September 21st - September 27th, 2010

On Health and Healing: what can I do or be for anyone else if I haven’t taken care of me.

Focus on Health: I have spent a good deal of time this week trying to get out of my upcoming shoulder surgery. I have talked to the surgeon, by primary care doctor, my brother-in-law that I know cares about me and wants good health for me and I have had more blood tests and an EKG to prepare, just in case I don’t back out. So far the surgery is on, so I am praying for a really good result and quick healing.


Along with That: Bill and I were eating somewhere a while back and on the wall of the restaurant was a poster with Warren Buffet’s Rules for Life.

Well Bill has a list of Rules too and I am not doing so well with Bill’s list, it goes something like this:

Rule Number 1. Don’t Hurt Your Self
Rule Number 2. Don’t Break Anything
Rule Number 3. Don’t Fall

The number order seems to change now and then, depending on what I have done wrong recently. He has had these rules for years and you might think that by now I would be getting them right, but it just isn’t to be. You should see people’s faces when I tell them that my husband has made rules for me…….


What's Cooking?

Tuesday: cancelled family dinner to cook for the ‘teen feed’
Wednesday: (Teen Feed) Taco Bean Soup, Chicken Enchiladas, Mexican Rice, Corn, and Chocolate Brownies w/ whipped Cream (Got Canceled so we ate Chicken Enchiladas)
Thursday: Bill’s night out
Friday: date night (in) BLT pasta recipe w/ Bill and Colleen
Saturday: Taco Bean Soup and steamed tortillas
Sunday: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and apple salad
Monday: roasted chicken, stuffing, stir-fried brussel sprouts and red peppers

We ate pretty gook this week.  :-)


On Life and Living:

Tuesday September 21st – It is official! Bill is retiring! I am so excited for him, he has worked 5 days a week for 37+ years and two times we have taken 2 week vacations other than that he hasn’t taken off more than one week at a time. We have been working with a couple of financial advisers and are hoping we have saved enough money to maintain our current lifestyle actually we hope to travel more. It is scary because we have done the planning on paper but to see how it really works out will be interesting. The way Bill and I have done the finances over the years is that I take care of the day to day, I pay the bills and he has been working on the long term plan and managing the savings and retirement part so now all those charts he built are looking a lot more interesting to me. Here is his official announcement:



Hi All,


Well, I have decided to take the plunge and retire. My last day will be on Friday, November 12th with a party on Wednesday, November 10th. I hope you can all come. It will be in the afternoon of the Nov 10th in the Forum. More later on that.


I have been talking with Jon about my retirement for a couple weeks. I needed time to figure out insurance, sources of income and other things to convince myself that it was doable.


You may remember that my wife had two serious abdominal surgeries this year. We started thinking seriously of retirement during that time because we would like to spend more time together while we are both healthy.


I started work at Puget Power/PSE on February 1, 1973. So, by the time I retire it will be 37 years and 10 months. I have had a great time doing varied work from engineering to IT over the years. I will miss each one of you but it is time for me to move on.


Here is an interesting part of it. CeLinda (my wife) has started a countdown calendar at home which is like an advent calendar. You know, the ones where you open a little paper door each day to see a new surprise under the door. Well, she has thought of 60 gifts (some small and others larger), one for each day. I think I am on minus 52 days today. So far, I received a couple T shirts with “retired” embroidered on the front, a couple of foot massage certificates and a paid kayak trip around one of the San Juan Islands.


I am sure that the SAP Support team will do very well without me. You guys are some of the most intelligent and hard working individuals that I have ever met. Thanks for all the great times we have had together.


Bill Kotsogean
SAP Support Work/Materials Management Lead

I worked today and had cancelled Family dinner to have more time to cook. I made 4 large crock-pots of chicken enchiladas tonight and got them all in the fridge for tomorrow. It took me hours longer to do the work because my shoulder hurt so much and chopping, it hurts all up in my neck to chop. I was hoping that I could forget this surgery but if I want to chop, I just don’t know. I talked to Sana today, (my primary care) and she had spoken at length to the surgeon and they both think I need to do this and that I will have a good result from it.

Wednesday September 22nd – I worked a half day today and on the way home to start cooking I got a call from Phyllis, the Teen Feed is off. It appears there was a mix up on the calendar and when she called to confirm they said that someone else was on the calendar for today. Yikes. So I just turned towards Target and picked up those aluminum foil casserole containers and went home and emptied the crock-pots into them and put the whole thing in the freezer. I have a lot of chicken enchiladas. But someone will need them. Funny it all fit in the freezer too since we had just defrosted and cleaned it last weekend. I had not cooked the rice or the corn or the brownies and the Taco Bean Soup we love so I have plenty made for a while. My shoulder and neck were really hurting by the time I move all the chicken enchiladas into the casseroles and I spent the rest of the night having a pity party.

