tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20139408058367936702024-03-13T01:38:47.028-04:00Lulubell and KateThe life and times of kate (miniature schnauzer) and Lulubell(her owner)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-101476673834266702017-10-15T15:57:00.000-04:002017-10-15T15:57:51.715-04:00Summer at Riverview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The campground where Ron and I spent some of our time this summer is a friendly place! There are over 200 "seasonals" and I'm pretty sure 99% of the campers are NOT retired, so, the weekend is their prime time. The 1% of us who are retired can choose any day of the week and we have the 60 acres of riverfront all to ourselves.<br />
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There are as many kinds of trailers as there are kinds of people at RiverView RV Park and Marina. Some are here to be outside as much as possible and have a small abode.<br />
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The birkenstock clad couple of this tiny trailer have a sweet dashound-the perfect size pet for their home away from home.<br />
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A few even choose "glamping" as evidenced by the three tents featured above!</div>
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Riverview offers fishing access, directly from the marina into Vermilion River which then empties into Lake Erie. For you skeptics, there is plenty of perch, walleye, trout, and catfish, not to mention some snapping turtles and such. If you own a boat you can have your trailer site along the marina.<br />
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Only one ultra cool vintage Airstream is here-yeah, my BFF, Paulette, and her husband, Bob, are parked adjacent to our "park model" trailer. Everyone stops to gaze at this refinished beauty. In fact, if someone inquired what site we have, I just say we are next to the shiny bullet and they know exactly where we "live."<br />
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Very sophisticated decor abounds. Having a deck and getting to landscape around it is one of the many wonderful extras here. Paulette and I take a walk at least twice a day to admire the joyful displays.<br />
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One couple runs a farm during the week and we all get to enjoy the proceeds-this weekend we bought homemade banana bread, sweet relish, peach jam, and picked up some fresh eggs. Talk about a camp store-what could possibly be better???<br />
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Every other week, there is a competitive BINGO game in the pavilion. We're talking serious money, prizes, and potluck. I joined the group this weekend. My brain was mush after 3 hours concentrating on the diamond, four corners, straight bingo, double bingo, and so on. I'm not kidding, I stumbled back to our trailer and slept a record 14 hours! I think you have to build up slowly to play with this group!<br />
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This is our view of the river. It is where we sit and watch the waterfowl glide by. Or, the boaters.<br />
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The park closes early, by Ohio fall weather standards, and so, we have returned to our back porch in Sandusky to watch the leaves change colors.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-38910425681771622432017-08-12T16:16:00.001-04:002017-08-12T16:16:43.122-04:00Lulubell and Kate Redux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello again! Legions of fans of my blog have begged me to resume writing-well, actually four of you-and one was my mother! So, after an 8 month hiatus, I've decided to send a few more posts out into the cloud-or fog-as Ron describes it.<br />
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For the past few months, I've been working on our new summer abode-at a campground on the banks of the Vermilion River in Vermilion, Ohio-just 20 minutes from our house in Sandusky.<br />
Instead of hearing seagulls flying overhead (Lake Erie is a mecca for them) we hear the hoarse cry of egrets and the quacking of ducks, and the honking of geese. It's pretty noisy around here! What we don't hear are fire trucks, ambulances, gun shots (really, I'm not kidding) lawn mowers, screeching tires, and the same incessant tune from the ice cream truck- of of which make up the city sounds near our home in Sandusky.<br />
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You might say I got carried away with the project of turning a trailer into a cottage! It was great fun to plan the blue and white theme for "willow" and have the outside landscaped with a big deck and the inside painted, etc, etc.We sold our Class C "Nina" and admitted that we were not the explorers we thought we were and settled into a permanent spot. Next up was fun with the "new" camper that Paulette bought and parked beside ours!<br />
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Another deck, more landscaping, and completely redecorating a vintage Airstream dominated our days during most of July! All of this "nesting" as our friend, Kathleen, describes it, put the booth at the antique mall on the back burner, and, in fact, we decided to take a break for awhile and stop the decluttering projects.<br />
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But, hey, if you see anything you like in the photo above, we brought it all back to our garage,(at least we didn't haul it back up into the attic) until we get a one day sale organized. Whew. Actually, almost everything in the trailer is from our attic, so, maybe you could say I was sort of decluttering, if you stretched the definition a tad.<br />
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Kate is still the center of attention. Now six years of age, she has not exactly mellowed. Just a few days ago, she chewed a leather glass case (with glasses enclosed), pooped on the new floor in the trailer, escaped our backyard and ran around to the front porch, got her ears boxed by AlleyCat for getting too close, and bit the vet-and she was just along for the ride-it was really Jack's turn at the vet's office and I brought Kate in with us. She loves her new Thundershirt (the gunshots and firecrackers really freak her out) and is way overdue for time with the groomer. It was my fault-I forgot the appointment.<br />
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Jack, on the other hand, is slowing down. He is now 12 and the leash is slack in my hand when we go for a brief walk. Sigh. He sleeps more often and more soundly, is losing weight and muscle tone, and doesn't chase the cats at all anymore. He has, however, taken Marilyn's place of wanting to be where I am-at all times. He and I have come full circle. When first scanning the litter of pups from which to select, Jack followed my every step and would not let me take any other pup home. One of the best things about retirement is being able to spend more time with Jack and Kate. Well, with Ron, of course, but, really, the dogs are the best part. Which brings me to my latest endeavor-the Humane Society of Erie County. Yes, I've gone to the dogs....and cats!As a new board member, I am helping to raise $400,000 for the last two phases of an expansion and renovation of the shelter.<br />
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Don't wait for me to ask you-just send a check directly to the Humane Society of Erie County, 1911 Superior Street, Sandusky, OH 44870. I promise not to tell you any shocking sad stories, so, let's just say your money is needed for a really good cause.<br />
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The photo above is one my brother, David Carlson, sent when I asked for some of his photos to use in a brochure for the HSEC. I'd like to say that I'm responsible for his excellent photographs, but, to be honest about it, I just gave him the idea when he was 8 and I was 15 and he saw my darkroom in the basement of our home in Erie. He became a professional newspaper photographer after college and now teaches digital photography in a high school in California. His dalmatians were named Nikon and Canon, to give you an idea about his equipment, but, I think he mostly uses his iPhone now! Just kidding.<br />
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So, welcome back, dear devoted readers, I'll be writing again soon. Janet and I are heading out on another most excellent adventure-this time to Cape Cod, and I have no doubt we'll get into enough trouble to fill a blogpost upon our return. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-87688208939502167762016-12-10T19:09:00.000-05:002016-12-11T10:08:18.890-05:00Seasonal musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last year I was all about pale minty green and I'm really happy with our kitchen. However, I am<br />
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ready to Go Blue! (and I am not making any college football references here) either.<br />
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We had a bumper crop of grapes this fall (they look more blue than purple here) and Paulette helped me make a small batch of grape jam. She made grape pies with the rest of the crop-yum!<br />
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I spotted some fabulous clay pots a few days ago and plan to use these next summer. I don't think they even need any flowers, but, I could put in some white geraniums that will stand upright and not cover up any part of the lovely pot.<br />
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My first set of dishes, Calico, are still the ones I use every day. Cobalt or indigo, with white, is my all time favorite combination for sheets, decor, china, you name it.<br />
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Since I am still working through the Joy/decluttering phase, I decided to gather up everything blue and white in the house (attic, basement, etc) since it still brings me joy, I can keep those items and more easily see what is left that can be removed from the house! Of course, I really like pink very, very much.... and of course, red during the holidays is so....festive....and black items are considered very important within a room......oh oh. I see some problems ahead. But, back to blue and white. I MUST FOCUS.<br />
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I don't have a Blue Dog poster as of yet, but, I think the image above is pretty nice.<br />
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And so, on to the festive holidays!<br />
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On Tuesday, My mom turns 89-and being a great traveler, she is headed to Sandusky for New Year's Eve!<br />
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I think this little guy was the best present of the year for her. Dior, a 10 year old shelter dog, is happily adjusted to his new surroundings. He even sits on Mom's lap while she is at the dentist-true dedication, I would say-even I would not sit with my Mom while she is visiting the dentist!<br />
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I made four visits to California this year, and my Mom will have made two to Sandusky by year end. My visits were all initiated by family requests for help-Ron even broke his no fly resolution and came out to help with Kacey. I am happy to note that it is only a 4 hour trip from coast to coast. My trip in November, however, took 12 hours door to door. Mostly because the driver service forgot to pick me up at the airport in San Diego......Further, the replacement service came with a surly driver and 2 unhappy passengers. Fresh off the Election, I defended my female traveling companion and, together, we made plans to report the driver to the agency he worked for. I was proud of my boldness, until I realized that, as the final passenger, I was about to ride an hour alone with the angry dude. Hmm. Not so smart, right? One to my next action of solidarity-<br />
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<a href="https://www.womensmarch.com/" style="color: #121212;" target="_blank">The </a><a href="https://www.womensmarch.com/" style="color: #121212;" target="_blank">Women's March on Washington D.C.</a> is happening January 21, 2017! The Pussyhat Project launched Thanksgiving weekend! As of now, we have 43 days to <a href="https://www.pussyhatproject.com/knit/" style="color: #121212;" target="_blank">knit</a>, <a href="https://www.pussyhatproject.com/crochet/" style="color: #121212;">crochet</a>, and <a href="https://www.pussyhatproject.com/sew/" style="color: #121212;">sew</a> 1.17 million pink pussyhats. My knitting sisters and I are busy making our contributions in so much as we cannot attend, our hats will be there instead! Out of the hundreds of skeins of yarn that I have in my stash, I could only find ONE skein of pink yarn! How weird is that!!!! After my handmade Christmas presents are completed, I'll head to the store to stock up on pink, pink, and more pink yarn!</div>
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Thanksgiving was spent with new friends, Sharon and Paul Buterbaugh. Sharon, an antique dealer of primitives for over 30 years, has become a much appreciated mentor in our antique selling venture. Formerly Bed and Breakfast owners of a log cabin in Charlottesville, Va, we were in loving hands. We played Pictionary after dinner-my turn required drawing Brooklyn Bridge-I eventually drew the entire NYC skyline-Empire State Building, Twin Towers, Central Park, and even Donald Trump himself, but, alas, my skillful drawing was not enough elicit an accurate response!</div>
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Ron's 70th birthday was the next seasonal celebration. Born on December 8, 1946, he wanted a low key day. So, Bob, Paulette, and I agreed that pizza and a movie would be just the ticket-we streamed SULLY, with Tom Hanks, directed by Clint Eastwood. All agreed that it was a great movie and a fun evening.<br />
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Next up was Christmas decorating for our house and then Paulie's house.<br />
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I set the table for 8, just for fun. We don't really know eight people, so, I was thinking I should offer to provide the settings for others-they would have to bring their own food, too, as I don't really cook much...ever. I actually have enough tables and table settings for up to 20, so, just let me know if you want to have Christmas dinner for your group here!<br />
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Like many, I have found this to be a good year and also a very tough year. I have lost much-my sense of humor disappeared in August and I still haven't found it.<br />
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My sense of hope disappeared on November 8 and I haven't recovered that either. I lost 4/5 of my family in September and that has taken a toll. I'm not sure I'll write any more blogs, so, I wanted to say thanks and adieu to my faithful readers-all 90 of you. May 2017 and beyond be years of civility, love, and, maybe even something more extraordinary than that for all of you.<br />
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Yours, lulubell (me) and Kate ( our super Schnauzer, still doing fine, in spite of kidney and liver problems at age 5.)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-79818483912137066092016-09-18T17:44:00.000-04:002016-09-18T17:44:01.023-04:00Porch Sitting 101<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate rests on fabric originally $198/yard</td></tr>
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Kate and I recently passed a Porch 101 course (see directions below) and it took lots of practice throughout the summer to get it done correctly. <br />
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It started with Kate testing the durability of the linen fabric I purchased a few weeks ago. If she lets me, I'm going to have new cushions made for two vintage Haywood Wakefield bamboo chairs that I have been storing in the basement for the past 30 years! The seating arrangement will be next to a daybed that I purchased recently from World Market.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will look better, I promise, when the new fabric is applied to the 1950's cushions</td></tr>
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And, this will be all be installed in....our new summer cottage! Well, not a cottage exactly, more like a tiny house. Well, not actually a tiny house either. Ok, it is a "park" trailer. Try to focus on the keyword-PARK, not trailer......Except, that does describe it perfectly. It is a "trailer" that is sort of temporarily parked in a permanent location. It has 640 square feet of living space. After one adds decks, railings, landscaping, and a golf cart, what you have is..... a "home" in a "park." Sigh. I'll show you later.<br />
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Nina is on the market :(<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nina tries not to take it personally that she is being sold to the highest bidder</td></tr>
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We just had to admit that we're not rolling stones, or even rolling pebbles. Heck, I have a long history of not moving at all! Same house, same town, for 29 years. Same favorite vacation destination for more than 50 years (Kennebunkport, Me) and I have to confess, I really am not the adventureous gal you think I am. No, it's true. I'd rather read about the national parks than visit them. I'd rather sit on our newly screened in back porch (see porch course below) than drive a mile down the way to the lake.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back porch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One and only one evening by the bay</td></tr>
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Therefore, the Brooks household is going to a summer getaway instead driving a recreational vehicle/motorhome around and we'll see if that fits us better! <br />
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This is not to say that it hasn't been an active summer around here. In June and July, I did some library consulting work for the Huron Public Library and enjoyed dipping back into library lingo for awhile.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dior explores the pet store goodies</td></tr>
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I spent a fun week in California with family and got to meet, Dior, mom's new companion,<br />
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before heading back to Ohio with Mom for a short stay. In fact, one really cool thing we did was attend a LP record event. That doesn't sound quite right. What we did was go to a studio and sit with a group of 100 people to listen to both sides of the Beatle's Revolver 1966 album. Yep. On a turntable. So cool.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom, reading a book on dog training!</td></tr>
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My decluttering project took a huge leap forward when I signed up for a booth in addition to a showcase at the Medina Antique Mall in August.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you see anything you need, just let me know....</td></tr>
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This is not to indicate, in any way, that there aren't still a few things in the basement and attic, and two garages.....After all, I pride myself in writing an honest blog!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eight ladder back chairs I saved while dumpster diving in 1977<br /></td></tr>
