Monday project

 The old wedding gown/baptismal gown.

It has survived 4 of our Great Grandchildren's baptisms.

Now it is needed for a wedding...seems they want to display all the grandma's and mother's wedding gowns.  When they heard that mine had been made into a baptismal gown they decided they wanted it anyway.  

Monday morning I got it out and steamed it the best I could...that 56 year old satin fabric is not the easiest to work with. 

It will hang in the dining area off the old phone for a day or so before I gently fold it back in its box. I am certain it will still be a tad wrinkled by the time it is displayed.   Hopefully I will get some photos of the other gowns!

Minnesota weather:  Cool   High was 62F or 17C  Low was 44F or 7C   Fall has arrived! 

Far Side

I had a great day!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!  I appreciate every one of them!  

Far Guy and I worked in the garage for a little while then we decided to go to an out of the way place for lunch.  On the way to lunch we could go by a cemetery where I could place some Fall flowers and take a photo of one of my cousins headstones.   Then we went to lunch...Far Guy had a Prime Rib Sandwich...I had some french fries and a soda.  Then we went to an Apple Orchard where I bought a bag of Honey Crisp apples!   We had a lovely drive in the country.  

The place we stopped for lunch ...years ago it was a general store and shirttail relatives owned it...the tin ceiling and the old wood floors remain.  I recall visiting there many times. 

Some of the trees are starting to turn colors.

I made apple crisp and in the evening my other baby brother and she who sees robins first came over to taste it with us!

Minnesota weather: High  64F or 18C    Low 44F or 7C

Far Side

Happy Birthday to me!

 Yes I am one of those September people! 

Feeling a bit guilty today.  My Dad always joked with me that when he was going to be 100 that I would be 75.  Well I guess I made it to 75 but Dad died when he was 96.   He would have given me a really bad time!  ( I always told him I was NOT doing 75...yet here I am)

Some flowers for my birthday!

My other baby brother and she who sees robins first took us out for lunch yesterday to our favorite Mexican Place...the food was great!  Not sure what we will do today what ever it is Far Guy and I will have a good day together!

Minnesota Weather: Cloudy Day  High 64F or 18C  Low 51F or 11C

Far Side

Book Club 2026: September

 We read Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall.  

I give it an 8 out of 10.  It is not a book I would have picked to read.  That is the beauty of belonging to a group...you are challenged to read different books.  It is all about women and their struggles in homes for unwed mothers, obtaining illegal abortions, and motherhood.  

It was sometimes a very sad/mad read...it was presented by a good Author however her last plot twist seemed a bit like it was pulled out of the hat to suit her story line. 

What's cooking?  Chicken cordon blu, sweet potatoes and yellow beans. 

 

Minnesota weather: Cool and a few sprinkles of rain.   High was 63F or 17C   Low was 54F or 12C.

Far Side

Happy Birthday Jen!

 Today is Jen's birthday...some combination that equals a six..you all can think about that! 

Here is a photo I took a long time ago...when she was younger and all the beautiful dogs were alive.  Photo taken in front of a garden at their home in Fisher, MN. 

Little Elvis, Jen, Chance and Miney (Jen's heart dog) Not sure what Jen is saying to Miney maybe "Yes you are a good girl to sit".

Good times..good dogs ...good memories.  Really really special dogs.

Happy Birthday Jen, hope you have a day filled with lots of memories and that you get to do exactly what you want to do on your special day!

Love you always and forever!

Mom

 

Up North

 We travelled to two Doctor's appointments for me.  The first to have the Doctor add a different blood pressure med since one of the others was causing tummy troubles.  Then I had a different injection in my back.  So far so good we will see what happens in the next week or so.  This injection was a Transforminal Epidural Injection...there were two injections...and it was quite painful.  No pain no gain they say.  Still hopeful that it will work. 

We celebrated Jen's birthday a few days early...we went out to Supper at one of Jen's favorite places Ely's Ivy on Tuesday evening.  The food was awesome...I had Gluten Free chicken and roasted potatoes....my stomach was so happy to have real food...if a stomach could smile mine was beaming from ear to ear.  It all settled well with no tummy troubles. 

We got to pet Sadie several many times and Jen, Far Guy and I went to pick out the lighting fixtures for our Suite in the new house.  Right now the house is getting plumbing (almost done) and electrical...next up is insulation and sheetrock.  I should have taken photos but I did not. 

We also went to Hobby Lobby and yarn may have been purchased...you just never know what jumps right in your cart in that store. 

Leaves are stacking up in the yard! 

Minnesota weather: Rain fell on our way home Wednesday late afternoon. High 67F or 19C   Low 48F or 9C

What's cooking?  Eggs and potatoes....easy supper after being gone all day.

