A Little of This, A Little of That - observations from the Windmill of my Mind!

Today is July 5th, I meant to write something patriotic yesterday on the 4th but I just never got around to it. So here goes. Years ago, on the 4th of July, it was always a "get together - family occasion". We would usually go out to Kenny's Mom and Dad's house have a barbeque, the kids would swim, play games - a big full day. Then in the evening we would do fireworks at our house, everyone would come over to our house and at first we did them in the street in front of our house, later on we switched to the backyard where we would get the chairs all set up on the lawn for the big spectacle!! A really fun memory. Well, that's all it is now because a few years ago fireworks were banned in our town and we don't care to go to the extravaganza at the fairgrounds, so we didn't see anyone yesterday except for Mike who lives here, we never went outside (it was so hot) and when we started hearing the fireworks over at the fairgrounds we continued to watch tv. Pitiful, apathetic, uninspired - it was not the kind of 4th we had when our kids were home. Last year we went to Redding and had a great time with our family up there, great day and went out and found a hillside to ooh and aah at their fireworks from afar. We could've done that again this year but we had just been up there a couple of weeks ago - so thus - me whining! On to more important observations!


I have observed recently something that we all probably take for granted but I think is the most universal expression of happiness, love, caring, sorrow, forgiveness and many other things. A HUG!!! As I watch videos of men and women coming home from the war (any war) when their loved ones see the returnee - they immediately run to them and throw their arms around them - a HUG! I've watched many touching reunions on the internet and young and old express their happiness with - a HUG! Of course as I said in my beginning statement, a good hug can give you comfort when you're sad, share in gladness when you're happy, connect you when you've been apart, let's you know instantly you are cared about. So, go out and give someone a hug and let them know you care, you'll both feel better! A HUG!!!

I started a new project this weekend and it's a doozy! I am cleaning my craft/sewing/computer room. I think I have mentioned in the past - I am a slob! But the other night as I looked around this room (which was hard to do because it was really a mess) I started thinking about how I miss painting and there was no room to paint in this room. So I measured, scooted things around and was able to bring in a 6 foot table to put under the window so that I can now paint. Of course it's now 3 days later and I'm almost done organizing. I also make dvd's of our family and have been going through pictures to try and make a dvd of our camping trips and one of little league baseball with both my sons and my grandsons in that dvd. It's very time consuming because you have to go through a million pictures and then go through our old movies. But what else do I have to do?? LOTS!!! So I want to paint, I want to get started on some Christmas projects, my pictures and dvd's, my sewing projects are calling me - I guess it's better to be busy than bored! Onward and upward!

Notice the red and blue theme?? On my screen the background is white, I know it's not on yours, work with me here people!! So as I was cleaning this room, I need music to work to and one of my all time best albums to listen to is Kenny Loggins - Outside in the Redwoods (or something like that). It's a live album (which usually I'm not too fond of) but this one I love. A few years ago my sister Connie and I went to one of his concerts and we totally rocked out! At one point I said to Connie, "I want to still be doing this together when we're 85!" I can guarantee that you cannot listen to his music and not get up and dance! So that's what I've been doing as I clean today, rocking out with Kenny Loggins, probably nothing as pathetic as an old lady rocking out but I like it! Recently I was at a wedding where I was out on the dance floor with all 4 of our grandsons (Matt, Joe, Zach & Benji) and one of our granddaughter's (Chloe) and we all ROCKED IT!! To see all of their faces and having so much fun together, I hope it's something they always remember! We had so much fun so if you feel so inclined - dance like no one is watching!!

One of the things I had to do in this cleaning project was to straighten up my little bookcase. I had to laugh when I looked at the books in it. The books were primarily cleaning and dieting books. What a laugh! I already told you I'm a slob and obviously I haven't been following the diet books - I thought about my kids going through my stuff after I'm dead and gone - I'm sure they will get a huge laugh out of me having those books!!!

I have been reading a lot lately - and such good books!! The last one I read was titled "1000 White Women - the journal of May Dodd". The premise of this book is that a Chief of the Cheyenne Indians went to President Grant in 1874 and made the proposition that if they would give them 1000 white women, the Indians would give 1000 horses to the U.S. In doing so the white women would agree to marry and have a child with an Indian - thus the child would be 1/2 & 1/2 and would help to assimilate the 2 cultures together. This proposal apparently really did happen but President Grant rejected the idea. The writer though was intrigued with the premise and wrote this book. I think he did a wonderful job but I was crying by the end. This book, although fiction, will stay with me. My Dad loved to read westerns. My Mom was always on the hunt for a new western for my Dad to read. Then he would read it in about 2 days and she was on the hunt again. This was before used book stores. So I always read a western or two in honor of my Dad. One of the reasons this book struck me was the time was 1874 and at one point they are encamped on the North Platte river. My Grandma was born and raised in North Platte in 1883 (I'm pretty sure) and to think there were still Indians roaming around just 9 years before she was born!! Again it makes me sad that I didn't ask my Grandma more questions about her life when she was still alive. I, of course, think the same thing about my Mom and Dad. Take note anyone reading this that still has people to ask questions of - do it - for they are gone too soon! Also, if you have a video camera, take video so you can see them and hear their voices. I miss hearing all of my relatives voices - but they are always alive in my heart and my mind!

Just a short garden report, my sweet peas finally bloomed and they've been beautiful and their aroma is delectable - sad to say the heat we're having now will kill them off but I've had some nice vases of them and have been able to give them as gifts. If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can see how pretty my sweet peas are - too bad we don't have "smellavision" they smell glorious! In my garden I've planted something new this year. I decided I would try and grow a pumpkin for each of my 7 grandchildren. I planted 2 seeds in 8 holes thinking everyone would have a choice of pumpkins. WHAT WAS I THINKING!!! I now have 16 plants with tons of pumpkins growning on the vines!! I will have to put up a "Free Pumpkins at Grammy's Pumpkin Patch" sign!! I'll report back and let you know how they're doing!

My thought to leave you with this time: Don't moan, groan and complain about something that is fixable - get off your butt and do something about it if it bothers you so much!! (Duh, I should take my own advise).

Until next time . . .