So long August.... so long Summer

So long summer, I hardly knew where the time went.

It seemed like I was just starting plants to put in the ground..

And here we are… the end of August… only 2 days left.

End of summer… fall knocking on our door.

We will be very busy putting August to bed… We have

our company here.. the beginning of them.. more arriving

tomorrow..

And then we begin… the P day will be here Saturday…

Paint the truck… a long time coming… the King is excited.

He has picked out the color… ROOT BEER with sparkles in

It… He picks that tomorrow.

Tomorrow night.. we feast.. bar-b-que ribs is the menu, with

a few side dishes… so it will be good food, good times, and

usually some of the conversations start out with.. “Do you

remember this… or remember when we did this and Mom

didn’t know”.. And the looks on their faces when I tell them,

oh, yea, I knew.  It just wasn’t bad enough to scream at you.

A parent picks their battles…

And once in a while, they actually do have one I didn’t know

about.

Then Saturday… the big day… starting with painting in the morning. 3 sons, and the King will hole up in the wrapped garage… no one allowed in once they start… because dust will come in too..   So we will hear paint guns, and fans going…

The afternoon, will start around 3pm.. where we all shift out of town… for part 2… the celebration of 50 wonderful years…..

(1963 must have been a great year… 3 family members and

about 4 friends celebrated this year)….

My wonderful son-in-law will have 3 of my sons and many, many friends,and more family,  who will help him

celebrate.  And we will party on thru the night… good food, good times… dancing…  Yep, this will be a great day to end a wonderful day…

Sunday… will be recoup day… start to pack things up…. And our son’s will be heading out… safely home…

Yep, August we will do you proud, we will wind you down.. in high style…  

DAMN IT TO HELL.....

DAMN IT TO HELL… CANCER… DAMN YOU TO HELL…

Over the years, I have lost a great deal of friends to cancer.. even my mother had cancer..  My very favorite Aunt and Uncle… both….

My first introduction to cancer was my parents losing a friend at the age of 45 to cancer… and how upset they were.  I didn't understand as I think I was about

10 or 12.  I just understood it was a bad thing.

I can remember my mother talking about cancer after that.. it was more of a mention than a discussion.  Something about her step mother telling her, that my grandmother (her mother) died of the nasty dirty cancer.  And how happy

she was to find out that it wasn't cancer.  About 45 years later, when I was doing some research, I found her death certificate and found out it was cancer caused. It was due to an operation, on the cancer, and the side effects killed my grandmother at the age of 36.  My own mother was scared of the age 36, especially when I happen to turn 13 at the same month and she was 13 when her mother died.

My next introduction to cancer was a friend/neighbor/class mate… He was a big guy.. got married, had two kids.. and at the age of 24 got that word…

Cancer… He went from 200+ pounds to 98 before he passed. I was horrified when I saw him a week before he passed away. They were helping him get in the car to go to the doctors… I went home and cried.. I had never seen any

one dying of cancer before.

Jump forward 30 years, and I started working in nursing home.. then I really got to know about cancer.. 17 years of taking care of cancer patients. Amazing strong people. Some of them so worried about their family members, that they forgot about themselves.  I found out that cancer had no prejudices. Age, color, nationality, thin, heavy… made no difference… And what we were really amazed, was how many people who worked there, got cancer.

Now Cancer is not contagious. But we counted 11 workers, in 3 years. Nurses, aides, kitchen cooks, and housekeeper…. Didn't matter. Some of these people were good friends of mine… I cried a lot. We in the health care business are suppose to have objectivity...but there is no way to take it in stride.

Then my mother got cancer… she lasted 6 months…  My uncle years later, and then his wife, who was my all time favorite person… like a mother to me.

I cried…

A friend lost her daughter to cancer… another friend got cancer. My cousin got Cancer at the same time as my brother and my neighbor.. My brother and my

neighbor are still fighting…but my cousin lost.  I cry a lot… inside as well as outside.

Just when it seem like things calmed down… when I got word again, that another friend had cancer… she fought the good fight.. almost made it.. but cancer return.  What a beautiful voice….  My walking friend, she came down with her 4^th series of cancer… and lost.

And this month… my niece, has cancer and is starting her chemo… she has a good chance of beating it.. She chose to have both of her breast removed. She hopes and we pray, that will end any more chances of a return.

Another friend, his son, and we pray that the procedure will be the end of his.. Another friend lost her husband, in April… he fought the battle, it didn't look good, and then they came up with a new procedure… and it was so hopeful.

It looked good……but then infection kicked in.. and he lost the battle…

All of this… has been heavy on my mind…. this year….and then today, I found out my friend who lost her husband.. now has lung cancer.. never smoked.. yet

there it is.. We are pulling for her.. the chemo has to work…

We put a man on the moon, we come up with all kinds of computer that are out of date before they hardly leave the factory.. why.. oh, why.. can’t we find something to cure cancer… something that will put a stop to ever get it.

