Foundation of Friends - Lucky Girl!

I’ve been reading the December issue of Prevention magazine. There is an article titled “Your Foundation of Friends”. It tells about friendships not only making you happy, but also keeping you healthy. I have so many friends, and a whole assortment of different kinds of friends. I have always considered myself lucky to have these friendships. Because I love these people and enjoy their company, even if I only see them once a year, I have always strived to nurture these friends and keep in touch with them. I know that I would never have survived 38 years of living away from my family in PA, if I did not have a ton of friends here in Duluth. The first few years of my married life I only had one good friend, and I wouldn’t have survived without her. Eventually, through the years, I added many friends.

In those first 5 – 10 years of marriage, I had more friends in PA than I did in MN. It drove my parents nuts when I went home, having to see every one of them, my Mother used to say “you don’t have to see them all on this trip!” But, I felt that I did, I wanted to, it was important! When I started getting friends here in Duluth, it got easier for me to live here. Now, I don’t know if I could leave Duluth, because I’d have to leave all my great friends!

The article also says that “Friendships are a greater predictor of longevity than even close family ties, and they can protect against obesity, depression, and heart disease. These are the six type of friends that she says we should keep on our speed dial.

I have many friends that are representative of each of these types. How much luckier can a girl be? Take inventory and see if you have friends in each category, it will make for a happier and healthier 2008 if you do. The article detailed each kind of friend. If you would like to read it, it’s from December, 2007 Prevention Magazine. The article is by Elizabeth Larsen and titled “Your Foundation of Friends”.

Read my posts below about the six types of friends everyone should have. I have also written a bit about the friend/s that represent these types in my life.

I wish for you in 2008 a friend in each of these categories.

A Lifelong Friend

A Lifelong Friend – “She sees past your bifocals to the girl you were at 16, these friends remind you that you are still the person you’ve always been. She knew your family when you were growing up.” From: Your Foundation of Friends, Elizabeth Larsen - Prevention Magazine, Dec. '07

My friend from elementary school, we were friends since 4th grade, she was my Maid of Honor at our wedding. She drives up from New Jersey to EB to visit me, every time I am home. My November visit, she and I sat at a restaurant for 3 hours visiting, it was like we had never been apart. Then we spent the whole evening together and of course, during that time did some reminicing. Great fun!

I also have several other lifelong friends from school that I have remained close to in my years in Duluth. These lifelong friends are invaluable!

None of the friends I have met in the last 38 years, knew me when I was growing up. Many friends I have now also did not know me when I was raising my children. That's one reason I keep in touch with all my "lifelong friends". They knew me when....

A Younger Friend

A Younger Friend – "Studies show that an essential element of a happy life is to nurture and feel useful to others – Younger friends often want to know how you raised teens without losing your mind, you can be a big help to a younger friend by passing on what you have learned through experience." From: Your Foundation of Friends, Elizabeth Larsen - Prevention
Magazine, Dec. '07

When I was first married, I had a friend that was at least 25 years older than me. She was a mentor to me, gave me advice on child rearing, and husband advice, and realized from her experiences that I would get through the “season” I was in. She helped me to know I was not alone in what life was handing me. She helped me tremendously.

I just met a young woman three weeks ago that I believe will grow into a friendship. She is 33, and she is going through a very tough time right now, and is pretty much alone. I hope to be a friend to her, like my older friend was to me, when I needed someone.

Spiritual Friends

A Spiritual Friend – Being part of a spiritual community – not necessarily an organized religion – helps people stay resilient, research shows.
From: Your Foundation of Friends, Elizabeth Larsen - Prevention Magagine, Dec. '07

I am thankful to say I have 6 firm spiritual friends that I get together with once a week, we keep each other on track with living our faith. I also have many other friends that fall in this category. I am truly blessed!

A Workout Friend

A Workout Friend – "Experts agree that exercising – whether via walking, golfing, or Latin dancing – is one of the most important things you can do for your physical and mental health and longevity. A University of Connecticut study of 189 women ages 59-78 found that strong social support was key to maintaining a new exercise regimen for 1 year.
From: Your Foundation of Friends, Elizabeth Larsen - Prevention Magagine, Dec. '07

I have one or two work out friends, depending on the season of the year." My friend "who empathizes" is one that is my work out friend also. We both encourage each other togo to water aerobics, after a hard day of work, when neither of us really want to go! We walk together, we both know we need the exercise, so we keep after each other to do it.

My husband goes to the water aerobic class twice a week at the Fitness Center, and he tells me about the same group of women that are there every time, so many of them are friends, they come together, they support each other in their fitness regime.

A New Friend for 2008

A New Friend – “Unlike old buddies, these companions have no pre-conceived notions about you” They will connect you to another network of people. New friends ignite different kinds of thinking, fresh ways of being."
From Your Foundation of Friends by Elizabeth Larsen, Prevention Magazine, Dec. '07.

I have made so many new friends in the 38 years I've lived here in Duluth. It's true, each new friend, connects you with another network of people. Often these are people that aren't like yourself, but people that you learn things from in their differences.

I don't think a year goes by that I don't meet and make a new friend. I'm sure there will be a new one or two coming my way in '08!

A Friend Who Can Empathize

A Friend Who Can Empathize – "A hot flash is a little cooler, an empty nest a little less lonely, with a friend who’s going through something similar. This same-stage pal can help heal what’s ailing you. You can help each other reduce stress by getting out of your usual routines. "
From: Your Foundation of Friends, Elizabeth Larsen - Prevention Magazine, Dec. '07

This is my best friend in Duluth! She and I empathize with each other. We struggle through so many of the same things, we help each other, we encourage each other. She and I are like sisters, and we don’t know what we’d do without each other!

Victorian Mansion in East Berlin

This lovely Victorian House sits on Main Street of East Berlin, PA . Its called "The Bechtel Victorian Mansion". About 20 years ago, it was made into a Bed and Breakfast.

Our farm I grew up on is 6 miles from East Berlin. I found this photo on the web, when I was searching for something else. Amazing what you find, when you are looking for something else!
This was taken from an ad for Bed and Breakfasts in the Gettysburg/Harrisburg area. I remember when this house was fixed up and made into a Bed and Breakfast. My Mother often told us on our trips home, that it would probably be a neat thing to stay there one night. The price was high, and when home is near by, we didn't see the point. Maybe some day we might do it, just to see what it's like inside.

Interesting side note, the Bechtels who once owned this house, are related to us on Dad's side. However, not close enough that any of us knew them very well.

New Year's Eve 2007

I didn’t realize until last Thursday that we had Dec. 31st, as a floating holiday from work., This is the first year this has happened. It makes for a wonderful 4 day in a row, time off from the job. I was hoping I could get some extra work done around the house, but I just don’t have the energy I used to have, I’m making some headway, but not what I wanted to. If I had paid attention earlier to having today off I might have planned a get together at the house today or tonight for friends. I thought of it on Friday, but since I’m not the most organized person, I thought putting something together at the last minute would be too stressful. I’m into being relaxed lately, and not getting stressed. I figure I spent so many years getting stressed out over the holidays, that my time is coming that I should be able to relax. So… here I am relaxing on my day off, and will probably do the same tomorrow. I slept in late, which was wonderful. I plan to do the same tomorrow.

