Small purses

I am having some fun making some small zip up purses. 

You start with stitches around a zipper and crochet around and around ...the zipper I used was 7 inches long...I am using cotton yarn.  The pattern is Apache Tears.

It has been my "in the car project."  The one with orange and purple on the right has already found a home.

Couldn't believe the electric bill...had to check it twice.  The new Central Air saved us $66 versus last July with the 22 year old wall unit AC....and the Central Air has been on almost everyday.  We thought it might be more energy efficient but did not realize what an energy user the old AC was.

This is the last day in July...the smoke from the Wildfires is miserable.  Far Guy has been inside since noon on Thursday.   He is getting a bit of Cabin Fever. 

Far Side

Bingo Group

 There were 16 of us at Bingo last night.  My Dad was not sure that he would feel up to going...but he did...and Mom went too.  All of my baby brothers children were there and one of my other baby brothers children.  States represented were Minnesota of course, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington and Oregon.  People from Oregon and Minnesota were winners.    Dad did not Bingo...I was hoping he would.  BUT he had a good time and it was good for him to get out of the house.   His broken rib is painful for him. 

Dad is struggling more with his memory...but he still knows how to play bingo:)

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Sand Mountain and a birthday

 Last weekend near Trail Minnesota we noticed a sand mountain.

We have never been to Trail Minnesota before...population 61, seems like they might have a thriving Sand and Gravel business.   I learned it is named Trail because there used to be an Indian Trail that went through the area.

This is as close to a mountain as we get in this part of Minnesota. 

I had a busy Wednesday, I mowed some, finished moving tables so Tilly could go back in the garage, recycled, did some laundry and had a nap. 

Today is favorite Son In Law Andy's Birthday!  

Happy Birthday Andy! 

Far Side

Appointment day

 Far Guy had a medical appointment up north...it is a 2 1/2 hour drive there...so most of the day was spent in the car.   Earlier in the morning the new /old car Tilly was ready to be picked up so we went and got her before we left...her gas gauge works now:) 

Far Guy is getting a new Doctor, she seems nice and listened to his concerns...she said "You have challenging issues."   Yes we knew that...hope she likes a challenge.  He is getting referrals to all the specialty Doctors that he needs to see.   His Neurologist retired...His Pulmonary Dr has gone to being in the hospital only...so it was time to get different balls rolling..plus he has never had a Cardiologist...and probably needs to be rechecked after that stent was placed last September.  The clinic we chose partners with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN...so that must be a plus...and our daughter Jen lives very near the clinic up north. ( Bonus...we can visit Jen, Andy, Noah and Adam and Little Elvis)

Far Guy has still not regained his strength since the Lung Valve procedure in May.  His breathing is worse and now he is short of breath at night.  He is losing weight and in four more pounds will weigh what he did in high school.

He was prescribed prednisone to help with his breathing and the new Dr is going to confer with the Doctors at the U of MN.

For now it is all we can do.

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Critters in the woods

 The trail cam caught the Impatiens eaters... She has red flowers hanging out of her mouth.  Most likely teaching the fawn about them.

We are taking in the bird and suet feeder at night.   We leave the humming bird feeder out because the Hummers are early risers and the bear has not bothered that feeder. 

HOWEVER the bear is still in the area.   

This is my other baby brothers trail cam...

Not exactly a cuddy little cub...I suppose we have a resident bear.   I have seen where he has moved logs to get at ant hills...I look for him in the day time sleeping up in the trees but haven't spotted him yet...there are lots of woods for him to stay hidden in.

 Annie went home yesterday...she never did catch that Chipmunk.

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50th Anniversary Party

 On Saturday we attended the celebration for Bob and Sheila's 50th wedding anniversary.  (Bob and Sheila are our son in law Andy's parents)

Earlier in the week Sheila had a stress related heart attack.  She told me she was washing windows and one almost fell on her and she reached to catch it...later that night she had pain....and went to the ER.  They found no blockages but she had the enzymes in her blood.  She said she was feeling fine except she was real tired.  

Bob told the story about how they met in the summer of 1969...at a Fair ...Bob knew the guys in the band...they were playing  A Whiter Shade of Pale  by Procol Harum...when this cute gal asked him if he wanted to dance...six children later and many grandkids and they are celebrating 50 years together. 

The kids served a wonderful lunch; vegetables and dip, fruit, crackers, lunch meats, cheese and a number of different cupcakes...vanilla, chocolate, carrot and lemon.   The lemon ones were really good. 

There was a cute display of pants. 

I know that Noah and Adam got their pants for their first birthday.

