LIFE AND RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A SENIOR WIDOW A hodge-podge of thoughts about life as a widow and what I am doing from day to day.
Showing posts with label note. Show all posts
Showing posts with label note. Show all posts
Friday, July 28, 2017
THAT'S LIFE
Life has gotten in the way a bit so haven't taken the time to take some more pictures, upload them and add to the posts I have written sans pictures. Give me a little more time and I will get them finished. See you soon.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
BRB
Be
Right
Back
Don't worry, I have not forgotten you! I am neck deep in genealogy again and it has priority. I feel like I did when I had to write a high school thesis before I could graduate high school. I had a lot of research to do, and then put it all together and write it, including footnotes and bibliography. That required a whole lot of time and work. Remember those days? If you went to college, you had even more experience doing that.
It is necessary to get this work done before July 11. That is when our family reunion is and I want it at least close to completion as I can get it by then. I am printing copies of census records concerning ancestors, and any other records I have managed to find online. I just recently found online the naturalization card for one of my great grandfathers. It all gets so interesting that I don't want to stop.
As to BRB, I can't say how soon that will be since the summer is just heating up and getting really busy until fall. So bear with me! As Arnold said, "I'll be back!" I will try to pop in now and then.
Right
Back
Don't worry, I have not forgotten you! I am neck deep in genealogy again and it has priority. I feel like I did when I had to write a high school thesis before I could graduate high school. I had a lot of research to do, and then put it all together and write it, including footnotes and bibliography. That required a whole lot of time and work. Remember those days? If you went to college, you had even more experience doing that.
It is necessary to get this work done before July 11. That is when our family reunion is and I want it at least close to completion as I can get it by then. I am printing copies of census records concerning ancestors, and any other records I have managed to find online. I just recently found online the naturalization card for one of my great grandfathers. It all gets so interesting that I don't want to stop.
As to BRB, I can't say how soon that will be since the summer is just heating up and getting really busy until fall. So bear with me! As Arnold said, "I'll be back!" I will try to pop in now and then.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
TIME EATER
I sat down here at the computer two hours ago to check email and write some more blog posts. But. . . . I just spent most of that time on Facebook! I have spent very little time there the past while, so it was rather fun to check out several posts there. And I just barely touched the surface!
Now it is 12:30 and my tummy is telling me it is time to fill it again and have a cup of hot coffee. It is downright chilly in here. Outside it is only in the mid 30's and a strong 28 mph northwest wind with 39 mph gusts. I guess spring was too chicken to stick around any longer (grumble, grumble).
More later.
Friday, February 27, 2015
LOST MY FOCUS
It is high time I get back to them, as well as back to blogging. Maybe now that we are getting a few sunny days my outlook will also be brighter instead of funky.
I have also been dealing with a health issue that has been my focus of late. I had some tests done earlier this week and am waiting on the results, but I already feel better, knowing the ball is rolling in dealing with the issue.
Where does time go? Does anyone know? It is so easy to fritter it away and not accomplish a thing.
Friday, January 9, 2015
ODE TO A CHILDHOOD FRIEND
I am writing this after tossing and turning in bed for the past hour or so, not able to sleep -- again. I have not forgotten the recipes from the gift bag that I said I would give you, but that will come later.
This childhood friend has been on my mind recently, and tonight her sister-in-law called me. I was so surprised as we had not kept in contact for many years, and really only acquaintances so we never did call each other to visit.
This all started just before Christmas. The childhood friend, her name is Marilyn, and I have always kept in touch every Christmas with a card and letter. I did not get one from her a year ago and thought it odd but did nothing about it. I sent another one this year and after a week or more it came back to me saying the time was up for forwarding, and there was a new address listed for Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and she and her husband had lived in Columbus, Ohio for decades.
So now I am wondering what is going on. Why did they move to Wisconsin? So I thought I better do some checking. I first looked on Facebook as I remembered her husband had a page there some time ago but did not post much. That page is no longer there. She wasn't much for computers but I did find her page, with very little on it and nothing recent at all.
They had one daughter, so I found her on Facebook, and she is living in Eau Claire, so thought maybe Marilyn and her husband moved there to be closer to her. The daughter has never married. I sent a friend request to her. In the meantime, I realized that maybe Marilyn had died. I vaguely remembered she was having some health issues. So I did a google search and yes, I found her obituary, as well has her husband's. He had died a few months before she did.
The daughter did accept my friend request. I wasn't sure she would recognize my name as we have never met, but she did remember the name from the Christmas cards. Her cousins happened to see my posts on her page, and they asked the sister-in-law who called me, if she knew a Lorita. Of course she did! So that is why she called me, and to see if the daughter had responded to my request.
