Since I am working on smaller mosaic squares sometimes I crochet at my desk.
Working on Patchwork square #16, I have been watching Ordinary Joe or the Amazing Race and recently on Netflix Inventing Anna which is based on a true story.
Sometimes I am interrupted.
Sadie knows how to get my attention!
Far Guy spoke for a few moments with his sister she said "I will be okay and I love you."
Far Side
Six different kinds of tin were used in the church my Great Grandfather Isaac built.
Did I photograph all six types?
Four types are on the wall.
Two types on the ceiling.
I was taken with the ceiling....it is elegant in a simple way...the ceiling light fixtures reminded me of the lights we had in the old schoolhouse when I was in fifth and sixth grades.
I also wondered if the pale shade of blue on the walls was the original color.
Far Side
We have enough snow here...mostly it falls and blows away.
View out the front door. The driveway will clear off fast as son in law Andy has kept the area real clean all winter...some people in the area have snow piled on snow in their driveways that will become ice on warm days.
Sun setting
We all felt that when the temperature reached 1 F or -17 C it was real warm. The severe cold must have addled our brains.
Far Side
One thing leads to another...first you buy an instructional workbook...then the supplies ...and then the containers to store the new found supplies. This time it is in a tube watercolors. Before I have used pan watercolors and dual brush watercolors....so it is different.
Oh well it has been a long winter that is getting longer.
Far Guy had a good infusion nurse with good aim so only one stick...thank goodness.
Far Guy speaks with his sister and her family daily, there are no big changes although he said she looked like she was in more pain yesterday as she kept rubbing her head.
Far Side
I am not a dog trainer, only someone who likes a well trained dog. Far Guy said "You like to be in control of the dog." That is true...I like to be the leader of the pack.
We learned about targets and a target stick with Chance.
I had the equipment...a stick and a clicker....and some treats.
My target stick folds up nicely.
You can use just about anything as a target...a wooden spoon, a fly swatter...a target stick is just an extension of your arm...and a focus for your dog.
I say "Sadie Target" she is supposed to touch the tip of the stick with her nose. Then click the clicker when she does it right...and immediately reward with a treat.
Right now she touches the target stick...mostly.
Biting the stick after she touches it with her nose...equals no treat.
I put the target stick inside her kennel and say "Sadie kennel up" once she goes in I click the clicker and reward her with a treat.
I have her heel in the house off lead "Sadie heel" using the target stick in front of her to guide her along...I keep this session real short as she is just a puppy and is easily distracted...and I always want to end a session on a positive note.
Puppies are always a work in progress. Keep the sessions short. A well trained dog is a happy dog!
Sadie 17 weeks old.
Far Side
It was - 47 F with the wind chill yesterday and the same is forecast for Wednesday and maybe lower than that on Thursday. Uffda.
I finally finished this mosaic square that is on my desk.
If Sadie looks sad it is because I wouldn't let her tear up a book on my desk...or the cards...or pens...she uses this chair to elevate herself and get in range of the good stuff.
She is biting less and less as her adult teeth come in and replace her puppy teeth! She is 17 weeks old now. She knows sit, down, shake hands, come and sometimes off and stay. She heels pretty good on lead and I have been doing some target work with her with the target stick...she targets great...I work on Sadie Kennel Up and Sadie Heel off lead with the target stick. She plays ball now...her favorite ball being a tennis ball...she runs after the ball, Little Elvis runs after her and barks (normal ball playing for him as he did the same thing with Miss Miney and Chance) most of the time she brings the ball back to you...we are working on that. If she has to go out she goes to the patio door and barks. I have been asking her to use the doggie door more often...she comes in through the doggie door but going out is a work in progress. She is 96% house trained...she has an occasional accident. She is doing great for being 17 weeks old. She loves everyone and is great entertainment. The cold air doesn't bother her...she runs like the wind through the snow in the back yard.
Far Guy facetimes with his sister or her family everyday. Hospice is helping to keep her comfortable.
Far Side
It was snowy and blowing again...most of Minnesota had blizzard conditions. We are thankful that we are in town.
Jen and I went out to do some errands. Far Guy puppy sat Sadie.
I took this photo while waiting in the car. The North Dakota field has some black dirt...so windy that the snow blows away to Minnesota. The wind was cold...somewhere in the -25 F windchill.
Andy made prime rib, popovers and cooked carrots for supper...really yummy!
Far Side
It seems the winter storms are back to back.
This is our patio, a photo I took when we were back home. It is the most snow we have seen in many years.
If I had put the snow stick up it would be totally covered.
