About those closets

Truely I am not complaining. I just want to state, I didn't realize the new heating system was going to take the whole of the biggest "catchall" closet. I know this is a blessing...but I am wondering where I am going to put the 5 x 8 U-haul trailer of things from Mom's house, now living in Patty's garage. By the way, thanks Patty and Tom for letting the things over"night" winter at your house. The Christmas closet lost about a fifth of its size, the utility closet is definateley less than 50% of what it was...and that big closet...the good news is we will be warm for many years to come. And now I will have to address what was stored in that closet and continue to downsize.

Christmas past

Okay, let me just say, I love Christmas. I have always loved Christmas. There is something wonderful and full of glory about this season, Christ.

Through the years we accumulate so much stuff...recently in Kansas I helped my sisters clean out the house and we found the aluminum Christmas tree, and Patty and I came to an agreement. One year at her house one at mine...now she took it home the question is will I enjoy it in her home? But back to past....

We had always had a traditional short needle tree. But this year our brother had been in an accident, caught between a parked car and a go-carts spinning front wheel, his leg was torn open and broken in multiple places in the fall. He was still in the hospital at Thanksgiving. At Christmas, we knew our present was to be Mike at home for Christmas day. We had gone to bed without the usual trappings of Christmas, no tree, no presents, just the hope that Mom and Dad would be able to bring Mike home for the day. Grandma was making the turkey and all the fixings, and she would bring them down to our home (just a block away) for lunch. When we got up on Christmas morning there was the aluminum tree and presents. Mom and Dad had left already to go pick Mike up...family friends made the day magical for all of us..and Mike made it home for most of the day...and finally came home soon after the New Year.

But this is a side track to this issue of past. When we moved to Haiti, I gave away the few items I had begun to collect for Christmas, except the duck, pig, and goose candelabra. When we moved home to the US from Haiti, I gave away most of the Christmas ornaments (keeping the ones that Jack and I had painted. Jack's first "song" was to hum Jingle Bell Rock), the wonderful churches with tissue paper "stained glass" windows that were highlighted by a flickering candle.

When Jack was 16/17 he stated that we needed a more adult tree. Something that was not the handmade ornaments we had made through the years...and so without much encouragement I accommodated his wishes. And began to use the homemade ornaments as part of the package wrappings for family and friends.

Now I find myself working at cleaning out...adjusting, changing, and the front closet will become smaller with return chases located in it for the geothermal system...so I think many ornaments will now be recycled onto wreaths. At least one for my front door. others for friends...and simplify life.

Being thankful

My daughter does a Friday post of reasons to be thankful. So I thought I would take a stab...

I am thankful for wanting and getting the opportunity to meet my husband.
I am thankful for grandsons!
I am thankful for the grandson's parents.
For the opportunity to "live in the woods and mountains"
For a job
For good friends who are loving in spite of political and or religious differences
Of faith filled friends.
Of unexpected opportunities...like our furry friends.

Summer time fun

When we were girls, I could not have been more then 10, my dad found in our community a Ferris wheel. After a few trips to see the contraption, he decided to make one for us. I am one of five children. I have three sisters, and had one brother. We accompanied dad to the country where he borrowed a shed and welding machine and assembled the cut lengths of pipe, the tractor seats, the chrome handle bars. At the end of the fall we had our own Ferriswheel. And we spent hours riding every year, from the first day that one could use a jacket to climb the wheel, to the hot of summer riding in our bathing suits, to the late fall when one required a jacket. All the kids in the neighborhood came to play. many high school kids came after we had gone to bed. My brother and I were the expert climbers, willing to ride with others two or three times our weight. We knew no fear just hours of enjoyment swinging in the Kansas wind, rain, and sun. I am still a ride junky. I don't think I have found one yet that I wouldn't be willing to give a try.

Getting back into it

Well I have spent the summer and fall traveling for family. We had a great family vacation time in Savannah. Came home and made the road trip to NYC. Learned a lot about how to manage training classes for large groups...and then went west for the annual motorcycle event. Came home exhausted and sick while Ron was called to Florida as his step-father passed away. Medicated, made the trip to Florida, and returned in a sadly leisurely drive with Ron.

We made a trip to see all of Ron's step-siblings, and get introduced to the youngest generation of the families. Then a kindergarten reunion for Ron in NYC. I would highly recommend Carmines, just 1/2 a block off Time Square.

