'NUFF SAID.............

 

NEW FOREVER STAMP..........................

WENT TO A FUNERAL.....

a while back, on a Saturday.  I didn't know the fellow, but, I'm friends with his second cousin.  Bud was the 'contact' for the Air Force.  I assume this hero's mom had made that decision as she got older and knew her passing was coming, his dad had already passed.   He was only married 11 months, no children, young widow would probably remarry.  Her son was an only child, had five first cousins, all older.  She was making sure he would come 'home'. 
You see, he was shot down in 1968, on a mission over Viet Nam.  Just him, who was the navigator, and the pilot.  Others, in the formation, saw the plane get hit, no parachutes deployed.  After the war, searches were conducted, but there were unexploded ordinances found, which impeded the searches.  Every year, on the anniversary, the Air Force would contact his widow to update her on the results.  She had remarried, had children, grandchildren, moved across the country.  But, each year she was reminded of losing him.  This year, was different.  They had found him, but, not the pilot.  The conjecture is that the pilot was shot out of the plane.  He left a wife and five children.  She never remarried.
So, this hero was brought back from Hawaii to Philadelphia to the funeral home that has buried all of the family for decades.  I went, just to honor the man I never knew. 
The town police wouldn't let me up the street where the funeral home is.  So, I politely asked him where I could park.  He asked if I was family, I said, "No, I just want to honor the man.  How about if I park on Oak street?"  He said that would work.  I went around the block and pulled up, parked, got out with Archie.  Turned the corner and looked down the street.  Motorcycles were parked on the entire block.  Must've been 100 at least.  Two Viet Nam veteran clubs were standing in front of the funeral home, all holding the Stars and Stripes.  Two PA state troopers, 5 county sheriffs on cycles and, the town cops were all standing around.  A lot of people were standing on the street where the day before, someone had put flags in the ground the entire length.  Got a lump in my throat the size of a football.  I then noticed this pretty, petite lady come out of the funeral home, shake hands with a couple of the veterans and walk over to the house next door where the rest of the vets had went.  It was getting close to bringing out the casket to the hearse, so, people were gearing up for the ride to Philadelphia where he was to be buried next to his parents.  She was immediately surrounded by the group.  Spoke to all, they clapped, she said some more, they clapped.  There was a connection.  They understood, she understood.  Very moving.  I only took one picture, but, it was the one that summed it up for me. 

YEAH, I KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE................

but, I have been sorta busy.  Last week, took Archie in on Monday for teeth cleaning, she pulled four.....$455.  Next day, took Elijah, my 29lb cat, in for teeth cleaning 'cause he also had the zacklies.  (Don't know what the zacklies are, do you.)  His mouth smelled zackly like his butt.  Anyhow, he had one rotten tooth, which is why he lost 4lbs and his breath stank.  She cleaned his teeth and pulled the rotten one.....$430.  This past Monday, took Coco and Daisy for their shots and check up.....$125.  Can't believe I've had these dogs two years.  All is well with them except they've both gained a couple of pounds.  I had switched them to Blue Buffalo and come to find out, it has a higher fat content.  It is good food and so is Versus, so, I switched them back.  We'll see in a couple of months.  Later, on Monday, took Archie for his bath and hair cut.....$50.  Then it turned freaking cold, now he wears a sweater 'cause Dad is worried he's going to get pneumonia.  Yesterday, took MoMo for his shots and check up, Dad's cat, he paid.....$108.  My vet is going to be building a hospital up the road from her current one.  This is a good story.............She is the oldest of three children, with two younger brothers.  About 10 years younger than me.  Neat lady.  Her family is heavy into farming, always has been.  She currently lives on the farm her paternal grandparents had, but, it belongs to her brother.  But, he and his wife and children live in a tenet house on his wife's parents farm.  Her other brother and his wife and kids live in another tenet house, but have the rights to his parents farm.  Now, you might think my vet is out in the cold, not a chance.  She inherited a beautiful, Victorian brick house from her eccentric cousin, many years ago.  He never took care of anything, even tho he had the money.  The house got so bad, he lived in his car.  Anyhow, she told me a few years back she'll have $500,000.00 in the place by the time she is done.  She put her hospital in the basement, she plans on ripping all of that out, living in the house after building the hospital up the road.  I asked her yesterday if she was putting in a 'Sharon' wing.  She laughed.   These animals are my responsibility and I will take care of them.  Even if I can't afford to buy food for me.

Raining today, and, I guess tomorrow and Saturday too.  Archie won't be going to breakfast on Friday if this keeps up.  Poor guy, I haven't told him yet.  Gotta go, scraped up enough cash to go to the grocery store.

Later..................

DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU BUT............

all I've heard is....... it's going to be a nasty winter.  Somebody better tell this guy.......

 

 

PS.............I started the wood stove tonight!!!!

HAD FUN AS.................

