Funeral today

 It is Bob’s funeral today.

A very sad day for our son in law Andy, daughter Jen and Grandsons Noah and Adam.

Far Side

Until we meet again

 The funeral for Far Guy's sister is today. 

The rose bush near her mail box that was full of blooms one year when we visited her....the dew was still on the roses. 

One of the things she always told her brother on their many phone calls was that she loved him and she would see him in heaven. 

Far Side

Still Winter

 A June update:

She is still in the yard....she did very little shrinking this week.  It has been unseasonably cold.

There were rain showers but no flowers yet.

Far Guy has begun woodcarving out in the woodshop/greenhouse on sunny days.  He did a prototype of an ornament for Christmas 2022.  It is pretty cute:) 

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A Good Gig

 Who knows the Cornet/Trumpet player?  That one that plays Taps for Soldiers at Funerals? 

I asked the brass player one day.  Why do you play?  

"It was a good gig for a young man.  You show up and play and you get enough money to take a gal to the movies." 

He played in the rain for a special gals Father when he died...

The notes fell loud and true when he played Taps for his Father...

It was a Good Gig as he played Taps at hundreds of Cemeteries over the years.   If he wasn't presiding over a service at the cemetery he was playing Taps.  Bob was a Minister.

Monday night the Cornet/Trumpet was silenced, perhaps the Angels took over...can you imagine a host of Angels playing for you?   Seems fitting for someone like Bob. 

Bob died at home on April 25 late in the evening.  He leaves behind his loving wife of 50 plus years and six children...one of whom is our son in law Andy. Bob had Myelofibrosis which progressed to Leukemia.

We are sad for our son in law Andy, our daughter Jen, our Grandsons and all who loved Bob.  

Far Side

Hope

 We have the hope of Spring when the snow begins to melt.  Then it turns cold and snows and our hopes are dashed.

Rivers are rising, towns are flooding so Spring must be somewhere.   Just not here.

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Making May Baskets

 Making May Baskets has begun.  May Day happens in six days...so you better get crackin' with the making of the baskets. 

The dining table was a flurry of activity over the weekend.  I rather like playing with paper.  I can be in my own little world,  minding my own business.

 I happened onto half price Easter Candy at Wally World...love it when Easter and May Day are close together.  

I have 28 baskets completed.  I need to get a bright piece of tissue paper to stuff inside before they are stuffed with candy. 

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Rain

 We got some rain instead of snow and the sun came out for a bit toward evening.  We sat outside with my other baby brother and she who sees robins first. 

In the afternoon we went for a Ranger Blue ride to recycle. 

This is snow fog.  We had snow fog all morning, the snow melting in the rain made a fog.

June the snowbank is shrinking.  The rain helped her shrink.

You know what they say about April Showers they bring May Flowers...we shall see. 

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Boosted again and other stuff

 We both had our Covid Boosters on Thursday afternoon.  We are both feeling fairly crappy; muscle aches, tired and very sore arms.  We are happy to have it behind us again.  It is supposed to be a rainy couple of days so it is a good weekend to spend resting up, napping and watching tv.  I wonder if we will have to get these boosters the rest of our lives?  It had been 7 months since Far Guys last booster and 5 months since mine, now we are on the same schedule anyway...misery loves company.

Cross something off our list. 

We got rid of our telephone land line over the winter, can't say I miss it.   When I don't want to talk to anyone I turn my phone off or leave it in another room and if it bugs Far Guy he can answer it. 

I am watching Tournament of Champions a cooking show and Downton Abby.  At night Far Guy and I have been watching The Repair Shop.   It doesn't take much to entertain us. 

We miss Little Elvis and Sadie and maybe even Phoebe the cat a little.  Our reasons not to get a dog outweigh the reasons to get one.  No fence, skunks, porkypines, raccoons, burrs of all kinds, deer and dog ticks are high on the no dog list...all in exchange for companionship and laughter.  We can always go Up North and visit Little Elvis and Sadie and anyways Baxter seems to like us a little.

Sadie catching snowflakes one day this week.   Photo by Jen. 

It seems Sadie misses her "daytime" company...namely us! 

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Sad News

 Yesterday Far Guy's sister died.  He spoke with her shortly before she died.   She died from Metastatic Breast Cancer that spread to her brain and throughout her Nervous System.  

They were very close siblings, each leaning on the other throughout their lives.  Jan was well loved and will be missed very much.   

One of her favorite Hymns, she sang it to her Father on his last day.  Her husband played it for her yesterday.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling—

  Calling for you and for me;

Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching—

  Watching for you and for me!

Come home! come home!

  Ye who are weary, come home!

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

    Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading—

  Pleading for you and for me?

Why should we linger and heed not His mercies—

  Mercies for you and for me?

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing—

  Passing from you and from me;

Shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming—

  Coming for you and for me!

