Me, Sandy, and Kathy at a winery on the river. It was pouring rain that day and we were soaked to the skin. So why am I the only one that looks like a drowned rat? You too came out FAB!
Dear Sandy,
Tomorrow I’ll drive down to your hometown to hug your family. We’ll cry at our loss of having you near. I can’t say I’ll be telling you good-bye then. I did that two weeks ago on the phone. My gut said this was it, my heart didn’t want to hear it. Still I can’t help but smile through the tears so glad I got to tell you one more time, how much I love you my dear friend.
No you don’t look silly Kathy, you are just telling it like it is. Sandy is taking you seriously too.
When I remember you it’s through smiles. I remember working together and how you were great to show me the ropes at a new company. Then started our monthly Girls Night Out (GNO as they call them now) at the Mexican restaurant with Kathy. We made a trio. We took a whole table for the night but always tipped accordingly while we dished over margaritas, chips and salsa, and dinner. I always got the extra hot green salsa, remember?Fun times!
Honestly it helped me cope with working full-time, having a toddler that moved on to middle school by the time our monthly meetings chapter came to a close. Different jobs, different companies, different people came and went for the three of us during those days but we held on to our regular meetings. Maybe it was augmented by the tequila but I know it was the friendship that kept it going.
Let me explain without getting to personal – I’m having some minor medical issues, nothing too serious but needs tending. I’ve been working through the appointments to have a procedure that’s the first step to address some of the issue. Let me tell you getting insurance, doctors of various disciplines, hospital departments, and our schedule to all work together is a big job. Finally I’ve got the schedule date then to back schedule all the pre-op stuff… that was completed yesterday. It’s takes about as much planning as the D-Day invasion!
Also planning a week long genealogy research trip to Tennessee and Alabama. On the way dropping Mike off at his parents and picking up my mother. Which means I have to hire care for the felines and canine family members, make arrangements for garden care, and all that stuff. Also helping Aaron get settled in while dealing with his house being robbed. I’m still keeping up with my class and writing while preparing for craft fair season.
With all that, everyday life, and generally feeling icky because I need to get that procedure – I’ve fallen a bit behind. I think I should be caught up shortly now that I’m not spending eternity on the phone or in a waiting room. I have a list of topics I want to write about: Pricing jewelry, story of Miss Mo my kitty, photo post of military museum tour, photo post of the golden pyramid house, completed comic book arcs, and a few more topics. So there’s a preview of what’s to come as soon as I’m not so far behind that I have to look up to see my own tushie.
In the meantime enjoy the serene beauty of yet another rose from our visit to Leu Gardens in Orlando last October.
I’ve got many posts drafted but none ready to publish. I’ve got tonnes of photos but not sorted. I’ve got two class assignments to do. I’ve got a new shipment of comics arriving. I’ve had appointments all day so enjoy my photo of this rose from Leu Gardens in Orlando. I’ll be back tomorrow once I’ve caught up!
I live in a quiet neighborhood. Our house is just over 70 years old. We’re typical of the community. We like it here. It offers a good mix of ages, people are friendly, there are sidewalks (a must for me as a walker), conveniently located to things, and over all it’s a slice of Americana. One problem was high speed traffic cutting though on our promenade street. It’s a street where the median separates the two directional lanes. The median is wide and has grass, gardens, and is edged by ancient walnut trees. This runs diagonally through the square of our neighborhood and complaints of people speeding (going above the posted 25 mph) have been a normal chorus among residents. Requests for speed bumps or speed tables or other traffic ‘calming’ devices fell on deaf ears. Then one day construction started. After neighbors that live on that street questioned workers they learned a round-about was being installed to slow traffic flow. No hearing, no public debate, just being done. It’s an answer to the speeding problem.
Now, don’t get me wrong I’m glad to have an answer. I was mildly annoyed by the cut-through, and made a point of holding them up by driving 23 mph when on the road. Nope not faster than going on the main roads now is it cheater! I was for repaving the place and putting speed tables in. We had them in our neighborhood in Tampa and they worked like a charm but didn’t disrupt traffic flow.
