Two more

 Two more deaths... do they come in threes or fours?  My Cousin Diana's husband Dan he was 82 years old.  A second cousin also died Dickie a first cousin of my Mothers....his obituary is not out yet but he was also in his 80's.   I sent cards.  We are pretty much funeraled out.

Planning on a quiet weekend. 

Today is the last day in February.  Leaping onward into March.

We are thankful that we were able to travel on Wednesday and Thursday because on Friday snow squall warnings were issued...my phone even went off with an emergency alert. 

Snow Squall Warning

HAZARD...Flash freeze on roads. Intense bursts of heavy snow. Gusty winds leading to blowing snow and visibility rapidly falling to less than one-quarter mile. Wind gusts greater than 35 mph.

SOURCE...Radar and webcams. IMPACT...Dangerous travel conditions are expected to develop rapidly in the warning area.

Far Side

Red Plaid

 I helped to search my photo archives for photos of our brother in law.  I found a few photos on a flash drive that belonged to my Mom.

It was curious that in two of the group photos that included Dean he was wearing a red plaid flannel shirt.

This photo was taken in 2019. 

This photo from Father's Day I think in 2020.

From part of his obituary.

Throughout his life Dean shared his faith and encouraged others to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. He ended his phone conversations with "Have a Blessed Day." Dean was blessed with a servant’s heart and was kind and helpful to everyone. He was known as a mechanic and fixer of all things. He helped anyone who needed it with joy. The week before his death he volunteered at Camp Shamineau's Rock Ridge in Ely, MN refinishing the dining hall. He loved and cared for his family; he fiercely prayed and was the definition of a good and faithful servant for the Lord. Even his last day here on earth is a testament to the way he lived life. Saturday was a beautiful Minnesota winter day, the earth had been covered by new snow earlier in the week, the sky was cerulean, blue, he noticed how the American flag flew in the wind. He started the day with Saturday morning Bible study via Zoom with his treasured Pastor Jim, and dear friends he met while living in Massachusetts. While having breakfast he noticed two rabbits out the window and laughed at their antics. He kissed his wife goodbye and traveled to Aitkin, MN planning to help his siblings and mom care for his dad. He saw a vehicle stuck in the ditch just before getting to his mom and dads, so when he got to his mom and dad's he said a quick "Hello" and headed back outside to offer his help. His heart gave out while helping shovel the snow to get the vehicle out of the ditch.

John 3:16

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Far Side

Blessings

 We are blessed with a great family.  Those who could come came to wish Far Guy a Happy Birthday.  We ate lunch and then an early supper.  Every one was here except for our oldest daughter Trica, youngest Grandson Adam, Paige’s husband Cole and Noah’s wife Hanna.

  

The Great Grands made birthday cards!

Fun to see and hug everyone! 

Far Side

Visitors and a nap

 I am a tad tired after the busy week.  I spent most of Friday resting and doing quiet things.  I tended to a few things on my list of things to do and had a nap. 

Niece Katie, Hunter and Aubrey visited us they are here from Western North Dakota.  Aubrey is a Senior this year and has been accepted into the Nursing Program at Minot State University!  She will be an awesome nurse!! ( Aubrey is my other baby brothers Grand)

Far Side

A birth and a death

 Life goes on, we are born and we die. 

First the birth a very happy occasion!  It's a boy!  I crocheted him a yellow baby blanket for his baby shower...not knowing if the baby was a boy or a girl!

This little fella weighed in at 8 pounds and 4 ounces on October 4th 2025.   He is the first child of our great niece Hailey and her husband Isaac, the first grand for Niece Stacey( Grandma Stacey is holding him in the photo)and the first great grand for my other baby brother and she who sees robins first! ( Maybe I am a double great auntie!)

Then a death:  Son in Law Andy's Grandma Ed died on October 3, 2025, she was 96 years old just 29 days short of her 97th birthday.  Her obituary says it all...Edna was called home by the one who loves her most!   She is the last Grandma for Andy and Jen  and the last Great Grandmother for our Grands Noah and Adam.  Grandma Ed lived a good long life, living in assisted living in her later years and then to the Nursing home for only two weeks, the last week on Hospice.  Our sympathy to all who loved Grandma Ed. 

