Pictures
September 30, 2010
Hello,
Someone asked to see the pictures that I put up in the basement. A few people thought that we did it in a great hurry. My method was to sort the pictures into groupings, put each group on the floor to arrange, and have Leroy help hang. I am sending a photo site to you so you can see them if you like. They are at the end of the album. They are not the best photos, but it gives you an idea of their arrangement.
There are two pictures of me that Leroy took in the park. My vanity wanted to delete one of them, but then I decided that most of you have seen all my wrinkles anyway. I apparently do not look at wrinkles in the mirror, but just ignore what is there because I found it shocking. I surely do not look like that. Don’t tell me about it, I do not want to know. I am all for touching up photos. Seems to me like the greatest invention.
We had a time trying to take the sunrise pictures. We have taken sunset pictures and had no difficulty. What is going on here? Actually we have taken sunrise before too and it was good. Life makes some skills vanish in a nanosecond.
The praying mantis was on the backdoor, but I did not see it until I was ready to go back in. I hope I did not lop off a leg when the door closed, but it is possible. We had a praying mantis on the house in Chariton. It was also on the door. Do they like doors?
Here is the website for looking at any photos. http://picasaweb.google.com/psbradway/DeerInPark?authkey=Gv1sRgCLWklNC81sLwogE#
Paula
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Painful Changes
Hello,
Annoying might be more exact than painful, but I really have a hard time when I have to throw chip board (cereal box type materials) and plastics with numbers other than one or two in the trash. Each time I think about how I used to be able to recycle it. I checked out the book, Garbage Land. If you can find it, I think each American should read it. We are the garbage champions of the world, but who wants to win that prize?
To purchase almost anything here I must get in the car or use the bike. Also to use the library I would find it a long walk so must use the bike or car. I was pleased that I could walk helping the earth and my body. Was that pride going before the fall?
We thought we were getting things in order early so we could fly to DC for Christmas. Today the airline sent an email saying they had changed our flight to a later time. That means that we should have plenty of time to get to airport, but not so much time to spend with the entire family as Brian and Jen will be returning the next day. We will not get there until 7:00pm and it could take another hour to get to Sarah’s house. We also thought we would be about the same time as Miriam and family and we could help them deal with the metro and children. Now they will be there about two hours ahead of us. Since we were flying the same airline it was going to work out great as they were originally just half an hour behind us.
Where is my flexibility gene? Did it get lost?
I rode downtown this afternoon with Leroy. He took some time off as he is working tonight and it is only three miles down so it would not take so long. We did get stopped by a train, but it was interesting to go look at the steam engine that is on display there. It could pull a passenger train at 90 mph. Who knew they could go that fast back in the old days?
It was nice today because the fountain was on and Leroy had not seen that before. The new route up the hill was not bad or are we getting stronger already?
Paula
Annoying might be more exact than painful, but I really have a hard time when I have to throw chip board (cereal box type materials) and plastics with numbers other than one or two in the trash. Each time I think about how I used to be able to recycle it. I checked out the book, Garbage Land. If you can find it, I think each American should read it. We are the garbage champions of the world, but who wants to win that prize?
To purchase almost anything here I must get in the car or use the bike. Also to use the library I would find it a long walk so must use the bike or car. I was pleased that I could walk helping the earth and my body. Was that pride going before the fall?
We thought we were getting things in order early so we could fly to DC for Christmas. Today the airline sent an email saying they had changed our flight to a later time. That means that we should have plenty of time to get to airport, but not so much time to spend with the entire family as Brian and Jen will be returning the next day. We will not get there until 7:00pm and it could take another hour to get to Sarah’s house. We also thought we would be about the same time as Miriam and family and we could help them deal with the metro and children. Now they will be there about two hours ahead of us. Since we were flying the same airline it was going to work out great as they were originally just half an hour behind us.
Where is my flexibility gene? Did it get lost?
I rode downtown this afternoon with Leroy. He took some time off as he is working tonight and it is only three miles down so it would not take so long. We did get stopped by a train, but it was interesting to go look at the steam engine that is on display there. It could pull a passenger train at 90 mph. Who knew they could go that fast back in the old days?
It was nice today because the fountain was on and Leroy had not seen that before. The new route up the hill was not bad or are we getting stronger already?
Paula
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hayride
Hello,
Sunday afternoon/evening we went on a hayride, ate, looked at buttons, and sat around a fire. I’ll bet you understand all but looking at buttons. The host woman has an amazing button collection. It was quite interesting. But then I guess I saw only a part of it, maybe a third and it was comprised of several hundred buttons. Because Burlington is a river town it had several button factories in town. Apparently this is true for most of the river towns. In the old days things were made more locally. Buttons were obviously of great importance in a culture that did not have elastic for waists. What a difference too that we have so many clothing items that just slip over our heads. Buttons were art that was worn. Now many of our buttons are hidden.