Bob got me a beautiful necklace for Christmas, but the chain is not long enough, so in a little bit we are going to the jewelry store to get a longer chain. Then we will go out to a restaurant to eat early, before the rush. We will spend the evening together, bringing in the New Year. Rob is working all day and works until 8 tonight and will be going out with his friends after. The younger son and his girl are probably doing what we did (hang out with lots of friends) when we were younger.

We’ve had our years of celebrating and dancing and cheering in the New Year. For many years, I wanted to go to the big SMDC party they have at the DECC, but my husband never wanted to, and none of our friends go there. Now the last few years, I don’t even think about the possibility. We aren’t big drinkers, so we don’t like the bar hopping scene anymore, and the restaurants are way too busy, so we’ve learned to go out early to eat, and come home early and celebrate quietly. This year we are looking forward to the same, a quiet evening, bringing in the New Year and wishing that the new year will be as good as 2007 was for us and our family.

Wishing all my readers a happy New Year celebration tonight, and a joyous, healthy, happy and blessed 2008!!

Christmas 2007

Because of the Nutcracker performance that our Grandchildren were in last weekend, we spent an extra two days in Hudson with our daughter and her family. We went down on Saturday morning and dodged the snow part of the way. The Nutcracker was absolutely wonderful (see below). Sunday it snowed all day. In Hudson we got 6 inches throughout the day, back home they received a foot! The guys had a lot of snow shoveling and blowing to do when we got back home on Christmas Day.

We had a great Christmas, good quality time with everyone, even the Grandson who is usually off and running with his friends, spent a lot of time at home with us.

On Christmas Eve Day, we enjoyed another great Lasagna meal put together by our daughter.
Her In-Laws and her sister-in-law always are with us that day and evening. Dawn has really perfected her homemade lasagna, seems better each year! (She learned it from her Mom!)

Madelyn can hardly wait until the meal is over, for us to open our gifts. Every year I think that we should be giving money to charity instead of buying gifts for each other, but then when the time comes, I have to admit it is fun to watch everyone open, and oooh and aahh over their gifts.
Yes, Christmas Eve was very nice. We missed church this year. We always went to church at 10 pm other years, except last year and this year, we just didn't seem to make it. We must get that back into the picture next year.

We said goodbye at 11 am on Christmas Day and headed north to home, arriving home in time to clean up snow and still have time to relax and rest, before spending Christmas Day evening with the youngest son and his girlfriend and her family. (He worked all day Christmas Eve day, so they stayed in Duluth). **Rob and Bob spent the evening with them

**I was dealing with a bad head cold that moved to the chest, the whole time we were in Hudson, by the time we were traveling home on Tuesday, it moved to the stomach. As the guys cleaned the snow, I went to bed for the rest of the day. Fortuantely, by Wednesday morning, I felt much better, just in time to go back to work. My cold is all gone now.

The Prince and the Mouse

Part of our Christmas celebration in Hudson last weekend was watching our Grandchildren perform in their dance studio’s production of “The Nutcracker” at the college in River Falls on Saturday night. It was the third performance for them, so getting ready for this performance and dancing Fri. night, Sat. afternoon and Sat. night, was really a lot of work for the grandchildren and all of the dancers. They all did very well, and we are so thankful that we were able to be there to see it.

7 year old Madelyn was one of the cute little mice that danced around the party celebration scene in the Nutcracker. They were all so cute, but of course, Grandma and Grandpa thought she was the cutest!

18 year old Skylar was the “Prince”. He did really well, we just couldn’t believe how easy he made his dancing look. He was so natural, and it was so great watching him perform.

Grandpa Pugliese, and Uncle Rob had not seen Skylar dance before (only on tape), and they were just as thrilled as I was. They were really surprised at how good he was. Watching him dance with the “Sugar Plum Fairy” was especially heartwarming.

Our daughter hosted an after performance party on Friday night at their home. She worked hard getting ready for that, and I wish I could have been there to help her. It was a fun party for the kids and the parents.

The studio plans to make this an annual production. So, I’m sure we will be able to enjoy this again next year!

Christmas Morning and "Hairspray"

Tuesday morning we watched our 7 year old Granddaughter open her gifts from Santa Claus. She loved all her gifts, she made quite a haul, and was excited over all of them. It was fun to watch her that morning. One of her gifts was the movie “Hairspray”. She was so happy to see that! She and her Mother saw the movie a few months ago in the theatre and Dawn said she really loved it, and said it was her favorite movie. I had wanted to see it when it was here, but neither my husband nor son wanted to go with me. I should have gone alone, but I didn’t. So, on Christmas morning, before we left for home, we all watched the movie with Madelyn. We really did enjoy it, even Bob and Rob, who really didn’t want to watch it, said it was cute.

It was based on the dance program that I used to love to watch when I was growing up. “The Buddy Dean Show” from Baltimore, I watched it everyday on Channel WJZ-TV.

It also reminded me about “American Bandstand”, which the movie also refers to, which was competition for the Baltimore show. Bandstand was the same kind of show, but in Philadelphia.

AND, it brought to me the memory of one of my favorite TV programs that was on NBC a few years ago, for about 2 seasons or so. “American Dreams”. I watched it every week and loved it because it not only was about a girl that danced on Bandstand, it also over the period of the shows, delved into the issues that were taking place in the 60’s, politically, locally and with families. It showed the many changes that happened during that period, and was pretty accurate with the history. I noticed quite a while ago that the first season of the show was out on DVD. I wanted to buy it, but it was quite pricy, so of course I never did.

The Son Knows

I never give anyone a list of what I want for Christmas, because I am happy to get any gift, I am not a picky person. The only time I have ever given a broad hint about a wish, was this year, about the camera – and that was because of all the teasing I’ve received over the years about my disposable cameras (see posts below).

Our son Rob is the one that has been the very best at knowing exactly what to give me for Christmas, without me saying a thing! His gifts are always something that he knows I wouldn’t buy for myself, and something that I would really enjoy.

Last year he gave me the DVD series of one of the seasons of “Everyone Loves Raymond”. That was a perfect gift! He knows how much I love that show!

This year, he again hit the jackpot. He gave me the 1st season DVD series of “American Dreams”… I was so excited about that, especially after thinking of the series when I was watching the “Hairspray” movie. (see post above) He also gave me a DVD series of one of the “House” series, one of the years before I started watching House, so they will all be new to me!

Of course, this morning, when I should have been doing a hundred other, more productive things, I watched the first couple shows of "American Dreams" instead. It was fun. I'm excited to share this series with one of my friends, who I think will really enjoy watching it, she doesn't watch as much TV as I do, so she never watched it on prime time. I think Madelyn will enjoy watching it too, maybe when she's older, she will be able to see some of what happened in the 60's in our country.

Thank you son!

Hairspray/Buddy Dean/American Bandstand

Something I just learned:
The highest rated local TV show in the 60’s, Buddy Dean Show was taken off the air because it refused to integrate their teen dancers!

