marylourambles

Driver's License

2012-02-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

A foggy day seemed like a good day to get my driver's license renewed. It was almost as easy as the first time in 1945. Two questions: "Are you color blind." No.
"Do you have seizures?" No. "That will be fifty cents, please."

Today I had to present a utility bill, my old license and read an eye chart. Then they take a picture and "That will be $20, please."

Four more years.

Oops

2012-02-16T06:10:00.000-08:00

Isn't this a lovely throw rug in front of the fireplace?

I don't feel that I was really bragging about the pups being housebroken - I was just so happy that they both used the doggie door and went outside when they had to.

And I told everybody.

Yesterday Lee was in his stocking feet and discovered a wet spot on the rug. We usually never walk on it so that was unusual. I went for the spray bottle of Woolite Pet Oxygen. And then we folded the corner back.
Perhaps when it is cold, this was their choice.

We need a surveillance camera in there.

Former Pegues and Wright store

2012-02-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

The store was later called simply Pegues. This was "the" store for shopping in our town for many years. Fashions, jewelry, cosmetics, fine china and all things feminine.
Now closed a long time, the store is losing the modern panels installed to modernize it. They are falling off. It seems each one weighs about eighty pounds so there has been some concern about possible injuries.
I don't remember the facade before but it was reported that it was quite remarkable. If you look closely, you can see the sculpted wheat stalks which did add a nice Kansas touch.
Now it seems as if the building wants to shed these modern, flat, metal tiles and let the old front show once again. I'm afraid the old front was destroyed when the alteration was made. My hope is that someone will repair or replace what is there and find a use for the place.
Today's fog adds to the melancholy look.

Later: I found a photo on the internet of the original storefront.

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T04:51:00.000-08:00

This is what I found in the computer room this morning.

How nice! This is our 59th Valentine's Day.....

Thank you, LN.

Then There Was Light

2012-02-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

L. called me in to see "something" in the fireplace.
We haven't seen any critters this winter - like mice or worse, rats!
It has been so warm they have stayed outside. But this morning it was ten degrees and probably an ideal temperature for a small animal to decide to come in where it's warmer.

But this is what I saw. Light. From above. Coming down the chimney.

I had no idea that the sun could be that high overhead on a winter day to shine directly down a chimney. Now L. is wondering if a cap blew off - or something.....

Kindness

2012-02-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

A long time ago a friend, Ruthann, told me that she would never say or do anything to intentionally hurt someone else. It made me think - neither would I. At least as an adult I would not.
In childhood it must have been a different story. I do remember standing outside the second grade classroom behind the door as punishment. The reason for this was not in my memory bank until our 45th high school reunion when Karen H. asked me if I remembered stepping on her caterpiller that she brought to school for show and tell.

I absolutely do not remember this execution/murder taking place. My mind must have buried that horrible occasion but saved the "stand behind the door" part.

I wonder if there have been other times that I have said or done things that hurt friends or family. I certainly didn't mean to because I was too sensitive to things said to me. My mom used to say I wore my feelings on my sleeve. Have you heard that expression lately? Instead of being brave and ignoring hurtful things, I would end up in tears...very embarrassing in public places.

There is a lot teasing in our family but nothing really mean or hurtful. On the second or third date my husband-to-be looked at me and said the following: "Your eyes. They are like two hen turds in a bowl of clabber." I laughed and could see right then that this was going to be a funny and different relationship. It was a line he had heard from another sailor and just outright stole it!

If I have ever said anything that was mean or that offended any of my friends or family, I apologize. What we need is more kindness in this world.

And as the Beatles said, "All we need is love,"

Food Fetish

2012-02-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

I do not remember but have been told that when I was very small, I wanted only one food on my plate at a time. After all, I was the only child in the house and obviously a spoiled brat.
The main object however, was to get me to eat so my mother did this in order to get some nourishment down my gullet.
Later, many things could be on my plate but they must not touch. Luckily I grew out of this childish stuff.