Thursday September 23rd – Thursday is supposed to be R&R and today was a good day. Way better than yesterday. First I started taking Advil again and my pain level was much more manageable, but I am concerned about the damage that can be doing that I don’t know about. Anyway, I did some stuff at the desk and then picked up paperwork for blood tests and EKG to get ready for surgery, then I went knitting. I am getting help from Annelie at Serial Knitters and she has really been a big help. Today I got the back of another top I am working on off the needles. It is ‘my’ own design and she is helping me get what is in my brain onto paper and eventually off the needles. “It Is All About The Math!” This project has been on hold for several months mostly because other things just took priority. Now I am really making progress on my unfinished projects (UFO’s) of which this is one and that automatically moves it up on the priority list. SK the LYS has a knitting circle on Thursday mornings that I have signed up for, it is a time I can go and get help from my new favorite teacher. So I am meeting new people; today I met Chris, Mary Ellen and Sandy. Sandy looked familiar to me and I thought I might have met her sometime knitting in another shop, maybe the old Kirkland yarn store. After a while of knitting and chatting I mentioned that I was a dental hygienist and she says “you used to work for Dr Kitchel didn’t you?” and I said yes. Then she said: I have missed you so much, you were the best hygienist I have ever had. You took your time, you were thorough and you were the most gentle hygienist ever. Before the knitting circle broke up I had given out several of my cards and my head was really swelling. In the afternoon I did a little more at the desk and then settled in front of the television to watch “The Big Bang Theory” - so funny.
Friday September 24th – I think our front door has a revolving attachment I didn’t know about. I left the house at about 8 am to get blood tests and EKG for the upcoming surgery. I got home about 10:15 and Lane (a young friend) and her children came to visit. The baby is only a few weeks old guess what I set home with them, one of the chicken enchilada casseroles, for a day when she is too tired to cook. She left at noon and my Book club group was arriving at the same time. I served Taco Bean Soup to the Book club group and someone brought cornbread and someone brought fruit. We had a good discussion about life parallels’ with the book we had read (Back When We Were Grow-Ups) The book club ladies were still standing in the driveway when Bill got home and just a little while after that Bill, Colleen and Lido came for dinner and a visit. We watched a little television to unwind and were in bed before 11 for sure.
Saturday September 25th – Saturday morning we went to watch Luke play football. Oh he was so cute in his uniform. Savanna is doing cheer this year and she was in her uniform too but she cheers for a different age group so we didn’t get to see her in action this week. But you can see how cute they are.

Aren't They Cute???

The original plan was after we watched Luke play football we would come home and I would go the other direction to Tamara’s to help cook and watch Hannah get ready for her first Homecoming Dance. That plan got cancelled when I talked to Hannah on the phone, she sounded terrible and said she had a sore throat and a cold. My immune system is so off these days we all agreed I didn’t need to be there and possibly get sick. So Tamara text me to show me how beautiful she looked. Tamara made and awesome dinner for Hannah and 11 of her friends.

I just hated missing out on that. Instead we came home and I worked in the yard for a couple of hours. It was hard to do an my arm was sore, but I won’t be doing anything at all for a while after the surgery so now was a good time to do it.

Sunday September 26th – Bill is opening his countdown to retirement gifts and today he got two gift certificates to get a foot massage. So he said he was going to use them today and he was going to use one for me too. Woo Hoo. As we are on our way I said, gee I’m glad we are doing this, my neck is killing me from working in the yard yesterday. (I think I used different muscles since my arm is limited.) Bill said; what does your neck have to do with a foot massage. So this is how it works: They bring a tub of hot water and while your feet are soaking in the water they start at your head and work down massaging muscles all the way, by the time they are finished I didn’t hurt anywhere, including my foot that has hurt for over a year. I have an appointment with the foot doctor next week. I watched the Seahawks plays some good football while Bill cleaned the roof. He was really careful not to trash my flower beds which I thought was very nice. While I was watching the football game I also finished another sweater and if I count right that makes 5 sweaters this year, not to mention the hats and bibs and scarves I have done also and my new year’s goal was 6 sweaters this year. I think I am going to make that for sure.

Monday September 27th – Today I did a little cooking, ran a bunch of errands, worked at the desk a while and walked 3 miles with JoAnn. A normal Monday and now I am madly trying to get things finished up so I can post the blog for this week. It was a good week.


On Life and Living:

Just for fun: The Advent Calendar : Bill is loving it. We started it at 60 days to retirement and he gets to count down on the calendar and gets a present a day. I told him about it a couple of weeks before the countdown mostly because I was so excited I couldn’t keep it a secret anymore. He is really enjoying it and likes the presents he is getting but you know, he is really liking crossing off the days on the calendar. Making that ‘X’ on each day really gives him a thrill. How funny.


On being Productive, experiencing Pleasure and Living Positive

What's on my needles: Have I ever mentioned that I hate – hate Kid Silk Haze. It is so hard to frog. I am working on a scarf and I had to take out about 10 rows. It was not any fun at all. Someone told me that if I have to do that again, put the project in the freezer for a day first and then it is easier. Who would guess. I will let you know if I have to do that.

What's off my needles: My Red silk tank top with the Gold Wave in the front. The gold wave is made from a bit darker red silk yarn that has gold beads attached to the yarn. I started it last fall thinking of the holiday season. Then other things just kept moving in front of it on the priority list. Now I am really making progress on the unfinished projects of which this is one. I think it turned out nice. I have almost as much yarn left over as I used. I bought it at a trunk show at Tricoter and the manager ‘figured’ out how much yarn I would need. I think I have enough for a beautiful shawl, or something else.

What I am reading: I am just starting something new: A Song Without Words by Ann Packer        It has been on my bookshelf for ages and now seems like the time. I have only pulled it down, I have not even opened it up yet.


Have I seen any good movies lately: This week we have been trying to catch some of the new fall season of television and everything I want to watch seems to be on at the same time. I have got to learn how to do streaming instead of waiting for Bill to do it.  P.S.  The antenna is still a poor substitute for cable, and it hasn't been free.  But I'd rather spend my money on something besides cable if I were choosing,  obviously. 

My Favorite Thing:  Halie,  my 'granddaughter' introduced me to them.  She gave me two.   I mean two pieces.    Then I have looked everywhere and findly found some at Walgreen's,  I bought four bags.    They really are good, if you like coconut. 

Counting my Blessings: My thoughts for the day: Positive Thinking:
Wednesday was not my best day ever and at the end I was tired and hurting a lot and feeling sorry for myself then Thursday was awesome, running into a former patient that really complimented me and made my day. So I am glad I didn’t give up on Wednesday, I am glad that I got up and made myself go out on Thursday, I am making new acquaintances and finding purpose in life. I didn’t ‘bear’ children of my own but my life is full with the children God has given me and now grandchildren too. I am blessed indeed.


Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945:   For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.

