Thanksgiving Wednesday

I was invited to my nephew home to have a pre-thanksgiving supper with his girlfriend, her family, and his son.  I brought my version of a vegetarian turkey. I really had a great time as I met my nephews girlfriend's Mom and Dad.  I had promised her girls that I would bring a sewing machine for them to sew with.  They are both very interested.  The older one will be taking a class in it this spring.  She is in middle school.  I also was able to bring a table for them to use with the machine.  The youngest got her grandma to promise to help her learn a few things about the machine.   

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baby sitting

 

Jax first hair cut

 

Jax was a handful this week while I baby sat him. He walks, talks, runs, and gets into anything that he can.  Their day care provider took 8 days of this month.  They had it all covered except for Wednesday through Friday of last week.  I agreed that I could handle it just fine.  Well I would not have been able to except he takes a 2 or 2 1/2 hour nap each day.   Of course grandma did too.  He had shots scheduled for Wednesday morning.  I think his little leg hurt him as most of Wednesday I would hear him say ouch quite often.  He has two cabinets that he can get into legally in the kitchen. He would unload them and carry the contents all over the kitchen and living room.   I would put all of it back into the cabinet only for him to come along again and unload them again. I made a tent out of the dining room table and we crawled through it again and again.  Feeding him was very easy as he eats anything and everything.  But I found out that he squirreled away food in a pocket of his high chair.  Every time he went into the kitchen he would get a snack.  I finally caught on.  I thought he was getting it off the floor so I would sweep the kitchen.   But no he had his own secret hiding place.  Anyway it was fun, but I was happy to get home.  Tired, but I know I was needed.  It was a great feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving

May your stuffing be tasty, May your turkey plump
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump
May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize
And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs.

Happy Thanksgiving

knitting

After felting

This is the big version

 

I am making a hat to go with my purple coat.  It am using a purple ribbon and some feathers or a purple bug pin that I have.   It is an interesting project.  First you knit this huge hat.  Then you put it in the washer with the hottest water you machine will deliver.  Then you agitate it.  You have to check it every 5 minutes so that  you don't have a Barbie sized hat.    Then it has to dry completely on a form.  I keep trying it on during this part to make sure it will fit my melon.  After it is dry you sew, glue or pin the decorations on it.   I am starting another hat this week.  It is going to be a flat brim hat out of purple yarn. 

wolf

I can't believe that I had a wolf in my yard while I was gone.  This track measures 3 1/2 inches long.  It was running and his tracks were in a straight line.  I looked on the Internet to see if I would identify whether it was a large dog or a wolf.  After reading everything I could I decided it was definitely  a wolf.    

This picture was taken after last years wolf hunt.  This wolf was shot  not too far from my home.

Thank Offering Sunday

This was Thank Offering Sunday,  The women of the Lutheran church have been gathering in the setting of Thank Offering Services since the early 1900's.  We come together as faithful women, joyfully giving thanks and praise for what God has given us.  This year the service features prayers, hymns and litanies for other services in years past.  It was an opportunity to give thanks for the women of the First Lutheran Church.  The following are activities led by the women:  circles, quilting, knitting and crocheting, alter guild, Food shelves, and kitchen and funeral lunch committees.  Each year we display our quilts.  This year we also displayed out prayer shawls also.

moles

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

 

A papa mole, a mama mole, and a baby mole, live together in a little mole hole.
One day, papa mole sticks his head
Out of the hole, sniffs the air and  said, ' Yum! I smell maple syrup!'                                       
  The mama mole sticks  her head out of the hole, sniffs the air and said, 'Oh, Yum!  I smell honey!'                                            
  Now baby mole is trying to stick his head out of the hole to sniff the air, but can't because the bigger moles rear ends are in the way. 

This makes him whine, 'Geez, all I can smell is.....

                                              MOLASSES!

  

a brain

A bit of humor to brighten your day!! When God created Adam and Eve, He said: I only have two gifts: One is the art of peeing standing ... And the...n Adam stepped forward and shouted: ME!, ME!, ME!, I would love it please ... Lord, please, please! Look, it will make my life substantially easier. Eve nodded, and said those things did not matter to her. Then God gave Adam the gift and he began to shout for joy. He ran through the garden of Eden and used it to wet all the trees and bushes, ran down the beach making drawings with his pee in the sand ... Well, he would not stop showing off. God and Eve watched the man crazy with happiness and Eve asked God: What is the other gift? ' God answered: Eve,..... a brain ... and it is for you ..

