Hark! Back! Issue #11

 March 25, 2008

"Charlie"

Revenge is sweet but embarrassing for teenage girls.

In retaliation for the huge rejection by "Pearl" the cockatiel I purchased "Charlie" a male parakeet.

Charlie loved me, he was my rock and roll bird. He loved the oldies and would bee bop in time with the music and sing his heart out.  "Please Mister Postman" was his very favorite song, he liked the version by The Shirelles the best, although versions by The Carpenters, The Beatles or The Marvelettes were acceptable. 

Charlie had one small problem, he would spread his wings, rub himself on his perch or on the bell of his mirror...making the most delightful sounds and he would sing on and on...

The girls were teenagers and they found my wonderful Charlie an embarrassment.  They would announce their displeasure. "M O T H E R your bird is doing it again."  "Mother, I would appreciate it if you could control your bird."  "Do you know how embarrassing he is?"  "I am having friends over and he is SO disgusting."  "Is that all he ever does?" 

They would announce their displeasure with us quite loudly and quite often giving Charlie the female attention he so desired....which in turn would excite him even more. So I usually had to apologize to their friends and explain that I was the owner of an oversexed avian and it was all my fault.  

Playing "Please Mister Postman" would jerk him back to reality and he would become  a rock and roll star once more, it seemed that bee bopping to the music stopped all avian sexual activity:)

***********

Charlie was a hoot...I adored that little bird.   He lived a good long time with us and then was rehomed with a Vet Tech gal when Far Guy retired from the Military and we moved all our belongings into storage and bought a camper.

The teenagers a long time ago.

Far Side

Happy Father's Day!

 We remember our Fathers on this special day.  

Far Guy's Dad, Far Guy and Far Guy's sister photo taken in the Summer of 1950.

My Dad, my baby brother and me in the Fall of 1954...note how attentive I am.

My Dad with my sister and my other baby brother in the Spring of 1967.

My husband is also a great Dad!!

Trica, Far Guy and Jen at the Needles in South Dakota Summer of 1978.

Happy Father's Day!

Far Side

Keep smiling

 Thankfully we are at the end of this week.  #6 of 19 appointments have been accomplished...with no extra appointments added!!

I am all done with Physical Therapy...my therapist is a gem.  I will keep keeping on with exercises!

Jen made this ...she loves sea glass:)

We were up early for Far Guy's appointment for an echocardiogram.  It was a tad slippery out.  No sunshine here...maybe over the weekend! 

Far Side

a goat

 Wow it took me forever to get past 1990 the summer of the goat.

We had a Summer exchange student by the name of Anke from Germany that was the same age as our oldest daughter.  Far Guy took all the girls to a centennial celebration over in Ponsford and a goat was being sold at auction…so he bought it for me. The girls thought it was all great fun. BUT I had always wanted a goat. We named him Seger (Ziege).

The goat was supposed to be a miniature goat. Nope not so much he was a good sized brush eater. He would eat anything green…flowers…poison ivy… you get the idea.  We kept him in the dog fence in the daytime but he would often escape. It was fine if he laid down in front of the door…however he began to jump in peoples boats…during this time we owned a resort.  He jumped on top of Far Guy’s car every day when he came home from work.  Seger didn’t care who chased him with a broom he thought it was great fun.  He had a dry place to sleep up in the horse shed.  He followed me around like a dog and would bleat mournfully if he lost sight of me.  He was afraid of thunder and would show up at the front door and I would let him inside where he would bury his head under my arm until the storm had passed. No he did not poop in the house!

One of the camping people put the shucks from sweet corn in a bag on top of his car…well you can guess where the goat went. So I had to rehome the goat.  It was a sad day when I left him with other goats at a tourist attraction where he had lots of room to roam with a tall fence and bridges to cross.

Seger was a very smart goat. He learned that if he lowered his head and ran at teenage girls they would scream and run from him. He tried it with me…I stood my ground and he would stop and press his head against my leg to be scratched. 

I have very fond memories of that goat!

Far Side

1980

 A blast from the past...45 years ago.

Christmas 1980 at my parents home at the resort on Straight Lake. 

Sunday was a quiet day, I had several naps.  Far Guy is working on a wooden puzzle. 

Supper was chicken wild rice soup, salad and a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Minnesota weather; High 14F or -10C Low was 2F or -17C. 

Only two medical appointments this week! 

Far Side

Quiet

 It was a quiet Saturday.   Jen and I went out to a friends Flower Farm where they are getting ready for Christmas sales.  We helped Sarah put together a number of arrangements with assorted greens, sticks, pinecones and festive picks.  A few extra hands makes for fast creations!  No photos...the next time I go out I will take some. 

I am packaging up Christmas Ornaments 2025 and getting them ready to mail.  There were two errors...easily fixed but I should not have made the error in the first place. 

Our latest puzzle.

A very difficult puzzle....frustrating at times ...so many possibilities.