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised—

  Promised for you and for me!

Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon—

  Pardon for you and for me!

Far Side

sNOw Day

 I am convinced this snow is all my fault.  We were home a few days and I put one pair of snow boots away and got out my Spring/Summer boots.  I wear them when it is muddy and when I mow the grass and when I spray weeds.  So I had one pair of snow boots and one pair of mud boots at the ready...depending on the day. 

No mud, grass, pollen or weed spray on them.  They are just sitting there waiting, perhaps I need to shove them back in the storage chest. 

Yessiree another snowy all day day.  Just thrilled. 

Far Side

Day off

 I ran errands in town on my "day off" due to no ironing.   I visited my parents, they are adjusting well and seem happy in their new apartment. 

Far Guy cooked supper...hamburgers with bacon, corn and french fries.   I laid on the couch with my feet up and was available as a consultant if need be. 

Far Guy's sister was very sleepy and hardly awake at all yesterday.  She did send a message to her brother via her husband that she loves him.  She is not eating much at all anymore, a spoon of applesauce with her pills and a spoon of carrots.  Very hard to see her go downhill. We hear that the Hospice nurses are very kind and good about helping out her husband, daughter and son in law as they all care for her at home. 

We went for a ride down to the river to the area I call "dead beaver area."

 It was a dreary evening we are supposed to get some more snow to make it look like a winter wonderland again...ain't that just peachy keen. 

Far Side

Monday after Easter

 Far Guy wasn't feeling well enough to go anyplace for Easter dinner...so we stayed home. ( I do not have a Medical Degree but I am almost certain he has a medication that has a side effect...either that or it interacts with some other medication he is taking.) Watched the church service on the computer and late in the day we had Salmon and Steak.   It was all good.   It started snowing late in the day. 

Seems like we have some sort of snow event every week. 

We have enough snow now and someone should send a memo to Winter and tell him to knock it off already.  Spring should be warming up in the wings...

I am watching Downton Abbey on Netflix and crocheting the borders on all those squares I made over the last year.  I have 3 out of 20 all set to be joined. 

Monday I did a bunch of laundry...Tuesday is ironing day and since I have nothing that needs ironing I get the day off!  Ha!  No mending worth mentioning on Wednesday, Yes I shall go to market on Thursday, maybe bake a loaf of bread on Friday, Clean something on Saturday and watch Church on Sunday.  There are old thoughts that the weeks should be structured and not all willy nilly.

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Birthdays

 Today our oldest daughter Trica is 50.   Hard to believe that she is that old. 

I believe this photo was taken in 2006.  Savannah, Trica, Paige, My Dad and Maddie.

Maddie's birthday was yesterday!  Maddie was 24 years old.  We visited her via facetime, she likes her new job.  Fun to get caught up with her.

Maddie and Chance...2008 I think.  The walking stick she is holding is a Diamond Willow Branch that Far Guy debarked and made into a walking stick...one for each of our Grands....he uses a wood burning tool to engrave their names on the walking sticks.

Far Side

Happy Easter!

 

Easter Weekend

 I should NOT complain....but I am a tad cranky. 

It doesn't seem like Easter time here, if I were hiding eggs outside I would have to traipse through the freaking SNOW.

It snowed off and on all day Friday and it was rather chilly.  21 F or -6 C eh!

 I tried to do too much with my thumb ...seemed like everything I did was a pain...grinding the pepper mill, shoveling the walk, lifting drawers upstairs and washing dishes.

I have a plantar wart...not sure how I got it...but I do know someone else who has one and I do go barefoot most of the winter.  What a pain in the foot....we will try to get rid of it here at home. 

Well you know what they say about a frown...it is just a smile upside down. 

The bunnies at Andy and Jen's home always make me smile. 

Ceramics from a long time ago, the basket is Mother of Pearl.

My parents seem to be getting along ok at their new digs.

We remember and pray for those on Hospice. 

Far Guy's sister Jan, and Andy's Dad Bob. 

Far Side

Snow Day

 It snowed, by the time we went to town for Far Guy's infusion the roads were okay,  he dropped me off at my parents.  I walked Dad down the hallways, he needs to keep up with physical activity.   He was doing pretty good.  

We ran a few errands in town.  Dropped off some old medications at the Sheriffs office and went by the grocery store to get some fresh fruit.   On the way home the roads were wet and there were some snow tornados out on the fields when the wind came up.  

Good afternoon for a nap! 

I pulled the remaining stitch that was in my thumb.  It looks much better now and feels somewhat better too. 

I felt like I should turn in my services to an Insurance Company for reimbursement.  My thumb doesn't like doing certain things...pushing or gripping movements...it all takes time.  I told Far Guy that he was most likely in charge of wood carving the Christmas ornaments this year....we will see.  At the end of a day my thumb protests all the movements during the day...

