A Busy Week

This past week was a busy one. I made three trips to Indy. On Tuesday and Thursday I took my new machine and attended lessons to learn to use this machine. Very beneficial.

Then today, I drove to Avon, and met Kristin and her maid-of-honor Carrie, and we picked out fabric for the wedding dresses. What fun. We ate at the Olive Garden. It was within the same shopping center. Kristin also had samples the colors she will use. That was interesting also. I have an outfit started and I never finished, that I've decided I can wear for this wedding. Am anxious to get to work on these items and this project.

However, I have a few things I need to finish first. Have a bridal gown to shorten, a bridesmaid dress to alter, four blouses to make, a zipper to put in a sweatshirt, a pair of pants to shorten, and a blouse to do a little resewing on, all before I start on this wedding. I need to get moving. Also, have two items that the customers need to pick up.

Then there is the yard work. On Saturday, Levi was over and helped me clean up part of the yard. There is more to do. Last year summer turned to winter overnight, and I didn't get everything cleaned up. The raking really is not good for my back. I'm making him do that. Where they live, they don't rake or pick up, just mow. So, he's learning a lot. He seems anxious to come back. That's nice. I tried to get him to help me last summer, but with his collar bone broken in two places, and the surgery to repair it, he was never well enough to help me.

Then there are these nights when I wake up and can't get back to sleep. Yuk!!! (check the time of this posting) Then I sleep late and, the next day, don't get as much accomplished as I'd hoped. And, life goes on........ They call retirement "The Golden Years." "They" need to find another term for that. Retirement is great, I'm really enjoying it. But, sometimes (when the joints hurt, sleep is illusive and the time flies by so fast, you wonder where it went) that one might wish that it wasn't so "golden." Time to try to get back to sleep.

This 'n That.

What a day yesterday was. Made a trip to Indy for a lesson on my new machine. It was well worth it. Learned a lot.

In the obits today, is the death of my old Home Ec. teacher, Mrs. Foster. She was 99. What a neat lady she was. I can remember her saying to us one day in class, that she didn't like how easy they were making it for everyone to borrow money. A seasoned view. From what I know, she was the last teacher alive that taught at St. Francis. There were a couple of nuns that were very young, and one or both of them could still be alive. Just don't know....haven't kept up with that.

Pray for Aunt Mary, for today is her surgery. Don't know what time. I hope someone lets me know how she does.

I'm having a few people in on Sunday for Keekols (and I can't find the correct spelling for that.). It is the second sunday of Lent. I need to find someone to take Snookums for awhile, and haven't had any luck. I've talked to only one person, and have at least two more to talk to. I need to get in gear, Sunday isn't that far away.

I had a dream last night that George's wife asked me what he was like when I was married to him. Then I woke up. Too bad, I'd loved to have told her. Ha!

It's a beautiful day, and warm. Took Snookums for a walk. Even tho the sun wasn't shining, it was really warm. Nice to be able to get out again.

I think I've finally found out why my middle name is May. Last night I talked to Uncle Ray. In Gene's picture posts on Picasa, he had asked to find out Uncle Ray's grandparents names. I remembered that last night. His grandmother's first name was May. And, apparently mother visited enough that she got to know them, and again, apparently, liked this lady. So, I'm named after one grandmother and one step-great-grandmother. What a find. A few short years before Mother died, I asked her why she gave me this middle name. She said it was because I was born in May. But, she told us she didn't know why she was raised by her dad, and she did know. So, I'm guessing the it's a little bit of both.

Aunt Evelyn doesn't seem to get any better. The doctor adjusts medication and things like that. They had to cauterize her stomach again the first of last week. That has helped. The doctor told Uncle Ray awhile back, that he could remove the part(s) of her stomach that were bleeding, but if he did, it could start somewhere else. So, didn't really want to do that one. Uncle Ray has quite a bit of confidence in this guy because of that. Sure would be nice if they could figure out what is really wrong.

Happy Birthday, Rocky!!

Just in case Rocky would read this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Today I went to IHOP for lunch. When I first got there, I ran into a lady I use to work with at LVB. Talked to her for a little while. After she left I ordered. Just as my food arrived, another couple eating there got up to leave and it was Jim and Kathy Hatke. They sat down at my table and talked for quite some time. Before they left, Dan Schafer's brother Walter and his wife walked in. A few years ago, I did some sewing for her. So, about the time Jim and Kathy left, I was finished eating, so I went and visited with the Schafers for awhile. I probably spent more than an hour in there. But, enjoyed my day.

Yesterday, Kristin and Carrie (Kristin's Matron-of- honor) came into town to go to David's Bridal and do a little shopping. They asked me to join them. I did. What fun. Some really beautiful gowns. Afterwards we ate at The Hunter's Pub. So, after lunch today, I went to JoAnn's to see what they had. This JoAnn's is not a good store. Too bad that it really is all we have. When we shop for fabric for the attendants dresses, we will go to Indy.