This is leading up to explain my aversion to a television ad for a local "restaurant." They offer a breakfast with scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes and sausage all served up in a styrofoam cup. As if that weren't revolting enough, they pour some type of gravy over all.

Just give me a cup of coffee, please.

Pots O' Snow

2012-02-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

We had a beautiful snow yesterday - big flakes - but it didn't amount to much. Just a dusting on the grass and in these flower pots on the front porch. The streets remained clear but it was cold enough for a few icy patches. We need more moisture!

Mom's Birthday 2/7/1904

2012-02-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Today is the birthdate of my mother, shown in this photo at a young age - possibly high school graduation? She entered nurse's training at the age of 17 and graduated in the class of 1923 at Halstead (Kansas) Hospital. This was during the time that Dr. Arthur Hertzler was there at the hospital he founded.
My memory of the 1930's is that my grandmother had a mangle in her kitchen and she did some laundry for the hospital and ran sheets through that ironing device.
Can that possibly be true? Why wouldn't the hospital have its own laundry?
I'm afraid I'll never know the facts, but that is a memory - possibly faulty.

Do other folks have questions later in life that they wish they had asked of relatives that are now gone? Maybe when we are young we are not interested in family history. Evidently I was not. Not everyone left a diary to discover. Now with video it would be wonderful if we would record some of these memories. I think this is being done with WWII veterans. Anyway, if you have any questions to ask your relatives about your ancestors, do it now.

Do you know this woman?

2012-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

A familiar face in an unfamiliar setting. She is celebrating a very important anniversary this year.

1952 was a very good year and I can hardly believe that sixty years have passed.

Week-end

2012-02-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

A nice change on Saturday - coffee with the regulars instead of on Monday (actually, in addition to Monday!)

And of course, today is the game. The hype started so early that the game is almost an after-thought. I've avoided that channel but we will watch the game. . . which as I heard one commentator say, "Doesn't mean anything."

A Small Mystery

2012-02-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

There are very few things that happen around here that are unusual so today when I received a survey from a local business addressed to me with the first letter wrong in our last name, I jumped to correct it. This was a hand written address.

Let me add, that an error like that can upset the whole insurance industry and since this mistake involved health insurance, I called the office right away.

While I was talking to the clerk and she was coaxing her computer to work after a lunch break, I noticed that under the wrong letter some correction tape had been used. And the B was in a different color ink than the rest.

Holding the envelope up to a light, I was unable to see the original letter but it didn't look like an N. I mentioned this to the nice lady on the line and she said, "I send those out but I would never have sent it out with a correction like that!"

So there is the mystery. Who changed the letter; from what; and why? We'll probably never know.

But the most important thing is, the name is correct in the computer.

Here we are again

2012-02-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken the first time I went for "treatment" at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, two years ago, almost to the day.
I'll be there again today. The nurses are so pleasant and all I have to do is sit there, read, sleep or drink coffee. What a life!

Quilt Rack

2012-02-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is my lovely quilt rack that I bought at a roadside stand in Texas in 1993. You will notice there are no quilts hanging on the rack. Two new puppies made it necessary to stow all chewable items of value away for the time being.
What is unusual about this rack is that both legs are flush with the wall. The upper section at the end nearest the camera is about 2 1/2 inches from the wall. From the other end, it is about 5 1/2 inches out.
I never noticed this when it was full of quilts. Either the builder messed up on the application of the legs or our house is out of line.

Red Sky at Night . . .

2012-01-31T08:54:00.000-08:00

Last night, to be exact.

Memories of local 2001 explosion

2012-01-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

In late January, 2001, a gas explosion happened in our downtown. Gas was trapped underground after leaking from a storage area west of town.
The second picture is one of several "burn off" torches that were constructed in different parts of the town to get rid of any excess gas.
It was a very scary situation.
Nothing to compare what happened in New York the following September, however.

Kansas Day

2012-01-29T04:14:00.000-08:00

Today is the 151st birthday of the state of Kansas. in honor of that,
sunflowers, of course, with one of our little sunflowers in a field of them.