I don’t think there is anyone.. who doesn't know someone, who has cancer..

The only ray of hope is there are survivors out there… And there are scientist who are still working hard to find another medical procedure… another med…to help in the battle… and that is our hope…. Our only hope…

DAMN YOU TO HELL, CANCER… we have NOT gave up.. we have just begun to fight…  

Point check...

Back bedroom, clean, bed with fresh linen... check..

Living room fairly uncluttered .... check.. but may not find the stuff later....

Replanting flowers that dried up during the 90's temp...  check... 
replanted the replanted flowers that dried up, because I forgot to water them this weekend... check...
Look into fake flowers at dollar store to replace dying flowers... yet to be done..

Pick tomatoes for the 8 time, and a few zucchini's... check

Got to figure out what to do with the big drawer of tomatoes, already gave neighbor enough that she peeks out her door before going out, to make sure I am not there.  Make stew tomatoes tomorrow.. yet to be done...

Got to mow the lawn ... dang.. rain  made it jump 2 inches over the past 2 days. yet to be done..

Clean the bathroom again... maybe should get pot-a-pots... and rope off bathroom until guest come.  check

Double check freezer and refrig to see if we got all the food... check..

IT'S A WRAP

Got the garage wrapped... (parts are, to keep the dust off) and it is now counting down of 5 days... 
So with the family coming in... any last minute stuff to do... my blogging is going to be sparely....  If so, I will be back next week with finish product.. it won't be put to gether, but
it will be painted...

9 DAYS AND COUNTING...

Ken has been working on his 47 Ford for... well about 11 years. 

He tore it apart 11 years ago.. Has piddled with it off and 

on... sanding and smoothing out bumps. 

and then left again to sit... the cab in 

the center of the garage.. the fender up in the rafters.

the box leaning up against the walls. Motor 

swinging from the rafter on a chain.. the 

frame outside thru many snowstorms and

piles. 

Then this year... I told him. this is it...

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE TRUCK..

get it done... And that he has done. 

We had to agree on one change. That

was trading out the 47 frame for a 91

Ford ranger frame with motor and transmission. I was the hold out. 

But at this point of the game, if it would

get it done.. then I said ok.. 

In 9 days, our son's are arriving to paint it for him.

One of the son's is a professional.. the other 2 

have done many of their own and friends. So

the 3 of them.. will get it done. 

That will leave Ken the winter to get it put back

together and hopefully we get to drive it

in the Lost in the 50's parade in mid

May. that is the plan.  And yes, ML

we will come out on your birthday and take

a picture... with our truck which is as old as you are. 

So in 10 or 11 days, I hope to have what you 

see here, but in root beer sparkle with black. 

READING... READING... AND MORE READING...

I am supposed to be doing my homework.

I have a 133 page assignment that I need to

have read by Wednesday night. I am on page 101.

32 pages to go.

This is not the most exciting reading.. but it isn’t boring

either. It is a project that all of us have been involved in

for 2 years and some of us for more than that.. about

5 for some.    As they started and then it got sidelined.

But 2 years ago or a little more.. all of us decided to

keep with it until it was done. And finally it is done.

But now we get to read it from start to finish…as in the past

we have been doing section by section.. some of them longer than others.  And after Wednesday night, if all of it passed thru, and no one has anymore to add, or question.. then the next step is to post it on the walls of the city hall and let the public come and read it… and leave notes of questions and remarks and comments.. (not necessarily the same).

AND THEN..Public Notices, and it becomes the policy, for Kootenai..

It is called  Zoning  Ordinance.

Some might think it is boring.. but it sure is necessary.

And if you live here in the City of Kootenai, and want to

build, start a business, be it in your home or a separate

building.. it will be of great interest to you.. to know what

you can and can not do… before you do it.

While the main players are the council themselves… and the

guiding hand is Lisa Keyes… with the lawyer in the background to make sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.. and all of it in legal sense… I got to participate as JANE Q PUBLIC.

Hopefully when it is put up for the citizens of Kootenai to read,They will come and read it and appreciate the fact that the council worked hard on it and while doing so.. guarded life for those who live here and made it fair.

So I am off to read the last 32 pages… and then get together with the great crew/ council persons, clerk and consultant.  

Even friends can start to wear you down.....

In the past 8 years or more… the political world

has cost a lot of people friendships.

I know that when Bush was President, there was a

lot of fiction. And there was a lot of blame thrown

around..

But I have found even more so, as soon as Obama

threw his hat in the ring. And now that he has won

not only once, but twice.. you would think it would slow

down.  But if anything, it has speed up.

