Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

2011-04-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

Dorothy Heinemann passed on to the next realm on March 31st, 2011. She is loved by everyone who has ever known her. Enthusiastic in life, a true adventurer, she had a great joy in all that she did and a fabulous sense of humor. I am posting a recent story that she wrote in tribute to her beautiful soul. Lovingly, her daughter Judith heinemann. She will be greatly missed.

I GO TO HEAVEN

I went to Heaven last night. In my dreams. I hadn't planned to go there, and as a matter of fact, I had been thinking about Paris, hoping to dream about the little rooftops and sidewalk cafes. But the first thing I knew, there I was at the Pearly Gates. Lest I lead the reader astray, they weren't pearly. They were of a sort of weathered wood and the walls were a kind of dried mud composition. Over the gate it said "Paradise", and underneath in smaller letters various words, such as Heaven, Allah, Happy Hunting Grounds, and so on.. But there was the gate, closed and locked of course, and St. Peter was there, sitting on a stone bench wearing a loin cloth. I guess my expression was one of amazement, because St. Peter said "We don't wear long robes up here. Too much maintenance. We simplified a couple of centuries ago. Now it's strictly come as you are.. You might find some of the occupants stark naked. Why are you here? I thought you weren't due up here for a long time."

"I want to see my mother," I said, thinking fast. "She should be up here someplace."

St. Peter scratched his beard, plucked something out of it, and thought a moment. "I suppose she must be up here. There's no place else she could have gone to. You know there's no Hell. That's just what they used to say to scare people."

"O.K.", I said. "Do I need a passport, or should I say a prayer, or something to get in?"

"Not at all," St. Peter said, but still not getting up. "Do you still want to go in?"

"I don't know," I said. "Does everyone who is ever born get to come up here?"

He gave me a look of scorn. "You only get in if you believe in Paradise.
If you don't believe, when you die, you simply cease to exist." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that! Poof! You are gone."

"But what about reincarnation?" I asked.

St. Peter flew into an unholy rage. "Reincarnation?" he shrieked "Don't talk to me about reincarnation. If you wanted to come back as a cat or something, you should have thought about that before you died." He banged his long cane against the rock and I thought he was going to strike me.
"Now," he said calming down a little. "Do you want to go in or not
You're holding up the whole line. We've got a traffic jam here."

"I'll go in," I said. "I'll try anything once."

St. Peter stood up and went to open the gate. I saw that his beard had grown clear down to his knees. I noticed, too, that he was in great shape for a man his age. He opened the gate a couple of feet, grabbed me by the arm and shoved me inside. He laughed like a maniac as he slammed the big gate shut.

My heart sank when I saw what was printed on the inside of the gate.
There, in big black letters, were the words:

YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN

and in smaller letters "Sorry about that."

I was scared speechless. I looked around but to my amazement I was all alone. There wasn't another soul as far as I could see in every direction. There was, however, a large angel reclining on a cloud, covered with her or his wings, and strumming lazily on a harp. I floated over and stood respectfully before this shining creature. It looked up at me with luminous blue eyes and asked in a melodious voice, "Are you being served?"

"I do have some questions," I answered, regaining my voice. "Why am I all alone up here? I thought I would see millions of souls up here. This is spooky."

"Oh, you can see them if you want to," answered the Angel. "You can't see them when you first come in because it's all so overwhelming. Do you want to see them?"

I nodded and there appeared before me a million, a billion celestial beings, walking, running, dancing, standing as if in a daze, curled up sleeping., doing things I never thought I would see them do. It was horrible. "Please!" I cried, cringing and covering my eyes. "I made a mistake. I don't want to see them. Take them away."

"It's O.K. They're gone. " said the Angel. "I've never had a single new arrival who wanted to go through that more than once. Just relax. Do you want to read the rules? There are only three and they are easy."

She unrolled a large scroll, upon which were printed three lines in Geneva type, 18 size print, black ink.

Rule 1: Be happy. Don't Worry.

Rule 2: Heaven is whatever you want it to be.

Rule 3: Practice patience. You have plenty of time.

Underneath someone had written a line of graffiti: Be all that you
can be.
Underneath that someone else had scrawled: Don't ask, don't tell.

The Angel hastily held one wing over the last two lines. "I'll have to erase that. Forget you ever saw those lines. They are meaningless. Do you have any questions?"

I had a lot of questions but when I started to speak, the Angel raised its hand and said thoughtfully, "Actually, I can read your mind. I think we can save time if I answer some of them without you asking. First of all, I have always been here. All I do is answer questions. That is my sole purpose in life. I have been here since the beginning of time. I am part of the establishment. I am a charter member. Now, let's get down to business. You have read the rules. Rule 2 means exactly what it says. You can eat what you want up here, dress however you like, and live whatever lifestyle suits you. If you have ever been in California you know what I mean. Rule 1 and 3 are self-explanatory. They are suggestions only. I wish I could let you see your mother, but that would mean you had to see all of the others too, and we don't want that. I can assure you that she is happy. She is a great one for following rules."

The Angel ruffled its feathers and stretched out a bare foot and wiggled its toes. Then it stretched out its other foot and flexed its arch. Then it stood up and stretched, and bent forward and took my hand. "Nice to have
met you" it said politely. "I'm glad we had this little chat. Now I have
to buzz off." and it flapped away, hanging on to its halo with one hand. It left the harp leaning up against the cloud. I watched it until it was out of sight.

I hadn't the slightest idea what to do next. I thought of the rules again.

Rule 2 was a good rule. I thought of California, and my little house on the hill above Austin Creek, with the redwoods growing all around. I could see the flowers blooming beside the path, and the pretty redwood deck my husband had built. I saw my little black cat sunning itself in a pool of sunshine. Strangely enough, I could smell the heavenly aroma of freshly perked coffee and hear the faint clink of dishes being taken out of the dishwasher. Then the doorbell rang and I could hear my little neighbor telling my husband that her cat had come home after all. I opened my eyes and sunlight was streaming into my bedroom and I realized that I was back on solid ground, in my own house, in my own bed, in California. I hadn't been in heaven after all. It had all been just a dream. I think.

Much better

2011-01-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hi once again. I am much better tonight, and had a pleasant visit from my physical therapist. I am walking with a cane,, and have no pain whatsoever. Managed to cook a very tasty soup for dinner, and ate quite a lot, so I am making progress.
We have been having very pleasant weather, although a little chilly. I understand that it is cold in the North, down to 35 below in some places. Glad we live here in sunny California.
This will be short, just wanted to let all know that I am just about recovered from my most recent episode, hopefully the last!
Take care and keep in touch. Bye all.

Slowly but surely

2011-01-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Hi all. Time is flying by, and I am getting better, although more slowly than I would wish. I still limp around with my walker, and have not yet recovered from my cold, but t;he physical therapist is very encouraging, so I am optimistic as well.
We had a very tasty beef stew for dinner and have plenty left over for another meal.
It has been so cold up here that we had to order another load of wood for the wood stove. The electric heaters were not adequate to keep the house heated, but the wood burner does a great job.
Well, just a short blog tonight. Slumber calls and i will answer shortly. Bye and keep in touch.

Feeling much better

2011-01-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

:How nice to be able to sit in front of my computer and keep in touch with all of you. I am continuing to improve and with care can get around with a cane - quite an improvement. I managed to take a shower this evening, with the assistance of my husband, and feel much better. My house is not in its usual order, but we will tidy up tomorrow. My husband has installed hand bars for going in and out of the living room into the family room, and with the help of my physical therapists, I will soon be as good as new.
We are having cold weather here right now, but with a fire in the stove, we are as cozy as can be. Happy New Year, yet again. Keep well and keep in touch.

What next?

2010-12-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings! with great joy I am blogging from my computer in my own house once again. I had fallen again and have just spent three weeks in a convalescent hospital, the most depressing place in the world. I saw sights there that I will never forget, and though the staff is kind enough, it is truly the place of the living dead. But I am home again, able to walk with a walker, and by the grace of God I am not falling again! My house has been made safe by rolling up the rugs, installing hand rails and so on, and I am SETTLED IN!
What next, you may well ask. Only time will tell. A late Merry Christmas to all, sorry I wasn't able to send cards, but a New year is coming along, and i wish all of you a Happy New Year.

Gather Ye rosebuds while you may

2010-11-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

I can't believe so much time has passed me by! I have been lazy mainly because I now have a gizmo that lets me download books from the Talking Book Library, and we spend a lot of time listening to them. We have a list of 15,000 books to choose from and now that I know how to do it, we listen to a couple a day.
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. We went down to my daughter's house where they had prepared a magnificence feast and we enjoyed a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal. It is just a short walk but it was somewhat of an adventure because it was pitch dark when we came back, and we were guided only by the light of a flashlight. But we made it O.K.
Once again time has flown by. But to our amazement, we are still here. How about that?
I will try to do better in future. In meantime, take care and keep in touch.

A big parade

2010-11-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Well,, we watched the parade in San Francisco, and I was thankful that I was watching from the comfort of my sofa,, with my snacks at hand. I was able to knit and watch, which made it all the more satisfactory. Once upon a time, i did rush off to attend such events, and felt deprived if I missed them, but now it would take a great deal to drag me off to watch even the small parades in Guerneville. Such is the result of the passage of time!
This was my husband's birthday, but we are celebrating on Saturday, when everyone can be here. It will be a do-it-yourself affair, since I am in a lazy mode. But it will be fun.
My knitting is coming along, and the result is soft and warm. It will be either a shawl or blanket, depending on how the yarn holds out. I look for excuses to sit down and knit.
Time is rushing by. I am reminded of the poem "Gather ye roses while ye may, For time it is a-afleeting." Too true.
Bye all, and keep in touch.

Hooray! The Giants won!

2010-10-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

Today was a most satisfactory day, as the Giants won against the Philadelphia team in AT&T park on a beautiful afternoon. We watched in the family room, glued to our TV set. The crowd was noisy and enthusiastic, and went wild when the game was over. People were paying hundreds of dollars for seats.
It has been a quiet week here in our neighborhood, and there has been no further word on the fire. Several of our neighbors have been away on vacations, but all but one family are back again. We feel more secure when all of the residents are at home again.
I continue to do my exercises and improve my walking abilities. I'm still careful not to fall.
Well, no news is good news, so I will say adios. Keep in touch.

A fire

2010-10-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

A frightening event occurred in our neighborhood a couple of days ago when someone torched an unoccupied house down the street and almost burned it down. The fire department got it out, but since it is surrounded by redwood trees, it could easily have caused a disastrous forest fire. We have no idea who set the fire, and of course we are all on the alert for strangers in the neighborhood. There are several unoccupied houses around, any one of which could be a target.

Went into the clinic for my checkup, and things are going well. I am continuing my exercises and am getting stronger every day. My husband got an adjustment to his medication, so we are all set for awhile.
We are still trying to decide which mattress we want to buy. There are some pretty good sales going on so we should be able to get a good one. Well, take care and keep in touch.

All is well

2010-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

Hi all, here we are again, practically as good as new. i have been practicing my physical therapy exercises, and can see a big difference in how I walk and how I go in and out of the living room and the family room. I hope the therapist can come for a few more weeks, but I suppose a couple more weeks is all I will get. Anyway, things are looking up!
Weather up here is lovely, so I took a short walk around the house, and sat on the bench by the side of the house and watched to see who would drive by. To my disappointment, no one came by, but i did see a squirrel and a couple of bluejays. It is hard to believe that it is October already.
Well, all is well. My injured leg has healed and I was able to eat quite a large dinner, which earns for me a half of a chocolate bar, doled out to me by my husband, who is quite strict about how much sugar I get to eat. So take care, and keep in touch.

Good news and bad news

2010-09-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hi all. i am much better now, found out why I was getting dizzy and falling down. It appears that i was dehydrated and simply needed to drink more fluids. My gentle little physical therapist comes twice a week and gives me exercises to do to help me get stronger, and today we took a walk down the hill to the meditation meadow. My leg is almost completely healed and i can now ignore it, just being careful not to bump it.
Tomorrow is my birthday, (88) and we will all gather at noon and have pizza and deviled eggs and cake and whatever else I can think up. I don't make big meals anymore, but we will all enjoy ourselves and it promises to be a nice warm day. Today got up to seventy or so, warm for us here.
Our new hearing aids are making it much easier for us now, and easier for everyone else too. i found out that I can get eyeglasses as well, so i think that is what i will do. But not for awhile. Well, take care and keep in touch.

First rain of the season

2010-09-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

This is a perfect time to blog - a gentle rain is falling and there is a lonesome fall feeling in the air outside. Bill is getting ready to cook dinner and i am in a blogging mood. We had a visit yesterday from the Home Help evaluator, and she has decided that Bill is in very good shape (I call him Super Bill now) but that poor frail me needs assistance in my daily life. I had hoped that she meant help with household chores, like cleaning the floors and cooking, but she meant help with walking. So for two days a week a physical therapist will visit the house and teach me to walk. (and do it without falling down, I suppose). Since we are not all that busy anyway, I will be happy to see if an improvement can be made.
Actually, my leg is somewhat better, and hurts very little. I vow never to fall down again.
I hear that the family reunion was a lot of fun, and wish that i could some day attend. Since we don't fly anymore, though, it isn't likely to happen. I look forward to the new family tree discs with great anticipation. Thank you, Paula, for all of your hard work getting them researched and assembled.
This is the time of year when the redwood trees shed their fronds and the yard and decks are covered with brown leaves, even though Bill blew them away yesterday. As i wrote above, it feels like fall has come already.
What are we having for dinner? Corned beef hash and egg, and wilted cabbage on the side. Yum, yum! If i don't have to cook it, I'll eat it! Keep in touch, I'll try to be more regular in future.

The flea market

2010-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

It is midnight - a good time to blog. I am up late because I have been watching "Murder, She Wrote," which runs from ten to midnight, and sometimes is quite fun to watch.
We went to the flea market on Saturday, and saw quite a crowd there. I bought some nice wine glasses and saw quite a few people I knew. i rode around in my wheel chair, pushed by my husband. It was quite hot down there, much hotter than it gets up on our hill under the redwoods.
I got a letter and a picture from my high school class on the 70th reunion of our graduation. Of course time has taken its toll and there were only eight there. I have no idea how many of us are left. I must answer and send a picture of myself, of course I have aged like everyone else.
I can't say my leg is a lot better, but i was able to walk down to my daughter's house and back, which is an improvement of sorts. Sure hope it gets better soon.
Well, take care and keep in touch.

Good news and bad news

2010-09-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I have good news and bad news today. First, the good news - my leg is getting better. Not completely healed, but i can walk on it again and it only hurts a little. The bad news is that my husband saw the neurosurgeon at UC Med and the risks of closing off his aneurysm outweigh the benefits, so they are going to leave it alone. That will mean that he will still be in danger of the aneurysm bursting, but the chances are good that it won't. Statistically speaking, most aneurysms have no symptoms and if he keeps his blood pressure down, he will be O.K.
We got our new hearing aids! What a joy to be able to hear conversations. Mine fit perfectly, and the sound is crisp and clear.
Wish I had gotten them years ago.
This is the weekend of the neighborhood flea market, which I hope to go to tomorrow. Judy will take us down and I will ride around in my wheelchair. It is a fun time and i get to see most of my neighbors there as well. Take care and keep in touch.

