Peachy Day

 We stayed indoors most of the day, the air was bad from the wildfires. 

We had a box of Colorado peaches to take care of.  The local Lion's Club sells peaches as a fundraiser.  The peaches were a little smaller than last year....but just as tasty. 

We kept out a few to eat.

Far Guy blanched peaches so he could slip the skins off, I sliced them up, put a sprinkle of sugar and fruit fresh on them, put them in bags and vacuum sealed them for the freezer.   It was a sticky job and we are happy to have it done. 

We have a machine from Walmart called FoodSaver that we use to vacuum seal fruit, cheese and meat.  Cheese lasts a really long time vacuum sealed in the fridge and our meat is never freezer burned.   Food is way to expensive to waste. 

We have one package left from last summer...and they still taste as fresh as the day we did them.  I put bout 1 1/2 peaches in the bags, I like mine icy cold but Far Guy warms his up in the microwave. 

Far Side

Robots and Fabric

 Jen finished her Robot Quilt.  It was quilted with a nuts, bolts and gears pattern.

It is a work of art!  She gifted it to her husband for his birthday. 

She does not get her talent for sewing from me. 

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Eye eye

 My baby brother has completed his cataract surgeries, one last week, one this week. He said yesterday his vision was fuzzy...he had the surgery in the morning.

Me too... I had my annual eye check up and the Dr always dilates my eyes...and it last for hours and hours...oh the light makes everything fuzzy and gives me a headache.  I have to go back for a couple more tests in a couple of weeks.  Nothing drastic with my eyesight anyways.  

Far Guy did some errands in town, he picked up the grocery order and went by the bank and was still able to sit with me while I waited in the Doctors office. 

Fun times.

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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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Flowers

 In town they plant baskets of flowers every year, people and businesses can sponsor them.  They are cared for by the people who sell them. 

I wonder sometimes about the color combinations.   

This year they seem heavy on the purple.

Not much new here. 

My Mom was moved to a private room in the Nursing Home and my siblings got her sewing machine out of storage.  So she can sew if she wants to.   I have not felt good enough to visit her lately.

I am feeling exhausted.  The pain from RA is very much like the pain from Lymes except it just doesn't give up.   Did you know that Chronic Lymes or Lyme Arthritis can turn into Rheumatoid Arthritis?  Neither did I.  I get the normal household stuff done but not much else. 

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Bridge

 We have road construction in our area.  Yesterday we went to have a look to see what was happening. 

No sneaking past the road closed signs anymore.

The bridge across Shell River is being replaced.  From the looks of it...might be next year before we get that road back. 

Progress is slow.   The detour adds another 20 minutes onto any trip going West.

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Car Show

 The local Car Show that Far Guy's Car Club sponsors was yesterday.

Lots of people out and about.   We got to visit with a number of old friends, classmates and relatives. 

Tilly was the only Desoto present.

Here are some views of Main Street.  The weather stated out a bit chilly and warmed up to mid 70's before noon.  No smoke in the air or rain...so it was a good day to be out.

After the car show we ran a couple of errands in town, picked up a pizza for supper and came home and had a long nap. 

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Rainbows

 We went for a Ranger Blue ride and delivered some jelly to the neighbors.   I counted my Chokecherry jelly jars...32 are full.  So no need to pick chokecherries to make chokecherry juice this year for jelly. It was not a great year for Chokecherries as it was a bit dry. 

As we made our way around the "block" we got to see a rainbow.  The rain missed us and went South. 

If you have a real good imagination you can see the double bow off to the right.

Far Guy has Tilly all polished up and ready to go to a car show this weekend. 

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Thursday Things

 Thursday is Far Guy's Infusion Day.  It was a three stick day...I think he was a little dehydrated and that makes it tough to get an IV.

I got groceries and we delivered them back at home and then took off to an eye appointment.   Far Guy is in the end stages of his Vitreous Detachment from last Spring...nothing to worry about right now and he feels better knowing what is causing the flashes of light...just a normal part of aging.  To celebrate not going blind we went by O'Reilly Auto Parts and DQ.

A long time friend of Far Guy's was at the car show on Wednesday with his  1979 MG.

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Car Show

 It was  a good day to go to a Car Show.   It was warm in the sunshine so the shade of a tree to sit in our chairs was welcome.  We got to visit with neighbors, old friends and relatives. 

There were 300 cars there.  The dark Blue Mustang belongs to our friend Judy. 

I was quite smitten with the Edsel.

It was a fun afternoon /evening out. 

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Fries

 This is a Minnesota potato field. 

It used to be a Tall Grass Prairie...undisturbed as far back as I can recall...possibly longer than 70 years. 

Now it is an irrigated field, planted with Russet potatoes bound to be long French fries.   

There is a potato plant/French fry factory just South of town when the wind is from the South and you are shopping in town it smells like French fries.  

FYI we didn't have Sea Gulls in town either but they love freeloading at the potato plant and flying over town to sit on tall light poles and poop.

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Monday

 I scrubbed some more of the tile floors.  I am almost done with that project...one small area to do yet. 

Far Guy did some woodcarving on the Christmas Ornaments.  My hands hurt so bad while woodcarving it is not a very comfortable hobby for me right now. 

We had a car club meeting so we went to A & W, to the meeting and to the gas station.  Date night!

A car at the car show last year.  

