Our oldest daughter Trica is 53 today.
Here she is in 1972 at my baby brothers graduation (age18), that is my other baby brother holding her (age 11) and my sister (age 5 almost 6) looking on. Photo taken at my parents home on the farm.
Happy Birthday Trica, we all love you very much!
Far Side
Our second to the oldest Grand Maddie is 27 years old today!
I finally made a list of the books that I have in the house to read. I am only 52 books behind....but at least I know which books I have hidden away...just in case. I had to order a few books for upcoming book club books. That is what prompted the making of the list.
We took it easy on Tuesday...because Monday was a busy day. We made Jambalaya, salad and flat bread for supper guests. Far Guy was the cook and I was the sous chef/dishwasher/bread baker. Teamwork! Tuesday morning we both said we are getting too old for cooking. However Jambalaya freezes well and we froze some up for the summer...it will make a great side dish or main dish with a salad and fruit for the summer days we don't want to cook. Far Guy follows the Cajun Ninja recipe for Jambalaya on You Tube.
The flat bread was really good and made the whole house smell great! No it is not perfectly formed but it tasted perfectly great!
Supper on Tuesday was chicken thighs with skin removed in the crock pot with pineapple juice and soy sauce...salad and peaches. Easy cooking!
I have had a post it note floating around my desk space for a bit...it says...
"Being popular on facebook is like sitting at the cool table in the cafeteria of a mental hospital"
Far Side
I am enjoying the recliner, although the massage function is sometimes annoying. The heat is toasty warm:)
I am sometimes able to relax and crochet.
I finally managed to get a photo of a Robin in our trees.
We had a busy Sunday...grocery shopping, some cleaning, some laundry and we each had our own projects.
We only have one medical appointment this week...so far. Practically a vacation!
Our weather was mostly cloudy with a high about 60 F. Not bad for mid April!
Far Side
Phenology Geek That I am...
Saturday we ventured out with Ranger Blue to recycle paper and plastic stuff. We took a detour on the way home.
Far Guys visit with the dietician was helpful...he needs to eat more protein many times a day. She suggested that he eat 5 or 6 times a day.
My Rheumatologist had no suggestions or solutions for me...as I suspected. He said he hoped I could see the Neurosurgeon before May 30. Well me too! Since we have good insurance he wants to see me again in three months.
The new recliner that we ordered a few weeks ago was delivered...it has heat and massage and is very comfortable.
Far Guy went to the garage today and uncovered his old car Tilly. He must be thinking of Summer.
I did some laundry and odds and ends and crocheted some baby booties. I think I need to crochet more before my hands give out with the RA. I plan to make a number of blankets, one is in progress but I got distracted by the baby booties.
Far Side
It was a busy week.
Monday: Injection into my SI joint left side...the usual sting like a bee...hold real still. About 48 hours after the injection I noticed some relief. Not a lot ...but some. The Dr. there thinks I have multiple problems...SI joint, L4 and L5, RA and PTLDs (Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome). Go figure. I am on the wait list to see the Neurosurgeon...right now my appointment is on May 30. Who knows when or if I can have surgery. Supper was BLTs and peaches.
Tuesday: A day off to catch up with the many things on my desk and a number of things on my mind. I sewed on buttons, put away some odds and ends properly. Supper was Pork Chops and Wild Rice.
Wednesday: I did the grocery shopping after I had a Dexa Scan...from the report it looks like my bones are better than in 2017. Who knew? Supper was Moons Over My Hammy ( Over easy eggs on bread topped with sliced ham and cheese and then grilled to perfection).
Thursday: Stopped by the Clinic and had Lab work...all is well there. Got the car gassed up and went through the car wash, and to the bank while Far Guy had his weekly infusion. He is finally feeling a bit stronger and is coughing less...he is walking and keeping track of his steps. I spent some time on the phone with some idiots at our Internet/TV provider who changed their billing software which caused a glitch in how I pay their bill. Of course they want me to pay using their system and not bill pay...I told them forget that crap. I do all the payments through bill pay at our bank. Dumb asses...they also asked me to rate their customer service...ya u betcha. Supper was salad and Impossible Italian Sausage Pie.
Friday: Far Guy has an appointment with a dietician to see what other high protein things I can feed him to gain back some of the 20 pounds he lost in the last year...10 pounds were lost just in March alone. I have a Rheumatology virtual appointment on Friday afternoon. I have little to no confidence in him. Right now I take Tylenol and THC Gummies for the pain. Supper will be Apple Pancake.
Not sure what the weekend will bring...other than maybe all the snow will melt in the yard.
We saw six Robins as we drove into our yard yesterday...I sat outside quite awhile in the evening hoping to hear or see a Robin...no luck...I heard a Crow and a Woodpecker. I am certain she who sees robins first saw the robins before me again!
Far Side
Our three Great Grandchildren were at Noah's wedding.
Here they are enjoying the three wheeled coffee cart/bike at the coffeeshop. Yes they figured out how to ring the bell too! Hey Mikey is almost eight, Cee Cee is five and Peach is a few months shy of the terrible twos.
