It will return.

The shovel that is.  My mother-in-law informed her daughter about the missing shovel.  It seems that the daughters husband knew just exactly who the guy was that plows the driveway and called him immediately.  He says it was an accident, that he didn't mean to take it.  Just tossed it in the truck when done.  Okay, we'll let it go this time.  It does sound possible and we believe in 'the benefit of the doubt'.

Hubby went out a bought himself a new snowblower.  He has a little one they use to call a 'snow pup' and it's good for small light snows, but hard to use on the heavy stuff.  Now he's happy with his 'new toy' and plans on doing his mothers driveway himself along with the sidewalks.  I think he just needed an excuse to justify buying  one ;-).  My sisters Sherry and Rhonda said they hope it just sits in the garage for the rest of the year, lol.  Even that it would rust from lack of use.  Imagine, denying a man the pleasure of using his purchase.  Bad sisters. 

I am so looking forward to spring.  This cold and snow is wearing it's welcome very thin.  Beth keeps a countdown and she says only 59 more days.  YES!

 You all have a good day out there. 

Dang it

I simply cannot comprehend the thought that if you want something you just take it.  My sister-in-law bought a shovel to keep the porch and sidewalk clear for her mother.  Jack goes up and does it so she can get in and out to see the doctor etc.  There is a progam here where the county helps fix up the homes of those with very little financial income with a very low interest loan.  Dolly just get social security and not much of that as she only worked as a hotel maid on and off.  Under the progam, the county fixes it up and she can pay on the costs or not.  If she can't, when she passes the house goes to them.  They send someone to plow the driveway and whoever came took the shovel.  Now mind you they didn't have to do the sidewalk or the porch so there was even no need for them to get out of the truck.  But took it they did.  Why people feel that it's okay to take advantage, and from the elderly, just makes my blood boil.  Knowing my sil I'm quite sure they will hear about it, but they will probably just deny and try to say anyone could have done it.  I know it's not a major expense, it's the principal of the thing. 

Why

That's what I'd like to know.  The senseless tragedies to our fellow human beings.  It breaks my heart just to think of the pain those families go through and for what.  It didn't prove anything.  It didn't solve any of the worlds woes.  It just causes more intolerance and unnecessary blame and name calling.  Yes, we should be more careful of what we say.  There are unstable people in this world who take things literally and act accordingly.  But if I thought for a moment that they were calling for this kind of thing to happen it would make me question the sanity of the entire human race.  Though we do deal with many (Taliban, Al-Quida etc)  I still believe basically that humans are good and only want peace and to live their lives according to their own beliefs, not force them on others.  Enough of that soap box.

Friday is upon us and  another week has flown by.  I didn't even realize I hadn't put up a blog and I can't for the life of me tell what I did this week that kept me from it.  I know I checked on others and left some comments.  I must have had to get off for something and never got back.  I'll have to watch that.

Tomorrow is the big Packer/Falcon game.  Of course I and my friends and family (for the most part as there are a few Bear fans in that group) are pulling for the Packers while our friend Miss Beth is pulling for the Falcons.  We will probably be on fb having fun with each other as the game progresses.   We did that last week and had a great time with Bob who was rooting for the Eagles.  He even changed his profile picture to a Packers logo.  Good boy Bob.  I hope it will be a good game and not on of the one-sided ones by either team. Sorry Beth, but GO PACKERS! LOL

Been working on writing down some more memories of growing up.  It's funny how somethings come up so easy and others are just non-existent.  Will probably put up some more somewhere along the way.

Another memory

You know we can hardly remember things in the early years of our lives. You never know what wonders you missed. There are probably some real nice things that would have been great stories and memories.

My earliest memory is of the addition of another child in the family. Back then they did things so different. I remember Mom being gone for a few days getting my “baby sister”. It was the return home that cemented it in my mind. They brought them home by ambulance. I just stood back, afraid to go near them. Then the strangers were gone and there was Mom and that little bundle making the funny noises. She had the biggest brown eyes and loads of dark curly hair. She looked a lot like Dad. She had one ear that stuck out a little farther than the other, but I thought she was kind of cute. Of course at 3 years old I didn’t know how much attention this thing was going to be. It took her longer to walk than I would have liked. After all, it’s hard to play with someone who can’t follow you around. They finally hit on a bribe. She had this fascination with a certain lamp and they held it out of her reach trying to get her to come to it. Ah! Success! At three it was becoming obvious she limped so a trip to the doctor (one she didn’t like by the way and punched him in the stomach, what a brat, tee hee). X-rays discovered a dislocated hip making on leg shorter than the other. Consequently Mom and Sherry were off to Milwaukee to the Children’s Hospital for surgery and I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. That was the best part to me as they spoiled me of course. Anyway, it was a long stay for them and Mom had to get an apartment and job in order to stay with Sherry. Grandma and Grandpa would take me in to see Mom at times and Dad went every weekend as taking off work was not a financial option. I remember while they were gone our cousin Mary was born and after going to see the baby I went back to Grandma and cried because my sister couldn’t see her


When they finally were allowed to bring her home she was in a body cast from under her arms to the tips of her toes and a pin in her leg. All this to make sure everything stayed in place till healing and that no more shrinking occurred. She had to be like that for a few months. Can you imagine a 3 year old confined like that. I can’t. I don’t remember how we kept her entertained and calm. She still has a slight limp that you don’t even notice unless she dances too much, or works too long. The doctors told Mom and Dad she would probably not be able to do a lot of things the other kids did but she would walk normal. Well they didn’t know my Mom. She went a bought a 3-wheel bike that pedaled a little harder than a regular bike to strengthen the leg and she never told Sherry she wasn’t able to do whatever the rest of us did. It worked and she could out swim, out dance out skate all of us.

