Saturday, October 25, 2003

I was sorry to hear of June's death.  But I guess it was to be expected - -she lived a long life. 90 years.  She & Ruth were born in 1913.

Thurs. nite I didn't sleep well at all.  I was really tired last nite & went to bed by 8:20.  And I made up for Thurs. nite.  Got up about 6:45 a.m. today.  It's a cloudy day.  Made banana bread, read the paper, made a grocery list but mostly just taking it easy.

Tonite I will see 9 innings of baseball unless the Yankees are way ahead, then I'll switch to another channel.

Yesterday my pastor friends met for lunch in Franklin.  Ted & Sue came from Ohio & Ted & Pat would have picked me up but I didn't go.  Just didn't feel like hearing the 2 Teds & their know it all taking over the conversation.  I might have fallen asleep.  I wasn't feeling up to it.

Nov. 7th I have a Dr. appt. & that is the wrong aft. for Barb to take me.  So I called Joyce O'Connor & asked for a favor (she had told me to call if she could help in any way) & she will take me.  I wanted to take her out to dinner but she said no to that.  She said people do favors for me & I do favors for others.

Barb's (O'Connor) daughter is expecting around Dec. 26th.  So the family is going to Philly for a shower for her.  Bev's son's wife had a baby in Oct. so Joyce is already a great grandmother.  Melissa is going to be an optometrist & will have 6 mo. left.  Her husband is taking his residence years in a Philly hosp.  Still has a couple of years left.  High school sweethearts.

Sun. Oct 26

I was so happy last nite to see the Marlins win.  Pastor Beth is from Fla. & very happy they won.  Denny Crandrell is a Yankee fan & very unhappy.  He is married to Elaine Jacobson & they are active members.  The Marlin pitcher did so well & only 23.  Now we'll be hearing about changes in the team's players.  Who will go where.  Will Torre be back in N.Y. Baseball is my favorite sport, but I like to watch all of them.

Tues. the 28th

Millie called Sun nite & she was telling me more about the retirement home.  She has already started to get rid of things.  In Dec. Linda will check to see how close Millie is to get in. She said Spfld. is really getting bad.  People don't go downtown any more.  They are afraid to.  She won't miss Spfld.  Once they tell her she has a place, she'll have 30 days to get ready to move.  That makes it hard as she  might not be able to sell the house that fast. And she doesn't want to put it up for sale now for fear it would see fast & she'd be left without a home.  The agent said to leave any furniture she doesn't want as furniture adds to selling a house.  I hope it all works out.

Barb started her Christmas shopping & has a good start.  I have some thoughts about what I want to do.

With standard time back, it sure gets darker earlier & makes for a long evening.

Let me tell you about this nite in Auburn, Wn.  My mother was with us & Dad was meeting with a couple with problems.  Around 11 pm, Mom & I went to bed & as I got into bed my water broke.  Dad got home & around 3 AM Dad called the Dr. & off we went to the hosp. Can't remember the exact time but you were born between 5-6 AM.  It was a busy time as several babies were born thru Halloween.  I was in the hosp. 5 days, I think. When I got home I had to make formula & a member L. G. Strand came -- he had to see the new baby.    And you were good & didn't even cry for a feeding until after he left. And that's the start of our family.

Wed Oct 29

This A.M. I made a white cake for dessert tomorrow.  Then I washed the floor & I'm always glad that's done for 2 weeks.

At lunch time Dale said no treats?  And I didn't have any so after my soap & now watching Perry Mason, I made some brownies.  The recipe uses Hersheys choc. syrup & I like that recipe.  It also has a recipe for the frosting -- using choc. chips & miniature marshmallows. We're having an easy supper.  Spag. & meatballs & the meatballs were frozen & I used ready made sauce.  Oh I also made an easy recipe.  Snack Mix Squares for Sheila & Sue. They close the shop on Halloween -- their favorite holiday -- dress up & visit some schools, nursing homes & they come here to show me their costumes.  So I always have a treat for them.  It contains the small stick pretzels, corn chex & M&M's.  Make a mixture of oleo,k peanut butter & miniature marsh. melted together.  Pour it over the pretzels, etc., press it in a buttered foil-lined pan & let set.  It's good.  This year they are dressing in old fashioned bathing suits.  I'll tell more next letter.  They always do a great job dressing up.

I'll finish this & then walk to 5th to mail it.