In preparation for my next two posts, I am going to re-post part of something I wrote before, about the “American Bandstand” and “Buddy Dean Show”, two dance shows on TV in the 60's.

“As a pre-teen and a teen, I was an avid watcher of "American Bandstand" every day after school. First, I watched “The Buddy Dean” show, which was the same type of show, but it came out of Baltimore, MD, then I would switch the station over to Bandstand. It’s funny how both shows were so different, though they played the same great music. The Maryland based show, the teens dressed up, looked very sharp and dressed conservatively. The Philadelphia bandstand show, the teens dressed much more, what our generation at that time referred to as “wild”. The girls, we from southeastern, rural PA, felt that the city girls dressed like sluts (which is what wild meant). I guess it’s just that they were “city” girls, and we were “country girls”. It was a big difference. With the media now a days, there probably isn’t that difference between the city girls and the country girls anymore. In fact, some would say the majority of the girls now dress like“city” girls, no matter where they live!”

One of the differences that I didn’t realize until this week, between the two shows was pointed out in the recent movie "Hairspray". Bandstand was integrated, Buddy Dean was not. That is something that I didn’t realize. I did some searching on the internet about the Buddy Dean show this week. “Rock around the Clock” was the first real rock and roll recording, and Bill Haley and the Comets made their premiere TV performance on his show, doing the recording.
I found out that it was the highest rated local TV program in the nation for most of it’s 7 years on air. Buddy Dean was named the number one DJ in the nation in 1962. Although it was highly rated, the show was taken off the air because the WZJ-TV Studio refused to integrate black dancers with the white dancers. They were pressured to do so, but refused.

About Disposable Cameras

Top 20 reasons why Linda has been using Disposable cameras for 7 years:

1. My other camera quit working on the way to a Black Hills Trip, summer ‘99
(This IS the # one reason!)

2. Purchased a disposable camera at Wall Drug, upon advice of someone on the trip with us
3. The camera (s) took great photos, I discovered when we got home and had photos developed
4. Why hurry to buy a new camera, these disposables work well! (always the procrastinator)
5. I’ll wait until I have money to buy a good camera
6. Disposables are not too hard on the pocketbook, buying them one at a time at $5.99-7.99!
(Never mind, that I've been buying them for 7 years! ha ha, my daughter keeps reminding me!)
7. I almost broke down a few years ago when I wanted to have the photos on my computer - "Don’t worry", someone told me “purchase a CD” when you get your photos developed.
8. The CD’s have been working very well for all these years,
don’t need to spend money on one yet
9. For many years, I hear from family and friends that their batteries get eaten up too fast on
their camera. Why have a camera if the batteries never work when you need it?
10. I hear other complaints from friends and family about their cameras
11. In 7 years I have never had any problems with my disposable cameras!
12. I need to take time to research which kind to buy, there are SO many on the market, when
do I have time to figure out what to buy
13. More important, when do I have the money to buy one…
14. The Disposable ones are recycled, so I don't have to feel guilty about using them
15. It appears to bother people that I don't have a "real camera"
(Maybe it takes their mind off of their problems)
16. By using the disposable cameras, it gives my family and friends something to
tease me about. If they didn't tease me about that, they might find something else to tease me about
that I wouldn't take as good naturely!
17. They seem to need something to tease me about, so it might as well be about cameras!
18. I'm contributing to a local business and economony when I purchase my disposable cameras
19. O.K., O.K., another reason, guess I will admit it: I'm a Procrastinator!
20. The disposables have given me a lot of really good photos over these last 7 years!
SO, exactly what is the HURRY??

Digital Camera for '08

Top 10 Reasons Why I would like to have a Digital Camera in 2008

VERY TOP REASON:
1. It would be nice to see the photo first, and choose if it’s what I want, and delete and take over again, if it’s not!
2. My family and friends tease me mercifully about using a disposable camera
3. I hear that the digital cameras have been much perfected from what they first were. Maybe 2008 is the year to get one.
4. My family and friends tease me mercifully about using a disposable camera
5. My Photo CD’s are really piling up! (I spend an extra $2 bucks when I develop my photos, to get them on CD)
6. My family and friends tease me mercifully about using a disposable camera
7. Photos can be stored on very small "photo cards"
8. Getting very tired of being teased about using a disposable camera
9. My family and friends tease me mercifully about using a disposable camera
10. Getting very tired of being teased about using a disposable camera

HINT finally taken

I have been taking heat for 7 years from my family and friends because I use a disposable Kodak camera to take all my photos. I know this is the age of the digital, and I'm behind the times, however, look at my next two posts and you will see why I am behind the times.

Even though my family fusses that I use the disposable cameras, they have never taken any of my hints for 7 years that it’s something that they could pool resources and buy me for a joint Christmas or birthday gift. Maybe I didn't hint strong enough over the years, so this past year I became more "assertive".

I really got tired of them fussing at me about not having a decent camera. So, I started to really fuss about the fact that for 7 years, they have never taken my hint that a camera would make a nice gift. Everytime I got teased, I expressed my wish to have one for Christmas. Well, what do you know, someone FINALLY listened!!! Christmas Eve I was so excited when I opened up a present - it was an Olympus Digital Camera, and a very nice one! My husband and my daughter went together and bought it for me! Hurray! I am very happy to get such a great gift, something I’ve wanted for a long time, and now I can quit hearing teasing about the disposable one. Now, though, they can expect me to take even MORE photos, (which is maybe why they really held off buying me one??)!!

In Memory

Today would have been my Dad's birthday. We never forgot his birthday because is was two days after Christmas.

Our daughter never forgets her Father in Law's Birthday either. His birthday is always on Christmas Eve Day. We always celebrate his birthday at their house, before we do any "Christmas Eve" stuff. Tom was 65 on Monday. Daddy would have been 88 today. One thing about birthdays during the holidays, those dates are never forgotten!

I will write about our family's Christmas tomorrow night. Tonight, I just want to think about Daddy and remember what a good Dad he was, and how much I loved him, how much we all loved him, and still do. He will not be forgotten. He is in our hearts always! I miss you Dad!
I know all of you that lost your Dad, understand.

In Loving Memory: Gerald Masemer Ebersole - Birthdate December 27, 1919.

Yes! Ready for Christmas!

Now, I'm ready for Christmas and ready to spend it with our children and Grandchildren. Bad weather is forecast for tomorrow, they say travel will not be good this weekend. They keep changing the prediction of how much snow we are to get. We will be checking the weather station and the on line weather spots tomorrow morning. We hope we get to Hudson, because we want to see the Grandchildren in THE NUTCRACKER tomorrow night. Even Bob said he is excited about seeing them dance!

I'm off to bed early... to help fight a cold I'm hatching and so I won't stress over what weather we will find tomorrow!

If I don't write anymore before Christmas, I want to wish each one of you the Merriest of Christmas and a wonderful time with your family and friends. Talk to you after Christmas, if not before!