And on return my youngest sister called to say the planned trip for October, with all sisters reporting to Kansas should be jump started. We all made it home the end of August. Worked very hard to get the out buildings cleaned out, the house gone through, and prepped for an auction in October. I think it was the first week in September Susan, our youngest sister, helped move the folks into the assisted living center.

Mom has dementia, and Daddy cannot care for her in the manner that he has. Now meds are taken, not gladly, but likely, and Mom gets coffee delivered first thing in the morning and need not be worried about making meals she is no longer able to prepare. And Dad doesn't need to worry that he can't cook. Patty and I decided that we have the family genetic, that the only setting on the stove is full on...

Sadly and gladly, I am the inheritor of my mother's fabric stash. And my younger sister Patty was willing to take things to her home in Tulsa, Ok and babysit them until I am able to return. Which I hope to do late winter/early spring...

I learned a lot about my self this trip, while I do not consider myself a good organizer, or well organized, Mom believed I could help we girls get the items organized for the auction. We did...working right up to the sale...but we did it...I remembered I have always been a good packer...which held us in good stead all the years we traveled for the circuses. I used to help elderly clients in Florida organize, downsize, and clean their homes. Some of my clients were weekly, others were just one shot deals needing work to be completed before a family member was no longer able to remain at home...when we finished at the "farm" I headed to the assisted living center and helped Mom and Dad tuck those last items away where they wouldn't be tripped over, but could be made available easily...and I made them promise not to buy anymore paper towels and toilet paper for a few months.

They have settled in well overall. Susan lives in the same community and she gets the daily calls...I felt badly that we did not finish off the house, that she will have to hire the Realtor, the company to do the final cleaning, that she will have to help Dad negotiate the sell...but we were well supported in our efforts by our father's sisters who came to help on Auction day and kept mom occupied. I am thankful we accomplished so much..that the sell went well, that working together we were able to help our parents in such a stressful change...that we love each other, and show it by caring and supporting each other.

I'm making it up

This year, before Superbowl weekend I saw a great show on Superbowl meals....one of the presenters, whom I cannot name, made Cuban Sandwiches. Now this was not your typical Cuban loaded with a variety of meats, but a real roast your pork, Swiss cheese, sliced dills, good mustard and toast your bread kind of recipe. For the life of me I cannot find it so I am making it up.

What I do remember is the pork roast gets rubbed with a generous amount of ground cumin, a staple in my house as we visit the DeKalb Farmer's Market each Thanksgiving weekend and stock up for the coming year, thank you Lisa and Joel!!

The roast then goes to the slow cooker in 1 can of chicken stock and 1 cup of orange juice. Roasted on low until it falls apart! Today, because of a blog at the Winged Messenger, I added red beans. Tonight we will have succulent Cubans, and red beans ready for rice or grits for later in the week.

A weekend without demands

It is a lovely beginning fall weekend. The dogwoods are redding out, and the china berry is also turning crimson. The butterfly bushes are in there last blooming providing a few more weeks of food to the hummingbirds.

Ron is vacuuming the sun porch out.

I have been going through little piles and started the Christmas lists, as I have already decided what to give to some, already purchased for others....and this year, I would like not to have a surprise when I get to the Christmas hideaway and found I forgot to deliver an item.

I made the the next reservation for the trip to KS. and this time I will fly into Wichita, rent a car and make the three hour? trip west. Last month I was able to fly into Tulsa and ride with Patty, what fun.

We did get all of us home, Peg came on Monday not Sunday as her plane was grounded for repairs.

We all met to help our parents make the move to assisted living. We have downsized them considerably and Oct. 3 is the auction of primarily my father's welding business.
My youngest sister Susan still lives in Dodge, and she informs me with two grand-babies there-they may be there for a long time to come, but she has carried the load for many years.

Susan helped Dad choose a place. It was important to us to be sure they have balanced meals and someone to check that mom takes her medications correctly. So after our first blitz, our folks moved into their new place a few days after we left. Our dad has had a minor surgery this last week and seems to be doing very well.

Well the weather is calling us...we will start closing in one of the sun porch sets of sliding windows this weekend and hopefully get the dry wall up next. The goal is to reclaim the space from the cat and have a place to sun all of us during the colder months.