Friday September 21st - Tonite the football boys are putting on a program and having a box supper. Well we went and I took a chocolate pie to be auctioned off. It brought $9. Mrs. Mc took a cake that brought $26 or more.  Gee, I took 5 pounds of butter up to Hilly tonite.



Saturday September 22 - Well, we went to Cherokee this evening, Frank went with us as he is our adopted son, looks like for he is always ready to go, when we are poor old fellows. Sis Ermey came home with us this evening. We went out to see Old Mrs. Gays handmade cedar bed suite and it is beautiful. She wants $130 for it. Lovie sure wants it. I told her to buy it if she wants it. Sis Ermey and I really had a hide and go seek game. We played so hard we scared the turkeys off their perches. Dad said we did.


Sunday September 23 - Well, The Gay’s came and ate dinner with us, as did Lovie and Emma. They came after church and Nancy and I had dinner underway when they got here. Lester came first thing this morning wanting to make ice cream this evening and I told him we sure would. He ran up to Cherokee for ice and milk. The girls wanted us to go to the show to see Ernie Pyle in G.I. Joe. Thought at first we would go but I decided we had better not. Lester went with the girls and me and Mrs. Gay had a very nice visit. We made the cream tonight, Lester got in at dark. Hilly rode his mare to town. I gave Mrs. Gay a tin lid cover for her skillets.


Monday September 24th – Haven’t done any thing, only lay around today. My back is getting me down. I put my stoves on today, see if I can get up better. Dad is pulling corn today. I talked to Emma, said she was tired and sleepy. My we had a sweet letter from the Bill Boy today and they left for Colorado yesterday. Sure hope they have a good trip . Bill said the candy was fine that I sent them. So glad they liked it. The turkey tom that hung himself yesterday is doing fine.



Tuesday September 25th – Well today has been a happy day for me. I had all my little daughters with me, and a letter from the Sonnie Boy. First we had since the 5th of this month. He wants to come home so bad and we want him too. Elsie told us today that the water project would be put in at Uncle Dicks place, the dam and extend from hill to hill. Dad is pulling corn today. I sent 3 pounds of butter up to the store by the kids. That makes 8 pounds since the first of last week. Mr Perry put one of Mrs. Johnsons letters from Russel, her son in our mailbox so I had the girls to drop it in her box as they went home.


Wednesday September 26th – we washed this morning and it was the first time in months that we didn’t have rain water to wash in. Dad has gone to Cherokee to get turkey pellets. Well me and RH had an argument over everything in general. Guess we would peter out if we didn’t argue. I cleaned the house this evening.


Thursday September 27th – Well the Lovie and Emma ran down to see if I had the house clean, but I had cleaned it pretty good yesterday. I cleaned and baked a chicken and made a cake as Emma’s friends are coming tonight. Jean, Burr, maybe Billie. Dad is still pulling corn. Emma brought me a broom and sack of flour 25pounds and one 10 pound sack of meal. I must pay them. Well Jean and Burr came, Emma said just Jean and Burr would come. Had a nice supper. Then they left for Llano and Emma went with them, I didn’t want her to go.


 
 
 

September 13th – 20th, 2010

On Health and Healing: what can I do or be for anyone else if I haven’t taken care of me.

Focus on Health: Bummer, Bummer, Bummer I am going to have shoulder surgery. It is scheduled for October 8th. It appears I tore my rotator cuff and I might have ignored that but I also have separated at least part of the attachment of my bicep muscle to the bone and that could get much worse. That is the reason I decided to go ahead with surgery.

Walking Stats: I am walking regularly but I am not using a pedometer, the app is on my phone and when I am walking I am using the iPod function that is usually an audio book instead.

What's Cooking?      I made a new pasta dish recently:

Bacon, Spinach and Tomato Pasta

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
6 – 8 slices of bacon – sliced in ½ -3/4 inch pieces
½ medium sweet onion, sliced
3 cups of baby spinach sliced
1 cup of fresh tomato, slices or chunks
1/3 – ½ cup of pesto (I guess this is optional too, but we liked it)
1/3 cup of mayo (I use the kind made with olive oil)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 avocado, cubed (optional)

Boil the pasta in one pot and in the another one cook the bacon pieces. When the bacon is crispy drain off most of the ‘drippings’ then sauté the onions with the bacon in the remaining oil. When the pasta is almost cooked add the tomatoes and spinach to the sauté. Then drain the pasta and add it to the sauté pan. Stir in the pesto, mayo and salt and pepper. Add the avocado if you are using it. Serve with a good bread and enjoy.


Next I am going to try BLT bread salad.



Tuesday September 14th, I worked at the Redmond Ridge office. When I come back from vacation I remember again how much I enjoy working. I love the patients, getting to know someone new or getting to know someone a little better. I got hugs and welcome backs from my coworkers and that reminded me that I love who I am working with in both offices also. Then the work itself, I have decided it is like a craft project and I love to ‘dig into the project and make everything beautiful and perfect.’ So it was good to be back from vacation. Becky came over for family dinner and that was when I made the BLT pasta dish. Amanda doesn’t like tomatoes, onions or avocados so this was a good week to try this recipe since she was in Florida visiting her parents there.

Wednesday September 15th, I worked again and was really tired at the end of the day. This is a sign of the lower prednisone and Addison’s disease I am sure but I was in bed before 8PM and asleep soon after. My alarm woke me up from a dead sleep to remind me to call my Aunt Jeanne and 9 PM. She and I have a date at 9PM on Wednesday’s and we both look forward to hearing from each other.

Thursday September 16th, I was up early because I had a doctor’s appointment for my shoulder. When I got there they took 3 x-rays and determined that nothing was broken. Then the doctor came in and did a few muscle reaction and reflex tests. He said I have a tear in the rotator cuff and have separated part of the ligament attachment of the bicep muscle to the bone and recommended surgery. It is scheduled for Oct 8th, with the plan of taking two weeks off work, but I think I am going to go for a second opinion somewhere sometime soon. I’m not liking the idea of surgery so much. After going to the orthopedic appointment I was so depressed that I “didn’t go knitting.” I just went home and pouted.