Yesterday I again rode the bike downtown, but forgot to bring my bike lock key. That cramped my style a bit. I just returned books at the library and did not select. At the Port of Burlington, the welcome center, I got a map of Burlington and commented, “I would have liked to look at your great displays, but I can not lock my bike.”
“Where is it,” she wanted to know.
When she saw it she said, “You can just bring it in and put it by the door. I thought maybe it was a motorcycle.”
That was great. I even found a phone number for the symphony so now Leroy and I can get season tickets. We have gotten season tickets to a theater that performs close to us, but Leroy said probably not close enough to walk. There are four plays in the series with the first starting this week. We are looking forward to some of this entertainment.
Paula
Sunday afternoon/evening we went on a hayride, ate, looked at buttons, and sat around a fire. I’ll bet you understand all but looking at buttons. The host woman has an amazing button collection. It was quite interesting. But then I guess I saw only a part of it, maybe a third and it was comprised of several hundred buttons. Because Burlington is a river town it had several button factories in town. Apparently this is true for most of the river towns. In the old days things were made more locally. Buttons were obviously of great importance in a culture that did not have elastic for waists. What a difference too that we have so many clothing items that just slip over our heads. Buttons were art that was worn. Now many of our buttons are hidden.
Yesterday I again rode the bike downtown, but forgot to bring my bike lock key. That cramped my style a bit. I just returned books at the library and did not select. At the Port of Burlington, the welcome center, I got a map of Burlington and commented, “I would have liked to look at your great displays, but I can not lock my bike.”
“Where is it,” she wanted to know.
When she saw it she said, “You can just bring it in and put it by the door. I thought maybe it was a motorcycle.”
That was great. I even found a phone number for the symphony so now Leroy and I can get season tickets. We have gotten season tickets to a theater that performs close to us, but Leroy said probably not close enough to walk. There are four plays in the series with the first starting this week. We are looking forward to some of this entertainment.
Paula
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Photo Gallery
Hello,
Yesterday Leroy and I worked hard and got up a lot of pictures. This afternoon we put up some more. The basement/computer room is now my family photo place. All but four of them are hung on pins so I do not feel so bad about holes in the wall. This is wallboard so it is easy with the pins.
I have one grouping that is the couples. There are pictures of our children, parents and us. Leroy and I along with his parents have pictures that are later in our relationship. The kids and my parents have their wedding pictures up. So that is a total of six pictures.
Moving on to the adjacent wall there are family pictures of just our group of three, then four then five and finally six before it narrows down to two. I had all these pictures up in Chariton and so much enjoyed that because after the new ones came out, I would put the old away. Now again I am grateful for so much wall space that I can see them again after having them put away. There are fourteen pictures in this set.
I then have a set that is from my side of the family that includes my dad’s confirmation picture. I remember when my sister, brother, and I found this picture in a box. We could not imagine who my dad was. Then when we found out we just laughed and laughed. This was the day of no smiling for a picture and Daddy is wearing glasses. Something I never saw him do until after I left home and he needed glasses for close things. This grouping includes eight pictures.
The next wall has a group of pictures that include baby pictures for Leroy, me, and each of our children. Our high school graduation pictures are just under that. In Chariton the wall space was a bit different and it was easy to make them go in a circle. Here we had to stick with lines a bit more and that made them harder to arrange. The group has a total of ten pictures.
The last grouping is from Leroy’s family. Some how there are only three pictures in this group. Not so many in frames I guess. Leroy’s family did have a lot of pictures. I could have framed some more, but Leroy is not so interested.
We also hung our entire family photo grouping that was taken a year ago in the kitchen eating area. Now that required a nail. We are going to put the four granddaughter’s newer photos around that. For that we will use the hangers that do not mark the wall and can be taken down and reused.
After all this Leroy and I are still speaking to each other even though Leroy declared it as bad as moving furniture. Is this where my heart is?
Paula
Yesterday Leroy and I worked hard and got up a lot of pictures. This afternoon we put up some more. The basement/computer room is now my family photo place. All but four of them are hung on pins so I do not feel so bad about holes in the wall. This is wallboard so it is easy with the pins.
I have one grouping that is the couples. There are pictures of our children, parents and us. Leroy and I along with his parents have pictures that are later in our relationship. The kids and my parents have their wedding pictures up. So that is a total of six pictures.
