WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL GO.
                                                                       Ruth 1:16

Remember back in February I talked about the passing of Mother's dear friend, Jean?  Well, four months later her beloved husband, Vern, has left to be with her.  He was 94.  Nothing unusual considering his age, but what is exceptional is that he knew he was going to die that day.  His daughter, Mary, called me and told me about the interesting events of his last hours.

Mary had been out of state visiting her daughter, and when she got home the first thing she did was go to see her father.  She told him she would take him to see his sister that day, since he liked to be out and about a lot. He told he she could try to take him, but he was dying that day and going to be with Jean, and he wouldn't make it to his sister's alive.  Mary laughed it off, since her dad looked in great health and was still very sharp mentally.  Then he mentioned that he had a pain in his stomach.  Mary immediately made a doctor's appointment for him and told him that she was taking him to be checked out.  Again, he told her that they could try to get there, but he was going to be dying soon, that very day, and that he wouldn't make it to the doctor's.  Mary and a nurse got him into her car.  Then Vern informed them he had left his billfold back in his apartment.  Mary ran back to get it and when she returned, her father was not breathing. The nurse told her to go - go - go and get him to the Emergency Room ASAP.  He was revived there, and was talking to the hospital Chaplain.  Vern told him that he was going to be dying that day and was going to be with his wife, and the Chaplain asked him if he was scared.  Vern answered, "No . . . I'm a Marine."  Shortly afterward, he did pass away.  It was discovered that he had died of an aneurysm in his stomach.  He did get to go to be with his beloved Jean.  He was a wonderful man.

I am beginning to think this is Washington State, because of all the rain. Thegrass is growing like . . . well . . .  weeds and  I can't keep up with all the mowing.  Once I get all the properties done, I have to begin all over again.  My poor old rider mower is now 15 years old and has been through a lot of work.  I keep hoping it holds out for this season.

I have a complaint about a roadside service company which I shall call Triple Zero (000) because that is the kind of service I have gotten from it - zip, zilch, zero!   A few weeks ago, Jenna and I went to the movies and when I was taking her home, at 11:30 at night, I ran over something sharp and my tire went flat immediately.  I got off the main street to a side street, and we called "Triple Zero".  They informed us that they would call us when they had someone coming to change my tire.  We waited . . . and waited . . .  and waited.  After calling again, and being informed that they were having trouble finding anyone to come help us, we waited some more.  Finally we called a local towing company and they came in 20 minutes and changed the tire.  I called Triple 000 and let them know that this was only the second time I had called them in the 15 years that I had been a member and that the first time I had needed them (this was about 5 or 6 years ago) I had waited so long in the July heat, that I had ended up calling a towing company on my own that time, too!!! 

Hope all of you are doing well out there.

NOTE:  Tomorrow is our little guy's birthday.  Happy 14th, Alec.  And Tuesday is sister Karen's __th birthday. Also, the 30th, is the one-year anniversary of the huge straight-line wind storm that we had last year. 

                                                               GOD BLESS YOU ALL







       

What are little girls made of?  Sugar and spice and everything nice.  That's what little girls are made of.

                                                                    children's  nursery rhym

What are middle-aged ladies made of?  Crepe papery arms, cottage cheese thighs, and a dash of back-fat.

Oh... my .... gosh.  I went into town today to try on some clothes.  I had some Kohl's cash burning a hole in my pocket (the last time I had $30 worth and  I forgot to use it, so I made sure to hit the store this time). Trying on clothes in front of a full-length mirror . . . under fluorescent lighting is an eye-opener.  Trying on clothes can be a sure way to dish up your ego a big serving of whoop ass (pardon my French).  Not an exceptionally up-lifting moment. 

I guess I'm belly-aching because last year at this time, I was 20 pounds lighter and two sizes smaller.  Remember when I told you at that time that it probably wouldn't last and I was going to enjoy what time I did have being that size?  Whatever.

Hubby is coming home tomorrow from his week-long fishing trip to North Dakota.  I got a few things done that I wanted to take care of while he was gone, but there is still soooo much more left.  Wow, but this summer is flying by.

Got a letter from my health insurance company today.  Anyone else get the news that their premiums are going up almost 20 per cent ?. . .  again.  Our amount to have insurance for 2016 is going to be $21,625.00.  Come on, Medicare!  Can't wait until that kicks in. Still, I am grateful that we have this insurance, and therefore, I am willing to pay this huge amount to keep us going until be can go on Medicare.  It has paid out several thousands of dollars to cover the cancer situation, so I can not really crab about it too much.

Since I started this post off with a nursery rhyme, I am going to leave you with one  from my UH OH KIDS collection.  I get a rhythm running through my head and then it turns into something silly like this.

                                        JACKIE SMOOD ATE HIS DOG'S FOOD

Jackie Smood had a dog
He fed it every day.
But when the pup had had enough,
It'd run right off to play

So one day Jackie grabbed the bowl
And took a little nibble.
"This dog food tastes so good," he said,
"I think I'll eat MORE kibble!"