Friday September 17th, The good news is that Bill took today off work and he spent the day spoiling me, starting with coffee in bed when I woke up. We talked about surgery and what was coming and we both did chores around the house. He helped me with a bunch of stuff all day and at dinner we met Bill and Colleen and caught up from vacation. Next week maybe.

Saturday September 18th, This was one of my Saturday’s to work and again I had a great day. It was good to see everyone at this office. Most of the patient’s I know and have seen for years and I like that. So a while back I told Bill I hear voices in my head. He said what do these voices say to you? And I said, stuff like; you need to vacuum, the flower beds need cleaning out, blah, blah, blah. Now he wants to know what the voices are saying, so he can help, since he can’t hear these voices himself. So this morning I started a list and at the top it say’s “CeLinda’s Voices.” Today the list said: mail letters, Costco run, put away toilet paper in each bathroom, change out the cat food, carry the stuff in the garage up to the attic, empty the two dead mice out of the mouse traps and rebait them. He text me at work before lunch and said he was home from Costco. So when I went home at lunch I took all the meat off the bones of 5 roasted chickens and put the meat and bones in separate bags in the freezer. I am going to use the meat this coming week for the Teen Feed. Bill had crossed off and completed every single thing the voices had been bugging me about. I really like that list.

Sunday September 19th – Yesterday before I went to work I put a thing on Facebook that said I needed Crock Pots for the Teen Feed this coming week. So I spent some time today collecting Crock pots, 4 to be exact and I am hoping that will be enough. I have four myself and I have a couple more I can get my hands on. I also did some slicing and dicing of vegetables and getting them ready to cook. Bill and I defrosted the freezer in the garage.  We have been eating out of the freezer for a while and we have made good progress.  It looks great now.       

Amanda came over to visit for a bit, she was just back from Florida and it was great to see her face and get a hug. Mostly I watched disgusting football and knitted Sunday afternoon and I always look forward to talking to my cousin Jan who helps keep me up on part of the California family.

Monday September 20th - Today I started the day with a really nice visit with Mom, we both had a lot to catch up on, funny since we talk every Monday morning. We both get a cup of coffee and lay in bed and chat. Then I did a little work at the desk. I made a huge pot of Taco Bean Soup getting ready for the Teen Feed on Wednesday. This afternoon I did my walking and hit a couple more grocery stores for supplies, now I am spending a bit of time at the desk and Bill and I are looking forward to watching the new season of House that starts tonight.

On being Productive, experiencing Pleasure and Living Positive

What I am reading: I know this is going to sound fascinating but I read a pile of dental magazines while I was on vacation and this week and I tore out the interesting articles and put them in those plastic sheets and then in a 3-ring binder. Dr V says he has a book like that and he calls it “Just the Pearls.” (The juicy tidbits that you want to study, cherish, think on and remember.) I finished another short story by Mary Higgins Clark, an easy read, fiction, called ‘All Around The Town.’ Because of a traumatic event in Laurie’s youth she developed multiple personalities to help her cope. I am now reading a book called “Back When We Were Grown-ups” and I like it, more than I expected. It was a book club choice so I was wary, but it is a good read and now I am going to Netflix the movie, I didn’t know there was a movie but I ran into one of my book club friends at Trader Joe’s and she said the movie was good also. So there you have it.
Have I seen any good movies lately: Yes, we watched two this weekend and I liked both of them. ‘When in Rome’ was a B in my opinion just a cute ‘boy finds girl – boy looses girl – boy finds girl” the other movie was ‘Invictus and I loved it. Lots of contempory history that was interesting and well done.
I am cutting the rest of my notes a little short because it is time to go watch House. Later,….

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.




Thursday, September 13 – Well, the norther is still blowing today. Sure is cold this morning. Frank and dad finished up the hay stack. I spent most of the day in bed. As I am sure under the weather, feel so bad, I have eaten nothing but milk today. Frank and Cecil were here at noon time but I had no dinner cooked. I sure hated it too. Cecil went on home but Frank ate a snack with dad. Something killed one of my turkeys last night and ate it’s head off. So I cooked the rest for Tipper and Fuss. It was so nice and fat. The turkeys flew everywhere last night. Gee, we had a letter from Bill and Chy and Ann is walking some. Dad put the buck goat with the nanny this evening. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen came tonight.



Friday, September 14 – Well, me and old RH had a bout. Because he went to Cherokee this morning and would not wait till this evening, because I had to clean house and make some candy to send to Son. So, I’ll just go up with Mr. Perry tomorrow and not ole RH. He and Frank can go. Emma had Mr. Perry bring my amphogel and I must see who paid for it. Lovie and Em sent peppers and hamburger meat by RH this evening. RH and Hilly went to town. RH pulled Hilly’s whoopie car in too so he could get it fixed. I got Son’s candy all wrapped and ready to send tomorrow. I had RH help me pen Lipy. I’m going to milk her.


Saturday September 15th – Well I went to Cherokee with Mr. and Mrs. Perry and Son’s bucket of candy off. Mr. Perry is so nice, he mailed Son’s package for I didn’t have any money. Then, I gave him a check for the amphogel and the 33 cents for mailing the package. I wouldn’t go to Cherokee with RH as he and Frank wanted to go and take the hay this morning and I wanted to go this evening. While I was in the store this evening Norm Miller came in drunk as hoot owl, and he sang two songs for me. They were so pretty. He sang “Mother when I shake hands” and “Going with you”. Tom and Frank came along and Mr. Johanson got to meet Tom. Frank begged Lovie out of some draft or Nancy got it for him. Sis Ermies little dress was so pretty on her. She gave me such a sweet little pen made out of cedar. Emma brought Nancy and I home. As they Hilly Lovie Em were going to Bill and Martha’s to a hop. Sis Ermie and I made candy tonight.


