Last Sunday in July

Far Guy felt good enough to sit outside awhile yesterday.  My other baby brother and she who sees robins first brought us some sweet corm!  My baby brother and his bride came by with two of their children, one daughter in law and nine of their grands! 

The kids decorated caps last night, LuLu had a variety of animals on her hat and her name.

It was a day, I did some laundry, had a nap and cooked the sweet corn up for supper...it was really good!

The kids Up North had some wind early Sunday morning.  Andy was busy taking care of branches in their back yard.

Their neighbor across the street lost a large tree. 

This is a week of appointments...one for everyday of the week. 

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Helpers

 Paige, Cole and Savannah came to help us out yesterday.  The house is clean again, recycling done, weeds sprayed, ants sprayed, our car vacuumed out...now we can relax a bit.  My baby brother came by and mowed our lawn again.   We are so appreciative of all the help!

I am feeling better, but I can sure tell when I overdo...either doing too many "things" or walking too much.  I still cannot bend over or twist or turn...and that is really hard for me.  I still have some numbness/pain especially across my buttocks and down my left leg and across to my big toe.  It makes walking a bit tricky sometimes.  I still have pain at the surgical site too...and a tiredness when I overdo.  I am not over my UTI and have asked the Doctor to prescribe a different med.  I saw my Rheumatologist last week...he offers no help for me, he just says "You have failed all the arthritis medications so I cannot help you." Alrighty then.  I asked him about my Ferritin level being so high and he said "We will check it again in three months." So no help for the extreme fatigue or the extra pain in wrists and knees.  I am not sure why I waste my time with him ( he is not a helper).

Far Guy is still struggling with nausea, burning mouth syndrome, acid reflux and tummy troubles. He is a trooper...he ate a bit more yesterday.  Trying to find food that he will eat is a challenge.  He gained a half a pound.  He is awfully skinny...he weighs 137 now. 

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Lawn Care and Self Care

 We are very fortunate that my baby brother has taken over mowing and trimming the lawn. 

It looks really good! We have gotten lots of rain so it is really growing! 

Yesterday I tried the shower upstairs...it worked great, but the shower chair is very upright so I ordered a different one.  I have to remember to take my picker-upper with me as I dropped the shampoo and then the bath soap. I wash my hair in the shower...good thing Jen gave me a hair cut and thinned it all out! 

I washed a load of laundry and got it in the dryer...again the picker-upper came in handy.  Not being able to bend over to pick stuff up is a pain in the butt.  I put some "stuff" away properly and had a good long nap.  

Far Guy is still feeling rotten from the Cancer meds. 

My baby brother and his bride, Baxter and Smudge came by to visit outdoors in the afternoon! 

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Just one more thing

 The SD card slots on both of our Macs quit...must be a glitch or an update where they forgot about all the people that still use SD cards in their cameras...are we a dying breed or what?  I fiddled with it and swore a bit...nasty word...nasty word.  Researched the problem and ended up ordering a thingy.

What is one more wirey thing to hook up anyway...and it works...it transfers my SD card images flawlessly for now to the C slot in the back of my Mac.  Kinda the pits that it has a short cord as my computer has to be moved to put the SD card in.  Oh well. 

In other news.  Far Guy has relapsed a bit and he gave the crud to me.  I am on antibiotics and a steroid.  Both meds help with my Lymes Arthritis so I have less pain some of the time.  

This weeks meals:

Scalloped potatoes and ham, pulled pork and salad (Thanks Andy and Jen), omlettes with ham and cheese, pizza from Pizza Hut, a new to us chicken hotdish and one fend for your self night, last night was chili and grilled cheese. 

Company last week: My Other baby brother, my baby brother and his bride with Baxter and Smudge.   Last week Saturday we saw Jordan and Paige and Cole.  Paige helped with Spring House cleaning so I might have a handle on the house cleaning for now.  Cole helped with projects outside...we are very thankful for their help. I still have more drawers, cabinets and cupboards to clean out...a purge. And beds upstairs to wash up and windows to wash.  Enough to keep me busy when I feel better. 

The grass is turning greener every day after our rain.