Sunrise 1999

2012-01-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

Fire in the sky.

Sisters in 1928

2012-01-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my mother, Selma, on the left and her sister Iva, on the right.

Selma would have been 24 and Iva, 32. I am pretty sure this was near the time when my mom was married. The dress seems to be the same one she wore in the wedding snapshots.
She was a registered nurse and had a great sense of humor.
Missing her for 47 years.

Nap Time

2012-01-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

Visiting canines - Ingrid and Mork. As you can see, they make themselves at home.

They are not here now; this was from their last visit.

Wrong way out

2012-01-25T13:16:00.000-08:00

Today I had an appointment at an office where I had been once before about a year ago.
After the meeting, I walked out the door into the hall, saw the exit sign and proceeded toward it to the parking lot.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and saw no cars, no parking lot and and an empty street. Afraid the door had locked behind me, I tried the knob. It did not turn, but the door opened as I pulled on it.

Back inside, I saw straight ahead another exit sign. Imagine that! Two exits. This one led to the parking lot.

Moral: When entering a doorway from a hall, make a note of whether you turn right or left and do the opposite when you leave.

Painting the chimney

2012-01-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

It took three but they got the job done!
(Last September)

I need to get out and get some new photos.....

Innocent?

2012-01-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

They look very calm and most of the time they are - but then the chewing, snarling, fake biting and fighting takes place. Doggy peanut butter in a pair of kongs quiets them down.

The best thing about them? They are HOUSE BROKEN and have been since the first month here. A doggy door is the only way to proceed!

Cold Friday

2012-01-20T17:19:00.000-08:00

Soup for lunch; an all vegetarian meal for supper (potato pancakes out of a box aren't that bad) plus fried cabbage and some other odds and ends. Sometimes we just have no great ideas for "eats." Yesterday pork chops with Bavarian kraut in the crockpot was tasty.
It's a good thing that L. is easy to please.

He even likes casseroles!

2012-01-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

The newest gadget in our house...I'll be busy today using videos to learn all the possibilities. . .

Some more quilts

2012-01-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

I think this will be enough quilts for a while. It's hard not to use the quilts we have now because there might be a lot of chewing going on if we put them out on the beds! Maybe someday, if the water squirting ever works to discourage the gnawing.

A Few Quilts

2012-01-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

I used to quilt and it seems I took a picture of every one of them.
Here are a few.
The individual block and the full quilt is called Dahlia. Those pieces were cut out by my mom in the 1930's after being traced around a cardboard template.
Then she basted the edges under and all I had to do was assemble them and applique them down. I really like this quilt because I was able to finish something that Mom had started.
The frog was just for fun and the purple blocks were an exchange on an AOL quilters' site.

Emporia State Teachers' College

2012-01-15T07:33:00.000-08:00

Some scenes from Emporia State University (as it is known today.)
In descending order: The Ad building, Morse Hall (women's dorm), silent Joe and Brewster Lake.

Lots of improvements since these photos were taken and many good memories from time spent there.
In the spring of 1952 a blind date was a life changing deal - Marriage 3 1/2 months later.
And they said it wouldn't last......

Linotype Machine

2012-01-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

This is an old linotype machine, resting in the lobby at the Hutchinson News office.
I remember visiting the News during the '40's and watching my cousin use this clanking monster.
It actually formed the words used in printing the paper in metal and set them in order.

It was used from the late 1800s to the 1960s and 70s, when it was largely replaced by offset lithography printing and computer typesetting. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over the previous industry standard, i.e., manual, letter-by-letter typesetting using a composing stick and drawers of letters.

Molten metal was involved!

Lebo, KS

2012-01-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

One more location - LEBO, KS.

This is east of Emporia, famous as the home of William Allen White.

Lebo is not as famous but it's where L. spent most of his school years. A nice, small town near Frog Creek and the Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers.

And east of town is BETO Junction. . . A point where roads to Burlington, Emporia, Topeka and Ottawa point four directions.