Sunday September 16th - Well we, Hilly, Lovie, Emma, Nancy all went over to Cecil’s today to a big dinner and I mean a big dinner. Sure had a good time, lots of folks over there. I met Mrs. Bowden’s sister and her niece May. Emma and Worth had a water fight, then ran off to Cherokee. Don’t know where they went but I bet to the negro rodeo that Abe Galloway is putting on this eve. I must write the Sons a letter tonite. I have had the stomach ache. Guess it will take time for it to get well.


Monday September 17th - Well I didn’t do much today. I fixed my wine dress. And Oh Gee, we had a package from Chy and it contained to pictures of Ann and they are precious. Her little squirrel teeth are showing. She is so sweet. I never talked to the girls. I called Hilly and he said they were at the house. I told him to have them call me but he never did for they did not call me. Dad is sick tonite with bowel trouble and cramps in his stomach. I gave him some paregoric. I got the boys letters off. I have had the tummy ache too.


Tuesday September 18th - Well Cecil had a calf buyer today and he sent him over here and Dad sold 7 of our big calves for $50 each. I cooked a chicken and made some cottage cheese and Dad and I ran up to Cherokee and I took the chicken and cheese to the kids. Worth left today for Tarleton College. Dad still feels bad. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came a while this evening. The girls gave Dad a steak and a dozen oranges. I can’t eat steak. Banty hatched 4 baby banties all black with white heads. Worth came back this evening.


Wednesday September 19th - Well today my oldest granddaughter is 17 years of age and Gordie is giving her a birthday party. They wanted Dad and I to go but we are so beat up we decided it best to stay home. Dad ran over to San Saba to cash his $350 calf check. He gathered some corn, hauled it in with the pickup. I had Mrs. Gay send me some Saturday Posts. Dad stopped for them, she sent Lester’s pants for me to press, poor thing, she can’t use her hand yet. I didn’t have the tummy ache today and I ate a baked apple or two and I baked bananas. Gee, they were good. I made 7 half pints of pepper relish today. Wish I could eat some of it. Emma had me send up her black skirt.


Thursday September 20th - Well I didn’t do much today. Slept, then Dad and I had a fight, guess we both slept too long. I talked to Pollie and she said Jymmies’ birthday party was so nice and that she got a lot of nice gifts. Dad didn’t do anything today. Mrs. Gay told me that she had her box all ready for the football game.

September 7th – September 12th 2010

We have been on Vacation: We rented a house with the Friday Night Group in Kingston. We got to the house on Sunday afternoon September 5th and we rented the house for a week until September 12th.  We have been doing vacation with the Friday Night Group for over 20 years now,  we think we started in 1989 or 1990 and we think we have missed 2 years in all that time.


Sunday September 5th – Both the B&C’s were on the 2:15 ferry to Kingston and B&K showed up later. The other B&C’s daughter and 2 granddaughters joined us the first night. We all got to the house, explored some and unpacked and settled in. We snacked of veggies while B&C cooked the chicken lasagna which was fabulous. I think I was in bed before 9pm. Lots of people were in the hot tub, the place has lots of amenities and we are looking forward to the week.

Monday September 6th - I woke up just after 8am and went for coffee. Our bedroom is the farthest one down a long hallway, it was called the Garden Suite and it was the master suite to the house. There were three other bedrooms with king or queen beds and a loft that had two twin beds in it. Colleen used the loft for her painting room most of the week. Her work is just amazing and beautiful. Today was our day to cook and I made Moroccan Chicken Fricassee with steamed rice, broccoli and a green salad. The appetizers were pickles, crackers and cheese and wine salami. The Chicken dish uses lemons that have been preserved in a brine and they give the dish a unique flavor. We all liked it. Bill made the dessert which was going to be peach cobbler but when he started making it the peaches were bad and he went back to the store and got apples which were great. I went for a walk around the pond this afternoon and the first step I took onto a boardwalk bridge was so slippery I went flying. I really don’t know what happened because it happened so fast but I had mud on both palms, my chest, my chin and both sides of my hips so I think I smashed and rolled. Mostly it hurt my pride but I have hurt my right shoulder somehow and I am going to have to see a doctor when I get home.

Tuesday September 7th - We went to Edmonds today. Bill needed to make a bank deposit so we went to Kingston, parked the car and walked on the ferry. Then we explored Edmonds and had lunch at a not so good Mexican restaurant. (El Puerto on Main Street in Edmonds just in case you want to know where not to go. Bob and Karen were on dinner duty and they roasted a turkey and made this delicious lentil and rice salad that she has made before. They had overnight guest to the house this evening and they had brought German chocolate cake. So you see we are eating well this week. Each evening we have watched one episode of a TV series that Bill M brought. It is really good. I keep thinking of Monica our exchange student…. It is called “The Long Way Down”. It features two men on motorcycles but there is a third, the camera man also. They also have two vans with back up crew to make the series. They started in England and they are riding the motorbikes all the way from England to Cape town at the tip of Africa. Each one hour program is just exhausting to watch. They ride in mud, dust, ruts and a little tarmac. They see zebra, hippo, elephants, giraffes, and whatever else you can think of. They have broken many parts of the motorbikes and had to repair them. Along the way they have visited the people in Africa, the medic has helped people who were sick, they have brought gifts to schools and visited memorials. I learned a lot about some of the recent battles and conflicts in Africa that I knew very little about before. They did another trip before this one and it is called “The Long Way Around”, I am going to put that on my Netflix list when I get home.

Wednesday September 8th - I think I slept till almost 11AM today. I am not staying up till all hours of the night either. Today is the middle of vacation and we are eating out tonight. The restaurant every one picked was a little bistro in Poulsbo. I had Shrimp linguine with a marinara sauce. Colleen had beef short ribs on a creamy polenta that looked great. Karen got a Cesar salad and I can’t even remember what the guys had. The food was good but that trip to Portland and the Wildwood restaurant has spoiled me for a while.