I have a photo of Grandma Ed taken in about 2003...at Adam's birthday party.  Tall baby Adam had a good start and eventually towered over his Great Grandma Ed. 

Births and deaths the world keeps going round and round.  Happy and sad times all mixed together.

Far Side

To everything there is a season,

and a time for every purpose under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to break down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to count as lost,

a time to keep and a time to discard,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Little kids

 We spent some time with the Greats and three of the Grands yesterday. All are doing well. 

The little Greats stayed when their parents went to a wedding.  They really liven up the place!

The Greats watching tv with their favorite Uncle Andy. Sadie is supervising.

This little munchkin Baby K was watching me instead of tv…and I received a number of smiles.  Peach reminds me often that it is her baby and not mine. 

Far Guy had a fair day, he still has some pain and has to watch it so he doesn’t use his left arm very much.

Andy made supper for us and the Greats …hamburgers on the grill and French fries…perfect food for the kids and the elderly!

The weather was beautiful with the high around 70 F.

Far Side

Peach is 2

 This week Peach turned two, hard to believe she is two already.  We helped celebrate with hot dogs,brats, chips and birthday cake. All the Greats went in the pool except for baby K…she is too little for the pool.

We got Peach a new swimsuit! 

Peach and her sweet Mama!

Birthday cake after some pool time. She needed help blowing out the candles.

Gifts! 

Happy Birthday Peach, we love you always and forever!

Even though Great Grandpa has cancer we continue to find some joy and a bit of hope in each day that the good Lord gives us together as a family!

Great Grandma

Preschool Milestone

 The smile says it all.   Preschool is behind our oldest Great Granddaughter Cee Cee...onward and forward to Kindergarten in the Fall.  

Photos by Maddie. 

What a great graduation cap! 

Cee Cee will be a big sister again this Summer before going off to full day Kindergarten in the Fall. 

Do you recall...back in the day?  Kindergarten was either mornings or afternoons every day or sometimes on a Full Day M W F one week and T Th the next week it was hard to keep track of.   

Congratulations Cee Cee you made it! 

Far Side

The Grands

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 

Noah's Wedding

 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

Year in Review 2024

 It was a year!  Why is it as we age time seems to go by faster and faster?

Our oldest daughter Trica lives in Duluth Minnesota, we saw her one time this past year and that was at Paige's wedding. 

Our youngest daughter Jen and husband Andy still live in East Grand Forks Minnesota and we spend the Winter months with them.  They have a Golden Retriever named Sadie.  Jen teaches at Northland Community College and Andy teaches at the University of North Dakota.

Savannah is doing well with her Lash business in Bemidji, Minnesota.  She has two dogs Chewy and Kalila.

Maddie is a Dental Assistant, her husband Brenton works at Bobcat. They live in Grand Forks, North Dakota and they have "The Greats"  Hey Mikey, Cee Cee and Peach.  With a new baby due in June!  They have a very busy household...two dogs Sam and Koda and a cat named Doug. 

Paige married Cole in October.  Paige is a Dental Hygienist and Cole works for a Irrigation Company. They live in Bemidji Minnesota. They have a dog named Rosie.

Noah lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota and works at Simplot, he supervises the cleaning of all the machines and the chemicals used.  Simplot processes potatoes.  Noah has a dog named Aurora. 

Adam moved to Dickinson, North Dakota. He works at Menards in the plumbing department and will attend Dickinson State University this next semester.  Adam's gal Courtney is also a student at Dickinson State University, if all goes well they will graduate about the same time. (2 years from now) Adam has a cat named Phoebe. 

**********

No births this year or new pet additions. 

***********

Deaths...we had a few. 

Far Guy's Cousin Bill Weeks  January 25  age 78

High School Friend Cyndi 

My Mother Madeline February 11 age 94

Neighbor Cheryl  July 13 age 70

My Cousin Diane August 13  age 68

My Cousin Patsy September 15 age 72

Far Guy's Cousin Tom's wife Linda October 4  age 78

My Cousin Kathy October 11  age 75 

*********************

One of our bestest Winter friends Little Elvis died September 27, 2004 he was almost 15 years old.  He had a good life.  I miss him sleeping on his bed near the foot of my bed and as old habits are hard to break I look for him automatically when I get up during the night.  I miss him.