All this has stirred up many memories of our childhood. She was one month older than me, but she got to start school the year before I did because her birthday came before the cut-off date and mine came after.
We both grew up on farms about 2 miles apart, going to the same school and the same church. Her parents were friends with mine, but not the kind that came to visit. I guess Mom arranged play dates for us since I was an only child. Marilyn had two older brothers so she was the only girl in the family. I don't think the term 'play date' had been coined yet, but that is what it was. When little girls we played with dolls, played dress up in some of Mom's clothes, and did what little kids do.
I spent quite a bit of time at her house, and often that was because my parents had to go somewhere for a day or two, and I was in school, so I stayed at Marilyn's house during that time.
As we grew into teenagers, and not in the same class, we didn't spend as much time together. And then she went away to college while I started my senior year of high school, and the following fall I was married and started moving around to other towns. I did ask her to be one of the baptism sponsors when my son was born, so we did keep in contact.
I think maybe the last time we saw each other was at her wedding a few years later, and then they moved to Ohio and did not come back to our home town very often, and neither did I.
As I talked with her sister-in-law, I found that Marilyn needed a kidney transplant but never got one soon enough. She spent the last year or so in a nursing home. It starts to really hit home that you are getting older when your childhood friends begin to leave this world, knowing that one of these times it will be you that leaves.
It is a shame that we never got to see each other again over the years. So if you have friends or family that you have not seen for awhile, why not contact them and try to meet soon, if at all possible, before it is too late. I have missed opportunities to visit with relatives and now they are gone. You don't have to be as old as I am to do this. My daughter just went to the funeral of a good friend that died of a heart attack and he was only 49. We each get so wrapped up in our busy lives that we never make time to visit like we used to. Sure we may be in contact through Facebook or email, but that is not enough. That is one reason why I am trying to set up this family reunion for the summer. If nothing else, call up an old friend and have a visit on the phone.
This childhood friend has been on my mind recently, and tonight her sister-in-law called me. I was so surprised as we had not kept in contact for many years, and really only acquaintances so we never did call each other to visit.
This all started just before Christmas. The childhood friend, her name is Marilyn, and I have always kept in touch every Christmas with a card and letter. I did not get one from her a year ago and thought it odd but did nothing about it. I sent another one this year and after a week or more it came back to me saying the time was up for forwarding, and there was a new address listed for Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and she and her husband had lived in Columbus, Ohio for decades.
So now I am wondering what is going on. Why did they move to Wisconsin? So I thought I better do some checking. I first looked on Facebook as I remembered her husband had a page there some time ago but did not post much. That page is no longer there. She wasn't much for computers but I did find her page, with very little on it and nothing recent at all.
They had one daughter, so I found her on Facebook, and she is living in Eau Claire, so thought maybe Marilyn and her husband moved there to be closer to her. The daughter has never married. I sent a friend request to her. In the meantime, I realized that maybe Marilyn had died. I vaguely remembered she was having some health issues. So I did a google search and yes, I found her obituary, as well has her husband's. He had died a few months before she did.
The daughter did accept my friend request. I wasn't sure she would recognize my name as we have never met, but she did remember the name from the Christmas cards. Her cousins happened to see my posts on her page, and they asked the sister-in-law who called me, if she knew a Lorita. Of course she did! So that is why she called me, and to see if the daughter had responded to my request.
All this has stirred up many memories of our childhood. She was one month older than me, but she got to start school the year before I did because her birthday came before the cut-off date and mine came after.
We both grew up on farms about 2 miles apart, going to the same school and the same church. Her parents were friends with mine, but not the kind that came to visit. I guess Mom arranged play dates for us since I was an only child. Marilyn had two older brothers so she was the only girl in the family. I don't think the term 'play date' had been coined yet, but that is what it was. When little girls we played with dolls, played dress up in some of Mom's clothes, and did what little kids do.
I spent quite a bit of time at her house, and often that was because my parents had to go somewhere for a day or two, and I was in school, so I stayed at Marilyn's house during that time.
As we grew into teenagers, and not in the same class, we didn't spend as much time together. And then she went away to college while I started my senior year of high school, and the following fall I was married and started moving around to other towns. I did ask her to be one of the baptism sponsors when my son was born, so we did keep in contact.
I think maybe the last time we saw each other was at her wedding a few years later, and then they moved to Ohio and did not come back to our home town very often, and neither did I.