Thursday September 9th - Bill and I went into Poulsbo today. I wanted to visit the LYS. It was called Amanda’s Art Yarns. The shopkeeper was taking a spinning lesson while I was there so I did some eves dropping. I ended up with one skein of yarn in light blue to add to what I have for flowers on the little hats I am making and I bought some fudge at the local chocolate shop. Bob and Karen cooked again today. We had Chicken Curry, cole slaw, steamed broccoli and hot biscuits and for dessert there was delicious and fluffy cheesecake that they picked up at a local bakery.       

Lido modeling my hat 

Friday September 10th - Our friends Mick and Christie arrived at noon for an overnight visit. I had made a Mediterranean tuna salad for lunch, then we went exploring. We went to Point no Point and visited the lighthouse and walked the beach for a while. Just about the time we finished our walk it started raining. We stopped at the store and picked up fresh salmon for dinner. Bill and I had dinner duty and Mick and Christie brought corn on the cob, and we baked yams and had a big green salad and hot bread. Bill made the dessert, it was hot chocolate pudding cake with fresh whipped cream. Next week I need to fast.

Saturday September 11th - We had a community breakfast this morning and we all ate together. I made a vegetable fritatta, Mick and Christie brought a cantaloupe, Bill and Colleen added apple strudel and we all enjoyed a good visit before Mick and Christie left to go home. Bill and I stayed at the house all day and I loved it. Bill and Bob played on the computer some and I did a little in my journal. I read a bit and knitted also. Just another restful day. Bill and Colleen were on for dinner again and we had an awesome salad, crab cakes and apple crisp for dessert. Everyone knows I have a real weakness for apple crisp it is almost funny since I really don’t like many fruit desserts of any kind. After dinner we watched the last two episodes of “The Long Way Down,” I had to get to Cape Town with those guys as the whole program has been so interesting. Then when I went back to our bedroom I realized Bill had filled the Jacuzzi with water for me a  bubble bath. It was an awesome bubble bath, I never do the hot tub because of my low blood pressure, I can’t remember the last time I had a bath but I haven’t been able to since before my surgery in April. Now all my wounds are healed and I enjoyed the good soak.

Sunday September 12th - When we woke up this morning we started packing up. We were loaded and on the road early and caught the 9:40 ferry for home. We were home way before noon. The Seahawks game started at 1 o’clock and we were unpacked and I was knitting and doing laundry during the game. It was a good game, the Seahawks woke up in the second quarter and played well for their new coach, Pete Carroll. He had a lot of good energy and I hope we have a good year. I read that the Huskies won, but I didn’t even think about football yesterday.

Monday September 13th - We are back from vacation and Bill was back at work this morning. I enjoyed a couple of early morning phone calls before I pulled up to the desk. I had phone calls to make, papers to sort, some errands to run, took Bill’s car for an oil change and went to the Dr, who referred me back to the Dr I saw last year for the other shoulder, so here we go again. I did get a couple of good walks in today, one this morning and another this afternoon.


On being Productive, experiencing Pleasure and Living Positive

What's off my needles: Finally I have something to show for the knitting I have been doing. I finished a little hat for my great niece Macy and a hat and scarf for a friend of Bill’s and FINALLY I finished the turquoise tee that has been hibernating for two years while I found someone to teach me to chart necklines and sleeves. So here are some photos in celebration of my accomplishments of the week.

Macy's Hat

     

Cindy's hat and scarf
(that scarf took a long time)

What I am reading:  I am just started with "When We Were Grownups" by Anne Tyler.  It was a book club choice and I need to have it finished next week.  So I guess I will be reading it a lot this week.

My thoughts for the day and trying to think positive lessons come from Lido this week. Lido is Bill and Colleen’s cute little Havanesse dog. (I have probably spelled that wrong, sorry.) Lido knows how to live in the moment.  He had an awesome vacation.  When his parents left him with one of the other couples while they went exploring he was sad, for a while and then went on with his day and when they came home he was delighted and told them so every way he could.  He didn't lye,  he doesn't toy with your emotions, he just lives in the now.   Lido doesn't like TV, but when we were watching he just goes to the other room and rest a while.   He was patient when I had him try on the hat I had knitted and he greeted every one with enthusiasm every morning.   I am glad Lido joined us on vacation.  

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


Friday, September 7, Well I ironed this morning, I ironed dozens of scarf’s in lavender and green and pink sacks. I cooked the goat roast I got from Hilly yesterday and it was so good. I came near eating too much. The Lucas’s came after the cow and calf that got over here in the Smith’s trap someway. They got the calf but the cow ran over into Cecil’s trap. I think Worth caught the calf. I talked to the girls Lovie and Emma and I made Sis Armey’s slip this evening.


Saturday, September 8 Well, I made some candy and I took some up to the kids at the store. They sure liked it. I sent three dollars by Lester to bring some of Olga’s tablets to me as he was going to town. And he brought the medicine to me real late this evening. He’s a nice kid. I took Mrs. Gay some candy this evening. Frank went to Cherokee with us and dad was so sore at him, but I feel sorry for poor Pauk as Caroline calls him. I sent Bill the San Saba News.


Sunday, September 9 - HoHo. We went up to the singing convention at the Salt Branch school house. Then, on up to the Church of Christ but didn’t hear anything. Lovie, Emma, Hilly, Nancy were all up there. Then, we came on back and listened to them sing before we went to dinner. Oh yes, I saw Tom A, Maude, Ann and the Ugly Duckling. We all ran down and ate dinner with Bonnie. I saw a good many of my old friends at the singing. We ran up to Gays and I took sugar and pecans to make candy and Lester ate it. It was one o’clock before Mr. Gay and dad got in. I’ll not be led off again.