We're having a warm spell & enjoy it.

Nothing special going on with Lar & Kim, or the rest of us.  I turned one of the calendars to Nov.  Soon it will be Thanksgiving.  But it is fun thinking about Christmas preparations & receiving Christmas cards from friends in the past.

Friday, March 31, 1995

I got my hair done this A.M.; came home & started vegetable soup for supper as it is still cool here.

Thanks for your letter.  When you have children you have to expect a few headaches along the way.

[Here's what Mom is referencing.

Andy asked if he could go over to Meaghan’s house once we got home.

“You need to be home at 6 o’clock,” I told him. That gave him 45 minutes to play.

At 6:01 Andy had not yet returned home. No surprise. Six minutes later I called Meaghan’s. Her mom told me that Andy and Meaghan were at Nick’s house, so I called there. Nick’s grandfather said Andy was in the back yard playing ball. I waited a long 30 seconds for Andy to come to the phone.

“Hello.”

“Andy, what time is it?”

“Six o’clock.”

“Actually, it’s six-oh-seven. You should be home by now.”

“But I want to play until six-thirty.”

“All right.”

JoAnna called about five minutes later to announce that she’s on her way home. I turned up the burner under a pot of water for cooking noodles, the bed for our Campbell’s stroganoff. JoAnna put a package of stew meat and two cans of cream of mushroom soup in the crockpot before going to work.

Still no sign of Andy. I looked out the kitchen window, expecting to see him turn into the driveway on his bicycle. After another couple minutes, I called Nick’s house again.

“He’s on his way,” Nick’s grandfather reported.

It should only take him a couple minutes to ride his bike home from Nick’s house, I thought. Somebody is in trouble.

I walked outside and looked down the street. No sign of anyone. I retraced my steps five minutes later. This time I saw two small figures across South Avenue. Meaghan must have walked to Nick’s house, so Andy was being a gentleman and walking her part of the way home. Once we returned home, I told him he couldn’t play outside after school until daylight savings time arrived. (Not that far away, actually.)

The menu for supper didn’t appeal to either of the boys. Eddie was practically traumatized by the french-cut green beans on his plate.

“I don’t want them on my plate,” he cried, a few tears streaming down his cheeks.

JoAnna told him he could eat his dinner or go to his room. He chose the second option. Within a minute, we heard a theatrical wail of sorrow. He soon rejoined us, probably because he was afraid to be in a room by himself, a behavior he has exhibited quite regularly over the past few months. He picked at the food on his plate, but then he had eaten a bowl of cereal minutes after we returned home. Andy actually found the chunks of stew meat tasty, and he’s always like noodles. He didn’t eat everything on his plate, though. I should have asked him if he had anything to eat at Nick’s. Snacks seem to be easy to come by there.

While JoAnna washed dishes, I ran the boys’ bath water. Eddie informed me that the water was too hot.

“No, it’s not, Eddie. Look at your brother. He’s in the tub and not complaining.”

Eddie persisted with his whining. Someone’s a tired little guy, I surmised, but before he goes to bed, he’s taking a bath. I picked him up and forced him to take a seat in the tub. He resisted, but I insisted. I wet his hair, lathered and rinsed it, then wrapped it in a towel and handed him to JoAnna, since that’s who he was calling for through his tears.

“I want my mama.”

Fortunately, the evening ended on a very positive note. The boys and I snuggled together on one of the captain’s beds and Andy read two books he had brought home from school., Clifford’s Puppy Days and The Runaway Teddy Bear. Andy’s a very accomplished reader for a first grader. He’s made tremendous progress in his reading skills since the beginning of the school year.]

Finished reading Sue Grafton's "A is for Alibi".  Finally found it at the library.  Now I've read all except for her latest.

We'll be losing our neighbors, the Willis' (Rose Pelligrino) as he has taken a job with the Cumberland Valley School District starting May 1st.  He's been bldg. & grounds super.  I noticed last Sun. they were cleaning out their garage & painting the roof over the sun room.  Imagine Rose will be here til school is out.

Walter Johnson is in the Rouse Home so I imagine that house will be sold in the future.  Emma died a couple of years ago.  Paul is the only one around & he lives in Youngsville.

Dad is having headaches & the Dr. doesn't know what is causing them.  Probably Dale's situation.

Signe called last nite at 11:05 our time & we were in bed.  Dale was still up & answered the phone.