Growing up Burrwood

 Ours was a unique little community in a community. We were not close to town. A dip off the side of the U.S. highway close to the river, nestled in between two cities. It was called “Burrwood Park” and it consisted of four and three quarter streets. It originally began as summer houses, a little vacation retreat (fishing shacks) so to speak. Some families decided to make a permanent homestead.
I grew up having my grandparents and aunts and uncles all around me. Grandma and Grandpa were just five houses up the street with uncle Jim. Across from them were my aunt Dot and uncle Ken, and aunt Pat and Uncle Dale. Next door was uncle Jack and aunt Ceil. Down the road on the river front was uncle Bill and aunt Lucy.  As each grew and married they stayed right in the neighborhood as did a number of other families. Eventually some moved off to other areas, those most stayed within the local town. A few families still have two or three members who have houses here. My mother-in-law lives just up the street. My sisters and I are all within a couple streets of each other and in-laws of theirs also live here.
Things such a roofing parties, yard parties, cookouts etc. were the norm. Someone sitting on a porch was an open invite to sit and chat. If you decided to build a garage, new roof, or addition of some sort, the neighbors were right there chipping in to help. The women fixed food and at the end of the day everyone sat and had eats and a few drinks admiring their handy work.
It was, and to some extent, still is a neighborhood where everyone looked out for each other and all the kids. A reputation for a safe place so known that people from town brought there kids here for trick or treat. Our children enjoy coming here where they feel it’s safe to let their kids ride bikes without an adult with them all the time. Where they can even play catch in the street.
We all stuck together like a big family. The big kids watched out for the little ones. Even if it was from going back and forth to school or just playing ball. All the kids played together and the little ones were given the help they needed to play. From hide and seek, to baseball or football, if you wanted to play, you could. We stuck together like a big family. If we fought among ourselves we worked it out, but heaven help someone who tried to cause trouble for one of us. We banded together like a small army.   I just can’t imagine living anywhere else.
　

　
　
　
　
　

Be Gone Already!

That's how I feel about this winter.  The snow is pretty when it first comes down, but that's quickly replaced with the slippery and cold conditions that follow.  Not only will it be on and off flurries etc. for a few days, it's suppose to be double digits below zero temps with the wind chill factor.  So many of us have expressed our desire for spring to hurry up. 

Started the scrapbook but only have three pages done.  Not bad either.  The trouble is we added extra pages and the book won't shut with the protective cover over the main cover.  So I guess that has to come off.  There are 60 some pictures that have to go into to it tell the whole story so I hope I can get it done in time.  Yeah I know, if I would cut back on the time I spend online I might just do it.  But hey, that would mean withdrawal symptons and we wouldn't want that either.  Did you see the study they did about this with people and they showed the same symptoms as those quiting smoking etc.?  I believe it.  Turning this machine on is the first thing I do when I come downstairs.

This season seems to be filled with more loss of family and friends than usual or those who are ailing or need extra care or who may have to have procedures done.  Prayers out to each and everyone who needs healing and peace, both physically and emotionally.  May God Bless you all.

Starting the year with a Bang!

Just kidding.  Haven't done a whole lot.  I got Carson's play pictures printed and on a disk for backup, then removed them from my computer.  Jack took 70 of them so they can really clog things up.  I plan on making her a scrapbook of them for her birthday in Feb. so I really have to get going on that.  Picked up some embellishments to spice up the pages.  Then I scanned a bunch of family pictures for the albums on fb and put them on a flash drive so they too could be removed from here.  That's about the extent of my few days. 

I sure wish the Badgers could have won, but a Packer win over the Bears is a great way to start the new year.  As I said on fb, I made one resolution this year.  One I knew I could keep---more CHOCOLATE! So I celebrated that win with a Klondike Bar.  Doesn't get any better than that.  Now if they can beat the Eagles I can celebrate again. 

Though we went to the Moose for New Years Eve dinner we didn't stay for the entertainment.  The steaks were delicious but then we didn't expect anything less from the cook.  He always does a great job.  That he doubles as the administrator makes our lodge twiced blessed.  Reports from those who stayed said the magician and band were good, but the comedian was a bust.  Glad I missed him.

Went to have a perscription filled this morning and was hit with a shock.  The drug plan co. I had was taken over by another.  What they failed to tell me when they sent the notice was that I had a $150 decuctable on the first perscription.  Well when the store said $153 I was stunned and left it there until I could called and check.  Now I have to go back and pay for that as that is the important one I need.  A warning would have been nice, so I could have planned ahead or maybe changed drug plans.  Sheesh!  I don't have one of the those Big Public Employee retirement plans they say we all have (I was a public employee but my retirement is only $474).  You can imagine how this shock hit me.  So I will bid you adieu while I head back and pick it up.