The Last Bottle of Simply Orange

2012-01-12T06:10:00.000-08:00

I love orange juice. I guess we'll be squeezing our own from now on if we can find oranges grown in the U S of A.
Enlarge photo to read where this came from. . .in the list of ingredients the reader is directed to the neck of the bottle to see where the juice originated.

I'm all for a global economy, but I would like some inspections or safe guards along with it.

Quote from the internet:
The beverage giant, Coke, which makes Simply Orange and Minute Maid, would not say which brands had shown the fungicide. Both brands contain juice from Brazil.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/12/coke-says-it-found-fungicide-in-orange-juice/#ixzz1jFkf0RQo

Cottonwood Falls Courthouse

2012-01-11T06:52:00.000-08:00

Back in Kansas, these are pictures of the court house at Cottonwood Falls.

That was the town where L. had his first job out of the navy - with the railroad as a telegrapher. He rode to work every day with an old gentleman (he was probably at least 50) named Whipky who according to L. was a terrible driver.
As soon as his application came through for the FAA, the railroad lost a telegrapher and a new air traffic controller was created.

McKinney, TX

2012-01-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

This is an unusual cafe in McKinney, TX. The site of an old jail and some pretty good food!

And of course, the Blues Brothers out in front with two folks in a cell who were just pretending to be "held."

Florida Beach

2012-01-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

We've had one trip to Florida where we enjoyed the beach and I visited a college friend in Hollywood, FL.
Great memories of travel to places I never thought I would see.

Kentucky 4th of July

2012-01-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

What these three men are firing into the woods is a mystery. I think it was fireworks. The puff of smoke gives it away.

I loved E's quilt so I copied it with a little variation.

This was a long time ago!

Later: I believe the "puff of smoke" is really an exploding water balloon. Thanks, PN.

Kentucky River Boat

2012-01-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

And back to Kentucky to visit a river boat.

Somewhere in Indiana

2012-01-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

On one of our trips to Kentucky, our son and his family drove us over into Indiana where we found this interesting sign.

We didn't go in. I wish we had and perhaps we would have met Mary Lou.

The Old Kentucky Home

2012-01-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

I really liked this house where we visited in Kentucky. Right in the middle of the "woods." A little steamy in the summer but on the whole a nice quiet place to reside!

Later: The thermometer reads 63 - nice January so far.

I spent from noon to four twenty at the hospital for a monthly IV that I call "invade the veins." I told the nurses that since they had to work, I came to spend the afternoon with them in sympathy - of them not being able to be outside. The young nurse told me she had read that I was a hard stick so she got the veteran to come in. After trying very hard to start the IV, the nurses were sympathetic to me. Six tries: a new record surpassing the old one of five. Dang old veins, anyway.
Next assignment: the nurse dreaded having to go try an IV on a patient who insisted on a foot site! I told her to return and report. She did - she was delighted! First try. I told her she deserved a miracle. (Foot IVs are very hard to do but she got it in the patients shin! Ouch!)

Six Flags over TX (1970's)

2012-01-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

My, it looks pretty deserted down there. Must have been a slow day.

Kansas City; Night and Day

2012-01-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

It was July 3, 1999 and hotter than usual.
We went to the zoo and the Steamboat Arabia Museum - an amazing place with the contents of the boat that were recovered in the middle of a field after the river changed its course.

Pike's Peak CO

2012-01-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

The sign and unknown persons.

Royal Gorge in Colorado

2012-01-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

This trip was in the 1970's.

Oregon coast

2011-12-31T07:17:00.000-08:00

L. holding down the haystack rock.....

Which way to go?

2011-12-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

Downtown Portland - and so many choices.

Mt. Hood Oregon

2011-12-29T06:09:00.000-08:00

Timberline Lodge may look familiar to you if you watched the moving "The Shining." The outdoor scenes of the hotel were used. It is a very impressive building and I believe it was built in the 1930's by the WPA.

More Oregon

2011-12-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

I wish we had walked up to the bridge but we were either a) too lazy or b) too old.