Archie and I went to the Fair this afternoon.  HE was quite a hit, walking around the grounds.  Saw several people I knew and talked with a couple I didn't know.  Something about a cute little dog, dressed to the nines and styling, brings out the best in folks.  Had a good time for sure.  Today was 'Kids Day', who knew?  It wasn't a problem as Archie is good with children once he figured them out.  Most of the kids knew to ask if it was OK to pet the dog.  Then off they went.  If I heard, "Oh, look, he's wearing clothes!"  "Oh look, he's got jeans on!"  once, I heard it 75 times.  Like I said, he was a big hit.
A lot of nice looking tractors and some still in their work clothes.  Tractor pulls are tonight, Parade was last night.  Tomorrow is the last day.  It is one of the only country fairs still alive in this county.

Later..............

RESULTS...........

are in.  Good news.....Stress test was OK.  The only glitch was a the one valve doesn't close tightly and some blood snuffles back thru.  Hence the 'murmur' that the doctor heard.  Not to worry.  Bad news is thyroid is still too low.  Until we can get the numbers up to where they belong, we are going to have to wait for further tests.  Good news, lost another 3 pounds, YAY!  Bad news, still having chest pains and feeling tired and now my stomach hurts; has been hurting since the stress test.  Increased acid reflux meds until thyroid is back on track.  Glad that's over.

Got a message on Ancestry.com the other day asking me if I was this girl's sister's best friend in school.  I'd lost touch with Kathy after graduation.  Good news, now her sister has found me.  Bad news....Kathy passed in 1993.  Bummer.  Didn't live but a couple of hours away.  Maybe I coulda helped her thru the dark times. 

Not much else going on, Hot as blazes today, in the 90's.  Was nice and cool for the past couple of weeks.  This too shall pass.  Fair time is coming, it'll probably rain.

Later...............

PRAYING MANTIS

Just as I was leaving Dad's yesterday, I noticed some movement to my left.

 

 

I reached down to pick him up and move him over to the bushes along side of the house, but, he took off and landed in the Tulip Poplar tree.

 

 

I love these creatures.

 

SHE IS THERE WHEN NEEDED..........

my friend, Suzy, that is.  I've been having annoying chest pains for most of this year.  Back in the spring it was usually when I was doing clean-up.  Lifting buckets, moving firewood into the wood shed, etc.  Had to stop and let them pass.  So, when I went to the doctor for my usual visit, he listened and said he heard a murmur.  I poo-pood it and said, "Yeah, they heard a murmur 40 years ago and nothin' was done."  Well, he wanted a stress test, I've had 2 and the last one was in 2010 which is too long ago.  So, they got 'approval' from my insurance and I had to do it before April 24th.  Didn't happen.  Too busy.  Pain decreased.  Forgetaboutit.  Then, pains returned, too tired all of the time, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Made another appointment.  Still heard murmur.  OK, schedule the damn thing, I'll go just to shut you up.  It was Friday.  I told Suzy and her sister Sarah, 'cause they're my POA and when I do give up the ghost, it's all on them, poor girls.  Anyhow, Suzy called me on Thursday and said she would take me.  Burned a vacation day.  Now that's a friend, eh?  We went to breakfast early at the golf course, took Archie, because I had to eat before 8:30.  Then, the gang showed up by 9.  We left at 10:30, ran the boy home, peed the girls, took off for the hospital, back at another restaurant by 3 for a late lunch, home by 4, fed everyone, and, was in bed at 10 minutes till 7!  I was beat, slept until 6, then up, took care of everyone, and, out the door by 6:40 for breakfast at the Methodist Church in my home town.  Met Buddy, Sue and Sarah.  Left there, roared home, peed the girls, got Archie, went to M~~~~~, bought a recliner, went to L~~~~~ Valley for a craft show.  Got the cutest little bowl from one of the potters.  Visited with Fred, Bev, Karen and Pat at their booth.  Left for Matt and Sarah's for a pig roast.  Came home.  Fed everyone.  Back in bed by 9.   Today.....ain't doin' nuthin'.  Wish I had that new recliner.

Later...............

GOT NUTHIN' TODAY..............

working thru some demons.  Can't figure some people out.  But, I know there has to be some changes made.  I had a friend who use to say, "Life's a bitch, then ya die."  But, it doesn't have to be that way.  

Later......................

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO 'HUMMMMM'.........

I follow a couple of dozen blogs, and today I tried to get on Rural Revolution.  However, I am sent to some hokey site that has nothing to do with the blog I want to read.  Looks like Patrice is having a problem with Blogger and her domain name. 

FEELING BETTER TODAY.............

and going to lunch with Dad and Sarah.  They are having a benefit bar-b-que over at the fire hall today for a young man in kidney failure.  He's married to a local girl but can't work, and, they are living with her parents.  He's on a transplant list.  There was another benefit lunch a few months ago for another young man, same problem.  Hope there is a good turnout. 

Had more rain yesterday and still have not finished that side flower bed, but, did manage to get the stone walk done.  I don't want to use round-up because of the moss.  I have always resisted using that stuff because of the close proximity to the creek.  But, then the road crew came by last week and sprayed down at the bridge, because the farmer is too lazy, busy, stupid....you pick, to weed-whack.  What? Wait....guess I can at least use it on the drive-way, eh?