As I talked with her sister-in-law, I found that Marilyn needed a kidney transplant but never got one soon enough. She spent the last year or so in a nursing home. It starts to really hit home that you are getting older when your childhood friends begin to leave this world, knowing that one of these times it will be you that leaves.
It is a shame that we never got to see each other again over the years. So if you have friends or family that you have not seen for awhile, why not contact them and try to meet soon, if at all possible, before it is too late. I have missed opportunities to visit with relatives and now they are gone. You don't have to be as old as I am to do this. My daughter just went to the funeral of a good friend that died of a heart attack and he was only 49. We each get so wrapped up in our busy lives that we never make time to visit like we used to. Sure we may be in contact through Facebook or email, but that is not enough. That is one reason why I am trying to set up this family reunion for the summer. If nothing else, call up an old friend and have a visit on the phone.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
TIME FOR A CHANGE
I just finished revamping the Recipes page. Now you should be able to find recipes much easier. Check it out!
I will be working on the other pages soon.
I will be working on the other pages soon.
Monday, September 22, 2014
CATCHING UP
When I checked my posts I noticed it was just a month ago when I announced I would be absent for awhile. How time flies. I have been thinking of ideas for posts but that is as far as my mind would let me do. All it has been wanting to do is play games on the computer - you know, those mindless things. What I play is more a game of skill so I don't have to think while playing. I can even chat on the phone while playing because I can focus on the conversation and not think about the game.
The family emergency I noted earlier is still not resolved, but it is not quite the emergency it was. There is progress, and the end is in sight. Just praying it all turns out well. I can't say any more about it for privacy reasons. I can at least say the family feels a bit calmer now.
I have been reading a lot of books on my Kindle this summer. I only download the free books. Some have been very good, and a couple were questionable, but I had to finish them and see if I could figure out what they were all about. I like mostly mystery and romance, preferably both in the same story. They have been short reads, but I also love those really thick books that are so good I can't put them down. And when I come to the end I do not want it to end! I want more. I guess that indicates an excellent writer, doesn't it? I do immerse myself into the story as if I am part of it. One thing that I have found with some of the Kindle books is that there doesn't seem to be much proofreading done. One was really bad as words were misplaced or even missing. Otherwise it was a good story. Maybe I should have had a job as a proof reader with a publishing company? But, you will find errors in my writing as well. It is so much easier to proof someone else's writing because I know what I had written and don't see the errors - until after it is published. Then they really glare out at me!
Awhile back I was telling you about my decluttering. Obviously I did not get very far with that! It got put on hold with everything else happening around here, not to mention my body and mind taking vacations for awhile. Last week I had a better week and was able to get some much needed things done. And that was in spite of the fact that I couldn't sleep at night. I maybe got a total of 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night. I would be wide awake at 3 am and up and watching TV until finally getting sleepy enough to go back to bed around 6 am. One morning I was up until 9 am! Slept for a couple of hours and then was up for the day. I am sure it will remain a mystery why this is happening since I have not changed the amount of caffeine consumed or any other changes. The lack of sleep will catch up with me eventually.
I hope I am back in the groove now and able to more posting here. Talk to you later.
The family emergency I noted earlier is still not resolved, but it is not quite the emergency it was. There is progress, and the end is in sight. Just praying it all turns out well. I can't say any more about it for privacy reasons. I can at least say the family feels a bit calmer now.
I have been reading a lot of books on my Kindle this summer. I only download the free books. Some have been very good, and a couple were questionable, but I had to finish them and see if I could figure out what they were all about. I like mostly mystery and romance, preferably both in the same story. They have been short reads, but I also love those really thick books that are so good I can't put them down. And when I come to the end I do not want it to end! I want more. I guess that indicates an excellent writer, doesn't it? I do immerse myself into the story as if I am part of it. One thing that I have found with some of the Kindle books is that there doesn't seem to be much proofreading done. One was really bad as words were misplaced or even missing. Otherwise it was a good story. Maybe I should have had a job as a proof reader with a publishing company? But, you will find errors in my writing as well. It is so much easier to proof someone else's writing because I know what I had written and don't see the errors - until after it is published. Then they really glare out at me!
Awhile back I was telling you about my decluttering. Obviously I did not get very far with that! It got put on hold with everything else happening around here, not to mention my body and mind taking vacations for awhile. Last week I had a better week and was able to get some much needed things done. And that was in spite of the fact that I couldn't sleep at night. I maybe got a total of 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night. I would be wide awake at 3 am and up and watching TV until finally getting sleepy enough to go back to bed around 6 am. One morning I was up until 9 am! Slept for a couple of hours and then was up for the day. I am sure it will remain a mystery why this is happening since I have not changed the amount of caffeine consumed or any other changes. The lack of sleep will catch up with me eventually.