Far Guy and I had brats and scalloped potatoes for supper. 

It was a very nice day.   High  was 50F or 10C and the low was 32F or 0C...there was frost on the roofs this morning. 

Far SIde

Gone to the dog park

 Sadie needed some attention so for fun we took her to the dog park.

Jen threw the ball for her. 

Sadie is there in the center of the photo...she is really a red color this Fall. 

It was a good outing for us all.  The high was 44F  or 7C  the low was 22F or -6C eh!

It was a tad chilly but at least it was windy!  (the wind blows nearly everyday here)

Far Guy and I worked on some of the Christmas ornaments other than that we watched Hockey games Friday and Saturday night.  (I only watch part of a game as I am not a die hard fan like everyone else in this house!)  

Far Side

Greats

 Cee Cee had a minor surgery yesterday to put tubes in her ears. Hopefully she will be able to hear better.  She has very thick ear wax that clogs her ears.  Early indications are that she can hear better, she says she can...but she still talks loudly. 

Peach, Baby K, Hey Mikey and front and center Cee Cee.  Jen took this photo and Maddie had it on her facebook post so I shamelessly stole it from her!

We will be seeing more of the Greats when we are up in East Grand Forks Minnesota/Grand Forks North Dakota over the Winter. 

Jen sent me this photo last night with all the Great Girls!  She went over to check on Cee Cee after her surgery....and for hugs and snuggles! 

Peach, Baby K, Cee Cee and their Great Auntie Jen

Far Side

Camera Ready

 All together now!

Happy Birthday Jen!  

She loved the birthday cookies from Hornbachers back in the day!  I believe she was about 4 years old in this photo in 1979.  Too bad I had her facing into the sun so she is all squinty! 

Her real name is Jennifer and mostly we call her Jen but sometimes we slip and call her Jenny! She prefers Jen.  She is our rock, she is always ready to help her elderly parents, we appreciate all that she does for us! 

Oh yes she loves to take photos.  And sometimes I catch her doing what she enjoys. 

Photographing flowers at Bergeson Nursery near Fertile Minnesota.

Jen and Adam at a beach near Hilo Hawaii

Jen and Andy waiting for the sun to set before heading to the airport from the Big Island, Hawaii

Jen admiring the sunset... camera ready

Jen is off on an adventure with Andy for her birthday, we went out for supper to help her celebrate early.

Happy Birthday Jen, love you always and forever!  

Mom

Sunflowery

 Jen and I teamed up to paint a porch sitter.  A porch sitter/leaner is a piece of wood that usually has a design or says something like welcome, home etc...it sits on your porch leaning up against the wall. 

I did the blue/green and then Jen painted a sunflower on one end and I painted on the other end.

It was a fun project! I think it turned out great!  

The sunflowers in all the sunflower fields were turning their heads downward from the weight of the seed heads.  

Grain harvest has begun and some of the bean fields are starting to turn color.  

Minnesota weather: High of 82F or 28C Low was 60F or 16C eh!

Long time friends Mike and Ginny from Iowa stopped by today and then my other baby brother and she who sees robins first, then nephew Josh came by with his new puppy who is really cute!

Supper was steak and a baked potato along with the first yellow pear tomatoes of the season.

Far Side

August 13, 1994

 Yesterday would have been my Father In law's birthday.

This was his last birthday on earth, he died a couple of weeks later from complications after a simple surgery...they called it multi system failure...he was 80 years old. 

In the photo Far Guy, Marvin and Jen....three generations.  As I recall we had angel food cake with berries to celebrate.  Marvin was a wonderful man who we still miss very much.

Far Side

Photo Project

Way last Spring I ordered new photo albums to replace the ones that are 50 + or - years old.  My idea is to get rid of most of the scenery photos and all of the bad photos, and mark all the photos with names and dates.  

My desk is full...this project may take a little while!  Jen helped with her album.

Sadie and Jen are great company! 

We had ribs and baked potatoes for supper.  Minnesota weather: High of 73F or 23C although with the humidity it felt way warmer than that!  Low was 59F or 15C.

Far Side

Highlights

 Highlights of our day Tuesday:  It rained, we went to town to pick up prescriptions, got gas and a car wash and had Dairy Queen for lunch.  

Waiting on this dog to show up with Jen.  It will be good to have company for a few days!

Sadie always makes us smile!

We  had an egg in a basket for supper and fruit.  I also had green beans...Far Guy passed on the green beans. 

Minnesota weather: Rainy and humid, High 83F or 29C Low was 67F or 20C.

Far Side

Saturday all day

 Saturday was a day.  I cleaned part of the bathroom that didn't involved bending over, put a few things in their proper place and did some laundry.  I had a long nap in the afternoon.   We had Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for supper. 

Minnesota weather: High was 74F or 24C and the low was 53F or 12C eh!   Far Guy sat outdoors for awhile.  He is still mostly miserable with the side effects from the cancer drugs.