************************

Far Guy keeps busy; he woodcarves, fixes on his old car and occasionally he goes to a car show.  He is my best sous chef and helps readily in the kitchen.  His lung function is about 19% so we limit our activities to outdoor gatherings as much as possible.  He rarely goes into a store because of perfumes, aftershave and cleaning products that people/stores use. 

I keep busy, I have many crochet/craft projects in the works at all times.  I am still struggling with pain from all my ritises  I do daily exercises and should have bought stock in whoever makes Tylenol.  One day at a time. 

There you have it the big wrap up for 2024.

What will 2025 bring us?  A new Great, time spent with those we love...both humans and dogs!

Happy New Years Eve!  We have not stayed up late enough to ring in the New Year for a number of years.

Far Side

Stockings

 15 stockings were hung on the banister. 

My stocking is a little red Church in the snow and Far Guys is the Santa on a Merry Go Round Horse. 

Jen makes a pretty stockings for everyone and has extra plain ones when they forget to bring theirs.  

Maddies stocking is new this year...it is the white one with the snowman...it still needs her name.

 

Jen does not get this stitching on felt talent from me...Far Guys Maternal Grandmother ( Clara Almeada also known as Meade/Meady) loved to make Christmas Stockings.

Far Side

Linda

 Yesterday we paid our respects to Linda's family.  We went to the visitation a bit early to avoid the crowds of people that would be there.  We found Cousin Tom sitting by himself in the front pew of the church.  Others were in the church making sure the meal was being prepared and everything was just so for their Mothers/Grandmothers funeral service. 

Cousin Tom is sad, he has moved into Senior Living Apartments and out of his home.  The move was planned well before Linda died.  He shared that their home held 50 years of "stuff" and is for sale.  They would have been married 59 years at the end of this month. 

Linda wrote her own obituary and it was lovely especially the last few words.  " I have lived a wonderfully ordinary life; celebrate that with me."

There were a number of her poems in the funeral program! 

  I recall one of our first conversations probably the weekend near June 13 when we all used to gather to celebrate Grandma Tracie's birthday.   Linda liked to suck on rocks...she did it quite discreetly so small children would not notice...she said she had done it all her life and wondered if it was the minerals she liked.  I had never met someone who sucked on rocks before...she seemed pretty normal to me...and she was.  

 She had a marvelous laugh and she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  Linda was 78 years old.  She died from Leukemia. 

Far Side

Cousin Kathy

 My Cousin Kathy died on October 11th.  We attended the visitation at the funeral home, the funeral was the next day the same day as Paige's wedding.  

Kathy was one of my favorite cousins, she printed family scrapbooks and cookbooks. She was very interested in family history and stories and was always up for any cousin adventure!  Before Kathy had her stroke she and cousin Geraldine would get together and could visit a day away seeing as many relatives as they could in a day.  

Aunt Eleanor with Mary Jane, Leonard with Mike, Uncle Oscar with Kathy and Ronnie.

This is a photo that my Mom took in 1953.  Everyone in the photo is gone now except for the two youngest...Mary Jane and Mike. 

 Leonard died October 23, 1958 in a hunting accident age 15

Ronnie died May 16,  2022 age 75

Kathy died  October 11, 2024  age 75

Kathy's Dad Oscar and my Dad were brothers. 

I will miss my cousin Kathy, her smile, laugh and her hugs.  She gave the best hugs. 

Far Side

Here is the newspaper article about my cousin Leonard's death.

Grands and Greats

 Our youngest Great Granddaughter, Peach is flanked by two very handsome young men.  They almost look like security guards!  

The handsome young men are our two favorite Grandsons; Adam and Noah. Adam and Noah's parents are our youngest daughter Jen and her husband Andy.

Where is the littlest piggy tailed Peach heading?  She had been at the motel with her siblings and her Dad and a family friend who helped with their care...because their Mom was busy being a Matron of Honor.  