It was a fun afternoon.  The celebration was held in a Community Center about two hours North of where we live in a little town called Goodridge population 138 and most all of the town showed up!  We didn't stay too long, we arrived early before everyone else, had a chance to talk with Sheila and Bob, sit with Noah, Adam and Jen for a bit...have lunch and we headed home.

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Annie

 Not sure how many "Annie" Boston Terriers my sister has had...one was named Nellie.  My parents  had two "Annies." 

My sister's Annie came to our house on Friday.  She will be going home on Monday. 

 Here she is looking for Chipmunks....she likes to chase them...if she was a little faster and could breathe quietly and the Chippy was slower and deaf...

Yesterday she had quite a day.

She looks pretty innocent????  Looks are deceiving...

Far Guy and I wanted to attend a 50th Wedding Anniversary.   So we left her with my baby brother and his bride for the afternoon...she likes Baxter and Baxter likes her.  Well the two made a "pack"( I am sure Annie was the gang leader)..and they took off.   Everyone at my baby brothers...5 adults and 4 children went off looking for them.   They were eventually located in the woods...which is better than in the swamp or the lake. 

Annie rolled in Deer Poop...yuck...I cleaned her up...so she is mad at me and thinks Far Guy is her favorite now...  She may get an entire bath today.

My sister's birthday is today.  Happy 55th Birthday Julie!  I will try to keep your dog safe until you pick her up! 

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Hollyhocks

 My Mom grows some great Hollyhocks.   I have never had good luck growing them.   It is one of those plants either you can or can't.

She has Rose Wave Petunias on that old wagon in the back. 

I have heard tell that some women used to throw their dish water out the back door...(before indoor plumbing)...and that was a great place to grow Hollyhocks.

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Thoughts on Grocery Day

 Traffic was more crazy than usual...it was crazy days in town...needless to say we stayed off of Main Street.   I have not been crazy enough to go to Crazy Days in years. 

Grocery Pickup was great...just missing Licorice...but we can do without it. 

I stopped by my parents to check on them.  Dad was in the ER Wednesday night...he has a broken rib from a fall on Tuesday.  He got scanned ...my other baby brothers daughter Stacey who is an RN went to the ER with them.  Dad said he was feeling pretty good after a good nights rest....and the Doctor said the rib should heal up. 

 Back home, I mowed our lawn and trimmed around trees a bit.  It was a warm day high of 84 F or 29 C  eh!  For now the wildfire smoke has lifted. 

Real scary news about the new Covid variants...seems like they are spreading like wildfire.  I wonder if we are headed for another lock down?  Wouldn't that be the pits.  Herd immunity seems to be a figment of the imagination with so many people who did not get the vaccination.  Heck we would still have Polio and Smallpox if our parents had the same thoughts against vaccinations.  I was thinking of the sugar cube and the polio live virus that was on that cube...a bit scary...but Polio was scary too.  Polio could cripple you...heavens Covid can kill you...that all I will say about that.

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Baxter day care

 We dog sat for Baxter yesterday.  I went over and picked him up...he was happy to see me and to go with me.    

I wondered how he would do in our yard and how good his recall would be.  He visits often so he knows the yard.   He came every time I called him...treats in my pocket helped as he is food driven.

We went over to the neighbors and he ran and played with Titus and Opie.  His tongue was hanging out!  

He has some separation anxiety...he would be just fine and then realize he was missing his people. 

This is like find Waldo ...can you find Baxter?

Hey Lady ...lets go! 

Toward the end of the day I had to put the leash on him...he acted just like he wanted to take off down the driveway.  He was done with doggie day care and wanted to go home...so we gave him a ride....his people were back anyways....with little people that will keep him busy for many days! 

The Gator belongs to my baby brother and we use it from time to time.  Baxter and I gave it a good wash cause it will haul around lots of little kids in the next few weeks. 

Baxter is about 10 months old now.   He has the same dog trainer as we had for Chance.   

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A day

 It was a day yesterday.  I sorted through some stuff in the garage and sprayed some Ivy and Thistle before the smoke descended on us from Canada. 

My Dad was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg...the Doctors think that is the source of his pain...and that his Cellulitis is better.   He was released from the hospital and my baby brother brought him and Mom home.

Son in Law Andy's Mom had a stress related heart attack...scary for sure.  It is their 50th Wedding Anniversary this Saturday and a party is planned...hope it still happens. 

Far Guy brought his woodcarving project into the house...he would rather carve outside but that is just not happening this week. 

I crocheted in the afternoon while watching The Mole on Netflix.  Supper was ribs, baked potato and fruit. 

I am real tired of summer...the smoke, heat and humidity...