Keeping in Touch with Others - Part of the Holiday

Today I sent out Christmas cards. Something I wasn’t going to do this year. However,
I decided I did want to send to some of the friends in PA that I didn’t see when I was home last month, and then ended up sending to some that I did see, just to tell them in the card how great it was “to see them last month”. Then I also wanted to send to some from Duluth that we rarely see, but want to keep in touch with. Then there are those friends outside of Duluth in Minnesota that we hardly ever see, well, I HAD to write to them too. So… every evening this week I was writing cards, I didn’t do my usual Christmas letter, just sent individual cards and put notes in most of them. I went to the post office over lunch and bought 50 Christmas stamps. They all got in the mail today. I felt so good after dropping them in the mail box. I realized that its one of the things I was missing in getting ready for Christmas. I was missing reaching out and touching those that I love, by sending them cards to let them know I’m thinking of them. I mailed about half the number of cards I usually send out, but guess what, at the Hallmark store the other day at lunch time, I bought two packs of “Happy New Year” cards. Guess who will be getting those cards the first week in January. You guessed it, the relatives that I saw in November back home, that didn’t get a Christmas card from us!

PS...HOW could I have forgotten how important my writing Christmas Cards to my family and friends is to me, it's part of what the Christmas Season is for me! It's more important than gift buying! What can I say, after all, I AM a "People Person", or so I've been told many times!

The Little Things at Christmas Season

There was an article in the News Tribune by Garrison Keillor saying that the best thing about Christmas is it’s not about us. He’s right. It’s not about us. I realized this especially this year, when I had decided that I wouldn’t send Christmas cards, and I decided not to buy as many gifts.

I was wondering why I have been feeling so down the last few weeks about the up coming season. I realize this week why. It's because I was thinking of myself and not of others. No wonder I couldn't get in the spirit. I have changed my tune on the cards. I decided it wouldn’t be Christmas without touching out to OTHERS. I also bought small gifts for some people I wasn’t necessarily planning to buy for, like my daughter’s best friend (I’m so thankful Dawn has her), another friend who gives us advice throughout the year with our 401-K plan, at no cost to us, people, and a few others. I realized when I was shopping for the others, and thinking of them, and choosing what would be best for them, that I was happy (even though I'm not a shopper, it did please me when I thought I chose a good gift).

And, when my cards went out today, I felt so happy. I felt that “Now I am ready for Christmas”!
I came home and wrapped the gifts I purchased to take to our daughters tomorrow. I didn’t spend a lot of money on them, but I was very thoughtful about what I purchased, trying to get them each “something special”. My co/workers at work, we always exchange very small, inexpensive gifts, and it’s always fun to see how creative, without spending much money, we all are each year. It’s just fun to see little “gifts” show up on our desk in the mornings, throughout the last two weeks. I was happy with what I found for them this year, and it was fun looking for just the right things.

Then, our Disciple Covenant group, Tuesday night, we ate together and we each gave out small, creative, beautiful things to each other. We could tell that each gift was chosen with a lot of thought. One of the girls writes poems, and wrote us a beautiful poem on a beautiful hand made card. It’s something we will hang up and treasure. Another gave us each a lovely candle and yum, yum, candy; and the gal that makes jewelry, we were thrilled to each get a pair of earrings from her…all the same. I gave a small Christmas Cross charm that I chose carefully, and looked a long time to find just what I thought they would like. Shopping for them was fun. Also, a pack of note cards, with the most beautiful photos on them, lovingly handcrafted by the giver. One of the girls read “The Candy Makers Gift” story to us, then gave us the most beautiful large, old fashioned candy cane. Then, our newest member, took a photo when we were visiting Michelle in St. Paul in October, of all of us original group with Michelle. She gave us each a copy of the photo in a framed Christmas card. How special! All of these gifts were given with love and much thought, I don’t think any one of them cost over a few dollars. Gifts do not need to be expensive to be meaningful. We must not forget this fact! It’s the little things that count!

After I learned this week, what I had forgotten, that indeed, “Christmas is not about us”, I have been feeling so much better. I’m in the Christmas Spirit, I am ready! Christmas is about giving to our dear ones, in the spirit of the Christ Child, as God gave to us. It is about kindness to others, keeping in touch with others, about putting together a “Christmas Bag” for Life House Teens, giving needed socks to CHUM, giving donations to those that are in need. Yes, Christmas is in the “Little things, and it’s about OTHERS.” Next year I won’t forget that, and I’m so glad I was reminded this year!

Now for the Son

Rob took his certification test today. He is fairly positive about it, says he knew most of the answers but is worried about the math portion. We told him we are proud that he finally took the test, and is thinking more about his future. We know he did his best and that's all we can ask. He hopes to hear the outcome the first week of January. So, now we will pray and wish the best for him.

Good News

We heard today that our Son in Law got the job at Northwest Airlines. They called him at 9 am this morning with the news. He is so happy, and we are all so happy for him and for the family!
What a nice Christmas Gift for them! Congratulations Bob!

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts on his behalf!

Testing Day

Ah...another request to ask for prayers and good vibes. Our son is taking a test today to become "certified" in his vocation. If he passes this test, his employer will be obliged to pay him more an hour. He doesn't make much more than minimum wage, so he certainly does need a boost in pay! He likes what he does, and his employer is very happy with him, but he needs to take this next step for the good of his future. This test has been a worry for him, and he's been dodging taking it for a long time. We are proud that he has finally chosen to take it. He's been studying very hard. We pray that he passes.

A request on behalf of our Son in Law

If you pray, I would ask you for special prayers at 7:45 tomorrow morning, if you don't pray, I ask you for good thoughts or vibes.

Our son is a pilot for a charter airline. This airline has been struggling for years, and he has been very paranoid for a long time that it will fold and he will be out of a job. This causes him a lot of stress. He has tried for many years to get an interview with Northwest Airlines, but to no avail. He finally has an interview tomorrow morning. Everyone tells him Northwest does not hire the pilots from this smaller airline, because Northwest is part owner of it. They have been working without a contract for a long time, and between worrying that the place will close or the vote will be to strike someday.... he really needs another job.

He has hesitated to apply at other airlines, holding out for Northwest, because to work for another airline means traveling out of state to get to work, since their hubs are elsewhere. Northwest's hub is here in Mpls.

We will all be praying that the interview goes well and that he will be hired. We all thank you for any prayers, thoughts, positive vibes that you can send his way tomorrow morning. Thank you!

Anticipation: The Nutcracker

I am excited about the weekend coming up. Our Grandchildren, the dancers will be part of the Hudson Dance Studio's production of "The Nutcracker" on Friday and Saturday nights. Our Grandson, Skylar, has the lead role in it. He is the Prince. I can't wait to see it. I have never seen The Nutcracker, and to be watching it for the first time with him in the lead part, is really exciting for me. We plan to go down on Saturday morning. We may have some challenges though, as they say we will wake up to snow Saturday, and get up to 4 inches. The weather person keeps saying "If you are planning to travel this weekend, you should do it on Sunday, not Saturday"...well that just won't work. I'm trying to convince the husband that we should go down on Friday evening, but he's not buying that right now. Says we must be in town to clean up the snow before leaving. So...we'll see. I'm praying that the weatherman will be wrong.