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A few weeks ago, Kate had another stay at Medvet when the kidney pills she is on caused a liver infection to surface. This was one day shy of her stay last September for the first of two kidney stone operations in the past 12 months. Not to worry, tho, even as I am writing this post, Kate is growling and barking at two butterflies in the garden from the comfortable surrounding of the porch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate eyes a butterfly</td></tr>
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Jack is doing fine, too, although slowing down due to a bum knee. He is 11 and we discovered he can no longer hear us. I don't mind, Ron somehow doesn't hear me either! Jack, too, enjoys a good porch sit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack is patient and shares with others</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron passes the front porch course</td></tr>
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Ron, never much of a porch sitter, has practiced each morning with a cup of coffee and iPad near at hand! I'm so proud of him.<br />
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In mid August, I headed out to California again. My nephew, Kacey, a Marine in Okinawa, Japan was very ill and I was summoned to look after my niece, Kelsey, while my brother, David, and his wife headed overseas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngRljbxkjbaZfEP4i7Ce7AId1eBWx0cUFl2ikNj6zE8IVKM1f2vqDawXXOsvRdTQSHKN0laNdCAM_b_et0SoujyYwrAUK5hYYvZOWl0407Lr79awnTnrJ9q4oySDXaB6Wf8TWGscAawQa/s1600/IMG_2084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngRljbxkjbaZfEP4i7Ce7AId1eBWx0cUFl2ikNj6zE8IVKM1f2vqDawXXOsvRdTQSHKN0laNdCAM_b_et0SoujyYwrAUK5hYYvZOWl0407Lr79awnTnrJ9q4oySDXaB6Wf8TWGscAawQa/s640/IMG_2084.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelsey and I both love L.A.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With no prior experience as a soccer mom, or any mom at all, for that matter, I valiantly drove my 9th grader to and from school and to and from basketball practice each day. And I provided wholesome meals from around the world.... McDonalds, Starbucks, Maxx's Pizza House, a Cuban restaurant, Rubio's (Mexican restaurant), and Pick Up Sticks (a Chinese restaurant) to name a few of our dinner stops. Breakfast consisted of a quick cup of coffee and her lunch was usually leftovers from the prior evening's repast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5GUjiXjTCJk-L828gDKbgj5Tt8zk6hSPmwgd9-URbz-TcZA7CdbaDB2CTLhSF6KXuNyq1E3It_e-O43-Z0vrdgMmuNXw0MzKZIJgKgkZA34FNJXvpDaVPoz-R81GOyCtAnMd7WF5YuJJ/s1600/IMG_2289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5GUjiXjTCJk-L828gDKbgj5Tt8zk6hSPmwgd9-URbz-TcZA7CdbaDB2CTLhSF6KXuNyq1E3It_e-O43-Z0vrdgMmuNXw0MzKZIJgKgkZA34FNJXvpDaVPoz-R81GOyCtAnMd7WF5YuJJ/s640/IMG_2289.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LCpl Kacey Walker Carlson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I'm happy to report that Kacey and family are now stateside and Ron (who joined me in Ca) and I are both back in Ohio. Recovery from acute meningitis is a long and difficult path and I have no doubt that my nephew will pursue recovery in Marine fashion.<br />
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With only 51 days until Election Day, Paulie and I will soon hit the bricks again for door-to-door canvassing, starting with registering to vote forms, and culminating with driving voters to the polls on November 8. Here are my campaign promises: I promise not to use Paulie as a human shield from a rottweiler lunging at us from a screen door this time. I promise not to get a speeding ticket on Election Night when driving to the voting sites. I promise not to interrupt drug dealers to tell them all about the importance of showing up to vote and I promise not to go into apartment buildings with posted no solicitation signs. I also promise not to discuss the issues with my family (except for Kate, Jack, AllieCat, Lucy, and, of course, Emma).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygblH792czJzfsVU7dkTqsecl8tmlvErYauB4oe0SPf-cz99pbMbVxNspoSOVF13fxrxg5LvURxS5Ue6fhjteiCBHPgKVeqs0IYOPq33gUvep3n6cESwuz3QbTzRwLUr_3ysDYzTRAcdg/s1600/IMG_2034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygblH792czJzfsVU7dkTqsecl8tmlvErYauB4oe0SPf-cz99pbMbVxNspoSOVF13fxrxg5LvURxS5Ue6fhjteiCBHPgKVeqs0IYOPq33gUvep3n6cESwuz3QbTzRwLUr_3ysDYzTRAcdg/s640/IMG_2034.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat naps are the best!</td></tr>
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I hope you can spend some time on a porch this fall. Kate and I highly recommend it! If possible, bring along a book you have been meaning to start, or finish. Your favorite beverage should be within reach, too. If you have a hammock, feel free to take a little nap. Do not, under any circumstances, do any work of any kind. Failure to observe this dictum will result in flunking our Porch 101 course.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-79799796695305451462016-06-20T19:49:00.003-04:002016-06-21T08:12:14.460-04:00Summer SolsticeSummer in Sandusky is filled with changeable weather. It was in the 60's on my birthday a few days ago. Today it is in the 90's!<br />
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I am more inclined to embrace the temperature in the 60's and Ron is delighted when it turns hot and humid. Today is a favorite day, the longest day of the year-it is celebrated in Sweden and a few years ago, we made sure to be there for the 24 hour celebration.<br />
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First, you gather flowers to make crowns to wear, and then you watch a group of Swedes raise the Maypole.<br />
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Then, you dance around the pole and head to higher ground to picnic and watch the sun for 24 hours.<br />
Of course, instead of the 90 degree weather we are experiencing today, it is more like 50 degrees-all Swedes dress like it is 90 anyway, though.<br />
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To celebrate my Swedish heritage today, I made a fabric banner for our back yard.<br />
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It took me all day to cut and sew the banner. Don't tell my Swedish friends and relatives, but, I'm celebrating that the days are going to be getting shorter starting tomorrow! Yep, I look forward to the day with the least sunlight in the year and starting tomorrow, we are heading in that direction!!!<br />
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This year, we planted basil and catnip in our raised beds. Hooray for the kitties!<br />
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I love, love, love, lavender and make sachets for Christmas presents.<br />
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Ron and I have been weeding like crazy for days. In fact, on June 4, I weeded out LOTS of poison ivy. DUH. Lucky me. First I thought it was just massive mean mosquitos that got me. But, later, I realized this was waaay more than that! So, for now, I am taking a break from "gardening"- gosh, darn.<br />
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Instead, I've been enjoying the front porch and taking it easy. Oh, I did, upon request, make up a batch of my famous chocolate chip cookies. I wasn't sure they would turn out on such a hot day, but, they did! By the way, the plate is Staffordshire Calico. It is from a set I purchased when I was 18 and I love it just as much now as I did then.<br />
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Kate has joined me on the porch-she, unlike me, loves the heat and seeks out all sunbeams!<br />
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The only garden I am tending for awhile is the fairy garden that Janet gave me for my birthday!<br />
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And I'm happy to listen to wind chimes that Paulette gave me. I've even opened my bedroom windows at night, (and cranked up the a/c) in order to enjoy them all night long.<br />
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Happy Summer Solstice to all of you!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-13257125826208338272016-05-30T11:06:00.001-04:002016-05-30T11:38:05.945-04:00Going, going, gone!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T2Wdl1LThce632u2HzNFlxT-t2Nj73IfXqyIZ6Xq3ZrTyq7Q-FM4xQCBXF1_xV3T4EaTluqeiQIQmY3SwjWzdRKqw1zFnapJuQxbV6PinOjARvtRGX5PsRGyABvueUyT82aLk9metieq/s640/blogger-image--1524542611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T2Wdl1LThce632u2HzNFlxT-t2Nj73IfXqyIZ6Xq3ZrTyq7Q-FM4xQCBXF1_xV3T4EaTluqeiQIQmY3SwjWzdRKqw1zFnapJuQxbV6PinOjARvtRGX5PsRGyABvueUyT82aLk9metieq/s640/blogger-image--1524542611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron loaded the truck two days before the show. </td></tr>
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With the truck loaded, I recently headed out to my first antique show as a dealer instead of a buyer! Deciding (or scouting and buying) what to sell, pricing, loading, transporting, setting up, chatting with buyers, tearing down, packing, transporting, and storing....these are the routine steps of dealers in antiques. As a buyer, you just select a show to attend, wander around the booths, ponder purchases, drive home, and place prized antique somewhere special in the house. Big difference.<br />
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Written in 2011, I read and throughly enjoyed the book, <b>Killer Stuff and Tons of Money</b>:<b> An insider's look at the world of flea markets, antiques, and collecting, </b> by Maureen Stanton. The author follows and documents time spent with master antiques dealer, Curt Avery. If you are at all curious about the world of pickers and such, I highly recommend this fascinating book.<br />
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I was very lucky to meet and be mentored by a dealer specializing in primitive furniture for 30 years. Sharon has a booth at the Medina Antique Mall and a showcase next to mine. It was she that suggested I set up a booth at an inaugural antique show in Brecksville, Ohio to be held on Saturday, May 28. Up for a challenge, I started down that unfamiliar path on April 1st. BFF Paulette and husband Ron can attest that I have been consumed with the process for the past fifty eight days! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One half of my booth-the other half held the wicker chaise lounge and my stool.</td></tr>
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Looking at the 10X12 "booth" you can clearly see I didn't have much rhyme or reason to the items I brought to sell. I just selected treasures I thought I could part with happily. I think I was the only dealer that was selling items from a personal collection. I was in full "Joy" mode (see earlier posts) and, of course, that was the reason for my turning from a buyer into a dealer. I felt like an imposter. </div>
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In order to begin downsizing our "collections," Ron and I walked around each floor of our house, including the basement and attic, and put stickers on furniture and items that didn't bring us "joy" any longer. Anything that was newer than 1940 was posted on the Erie County online garage sale. In some cases, this required hiring movers to get the items down and out to the buyers, resulting in a net profit of $0.00. I next moved on to sorting and pitching papers and gathering up items that could go to a local thrift shop (proceeds donated to the P.E.O.Sisterhood, Chapter BE, to fund scholarships for women). We made a few trips to GoodWill and two trips to the landfill. </div>
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Next, having culled my vast collection of linens and quilts, I carefully set about washing and ironing vintage linens to sell. I followed the care instructions from the book, <b>The Linen Closet</b>: <b>how to care for your fine linens and lace,</b> by Michele Clise.</div>
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Having never hand washed, line dried, or ironed before, I found I actually enjoyed the process, especially the ironing. Thinking I would make a day of it, I took my "wash" to the campground. There I made a paste of lemon juice and salt to treat any stains, washed and rinsed the linens and line dried them in the sun on a line I rigged up to the RV and a nearby tree. Just as I finished getting everything on the impromptu clothesline, along came a farmer tilling the adjacent field. The subsequent dust storm soon undid all of my efforts!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this a tractor with seeder?</td></tr>
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Resorting to modern techniques, I stuffed everything back in the washer at home and line dried the linens in my own yard where only birds could pose a problem.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linens on the line in our side yard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linens for sale at $1 each.</td></tr>
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Along the way, Ron and Paulette tried to talk me out of going to the show, seeing that I was consumed by the event and concerned that I would be disappointed with the results and likely to actually lose money! </div>
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It is a sad fact that I have a math phobia that exhibits itself whenever I am in the position of counting back change. In grade school, I was paying more attention to my seat mates than I was to basic math skills and I never picked up the knack for identifying coins, subtracting in my head, or even adding with ease. Adding a tip to a restaurant bill without a calculator? Forget it. I know the steps, and can recite them to you, but, when it comes to actually doing the calculations in front of an audience-no way. Undeterred, I ordered a free Paypal Square for accepting credit cards-it even calculates the sales tax and adds it up for you! I priced everything by 1, 5,10, or 20 and decided I would "include" the tax in the price. </div>
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I agreed not to go overboard by renting a trailer, and promised only to take what would fit in the bed and cab of Ron's truck. (Earlier, I had marked out a 10X12 space in our garage and determined how much would fit and where to place items to be presented to best effect, but I had no idea how much of it would fit in the truck). Turns out most of it did. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dealer also brought in an old gasoline pump.</td></tr>
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I left the house at 6 am, dodging a thunderstorm, and arrived at the Brecksville Community Center at 7:30. I thought I must resemble the Beverly Hillbillies and I even had a rocking chair visible for passing motorists on the turnpike! Most of the vendors had already finished setting up their wares by the time I arrived. Did I mention it was already over 80 degrees with humidity to match? However, these dealers were undaunted and quickly hauled in massive pieces of furniture! My biggest item was a wicker chaise lounge! It was also my highest priced item at $150.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful antiques in each booth</td></tr>
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Many of the antiques at this show were priced over $600. I nearly swooned as I stepped into the arena of carefully curated pieces. Honestly, if money were no object, I would have bought almost everything there. However, since both money and downsizing were the objects, I concentrated on setting up my "booth" and keeping my eyes focused away from the beautiful pieces that surrounded me at the other booths. Sharon introduced me to each dealer and everyone welcomed me to my first show, wished me luck, and complimented my efforts at my booth set up. We had about an hour before the doors opened and I did buy three gifts--a linen tablecloth for me-as if I really needed more...) a small wood writing box for Ron, and a tiny Limoges pill box for Paulette. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gifts purchased at dealer prices before the show opened.</td></tr>
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These purchases set back my net profits by $105 ( I just added it up on a calculator) and I also spent $20 on porter service to unload the truck, $85 for the show entry fee, and $15 for gas and tolls. Do the math with me-I needed to have $215 in sales before I could get out of the red. </div>
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The next five hours flew by-I had a blast talking to each customer that wandered into my booth. I challenged them to name a price they were comfortable with for any item they wanted, and most gave me exact change after we agreed on the price, and wrote checks, or used the credit card square! Whew. No worries after all. I made $593 in sales. Total profit-$378 plus less items in the house. More Joy!</div>
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Sharon informed me later that some dealers had no sales and some cleared $250. She said I was the talk of the show among the vendors because my booth was busy. It wasn't really fair, though, as I was selling most items well below fair market value, and taking huge losses on my inventory. For instance, I had purchased the wicker chaise lounge for $250 a few years ago at an antique show and sold it for $150 to a sweet 97 year old lady that bought it as a gift for a friend with a great porch in Chagrin Falls. I'm not making my living from buying and then selling valuable antiques as the rest of the dealers were doing-many with shops and/or spaces within antique malls. Most customers inquired where my shop was located and I explained this was my first actual physical sales place but that I did have a small showcase within the Medina Antique Mall. I told them that for more than 30 plus years I had been a public library director, not as an antique dealer. </div>
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There was one vintage item that I didn't sell and I was pretty happy to bring it home with me-in fact, it really is a priceless piece. It brings me Joy as I reflect on memories from my first days as an intern in grad school, and my first year working at Sandusky Library.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Card catalog-Rods missing.<br />
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Yep, it is a card catalog. I spent hours typing cards, with regulation spacing, complete with See Also cards, Subject Cards, Title cards, and Author cards for each book purchased. That makes me an antique, too, as I'll be 62 in a few days.</div>
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I need to take a break from this unnatural downsizing task and plan to spend the summer relaxing on our front and back porches, on Paulie's front porch, and under our awnings at the campsite in Bellevue. It is best to pace oneself, don't you think?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-89651398077444813292016-05-01T19:15:00.000-04:002016-05-01T19:15:06.262-04:00Lulu's Antiques<div dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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You just haven't lived until you hear the sound of a telephone from the 1930s! We have one that hangs on the wall of our kitchen and one upstairs in our library. I love to answer these phones, but, I don't often take the time to use the rotary dial for outgoing calls. I remember visiting my great grandparents in Iowa and listening in on their party extensions on a phone that was made of wood and had two short rings and one long one when it was a call for them.<br />
