Road Hazards

Hello,

Yesterday when I came to work I saw a blind man walking along the sidewalk in front of the library. I was so surprised to see someone in Ely using the cane for blind people that I failed to look both directions when crossing the street and only saw the approaching red van before I got to the middle of the street. Plenty of time was there for me to stop and wait for them to pass before I proceeded. How ironic that would have been to have been hit by a car as I was distracted by a blind person.

As I was driving home another unusual car incident occurred.  I had just passed an exit on the interstate when I noticed a car pulled off to the right side and moving slowly. As I was in the right lane, cars were beside me, and I wanted to get off at the next exit, I slowed down a bit. Just as I was quite close to that vehicle they slowly pulled in front of me. I slammed on my brakes while the car behind me blew their horn as if that would help the situation. Even when the car was fully in the lane it did not go the speed limit, as most are want to do. I could see that there were large chucks of blown off semi tire on the edge of the road and that is why they moved over. Why they did not use a surge of power, I could not imagine as they surely saw me coming.

When my exit came they moved into it ahead of me. As we went down the ramp and stopped at the light I could see that they had a temporary license from Illinois. Being out of town and perhaps unfamiliar with the area does explain some behavior, but I think it might have been wise to just get onto the slower moving side streets where they could contemplate their situation.

Not that it was on the road, but a strange thing happened in my head. I have a tendency to interpolate numbers. While at the library a patron told me his library number. We only use up to four digits, consequently many people have their number memorized. Part of the number was 15. Just as I was entering it in the computer I could feel my brain switching the number to 51 while another brain part won over that force and made it 15. I have never experience that before. Usually it just ends up to be 51 without any noticeable stopping on my part. A man once told me that he also switched numbers around and they are almost always divisible by 3. Don’t we have amazing minds even when they are not working properly?

Paula

Thoughts

Hello,

Yesterday I noticed hand prints on my kitchen window. Could that be when the girls stood there to watch the squirrel scurry around?

I found a small plastic star in my washer when I had taken out the clean clothes. Could that have been left by a small girl?

This watermelon tastes wonderful. Would the girls have enjoyed it with us had they yet been here?

A loudly scolding squirrel sat outside my bedroom window. Would the girls have listened and then responded to Mr. Squirrel?

I made some more alfalfa sprouts. Would the girls again been as eager to help the second time?

It was great to have them visit and I am thankful for it. Now they can know what my home space looks like when they call and I tell them I am in the living room.

They will be coming back at Christmas as will Sarah’s family. Will we all fit? Will we find enough space to feel comfortable? Should we buy a small couch? How will we eat meals? Should we buy a new air mattress?

The bus is close to our house and ends close to Leroy’s work. Do we really need two cars? Will Leroy ride the bus when he can no longer be comfortable riding the bike? Are we too much out of the habit?

Thank you for your reading eyes and listening ears. Enjoy your day.

Paula

Car Fixed

Hello,

When Miriam and the girls were here the car windows stopped going up and down. Luckily they stopped in the up position. Leroy took the fuse out, had it checked, and learned it was ok. All of this happened in Ely where we could use our old car repair guy. He said he no longer did such repairs, but recommended a place that is about two blocks from us.

Not only is this place close, but we are hoping for reliable and inexpensive. I look for cheap, but I also want it to be fair to them. Leroy and I had talked this morning about it costing a few hundred dollars. Pleasant surprise! It should be about $150.

This guy commented that someone had repaired this before, but had not done a good job setting it up for breaking once more. Last time three wires broke and this time there were seven broken. Apparently the door puts stress on the wires and the wires are too thin. This man blames the source of the wire which is some foreign country. I personally blame the manufacturer who, I would imagine, is in charge of the product. I also wonder about the design having flaws.

Anyway I feel blessed to have it fixed for much less than Leroy and I had considered. I am just now waiting for the place to call so I can walk over and get it.

