Little Feet

 Cee Cee has little feet ...3 3/4 inches long...I had her Mom measure them and she sent me a photo. 

I finished the little boots yesterday afternoon and will mail them off today.

I put strings in them just in case they are needed.  I used about 3/4 of a skein of sock yarn that I got at the thrift shop a long time ago. (Yeah for using part of my stash!)

We had a busy day here at home yesterday.  Far Guy worked on his new old car and I did various "stuff" around the house...my biggest accomplishment was the boots for Cee Cee. 

It was a non lawn mulching day ...although Far Guy said "look at that there are about ten leaves in the yard you should mulch." Funny Guy! 

Far Side

Packages and more

 The mailbox has been full of great surprises lately. 

Sara from South Dakota sent a book with all kinds of card ideas!  Thanks Sara...by the way she is a quilter...and does some amazing sewing!  

The next day a package from Sam in Arkansas arrived.  By this time I was feeling real special! 

The knit Miss Marple scarf will keep me warm this winter! The scrubbies will be put to good use too! Thanks Sam! Sam always has all kinds of wonderful projects going on.  I admired this scarf all the while she worked on it! 

Bloggers are just the best kind of friends to have...especially during a Pandemic and Isolation...we all need each other! 

I got the South part of the yard done yesterday and mulched at the neighbors.  My brothers think I am too OCD (CDO) about leaves.  Oak leaves kill the grass and are a heavy mess to clean up in the Spring...been there done that!  I think I have mulched five times now.  

Another mulch or two/three and I will be all done with leaves for the year.  The Salvia 'Victoria Blue' in my flower garden has survived several frosts...the past few days a tiny yellow butterfly was visiting the flowers. The Impatiens are history. 

We had another very nice day yesterday...it spit rain a few times. ( I am not sweet enough to melt!) Far Guy worked on his new old car...valve covers is the latest project.  I got a few more things on my never ending Fall list taken care of. 

We made Green Chili Chicken for supper.  Chicken breasts seasoned with cumin, pepper and chili powder, place them on 1/4 cup of Green Enchilada Sauce in a baking dish...place green chilis on the chicken and top with more enchilada sauce and some cheese...bake 375 degrees covered longer than 30 minutes...depending on the size of your chicken breasts!  Bake uncovered about 10 minutes....serve over white rice.  Far Guy gave it a 10...and said he hoped I didn't like it so he could have all the leftovers...It was okay...I wouldn't eat it every week...but once in awhile it is okay.  Two servings went into the freezer for some night when we don't want to cook. 

I have three crochet projects going at once...too many!  So it is taking forever to finish anything. My shawl with pockets was way to heavy to take along to the cities last week...so I started another lacy shawl.  Then I saw that Cee Cee was wearing socks and her feet looked cold so I am crocheting her some cute little boots...one is done...now to get one to look like the other! 

Far Side

Nice Day

 I worked in the west part of the yard.  It looks pretty good. 

It was a beautiful Fall day with highs in the high 60's F.  We don't get too many of these days in October. 

I was busy most of the afternoon with small projects outside.  I fixed a glass flower that was broken, and straightened some of the tubes that hold glass flowers.   Far Guy cleaned out both grates that are in the walk and in front of the door they collect sand and leaves. There were a few leaves in both garages...so I took care of them too.  I used the leaf blower and the mower in the yard. 

My baby brother and his bride visited in the afternoon.  It was nice just to sit outside! 

Hoping for a strong West wind so these Popple leaves blow away from the yard.

Yesterday was one of those days that you have to enjoy...and today looks pretty good too! 

Far Guy is improving a bit everyday.  He has to be in top form by the weekend...because I am getting my flu shot on Thursday.  Typically I am sick as a very old dog for a couple of days. 

Far Side

Happy 70th Anniversary!

 On Wednesday my parents will celebrate 70 years of marriage.   My baby brother hosted a get together for their anniversary and for their upcoming birthdays on Sunday afternoon at his home on the lake.  The weather was sunny but cool. 

When he called to ask what I thought about a get together I told him to "Plan whatever you want...I will be there."  It was a potluck picnic at his lake home.  He was kind enough to set up a table for Far Guy and I way over in the grass away from everyone else. 

My baby brother cooking Steelhead Trout on the cowboy grill. His other grill was cooking chicken.

