium taken by my daughter
We went out to our older daughter's to replace her lights - downstairs by the cellar entrance and upstairs at the front door. They are really nice and are light sensitive ... ie turn on in the evening and off with the sunrise!!
We also spent time talking on the deck... I spent time with the dogs while daughter and husband did the lights.
The dogs are pretty big and it was fun watching them play tug o war with a sock. I was sure they were going to pull their teeth out! And the noise they made... sure they were ready to kill each other!
When I got home a picture was waiting for me in my emails... My grandson had his haircut per the requirements of the marching band... The students have to look just so for the competitions they will be attending
After
ps... think the haircut rules are due to the uniforms which vary every year.
The parking lot not too far from our home will have food trucks tonight!! We're going to give it a try!!
A friend of our grandson's family has one...His family also has a restaurant in Kansas City, Kansas which I hear is very popular. Looking forward to trying the family's crab rangoons!
This morning the parking lot has a booth selling mums ... a fundraiser for our grandson's marching band. I bought one.... we brought it home and on the advice of the"sellers" or volunteers I gave it LOTS of water. It doesn't have any buds yet but is supposed to have Chiefs ( our pro-football team) colors- red with a yellow center!!
Update this evening!!
It was fun... both daughters joined us.. plus s-i-l. grandson and s-i-l's visiting brother. Tried Hawaiian truck, sort of Greek truck, specialty popcorn booth, cookie dough truck and a couple of others.. Talked to the Colorado peach people... $60.00 a box !!! The peaches looked wonderful but $60 !!
There was a dog stuff booth, crafts, flowers etc. And a singer on guitar and microphone... hope they do it again but with more tables.
Both my daughter and grand daughter plug their phones into their cars and call me on their way home... it's all hands free and like talking to me as a passenger.
Really don't mind... it allows them to vent and tell me about their days and I am DEFINITELY kept up to date.
My daughter tells me about her day with her students.. like about the fight between two fifth graders.. I mean a real physical one. She separated them into opposite sides of the room and the rest of the class actually heard MRS. H****S get loud etc. I heard how the principal,and counselor handled it and about my daughter's calls to the Mothers!! It was handled well ...nothing on their records and that the boys were best buddies all afternoon!!
My granddaughter told me about her new manager... how to cope with him calling her "sweetheart" etc and about school now that she is in a University not a community college... how she got a zero on her Spanish presentation -- she forgot to "publish" but when the professor saw the time stamp , the zero was changed to a 99!
I also heard that she discovered that a classmate is the sister-in-law of her s-i-l to be ! Small world.. She's settling into finding her way around the campus, making friends, having a mixture of online and actual classes!!
Whatever our group calls itself it is great to get together ... tonight was the night. Usually we do a round robin meeting every two weeks but this summer has been unusually busy... so tonight was the night.
Bob and I spent the day readying things... can't have company with "doing" the cat litter trays...the bathrooms... etc.
A good night was had by all... Bob decided to join us too. Lots of munchies... catching up stories..and so on.
Leftover food put away... dishes in the dishwasher... trash in the trash can.
BTW... much cooler but muggy that should help with the next electricity bill. One of us had the higher bill ever after the last hot spell!
We were hazy again due to the Canadian fires' smoke
My teacher/daughter asked if I could go with her to Costco... I have the membership, she doesn't. I agreed and off we went to purchase snacks for her students...Her students have a long time from arrival to their scheduled lunch and get pretty hungry. Hungry students don't learn well!! She picked out all sorts of things... big boxes, individually packed... enough for September. Guess we'll have another trip down the line!
Her students eat their snacks and lunches at their desks. I wasn't aware that schools can have roaches.. mice etc. problems... so individual packages help as does careful treatment of trash!!
We are back home.. totally exhausted. But it went well. The memorial service was a good way for all of the family to reconnect. We ate lunch afterwards at a restaurant on Keuka Lake just north of Hammondsport ( Waterfront Restaurant)... good food and lots of sun even with the umbrellas... sunburns were sported afterwards!