Where ever is she headed?  She had quite an entourage....all people who love her; Adam, Noah, Jen, Hey Mikey and Andy with Cee Cee.

Peach had activated her Mom radar!

And then they were photo bombed!

But you get the idea.

Maddie and Peach.   Maddie is our oldest daughter Trica and her ex husband Richard's middle daughter  (they were divorced after being married for 24 years)...and Peach belongs to Maddie and Brenton. 

The wedding was beautiful.  I will share more photos as the days go on.  I will wait until Paige posts some photos on facebook to show you what a beautiful bride she was.  I had to get what photos I could and not agitate the professional photographers.

We are safely back at home. 

Far Side

Something old

 Our Great Niece Hailey was married yesterday to the love of her life Isaac.  Hailey is the oldest granddaughter of my other baby brother and she who sees robins first.  The first of their Grands to get married. 

The wedding was outdoors. 

We sat on hay bales.  Immediate family sat on chairs.   It was a short but sweet ceremony.  It was a bit windy but the sun was shining.

When I congratulated Hailey and Isaac in the receiving line  ...Hailey showed me the something old that I had given to her at her wedding shower.  It was a simple hankie that belonged to her Great Great Grandmother then her Great Grandmother and then to me.  The hankie was tied around the stems of her wedding bouquet.  It was perfect as something old. 

Other things old...are my siblings. 

Hailey's Grandfather my other baby brother is on the left, my sister, me and my baby brother. 

It was a good day.

Far Side

Jen and Andy did "a thing"

 A few years ago, daughter Jen and Son In Law Andy bought a piece of furniture from an older couple who were downsizing some furniture, the kids thought it was just the cutest house with a great location just a block from "The Ralph"...then the house came up for sale...so Andy and Jen bought it.  They cleaned and painted, decorated the entire place and filled it with nice furniture.  Andy built all new kitchen cabinets, they replaced flooring and updated a time warped bathroom in the basement.  They built custom loft beds for a bedroom in the basement.  They had a very successful Airbnb for a number of years.  

Last Friday they closed on the sale of their Airbnb in Grand Forks, ND.  Earlier in the week, they moved everything out and we got everything ready for a garage sale at their home in East Grand Forks, MN.  It was a great team effort...but exhausting for both Jen and Andy....so much was happening over just a few days plus they are both teaching full time.  

(The last guest checked out on Tuesday so I went over and helped pack up the kitchen, Wednesday I got things ready for the garage sale and went with Far Guy to his appointment. We had the garage sale from Thursday through Saturday at noon...we got rid of lots of stuff...lots of my stuff included!  Far Guy picked me up on Saturday and we all went to lunch before driving back home.) 

Jen writes on Facebook 

"We closed on the sale of our Airbnb today. I am happy/sad and sad/happy, but I might be more sad than happy.

Owning an Airbnb isn’t glamorous; it’s hard work. We could have hired people, but we did not. In fact just within the last month we found someone reliable to clean. Otherwise my husband started laundry before and after work, we spent evenings, weekends, and an occasional Hail Mary to flip the house in one day… cleaning up after the one guest and getting the house ready for the next, and letting people check in early and out late as allowed.

Making beds went better with two people. 2 kings, 2 queens, 4 twins. Our two boys helped in exchange for their part of the phone bill. Niece Maddie worked when she could.

If I had to clean alone, which was rare, it took 4-6 hours, but if the laundry was done 3-4 of us could be in and out in a little more than an hour. Winter’s were great because my mom took care of cleaning the kitchen.

98% of the time we rented to great people and I enjoyed providing a service… a clean, warm, safe, comfortable home for families to mourn together, celebrate together, or get away together. We hosted robotics teams, dance teams, tennis teams.

2% were shitty guests, who let’s be honest we’re probably shitty people too. One reservation left drugs and burn stains into the bar top downstairs.