Far Side

Busy Monday

 We are all done with the garage sale now, our last day was Saturday, we did quite well and got rid of lots of "stuff."   Monday morning I packed up a few things (mostly books) and donated them to the thrift shop in town.  They are happy to get the donations! I am packing up a few things to take to my parents...they want to have a garage sale sometime in August. ...so I will help them with their sale.  

I put away the signs and straightened up...and then a cold front blew in and it rained a bit not much but it was wet. 

I have a few more mornings to work out in the garage before I can relinquish it back to the new old car/Tilly.

Mom called in the afternoon...they admitted Dad to the hospital for IV's to try to get his Cellulitis under control.  He will be there a few days.  He might have to miss Bingo this week.

One of the fawns in our yard...they are tasting my flowers.  

Supper was  an adventure.  I was following a recipe and figured it was just not going to work for us.  So I made my own version.  It was pretty good!  Kinda like a chicken pot pie.   Add I can cream of chicken soup to about 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken, add about a half of a can of water, stir well and put in baking dish, top with Crescent rolls...just stretch them out...at this point I was exclaiming loudly that I sure hope this works...Far Guy said "Do you know what you are doing?"  Nope but I put some cojack cheese on top and baked it for about 25 minutes...and it was tasty. 

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Sunday Visits

 We had a great lunch and visit with Savannah and Paige...what a couple of giggly girls!  

They are beautiful young ladies!  They make us smile!  Savannah is working at the Radio Station and she has her own Lash business.  She will go back to school this Fall...she has one year left...business is her major.  Paige is heading off to school in a month...Dental Hygienist a two year school in a town new to her.

25 years old!

There were hugs and I love yous...see you soon!  Be careful out there! (Be aware of your surroundings!!)

After lunch we drove North to visit with cousins Jack and Pat at their lake cottage. 

Stories were flowing back and forth...it was a fun Sunday afternoon visit.   Brought back many memories of lunch and Sunday afternoon visits like in the "olden days."

Far Side

 

25

 Twenty Five years ago we were blessed with our first Grand.  When I told her she was half way to 50 she said "Don't say that Gramma!" 

Photo taken in 1996

Photo with her Grandpa taken at Andy and Jens wedding she was the flower girl in 1998.

She and Chance were best friends... she was throwing water in the air for him.

Happy Birthday Savannah! 

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Hanging out

Yesterday we hung out at the garage sale all day.  We had some customers even though it was a warm day.  Today we have shortened the hours as it is supposed to get real warm and we need our naps. 

We had a picker come by and buy a bunch of stuff.  I don't care if they resell "stuff."  Better at their place than ours. 

For supper I steamed those Crawfish...yum...but I have forgotten how much work they are to eat.  They had good flavor.  Not as good as in the Gulf Coast...but still good.  So much for our foodie adventure!

Towards dark we went to town stopped by DQ and then drove over to the  Church parking lot...the fairgrounds is right across the highway.  We ate our ice cream and watched the rides. 

This one gave you a two minute ride and one time over the top...sometimes two times...the two times was probably screaming girls...and they wanted to hear them scream again. 

It was a good date night! 

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Thursday on Friday

 Wow this week went really fast.  Grocery pickup was uneventful...they are still out of various items...some of which I went into the store to check...and they had cherries and pears...go figure.  Town is still real busy with tourists.   Main Street was full of cars....couldn't find a parking spot if you wanted one. 

I took my Dad to Bingo.  I got a bingo so we were encouraged...I just wish Dad would get a bingo. 

The paper shredder bit the dust this week too...two appliances...I wonder what will be next.  The new microwave works great...it will warm stuff up, bake a potato, pop popcorn and defrost meat...:)  I added a paper shredder to my wally world list and it was delivered to the vehicle... :)

Found some Crawfish at the Butcher Shop...frozen...they are thawing out...we will steam them one of these nights. 

A old friend  (age 67) died recently.   She opened a freezer and fell backwards hit her head and died the next day.  One just never knows. 

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Smoke and Tomato Report

 The smoke from the Wildfires in Canada moved into our area yesterday.  They say it will move out sometime on Friday.  

I had a day where I did odds and ends all day long...the Electrician was back again due to problems with the  new thermostat...a special part was ordered.  In the meantime he hooked up our old thermostat and it works perfectly.  I sprayed Thistle and Poison Ivy and weeds in rocks around our home and up at my other baby brothers shop.   I am caught up for a few days. 

We will be doing very little outside today because of the smoke.

I took this photo about 7:30 PM.

The tomato plants are really growing! 

I think I may have to trim them some...so they don't get so tall that they fall over.  They are loaded with tomatoes...so it looks like a bumper crop.  

Far Side

Loony

We were invited to go fishing.  Far Guy fishes...I do not...I took my camera. 