Now that we are moved back to the woods we will miss seeing them.
Far Side
All our Grands attended Noah's wedding.
Savannah in orange...even her shoes!
Maddie
Brenton, Peach and Maddie
Paige and Cole
Adam and Courtney
It was so much fun to see them all in the same place and give them all hugs!
Two Grands left to get married...Savannah and Adam....and Adam has a gal:)
Far Side
Our youngest Granddaughter Miss Paige is 26 years old today!
We got to see her and give her hugs at the wedding. In the photo she is holding our youngest Great Granddaughter Peach.
Love you lots! Happy Birthday Paige!
Far Side
The groom is waiting for the service to start.
Waiting with his best man ...brother Adam.
Coming down the aisle with his parents
Getting married.
The bride Hanna and the groom our Grandson Noah...married.
There was a meal after the ceremony. Pulled pork on Noah's Grandma Sheila's homemade buns, twice baked potatoes, corn and coleslaw...then of course the wedding sugar cookies and mints. It was a lovely reception. There were about 50 guests...mainly close family and a few of the couples friends.
Far Side
Jen, Andy, Maddie and I baked sugar cookies on Friday after Far Guy's Doctor appointment. BTW his appointment was okay...they are going to try him on a new med to help his breathing but as usual it has to be approved by insurance first.
Gone to visit this dog! I bet she missed us bunches.
We will return home later today.
Far Side
We are traveling for Far Guy's Doctor appointment with his Pulmonary Doctor, it is a recheck after he was in the hospital. They are keeping a close eye on him. He still has a cough and is still losing weight.
We had a quiet day on Wednesday, I cleaned the bathroom and caught up with laundry.
It snowed.
I guess we got about five inches of heavy wet snow.
It will be melted in a few days...the sun and warmer temperatures will take care of it.
We had soft tacos and raspberries for supper. Far Guy cooked.
Far Side
Yes it snowed, it was not an April Fools joke.
Before we left.
After.
It was not a fun trip thats for sure. It kept on snowing after we got home. We have more snow now.
The roads were mainly wet and the temperature hovered between 31 F and 33 F.
We are still in a Winter Storm until late Wednesday or early Thursday. They say we may get up to 10 inches of snow...we will see. We are happy to be at home safely.
Far Side
A number of years ago we had 18 inches of snow on April 1st...how do I recall?? It is Great Nephew Mason's birthday and we walked over to help celebrate his birthday because the snow was too deep to drive in. Mason was maybe 6 or 7 years old back then...today he is 20...hardly seems possible! Happy Birthday Mason!
We are supposed to be getting a Winter storm beginning Tuesday afternoon going all the way into Thursday. We have to travel on Tuesday so hopefully that is all said and done before the storm begins.
My Dad's car in the snow a long time ago.
Perhaps Old Man Winter wants one last reminder of Winter before he yields to Spring. We can always hope.
We had a salad for supper...with some baked chicken and raspberries.
Far Side
Paige, Cole and their dog Rosie came to help Spring House Clean Upstairs. They are good workers! Much was accomplished in an afternoon. Cole took care of a few things outside, we are very appreciative of their help.
Upstairs the windows still need to be washed and the sheets and blankets on the beds need to be washed too...but I can work at that one project at a time.
We have a busy week coming up...three doctors appointments. One for me on Tuesday( hopefully it won't be a winter storm that day) and two on Thursday and Friday for Far Guy. We also have to "people" a bit on Monday.
Here is a photo of Paige in October of 2000. The occasion was her Great Grandparents Y. 50th wedding anniversary.
Well... we can say goodbye to the long month of March after today.
Supper was homemade pizza.
Far SideWe are both feeling our age this Spring...we need some Geritol or something to perk us up...although some warm sunny weather might help.
Yesterday we went to the transfer station with our garbage, we stopped by recycle, turned in some no longer used medications at the Sheriff's Office, went by the Post Office to mail a package and ordered and paid for a recliner with heat and massage. We checked a bunch of stuff off our list.
I took this photo of an aging church a number of years ago....up North someplace.
We fixed grilled cheese sandwiches and chili from the freezer for supper.
It spit rain a bit yesterday...not enough to amount to anything.
Far Side
I finished another baby blanket, a hat and booties.
Lots of young ladies are having babies. I need to have a few blankets etc ready to go.
It keeps me out of trouble.
We had a quiet day on Friday, we had thunder like in the summer but very little rain after all the rumbling. Again the changing weather and the system coming through was the pits.
Far Side
Yesterday was a sunny day, it made all the brown colors out there pop and some of the snow melt.
Far Guy had his infusion, the Zemaira makes him feel less sick and he is less short of breath...so that is a win!
I picked up my grocery order at Walmart, went inside Aldi for fruit and into Hugo's for a few items and to the bank while Far Guy had his infusion. I actually saw two relatives in town....I did not have time to chat just time to say hi.
We made a menu list for two weeks and I shopped accordingly. Good to have that done and be back on track.
Far Side
The days are a tad dull and dreary so I have to look for bright and cheerful in my archived photos.