This morning is not such a busy time as I am reading and making bread. One of the great things about bread is that it takes care of itself much of the time. I just have to be around to attend to it periodically.

It is warmer again these days, but the nights are cool giving us another blessing and something for which to be grateful.

Paula

Wet Walk

Hello,

A gentle rain started early Sunday morning. When it was time to start for church it was still falling, however not so much that we could tell inside and had to check outdoors to learn the status. With umbrellas we should be well covered.

Leroy had his blue and white and I had my ancient pink flowered umbrella. It was wonderful to be out in the pattering rain with no breeze behind it. With my dress I wore some dressier leather sandals, shunning my outdoor waterproof walking pair. We had covered less than half the distance when the rain started coming down much harder, but not yet buckets. I complained that my feet and legs were getting quite wet. Leroy suggested we go back and get the car, but I said, “I want to keep going, I will just complain.”

“I wish I had a larger umbrella,” Leroy noted, “I am getting a little wet on the edges.”

As we walked past the Methodist church, I suggested, “Let’s convert.”

I stepped on what I thought was asphalt only to slip and learn it was dark mud. Luckily I did not go down, but it certainly startled me and brought some of the muck between my foot and the sandal. By the time we got to church I had water spots on the bottom skirt of my dress and my arms were tired from carrying the umbrella. Would larger have been better?

It was certainly an adventure. The homeward trip was much easier as the rain had considerably slackened, making it much more fun. I do like walking in the rain, but it is more enjoyable when I am not going somewhere special. My sandals took most of the day to dry. They will be worn many more times as I could clean them easily. I thanked them for good service.

Paula

Phone

Hello,

I was all set to brag about how great our non land line, land line phone is, but it is not working now. I tried various things including calling the number with my cell phone. I was able to leave a message, but not talk to myself. Now I tried to use the Internet and learned that internet is down. Since we have been here from the middle of March I think it has been down three times, once for at least three or four days. Otherwise the phone has worked quite well. I personally have found it to be freeing.

On a totally different note, last evening Leroy and I walked to the local grocery story for watermelon and toilet paper. Leroy packed the watermelon in the backpack and I carried the toilet paper since it was 12 rolls and too large for a bag. Both items were on sale, of course. On the way home Leroy claimed to be tired so we rested in a small park where he could sit on the table bench and rest his backpack on the table top without taking the bag off. While sitting there, a small girl came along on a bike that had seats in the back that were filled with two kids who appeared to larger than she was. She stopped and could not get going again. As we went past I told her, “Put your feet on the pedals, and I will give a push.”

She did that and made quite a lot of progress. We went past the house that was close and I said to the four people sitting on the porch, “I hope that was alright that I pushed her since she seemed to need help.”

After an affirmative response, one of them said, “We could use some of that paper you are carrying.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes,” was the reply, so I opened the package, took out a roll and threw it to them.

We all had a good laugh about it. I wondered should I go around the neighborhood spreading goodwill by throwing around toilet paper.

At home we weighed the watermelon and it clocked in at 18.4 pounds. Guess Leroy had every right to be tired.

Paula

Tent Sleeping

Hello,

The plan to go camping at the state park did not materialize. The two biggest drivers were that Miriam did not want to sleep in a tent as she has some problems with her back and she was feeling it a bit at this time. Leroy and I did not want to go without her and we were feeling a bit weary. Miriam declared the girls would enjoy the backyard just as much. In retrospect I was a little sorry that we did not go to the park as we could have walked in the woods and these girls would have gotten that experience. Also it would probably have been quieter.

On this lovely Tuesday evening we got to bed by 9:00 on an air mattress and a cot mattress. What would we do without our generous landlords? Leroy was on the cot mattress by himself and I was in between the two girls. These girls could not seem to settle down and at 10:00 Olivia decided to sleep inside. I am not sure why Tuesday was party night, but that seemed to be the case at the tavern that is about two blocks away. They were quite generous with their talk and music. Nora and Leroy both managed to go to sleep in spite of noise. But then some lone speaker was declaiming loudly so that all in the area could hear. After a brief silence a car alarm went off waking up both Nora and Leroy. At times there were a number of sirens blaring even if they did not come here. We are close to a fire station as well as a hospital. Nice for safety, but hard on the ears.