 

Loons on the lake, there are two pair; one pair has one baby and the other pair has two babies. 

We were trolling along and all of a sudden a Loon surfaced right by the pontoon.  Exciting...It was diving and swimming under water...I have not seen that before!  Wow!  

It has a fish! 

Later we saw it trying to feed two babies...

There was some Loon talking going on....the fuzzy youngsters didn't seem real interested in the fish...Sunfish again?  Perhaps they are at the teenage stage...they should be about 8 weeks old. 

It was a fun evening (Monday) out on the water.   My brothers each caught fish...Crappies...my other baby brother filleted them out and sent them home with us...we had them for supper last night!  They were very good.... coated with flour first, then dipped in egg, finally in Ritz Cracker crumbs and fried in a bit of bacon grease.  That is how I fry fish.

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Improvements

 

Last Thursday the heating people were here.  Last winter when we had the new furnace installed we asked for a furnace that would also do Central Air Conditioning.  It was installed except for the electrical work. 

Yesterday the Electricians were here...three of them...six hours later the AC is now ready to go...it is way cool in here!   We have a fancy thermostat that we will be able to adjust from our phones once the Security System that we ordered is in place.

We had a wall unit Air Conditioner that cooled the whole house...we purchased that about 21 years ago...we don't use it often but it sure was nice on hot days.  I have been worrying about it conking out on a day when it is 100 degrees.

Improvements all around.  ESPECIALLY the Electrician...one wire in our breaker box was arcing and could have caused a fire...now  all the breakers have been checked and wires tightened. 

Our microwave decided to bite the dust...it would not shut off.  So we ordered one at the local Wally world went to town and picked it up. 

It was a busy day.  Oh yes Far Guy had a video appointment in the morning too. 

Anyways we can cross one "summer project" off of our list.

Far Side 

Quiet Sunday

 It was a quiet sale day, I got some more sorting done in the garage and washed my baby brothers Gator.  We got rid of several big items...a plow, disk and an old hog feeder.  Several people were interested in the plow and disk so we had more company!  

In the evening we went for a ride. 

The sun was fire red most likely due to the Wildfires in Canada.

The neighbors Sorghum field.  Sorghum looks like corn but much shorter.  It will be baled once it is dry.

We have a busy week coming up...Tuesday is the only day we have as a free day. 

Far Side

Another sale day

 We had a good sale day yesterday.  It hardly seems like we are making progress because we keep adding items.  Saw a neighbor we had not seen in quite awhile...known for his jokes.  Had a number of out of State customers. 

One more day today and we will close up for the week.  We will see what next weekend brings. 

I walked through the East Wildflower area after supper...I need to put on my boots and take care of some poison ivy...again.  Leaves of three let it be...or let me spray it away:)

That is PI snuggled up to the Gaillardia....PI is an opportunist plant...it will snuggle up to something worthwhile to increase its chances of survival. 

We took a short ride and took care of some more Canada Thistle....miserable stuff anyways.  There was an area I was hesitant to drive into...but Far Guy managed.

The East Wildflower area is finally getting some Milkweed.  Not sure that it will flower this year because it is so dry. 

We have been noticing an increase in Monarch Butterflies around the yard.

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Stuff

 Animals are just like people...some are better babysitters than others. 

This years calves must like their babysitter. 

We are busy again with the ongoing weekend garage sale.  Getting rid of "stuff"  when no one is around I have been working in the other garage trying to clear some "stuff" out....finding out from Far Guy what stuff goes with other stuff.  I will most likely forget...but he has forgotten about some of the stuff he has out there.  "Oh yea I remember that now."

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Lead Plant

 The Lead Plant is blooming.  It is a plant that is native to Minnesota.   

Grocery day was uneventful...missing a few things.  The  person that delivered to the car at wallyworld said that the store should order more when they know that the tourists will wipe out the shelves.  Town was very busy.   Gas is up to $3.09 a gallon. 

I took my Dad to Bingo, we didn't win.  We missed last week as Dad was real sick...he had cellulitis....he is much better now.  ( Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin)  He told me he was so sick he nearly died.  He did well at Bingo...he only missed a few numbers....I either point them out or daub them for him.  

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Auditions

 With the rainy cooler weather came thoughts of Winter and Christmas...I had stamps waiting on my desk...for Winter and maybe a Christmas Card...so I did some stamping and watercoloring.  The jury is still out on the auditions.   I will try a few more techniques before I make a decision. 

The project kept me out of trouble for almost the whole afternoon.  

I watched a movie on Netflix...  Hampstead.  It was entertaining...I give it an 8 out of 10. Perhaps it is just me but I enjoy movies with older people in them.  It was an easy movie to watch and crochet at the same time.

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