You see I’m not a big fan of roundabouts. They were diminishing in popularity when I was getting my driver’s license. Many communities were paying to take them out and install traffic lights. I can remember driving to Kingsport when I was learning to get experience with them. All of those are now gone to except Church Circle. But it seems roundabouts are making a resurgence in popularity at least in this area. I can think of four that have been installed in the past three years (not counting the one in constructions just two blocks away). I strongly object to them because I find they don’t help traffic flow but hinder it. I think a light is more helpful and you don’t have people starting, stopping, cutting you off or riding your butt because they aren’t sure what the hell they are supposed to be doing.
Now back to my neighborhood, the road is closed and torn up now. The project was budgeted to take 4-6 months depending on the weather. Some residence can’t get in or out of their driveways for days during construction. My days with the windows open are fill with back-up beeps, shouts of construction workers, clangs of construction, and loud machinery. When I work on my porch I get to watch speeders slam on their breaks at the road closed sign then speed down my street to blow the stop sign on their cut through. There’s been two wreck there so far despite the added warning signs.
I’m left wondering is this the most cost effective way to address the problem? I watch the large crew work as I walk Rappy and wonder if this is less expensive and more effective than speed bumps/tables in ‘calming’ traffic. Really do we need this BIG production and expenditure? I guess the city fathers/mothers thought so and we’re getting it. I’m just wondering how many decades before they fall back to the thoughts of that were popular when I was learning to drive – then go around removing roundabouts that are being installed now.
One of the Summer things I look forward to is fresh Gazpacho made from Mike’s garden. So far this year we’ve made and consumed gallons of the stuff. It is WONDERFUL! So here’s the basis of it. I never cook by a recipe (much to my mother-in-law’s chagrin) I tend to cook by feel, taste, available ingredients, and health requirements. So this is the source of my inspiration when making Gazpacho but the results always vary a bit depending on how many tomatoes, peppers, onion, etc. are coming in from the garden.
Gazpacho
1 ½ pounds tomatoes peeled and diced
1 medium white onion chopped
1 medium cucumber peeled seeded chopped
1 cup green bell pepper seeded chopped
2 cups tomato juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup lime juice
2 large cloves of garlic peeled and finely minced
Seeded chopped jalapeno to taste
½ teaspoon of Nature’s Seasoning (or ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper)
Combine all ingredients in large bowl refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve each bowl with 1 Tablespoon of fat free sour cream on top.
It’s a team effort to make it. There’s a lot of chopping and peeling and seeding involved. Sometimes when there’s lots of tomatoes I puree tomatoes with salt and pepper to use for the tomato juice part. The nutrition information was estimated by my MasterCook program. I usually don’t use that much olive oil, about half that. I at times I add a bit more lime juice just so the color stays bright and I like the kick it adds. It’s really better if it sits in the fridge over night before eating. Then enjoy! It’s worth the effort!
With Aaron off to college and taking his car we are down to two cars, one of which is only driven on special occasions. Both the vehicles we have are Mike’s, his every day truck and his special occasion 1966 Mustang. So with Aaron taking his car, I’m down to no vehicle. I’ve been driving Mike’s truck which means he’s been putting miles on the Mustang.
We’d been out once doing some scoping of what’s out there. I had a Saturn Vue for years that I loved. It was perfect but it died. Since then we’ve gotten along with Aaron’s car and the truck. It was fine since his Freshman year Aaron didn’t take his car to Madison. This year is different.
This long weekend was the time to find me a vehicle. We went to several places. Can you believe the first two not a salesperson approached us. Nope we wandered the lots looked over styles and at one dealer even walked through the show room!
After several test drives we settled on a Ford Escape. I love it! This winter I’ll be all snuggy in heated seats. I’ve joined the 21st century with voice activate phone and Sirus radio in my vehicle. I’ll enjoy the sun roof my answer to Mike’s convertible. So now I’m set to travel in style! Once I figure out how to use all the things this vehicle can do.
