Saturday, January 8, 2005

No baking today -- made banana bread on Thurs & froze it.  Just have to remember to take it out on Sun.

Dale works today & Barb is still in bed.  She has to go to Bert's (today).  She helps her when Bert takes a bath.  She missed 2 days this week.  Once because of a headache, they other bad roads & Bert told her to stay home.

I'll try to answer questions.  I hear from Larry & family because the last time I was home, or was it earlier, we went to their house for lunch.  It was earlier because the 4 girls went to visit.  Since then we've exchanged cards.  I didn't know Debbie before that as I didn't get to their wedding. David, as far as I know, is a chaplain in Mpls.  I only hear from Carole, Gerald, & Mimi.  I don't have Anita or Joyce's addresses.  Oh yes & Dick's  & he always writes a note.  He still does a little where he worked.  The name won't come to me.  And Charles & it's always late.

Larry starts soccer on Thurs. so they'll come on Wed. for awhile.  Kim can't come this week, as a group of gals get together on a Wed.  I have a beef roast in the freezer & will put it in the crock pot. Wed a.m.

My late New Year's resolution is making plans for Fri. nite meals.  When it comes to Fri, I don't want to make a meal.  Last nite (I have a calendar) I planned meals & I filled it up pretty much for Jan. meals.  This way I should have the needs on hand.  Hope I stick to it.  By this time I should realize I'm not eating out Fri. nites anymore.  One Fri. nite was vacant so I put pizza in there.  I tried calling for pizza last nite but it was always busy so I gave up & fixed leftovers.  Dale is pretty good to eat what I put before him & not complaining.

The puzzle I'm working on isn't going together very easily.  But I keep at it & there is no rush to finish it.  It teaches me patience.

Sheila's mother came home from the hosp. yesterday.  Getting help isn't easy & the 3 girls are at their wits end.  The mother probably won't be around long.  Sh e is full of cancer & it is very painful.  She ruled the roost & her husband doesn't know how to make meals.  It's not a easy time for the family.

To me & probably Millie the word pathetic means feeling sorry for the situation.  Gen was the smart one.  Before her marriage she was sec'y to the Bank pres.  Later she managed a lawyer's, I think it was a lawyer, but I'm not sure, office so she was very capable.  She used tl help count the offerings at church, but they had to tell Ed she couldn't help anymore so it's another sad situation.  How thankful I am for my health.

Barb is up now.  After she goes to Bert's we'll go to to the drug store for my meds & then to the Mall.  I have a list of things I need, plastic bags, etc.

Barb got a sale catalog from Woman's clothes.  I saw 2 tops I liked.  Barb ordered a jacket & they said if you order more, it will be 15% off so she remembered one top I wanted & got it, but forgot about the 2nd one.  So if I really want it, I'll have to get busy & order it.  (The order came -- my top was the wrong one -- she looked at the wrong top.  A reorder is needed.)

Mon. Jan. 10

Enjoyed reading your library report & a good one it is.  Dad was always glad when all the report for the annual mtg. were written up, including the ones he had to send to synod, with all the stats.  The church's new secy. came at a hard time with all the reports to type up & get them ready for the annual mtg, Jan. 23rd.  She also takes care of hte financial end of the church & that is a big job.

I know your appetite for "hot" foods changed after you left home & our bland foods.  But I make meals the way I was brought up & Carl had the same type of food.  On your own, all of you have "pepped up" your food.  Dale not so much being at home, but he likes it -- hot stuff that is.  When Barb makes chili, Dale has some, but not me. Too highly seasoned.

Really age is just a state of mind.  When you are 20 or 25  years older you'll look back & wish you were 55 again.  I look back & sometimes think it would be nice to be 60 again.  But I'm 84 & glad for each day I have.

Dale got a DVD recorder & has it installed.  He has the DVD player or whatever you call it.

Are you preparing the boys for when they are on their own by teaching them to make grilled cheese sandwiches?  You didn't learn your ability to prepare meals at home but in your jobs as short order cook.  Was it your Jr. year you started at the Chalet or was it 9th grade?  Then you perfected it in Calif.  It's a different world today & I know you'd never let Andy or Ed hitchhike today.  You hitchhiked, Lar & friends went off in a van for a year.   I'm sure it was a learning experience.  Barb joined the Navy, Dale stayed home except for a semester at the technical school in Columbus.  He doesn't cook, but he can do a lot of things around the house.  Even Lar has at times, fixed dinner in the crockpot after Kim tells him what to do.

Tues. the 11th

I finally made a pasta dish, other than spaghetti, that came out good.  I made rigatoni & added spinach to the egg, cheese, ricotta mixture & it was good.  A big pan so I'll freeze some single servings.  Barb didn't want what I fixed -- she had soup and grilled cheese.  She burned the first one so she had to start over.

I got a perm today & I like how it came out.

Thurs A.M.  My beef dinner, cooked in the crockpot (meat), was delicious.  Nice dark gravy over creamy mashed pots, &^ green bean casserole.  Ban. cream pie for dessert.

This A.M. we're going to Jamestown but Barb has to go to Bert's first.  I'll look for Valentine's & groceries at Wegman's.  We'll look around the Mall, of course!  I'll mail your letter.  COLD weather comes this weekend.  Today it's suppose to be in the 60's.  Then a drop of 30.  Suppose to rain today.  I hope it holds off.