Cathie and Marilyn

My best friend in High School was a girl named Cathie.  I met Cathie in seventh grade…her last name a W and mine a Y meant that every class where the kids were seated alphabetically I often sat right behind her or very close to her.

Being a farm kid having a friend in town had it’s perks.  I had a safe place to go after school and a place to stay all night if needed.  I loved going there…I no longer had to be the oldest and most responsible… Cathie was the middle child, Cathie’s brother was older…and her sister the youngest.  I also didn’t “have” to do dishes although I often did.  The girls had their own bathroom and didn’t have to share!  What a perk…at home I had to share with four other people and Cathie just had to share with her sister.

Cathie’s mother was Marilyn.  Marilyn made you feel like you were just one of the family.

Marilyn would set the breakfast table the night before…it must have been the last thing she did at night.  In the morning grapefruits would be cut in half and the sections would be cut so they were easy to get out with your grapefruit spoon.  I had no experience with a grapefruit spoon until then.  She was a good cook too, sometimes she would get out the white tablecloths and extra tables would go from the dining room straight into the living room…and there was no “kids” table.  Gravy in a boat…and real napkins.  “May I be excused?”  Sometimes she was kind of formal…no one was excused from the table until they asked to be excused.

Marilyn always had time to listen to what you had to say…sometimes if my point of view was a bit skewed (which it often was) she would put one hand on her hip and say “Now Connie…”  and then proceed to give me some input that may or may not change my mind.

Marilyn and the kids were in church every Sunday…it was nice to have a friend held captive on Sunday mornings just like I was.

When my sister was born, my Dad went back to the Cities to work until Mom could come home from the hospital.  It was Marilyn that drove out to the farm and picked us all up to go and see our new baby sister in Detroit Lakes Minnesota.  I was fifteen and could have driven to Detroit Lakes myself…but Marilyn was happy to take us….it was probably safer too!

Marilyn was a working single mother for a number of years…until she met Bob and remarried. When all the kids were gone from home, Marilyn and Bob were in church most Sundays in the wintertime…Bob worked on the Ore Boats out of Duluth.  He belonged to a different church but after the kids left home he most often attended with Marilyn.

Bob died in 1991.  An aneurism took him quickly.  Marilyn left for her heavenly home and  joined Bob on November 5 2015.  The funeral was yesterday.  It was a very nice service with some wonderful messages.  A granddaughter talked about “The Dash” and read the poem along with some heartfelt sharing of her Grandma’s dash.

Cathie has been her mother’s caregiver for years.

Cathie will have some time on her hands now, being strong like her Mother she will carry on.  My hope for her is that she will concentrate on her grandchildren and be the best grandma ever.

Cathie and her brother read my blog just about everyday. I would like to thank them for sharing their wonderful mother with me.  A honest woman of faith, strength and laughter who made a great impact on me in my teenage/young adult years.

Chance: Up North

Of course I got to go along Up North, Miney (that is short for Hermione) lives there. I practically know the way..it is a really good two hour nap in the car. After two hours I get anxious and start to drool.. I know once we go over the railroad tracks we are almost there. Then I start to whine..Miney must hear me coming, she meets me at the door, we are best friends.

Miney has it pretty good for a "town" dog, she has a doggie door and a fenced yard. She also has a Football Field.. perfect for herding a ball. We take turns, I am a gentleman and always let her have a turn first.

I think Miney may be putting on some weight, but we don't want to say anything..maybe she is just a little extra fluffy. She is a beautiful fluffy anyway.

When she gets tired we have to wait until she gets rested up. Far Guy says "Poor Miney, you don't have to run every time." But she does..I am a Border Collie..so I wait and rest during her turn. I am pretty smart.

See everyone is resting, at least she didn't take her ball and go home. My Sister says that sometimes she just takes her ball and goes home when she is too tired to play.

I got the ball now..my turn!! I am so happy!

Anticipation..when and where will he throw that ball next.. is it my turn or not? I had a ball playing ball on that football field. It was perfectly mowed, there are no trees or rocks to run into..and no brush for the ball to get lost in. Miney was a gracious hostess, she shared her food bowl and water dish, however she did fall asleep in a heap against the wall a few times.. my sister said "Look at Miney.. Chance, you have exhausted her." :)

A Masked Man

Don't get too excited..it is just Far Guy in his winter face mask. I searched everywhere for a face mask for him. I finally found one at a place called The Duluth Trading Company. The mask had to be large enough to leave some roominess around his right cheek and the right side of his face. It had to be bulky enough fabric to keep out the worst of the wind. This face mask seems to work well, although he does take it off in town..I wouldn't want him to be mistaken for a bad guy and hauled off to jail. Far Guy is bothered by wind touching his face. In fact he is bothered by anything that touches his face..the wind, his reading glasses, stupid people..all things that will cause him a great amount of extra pain on top of his always present pain of the Trigeminal Neuralgia. How do you tell other women... do not hug my husband, your hair brushing by his face causes him extra pain for hours. Sometimes I think I should have a shirt that says "Touch my husbands head or face, and I will rip your boobs off. " He has enough pain..your hug is not going to help..you dumb broads.

We are still in part two of the new medication. Far Guy had a few really rough days, and nights. So much so that Chance became a "Mother Hen" ..it is something to watch. Chance decides when Far Guy should lay down on the couch, he gets his attention usually by putting his head in his lap and then leads him to the couch..as soon as Far Guy is settled down..Chance leaves. In the evening if Chance decides that it is time for Far Guy to go to bed, he goes into the bedroom and pulls down the covers. (They did have a talk about this, Far Guy told him that he didn't have to be so bossy.) One night Chance held Far Guys hand, he licked it first and then proceeded to hold it gently in his mouth, until Far Guys hand was all wet with drool and he couldn't stand it anymore. The dog is in tune with the man..what can I say ..it amazes me:)