Happy Birthday to Lu Ann!!!

With Valentine's Day and her birthday next to each other, they are making it one. She took the day off work yesterday, and they drove to Columbus. There is something there she wanted to do.

Yes, it was Friday the 13th the day she was born. But it was lucky for me. What a daughter she is. I called her yesterday, and today I received a text message saying, "Happy Valentine's." Would you believe she turned the big 50? I don't remember it like it was yesterday, but it's difficult to believe it's fifty. Time flies when you are having fun.

Hope everyone received a Valentine from their valentine.

I have to buy a new washer. This one doesn't spin out very well anymore. They could replace/repair the bearings, but it's 17 years old.

Westfield, IN

As most of you know, I usually go to "Knit Nite" at Barns & Noble on Tuesday evening. One of the ladies was telling about this neat yarn shop in Westfield. (Well, first of all she said Crawfordsville. She couldn't seem to remember where she had been.) So, yesterday I took an old classmate and we went to Westfield. Another old classmate (now I'm not saying old as in age, but old as in the past) lives in Westfield. So I took Mary Lu with me and went to Joan's house first. And while I shopped Mary Lu visited with Joan cause neither had any interest in yarn. After I finished my shopping, we went to lunch at a very nice place close to Joan's house. We had a good time and, yes, I bought me some yarn. More than I need, but it was fun just the same. For some reason I feel I'm a yarnaholic. I bet none of you would guess that. I got home in time for Karli to come here. She is going to a dance the end of the month, and the dress she is wearing needs adjusting. She is such a cutie.

Like an idiot, I didn't take a map with me and almost got lost. I usually go 52 to 47. East on 47 to 421 to 32, and E on 32 to Joan's house. But I tried a different way, and it didn't work. And, without the map, I had to call Joan to correct my error. But we were close enough to Joan's house that she was able to tell us how to get there. You'd think I'd know better than to go on the road without a map. (sigh!!) After I got home I got out a map to find out where I went wrong.

Warm weather, where art thou?

It sure has been cold. I was sick for about a week. My throat was sore, my head plugged up, and I sucked on cough drops for about 6 days.

At the beginning of this winter, I bought me a snow blower. It sure came in handy on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. While I was blowing the snow off the drive, a city snow plow came by. As I was blowing the snow at the end of the driveway, I tried to keep from blowing it back into the street. I see so many people just blow it back into the street. Now, my taxes help pay these people to do their job. Why would anyone want to just throw it back out there. I've always thought that was the most stupid thing anyone could do. Oh, well, just my opinion.

But, I managed to keep it out of the street. Altho, I cleaned off only half the driveway apron. Just enough for me to get in and out. The other half has almost 2 feet of snow. When is it going to warm up?

Now, another comment about that picture I've been trying to get names for. I visited Aunt Mary. She couldn't help much, but did have the first name of Slim Metzinger. Then she suggested I go see Mrs Alvin Buck. She gave me the name of one more man. She also told me that Mrs. Chatham is still alive, and that she is in (she thought) University place. That is something I'm going to do, but not for a week or two. This is getting more interesting by the day.

Snookums likes to romp in the snow, but not for long. Within about 5 minutes, she's heading for the house. She is so graceful when she leaps. It's so pretty. I love to watch her.

For those who don't know, Steve and Kristin are getting married October 10th in Greenwood. She has her dress and we are working on getting the dress for her Maid of Honor, and for Emily. She is going to have Emily and Jacob give her away. Now I have to get ready to put on a rehearsal dinner. When the weather gets warmer, I'm going to go down there and check out the restaruant they suggested, and see what kind of plans I can make.

I didn't do any sewing this month. It was too cold, and that room doesn't heat very well. Also I had classes in Indy for my new machine. There were to be 4 classes, but because of the weather, I missed one. Plan to make that up in March. Now it's time for me to get to work and get the jobs finished that some people are wanting me to do. Had another call this afternoon. It was from a policeman in Thorntown. Wow!!

What a Day!

Remember the picture I talked about yesterday? Well, there was a young boy in it that I thought looked a lot like Roy Hatke. I called Roy. He had remember being with his dad one day, going home and going past this field where there were a lot of tractors plowing. Daddy was one of the men and Uncle Art stopped to talk to dad. Roy said to call Jim Murtaugh. That Jim pretty much knew a lot of what went on. So, since I was going to go to mass at 4:30, I called and arranged to be at their house at 2;30.

Jim was in the picture. He knew several of the men and even why they were there. Jack Chatum (I'm not sure of the spelling) had three little girls. Two of them got polio. Jim also thought that they later died. So, the neighbors were helping him with his farming.

The big problem I have is that, if Roy was with his dad, this took place in about 1948. But, Henry Krick is in the picture, and he didn't move into the neighborhood until about 1954. So, I still have that mystry to solve.

Jim didn't know all the people. He thought some of the men were from the Buck Creek area. So, I still need to find someone who might know some of those men.

But I feel good about all the info I was able to get.