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I absolutely LOVE this "Hoosier style" kitchen cabinet that I bought at an auction. It is a 1920's baker's dream. <br />
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All of my baking stuff fits in it. My baking is defined as Toll House Cookies, and they are famous. Even though it is really the only thing I bake, I am happy to have this cabinet as the centerpiece of the kitchen.<br />
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This, among many more items, are things that I am selling via my new enterprise, Lulu's Antiques. The problem is that I have a hard time letting things go! Every time I make a sale, I feel a little bit sad. And then a little bit pleased that I was able to move on.<br />
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I recently enjoyed watching the new movie with Sally Fields, Hi, My name is Norma. She is a sweet soul who is a depicted as a hoarder, but, I think that is a bit of a harsh assessment. In my house, like the character, Norma, there isn't much in our house that actually has a family history, it just has history. Period.<br />
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Can you see Kate nestled in on her dog bed? On top of which is Marilyn's bed? With no warning, Kate became as sick as a dog last week. What a saying-sick as a dog!!! I scooped her up and headed toward Columbus, during a freak snow storm on a Saturday in April. The snow was so blinding that I actually didn't think the two of us would make it and as I drove, I made peace with the fact that we would both meet our demise in my brand new VW Golf SportWagen somewhere along the berm of Route 4. MedVet, the specialty clinic in Columbus confirmed that after only six months, Kate had another kidney stone that needed to be surgically removed.<br />
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Snowed in, and with Kate safely in the hand of experts. I headed for the nearest hotel, and encountered a movie theater (playing the Sally Field movie) next door. Since I didn't have so much as a toothbrush with me, I decided to detour into the theater. My last actual movie theater attendance was in 2009 to see the Michael Jackson documentary, This is It!. Wow! This theater has barcaloungers for every seat and delivered whole meals! What!!!!<br />
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Back in Sandusky, days later with a recovering Kate, I headed back to the gym and......met my goal of getting up, unassisted, from a beanbag! Sorry,no photo, but both Ron and Paulette will swear they saw me do it. In spite of arthritic knee caps, I achieved my goal! Perhaps you remember my goal mentioned last August. Lots of sessions of core and quad exercises did the trick!!! I am thrilled.<br />
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I am happier than I was a year ago, stronger, calmer, more in my element, and, adjusted to retirement. Renewed with old friendships, blessed with new relationships, supported and encouraged and joined by Ron (newly retired) I am off on new adventures with a heart that is happier than when I first retired. It has been quite a journey and one that I never anticipated would be both this challenging and this rewarding. Lulu and Kate are both doing fine and eager to share with you our adventures. <br />
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Now, finally, it is time to explore favorite places, such as the Kennebunkbeach, Maine inn of my high school years, and discover new places. I wish all of you the best in the summer of 2016.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-74774993258243548712016-03-28T18:59:00.002-04:002016-03-28T18:59:43.959-04:00Sparking Joy, Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know just how Mrs. Bird feels about her overcrowded house! Maybe some of that straw is left over from years ago, and, like me, she just keeps adding more stuff without first cleaning her house. Or maybe she feels nostalgic about the first straw nest, when her home was new, and she just can't let it go. No one was home, or I would have told her all about the KonMarie method of Sparking Joy and how well it is working out for me.<br />
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In fact, a new milestone has been reached! Ron and I spent the afternoon at the Medina Antique Mall and didn't buy a thing!! We used to go several times a year and always came away with several treasures. In fact, some of our furniture and most of our dog collection of prints, bookends, etc, was purchased there.<br />
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You know how you are kind of embarrassed when the pizza guy recognizes your order when you call for a delivery? Well, some of the vendors and most of the staff recognize us because of our frequent visits over the years.<br />
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On this visit, the tables turned. We investigated renting a showcase and becoming vendors instead of buyers! There is something more tangible about selling in person compared to online. I opened my Etsy store , <b>Knitwithlulu, </b>several months ago to sell craft supplies online -my SABLE (stash abounds beyond life expectancy) that is<b>. </b> I sell buttons, needles, yarn, patterns, and some vintage items. Over the years, I have sold items via Ebay. Last summer I sold a few things on the Erie County online garage sale. (You pick a place such as the Kroger's parking lot to meet your buyer and it all feels a bit shady like a drug deal). But, a booth or showcase at an antique mall? That is on a whole new level!And, now, without further ado, I continue the episode of Sparking Joy......<br />
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I helped Paulie blaze through her clothes and she rediscovered her walk in closet! Bob was next and he, too, cleared out quite a bit of unwanted clothing. Next, Paulie and I cleared out all clothes stored in my attic and I can now fit winter and summer clothes in one small closet and one dresser on the second floor. Ron got into the act and kept only a few overcoats, two sport coats and one tuxedo! Well, he only had one tuxedo to begin with, but, still. All of this was donated to the local thrift store. Next up: books. Paulette weeded out at least half of her knitting book collection and I weeded out TWO books thus far at my house. Meanwhile, you could say I'm skipping ahead by diving into sentimental items as I decide what to antiques to sell. <br />
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Paulie and I did attend a recent antique sale and two estate sales. Paulette didn't buy anything at either estate sale, but she did buy what she stated was her "last ever piece of furniture" at the antique sale. Well, really she stole it!<br />
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I brought home a Victorian bowling game ( I can't explain it, I just thought it was so unusual.....)<br />
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This antique game fits on our dining room table. Can't you just imagine someone setting the pins, loading a marble in the pea shooter apparatus and aiming it toward the pins to see how many get knocked down? Now that beats out a video game any time, don't you think? Our cats, by the way, have discovered how to get their paws on the marbles, and, so, this is really a cat game now.<br />
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Our attic runs the length of the house and has a solid wood floor and high ceilings. It is where items rest, Christmas decorations are stored, and where I sometimes go to sit in the winter when I get too hot (it isn't heated, of course). Nor is it air conditioned. Hence, I have a narrow window of time in which to engage in Joy factor mode. At recent count, there are 6 chairs, 3 cedar chests, 7 leather end tables, 4 wood coffee tables, 1 armoire, 1 dresser, 1 high post bed frame, 3 sewing tables, and many storage containers of antique linens up there. There are suitcases, Important Papers, scrapbooks, tablecloths, camping items, and much, much more.<br />
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There is a dumbwaiter, intact, which sits above a long open column that goes all the way to the basement.<br />
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The rafters are 10 feet high and there are lots of windows all the way around. We do have a resident bat that lives up there. I've never seen him, actually, but, I am sure that he lives there...if you know what I mean.... I'll be up there for a few hours today as it is 43 degrees and therefore a perfectly cool day for me to continue Sparking Joy!<br />
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Since Paulie's hand has been out of commission for the past month, I got to unpack and decorate her home for Easter. It was so fun to get out her collections and place them throughout her home!<br />
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Happy Spring! Happy Everything!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-26116726722639712392016-02-28T13:39:00.001-05:002016-02-28T17:35:29.556-05:00Sparking Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I am writing this post from 32,000 feet over Nebraska, availing myself of Southwest Airlines wifi. </div>
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I gladly paid the $8.00 connection fee for use on the 4 hour flight from L.A. to Baltimore as I had forgotten to bring ANY reading material on board!!!!! OMG!! I had already read the airline mag on the way out to California and I was starting to panic. Glass of Chardonnay in one hand and my iPhone in the other, it seemed like the perfect time to catch up with a little writing. Lest you think I am a sophisticated traveler, let me correct that notion right now! First I struggled with the new Southwest LAX stand where you print your own boarding pass AND print and attach your baggage tags AND send your suitcases down the ramp. With two bags to check and two carry on pieces, I couldn't make my way to the ramp without going back for each piece. The couple behind me came to my aid. While I was grateful for the help, I wondered if they saw me like someone's grandmother that needed some extra help ( in case you think I am overreacting, on my flight out, the man seated next to me shouted to a companion several rows ahead, "I'm in the seat next to the old lady!" I actually swatted him and said," Hey! Watch it!! That hurts!!!" Such is life of travel for a 61 year old I guess, and it was kind of a reality check. </div>
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Now, where was I....oh yes, as I headed into the security area , I unfastened the wrong end of my Trollbeads bracelet and sent 17 beads bouncing like marbles all over the floor. </div>
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Several kind souls helped me gather them up and off I headed to my gate. My boarding number was B21 because I forgot to check in yesterday. I was still surprised to find my favorite seat was taken by the time I headed down the aisle: the last seat in the last row by the window. My selection is based on my own personal theory that one is less likely to catch someone's cold <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">when there is no one behind you sneezing. I knew this wasn't going to work this time anyway when I overheard one of my seat mates asked if his Sudafed had kicked in yet. SIGH.</span></div>
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This is what it looked like as I left Ohio 10 days ago. Snow, cold, and major de-icing before take off. My mom had called the previous afternoon and asked me to come out for a few days while she recovered from some sort of stomach distress. When I got there she was improving, but as my friend Judy wisely said, "sometimes a mother just needs her daughter".</div>
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So, since she was feeling pretty perky I asked Mom if I could use her for my test case for the books I was reading, Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo and her followup book: Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. While I had owned the first book for more than a year, and read it twice, I had not as yet put any of the advice into practice. </div>
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The author presents a new angle on decluttering. Instead of deciding what to get rid of, you decide what to keep, that is, you decide what brings you joy. Further, you thank the items for their service to you as you send the discarded items on their way.</div>
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I suggested we try out the method, step by step, following the instructions to the letter.<br />
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1.Clothing</div>
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2. Books</div>
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3. Papers</div>
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4. Komono(miscellaneous)</div>
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5. Sentimental items</div>
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My mom was game and we started on a three day intensive journey of finding joy!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">According to the author, you must first gather up EVERY piece of clothing you own and put it in a pile on the floor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Once you are sure you haven't left anything in some other location, and, starting with all of the shirts first, you hold each article and ask if it sparks joy in your heart when you see and touch it. Really. Now, I know this sounds crazy but if you haven't tried this, j</span>ust read on. Mom got in the spirit of it immediately and could with lightening speed tell me if the piece sparked joy. If not the article was placed aside and thanked for its previous joy and on we went through all of the jackets, sweaters, pants, shoes, socks until there wasn't a stitch of clothing we hadn't held. Ten large bags were set aside for donations and we began the specific folding process. Sort of like sushi, items were rolled and placed in drawers.<br />
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There wasn't much was left to hang in the closet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">My brother got into the mix and added some shelves that I asked him to build.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Then a curious thing happened- he went home and started on his closet!!! Kelsey (his daughter and my favorite niece) saw him carrying out bag after bag and asked him what he was doing. "Sparking joy, he replied!!!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">The next day we tackled books. It was fascinating to me to observe my mom making firm decisions on which books met the joy criteria. A college textbook from 1947 of my dad's-Yes!! A favorite novel of his- No!! an art book of French Impressionism-Yes!! A book on travel on the Rhine-No!! As I watched what sparked joy for her I learned things about my mom that surprised me and I learned about the books in her collection and what the connection was as to why they were there in the first place, why they got to stay, and why some could go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">After a break at the Wilson Creek Winery with my sister-in-law, Karrie, (who, by the way, was thrilled about the joy factor going on in the closet she shared with my brother) we were ready to take on stage 3: Papers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Mom and I share the dilemma of not being able to part with very many papers. Newspaper clippings, brochures, recipe cards, manuals, invoices, statements, old report cards, and lots and lots of photos. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">The photos consisted of tin types of relatives that mixed in with my dad's flight crew photos from WII, that were mixed in with photos from my youth, and photos of grandchildren mixed in with recent bills and greeting cards and.... well, you get the idea! According to author Marie Kondo, the goal is to end up with no papers!! Actually, you do get to keep one magazine file box called Pending Papers (items that need immediate attention only) She also recommends purchasing a 3 ring binder with clear plastic sleeves to hold a few papers that are not pending, but, are to be kept close at hand, such as a print out for a new diet or a list of favorite restaurants. Greeting cards are not to be kept unless they spark sentimental joy. Our family has kept greeting cards from relatives from the early 1900's to recent Valentine's Day cards and it seemed unlikely that many of these would be discarded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This reminds me of the first card birthday card I gave to Ron. We had meet a few weeks prior to his 40th birthday and I handed him a card that I had carefully selected for him. He opened the card, read it, thanked me, and immediately tossed it in the kitchen wastepaper basket! I almost fainted in shock and seriously wondered what on earth was wrong with him!</span><br />
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Mom and I actually completed step 3 and pitched 5 huge garbage bags of papers. However, in the process, we filled one huge plastic tub with the photos and some greeting cards and letters-to be reviewed in the final step, Tidying up Sentimental Items. It was time for a break and time for me to hit the road. But first, time to give Carlson family pups, Lily and Jasper, a few biscuits!<br />
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Mom and I also had some time to attend the monthly book discussion club meeting of her Garden Club. It was so fun to hear each member give a brief sales pitch of favorite recent reads and then members borrowed whichever books appealed to them. I presented a brief pitch for the Kondo books, but didn't give them up-since Mom's efforts went so well, I'm heading home to start step one with BFF, Paulette, and, then on to my own tidying up efforts. In our cases, I don't think three days will begin to cover the territory, as we are both incorrigible collectors of many, many, many things. I promise to give you an edited update in some future post. Plane is about to land now and the wifi will be turned off shortly. My thumbs are tired of texting this post and I'm eager to head home to Ron and the pet family!<br />
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P.S. As it is now the night of the Academy Awards, I think it is only fitting that I end this post, taking a minute to accept the Award for Best Blogpost of February 2016. First, I would like to thank my mother, for not only giving me birth, but allowing me to use her as a test case for my decluttering project. Of course, I'd like to thank my brother, David, for taking such good care of Mom when she was ill, and for calling me to come to California whenever he needs help. I'd like to thank my niece, Kelsey, for showing me that the future is bright and that playing two basket ball games back to back followed by a softball game can be done. I'd like to thank my sister in law, Karrie, for generously lending her husband and daughter to all causes for my Mom. Praise goes to my BFF, Paulie, an excellent partner in crime, and to my husband, Ron, for always making me laugh. Last, but not least, I'd like to thank my loyal readers, who say nice things about my blog, even if they are just being polite. I love you all. Wait.....I have more people to thank, but the music is now Blaring me off the stage!!!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-61091106417336367302016-01-25T13:34:00.000-05:002016-01-25T13:34:35.854-05:00Happy Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">This makes great blogpost title, and it is also the title of a decorating book byCharoltte Hedman Gueniau, founder of RICE, a homewares company in Denmark. Every photo is brimming with color pillows and artifacts within all white rooms. My BFF, Paulette, once told me that she owned a Happy Rug. What a treasure, indeed! The colors of her oriental rug are brighter than most of this style and I think it is pretty special to own a rug that makes you feel happy.</span></div>