Moving on to the adjacent wall there are family pictures of just our group of three, then four then five and finally six before it narrows down to two. I had all these pictures up in Chariton and so much enjoyed that because after the new ones came out, I would put the old away. Now again I am grateful for so much wall space that I can see them again after having them put away. There are fourteen pictures in this set.
I then have a set that is from my side of the family that includes my dad’s confirmation picture. I remember when my sister, brother, and I found this picture in a box. We could not imagine who my dad was. Then when we found out we just laughed and laughed. This was the day of no smiling for a picture and Daddy is wearing glasses. Something I never saw him do until after I left home and he needed glasses for close things. This grouping includes eight pictures.
The next wall has a group of pictures that include baby pictures for Leroy, me, and each of our children. Our high school graduation pictures are just under that. In Chariton the wall space was a bit different and it was easy to make them go in a circle. Here we had to stick with lines a bit more and that made them harder to arrange. The group has a total of ten pictures.
The last grouping is from Leroy’s family. Some how there are only three pictures in this group. Not so many in frames I guess. Leroy’s family did have a lot of pictures. I could have framed some more, but Leroy is not so interested.
We also hung our entire family photo grouping that was taken a year ago in the kitchen eating area. Now that required a nail. We are going to put the four granddaughter’s newer photos around that. For that we will use the hangers that do not mark the wall and can be taken down and reused.
After all this Leroy and I are still speaking to each other even though Leroy declared it as bad as moving furniture. Is this where my heart is?
Paula
Thursday, September 23, 2010
What a day!
Hello,
I called to get the routing number from one of our bank accounts so Miriam could transfer some money back to us. This guy needed to ask me five security questions. Three of the five involved counties that we might have lived in. I remember all the cities that we have lived in, but not necessarily the counties. It was especially tricky when one of the counties was Hennepin. I know that is a county for the Twin Cities, but I thought not the one that we had lived in. I was correct, but not easily. We have finally kept all former addresses and phone numbers in a file because once in a while we are asked for that. Now I guess we need to add counties to the information. Because I did not tell Leroy I had done this, he also called to get that routing number. They did not ask him any of these things. Who can explain that?
This afternoon I rode my bike to the library. Even downhill there was a brisk wind and the sky was overcast. Leroy suggested a different more gradual approach to the library. That was a great help. Then on the way home I tried to follow the bike route. They have it marked, but I need more frequent signs plus I looked for the street less traveled. After wandering around on the top of the hill I finally had to stop and ask someone for help. At least I live by the well known park so they know something about how to get there. I was not too far off, but it was a struggle because of the hill and a head wind. Does the wind change direction just when I do? Seemed to me that it did. I was tired and sweaty when I got home, but grateful that I made it learning something about the streets in town in the process. Also if there is a storm coming, I beat it.
My hair is getting long and we need to start looking for a dentist. Fun, fun, fun! I almost envy Leroy his little hair crop that I can control for him.
Paula
I called to get the routing number from one of our bank accounts so Miriam could transfer some money back to us. This guy needed to ask me five security questions. Three of the five involved counties that we might have lived in. I remember all the cities that we have lived in, but not necessarily the counties. It was especially tricky when one of the counties was Hennepin. I know that is a county for the Twin Cities, but I thought not the one that we had lived in. I was correct, but not easily. We have finally kept all former addresses and phone numbers in a file because once in a while we are asked for that. Now I guess we need to add counties to the information. Because I did not tell Leroy I had done this, he also called to get that routing number. They did not ask him any of these things. Who can explain that?
This afternoon I rode my bike to the library. Even downhill there was a brisk wind and the sky was overcast. Leroy suggested a different more gradual approach to the library. That was a great help. Then on the way home I tried to follow the bike route. They have it marked, but I need more frequent signs plus I looked for the street less traveled. After wandering around on the top of the hill I finally had to stop and ask someone for help. At least I live by the well known park so they know something about how to get there. I was not too far off, but it was a struggle because of the hill and a head wind. Does the wind change direction just when I do? Seemed to me that it did. I was tired and sweaty when I got home, but grateful that I made it learning something about the streets in town in the process. Also if there is a storm coming, I beat it.
My hair is getting long and we need to start looking for a dentist. Fun, fun, fun! I almost envy Leroy his little hair crop that I can control for him.
Paula
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dishwasher Tales
Hello,
Those of you who know me well know that I am not sold on dishwashers, the machines that is. I know that puts me in the minority in this country. Generally it annoys me that I have to prepare the dishes for this helpful machine. Besides, it will not do the hard jobs at all preferring the easy ones such as glasses, plates and silverware.
Here in this house however, I have been using the dishwasher more because the sink is a bit low for me and I have not figured out the proper bend to my back to be comfortable. Until today the sink stopper over the garbage disposal would not hold water as the stopper was quite chewed up. Did it go down? If so how could that have happened?