Back home they are getting another blizzard Monday and Tuesday. That one will miss us...but then we had bad weather up here on Saturday and Sunday.
We took care of Sadie while Andy and Jen went to a movie. Sadie and I had a nice nap! I made Naan bread pizza for supper. In the evening we played Hand and Foot and they finally let me win.
Far Guy facetimed with his sister again yesterday, she was a bit more alert than the day before. Brother In Law Ron felt a bit better too as he was finally able to get some sleep. Ron, their daughter Bethany and son in law RJ are all taking turns caring for Jan at home.
Far Side
Yesterday we went for a short Ranger Blue ride in the morning to check on the roads, the snow plow opened the roads. We packed up and headed to town, we saw our accountant, signed the papers and our taxes were electronically sent. Cross something off the list! Then we visited with my parents. It was a good day for my Dad as he knew who I was. He told us once again that he is ready to go anytime the good Lord calls him home.
We headed North and as we drove it got windy and more windy until it was a ground blizzard.
Here is a photo of the ground blizzard when you could still see the road.
I did not take any photos when it got worse and we could not see the white line anymore. Around Crookston Minnesota it was really bad, just out of Crookston there was a huge snowdrift over the road that attempted to pull us into the ditch ( sometimes when you hit a drift it acts funny and pulls you toward the heavy snow it is all part of winter driving) ...Far Guy drove like a race car driver and saved us from the ditch. It was scary.
We arrived back at Andy and Jens safely. Sadie and Little Elvis were happy to see us.
More bad weather is forecast and we will just stay put. No more snowy adventures this week.
Far Guy facetimed with his sister again, she was sleepy.
Far Side
We had a quiet snowy day here in the woods. I did a couple of loads of laundry and cleaned the jets in the whirlpool tub…dishwasher soap and really hot water and let the jets run for about twenty minutes followed by a cold water rinse.
Both of my brothers and their wives visited and Baxter who was a bit shy to begin with…but he warmed up after a few treats. So good to see them all again.
We were not supposed to be in the blizzard here but it snowed and blowed.
My other baby brothers wife “she who sees robins first” shared some photos of the road out of here. No one is going anyplace until the snowplow goes.
It is wicked out there.
Looking toward Steve and Jo’s house. Over the years we have seen this road being a sea of snow many times. It was one of the reasons we moved our mail box.
Far Guy spoke to his sister and her family via FaceTime. His sister is only awake for very short times and then she drifts off to sleep.
We hope the roads are cleared in the morning, we will see. Another storm is coming in early next week.
Far Side
Far Guys infusion went well, we had lunch in a diner where the floor was old LP records covered in epoxy…the food was ok but they took no pride in the surroundings. Needless to say they had only two other customers while we were there.
Another blizzard was forecast for today …Friday … so after lunch I helped Jen at their air b & b for a bit and then we headed out. The roads were great except for the last three miles were very icy.
A farmstead that we pass on our way, note the brick silo.
We will stay here a few days, until the weather is better up North. We will visit our accountant, my brothers and my parents.
Holy cats is there snow here, I will take some photos before we leave.
Far Guy spoke to his sister she is at home now. We are waiting for a portable oxygen unit for the airplane ride….the oxygen company has been working on it for a number of days. Yet again someone is not doing their job. Last week Far Guy called them and this week I called them.
Far Side
As you know my word for 2022 was just to "Be." This week it is to be calm and to be supportive as Far Guy comes to grips with his sisters cancer diagnosis. It is hard for him as he not only loves his sister he likes her too...they are very close. She will be released from the hospital today and hospice care will try to keep her comfortable. The cancer raging throughout her body is very painful. The months that they thought she might have is now days or maybe a week or two.
I am sure we all find our calm in different ways. I cleaned a bathroom and scrubbed some floors and made lemon pudding...comfort food.
We have prayed for a better outcome, God is in control, the best we can do is to be calm and carry on.
Far Side
I finally finished the afghan that I was working on.
I like all the different colors.
I finished February 12th...so this one was in the works for a number of months.
So I started working on another one that has been partially finished for awhile.
This one is worked in small squares and will be put together when I have all twenty squares done...I am working on square fourteen now. Each square is a different pattern and I am using just four colors.
It is a work in progress.
Far Side
Far Guy turns 72 today! ( Yeah he made it another year) Happy Birthday! He was almost a Valentine baby!
Far Guy and Sadie...who he started calling Farts...just to irritate someone. He and I laugh when she comes to her new name.