We provided what anyone could wish for: a Kitchenaid mixer, Ninja air fryer, crockpots. Our welcome gift was usually chippers from Widmans or Dots. We provided bottle openers on both floors, yet the bar and countertops were used to open bottles and broken and damaged. One house rule was “please take off your shoes” yet the dried mud clumps left behind in the bedrooms arrured me guests didn’t. “Clean the out grill” if you use it — I hoped would dissuade use, but there I was elbow deep in grease cleaning up after another person. We brought items people forgot from our own home, we came to let in people who locked themselves out even with a passcode for the lock.

On Airbnb we had a score of 4.98 stars. The two? One guest left five stars for all individual items but four overall — that didn’t make sense. Oh well. The other? The guest said “too many stairs, it was too cold, and we didn’t get money back for leaving a day early”. Stairs are in the description and photos, and visiting North Dakota in December can be cold. They didn’t say the house was cold, and yes we did provide heat. No, no refund for leaving early — I couldn’t have replaced the booking in less than 24 hours.

We only had one group we needed intervention from the police for having a loud party and disturbing the neighbors. The guest turned around and made an “unsafe” claim against our business, resulting in a one week suspension for us from Airbnb. Airbnb did not help us when we requested damages from the same group: Alcohol dripped from walls, floors were sticky and so bad you had to vacuum before you could walk through the house… we had to repaint ceilings, replace bedding, broken glass, damaged flooring, even though we had before and after photos.

I handed over the key to the new owners today. They said, “You made it too good of an Airbnb”. With a puzzled look on our faces they explained: they had rented the house twice in the last year “what a neat place to live” and “I wish we could stay forever”. When they discovered the house was for sale, they said, “No way!” An end of one story is the beginning of another."

Who knows what their next adventure will be...but after this week they need to just rest for a bit.

Far Side

Queen - agers

 Usually I am not impressed with stuff on Facebook but one of my friends posted that older women should be known as Queen - agers.  That is a nice thought. 

I am not much for the political drama, I will leave it all in God's hands.  In fact I am just too old for any kind of drama.  The latest drama is a prior authorization for a med that Far Guy uses...he has been after a new prescription for about six weeks now...it is one thing after another...the Dr didn't write it correctly, the Dr changed it, have the Dr resend the script, the Dr ordered a quantity not covered by insurance, you need a prior authorization ...it is an on going drama. 

Enough of that.  

We are getting fresh sweet corn now and it is wonderful!  So we are planning meals around sweet corn...grilled cheese, brats, moons over my hammy....they all work well with sweet corn.  

On Sunday we went to our favorite Mexican place with my baby brother, she who sees robins first, Jen and Andy. We did not get our favorite waitress but she stopped by to say Hi!  Jen and Andy came to visit the old folks...Jen vacuumed out the sauna and Andy blew out my dusty garage and dumped the shop vac for me. We had a fun time with Sadie...she loves all the sticks in our yard. 

 I am still waiting for a referral to the Orthopedic Dr and a referral to a different Rheumatologist.  The Rheumatology Dept needs a referral then it goes to a committee to see if you should be seen by Rheumatology, then to another group to assign you a Doctor and then you get an appointment.  So it could be months. 

Far Side

Family

 The potato salad turned out great, I got to see some of my cousins so it was a good day.  My sister stopped by and we went through my moms jewelry box.   Cross something off my list...I have a few things that my brothers need to look at...and there is plenty of beautiful jewelry for little girls to play dress up with:) 

After the picnic I came home and had a really long nap...although maybe it was a four hour sleep....who really knows for sure when naps end and sleeps begin.   It was a warm day it was 87 F or 31C eh!

A long time ago...my siblings and our parents.  That pin that Mom is wearing was one of the pieces of jewelry that was in the jewelry box, there is a matching set of earrings.  ( My sister likes pins so it became hers) This photo was most likely taken in about 1971 or 1972. 

Far Side

52

 Our oldest daughter, Trica is 52 today.  It has been 16 months since we last saw her.  She came for her Grandfathers Funeral but not for her Grandmothers. 

Here she is with my Mother about two years ago. 

Trica has a life of her own, with very little contact with family members. It is the way she wants it.

We love her daughters and grandchildren very much, of course we cannot fill her shoes but we can hug them all and tell them that they are loved. 

Happy Birthday Trica, we all love you!

Mom