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I'm finally "leaning into" retirement, sage advice given to me from Vince, during my final dinner with the Board a year ago. My gym routine has added needed structure to my week for a start. And, there have been some arts and crafts projects on the back burner that I am enjoyng.</div>
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When niece, Kelsey (age 14) came to visit for a week earlier this month, she and I tried our hands at candle making - a popular craft in the early '70s...... We had the bright idea of using some canning jars that I never used (my aborted attempt to make grape jam from the Concord grapevine in our yard). As you can see below, something untoward happened after the candle cooled. It cannot burn properly, sort of the fundamental use of a candle. With $100 invested in supplies, and one ruined double boiler, it is a pretty expensive candle!</div>
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After that experiment, we joined a watercolor class in progress at the local metro parks. Our assignment was to copy a photo of a winter forest scene. I didn't like the middle part of my painting, so I cut it out.</div>
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Then, I decided I didn't like some other sections, so, I cut those out as well. This helped average out the cost of the workshop as now I had two painting instead of one!</div>
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We even did a bit of cooking, making a Thanksgiving dinner menu with Ron as head chef!</div>
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You know how you can always learn some new things from a teenager? Well, I didn't know that records, oh, em, VINYL is popular again. At $30 a piece, I am looking at my vintage collection in a whole new light.</div>
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Kelsey and Paulette shared new aps on their iPhones while waiting for me at the Mall one afternoon. This was the same day we hung out at Starbucks for awhile. I didn't realize I dropped my billfold under a chair until a very kind gentleman rang our doorbell that evening-billfold in hand! Wow. Thanks, Glenn. Now we are Facebook friends with several friends in common. Small world! </div>
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Meanwhile, instead of knitting a pair of socks, I made a "sockhead" hat. (see photo above) Since I currently own enough yarn to make 62 pairs of socks, this was an good move. Perhaps I could make 31 hats with 31 pairs of matching socks! Place your orders now. Just call 999-000-9999 before midnight. </div>
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On a roll, Paulette suggested that we try a new craft each week. This week we are going to sew pillowcases for use in Valentine decor. Details next month. Did I forget to mention ongoing decorating projects? I was asked to advise on paint, furniture, and layout for David and Karrie's home in Temecula, Ca. The photo below is the "before" picture.</div>
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The "after" photo features a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter on the walls with a few new pieces of furniture, too. This was really fun to do via FaceTime with them. Actually, we did the entire house, not just this room. </div>
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I had forgotten how much I enjoyed interior design. For awhile, I tried a double major at Kent (English and Interior Design) but couldn't manage the dichotomy and distance between classes. Paulie lets me decorate her home for each holiday, so I get a temporary fix every season.</div>
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Of course, I've not neglected my love of reading. Above are some of the books that are currently on my nightstand table. Most are from the Huron Public Library-an absolute gem packed with interesting new books, and a few are from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library that Paulie and I visited a few weeks ago. I am especially enjoying the Ross essays from her years at the New Yorker. I can't read the Bogle book at night because it keeps me wide awake-really. I've become a Boglehead and I have placed holds on his newest books. He is now 86 and I watched a recent interview of him predicting the next 10 years to have an 3% increases in an average portfolio. Oh oh. </div>
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This is Emma's first winter in a warm house. When she isn't sleeping curled up on the couch, she spends her time looking out of the window and I hope she isn't regretting the change in her environment. Several times a day she allows me to scratch her head and ears, but, I've not yet been able to pick her up. Ten months seems like enough time to get used to us, but, that's how it goes sometimes with cats, I guess.<br />
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Emma's daughter, Lucy, has made herself right at home, as you can see from the photo below! Those are the Jolly Wee Elves that I knitted. They look a bit more wizened than the pattern, alas, but Lucy looks fine!</div>
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Lest you think Kate, namesake of this blog, is a reformed puppy, think again! Now at age 5, she still rules the roost and does as she pleases.<br />
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I tucked Kate into the bathroom while the Sears Repair guy was here to fix our dryer. It just seemed easier than trying to keep her from barking nonstop. On the other hand, I had a bit of cleanup to do later!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I was sorely tempted to head to D.C. for the big snow storm a few days ago. In Sandusky, the sun is shining and the grass is still green and these are not good things for January, in my opinion. I'm making the best of it and heading out for a brisk walk with Jack-my new best buddy since Marilyn passed away. Actually, he has always been number one and graciously made way for Louie and then Marilyn Monroe. At age 9, we still have lots of walks ahead of us! From the happy home, jb.</blockquote>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-22594590686015225662016-01-03T09:06:00.001-05:002016-01-04T10:05:00.135-05:00Do your calves get along?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was what I heard my personal trainer, Barb, ask me a few days ago while I struggled with the TRX set. Well, actually, both calves were burning, so, I answered, "I'm not sure. Yes, I think so."<br />
Turns out she was asking me if my CATS get along (the earlier conversation we had as I was gasping for breath during a one minute plank exercise). After a good laugh, she was undeterred from introducing me to Jacob's Ladder.<br />
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"Don't look so scared!" she exclaimed as she hooked a tether around my waist. This particuar machine just works as slowly as you climb, one rung at a time, forever, or, in my case, 4 minutes. It also burned 125 calories in the 4 minutes that I lasted on the machine. You can keep track of the rungs climbed and get a free t-shirt when you reach steps equal to Mt. Everest. Yeah, right, like I need a t-shirt that badly.<br />
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On to the recumbent bikes for 20 minutes of "cardio" as Barb calls this ride to nowhere. I haven't figured out how to use the headphone jack, but, I have learned how to read the close captions on the tv or better yet, I ignore the captions and try to guess what the tv newscasters are actually saying.<br />
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This little ride is followed by climbing up and down a flight of stairs, 6 times, carrying 10 pound weights in each hand. I clump up the stairs pretty quickly, but, remembering my broken ankle when I missed two steps in my basement stairs in 1999, I SLOWLY decend, staring intently at my feet as they land on each tread. This, of course, is also a pretty good tactic for stalling before Barb assigns me "our" next set of something or other. She also suggests I notice what the extra 20 pounds feels like.......ahem.<br />
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Since October, I've lost 2.5 inches from my waist and hips, which at least allows me to breathe easier in a pair of jeans. I actually look forward to my twice weekly sessions with Barb. I have yet to get myself to the gym three other days of the week, however. In an effort to look for motivation, I signed up for a Metabolic Rate Analysis System test. As the brochure states, .....There is one basic truth to weight loss: you need to burn more than you eat. Your test results show you precisely how many calories your body actually burns and calculates how many calories you should eat to lose weight.<br />
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So, here's what you do: breathe into a tube that goes into the computer for 15 minutes. It measures and then averages your oxygen and co2 levels, compares them to the same in the room, and, voila! You learn, among other things, if your metabolism is slow, normal, or fast. First, you input your weight, height, and age, goal weight, BMI, and gender. My rate was dead on normal, so that excuse went right out the window, or rather, down the tube.<br />
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Taking into account my "resting energy expenditure" of calories, according to the test, my "life style and activity" calories, and my exercise calories/typical session, I need to dump at least 300 calories/day from what I am currently eating. I am sure my "glass" of white wine would qualify for about 150 of those calories, and maybe the nut mix that goes with them. Guess I'll give that a go, so to speak, first. I put the Fitbit back on, too. The one with the lime green band.<br />
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I got my first Sneakers award, announced to me on my smartphone, by walking more than 10,000 steps today. Some of that was achieved by walking to the bay and back<br />
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and then a rousing round of shopping from one end of Crocker Park to the other. This last, however, was concluded by a nice dinner at Brio, of course with a glass of Cab. Sigh. Today is a new start. We're heading back to our alma mater, Kent State, to hike the campus and see the new buildings and the rehab of downtown Kent, and, I have to admit, a stop at Ray's for a glass of beer.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-34919907558793066882015-12-13T13:57:00.000-05:002015-12-13T13:57:12.927-05:00Caution! Christmas Letter from the Brooks Household-Proceed at Your Own Risk!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The image above is of a Christmas Card Holder that Paulette made in needlepoint for me. Isn't it beautiful? Ron and I are looking for actual, not virtual, Christmas cards, to put in it this December, of course, but, here we are, sending a virtual Christmas Card Letter........isn't that just the way it goes!<br />
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I'm surprised how many people ask me how I'm enjoying my first year of retirement. I truthfully answer that being retired is a challenge for me, but that I'm starting to get the hang of it. Ron, on the other hand, retired six months ago and will tell you that it is the greatest and easiest thing in the world to do. Paulette, also now retired, keeps all of us busy, and Bob, with the most experience, shows us all how to relax.<br />
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We adopted two additional cats last February. It was a bitterly cold winter in Sandusky. Lucy, a kitten of about six months, entered our garage and gratefully joined us inside. It took us all month to get AllieCat to calm down and share her surroundings and even longer to have all three dogs accept the newest member of our family. When Lucy discovered that this house was filled with yarn to play with, she was extra glad she picked us for her new home.<br />
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It was only a month later that we added Emma, Lucy's mom, to our brood.<br />
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Yep, we are now a 3 cat family. Emma, however, isn't too thrilled with the other furry animals and rarely leaves our library-she is truly a Library Cat!<br />
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The additional livestock made camping a bit more challenging and so we stayed closer to home this summer, dropping in feed the cats once a day and then heading back to our seasonal campsite just 20 minutes down the road.</div>
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In fact, it wasn't until November that the wheels on Nina turned at all when we ventured across the bridge to East Harbor State Park for a week. Now that Ron and I have agreed that I love to drive the RV and he doesn't like it AT ALL, we might make a westward ho! next summer with me in the driver's seat. Fair warning.</div>
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Not to say that we didn't travel in 2015. I headed to Las Vegas to meet up with Amy and Anne, two friends from high school. We had a wonderful time catching up and comparing aging dilemmas just as we had counseled each other with teenage issues so many years before.</div>
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In the fall, Ron and I traveled to Columbus, Ohio for the very special wedding of Ivona and Ben Dunnavent. We met Ivona, a Serbian college student, last summer when she was working at Cedar Point, and falling in love with Ben, an Ohioan working at the Point. When Ivona left last fall, I didn't know she meant it when she assured us we would see her the following summer. Sigh. Young Love.</div>
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The travel bug hit again in the fall. Janet Ford and I took our second annual fly/road trip. This time, we headed to Boston and drove through Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and the southern coast of Maine. </div>
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It was an extra treat for me to gaze at this beach scene again, having vacationed at Kennebunkport Beach, Maine for most of my summers growing up.</div>
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We stayed at P.E.O. b&b's for the most part - having the extra bonus of donating our lodging costs to scholarships for women. We drove for 6 days, and never put more than 700 miles on the rental car. I really didn't know how compact New England is.</div>
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One of our favorite P.E.O. homes was located on 60 acres near Weston, Vermont, and just down the road from the movie settings of Baby Boom. In fact, when our hostess was lamenting the many apples in her orchard that needed tending, I mentioned that reminded me of the movie, Baby Boom. With that, she abruptly asked me if I had been to Peru. Thinking she was a bit daft in making that transition in conversation, I admitted that, no, I'd never been to Peru? She offered to take me-yikes. Turns out, Peru, Vermont, is where the movie was shot on location. What a hoot.</div>
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As some of you know, both Kate and Marilyn had major illnesses in August. Kate, after having a large kidney stone removed, is doing better than ever. At age 5, she seems to have the energy and joy of a little puppy now. Marilyn, however, at age 14 1/2, just couldn't recover from liver and brain tumors, and we lost her to pneumonia in early November. </div>
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Jack is our oldest (age 10) and has been especially comforting since Marilyn passed away.</div>
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My mom, who's birthday is today, December 13, came to visit us in July. We enjoyed shopping in Oberlin, dining at Sunnybrook, hanging out with Paulie, and spending time on both front and back porches.</div>
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Speaking of porches, Ron's favorite porch was at the b&b, Welcome Home Inn, a screened in beauty in peaceful surroundings....that didn't require Ron to so much as lift a finger to maintain. Notice that broad retirement smile on his face.<br />
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Ron and I wish all of you the very happiest of times in the days ahead and extra wishes for a happy and healthy 2016.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-5118222910830766142015-11-25T11:52:00.000-05:002015-11-25T11:52:04.085-05:00Thanksgiving ponderingsI've had a difficult time writing a blogpost after Marilyn passed away several days ago. Yesterday, while at the vet's with our other Sandard poodle, Jack, another client started telling us all about this fantastic white Standard poodle that sat in the church pew ahead of him every week for years. He told us how much he loved that dog, even though it wasn't his....I interrupted and told him that Marilyn Monroe had come to live with us 3 years ago and that she had passed away recently. He was clearly saddened and yet glad to know that she had been in good care after her owner passed away. This encounter, while not unusual because Marilyn was actually well known in this small Huron, Ohio community, just accentuated my raw sadness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marilyn Monroe (March 9, 2001-October 26, 2015)<br />
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Marilyn passed away swiftly from pneumonia. We were completely blindsided by this as she had done so well with all of her surgeries. You might imagine how lonely it is to suddenly not have your shadow beside you after 3 years....and that is the struggle. But, this is a blogpost of many things and I am going to try to move on.</div>
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My return to the gym after an absence of, um, many years, has made me happier and stronger. Many of the trainers around me are working out toward their next triathlon or marathon. Trying to perfect putting one foot in front of the other must be very difficult because they practice this alot. I, on the other hand, am working toward a unique goal of getting myself up from a bean bag chair!!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google Images of pretty lady in a beanbag chair</td></tr>
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While I don't actually own a bean bag chair these days (whew) I thought that would be a worthy goal anyway. Really, how many people over the age of 45 can get up from a bean bag chair by themselves? I hereby am initiating the BEANBAG CHALLENGE. I'll have to trust you on this one, but, if you can get out of a beanbag (you''ll have to find one first, of course) and have a photo to prove it, send it on to me by March 30, 2016 and you may receive a special trophy from me.</div>
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<b>Christmas shopping.</b> Yes, I know, some of you are not in my league. I am already FINISHED! And, I have two December birthdays nailed down as well. Ha. In fact, I'm looking for some shopping to do, so, if you need me to run errands, or shop for you, or anyone you know, please contact me. I'm here for you. I have my Black Friday scheduled already plotted out---I'm NOT going anywhere! Except to the gym (see Beanbag challenge above)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Needlepoint Canvas</td></tr>