Far Side

Littlest Girls

 Our Littlest Great Grandgirls did not start school but I took/tried to take photos of them. 

Peach did not want her photo taken.  She is three what can I say. 

Her favorite person ( Jen) in the whole world joined her for a photo.

Baby K is holding Andy's hand...she is not brave enough to walk by herself yet...crawling is much faster! Baby K is almost 16 months old. 

Far Side

 

Crochet Report

 I finished the Shell Stitch Granny Square Blanket.  It was Stylecraft Special DK in Parchment and Denim.  It ended up using 2 plus skeins of Parchment and 1 skein of Denim.

Perfect size for a baby.

I shopped upstairs in my stash for the next colors.  I chose Shrimp and Apricot in Stylecraft Special DK.  I have 3 skeins of Shrimp and 2 of Apricot so this blanket may be a tad bigger...time will tell.

Very girly colors!

I enjoy this particular stitch and it works well for the yarn I have on hand...thus reducing the stash! 

Minnesota weather:  Cool   High was 59F or 15C  Low was 51F or 11C  it rained most of the day on Monday just a nice gentle rain.

What's cooking?  GF Creamy Rice Soup and GF Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Far Side

Hopeful

We may have a clue to my tummy problems.  Day 21.  I am still on a very limited diet.  

 I did a bit of research on one of the medications I am on for blood pressure.  Olmesartan medoxomil can cause tummy troubles.  So I discontinued the medication and sent a message to my primary care Dr to see what he thinks.   The intense burning in my stomach is gone. My stomach is still sore.

Hopeful. 

Summer is most likely over.  The weather turned a tad chilly. 

Minnesota weather: High 65F or 18C  Low was 38F or 3C

We went out to our favorite patio place for lupper.  I had a hard shell taco...a margaritta with no alcohol...which is just lime flavored ice.

This week I have an appointment for a different kind of injection in my back...hopeful.

Far Side

Cousins Bonnie and Wayne

 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. 

Bonnie's Impatiens...looking really good in the cooler temperatures on Saturday. 

Recently it was Bonnie and Wayne's 60th Wedding Anniversary!  Their son shared a photo of them...and so will I.

The smiles say it all ...still mostly happily married!  Happy 60th Anniversary!

Far Side

A gift

 Imagine my surprise when a package was delivered to our door!  

The package was really cute...

Love this leather bookmark and a place to keep track of my books! 

Inside was a book Inspire 100 Devotions for coloring and creative journaling!  

Thank you Shug!  What a wonderful surprise!  

Far Side

Remember

 Another year down...twenty-five to be exact.

Far Side

Not much new here

Same old same old.  My stomach is still iffy...I am keeping a food diary. 

My diet is pretty boring.  Apples, Bananas, Rice, Gluten Free toast and baked chicken.  Oh yes Metamucil and Activia yogurt who could forget...gag a maggot. 

Sherbet made me go into a tailspin.  I checked the facility and they say wheat is present in the same facility..so could be cross contamination...who really knows for sure.  

I did some more sorting and organizing of wood for carving.   

What's Cooking:  Rice, chicken and pork chops.

Minnesota weather:  High 69F or 21C      Low 49F or 9C  We will have one more 80F day then we are headed into the 60's for highs the next week or so. 

Far Side

Organizing Woodcarving Supplies

 Far Guy was having a time with all his woodcarving supplies.  Things were spread out all over.  I asked him if I could help...he said "sure."

He has lots of carving gloves, sand paper and paint brushes!  Some of the "stuff" I had no idea what it did but I am really good at sorting like things.   After two afternoons he is mostly organized. 

It was a fun sort for me and I know he feels better knowing what he has...not sure if he can locate everything or not...but he only has a few place to look!

I have some bark left to sort and some small wood pieces that were cut for flowers.   When I have finished with that I will do some organizing and cleaning up of some of my "stuff" in the garage.

What's Cooking?  We made Gluten Free Apple Pancake it was yummy!  My stomach is still iffy.

 Minnesota weather: High 84F  or 29C   Low was 54F or 12C

We got a sprinkle of rain Tuesday morning...reported by Far Guy as he felt it on his head when he walked to the garage. 

Far Side

School

 Two of our Great Grandchildren started school last Tuesday.  The Minnesota School that they go to started before Labor Day.  I believe all School Boards could vote on starting before Labor Day since Labor Day fell so late in September this year.

Hey Mikey is in 4th grade and Cee Cee is in 1st grade

They are growing up way too fast!  I got a after school report that they both liked their teachers and they thought school lunch was great!  Hey Mikey switched schools from North Dakota to Minnesota and he was happy to find out that an old classmate had moved also.

We hope they have a wonderful school year.

