Sunday, November 27, 2005

This A.M. I was musing should I go to church.  My back is bothering me & tomorrow I'll have to call the chiropractor for an appt.  Getting up out of a chair hurts.  But the decision was made for me.  Marie Mathis called & said there is no heat at church.  It is a pretty new furnace so it shouldn't act up but it does.  So I'm sitting with the heating pad on my back.

Your packages -- 2 -- are about ready to send to you.  They'll come UPS.

We didn't go to the Mall on Black Fri. but we went on Sat. & we didn't have to wait in line to pay for our purchases.  Only in K Mart did we wait.  All 4 or 5 registers were opened with waiting customers.

All Barb's gifts are wrapped but not mine.  I'll get busy when my back feels better.  Think I was lazy & carried in more groceries than I should have.  After that my back started in.

Both Barb & I sent cards to Pete & Sylvia Yosten.  Barb also wrote a letter.  She read it to me & got emotional reading it.  She & Max were good friends in high school but drifted apart as they went their separate ways.  Max is the reason Barb joined the Navy.  One nite Max & some girls were going to Jamestown & Max told Barb there wasn't room for her.  The next day she went & joined up.  And after that Max decided to join the Army.  Barb told me that.

Tues. evening

Dale put the tree up on Sun.  Mon. Barb brought the decorations from the attic & I started to decorate the tree.  Barb put on the finishing touches & we have a lovely looking tree.  Barb's pkg are under the tree.  I still have to wrap my gifts.  We've also put decorations around the house.  Next I'll start in on Christmas cards -- glad my list gets smaller each year.

I'll enclose a check.  The boys want money for the Xbox so there will be 75.00 for each of you -- 1 $300.00 check.  As long as I'm able each one gets 100.00 spent on them.

Called Lar & Kim late this aft. to see how Torey is doing.  It was a long Mon. for them & Torey is doing fine.  Has a covering on the ear that he doesn't like & Lar & Kim didn't get much sleep last nite.  Torey does have an enlarged heart.

Dale saw the Dr. in Erie today.  We had a lot of rain & he said the Blazer drove really well.

Enjoyed reading your letter.  I'm so glad I'm not having babies today.  Suppose because of being sued so much goes on today.  IV's, tracking the heart, etc.  When Lar was born it was only the Dr. & me.  No nurse & afterwards he wheeled me to call Dad & tell him he had another son.  I was very lucky -- my deliveries were fast.

You could "read" when you were very young.  You could tell the name of each record & we never knew how you recognized them.  We expected a lot form you.  We didn't see it in high school.  But moving to Wi. was the right move & you have fulfilled your capabilities.  Better late than never.

I think First. Eng. in Gt. Falls bought the houses nearly the church.  Seems like I heard that.

Had a greeting from the pastor & wife who followed us in G.F.  He became a prof. at Augustana.  Now retired they lived in Arizona.  They decided to relocate to Seattle area as they have a son there.  They sold their home in 1 day.  Now living in an apt. on Bainbridge Island.  Dad's classmate Gordon Loren was pastor in Bainbridge Island.  We saw a lot of them when we were In Auburn.

Gene & Gladys Hasselquist were good friends.  They ended up in Minnesota.  Now retired. Gladys died a couple of years ago.  Also their son died.  Gene is still active & winters in Texas.  He could be a great grandpa by now.

Fri A.M. Dec. 2

It is snowing & adding up.  We were going to the Mall after I got my hair done but changed our minds.  Will go Sat. A.M.

Torey is OK, but Kim is a concerned "Mom".  Torey has taken to sleeping with them again & Kim gets squeezed out of bed.  Wed. nite she needed up on the floor.

I have to make 2 pies for church.  Finally decided to make a butterscotch meringue pie & maybe a strawberry pie.  Or a graham cracker pie with a vanilla filling meringue on top.

Yesterday I made Spritz & a sugar cooky.  I'll freeze some so they won't get stale.  If I want a cooky to go with coffee, I take one or 2 our of the freezer & put in the microwave & they are good.  I still haven to make rolls for Dale but only 2 batches.  If they have it on Fri baking them will be a problem as I can't miss my hair appt.  That always comes first.  I'll just have to get up early.

Barb & Lynn must be "sounding boards" for each other.  Lynn will tell Barb something & say "don't tell anyone!"  But Barb tells me as she can't keep it a secret.  And who would I tell so the secret is safe.

I didn't go to the Dr. for my back & I'm paying the price.  It is better but not healed.  Maybe I'll end up going next week.  It doesn't bother my sleeping.  Mostly getting up & down to sit.

Sheila knows the people who bo't Frank's house.  They've painted all the walls & woodwork, as they were maroon & blue.  Even the kitchen cupboards.  They would have had to do all of it twice.  The husband is anxious to move in as they are living with her parents.  It will be tough to move in the snow.  It will be nice to see lights there.

Dale is working on the outside Christmas lights.  Some are out & he had trouble finding the bad ones.  He finally worked out a system, bot' more lights & will soon have it ready to go.