Social Distancing

 Aunt Anna was an attendant at the wedding 70 years ago.  She is my Dads only living sibling.

Everyone brought a dish to share...there was a hotdish, cheezy potatoes, broccoli salad, pasta salad, fruit salad and brownies.

 Ice Cream Cake

Their Anniversary is on Wednesday.  Dad's birthday is on Friday he will be 94 and Mom's birthday is next week she will be 91.   They still live in their own home.  They watched three different church services on television that morning.  Dad likes to watch ball games on TV and Mother sews.  They miss going places during Covid 19....church and bible study were two outings they really enjoyed.  I asked them what they were going to do this week...the answer... stay at home just like last week and the week before...

 

View of the lake.

 People in attendance; Carey (my baby brother), Beth, Jody ( my other baby brother), Cindy, Josh (nephew), Missy, Anna, Stacey (niece), Justin, Aunt Anna, Mom and Dad and Far Guy and I.  My sister and her husband were unable to attend as they are in quarantine for exposure to Covid. 

Far Side

Finally

 It took me a couple of days but I finally got the Fall flag up.

This is my usual October Fall flag...I have had it for many years ...like about 20 years.  We used to have a Hallmark Store in town that carried Toland Flags....if you ask me there is no other flag that compares in richness of color or durability.  I have not been compensated in any way for this review. 

A scarecrow, pumpkins, a pesky crow, apples, corn stalks, falling colorful leaves and sunflowers...what is not to like. 

Our local Walmart finally has curbside pickup...the app is pretty cool...we can check in when we leave home and when we park at the pickup spot it was only a matter of a few minutes and someone brought out our order.  Easy Peasy. Far Guy thought is was much better than the local grocery store pickup. 

Sunset as we left to go get our order.  We saw one deer when we left and five when we came back...the ditches still have green grass so guess where the deer are? 

It was a chilly day...I mulched for the neighbors....one place was so heavy with leaves that I could push them into the woods with the lawn mower.   My brothers and their brides visited in the afternoon out on the patio ...they said in the winter visits would be real short because they were only staying until they get cold. 

Far Guy still has discomfort but is improving slowly.

Far Side

Minnesota Roads

 Far Guy is feeling much better after his medication was changed.  He is still very sore but at least he can breathe a bit easier. 

Yesterday I drove my baby brother's vehicle to the airport in Fargo and Far Guy followed and picked me up. 

On the way back I took a few photos.  The leaves left are mainly Maples, Red Oak,White Oak and Piss Popples (Aspen).

The sky was interesting yesterday with "summer like" fluffy clouds...but it was a cool day...it froze in the morning. 

We are ready to spend a few days at home again. 

Far Side

Fall stuff and frustrations

 It seems the Cardiologist prescribed a medication for Far Guy that made him really short of breath.  We finally got it straightened out and a new med will be started today.  If it isn't one thing it is another.   Late in the afternoon we went to town...the Pharmacy we go to has a walk up window. Thank goodness! 

Earlier in the day I got a wheel chair at the Clinic and wheeled him up to his Infusion appointment.   He really didn't like it...but it was necessary because of his breathing difficulty. Afterwards we dropped off some stuff for my Mom, picked up our groceries and went by the bank. 

Groceries were an adventure again...no Dawn dish soap, apples, pretzel buns or Outshine Fruit Bars. Who knew?  

Back at home I disinfected everything and washed all the fruit.  We had one shortage this week so I had to call and have them credit my account.  They never seem to achieve perfection. 

After lunch I mulched leaves for a couple of hours...our leaves are about 75% down.  So that was mulch number 4.   Our weather is cool and windy.  The high yesterday was 49 F or 9 C  eh!

We will probably freeze tonight.  I heard someone mention the s word. 

I decorated the wreath for fall.  Today maybe I will go for the gold and get a new flag up!

Far Side

Tuesday report

 I know that title sounds funny...but I needed a bit of time to digest Tuesday happenings. 

We left at 4 AM to travel to the University of Minnesota for appointments with Far Guy's Lung Transplant Pulmonologist and for a Heart Catherization and Angiogram that the Transplant Surgeon requested. Far Guy had his last angiogram in June of 2019 that showed one vessel 55-60 % blocked and not bad enough to do anything about. The Transplant Surgeon wanted to see if anything had changed in the past 15 months. 