My new owie

2010-08-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I am limping around with an injured leg, due to a fall. I don't know how I did it, but i fell on my dustpan and rather severely skinned a rather large patch of skin from my shin. I called my very kind neighbor and my daughter and they rendered first aid, using neosporin and some patches of gauze I happened to have. This happened on the fourteenth, but is still quite painful. It is getting better, however. My family has been most helpful.
I am seeing my physician on Tuesday and will attempt to learn why I keep falling. It might be due to loss of balance, we will see. When I fall I go down like a beached whale.
We are having wonderful weather here, and the leaves on the redwood trees are turning brown, a very early fall. I hadn't planned on summer going by so rapidly, but here we are - almost fall.
Well, take care and keep in touch.

Allergies

2010-08-06T22:06:00.001-07:00

Well, I am happy to report that my allergies are much improved. If I had known how allergic I was to my little cat, i would have given her away a long time ago. Oh, well, it is just a memory now. Even my itchy rashes are clearing up.
I went to Google and read about allergies, and it told me everything I needed to know, and probably more, as well. i read an article that we are all in danger of being over-informed by Google, and it certainly is true that I, for one, head for the computer whenever I have a question. I invariably find numerous articles with all kinds of information for me.
The weather continues to be cool, although the sun shines every day. An early winter, I suppose. Well, take care and keep in touch.

A fall day

2010-08-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

It is only August, but there is a lonesome fall feeling in the air. The redwood fronds are turning brown, and along the highway the maple trees are showing color. The hillsides are covered with wild sweet peas and Queen Anne's lace is blooming everywhere.
We went into the Guerneville Clinic for our blood tests today and had a lovely ride in and back. The sun was shining and the air was warm and balmy.
With sadness we buried our little cat yesterday. She was 26 years old and the end had come. She had lived a long and happy life, so we had to take her loss philosophically. We made a nice resting place down in the meditation walk and will plant flowers there.
I am baking pork chops in the oven, which is a good time to blog. I have been reading "Teacher Man" to my husband today and we are both enjoying it. Take care and keep in touch.

Frittata for dinner

2010-07-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

Back again, while the frittata bakes in the oven. I spent most of the day phoning around and EMailing here and there, trying to track down that Veterans organization, with no luck. I have reconciled myself to paying it and feel now that it is a scam and that other people probably got trapped as well. There are scams all over the place and this is probably one too.
Oh, well. It could have been worse. Many people spent a lot of money trying to win the Reader's Digest sweepstakes and we regularly buy lottery tickets, though we have practically no chance to win. Ce La Vie!
I am enjoying my sojourn into the Face Book world, and am glad I finally found out how to get into it. My husband is enjoying his new hearing aids and has learned how to adjust the volume to a comfortable level. I now have to watch how loudly I talk so that I don't yell in his ear. Well, another day is down the drain = take care and keep in touch.

A costly error

2010-07-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made a costly mistake, which I am afraid can't be rectified. I inadvertently signed up for a lifetime membership in a veterans organization, at a cost of $97.00, intending to sign up for a month at $9.00. When i realized my mistake, I tried to cancel and they signed me up again! I had given them my charge card number and they immediately entered it into my account. Although I called the B. of A. and contested the charge, they told me that I would have to deal with the Veterans Organization. Repeated telephone calls to them and an E-Mail letter brought no result. I think I am going to have to pay it. Of course it is not an earthshaking event, but I think I got duped. I have canceled my charge cards, of course, and have learned a lesson, I hope.
On a happier note, we had eggplant parmesan tonight, and it turned out very well. Since i didn't cook it, I enjoyed it very much.
I finished printing up my Arlington Hall memoirs, and will have them bound down at the local print shop. I used up all of my black ink and a bunch of paper, so I wonder if it would have been cheaper to have the print shop do it, but it is too late now.
We are awaiting a call from UCMed regarding my husband's aneurysm, and will keep all of you posted. Bye and keep in touch.

Eggplant

2010-07-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am going to try once again to see if I can straighten out my blog! My husband tries to tell me that i must have pushed the wrong button or clicked on something that caused the problem, but to save my life I cannot find it. If I go to June, I can line up all of the blogs one after another, but July refuses to work properly. Not that I have any riveting news to report, but I would like to know how my computer works.
We are having eggplant for dinner tonight, so I have been researching recipes on cooking it. It is widely used in Italy and there are long lists of exotic ways to prepare it. I try to find something new at least a couple of times a week just to keep us interested in food! Well, bye for now. Keep in touch.

Why me?

2010-07-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

What this computer does never ceases to mystify me. Now it will only display my latest blog, in this case the blog i completed a few minutes ago. Oh well, ti will straighten itself out, I feel sure. Good night again.

A full day

2010-07-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day today playing with our little great-grandchild and eating deli sandwiches and potato chips. That amazing little girl has so much energy that she wears out even the dog. Her vocabulary is astounding and she tries to draw with a pen and succeeds in getting her sketches to almost resemble what she is trying to portray. We enjoy her visits so much.
Bill is much better and ate a big dinner tonight and had a cup of Ovaltine a little while ago, so I would say he has pretty much recovered from his illness. We await an appointment with UCMed to evaluate his aneurysm, and by the time that is taken care of, fall will be here and another year will have gone by. How quickly time flies by! It almost makes me sad!
Well, take care and keep me posted. Bye.

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a trip to the hospital

2010-07-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

I will write a little while dinner cooks. It is left-over spaghetti sauce and spaghetti, and my husband is watching to see that nothing burns. The poor man had to be rushed to the emergency hospital yesterday because he was shaking uncontrollably and his speech was slurred, and after waiting for three hours the doctor finally examined him and found that he had pneumonia. I wanted them to keep him there overnight, but they kept him until nine o'clock and sent him on home. He is feeling much better and seems to be bouncing back as usual. Being home is more comfortable, of course.
The reason we are having spaghetti and leftover sauce tonight is because the pork chops I had planned to cook smelled so bad that I threw them out. The spaghetti and sauce was delicious and I still have a little left over. We plan to watch the bicycle race in France this evening, it gets quite intense. Bye for now - keep in touch.

The hot water heater

2010-07-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

What a day! We had to empty and clean out the hot water heater and change the heating element, and it took literally hours and in the process, I fell again. I didn't get hurt very badly, but I got soaked from the water gushing out. It turns out that we did the same process just a year ago. I don't know why our hot water heater does this, our neighbors seem to have no problems. Oh, well, it is done now, and we can relax until next year.
Otherwise, all is well. I got my new ink cartridges for my printer, and it is doing a good job. I have a lot of printing to do, so they came just in time.
My poor little cat is visibly slowing down, but she is still hanging in, even though she is over 26 years old. My neighbor keeps an eye on her and brings over special food, but she eats very little. Keep in touch - Bye.

Back again.

2010-07-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting to keep up with my blogging, but have been busy exploring what I can do with my new computer. I have a lot to learn, that is for sure.
We are doing fine here, and enjoyed watching the Fourth of July fireworks on our TV. We had to connect our little TV set up to Comcast because the big set conked out, but the little set has a great picture and works fine.
It is overcast and cold here today, so we are wearing sweaters. My husband did the shopping for the week, and brought back all kinds of goodies, including cherries and blueberries. Yum!
My husband is facing a trip to U.C.Med in San Francisco, because a recent examination revealed an aneurysm in his brain, which is making me nervous, but doesn't bother him at all. It will take three weeks to get an appointment, and it may be that it is the kind that they just leave there, keeping an eye on it. We hope for the best. Take care and keep in touch.

The Race

2010-06-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have somehow confused my blog space, so although I had written a small paragraph about today's race at Black Point, my computer wiped it out, or sent it somewhere else, so I will comment on the race briefly. It was quite exciting, but the numerous commercials were distracting. We were glad to be watching from our comfortable sofa and reclining chair.
I am slowing learning how to use my new computer, working mostly on the writing program. Take Care and keep in touch.

2010-06-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

JUST FOR THE HALIBUT

My husband does the weekly shopping, and since he is visually impaired, he sometimes buys items I would rather avoid. However, he always hands the check-out list to me so that I can check the prices and confirm his purchases. I quickly scanned down the long list and saw an item that almost sent me into shock.
“What’s this?” I cried out, in dismay, “Thirty-two dollars for fish? This can’t be right!”
“Check the package,” he replied calmly, “It’s in the refrigerator.”
So it was. It was still in the brown paper in which it had been wrapped, and was clearly marked “fresh halibut.” Eighteen dollars per pound!
“Why did you buy this? We get sole for a lot less and it is much easier to cook.,” I complained.
He couldn’t resist one of his quips, so of course he replied, “Oh, just for the halibut.”
What to do? Luckily, I had seen a chef on television, preparing halibut, so I had a glimmering of the process. I unwrapped the package, and gazed at the smelly, pale flesh of the fish, which I knew would be our dinner. I leave the rest of the story to your imagination.

Just another day

2010-06-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

:Hi. I made a mistake in my last post saying that little Brendan had encephalitis, when in actuality he was ill with Meningitis. Both illnesses are severe, and we are so pleased he is better.
I have been busy putting together a few of my essays and stories to bind into a small book. I think I will print them up on my printer and maybe put on a cover so I can give them to family and friends. I have a whole box full of papers but I will print up only about ten or so. I can't even remember writing some of them, it goes back to long.
Things are going well for us up here, we are very lazy in our old age, but that is O.K. too. Take care and keep in touch.

My ailing TV set

2010-06-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

Busy evening as I am making potato salad for tomorrow, and will put it all together tonight. I don't go to sleep until midnight anyway, so it will be all right.
Our friendly technician came from Comcast to fix our ailing TV set, and had it all working perfectly, but when we turned it off so we could eat lunch, it refused to come back on. So tomorrow someone else will come and try again. We have it covered so it won't cost anything, other than the inconvenience. We did get to watch the soccer game between U.S. and England, and enjoyed it very much.
We had so much fun with little April on Friday, she sure is an independent little girl. Her little cousin is in ICU with encephalitis and we are all sending prayers and best wishes to him to have a full recovery. It is a terrible illness and he will be in the hospital for awhile. It isn't sure just how he got it.
Well, time to get busy chopping up potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Take care and keep in touch.

cookies in the oven

2010-06-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Altogether a quiet day, with my husband resting up in the big purple chair, trying to be as tranquil as possible. This is hard for him to do, as he has a type A personality, with frequent outbursts of irritation and an occasional temper tantrum. With his aneurysm on his mind, he knows that it behooves him to remain calm, which in a way is a blessing, as it means I can no longer nag him or criticize what he does. It is imperative that he keeps his blood pressure down and his pulse low and steady. It is a little like living with a time bomb and I will be glad when it is all fixed.
We are baking cookies, in anticipation of a visit with my granddaughter and little April, our little angel. We tried a new recipe and it turned out pretty well, although I ran out of peanut butter, but it will turn out all right. They will all be eaten!
The weather is lovely up here and the roses are all in bloom and the apple tree is getting apples so we just sit around contentedly and watch the hummingbirds fly around the feeders. I am trying to let the housework go and just enjoy myself, but having been raised with a strong work ethic, it is heavy going. But if I work at it, i can probably do it.
We all had chores as children and only a serious illness could get us out of it. We started doing chores as soon as we started school and washing dishes and scrubbing floors were the least of it. Why was it so important? We certainly didn't learn from it.
Well, the last batch of cookies is waiting to come out, and I am ready to eat a few. Take care and keep in touch.

Troubling news

2010-06-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

My daughter very kindly printed up my blogs from 2008 and 2009 and I am astounded at how much I used to write back then. What has happened to me? I must get myself in gear and try to do better. Maybe it is because we live such quiet lives now, We no longer have our little Kaya dog, and our old black cat spends her whole time asleep on the sofa.
A little troubling news came our way today, but we hope all will be well. My husband has been having some tests done, and an aneurysm was found in his carotid artery entering his brain. It is very small, only 9 mm so we hope they can repair it before any damage is done. He is very philosophical about it, and just goes about his daily life as though nothing is wrong. The little growth in his cheek will have to wait now, the aneurysm takes precedent over everything else
I have been getting some of my essays and stories ready to publish and it is taking up most of my time. I am going to publish them myself, so it will cost a little money, but I want to have something to leave behind when I exit sometime in future. I have piles of papers scattered all over the place, and am having fun reading them over once again.
Bye. Keep in touch.

I burned the stir-fry

2010-06-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

My husband very kindly brought home a box of sushi from his shopping trip, which was fortunate because I totally burned our stir-fry dinner tonight. I was printing out some of my little essays on my printer, and forgot to watch the stir-fry. I luckily had some sushi left from lunch, but my poor husband had to make do with a sandwich. Now I have a badly blackened pan to scrub. It is soaking in the sink now.
Did I ever mention that I don't really like to cook? If I could get meals on wheels, I would certainly avail myself of that benefit. But we live too far out for them to deliver to our house. They say the food is quite good.
Tomorrow I must go in to the clinic for a blood test, so I will be drinking lots of water and hoping for the best. Our doctor is leaving the clinic, so I have to get another doctor. I am no prize as a patient, so I hope I don't drive the new doctor out of her mind. I'll try to be good. Good night all. Please keep in touch.

Something to keep me busy

2010-06-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

I got a bright idea this afternoon about printing up some of my documents and having them printed out down at the local print shop and then give them out to family and friends. I doubt if they would be valuable as salable material but maybe there might be some interest there. I could title the book as "Memoirs of an Octogenarian' or some such title. I have a couple of hundred pages in my document folder, not all of which are good however. I do need something to fill up my time, though.
Lovely warm weather here today. My husband has been prowling around outside, trying to find something to do. Maybe I can persuade him to cook dinner!

I wonder if Octogenarian is the right term? I'll have to look it up.

The Belmont race

2010-06-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

This has been a quiet day,with quite a bit of time spent watching the Belmont Race on television, with an exciting finish with a 28-to-one winner! They stretch out the event with commercials and interviews with the jockeys, but I always watch it nevertheless. Then I made dinner, which was nothing to brag about, but we ate it anyway. Now I am going to watch some television and so the evening will go.
I am trying to train myself not to feel that I have to swiffer and vacuum every single day. With just my husband and myself living here it just doesn't need that much attention. But habit dies hard.
Got a letter today telling me that my doctor at the clinic will be leaving at the end of June. I will be sorry to see him go - he had a great sense of humor and kept me going pretty well. Take care and keep in touch.

We all make mistakes

2010-06-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hi. My husband thought I was a little critical in my blog last evening, even denying that the incident ever happened at all. But since I wrote it the day after it happened, I know that it is all true. Not that I haven't had my moments as well, such as the time that I tried to take the cover of the pressure cooker off too soon, and had steam burns all over my face and arms, and cobs of corn scattered all over the kitchen floor. Or the time I put socks on the legs of the step ladder to protect the floor, and had the thing scoot across the floor and collapse, gashing my head on the metal bracket. Or the day I stumbled on the bike path down by the railroad tracks and had to go to the doctor to get stitches in my face. So I can't really point the finger at him for his transgressions, after all. No one is perfect. (I still have a visible scar on my face under my right eye.)
Well, live and let live. He is at this moment out in the kitchen cooking some flat noodles to go with the Bergundy stew we just cooked up and I trust it will be tasty. I will now go onto Facebook and see what is going on out in the outerworld. Night all. Keep in touch.

The one-bowl, two-egg cake

2010-06-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am bringing up some of the little essays I wrote in the writing class. The one I have printed here was written when I first started attending the class and was much appreciated by the other members of the class. Hope you like it!