June

Twas a dreary day here in Minnesota.  Today is Tax Day and Good Friday all rolled into one.   Half the month is gone and it seems more like March than April.

Far Side

Just Peachy

Busy day yesterday.    Every thing went just fine with my parents, their new place is nice.  I am tired. 

And to top the whole entire peachy day off...I inspected my incision and I am positive they left a stitch in place...the bums:( :(

Far Side

Spitting Rain

 It is spitting rain here from time to time.  No snow, but the sky is dark and the wind is blowing.  Up North at Jen and Andy's house winter has returned with twelve plus inches of snow.   I am thrilled for them.

We had a busy day; ran errands to Wally World, Post Office and the Meat Market.  Stopped by my parents and Dad knew who I was.  They are moving into Assisted Living on Wednesday.  My other baby brother and his work crew are helping as is his wife, Stacey and Megan.  I will join them and do what I can.

Photo of a Swan taken a few days ago.

The brain dead lady at the Post Office told me I didn't need tracking on my packages...talk about lazy. 

The fellows at the Meat Market were happy to see me again.  Meat prices have stayed about the same there.  Town was fairly busy. 

Far Side

Found

 I found some of the things I was looking for.  I asked Far Guy if he wanted to join me on my hunt for a needle in a haystack and he said sure...and within ten minutes we were done.  It was a miracle.   What was I looking for?  Eight old photos from Forgotten Old Photos blog that people emailed me about over the winter...three were easy to find but five remained elusive...then I found two by myself and started the hunt again...yeah for us we found them!~  They are all ready to be mailed to their relatives.  Cross that project off my list!

Found a great Blueberry Pancake mix and we had it for supper with fruit.  Krusteaz makes it.

Found some time to work on my crochet project (Patchwork Mosaic) and the last square was completed and now work on the envelope borders begins.  The borders will be Teal....

I am a tad tired of Green, Pink and Hot Pink.

My basket will be filled with completed squares to crochet borders.   I am 11 days behind on this project due to time away from crochet for hand surgery.  Not sure that I should pick a date to be done with this project!  Perhaps months from now. 

It snowed again yesterday afternoon, big huge ugly flakes.

 Far Side

Start of another week

 We have a few things on the list this week.   Snow.  Putting the bed upstairs together, searching for a couple of "lost items"...you know the kind you put  "away" so well you cannot locate them.  Taking naps are high on the list this snowy week. 

I made the menus for the next two weeks...when we lived with the kids they do suppers day by day...Jen is a moody eater she never knows what she wants to eat days ahead of time.  Heck I could do menus for a month...but two weeks at a time works well for us...of course it is not written in stone we can change ideas if we want to. 

Those worthless steri strips lasted about 48 hours on my hand...So I put some more on. 

My parents are moving into Assisted Living this week if all goes well and my Dad is released from the Nursing Home. 

Far Guy's sister is confined to bed now, she says her legs weigh a ton and she cannot move them anymore.   Far Guy calls her every evening. So sad to see her go downhill little by little.

Shell River

Far Side

S words

 Snow... we still have lots of it and more is on the way this week.  Something to look forward to.   Some of the forecasted snow totals are downright scary. 

Swans, Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes all sharing a water hole in a corn field.  There is hardly any snow 10 miles west of our house.

Steri Strips suck and my hand still hurts.  It doesn't burn as much as it did...but I still have to be careful.  Far Guy is stuck doing the dishes...so I cooked last night...ribs, baked potato and corn.

I can crochet for short periods of time, I am watching Bridgerton and enjoying it!  Far Guy and I are watching Better Call Saul at night....it is different.

June.

Far Side

fine

 This month in Book Club we read Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. 

How often in passing if we recognize the person behind the mask do we ask "How are you?"  I usually say "just fine as frogs hair."   Most people don't get the point that frogs do not have hair therefore their question is stupid as is my answer.  Oh yes there is the rare day that I might be almost fine, had enough sleep and pain in the old arthritic joints is less...so I might be "fine." 

It was a depressing read, but funny in parts.  I give it a 6 out of 10. 

I finally got the stitches out of my hand, they removed them reluctantly...she said "I want to keep some in there a few more days"  I said "I will take them out myself."  She said "I suppose we can take them out and put some seri strips on for a couple of weeks."     Fine. 

Far Side

More Snow and a birthday

 Snow.

Yes more snow.  Too bad we cannot sell it.

I took out Ranger Blue and blazed a trail for Far Guy so he could make it to the road that has been plowed.  The township has not plowed the roads in three days/three snows.  We must have about 16 inches of new snow now.  The wind is blowing and the corner fills in fast.   Kinda fun going up and down the road flattening snow and making a trail. 

We are headed Up North to have my hand recheck and my stitches removed. 

Today is Miss Paige's birthday!  Happy Birthday sweetie!! Paige is our youngest Granddaughter she is 23 years old. 

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