Our early morning appointments went fine...Far Guy is feeling pretty good...being a hermit agrees with him as he hasn't been ill since January the Doctor thought that was fantastic.  They discussed what his feelings were toward a transplant...we had decided a long time ago that God was in charge.  The Doctor said she could understand and that after the heart procedures we might be encouraged one way or the other.  He would be taken off the list in February when he turns 71 anyway.

The heart cath and angiogram was supposed to begin at 1 PM and it was 2 PM before they took him away.  The nurses said the Doctor would be out in about an hour to talk to me.  Well that time came and went.  Eventually at the two hour mark a very nice young surgeon came to talk with me.  Far Guy was okay he said...the three main vessels that supply the heart...one has tiny areas like bumps, the middle vessel that was 55-60% blocked last time is still the same with no change...however the third vessel was 70 % blocked.  He said Far Guy was apprised of the situation and his Lung Transplant Doctors and Coordinator were brought in on the discussion.  Together they all came to the conclusion that a stent was in Far Guy's best health interests.

It was not a decision made lightly.  The medication you have to take daily to keep the stent open is one that is not allowed before, during or after a lung transplant.  So he is not on the lung transplant list anymore. 

Far Guy is okay with the decision although he is pretty miserable with pain from the procedure.  He is taking it real easy.  One day at a time. 

I have conflicted feelings...happy that he is okay and they have fixed the problem with his heart.  Sad that the journey toward new lungs has ended.  I will unpack the suitcases that have been packed for the last 15 months soon.

One day at a time.

We are both tired.  It was a very long day with four hours drives on each end of the day.

View from the clinic at the University of Minnesota

Far Side

Last day of September

 Goodbye September...I am sad to see you completed for another year...I loved the warmer temperatures you had mid month...perfect summer weather!  

Your beautiful fall colors and leaves that fell like rain amused us. 

The grass is still green under a carpet of leaves. 

Mowing and mulching will continue into October...hopefully with a few warm days and no snow! Please send that memo to October!!

All photos taken at the house with blue trim nearby.

If I had more time I would make apple jelly...as it was a good year for those apples.

Far Side

Leaves and other crap

 It rained yesterday...the leaves in the yard were pretty damp to mulch...oh well they will either stay there for me or blow into the woods. 

As you can see the trees are getting more bare. 

We recycled and went to the post office.   I played 52 pick up and put away in its proper place.  Far Guy worked on his new old car. 

Our absentee ballots came in the mail they have been filled out and are ready to mail in.  God Bless America and the right to vote! 

I am real tired of the election /politics/stab everyone in the back crap.  I have had it with facebook and all the people that post politics crap that may or may not be true.  Facebook is not a real happy place...too many people with an agenda...I posted a photo of leaves...perhaps I should have added "leaf me alone."  Some people must sit around all day and post stuff...don't they have some thing better to do with their time?  Oh I forget..they are probably the people that have a phone attached to their hand 24/7.  Some people were unfriended....I just couldn't take it anymore.

We have a busy week with many, many appointments. 

Far Side

Deer

 The water disappears out of the bird baths every night. 

We looked at the trail cam and discovered that the new old car did not discourage them from heading to the bird bath.

Caught red handed 

One is at the bird bath on the left and the other is headed to the other bird bath. 

We had a quiet Sunday at home.  Far Guy worked on his new old car.  I caught up with laundry and cleaned the bathroom.  Then I spent the whole afternoon on the lawn mower mulching leaves....the third mulch is done.  The leaves are about half down.  My other baby brother stopped by to visit.

 I made the crisp bacon, roasted sweet potato, rigatoni and cheese hotdish for supper...it makes six servings and freezes well.  Fry the bacon then chop it up into small pieces, cut three sweet potatoes into chunks and roast them in the oven, cook up a half of a box of the rigatoni, use whatever cheese you like ...I used a bit of Velveeta and some Cojack cheese...add some water from boiling the noodles to make the cheese sauce creamy...toss in the bacon, sweet potatoes and drained rigatoni.  Yum!  It is a meal we never make in the summer. Fall food at it's finest! 

Far Side

Too Cute!

 Jen has kept me up to date of the goings on at Retreat. I got to say Hi to all the girls via facetime!  Everyone there is busy creating and giggling! 

Here is one of the Gnomes that Jen made wearing my crochet hat...she gave a Gnome to each gal that attended. 

