Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Today we voted.  The main issue on the ballot was to elect a judge.  Man vs. woman.  We voted for the woman.  She came in 2nd in the nominating election, beating at least 3 other men.  We hope she can do it but it's a man's world.  The newspaper backed the man.

This aft. I walked over to see Rose.  I thought she might be sitting in a chair but she was in bed.  You could see she has gained weight.  A diaper on a chair by her.  No teeth in her mouth so she was hard to understand.  I feel so bad for her.  It made me want to cry.  She asked about dad & I told her he died.  She repeated the question several times.  She couldn't believe it & said why don't I know this.  Her hands were trembling like Parkinson's.  S he did recognize me.  Violet is in the same room.  She looked good but no teeth.  But I wouldn't have recognized if I hadn't known Violet was in the same room.  So sad.

All I did today was 1 load of wash.  I did a little ironing, not much.  A day off so I'll have to make up for my idleness tomorrow.  The kitchen floor says' "Wash me".

Dale admitted last nite "I must be a perfectionist".  He worked late on his white car putting in a new top for the interior roof.  I'm not sure of the exact term.  He had sent away for material & finally got it to fit in to his satisfaction.

I really got the picture of those two couples at the concert.  Do you think they realized the fools they made of themselves?

Now it's Thurs the 10th

The week is soon over -- I don't do that much on Friday.  In 2 weeks we'll have celebrated Thanksgiving.  We're still waiting for suggestions from the boys.  Remember we want to send the package in time for JoAnna's birthday.

Kim had a reunion meeting tonite so she left early.  Lar walks Torey home.  I don't know why Torey has to be walked so much.  They have socks for him to wear to protect his paws. He's getting old & slow so he doesn't need as much exercise as a younger dog.  But that's not my business.  I just feel sorry for Torey.

My puzzle is soon finished.  Barb picked up 3 pieces from the floor.  With our patterned rug they are hard for me to see.

The girl scouts are collecting food.  They left bags at houses & they will be picked up the 21st.  I'll put some cans of food & peanut butter in it.  They suggest soups & macaroni & cheese are always good.  The mail carriers collect food in May & I always contribute.

This is Dale's week to work Sat. A.M.  They will be taking inventory so they get Sat. off.  Dale thinks that is fine with him.

Do you get the USA Today at the library?  If so, some Wed read Craig Wilson's article on the 1st page of the purple section.  He is around your age & from the Buffalo area.  He writes the most interesting articles.  I'm sure you could write articles like that & people would find them interesting to read.  Lar & I always read his articles.  Wilson happens to be gay & admits it. He & his "mate" have a dog & sometimes he mentions him. He graduated from Syracuse U.

Nothing exciting is happening here.  I'm just very thankful I can take care of myself after seeing Rose.  Make meals & do a little cleaning & baking.

October 31, 2004

Your last letter had a question.  Maybe it isn't for me to answer but I will anyway!  "Is he deserving of having cable TV installed in his room?  You be the judge!"  My answer is Andy is a r. in hi school & that means he'll be home for the next 2 years & then off to college.  and who knows what part of the U.S. he'll end up in.  So I say put cable in his room!  You mother has spoken!  Does it cost more?  We have 7 TVs on our cable .  Of course Dad & Dale put it in themselves once we were on cable.  We pay 48.98 for cable TV & I guess we get our money's worth.  '

The maze sounds very interesting.

Our electricity has gone out 3 times recently, yesterday being the 3rd time.  IT's back in 15 or 20 minutes.  It means changing clocks -- so we did it twice yesterday.  End of day light savings.

Mon. Nov. 1

This is Dale's early week so I was up early & after getting things ready for breakfast, I started to make brownies.  Why?  I got a perm today & I wanted to bring some for Sheila & Sue as a late trick or treat.  I'm glad to have curl in my hair again.

Barb wants to be at the polls early Tues. A.M.  She thinks there will be a good turnout & wants to beat the crowd.

Dale has to go to Rochester Thurs & Fri, the 4th & 5th, for schooling.  Another fellow will go with him.  He'll miss Lar & Kim on Thurs.  Yesterday Lar tilled the soil in the garden.  Barb was pleased.  She had gotten "stuff" to enrich the soil.  Hopefully we'll have summer next year so the garden yield will be better.