The One-Bowl, Two Egg Cake

It was eleven o’clock in the evening and my husband and I were watching the late news on channel 7. I was settled in and watching from the sofa, but he arose from his chair and headed for the kitchen. I froze with apprehension, knowing what was coming. He was hungry and was on his way to cook up a snack.
Big deal, you are thinking! Why not? After all, it’s his kitchen, too. So what if you have already turned on the dishwasher, tidied up the sink and kitchen table, and swiffered the floor. It’s not the end of the world.
But wait. What if he wants to bake something? Then I will get involved reading the recipe and starting the oven, and watching whatever is in the oven, and then serving it up and even being expected to eat some of it with appreciation. He will expect praise and accolades, and help in making the frosting and in cleaning up.
I silently sent a prayer heavenward. “Dear God,” I prayed. “Let it be muffins. Not the one-bowl, two egg cake. Please, God.” Then I bargained with God. “If it can’t be muffins, let it be chocolate chip cookies. Or pudding. Or popcorn. Anything else. Anything but the one-bowl cake.”
We had never actually eaten one of his cakes. The first time he baked one he forgot the baking powder and we threw out the flat rounds of rock hard cake that resulted. The second time he tried, he accidentally turned the oven to 250 instead of 350 and when he took the cake out it fell and even though he tried baking it again we couldn’t eat it. The third cake was lumpy because he had forgotten to mix it at high speed for four minutes as called for in the recipe. This would be his fourth attempt.
I never interfere with my husband’s projects. I learned a lesson long ago and far away when we were both very young. I tried to tell him how to mix a cake and in response he dashed the mixing bowl down onto the kitchen floor, breaking the bowl and scattering shards of glass and cake batter from one end of the kitchen to the other. As I cleaned up the mess, I vowed to never offer advice or criticism again, no matter how urgent the matter.
His behavior seems atrocious, but in the dysfunctional household in which he grew up, it made sense. His mother routinely hurled dishes across the room, his father smashed furniture, and his brother slammed doors so hard the windows rattled. Throwing a bowl of cake batter onto the floor was a mild reaction.
But I am a fast learner, and I have kept my resolve. Unless he asks for my advice, I never give it. When he heated oil in the steel frying pan, I said not a word, but walked out of the house and watered the roses. When he set the oven to broil and burned up the tuna casserole, I didn’t even notice. Let the chips fall where they may.
I sat in my chair and listened intently. There, he is getting out the Kitchen-Aide mixer. Oh, s--t! That means the cake! I silently listened while he pulled down the ingredients, hoping against hope that he would remember the recipe this time, and my help would not be needed. Although he rejected all advice and criticism, he didn’t mind at all soliciting my help when HE felt like having it. Sure enough, he called from the kitchen.
“What do I use to grease the pan? I’m using the tube cake pan.”
My repertoire of cuss words contains some choice phrases, and I silently went through every word I knew, and some I made up on the spot. I was incredulous! He couldn’t mean the tube pan. But that is what he meant and I hollered back, “Grease it with Crisco. Not vegetable oil. Not butter. Crisco “
Silence for awhile while he measured and sifted and got everything ready. I didn’t hear him cracking eggs or getting out the milk but who am I to interfere with his obvious efficiency in cake baking? I was relieved when I heard the refrigerator door opening and I could hear him pulling out the egg tray. Maybe this time it would turn out. He turned on the mixer and actually mixed on low speed for two minutes and on high speed for four minutes. Good! He poured the batter into the pan and opened the oven door. A few choice words escaped his lips when he realized he had forgotten to turn on the oven. But at last everything was in order and he set the timer for twenty-five minutes and we relaxed while we awaited the results. The fact that the buzzer sounded almost immediately wasn’t really all that alarming – he had set it for 2.5 minutes by mistake. At last all was in order. I took out my knitting and settled down to relax for awhile.
It was peaceful there in the living room with a fire in the stove, and my knitting coming along, and I almost fell asleep I was so comfortable. Then the timer buzzed and my husband leaped to his feet and rushed out into the kitchen again. “Does this look done to you?” he called, pulling out the pan. It did look done, and we put it up on the counter to cool, as the recipe said to do. It had turned out magnificently, having risen above and over the rim of the pan like a fluffy brown mushroom. It smelled good and was a good color. When I pressed lightly on the top it was resilient and responsive. I couldn’t use a toothpick as it was about eight inches high, but I judged it to be done. We waited for it to cool and I returned to my knitting. By the time we got it frosted and had eaten a piece it would be well after midnight. Oh, well. Ca La Vie. I fell into a light sleep.
Cries of dismay awakened me. Banging and slapping sounds were coming from the kitchen. I rushed out, and discovered my husband trying to turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake platter. He tried slapping the sides of the pan, and since it was a tube pan, he shoved against the bottom which was designed to slide up and release the cake. Helpless laughter overtook me.  Trying to hide my mirth, I turned away and held onto the counter top to keep from collapsing to the floor. He had forgotten to grease the tube and the cake was cemented tightly to the metal and could not be dislodged. Finally, with a mighty shove, he dislodged the entire cake which flew out onto the countertop in chunks and pieces.
I could contain myself no longer. Howling with laughter, I staggered back into the living room and collapsed into the reclining chair. My husband, who can command vast amounts of cool when he chooses, calmly gathered up a large chunk onto a dessert plate, poured himself a glass of milk, and calmly sat down to eat it. “Delicious,” he proclaimed. “Try some.”
It was good. The texture was fine and even and the flavor was all that could be desired. After we had eaten generous portions, we gathered up the remains and put them in a large bowl. The next day we layered the crumbs into dessert dishes with strawberry jam and vanilla pudding. Voila! An English trifle. It was delicious. God knew best, after all.

A story I Wrote Long Ago

2010-06-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

I went to Heaven last night. In my dreams. I hadn't planned to go there, and as a matter of fact, I had been thinking about Paris, hoping to dream about the little rooftops and sidewalk cafes. But the first thing I knew, there I was at the Pearly Gates. Lest I lead the reader astray, they weren't pearly. They were of a sort of weathered wood and the walls were a kind of dried mud composition. Over the gate it said "Paradise", and underneath in smaller letter various words, such as Heaven, Allah, Happy Hunting Grounds, and so on.. But there was the gate, closed and locked of course, and St. Peter was there, sitting on a stone bench wearing a loin cloth. I guess my expression was one of amazement, because St. Peter said "We don't wear long robes up here. Too much maintenance. We simplified a couple of centuries ago. Now it's strictly come as you are.. You might find some of the occupants stark naked. Why are you here? I thought you weren't due up here for a long time."

"I want to see my mother," I said, thinking fast. "She should be up here someplace."

St. Peter scratched his beard, plucked something out of it, and thought a moment. "I suppose she must be up here. There's no place else she could have gone to. You know there's no Hell. That's just what they used to say to scare people."

"O.K.", I said. "Do I need a passport, or should I say a prayer, or something to get in?"

"Not at all," St. Peter said, but still not getting up. "Do you still want to go in?"

"I don't know," I said. "Does everyone who is ever born get to come up here?"

He gave me a look of scorn. "You only get in if you believe in Paradise.

If you don't believe, when you die, you simply cease to exist." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that! Poof! You are gone."

"But what about reincarnation?" I asked.

St. Peter flew into an unholy rage. "Reincarnation?" he shrieked "Don't talk to me about reincarnation. If you wanted to come back as a cat or something, you should have thought about that before you died." He banged his long cane against the rock and I thought he was going to strike me.

"Now," he said calming down a little. "Do you want to go in or not?

I

You're holding up the whole line. We've got a traffic jam here."

"I'll go in," I said. "I'll try anything once."

St. Peter stood up and went to open the gate. I saw that his beard had grown clear down to his knees. I noticed, too, that he was in great shape for a man his age. He opened the gate a couple of feet, grabbed me by the arm and shoved me inside. He laughed like a maniac as he slammed the big gate shut.

My heart sank when I saw what was printed on the inside of the gate.

There, in big black letters, were the words:

YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN

and in smaller letters "Sorry about that."

I was scared speechless. I looked around but to my amazement I was all alone. There wasn't another soul as far as I could see in every direction. There was, however, a large angel reclining on a cloud, covered with her or his wings, and strumming lazily on a harp. I floated over and stood respectfully before this shining creature. It looked up at me with

luminous blue eyes and asked in a melodious voice, "Are you being served?"

"I do have some questions," I answered, regaining my voice. "Why am I all alone up here? I thought I would see millions of souls up here. This is spooky."

"Oh, you can see them if you want to," answered the Angel. "You can't see them when you first come in because it's all so overwhelming. Do you want to see them?"

I nodded and there appeared before me a million, a billion celestial beings, walking, running, dancing, standing as if in a daze, curled up sleeping., doing things I never thought I would see them do. It was horrible. "Please!" I cried, cringing and covering my eyes. "I made a mistake. I don't want to see them. Take them away."

"It's O.K. They're gone. " said the Angel. "I've never had a single new arrival who wanted to go through that more than once. Just relax. Do you want to read the rules? There are only three and they are easy."

She unrolled a large scroll, upon which were printed three lines in Geneva type, 18 size print, black ink.

Rule 1: Be happy. Don't Worry.

Rule 2: Heaven is whatever you want it to be.

I

Rule 3: Practise patience. You have plenty of time.

Underneath someone had written a line of graffiti: Be all that you

can be.

Underneath that someone else had scrawled: Don't ask, don't tell.

The Angel hastily held one wing over the last two lines. "I'll have to erase that. Forget you ever saw those lines. They are meaningless. Do you have any questions?"

I had a lot of questions but when I started to speak, the Angel raised its hand and said thoughtfully, "Actually, f can read your mind. I think we can save time if I answer some of them without you asking. First of all, I have always been here. All I do is answer questions. That is my sole purpose in life. I have been here since the beginning of time. I am part of the establishment. I am a charter member. Now, let's get down to business. You have read the rules. Rule 2 means exactly what it says. You can eat what you want up here, dress however you like, and live whatever lifestyle suits you. If you have ever been in California you know what I mean. Rule 1 and 3 are self-explanatory. They are suggestions only. I

wish I could let you see your mother, but that would mean you had to see all of the others too, and we don't want that. I can assure you that she is happy. She is a great one for following rules."

The Angel ruffled its feathers and stretched out a bare foot and wiggled its toes. Then it stretched out its other foot and flexed its arch. Then it stood up and stretched, and bent forward and took my hand. "Nice to have

met you" it said politely. "I'm glad we had this little chat. Now I have

to buzz off." and it flapped away, hanging on to its halo with one hand. It left the harp leaning up against the cloud. I watched it until it was out of sight.

I hadn't the slightest idea what to do next. I thought of the rules again.

Rule 2 was a good rule. I thought of California, and my little house on the hill above Austin Creek, with the redwoods growing all around. I could see the flowers blooming beside the path, and the pretty redwood deck my husband had built. I saw my little black cat sunning itself in a pool of sunshine. Strangely enough, I could smell the heavenly aroma of freshly perked coffee and hear the faint clink of dishes being taken out of the dishwasher. Then the doorbell rang and I could hear my little neighbor telling my husband that her cat had come home after all. I opened my eyes and sunlight was streaming into my bedroom and I realized that I was back on solid ground, in my own house, in my own bed, in California. I hadn't been in heaven after all. It had all been just a dream. I think.

I

A tranquil evening

2010-06-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday evening and we have finished the pork chops and sauerkraut we had for dinner, and I am taking refuge in my computer while my husband clears the dishes and loads the dishwasher. How I trained him to do those chores I will never know, but he is out there contentedly working away. He does a good job, too. I have resolved to make an entry at least every other day, to keep up with what is going on in our lives.
Today was shopping day and I got my treat of sushi from my husband, and somewhere in his bedroom he has hidden the chocolate candy he brought back. I have to ask for it (beg for it is a better way to put it) but eventually I will get a small piece and that will have to do until another day has passed. I am a chocoholic and he knows what he is doing.
I think I might become addicted to my computer. I am studying the tutorials and have gotten as far as step one. Great progress for me. Take care and keep in touch.

Oh yes, my new computer is great!

2010-05-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I must say that I am enjoying my new computer immensely. I availed myself of the tutorial program, hoping to educate myself into the workings of the thing, but as I am only starting, I haven't learned much. It does allow me to go on Facebook, which I couldn't do on my old computer, and it hasn't cut out or failed to avail me of any of the programs I have in the software, so I am quite satisfied with it. I hope to keep up with my blogs, as well. Altogether, a good start to my declining years. Bye and keep in touch.

You never can tell what a redheaded woman will do

2010-05-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

You Never Can Tell What a Redheaded Woman Will Do

I was the third of four children and three of us had red hair. My sister Lorraine was what was called a “dishwater blonde.” She wasn’t happy with being different, and often shed tears over her outcast station, as she saw it.
“Was I adopted?” she asked our Mother one day, large tears streaming down her cheeks. “”Why am I different?”
Mother tried to reassure her and boost her morale. “No, of course not,” she said soothingly. “You are my own child, just like the others. But don’t feel bad. At least you have a pretty face. Just look – redheads always have freckles.” And she glanced my way, as if noting my unhappy state of freckledom.
Thanks, Mommy dearest. I needed that. I needed it like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Why didn’t you tell the whole story? You could have mentioned allergies to every known brand of soap and shampoo, exzema and skin rashes, hay fever and wheezing, sneezing and coughing all night. Why didn’t you talk about insomnia, sleep walking and obsessive-compulsion disorder? Not that these were all caused by my red hair, but it is well known that red-haired people have sensitive skin and are subject to allergies of every kind. But if you wanted to make me sorry I had curly red hair, you failed utterly. I have never regretted my redheaded state and wish my hair had stayed red longer.
I got a lot of mileage out of that red hair. Strangers would stop us on the street and comment on my curly mop. My Aunt Doris, then a teenager, (I was about six) would wash my hair with special shampoos and set it in what was known as “Marcelle waves,” My grandma, herself a redhead, would bake me special cookies and let me have her sewing scraps to make clothes for my doll. My Uncle Lewis took me to the circus and showed me off as his “Orphan Annie” girl. If memory serves me right, he also bought me a box of Cracker Jacks. No wonder my sister was jealous. No attention was directed at her lanky brown hair whatsoever. I suppose she got over it after while.
I looked up redheaded people on Google. Only two percent of the world population have red hair. A large proportion of them are in Scotland and Scandinavia. Redheads are purported to be adventurous, passionate, quick tempered, and sensitive to pain. Redheaded women are seen as remantic and given to sexual excesses. I might modestly state that none of those myths applies to me except the tendency to be adventurous. I not only admit to being adventurous but I brag about it. As the old blues song says “You never can tell what a redheaded woman will do.”
Well, what did I do? I climbed an apple tree when I was four and got hung hung up between two limbs and had to be rescued by my mother. I helped my father paint the woodshed with red paint and got so much paint in my hair that part of it had to be cut off. I wrote on the side of the house with crayons and the words I wrote were still visible years later . When I was fourteen I sneaked out of the house one moonlit night and went swimming with the two neighbor boys. All pretty innocent pranks, really. But Mother could recite them like a litany when the mood struck, and I grew up thlnking I was an incorrigible miscreant.
I had my moments of triumph. When I graduated from grade school, I won the gold medal for scholarship, beating out all the other eighth graders in the county and astounding my teacher, for whom it was a total surprise. As indeed it was for me. I was awarded a scholarship to college, and when I was seventeen I took myself off and never looked back. And of course I committed the ultimate act of adventure and joined the army during the war.
All in all, it has been a great life. I have never regretted having red hair. Mother dear, if you are looking down on me now, I hope you know that my freckles don’t bother me a bit. Don’t now and never did. As an old flame once said, “A face without freckles is like a sky without stars.” Rest in peace.

A story from long ago

2010-05-30T13:25:00.001-07:00

An Evening Adventure

It was bedtime but Baby Mouse wasn't sleepy. He wanted to stay up late and have an adventure. Mamma Mouse thought hard. What could they do?

