More in October

The week has limped on. The rest of my carpet was installed on Monday. Glad that process is complete. My TV in the livingroom had cable issues for some 24 hours on Tuesday/Wednesday, but that finally passed -- after clocking hours on the phone with Cox. My garage door opener died, but revived with a new battery. My car also died, and it too revived after a new battery. My friend, Linda Campbell went back into the hospital last night. According to her brother, she will die there in the next few days. Unfortunately, there is not a new battery to take care of her. I am sad.

On Thursday I took Mom and Nelda to Botannica. A new Children's Garden opened last spring, and I had not seen it yet.The weather was beautiful and just a tinge hot. We all enjoyed the outing.I got some gardening in this week. I planted a couple of shrubs and had a Crimson Red Maple planted by the nursery guys. The dahlias and zinnias cooperated for a nice centerpiece.Grandma had two traumas this week. One involved learning to use the washers in her building. Thank goodness Nelda was there to help her through that. The second occured when she tried to bake an angel food cake for today's dessert. Seems that her oven is malfunctioning and only the broiler comes on. Apparently the cake was burned to a blackened charcoal, and the pan was ruined. Grandma, was UN-done! You know how her ego is tied up in her angel food cake mastery. Soooooo......I decided that I would bake one to take it's place. I've got to tell you, it was no big deal. Came out looking pretty good, and tasted O.K. too.Bud and Mary came over for dinner today. I did a pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy at my house.After stopping by the old house to see how the sale was being laid out, we went on to Grandma's for dessert.Her new place works just fine for entertaining a small group of folks.

October Events

Nelda arrived on Friday, and on Saturday we made the annual trek to Fredonia for homecoming. Lindy and her husband, Steve, were there also. The weather was great for the outing.The extate sale people have been hard at work during the last week getting things organized for the sale. They have not yet begun pricing, but I guess that will happen this week.If you spot anything in these photos that you want salvaged, let me know.The last of the family momentos have been transferred to my house now, at least I think it's the last. This stuff came out of the old trunk in the garage. It includes Grandpa's teddy bear, my teddy bear, Grandma's doll, a detergent bottle doll that has Kellie's name on it, baby books from Judy and me, assorted baby booties from several generations, and a box with Judy's braids and locks of my hair. I find this last just a bit freaky, actually.

Grandma's New Home

She's in!!! The move is complete with the exception of a couple of things that have to be repaired before they can go up on the walls. This is the entry. You'll recognize the antique half-poker table.This is the living area with Grandma sitting in her new chair. Notice the lovely new curtains and drapes that match the furniture so nicely.And on the opposite side we have the TV and Grandad's rocker.Here she is in the little kitchen with her new and just too cute table and chairs.She chose to sleep in the smaller of the two bedrooms because it is closer to the bathroom. But even so, there is plenty of room for the bed she was born in.As well as both dressers, a chair to sit on when she puts her socks on, and all her jewelry hoo-haw.This is the guest room. I've loaned her a quilt to use until after Nelda leaves. Then she's going to use the crocheted one that Grandma Byerly made. It's too much trouble to take off and put on each day when the bed is in daily use.And finally, this is just an "establishing shot" to give you the layout. It is taken from the living room windows. The entry door is to the left, and Grandma's bedroom is right across from it, with the bathroom to it's immediate right. The shelf unit to the left of the kitchen is new and has answered the problem of where to put her zillion photos. there is a door to the right of the kitchen that goes into the guest bedroom. All in all, it's very cute and certainly roomy enough. I'll be looking for something just like it when and if I'm 80.

My Life as a Sherpa

It's all about packing and hauling these days. We're pretty well packed for the move. The kitchen continues to be a challenge.Most of the miscellaneous stuff is packed except for stuff on the walls that I will take later.All of this stuff stays behind for the sale except for the cute little table and chairs which is new and the box of stuff on top of it which is going with her.I hired the kid from across the street yesterday, and we got all of the packed stuff carted over to the new place along with some small tables and a lamp. Donna is helping me put in shelf lining on Wednesday, and I told Mom we were going to unpack her kitchen on Thursday. The movers come on Friday morning to do the furniture.

In the meantime, I'm packing up my house for the carpet installers who arrive tomorrow morning.I still have the office and my bedroom to do.But in the process, I've gotten rid of more stuff -- to the mission box, and to take over to Mom's for the sale.

Barbara is coming in the morning to unhook the computer and TV's. I won't be back online until we figure out how to get it all re-connected. Send lots of kind thoughts our way this week, please!

Even so.....

On Saturday we had our 54th day of 100+ degree temperatures for the summer. That broke the dust bowl record by 4 days. That night a dry cold front came dropping the temps by a blissful 25 degrees -- but still no rain. Despite the temperatures and an unnatural reliance on the false rain of the sprinkler system, even so, the garden looks pretty good for late summer.

The Move and the Move it Foreshadows....

This afternoon I worked with Grandma for a couple of hours in the sorting and packing process. The goal at this point is to identify what is going with her and what will be left behind for the sale. It was painful for both of us, and we have language issues which don't help. When I say "Is it going/" She hears "Is it going away, as in to be sold?" What I'm meaning is "Are you taking it with you to Sunflower Gardens?" We had numerous variations on that theme and my attempts to establish a generally accepted terminology was unsuccessful. At the end of the afternoon, we had accomplished a good deal, but there is lots more to be done. I hauled the photo albums -- all zillion pounds of them -- off of her top shelf, out of her house, into my trunk, and finally into my basement.My Back hurts. And, of course, you girls can figure that the next time they move will be when you lug them out of my basement and to wherever they will land next.

I also brought the boxes of baby afghans to store in my basement. She has carefully labeled each of six boxes with one great-grandchild's name. In each there is a baby afghan to go to their child.One afghan per grandchild. She said she was not making more than that no matter how many kids they might have! And she has not

The Week that Was

After my last two busy weeks, this one was supposed to be calm and peaceful. But then the painter came a week early to do the ceilings.The purpose being to cover up the water damage in the kitchen.Turns out that it's a really big deal to paint "popcorn" ceilings.It took them 4 hours to get everything taped and draped off. And about 20 minutes to spray the ceiling to get the stains and look like this.Then the handy guy had time, and it was cool enough to get rid of my poor dead tree that was the victim of our 17 degree cold spell last winter.He hooked up his truck to the tree.And then it was just a hole in the ground.To end the week, I had a birthday. And wasn't it a lovely one?!?