The hardware store had to order a new one and we picked it up today. It works! I will probably hand wash more dishes now or have I been hooked on that contraption?
The chimes ring on the hour. I can not tell you if it is more times even though it is just next door on the church. At three in the afternoon hymns are played. It is nice to hear. When I went to college I hear the same and got so I paid attention to the time that way.
I did go buy two more mums today. It is quite wet but I will plant them later so they do not have to spend so much time getting used to the strong sun.
I did not get the weeding done, but I will also plant the things I brought from Brian’s house as I am sure they would like to be in the ground even though they look very good now.
I have to confess that I have not again ridden the bike downtown. Tomorrow I will get out there unless it rains.
Paula
Those of you who know me well know that I am not sold on dishwashers, the machines that is. I know that puts me in the minority in this country. Generally it annoys me that I have to prepare the dishes for this helpful machine. Besides, it will not do the hard jobs at all preferring the easy ones such as glasses, plates and silverware.
Here in this house however, I have been using the dishwasher more because the sink is a bit low for me and I have not figured out the proper bend to my back to be comfortable. Until today the sink stopper over the garbage disposal would not hold water as the stopper was quite chewed up. Did it go down? If so how could that have happened?
The hardware store had to order a new one and we picked it up today. It works! I will probably hand wash more dishes now or have I been hooked on that contraption?
The chimes ring on the hour. I can not tell you if it is more times even though it is just next door on the church. At three in the afternoon hymns are played. It is nice to hear. When I went to college I hear the same and got so I paid attention to the time that way.
I did go buy two more mums today. It is quite wet but I will plant them later so they do not have to spend so much time getting used to the strong sun.
I did not get the weeding done, but I will also plant the things I brought from Brian’s house as I am sure they would like to be in the ground even though they look very good now.
I have to confess that I have not again ridden the bike downtown. Tomorrow I will get out there unless it rains.
Paula
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Weeding
Hello,
I have put in a full day today. On my “to do” list was weed the flower bed. There are two, but I figured that one a day was enough to tackle. I choose the smaller, but more weedy of the two. I am not sure that it was easier. Some of the weeds were so low growing with extensive roots that I could not get a grip on them. Creeping Charley is here too, but not welcome. Leroy said, “I will use the potato fork and get them out as I turn over all of the soil.”
I had done most of the bed by the time my back complained too much. I do not think I have ever had a back complain when I weeded. I think it was the 6.5 hours of sitting in the car the day before that really made the difference.
Tonight after supper we sat on the porch and admired our work as the rain came pouring down. Would you believe that Leroy and I almost never sit and visit with each other? I wondered if we were well. The flower bed just looks so good compared to the last view of it. Now I want to put some more mums in there.
I brought home five small perennials from Brian’s yard. These non gardening people are trying to get rid of them. They just mow them off and the tenacious ones keep coming back. I thought the plants were dead when I got home but with water and a night’s coolness they look great. I will put them in the last flower bed that needs weeding. If it does not rain too much I can do that tomorrow.
Last night we watched the sun go down across the parking lot and this morning we watched it come up over the Mississippi. In the morning we waited so long and thought we could not see it because of clouds. As we were walking away one of us turned back to see a red slice coming up so we waited for the entire show. So nice! The best things in life are free.
Paula
I have put in a full day today. On my “to do” list was weed the flower bed. There are two, but I figured that one a day was enough to tackle. I choose the smaller, but more weedy of the two. I am not sure that it was easier. Some of the weeds were so low growing with extensive roots that I could not get a grip on them. Creeping Charley is here too, but not welcome. Leroy said, “I will use the potato fork and get them out as I turn over all of the soil.”
I had done most of the bed by the time my back complained too much. I do not think I have ever had a back complain when I weeded. I think it was the 6.5 hours of sitting in the car the day before that really made the difference.
Tonight after supper we sat on the porch and admired our work as the rain came pouring down. Would you believe that Leroy and I almost never sit and visit with each other? I wondered if we were well. The flower bed just looks so good compared to the last view of it. Now I want to put some more mums in there.
I brought home five small perennials from Brian’s yard. These non gardening people are trying to get rid of them. They just mow them off and the tenacious ones keep coming back. I thought the plants were dead when I got home but with water and a night’s coolness they look great. I will put them in the last flower bed that needs weeding. If it does not rain too much I can do that tomorrow.
Last night we watched the sun go down across the parking lot and this morning we watched it come up over the Mississippi. In the morning we waited so long and thought we could not see it because of clouds. As we were walking away one of us turned back to see a red slice coming up so we waited for the entire show. So nice! The best things in life are free.
Paula
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