It's cloudy today, so I won't be mowing.  S'pose to be this way tomorrow also, with rain on Monday.  After lunch, think I'll come home, grab Archie and go down to Maryland and look for a cemetery.  Need pictures for a family-tree I'm working on. 

Later..............

MORE RAIN............

S'pose to be really heavy by tomorrow afternoon.  Was going over to Trudy's and see her new dog.  A 2 year old black lab that needed a good home.  This dog has fell into 'dog-heaven'.  She told me with the lab being there it has calmed her Dobie pup down a lot.  It is a win-win situation, for sure.  So, we agreed to wait until next week and hopefully have a decent day to sit outside and let the dogs play in her huge fenced-in back yard.

Helped Dad with his latest acquisition today.  He told me he was greasing the post that connects the wheel to the axle and water was coming out of the top.  Probably from sitting out most of the summer in all that rain we got.  He is now tackling the little things like putting the proper nuts and studs and bolts on the tractor.  For instance, the front part has a triangle thingy that is bolted on.  One is a square stud and the other is the proper hexagon stud.  Looks awful.  That's the small crap that drives him crazy.  He cannot understand why people do things so half-ass, and, neither can I.  The radiator is gonna need looked at 'cause the block is getting too warm too fast.  And, the brakes are either rusted tight or worn out.  Other than that, he's enjoying it.

Well, stopped raining for a bit, need to take the dogs out and get to bed.

Later................

MORE RAIN...........

started about 7:15.  My granddad always said, "Rain before 7, quit before 11."  So, I guess this will continue for a while.  Shoulda mowed yesterday, oh well.  Grass is just about done, and, with the 'fall grass' or, crab grass, it looks like crap anyhow.

Going to visit Margaret and her daughter, Helen, tomorrow.  Sweet people, of course I have to take Archie.  They love him.  It's always a nice visit, plus, I need to stop at the cemetery and try and find a particular stone.  I know it's there, seen it at least twice.  I just must be going to the wrong section, 'cause the last three times, I have yet to find the sucker.  Need to snap a picture for the family tree.  Aunt Ellie had 18 children (I'd told old George to tie a knot in it) and some are buried in this plot.  That's why I need the picture.  It's a way of confirming dates and the spelling of the name.

Got the toilet unclogged yesterday, but, it still flushes slow, so, I guess I'll need to get the tank pumped.  Just another expense I didn't budget for until next March.  Need to call my chimney sweep and schedule the cleaning.  If I didn't have to pay the #$%^&*() fall taxes, I'd be sitting pretty. 

My friend Cindy just went past.  She hauls Amish and must've had a run this morning.  They keep her hopping, for sure.  But, it's a good income for her.  I've never gotten involved with my Amish neighbors.  I guess because I worked all the time, I was never home during the day.  I did take my neighbor, Naomi, down to her friends house, about a mile and a half away, one day.  She was on her scooter and by the time she got to my house, it was starting to rain, so, she stopped and asked me to take her.  It was no problem, I did give her my cell phone number if she ever needed a lift.  But, she's never called.  I think they use Cindy, which is OK with me.  Could be a pain in the a$$.

Gotta get a shower and get to dad's,

Later...............

RAINING............

since 4 am.  Nice, steady, rain.  Now I'll HAVE to finish that flower bed.  I'll put LOTSA mulch on it and maybe, just maybe, it won't be as bad next year.  It's a fairly new flower bed, compared to the front of the house.  I attacked it when we bought the house in 1978.  So, each year it's fairly easy to maintain.  But, didn't put the side bed in until 2001 when we built the addition.  Never did finish the one in the back, got it half done, maybe next spring.

Was getting ready to leave yesterday when a silver van pulled into the driveway.  She started rattling off about how her grandmother use to live here when her dad was born, and, would it be OK to bring them by sometime.  I gave her the 10cent tour, and, eventually found out (when she finally shut up and took a breath) she lives on the farm on the road behind me.  Her sister-in-law manages the golf course restaurant where I take Archie for breakfast.  Cool.

I hate to admit it, or, even say it, and, if my half-sister were still alive, she would flog the daylights out of me for doing so, but, I think Dad's going down-hill this year.  He has been getting frail over the past couple of years but, yesterday his remarks were oh so negative.  I tell him, he can pay someone to mow the yard and I'm sure his Amish neighbors would clean his house for a fee.  They love making money.  Why don't I do it, you ask?  HA!  I could never do anything to please the man.  Don't even go there.  So, I tell him, it would be cheaper to pay these people than to sell out and go into a home.  But, as usual, I'm only 2 years old. 

Must go unclog a toilet, later.............

HAD A NICE BREAKFAST............

at the golf course on Friday.  Beautiful morning, so we ate out on the patio, and, Archie was able to go.  Of course, he was styling.  A lot of laughs provided by this little guy, from both friends and complete strangers.  People were coming out of the restaurant just to see him, and, he knows it.  Not much else happening.  Rained some last night, a dreab day today.    Later.............