Fall Back!!

It's that time again.  Turn your clocks back an hour and enjoy that extra sleep!  Saturday evening when  you get home from your Halloween festivities, don't forget!

And have a Happy, Safe Halloween!

OOH! It's Summer Again!

After a couple cool, dark, wet days, today has been sunny and about 80.  We turned the heat off and opened the windows.  Everyone is happy.  I know it won't last, but it's nice while it's here.

Golfer had a follow-up appointment with the neurologist.  All is well, go back in a year.  So that's good.

I did some cleaning and laundry this morning.  And I did a little clean-up outside.  However, you can not tell that I did.  The breeze is moving the falling leaves around pretty well and the deck and patio are now covered again, as is the front.  Sigh.

I had a pile of "desk stuff" to do and also needed to pay bills.  That all got done.

And then I started reading a new book, The Solomon Curse.  It's very good.  Golfer recently read it and he also liked it.  I was going to start it a few days ago, but needed to catch up on the magazine pile.  :)   I'd still be reading right now, but it's time to fix supper.  All in all, it's been a good day.

Stay safe!

Remembering Fall in Ohio

I grew up in Navarre, a small town in Ohio.  In my memories, Fall was always sunny, cool and crisp, with the wonderful colors and smell of the changing and drying leaves.  We’d sort through them and pick the prettiest and then have a project of dipping them in melted wax to preserve them.  Granma would send Granpa out to hunt for branches of bittersweet with its lovely little orange berries so she could decorate the house.  This was back when you could drive along a country road, see something you wanted to pick and carefully just do it.  People weren’t so fussy in our area about trespassers.  I guess since it was a small rural area, everyone pretty much knew everyone else and it was okay.  That was how Granpa used to go pick blackberries for Granma to make jam, too.

Don't get me wrong, there were some properties that everyone knew you shouldn't go onto, as the owner might be really particular about his yard or his fields.  So everyone  respected that and stayed off.

When the prettiness of the leaves wore off and they were on the ground, they’d be raked to the curb and any kids around could jump in them and play with the pile.  Then we’d help rake them back together and we’d have a big fire to burn them.  I’m sure I inhaled more smoke than I should have.  I’m also sure it wasn’t good for the environment.  But is filling large plastic bags and loading up the dump sites that good for the environment now?

I remember festivals of various sorts.  The church ladies always had a Fall bazaar and luncheon on election day.  And there would be the big Swiss Festival in Sugarcreek.  That was fun – fresh, crisp apples, wonderful large chunks of fresh cheese, home grown vegetables and fruits, music, and crafts.   And always fresh apple cider and powdered doughnuts!

Halloween was big deal back then.  Navarre always had a Halloween parade through town that ended up in the school gym.  There would be costume judging and refreshments (apple cider and doughnuts!)  My Mom always loved Halloween and would make us costumes.  One year I was Robin Hood and she was Maid Marian.  Another year she was Granny and I was Little Red Riding Hood.  My favorite was the year she was Aunt Jemima and I was the pancake.  I know, I know, that is politically incorrect now.  But back then we were just simply a very popular syrup commercial couple!

On Trick or Treat night the kids were free to walk all over town.  Back then we could do that without fearing for our lives.  We’d get apples, homemade cookies and popcorn balls, and even sometimes a nickel!  And also candy!  This was before you had to worry that some deranged awful person put something into the candy or treats.  The only way you got sick from your treats is if you ate too many at once.

I’m not sure why we did the dried corn throwing.  But as we’d walk around from house to house the corn got tossed. It made a great noise! I’m sure the birds and squirrels and other critters were happy about it.  The next day some of us would help sweep it up.

I never understood the whole soaping windows thing back then either.  I never did that, but I did get asked to help scrub Granma’s windows if someone messed them up. She had a good attitude and said it just made her windows cleaner.  Mom and I lived in a second floor apartment, so we didn't have to worry about that.

There was never any of this scheduling of Trick or Treat times either.  Now it can be on different days, or in the afternoon.  Back then, when it got dark on Halloween night, the kids came out. It did not matter if it was really cold, or raining, or snowing.  You could go around until you wore yourself out, your neighbors ran out of treats, or your Mom called you in. 

But, things have changed.  I used to really enjoy Halloween and would decorate and carve a pumpkin, and get lots of candy to pass out.  But, politeness and consideration has gone out of the holiday now.  A couple years ago, the local paper printed a list of where the best neighborhoods were for trick or treating.  Our neighborhood was at the top of the list.  Since then, every year there are cars and vans full of kids being dropped off at the entrance to the community.  Large kids who are over the age limit, and kids who aren’t even in costume.  Kids who don’t know how to say please or thank you.  Kids who stomp on your landscaping.  The reporter should never have written that article, but I blame the parents.  The lack of manners and driving them in is their fault.  So I no longer participate.  The new tradition is dinner out after seeing our grandchildren in costume.  And we always get the grand-kids a little something as a treat.  So, however you celebrate, whether you do or not, have a good evening.  I will be enjoying happy memories of what used to be.