"I know," she said. "Let's go down by the path and watch the stars. There will be falling stars tonight. We can hide in the bushes and watch."

Baby Mouse thought that was a great idea. "Let's go now," he said. And he put on his jacket and little shoes and took Mamma Mouse by the hand, and so off they went.

Down by the path they found a clump of tall dry grass and snuggled in side by side, and peeked out into the night. It was very dark but up in the sky the stars twinkled and once in a while a falling star sent a great trail of sparks across the sky. The tree frogs were singing in the treefrog tree and it was warm and still.

While they watched they heard something coming down the path. It was a slow plop, plop, plop. What could it be? Pretty soon they saw Mr. Turtle coming along, slowly and steadily, and when he saw them he stopped.

"How do you do, Mrs. Mouse?" he asked. "How are you tonight?" Mr. Turtle is slow, but he is always very polite.

"I am fine, Mr. Turtle," said Mamma Mouse. "We are watching the stars."

"Have a nice evening," said Mr. Turtle, and he went on his way down the path.

And then they heard something else, and it was coming very fast. Thumpety, thumpety, thump. It was Mr. Rabbit and he didn't stop. "Mrs. Fox is coming," he cried as he dashed past. He whisked around the bend and then he was gone.

Momma Mouse put her arms around Baby Mouse and hugged him close. "Be very quiet" she whispered. "Don't make a sound."

Mamma Mouse was so frightened that she trembled all over, and her tail stuck out straight behind her. She heard the pitter-patter of feet, and saw Mrs. Fox coming fast down the path, but Mrs. Fox didn't stop. She wanted Mr. Rabbit and she kept right on going.

Then it was quiet for a long time. Mr. Garden Snake came swishing along, but he doesn't eat mice, so Mamma Mouse wasn't afraid. She even said hello to him, but he didn't stop. He was on his way to the treefrog tree and wanted his dinner. And then they heard another sound, and Mamma Mouse was frightened all over again. She knew what the sound meant. It was Mr. Hoot Owl and she knew he ate mice.He was slowly flapping along, making soft swooshing sounds in the quiet night. Mamma Mouse and Baby Mouse were so quiet they could hear the little brook that ran along beside the path and the beetle tapping away inside an old log. Then it was quiet again and they knew that Mr. Owl was gone.

"Thank goodness," said Mamma Mouse. "Let's go home before we get eaten. Mrs. Fox will be back and she will still be hungry. Take my hand and run as fast as you can."

They scurried back to their little home under the old oak tree. Mamma Mouse took off Baby Mouse's shoes and jacket and tucked him into bed. They were safe. Mamma Mouse cuddled up in her own bed and in a few minutes she was asleep too. Outside it was still dark and the stars still twinkled in the sky. And the night creatures still searched for something to eat. But they wouldn't find Baby Mouse or Mamma Mouse. They were safe for the night.

New Computer

2010-05-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

We actually went ahead and bought a new computer! We thought the time had come, sure enough, and I have a wonderful new I-Mac sitting at this moment before me. What a delight. I can now get Face-Book and movies and radio broadcasts and other delights I haven't touched on yet. My grandson came and set it up and I am enjoying a whole new adventure.
This short little blog will have to suffice as it is way past dinner-time, but there will be more in future. Keep in touch.

Hooray for Super Saver

2010-05-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

Time has flown by so fast that I have neglected my blogs for a whole month! I have no excuse - I have been in fine health and good spirits and enjoying the warm and pleasant weather we are having. We did have some heavy rain during April and a rousing thunder and lightning storm, something we don't usually have here in California. We sat in our family room and watched the display from our big picture window.
We did have a fun day yesterday, glued to the TV screen watching the Churchill Downs race. We started watching at about noon and watched the whole thing, right through to the final run for the roses. We were down in Louisville for a Barbershop convention some years ago and enjoyed the beauty and history of the place, and sipped mint juleps and wandered over the blue grass and planned on going back some day. Alas! That was never to be, but we have fond memories and make sure that we watch every race.
It is reunion time for my high school class of 1940 and I was astounded to learn that there are 12 of 19 graduates still living. It is our 70th reunion, I wish I could go but since I don't travel any more, it cannot happen. I must content myself with the news letter and whatever correspondence I maintain with my former classmates.
For me, this is the best time of day, with dinner over, the dishes in the dishwasher, and whatever sweets are available still waiting for me. My husband has hidden the candy but if I beg hard enough he will dole out a piece or two.
Take care and remember to keep in touch.

A successful trip.

2010-04-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

Today was a good day, with a pleasant ride to Guerneville to have a sample of blood drawn for testing, which I have to do once a month for the rest of my life. It is a short ride, and with the trees all in bloom and flowers blooming beside the road, I really feel that it is more of a treat than a chore. Sometimes they have difficulty finding a vein to draw from, but today the nurse was skillful and there was almost no pain.
I saw a very interesting program on obsessive compulsive disorder, which I have battled my whole life. I am a checker, but have gotten it almost under control. It is an anxiety disorder, genetic in origin, I still have to check the stove, lights, water, doors, television, and so on, but now I only check once and then go on to the next item, whereas I used to check over and over. It was time consuming and altogether senseless, but now that I only check once, it isn't nearly so troublesome. I wish I could devise a cure, I would be famous, as there is no cure at the present time. I should clarify the situation by explaining that I only check before I leave the house or go to bed. If I am going to stay in the house, I am fine.
It doesn't seem possible that April is here already. I think I wrote that I am skipping Easter this year, to avoid the temptation of having chocolate candy sitting around. I just wouldn't be able to resist.
Happy Easter everyone. Keep in touch. I love to hear from you.

Sushi

2010-03-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hi! Great happiness in my kitchen! My husband brought home from the store a container of California Sushi, my favorite food! I fell upon it with cries of joy and tore open the container and treated myself to a couple of pieces before we even got the rest of the groceries put away. It was delicious. I don't know why, but I dearly love the stuff. I once plopped myself down at a sushi counter and ate over twenty dollars worth before I was satisfied. At that time i didn't know about the Sushi worm and ate whatever appeared before me on the tray. Now i only eat vegetarian Sushi, but it still is good.
A busy day here today, as my husband was seized with a weed-whacking fit and weed whacked himself up and down the hill and down on the flat spot we call the meditation place. He overdoes it, of course, and is moaning and groaning as he hobbles around the house now. When he comes into view with his weed-whacker I go in the house and shut the door. I can't endure seeing my periwinkles and forget- me- nots being cut down and raked up into piles. He, of course, thinks it is all worthwhile.
Well, the health bill has passed, and since i don't have the slightest idea what it is all going to come to, I can neither rejoice or bemoan it. Time will tell. Night all and keep in touch.

Getting out and around

2010-03-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

Here it is, another week gone by. I am feeling better and ventured out for a short walk down the road, for about half a block. To my surprise, our trilliums are blooming and there is a whole bank of forget-me-nots in bloom across the street. The blossoms are opening on the apple tree and the daphne bush is still in full bloom. We haven't done too much with our hydrangeas or roses this year, but they are doing well on their own. Once upon a time we spent a great deal of time here and there up and down the hill putting in terraces and planting fuchsias and lilacs along the fence, but time has taken its toll and we just haven't the energy we used to have. But I am happy to say that I am feeling better each day and look forward to the first roses and apple blossoms to appear.
I managed to cook dinner today, just a pot of chicken stew, but it was good and we ate most of it. I think Bill appreciated a brief respite from all of the household duties he's been doing lately.
Well, the mail is late today. One Saturday it didn't come until nine o"clock in the evening. I am not expecting anything but bills anyway, but some of our neighbors get quite agitated when it's late. They don't like to have to come out in the dark to the mailboxes. Bye, and take care.

Another day

2010-03-13T17:14:00.000-08:00

Lentil soup is simmering on the stove, I am propped up on my computer chair and we are both looking forward to a healthy, tasty dinner. I feel a little better today, but must still move with caution. I can't wait until I can go outside and sit in the sun and watch the birds down below the house. Spring is on the way and I look forward eagerly to it.
We had a fierce windstorm yesterday, with the redwoods blowing around and torrents of rain. We sat in our family room and watched the action from our warm chairs, hoping that no damage would take place. Luckily nothing blew down and our neighbor's roof looks intact, to our relief. Today is sunny and warm and the little juncos are back, feasting on the redwood debris and whatever else they can find.
I tried to swiffer my kitchen floor, but it proved to be too much, and I had to let my husband finish it up. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Keep in touch - I love to hear from you.

My rib

2010-03-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Alas, i was wrong about my fall. I had indeed suffered a broken rib, found at my second appointment, and am limping around moaning and groaning. They no longer wrap broken ribs in stretchy bands, and in my case, i get no pain killer medicine, due to my other conditions. So i have a couple of weeks more of feeling sorry for myself. I am sure my husband looks forward to the days when I can get back to my housework!
We have been watching old movies about dogs, a pleasant way to spend some time. They are Turner Classic movies, and usually entertain us for a few hours in the afternoon. I plop myself down on the sofa, get as comfortable as I can, and usually take a short nap while the movie is going. My husband gives the picture his full attention and can quote action and conversation ver batum. He has the most remarkable memory one would hope to find.
Well, no news is good news. Take care and keep in touch.

An embarassing fall

2010-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed to report that i have once again suffered a fall, this time from my bed, and am once again limping about with the help of my husband and my walker. I did go in for a checkup with my doctor, but nothing seems to be broken. However, it is painful and i can only with difficulty move about. I can't explain how it happened, only that it came as a surprise to both myself and my husband.
It is cold up here today, so we have a cozy fire in the stove and all of the electric heaters on. My husband made a pot of chicken soup for dinner last night and will probably make beef patties tonight. He does pretty well once he makes up his mind to actually do the task, I am lucky to have him with me.
This will be short. Needless to say, I have had better days. But I will be better soon. Take care and keep in touch.

Revenge on the IRS

2010-02-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

I saw on television news today that some disgruntled man, enraged at the IRS, had crashed his small plane into the IRS building, killing himself and causing much damage and several injuries. I can't say I can sympathize with his action, but I have felt rage at the system many times as I crouched over my calculator late at night, struggling with the forms. Years ago we had rental houses, capital gains, mortgages, work reports, and who knows how many pages to add up and send in. I would fortify myself with a box of chocolate candy, a pot of hot coffee and often dawn would be breaking before i finished. One night our mother cat went into labor on the very night I did the forms, and I was so engrossed that I didn't even let her into the house until the last moment. The poor thing climbed up on the sofa and gave birth to two lovely little kittens right before my eyes. If I hadn't let her in she would have been forced to deliver those kittens on the steps of the house!
Anyway, it is so much easier today, since I only have to deal with retirement earnings and they are simple to list on the form. I still fuss and fume as I write the numbers down and I still secretly resent the money I have to send in, but as my husband points out, we are lucky we have the money to send.
My great weakness is my fondness for chocolate candy. A few years ago I ate so much Hallowe'en candy that I ended up in the hospital with a major crisis and had to have serious abdominal surgery. I still sneak a little if there is any around, though I know the danger it poses.
My husband has come in from the garage and is expecting dinner. Take care and keep in touch.

A JOB WELL DONE

2010-02-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody. I am feeling somewhat elated tonight because i filled out my income tax forms and will mail them in tomorrow, along with a small sum which i had failed to send in beforehand. I can't say I am pleased that i have to send in a check, but I am greatly relieved to get the papers filled out and on their way. There were a couple of changes this year, and for that reason I had not sent in enough money. But no matter, I am early enough that maybe i can escape the penalty!
This was a rather pleasant day altogether, as we went into town to have my monthly blood test taken, and got to go into Safeway to shop and buy a few frozen dinners for quick meals. The plum trees are all in bloom and the tulip trees are blossoming as well and up and down the highway daffodils and narcissus are popping out. Even though it has been raining most of the week, it was quite warm out.
It is hard to believe that I have been doing tax forms for over sixty years. When we first had to send them in, they were the size of an envelope and had only a couple of lines to fill in. I have kept copies of them in a file cabinet out in the garage and it is sometimes fun to go out and look back all of that time to when I was making ninety-five dollars a month and thought I was well paid! I have always filled them out myself, feeling that they shouldn't be so hard that ordinary people can't do them. I would like to see the country go to a straight tax, but it is not to be.
My husband is prowling around, shutting off lights and checking on the cat, so i had better close and hope all of my readers are well and enjoying good health and cheer. Happy Valentine's day. Keep in touch.

The Big Game

2010-02-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

Here i am, back again. No, I haven't been ill, just lazy. We watched the super-bowl today, quite exciting although I found the commercials to be distracting. The red super-bowl logo that kept flashing up on the screen was particularly annoying. We wanted the Saints to win, though, so we were happy with their victory. When i went to college all those years ago, seventy years actually, it was my assignment to write up the football games for the school paper, and i had a great time after the games extracting the pertinent information from the team members. It was a small college then, all in one building, but now it is a big university and fills several large buildings. It took little effort to be admitted to that little school, as all one needed was the tuition and a place to stay, but now it is quite an accomplishment to pass the entrance exams.
The same is true of Sonoma State University, a huge complex. It too started out as just one building. Now it resembles a city, and not a small one either.
We ate rather late, waiting until the game was over. I just made frozen shrimp, baked potato and small peas. My husband can eat with gusto whatever I put on the table, and I managed to eat a little. Now we are going to watch the movie "Amelia" which should be very good. Take care, and let me hear from you!

An important find.

2010-01-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

I somehow always manage to post my comments under "Anonymous", why I don't know. But it really is me. And I love to read your comments.
Today was a rather memorable day because i found a document I had been looking for, and finding it was quite a relief. We had thrown out a large bundle of old papers, somewhat to my discomfort, but luckily this one had been saved. I am not usually a hoarder, but old tax papers and property documents rather give me pause before i toss them out.
We had a lovely day here today, with a tasty salad and once again a warm wood fire. Now I am sitting here, pondering what the future will bring. I had researched Parkinson's Disease, because i have become so unsteady in my stride, but I can't quite reconcile myself to that fate. It is hard to diagnose, so either way, it will be easy to simply deny its existence and pretend all is well. I walk with a walker and do pretty well.
Take care and keep in touch. I love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We watched the Rose Bowl Parade, quite an impressive sight. Then I watched the football game for awhile, but it failed to hold my interest, so I did the only sensible thing to do on a holiday = I took a nap. Now the swiss steak is simmering on the stove, and we are just lazying around trying to find something to engage our interest. The television set is on, but I am in another room, so I don't know what my husband is watching.
I am reminded of another New Year's day long ago, when I didn't realize that New year's day was a holiday, and took the bus in to San Francisco to go to work! I had worked at newspapers for many years, where we worked all holidays, and never dreamed that for California employees holidays existed. I noticed that the bus was not on its usual schedule, and couldn't help seeing that there were very few people on the sidewalks. When I reached the door of the state building, where i worked, a sign said "closed" and I realized my mistake! There was nothing to do but catch the next bus back home, which I did before my children were up. It was a nice surprise, now that I think of it.
People have wood fires going all up and down our street, legal in our part of the country because so many of the houses only have electric heat, too expensive for heating an entire house. It makes us feel cozy to see the smoke.
Take care and keep in touch.