I dozed off, but needed to use the toilet at about 3:30am. Lights blazed at the neighbors two doors away. The man I saw outside seemed to be carrying buckets that could have had paint in them. About 4:30 I woke again to hear two females talking. When I got up and checked it was again at that house. It was normal volume talking, but in the morning quietness it seemed that they were just next to us.

It was a tough night to experience. Next time I vote for the park.

Paula

sleeping

Hello,

When the girls were here they slept on an air mattress in Granny and Grandpa’s room. They felt more secure with us and we enjoyed having them in the room. It made for a little more excitement than our lives usually hold.

They often had a bit of a tussle when getting to sleep, but then Leroy and I were not bothered as we were still awake. In the night there would still be a certain amount of talking and sparing. “Olivia, you are crowding me,” Nora whined. When I looked over and down, I saw that Olivia was clinging to the edge of the bed and Nora was pushing on her. Nora seemed to be especially active chattering in the night. I believe that she was talking in her sleep. I do not know if I still do that, but I know that I did when I was growing up. One night my mother related that she came to our room, my sister and I slept together, to tell us to be quiet and found it was just me talking away.

One other night when the girls went to sleep or bed at the same did we did, Leroy immediately started snoring gently, or I thought it was gentle. Olivia asked, “Is there a bear in here?”

“No that is Grandpa,” I chuckled.

“Oh,” Nora said, “we thought it was a live bear, and it is just Grandpa.”

We all laughed as quietly as we could as I told Grandpa to, “roll over.”

We have gone back to much quieter nights now that we are alone.

Paula

Wildlife

Hello,

Those little girls left on Thursday, but we thought of them several times today as we rode down to Ely on our bikes. We attended the Polka service, lunch and almost the dance too. The sky was getting cloudy so we headed back to Cedar Rapids as it takes us about an hour to make the 12 mile trip.

The first time we thought of the girls was when we saw two wild turkeys trotting off towards the woods. We were pleased to see them as we have not seen turkeys for some time. After that we saw squirrels scampering across the trail along with some gold finches flittering. One of the most exciting things was the spotted fawn that almost walked in front of us, saw us, twirled around, and dashed back into the woods. When I looked over I could see another deer, but was unable to tell if it was young or not. Seems like the wrong time of year for spots, but I guess some late births occur in the animal kingdom.  Many geese were resting by the pond in Ely.

As we were going home something I found quite interesting was a guy walking with a fully loaded pack on his back accompanied by a dog with packs on each side of its back. He wanted to know where the trail was. It was easy for us to show him. He wanted to know how far it was to Cedar Rapids and the eleven plus miles did not seem to faze him. We learned that he was hiking to Colorado and had come from Chicago. He especially liked walking the trails because they provide some shade, however, in Iowa he was mostly using back roads as there are not many trails going east and west.

Both of us are so happy to see so many people out using the trail especially the large number of families. What a good example for these kids.

Paula

Iowa or Utah

Hello,

Sometimes it takes children to point out differences especially when viewing or hearing something that they have not experienced before.

What does Iowa have that Utah does not?

Crickets
Cicadas
Toads
Insects that we cannot name even though I have often seen them
Strange spiders
Forests or woods with many trees clumped together
Cornfields, so many of them
No irrigation for the corn
Gravel roads (at least not that they had ever seen)
Robins
Squirrels
Bunnies
Night noises that insects produce
Thunderstorms
Humidity, humidity, humidity (so their mother says)
All houses look alike?