There is even a Facebook group called…

“Christians against re-election of Obama.” Which

is an odd name, being Obama won the second term,

and can’t run for another one.  Some of it is pretty vicious

and untruths with it. Which is not what I think Christians

are suppose to be like.  

I have friends who send me emails constantly… I have just

hit the delete button, and forget. But it is getting to be to the

point of like Chinese water torture.  A drip at a time.. an email at a time.  And I am about to reach the end of my nerves.

I am NOT a Democrat, nor am I a Republican. And I did not

Vote Obama in last time.. I voted for the second time…

(other time was when Bush ran) NONE OF ABOVE. 

Elections aren’t for 2 more years.. So please give me a break. I don’t want to hear anything about any election, anywhere, anytime, any place.  

Except maybe in my own town.

I am like a bad casserole …. I am done.. in fact I am over

done.. No more political emails, please.   

Dancing as fast as I can...

As I mention before, August is filling up faster than I can

keep straight.

This past weekend was no exception. There were trips

to Couer d’ Alene, lawn mower races, friends visiting.

Neighbor outside flowers and trees to water, and runs

to the store… More friends stopping by.  Working in the

garage and house.

Then there was the fairgrounds run to drop off a rice

dish for two friends, and a picture to enter in the fair.

This is my first time ever…to have something entered.

Heard all kinds of horror stories of long waits and fussy

fair managers… all which was not true.. No 2 hours

of waiting lines.. I got right in.. filled out tag, went to

the photograph area, was # 3 in line… walked thru the

processed, check and all was good, thank you very much.

So instead of a 2 hour wait, I was in and out in 15 minutes.

Which I have to admit, I got there 10 minutes before the opening,so maybe that has a lot to do with it.. as the parking lot was filling up as I left.

Being early has it merits.. we were 15 minutes early to Costco on Saturday morning. Had our pick of parking space, instead of the musical chairs parking.  Was second one in, and half an hour later we were out of there.  A record.

Next weekend is going to be just as bad or worse. But we will be home during it all. We have to blow dust out the of the garage. Wash down the garage, and then hang plastic curtains on all sides of the garage. We will be trying to have it spotless.

This will be a painting chamber.  The worse will be trying

to make sure we have all the stuff out of the way. We did

clean out a whole stall 2 weeks ago. Anyway, we figure it

is going to be an all weekend job.  Hanging the plastic curtains is not going to be fun either.

The count down has started. We are 10 days away on our count down.  PAINT DAY

Ponderay Days Lawn Mower races...

Lawn mower racing isn't just for guys... the ladies were in there twoo...

More unsung heroes

There are heroes and there are heroes..

Top of the list is our troops….every single one of them.

They stand up in front of us… and for us…

Then there are the firemen, who go where most don’t

want to go… who else wants to run in a burning building.

to rescues children, elderly, and you and I.

To the private citizen, who will step up to the plate, be it

run into the building to call out to all .. that the building

is on fire. Who rescues said people.  Or comes along a

car accident, before police and emergency crew get there,

and jump in to help.  

The police officer, who has to go into a building, a home

where there is domestic problems, stops a car not knowing

who is behind the wheel, and do they have a gun.. As far as

I know.. no one…no one at all, calls the police station, or flags down a police car, just to say everything is ok, life is good… just thought I would let you know and thank you…

They are cussed at, spit at, and shot at.

The Vet who still stands strong for what is right, who ride motorcycles to escort a funeral even thought they don’t know who is in the casket. Because they got tired of deceased soldiers being disrespected.

These are the heroes that we forget from time to time.. These are the men and women who step up to the plate.

On the lesser level, we have community volunteers, who run groups to help others…

And then you have people who step up to help run a small town. The bigger towns are run by people who run for the office. Some with great gusto and money.  But the little towns, while also are elected by the people, some times are not. Why is that? Because someone has left the council, for what ever reason.. moved away, health or what ever.  Then they depend on volunteers who will step up to the plate to fill in the rest of the term. While there, they see what running the city/town is like. And a lot of them run for

the office, because they believe in the town and want to help. It sure isn’t for the pay.. because that is super low.  When my husband was asked to help out about 8 years ago, and ran one term… the pay was $25 a month. A most of time, no one runs against them, because no one else wants the job. We are a town of over 400 people,

yet most of the time, only 34 vote. Because they figure they trust the ones who are there already.  Maybe you all think that isn’t bad money for an hour or so, talking about how to run the city/town. But there is more.. there are

committees, other meetings to go to, for interest for the town/city. Like transportation, other local city’s gatherings.  And then from time to time, there is things like the city of Kootenai has been working on. Updating the ordinances

With Kootenai, it was updating to state code/policies and to overhaul it, as it hadn’t been done in so many years.  The council and the Mayors have been working on this one for 2 years or more… Maggie Mejelde, the former Mayor was at the start, and then the incoming Mayor Mike Keough.