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Sunday stuff

 Not much happening here, I cleaned the bedroom and changed the sheets on the bed.  Had a nap.  Watched a movie Non Stop with Liam Neeson...he is easy on the eyes.  He is the same age as I am. Ha!

I finished this shawl recently.

It will join the other prayer shawls in a drawer upstairs.

I made Naan bread pizza for supper...Sunday is usually pizza day. 

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Quiet Saturday

 I had a quiet Saturday catching up on a few things including a couple of naps. 

Far Guy did some "stuff" with his car.  We have car shows this week so we need to polish her up!  Hopefully it won't rain or be smoky...cause Tilly does not go out in the rain and Far Guy does not go out in the smoke.

Thank you for all your encouraging comments yesterday, I appreciate them.  I struggled what to say...and decided that since my grands and great grands may need the health information some day...I would tell it like it is. 

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It is what it is

 I am a little bummed this week...but it is what it is. 

I have been seeing a few Doctors and having some tests. 

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and have begun a medication that is supposed to help with the pain in three to twelve weeks.  ( hoping for the three) My Rheumatologist says that it varies from person to person...so far the medication is not great on my stomach....makes it hurt...but what is one more pain to add to a whole bunch. 

I have nodules on my wrists, knuckles, legs, and pain in most of my joints...the worst being my hips and my back and neck feel like they are broken.   I have RA Nodules in my lungs...so the Dr thinks I have had RA undiagnosed for a really long time. 

What helps...warmth and rest...I have the fatigue to go along with it all. 

My Great Grandfather on my Mother's side of the family had Rheumatoid Arthritis.  He lived to be 74 years old.  Neither my Grandparents nor parents have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

So far the joints that are real wonky are in my fingers and knuckles and my toes.

The medication I am taking is Arava.  It will totally wipe out my immune system. 

It took forever to get a referral to a Rheumatologist...I waited for an appointment since last January.  I have had Chronic Lymes since 2000/2013...well now they think that it was not Chronic Lymes but RA...or maybe both. 

At least now something is being done that may help...

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August Book Club

 I had a book that was a gift from Linda years ago...I read the first part of the book and never got around to finishing it.  I  suggested that it be a book club read, everyone liked it and I finally got to finish the book!

I give it a 9 out of 10.  We were fortunate to connect with the Author who lives in Barnesville Minnesota and he joined us virtually for a very interesting discussion. 

It chronicles five farm families in Minnesota and how they make hay.

Thank you Linda for sharing this great book!  

One of the authors discussion questions was very thought provoking. 

What do you believe to be the FIVE greatest fears of farm children.  Rank them one to five.

Here are mine.

Silo Death....sileage fermenting makes a gas either carbon dioxide or nitrogen dioxide that renders you unconscious and death follows.

Grain Auger...will take off a foot or arm

Electric Fence...won't kill you but it really hurts!

Drowning in the stock tank...especially since you were not supposed to play in there.

Animals being injured and hurt

What do you suppose are the biggest fears of kids that live in town? 

Here are Far Guy's answers.

Being the last one chosen when they picked sides for a game

Being singled out in the classroom at school

Getting caught smoking or drinking

Loss of parent or family member

Penicillin shots

Interesting differences between farm kids and town kids.

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Lunch and a crochet bag

 The pattern was free...it was an interesting idea...an origami crochet bag.

You crochet a rectangle ...that part was really easy.  I had a fancy design...but it was not showing up in the yarn that I chose so I winged it and just did a double crochet.   My final measurement was about 60 inches long by 15 inches wide.   Then you fold it several times to make the bag and sew the places where it meets up, turn it so the seams are in the inside and make a handle...next time my handle will be longer. It took 372 yards of yarn or 8 ounces and I used a size G crochet hook. 

It was a fun project.  I gifted the bag to my wonderful friend Susie because she has a birthday coming up on Sunday!   We had lunch and lots of laughs yesterday!  So good to spend the afternoon with a very old friend...we met in 1975 when we lived across the street from each other. 

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Dreary Day

 It was a dreary day yesterday, but the good news is that we got some rain about noon and then again in the evening.  1/4 inch the first round and more than that the second time it rained....I will check that rain gauge in the daylight!  

Far Guy says I will be back to mowing lawn again soon. 

I have been on lawn mowing vacation since the grass went dormant from lack of rain. 

I finished up a project I was working on, did some laundry and some picking up and putting away. I had a  video visit with a Doctor and after that we went to the landfill and to recycle and then to town to pick up a prescription.  

It was a day.  We need more rain to help out the trees, they have been losing leaves due to heat stress and no rain.

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Sadie

 Sadie visited us too!  It was good to see her!  She was a bit needy after her folks left for an evening out and we were in charge! 

"I cannot believe I am stuck here with you!"

"Maybe they will be back in a minute!" 

"I am sad sad sad and worried" 

We gave her lots of attention...when we went to bed....she jumped in bed with us...Far Guy said "It has been a long time since a dog joined us in bed!"  After a while she left to resume her vigil at the door.  Far Guy said she returned again...by that time I was fast asleep and even a dog has a hard time waking me up...however the next morning she visited me again and that time she was insistent that I wake up! 

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Four of Five

 Four of our Grandchildren were here for their Great Grandfathers committal service.  They came early in the day so that we could visit. 

Noah

Adam 

Maddie 

Paige holding Ree

It was good to get caught up with them and the goings on in their lives.  Jobs, travel, education, wedding, girlfriends and door dash:)

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