What does Utah have that Iowa does not?
Few flies
Arid air
Mountains
Comfortable air with no humidity (according to their mother)

Sweets in the house
Bathtub

So there it is straight from the children’s perspective.

Paula

Ride Like the Wind

Hello,

“Go faster,” Olivia shouted as we headed off down the alley with the wind blowing our hair. Because this was my first time controlling this blue two seated bike I was a bit cautious. It was great so on the way back I did indeed go a little bit faster. The girls are too small to help pedal or steer so the adult on board had to do all of the work.

“Don’t stop now,” Nora begged. So we went to the other end of the alley. It is a great paved space and almost private so we could check out this bike of our landlord with carefree abandon.

Leroy and Miriam also had a turn riding on this great invention. It is a tandem recumbent where the seats are side by side. At first the girls sat on a cushion giving Nora a seat between the seats. Later they tried it without the cushion and found that they could both fit on one seat.

The next day, Leroy and Miriam rode that bike about a mile to the lake while I came in the car with the girls and our two adult bikes. When we connected once again, Leroy confided, “Miriam got a little scared on the street.”

About five minutes later Miriam declared, “Dad tried to kill us on the road.” The bike does take up a bit more room on the street than a regular bike, but we figured that was the easiest way to get to the lake even though our landlord had offered to drive it over in his van.

Leroy, because he is the strongest bike rider now, chauffeured the girls up the bike path and around the lake. There are some hills, but not so many, however, later the girls observed that some panting noise sounded like grandpa when he was going uphill. In Leroy’s defense, it is different muscles being engaged because you sit differently. We all thought it was great even hard working Leroy. The girls got to see two ducks, several geese, a great blue heron, and a goldfinch along with many wildflowers.

A friend rode over on his bike and chatted around the lake with Miriam. He also joined us for lunch. So all in all it was a great experience.

Paula

Horses

Hello,

After we gathered every egg in sight and out of sight, we said good-bye to the chickens, climbed carefully out of the pen, took off the boot bags, and moved on to the apple tree. Our hostess graciously told Olivia and Nora that they could pick up apples from the ground and feed them to the horses that board with her. When their little blue buckets were full we tromped off through the pasture avoiding horse poop on the way to the enclosure that was the horse home. Because it has been so dry they have to move the horses around to give the grass/weeds a chance to revive. Thankfully some grasses are indeed drought resistant.

Two of the horses quickly realized that there might be treats in store and they quickly moved up to the fence. These animals seemed quite large when you stare up at them as did this five year old and four year old. I asked, “Shall I show you how to hold your hand so the horse can just eat off of it?”

This is another experience that I have not had in years, but I trusted that they would not bite strangers if I held my hand flat. Just like the chickens these were delicate animals around humans. With just a slight tickle of lips the first one grabbed an apple. Nora tried holding an apple up, but the horses neck did not reach so far over the metal gate as to get to her hand. I then lifted her up and we had a successful feed.

Olivia also wanted to be lifted, but she is quite a bit heavier. “Come over here where the fence is lower and then the horses can reach your hand.” I suggested.

That worked out quite well. Both girls soon emptied their buckets and turned to pulling up some of the taller grass and offering that to these eager eaters.

All in all this was a most successful farm visit. I am so happy that I thought of it. I miss being around animals even if I do live with Leroy.

Paula

Chickens

Hello,

Miriam, Olivia, Nora, Leroy and I all arrived at the chicken farm at nine in the cool comfortable morning. Because they could not bring old shoes we slipped bread bags over their feet and secured them with rubber bands making impromptu boots.