We really like our Primary Care Doctor in Grand Forks, we both have the same Doctor and he has hospital privileges so he saw Far Guy in the hospital earlier this month. It is a 2 1/2 hour drive one way to the appointment, we went the night before and enjoyed supper and a game of cards with Andy and Jen and of course Sadie who was so happy to see us. We went to our early morning appointments and were back at home early in the afternoon on Tuesday. Our appointments went well...come back in six months. We can cross that appointment off our list. I need to get an RSV shot...I read it is best to get it in the Fall...so I can wait until then.
The ride was not real comfy for me, we stopped several times and that helped. The jury is still out on whether I have a SI joint problem or an L4 L5 spine problem...none of the Doctors agree. I have another consult next week.
Far Guy is back on a course of antibiotics, hopefully it will get him over the hump and back to "his normal". Fingers crossed.
Far Side
My baby brother is 71 years old today.
Well here he is a long time ago using his new fishing rod in a water bucket. Perhaps he was practicing his casting with a new fishing rod. (Maybe I told him to practice casting to keep him busy!)
Note the wash on the line. The photo was taken about 1957 or 1958 before the old farmhouse was remodeled the first time. Baby brother is sitting on the front steps of the old farmhouse.
Happy Birthday baby brother!
Far Side
We enjoyed the bit of snow on the Balsam Fir branches.
The snow makes for interesting designs in the woods.
Today we both have Doctor appointments. Nothing exciting just regular check ups.
Far Side
Far Guy got Ranger Blue out of the garage and we went for a ride.
It snowed. Not much maybe an inch of snow but there is some ice under that snow so it must have rained first.
We have weather coming in and it makes my arthritic joints hurt. I needed some comfort food...so I made some scalloped potatoes. I make the rue first...about 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup brown rice flour...heat it up and stir like mad for a couple of minutes then slowly add milk...about 3 cups heat it to almost boiling and set aside. Then I peeled potatoes, chopped some ham and threw it all in a enamel speckled blue and white oval covered pan. Stir it up...add some salt and pepper...bake about 90 minutes. It freezes well and I froze enough for several meals. Far Guy said they were good. Using the brown rice makes them gluten free. Supper was a plain hamburger patty, salad, fruit and those wonderful scalloped potatoes.
Far Guy worked on one of his wood projects. He is feeling a bit better and I am cautiously optimistic that he is getting better a little at a time. Of course we are living like hermits again only venturing out to get the mail.
I did some crocheting while catching up on Survivor and watching old episodes of Tournament of Champions (a cooking show).
It is a fun place to work puzzles...no missing pieces!
Far Side
old broken plastic brown sewing box, the latch was broken and if you lifted it up by the handle..."stuff" could fly everywhere. I have had that sewing box about 50 years. I think I got it for Christmas one year.
All organized...I hardly ever use it but I have it just incase I need to hand sew something. The crayon and colored pencil boxes from Michaels sure come in handy! AND the best part is nothing will go flying everywhere.
Who ever heard of a sewing box without a scissors?? I do have razor blades and a seam ripper! I am sure I can find a scissors someplace for it.
We had a quiet day Friday, most everything is put away from the move. I did a bunch of laundry and cleaned the bathroom. We had salmon/pork burger no bun, baked potato, salad and raspberries for supper.
Far Guy is maybe(knocks on wood)...maybe a tiny bit better.
Far Side
I found this photo in my archives. Our fields look similar today...but it was warm so much of our snow has melted.
There are Sandhill Cranes in the background with Trumpeter Swans and Canada Geese out front.
My thoughts...I like birds...they do not have "stuff"...they have what they need to get along day by day. Three different species of birds all getting along in the same area...
maybe people could learn from birds.
Happy Spring!
Far Side
The roads were good. We have snow in our yard. My other baby brother sent Ryan over to shovel our walk! The car was unpacked, Josh (next door nephew) helped with the last four heavy items. I ran out of steam and had lunch when he stopped by to check on the elderly.
Wednesday morning I went to the Post Office to stop forwarding our mail and by the store to get bananas and milk. We are slowly getting "stuff" put away in its proper spot. Luckily we have the same beds here as we have up North so that is never something we have to get used to. The TV controllers are different!
Inventory of the deep freeze was accomplished and a grocery list compiled.
Today I will get Far Guy to his infusion and pick up groceries. Our hope is that the infusion will not only protect his fragile lungs but allow him to breathe better. Zemaira is the name of the Infusion that works the best for him. Aralast is the infusion he has been on since June of 2015. Zemaira (99% pure) is a more pure infusion...meaning it has less fillers and other "stuff" than Aralast (70% pure).
One day at a time.
Far Side
We should be all moved back in the woods by the time you read this.
Far Guy needs to be at a different Infusion Center. The Infusion he has been getting doesn't allow him to get completely over the exacerbation he has been dealing with. The proper infusion is available at our local small hospital infusion center...but not at the fancy big hospital ( they say it is a shortage or a distribution problem).
We will have to travel back and forth to a few medical appointments for the next couple of weeks.