A messy job

2009-12-30T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today my husband and I did something that no one likes to do - we cleaned out the coils of the refrigerator and pulled it out and cleaned under and behind it. It certainly benefited the refrigerator, but sure made a mess of my kitchen floor. My husband very generously offered to mop the floor for me, but after swiffering it a couple of times, it looked pretty good, so I persuaded him to let it be. It was time to have dinner anyway, and then we were so tired we just cleaned up the dishes and collapsed in front of the TV. It is a fact that many people never clean their refrigerators, leading to totally clogged motors. Ours was making a funny noise, but sounds better now.
We must be doing late fall cleaning, since I have bestirred myself and cleaned out my filing cabinet, burning and throwing out a fairly large box of papers. We threw caution to the wind and threw away all of the real estate documents for both the cabin and a house we once owned in Marin County. A little voice in the back of my head warns me that we might want to look something up sometime and the papers will be gone, but it was a choice we made and it is too late to turn back now.
It has been pretty cold here this week, and we are going through our wood faster than we expected, but boy, does that wood fire feel good. Well, that is all for tonight - keep in touch!

Christmas past

2009-12-25T16:50:00.001-08:00

The peanut butter cookies are out of the oven, the pork chops are braising in the skillet, and I have a little time, so I'll blog a little. This is Christmas Day, bringing back memories of years and years of Christmases. When I was a child, we cut our own trees from the woods behind the house, and decorated them with tinsel and real candles. When the candles were lit, it made a beautiful soft light, somewhat dangerous in case of fire, but lovely, nonetheless. One year my sister accidentally set her hair on fire by getting too close to the tree, but it was quickly put out and she was only singed. The presents were put under the tree in little piles for each recipient, and we all opened our presents early on Christmas morning. I usually got a book, among other things, and spent Christmas Day reading my new book and eating candy. When I was small, the Bobbsey Twins and Honey Bunch were the usual titles, and then when I was older Little Women and Little Men made their appearance. The whole family got to read them, of course, We had a cupboard that held all of the books and comprised a window seat at the living room window. Since we had no radio, no TV, no victrola, we were by necessity constrained to read. I am a voracious reader to this day.
Now evening has come, with darkness outside and our little artificial tree twinkling with its little electric lights and glass ornaments. Across the way I can see my neighbors tree glowing in the darkened living room. I hope all children had wonderful Christmases, and I hope everyone had a bountiful Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas all, and keep in touch.

Everyone needs a grandma

2009-12-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

This little essay was written a few years ago, but I have resurrected it because I still feel the same today as I did then.

Everyone Needs a Grandma

Dear Grandma,

How good you were to me! You spoiled me and praised me and loved me just as I was. You never compared me to anyone else, and always had kind praise for me, no matter what my transgressions were. When I cried because I was afraid of the dark, you took me into your bed and lit the lamp on the night stand and left it lit until I fell asleep.
But you left too soon! I was only ten when you died, and I needed you more than ever when I went into my teens. You would have viewed my escapades with humor and tolerance. When I sneaked out of the house and went for a moonlight swim with the neighbor boys, you would have seen it as the harmless prank that it was. It would not have been the end of the world or a source of gossip and condemnation that followed me down the years until eternity. When I accepted a ride on the ferris wheel with a boy I met at the carnival, you would have known that it was just a harmless act of kindness on his part and a spirit of adventure on mine. He grew up to be a very successful businessman and a pillar of respect in the community. It didn’t ruin my life or lead to a stroll down a disgraceful path, as my beleagured mother predicted.
How I missed you, Grandma. You had ten children and many, many grandchildren, but you made each of us feel special and loved. Never did I hear you say a critical word about anyone. You were the most understanding person I ever met.
You met death in a terrible accident when you were only sixty. Your own mother lived to be 97. If you had only lived to be eighty, I would have been thirty and grownup, and past the turbulent years of my youth. But I was lucky to have had you as long as I did. Everyone needs a grandma!

I am a grandma and even a great-grandma now and I hope I am half as good as my grandma was! Night all and keep in touch.

The Depressed Reindeer

2009-12-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

It's time for a Christmas story, again, so here's one from awhile ago. Hope you all enjoy it.

The Depressed Reindeer

It was two days until Christmas and Santa's big workroom was bustling with activity. The elves were hurrying to finish all of the toys and get them wrapped and loaded on the sleigh. It was warm and cozy in there, and the elves were singing and chattering as they worked. There was a fire in the fireplace and a big-kettle of soup was simmering over the flames. It smelled delicious and with the lamps all aglow it was a happy sight. Mrs. Santa Claus was rocking in her rocking chair, knitting and keeping her eye on the elves.

Everyone was happy except Santa Claus and he was worried. He had a frown on his face and every now and then heaved a big sigh. He paced back and forth and even walked in a circle.

"Whatever is the matter?" demanded Mrs. Santa CIaus.

"You have been moaning and groaning all day. Try to be a little more cheerful. What are you worried about?"

Mrs. Santa Claus liked to concentrate when she was knittIng, but Santa Claus was getting on her nerves. She was waiting for an answer, but she didn't put down her work. Click, clack went her needles and she rocked back and forth slowly, waiting.

Finally Santa spoke. "It's Donder," he said. "He says he is depressed and he doesn't want to go out on Christmas Eve. He says he is too tired and he Just can't make It."

Mrs. Santa Claus was so shocked she dropped several stitches and had to rip out the whole row. "That big baby." she said. "Who does he think he is? We all get tired but there are some things a person just has to do."

Mrs. Santa Claus put down her knitting, put on her shawl and walked down the path to the barn. The snow was piled high on each side of the path and it sparkled in the sun. The air was crisp and cold. She went into the barn.

It as warm and oozy in there too. Mrs. Santa Claus looked around and counted the reindeer. All nine were in the barn and some of them were eating and some were sleeping, but Donder stood all alone in a corner. He had his head down and his eyes closed. Mrs. Santa got the bottle of reindeer tonic and tried to give him a tablespoon to perk him up but he wouldn't swallow it and let it dribble out of the side of his mouth. She tried giving him some of his favorite food, dried moss, but he just closed his mouth and wouldn't take even a single bite.

Mrs. Santa Claus was so irritated with him that she felt like giving him a good clout or yanking his tail. "I give up, " she said. "You just stand there and pout. See if anyone cares. You should be ashamed of yourself."

She told Santa she had tried but it was no use. He wasn't going to go.
"I know," said Santa. "I'll just have to think about it and see what I can do."

That night Santa and Mrs. Santa Claus went to bed in their big feather bed but they oouldn't sleep. Mrs. Santa Claus tossed and turned and her hair came out of her bun and got tangled all over the pillow. Santa Claus paced back and forth. Finally he went back to bed and at last they both fell asleep. And as so often happens, while Santa was sleeping he had an idea. He knew just what to do.

In the morning after they had eaten their breakfast he went out to talk to Donder again. "You won't have to go this year," he said. "Rudolph can take your place. If it is not foggy he can pull the sleigh for you. You can stay home and rest."

Now Donder was depressed but he had a temper too. And he had always been jealous of Rudolph because he had a red nose and would go-down in history. He stamped his feet and tossed his antlers. He snorted and switched his tail. "I have always had the spot right in front of the sleigh," he said. "How will It look if Rudolph is back there with his big red nose glowing all over the place? I don't care how tired I am, I am going to go and no one can stop me!"

Santa Claus smiled under his bushy beard. He turned his head away so Donder couldn't see how relieved he was." I knew I could count on you," he said. "Get some rest. It is going to be a busy day tomorrow and a long ride tomorrow night."

When Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus went to bed that night they slept soundly. Everything-was going-to be all right.
Bye for now - keep in touch!

No news is good news.

2009-12-05T22:39:00.000-08:00

Another week gone by already. i had intended to do better than this, but time goes so fast, and life is so tranquil that I really have no dramatic news to impart. We have been watching Turner Classic Movies in the evenings, which passes the time pleasantly and I have some forms to fill out, which will keep me busy for an hour or two. My firm resolve to try new menus has not deserted me, but for tonight we had macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, hardly an imaginative feast. My chili and stew that I made on Thursday and Friday were very successful, though. Luckily for me, my husband will eat just about anything.
We are expecting some heavy rain, supposed to start tonight, so we have brought in some wood for the wood stove and are prepared for an electric power outage if one comes. We have a nice supply of candles and will ride out the storm if it comes.
We expect a wet winter this year.
Will try to be more interesting next blog. Take care and keep in touch.

A busy week

2009-11-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

This has been an eventful week, with Thanksgiving, a visit from a visiting veterinarian and the delivery of a doll bed for Angel for Christmas. The little vet was very thorough, examining my old cat from head to tail, palpating her abdomen and peering down her mouth and throat. Look as she did, she found not one thing amiss and congratulated me on having such a healthy, although ancient, cat. i had been prepared to have her put down if there was anything seriously wrong, but she will be with us longer, I am sure.
But now to the doll bed. Putting it together reminded me of a doll house we purchased for my daughter fifty years ago. The wretched thing was made of tin or aluminum and had little tabs that had to be bent over to hold the thing together. We worked on it until midnight on Christmas Eve, and it never really held together. By the time it was finished, none of us were speaking to each other. The doll bed was easier, but when it was all assembled, my husband found a ittle hole in the headboard that seemed to have some function, and being a perfectionist, he dismantled the thing and put it together all over again. This time the hole was in the foot board, and we decided it was simply because the two pieces were interchangeable and so we left it as it was. The doll that was supposed to sleep in it hasn't come yet.
We took a rather long walk today, coming back slowly but with little pain. I had my walker and stopped and rested from time to time.
Time marches on. Almost time to bake the Christmas cookies. Bye and take care.

A coincidence

2009-11-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

I had a most interesting experience yesterday, quite a coincidence, actually. I had called customer service for ToysR Us to place an order for a gift for my little great-granddaughter for Christmas, and out of all of the hundreds of calls that must have gone to that particular number, I was answered by a young man who had grown up in my home town and was going to college at my old Alma Mater. We chatted awhile, and both of us were amused by how small the world is, after all. He, being only eighteen, and I, being 87, naturally did not know one another. I left my home when I was seventeen, long before he was born. He had a mid-western accent and was most pleasant and polite.
Our conversation led to a whole train of thought, as I remembered the college, just a one building, two year institution, and now a big university. I never liked high school but enjoyed my college experience tremendously. I continued taking college classes now and then, and finally graduated when I was 65. Better late than never!
My husband brought home a spice pumpkin to make Thankdgiving pie, and I am going to have a new experience baking a pumpkin pie from scratch. I have always used canned pumpkin in the past, but I will try anything once.
As usual, it is late evening and I must close. bye and keep in touch.

Keeping it neat

2009-11-21T22:47:00.000-08:00

I emptied out a drawer containing a jumble of documents and noted once again that Filing is not one of my strong points. I was often prodded by supervisors of one kind or another to be more orderly with my papers, but the inclination just wasn't there. I suppose it is too late to worry about it now.
My husband, on the other hand, is the model of neatness. His socks are not only rolled into balls and tucked away in neat rows, but they are sorted as to color and usage. His underwear drawers are perfection itself. His twelve sweaters are neatly folded and placed in their drawers and his closet is a wonder to behold. He often opens the drawers and gazes into the contents just to be sure nothing has been disturbed.
I suppose in his way he is in the grip of OCD, just as i am when I check the stove and sink and doors to make sure that all is in order. It is a source of satisfaction to him to be neat, and he feels a sort of pain when he opens the drawers of my bureau and observes the clutter contained therein. I keep the house in order, on the surface, but what is out of sight is out of mind.
What childhood training led us to where we are today? My husband was raised by a dear little woman who was the most untidy person I ever knew. The moment she entered her house she began tossing things onto the table, the chairs, the floor - nothing was ever put away. I, on the other hand, was trained carefully to keep my drawers in order, but being the rebel that I am, I never did it. My sister, obedient to the core, left hers in impeccable order.
Sometimes, however, it becomes necessary to make order out of chaos, and that is what I did today. I now know exactly what is in that drawer, and when income tax time comes around, I will be ready.
Midnight approaches. Keep in touch. Bye

trying new recipes

2009-11-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

True to my resolve, I prepared a new recipe for dinner tonight, an exotic marinated flank steak. It had to be rolled up and marinated overnight, and broiled for a couple of minutes on both sides. I actually liked it. It was spicy and tender and cooked just right. The meal I prepared for Thursday can best be forgotten. Suffice it to say that I will never prepare it again. Tomorrow night i will make an old favorite - salmon puffs. Easy to make and i have all of the ingredients in my cupboard.
My husband loves telephones. We have one in each room in the house, two modern walk-around ones, two old touch-tone ones and one really old one with the circular dial. When they ring, whichever one of us is feeling most energetic will lunge to the nearest one to answer. Sometimes I remember back to the days when we had one telephone mounted on the wall, on a party line, and the phone would ring in a kind of code so the correct person would answer. Then the other people on the line could listen in and chime in with comments and advice if they wished to do so. When my Grandma's signal came on, I think everyone listened. Grandma was a source of advice, comfort, medical knowledge and encouragement. I never knew her to criticize or hurt anyone purposely. She was the soul of kindness.
I wonder what people will remember about me when I am no longer around? I propose to write my own obituary but I want to wait awhile longer to see if anything noteworthy happens. Who knows? I might win the lottery!
Well, time marches on.Time to push the button on the dishwasher and listen to the soothing sound of the dishes being washed and dried. Thank God for modern conveniences. Bye, keep in touch

Moving furniture

2009-11-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

Every now and then, I am seized with an almost irresistible urge to move the furniture around in my house. I, of course, would like to drag out all of the old furniture and replace it with new, but that is not in the plans at the moment. So today I yielded to the impulse and moved the little TV set out of the bedroom and installed it in the living room. To make room for the TV set I had to move an end table and a desk. I did this myself, as my husband reacts to change as do most husbands - with negativity and grumbling. I did it all while he was working in the garage, but when it came time to hook the TV to the cable, I was unsure of myself, and had to call him in. Since the furniture was already in place, he graciously hooked the cable up, and I now have a comfortable spot to sit in front of the fire and watch my favorite programs. We switched phones around, as well, but that is no big deal.
We are getting a little restless to travel around a little, but have no plans as of now. I think it is the approach of Christmas that is getting to us. Is it possible that another year has come and gone? Thank goodness we have pledged to not exchange gifts this year! We will make cookies, however.
Well bye and keep in touch.

A lovely day

2009-11-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

To my delight I had a comment on my last blog. I tried to answer, but my computer tripped me up, so i will thank my correspondent here. I love to hear from all of you, it motivates me to keep writing.
I had a most delightful day today, having lunch with old friends with whom I had formed a lasting bond over many years. There were twelve or so of us and the food was delicious and the conversation warm and stimulating. We used to meet once a week to share our writings and musings and when the group could no langer meet together, we all felt the loss. We shared our most cherished memories and laughed and cried together.
The memorial for the fallen soldiers was toucing and memorable, but it brought to mind a funeral procession i watched at the Presideo in San Francisco many years ago. I was waiting for a bus, when coming down the street I heard the muffled beat of drums and the slow cadence of marching feet. It was a cadre of soldiers, bearing a single casket on a sort of gurney. There were no mourners. No music playeed and no flag draped the coffin. But there was something ineffably sad about this soldier, going alone and unmourned to his resting place. Would someone say a prayer over his grave? I have thought about that lonely spot many times and call to mind the famous gravestone in the cemetery where a little drummer boy rests:
Sleep on, brave Tommy and take Thy rest,
God took thee home when he thought best.
My Great-Great-Great Grandpa Levi was a drummer in the Revolutionary war, but that is another story. Keep in touch and take care. Bye

Another Day

2009-11-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

I had intended to be more productive with my blogging, but laziness has set in, along with the events of the past couple of days, which kept me glued to the television. I am referring to the horrible massacre at Fort Hood, and the one in Florida at the office building. The fact that the camera takes us right to the scene makes it even more horrifying. It seems that all we see anymore are mass murders, suicide bombings and massacres. What has become of the world? A commentator noted that these events don't occur in Norway, Sweden or the Netherlands. Our cities are places of horror, with innocent people being gunned down on the streets every day. Even in our isolated little community, violence takes place, though not nearly as often. Maybe it's time for me to become a recluse, and rely on books and book tapes for amusement.
How am I doing with my new recipes? I made a very good chicken and wine dish a couple of days ago, and last night served up a very good Swiss steak. Tonight we are having left-overs, not my favorite meal but it must be done. Luckily for me, my husband will eat just about anything!
We are having a very light rain here today, with the thermometer on the tree outside the window reading 45. It doesn't seem that chilly when i step out onto the deck, but our old cat went outside for only a moment and came scooting back in a hurry. She is over 25 and beginning to slow down. But like the battery in the advertisement, she keeps going and going.
Well, keep in touch. Bye.