Both girls were understandably hesitant to step over the board to get into the pen with these slightly flighty 25 reddish brown pullets. Miriam and I both stepped in holding the hand of one girl. The chickens accepted our presence almost as soon the girls felt safe enough to let go of hands and move around on their own. Then we went into the chicken coop. Again the girls moved close to humans as they crouched down to see the eggs in the four nests. Our hostess assured the girls that they could gather the eggs. Luckily she told them to be careful with the eggs so they did not drop but one. After they had gotten all of the eggs in the nests without a sitting hen, they eyed the last two places where a hen kept guard. Our hostess urged them to stick their hands under as she was sure there would be more eggs under there. These were nice chickens and they would not peck. As a demonstration I put my hand under, but it still seemed scary so I took a little hand and guided it under after that she was comfortable getting all of the eggs that were under this resting lady. I then helped the other little girl in the same way.

They had a great time and a great learning experience as we ate the eggs scrambled for lunch today. It is not often that a city kid gets to be so close to the source of food.

I was so happy to be spending some time out with the chickens. I cannot remember the last time that I was in a chicken house. I both liked the chickens and found them to be both chore and fascination when I was growing up with them.

Paula

Cleaning

Hello,

You would think with Miriam and girls coming to visit I might be doing some major house cleaning. Well, just get rid of that thought because it is not happening. Instead I am cleaning out a note book in which I keep recommended books as well as notes of books I have read. This is a special book as I carted it home from Slovakia six years ago. Actually I have no longer been writing in this book and instead doing that “books read” record keeping on line. Have you ever considered how dependent we are becoming on this medium? Those clouds better not fail.

Going back to that book, my recommended book list lived on several pieces of paper, threatening to fall out every time the book was picked up. Today I checked to see if the titles were in the Ely library or the Cedar Rapids library since I have borrowing privileges in both institutions. Those papers that I had been hauling around for the last several years now have a new home in the recycle bin. I did transfer the found titles to one new piece of paper with Ely books on one side and CR on the other. My apologies to any of you who might have recommended some good book that I just consigned to becoming new paper in a new situation.

At least my books are a tiny bit lighter, a lot neater, and more realistic. Now if I can just find the time to read all will be well. Actually I do have something in progress almost all of the time. I just read “Riding the bus with my sister”. It was excellent written by a woman who spends a year riding the bus with her mentally challenged sister. In the process they both learn and grow. Reminds me to look around myself and see what is there both in ways to help, things to appreciate, and how new learning can happen for me even at this age when I thought for sure I would have arrived. Is the secret that we never arrive and we are always traveling?

Paula

Rain

Hello,

We got almost an inch of rain. Neither of us can remember getting more than a half inch this summer. Such a blessing! It also cooled down the heat so that we do not have the air conditioning pouring out that frigid cold dry air.

Leroy and I both rode our bikes to the museum. It turned out to be not such a big deal and we could have stayed home, but we did not know. I did get to tour the two galleries that I had not been in before. However since we have a family membership I could have gone free at anytime. We were visiting with one of his co-workers in the library and she commented on how dark it was getting outside. At that point we decided to come home and hopefully beat the advancing storm. About three blocks from home I started to feel drops that kept increasing in small increments. It was still quite fine by the time that we got in the garage. The garage is not attached to the house so we still did not slow down and made it inside before there was a release of the clouds wonderful gift.

I had decided that we should plant some things for a fall garden. Leroy dutifully went out and started digging up the dry tough sod in one more place by the house. It was such hard work that he only got a four foot square done before I begged him to quit. There were even pieces of cement in the mix along with some rocks, but no discernible moisture. Regretfully we did not get anything planted, thinking we would do it later. At least now the land has had a small drink, hopefully making it easier to stir up.

More fall veggies are in my mind, but I do not know where to put them. We will have to think outside of the box or lawn or something. There will be a place for them, right?

Paula

Visitors

Hello,

Miriam and her girls are coming to visit next week. I am excited. It was in 2009 when they last visited my home. I hardly know what to do as I am certainly out of practice for a weeklong visit. Because the grandchildren have come so seldom, I do not have many toys or games for them. It seems not worth the effort to “haul” them around on our moves plus tastes change with age hence making it difficult to have the right things.