We ( our daughters and Bob's younger brother) headed back to Rochester taking a look on the way at the family "cottage" on Seneca Lake and the family home in Geneva, NY.
Sunday we took it easy... looking at parts of Rochester we remembered ... We had lunch at a classic beach restaurant on Lake Ontario.. we found they had the well remembered "white hots".. and gallon jugs of crispy dill pickle slices! Schaller's...
After dinner at a "not so good" Chinese restaurant we went looking for Abbott's Custard Ice Cream shop... to die for!! Wonderful...
Getting up at 4 am... we returned the rental Ford Expedition ( what a beast!) and flew out... changed planes in Baltimore and made it home!! Collapsed... grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner and off to bed!!
We are being picked up at 6.30 tomorrow morning so we can get to the airport in time ( their time with lots added on for lines, security etc.) for our trip to the Finger Lakes ( NY State)..... my s-i-l's Memorial Service Saturday at the family cemetery.
So update when we get back... the "we" is Bob and our two daughters!!
Bob needed to run some errands Monday so I postponed my trip to Costco till this morning.. needed to have my hearing aids cleaned and new thingies that go on the part that goes into the ear canal.
So off I went... reasonably early .. found a good parking spot and in I went...Everything was fine BUT it was a lot hotter when I headed back out. The distance had increased(!) and it was HOTTER. Wasn't sure I would make it! Very much out of breath when back in the car
Not going out again unless early morning or after dinner!
Well...guess I didn't keep to that idea!! My daughter, grand daughter and I went shopping this evening. Lili needed some clothes for school. She has work clothes, at home clothes but needed school clothes. She finished at the community college ( on dean's list) and is now at UMKC in an art history plus business program. She had her first at school class today... found out the parking problems of an urban university ( took a chance on a spot and luckily no ticket - campus police must be giving students a little leeway for the beginning of the year!) Also found four other students in class in the same major... she is so excited about all this!!
Shopping went well!
Went to the grocery store early this morning to avoid the heat... but still had sweat running down my face heading home with the car's A/C on!!
Not sure what our high was but it was at least in the high 90's.
It was a good day to settle in with a book and some bear accessory projects. Since the weather forecast for tomorrow is more of the same...after a trip to Costco I 'll be doing more of the same.
All our devices have told us we are into a heat advisory... from 99 degrees to over 100 F for at least 5 days!!
So we will do anything that needs to be done in the early morning and then hunker down...
Later 4pm... 99F . My computer says we are near record!! A/C churning out cold air!
After a crazy summer ( hospital stay etc.) I finally had an appointment for a haircut... My hair had gotten way too long and I couldn't seem to keep it out of my eyes.
So off I headed to the Plaza area of Kansas City where Mark could wield his scissors and work his magic! But Kansas City seems to have construction everywhere road lanes closed!
After Mark did his thing I headed home via a slightly different way and there was more construction!!
And since it is Friday there was traffic everywhere...and the grocery store's check-out lanes were slow!! Glad to get home!! But Mark's haircut was worth it all!!
Fixed... Well, not exactly. Went to Discover's Optical Dept. with my broken glasses and ordered new ones. These will be a little different... a slightly larger glass area but with the insurance part and a discount the cost was not bad. They will have all the same stuff as the old ones - bifocals, anti-glare, transitions etc. BUT it takes two weeks... so the optical person shrink wrapped the ear piece to the hinge and I will make it (hopefully). I can't fold them but I can wear them!! The new ones will probably arrive while we are gone...
Went to Hy-Vee for some groceries but the bagger did not put my tomatoes in any of the bags and when we discovered that, while putting things away Bob did not want to drive back. I phoned the store and we arrived at a solution. Next time I go to the store I will bring my receipt to customer service and I will get a cash refund! OK by me.
Supposedly the KC area received 3 inches of rain yesterday... not sure I believe that, but it was lots!! The " swimming pool" at the back of our lot and our neighbor's lot is still there!
USPS has made changes to its "Click and Ship" stuff... I hear all sorts of grunts and groans as Bob works his way through the changes... now he is having problems paying for his shipping label....finally finished and the box went out to our mailbox where it was picked up and sent on its way!!