8:07 Election Day

I'm waiting for Barb so we can vote.  She wants to go early.  At least we can forget the TV ads & phone calls for awhile.

Warren H. called yesterday.  He doesn't have to go to the dentist on Wed.  He serves a small church & a member would like Communion on Wed. as her son is home.  So they asked if Thurs. would be OK.  I said yes -- it will make for a busy day as Lar & Kim come Thurs. nite.  I'll have the same menu with a few changes to make it easier.  Like baked potatoes for one.  I make a meal as it is easier than planning a luncheon.

Our voting is over.  I was 145.  It is a large room & 3 voting areas are in the room.  Now that I've been out I don't feel like doing anything & it's not even ( A.M.  I'll have a cup of coffee & that should spur me on.  Maybe, maybe not.

Thurs A.M., the 4th

Last nite I awoke about 2 AM & went to the bathroom, back to sleep.  Awake about 3:20. Turned over & back to sleep to be awoken by Dale turning the bedroom light on.  He was ready to go -- didn't want to wake me, but afraid I'd be made if he didn't.  He was right.  I jumped up, fixed some snacks & he was off to pick up the other fellow in Jamestown.  Now they should be in class, 8:30 A.M.  

Went back to bed for an hour & got up at 6.  I ate, read the paper, did dishes & wiped off the counters, moving things to do a good job.  Got the garbage out, had another cup of coffee & decided to write more in this letter.

Naturally Barb was very unhappy with the results of the election.  I'm sure it is the same with you folks.  Already the paper writes candidates are being thought of for both parties.  Please give us a little break from all the ads & calls.  We still got calls Tues. aft. & we had already voted.  I don't like to be interrupted when watching my soaps!!!  Too bad, huh?

It doesn't look like there will be any hockey this year.  The All Star game was cancelled.  I like to watch that -- the skills part.  They won't agree to a pay limit -- can't get the correct word.

Fri I see the dentist at 10:30 A.M. & I hope I won't have to wait too long.  Lost a filling.

Back to Tues.  I did do some work. The kitchen cabinets needed cleaning.  I used the orange 409, spray it on, clean with a sponge & wipe it off with an old towel.  Voila!  A nice shine & not too hard to do.  So they look nicer for company.  Hollertz's don't go much for desserts.  I made the Russian Tcakes, one of many names they have, as Dale like them & took some today for a snack.  Fri. aft. I hope to make Spritz but I'll also make a pumpkin pie so I'll have dessert for supper.  I got lazy & tried Pillsbury pie crust & it is good.  I won't use it all the time, but it sure makes it easier.  Esp. if in a hurry.  OK so I'm lazy!  Old ladies have a right to be lazy.  I'm making a pie for supper -- trying the cranberry pecan pie using the Pills. crust!  Better get going.  

Still Thurs.  Kim was more herself tonite even saying Torey is getting old.  Maybe she has come to realize animals don't last forever either.

They liked the cranberry pecan pie.  It is good, but the crust stuck a bit to the pan. Sometimes I grease or Pam the pan but not this time.  

Three weeks from today we'll be eating turkey.

Saturday, November 2, 2002

We have patches of snow but don't have to shovel.  It's been cloudy & I've been lazy & had a nap this aft.  Been trying to get a cold & have had a cough.  I tired Coldeeze cough drops & they are good.  They have zinc in them & that is suppose to be good.

Dale got some frames that fit the 2 bedroom windows in both front bedrooms.  Or he cut them to fit & then he plans to put plexiglass in them & they will fit in our windows & help insulate even more.  My room gets cold in the winter but my electric blanket keeps me warm.

I hope things work out for you jobwise.  I don't know much about it, but I'm sure it will be very interesting.  Either way, I know you'll be happy as things are getting accomplished at the library.

When you get today's paper, Warren, Saturday, Nov. 2, be sure to read the letter to the editor by a 9th grade student at Youngsville Hi.  Very well written letter from one so young.

Thanks for the pictures of the boys in their football uniforms.