I have also planned two away from home activities for them and they will be going to visit some other people in the area. Part of me is afraid the time will just fly by and I will wonder what has happened to it.

Leroy is going to take some time off and I will only take one day off as their schedule fits my days off quite well.

They will come next Thursday. Even though that is so far from now I went grocery shopping this morning and bought a number of things in anticipation. After they are here I will probably have to get some more things as I did not buy any meat and they do eat that.

I had hoped to pick up the picture that was being framed, but no such luck. He said they were expecting a shipment of the glass that is needed. It should probably be done today, but I am not sure that I want to go back again even though it is not that far. I do not like to make trips for just one thing.

Tomorrow the museum is having a thank you for the volunteers. It is at 11:00 in the morning. Leroy is going also. We plan on riding our bikes. I hope I am not so very sweaty when I get there as it is to be hot once again. I have not ridden the bike since I volunteered there. The heat just keeps me more confined even though I do try to walk many days.

Paula

Good Deal

Hello,

Leroy needed to bring a food dish to a farewell for the interns at his work place. He asked, “Should I sign up for fruit?”

He knows me well in this area, “Sure,” I said, knowing that I had plenty of watermelon available. I could just go to the Hy-vee up the street to buy some cantaloupe. Yesterday in the midday heat I headed off to the store. The sign announced that the melons were on a sale of two for four dollars. I smelled many, checked the stem ends, finally selected one, and took it to the check out. There the price turned out to be 2.99. I did not say anything, but I could not remember seeing a sign indicating that two must be purchased to get that lower price. Once home I looked at the ad and it did not state more than one must be bought.

Today I went back to the store, register slip in hand and inquired. I learned that my melon should indeed have been $2.00; consequently my melon was free as per the store policy. I did ask about the idea that I should have bought two and the guy replied, “We never do that.” He then told the other worker to refund my money while he went back to produce. I commented that I should go get another melon. There was a police man standing there and he laughed saying, “Whatever you bought I want one too.”

Back in the produce area, I thanked the guy for the refund and said, “I am buying another melon.”

“I will go change the charge,” he said as he started moving away.

“It is alright, I will not ask for this again.” I told him”.

“Just tell them the right price when you check out,” he smiled, “because I cannot get there right away.”

I found another nice smelling, good looking melon. In the end I got two melons for the bargain price of two for $2.

Paula

Cars

Hello,

I have been driving both cars. Most of the time I drive “my” car which is the Saturn. Leroy does not like the shifting pattern so it became my car. It is the newer car so we tend to drive it on trips. Leroy does ok, but there is always an adjustment. It is a bit different, but I am comfortable with it. The Saturn is the newer car however some might consider it old because it is a 2004. Just to keep the battery charged in the 1999 Hyundai, I drive it once a week. Because it does not have keyless entry I take it to work rather than go shopping with it when I might get in and out four times.

Because of this I have discovered that it is much easier to park in Leroy’s side of the garage due to turning angles.  On my side I must keep a careful eye on both sides of the car as I have to come in at an angle that is not my choice. I suppose I could back up and straighten it, but perhaps I like the thrill and daring of barely missing the sides of the garage with the bumper on the driver’s side and the rearview mirror on the passenger side. My side of the garage, however, has the electric garage door opener. That opener now only works to raise the door rather than lower it. Lowering requires holding down the button until the door gets to the fully closed position. This situation is to be fixed soon, but in the meantime I must pull the car out, go back in the garage, hold the button, and then get back in the car to leave. As with many things in life there are pluses and minuses.

Certainly a plus for this Saturn is the gas mileage. The last time I checked it with just driving to work and the occasional shopping trip, the mpg was 33+ and if one added in the 12 miles that I drove before I remember to set the trip odometer it was a bit over 34 mpg. We thanked the car for doing so well. We are certainly pleased with another blessing in our lives. We only have to fill up once a month because Leroy is riding the bike and just using the car for my work and shopping. That is very nice indeed.

Paula