National Friendship Week

you will take the time to read these.

I promise you'll come away with an enlightened perspective .

 

They're written by Andy Rooney, a man who had the gift of saying so much with so few words.

 

Enjoy.......

 

I've learned.... That

the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

 

I've learned.... That

when you're in love, it shows.

 

I've learned.... That

just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

 

I've learned.... That

having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

 

I've learned.... That

being kind is more important than being right.

 

I've learned.... That

you should never say no to a gift from a child.

 

I've learned.... That

I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

 

I've learned.... That

no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

 

I've learned.... That

sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

 

I've learned.... That

simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

 

I've learned.... That

life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

 

I've learned.... That

we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

 

I've learned.... That

money doesn't buy class.

 

I've learned.... That

it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

 

I've learned... That

under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

 

I've learned.... That

to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

 

I've learned.... That

when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

 

I've learned.... That

love, not time, heals all wounds.

 

I've learned.... That

the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

 

I've learned.... That

everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

 

I've learned.... That

no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

 

I've learned... That

life is tough, but I'm tougher.

 

I've learned.... That

opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

 

I've learned.... That

when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

 

I've learned.... That

I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

 

I've learned.... That

one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

 

I've learned.... That

a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

 

I've learned.... That

when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

 

I've learned.... That

everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

 

I've learned.... That

the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

 

To all of you.... Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.

 

It's National Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care. .

 

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED!

Best divorce letter ever

Dear Wife,

I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for 7 years & I have nothing to show for it. These last 2 weeks have been hell. ... Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today & that was the last straw. Last week, you came home & didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, had cooked your favorite meal & even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in 2 minutes, & went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband & wife. Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone....
Your EX-Husband

P.S. don’t try to find me. Your SISTER & I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life!

Dear Ex-Husband,

Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It’s true you & I have been married for 7 years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining & griping Too bad that doesn’t work. I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment. And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork 7 years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, & I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning. After all of this, I still loved you & felt we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for 10 million dollars, I quit my job & bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica But when I got home you were gone.. Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care.

Signed, Your Ex-Wife, Rich As Hell & Free!
P.S. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem.

Burned Biscuits

A lesson we all should learn.

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!...

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people.
I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket--keep it in your own."
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
 Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil--it has no point"

-Anonymous

bathroom

 

This picture is not showing the true colors of my tub.

 

I had a plumber coming in Monday.  I haven't had much luck with my do it yourself projects. But I need to find out if any damage was done further down the line with this ring leaking with every shower.  Hopefully he can just replace the ring with a new one and silicone it and slap it back on. Well it happen something like that.  He had to replace the entire piece as it come in one piece not two as mine was corroded and had broken.  So he fixed it from my basement laundry room.  There was a hole in the ceiling right under the tub.  He had it in in a matter of minutes.  I found out that there was no damage to sub flooring as it didn't leak.   This is the fourth thing that has broken in my home in a weeks time.

needs

 Everyone will go through some hard times at some point. Life isn't easy. Just something to think about...Did you know the people that are the strongest are usually the most sensitive? Did you know the people who exhibit the most kindness are the first to get mistreated? Did you know the ones who take care of others all the time are usually the ...ones who need it the most? Did you know the 3 hardest things to say are I love you, I'm sorry, and Help me. Sometimes just because a person looks happy, you have to look past their smile and see how much pain they may be in. To all my friends who are going through some issues right now--Let's start an intention avalanche. We all need positive intentions right now. Look beyond the smile.  Choose your words more carefully.  And love one another. But be there when times are tough. 

returns

I received a notice in the mail that my dehumidifier was being recalled.  The notice read:  Unplug your dehumidifier immediately.  The recall was due to consumer reports of dehumidifiers units over heating, emitting smoke, and catching on fire.   I went on line and registered my dehumidifier and sure enough it was one of the recalled ones.  They sent me a recall kit.  I had to cut off the plug and send it to them.  I had to peal off the name plate sticker and serial numbers.  That all had to be sent to them in a manila envelop. When they receive it they will send me my money back in full.   While that was going on I was dealing with my humidifier for my bedroom. I only use the dehumidifier in the summer in the basement and I use the humidifier in the winter in my bedroom.  That is one of the reasons that I have nice skin.  Ha Ha. Well,  the mister stopped working and after trying all the suggestions to fix it I am mailing it back to the factory and they are going send me a new one. 