I hope I am back in the groove now and able to more posting here. Talk to you later.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
UPDATE
I have finished the genealogy project I was working on. I only entered names and data for 5,954 people!! And that is just once side of my family.
Now my brain is dead. At least it doesn't want to work. So I need time to recover from that. And now, I am in the midst of a family emergency that may take awhile to resolve, so I am not sure how soon I will feel like blogging. So bear with me awhile longer. In my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation, "I'll be b-a-a-a-c-k!"
Now my brain is dead. At least it doesn't want to work. So I need time to recover from that. And now, I am in the midst of a family emergency that may take awhile to resolve, so I am not sure how soon I will feel like blogging. So bear with me awhile longer. In my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation, "I'll be b-a-a-a-c-k!"
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
VACATION TIME
I am taking a little bit of a vacation from blogging right now. I am busy entering a whole lot of genealogy data into some software and it is taking all my time. But I WILL be back! Meanwhile enjoy what is left of the summer. It is passing by very quickly.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
SPRING. . . . . WHERE ARE YOU?
I think everyone in the northern part of the country is wondering where spring is. It is cold and damp today, just as it was yesterday. The high for the day barely reached 40 degrees yesterday and still only 39 this morning as I write this. And there is enough wind to make it feel even cooler. We do appreciate the light rains we are getting, but we want WARM rain! There is even talk of a slight chance of snow in the forecast. Not much, but none of us really want to see any white stuff that starts with S on the ground right now, unless it is SAND! Nice warm sand. I have to keep reminding myself that God is in control and He makes no mistakes.
I dropped in today as I wanted to reply to Jeannette, who left a comment here recently. So nice to have you join me, Jeannette! I also thought I needed to change the picture at the top of the blog. No more winter! Since we are into spring, even if the weather doesn't look like it, it is time to put spring on this page. We can at least pretend it is spring and enjoy some pretty plants.
I never did get around to planting any flowers last year and I missed that. And now, looking at some that I did two years ago, I know I need to have some flowers on my patio again this year. If it ever warms up to get them planted.
I am still very busy working on genealogy. If any of you are working on yours, you might understand the pull to keep digging. There was not much known about my ancestors, and I was unsuccessful in getting answers in the beginning. But now, by teaming up with a few other distant relatives, we are making discoveries right and left! When one mystery seems to be solved, another one pops up. Others will ask a question which sends us digging again. So my life is totally wrapped up in 'digging up bones.' (I always did love that song done by Randy Travis.) I was just thinking last night about the wealth of information on family there is on the computer. So far all my research has been either on the internet, or through exchange of information by email. That wasn't even possible about 15 years ago! I am very thankful to all the people who have gone to the work of digitizing so many records and putting them online for all of us to access.
In case you have not discovered findagrave.com yet, this is a wonderful site for finding graves of ancestors, including pictures of many of them. But I have discovered that the graves of many of my local family are not there, which surprises me. So I need to make a trip and take some pictures and put them on the site this summer. I would suggest to you, to check for your family member tombstones on the site, and if they are not there, take your camera along when you visit the cemetery on Memorial Day, and get those pictures! Maybe you could even take photos of each stone in the row or a few rows, and put those online, too. Someone will appreciate it someday.
This week I also need to work on a new lesson for our Friday morning Bible study, and I need to run to the next town one of these days to get my new (expensive) eyeglasses. I haven't had new glasses for several years so am really past due for them, but I really did not want to spend the money. And then the doctor said I will need cataract surgery done on my right eye in another year or two. Not happy with that news, but expected. At least Medicare should pay for the surgery, unless Obamacare changes that, too.
I have a long list of things I plan to blog about, but right now it is a matter of making the time between Bible study, genealogy, and regular daily living needs. Who ever said that you have lots of free time when you are retired?? I never have enough time!
And with that, I must get busy as I have much to do today that is not on the computer. May you all have a good and blessed day. See you next time!
I dropped in today as I wanted to reply to Jeannette, who left a comment here recently. So nice to have you join me, Jeannette! I also thought I needed to change the picture at the top of the blog. No more winter! Since we are into spring, even if the weather doesn't look like it, it is time to put spring on this page. We can at least pretend it is spring and enjoy some pretty plants.
I never did get around to planting any flowers last year and I missed that. And now, looking at some that I did two years ago, I know I need to have some flowers on my patio again this year. If it ever warms up to get them planted.