A long time ago

2009-10-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

True to my resolve, I tried out a new recipe, and to my great gratification, it turned out well. It was listed as salmon puff, and was easy to prepare and tasted good. I have a pile of recipe books, so I should be able to keep this up for a long time.
Today passed very pleasantly, warm and sunny outside, with the hummingbirds darting back and forth just outside the window in the family room.
I chanced upon a video display of Janis Joplin singing some of her songs, and it reminded me that she died 39 years ago, so many of my readers probably had not been born when she was with us. She lived just down the street from my house when we were living in Larkspur, California and my husband delivered her mail. She worked hard at being outrageous but at heart she was just an insecure, although talented, young woman. Unfortunately, she threw away her life on drugs and died alone and lonely.
Oh, the times I have seen. I remember when Charles Lindbergh used to ride his motorcycle past our house, on his way to the University of Wisconsin, and the excitement when he flew his plane across the ocean to France. We all listened to the radio when his baby was kidnapped and killed, and when the "trial of the century" took place. I have lived through wars and droughts and depressions and earthquakes and floods. Changes are taking place even today that are life-changing. i hope I have still more time to watch the passage of events and am able to understand and appreciate them. I have been lucky!

A new recipe and a short walk

2009-10-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Cold weather is coming. When we pulled up the blinds this morning, the windows were all fogged over. It's time to get out the dehumidifier and get it going. It does a good job of drying out the air which does hold a lot of moisture from cooking and showers, and so on. During warm weather it doesn't make any difference, of course.
I have resolved to try out a new recipe at least every other day. Today i made Apple Crisp, a super easy recipe that turned out very well. It satisfied my sweet tooth and contained fresh apples, of which we have a plentiful supply. These are from our own apple tree, much better than the ones we get from the store.
My husband and I meandered down my neighbor's lane to where several tractors are leveling off a portion of the hillside to make a parking space, I suppose. We hadn't been down that way for awhile, and I must confess the walk was a little hard on me. By the time we got back home, i was dizzy and had to rest and drink orange juice to revive myself. This doesn't happen too often, but I always recover. Ha,ha! One never knows.
The house we passed on our walk is empty, with the owner coming up only about once in six months. It sits there, windows covered over and leaves and debris littering the deck and walkway. It was for sale for awhile, but no one even made an offer. Actually. it is quite attractive inside, and is on a huge piece of land. Houses in our neighborhood simply aren't selling, like everywhere else. We thank our lucky stars that we are secure here in our little house.
More soon. Bye and keep in touch.

Recipes

2009-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Last night's blog set me to thinking of my great-aunt Johanna, who never married and spent most of her life taking care of various family members. She had a beautiful sister, my great-aunt Kate, who was married to a very wealthy Chicago businessman and disgraced the family by running off with the family chauffeur. Although her husband searched high and low for her and even advertised in the papers, she never returned and Aunt Johanna was left as the only caretaker for my mother and her sisters and brother. Pictures of Aunt Johanna show her to be a plain, even homely woman of middle age but I think she was very kind to the motherless children. My mother grew up to be a wonderful cook, a skill she must have learned from Aunt Johanna.
As I type this, I have in the oven a dish referred to as a chicken hot-dish. It is the first time I have tried this particular recipe and I do hope we can eat it. I did not inherit my mother's cooking skills and have to struggle along as best I can. I have several cookbooks, some quite expensive, but I still have as many failures as successes.
We are somewhat isolated here, but as I sit here I can see across the way to the house where the twelve foster children live and it cheers my heart to think of all of them gathered around the table eating dinner, or playing board games. They are remarkably well-behaved children, and range in ages from about three to nineteen or twenty. The house is built in two stories and there are lights in all the windows. up and down.
Well, time is flying by. Please keep in touch.

Gather ye roses

2009-10-26T23:40:00.000-07:00

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

This poem was written long ago, and came down to us as a nursery rhymn. It reminds us that the age of thirty used to be the cut-off point beyond which a maiden was considered to be a hopeless old maid. Girls were often motivated to marry, not for love but to save themselves from a disgraceful state of spinsterhood. We may all be thankful that those days are over.
But back to the present. Today was shopping day, so we stocked up on Hallowe'n candy and verious other supplies to keep us in groderies for the week. We had leftovers for dinner again, and watched "dancing with the stars" for awhile. How they keep from dislocating their lege and arms I will never know.
It is now midnight. Night all. Keep iin touch.

A tamale pie

2009-10-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

I must be doing better - I tried out a new recipe for dinner - tamale pie, and hope it turns out well. It is at this moment in the oven and looks rather promising. I am little by little teaching my husband how to cook, and he is embracing the concept enthusiastically. It is all part of my new lifestyle which I am planning for the future, in which I no longer shoulder responsibilities and let others make decisions. I am looking forward to the day when i can consider myself a placid old lady and let my husband do the worrying. That would be quite a switch, but not impossible.
We have the option of going to Yountville to the veterans home where everything is furnished, food, lodging, medical care, entertainment - all for a minimal sum each month. We visited it once and felt that we would vegetate there and last maybe a couple of weeks before we fled screaming out into the world of the living again. The rooms are small, with just room for a bed and wardrobe and maybe a computer. There is a community room where there is a TV and a table or two for board games or jigsaw puzzles. Meals are taken in a large dining room, and are reputed to be nothing to brag about. We came home grateful for our little house where we are free to do as we please and eat what we want. Some people do adjust and live there for years and years but I don't think it is the answer for us.
Keep in touch - I like to hear from you.

Gather ye roses

2009-10-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

Things are moving along! The new well is in and producing water, we have our winter's supply of wood in the garage, and I am feeling much better. The weather has been very pleasant and the maple trees are in glorious color. I am reminded of an old poem that begins "Gather ye roses while ye may " which rather expresses my sentiments for this period of time. "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think." Consider that I usually gaze out at the world through dark glasses, this is a new mood for me. Could it be that my mind-altering exercises are bearing fruit? Wouldn't that be pleasant"
We ate left-over chicken soup for dinner, and will have cookies for dessert later. Unless my husband makes pudding or something equally tasty. Now that Dr. Oz has proclaimed chocolate to be good for us, I no longer have to feel guilty when I eat it. He also urges us to eat sardines!
Well, I shall go and watch Mash on TV and catch Dr.. Oz at eight. Take care and keep in touch.

Dr. Oz

2009-10-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

We have been watching a TV program called "Dr. Oz" which is very interesting. He extols the virtues of health-promoting foods, like sardines and dandelion greens, demonstrates exercises and encourages obese people to lose weight. Last night he featured a woman who lost 150 pounds and looked fabulous. Here in our time zone it comes on at 8 on channel 6.
I have been practising (or trying to practice) mind control. Since I am a worrier and obsessive compulsive, it makes sense that I could direct my thoughts into constructive channels. Since I have only now started this endeavor, I have no idea if it will help or not. I have my OCD under control pretty well, and no longer have to get up in the middle of the night to check on the water, heaters and doors. I check them before going to bed and that is it. That in itself is quite an accomplishment.
Flu has come to our little neighborhood, and I am glad I went and got the shot. One whole family is down with it.. Further up the street, the children have been found to have lice, which is an inconvenience but not as serious.
Well, maybe my blogs will become a kind of day-to-day journal that my descendants will read. I hope so. Bye for now.

I get the flu shot.

2009-10-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Off I went today to get my flu shot, not a big deal really as they were being given at the Safeway store in a nearby town. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all, and was paid for by Medicare. I had expected a line of people, but there were only two of us there, myself and a little old lady of 89. She was so lively and perky that I thought she was much younger. Then a stop at the mercantile store, crammed with every kind of article a person could wish for. Then back home, and a nice nap while my husband washed the windows.
Can it really be that Halloween is coming next week? We only get about twenty children each year, but it's fun to see their smiling faces. We still give out candy, though that practice is rather frowned upon these days.
Am I back to blogging again? I hope so. Take care and keep in touch.

thirteen steps

2009-10-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Steps

My house sits atop a little hill, with a long stretch of forest leading down to a little stream. To get down to the bottom, one must wander down a little twisting path through redwoods and bracken. For the first time in three years, I walked down that little path yesterday and revisited scenes of the past.
Today I decide to repeat the experience.
To walk where I walk, one must carefully descend thirteen shallow steps of wood and gravel, holding carefully to a hand rail for balance. To the left, still blooming here and there, is a thicket of rambling roses, carefully tended by my husband. I stop to pull out a long strand of periwinkle which has entwined
itself into the bushes, and remember when we planted them so many years ago. We had no idea that they would grow so densely and so tall. To my right is another rose garden, and several rose trees still blooming.
But I have now reached the end of the steps, and I stand on a little flat area carpeted with dichondra and bordered by tall hydrangeas. Once upon a time we used it for a circular meditation walk, and I now circle it a couple of times, murmuring “Hari Om, Hari Om” softly to myself. But I still have a way to go.
The path turns to the right here, and becomes steeper and harder to traverse. Blackberry bushes have grown across the path and I have to be careful not to trip over them. Strands of spider webs brush across my face, and mosquitoes have discovered my presence. Over my head a squirrel chatters and blue jays squawk and hop from limb to limb of the redwood trees. I reach the wooden bench at the side of the path and decide to rest there and go the rest of the way another day.
As I sit there in the sun, I feel calm and rested. The air is warm and a little breeze stirs the branches of the trees. Myriads of insects are buzzing around and if I listen I can hear the barking of a dog in the distance and the answering bark of another off in the hills across the stream.
We had a dog once. She was a little Samoyed and we dearly loved her. She is buried in the pet graveyard just behind the bench where I am sitting, along with a couple of cats, a little canary and two pheasants. The pheasants were not pets. But they have a little plot in the graveyard nevertheless. I suppose there are more pets there, but I have forgotten now.
Just below the bench is the filled-in entrance to a mine shaft, rumored to be an old cinnabar mine. We were told that it was filled in to prevent children from crawling in and being injured or trapped by falling boulders. The story may or may not be true. It makes for a good tale, and I suppose we will never know the true story.
I sit so quietly that I begin to daydream. I am almost in a meditation mode, and my mind goes back to the old days when I used to attend the meditation seminars and study under Swami Chinmayananda at summer camps. Perhaps I fall asleep there in the sun, because I feel his presence beside me on the bench. “Swamiji,” someone asked him once. “Will you come back after you have passed on?” He laughed for a moment, slapping his thigh with his hand and jiggling his bare foot. “How should I know? Ask me that after I am dead.”
Was this his answer? Had he come back to me now after all of these years? I am struggling for an answer when a call from above rouses me from my reverie. “Lunch is on the table.” I struggle back up the path, leaving behind the ghostly presence of my long-ago guru.

Glad to be back

2009-10-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

Aha! At last! I am back at my blog spot. It has been a long time. We finally pulled my computer out into the living room where it is more comfortable to work, and i can keep an eye on my cooking and so on. I can keep an eye out on all of the activities going on out in the street, and the humming birds at the feeder, and in general feel more a part of things. I celebrated my 87th birthday on the 25th of September, with a nice family party and fun with my wonderful little great-grandchild who is almost two, and going through new phases of develoopment on a daily basis. I wish I had known all the basics of child-raising when my children were babies. Actually, I wish I knew them now! It's a day-to-day process for us all.
I am continuing to improve in my walking ability, and can march around the house without even a cane, though I use one outside. Please welcome me back and keep in touch. I always love to hear from all of you.

A rare event

2009-09-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hooray! i got onto my blogsite again! No doubt about, I could use a new computer. But could I learn to use it? That is the question!
We had some exciting weather a night or so ago, with a fierce lightning and thunder storm. It crackled across the sky, waking everyone up and starting small fires. This a rare occurence here in our part of the country, and brought back memories of storms in the midwest where I grew up. Although we have earthquakes here, we don't have the tornados, blizzards and flooding to contend with. Actually, I rather enjoyed the storm.
Otherwise, things have been very quiet. I am walking pretty well, with the help of a walker, and will probably walk a block or two this afternoon. In a couple of weeks, I will be eighty-seven years old. Time has flown by, and I am fortunate that my memory has remained clear. And doubly fortunate that we live in this beautiful spot. At one time, I wrote the story of my life. Maybe I will put some of it on my blog. But bye for now. Keep in touch.

In action again

2009-09-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

Hi! Thanks, Anonymous, for your kind thoughts. i have indeed been a little distracted, maybe even a little depressed. And when I tried to respond with a comment of my own, my computer demanded that I register again. So i will just enter a new blog.
I am almost tempted to get myself a laptop computer, as this old one of mine is acting up and is just about ready for replacement.
We are enjoying my favorite time of year - warm weather and fronds falling from the redwoods, and the humming birds zooming in to drink from the feeder. yesterday one of them flew into something, and fell senseless to the decking, but after awhile, it regained consciousness and flew away.
On September First, I fell backward down into my family room, and was somewhat lame for awhile, but I am getting around very well now, so all is going well. I am going to get back on the track - I promise. Good-night and keep in touch.

I spilled coffee on the rug

2009-08-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

Guess who dribbled coffee onto the clean rug? You guessed it - I did! But I moved fast and got it up with a damp rag. Of course, we have to walk on it and I know that sooner or later it will get walked on with muddy shoes, it simply can't be helped. We are enjoying its pristine appearance while it lasts.
Lovely warm weather up here this week. The cat flakes out on the deck in the sun, and the hummingbirds bombard each other, competing for the sugar water in the feeder. We can't believe how fast time is flying by. In no time at all, it will be time for the family reunion again, and in a way, I wish I could go. I will hear all about it from other members of the family who attend, and am looking forward to getting some pictures of the event. They all seem to have a good time there.
I got a notice in the mail telling about a town meeting in Larkspur concerning the Alexander Street bridge which is just a block from the house on Magnolia Avenue. I hope that they are able to repair it, rather than replace it. Generations of kids have played under it and walked over it, it would be a shame to demolish it.
Well, no momentous news today. I am walking better again and hope to soon get around with just my canes. All is well, good night all. Keep in touch.

A busy day

2009-08-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

Well, we did another chore today - quite an arduous one, actually. We steam cleaned the carpet in the family room. We just bought a hoover steam cleaneer, and thought we could probably finish the job in a couple of hours, but it was far dirtier than we thought. But it looks just like new now. The owners manual says to go over it again with plain water to get all of the soap off, so tomorrow we will do that. It will be a lot easier than today's work, though. I couldn't do much of the hard work but I helped my husband fill the tank and empty out the dirty water, Glad that job is done.
It is 1:30 in the morning. I watched a Turner Classic movie, and am now ready to retire. Good night all. Keep in touch.

I sleep late.