Far Side

Building a New Home

 Andy and Jen designed and are building a new home!  Exciting but lots of work.  We wish we could help them...but alas we are too old.  The last time we built something was over 25 years ago.

It is a large home, all one level with floor heat.  Three zones of floor heat our Son In Law says...our zone will no doubt be warmer than the other two zones. 

Yes we will have a Suite in the new home...a living room, bathroom, bedroom and a walk in closet.  Jen will have a huge craft room with a walk in closet that I can spend some time in.  The rest of the house is massive...laundry room, guest bedroom, bath, living room, dining/game area, kitchen, scullery and a master bedroom with office and bath. 

I am most excited about the scullery/skullery.  It is a place for food prep and keeping the mess contained. There should be room to keep all the appliances...mixer, toaster, air fryer, coffee maker etc within easy reach. 

Far Guy took this photo a week ago.  Most of the windows have been installed. 

Our Living Room view.

Still the living room but with a window.

Our bathroom, we ordered a walk in tub with a shower. 

Andy and Jen want to be able to move in before the snow flies.  I hope Winter arrives really late this year! 

Far Guy made to scale furniture to put on the house plans so we know what may work.   So I am thinking about paint colors and should make a design board.  I am thinking shades for the windows.  Lots of things to think about. 

Far Side

Quiet day

 This fungi is growing on a tree at the end of our driveway.

Interesting looking.  It might be safe for consumption but I am not trying it!  My diet is limited! 

Saturday Far Guy spent woodcarving his own projects, he is happiest outside listening to the birds and wood carving. 

I cleaned the bathroom and washed all the towels and rugs and gave the floor a good scrub...used to be hands and knees now it is hands and butt.  I never quite got the art of a mopping.  We do have a steamer and I may use that one of these days to sanitize the tile floors. 

What's cooking?  Same old same old Chicken and Wild Rice soup.  There is just one serving left so maybe more diverse foods are on my horizon. 

Minnesota Weather: High 80F or 27C  Low was 66F or 19C

Far Side

Second Saturday

 I was a day off and thought it was Saturday on Friday so I guess I will have two Saturdays this week. 

Friday I made a pan of scalloped potatoes and did a load of laundry.

Far Guy and I finished up the final prep before painting of the Christmas Ornaments.  I have plenty of time to paint them this Fall on nasty days.  Once I get started it is like an assembly line... there are 111 of them. So it will take a day or three. 

I am feeling better, but still weak and my Rheumatoid Arthritis is kicking my butt again.  Plus I have fever blisters in my mouth and a fairly ugly one on my lip...no doubt from the temperature I had last weekend.  Did you know that if you are dreaming and bite your lip where the cold sore is that you will wake up?  What a rude awaking!

Blogger is being a pain in the butt...I cannot comment on blogger blogs but I can comment on Word Press Blogs...anyone have any idea what in the &^%$ is going on?  Update**  enough people complained and they finally fixed the problem.

What's cooking?  Far Guy made himself Salmon and French Fries, I had some rice soup and some scalloped potatoes.

Minnesota Weather:  Warm!  High 81F  or 27C  Low was 63F or 17C

Far Side

This week

 We ordered groceries to be delivered, I cleaned out the fridge before they were delivered. Many days of no good food in there...some 12 days old.  Yuck.

Far Guy worked on his wood carvings.  He has some new ones happening.  On Thursday we both worked on Christmas Ornament Carvings...one more afternoon and we should have them all ready to paint. 

I took care of beginning of the month bank stuff and paid some bills.  Called the bank as they sent me an email...and the gal who I talked with had no idea (twice)...finally got to a gal that knew something.  I think I know more about Bill Pay than they do.  I warned them that many more people would be calling. 

I am part of an Arthritis Study...they want my blood and will send someone out to do the blood draw and send me a check:)

On hold to schedule a couple of medical appointments...one that was mysteriously cancelled.  Really? 

I put a chicken breast in the crockpot, Far Guy shredded the chicken and I put in a can of Canoe Wild Rice and some gluten free chicken broth...it was really good...I had more rice than chicken.   I made enough so that I can have soup for a couple of days. 

On Thursday I was on the hunt for bananas that were not green...I found some organic ones. Other errands in town were accomplished while far Guy had his infusion.

I am feeling somewhat better but still very tired.

One day at a time.

Far Side

25

 Our youngest Grand is 25 years old today.  Hardly seems fair that he grew up...always being the baby...baby Adam. 

Photo by Jen

We have not seen him since Christmas because he lives in Western North Dakota.  

However he is getting married at the end of September...so we will be able to hug him then. We are thrilled that he found his person.  Sad that they will live in Western North Dakota...but we will adjust...maybe.  We miss him!

Love you always and forever baby Adam.  I was honored to be there when you drew your first breath and cried.  You were/are perfect! 

Grandma