I am still very busy working on genealogy. If any of you are working on yours, you might understand the pull to keep digging. There was not much known about my ancestors, and I was unsuccessful in getting answers in the beginning. But now, by teaming up with a few other distant relatives, we are making discoveries right and left! When one mystery seems to be solved, another one pops up. Others will ask a question which sends us digging again. So my life is totally wrapped up in 'digging up bones.' (I always did love that song done by Randy Travis.) I was just thinking last night about the wealth of information on family there is on the computer. So far all my research has been either on the internet, or through exchange of information by email. That wasn't even possible about 15 years ago! I am very thankful to all the people who have gone to the work of digitizing so many records and putting them online for all of us to access.
In case you have not discovered findagrave.com yet, this is a wonderful site for finding graves of ancestors, including pictures of many of them. But I have discovered that the graves of many of my local family are not there, which surprises me. So I need to make a trip and take some pictures and put them on the site this summer. I would suggest to you, to check for your family member tombstones on the site, and if they are not there, take your camera along when you visit the cemetery on Memorial Day, and get those pictures! Maybe you could even take photos of each stone in the row or a few rows, and put those online, too. Someone will appreciate it someday.
This week I also need to work on a new lesson for our Friday morning Bible study, and I need to run to the next town one of these days to get my new (expensive) eyeglasses. I haven't had new glasses for several years so am really past due for them, but I really did not want to spend the money. And then the doctor said I will need cataract surgery done on my right eye in another year or two. Not happy with that news, but expected. At least Medicare should pay for the surgery, unless Obamacare changes that, too.
I have a long list of things I plan to blog about, but right now it is a matter of making the time between Bible study, genealogy, and regular daily living needs. Who ever said that you have lots of free time when you are retired?? I never have enough time!
And with that, I must get busy as I have much to do today that is not on the computer. May you all have a good and blessed day. See you next time!
Monday, October 28, 2013
AWOL
I will be 'Absent With Out Leave' for a bit as I am busy digging for ancestor information during my 14 day free access, and I am finding a lot! And this is just the first day!
I am not sure if I will find time to write a post here during these 14 days, but you never know what will happen.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Oops!
I see I am behind on having posts ready! Please bear with me as I need to get my life back in order, and then I will have some time to get my thoughts and pictures together.
See you later!
See you later!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Taking a Stay-cation
Staycation seems to be the popular new term these days. And I guess I have been doing that, at least a vacation from blogging, and yet staying home and not accomplishing a whole lot. You know, it is pretty hard for retired people to take a vacation since we don't have a job anymore. But, as you ladies know, women's work is never done even if you don't work outside the home. And it really doesn't end when you take a vacation. Most of our vacations included camping, so there was always the same work, just in a different setting.
I have been working on a couple of posts today, so am getting back into the swing of it. I have had the inspiration just not the energy or desire to write for awhile. So there will be a post or two coming at you now and then until I get back into a regular routine again. See you soon.
I have been working on a couple of posts today, so am getting back into the swing of it. I have had the inspiration just not the energy or desire to write for awhile. So there will be a post or two coming at you now and then until I get back into a regular routine again. See you soon.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
'Tis Home, Sweet Home - AWOL
Yes, I am AWOL today. Didn't get a post written as I was working on Bible study. I still have at least one more day of work on it and then I can put it away for awhile. There is a post ready for tomorrow and some here and there so there may be another one missing before I get back on track. See you soon.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Computer problems
I am just letting you know that my computer quit working Friday. I didn't try it again until today and it is working so far, but I have a hunch it will leave me again, so if I don't get more posts done, just know that I am having problems. I can still access the internet at the public library, but won't be able to load pictures, plus my available computer time is short there. Hope to get back here again soon. For now I have a whole bunch of catching up to do.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
WELCOME!
A big welcome to my new members! I am happy that you have found my blog and want to get to know you as well. I hope you find something of my life that interests you. As the blog title says, this is my life (often boring) and if you have read my posts, my thoughts are very random. When I don't post, I guess I don't have anything to say, but look out when I get on my soapbox!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Not today!
Oh, please! Not today! Don't ask me to do anything for the rest of the day. I was too tired yesterday to write a post here, plus I had some things that were necessary to get done before this morning. And that is because I had two gals coming at 5:45 AM for our weekly Bible study. The alarm went off much too early. How can a person be so tired? My brain is scrambled and I am having a hard time focusing on the task at hand. So to those of you who checked in hoping to read some profound words (grin) today, I am sorry to disappoint you. I did have a short subject planned but it just isn't going to happen. I need my rest and sleep today. (yawn) Stay tuned. . . . . . . zzzzzzzz
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