We still play Mexican Train Dominoes each Tuesday at the senior center. I look forward to it. No matter how many people show up we have fun. It is relaxing and we catch up with whoever is there.
Today is the last day of the month of September. Thursday is decorating day at the center. Halloween is a big event so we have lots of decorations. I will ask for a couple volunteers to help with decorating for this month.
Storms are due here today, even tornadoes, but the ones who live close enough to town will come to the center to play dominoes.
Parker did a great job yesterday, the back yard is mowed and ready for the storm. I am wondering how long the gas in the mower lasts, maybe the 2 gallon tank is small. Haven't had to add gas to the mower yet. This is still a guessing game for me, learn as I go task. Is it better to keep the gas filled or let it get used and then start with fresh gas?
Tuesdays are great days. Hope your Tuesday is great too.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Meet Parker
The shiny new red lawn mower has been performing better than expected. I can't say it is like riding wind blowing my hair on the back of a Harley, but walking behind the self propelled mower fulfills the need to be outside smiling in the sun and smelling the fresh mown grass.
The new mower was a fairly large purchase, and since I will be close and familiar with it for many years to come, it is natural to be on first name basis. I decided to christen the Toro "Parker" which means keeper of the park. Granted, the lawn is not a park, it is a large back yard and at this time it is daunting, but I am hopeful that with Parker's help and the Personal Pace feature, the mass of green will be well maintained and manicured but not stuffy. I like a more natural look, soft flowing flowers, plenty of trees, and my clothesline behind the house breaking up the view but not disturbing it.
It is easier to learn how to change settings on Parker than it is to learn how to open and close the darn gas can!
The new mower was a fairly large purchase, and since I will be close and familiar with it for many years to come, it is natural to be on first name basis. I decided to christen the Toro "Parker" which means keeper of the park. Granted, the lawn is not a park, it is a large back yard and at this time it is daunting, but I am hopeful that with Parker's help and the Personal Pace feature, the mass of green will be well maintained and manicured but not stuffy. I like a more natural look, soft flowing flowers, plenty of trees, and my clothesline behind the house breaking up the view but not disturbing it.
It is easier to learn how to change settings on Parker than it is to learn how to open and close the darn gas can!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
A Lot Of Wet
Lots of rain this week. Which means I could watch the grass grow each day. The last thing I had on my to-do list was think about a lawn mower. I had one, and rakes and shovels and such when I lived here before. There are push mowers and riding lawn mowers and also a couple lawn services in town.
After mulling it around I decided it would be better for me to have a push mower, but one that is personal pace making it easier to guide around the yard. The front and sides of the house are small yards but the back yard is a challenge for me. I welcome the challenge and the exercise I have committed to undertaking.
The new mower will be here soon and the Toro dealer will acquaint me with it. I don't expect it to become my new best friend, but it will be good for me to take responsibility for maintaining the yard. I am looking forward to planting flowers and maintaining the flower beds. I may need to cut back on a couple activities at the senior center but the benefits will outweigh the minor loss as the goal is as always to keep balance in my life. More on the new mower after it arrives and I have become familiar with it. Maybe I will give it a name.
After mulling it around I decided it would be better for me to have a push mower, but one that is personal pace making it easier to guide around the yard. The front and sides of the house are small yards but the back yard is a challenge for me. I welcome the challenge and the exercise I have committed to undertaking.
The new mower will be here soon and the Toro dealer will acquaint me with it. I don't expect it to become my new best friend, but it will be good for me to take responsibility for maintaining the yard. I am looking forward to planting flowers and maintaining the flower beds. I may need to cut back on a couple activities at the senior center but the benefits will outweigh the minor loss as the goal is as always to keep balance in my life. More on the new mower after it arrives and I have become familiar with it. Maybe I will give it a name.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Teaching Daughters and Granddaughters
Friday, September 5, 2014
More Small Town Benefits
This is the way it has been with this latest move.
When word got out I was moving, people stepped forward, asking what they could do to help. Imagine that! Volunteering to do manual labor just because I was going to move again.
Since my friends knew I started out in the little white house, they were pleased for me that I would be living there again.
Some friends called and asked if I could use boxes and drove over and delivered them. Again, imagine that!
When I was delivering a car load of kitchen things a neighbor knocked on the door and brought me a cup of fresh brewed coffee, also asking if there was anything she could do to help.
When I picked up a meal at the corner cafe after taking loads to the house, the waitresses asked if I had help taking the loads and committed to helping the next day, their day off from their own jobs. They were great helpers. Blew me away.
Inside the house, the new landlords had several new rolls of paper towels, new bottles of bubbly hand soap in kitchen and bathroom, a huge new box of kitchen trash bags, boxes of kleenex, and other nice items. And the place was spotless.
I am blessed. This town is full of kind, caring, generous, and warm hearted people. Makes me want to be a better person just being here, a part of the goodness here.