Places I've Been

2011-12-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Starting yesterday with Lebo, KS, I will post some photos of places I have been with our family.
This is (I think) Pioneer Square in downtown Portland, OR. Cool, sunny, sometimes rain, but usually never HOT.

The other side of the house

2011-12-26T20:18:00.000-08:00

(Can you tell I'm not getting out much to take new photos?)

Gingerbread House

2011-12-26T06:21:00.000-08:00

This house reminds me of something out of a fairy tale.
If I ever move to Lebo, KS, this is the house I want to live in.
The springtime look also encourages me that we are only three months away from March!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

Be thankful for your blessings - family, freedom and friends.

Camp Fairchild

2011-12-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is a picture taken at Brownie camp, northwest of Hutchinson. Back in the '30's, this was way out in the country by Cow Creek. Now the land is found just northwest of 17th and Hendricks and occupied by many houses.
These girls must have been between 7 and 10 years old - the ages for Brownies before they "flew up" to be Girl Scouts.
My mom is in the nurse uniform and her co-leader is a dear friend, Cecile, on the left.
I'm the one standing third from the right, holding up a small walnut or hedgeball or something round.
Marcheta is next to me and Dana, Cecile's daughter is on the end of the row.

New Weather Station

2011-12-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge to read the forecast.

Staying Inside

2011-12-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

This is a good place to be. Besides being cold outside, the report heard today is that the hospital is full of people with colds or flu or some illness related to winter.

Avoiding crowds sounds like a good idea to me.

Ciabatta Bread

2011-12-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

L. bought a small loaf of this holey bread. It tastes ok but is about 1/3 air.

All for $3.49.

Fuzzy Chair

2011-12-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

The fuzz in the picture was covering the bottom of our main chair in the living room. The pups seemed to have a taste for it and kept pulling it off and chewing/distributing it around the house. L. thought about shaving it off but there was too much!

So L. turned the chair over. I measured some colorful flannel and we stapled it to the bottom.

Just another alteration to accommodate the puppies in addition to the wooden barriers for under the beds and nailing down the outdoor carpeting edges on the back porch with 2 x 4's.

This was done yesterday after a trip to the vet at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday night for removal of a length of nylon fiber from throat of Jack. It was from the porch carpet. Puppies will eat nuts, rocks, cloth and anything loose.

More diligent supervision is needed here.

Walking home from the bus

2011-12-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of our two younger granddaughters taken a while back. They like meeting their dad after work.
( I love this picture.)

Cow Patty Cookies

2011-12-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

From the internet (where else?) No bake cookies from Quick Oats, sugar, peanut butter, evaporated milk, butter, cocoa and vanilla.

No peppernuts this year except what we can buy in Yoder.

Later: Will not make again.

Exact Title ?

2011-12-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is from over ten years ago - our second granddaughter about age four.

We have a costume design that could be an angel, a princess, an indian, an indian princess or a ballerina. And who is it that carries a magic wand?

Very creative and a sweetie.

Air Museum in Oregon

2011-12-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

Curtiss P 40 Warhawk, used by the Flying Tigers in Burma prior to WWII.

Six Year Olds Grow Up So Fast

2011-12-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

This cutie is twenty-one years old today. Happy Birthday Miss T.

Firehouse Cafe

2011-12-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

We aren't eating out much these days, but this is a photo of a cafe located in a former fire station on East 4th Street. A cute idea and the food was very good!
L. made chili today which is just right for this damp, foggy weather.

The Line-Up

2011-12-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

From the left: Ingrid, Belle, Mork, Jack and Jill. The handlers are M. and T.
These were among our visitors this week-end and all behaved admirably.

Sleeping Arrangements

2011-12-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

Our dogs like Miss M.

Second Cousin

2011-12-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

This is my second cousin, Marcheta, that I mentioned yesterday. I had an old Brownie box camera and we were trying for "cheesecake" photos. This was 1947, the year she graduated from HHS.
I was very naive about things; she taught me a lot of stuff and led me around the junior high and high school buildings so I wouldn't be completely lost. She was like sister except I don't remember any disagreements or rivalry.