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<b>Christmas decorating. </b> I haven't started that as of yet. I'm almost finished with my needlepoint Santa, though. I was stymied with the orange thread suggestion and reached out to the Needlepoint Nation. Yes, this exists- on Facebook! I have received over 100 suggestions and I settled on the ones that suggested a slightly darker pink color instead of the orange indicated. These are the kinds of things that can keep me up at night.<br />
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Brace yourself. You are about to see a very scary photo. It is a PORTION of the Christmas decorations stored in our attic. Everything is labeled. However, I often just want the box stored on the bottom of all of the others!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unedited photo of Brooks attic-Christmas corner</td></tr>
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I considered, briefly, boycotting putting up any decorations this year. Perhaps I could select one and only one box plucked at random from the pile. I could even sort through all of this stuff and give most of it away! If you look at my December blogposts, you'll see what usually happens at our house. Ron has carried all the boxes down two flights of stairs....and back up again.....for more than 25 years.....this year, I've hired someone else to help with this daunting task. (Happy Birthday, Ron!!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holiday yard flag used for one day each year<br /></td></tr>
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But before Christmas decorating issues are resolved, it's time to put the porch furniture away, find all of the traditional holiday recipes, and enjoy a few days of leftovers! I am thankful for all of you and hope you each have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!<br /><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-26618250918071587772015-10-15T21:19:00.000-04:002015-10-15T21:22:52.392-04:00All's well that ends well.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciPTI5fgXW66zo6TpdYJBu7CehyJhHv7a7dUeurw66IUBtjMmY0EVf3bynzjHCvhIpTyXHD0pKGf92Jo8ovDNG2SzSyb04f86oEu0NkNaObL6dzYVg_-GVKg6dGVmySlSwg5QF7SjvW9g/s1600/DSC03394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciPTI5fgXW66zo6TpdYJBu7CehyJhHv7a7dUeurw66IUBtjMmY0EVf3bynzjHCvhIpTyXHD0pKGf92Jo8ovDNG2SzSyb04f86oEu0NkNaObL6dzYVg_-GVKg6dGVmySlSwg5QF7SjvW9g/s640/DSC03394.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was lucky to be back by our garage a few days ago to see two eagles! The one on the left caught and then finished a snack of a small bird (gulp) and stuck around for awhile before heading north toward the Lake. The eagle on the right stayed on a bit longer. I missed getting a photo of their wide wingspans as they flew away, but, I promise, it was a stunning sight. There are several nests in and around the marshes in the area, but I have never seen them in our city alley before.</div>
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Meanwhile, back inside, it was time to put the kitchen back together after a week of painting. We decided to lighten up a bit, so to speak.</div>
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Instead of cabinets and bead board paneling in dark stain, had it all painted white. An all white kitchen was my original goal, however, I selected a paint mint turquoise for the walls to accent the aqua counter appliances and the various antique bowls and accessories that we had.</div>
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It turned so well that I decided to keep the white sinks and laminate that we installed many years ago.</div>
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It looks brighter and more spacious with the cosmetic changes.<br />
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I know, I know, I lust for the aqua AGA stove, but, in lieu of the recent onslaught of pet expenses, I can let it all go.</div>
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Healthy and loving dogs trumps kitchen appliances any day of the week!</div>
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Yes, in case you haven't been on board lately, we have had a spate of life threatening illnesses for Kate and Marilyn. (see blog post of 9/5/15 for the details )</div>
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Marilyn's brain surgery (to remove a tumor in the frontal lobe) was on hold while first I, then her neurosurgeon, Dr. Lovett, went on vacation. No, not together! That reminds me, I should ask him where he went for the first week of October. ......</div>
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Ron and I drove the now oh so familiar route to MedVet in Columbus on Sunday. MM's surgery was successfully completed on Monday afternoon. It was a 4 hour surgery and her recovery went very well, so, we headed back for her on Tuesday afternoon. Full disclosure: The night staff had to wake Dr. L. several times to ask his advice about MM's incessant barking, ahem. So, I think it was general consensus that she could relax at home with her family better than in the ICU ward at MedVet. We were delighted to drive the 100 miles (exactly, by the way) to retrieve her. Except for a shaved and stapled noggin, Marilyn looked fantastic and was delighted to be heading home.</div>
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I rode in the back while Ron drove and Marilyn snoozed peacefully until the last 30 minutes of the trip. I tried to help her get comfortable, but, her distress increased. When we arrived home, upon getting Marilyn out of the car, I could see the dreaded signs of bloat- a very distended stomach and hard as a rock. This is a life threatening and fast acting condition common in Standard Poodles, and one in which Paulie and Bob lost their two year old Standard, Beau, and Ron and I lost Louie a few years later. The only known prevention is to surgically tack the stomach to the stomach wall so that even if the stomach fills with air and gas, the stomach cannot torque, thus avoiding extreme pain and swift death. In fact, if you really want the back story, see my blog post of 1/3/13 (It's a Dog's Life) where Paulie and I took our Standard Poodles, Jack, Sam, and Prince in for the life saving surgery.</div>
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With no delay, we headed back to Columbus, this time with Paulie riding shotgun in the back with Marilyn, keeping all of us as calm as she could- a BFF for sure. The good news is that the ER doc aspirated the air from Marilyn's stomach and danger was averted. Relieved to have her back in good hands, Paula, Ron, and I headed back to Sandusky, arriving home around 1:30 a.m.</div>
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We were so glad to bring Marilyn back home, this time, with no drama. She's such a great dog and we are happy to give her a few more years in the Brooks household.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-31994346751501890682015-09-19T11:12:00.001-04:002015-09-19T11:12:58.074-04:00Class of '65Two of my favorite people graduated in 1965 and this summer marks the 50th class reunion for the the Class of '65. Born in 1946, they are considered the first of the baby boom generation.<br />
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Above, Paulette demonstrates that life is good fifty years after graduation from Sandusky High School, Sandusky, Ohio! Look at that smile!!!<br />
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A common Friday night in Sandusky in 1965 included "buzzing the Ave" and the tradition was recreated for the reunion. American Graffiti scenes came to mind!<br />
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Here's my very own Class of '65 graduate! Ron, graduating from Port Clinton High School, headed to Tulsa after graduation to the Spartan School of Aeronautics to obtain a commercial pilot's license.<br />
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As this car rounded the Ave, I asked Ron what it was and he quickly identified it as a 1957 Bel Aire. Way to go, Ron!<br />
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Listed below are events that all happened during their senior year:<br />
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* Race riots of Watt, Ca. left 34 dead.<br />
*The 1965 Voters Rights Act was enacted, making it law to allow African Americans the right to vote.<br />
* Martin Luther King, Jr. lead the first march in Selma, Alabama and the march to Montgomery and gave his famous speech, How Long, Not Long.<br />
* Lyndon Johnson increased U.S. troops in Viet Nam from 75,000 to 125,000 and 35,000 protested with a march on Washington. Operation Rolling Thunder was launched in Viet Nam.<br />
*U. of Ca. Berkley hosted the largest anti-VietNam teach-in at that time.<br />
* Malcom X was shot in NYC.<br />
* Blackouts in the North East took place and 1965 was the fist year of mandated health warnings on cigarette packages.<br />
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As a point of reference, here are some more interesting facts from 1965:<br />
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Gas was 31 cents per gallon. A new VW Bug was $1,769. The Beatles released four new albums, including Help. Mary Quant introduced the mini skirt and the skate board became a craze. The Grateful Dead played its first concert and the Sound of Music was a movie hit. The optical disk and the respirator (replacing the iron lung) were invented.<br />
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I'm celebrating the Class of '65-they are fun loving, bright, survivors of cultural tumult, and cruising into their retirement years with a sense of adventure and curiosity. Kudos and many happy reunions ahead.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-13471961246751477082015-09-05T17:07:00.000-04:002015-09-05T17:07:21.797-04:00Marilyn, Kate, and a wedding, oh my!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38baWfhMSh3tBrS_fH4U0UHoYJgbrHdVU-fqN1Ltw3T9LOzjG4WV4HwU9uYtYiGuneGNo7BrPL8QYb4QeDqW048Y7k7Pz3LNtjhkz3xvgQ6XHj0ekINBOKPfDoi5hAwooufAA13_UZcSJ/s1600/IMG_1109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38baWfhMSh3tBrS_fH4U0UHoYJgbrHdVU-fqN1Ltw3T9LOzjG4WV4HwU9uYtYiGuneGNo7BrPL8QYb4QeDqW048Y7k7Pz3LNtjhkz3xvgQ6XHj0ekINBOKPfDoi5hAwooufAA13_UZcSJ/s640/IMG_1109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Proper Garden gift shop in Delaware, Ohio</td></tr>
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Actually, unlike the quote above, our Marilyn Monroe is quite a rule follower. She had a job to do as a seeing eye dog for 11 years and she did it well. For the past four years, she's been enjoying retirement with us. Last Friday night, she suffered three grand mal seizures-each lasting more than 5 minutes. This is a true emergency and so, Ron drove while I held MM and off we went to Lorain Animal Emergency Clinic where Marilyn was admitted and anti seizure meds were started. Little did we know that she had a brain tumor, pancreatitis, and liver cancer. And that all three illnesses were recent and unrelated. All of that was ascertained the next day at MedVet, a animal specialty clinic in Columbus. We planned to be in Columbus area for a wedding on Saturday and we took Marilyn straight to MedVet from Lorain. Marilyn was well cared for by round the clock shifts of vet techs in ICU and by Doctors Dudley and Lovett during her 7 day stay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">www.welcomehomeinn.com Delaware, Ohio<br /></td></tr>
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Planned months in advance, we were excited to be invited to Ivona and Ben's wedding at their home in Delaware and had selected the Welcome Home Inn for our accommodations after the wedding.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivona Nikolet<br />Married August 29, 2015 to Ben Dunnavant</td></tr>
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Timing was tight and we missed the ceremony while admitting Marilyn into MedVet, but, we arrived in time to enjoy the reception.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivona and Ben relax during the reception</td></tr>
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Ivona and Ben met and fell in love when working at Cedar Point last summer. Ben flew to Serbia to ask Ivona's dad for Ivona's hand in January and she and her family arrived at Ben's home in Delaware a few days before the wedding. (I met Ivona last summer and helped her in various situations while she and her friend, Jovanna, worked at the Point from June through August.) As her "Sandusky Mom," I was excited to be invited to the wedding and was so glad we were there to share her special day. Her dad, a chef and restaurant owner in Belgrade, Serbia, prepared the wedding feast.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivona pauses to give her dad a big hug at the reception</td></tr>
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It was one of the best meals we've ever had! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both moms pose with the newlyweds</td></tr>
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The weather was perfect and Ben's mom was a gracious hostess. Ivona's mom will miss her daughter very much! Even with a green card and marriage visa, Ivona cannot return to Serbia for 3 or more years.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern cake topper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome Home Inn</td></tr>
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Knowing that Marilyn was in good hands, Ron and I settled into our room at the Welcome Inn as planned after the wedding reception. Actually, we extended our stay by 5 extra nights! Our hosts, Forrest and Brenda Williams, were very flexible and we could not have asked for a more restful place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous screened in porch at Welcome Home Inn</td></tr>
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We were the only guests for several of our nights there and every morning we raced out to spend private time on the porch. After a few hours, we would then drive into Columbus to confer with Marilyn's team.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We caught up on reading while waiting for news of Marilyn's surgery</td></tr>
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You can see by the smile on Ron's face that we had good new regarding Marilyn's prognosis. Her brain tumor could be managed via medication, her liver cancer could be removed, and her pancreatitis abated! It was about this time that Paulette called with bad news regarding Kate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack and Kate are best buddies</td></tr>
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Paulette reported that Kate had been sick all night and wondered if she was experiencing another pancreatitis attack. Paulie and Bob offered to drive her to us in Columbus and a few hours later we met with Dr. Martinez, Kate's internal medicine doctor. Kate's kidney stone, which we had discovered in June, needed to be removed! Dr. Dudley (Marilyn's surgeon) offered to be Kate's surgeon as well. The stone was the size of the kidney, but during surgery, it was discovered that her kidney was still healthy and could be spared. Back to our sanctuary we went to await Kate's recovery and monitor Marilyn's progress as well.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a hint about the meticulousness of our host, Forrest Williams</td></tr>
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Our host, Forrest, is a bit of a perfectionist, as you can see by his woodpile! We were properly impressed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inn was filled with oak antiques, quilts, pottery, all beautifully arranged</td></tr>
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I loved the collections and displays that Brenda had created inside the house. She was the gardener as well! And the piano teacher, and the baker. Forrest, a Methodist minister, is a wedding officiant and building the home as a b&b keeps them busy in their "retirement".</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden sculpture on the Welcome Home 6 acre property</td></tr>
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Kate's surgery was scheduled for Thursday. The Welcome Home Inn had some interesting activity that day as well.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron hopes for his chance to be an extra in the TLC film </td></tr>
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A film crew from L.A. arrived to tape a TLC network episode. They had scouted locations and determined that the Welcome Home Inn was a perfect as background for an emotional film episode of parents meeting their child given up for adoptions 20 years earlier. (to be aired in January 2016)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No dice, the film is a closeup of just two people</td></tr>
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Filming started at 10:30, broke for lunch, and filmed again from 2-7! We headed to MedVet to await news of Kate's operation. I thought we would make a pretty good episode for TLC, and tried to pitch the idea to the camera man. No dice. So, we stopped to buy a lottery ticket at a small deli on our way into town, realizing that our MedVet bill would be a whopper. In fact, just a sec, I have to check to see if we won..........nope, just got one number. Darn.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marilyn perks up in ICU when I entered the room and tries to rise</td></tr>
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Marilyn was coming along fine and we spent some time with her each day. Since Kate was in the same ICU area, we stopped to check in our her following her surgery as well. Spending ( a great choice of words, by the way) time at MedVet, we discovered an outdoor memorial garden on the property.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial garden at MedVet, Worthington, Ohio</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqynvZvrz48sB8RpUz1P1KuJbrRfEx1aWsiDxterU-FubOtRnsGZHAOR9kbBpd-TCL4Ou6PRqJOEhS_doEBxMy_iylEtvoD0ZjvVjd6540Y3GHl8MAKA8QKuKX-1ztihzOdMQQa6msL4p8/s1600/IMG_1087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqynvZvrz48sB8RpUz1P1KuJbrRfEx1aWsiDxterU-FubOtRnsGZHAOR9kbBpd-TCL4Ou6PRqJOEhS_doEBxMy_iylEtvoD0ZjvVjd6540Y3GHl8MAKA8QKuKX-1ztihzOdMQQa6msL4p8/s640/IMG_1087.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Grateful not to be adding a brick this time around, I took some photos of the sculptures there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MedVet metal sculptures around the entrance of the Clinic</td></tr>
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You might have noticed that I don't have any photos of the visitors and their pets. Most were just too worried to pose, as they awaited news of their pets. Ron and I were there enough hours of the day and night to witness emergency admissions, talk to owners about their pets, and offer a hug when tears began to flow.<br />
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It was inspiring to be among people who love their dogs and cats as much as we love ours and it was a privilege to meet the techs, the vets, and the general admissions staff. On the day of our last appointment, we arrived late. The staff called to be sure we were alright! Actually, we were delayed by a Ohio State Trooper who politely issued me a ticket for speeding (60 in a 45, as they say) He didn't seem to think rushing to pick up our beloved dogs was reason enough to be speeding, I guess.<br />