Monday, September 10 – Today Caroline is three years of age. I cut Sis Ermine a dress out. Sure hope I have good luck making it. Dad has gone to Cherokee to get some gas, as he wants to haul out feed tomorrow. Well, dad got back from Cherokee and the girls sent me a bag of nice candy. I ate a lot of it and now I have a most awful stomach ache but my stomach has been bothering me the past month. I cut the pears Hilly gave me Saturday evening, a whole bushel, they were ruining. Dad helped me. I will can them in the morning. I got Sis Ermie’s dress about half made. I washed my hair today.


Tuesday, September 11 – Well, well I was busy this morning canning pears and fixing dinner for Frank and dad as they were hauling hay. Guess who should drive up but Elsie and Gordie, I was so glad to see them. We had dinner and then we went to the store and then on to Llano to see the sweetest little, Mary Ann. She is so sweet and bald headed and wise looking. Didn’t wait to see Kathleen as she hadn’t come in from school. Mary Ann can stand up when you hold her. Lovie and Emma were so busy they couldn’t go with us as the truck had come in with fresh vegetables and fruit. And Hilly had to go out and show somebody horses. Mrs. Conner was well. I canned 16 quarts of pears and had a gallon left over that I will cook into preserves.


Wednesday, September 12 - Well, Mr. Gay and Frank came and helped Dad haul hay but they have about three more loads to haul in, it tried to rain this evening. Gee, I made some peanut butter cookies today and ate some of them. Also, some white beans. And I thought my knee would get me down. Sure did hurt. We have a norther tonight. I cooked the rest of the pear preserves. Had ½ gallon filled. 1 quart for Son but it is too heavy. I will have to take some of the preserves out. Emma when to the show with Jesse Irene this evening. I’ll have to send and get some amphogel for my old turks and grease for the baby chicks heads for fleas. Mrs. Lewis washed for Mrs. Gay today. She is a good little soul.

August 31, 2010 – September 6, 2010

Hello there; Here's how my week went: I worked at Dr V's on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I was tired when it was over but it was lots of fun and a good week.

Tuesday night (August 31) we had 'family dinner' and the nieces that usually come have a cousin that lives in Seattle, she is going to pharmacy school. So Krista joined us this week and Bill and I enjoyed getting to know her a little better. We had breakfast for dinner. Bill made the waffles and I did hash browns and bacon. None of the girls remembered seeing someone make waffles from scratch. The batter was lumpy which was the beaten egg whites having been gently folded in and they were curious about that and then they were surprised I had used real potatoes instead of the frozen ones you pour out of a bag. They asked me how I got them that shape and I said I used the shredder just like you do for cheese. Opps, they buy cheese all ready shredded also. Any way the decision was that fresh potatoes do taste better than frozen potatoes, because it was dinner I used the savory seasoning I had used the week before. I got it at the Oil and Vinegar store and it is called 'Pesto Genovese - Italian dried herb mix'. I think that herb blend is delicious and really versatile.

My 'big family news' for the day was the birth of my second great niece. Grace Anne is the daughter of my nephew and his wife that live in Maine. I don't know when I will get to meet her in person but she is very beautiful in the photos I have seen. She was born just before midnight. Now both of my sisters have one grandchild each. Grandchildren are so much fun.

Wednesday September 1, was the first day of school for most of the kids up here and we all had to stop and think about the school buses being out on the roads again. Today we had a local periodontist in to talk to both hygienist and the dentist on our lunch break. We had an hour and 20 minutes with him and I could have asked him questions for 3 hours. (Especially if I had eaten something instead of starving and had my knitting.) The subject was 'calibrating our periocharting'; which means we all wanted to be on the same page with our patients when we do perio charting to improve accuracy between providers. Dr Perio talked about things like; the angle of the probe, how we look at the probe and read the numbers, when to round up and when to round down, how to make notations about bleeding, and how much pressure to use on the probe. He drew lots of great pictures and since I am a visual learner I thought it was great. I had made a lunch, we just didn't eat while we were in conference. My sandwich was a waffle from dinner, with a mayo mustard spread I make on it, then some really good ham and swiss cheese. It was delicious and I had used a whole waffle so I split it with the other hygienist and we were both grateful for a good sandwich. Now I am thinking I may try to make BLT's on a waffle sometime..... I only ran one errand on the way home and that was to check in some library books. I had checked out several audio books and put them in iTunes to put on my phone to listen too so I spent a bunch of time tonight downloading cd’s and knitting between cd’s.

Thursday September 2, Working three days in a row wasn’t really so bad. I talked them into letting me start with a 8:30 patient instead of 7:30, that made a huge difference for me. After work today I thought about going knitting at the new LYS but I was tired and I wanted to sew together my turquoise tee and that meant spreading out a lot so I just set up at the kitchen table and I got both sleeve in before I went to bed.

Friday September 3, I got up and did a bit of work at the desk. Then I went to the lab for a fasting blood draw from there I went by JoAnn and Dales for some tea and then into Bellevue for lunch with Helen and Bill came by to visit for a while also. After lunch I drove straight home, came in, put on my nightgown and got in bed. The next thing I knew Bill was coming in from work and it was 4:45. I know I am not a lazy person but I could not hold my eyes open, I know that is the change in meds and continuing to recover from surgery. Bill and I ate dinner in and watched a movie about a hockey player who did part time duty as the tooth fairy. It was cute.

Saturday September 4, I played in the attic this morning with my yarn. I am thinking I am going to reorganize the whole thing by weight instead of by color. It makes so much more since to me now when I am looking for yarn for a project. I am not ready to get into that now but I think about it each time I go up there. Today I was putting away some yarn that I am not using and some Hannah had brought back that she didn’t use then I was looking for some for a project I am thinking about. Today was neighbor Rich’s birthday and we went down to their house for dinner. Tara and Jason were there and Peter and Emily. We all had a good visit and Chris had made delicious carrot cake.