Former Downtown

Top: F. W. Woolworth's

Downtown Duluth, 1979 - All of these stores are now gone from downtown

Downtown Christmas Shopping - Gone

Glass Block Dept. Store - May, 1979
(middle of the photo)

I remember the days when everyone shopped downtown. We had two big department stores, Glass Block, which was on the site that the US Bank Building is now (the building I work in), and there was Wahl's. They were both wonderful stores. There were also clothing stores, a Woolworth's (where my Mother in Law spent 39 years of employment), another 5 and 10 store in the block up from Woolworth's, and drug stores and many cute small shops.

Downtown is pretty much vacant these days for stores to Christmas shop in on our lunch hours.
Even the Holiday Center Mall really does not have much to offer shoppers. When I worked at the bank downtown, when our daughter was young, one of my co/workers was a avid shopper. I often tagged along with her at lunch time and watched her buy all kinds of things on "sale" for that week, and because of her I spent money there too... (always good deals!). Glass Block had the nicest coffee shop that shoppers and downtown workers would have lunch and coffee at. They had a great bakery.

The day after Christmas, we would rush to Wahl's for all their 1/2 price Christmas decorations and holiday items. The first few years of my married life, I got all of our Christmas decorations at half price to use the next year. After a few years of buying, I soon had all I needed for our tree and our house for the holidays...all at 1/2 price or less at Wahls. And, they were "quality" things too...not junk.

When our ACS office re-located to the US Bank Building downtown, I was excited, remembering my downtown shopping times during lunch when I worked downtown in the early 70's. One of my friends who worked in the bank, when I expressed that excitement of being downtown she told me "Linda, there's nothing downtown shopping wise". I found out what she meant... especially a month or so later when I thought I could "Christmas Shop" downtown. I knew then, exactly what she meant.

Yes, we sure do miss the downtown department stores and other basic stores. I know ours is not the only downtown that has been ruined for shoppers by the urban sprawl. It's a shame.

I mentioned Fitger's Mall...that is in the downtown area, but really cannot be considered for "Downtown" shopping as it is many blocks from the main downtown area, and if I am going to run there on my lunch hour, it will have to be running there with a car! It has some cute shops in, as some I've mentioned in my other post, but nothing basic like a Walgreens, or department store type.

One More. . .

I told you that I finished up my Christmas shopping on Saturday. This evening I thought about one more person that I wanted to buy a gift for, not someone I usually buy for, which is why I didn't think of it on Saturday, but someone special to me that I decided a while back that I wanted to get a little something for. Don't you hate it when you think you are all done Christmas shopping, then you remember you missed someone?

Maybe I can run to Fitgers (which is downtown) during a lunch period this week, so I don't have to go over the hill. There is a store there that I bought quite a few unique gifts this year, called "The Snow Goose". It is a lovely little store with all kinds of "gifty type" things. Ummm there's also a nice bookstore in that complex, and a "Life is Good" Store.

This time of year, I don't think I'm the only one who tries to Christmas shop if possible, without going "over the hill" where all the crowds are. It's not easy. Not like downtown in the "old days"! Read my post titled "Downtown Shopping Gone".

Looking Like Christmas

It seemed like a "balmy" day this morning in Duluth on my drive to work. It was 18 degrees without any wind, and it actually seemed WARM. Weather sure is relative isn't it. Two months ago we would have thought that 18 degrees was cold, and this morning I thought it was warm! It was so beautiful too, the trees and bushes all had that white layer of frosted ice ... it was so pretty. It was so cloudy though, that I couldn't see the lake even when I drove right by it and could barely see the lift bridge.

I was listening to a Christmas CD in the car and the song "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" came on as I was oohing and aweing over the sights, and yes, it IS beginning to look like Christmas in the Northland. Much different than last year at this time!

News or Exploitation?

The last few months there has been coverage in our local paper about a local physician, at one of our major medical centers, who has had sexual charges brought up against him by a patient. There have been many articles written about him in our Duluth News Tribune, and the charges against him. The sexual charges were explicitly described. Each time the article ran, and at least once on the front page, the newspaper printed a photo of him. If I remember correctly, there have been charges brought up against doctors in the past and I remember one not that long ago from the other medical center in town.

Every time I have read one of these articles, I felt compassion. What if he is not guilty? These articles are written before he has been tried, he has not been found guilty yet. His career is ruined, even if he is found innocent. His wife works at the same medical center, and I have known her professionally, and feel so much compassion for her and their children. The last article written, gave their address, and talked about her. She is not the one on trial, it told about her mental health and even gave her name, was this all necessary? With every article published, I was tempted to write the newspaper to say that I felt they were exploiting the story. There have been some people that have written and expressed this. In this morning’s paper there is an article by the Editor of the News Tribune, defending that their stories, saying they were strictly news, that’s all, “just news.” I read what he had to say, I see some of his side, but still do not completely agree with how the stories were written. I think they could have been written differently, and the facts could be still be given. I don’t think it was necessary to always print the Doctor’s photo with each article. I’ve seen articles about other physician’s over the years being brought up on sexual charges, and there were never any photos, and I am pretty sure that the last one from another medical center, the name was not even given.

I felt moved this evening to write an e mail to the Editor, about this. I asked him to be more “compassionate” with stories like this. (I really do hope it does not show up on the editorial page though). I just felt that I had to say something. I was also thinking about writing a short note of “compassion” to the family. This must be very hard for all of them. I feel for them all, whether he is guilty or not guilty.

Who is Hannah Montana?

Christmas is coming up fast as it always does every year. Next Saturday we are heading to Hudson, going early to watch our grandchildren perform in “The Nutcracker”. This means the last weekend to do any shopping. I hate shopping on the weekends in December, but the evenings after work seem hard too. Since I’m not much of a shopper, I procrastinate, and decided this year I wouldn’t wait until the very last week, and so I have done some shopping already. However, I didn’t know what to get the Granddaughter. Today her Mother told me to get her a “Hannah Montana” Barbie Doll. I have never heard of Hannah Montana, and I realized how “out of it” this Grandma is when it comes to children’s toys and current pop culture. I didn’t want to go anywhere near the mall this weekend, and she told me I could find Hannah at Target. Well, I figured Target would be almost as bad as the mall, so I put off going this morning. I thought if I went later in the day, it wouldn’t be as bad. What was I thinking? I have never seen so many people in the Target store in my life. Carts upon carts, people everywhere, carts blocking aisles, practically tripping over people, some aisles could have used someone directing traffic. Then the check out lines…oh my! I decided that as long as I had to be there, I would finish up my shopping there, and make sure I wouldn’t have to go to the mall for anything!

I found her doll. I also found an adorable snow globe that played “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, with the year 2007 on it. I thought it might be something to give her that would outlast “Hannah Montana”. I also bought a “nativity” snow globe music box for Skylar, also hoping it’s something he will keep for a long time and remember Grandma by. I had given him a large snow globe when he was Madelyn’s age, and he just loved it, and it still sits in his room.

I was able to finish up the rest of my list there…so now I am finished with the shopping, hurray! I am feeling less stressed now!