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Family and friends offered encouragement and cheers with progress report and we are thrilled to announce that our pet family is doing great -it is wonderful to be back on our own porch again. Paulette, thank you for extending your stellar pet sitting from one night to six, and managing all of the ongoing household chores for us. And Bob, for making the drive to Columbus with our precious cargo, Kate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Convalescing on our back porch</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-90965473147720339402015-07-29T13:32:00.001-04:002015-07-29T13:32:35.931-04:00Outdoor retreats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-blmswVRa644tyGYGaUX4dKA5Tewr5qOtkGMSN1EehvvSB4f9qi2-icJOk5DGH0OTn5hEB6NfS8cExq7-xhL4x3Vth6bRb9VTNyCAF1Oom9I17Lt0cMQAotIhsaPvvdswTSezEfAXTFK/s1600/IMG_0083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-blmswVRa644tyGYGaUX4dKA5Tewr5qOtkGMSN1EehvvSB4f9qi2-icJOk5DGH0OTn5hEB6NfS8cExq7-xhL4x3Vth6bRb9VTNyCAF1Oom9I17Lt0cMQAotIhsaPvvdswTSezEfAXTFK/s640/IMG_0083.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Most Friday evenings during the summer, we enjoy a dinner with Bob and Paulie at Sunnybrook Trout Farm. a private fly fishing venue for members with a penchant for catch and release trout fishing. Bob fishes here year round - the creek never freezes - even if he does!<br />
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Last year, Ron and I gave Bob a great fishing shirt for his birthday. We had two shirts to choose from at Sam's Club. The first one said Made in VietNam. We passed that up remembering that Bob was an attack helicopter pilot in the VietNam War, and we decided the other shirt, made in China, was a better choice. The shirt had lots of cool pockets and tabs and clips and while we had no idea of the purpose of those things, we knew Bob would be pleased. He wore his new shirt to the grocery store a few days after his birthday. On the way to the market, he and Paulette kept hearing a rather loud beeping noise that seemed to be coming from the driver's side of their van. Turns out it was Bob, himself, that was beeping - his defibrillator was emitting an alarm! A quick call to the Cleveland Clinic was made and the device staff recommended that Bob head their way asap. After 8 hours, and consulting with 11 doctors, including the head of that department, no one could find the reason for Bob's defibrillator alarm going off. After a frustrating last consult before deciding to replace a potentially defective device(surgically, of course), they discovered a tiny magnet on one of the pockets of Bob's fishing shirt. Yep, that was the culprit that tripped the alarm and the last time he wore that particular fishing gear.<br />
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Sunnybrook was originally a private residence. Later, and for many years, it served as a retreat for Owing Illinois executives. The house, in addition to having dining rooms and an enclosed porch, has 10 bedrooms with private baths for those wishing to stay and relax after a full day of fishing.<br />
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The sunsets often provide entertainment during our dinners and our evening usually takes the old fashioned form of the men retreating to smoke cigars and the women sitting in the parlour. Paulie and I linger over drinks and knit a few rows on current projects while we discuss plans for the rest of the weekend -- this could include our strategy for an early morning estate sale, and/or logistics necessary for spending a few nights at GottaGetaway, our Bellevue camping retreat in our motor homes, Nina and Annie. This season, in addition to our two adjacent sites, we co-rented the site in front of ours in order to increase our private domain.<br />
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While we bought our rigs for long distance trips. so far this summer, the wheels haven't turned so much as one rotation! Even our truck batteries are dead from lack of use. Before further gear atrophies, we are determined to hit the road before the end of summer. Maybe we'll just drive to the other side of the campground and back to our spaces. Or, we could cruise down Rt 20 to Norwalk for a few miles and then return a few minutes later and call it good.<br />
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Meanwhile, I've also been enjoying another favorite outdoor retreat - our own back yard. The Rose of Sharon just started blooming over the weekend and creates a wonderful panorama from the back porch. <br />
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Even thought the yard is only 25 feet wide, it provides plenty of seating areas for sun or shade.<br />
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The maple tree was a small sapling when I first moved here in 1977. Both the tree and I have grown thicker trunks over the years.<br />
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I've learned to work around the fact that the roots and shade of that tree make it impossible to plant anything near it. Rotating pots of flowers and refreshing the window boxes with new plants every few weeks keeps the area looking fine. I have resisted the temptation to put in plastic flowers. Yes, I really did consider it an option. Instead, I purchased some metal ones in a variety of colors.<br />
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The back porch is a great place to enjoy morning coffee as long as it is before 9 a.m. After that, it is too sunny and hot.</div>
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Kate, Jack, and Marilyn love to hang out on the porch, then head back into the kitchen, then head back onto the porch. You get the idea. I don't get to sit still for very long! We can add convalescing to the list now. Ron's recent eye surgery requires several weeks of low key activity and no place is better than the back porch for idle musing and napping, of course.</div>
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Ron's retirement dinner last week was at Chez Francois in Vermilion. It was a fine night for outdoor dining on the deck overlooking the Vermilion River. </div>
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The day before was Bastille Day and we were serenaded with the French national anthem by a crew of enthusiastic boaters. </div>
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My mom returned to her home in Southern California a few days ago after spending most of the month of July with us. Paulette joined us for most of our jaunts, including several shopping expeditions for Trollbeads, WHITE JEANS, estate sales, and more. </div>
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We had a great time exploring area museums, libraries, restaurants, and still allowed plenty of time on the porch. Paulie loves to hear Mom's trip reports from her 13 trips to Paris (1975-2006) and is trying to talk Mom into traveling to Paris with her. To that end, they both renewed their passports!</div>
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In deference to full disclosure, I will tell you that high temperatures and humidity are not on my hit parade list. Today it is 90 degrees and my retreat is indoors with a/c at full blast instead of any of the outdoor retreats listed above. The dogs agree with my location and are happily snoring away on cushy dog beds. I'm hoping that Marilyn will move over a bit to make room for me, too!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-39759523046936955972015-06-25T17:42:00.000-04:002015-06-25T22:17:01.066-04:00Summer Bliss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLz3CJ3sutBMU3Z5qC7gTdiEg5kuqCNf9Ux7CtpMmy-nBXmtwwH7vdXyl3aFf527wP5P4T0iJl8XU5bE4gwm5F9_46jXxpTbI6VseHIWUo1I3vwtAHQf1iqjFBrznmrAC-mUz5cY5yXAM/s1600/DSC03144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLz3CJ3sutBMU3Z5qC7gTdiEg5kuqCNf9Ux7CtpMmy-nBXmtwwH7vdXyl3aFf527wP5P4T0iJl8XU5bE4gwm5F9_46jXxpTbI6VseHIWUo1I3vwtAHQf1iqjFBrznmrAC-mUz5cY5yXAM/s640/DSC03144.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Most of the summer sunsets I have enjoyed have been on Lake Erie. Our house in Erie had a large backyard that backed a cliff on the Lake, and I loved watching the sun set over the water. Since our RV site is surrounded by farms, I have recently enjoyed watching summer sunsets over ponds and farm fields.<br />
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This is our herb garden! We've already eaten all of the basil on one of the plants and need to restock that asap. We have two tomato plants, a pot of parsley, and a pot of chives. The sage is being harvesting with the intent of using with campfires as the sage keeps mosquitos at bay. I dunno about that, but, I'm willing to try to natural deterrent. The fennel will be used for salads. Since our yard is very shady, this is about all we can squeeze into a small sunny area in the back yard.<br />
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Speaking of gardening, here is a photo of our 100 year old Concord grape vine. I don't know why I feel I can take credit for this fabulous crop! I never trim or in any way attend to this vine. This year, I think I will have to enough time to make grape jam and I know I can count on Paulette to make a grape pie. Yum.<br />
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Here are the some of the lilies from our garden. From these photos, you could surmise that our garden is stunning. Actually, we have quite a bit of weeding to do. Ahem. We've had lots of rain, making weeding easier, and yet the weeds are winning and it could be said, by an honest person, that we have more weeds than flowers.<br />
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My garden boots are on the back porch and ready at all times. I clomp around in them and feel like a real gardener when I have them on-even if I'm just heading for the mailbox. Notice the hot pink rose gloves and trowel, too. I'm all about the gear.<br />
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Emma is becoming a wonderful companion. We are so glad we brought her inside! This week we started to encourage her to roam throughout house. AllieCat and Lucy haven't included her in any of their play sessions as of yet, but we haven't had many fights either. I'm currently reading a book called CatSpeak in order to better understand feline behavior. The author has trained both cats and dogs and explains that cats accept humans as companions and that dogs relate to humans as pack leaders. It's pretty fun to have 3 cats and 3 dogs running around-really, it is!<br />
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Our front porch was Emma's former stomping grounds. It was recently repainted, and now the trick is to sit still long enough to enjoy it. It is an acquired skill and I am determined to excel in the art of porch sitting this year! Every house on our block has a similar porch, but, I rarely ever see anyone actually sitting on their porch swings, etc. I am, however, sitting on the back porch as I write this blog, with all three dogs at my feet. They are very happy sleeping until a squirrel scrambles by. Marilyn, the sedate, former seeing eye dog, and the oldest of the crew, bounds down the porch stairs and madly chases the squirrels, barking and running at top speed. Honestly, we can't quite imagine her former owner, a blind 80+ year old, hanging on for dear life as Marilyn spots a squirrel from two backyards away!<br />
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I've been reading quite a bit lately. In fact, I currently have 33 books checked out on my library card! There are books on decorating, vegan cooking, journaling, traveling, and housekeeping as well as several biographies. I thought I would see if there were any tips for replacing my passion for librarianship with something else and so picked up the book shown above. In the meantime, with Ron retiring in less than 3 weeks, I should probably find a few books on co-habitating happily 24/7 "until death do us part." Actually, I did find some tips from a book called, 3<i><b>0 Lessons for Living: Tried and Ture Advice from the Wisest Americans, by Karl Pillemer.</b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-79197080133570390152015-05-25T18:39:00.000-04:002015-05-25T18:39:56.252-04:00Memorial Day 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9lpa6PzJulzTrSmQ0fprk3aOFmgEfzxKquobYIAhA7KxjfizD41ThzyU-5Uswzjlm5MTTxhpQvs_QaU2gdQESY0AXeXsiA55tYHeOUZR_6ntGX5PFWuho94pt0RgaVj6XgY_RIPFCmtC/s1600/DSC03140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9lpa6PzJulzTrSmQ0fprk3aOFmgEfzxKquobYIAhA7KxjfizD41ThzyU-5Uswzjlm5MTTxhpQvs_QaU2gdQESY0AXeXsiA55tYHeOUZR_6ntGX5PFWuho94pt0RgaVj6XgY_RIPFCmtC/s640/DSC03140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohio Veterans Home, Sandusky, Ohio</td></tr>
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Memorial Day, originally Decoration Day, was started in 1865 to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers who died in battle. In 1888, the Ohio Veterans Home was opened in Sandusky to care for all Ohio Civil War veterans and has been in continuous operation since that date. Presently, there are 1,963 graves on the property and the photo above captures just a small area of the cemetery. </div>
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Ron is often at the Veterans Home under auspices of Stein Hospice where he works as an RN assigned to the Honor Our Veterans program. He distributes to veterans in hospice, a pin and a blanket from their branch of service, a certificate of appreciation and recognition of their service, and arranges an honor guard escort upon their death. He has heard many stories of war experiences never recorded or discussed before and of course, has promised to keep all such discussions in confidence if so requested by the veteran. </div>
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Memorial Day is also the unofficial start of summer. Sometimes cool and rainy, this year it was warm and sunny and the perfect weather for outdoor picnics and other summertime pursuits. It is also the time when you can start wearing white linen pants, and white shoes-if you dare.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhubarb pie cooling in picnic basket in kitchen<br /></td></tr>
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Memorial Day weekend is also a time to have traditional picnic food, including homemade pies. Our neighbor brought over 7 stalks of freshly cut rhubarb from his garden. My mom used to make a rhubarb pie for my birthday (June 13) every year. I decided to give it a try myself-a few weeks early!</div>
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Most of you know I am a cook/baker with very limited skills and even less interest in the entire subject matter. However, every once in a while I try to rise to the occasion and this was one of those rare times.</div>
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We have a fabulous Hoosier kitchen cabinet where all of the baking stuff is stored, so, it was fairly easy for me to locate my mom's recipe, get out the ingredients, bake ware, and utensils. I was just ready to start when I discovered we had no eggs. So, off to the local convenience store I went. You can't buy just one egg, which is all that I needed. And the clerk absentmindedly rang up the sale for a six pack of beer, which is what she had been selling all day. She also seemed disappointed I didn't buy a lottery ticket or a pack of cigarettes!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhubarb, sugar, egg mixture<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
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Front yard ready for Memorial Day</div>
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We spent most of the long weekend setting up the furniture on both front and back porches, finishing weeding and mulching, and planting window boxes, pots, and arranging various garden "features." One night, I silently counted eleven areas that ached with arthritis pain and decided this might be my first and last year for hands on gardening, so to speak. Thank goodness we just have a small city lot and not an acreage!</div>
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Ron's at the grill, preparing hamburgers for him and a veggie hot dog for me. We having my mom's potato salad for both of us and her rhubarb pie for dessert! Yep, the gardens look great and the pie episode ended with success. We missed spending a weekend at the campground, but, loved our time in our little city oasis. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-4216944375117326192015-05-17T20:15:00.002-04:002015-05-18T10:42:22.044-04:00New talents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring blossoms</td></tr>
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In my continuing effort to become a retirement ninja, I have continued to add new skills. Frankly, this is because I don't feel like I deserve to just sit around and enjoy myself. This past week, taking advantage of the fact that it was once again in the low 60's, I jumped into gardening mode. Once it hits 70 degrees or higher, I am done for regarding any physical effort, and with tons of weeding and other garden chores stacking up, I knew I better do as much as possible.<br />
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On Tuesday, I pulled weeds and considered the purchase of an edger for our sidewalks. Consulting Consumer Reports, I was shocked to see that such items cost around $300. EEK, not in my budget. Instead of heading to Sears to purchase an edger, I headed to the garden center to get potting soil to plant three large planters in the corner of our driveway. I huffed and puffed and dragged two large bags of soil and hoisted them into the trunk of my car. Heading into the center with a magazine photo of the exact plantings I had in mind, I purchased the necessary plants and sped home. Deciding to unload the soil near the planters, I misjudged our brick raised bed and slashed my back tire. PSSSSFT. That tire was flat within seconds. Sigh. AAA was summoned and within 30 minutes I was headed to the tire store. $200 dollars for outlay of new tire and I was back in the garden!!<br />
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I'm very leery, usually, of using any equipment with a sharp blade. Most equipment can be a hazard to any left-handed users since it almost always is designed for use by a right handed operator. However, I was determined to do what I could to make our yard look its best this summer sans Jim the Gardner. Still hell bent on edging our front sidewalks and back patios, I borrowed one from Bob and Paulie. I first stopped at a nearby local hardware store (the only one locally owned) to buy a jumbo extension cord, broom, and various hand garden tools.<br />
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Bob's electric edger</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My edging trial run</td></tr>
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I turned out to be a quick study and LOVED the edger. I did notice that I often hit the sidewalk, sparks flying. It was really loud and quite exciting! AND, it often smelled like the dentist drilling my teeth. Huh? I have my eyes tightly shut when at the dentist, and now wonder if he strikes similar sparks. Maybe that is why the attendant is close at head with a water gismo! I don't know how many gardeners muse about the dentist while edging sidewalks. I could be the only one.<br />