I woke up this morning to the rumbling of thunder and then some rain. My daughters said it rained at their houses too!
So ...we had further bursts of rain and then no rain..
Currently it is raining "cats and dogs" with heavy winds... and from the opposite direction than earlier!! We have rivers in the gutters - both roof and road! Some thunder and a little lightening.
Won't have to water my plants will I? Now we have nature -made rivers down the fence line .. and a "swimming hole".... as Bob says... we have a lot of water in our back yard and so do our neighbors!
later... we had more thunder and rain and the temperature dropped to a lovely 71 degrees.
The ear piece on my glasses just decided to let go.. don't think it's repairable so off to get new ones ordered tomorrow. Don't really need them for faraway but really do for closeup stuff. Luckily I have some $1.00 readers from Dollar Tree that will tide me over!!
The infection is gone... hooray... the yeast infection that inevitably comes with antibiotics also seems gone.. So I am back to what I consider to be normal.... hopefully.
My elder daughter is bogged down with her annual backpack event...many many (1000) have signed up for Phoenix Family's annual school supplies give away. This year many more signed up than last year. I guess there are more families that need the help even though there are many more organizations hosting similar events. The Kansas City Public Schools will be doing the same thing... though its event is much harder to be part of - one site ( not on a busline or even nearby), one time and maybe a crowd to cope with.
She has a crew of volunteers who will fill the backpacks and then the backpacks will be taken to the "sites"/ parents that requested them and given out.
My younger daughter and her family are coping with her husband's car fatality... His car had 4 recalls and the engine froze totally on his way home from work. Looks like the manufacturer will replace the engine and have Hertz supply a rental... hopefully the rental comes before school starts since this busy family is trying to cope with one car ( our daughter's)... husband to work, wife to ready things for the start of school and son to marching band!
They got the rental... stress level has lowered!
Bob is scheduled for doggie pee break visits on back pack day!
Today was laundry day... all done, folded and put away!
Away???.. not exactly. Tigger's bite morphed into a huge infection that seemed to grow daily. The tetanus/diphtheria shot and oral antibiotics weren't enough. So Urgent Care ( on a return visit) recommended a trip to the ER. There I sat in a bed for 6 hours waiting for a bed and to be admitted. That was Saturday..
After more tests I spent DAYS on IV antibiotics...yay. The hospital sent me home yesterday with a 10 day prescription for strong oral antibiotics. My leg looks almost normal and no longer is hot to the touch and " hurty".
Tigger better not do that again!!
Bob brought everything I needed... visited as much as we could stand.. Sitting a hospital bed hooked up to an IV is BORING ! My daughters visited too!
Yesterday, for some unknown reason, Tigger the orange cat attacked my ankle as I walked past him. Blood flowed(?) from one of the tooth holes onto the carpet... that one was the worst but there are 6 tooth marks in total! Bob helped me stop the bleeding, apply antibiotic and put on bandages.
Tigger is eating well but crabby and not up to par... but still don't know why! We are keeping an eye on him.
But today had a bright spot. My grand daughter came over with her mother to try on her wedding dress which has been hanging upstairs in one of the closets. She's lost a little weight since she bought it ...needs to find the appropriate type of bra, a veil and shoes. But it looked wonderful... Bob took a few pictures but going to put them in an album in my computer... not for public viewing!!
The wedding is in October.... Lili made and mailed invitations (yesterday)... from what she was talking about it seems like everything is on track!!
Yesterday's storm was something else!! Winds at 70 mph.. thunder, lightening, rain so heavy you couldn't see across the street! Trees bending... limbs falling ( our huge maple at the back end of our yard lost a bigish limb)
The KC Star says over 200,000 customers lost electricity. Poles were snapped here in Blue Springs. We are lucky in that our power lines are underground.... so not even a flicker!
Usually such a huge amount of rain leaves us with a swimming pool near the maple... but after the heavy run off the water all soaked into the ground. Probably due to the ground being really dry... we are in a drought.
Chain saws were running early this morning...