Far Side
Far Side
History
The Crow Wing Apostolic Lutheran Church of French Lake (also known as the Riverside Church) was decided to be built at the annual meeting of the Cokato Apostolic Lutheran church on January 6, 1885, as an annex to the Cokato congregation. The reason for this decision was that many families had moved into the French Lake and Albion area, necessitating a meeting house nearer home than the Cokato church. Transportation being horse and buggy in those days.
A special meeting was held at French Lake September 26, 1885, how to raise the necessary funds. It was decided to send out collectors to each member of both the French Lake and Cokato areas.
Nels Nelson donated 1/2 acre of land for the church site, and at that same meeting a committee of three men ( Jacob Ojanpera, Esaias Kostani and Matti Mukkala) were designated to arrange for the laying of the foundation of the church building. The construction work was done mainly by the French Lake congregation. The church was completed in 1887.
Those performing ministerial duties were the same for the Cokato church, namely; Isak Barberg, Caleb and Jacob Wuollet and William Lahtinen, until his death in the sinking of the Titanic. Various other men have served both the French Lake and Cokato congregations since that time.
The church was actively used until the 1950’s when it was decided to discontinue using it, due to better model of transportation, which made possible for all remaining members to attend the Cokato church.
Charter Members listed include my Great Grandfather Isaac Yliniemi.
She wrote: It was a LEFT POSTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY ANEURYSM Dr. Copelad [at Abbott Northwestern ] says it was a very high risk brain aneurysm due to the size and location and the fact that I'm almost 100% Finish in Heritage. The treatment was ENDOVASCULAR EMBOLIZATION This treats the aneurysm from the inside of the blood vessels and is minimally invasive.
This may be hereditary on the Yliniemi side.
Far Side
Sadie knows all about security...for her it is falling asleep with her feet near mine and not caring that your ear is folded over.
Far Guy's only sister Jan is very ill. She is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with Leptomeningeal Carcinoma. It is a very rare form of cancer that can occur after metastatic breast cancer. Jan went through chemotherapy for breast cancer during the pandemic. Survival for this kind of cancer is usually a few weeks to a few months. Please keep Jan, her husband, daughter, son in law and Far Guy in your prayers. It is very hard news to get. Jan called to say goodbye to Far Guy and told him she would see him in heaven. Jan and Ron live in Southern Indiana. When we know what the plan is for her care Far Guy may want to visit her.
One day at a time. Jan is secure knowing where she is headed. It is the rest of us that need to embrace her calm acceptance of the diagnosis.
"In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2
Far Side
The wind blows everyday and it snows every other day.
Yesterday Sadie plopped down just outside of the patio door to watch the snow or maybe that squirrel who runs along the top of the fence.
Here she is just before she shook that snow off on my slippers and the rug.
Far Guys infusion went as good as can be expected...they wanted to give him an IV of something that he has never had before...he said it is a good thing that he knows what meds he takes...if he were old and confused that might be a problem.
I went to Hobby Lobby and had a good walk around and some paper might have been purchased and a few odds and ends.
Far Side
I went to Card Club with Jen...they meet once a month.
It is a creative group. These are the cards we made. Of course I ordered some of this pretty paper!
We got news from back home that a friend and fellow Firefighter way back when died suddenly at home. So sad for his wife and family. Since Covid we have not seen him...I did wave at him one day in the Wally World parking lot. He always had a big smile...he was a good guy. Rest in peace Jiggs.
I guess you never know from one day to the next who will be missing.
Far Side
Someone asked me if I was homesick.
Nope, as long as Far Guy is with me I am not homesick.
Do I miss our home in the woods? Yes I miss some things that are there...the whirlpool tub and Ranger Blue and just going for a ride when ever we want and my cast iron skillet. I also miss seeing my brothers and my parents, but I talk to them on the phone and in a few months we will be back there.
We are waiting for our Accountant to finish our Income taxes and we will make a trip back to sign them and then they get sent electronically. So we will see everyone then if they are not sick!
I am certain I will miss many things here...the security of having backup when ever I need it to take care of Far Guy... Jen, Andy, Adam, Little Elvis who has adopted us and Sadie who greets us like long lost friends every morning. Playing games together in the evenings and having movie nights. We watched the new Ghost Busters movie last weekend. We will miss our new beds so we ordered a new bed for our home in the woods.
I like having Far Guy close to his specialists...in ten minutes to fifteen minutes we can be at the Clinic.
Living in town is different, but this area of town is quiet ...some days I can hear the trains go by downtown...it depends on which way the wind is from....oh yes the saying here is "It is sure cold/hot/rainy/snowy but at least it is windy." The wind never quits.
A trail at home last November!