And then I broke my toe...stubbed it so hard on an old trunk when I was barefoot that my toes cracked. Clumsy.  It is very sore...no need to go to the Doctor as they would just splint it to the next toe or three. 

I do my own pedicures obviously I could do better. 

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71

 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!

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Oh Brother

 I searched my really old photos looking for a wintery photo.

1962 photo of my brothers.  A football to throw and a wagon to push.  Country kids had to make their own fun.

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Christmas 1965

 In December of 1965 we went on a family vacation to see my Dad's relatives; our Aunt Anna, Uncle Stanley and their children Clark and Leann in Ontario California. 

 My parents took turns driving straight through to Utah.  My other baby brother napped on a blanket in the floor boards of the front seat, my baby brother and I slept in the back seat.

I recall being impressed with Salt Lake City and the Provo Utah area where we stayed in a Motel...the first Motel I had ever stayed in. Our Mom had packed food to eat along the way...we did not eat in restaurants.  At the California border we sat at some picnic tables and ate what fruit we had because it was not allowed into California.

Leann, Carey ( my baby brother), Jody ( my other baby brother), Clark and me

We had lutefisk at Sylvia and Gusty home ( Uncle Stanley's parents), luckily there was also roast pork, potatoes and gravy!  

We went to a Candlelight Church Service on Christmas Eve.  The day after Christmas we went to Disneyland. After we left California we headed toward Houston Texas and stopped at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and someplace that had reptile gardens (I was scared nearly to death). 

Leann and Aunt Anna.

It was a good trip, the only family vacation that I can recall. 

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A Shopper

 My baby brother is a shopper...I think he must surf the net for many unique gifts. 

He brought over a gift for me.  A divided dish that will allow me to completely separate my food because I have Brumotactillophobia...fear of food touching! Note how everything has its own space!!

I gave it a whirl and it worked perfectly for my chicken, french fries, baked carrots and a pickle.  

Ain't life grand!

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Lake views

 The leaves are changing fast now.   It has cooled off significantly.  The high yesterday was 51F  or 11C.

This was the view from my spot over the weekend at my Baby brothers home.  The other side of the lake is beautiful.   I took the photo through the window that had a screen...kinda gives the photo texture.

Here is another view.

Only two medical appointments this week...practically a week off. 

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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.

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So it goes

 We are only assured of the here and now...today...not tomorrow. 

Like I said so it goes.  

I have a cousin who has lived in Alaska for many years.  She died recently, she was 68 years old.  She had bypass surgery and was released from the hospital, was in the car ready to go home when she said "something was not right" her husband took her into the ER immediately and she died shortly after.   

I am happy that I mailed her two packets of old photos of her family...she sent me some very nice thank you cards.   She loved her life and family in Alaska.

Old photo taken about 1959...me, my baby brother and our cousin Diane.  ( Her mom and my mom were sisters)

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Wildflowers

 My baby brother and his bride have a beautiful planting of wildflowers. 

Very pretty wildflowers with many more buds coming on! 

I went over last night to take treats to Baxter and Smudge!  They like cheerios as treats.  Low calorie for Baxter! 

We had a quiet Sunday, I mowed the rest of the lawn in the morning and finished just before it rained.  Our rain gauge said 2 1/2 inches.  Not much to do when it rains..read and have a nap.

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New in the neighborhood

 We have a new friend in the neighborhood.  

Her name is Smudge and Baxter is her big brother. 

My baby brother and his bride rescued Smudge from Northwest Aussie Rescue. 

She is 1/2 toy Aussie, 1/4 Pug and 1/4 Beagle.  She won't get real big.  She has Beagle ears and tail.

She is pretty cute!

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Busy day

 Thursday is Far Guy's Infusion Day...he made the Nurses giggle so he got more than one stick with the needle.

  I had a blood draw, my Potassium is still low. Not sure what my Dr will do about it but he has been informed.  I already take two prescription huge honking potassium pills every day.  

I picked up the grocery order from Wally World and then headed to the other grocery store for fresh fruits. 

Far Guy and I planned the menus for the next week.  

Last evening were were invited to my baby brothers and his brides for supper, he did a BBQ Brisket and it was delicious, we also had roasted vegetables, applesauce and I made potato salad.  One of my cousins children will be a Veterinarian next year and she was up here shadowing a Vet, and she is staying at my baby brothers this week.  We enjoyed a game of Encore after supper. 