Yesterday a photo of Cee Cee appeared on Facebook so I stole it to share with you. She is our Great Granddaughter.

Maddie calls her Little Miss...she is 6 months and 17 days old. What a doll!  She is wearing an outfit that we sent shortly after she was born. 

We had a quiet day at home, Odda visited for the afternoon so I sat outside with her until it rained.  Leaves are falling out of the trees like crazy.

Far Side

40 hours

 I was away for 40 hours.  Granddaughter Paige and I took a flight from Bemidji Minnesota to Louisville Kentucky.  Travel trip...do not wear a shirt with sparklies on it or you will alarm the system and have to have a wand search and then a pat down and residue swab on your hands.  Who knew?  They took Paige's toothpaste because it was too large. 

We had a lay over for a couple of hours in Minneapolis /St Paul.  The plane from there was a hunk of junk and kept making noises and you could feel vibrations and hear clunking noises under my feet.  As we landed in Louisville several streets were blocked off with cop cars...the lights were quite visible late at night we had no idea that riots were happening there and there was a 9 PM curfew as we traveled out of the city with Far Guy's sister and brother in law amongst very little traffic on the freeway. 

Thursday morning our oldest daughter was released from a hospital there and Paige and I drove 13 hours and delivered her safely back to the town where she is living.

Far Guy drove 3 1/2 hours in the early morning hours to pick up Paige and I.  Paige kept her grandpa busy talking and helped him watch for deer while I slept and reportedly snored in the back seat...only awakened with a charlie horse behind my knee.   After Paige was delivered safely to her apartment I completed the drive home. 

It was a quick trip...however it was nice to see Far Guy's sister and brother in law and our niece who lives in the area. 

Everyone wore masks in the airports and on the plane we were all spread out inside the aircraft with spaces all over...capacity was about 25% of normal.  They seated everyone in the back of the plane first row by row so no one had to walk by anyone else.   I believe that exposure was minimal...at least we hope so. 

On our way back through Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin everyone wore masks except a couple of people in a McDonalds in Indiana. 

Far Guy and I are both tired of driving and missing sleep.  Far Guy could not travel on the airplane due to his oxygen requirements and his weekly infusion. 

I came home to a carpet of newly fallen leaves so the second mulch of the season was completed...I would rather drive the lawn mower around for hours versus a car any day of the week.  Far Guy estimates that 1/3 of our leaves fell out of the trees while I was gone. 

Sunrise on Brazil Lake near Georgetown Indiana September 24 2020

It is good to be home.

Far Side

A few days

 I will be gone for a few days.  Nothing to get worried or excited about. 

Far Side

Leaves

 We ran an errand yesterday morning.  The Maples are coloring up nicely.

It was a nice morning for a drive. 

We always looks for this old barn...it is still there but has an extreme forward lean.

 The errand complete we headed back home.  Far Guy worked on his new old car and I mulched leaves...my new mulching blades work so good!   I have to calm down this time of year and understand that the lawn cannot be perfectly free of leaves for a month...some blowing around hopefully out of the yard is a good thing.

I finished the last bit of carding...all the dog hair rolags have been made...now we will see if I can spin.  I have my doubts...I cannot chew gum and walk at the same time without biting my tongue.  I was also a failure at the treadle sewing machine....I would be going along just fine and then for some reason go into reverse and break my thread...however Far Guy mastered the treadle sewing machine perfectly! 

We had a lovely day with the high around 80 F or 26 C eh!

Far Side

First Day of Fall

 We have the first day of Fall today.  Fall obviously did not get the memo... Our weather is summer like with highs in the 70's...the sleepy skeeters, bees and tiny gnats are now real pests. 

The weather is crazy...much like the rest of our world.

I mowed for a few hours yesterday then Far Guy changed my lawn mower blades...I have brand new mulching blades to attack the leaves in our yard.  The mulching blades pulverize the leaves and they are returned to the lawn. 

The leaves are piling up in our yard.  I will be mulching leaves a good long time as weather conditions permit.  I will be done in a month.  

The leaves will be peak color this week. 

The Hummingbirds have departed and a few Goldfinches stopped by on their way South.  Our normal Chickadees, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers are year round residents.   The baby Pileated Woodpecker stops by everyday announcing his visit.  We talk to him...he is not  afraid of us. 

During my teenage years I had a birthday buddy and best friend... Cathie's birthday is today.  She usually reads the blog!  Happy Birthday Cathie!!