Our grand daughter Lili was driving to work during the worst of this... she was really nervous.. traffic was crawling... a truck lost its bed cover... traffic lights out... we were all glad when she arrived at work.
It is hot enough to just stay inside... though I did turn on the hose and watered my deck plants this morning.
Bob is not feeling well... temp of over 100 and slightly unsteady... sleeping in the recliner. I am making sure he drinks enough and eats!!
Our birthday dinner get together was great... the strawberry shortcake received rave reviews!
Fourth of July...
Neighbors started setting off their fireworks mid afternoon.... first time. The subdivision had been setting them off since Friday ...far enough away not to bother Tigger. But when the noisy ones were set off in the middle of the street outside the front door... he was not a "happy camper". Wouldn't eat .. wouldn't settle etc.
My daughter's two dogs really don't like fireworks and react badly enough to warrant the drugs the vet prescribes. One refused to go out to "pee" and did it right in front of my daughter!!
July 5th
It was quiet day... only a few bangs after dinner! Tigger still not totally back to normal!!
Tonight we are celebrating my daughter (teacher)'s birthday and her daughter's which is on the 10th! So Bob and I have been "prepping".. He super cleaned the grill and cleaned the deck ( too many acorns for comfort).
C wanted strawberry shortcake instead of a traditional cake. So I hulled loads..cut them into reasonable size pieces... and added sugar. They are waiting in the refrigerator... made a double batch of shortcake which made the whole house smell wonderful!
Bob is going to grill burgers and I have planned and made sides to go with them!! Everyone is coming around 6 pm so we are just waiting!! No grilling till everyone is here!!
Our grand daughter Lili will be 21 on the 10th. It's hard to imagine!
Don't remember if I said I was born in Germany ( 1945) and have my government baby book and my Mother's too. But I can't translate either of them totally and can't decipher the hand written names of my grandparents on my Father's side.
When I was born in Werther ( western Germany) my Father was a soldier in Poland. After the war he was living in East Berlin but my Mother and I managed to join my Grandmother in London...so we never met and I didn't find this baby book until my Mother had died and there was no chance to ask questions!
But...my teacher daughter has found a "German" genealogy group that is part of our library system and meets in the Midwest Genealogy Center and spoke to one of the members . She says she can translate what I'd like to know!!
I have done the beginning "tree" on ancestry.com and members of my tree in the UK and Germany have filled in lots more... but not knowing my Father's mother 's name etc. has put a stop to adding on that side!!
There are times when I am amazed when matches show up... Germany really kept amazing records... one linked me to a saint in the 14th century!!
My grandson, his Mother and sister visited UMKC - University of Missouri Kansas City - this morning. My grand daughter will be attending it this fall after completing her two year program at the local community college and wanted to go along for Dominic's visit.
The visit went well.. saw lots of the campus and heard about what college life would be like for him and found his ATC scores qualify him for several scholarships!! Scholarship money is always great! At UMKC he could live at home and commute or live in a dorm...Commuting would mean a car!!
UMKC has lots of older buildings so Dom's tour really exhausted his Mother.. lots and lots of stairs!! Plus the campus is on a hill... more stairs! I could tell how exhausted she had been because even with a nap she yawned and yawned when we were at our craft group ( a stitch and bitch to be more accurate!) this evening.
Heavy heavy thunder woke me around five... no lightning though. It rattled on and off for about two hours but very little rain.... but that changed ! I unloaded the dishwasher and made a cup of coffee and was going out for the Sunday paper ( don't want to miss a whole section of funnies) when the sky opened up and it poured and I mean poured. We got about an inch in 15 minutes!!
When that was done it was off to the grocery store for the last minute things for Dom's 17th birthday affair this evening!! Food will be typical summer stuff ... like hot dogs, beans, chips ,salads, ice cream and cake!! I bought Styrofoam plates to make cleaning up "easier"!!
The "celebration" went well and the weather co-operated. We all sat out on the deck and talked etc. till it was time to eat. Dom's requested cake was his Mother's chocolate no-flour cake with granache (sp?) frosting!! Yum
My computer hates it when the electricity goes off ! Yesterday it went off four times and when I tried to turn it back on late last night it took forever to get through updates etc.!