Sunday September 5th, Bill and I did a lot of sorting and organizing and cleaning around the house today. Bill and Colleen made dinner tonight and we were with Bob and Karen and B&C’s daughter Susan and her two daughters Carly and Catherine. Colleen made chicken lasagna and salad and bread and Bill made a blueberry pie. Tomorrow is Labor Day and by the weather you would think it was Thanksgiving.



On being Productive, experiencing Pleasure and Living Positive

My thoughts for the day: Last week I said I was going to try to stay grounded and handle whatever came my way in a positive manner. I guess nothing came my way because I can’t think of a time when I felt like I wanted to overreact. So I am going to keep this goal in mind but I am going to also think about enjoying ‘the moment’ as well: be here now, seize the day. I heard a podcast this week and this psychologist was saying that when you say “what if” you often miss the moment you are in and when you live in the past or in the ‘what-if’s’ you also can fail to take responsibility for your own life. I am thinking about this more because I don’t want to miss a minute. I want to relish and savor the moments of my life, I feel them fleeing away.

Sorting and Organizing and Compromise: We got a package in the mail this week, from Current, get-well cards. Bill and I had a discussion about greeting cards recently. He didn’t want to send one that says “I’m praying for you” or with a Bible verse on it. Deborah K was here when we were having this discussion and she suggested Bill scratch out the ‘I’m praying for you part’ or find a card that says I’m not praying for you but I hope you get better, or I hope you get lucky and get better but God had nothing to do with it. So now we have a stack of get-well cards that say, I ‘hope’ you’re feeling better soon.

What's on my needles or What's off my needles; nothing to report this week. I am working on a scarf to go with the hat I finished last week and it is a lot of 2 X 2 ribbing. Also I am working on parts that will make into little flowers to decorate another hat. So when that comes together I will take some photos.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: September 2010

For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.

August 31st Friday - Tonight at 10 minutes before 12 o’clock little Ann will be one big year old. We had a letter from Bill and he said he hadn’t gotten his leave yet as his chart hadn’t gotten there but some one said it came in the day he was writing to us, so maybe by now he will know how long a leave he will get. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came this morning and brought me the steel saw. Dad and I sawed the heads from the iron beds and they look right cute. Mrs. Bowden said Tomas O had ear trouble in both ears, poor fellow. Lovie called but she didn’t know anything. I made pepper relish today. Banty started sitting on 7 of her eggs last night.


Saturday September 1, I went to Cherokee with Dad. Frank went along as usual. We all ate dinner with Lovie, she had a nice dinner. She took me to Mrs. Browns so I could pay my phone bill which was $1.73 for August. I bought a bushel of pears from Bob Estek for $1 and I brought home a half bushel that Lovie had bought to preserve for her. Emma was supposed to come in tonight but she never showed up. Nancy came home with me and we cut Lovie’s pears and I sugared them down so they would be ready to cook in the morning. Nancy found Worth’s identification bracelet that he lost down here the night of the ice cream supper. Lester came home day before yesterday. I sold four hens and the crooked –legged rooster today for $5.52.


Sunday September 2, Well I cooked the pears for Lovie, and Nancy and I waited around here all day for someone to come, finally Lovie showed up about 2:30. Polly called and she had come in on the bus. Dad and I cut the bushel of pears I got from Bob and when I got up my old knee got me, thought I couldn’t walk. Nancy and I really enjoyed the goat meat Hilly gave us. Well the Japs signed General MacArthur’s peace treaty. Thank the good God, this war is over and the boys won’t be in so much danger and a lot of them will get to come home.


Monday September 3, A holiday but Dad and I ran up to Cherokee. I had to go along as I wanted to see the Polly girl as I had not seen her in a week. She said Jean was a mighty rich woman now, she had a $75 bag. Gee we sure miss the radio as Dad took it to Cherokee Saturday. I left my pears on the stove cooking while I ran up to Cherokee this morn. I got them cooked about 5:30. Got 3 gallons and 1 quart. They sure are good. My old knee was ok this morning. I was so thankful. We cleaned out the chicken house this evening. Dad used the new spray can I got from Miss Lissy for 45 cents. The Lewis, Gays, and Smiths all had ice cream tonite and never said a word to us. The ole’ hogs.


Tuesday September 4, Well the Dad went to town, spent the day up there. What he did I don’t know as he never went to see Gordie. I had a letter from the Bill Boy, he got back to Cruces for Ann’s birthday. He said he didn’t know for sure whether they would get off down here or not. Wish they would tell me if Ann is walking yet. I called the girls and they got back from town and they all had some dental work done. Lovie said Gordie was fine. She and Jim were painting the cabinet and fixing some shelves in the dining room. Dad paid the Federal Land Bank $114.60 today, said he got some men to say they would come to look at our cows.


Wednesday September 5, Well I had a letter from the Sonnie, first I have had since July 18. Gee but we were glad to hear from him and he wants to come home so bad. I got Bill Mac’s birthday ready to send to him tomorrow. Gee, I am so hungry I could eat a crow. I made 2 batches of candy and picked out the pecans. Sure hope Bill and Chy like the candy. I feel so sluggish these days. Mrs. Kuykendale came here tonight to see about buying our cows but she didn’t want part brahamas. I didn’t call nobody today, I am mad at everybody and RH thrown in. I’ll skin his head if he doesn’t skin mine first. I cut Sis Erweys slip 2 days ago and I haven’t made it yet. I must. I wrote the Son and Bill today and finished them tonight.


Thursday September 6, I got Bill’s candy off today. Sent each son a letter. I will send son a bucket of candy later. We washed today and got through about 12 o’clock. Then we ate a snack and ran up to Cherokee. Lovie had gone over to see Mr. Estep to try and make him get some body to take care of Mrs. Estep. Lovie had a letter from the Bill Boy this morning. We got the radio battery but Hilly said it wasn’t charged but it is, for Dad has the radio on big and strong. Frank came over and he had cut the trees down so he can see what we are doing. I got 8 baby Chix out of the 34 eggs I got from Doris.