2009-08-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hi All! This morning I did something I have wanted to do all of my life - I stayed in bed until noon. I didn't sleep until noon, as i am not a good sleeper, but I didn't rise until noon. I drifted in and out of sleep and had some very vivid dreams about everything, most pleasant little interludes. Only when I smelled the fresh coffee my husband had made did I rise and find my way out to the kitchen. Maybe i will do this again - this could be a whole new way of life.
We are waiting for our electrician to come and attach a toggle switch to our hot water heater so we can shut it off during the peak hours of use, to save money on our electric bill, which has been ruinously high. Every so often we go on a savings spree, and try mightily to pare our expenses down to the minimum. We concentrate our efforts for about three days and then we relapse into our old ways. It does us good, we have always had a reckless attitude about money, anyway. But like I am fond of saying "You can't take it with you." (To which my husband responds, "Then I'm not going.") Like everything else, we never see eye to eye on any subject.
Anyway, life is going smoothly. We had a wonderful visit from my brother and my neice and hope we can get together sometime for a longer visit. October is a wonderful time here, with the wineries open for visiting and the leaves at their prettiest. We'll see, maybe we can lure them out here again. Bye! Keep in touch.

The luncheon

2009-07-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

We had a fun day today, going to the salad luncheon put on by the ladies guild of St. Coleman's church. Since each of the dishes was a specialty of the contributor, we got to sample some very delicious food. Then there was the usual bingo games and the drawing of tickets for prizes. I won four fragrant candles and my husband won a hot pad for when he barbecues. We saw many faces we haven't seen for a long time, and all in all, had a fine time.
We are trying to follow the instructions of our doctor, but I am very much afraid my husband has broken the admonition to cease snacking. As soon as we got home from the luncheon he was at the cupboard to get cookies and milk. He couldn't possibly have been hungry - it is just habit.
Well, anyway, that is what we did today. Good night and keep in touch.

Dr. Gong

2009-07-24T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hi. I tried to get on twitter, but without success. I will have to research a little more, i guess. I must have punched in the wrong information somehow.
We went into town for our meeting with our new doctor, Dr. Gong, and found him to be affable and thorough. His advice to me was to "walk, walk, walk" and to eat more, and my husband was advised to give up his late night snacks, and stop worrying about his cholesterol, which is perfect. We both had blood tests made and will have a follow up in another month. We got a ride with one of the volunteer drivers, a jolly and chatty fellow from England. He happily waited for us to be finished, a matter of three hours, and then brought us home. Altogether a profitable day.
I said we were finished with household chores, but I forgot that we should clean the rug in the family room. It is getting on my nerves and since Judy has a steam cleaner, there is really no excuse for letting it go. That will be next.
Midnight draws near - good night and keep in touch.

Another family project.

2009-07-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

How time flies by. I had resolved to keep up with my blogging, but here it is, a week later, and i still haven't written a word. Of course, my life is so quiet and uneventful that I don't have much to write.
We did bestir ourselves yesterday, and emptied out our hot water heater and put in a new heating element, which turned out to be quite a task. For some reason, any time we attempt any kind of plumbing job, we turn into maniacs, arguing about what steps to take, calling each other names, and threatening all kinds of physical damage to each other. I have known plumbers who could cheerfully tackle the most odious of tasks. even singing a little ditty while cleaning out a clogged toilet or jammed garbage disposal. One plumber i know traded flirtatious repartee with female guests at a Thanksgiving dinner while clearing the kitchen sink and unclogging the drain. Not so with my husband and myself. We transform into snarling beasts.
The day started out in a tranquil fashion. My husband rose at 7:30 and attached the garden hose to the drainage faucet, as per instructions from the owners manual. He turned off the power, shut off the cold water line into the heater, and opened the faucet. A few drops trickled from the end of the hose. Then nothing at all. When I arose at 9:00 he was muttering to himself, shaking the hose, and shutting off and reopening the faucet. It had completely clogged up with lime deposit and there was no way to reopen it. After a few pithy remarks to each other, I sneaked off and called the help line for some advice. The technician was most helpful, advising me that there was no way to dislodge the lime buildup except by taking off the hose, jamming a thin piece of wire up into the faucet and wiggling it around until we have the line unclogged. I reported this information to my husband, and he reluctantly tried the system, with no result. Finally, to make a long story short, we took the faucet off and a stream of water shot out of the hole, reaching out to the edge of the patio, and allowing us to empty the tank. This could not have been done if the heater had been installed inside the house, but luckily it worked for us. After the tank was empty, we installed a new heating element, and the job was done, seven hours after it had been started. Of course, we immediately forgot all of the rude things we had said to each other, and were inordinately proud of ourselves for completing another task.
Why don't we simply call in a professional to do these things? I wish I knew. Anyway, that is the latest from our household. We have no more projects planned. It's going to be a slow, lazy summer. Take care, keep in touch.

Not much happening

2009-07-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Aha! Here I am again. Nothing too exciting happened today. My husband and I are listening to a book disc titled "Blood From a Stone" but I am afraid I am a little too restless to listen for hours as he can, so I sneaked off to my computer and will join him again later. His power of concentration is better than mine.
He just stuck his head in the door of my room and said "It's getting exciting." Maybe I better join him and get in on the action. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

A trip into the past

2009-07-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness, I can type again. With difficulty, it is true, but i can do it, neverthless. I have just about recovered from my last fall, and the last of the bruise marks are slowly fading. Believe me, i walk carefully now!
Yesterday we took a lovely little day trip to the beautiful city of Petaluma, where we took a walking tour of many Victorian houses, some restored and some just as they were when they were built in the 1860's. The yards were gorgeous, with roses, hydrangeas, dahlias and many other varieties of flowers in full bloom. I rode in style in my wheelchair, pushed by my husband. A visit to the museum completed a very enjoyable day.
My husband and I declared a moratorium on TV but being of weak will, it is back on again. We simply could not stand any more coverage of Michael Jackson's death and the programs we have been watching are mostly reruns. He has an old American Classic movie on, but I retired to my computer. I promise, i will try to keep up my blogging more frequently, it is supposed to be a sort of journal of my life. So take care, I like to think of all of you reading my efforts, good or bad, and thinking of me.

Any excuse is better than none

2009-06-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have prepared no essay or memoir today. The reason will be apparent after you hear my story of our activities this morning. To that end I will present a little drama.

Scene one:

Husband, sitting in front of wall heater in family room, speaks .
“Look at this! I’m going to have to take this thing apart. It’s full of hair and dirt!”
Wife looks but does not reply.
Husband: “I told you this heater was a piece of s---t. Look how the screws are set into the inner frame. There’s not one set in straight.”
Wife looks but does not reply.
Husband dismantles the heater, which is indeed full of cat hairs and dust. In taking out the screws husband drops one which falls down behind the wall paneling and cannot be retrieved.
Husband: “Go out to the tool room and find one that matches the others. Be sure it will fit.”
Wife goes but does not reply.
Wife returns,
Husband, looking at the screw: “ You brought a wood screw. These are metal screws. See if you can find a metal one. Make sure it fits.”
Wife goes back out and returns with screw that will fit.

Scene two:
Husband : “Well, I got it cleaned out. Let’s put the @#%#@ thing together again.”
Husband tries to fit the heating element into the wall bracket, has trouble and drops it onto the floor.
Husband: “How much did we pay for this heater anyway?”
Wife: “Four hundred dollars.”
Husband: “ We got gypped. It’s not worth it. Who did we buy it from anyway?”
Wife: “I’ll have to look it up. Do you need to know now?”
Husband: “Of course I don’t need to know now. “
Wife: “Then why did you ask?”

And so it went for another hour or so. We finally got the thing back together, and that is why I have nothing written for today's blog.

The time my father went to prison

2009-06-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, it wasn't prison, exactly. It was a little jail down in the basement of the courthouse. It consisted of two small cells and a little bathroom. If a prisoner wanted to go to the bathroom, he had to summon the guard, who let him out and locked him back in when he was done. The sheriff's wife brought in three meals a day, and the beds weren't bad. Things could have been worse.

My father was incarcerated for killing a deer. Times were hard, deer were plentiful and many a man supplemented his food supply with an illegally killed buck. It was illegal because there was a law which prohibited killing a deer except during deer season, between November 10 and November 30. But the deer were a nuisance, eating the corn crop and trampling around in the potato patch and who could blame a man for protecting his crops?

As a little background history, the law had been in effect only about five years. The game warden knew how it was, and looked the other way if he was forced by circumstances to acknowledge that a deer had been killed. It was rumored that he himself was partial to venison, and didn't look askance on the gift of a chunk of deer meat once in awhile.

Then a new game warden roared into town, and all was changed. First he got old Gus Martin, caught carrying a deer out of the woods. The deer was all dressed out and ready to cut into portions. Into the bed of the warden's truck it went, and Gus was given a choice. Pay the hundred dollar fine, or go to the pokey. Gus paid. Then old Mr. Collins was nabbed, and not having any money for the fine, off he went to jail. He pled guilty, and was given a sentence of ten days, but the poor old man was so sick that they took him back home.

My father was of sterner stuff. When the game warden came upon him skinning out a deer, he was polite but held his ground. The warden sneaked up on him and accosted him with a demand to hand over his gun.

"Can't do that," said my father. "My gun's back at the house. I shot the deer from the back door. This is my property and the deer was in the corn field. I had to kill it. It was ruining the crop."

"Are you saying you are refusing to pay the fine? You pay a hundred dollars and turn over the deer. It's the only sensible thing to do. Then we forget all about it. It will never go on your record."

Such chiccanery went against the grain in more ways than one. My father dug in his heels and opted for the hard road.

"Let me tell my wife, and get some clean clothes." he said. "The hired hand will take care of the stock. You can put me in jail if you want to. I demand a triaL"

The game warden was in a hard place. He wanted the hundred dollars and he definitely did not want a trial. Most of the jury would be deer hunters themselves, and would let my father off. Besides, it was expensive to hold a trial, and it would further run up the bill if they had to keep someone in jail, eating free meals and laying around reading books and magazines. But he had no choice. Off they went to tell my mother and take the thirty mile trip up to the county seat. The deer was left in the woods and I suppose some neighbor came and got it.

It caused quite a stir. My aunt, who lived not far from the jail, heard about it by way of a phone call from my Uncle Juel, and rushed over with a tin of homemade soup and the wherewithal to bail him out. She cried, pledged her help, and they had a nice visit together. My father announced his satisfaction with the accommodations and said he and his cellmate were getting along fine.

"This is just like home," he announced. "the food is great and i have a couple of good magazines, and I've learned a couple of card games. I'll stay here. You could call old Bob LaFollette for me, though. I'm going to trial and he'll represent me."

Bob LaFollette was a former member of the Legislature and a great friend of my grandpa. He accepted the case pro bono and wasted no time. He had a plan and thought the prospects of an acquittal were good.

Trial was set in a speedy fashion, as it cost money to keep a man in jail. It cost money to have a trial, too, and the parties involved in the mattef were all aware of that. So the trial would commence in just a couple of days.

Friends and relatives flocked to see the big event. My sister and I went up with a neighbor, wearing our new flowered dresses with the cape sleeves. My mother didn't go, but my Aunt Emma, she of the soft heart, came. My sister and my Aunt Emma both cried. I thought it was a great adventure.

This took place in the darkest days of the depression, around 1936 or so, and the courtroom was a shabby, dusty room with benches for the spectators. My father was sitting in a chair next to the judge's bench, wearing a clean pair of overalls and a white shirt. I remember that there was a young district attorney, wearing a cheap suit. The judge looked around and then tapped his pencil on his desk and looked at the wall clock and sighed. My father's attorney was nowhere in sight. "Well, Mr. Pettis, are you representing yourself or what? Where is your counsellor?"

At that moment, there was a bustle at the door, and old Bob LaFollette hustled in. He was rumpled and perspiring, and his bushy hair stood up all over his head. "Sorry, your honor," he wheezed. "We are ready to proceed."
No time was wasted. "How does your client plead?" The judge asked the attorney.
"Not guilty, on account of extenuating circumstances, your honor." "What extenuating circumstances?"
"The deer was threatening my client's corn crop. Not to mention the garden and the potato field. He did the only thing he could do, your honor. He shot it and freely admits to the fact."

"What happened to the deer?" this was a valid question and I had been wondering about it myself. "We have no idea, your honor," answered old Bob, and he smiled at the jury.

Clearly, my father had broken the law. It was in May or June, a far cry from November. But Bob LaFollette and my father relied on the jury to be sympathetic. They found him guilty.

The rest of the story is anticlimactic. The judge offered my father the chance to pay the fine and he refused. He declared himself ready to enjoy ten days of good food and rest. This put the judge in a quandary. He really had spent enough money already and didn't fancy feeding and lodging a man who represented no threat to anyone. Old Bob LaFollette was equal to the occasion. Stepping up to the banch, he made a suggestion. The judge's eyes lit up and he grinned a broad grin.

"Mr. Pettis, approach the bench so that I may pronounce sentence," he intoned. "You have been found guilty. For the record, I sentence you to ten days in our jail. However, in view of the circumstances, I am suspending sentence. You are free to go." He went out of the room, slamming the door behind him. My father, now a free man, had no choice but to go on home.

This wasn't the only time my father was arrested. But that is another story.

Lost in the clothes hamper

2009-06-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

I used to write stories for my grandson and send them to him in the form of a letter. I dug this one up when going through some old papers, and thought it would make a good blog.

Dear Grandson,
I sat down to write a story, and as I stared helplessly at my typewriter, and it stared back at me, I realized that I hadn't seen those little pretend people all day. I hadn't seen them yesterday, either. Where were they? I looked under the bed and under the sofa and chairs, but no one was there. I got worried. I even went out into the cold night and looked under the bushes and went up and down the rows of rose bushes, calling out to them in a loud voice. "Where are you, little people?" No answer. A man was walking his dog and looked at me very strangely, but I didn't care. All I could think of was how cold it was, and how those poor little people were lost out there.
But maybe they were inside and hiding from me. I went back in. I looked everywhere. I began to get angry. "You come out this very minute. Stop fooling around!" I yelled. I made Grandpa look too. Then I sat down on the edge of the bed and thought very hard. I thought so hard that my hair stood on end. My ears twitched. My nose wiggled. And I remembered something! "Oh, oh" I said to myself. "You changed the sheets and pillowcases on this bed yesterday. Then you threw everything into the clothes hamper. Look in there."
I went into the bathroom and carefully lifted the lid on the hamper. A dirty face cloth flew out and landed on my head. A handkerchief flew out and landed on the floor. Out came a towel and a pair of socks. Those little people were in there and they were so angry they were throwing everything out. "Stop, stop," I said. "How did you get in there?" At first they were so angry they talked in little people talk. "'grpplmn! Admtffr! Gillpogner!" I couldn't understand a word they said But then they let me help them out and onto my bed. "We were in the bed when you yanked off the sheets and blankets," they said. "You threw all of us into the hamper. We are so hungry we could eat a dirty sock!" They looked at me for a minute, and then I knew what to do. I went to the kitchen and brought some cookies and an apple. They gobbled the cookies and apple down, and then, because they were so tired, they curled up on my bed and fell asleep. Next time I change the sheets I will look very carefully before I put them in the hamper. I looked again at the little people sleeping on my bed. Each one had a big smile on its face.

