Yesterday we had a very nice visit with Far Guy's cousin Bonnie and her husband Wayne. Wayne had knee surgery this Summer and is finally walking and feeling like company.
It was good to catch up with all things family before they go back to their Winter home in Florida.
In the past few weeks we had a death in the family and heard about the deaths of two old friends.
Robby Far Guy's cousin and our Godson died from complications of diabetes, heart issues and kidney failure on July 5, 2025. He was 46 years old. He was the youngest of the paternal cousins. He had a bit of a different life style, so we have not seen him in a long time. The funeral is Friday...not sure who or if we will go...it depends on how we feel and if we think the risk of crowd germs is worth the exposure. Far Guy has 13 cousins on that side of his family...three have died...Jere in 1967, Steve in 2019 and now Robby in 2025. There are 15 Cousins total...that includes Far Guy and his sister Janice who died in 2022.
Our friend Dale died in Arizona he was 86 years old. Far Guy grew up with him. Dale had Parkinson's. He died on the 4th of July...it was no doubt a special day to him and it was time to close the show. We have appreciated his friendship and notes every Christmas. This year there was no note at Christmas. The end of an era. He wrote a book called Wooden Horses and Iron Men he sent Far Guy a copy because there is a photo of a very young Far Guy in the book.
Lastly a friend from long ago. Vonnie died July 1, 2025 she was 74. She was a steady girlfriend of one of Far Guys Cousins on his maternal side of the family. We had some really fun times together! Sadly she married someone else.
And so it goes...we are all in certain stages of death...some just closer than others.
Far Side
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
Sunset was fairly orange on Monday night, lots of particulate in the air.
I took this photo on the way over to my baby brothers to visit Baxter and Smudge...I had not seen them in about a week. They love me...cause I have Cheerios for treats! Smudge grew a bit and she knows sit and down now...I think she is a smart little dog.
On Tuesday morning Far Guy took all the extra hoses out and we washed the house. In accordance with our 10 year warranty on the exterior finish on the house...it must be washed once a year in late Summer. This blog serves as a record of the washings.
Check it off the list.
Fall is coming on strong. The night time temperatures are in the 50's F and leaves and acorns are falling out of the trees. The Chokecherries left on the Chokecherry shrubs/small trees are starting to dry up. It was a really good year for chokecherries and some locals are selling them for $4 a pound.
The juicer came in handy this chokecherry season...I believe over 100 cups of juice was made that will make jelly or syrup. I know my freezer has enough juice to keep me busy for a couple of days this Fall.
The Ratibida pinnata or Mexican Hat is in bloom. It self seeds itself every year.
The tomato crop is still good. Far Guy took some in to his favorite Infusion Nurses yesterday.
We had a good visit with Far Guy's cousins yesterday; Bonnie, Wayne, Jay and Janette.
Far Side
We had a great lunch and visit with Savannah and Paige...what a couple of giggly girls!
They are beautiful young ladies! They make us smile! Savannah is working at the Radio Station and she has her own Lash business. She will go back to school this Fall...she has one year left...business is her major. Paige is heading off to school in a month...Dental Hygienist a two year school in a town new to her.
25 years old!
There were hugs and I love yous...see you soon! Be careful out there! (Be aware of your surroundings!!)
After lunch we drove North to visit with cousins Jack and Pat at their lake cottage.
Stories were flowing back and forth...it was a fun Sunday afternoon visit. Brought back many memories of lunch and Sunday afternoon visits like in the "olden days."
Far Side
Yesterday we spent the morning in town. Our car went to be washed and waxed. We drove the new/old car around town. Far Guy cruised Main and got on the webcam. I had him stop by the Fire Hall in town they have red, white and blue flowers there.
The light was not great on the flowers. We went through a drive through for breakfast and then went to a park to watch people and dogs while we ate. Then we decided to visit Far Guy's cousins...and take them for a ride.
Cousin Wayne getting his first look at the new/old car. They enjoyed the ride.
Soon it was time to pick up the other vehicle, buy some gas...prices are $2.99 a gallon here now and head for home. By 11 AM we were back home.
We had an uneventful afternoon....after supper we went for a ride...and visited with neighbors and petted their dogs.
Putz and Titus
Sadly Snoopy is no longer part of that pack...he went over the Rainbow Bridge all by himself one morning....Snoopy belonged to neighbor Dave and when he could no longer care for Snoopy he went to live with Steve and Jo. ( Snoopy used to come here to visit Chance) Putz is mostly blind but Titus keeps him out of trouble herding him around. Funny how dogs just know what other dogs need.
Far Side
I found several old photos to share with you today.
The first was taken in Omaha Nebraska in 1944.
Marvin, Evelyn, Esther and Jim.
Marvin and Evelyn were thirty years old that year and had been married for four years..
41 years later another photo was taken.
Evelyn, Marvin, Esther and Jim.