It went off again this evening and thought "on no" and expected the same old rigamarole... but not this time!
We have been watching work trucks on the street at the end of ours. Motors have been running for days and moving from house to house with some sort of hose affair. No idea what they are doing... according to a sign posted .. it's utility stuff.
Dominic enjoyed his breakfast at Ernie's in Colombia but enjoyed his scheduled college "interview" even more... saw dorms, all of the campus etc. He learned that college freshman are divided by college majors so they know others in the dorm have similar interests!
They also took a look at Columbia itself. I was surprised to learn that the Univ of Missouri has about 30,000 students!!
Next week they are going to the Univ. of Missouri Kansas City ( downtown Kansas City) ... the week after to Kansas Univ. in Lawrence, Kansas
This evening some of the kids from our cul-de-sac stopped by... "selling" home made bracelets and popsicles!...One asked about two rescue cats from years ago and when we said our two had belonged to my son they wanted to come in and see them! Kind of a fun interaction
My grandson and his Mother headed off to Columbia, Mo to the University of Missouri this morning for his first college visit.
We have had quite a few sunny days... temps up to low 80 's and the a/c running by late afternoon. Not bad but it has caused lots of mosquitoes to hatch especially the tiny ones!
We took a walk through the park... lots of lazy Canadian geese resting under trees and along the lakeside.
Then yesterday light rain started and it rained all night. No watering necessary this morning... Funny how rain can pour in one place and then be absolutely dry a mile away!!
My teacher/daughter will be taking my grandson on college appointments... Next fall he starts his senior year and they want to visit some of the colleges/universities within 1.5 hours car travel time. This is the first summer that my daughter is not teaching summer school... so is free!!
Sunday... Bob had plans for yard work today but it rained off and on so he didn't have to do it!! Pleased !
I read in the paper today that our area is in a severe drought. I knew we hadn't had much rain this past winter and no real measurable snow... but drought?!
Well that article encouraged me to water my plants on the deck boxes.... and will try to get into a routine.
We are hot today...86 F...little high for the beginning of June.
Tigger ( the orange cat) loves to lie on the floor under my ceiling fan... turn it off and he gets up and leaves!!
I decided that turna fish sandwiches would make a satisfactory dinner tonight ... and evidently the cats, Jack and Tigger , did too. As soon as the can opener went to work they were both waiting... waiting.. waiting for their "tunajuice" - the liquid that come in a can of tuna packed in water. I divided the liquid into two cat dishes and they licked them clean... added the empty can on the floor for Tigger which he also made super clean!!
There are a few people -food things they really like - tuna juice and deli sliced chicken , turkey or roast beef!! I don't buy deli meats very often so it really is a treat for them!!
Am working my way... sleeping in my bed and not the recliner and sleeping longer!! Hooray! Getting to the point where I can use my right arm... like brushing my teeth!
I have been adding flowers and herbs to my boxes on the deck's railings. Since the deck is on the second floor plants get dry quick... which meant lugging water from the kitchen to the plants. Not any longer! we purchased a hose that is narrow and curly to attach to the faucet on ground level... just go downstairs, turn on the water and "voila" I can water my flowers and herbs. We'll see how successful this is in August when Blue Springs gets really hot and sunny!
Bob and I bought Cirque du Soleil tickets at a fundraiser auction for teacher daughter and her family. The show as yesterday afternoon and they all enjoyed it!!! The seats were fantastic and in a suite... up high so they could see everything!!
School is done for the year... for the first time in all my daughter's years of teaching ( 21 plus) she will not be teaching summer school... we are planning some fun stuff!
I can finally type on my keyboard... another fall left me with a wrenched right arm, lots of bruising and so on. Bob has been my chauffeur for everything such as doctor's appointments, grocery store and so on.
I sleep alternating between bed and recliner... and doing things such as eating, brushing my teeth, getting dressed or undressed had been the pits...
but I am getting back to normal..