Deeply Rooted

38th Wedding Anniversary

Today Bob and I celebrate our Wedding Anniversary. Thirty-eight years! We were married on Saturday evening, December 13th in East Berlin, PA and December 16th, Tuesday, 9:30 pm, we arrived in Duluth, Minnesota. I’ve been here ever since! I realized a day or so after, that I had never been away from home at Christmas and I cried and cried. I missed my family so much! As you know by now, dear reader, I am the oldest of six children and the first to move away from home (and really, the only one that ever did leave the area). Even though I was a new bride, that first Christmas was a hard one for me. My Mother always told me that when I had children, I would put down roots here and then I’d get over my home-sickness. It took many years, but she was right. (As she always was!) Three children later, the roots started to take, and now after 38 years, I am well rooted in Duluth, Minnesota!

Our Baby Boy - Another Birthday

We just came home from dinner celebrating our youngest son’s birthday. He is 26 years old today. It was good to see him tonight. We don’t get to see him as often as we would like.

I was thinking today about the morning he was born. It was very early in the a.m. and by 1981 things changed in the hospitals. When our daughter was born in the early 70’s, the baby was whisked away from us and we could only look at them through the nursery window, except for feeding time, then we were allowed to have them. By the time our second child came in 1979, things eased up, we could have “rooming in” in our room, but not until after they were whisked away after the birth to the nursery for awhile. By 1981, we were allowed to hold the baby right after their birth, for as long as we wanted, before they took the baby to the nursery. Bob and I spent at least an hour, maybe more, just holding him and bonding with him. It was such a neat time, just the three of us. I will never forget how big his brown eyes were, and how he looked around at us with those big brown eyes, awake the whole time. He was so alert. We couldn’t get over how alert he was and not one bit sleepy. It sure was a wonderful morning for us.

That year was the best Christmas, along with of course, the first Christmas of our other two children. Those first Christmas’s of our children, were the very best Christmas ‘s of our lives! Having a Christmas baby is especially very special, because you truly feel that this child is your Christmas Gift, and it’s the only gift you need. We were so thankful. It was also good because it’s the only year in 38 years that I had my Christmas shopping done ahead of time, groceries for Christmas in the house, and all the gifts wrapped, and cards mailed…. all before the end of the first week in December! Scott was also an Anniversary gift for us, as our Anniversary is December 13th!

Our baby boy is grown up, but I will never forget the morning he was born! His Dad and I treasure the memory, and hope that we will never forget it.

Another Week...

After all the rest I got this weekend do you think I will be rested up for another week of work?
Ready for an 8:15 am conference call I have to have with the "remote workers" (staff from out of the town) and the office staff that I work for. My supervisor has mandated a meeting each Monday morning with all of them, via conference call to "line up my week's work and find out from each one what they have for me to do. Then she asked me to make a weekly schedule of my "jobs" and post it, seems like a lot of extra work, if you ask me, but...ha... I do as I'm told. I also try not to look at this as "control", but it's hard not to. After 10 years of Admn. Support work, you'd think she'd trust me to be able to handle work from two more people wouldn't you?

Of course, then, after 10 years you'd think I would remember the only constant of this job is "Change"!

Holiday Movie Watching

It has been a cold weekend. A good weekend to stay inside and go no where. That's exactly what I did. Stayed inside and stayed warm. I've felt pretty much like a "slug" all weekend, but maybe we need weekends like that after a rushed and hectic week of work. I'm trying to get into the Christmas Spirit, do my cards, shopping, etc. I don't have money this weekend to Christmas shop, and haven't even purchased my Christmas cards yet, so guess you could say I am behind and that I am a "slug". I'd like to find something that would energize me right now.

Before I did anything constructive today, I lazed around and watched three sentimental Christmas movies on cable. And one new one last night on the Hallmark Channel called “The Note”. It was so so good! This time of year I like to watch the sappy, sentimental movies. Sometimes, I’ve been known to watch one over that I’ve seen before (I did that last Saturday). Tonight there is another good one on, that will be watching. It' s the only Christmasy thing I feel like doing, I was hoping it would put me in the spirit. After watching tv, I did some work on the computer (see below) and now I'm writing this.

One of our friends had knee surgery on Friday. The three movies I watched today, I taped, and had my son drop them off to their home, as they do not have cable and figured he might like to watch them while he recuperates. I had lent him some last week and they enjoyed them. They do not have cable.

I hope you all stayed warm this weekend!

Restoring the Computer

Today I started the process of restoring the documents that were in my computer before we had to take everything off of it. I put everything on a flash drive, and now I have to put things back. I don’t think I’m going to put all my documents back. One thing I need to put back is all of my e mail addresses, I will have type them all in. Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure a way to print them off, and have a list that I once exported to work about a year ago or more to use for a relay mailing, but that list is not very up to date. So many have changed their addresses, and I added addresses since. SO, for awhile I won’t have a very accurate list. I started typing them in this afternoon, a tedious job. I had to take a break, didn’t get them all in. Not fun. If some of you have wondered why you haven’t received an e mail from me in a while, you know why.

4 Degrees and Beautiful

Yesterday morning on my way to work, it was 4 degrees and the sun was just rising. I saw a spectular sight that I haven't seen in a very long time. I was coming down Hawthorne Street, downhill toward Superior Street. You can see parts of Lake Superior, and the sun was coming up, it was the biggest, most beautiful sun I've seen...it was a bright orange color, and big! It was rising over the lake...gosh, what a beautiful sight! Then when I got on the freeway, the colors of the orange from the sun, intermingled with clouds and the fog that was lingering over the Aerial Lift Bridge in the distance....wow! It was a sight that will stay with me for a long time.

Tuesday's Snow Storm

If you want to read more about our surprise snow storm on Tuesday, click on my link to the Duluth News Tribune on my site and look under "Roadways tangled up in Snow", and click on

"Did you find a quick route out of downtown on Tuesday?"

and read what people wrote about their adventures getting home that afternoon. Very interesting reading. A few people wrote that they'd rather put up with Tuesday's weather once in a while, than LA's traffic, commuting 5 days a week!

It was really something that the downtown got more snow than we did over the hill here...that never happens! West Duluth got 17 inches, we got about 4 and downtown 10 or more. Apparently it had to do with the way the "clipper" came in and also "Lake Effects". The city says the equipment was out, but they simply couldn't keep up with the snow falling at 2 inches an hour, that was coming down in the western and downtown areas.

Down and Back

I told you I’d have to decide Wednesday morning if I was going to drive to the training in St. Paul. I got up early and looked at the weather up here and down there, and saw no sign of snow. I decided I should go, because if I didn’t, the training would have to be made up another day in the winter, and that weather might be worse, so get it over with, is what I decided! If I had known the freeway would still have a lot of snow on it, I might have chosen to stay home. Because the wind chill was below zero and the temp at 5:30 was 7 degrees, the snow was still on the freeway, and since it was dark when I left, the first half of my drive was not good. It took me over 45 minutes longer to get to Hinckley than usual. I had to stop in Rush City, as my windshield wipers weren’t cleaning my windshield well, and snow was piled between my wheels and the mud flaps. After Rush City, the roads were much better, they were clear of snow, just wet. I arrived late, but they were just getting started, because the staff that came from the St. Cloud office got there only minutes before me, as their roads and traffic were bad also, so I didn’t miss anything. The training was good, and it was on a database that I have to be working in for the staff, so the sooner I know how to do it, the better.