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On Wednesday, I concentrated on the leaf blower. Oy. Again, take a look. The pull starter is on the RIGHT side of the blower. My technique is to put the unit on the ground. I stomp my foot on the long neck of the blower and use my left hand to pull and pull and pull until the damn thing starts. OR NOT. I always end up called Ron (at work) and exclaim that I can't get the *&%$# blower started. He pops over, starts the &^%$* blower and then I have a blast!<br />
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This is ironic because I hate the sound of anyone else using a leaf blower. I read that leaf blowers (and jet skis) are the major cause of global warming/ozone depletion. I feel guilty about not using a whisk broom to remove the grass clippings off of the sidewalk. Whatever. I'm not perfect.<br />
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On Thursday, I continued my household chores. At 9am, the Sears appliance dude arrived with a new microwave to install above the stove/oven. At the same time, the cleaning ladies (all seven of them) arrived. This completely freaked out the Sears guy and he took a break until they ladies left 30 minutes later. Having been at work when these ladies arrived in the past, I, too, was freaked out by the stampede of cleaning whirling dervishes. Meanwhile, I helped drag two huge Hoosier kitchen cabinets out of the way for the microwave install (we have a galley kitchen and there is not room to move, let alone remove and install a large appliance.) I unloaded what I could before trying to scoot said units across the kitchen floor without destroying the floor. Already late for a luncheon, (how retirement-ish is that) I cajoled Bob to stand in while the Sears guy finished the install. BTW, have you looked at how HUGE microwaves are these days?????? OMG. What was I thinking.<br />
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On Friday, I awoke with the dreaded vertigo again. There is some speculation that it could be caused by arthritis in my neck, which, I am sure I aggravated by earlier efforts (see above). Being dizzy, and nauseous, I spent the day on the couch, with a heating pad on my neck and watched a chick flick. Sniff, sniff. A Night in Rodanthe, with Diane Lane and Richard Gere, was just the ticket. Later that afternoon, I finally called the vet to ask, if we captured Emma, Lucy's mom and outdoor porch cat, could we have her spayed? Yep. Bring her ASAP.<br />
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Yikes, Not having thought out the logistics of adding a third stray cat into the household, we kicked into gear on Saturday, after picking up Emma. In the backseat of the car in a cat carrier, Ron and I drove around and tried to decide how to accommodate her without mixing her in too soon with the rest of the brood.<br />
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Not thinking clearly, we decided we should buy a 6 person tent and set it up in our basement to be used as her recuperation abode. Yeah. We did. We measured the space available, moved stuff around, and dashed to the sports store to find a suitable tent.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$100 tent</td></tr>
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Let me say, trying to install this tent, with vertigo, is not a good idea. I finally had to abandon the ship and headed back to the couch. There, I could more clearly discern that the whole tent thing was not going to work as it was much bigger than the space we measured for setting it up. DUH. So, I suggested that we just turn over the bathroom to Emma for a few days respite for her and try to stuff the tent back in the itty bitty box it came in and return it.<br />
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Meanwhile, realizing that my blog's namesake, Kate, hasn't been featured as of late, let me say that Kate is a big fan of the kitties. She is just about their size and one and all seem to get along very well!<br />
I think I need to take a bit slower pace over the next few days. Kate is very supportive of this resolve and plans to spend cuddle time with me. I don't think I have the retirement mojo down yet and hope Kate can help me set a more realistic pace! We'll see. Stay tuned on the Emma, Lucy, AllieCat situation.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-43727753209332470112015-04-20T12:48:00.001-04:002015-04-20T19:29:27.729-04:00Dear Martha (Stewart), You So do not know how to clean everything!The April calendar page from my favorite artist, Susan Branch, has been modified by the artist, moi!<br />
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Working days have been replaced by cleaning daze at my house. I'm not complaining. Really! I'm very contented being home for the first spring time ever. Think about it. I was in school every April from 1959-1977 and worked until last fall! That is a lot of missed spring seasons. Hence, my obsession, actually, with all things spring related, especially spring cleaning!<br />
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I thought it was high time to consult the guru of clean, Martha Stewart. What? you say, she doesn't actually do the cleaning herself? I dunno about that. According to the April 2015 issue of Martha Stewart Living, she does. Page 2 is entitled <u><i><b>Martha's Month</b></i></u>. I purchased this particular issue because of an ad on the cover, <i><b><u>How do you clean that? 57 secrets for a healthier home.</u></b></i><br />
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On her calendar for April 4, it says <b style="font-style: italic;">Plant new fruit trees. </b>Wow! Way to go, Martha! On Tuesday, April 7 she notes, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Clean gutters. </i>Later in the same week, mind you, she writes, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Scrape and repaint chicken coop enclosure. </i>I don't think I can keep up with this wonder woman and I don't have a chicken coop. On Saturday, April 18, she was outside with this assignment: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Edge and sweep driveway, </i>followed by a <i style="font-weight: bold;">Horseback Ride. </i>I admire her stamina, flexibility, and sheer pluckiness. Today, Monday, April 20th, she plans to <i style="font-weight: bold;">Sprinkle grass seeds on bare patches, top with salt hay to keep birds at bay, </i>and on Wednesday, she will celebrate Earth Day by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Gardening. </i>This Friday, she is scheduled to <i style="font-weight: bold;">Clean baseboards with a feather duster. </i>Next week, my cleaning marvel will be <i style="font-weight: bold;">Cleaning winter blankets and putting them in storage, making fresh ricotta, filling birdbaths with water, </i>all the while doing cardio and core, pilates, and weight training every other day all month long.<br />
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Well, ok, Martha! I've been on my own crazy schedule this month, and I can see now, looking at Martha's schedule, I'm just a wimp. I've cleaned all of the kitchen cupboards, inside and out, cleaned three wood floors and baseboards (on my hands and knee pads), washed wool blankets, put away and put on summer quilts on three beds, washed curtains upstairs, and cleaned out 3 closets! So there.<br />
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I note that it is time to clean out the garden beds of last year's leaves, old mulch, and weeds. I thought I had completed that task last week and I asked Paulette to come over to admire my work. Turns out, according to Paulie, I just made the first pass and need to take much more out of the beds before I can call the job done. Hmmm.<br />
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Jim Palinkas, GardenPort owner, retired in December and I decided to see if I could muster on without his crew this year. I cleared out 14 containers of debris one sunny day last week and Ron helped with the next 14 containers yesterday. Next on the agenda is to fertilize the roses, the lawn, and plan where to place a few more lavender plants. Oh, I have some bare patches to reseed, too, just like Martha! Paulette suggested I get a weeding tool-with a small forked end. I notice that it has a serrated edge on the left side of the tool. I imagine this would come in handy if I were right-handed...<br />
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Meanwhile, it is also time to ready Nina for a new season of camping. Again, Martha is of no help whatsoever since I don't think that she owns an RV. Last fall, in late October, Nina became infested with thousands of Asian Ladybugs. These are orange bugs with many black spots and they bite. They eat tons of aphids particularly in soybean fields. When the fields are plowed, the insects seek out new warmer quarters - Nina was just the kind of abode they were looking for and she was conveniently parked right beside a soybean field! Last week, armed with a shop vac, I spent 2 hours sucking up the critters-dead and alive, after emptying every single thing from the RV first. This is not the kind of spring cleaning that Martha Stewart advises about, so, I am on my own to decide what to use to clean every inch of the interior of the rig! Paulie suggests vinegar and water. The place will smell like a gigantic Easter egg party I fear.<br />
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All of this homework, so to speak, had me thinking about those who enjoy the opposite of home and hearth. People with......<br />
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<b>Wanderlust:</b> A strong urge or desire to explore or travel around the world. </h2>
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I have several friends that have wanderlust. I listen to where they have been and where they intend to go next. I muse about them, and, try very, very hard to imagine what motivates them to travel. I also read travel journals, essays, and memoirs about journeys to exotic places. I just completed, The Footloose American, Following the Hunter S. Thompson Trail Across South America. Author Brian Kevin, recently traveled in South America following the trail of Hunter S. Thompson's trip in 1964. While I've done some traveling-( Sweden, Colombia, France, England, Germany, and Holland), I can say that wanderlust is not a part of my nature. On the other hand, I've found something that better describes me.</div>
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Homebody: One whose interest centers on the home.</h2>
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Now, that is a concept that I can really understand. Martha Stewart seems like that kind of person, too. I have a friend that once showed me her Martha Voodoo doll, kept in her kitchen. After a stressful attempt to make a gingerbread house following Martha's instructions, she paused to add a few pins to her Martha doll. I wonder if I can get one of these before the May issue of Martha Steward Living is published.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-22926564395131101052015-03-23T22:17:00.003-04:002015-03-23T22:17:43.844-04:00Viva Las Vegas, and all that<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elvis impersonators on the Strip (not the gal in the middle, the two dudes!)</td></tr>
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I just got back from a trip west, which included a stop in Vegas-the site of a mini reunion of the Fairview High School Class of '72. Weather was perfect and the entire area is one large amusement park! To end the suspense, I gambled $100 at the craps table and walked away with $175. The biggest attraction, however, was not the two Elvis impersonators in the photo above.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at Bouchon at the Venetian Hotel</td></tr>
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It was the time spent with my best friends from high school, Anne (Smith) Hasson, left, and Amy Mellencamp (far right-in photo terms, only). This is the second reunion I have attended with the duo. We met for the first time in almost 40 years, in 2012, in Chicago. I missed the reunion in San Francisco and New York City, and wasn't about to miss this year's reunion in Las Vegas!<br />
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Anne retired 5 years ago after teaching 4th grade for 30 years in Portland, Oregon. Amy is currently a high school principal (Dr. Mellencamp, by the way) in Burlington, Vermont. Anne is a grandmother of two- her son is a firefighter in Portland. Amy has two children. Her daughter is a successful fundraiser for the Democratic Party in D.C. and her son is in graduate school, having clerked for various member's of Emily's List in D.C. Anne's husband is retired after a career with 3M, and Amy's husband is working on various business ventures in Vermont.<br />
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We had a great time catching up on happenings in Erie, Pa. (Ann's mom still lives there) and sharing news about our families. We have all lost our fathers, and had many heartfelt discussions about eldercare. If you haven't reconnected with your high school buddies, I highly recommend that you do so. There is a wonderful shorthand as part of the underlying conversation which is refreshing. These are friends that know all about the trouble you had with your sibling, what your parents were REALLY like, when you first fell in love, and, so on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each dancer charged us $5 for the photo above</td></tr>
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Of course, on the downside, they know all about your D in Algebra and other dark secrets of youth. While at the airport, we observed a group of college women that were gathering for a pre-wedding blitz with the bride. We stopped by to tell them that they might still be meeting each other almost 43 years hence and they seemed delighted to hear that!<br />
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We stayed at the MGM Grand. A wonderful selection made by Anne. The timing was perfect: the Grand was hosting the PAC 12 basketball playoffs and Anne's team from Oregon was there. Duck this and duck that everywhere! Not to mention it was spring break and the hotel pools were crowded with lovely co-eds and eye candy for us all.<br />
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More importantly, the Bellagio was the scene of a Doritos commercial and we just missed being in it!<br />
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After 3 nights, Anne headed back to Portland and Amy headed east to Burlington. I, on the other hand, extended my vacation by heading to California to visit family for a few more days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel across from Doheney State Park Campground, Dana Point, Ca.</td></tr>
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Arriving in Temecula on Sunday, I spent the afternoon at the Mall with 13 year old niece, Kelsey. It was such fun to sponsor a shopping spree and see what would develop. H&M was a popular store for school attire.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marine Drill Team in San Diego Depot</td></tr>
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I didn't see nephew Kacey as he recently entered boot camp as a Marine recruit. At age 18, he was determined to enter on the ground floor of the military establishment and work his way up to officer from there. Graduation is the end of May and our family is anxious to see what assignment he draws next.<br />
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On Monday, Mom and I headed for a short trip to Laguna Beach. My parents retired from Westport, Ct, in 1981, and moved to LB to be closer to Aunt Alberta (see earlier blogs), Aunt Iola, and Grandmother Blanche (my mom's mom) for 18 years before they moved to be closer to my brother and family in Temecula.<br />
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The ocean breeze hypnotized us and the next thing you know, we were both shopping for condos in nearby Laguna Hills where Alberta, Iola, and friend "Aunt Dottie" lived for many years.<br />
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Laguna Hills (formerly Leisure World) was developed in 1964 as the first gated community for 55+ residents. There are 14,000 units and currently 18.000 residents. Average age in 74. With a 29 hole golf course, stables, 7 clubhouses with 5 swimming pools, over 200 clubs and more, it was intoxicating to consider living just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean in such lovely year round surroundings.<br />
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However, the condos are small, with the largest only 1,300 square feet!!!! I tried to imagine reducing living quarters from 3,000 square feet filled to the brim, with a full attic and basement (and I do mean full) plus a 2 1/2 garage with two extra single space garages, 2 Standard Poodles, 1 miniature schnauzer, 2 cats ( who don't like each other yet), one husband, and condensing it all into any one of the condo's we toured. We felt like we were in an episode of Househunters. We loved the first house, tolerated the second, hated the third. My mom was very interested in the first one, but, it was already sold within 12 hours-at full price! We toured four more options and decided to ponder it for a few more months.<br />
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Next on the agenda is to convince Ron, Bob, and Paulette, to spend a few days in the area and check it out with me to see if I'm California Dreaming or I have lost my mind within the first 6 months of retirement! Well, we already know the answer to that, but, to be kind, let's see if it is a temporary condition.<br />
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Stay tuned for further adventures.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-65964847053601692542015-03-03T15:22:00.001-05:002015-03-03T15:22:57.187-05:00Vertigo....And Not Hitchcock's Classic Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have vertigo, not unlike Jimmy Stewart's vertigo in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film of the same name. While my favorite film by the famous director is North by Northwest, or maybe, Rear Window, I now better understand the scenes from Vertigo. I am loathe to admit that this is an inner ear disturbance that is age-related. When I first heard about vertigo, it seemed like something that would be well suited to a Twilight Zone episode. Imagine being dizzy and feeling woozy at unpredictable times not related to any over indulgence of alcohol. My first occurrence was on Christmas Eve, then repeated once in January, and now, again today. If I were still working, I'd have had to reluctantly call off for today. Being retired, I just told the dogs to chill out with me.<br />
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Marilyn was, of course, thrilled that I was staying in one place for once. She is happily snoozing beside me as I write.<br />
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Jack simply couldn't believe it! You can see he is amazed that I am actually going to stay home and hang out with him today.</div>
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Kate was so happy she was wiggling all over, hence the blurry photo. However, she agreed to come inside and crash on the sofa in the upstairs library with me. Lucy is at the vet today being spayed. We decided not to have her declawed and will have to apologize to AllieCat later about that change in plans. I hope there won't be shredded curtains to show for the change of heart.</div>