After Bob's sister died a few weeks back my nagging finally took "fruit" ... Yes we could update our wills. He contacted our local life insurance person for recommendations and picked a lawyer who specializes in wills and finance. You can't imagine how long I had been nagging about this. The wills we had were OLD and our financial situation had changed greatly.
Today was our appointment! Armed with all our financial info and the old wills, off we went to downtown Blue Springs. Over an hour later the three of us had a plan , and appointment to see the new wills and a down payment!
Leaving the lawyers off we remembered the wonderful cupcake shop across the street! Armed with a half dozen we headed home. Talking with the owner we discovered that she changes the whole menu the first of every month... we bought chocolate, lemon and cookie dough. We plan to go back after the first to see what's new... she did hint about two wine ones and strawberry shortcake. She has at least ten different varieties ... each variety has its own cupcake flavor and frosting flavor!!
Our daughter's fundraiser was fun... people in rock star costumes... lots to bid on... great food and wonderful people stories to hear!!
Love valet parking when one doesn't have to pay... just tip!!
We came home with our wining bids... probably the most popular were tickets to a Cirque du Soleil (SP?) performance for my other daughter's family!! And a gift card to our favorite restaurant! And others..
After all the prep work... my daughter spent yesterday sleeping. She boarded her dogs for the time before the fundraiser and they were happy to be home and sleeping!
I have been reading blogs this morning and there are several (?) commenting on their husbands/partners aggravating qualities... Not that I blame them. I could write occasionally on some of my husband's quirks too.....but I got to thinking. I don't see many men complaining on their blogs about their wives/partners quirks. Not that I have found many men writing blogs that have a wife or partner!! LOL WHY??
Earlier today we went to a small craft show... fun... held in a brewery downtown Blue Springs. All sorts of booths from veggies to bleached and printed flannel and denim shirts...home made pesto with wild chives.. garlic pickles... doggie treats...soaps...painted rocks. Here's hoping this will be a repeated show!!
Something is going on at my Wally World... fencing around construction equipment has made the parking lot shrink to half size and the store has erected no parking signs for unattended trucks, cars and campers parked overnight even threatening tow aways!!
Today the store is closed... evidently a leak which they are currently cleaning up!! Someone even remarked on getting a front line parking spot before he knew that it was closed... LOL
Lili had some better news about her apartment... it may not be condemned. But with 6 or 7 fires in the complex over the past year, she wants to find another apartment. But she can stay ( it looks like) while she looks for a new place and they can move at their leisure.
LATER ...Evidently the leak is in the food section... the rest of the store has opened... someone posted on FB's Blue Springs page a picture of the water (?).
Things started Friday when the fire sirens went off in my grand daughter's apartment complex!! She and her fiance were told to grab what they could and evacuate. The third floor apartment at the end of the building was on fire. They grabbed two of the three cats but couldn't find the third - Rocket. Had she found her way out with the firemen?
After the fire was out they were allowed back in to grab essentials...the apartment roof was damaged and the building condemned. Still no Rocket. Even the firemen looked for her all over and under the apartment.
They had to leave.. left food and water inside and out.. The apartment is on the ground floor with a backdoor opening into the parking lot. Lili was devastated...
Today she (Rocket) was at the window waiting impatiently. Now she and the other two are off to be boarded while they try to find a new apartment.....
Poor Lili ... first her car... now her apartment...
On the way home yesterday my daughter told me about a school road rage incident that happened in the morning. Parents drop of the children in the school parking lot and teachers escort them into the building....
Well, two mothers came close to to hitting each other and when they got out of their cars, they began to scream and curse. A fight was near to starting. They were about 20 feet apart when my daughter stepped between and began telling them their behavior was not appropriate and that their children were scared.
Things de-escalated, though another adult present mentioned later that one mother mentioned bringing a gun next time...The other mother contacted my daughter and apologized .
This "tale" didn't make me feel very comfortable... nor do lock downs...
TODAY ... A report made it's way up to central office and someone was supposed to check out this situation this morning but the mother didn't show not did the security person... but the principal did keep an eye on things...