Wednesday was Aaron’s last day here. He spent the day waiting on the car. Once it was ready from the garage at 5pm he wasted no time in loading that puppy. I can’t say I blame him. I remember being so excited to get to a place of my own back in my college days. I know he feels the same. Also he wanted to get up there and unload his stuff. Thursday morning bright an early (5:45 am) he had to report to ROTC for weight training. That’ll be a regular occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Don’t worry on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays he gets to report at the same time to run 5 miles. The first Thursday up there he had to be available to help his girlfriend Sara move into her dorm.
Just as Mike rolled in from work he got to help in the final moving out of his son. I can’t say a tear was shed because it wasn’t Not by me, not by Mike, not by Aaron. We were happy and excited. We laughed as Mike flounced carrying out the Army uniforms “Look at me I’m in the Army!” said the old salty Navy Captain. Aaron was all grins with a car of his own and place of his own to go to. There hugs and cheers and off he went to waves.
I have to say I don’t feel an empty nest, never got that concept. This is why we have kids for them to mature and go out on their own. This was the purpose of raising them not to mother them but set them off on their life prepared. Empty nest stuff seems so selfish like your kids are there to make you whole, they aren’t. Kids are just loaners we get for 18 years or so. We train them a bit and do our best to prepare them then if all is right we watch fly. The trick is to raise them so they don’t need you. That’s what parenting is about, making yourself obsolete.
I feel we’ve done well. At 19 my son has job security for the next 8 years and his college education paid for. He’s serving his country just like his father as he does it. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and bright future ahead of him. He’s an honor student in college and has plans for his future. I have nothing to shed a tear about. Actually I’m joyous! Honestly the parents I feel should be crying are the ones who have kids that aren’t moving on with their lives in an independent manner.
OH the places he will go, the adventures he will have and the messes I no longer have to clean up! Here’ to you Kid you are off to a great start!
It’s that time of year in Wisconsin where the tomatoes and peppers flow! Here it’s not like in the South where tomatoes come in from May to September. They all roll in in a big juicy red & yellow flood. Though we didn’t plant any yellow ones this year. Peppers of all types are tumbling into the kitchen in plastic grocery bags full!
Mike is freezing them daily. I’m eating them so much I’ve got a mouth ulcer from the acid. I LOVE them but I do wish we’d gotten some yellow ones since they have less acid. We’ve made salsa, we’ve made gazpacho. Mike’s hung peppers and chilies out to dry by the yards. Still they roll in faster than two people can eat them.
We always have chili on Sundays in the Winter. We feel good as we cuddle with bowl to watch NFL while the snow flies outside. It’s extra good to know the goodness came from Mike’s garden that summer before. He’s the chili master of the house from start to bowl. I just have to persuade him one habanero per pot is enough sprinkle on dried habanero if he wants it hotter. I love spicy I don’t like painful! So our daily work with the garden harvest pays off all year long!
We have an apple tree in our yard. It bears every year but the apples have never been good. The squirrels love them except one year. That year the squirrels threw the apples at us. I’m not making that up of exaggerating. They’d sit on the awning over the back door and drop the tiny rock hard apples on us as we left. I think it was their way of protesting the bad harvest.
This year the apples look good from a distance. Then when you get up close where they are apples and not just red peaking through the leaves they are spotty and deformed, not good at all. However the squirrels are enjoying them but dropping the rotting parts all over the yard, garden, garage, driveway, walk, and vehicles. I’m thinking of taking up throwing the rotten parts at the squirrel in protest. Turnabout is fair play right?
Flowers didn’t get much attention this year in the drought. We don’t water grass and flowers. We do water food bearing plants. Some flowers get the over spray being just over the fence or path from the vegetable garden. The morning glories benefited from that.
A few more shots to enjoy the bounty of Mike’s gardens.
