Memories New and Old

Everyone made it to Thanksgiving Thursday from babies to the elders.  The only thing missing was Great-grandma Esther.  She'd have been pleased with the whole thing.  Gathering again on Saturday for more holiday that my DIL's mom calls Thank-mas.  It's post-Thanksgiving and before Christmas so small visiting children can open gifts from relatives they don't see at Christmas.  Great-grandma Esther left gifts for the grands and great-grands. It went really well although when the gifts from Esther to the children came out I found myself crying.  Esther was pretty sure she wouldn't make it to the holidays and she planned accordingly.  She was a kind and generous woman who loved a party, and we had a fine one for her.

My house has closed and I made an offer on a condo that has been accepted.  It will close soon.  I won't be moving right away.  It's in very good condition, recently remodeled kitchen and bathroom, the owner has taken very good care of it.  It will give me the opportunity to  have the carpets cleaned with no furniture in the way and to paint the walls.  I loved it the moment I saw it and was very happy that's it's turned out to be as good as it looks.  It is one floor and has a little fenced patio right outside big sliding doors on the east side, out of the afternoon sun.

Safe travels for all of you on your way home from your celebrations.  Hope they were full of new good memories.

Happy Thanksgiving

Things I've been given.

I can't count the number of little hand turkeys I've received over the years.  First was one from my sister Susan who is 20 years younger than I, then from my little sons for several years, then nieces and nephews, and now grandchildren.  This is Thanksgiving for me, a shared meal with family, related or chosen, and carrying in heart and voice gratitude for much good in my life.  This year I am still grateful for the life I have.  It seems simple but so many do not have those necessities.  I've been stressed and done some complaining the last few weeks, and I thank you all for your supportive posts.  I pulled my head out of you-know-where and got a little Thanksgiving reality check.

We all have something to give.

The number of homeless individuals reported this year in my small town was 521 including 131 children under 5 and about 100 teens, nearly 45% are children.  The temperatures at night here last week averaged around 21°.  Where are these children, sad and scary. The high schools run a back pack program.  The packs are filled with food, high energy snacks, water, personal needs, and rain ponchos, mittens, hats and whatever they can cram in.  The kids return them to be refilled.   We are not unique by any means.  We give to Coats for kids (and shoes), and volunteer in social services groups that try to get placements and resources for the homeless and especially the children.  I like to give to the food bank and St. Vinnies.  We have been blessed with so much.  There is always something we can do for someone, especially a child.  The stores here have giving trees for foster kids and elders.  I picked a 13 year old foster kid.

Let's warm up someone's life this Thanksgiving.

My final say and off my soapbox.  I won't be shopping Thanksgiving Day; I never shop Black Friday either.  I liked this little article Don't Go Shopping on Thanksgiving.

Thought Provoking and Just Plain Provoking

"Even if you fall on your face you are moving forward."  Victor Kiam

 

"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving." Oliver Wendell Holmes

Tabor's November 11th post at One Day at a Time titled Addictions and Fancies gave me cause to pause as I cleaned out the leftovers from fancies long ago that were still hidden in my garage, basement, and cupboards.  I've given away or sold jewelry making supplies, stained glass supplies, camp gear, but have kept most of my books and art supplies.  Gone are the piles of yarn, kid craft leftovers, pieces of fabric for one thing or another.  It's almost all gone to people who wanted it and appreciate it.  People with their own Addictions and Fancies.  It's a wonder there was any room left over in that little house for furniture.  There was/is the mountain of photographs half in the old albums and half into the new ones, a project begun years ago.  And I have digital ones as well and they aren't sorted out properly either.  I found my ancient slide projector and a box of slides.

I am in my apartment, surrounded by boxes.  My bedroom is unpacked except for one box, the bathroom as well.  The kitchen is an unholy mess.  I found enough crockery and flatware to cook meals so I'm not eating out.  I think I will repack some stuff and stack in the spare bedroom and cover it with a tablecloth.  I could put art on it, but then I'd have to unpack it.  A luxury of goods.  Time to be grateful but...

I am also surrounded by angst.  The house was supposed to close on Friday and the buyer asked for an extension.  The "single" woman who bought the house is in the process of a divorce and she needs a quit claim from ex-hubbie-to-be.  It appears she failed to mention this anyone.  Me and myself had a major snit here in my little apartment before I went to the real estate office.  At least this way I don't have to apologize to anyone although no one is in doubt I'm angry and disappointed.  And by word of mouth I found a very nice condo in my price range.  I made an offer on it contingent on my house sale closing.  Taking a deep breath here.  I'm not in control of this outcome.  Praying.  Also got copies of every piece of paper connected to my house sale. The extension is to next Wednesday, they call it a three-day extension, meanings three business days, but its a whole week, a week closer to another round of house bills, and apartment rent.  If I had a swear jar it would be full.

I am reminding myself to be grateful as I have great kids, wonderful grandkids, good friends, and a safe, warm place to live.  This will all wash out somehow.  If I don't pop up before then, have a good Thanksgiving everyone.