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One of the things I haven't gotten used to yet is being home in the daytime. The light coming through the windows is such a treat. Well, yes, you can see the dust, but, just look at colors in the Swedish glass bowl on the table! Having spent most of the past 30 plus years at work from daylight to dark, I wasn't able to appreciate some great features of daylight in the house.<br />
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Here is another example. Most of the time, the stained glass window on our front staircase landing looks dark brown. During the day, however, it shows many colors! By the way, the window is perfectly level, I'm just a bit tilted with the vertigo thing. Sorry about that, don't let it get to you.<br />
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Catching up on what I've been doing fiber-wise, here is a sock I recently finished. Some of you know about "second sock syndrome" in which the second sock is deemed too boring to do and so, instead, languishes of the needles for months. I just noticed that this one is too big and I need to rip out about 2 inches and reknit it. This will delay the SSS for awhile longer. (Sorry, Mom, you'll still get both socks by Mother's Day).<br />
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Perhaps you can see how I am progressing with the needlepoint project I started in November. The background is almost half finished. The red, green, and blue parts are completed. I haven't started Santa's beard or cuffs, or his face. I'm saving the white background until last-my goal is to get this completed by July. I'm taking it with me to Vegas next week. I can just imagine the looks I'll get in the airport as I tote around a Christmas project. Only other needlepoint folks will understand this seasonal disorder.<br />
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Speaking of Christmas projects, I am very excited about my next knitting project. I'm going to make a replica of my childhood stocking!!!!!! Just because I can.<br />
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My brother, David, and I, each have personalized stockings, given to us by our Aunt Marj. I don't think she knit these herself. She was a seamstress of great talent, but, not a knitter. My great grandmother Lee wasn't a knitter, either. She did a lot of crochet and I have several of her shawls. She was a seamstress by trade, coming over from Sweden at age 16. I digress. This Christmas stocking pattern was first introduced in the November 1945 issue of Woman's Home Companion.<br />
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I had intended to use my stocking as a guide and count out each stitch to recreate the pattern. First, I checked on www.raverly.com. (This is a very cool site with 4 million member knitters and spinners. If you can't find what you want on Ravalry, it just isn't going to be found at all). Discovering the info about the pattern, I went to eBay and bid on the November 1945 issue and voila, it is now mine. True to form, I didn't read carefully enough-it is only the ad that is in that issue, the pattern booklet needed to be ordered and, of course, it is no longer available. Well, it was still $20.00 well spent.<br />
The pattern, now in public domain, was published and available for free download on Ravelry!<br />
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I know very few of you are as excited about this I am. I see that my stocking doesn't have the two kids, just the Santa and tree. I'll have to see if my brother's stocking has the kids. Note to self. If this looks familiar to you, maybe you have one of these stockings, too. It is large enough to hold the traditional orange, but pretty small overall. You can't get a doll in there, or, whatever else you might have asked Santa to bring to you.<br />
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Ok, enough about that. My next blogpost will come to you from Las Vegas. Next week I'm joining high school friends, Amy Mellencamp (currently living in Burlington, Vermont) and Anne Smith Hasson (currently living in Portland, Oregon) for a 3 night mini reunion of the Fairview High School Class of '72. It is so mini, in fact, that it is just the three of us! According to the travel guide books, craps and poker are the only games where the gambler has at least a 4% chance of beating the house. All other games are less than 1% in your favor. I can just imagine the roulette wheel paired with my vertigo. I think I better stick to shopping-I know how to find a bargain and that is a better deal, no pun intended!<br />
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From there, my plans are to head to Temecula, Ca, to visit family. Mom and I are head down to Laguna Beach for a few days before I fly back home. Just for the record, I am not in any way tired of winter and hope there will still be some snowy days upon my return!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795211117024376194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2013940805836793670.post-29527377559498305072015-02-14T16:56:00.001-05:002015-02-14T17:18:33.641-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Engelbreit, artist<br />
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Happy Valentine's Day! It is snowing and blowing outside our windows on this Valentine's Day. It is a perfect time to curl up on the sofa with good books, a few dogs, and a cat cuddled with us. Actually, we now have two cats! Last week, Lucy joined the family.<br />
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She has been an outdoor cat for her entire six months and today is her first snowstorm experienced in a warm home! AllieCat is starting to get used to the idea that she isn't an only cat. The growls and hissings have been replaced by more friendly meowing by both of the felines. This afternoon, we will continue the supervised introductions in anticipation of having one big happy family by the end of the month.<br />
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Valentine's Day especially appeals to me since I love hearts and can display them all at once for one day even though I collect them all year.<br />
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They don't have to be red hearts to please me. The tiny delicate china heart above is pure white. </div>
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Paulie and I each own collections of magazines and enjoy browsing through past issues in the appropriate month of their publication. Ads and articles from the 1980s and 1990s are still fun to look at and read, giving us new ideas or reminding us of favorites as if they were only read yesterday!</div>
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Last week, I took advantage of several quiet afternoons and made a few hearts for the holiday. These have been small enough to complete in a few hours. Expanding our horizons, Paulette and I set up her Featherweight on her dining room table and we sewed our first hearts.</div>
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We have started to meld our favorite crafts of knitting, sewing, embroidery, cross stitch, needlepoint, and collecting! An afternoon of tea, chatting, and crafting is fast becoming a daily tradition. I say afternoon because we both feel the need to justify such a luxury by first running errands, balancing checkbooks, cleaning kitchens and so forth! When we each feel we've done enough, or can't seem to face another task, we reward ourselves with time spent crafting together. We've not strayed from our houses, however, due to certain recent constraints:</div>
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Yes, Paulette made a few too many trips up and down to the attic putting away Christmas decorations and ended up with a stress fracture and must spend six to eight weeks in a cast! I bet you wouldn't think that our recent activities would pose any risk of a fall for her. In fact, I've been spending more time at Paulette's in order to save her from slipping on snowy and icy sidewalks. Yet, yesterday afternoon, as we packed up sewing accessories, she slipped and skidded across the wooden dining room floor, just barely managing to keep herself upright! Neither of us could imagine what caused the sudden slip. I looked at her cast and discovered a large shiny button stuck to the bottom! Yes, most accidents occur at home, but, felled by a button????????? This could be a first.</div>
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Ron's Valentine's Day gift to me is a Trollbead heart fashioned from two silver porpoises and filled with two aquamarine glass beads. Paulette received a beautiful Trollbead heart and bead from Bob, too.</div>
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One of my favorite artist/authors is Susan Branch. Many of her drawings include hearts. Equally charming is artist/author, Mary Engelbreit. Both authors feature charming lifestyles of crafts, comfy homes, and loving friends and family. <a href="http://www.susanbranch.com/" style="color: #1155cc; margin: 0px 2px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post">Susan Branch Blog</a> - <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">9 hours ago</span></div>
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Check out Susan's Valentine's Day blog, above, to see what I'm talking about! And if you have time, here is the website for Mary Engelbreit. http://www.maryengelbreit.com. Both have distinctive handwriting which I admire. My sweet friend, June, who passed away earlier this year, had handwriting that I loved, too. I thought I hadn't saved anything of hers and so I was so happy to discover a Valentine from her in my box of decorations!<br />
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Some of you who know me well will be very shocked to hear this, but, I am planning to make some cut out heart cookies this afternoon, complete with pink sugar icing. My favorite cookie recipe is my Mom's. From what I can determine, the special ingredient is nutmeg. I'm sure she won't mind if I pass this along so that you, too, can try these.<br />
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Bev's Cutout Cookies</div>
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Preheat oven to 375</div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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5 cups flour</div>
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2 eggs til stiff (I think she is referring to the eggs, </div>
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I hope, or maybe this is referring to the entire mixture?)</div>
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1 cup butter</div>
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1 cup sour cream</div>
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1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</div>
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1/4 teaspoon ginger</div>
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</div>
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1 teaspoon soda</div>
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1 teaspoon baking powder</div>
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Bake for 8-10 minutes</div>
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I confess I don't actually have an icing recipe, so, if you have one you can recommend, I'd be happy to have it! I hope you have a super romantic Valentine's Day 2015. Love, Lulubell</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ApNz_SsWbdLirUHcS6nzqw094-_SM86JGH6sdNf8BeD-3Lr1aTpELsNi5sXVdm3MaObmY8ZMWAfNND4rK_a83IoF9B_1q7SXArt_Y1joawfK0Xl_6hsVe-fzlJyjSKz3wwl0CPMToIJ5/s1600/DSC03028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ApNz_SsWbdLirUHcS6nzqw094-_SM86JGH6sdNf8BeD-3Lr1aTpELsNi5sXVdm3MaObmY8ZMWAfNND4rK_a83IoF9B_1q7SXArt_Y1joawfK0Xl_6hsVe-fzlJyjSKz3wwl0CPMToIJ5/s1600/DSC03028.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recent library books on my library card</td></tr>
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A few days ago, finally freed from the post-Christmas cleanup, Paulette and I did something totally out of character for us. We went shopping......and didn't purchase anything!!!!!!! It's true, and shocking. Instead of walking miles of store aisles, we visited FOUR public libraries in ONE afternoon! I don't know what came over me. One minute we were in a jewelry store in Lorain, and the next minute I suggested we investigate the public library down the street. An hour later, we came out of there like two kids in a candy shop!<br />
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Sticking to the new books area, we each found several books to take home. Empowered by the fact that we hadn't spent a dime (well, ok, I did pay a 20 cent fine and told the clerk to keep the change from the quarter I gave her, but, does that really count?????) I suggested we stop at the Ritter (Vermilion) Library on our way home. Janet was shocked to see us-her look was priceless- and she showed us the latest additions to her collection and we came away with more books!<br />
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Now in a giddy frenzy, we stopped yet again. This time at the Huron Public Library. It was there that we found the most new books of all! Not to be stopped from our shopping madness, we visited Sandusky Library and picked up several holds we each placed days earlier. Honestly, I never took the time to browse through a library while working in one. Is that crazy or what. I selected biographies, books on education, decorating books, craft books, travel books, memoirs, computer books, and even a book on Toasts-in case someone asks me to make one sometime, I"ll be ready: Here is one for birthdays:<br />
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May you get it together before you come apart!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP7zXYebz0ZmCZBPCs6XiTqrJnthazV7jmkiF5_FK2qtKPYCK_TIhn43gSamjLdrgespsWcobJZTcNJ-EDCUjyZSJ8ZjT-v7LXPFkOohusq0lZAGNgw3ZzLLVnO4l59c5Vw-79DCIz57H/s1600/DSC03026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP7zXYebz0ZmCZBPCs6XiTqrJnthazV7jmkiF5_FK2qtKPYCK_TIhn43gSamjLdrgespsWcobJZTcNJ-EDCUjyZSJ8ZjT-v7LXPFkOohusq0lZAGNgw3ZzLLVnO4l59c5Vw-79DCIz57H/s1600/DSC03026.JPG" height="430" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home library upstairs</td></tr>
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This is my view from the treadmill in our library upstairs in our house. It is ironic that I can't read while walking-I get nauseated by the motion of walking and reading at the same time. So, I enjoy looking straight ahead at our book collection. The two units on the left are mine and the two units on the right belong to Ron. His are cataloged- and the entire collection is aviation military history and mine are not in any order whatsoever!<br />
Notice in the photo, my three pals that keep me company while I walk-Jack, Kate, and, Marilyn. They patiently wait for me to play with them and are pretty disgusted that I am walking on a piece of rubber rather than taking them each outside for a romp!<br />
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Of course, that is not the only bookcase in the house, and the rest of the collections are in order-by bookcase, actually.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38JLZWsSW2mx0hm0LSeWkwTEoUBATbFdtPcZJxz8rG19o2m9z3dTlQ9XPEE5fJhEHvi35cI2T2Dv8fOkhIOb9d9LdjH0JSzpUx6ILGfFViH7IkdSOqrGFU_x3nCLdCMdzWC5K8mvKdm8r/s1600/DSC03029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38JLZWsSW2mx0hm0LSeWkwTEoUBATbFdtPcZJxz8rG19o2m9z3dTlQ9XPEE5fJhEHvi35cI2T2Dv8fOkhIOb9d9LdjH0JSzpUx6ILGfFViH7IkdSOqrGFU_x3nCLdCMdzWC5K8mvKdm8r/s1600/DSC03029.JPG" height="450" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic and collectible books</td></tr>
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This bookcase belonged to my Great Grandmother Lee and was given to me for my first apartment. It holds books from my Grandmother Monetha Carlson's collection and a few of classics that I have collected over the years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2kCkaKBemCSadJM6M2Ze3eNsCxGwZgQhCq4doyDcQRR-nx_37hbeV9xhHgNPV_2uAeR9dQY9ePQHP9fDcu9M-Phc18Q6B3haDu2UnJhl-IfRR3h988jS5dCWB7pOKilHGN1P4q_xb7AN/s1600/DSC03030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2kCkaKBemCSadJM6M2Ze3eNsCxGwZgQhCq4doyDcQRR-nx_37hbeV9xhHgNPV_2uAeR9dQY9ePQHP9fDcu9M-Phc18Q6B3haDu2UnJhl-IfRR3h988jS5dCWB7pOKilHGN1P4q_xb7AN/s1600/DSC03030.JPG" height="640" width="616" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog book collection</td></tr>
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This bookcase has gone to the dogs! It is only part of our collection and serves as a quick reference when we need to better understand our canine family members.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrdegzWT0qDlRO72Fjbt_5DoMQbJtqxwSIIbQ_hkMARTBUt14diLWrTFn0P-c13wN1juNIKOvhVOEYZmVq2F2adewFOOFEpeRnHxpcrfmPv4kRHFJOCcRl1x_50x8RskumTbmuUS6aHLy/s1600/DSC03031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrdegzWT0qDlRO72Fjbt_5DoMQbJtqxwSIIbQ_hkMARTBUt14diLWrTFn0P-c13wN1juNIKOvhVOEYZmVq2F2adewFOOFEpeRnHxpcrfmPv4kRHFJOCcRl1x_50x8RskumTbmuUS6aHLy/s1600/DSC03031.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knitting book collection</td></tr>
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This case houses part of my knitting book collection. It actually is arranged by subject and has been cataloged, in part, on my site on www.raverly.com.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjK4ZDD9T8sWEFhX2hIgyoE0JGY_HPK_pqrsvrIBUdxeICXOUHX6X4kc366nKifbvdLwqsIVL5PM2elL6Dw80yGndyPHtPkTUZY1xpFNwzYNYY5TNDco5-pl3TfQQ5Kwf1QLHa0w-jvAsg/s1600/DSC03032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjK4ZDD9T8sWEFhX2hIgyoE0JGY_HPK_pqrsvrIBUdxeICXOUHX6X4kc366nKifbvdLwqsIVL5PM2elL6Dw80yGndyPHtPkTUZY1xpFNwzYNYY5TNDco5-pl3TfQQ5Kwf1QLHa0w-jvAsg/s1600/DSC03032.JPG" height="500" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knitting book collection</td></tr>
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Another case holds overflow knitting books and yet another holds patterns and my yarn inventory.<br />
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This last case hold mysteries-just right for late night reading. Included are some of the Nancy Drew mysteries that first got me interested in reading, if not in libraries....</div>
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Oh! I forgot the cookbook collection! No matter, there are only a few on that shelf, and, rarely consulted, I must confess. Ron, however, has taken a recent interest in cooking-out of sheer desperation of starving- and is plowing through a Irish cooking book at present.</div>
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I am curious to know what my friends and family are reading at present. I could pop over to Goodreads, of course, to see who keeps a list going, but, if you have the time, send me your list. Paulie and I plan to visit libraries in the Cleveland area next and would love to have suggestions- now that we each have plenty of time to catch up on our reading. And no, neither of us have ereaders or likes to listen to audiobooks-scandalous, for sure. We are each voracious magazine readers, however, and have collections that have cracked the ceiling of our attics. </div>
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I recently, bravely, gave up two books to the Little Free Libraries in our area. This is the most I could part with thus far and I listed 4 books for sale on half.com. I'm counting on my new library habit to keep the personal collection in check henceforth. A noble retirement resolution of sorts for a librarian, don't you think?</div>
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