The weather forecast showed snow this morning, down there and up here, so I decided to drive home after the training rather than go to Dawn’s house and stay over. I missed seeing her, but know I made the right decision, safety wise. The drive home went well. I got home at 6 pm. I was tired. Driving 300 miles in one day is tiring.

We did get snow today, nothing compared to Tuesday, just light snow off and on all day.
I had a stressful day at work; two weeks ago they added two more staff members from remote offices that I am to support. So, I came back to a bunch of work orders waiting for me from the two new girls. There are many times in my work day that I wonder how I will get everything done, and that was before two more people were added to my work load…oh my…

Glad tomorrow is Friday!

Weather Advice: Get Home and Stay Home

More snow today! The prediction was to be 2 – 4 inches, but the system changed its course and has hit us, now the prediction is 8 – 16 inches, and it’s to snow through the evening to midnight.

Fortunately for our office, we have a compassionate leader who knows that everyone in our office either has to, "drive up over the hills to get home, or go across the high bridge to Superior." So, by 2:15 our office was declared closed, and those that hadn’t left earlier, were out of there. I got home around 3, driving very slowly and carefully (I didn’t take 21st Ave. this time). There are cancellations galore listed on TV and radio for closings for tonight. At 3:30 one of the TV weathermen came on and made the statement: “Get Home and Stay Home”. I thought that was a good thing to say. I was glad I was home.

I'm not completely relaxed though, because I'm a Mother. As a Mother, I worry about Rob getting home, and worry about Dawn getting home from her long commute in city traffic in snow. Also, worry about Scott, out driving today. He now drives for Frito Lay Co., making sales and deliveries, this will be his first winter working at this job, so now I have to worry about him driving in this stuff! I talked to Sarah and asked her where Scott is working today, some days he works as far away as Ashland, or the Northern suburbs of Mpls. or up North on the “Iron Range”. He’s working in Duluth today, so I will be calling after a while to see that he got home safely.

I just heard on the news that they have closed both bridges that cross our bay to Superior, WI. They will be stopping the busses at 6 pm.

I’m home and planning to stay home! I hope you all got home safely too!

Glad to Give that Duty up!

I was leaving this afternoon to drive to the cities for training at our Mendota Heights office. I was going to stay at Dawn’s tonight, since she is within 30 minutes of the office down there, and took Thurs. morning off to drive home. Our office does not have windows. Around 10:30 someone came in and said it was snowing. A bit later I got an e mail from my daughter telling me it was snowing down there and the roads were bad. After going on line at several weather sites, and looking at weather here, down there and in between, I made a decision by 11:30 not to make the trip.

The snow kept coming down and everyone coming in the office was telling us the roads were very treacherous. Heavy snow warning and travel advisory. The girls that have lap top computers, deserted early, saying they would work from home. By 1:30, my supervisor was talking with our region leader telling her that we should close the office due to the inclement weather. As “Facility Assistant” the burden of deciding when and if to close the office due to weather used to fall on me. Now that we have a “manager” in the office, that is higher on the structure than a Facility Assistant, the job falls to her, happy to give it to her! I told her today that I was glad that she had this duty now. (Mainly because we have to get permission from someone that is 150 miles away, so it's a hassle). I’m also happy that she is a compassionate person!

Now, tomorrow morning at 5 am, I will have to decide if the roads are manageable to drive to the cities to be there by 9 am. They also are getting this storm down there too, so I’m sure the roads won’t be real great. There is not any snow in the forecast for tomorrow, just cold. Snow is forecasted for Thursday, so if I go, I may have to go down and back on the same day.

Friends Forever!

I’ll write you a bit more about my visit home. I have so many friends in PA, that I can’t see all of them during each trip. So, each trip I try to get together with one or two that I haven’t seen in a long time or at least the last trip or so.

I was able to visit with a good friend from school, who grew up down the road from me, Dottie. We haven’t seen each other in 3 years. She and her husband are now retired, and doing a lot of traveling. Some day they may come to Duluth to visit. The photo above is Dottie, in our front yard at the farm. She and I used to "sun bathe" in our younger days, before we knew how bad the sun was for our skin! I wrote about her one time on one of my posts about being the new girl in the neighborhood. She moved from the "big city" of Hanover, to the country when she was in 7th grade. It was quite a "culture shock" to her. (I asked her permission to post this photo).

I also visited with a friend I became very close to after my high school years. She and her husband were good friends, we haven’t seen each other in 15 years. Both of these friends now have grown children, and lots of grandchildren. We talked and talked. Susie showed me photos of she and her husband helping to build a home in Louisiana, for a family that became homeless during Katrina, and told me about their experiences. This is the second mission trip they have been on through their church, helping Katrina victims. Her husband is semi retired, and Susie retired last year. They are spending their time helping people through mission work with their church.

Another friend who I saw last trip home, that I hadn’t seen in over 30 years, is the one who picked me up at the airport, so we had lunch when I got in, and we visited over lunch and the on the way to the farm.

My best friend, Nancy from New Jersey, always comes up to see me each time I come home. She and I have been friends since 4th grade and she was my Maid of Honor at our wedding. She and I spent a whole day and evening together, during which time she was the official cookie taster when Julie and I were baking, and then we went to lunch, shopping and to the nursing home to visit her Mother.

One evening I was with 10 girls who were classmates from my high school graduating class. They get together quarterly and have dinner together at a restaurant. The week I was home, happened to be that week, so I enjoyed visiting with them!

When I am with these friends it's just like we have never been apart. It's like we are still back in elementary, high school or 20 years old!

I’m so glad that I have kept up with my friends over the 38 years of being in Minnesota. There’s something about visiting friends who knew you when you were in elementary school , and knew you when…

Livingston Homesteads

It occurred to me when I was home that I do not have any photographs of the homes that my parents grew up in. I took these photos of the homes from my Mother's side of the family, The Livingston Family. Both of these homes are not far from my home.

The brick home (barn on the other side), is where my Grandfather grew up. I never knew my Grandfather Livingston. He died when my Mother was 7 years old. The photos of the white house, is where Mother’s family lived when he died. It was called “The big farm”, because it was a big farm. The barn is not in the photo, because the barn burned down many years ago. My Mother’s Uncle lived in her Dad’s home, see photo, which was just down the road from the big farm. One night there was a bad thunder storm, and her Uncle Ed got stuck on the side of the road where his car was parked due to all the rain, so my Grandfather was helping him to get out, and he stepped on a live electric wire that came down during the storm, which he of course, could not see. He was electrocuted. It was a terrible tragedy; he was only 32 years old, with a young family of three sons and a daughter (my Mother).

Grandfather Livingston was a well known man and well loved, in the county. I’ve been told that his funeral was one of the largest funerals in the county.