Mini-Vacation

Very mini.  I was on my feet all day Sunday.  I finally took some time out after dinner lay on my heating pad and finish reading my second Anne Perry, "Callander Square."  The first of these Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Victorian murder mysteries was  published in 1979.  I just found them.  Most are in our library except for the first four.  I'm hooked.   Now I can pack it away with my other books.  The first book "The Cater Street Hangman" was a creepy thriller, this one is more of a soap opera and I really like her carefully constructed characters.

I also tried my first Craigslist ad with trepidation.  All those stories.  I had a loveseat I wanted to give away.  I got two nibbles and the second one came from an hour away to pick it up.  My eldest son came over to watch over his mom and helped the young man carry it out to his truck and trailer.  My son took home the foot stool that went with it.  They were in pretty good shape for being 13 years old.  The Herculon fabric held up really well.  I still have the sofa.  The living room is starting to look emptier.  I'm starting to say goodbye to the house.  I've been avoiding thinking about it but think I'd better.  I have an apartment now and the move is this coming Saturday.  I went back yesterday and measured the rooms and see what will and won't fit into it.  Ever pragmatic, I also brought toilet paper, hand soap, and towels, and later some clothes and kitchen stuff.  Otherwise it's empty.

Today my van goes in to get its rear bumper replaced.  A friend backed into me with his very tall SUV at church a couple of weeks ago.  Ironic since I had parked so I would not have to back up.  Not sure the timing is great but eldest son is driving Ms. Crazy around today. 

I've opened up a new chapter for myself.   Yesterday I was looking forward to it.  This morning I am hand-wringing anxious and just want to be done moving.  Then I will rest up and then I see what's next.  It will be winter.  I can unpack, read a lot, and rest.  Or get out and do something.  My youngest sister will be coming for a few days before Thanksgiving and I can hardly wait.

Veteran's Day

 

Thank You

 

 



Veterans Day Parade 11/08/13 Union Bulletin Walla Walla

Quiet Before the Storm

Walla Walla University Campus

I had to wear layers and my fleece jacket yesterday even though the sun was strong on us.  Went with my roofer/contractor to pick up materials for fixing my home's missing roof shingles that blew off in the last wind storm a few weeks ago.  It's part of the sale agreement and though they haven't signed yet, neglecting your roof is a silly thing to do.  He was going to start today but...some kind of front has blown in and it started raining this morning and has increased all day.  Fortunately the roof doesn't leak.  The weatherman has promised us wind as well, worst case scenario 35mph with up to 57mph gusts.  No roofing today or maybe tomorrow either.  The upside is it got considerably warmer.

I'm still packing stuff for storage, giving stuff away to charity, and wondering how I ended up with all this stuff that I don't want.  I have inside "storage" for my wall art, paintings etc. at my son's house.  He has a huge blank wall in his dining room, and he wants to hang some it.  That would be okay with me especially since if this house ever closes I will be in an apartment until something suitable shows up on the market.  It will enable my art teachery with my grandkids.  We'll have our own little museum.  Even if the storage were climate controlled I believe art is meant to be seen.

I also found in my hoard, two unfinished quilt tops made by my maternal great-grandmother Nancy.  I had forgotten about them.  They were made, we think, in the 20's or earlier from all sorts of scraps from the time and before.  When my mother was born to Grandma Grace we think Great-Grandma Nancy had been living with a son on a cattle ranch near Heppner, Oregon.  If you think sagebrush and juniper you'd be right, although there are some lovely canyons out that way.  Lovely and deadly once.  There was a devastating flood in Heppner Flood of 1903 called the "second deadliest flash flood after the 1889 Johnstown flood" in the United States.

Everything is up in the air with the house; I am waiting to see if the potential buyers sign the latest counter-offer.  Oddly enough, living in this chaos, I have achieved some level of peace of mind.  I've been exercising to a DVD called "Older and Wiser."  Aimed right at my demographic.  I pray, especially in the 12 step fashion, "dear Lord, I have come to see I am not in control of my life or anything else..." and I am practicing the kind of deep breathing exercise that helped me deliver three children without any drugs.  Last night I woke anxious and shaky at 1:30am.  Got up, had a little water and a potty break and got back in bed and started the breathing meditation combined with counting backwards from 1000.  I remember getting down to 898 and then I was out again.  It was restful sleep, although when I sat down for before lunch I snoozed for about 20 minutes.  Feeling pretty good now.  Hope you are all well also.

Scrubby Dubby

Just a short note of appreciation.  My grandgirls scrubbed my kitchen floor, vacuumed, and scrubbed my kitchen cabinets to when I put the house up for sale.  One came over with her then-boy friend and painted the front porch.  They still show up and mop the floor.  I'm feeling thankful and blessed.

I'm in the process of finding someone to replace the shingles that blew off the roof, and fix a couple of electrical things the inspection found.  One contractor came over to do an estimate.  So far I haven't gotten any of the rest to call back.  Too bad the girls can't roof!  I'd pay them.

Fall blew in, rain, fat clouds, lovely yellow leaves all over the yard up to my ankles.  Went for a walk to blow the cobwebs out of my head.  I am the anxiety queen this week.  Had to give up coffee, argh! Lots of dreams; in last night's dream I was drifting down a river, fishing for steelhead, but I had no oars.  Still it was a lovely peaceful dream.