What spectacular weather we had yesterday.... super blue cloudless sky , lots of sun and it was very warm!!
With everyone here we rotated between indoors and out of the deck!! With food and drink. My grand daughter gifted me with lavender and mint to start the deck's planter boxes!! They went outside for some sun but back indoors at night.. just in case!
We had loads of food !! My teacher /daughter made a gorgeous charcuterie platter
It was pretty much GONE by the time everyone went home!!
My daughter was on a field trip today to the Kansas City Zoo with 18 younger students... and some parents and grandparents!! Her email to them said " rain or shine"! We all had our fingers crossed it would be the latter but no luck. They visited the polar bear, the penguins and got a chance to pet the sting rays before it started to rain!! And rain it did... She told everyone that the email had said rain or shine....so everyone was soaked. They managed a dry lunchtime in the polar bear tunnel and some warm and dry time in the Discovery Zone... but the rest of time everyone was wet! Everyone.. kids and adults alike!! No one complained!
She took a bag full of quarters so they could feed the goats... The goats had been inside until they realized that all the kids were going to feed them... so out they came. Everyone had a ball... and she had enough quarters for two times. Even those who were initially very nervous got over it!!
She promised the kids another trip there next year and that they would go to the "Africa" area on the tram !!
Looking out the windows this morning the sky was totally blue... not a cloud in sight. The weather report said a high of low 70's! So we planned a round-a-bout of tasks and a quick walk in the park.
First we loaded the trunk with bags for the Disabled Vet thrift store's drop off. Off we went . No waiting and people to unload the trunk. Then to the vet's office for special cat food to prevent another urinary track problem.
Then the park... no school today so lots of kids and parents. Quick lap... The lake is much higher than last week..thanks to all the rain. Lots of new grass!
Then off to the hardware store for something Bob needed. While waiting in the car for Bob, sun poured in and I was super hot!!
Then home!!
Slowly but surely things are progressing towards Easter...plus we have been reading... so this didn't get posted yesterday..lol
Yesterday was a glorious warm day... not so much today. The sky is still blue blue blue with white fluffy clouds but the temp is is currently 45... not so warm.
Today is Bob's last day at cardiac rehab. We have reactivated our "Silver Sneakers" so we will be switching to the Blue Springs Fieldhouse. Blue Springs is building a city water park just next door... lazy river, pools, wellness pool and so on. The construction company is hard at work... lots of dirt moving, a huge crane putting in prefab concrete walls. It will be fun seeing the progress! But it will be pricey... a family membership for four for both is $600..!
After his rehab Bob went out to our daughter's house to give the dogs a potty break... and some outdoor fun time. While he was there he saw the neighbor dog digging under the fence. He even had his head through. Bob put some blocks to stop him... not sure what would happen if he got through. The dog is very small and our daughter's dogs are very big!!
Bob did text our daughter about it...
Today is number 78 ... birthday that is. Bob is taking me out to lunch... at a very nice restaurant!! Hooray! Afterwards we will go and vote and then off to Target to pick up his order.
But I have to share my birthday... some good shares like sharing with a relative ... some bad ones like it being the day Martin Luther King was assassinated ... and one we will have see like Trump's arraignment and his protestors.
My daughter called to wish me a happy birthday on her way to breakfast ,thanks the trial judge! She voted on her way. (Yes, today is also election day! Not much on the ballot... city council but ours is running unopposed.... and whether the county or our city should charge sales tax for recreational/non-medical marijuana ).
She dropped in on her way home after the trial was done. We listened to her rant about the other jurors... and the lawyers. It is too long a story to retell here though I really do see her side.
She also popped a birthday treat in the freezer for tonight!!
My grandson took the ACT's today... along with all the other juniors.... 7.30 am to 4.30 pm with no breaks. His father decided he should skip jazz band rehearsal afterwards. That would have been another 2 plus hours with no food etc. He hasn't missed another one...so I agree!
The lack of breaks and food wasn't intentional... a test proctor goofed.
Our grand daughter had a college biology test today... she was a little nervous but was delighted to report afterwards that she had set the curve!!
So my birthday has been an interesting one.....
