Thursday, July 26, 2007

Mom's Birthday

I was thinking about Mom and Grandma Anderson all day yesterday, but was away from the ‘puter so couldn’t blog about it. Here is my idyllic, pastoral fantasy about it:

Today, in 1918, Mom would be one day old and Grandma would be recovering. I picture 15 year old Aunt Julia cuddling her new baby sister while Grandma gets some well-earned rest. I don’t know if they had electricity yet; if they did, I picture an oscillating table fan blowing across a block of ice, moving the thick air around in Grandma’s room. If not, Julia may have soaked some white bedsheets and hung them in the open windows to catch whatever breeze there was and help provide some relief from the heat.

Virgil and Milton, ages 5 and 10 are probably out sweating in the field with Grandpa, maybe mowing hay with the horse drawn mower and the draft team I’ve seen pictures of. At sunset, they come in to the meal Julia fixed of roasted or fried meat, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden and a cold drink of fresh milk. Afterwards, they sit on the porch and try to cool off, hoping the night will bring cooler temps. Maybe Grandpa looks in on Grandma and sits with her and holds his new daughter for a while cooing to her in Swedish.

Across the Atlantic, WW I is approaching its bloody conclusion while negotiations for the Treaty of Versaille is setting the stage for WW II. There has never been a time in Virgil’s 5-year life span at this point when the “War to end all Wars” has not been raging. Meanwhile, the one day old baby girl who will someday raise six children of her own, sleeps peacefully, surrounded by her family.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

OOPS!

I was browsing the birthday book this morning and realized I neglected to include Alex on the family list. He turned 5 on the 21st! Sorry!
I hope he had a good day! Fill us in on the festivities, Grandma Shirl.

Myrna’s got a new adventure and stories posted on her blog at the Odyssey website. Take a look!

I’m sad to report that I am no longer a publishing columnist. I was writing a monthly column on quilting for Country Lanes Magazine, but Monica decided to switch her advertising to another publication, so no more Loose Threads. The column space came with the display ad she was purchasing. I miss it. I’ve been doing it for 4 years. I’m going to look for another space to fill.

I hope you are all paying atention to LaDawn's situation. Keep her in your prayers.

Friday, July 20, 2007

PLANNING?

Just checked mapquest. Moab, UT is 13 hours from Norfolk and 13 hours from Sacramento. Could we get more central for our next mini reunion? Are we going to persue this adventure? If we plan far enough ahead, maybe Randy and Jerry can join us. Just something to think about.
Sue

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Thank you!

Emily sends her thanks for the birthday wishes and I say "Thanks" to Myrna for our next trip to Applebee's! I appreciated the photos, too. I wish you people lived a little closer, so we could have days like that more often.

Emily

Happy birthday, Emily. You really know how to test your mom's cooking abilities.
Love, Aunt Suzie.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMILY!

Thanks for being my daughter.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Bargains

When I redid my Windmill flower bed this spring, I spent a lot of money at Earl May.
Therefore I had some $15.00 worth of coupons to spend in July or August. I am not one to pass up a bargain so I took my "money" and headed to their nursery. I found a miniature rose bush that was originally $19.99. It looked like it could use some TLC so I took it to the counter and said "you aren't really going to charge me $19.99 for this plant are you?". The manager said 25% off and then looked at it and said make that 50%. With my coupons I got it for $5.00. (you can only use up to 1/2 the price with the coupons). I am hoping it will perk up in it's new home. I also bought some red begonias to plant in a planter which previously had petunias in it. The petunias were looking real droopy. Had to be red because they sit under a red water pump. No where else to plant anything. You got to be kidding. I have a lot of pots in the basement. I haven't had a spider plant for awhile so I bought one of them to put out in my sun porch. My bargain - about $30.00 worth of plants for about $10.00 after the coupons were deducted.
Shirley, you can still plant stuff in July.
Sue

Family history

I found this in my “archives.”

March 27
Thursday
8:00
1975
Dear Grandma,
How are you? I am fine. *Dad came home yesterday. I can’t wait tell Jenell comes home. Can you wait untel she comes home? I thought her target practice was neet. Who is your pastor in church?
Dad is going to leave just about 10. He’s going to Utica New York. We don’t see him very much. I liked the roast on Sunday. It was deeleshes. I hope when we go to your church again we can have it. And when Jenell comes home we can have it too. Well I better say good-by. Write back soon.
I better say God bless you.
So good-by.
God bless you.
Love,
Tammie.

Is that precious or what? (I was in Basic Training at the time)

*Note: Dad is a trucker.

The Yaya Sisters

This has come to me in an email twice, and made me laugh out loud both times.

If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.
But if it just site in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and doesn’t appear to realize that you had set it free…you either married it or gave birth to it.

Reason to smile: Every 7 minutes of every day, someone in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring.

They keep telling us to get in touch with our bodies. Mine isn’t all that communicative but I heard from it the other day after I said, “Body, how’d you like go to the 6:00 class in vigorous toning?”
Clear as a bell, my body said, “Listen, Fatty, do it and die.”

My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.

The nice part about living in a small town: When you don’t know what you’re doing, someone else always does.

The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

Isn’t it amazing how you can hang something in your closet for awhile and it shrinks two sizes?

Sometimes I think I understand everything. Then, I regain consciousness.

Enjoy the weekend!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Myrna's Pictures

If you haven't visited the Myrna's Odyssey adventure website, you should. Lots of nice pics. There is a link to it on the right, just in case you haven't noticed.

Monday, July 9, 2007

The Coach


You da man, Scott - you da man!

Alex


At the ballgame

Friday, July 6, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JONATHAN!

Tomorrow, July 7. Hope you have a great day!

Birthday

Happy birthday on 7/7/7 to Jonathan. Hope it is your lucky day.
Sue

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Pics from the hike at Platte R.

On the banks of the Mighty (flat) Platte! Jonathan, Bob, Paulette, Jack, Sue & Emily.
Jonathan & Jack

Adam, Paulette (Auntie Pea) and Emily







Tuesday, July 3, 2007

??

Ever wonder how Grandma & Grandpa A. timed their kids to be almost exactly 5 years apart? All but Julia are in July. I think she was October.
Sue