Last Tuesday I took a photo of Jen holding Baby K.  Baby K is growing.

Far Side

Oh my

 Last night at supper..Far Guy said.."look at that."  There were six half grown baby skunks outside of the living room window.  Oh my.  Glad they didn't spray anything. 

Ain't life grand.  Just when you think you have a few things under control...you don't.  I grabbed my camera and got a couple of photos out of the kitchen window. They peeked in all the ground floor windows....so glad none of them were open! 

Oh a lighter note.  I made pork chops and a baked potato for supper.  Jen went back home in the afternoon after we were all stocked up with groceries and supplies. She cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed. AND made us a pan of lasagna and Far Guys famous Italian sausage cheezy dip.

It was a nice day outside the high was 75F or 24C the low was 53F or 12C.  I had a nap in the afternoon. 

Far Guy is still struggling with the Cancer medications.

Far Side

Pool day

 Wednesday was pool cleaning day and Sadie helped. 

I stepped outside long enough to get a photo. 

Far Guy went to his Pet scan…results will not be known until late Thursday. Far Guy is feeling scared, I cannot blame him as I am scared for him too. 

I am still having some numbness on my left side (buttock,hip,leg and foot)and some pain from the incision.  I have deep stitches and the a whole bunch of glue holding it all together. The glue is supposed to flake away during the first month. No sitting in water…so no pool for me. I can take a shower…with help. I am walking often. 

Jen and Far Guy think I am doing great. 

Baby K had the procedure that unties the tongue tied. Now she may gain some weight. Maddie said the procedure went well. 

I will be back as I am able.

Far Side

Day by day

 One day after another.  My pain is less now that I am taking some muscle relaxers. I walk many times a day. Yesterday’s goal was to get dressed…as the day before I just wanted to be in a nightgown all day.

I am writing on Tuesday night, Sadie goes to daycare on Tuesdays to romp with her friends all day. Supper was Mexican. Maddie and baby K visited in the afternoon. I got to feed baby K a bottle but she does not burp easily …so Jen took over. Baby K is tongue tied so she is having a procedure soon…poor little gal.

Far Guy and I had a quiet day tending to some phone calls etc and I crocheted a bit. 

Today (Wednesday) Far Guy has a scan in the afternoon..a Pet Scan but no real dogs or cats are allowed.  The results will not be known until late Thursday afternoon.

My new crochet project it is called Apache Tears…each row is a different color..a good way to use up yarn!

Far Side

Tomato Update

 The tomatoes are surviving! 

The Patio tomato.

The Yellow Pear and the Cherry tomatoes in the sheep tank.  The old dog kennel works great to keep the deer out!

Far Guy will put some tomato cages up and wires for support soon before they get too tall.

They are standing nice and tall and not flopped over anymore:)

Thursday we had a nice visit and supper with Jen, Maddie, Benton, Hey Mikey, Cee Cee, Peach and Sadie.  We had pizza and breadsticks...those kids all like Ranch with their pizza. 

Minnesota weather High : 81 F or 28 C  Low 56 C or 14 C eh.

Far Guy had his infusion on Friday this week.  I picked up groceries and went to the bank. I finally made it through round one of lawn mowing. We are supposed to get heavy wildfire smoke this weekend.  Supper was Chicken Salad sandwiches and raspberries.  Clean up was easy! 

Far Side

Trolls

 Jen took Maddie, Hey Mikey and Cee Cee on an adventure! 

In a nearby town there is International Recycling Art by Thomas Dambo.  There is a treasure hunt and a map to find all the trolls.   It is a wonderful way to get out and hike to different areas and see something different. 

Maddie and Jen sent some photos! 

It was a great adventure, the great grandkids didn't think the Trolls would be so big!  

Yesterday was very warm again  91 F or 33 C and gale force winds all day.   I did some things in the morning but napped and crocheted the afternoon away inside in the AC. 

Supper was BLT's and peaches. 

Far Side

A Golden Day

 Mother's Day began out on the patio.  It was a beautiful morning that I enjoyed before the really warm weather descended.  By afternoon we had  92 F or 34 C eh...but at one point in the afternoon the car said it was 94 F ...anyways it was really warm for the first part of May. 

Jen and Sadie arrived just before dark the night before Mother's Day. 

Golden Morning.

Sadie busy collecting sticks in the yard.  She was very interested in all the smells in our yard, especially where the bear lounged around the other night.  Yes we have a steel sculpture of a small bear in the old flower bed. 

After playing ball and a swim in the lake!  

Jen helped me do some things around the house...stuff where I have to crawl up a step stool to clean.  She crawls up a step stool better than I do.

We went to our favorite Mexican place for a delicious lunch.   It was a wonderful day spent with Jen and Sadie!  (Andy is at the World's Vex Tournament in Dallas...and we missed him)

Far Side