Dehumidifier

 

humidifier

now and then

I just got my picture taken at the church for the directory.  I was so amazed that I was posed in the identical manor as my college graduation picture. Having only  enough money to make one picture when I graduated  in 1968 so I gave it to my parents.  My brother refused to give it to me when my parents passed as it was on the wall in his home, but when Dave passed it was returned by the three boys.  I told my son that I had the obit picture ready for my passing.  He only wrinkled up his nose a bit at that comment. 

plans

These are the plans for the arch that the class of 64 saved from the demolition of the old high school. Here is the update on the project.  We have a place to put it if we wait 8-10 years.  We have architect drawing of the free standing arch with the footings and the structure.   The architect assured the planning group that any mason can follow these plans and accomplish erecting the structure.  We have three masons that we are going to contact for estimates. It seems so easy but this has been going on since 2008. 

kitchen remodel

before

before

after

after

I have finished my remodel project.  I have covered the back splash with tiles that look like mottled copper.  This is my Christmas present to myself.  It was not too difficult to do, except for my ability to cut the holes for the outlets.  I have finally got better at that too.  But while I was measuring the second hole, I accidentally shorted out the plug.  After trying the reset button and going down stairs and trying  to flip the breaker I finally called an electrician.  He had me try all of them again.  He was here just after lunch.  He found my ground fault protector tucked away in my basement.   It was burned out.   I had electricity back in the kitchen after he replaced it.  Lucky for me that I have great wiring and a plastic case on my retractable measuring tape as I didn't get electrocuted.  I will live to do another project.   But the electrician didn't complete the job.  He had unplugged my sub pump and I started to wash clothes.  Luckily I went down stairs to check on the progress and caught the mistake before the water got very far in  filling my basement.  Well,  that is all in a days work for a home owner. 

Poem

Report on Jamon Lee

 

Trumpets and triumphs and turn on the moon….

Jamon Lee is using a spoon.

 Scatter the daisies and gather them up ……

Jamon Lee is using a cup.

Jamon Lee’s mannerly.  Mannerly? Jamon Lee? 

Hug him and kiss him and let him be.

Jamon Lee’s laughing night time and noon

He eat’s from a cup and drinks from his spoon.


I got a chance to look at Jamon's baby book while I was at Jax's birthday party. I gave Jamon it when Jax was born.   I had forgotten about the poem I wrote  29 years ago about Jamon when he was learning to eat.   We did compare pictures of the two of them and some of them were hard to tell who is who.  But Jax is still doing finger food eating, but totally on table food.  He will start learning to eat with a spoon soon.  Maybe after he gets the idea to keep his shoes and socks on. 

 

plowing

This is the first time that I had to plow since I tarred my driveway.  It is going to be nice that I will not have to rake dirt and rocks out of my lawn in the spring.  I really had to rethink my direction of plowing.  But once I got the idea it went really well.  The snow was heavy and wet.  It was 3 inches on the level.  I think the tar is going to make my job easier. 

deer hunting

Deer hunting -- Minnesota's unofficial holiday next to the fishing opener.  It started Saturday.  I try to stay away from my windows and I don't do my normal mile walk outside. It is just too dangerous.   Not all hunters are operating on the brightest bulbs.  Cows, people and wolves beware. 

Lutefisk dinner

I can't believe that we are on the back side of the lutefisk supper.  It takes the entire church to make this happen. Everyone has their favorite area to volunteer in.  I haven't heard the final totals, but I am sure that it will be announced at church today.  We serve potatoes, carrots, rutabagas, cole slaw and pie along with the meatballs and lutefisk.  Please let us not forget the buns and the lefsa.  We also sell lefsa three rounds for 5.50.  Any leftovers will be sold at church for the same price.  This is the big money maker for the year.