He ate it all and licked the bowl,
Then poured a lot more in.
He pushed his face right in the food
And got some on his chin.

Jackie's dad came walking in
And saw what he was doing.
"Is that the DOG'S food in that bowl?
Is that what you are chewing?"

"Try it, Dad, it's really good!
The box says it's nutritious."
Jackie handed him the bowl.
His dad looked quite suspicious.

His daddy took a little bite
While Jackie hummed a tune.
"Why, Son, this does taste pretty good.
But next time, use a spoon!"

Again. . .  WHATEVER!

                                                             GOD BLESS YOU ALL

We're in the army now
We're not behind a plow
We'll never get rich a'diggin' a ditch
We're in the army now.
                                                      Lyrics from WWIII song by Tell Taylor, Ole Olsen, Isham Jones

Well, it looks like I went on hiatus for about a month.  I can't explain why I couldn't make myself write on the blog.  I was kinda in a deep blue funk or something.  All is well.  I feel okay, the weather is good, I am getting some projects done around the house.  I just felt really blah and couldn't get motivated.  Sorry.

The title of this post is referring to some material I found amo Dad's papers.  While serving as a WAC in the army in 1965, my sister Karen would write home the most wonderful letters and I have been busy reading those fifty year old letters all about her life when she was a very young woman.  It's just like she was writing a blog. Karen writes in such detail, I feel like I am there seeing what she was talking about, and being around the people she knew.  Some parts are kinda  heartbreaking, because the army paid their soldiers so little, and Karen had to exist on very, VERY little money.  But she was resilient and found a way to get around the hard times. When she found out that I had those letters that the folks had saved all these years, Karen laughed and said she really wasn't interested in reading them since that was all in the past.  But I bet she would get such a kick out of reading about very dear friendships she had made, and the fun she and some of her friends had going to the bowling alley and getting cokes, and hanging out.  Tons of neat stuff.  I hope her daughter, Susan, will read this material and get to see a different side of her mom's personality that she never knew existed.

This is the latest info I have gotten on niece Heather.  Evidently  she has had to go to the University Hospital at least three times in the last several weeks.   She had surgery on her damaged foot (not "feet" like I mentioned before), then  surgery on her leg.  It appears that during the accident, she was thrown  through the back window, and when exiting the car, the window frame cut her thigh clear through to the bone, and then proceeded to peel the flesh back and roll it down her leg to the knee. She has been treated in the burn tank at the hospital, to remove dead skin as needed.  Now it sounds like she has developed a blood clot near her heart. Since she was in the hospital at the time of graduation, she was presented her diploma at the hospital by some dignitary - not sure who. Because of all the surgeries, she has had to stop chemo treatment for now, as her immune system is shaky.   Serious times, people, so again . . .  cross those fingers, say those prayers, and send all kinds of good juju to our girl.  Thanks.

Okay, so now it is summer vacation for the kids, and Alec is spending some of his time with me.  Last year at about this time, Little Ma told me that she had heard on the radio show Buy and Sell (?) that someone had a old adult tricycle for sale and she knew I was looking for one for Little Mister, since he has trouble balancing on a two-wheeler.  Long story short, we got it and lately we have gotten it out for Alec to ride.  He peddles up and down our lane, and when he gets to either end, I holler "Turn!", and he turns around and comes back.  Monday, he was out riding his bike in the glorious morning sunshine, when I made the mistake of taking my eyes off of him while getting the newspaper out of the box.  When I looked back at him, he was gone!  Yup, little guy had ridden off the drive-way and slipped down a steep hill and crashed.  Jeeze!  I hate it when one of the grandkids get hurt on my shift.  He buggered up one leg and said his back hurt, so I took him to the chiropractor yesterday and he says he feels much better!

We just had our roof redesigned and then had new shingles put on.  This is in preparation for our new siding that is going on in a few weeks.  Remember all the damage that occurred last June 30th with the straight-line wind storms that messed everything up?  Well, we are just getting the siding replaced now, since so many contractors were swamped with work.  I tried to talk hubby into a nice light yellow color with white trim this time around, but I guess we are getting the same color green that we have had for the last 37 years.  whoopee

Here is a picture of Alec riding the old trike down our lane. The area where he crashed is behind him and to the right at the end of the lane.  The hill really slopes down and he kinda rolled the bike over and onto him.

Also, a picture of my rock pile that Hubby and Dan have brought home to me over the years.  Jenna and Alec gave me some lemon grass, lavender plants and some other varieties for Mother's Day and we spent a whole Saturday rearranging the rocks and putting down landscape fabric and planting. 

Sister Sandy has started moving into her nice new BIG house and is loving it.  She say her dog Bud is scared to walk down the stairs to the lower level.  They had a one story house before, and he is freaking out about all the newness of this place. Can't wait to see it, but she says I can't until her new furniture gets delivered . . . in 6 to 8 weeks!!!!!