It was a good day! 

Flowers last summer.

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Tree in 1955

 This was our Christmas tree in 1955.  It stood in the corner of the old living room on the farm.  As I recall the room had one rocking chair, a plant table with some fancy leaved begonias and a couple of extra kitchen chairs...and the tree always found its place in the corner.  My Dad always went out and cut down a Christmas tree, I never went along....maybe my brothers went along when they were older.

Mom took the photo with her little Brownie Kodak Camera.  The film was developed in June of 1956.  The film probably had my baby brothers birthday on the same roll of film. He would have been 21 months old and I was 4 years and 3 months old the Christmas of 1955. 

You can almost see the doorway to my bedroom behind the rocking chair. It was a tiny room with a twin bed.  Cozy but very cold in the winter time. My brother slept in a crib in my parents room.  It was a huge old farmhouse with four bedrooms upstairs, but we were not supposed to play up there and it was not heated in the winter. 

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Osage Boat Works

 When my baby brother and I were little my Dad worked Road Construction and was only home on weekends.  Our Mom got a job at the Osage Boat Works.   Her clothing was spotted with white and green paint and pieces of fiberglass. My baby brother and I were too little to stay by ourselves so we went to "Arvilla Care" Arvilla was a much loved neighbor lady, we loved her and going to her house when our Mom went to work.  Arvilla was a really good cook!

Boats loaded and ready to be sold ...photo taken about 1956.

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My Brother's Bears

 My baby brother has a bear over at his place. 

So far he has not made it to our house.  BUT...

He made it close to my other baby brothers house! 

Uffda!

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Floating Garden

 I spent the day at my baby brothers yesterday.  He and his bride were constructing a floating garden.  

It was trial and error...mostly wet error until after lunch and a nap.  Baxter had a nap too. 

We constructed the platform using some drainage pipe filled with empty water bottles to help with floatation.  Two layers of plastic snow fence covered the structure and many zip ties were used!  Final construction was the addition of some pool noodles. 

It floats...will the plants grow?   We shall see...there are strawberries, beans, squash and tomatoes. 

We squirted it around on the dock and got it on the front of the kayak and Beth paddled it around and shoved it off into the water.. 

It has a bit of chain on both ends to serve as an anchor and it is tied to the dock.  The beige structure is a kayak launcher. 

My baby brother and his bride and Baxter.  ( I think all dogs like wet legs!)

Refinishing our log siding is still in progress....slow progress.  Due to the air quality Far Guy is safely away from home for a few days while I hold down the fort here. 

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Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

 It is my baby brothers birthday today.  He is 69 years old.   I was just 2 1/2 years old when he was born. 

I ran across this photo when I was sorting through photos this winter. 

We were at the flag raising at the Vietnam Memorial up on the prairie in August of 2012. 

My baby brother was in the Navy. 

Happy Birthday Carey! 

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The past week

 I enjoyed the last pontoon ride of the year with my baby brother, his bride and Baxter one afternoon last week.  The Fall color on the lake is very pretty. 

It is always fun to see our old resort from the lake.  All the cabins have been removed only the boat house remains next to the lake.  The fellow who lives there has a home further away from the lake.

Yesterday I had lunch with my best friend Susie.   We met at a local in the boonies eating establishment that is about half way in between our homes.  We had a great visit!  She sent home Walleye for us...she and her husband are fishermen.  We had some for supper and it was really really good. 

Our weather has turned cold...we had a hard frost early Friday morning.  29 F or -1 C  eh!  If we had pumpkins there would be frost on them.

Baxter says Hi!  He loves a pontoon ride.

Here he is outstanding on his dock. 

Oh and how about Apple Pie?   It was great one afternoon...neighbors Steve and Jo shared their apple pie with us...apples from our old resort! 

I had a really bad tooth ache...an abscess.  Luckily our Dentist believes me and ordered antibiotics right away on Monday morning.  Then in a procedure on Thursday he opened up the tooth and put some medication down inside and sealed it up...if this doesn't work I have to go see the Oral Surgeon.  ( At least they have laughing gas!)

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