Stay safe!

Life Is Moving Along

Our days are filled with all the usual daily chores and duties, and we seem to keep busy. There are trips to the "Y" and Golfer gets some rounds in.   As for me, the "Fall" cleaning is under control and pretty much done.  It won't be too long before another extra good cleaning before Christmas decorations come out!  Time seems to move too fast sometimes.

Our yard work has been at a minimum lately since we've been waiting for seeds to sprout and grow.  And since there has been more watering because of that, the ground has been too squishy to really walk around out there too much.  I did do a little clean-up on the weekend.  There were a couple weeds shouting at me every time I looked out the window and they had to go!  The long awaited drainage repair and landscaping in the back corner of the yard is scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday and I will be glad when it is over and done.  I'm hoping that that work does not mess up the new grass in other areas.

Bikini is in Las Vegas for a work conference.  She says it's a good time since there's a bull riders convention going on now also.  :)

Nurse J went to her work conference in Atlantic City recently, but missed most of it due to a trip to the ER for kidney stones.  She is better.

I've been working on Christmas shopping and such.  While I was out doing errands recently I was in Lowes.  If Golfer and I were into the big blow-up decorations for the yard, I found the one we would have to get - - - -  R2D2 and C3P0 in Christmas hats with a pretty tree!  I find it very unsettling to go into stores and have Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas items all on display together.

I just finished reading John Scalzi's The End of All Things.  It is the latest in the Old Man's War series and was very good.  Now I'm catching up on magazines.  And then I'll start Clive Cussler's  Solomon's Curse.

We've been having our typical Virginia Fall weather - a few days warm and then a few cold and back and forth.  Today is cool, dark, and cloudy and there is supposed to rain later.  The furry kids have gone into cold weather mode and frequently burrow under the quilts, or hunker down in a warm chair.  Here is Finnigan, our little fur ball!  He had everything all tucked in!

It's time for me to go check on the golf hats I am washing.  More later!  Stay safe!

Just Sharing Some Smiles

I mentioned in a previous post about going along for Cutie Girl's picture session.  Here's how it went:

She had been all seated and arranged but that did not last long.  

Then there was some rearranging to do.

And here she is looking windblown in Fall breezes and the kitty wearing the hat!

Everyone had fun and it was a good morning!

Stay safe and have a fun Halloween!

And Another Beautiful Fall Day

It was in the 40's here this morning.  We have not turned the heat on yet.  All that insulation we had done a few years ago is still doing its thing up in the attic and the house has stayed comfortable so far.  But we may have to turn the heat on this weekend as it is supposed to get even cooler.  It stayed in the 60's today and sunny, with a breeze.

Golfer and I just returned from a movie.  We saw "The Martian" and it was really good.  I think it's one for my wish list!

As we were getting tickets, our friends L & G came in, too.  They were seeing a different movie but we got to visit a bit before we went into our movies.  They are still very stressed with their repair work and some upgrades in the kitchen going on.  Said there were no workers there today, so they left the house for a movie.

I think we're going to try one of the new places in Tech Center for dinner.  Will have to see how crowded it is.

Has anyone else heard about the pumpkin shortage nation-wide?  Since this is our year to go to Bikini's for Thanksgiving, I won't need any.  But the news reports around here are saying to get your canned pumpkin now if you want any.

I hope everyone is well and happy.  Stay safe!

Another Beautiful Day!

The windows are open, the sun is shining, life is good!

The new yard guys called yesterday about noon to say they would be here today.  Golfer cut the grass low as instructed yesterday afternoon and marked all the sprinkler heads.  The guys - four of them - showed up a little before 10:00 this morning.  They are done and gone now.  They did a more extensive aeration that we ever had with the old company.  And they left a sheet of instructions and a large bag of grass seed for any problem areas.  They will return in a few weeks for the next treatment.

Golfer and I went and got our flu shots yesterday afternoon.  Have you gotten yours yet????

I've done some cleaning this morning and will do a load of laundry when Golfer returns from the "Y" and driving range.

Angus is happy.  One of my chores today was cleaning out under the stove, the refrigerator, washer and dryer.  He loves shoving his favorite toys under those places and then sits there all sad in front of them because he can't get his toys.  I found six this morning.  One is already under the linen closet door!

I need to take inventory of our Christmas shopping and see what else I need to look for.  The gifts for Bikini's family need to be ready for our Thanksgiving trip, in case you're wondering why so early.  But I do like to get things ready early so I don't have to rush around in the crowds closer to Christmas.

Stay safe!