The good and the bad

2009-06-12T20:44:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have been full of little events, some good and some bad. Yesterday was notable for the fact that I left my husband to prepare dinner, and he burned it to a crisp. I had gone to work on my computer and i was alerted to a problem by the beeping of the smoke alarm. This is hardly a new event in my house, but when the din was enlarged by a series of dismayed shrieks from my husband, I knew we were in trouble. A hurried scurry into the kitchen revealed that the endire skillet of chicken and vegetables had been reduced to charred ruins. i had prepared rice earlier so we had rice for dinner. My husband is a chronic multitasker and he had gone off to do laundry while the food was cooking. When will I ever learn?
this morning was notable by the sky diving event performed by George G. W. Bush. He looked pretty good coming down but when he limped away, I could see that age has taken its toll. Barbara, however, looked great.
We spent most of the rest of the day listening to a book tape: "My Cousin Rachel." I had read it a long time ago, but it was fun to just relax and enjoy it once again.
One final event to round out the day - my $19.95 hearing aid, advertised over and over again on TV, came with the afternoon mail. Actually, it cost $50.00 when all was done, as i got the battery charger as well. It was a good thing that I did, as the battery ran down after only thirty minutes. It is not particularly bell-toned, and i found that it irritated my ear, but my husband had been urging me to order it.
Well, I am feeling a little better each day, and hope to be back to my normal self soon. Bye, all. Keep in touch.

This and that

2009-06-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

@!!###@@!!! I am back on my walker again. That's what I get for bragging about using my cane. No, I didn't stumble or fall - I just can't walk well. One leg keeps buckling under me. The walker helps, though.
We got busy today and sawed out two boards to use in the bathroom for baseboards, and gave them couple coats of paint and tomorrow we will glue them in place, then all we have to do is put a line of grout down in front of the tub, in case water gets spilled. Things are moving along.
We had a little red fox in our driveway yesterday. He had been at the neighbors house, eating out of the cat dish on the deck, and then came over to us. He didn't come in, though, but went on down to the house next to us. He looked like a baby to us, maybe his mother has decided to wean him.
We had soup and toasted cheese sandwiches for dinner, my favorite food. Now we are going to listen to a book tape in front of the wood stove. Kaya keeps going in there and flopping down in front of it, so we'll give her a treat.
Our next-door neighbors are grandparents now - their first grandchild. We got the news from Doris. A little girl.
Well, goodnight all. Keep in touch.

The Big Race

2009-06-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

What a pleasant day! We watched the Belmont races most of the day, of course hoping that Mine the Bird would win, and disappointed when he only came in third. It was fun, though, and restful, as I reclined on the sofa most of the time when I watched. I try to watch all of the big races, and don't usually forget. My neighbor watches, too, and makes sure I remember.
We chanced upon a program featuring the big bands of the thirties and forties, and had fun watching for a couple of hours. It is after ten now, and my bed is calling me. I have it all fixed up with warm blankets and a radio at hand so I can listen to Coast to Coast until I fall asleep.
I am going to try to write every night, as in a journal, to keep a kind of history of my life from now on. Let's see how well I keep my resolve! Bye.

Getting better

2009-06-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hooray! I must be getting better! I swiffered the floors, did laundry and cooked dinner today. That's progress. I hate to be laid up and have to talk my husband into doing these tasks, because he makes such a fuss, wanting me to appreciate how put upon he is. The fact that i do them every day without even thinking about it doesn't count. He wants praise and recognition.
It will be interesting to follow my progress down through the years. I wonder if my readers will recognize approaching dementia when it comes, or if I will be able to carry on right to the end? Physical disability I can handle, but mental disability is something else.
I will admit that I made a mistake in my checking account, putting down a deposit as being $250. rather that $450. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I had more money than I thought. I can live with that. Well, this will be a short blog - take care. Goodnight to all.

Good news and bad

2009-06-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

First, the good news. We finally got the bathroom floor finished. My husband put down a sheet of plywood, glued a piece of llinoleum down on top, and eased the toilet bowl down onto a new wax ring. it looks very elegant and am I ever glad that job is finished.
Now, the bad news. The very next day, after we did the floor, I fell down the step from the living room into the family room, and spent the next three or four days in bed while I recovered. I graduated to a wheel chair, then a walker, and now I am shuffling around with a cane. Thank goodness i can get around now, as my husband was getting tired of having to go back and forth fetching things for me. Since he is a dedicated multi-tasker, sometimes it took him quite a while to get back to me. I really have resolved to be more careful in future.
Also, we signed the papers to modify our mortgage terms, lowering the interest rate. I figured, why not? It only took our signatures and the deed was done.
Now, we hope that all will go serenely for awhile. The roses are in full bloom and the hydrangeas are showing color, and though we don't garden like we used to, it looks pretty nevertheless. So bye for now, and take care. I hope to hear from you.

What's Wrong With this Picture?

2009-05-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

I came upon this little essay from the past but thought it might be amusing still.

I surfed the channels of my television set, and chanced upon “sesame Street”, that long-time favorite of children everywhere. I watched for a few minutes, but something intruded upon my meditations. Something was wrong. These characters badly needed psychiatric profiling.
What, you exclaim. How dare you assail these wholesome little characters? How un-American can you be?
But think for a moment. How about the Count? He counts everything. He can’t stop. He is an obsessive-compulsive counter. It dominates his every moment. Paxl might help him, but there is no one on the program to prescribe it.
Let us take a closer look at each of the puppets. Cookie Monster eats every cookie he can get his hands on. He never gets enough. Clearly he is addicted to cookies. Grouch hides from the world and is so irritable and mean-spirited that no one will have anything to do with him. He is an agoraphobic with violent tendencies, perhaps schizophrenic as well. Maybe prozac would help, but maybe not. Poor little big bird is amply endowed physically but he is quite retarded and there is really nothing that can be done with him.
I come now to a character that defies description, namely snuffaluffagus! What is he? He is harmless enough, being sweet-tempered and friendly. He seems to be a leftover byproduct of some gene-altering experiment.
I hesitate to bring up Bert and Ernie, lest I be judged to be homophobic. But the evidence is quite clear. They live together, sharing the same bed, and Bert dominates Ernie and makes him do the housework. I will leave it to the reader to draw his or her own conclusion. Jerry Falwell might have a few words to say on the subject. He certainly had an opinion on the poor little purple teletubby with the purse.
Are we going to let this disgraceful display continue? Are we going to let these retards, psychos, freaks and homos continue to pollute the minds and hearts of our innocent little children, not to mention the adults who watch with them? Let us join with Jerry Falwell and save the children all over the world by putting this show off the channel and closing it down forever.

Now it can be told, continued

2009-05-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Back at the base, things went on pretty much as before, except that now and then we were given leave to go to Washington, D.C. and go we did. I remember the many monuments, museums, parks and especially the cherry trees in blossom. I wandered down the aisles of trees, enjoying the aroma of the blossoms, and felt that I was in another world. The air was warm and balmy, and except for the swarms of pigeons flying around and threatening to bombard us all was peaceful and serene. Of course we could only get a few hours of leave and had to be back promptly but we appreciated every moment of freedom.
Until the actual moment when the atom bomb was dropped, no one at Arlington Hall knew of its existence. Nicknamed “Little Boy”, even Harry Truman was kept in the dark until he assumed the office of president. On August 6, l945, the bomb was dropped, the world changed forever, and the war was over. By the end of August I was in Dallas, Texas and another adventure loomed before me. But that is another story.
Prologue
Thousands of women helped to win World War II through their cryptologic efforts. Few will know the significance of their contribution or of the lives they helped save. Although women have long been a part of cryptologic history, even before the Second World War, the presence of servicewomen in cryptology allowed others to follow. Their dedication and abilities proved, to more than one doubting male commander, that women could more than adequately do this exacting, detailed, and important work. They left behind a strong legacy, allowing thousands of women to follow in their footsteps. These women played vital roles throughout the Cold War era and will continue to bring their talents, skills, and abilities to cryptology, one of the nation's most secret sciences.

From Jennifer Wilcox, in
Sharing the Burden, 1998

Google: Sharing the Burden: Women in cryptology during World War 11.

Now it can be told continued

2009-05-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

I got down to Arlington Hall in July of 1944 and had served there for almost ten months, never having gotten off the base. Then, on April 12, l945, our president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, suffered a brain hemorrhage and died a short time later. His body was shipped by train to Washington, D.C. and our unit was allowed to go to the Capitol to see the funeral parade.
I will never forget that day. It was a fairly warm day, but a slow and steady drizzle fell, and the funeral procession moved slowly past the spectators, most of whom were in tears. Eleanor Roosevelt rode in an open vehicle with no veil, her face composed and sad. She looked to neither left nor right, and sat alone in quiet dignity.
I remember the crushing sadness of the spectators. There is nothing so solemn as a funeral procession, with its muffled drums and slow cadence. There was no music, and the muted footsteps of the marchers was the only sound heard as the slow procession passed by. For once I recognized the unfolding of an historic event. An era had passed by, and such a one as our dead president would never come again.
We returned to the base, chastened and sobered by the events of the day. We knew of course that the vice-president, a modest and little –known fellow named Harry Truman, had been sworn in. What we didn’t know was that he would prove to be a fearless and far-seeing leader, destined by fate to make one of the most difficult decisions ever to fall to the lot of a president. He decided to drop the atom bomb and forever changed the world.

Now it can be told (continued)

2009-05-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

From the point of view of the men, this was an ideal assignment. From the vantage point of our guarded and secure position, they could follow the progress of the war, safe from combat on the beaches of Iwo Jima and the hedges of Normandy and Germany. Everything was provided for us, from food, shelter and clothing, to recreation and stimulation. There was a theater, mess hall, recreation room, base exchange – we never felt the need to go off base. Periodically we were called to assembly and told how important we were to the war effort. As I said, this was an ideal assignment.
The barracks were partitioned off into cubicles, each cubicle containing two beds and facilities for hanging our uniforms and personal items. At the foot of the bed was a foot locker, with certain specified items packed just so according to regulations. These were opened during inspection, and if we were found to be derelict in our presentation, we were given a demerit and made to do some extra duty around the base. One time my bed wasn’t made tight enough and I was given the task of washing the windows of the library. It was the only demerit I remember getting and I can’t remember actually doing it.
The assignment of cubicle mates was of vital importance. We had no choice in the matter, and I was lucky enough to have one with whom I was fairly compatible. She was a brash, sophisticated woman from Brooklyn, and at about 32 or 33 seemed quite old to me. Sensing my naïve approach to life, she attempted to indoctrinate me into the basics of living in which she felt I was deficient. She had a tattoo on her thigh, and dyed her hair jet black. She made no claim to high moral standards, but since there was little opportunity for hanky-panky, her influence was fairly benign. We had no privacy whatever, and if someone wanted to set up a liaison with someone of the opposite sex, they would have been immediately discovered and routed out. The men were vastly outnumbered by the women, anyway. There wouldn’t have been enough of them to go around.

Now it can be told, continued

2009-05-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

Arlington Hall was a secret base. No one was allowed out and only certified people could come in. After we were assigned our quarters, in one of the three or four barracks lined up on the road, we quickly settled into the routine of the base. I was disappointed that our little quartet was separated and sent to different barracks, but we saw each other in training and there were plenty of opportunities to socialize in the theatre, library or recreational hall. We started our training almost immediately, and I remember developing a certain fondness for the big IBM machines, each with a placard attached which admonished us to THINK. With the exception of the sorter, the guiding force of each machine was a wiring board. A large, heavy frame with various wires plugged into holes in a grid, the wiring board could be altered to conform to whatever direction the operator wished it to follow.
To my surprise, I actually learned to wire the board. I had expected to be somewhat retarded since I had done so poorly in the mechanics aptitude test, but I think I only trained for a couple of weeks before I got my own unit and went to work.
It was none too soon. The training was done in the daytime, and I had been assigned to a barracks where everyone worked from midnight to eight in the morning. The “graveyard” shift. It didn’t lend itself to any kind of restful sleep. But as soon as I started to work, I fit right in.
In some convoluted twist of judgment from the powers that be, we worked rotating shifts. We never got used to any one sleeping pattern, and wandered through the days half asleep and out of sync. The machines were kept going twenty-four hours and were only shut down when the punch cards jammed up and the reproducer or collator had to be dismantled and the damaged cards removed.

The work was hard, but if one had the unit running smoothly and the cards didn’t jam up, it was possible to keep one eye on the machines and still manage to read or study. I took a couple of classes in my off-duty hours and sometimes studied while I worked. The reproducer was the problem machine, and if the cards jammed there was nothing to be done but to dismantle the thing, drag up the wiring board, and delve into the greasy depths for the mangled cards. My unit was set up with a sorter, reproducer, collator and printer. They ran independently of each other, but if one stopped and no more cards could be processed, the whole unit was held up. It was troublesome but we were all in the same boat together. Since the weather was muggy and warm, the cards often stuck together, warped or refused to move smoothly through the machine. We joked that we were fighting the battle of the IBM cards.

Now it can be told continued

2009-05-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

I don’t think I slept at all. Morning finally came, and we at last found out where we were. The sign in the station said “Washington D.C.” and to our delight, we realized that we were to debark. Stumbling down the little steps to the platform, we were a bedraggled and grimy sight. Being herded onto a covered troop truck, along with our duffel bags and once again a sergeant, didn’t help a bit. Even Prima Donna had slipped from her usual standards and had managed to put on fresh lipstick, but her immaculate hair-do was lacking its usual array. But she didn’t seem to care, probably too tired to rally. Sad Sack had of course come completely apart and I wasn’t much better. We slumped down on the wooden benches arrayed at the sides of the truck, and rattled off, once again.
We didn’t go very far. In probably a quarter of an hour, the truck turned off the main thoroughfare and headed down a narrower street, past an imposing brick building with a sign in front that said “Arlington Hall.” I felt a jolt of hope, thinking that perhaps we were going to be stationed here, in some sort of college or training institution. Of all the possibilities open to us, this would have been my choice. I hadn’t enjoyed teaching school for the two years I had been in practice but this wouldn’t be bad! I could get used to this.
No, we didn’t stop there either. Down we went, the street getting narrower and dustier, down into a forest of pines at the bottom of a shallow hill. And there, in front of a high security fence, guarded by a soldier in full regalia, the truck stopped and our rumpled and exhausted group scrambled out. My thoughts were not of the most logical – all I could think of was prison. We were going to be incarcerated. What in God’s name had we done?
The sergeant presented our papers, and we were waved into the inner sanctum of an army base, spread out before our amazed eyes, neat and tidy.

From our vantage point, it looked like a model of an army base, with barracks arrayed on each side of the street, and with a church and library down at the end. The buildings were of wood, unpainted, but looking quite new. There were little lawns of green grass out in the front, and numbers of soldiers going to and fro from the various buildings, all in summer fatigues and all seemingly in a hurry.
The sergeant ushered us into a small building off to one side of the street and we were once more lined up in a row. A stern looking Captain sat behind a desk and wasted no time on us. “You are in the 2nd Signal Service Battalion,” he began. “It is a unit of the Signals Intelligence Service, and you are in the United States Army codebreaking devision. It is so secret that outside the office of the Chief Signal Officer, it does not exist.”
We listened open-mouthed while he instructed us to raise our right hands and swear ourselves to eternal secrecy. The penalty for discussing the work outside of approved channels could be death, as it was considered an act of treason during a time of war. The watchword was “don’t talk.” We were informed that no one was to know of our work. Anyone caught discussing it would be treated as a spy and shot.
I kept my oath. Down through the years I often remembered my service in that self-contained base, and felt proud that out of all of the privates who went through basic training only four of us were deemed worthy of this assignment. I wished I could have bragged a little to my family and especially reassured my mother that I had kept the faith and remained a virtuous woman. But as time went on, I almost forgot my experience. I consigned it to the remote and distant past. Until now. Now I will tell all.