After he passed away, they had to move off of the farm, and lived in Churchtown. Grandma worked very hard to raise her family as a widow. She cleaned houses for people and worked at a sewing factory. When Mom was out of high school, she also worked at the sewing factory and saved the money to go to Harrisburg to Nurses Training. She became a Registered Nurse. Unfortunately, at age 7, Mom didn’t have a lot of memories of her Dad. She said she doesn’t remember a lot of the funeral, except she always remembered one song that was in the service, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”. She asked me one time to try to find the song, as it wasn’t in any of our hymnals. She wanted it to be sung at her funeral. I was able to find it for her, and we had it at her funeral. When I told her brother, my Uncle Gilbert that she remembered the song, he said “isn’t it something, I remembered the other song that was done, and don’t remember that.” They each remembered a different song. What she especially remembered was how hard it was not to have a Father, and how hard it was for her Mother to raise the family.

After all her children were grown, Grandma married a widower, who farmed down the road from the big farm, and close by the home she grew up in. They moved to her home, which is the place that I always knew when I was growing up. I wish I had some photos of that home. One of my cousins told me she thinks her Dad had photos, and she will look for some for me. The home looks so different now, that I didn’t take a photos of it when I was home.

The brick home I always knew as Uncle Ed’s place (Grandfather’s brother). He was my Great Uncle, and I got to know him and Grandfather’s other siblings, because each summer there was a “Livingston” family reunion, and we always attended. Each side of both sides of my parents families all had yearly reunions. This was why I got to know all my relatives. Not many families now have reunions like this each year. It’s sad that today’s generation of children growing up may not get to know all of their relatives. We as parents, need to keep them in touch or at least talk about these relatives.

Inside the Farmhouse

Some photos from the Farm house in PA that I grew up in. My brother Tim and his wife have done a lot to restore it. The walls and ceilings were re-plastered, the entry room, used to be our living room. The stairway was opened and the steps repaired. They made the parlor their living room (I forgot to take a photo of that room.) Vickie picked the colors and wall paper. The floors are now the original plank floors. The old fashioned buffet, had been in the back room, they brought it out to this room. My niece's piano sits where an old buffet used to sit, that now is in an upstairs bedroom. Tim took out the dropped ceiling in the kitchen, added crown molding, and changed the lighting fixtures. He put in a new wood floor, the cabinets are the same that Mom and Dad put in when they remodeled and enlarged the kitchen in the late 80's.

I didn't take photos of the upstairs. My neice has the bedroom I used to have, and it looks lovely. The bathroom was remodeled, and part of what was the "boys" bedroom was taken to make it larger, and it also has the original planks for the floor. Tim and Vickie have done a beautiful job with the house. Next summer he wants to do more on the outside of the house, this summer he repaired one of the sheds, and wants to repair the other one, so that they don't go the route the barn did. There are still plans for more work on the house also, when the money is there.

I can't thank them enough for taking such good care of our home. I know Mom and Dad see what they have done and that they are proud. Dad I know, is happy that the land is still being farmed by my brother Mark. Yes, all of us siblings are thankful to see that the farm is being taken care of. Thank you Tim, Vickie and Mark!

First Snow Storm

Friday a storm was predicted for the next day, and it did come! The snow was to start at noon, and it started at 10 am. It snowed all day and through the night and this morning we had a good 12 – 15 inches over the hill here! My husband and son were out at 8:30 this morning digging us out, it took them hours. The thing that my husband complains most about isn’t so much the driveway, but we have three dormers on the back of our house, and snow piles up by them and in between them, and the snow must be taken off of them or we risk leaking problems if ice builds up. We also have a deck, almost the length of the house, that needs to have the snow removed from. We are thankful that our Rob is still living at home with us!!!

Yesterday morning I was at the Fitness Center and the roads were terribly slippery by the time I was driving home. The plows weren't out yet, and I don't even think the sanding trucks were out. I was thankful to get home safely, usually I would have stayed put and not gone out again, but yesterday was different. I did out again, read my post below.

Who is Kate Spade?

Do you know who Kate Spade is?

My Daughter in law to be was having one of those “parties” yesterday afternoon. I thought it would be postponed due to the weather, but it wasn’t. The snow was coming down and I had all I could do to get home safely from downtown when I was at the fitness center. It wasn’t snowing when I left home, and the snow wasn’t to start until noon, so thought I would get home before it started. When I came out from the center we already had 2 or three inches! The roads were very slippery.

I wanted to stay home once I arrived home safely from downtown. I never go out in weather like that if I don’t have to, and I really definitely didn’t have to go to her party. However, my husband surprised me by encouraging me to go to “show support for her”… umm… it was clear across town, but my husband said if I went the “back way” I would only have one hill to go up and that was a main street hill (Piedmont Ave.). My instinct was to stay home, but… to show my support to family, off I went. I worried the whole time I was there, about getting back home because the snow was still coming down, very fast. I told her I would only go out in weather like that “for her”! The trip there and back was not fun. I had to stop once each way, just to clean the ice off of my windshield wipers, as it was a very wet snow. The roads were slippery and I was pretty much a nervous wreck by the time I got back home. It was nice that she called me after I got home, to be sure I arrived back home safely. What added to my stress of yesterday afternoon was not just the snow, but the amount of money I spent when I went to "show my support!" I came home feeling pretty stressed!

This was a “purse” party…ever heard of one of them? It's something new. Sarah is a very stylish person and must have as big a wardrobe of purses and shoes as she does clothes, and a purse to match every outfit. The purses were all “name brands” that the prices supposedly were very much less than sold in retail. She has lots of these “name brand” purses, so of course, this kind of party appealed to her, and many of her friends. The purses were “Coach” brand and “Kate Spade”. I’ve heard of Coach, but have never heard of Kate Spade. They all laughed at me when I asked who Kate Spade was, well, I admit I’m not up to date with fashion; I’m probably 30 years behind! I like purses, but I NEVER spend very much money on one, and since I don’t spend much money on one, I’m able to have more than one. I can’t see any reason for buying those expensive name brand purses, I think it’s ridiculous! I usually only change my purse with the season. I did think I could use a new one for winter, as the one I had last winter, has seen its day. If you buy ones that supposedly never wear out because they cost more, then why would you not use it for years…gosh, you would get tired of it. So, spend less and get to change your purse more often is my theory! In my opinion, just because something costs a lot, does NOT mean it is better. Apparently, not everyone shares my opinion, as the market for "name brand" things is HUGE!

I did buy a purse yesterday, a “Coach”. Never spent that much money for a purse, ever! I spent way too much just to “support her”, and after I bought it, was told when I complained about the price that that same purse would cost over $300 retail. Oh fine, I said, now people who see me with it will mistakenly think I’m rich! That perception is not necessary to me. Actually, I’m sure that what most of my friends will think is that I don’t have my priorities straight! I don’t want people to think either of those things, but most especially that “I don’t have my priorities straight!” Now, today, when I think of this, I’m almost afraid to use the purse! (I’m sorry, if YOU own a Coach or a Kate Spade, I do NOT judge you, because I don't even notice that you have a name brand purse!)

Why are we vulnerable when we go to a “home party”? If she weren't family, I wouldn't have purchased anything at the party. Well, I did show her support! I hope that she recognized and appreciated it! The things we do for family!

Any comments????