Saturday, December 1, 2001

Thanks for the pictures.  They Thanksgiving table as beautiful.  If I were 11 or 14 I would be very interested in your handsome sons.  I envy the girls!  They look so good.

Yesterday I went out to lunch.  9 of us.  Ted & Sue Schaffer were able to join us.  They are in E. Ohio.  Ted Bensons picked me up & I rode home with Hollertzs in their new Buick.  Very nice.  Reason I didn't ride home with Benson's -- they were taking a clock to Sugar Grove to be repaired & they could get there by taking another road.

Dale took your pkg. to work as UPS picks up there but they do not weight it -- they'll do it at UPS Kane & put it on Shults acct. & then Dale will get charged.  Anyway, it is on the way & I hope it arrives in time for JoAnna's birthday.

This A.M. I bro't 2 pies (pumpkin & peanut butter) to church for the soup & pie luncheon & Cooky Walk.  It looked so nice.  Red table covering & decorations.  They had 135 doz. cookies to sell.  I've always made pies but next year I might make 3 doz.  That' what they ask for.

Torey's tail is much better & he doesn't pick at it as much.  To keep him from picking at his tail, they had him sleep with them.  But he slept on Kim's side and he took all the room, so Kim either didn't sleep or went to the other bedroom. But since his tail is better, he doesn't have to sleep with them.

I'm just about finished with my Christmas shopping.  Just a couple of little things needed.  Just wrapped 1 gift -- Barb's -- & that was to keep her from peeking.  She knows what it is, but not the coloring, etc.  An angel she liked--  she liked several.

I never got to get my blood pressure checked as it rained a lot.  I plan to go on Mon. as it will be OK for walking home.

Don't know if you got the Warren paper telling of Sherman Burdick's death.  I'm sure he was an acquaintance of yours.  He was 50 -- Oct 27.  Cancer.  Had worked in Portland, Ore.  Buried in Warren.  He went to Eisenhower but I know the name is familiar to me.

I recognize the pictures by the plate.  I have always like that picture so much.  Take before we left Auburn, I think.

I had planned to write 5 notes a day this past week for my Christmas cards.  I wrote 2.  I'll have to get busy as I hope to mail my distant cards on Fri the 7th.  I had a letter greeting from Gene Hasselquist in Minn, formerly Mt.  His wife Gladys is in a nursing home -- sometimes she know them, most times she doesn't.  How sad.  And how lucky I am to be in good health & keep up in baking, house, etc.  This A.M. I made a pie (pumpkin) for us & cookies, choc. chips, for us & Dale's snacks.

I have Penn State vs Virginia on TV.  What a turn around for Penn St.  They might even get a minor bowl invitation.  They are ahead 14-13 so they need to get going.

I think I mentioned I took a name from the Salvation Army for Christmas gifts.  I got elastic waist jeans & a blue striped knit shirt, PJs, underpants & T shirt underwear.  They are so cute & so small.  2T.  At Big Lot I found a stuffed animal in his favorite color, blue, & it was only 3.99.  Then at KMart we saw a soft, plush, blue teddy bear & Barb bo't it as it is so soft & cuddly.  9.99.  Then I weakened & got a farm truck.  Not the one suggested but it looked good for a little boy.  It's fun to do but it dos add up.  One way to bring happiness to a little boy.

Sun A.M.  I'm ready for church with time to spare.

Scott loves the sweet rolls I make & Barb usually takes 3 when I make them. One for Scott, one for Marisa, one for Bob.  Scott thinks he should have all 3.  Then Barb told him they can be frozen.  So he wants 300 for Christmas so he can freeze them & have one when he ants to.  No way will that happen.

We have several large bags of clothes to take to the Salvation Army.  One from Dale plus the suit he had for high school graduation.  A good jacket of Dad's or 3/4 length coat.  Lar took his jacket he wore when he cross-county skiied -- how do you spell it?  One i, too lazy to look it up at the moment.

The church's social hall looked so festive yesterday when I brought my pies over.  Mon. nite is LCW meeting -- a dinner and Eleanor Ristau & Marge Ristau are providing the meal, Janice Carlson will pick me up.  Maybe the husbands were cousins.  Marge's daughter Molly is Dale's age.

Now it's later in the day --= Sun -- & you'll have to be my "sounding board".  Joyce Rohlin sat by me in church today & we visited a bit & we share the same feelings concerning things at church.  She compared the letter we got in July (on a very small basis) to what happened 9-11-01.  NYC work the nation up & the letter woke many of our members up.  They remember planning, raising money & building our new church & the energy that took.  Then to talk about closing the church -- that was the last straw.  She has the same feeling I have -- more energy in the church, members coming back and we know things will work out.  Some of the council met with the interim pastor & were favorably impressed.  He has been divorced & they adopted 2 younger children.  But I don't know his age.  Since Dec. is taken care of, he won't start til Jan 1.

Dale got the outside lights put up but he was upset as if 1 light goes out they all do.  But he must have found the bad light.

I'd better get to my cards.  Wonder if Gerald & Darla are in their home by now.  I never can read her writing but they always send a card.

Later-- cards are close to completion.

I'm enclosing a check so you & JoAnna can buy what pleases you.