I didn't put the front door light on for Trick or Treat.  Why?  Because when Lar & Kim are here, I don't c are to be running to the front door.  Carey's are in Fla. & no lights are on this end of 3rd.  We had Andy's favorite dinner, or one of them, stuffed pork chops.  I found a new recipe for corn pudding & it was well received.  The difference is it called for 5 slices of bread cubed & put into the casserole & then you pour the corn, egg, milk mixture over them & bake.

The political ads have been so negative.  I'll be glad when Tues. is over.  I'm sure this has been an extra busy time for JoAnna & she has been run ragged, as the saying goes.

At BiLo, Barb picked up a load of Swedish rye bread & it is so good.  Makes me want to plan a Swedish dinner for Christmas Eve.  But they aren't too fond of meat balls, rice pudding, etc. that make up the meal.  I'll have to start thinking about it & see what I can come up with.  Wish I had learned how to make "korv" & "sylta" when  my mother made it.

Called Warren H. yesterday to find out about Anna.  She was taking a nap.  They changed her medication & she is back to her exercise classes at the hospital so she is monitored them.

Sunday, Nov. 3

The Coldeeze cough drops are really good.  I've had a nagging cough & it really helped.   You don't eat them like candy.  You take them at 4 hr. intervals & never on an empty stomach.  I took one before church & I didn't cough.

Since Dale doesn't need a regular Sunday dinner, I made a recipe that was in one Sat. paper awhile ago.  Take frozen shredded potatoes.  Fry them 8-10 min.  Add diced ham, onion, seasoning, etc.  T hen pour beaten eggs over & cook til firm.  Add shredded cheese.  I'm sure you've made something like that, Paul.  Dale thought it was good; so did I.  It was filling & I couldn't finish mine.  An easy meal which I like.

Mon. A.M. the 4th

This is Dale's early week & I heard him get up at 5:30.  I turned over & the next time I looked at the clock it was 6:11.  Got up in a hurry -- he had to get his own cereal bowl, banana & milk.  I made coffee & got his mid A.M. snack ready.  Of course he can do it but I like to have it ready.  We both survived!  I don't like getting up in a rush & I like company for breakfast.  We both look at the newspaper but someone is there.

I put clean sheets on Dale's bed on Monday & when I made the bed I noticed the windows were up & it is such a professional job.  They are double glass Andersen windows but still it feels cold esp. when my room doesn't get much heat.  I couldn't "push" Dale, Paul like I did you!!!  But I wish he could have wanted to go to some kind of technical school to improve his natural ability.  They are in the place of the screens, not needed in winter.  (out of place sentence)

Tues. the Big Day

I'm sitting in my chair after walking to Calvary Baptist (outside bldg) to vote -- so I did my duty.  Even remembered the question at the top of the ballot.  Not much to vote on.  Gov. Lt. Gov. & state rep.  I had to walk carefully as there are wet leaves on bad sidewalks.  It's a nice day so the walk was invigorating.

Last nite was LCW - -our thank offering program.  Patty W. Phillips was in charge.  Barb took me over & Janice Carlson took me home.  It will be interesting to see the returns tonite.

Wed A.M. the 6th.

Congratulations to JoAnna on a job well done.  Imagine you celebrated into the morning hours.  When I went to bed at 10:30 p.m. I noticed that Doyle was creeping up & I thought then "I bet he will win".  And he did.  It must have been a wonderful feeling as well as a relief that your hard work paid off.  What comes next?

Lynch won in the Warren area but I bet he was scared for awhile.  It was a very close call.  I think a better candidate could have beat him.  He'll do better (Lynch) if he lets go of a little ego.

Thurs the 7th

It's a sunshine day & I needed a prescription filled.  So I got a ride over with Barb.  I went to CVS, cashed a rebate check, went to the library & got 2 books.  Final Target by Iris Johansen & Three Weeks in Paris by Barbara Taylor Bradford.  Got Christmas stamps at the P.O.!  Dale had a mtg at work so he wasn't home for lunch.  I just finished washing the kitchen floor so with the exception of fixing dinner, my chores are over for today.

Tomorrow we go to Erie -- that is why I went to the library -- to have a book to read on the way.  It is suppose to warm up & be a nice day so we're lucky.  Hope we find things we want.  Many stores are having sales.

It was good talking to JoAnna last nite.  I'm sure she is in for a lot of interesting experiences.