She is now living with Carolyn & Jim.  She wants to fix a den in the basement so she has a place her things, etc.  Jim isn't working & she'll help them with expenses.  They paid 600.00 a mo. for their retirement apt.  She has her own phone.  Said Stella isn't that good.  Wonder if she'll ever get back to I. Mt.  Wonder if she can live alone.  She is paying rent on her apt.

Don't think I mentioned I bot a spring dress thru Penney's catalog & am very pleased with it.  A blue & white print (not navy).  Had to shorten it as it was too long for my taste.

We had a late anniv. card from June.  She said Sharlynn's daughter Nikki had her 2nd baby, a son & she didn't want to write about the situation.  She wasn't married when the 1st came, a girl & maybe she still isn't married.

Gen called the other nite - she never writes - well, hardly ever.  I got 5x7 pictures of the family (one you like) to send to all the sisters in an Easter card.  June has been asking for pictures.  Larry & Kim paid for everything so you can settle with them.

Careys have been in Fla. the last 2 months.  Lar has checked the house.  They should soon be back & it will be nice to see them come & go again.  He is fully retired now.  The girls would like them to move to the Phila. area but Mary Ann like her home here.  Time will tell.  Paula is engaged to a lawyer so they have 1 more wedding to go thru.

Time to think about lunch.

Enjoyed the article re: rural churches.  Seems like the best answer to a difficult problem.

Dale got the miniature Corvette to go with a Corvette plate he ordered.  Now he ordered a Bel Air Chevy.  Like the cars you collect.

[New York Times article.]

Tuesday, January 26, 1993

I'll start a letter & add to it later on.  I'm watching "As The World Turns".

June has been in the hosp. for over a week.  Bad cold, fever, etc.  Her lungs are clear now, but she hasn't been eating right & they have to build her up.  One of the girls will come home & stay with June when she gets home from the hosp.

Genevieve will also have tests for 5 days in Madison Hosp. to find out what is causing her problems.  Think she is there now, or it could be the 1st week of Feb.

Thanks for the cards & letters & the darling pictures.  They are all so good.

Mr. Curtin (remember him from Jr Hi) is now at Sheffield Hi & each year he takes students on a trip to Europe.  Next year he'll take them to the Scandanavian countries & asked Kim if she'd like to be a chaperone.  It would cost $1800.00 & thinks it would be too expensive.  Lar thinks she should plan on it, and so do we.  Time will tell.

I'm fixing a turkey for our anniv. dinner tonite & Sat. nite all of us are going out to dinner.  Lar & Kim come for dinner Tues. nites.

Lar & Kim will come over here Sun to watch Buffalo beat Dallas, I hope I hope, I hope.  I'll have food to munch on.

Sam, Dale's friend, wanted to buy a  convertible & wanted Dale to buy his black '79 Z28 Camaro for $700.00.  And Dale wanted it & decided to get it.  So Sam got what he wanted & Dale already is working on the Z28, as it needs a few things & Sam doesn't go for that but Dale loves it.  He went to the junk yard & found things he needed for only 10.00.  It will be his winter car & he hopes to sell the present one for $350.00.  He has it in good running order.

I got my 3rd & 4th snow globes & ordered a 5th.  I can't resist them & now I hope to get 8 of them - one for each of my "heirs".  Late in life to start a collection but I guess "better late than never".

Your weekend sounded great.  The surroundings were really perfect.

Taury, Lar's dog, is getting bit & is settling down some.  Kim is working hard to train him to obey.

Dad & I faithfully use the treadmill & really appreciate it.  In the winter it is hard to walk outside & now it's so easy to go to the basement & get our walking in.  So it is getting lots of good use.  No dust will gather on it.

Thanks for the telephone call - it's always good to talk to you.

I'm enclosing some newspaper articles you might be interested in.

Saturday, September 19, 1992

It's a beautiful day, a big change from the hot, humid days this past week.  But Dale enjoyed them as he was on vacation this past week.  He slept in, worked on his car & sat in the sun.  He chose a good week - no rain until last nite.

For 3 weeks Barb baby sat 4 girls ages 3-8 & they are a handful.  What one can't think of, the others can.  Quite an experience.  Today she is sitting for the family she starts working for next Mon.  8-4.  The girl is in school all day so it's just the baby.  Time has changed to 4:30 or 5.