A First, Cousin Once Removed

2011-12-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

On many blogs devoted to old photos, there are pictures of unknown persons.
I have lots of old photos but luckily I know who these folks are.
This is my dad's cousin, Violet.
She was the mother of my second cousin, Marcheta - the nearest thing to a sister that I had. We grew up together and in later years, after Marcheta had moved away, I visited with Violet often. We were great friends besides being related. I miss both of them.
(The date is when I took a digital photos of the two snapshots.)

Rocky Airport

2011-12-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

There aren't many trees on the western Kansas plains so that may have been the reason they built the Dodge City airport building of stone.

An Old Hudson

2011-12-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

This car was in a parade in Dodge City, KS, about 1956. I don't remember what the occasion was for the parade but Tex Ritter was also there.

I wonder how many tons that car weighed.

'70's Decor

2011-12-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is a slide from about 1977. Above the yellow stripe was a red stripe around the room. This creative design was painted by our second son. I made the afghan to match.

The desk has been stripped and is back to the original woodtone with metal drawer pulls; I think it took three coats of ecru to cover the dark blue paint. Barely seen in the photo is the light blue shag that he bought to complete the look.

Resting -

2011-12-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Two pillows? And I think it's time to change the sheets.

Driving, driving, driving

2011-12-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Today I had a regular "check-up" with the oncologist. This will be the last time we meet in our home town. He is moving his practice to another place east of here even though he has been treating people in another town to the west. That will continue.
It's hard for me to understand how driving every day to another town could be much fun. I suppose people who live in large cities drive that far every day to a job. And let's face it; there is much less traffic on K 96 than there is on 75 in Dallas! My dates for seeing this doctor are six months apart so we won't have to travel a lot!
So he remains living here. L. told him we'd just come to his house for appointments. That got a little chuckle out of him.

Last June's lily

2011-11-30T13:04:00.000-08:00

Another flower.

A trip to the barbarshop and then to Petco. That was our big trip out today. The excitement is so exhilarating.

Later, after the mail came: On November 10th I mentioned we had to send some money that the government said we owed.....
well, today they sent us a check back for what we sent them the tenth plus .14 interest.
Wonder who is confused.

Single Rose

2011-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

Since there is nothing going on here except a trip to the dentist, a trip to the clinic and watching puppies, I looked up a picture I particularly like.

Country Road with Sunflowers

2011-11-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

Last August east of town.

Flat land of Kansas.

Dog Coats

2011-11-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

We tried on the dog coats this morning. The white one is from an old sweatshirt and is too big for Jill. The red and yellow one is crocheted and almost too small for Jack.

Lee and I saw an ad somewhere for a "calming" wrap for a dog.
I had never heard of such a thing but guess what?

These do the job. Jill, the lively one, never moved after we put it on and Jack also just lay there, happy or subdued - not sure which. What a concept. Sort of like swaddling a newborn baby.

Mom's Thimble and Her Sewing box

2011-11-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

I love the picture on this metal box. The mark embossed on the bottom says "NBC Uneeda" and I wonder if that means National Biscuit Company. I have no idea what it contained when it was new. I just remember my mother using it for needles, thread scissors and her sterling silver thimble.

Hiding out in plain sight

2011-11-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

One of the pups was missing. We looked all over the house and in the backyard. We finally found him - camouflaged on the dark chair in the room with low lights.

A Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

We had a great day; the sun was out and it was springily warm.

Meat loaf, green bean casserole, baked potatoes, cranberry sauce (for me only!) and pumpkin pie for our feast.

A lot to be thankful for plus three phone calls wishing Lee a happy birthday from our two sons and his sister.

Dog Sweater

2011-11-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

I found this pattern online for a crocheted dog sweater. The narrow band goes around the neck and the wider band goes around the belly.

I haven't tried to place it on an actual pup which right now is a wiggling, toothy mass of hair. The way things are being chewed around here, I'm sure those teeth would make short work of the yarn.