Far Side
The kitchen here is a great gathering place for people and dogs and a cat too.
Sadie waits patiently anytime anyone is in the kitchen. You never can tell when someone will drop something!
All the kitchen cabinets, the island and the chairs were made by Andy. Note that Sadie blends right in. I love the island...I can sit there and peel carrots and potatoes or stand at the end and prepare food and not be in anyones way.
The windows overlook the back yard. The five burner gas stove was a challenge for me to use since I was used to electric.
This is Sadies part of the kitchen. The chair is for Adam's cat Phoebe to reach her dish on this counter. There are two ovens...one is a gluten free oven.
Far Side
Years ago when we owned the resort on Straight Lake we had a recreation room it had books to read, games to play, a ping pong table and several pinball machines...it also had a Coke cooler that dispensed cans of pop...until the tourist kids got smart and popped the tops on the can and stuck a straw in and emptied the cans. Our daughters spent lots of time playing ping pong and pin ball. They would challenge their Dad to games of ping pong. Some winters the pin ball machines were moved into the large hallway in the house and Far Guy worked on them....naturally they were played.
Then we sold the resort. Years later one of the owners was looking for some extra money and wanted to know if we were serious about buying one of the machines.
We bought the one called Card Whiz which we then sold to Jen. She and Andy have had it refurbished and repaired and now they have it in their basement.
Far Guy and I play it almost every day. Jen holds the record at 124,000 points..Far Guy at 103,000 and then me at 97,000.
It brings back many memories.
One day I asked Far Guy if he could recall how we used to play pinball at Schmiders? I would play one flipper and he would play the other...nope that memory is gone for him.
Far Side
The Finnish Apostolic Church was heated with a wood stove. I imagine that someone who lived near to the church went over and started a fire in the stove well before church started. I am not certain about this church but many churches held limited services during the winter months...having a proper church service once a month if the weather permitted.
Far Side
Sadie has long legs...she is growing so fast!
She had been upstairs looking for chips in Adams computer room. She came down part of the way when I called her.
Eventually she came down. This week she decided that she would use the doggie door to let herself out and back in again several times each day. She likes to bring twigs from the Spruce trees inside...and one day she came inside with real muddy paws...most likely a prelude to Spring activities. For several days she played in her water dish and splashed water all over...that activity was curtailed by not filling up the water dish all the way!
This week she is learning to sleep in her kennel in the kitchen...having the radio on at night helps. She still barks to get up to go outside. Soon she will sleep all night long. Previously she had been sleeping in her upstairs kennel in Jen and Andys bedroom. We have gates up so she cannot go to the basement or into the craft room!
She is a work in progress and we will miss her when we go back home for the summer.
Far Side
I had Book Club yesterday. We read Stephen King's novel Billy Summers. It was a great read, different from other novels...not as gruesome...or perhaps gruesome in a different way. I give it an 8 out of 10, it is a page turner for sure.
Far Guy saw a new Pulmonary Doctor after his Doctor left to do research. He wants to try a couple of different things with Far Guy...so we will give it a shot...special nebulizers to help thin the mucus in his lungs and a special vest that may help to loosen up the mucus. Since they are non invasive they are certainly worth a try. The Doctor also said in his opinion " Lung valves should have never been an option because of the mucus he produces, and I am not surprised that they didn't work." ( After the fact it is easy to say what works and what doesn't)
Far Guy is feeling better and he is almost back to where he was before the last hospitalization. He is working hard on the treadmill getting his steps in. After he has been ill it takes 4 to 6 weeks for him to recover. One day at a time. The Infusion yesterday was just one stick for the IV...that helps Far Guys outlook when they don't blow veins.
Far Side
Jen and Andy are introducing us to different foods.
One night it was a P.B.E.B. Translated is is a burger with Peanut Butter, Egg and Bacon. Far Guy tried it...I did not...way to many foods all together for my compartmentalized stomach.
The next night it was Louisiana Chicken Pasta, they let me have my chicken separate and I had no mushrooms. Far Guy really liked it, I ate it...the pasta was cooked perfectly and the garlic bread served along side was delicious! I should have taken a photo because it was a very pretty dish. Very pleasing to the eye. I would eat it again in a couple of months.
The kitchen here is very large and many people can be cooking, dicing and slicing all at once, or just sitting at the island watching others cook! Sadie often falls asleep on my feet waiting for me to drop something.
Ever watchful...wondering when it is their turn to eat again...they are always fed first before people.
Far Guy and I went out for breakfast date one morning after a Doctors appointment. We asked for our check and someone had paid it for us...how nice was that!
Far Side