When word got out I was moving, people stepped forward, asking what they could do to help. Imagine that! Volunteering to do manual labor just because I was going to move again.
Since my friends knew I started out in the little white house, they were pleased for me that I would be living there again.
Some friends called and asked if I could use boxes and drove over and delivered them. Again, imagine that!
When I was delivering a car load of kitchen things a neighbor knocked on the door and brought me a cup of fresh brewed coffee, also asking if there was anything she could do to help.
When I picked up a meal at the corner cafe after taking loads to the house, the waitresses asked if I had help taking the loads and committed to helping the next day, their day off from their own jobs. They were great helpers. Blew me away.
Inside the house, the new landlords had several new rolls of paper towels, new bottles of bubbly hand soap in kitchen and bathroom, a huge new box of kitchen trash bags, boxes of kleenex, and other nice items. And the place was spotless.
I am blessed. This town is full of kind, caring, generous, and warm hearted people. Makes me want to be a better person just being here, a part of the goodness here.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
The Circle Of Life
A story with a happy ending. Something we all want in our lives.
When I moved to this town four and a half years ago, the house I found online was a little white house, the rent was the right amount, and the property presented a clean slate for me to work my artistic side. I took a picture of the little white house from the front and tried several different colors to paint the trim, picking a medium shade of yellow. After painting the trim yellow, I proceeded to the inside, painting each room. The toughest job was spending days outside with my earphones on listening to music while chipping away on the layers of old paint on the garage, sanding and painting a heavy duty outside paint on the garage. It was all satisfying work, including planting seeds for flowers and transplanting some day lilies and purchasing other plants.
Then circumstances caused me to move to an apartment, which was not a good place, so I moved to a duplex and still I did not have my sanctuary. My home must be peaceful and safe. Interestingly, the duplex was two houses from the original little white house with the yellow trim.
Each day I walked or drove by the little house, watching a man working on the outside of the little house. I enjoyed watching the changes he was making as well as the happiness evident in his stance, his gestures, his face, as he put his plans into place. That man passed away and his son and daughter-in-law owned the house.
Some of the neighbors began telling me that they were sharing stories with the current owners of the little house about me, about the work I did while living there, and about the floods and consequently, mildew, I was living with at the duplex. So by the time I approached them about the possibility of me moving back into the little house, we were already on the same page.
A power greater than I could ever be was setting the stage for this rerun, and my watching the improvements being made turned out to be something I was a part of in spirit, as I was being blessed with each hammer strike, each plant put into the earth, each sack of concrete mixed for sidewalks. The work being done was beyond my imagination and I would not want to put that amount of money into a place I don't own.
All these words to say I am in the process of moving back to the little white house. Furniture and boxes being transported TODAY. Everything else is already there and I will spend the night back where I started. I have never "gone back" to anything, was ready to move on, but this was different. My time at the house was interrupted, and now I can resume my life in the serene little "doll house" as one of my friends calls it. Should be settled by this weekend.
When I moved to this town four and a half years ago, the house I found online was a little white house, the rent was the right amount, and the property presented a clean slate for me to work my artistic side. I took a picture of the little white house from the front and tried several different colors to paint the trim, picking a medium shade of yellow. After painting the trim yellow, I proceeded to the inside, painting each room. The toughest job was spending days outside with my earphones on listening to music while chipping away on the layers of old paint on the garage, sanding and painting a heavy duty outside paint on the garage. It was all satisfying work, including planting seeds for flowers and transplanting some day lilies and purchasing other plants.
Then circumstances caused me to move to an apartment, which was not a good place, so I moved to a duplex and still I did not have my sanctuary. My home must be peaceful and safe. Interestingly, the duplex was two houses from the original little white house with the yellow trim.
Each day I walked or drove by the little house, watching a man working on the outside of the little house. I enjoyed watching the changes he was making as well as the happiness evident in his stance, his gestures, his face, as he put his plans into place. That man passed away and his son and daughter-in-law owned the house.
Some of the neighbors began telling me that they were sharing stories with the current owners of the little house about me, about the work I did while living there, and about the floods and consequently, mildew, I was living with at the duplex. So by the time I approached them about the possibility of me moving back into the little house, we were already on the same page.
A power greater than I could ever be was setting the stage for this rerun, and my watching the improvements being made turned out to be something I was a part of in spirit, as I was being blessed with each hammer strike, each plant put into the earth, each sack of concrete mixed for sidewalks. The work being done was beyond my imagination and I would not want to put that amount of money into a place I don't own.
All these words to say I am in the process of moving back to the little white house. Furniture and boxes being transported TODAY. Everything else is already there and I will spend the night back where I started. I have never "gone back" to anything, was ready to move on, but this was different. My time at the house was interrupted, and now I can resume my life in the serene little "doll house" as one of my friends calls it. Should be settled by this weekend.
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