So far, both dogs seem to enjoy being outside, even when it is very chilly. And then there is today which is like a spring day at 67 degrees!

Tuesday warm-up

2011-11-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

We had some sunshine after .03 inch of rain. We are fifteen inches behind the average for the year. Not good.

The pups saw the veterinarian today for the last of the puppy shots. They are not liking the car rides. Maybe if the destination were someplace fun instead of a place for shots . . .

They can now go to the city dog park since they have their rabies shots. That should be quite an experience.

Another quiet day

2011-11-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

A trip to the lab for blood withdrawal was the only reason to be out and about. It's very chilly but they are forecasting a warm-up.

Progress on pups: they are training us to take them outside but they have both learned to use the doggy doors with heavy plastic. Jack "got it" right away but Jill had to learn with a half door of thinner plastic for several days.

Each time they return from the yard, one or both brings in a lava rock or a river rock. We are hoping they don't swallow them. They have all kinds of stuff to chew on (toys and L.'s hands) but seem to prefer rocks.

Puppies Have Sharp Teeth

2011-11-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

We're calling him "Band-Aide Man."

Are those satin sheets?

2011-11-19T15:01:00.001-08:00

Fifth day of this lousy cold. All I have are dog pictures.

Where do germs come from?

2011-11-18T06:09:00.000-08:00

I have hardly been out of the house (except for coffee on Monday) and I have a cold. I wash my hands, drink lots of water, try to eat sensibly (!) and a head cold has struck.

Trying to get over it here -

Odd old thoughts

2011-11-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about old "sayings" that I never hear anymore after reading a blog about that subject. The example was pin money. Many of those who commented had never heard the term. They mentioned milk money and mad money.

My example is something my granny used to say - shank's mare. I wonder how many people have used or heard that term lately.

My dad used to say our bathroom wasn't big enough to cuss a cat in.....I always thought that was funny. How much room to you need to cuss? He also said that since I had long legs, I looked like a "shyed poke." I don't even know how to spell that one. Shied?

A tow headed child - I remember thinking my mom must have meant the kid had a head shaped like a toe.

The weather is so springlike it must be affecting my memory.
LATER:

After using google, I found shite-poke. Here is the explanation in a quote from someone else looking for the origin:

Finally, I tried Google. Up popped a nature writer’s blog on a green heron, including a photo of a specimen in the process of unloading a large deposit of, shall we say, nature’s fertilizer. She commented that the photo was particularly appropriate because a common name for the bird is shite-poke, which is an old-fashioned way of saying “bag [poke] of excrement.”
No German there. Just some good, old fashioned, earthy American English. Apparently our ancestors named the bird based on what they observed.

Big Bird

2011-11-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

While I took a short nap (tired from all that cooking yesterday!)
Lee spotted this large bird on a power pole in the neighbor's yard. We can't tell what it is but in one shot that I can enlarge in Picasa (but not here) we can see some pretty impressive claws.
It must be some kind of hawk.
Is a kite that large? We need a bird book.

Aren't all the wires that we need so desperately just "arty?" Too bad we can't bury them and prevent outages from ice, wind and lightning.

A Day of Cooking

2011-11-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

There are some days that I just don't feel like cooking.

And then there was today. We have an eye of the round roast in the slow cooker with taters, carrots and onions; we had beef stew with taters, carrots, onions, beer and thickened with flour, for lunch with a crusty cheese bread (brought from the store! Not baking yeast bread this year.)

A loaf of banana bread out of the oven because we had three overripe bananas.
In the fridge are green peppers, beef strips and onion for Chinese Pepper Steak.

That ought to do it for another week.

A day late

2011-11-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Too late for Veteran's Day - This is my uncle who served in WWI. I do not know anything about what regiment etc. When I was young I wasn't interested in those things and now there is noone left to ask. Perhaps it can be found on Ancestry.com.

Catching Up

2011-11-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

Nothing gets your attention and brightens your day like a letter from the internal revenue service.