2 years, twice a month is the average… Jim, Dave Sunquist,

Nancy Lewis, Crystal Clossom, with city clerk, Mary Luzmoor…they have gone over word for word.. over 100 pages. Making sure they were up with the state as well, as making it safe and protecting their citizens they represent.  With the consultant, Lisa Keyes and now

the city’s new planner, Lisa (different one) guidance, and the city’s lawyer, making sure it was legal.  And now after all this time, they have the final draft.  But it still isn’t done. There is the read thru. Next will be the public input.  They will be invited to come and sit and read. To make comments on it . And then… it will be in the Public Notices…and it will be the law. The law to guide the council thru decisions they have to make and the council’s to come...

And I got to go along for the ride… and they generously let me have some imput.  My self made sign was… “Cis, the Public”.

So to all of the small town councils and Mayors that no one pays attention to… thank you…from most of the citizens. Thank you for hanging in there  at basely thankless job… you are the unsung heroes. 

By the way, do you live in a small town? Do you go to their

council meetings?  You should, you really should... it isn't as easy as it looks.  

.   

How to spruce up your yard and clean your house quickly...

Need to do some projects in your yard?  How about some updating on inside of your house?

Can’t get the ambition to do it? Well, I have the sure fire way to get it done.

Invite out of town friends or family to your house for at least a weekend stay. A week, even better.  Or throw a big party in your back yard.. 

Yep, you will find the ambition to get it done… because you look around and see where you have “stuff” cramped here, or there.. or there is a project you wanted to get done in an area or in the yard.. Got to have it done before

company comes..

See your everyday friends, see you house or yard on a regular basis…so if it is a mess one day, they see it isn’t on another day…but out of town people, only see it once a year.. and you can’t have them believe you have it this messy all the time.  And if you throw a party and people from

work come… well you can’t have them going back and tell what a lousy housekeeper you are.. 

So you do a super job of cleaning, or you plant new plants in that planter, that some of the flowers have died…you clean up the catch all spot.

It works every time for me. 

Ok, crafty is not my forte.....

Or maybe I should title this.. I saw it on Facebook…

My granddaughter had share on her page… of multiple

footprints made at with stones.. I thought to myself…

I can do that!!!..

So then I came up with the idea… I could make stone steps

with them.. and as it would have it.. lo and behold, there was

a foot shape big stone, and toe ones near by in my path way.

So tonight I ran …well, drove over to Wally world and got the flour and salt, as I still had the play dough recipe from the days when my kids were young.

And that is when things started down hill…

It seem to me, if I were to put the flour, salt and water and coloring in to a ziplock bag, it would mix really well and fast… NOT.

It was starting to remind me of cutting bangs…. You know when you cut your kids bangs.. one side looks a little long, so you cut it to match and it ends up shorter, so you cut the other side.. until the kid has ¼ inch bangs.  

Well, the color wasn't quite co-operating. It was suppose to be red. It was pink (I don’t do pink) so put in yellow and figured I would end up with orange.

It wasn't.. and it wasn't mixing well… So added all the red I had.. took a lot to get that to mix… and ended up with peach. Kind of. Also, it was too wet… so put in more flour… then too dry, so put in a bit of water.

It was too sticky.. so a smidge more of flour.. bag pops…

Found some rubber gloves, and took it out of the bag and put in the bowl. Sticks to fingers of gloves…so pulled dough off fingers, put in bag Finally was able to manage it better… was smooth… but NOT RED….

Found a old pie tin, put the dough in that.. got the stones and pressed them in place….. and then put in the oven… at a low temp. for an hour. Almost but not quite hard, but looked on line and it says it will dry out on its

own from there. It faded.. now pastel peach… not exactly what I wanted.. BUT…  I have one stone step… with foot print…

While messy, I did succeed … amazing. But can’t talk to soon, after all… I don’t have it out of the pie tin yet… got to wait until it cools before I know if it will..

So there it sits on the stove, drying, and cooling… The King will wonder what the heck… he hates it when I do a project while he sleeps.. he never knows what he will wake up to.  Being it is on the stove top, maybe I better put a

sign on it.. THIS IS NOT YOUR BREAKFAST.. do not eat… you never know.

Got to go wash peach dough off camera switch… 

 turning pink, so threw in some yellow for orange.. came out different..... so added more red...

 then the bag blew up.... before mixing all the way...

 came out peach... better than pink.. but NOT RED.. like I wanted.

 looks red..but it isn't....

 back to the peach color.... it looks better in real life....