Today I'm making veg. beef soup for supper.  Also homemade rye bread & choc. cake (box) for dessert.

I'm back after taking time out for exercise on the stepper.  A 15 min workout.  Now I'm going to have coffee!

Kim is enjoying teaching very much, also the paycheck!  They want to visit her sister in Fla. & grandmother in Atlanta during the Christmas holidays.  But they want to spend Christmas here, so they're hoping they could get a Christmas aft. or early pm. flight to Fla.  If that works out I'd plan a turkey dinner for Christmas Eve & a special Christmas breakfast, & then the 4 of us would just snack the rest of the day.

K Mart is going to be so nice & large for this area.  As you enter to the left you see at the far side the shiny stainless of Little Caesar's pizza.  They have a few tables & chairs & they have other things -- like cookies & coffee.  Opposite that where the flower shop (plants, etc.) used to be are the TVs, radios, etc.  It should be completed by Nov.  Also the music store (tapes, cassettes, etc) has enlarged to take in the empty bldg by its side & it is so bright & beautiful.

Warren football is 3-2 this season after a few seasons of 30-1.   They beat an Erie team in the 1st game & last nite beat St. Mary's & both happened in the final seconds.  Exciting!

The Christmas Club check should be here in about a month or so & I'm making lists.  I'd like you to think about gift ideas for the boys.  I tho't a boy for each - something special they'd like & clothes.   So I need hints & sizes.  I'd appreciate hints for Mom & Dad, too!

We watched the Brewers beat Baltimore today.  Barb is rooting for them.  Now we're watching Atlanta & Houston.  Maybe it's the Pirates turn to win this year seeing Atlanta's catcher Olson was hurt.  Dale roots for the Pirates.

Talked to Gen last week & all is well there.  Gen, Ed & another couple are at Nantucket until Wed.  Ed & the other man are doing some carpentry work for a couple who live on the island.  It's a vacation for the gals. The couple are on vacation so Gen & Ed, etc. live in their home while they work.

All is well here.  I told you didn't I that Dan & family moved back to Utah.  He needs more training to pass to be a chiropractor in Utah so they were going to move back to Mich. again.  Stella & June had a meal already & waiting & they never showed up.  So Stella called Dan's father-in-law & was told they changed their mind as as Dan was driving a truck.  They never told Stella & she was ready for a meal for all of them.

Friday, February 10, 1992

Time for another letter. The storm missed us this time & we’re happy. N.Y.C & Boston sure have been hit as well as many other areas. We watch N.Y. news & they are at a standstill & don’t know where to put all the snow.

Had an eye exam last week, needed a change so got new glasses. Should have them next week. Dad had an exam today & he’ll be getting new glasses. He doesn’t blink his eyes enough & that causes the eyes to dry out & give him trouble.

We love our new R.C.A. 26” T.V. Got it in time for the Super Bowl & now for the Olympics.

The tub & surround are in the bathroom, otherwise it’s bare as Lar is putting in a new floor. Next will be sizing the walls, paint the ceiling, wallpapering so it shouldn’t be too much longer. Lar is doing a wonderful job.

When I exercise I like to read, etc. as time passes faster. Decided to memorize the Nicene Creed & surprised myself by getting it done in a week. When I was at A.I.C. I was suppose to memorize a Psalm as Bible was a course you had to take & I didn’t do a very good job. So I decided to prove to myself that I can do it.

Lar & Dad are carrying up to the bathroom the new cabinet. It’s going to be so nice. Not quite as big as the one we had & won’t hold as much. I’ll have to go over my towels, etc. & get rid of worn ones.

Tori has been here quite often & I let him up on the davenport (cloth over it) & he likes to stand up & look out the window. When he goes upstairs to see Lar he also like to jump on our bed (watching T.V. also).

Tues A.M. Breakfast time.

Heard from June – she is in Texas. Anita’s son Stacy & wife had twins, a boy & a girl. Jane visits her kids during the winter months.

Lar has the sink & cabinet in & it looks so nice. He’s on the home stretch.

It’s warming up so there will be a melting. Hope we’ve had all our snow.

The outfit I got Eddie – size 4 – will be sent soon, as there weren’t any size 5 left. It should be OK for awhile. It’s so cute, I didn’t want to exchange it.

Want to get this in the mail so will quit. We go grocery shopping t his A.M.