Far Side

Birthday Report

 I had a great birthday!  

Jen stopped by with a card and some dies for May Baskets!  Someday I hope to make May Baskets again! 

 I opened the Dick Blick box from Far Guy.  Dick Blick sells art supplies of all kinds. 

Inside that box was a case for Tombow Dual Brush markers and a bunch of markers!   They are perfect for the cards I like to make. I have a real good start on a great collection! 

Jen brought her scissors and gave me a haircut and thinned the bulky areas...it was taking forever for my hair to dry...some days it would be wet from morning until night because it took a really long time to dry. What a relief to have some of the bulk gone! 

Later in the afternoon my parents brought out a cake, my Mom sewed me a new valance for the kitchen window and a runner for the table...when I get the valance up I will take a photo. 

My other baby brother and she who sees Robins first stopped by for cake and a visit....and nephew Josh stopped by with a Happy Birthday wish also! 

It was a good day...and now I am older.  Special cards were sent by a number of good friends! 

Many lovely messages appeared on facebook and here on the blog...thank you! 

Far Side

One More Trip

 One more trip around the sun...who knew how fast 365 days could  go by. 

Mums 

We will have a quiet day at home.  Jen will stop by in the afternoon.  

There is a large box from Dick Blick sitting on the stairs which is my birthday gift...it has been sitting there for three weeks. Far Guy was real organized this year. 

Far Side

Blue Sky

 Yesterday I had quite an encounter with a bark filled erosion tube.  (Erosion tubes are black knit material filled with bark about 6 inches around)  My lawn mower got stuck...it wouldn't go forward and it wouldn't go backwards.   I weighed my options...leave the mower there and say someone stole it... get the other mower and pull /push it...but it was precariously near a drop off.  Should I just go inside my baby brothers house and have a nap?  I called Far Guy and said "I am in a pickle...can you help?"  ( I usually carry my phone when I am off mowing.)

I had some time to sit and think and admire the woods. 

 I sat on the steps and looked up.

I enjoyed the blue sky.   Sometimes when you are in a bit of a pickle you just need to take a minute or two to enjoy your surroundings...until the knight in shining armor shows up.

We eventually got the mower free from the dastardly erosion tube.  We tried several things...finally Far Guy rocked the mower sideways and I pulled on the tube as he was rocking it back and forth.  For the record I did not try and mow the tube...I just tried to go over the top of it...well I learned that lesson.  The tube is a tad worse for the wear...those things are heavy...I moved it back in place when I was done mowing.

That was my adventure for the day...when I got back home Far Guy said he was happy to see me!  

Far Side

Happy Birthday Jen!

 Today is Jen's birthday.  She was born a long time ago in the first hour of the day so she has a long birth day.  

Jen and Far Guy September 4 2020 by the new old car.

Jen is our can do kid... once she sets her sights on something she follows through even if the going gets tough.   Giving up is not an option for her.  She is a strong woman.  We are very proud of her. 

Here is her birth story. 

She was born at 12:58 AM on a Thursday.  I didn’t labor a long time, I went into labor about 3:30 PM  on the 17th after a Doctor’s appointment when my water broke at Auntie Kathy and Uncle Arthur’s house.  I picked Trica up there and went home, started supper and did some laundry. About 6 ish I called my baby brother to come over to stay with Trica. (Trica was three years and five months old.)  Then I called Far Guy at work and told him maybe he should come and take me to the hospital. Uncomfortable labor that makes you cranky didn’t start until after the 10 PM news.  Some time after that a Nurse came in and asked Far Guy if he was going to be in the delivery room…I said “No, he is a chicken.”  He said “Where is the gown?”  It seemed like we waited forever for Dr. Kolars to show up…don’t push until the Doctor gets here…yeah right…finally the Doc got there and she was born!

Far Guy was mesmerized by his new daughter…although she was a tiny thing she was almost perfect.   5 Pounds 5 ounces and 19 inches long…she had some in utero problems that caused her to lose weight…mostly because I was 18 days overdue and a “horrible incubator” ( My Doctors exact words, he was happy she was here and alive…and in his opinion I should not have anymore children.) Out of the womb she thrived…sucked down four ounces of formula and hollered for more, slept all night long when she was just a week old…the easiest baby to take care of ever!

Happy Birthday Jen!  Love you always and forever! 

Mom