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, October 22, 2005

It's a damp, sometimes rainy Sat.  I'm not baking today -- have banana bread in the freezer.

They (Russell school) are taking down the newer playground equipment at Jefferson School. It is a big project & several men are there.  I'm sure it is a time free job by PTA volunteers.

I copies 2 recipes from Bon Appetit.  One a choc. cake & frosting that sounds delicious. The other Schmaltz balls for thickening gravy.  Don't' know if I'll have the chicken fat to make them.  Article by Alton Brown from the Food Channel & fun to watch if you can take his humor.  Sometimes I can't.  Dale watches it at times.

Watching Baseball Tonight on ESPN last nite, 3 of the 4 announcers pick the White Sox to win. One stock with the Astros.  I'm having a hard time deciding.  I'm an N.L. booster but -- ! One has to lose.

This past week I've been up at 5 AM.  Work up this A.M. at 5 AM, went to the bathroom & back to sleep til after 7 A.M.  It's a lazy day for me & that is why I started a letter.

Barb is still in her p.j.'s on the laptop.  Dale slept in & is taking it easy.  He got what he needed to automatically open the car doors so we should so be able to use the keys for that.

Yesterday we went to Jamestown.  Ate lunch at Red Lobster.  Did some shopping.  Found a top I liked.  Tried it on & bought it.  A Kathy Daniels red zippered top with a black scroll design stitched on.  The "stitched" should have gone before "scroll" -- or something like that.

Later.  We're watching the Wi-Purdue game.  As of the half they are tied.  Go Wisconsin!

I'm making "Almost Homemade Chicken Soup' using canned chicken broth, veggies & noodles & of course cubed chicken.  Barb wondered if I made a pie.  Tho't of it but we have leftover apple crisp to finish.  Next time I'll plan a soup & pie supper.

Wed, 8 A.M.

I'll write some more before I get dressed.  Last Sun. as I made my bed I turned the wrong way & felt a twinge in my back.  I've applied heat & exercise.  It's not bad enough to go to the chiropractor, but it is a little bothersome.

Millie called to tell me that John, Fe (Fay) & Gen went to see Millie last Sun. They gave her a wedding invitation, 3 pages telling about sponsors, attendants, etc.  Done in pink & white. Her father is dead & was mayor of their city.  Mother an M.D.  Large group of attendants. Following the ceremony the reception & it said dance, dance, dance so it must be an all nite affair.  John & Fe leave tomorrow the 27th & it's a 24 ur trip.  Gen thinks John is going on vacation.  Gen doesn't believe John is her son.  Millie can see how that can happen because he is so much like Ed.  And when he called me, he sounded like Ed.  They also went to Larry's cottage & Gen told Larry she planned to divorce Ed.

Sun. in church the pastor announced Rose Seeley's family wished members would visit Rose, esp. old friends.  That hit home as I've tho't I should visit Rose but haven't.  But I will. She is at the home on Water St. so I can walk over there.  But it's been a rainy week so I'll wait for a nicer day but I have to do this.  No more putting it off.

John is either 41 or will be in Nov.  That means my mother died 41 years ago.  She died in Jan & John was born in Nov.  Millie figures Fe is in her middle 30s.  She is an emergency room nurse.  Works 4 10 hr. days & has 3 days off.

I made lasagna last nite, using "no cook" noodles & it was very good.  Veggie lasagna with spinach.  When I had to cook the noodles they would always split on me & I didn't like that.

Better get going.

Thurs nite.

My back is OK & I'm thankful for that.

I was sorry that the Astros couldn't even win one game, but it is nice the White Sox finally won a World Series.  I didn't think it was a very interesting World Series.

Have you noticed how well Penn State & the Steelers are doing.  I guess "Papa Joe" as he is affectionately called still has "it" along with the help of a few good freshmen.  He doesn't usually use freshman.  I'm sure Cyndi is happy.  Is that how she spells her name.  Seems to be it was a different spelling.  We're hoping that we see the sun soon. Maybe this weekend.

Barb finished her puzzle & I started one.  A winter scene.  Barb's was a hard one.

Tuesday, March 22, 1994

Not doing much these days so you'll get a letter.  My back is better but still sore & it is very limiting in what I can do.  Getting out of bed is the hardest.  Have seen the4 chiropractor twice & have a Thurs. appt.

Dale had to take his "Summer" car out last Sun. due to hitting a deer Sat nite.  I didn't see the car but Barb did, Sun A.M.  Naturally a thousand tho'ts went thru my head but it was a deer so that was a relief.  It mainly damaged the radiator & he is looking for a replacement.  He'll have to go to the junk yard on Sat.  He still isn't ready to have the summer car out yet.

Sat. Barb & I usually go to the Mall but I decided I couldn't take it & I missed using a Penney's 25% discount & a 20% card from Bon Ton.

Mon. Dad & I went to the Mall & I looked for baseball Tshirts but they didn't have many.  Got 23 for Eddie - 1 should fit (Fla "Marlins") & the "Atlanta" one will be too big but he can grow into it, or wear it oversized like the big guys do.

The bathroom is completed & we are so satisfied with the outcome.  Lar still has some "stuff" to carry away, including stuff in the basement.  We try to get ride of stuff but it is so hard.  Junk in the attic & basement.  You're lucky you have neither attic or basement.

We have a glorious day after almost an inch of rain on Mon.  Snow is melting but it will be awhile yet before it's gone.

Soon baseball will be here & it will be nice to have it on TV again.  Atlanta has gotten some tough breaks.

For sure the pkg goes out this week & will be sent to the library.

Kim is in charge of a musical at Sheffield Hi & we'll be going to it - about the middle of Apr.  She is a busy gal, also.  Did I mention she closes the business after school is out.  They've had too many problems with the owner - toilet overflow causing flooding & still he does nothing to fix it.  And they always pay their rent on time.

Besides a few aches we are all fine.

[Enclosure]