We have been seeing robins all over this past week and have finished all of our bag of bird seed just in time. Lots and lots of daffodils... and the sound of paid lawn services abound!
This morning was a gray one when I headed to the grocery store ... to start accumulating "things" for Easter's get together. I was surprised to see more shoppers than check out people. I was told by mine that people are expecting tomorrow to be a storm filled day and they want to be prepared
Checked with Bob when I got home and we will indeed have thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes this week! Since I returned the sky has alternated between gray and sunny..
I am heading toward another bear milestone. I only have 100 bears to go before the big 7,000!! Do I stop then??
When my younger daughter headed off to college I made her a big bear to use as support when reading on her bed... a big blue one. That was back in 1993. The bear was used and loved... and recently started being part of my daughter's classroom. The kids love him and "use" him. My daughter told them I had made it for her and that he is now "old" and they have to treat him well... ps they want to meet me!! Aside from a couple of baths.. the bear is in amazingly good shape. After all he is 30 years old!!!
Same daughter had jury duty this morning... Her class was canceled and she had her fingers crossed that she wouldn't be chosen for a jury. If she was... classes could be canceled. Luckily she has someone to cover the filed trip on Thursday if necessary.
She was chosen... a civil case. They expect to be done by tomorrow afternoon. The trial starts this afternoon.Surprisingly, the judge has arranged for breakfast and lunch for the jurors tomorrow and there are drinks etc available in a break room !
Everyone is coming here for an afternoon Easter get together... mostly finger foods, charcuterie boards, eggs, candy and HOT CROSS BUNS ( made by my younger daugher!)
Facebook sent me a memory reminder . I had posted a temp or 82 and dinner on the deck back in 2010. Not happening today.. currently 43 degrees... BUT we are going to start getting the deck ready for people on Easter Sunday. Here's hoping it will be warmer than today!!
But Spring is sending out signs .. daffodils, maple tree buds, magnolia blossoms and green grass. Red buds should be soon!! Lots of ROBINS...
My daughters and I are heading to a local coffee shop tonight. It has offered a Thursday Ladies' Night Out... with coffee, beverages and food. We had never been there before and Ladies' Night is a new event.
After my elder daughter's trip to help her cousin last weekend , we needed a chance to get together!! We are all looking forward to it.
Bob wouldn't fit in... so he is planning a grilled ham and cheese...lol ! With the cats.
Later:
We enjoyed our venture out...Nice place. The charcuterie boards were good as were the drinks. I had a HUGE glass of mead which I drank slowly. But it still had a kick. Lots of talk... lots of subjects. We will do it again!
Bob enjoyed his grilled ham and cheese!
BTW... tomorrow the temps are expected to be over 70 with thunderstorms in the morning and lots of wind in the afternoon. This area is on fire alert!
Our elder daughter spent the weekend helping her cousin in South Carolina. My sister-in-law's death left a lot of work for the cousins. I'm hoping that almost everything was done to make it ready to sell. Our niece lives in Florida. Her brother lives in Michigan ... so no one lived nearby.
Of course that meant some tasks for Bob and myself. He took our daughter to the airport after dropping off the dogs for boarding.... and then we went back yesterday to take the dogs home ( boy were they glad to see us ). They enjoyed some time out in the backyard before our return trip to the airport.
Kansas City has built a new huge airport and it just opened days ago!! If you are picking someone up... you wait in the cellphone lots for person to text you and say he is ready. Then you go to the arrival lanes with the person's location marker ( hers was 1J ). No parking there... no sitting and waiting etc. Or you get a ticket! Suitcase popped into the car... our daughter next and off we went!!
It all worked... and Kansas City-ans will learn !
Our PBS station (KCPT) filmed a "documentary" on all the artwork in the new airport which we watched. Artists applied to have their work chosen and the amount and diversity is amazing!! The artwork is hanging everywhere from walls to ceilings !! And the possible problems artists had to adjust to was amazing ... how things could be hung... how to protect from lots of light...from being touched... and so on. The video included some artists talking about their work.
People fly into Kansas City will find things very different!!