Marvin and Jim are brothers. Marvin and Evelyn are Far Guy’s parents. This photo was taken at the farm at Christmas time. Arch (another brother) and Liz and their family were living at the farm then. I see cousin Robbie’s artwork is in the window.
The farm was always a good place to gather sometime over the holidays. 1985 was no different. Grandma Tracie died in 1983 so she was noticeably missing, she loved the holidays and family gatherings.
Other people near and dear to us were there that year.
Arch, Ron ( our Brother in law who will soon turn 71) and PD or Paul ( Arch and Liz’s oldest son).
Jan (Far Guys sister), Jennifer ( Our daughter), Me and Far Guy
Bethany (Jan and Ron’s daughter) and Robbie (Arch and Liz’s youngest son)
Now a days Arch and his wife Helen have moved into town for the winter. Helen has arthritis and her house in town will be easier for her. From what I understand Robbie is at the farm keeping the home fires burning.
This was one of the few Christmas/New Years that we didn’t make a visit to the farm. I missed not going there…that place holds lots of memories of the past..times of happiness and great sadness..but mostly good times spent with family:)
We had a busy day. We headed way north to a family reunion for Far Guys Fathers side of the family. We got to hear some “Lady” stories..it seems she was the Mother of “Tippy” who has been in a few of Wistful Wednesday posts.
Far Guy made a fruit bowl out of a watermelon and then filled it with fruit. Chance was on his best behavior and kept a close eye on a dog at a neighboring cabin.
It smelled like “Christmas” up there.
They missed the big winds last Monday night but had them on Wednesday night. In the Lake Movil area it seemed that the big old pines were uprooted by the winds. Chain saws were buzzing on this corner and Christmas was in the air.
We saw something fly from this nest. If I have to guess I would say it was a Golden Eagle.
I had Saturday as one of my “off” days for the month of July. It is real nice to get two extra days off every month so I can go to a picnic or one of Far Guy’s Doctors appointments etc…
Somewhere someplace in Missouri a dozen families were granted miracles Saturday morning. A van filled with Boy Scouts was broadsided and then rolled over on one of the roads up north. The driver of the van was air lifted out. All of the scouts escaped serious injury. Far Guy was one of the first responders. First Responders never get the recognition that they deserve. Thanks guys! :)
Alaska Guy is Far Guys cousin. He spends a third of his life in Alaska, a third in Arizona and a third in Hawaii. He is not married at the moment. Although he has a “gal” and we have met her( she is a doll.) He flew in and out to see his Dad ( Far Guys Uncle). Alaska Guy is a pilot…so he comes and goes at will. He is footloose and fancy free..no kids..no dogs or cats..
I knew Alaska Guy before I knew Far Guy. You see Alaska Guy lived kitty corner from our farm. He lived in a little house behind his grandparents house. He was a year older than me and his sister was a year younger. We played together all the time.
In 1954 or 1955 it was their house that I was running off to for an afternoon adventure. Knowing I was not supposed to walk anywhere near the highway,I took off into the pasture where I promptly got my britches stuck in the barbed wire and could not get loose. There I hung by the britches, until my Mother noticed my red scarf bobbing up and down. My feet would not touch the ground, I couldn’t get unstuck no matter what I tried. Barbed wire and having short legs ruined my afternoon adventure.
Alaska Guy had his hip done two years ago..he would call and talk for hours. He must have had good drugs because he doesn’t remember calling us.
When he was here on Sunday he and Far Guy talked about hips, old classmates, when they were little, cars and planes. It is good to spend an afternoon just talking to one of your cousins.
If you ever fly from Phoenix to Honolulu this may be your pilot
I have no idea what this is. Perhaps one of my readers will know. It was a gift to Far Guy from his cousin Bonnie. She believes that it was their Great Great Grandfather Xaver Aleck’s, he was a tailor in Philadelphia before he became a farmer in Harrison County, Iowa in 1860. It may or may not have anything to do with being a tailor..
I have put one of Chances new non slobbered up tennis balls next to the mystery item..so you can tell the size.
This is an old photo of Far Guys Dad and a group of kids at a game farm/tourist trap, we think it was probably one near Rapid City, SD.
The children are Stevie, Far Guy, Nickie, Jeri in front and Janice is on the other side of her Dad, you can barely see her peeking around her Dad.
Far Guy does not remember this photo being taken. I asked him what he remembered about those snazzy cowboy boots, he remembers nothing..and concerning the suspenders..he said “No wonder all the kids used to call me ‘Spenders’ in school.”
We have not seen Stevie or Nickie in a couple of years. Jeri died when she was just fifteen years old, while undergoing minor surgery. Recently I ran onto her obituary it was in that pile of Obits that Far Guys Mother had saved. She died in Covina, California and is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska. It must have been a very sad time for the family. Far Guy and I saw Jeri at the State Fair in Lincoln, Nebraska the summer before she died:)