This Saturday Aaron made a second run up to the house he’s rented with two of his buddies. He’s getting ready to start his sophomore year at Madison. I personally think this is it, he’s moving out. He won’t be home this Summer because he’ll miss Winter semester to go to boot camp. So this was the move of the large furniture. Mike helped pack the truck. Mike couldn’t go to Madison to help unpack because he had stuff to do that day. I’d not be that much help. Aaron was depending on his roommate to help. Only it didn’t work out that way. Roommate was called into work and Aaron unloaded by himself. Still here’s the photos of my son moving on in life. Later this week, he’ll take off in his car to settle into his new home. I’ll probably have photos of that too.
There was much staring at the back of the truck puzzling over how to put the next piece into the bed.Stuff awaits its turn to be loaded into the truckBeing young limber and the one moving Aaron got to do the interior pulling to load.Aaron got tired of the paparazzi.You have a tiny view out the back mostly have to use mirrors.Last thing loaded was the fridge for the room. Yes each housemate has brought their own room fridge AND they have a big fridge in the kitchen. Don’t ask me to explain.All tied off and ready to hit the road.
Back to school was always an exciting time for me. For most of my life I welcomed it. It was a time to get to see people of my own age on a regular basis. Living out where we did I didn’t see my friends as much as I wanted in the Summer. I envied city kids on TV who could walk out there door and BOOM! there were their friends and in a short walk together they could be at school. For me to see friends it took planning. The trip home from school was over an hour on the crowded school bus as it wound in out of tiny country lanes to drop off a person here and there.
That’s me back row second from left. I have on the light shirt and have shoulder length hair.
College for me was an exciting time in the big town of Knoxville. Going home to puny Greeneville paled in comparison. Heck there wasn’t even a midnight showing of Rocky Horror! GASP! Most of my high school friends didn’t go to UTK like I did. I’d made a whole new set of friends (and a boyfriend that became my husband) that didn’t just scatter across the state for the summer but the world. Once I moved into an apartment I went to summer school in college. Honestly I liked that better than regular quarters. It was smaller classes and closer knit group but I was also an upper classman by then so who knows.
Then my next school experience was at Western Michigan University. It was different this time – I was working and paying my own way. I loved it. I liked the organization of it. I liked learning new things. Heck I even like the stuff of school pens, paper, books, and such. I went from the social aspect being the strongest attraction to learning being the big attraction.
From there life has been a series of seminars, self teaching, parenting a school age child, on-line classes, and supporting Mike’s various graduate degree processes (he’s gotten three so far). I think I turned to writing because I love the research it takes to write fiction well. I like learning new things then exploring them in my writing.
Now it’s time for my new experience. I’m taking an on-line class on how to use WordPress. I know I use it regularly here but I feel I under use it immensely. I know there are many resources out there to learn how to use it but they haven’t quite fit my need. I love the structure of school learning, remember? I want one lesson to build on the other. I’ve tried books but never found one that worked well for me either moved WAY TOO SLOW or WAY TOO FAST. Finally I looked about at local schools and found that University of Wisconsin Parkside offered two on-line classes, WordPress 101 and 102. Looking them over 101 starts out basic (how to set up a blog on WordPress, got that check) but ended past my knowledge. That’s where I started it moves fairly fast looking at the syllabus. My first week starts – TODAY!
I am looking forward to getting more out of WordPress and spiffing things up around here. Making the place more my own, kinda like I did in a dorm room or college apartment. But this means a few things for you dear reader… you might experience some assignment posts. Don’t worry they’ll not be painful, nothing required on your end but a look-see, and there will be NO POP QUIZ at the end of them. Next my new routine posts might not be daily now, depends on the workload. I’d like to keep Comic Comments daily until my backlog of arcs has been worked through but, I’m making no guarantees here until I see how class fits into other required life things. I’d like to get no lower than three a week on those. Photo posts are up in the air, I’m getting slim on new photos and have to get out there to get more of them. So again it depends – I’d like to stay at least weekly on those.
There you go I’m going back to school today. I’ve got a new notebook, new pens, new paper, my computer, and my blog. I’m set to learn!
Mary Louise Eklund 