We tried to tell them two years and eight months ago that they sent us too much money. Phone calls by the accountant, letters and they knew nothing about it.

They discovered it sometime this month and sent a letter asking for said overage.

It's in the mail. At least they didn't charge us interest.

Rainy Days

2011-11-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

We are having some wonderful rain. Keeping up with two new puppies is keeping us busy. Today Jack was missing. We knew he was not outside. We heard him bark and thought he was under the bed. This would have been a good trick because L. put boards around the bottom to keep former boarding dog, Mork, out from under. No more barking and no dog.
Finally L. remembered that he had been in the closet. Open the door and there he was with the handle of a mesh clothes bag wrapped around his neck. Not tight but numerous wraps.
Wonder if he was too scared to bark more when we kept calling him. Very scary!

I know one thing. These puppies have gotten me up and away from the computer....

Earthquakes

2011-11-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

Two quakes in one day and it seems I missed feeling both of them. The last earthquake I remember hearing about, and the only one I have experienced, was in the spring of 1952. I was in a boring education class on the top floor of the ad building at KSTC in Emporia.

The glass in the door was rattling and my chair was shaking. My thought was the football player behind me was pushing on the rung of the chair - but what about the door? The prof went over to check if someone was wanting to come in but there was no one there. Maybe a boiler had blown up four floors below?

On the radio news at noon, we learned there had been a quake. That was the first time I was aware we were near a fault line in eastern Kansas.

Dogs

2011-11-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

The new pups at our house. Formerly known as Walter (the brown female) and Loca (the black male), they now are known as the very original couple, Jack and Jill.
[ How do they pick those names at the shelter? Walter for a female and Loca (Spanish for crazy female) for a male.]
So our time is now taken with careful watching, and frequent outside visits.

Dancers

2011-10-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

This humorous piece is in a local cafe. I keep wondering why the lady in the center only has a striped stocking on her right leg.

Or - Keep Our Air Plain

2011-10-30T10:01:00.001-07:00

Eagle Sculpture at Dillon Nature Center

2011-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

In the close-up he looks seriously fierce.

Same trees as last year

2011-10-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

We have very few red trees on our block but these two are in our front yard. It seems in the picture they are not as red as they look in "real" life. I enjoy them until they all fall off and L. has to use the mower to pick them all up.

Sunset

2011-10-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

This was taken on the drive home from Wichita last night. At first glance, I thought that was L. driving. Then I remembered; I drove home.

Is it true that after 59 years of living together, people start to look alike - at least in profile?

Boat House

2011-10-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

This is the limestone boat house in Carey Park. Sadly the cement dock is crumbling away so of course, the city wants to tear it down.
Instead of taking care of repairs early, the city hasn't done much to preserve it. We have lost some historic buildings here; the Bisonte Hotel and the Wolcott building. We are doing better - the restoration of Grace Hospital into apartments and many of the buildings on South Main have been put to new uses.
I don't know when this boat house was built. We bought Pepsi Cola from this spot during the '40's when it was near the swimming pool. I wonder if it was a WPA project.
I hope they can save it. Just look at that stonework!

Turtles at the Zoo

2011-10-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

This was the last day to see the big turtles being fed at the zoo. When the high temperature is below 70 degrees, the turtles are put into a warm building.

For a small fee, one could feed a lettuce leaf to the turtles. (Wash hands before and after feeding.) The leaf was held by a plastic clothes pin held by a kid. Very safe conditions I would say.

Sunday was a perfect day for being outside and the park was full of people. These warm days won't last much longer and we could use some rain!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

I realize it's still a week and a day until Halloween but since they have started broadcasting commercials for Christmas, I'd better put up some October greetings before the day gets buried in Jingle Bells

2011-10-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

This is in front of a hardware store. There is chain just behind the steering wheel and in front of the center seat so I think it must be some type of swing.

We could see no other chain for hanging. I would like to see this in use somewhere. It looks like six kids could have a great time playing "airplane."

On the lower panel the parts of an airplane are shown. Educational for future pilots!