So, how's it goin?

Tonight it is raining ice at my house. This is the view from our cameras. Since we are trapped inside, I thought I would post a catchup. 

When I went to the hospital, well when I felt better at the hospital (I was not thinking in the ambulance or the first hour in the ER), I really had not planned to mention this little episode to anyone. But we were expecting grandkids at 7am for breakfast  so I had to let the parents know.  My text said "Long story short, I'm in the hospital, but your dad will be home to get the kids at 7. Will anyone be around town in the morning to pick them up so he can come back here?"

Well that started it. Kids calling off work, One driving in from out of town.  I had a board meeting the first afternoon - I sent a message that I was calling off AGAIN and understood I might be fired (from my volunteer job).  They joked that next time I would need a doctor's excuse. Surprise, when I texted a few days later that I would be off for at least a few weeks and that I did have a doctor's excuse. 

Word spread around town and as much as I am not crazy about people in my business, it has brought tears to my eyes the amount of people who have called, texted, sent cards and even flowers.  I was on a few prayer chains.  I have had so many people offering to bring food or go shopping for me.  I do tell them I have a freezer full of those dang healthy meals, please don't bring food. I also have a healthy husband with time on his hands, but it is so nice of people to offer.  I feel like I have a lot more friends than I realize.  

This week everyone wants to know how I am doing. The truth is I feel better than I have for months and it really makes me feel like a fraud. Losing all that fluid in my lungs allows me to breath better than ever and I lost a lot of swelling especially in my legs and ankles (I wasn't fat- I was puffy!). Of course I am basically doing nothing so I am well rested, lol.  We did stop at the Cancer Thrift Shop on the way back from a doctor's appointment and I found this fabulous lamp. It didn't accidentally come home with me, I was actually looking for a lamp. 

My best friend forever (since fifth grade) came to town to take me to lunch. She just wanted to see if I was telling the truth about doing better. A local restaurant has a new owner and the interior and ambiance is wonderful. The food and service so-so. 

We have been going to doctor's appointments and even ran errands. We bought passes at the city recreation center and are using the walking track. Mr Merry is walking along because he is still on edge about letting me out alone. 

Today I visited the cardiologist and he increased the dosages on all my new medicines. So even though I feel fabulous, I have to remind myself that we, or me, are dealing with issues. Unfortunately the drug store texted me that my insurance doesn't want to cover one medicine which is $1032 a month. Since it is Friday night, I am planning on checking with the drug store Monday morning, calling the insurance company next and if I finish those calls and don't have a solution before 5pm, calling the doctor's office to see if there is a substitute. 

He is sending me to cardio rehab and said he doesn't want me to do any heavy activities until we work that out since the insurance company may not cover that either. (My refractory is one point over the qualifying number). Meanwhile I have the okay for walking.  

I kind of feel like I am in a holding pattern. I go to the pulmonologist this week and the cardiologist in 2 weeks to see how I am doing and at this point, I just want to get back to normal. Whatever that is.  

What's Cooking

 My nightly dilemma of coming up with dinner ideas has been temporarily solved with my beef producer having another recipe challenge. 

This time it is a slow cooker challenge and to make things more exciting - I am changing the recipes to low-sodium as directed by my new doctors. 

This would have been easy except that I had to make the meatballs, find a low-sodium recipe for dry onion soup, find a low-sodium recipe for gravy mix and find salt-free beef broth in my small town. 

I did find the broth and it was three times the price of unsalted and tasted like water. My solution in the future will be to use the broth from the unsalted beef roasts I cook myself. Here are my recipes:

And here is our version: 

I'm not going to lie, it needed salt.  My next mission is to find a salt substitute with a salty flavor. 

And today we did week 2! 

My changes were to use round steak since that was in the front of the freezer, I added carrots and celery to the mushrooms and onions since I had some in the fridge to use up and I used the rest of my salt-free beef broth and gravy mix.  Cornstarch has no sodium. 

And here is our version:

This is Mr Merry's plate. I had a smaller piece and salad instead of potatoes (which could have been sodium free except I used instant). 

There is enough leftover for two more meals so I hope Mr Merry meant it when he said he liked it! 

I am hoping next week doesn't involve the beef broth/gravy mix pattern, especially with as many times as we will be eating this week's recipe! 

Monday Memories

Please meet my Aunt Patty.  She was born as Pearl May at home in a nearby rural township  in October of 1896 to my great-grandparents Daniel and Wretha.  She was the middle child; my grandfather Louis was born in 1894  and her baby sister Elizabeth (Betty) was born in 1903. 

The fun part of my family is that everyone uses the same names over and over. Pearl May's cousin, who lived on the same road was born in August of 1896 and was named Pearl (same last name) too.  About five Daniels (her dad's name) were living in that township at the time, all named after their grandfather Daniel. 

By 1900 Pearl, her mom and dad and brother were renting a house in town on the same street as my husband and my  first apartment. Daniel is listed as a delivery man.  By 1910 the family had moved to another rental house closer to Main St.  Daniel is listed as a laborer at odd jobs, Mom Wreatha  is listed as a laundress at her home and my 16 year old grandfather is listed as an office boy. My grandfather was supporting the family at this point and Miss Pearl had perfect attendance in the eighth grade and made the honor roll with a 93.2 in 1910 (I can access local newspapers on line). Later that summer she visited friends in a nearby town. 

As a high school senior in April, 1914,  Pearl and a classmate competed in the Northwest District of our state's High School Oratorical Contest with a vocal duet of "In the Dust of the Twilight".  The Medicine Show, which was in town for a week in June of 1914, had a contest for most popular girl. Pearl placed second.  Later in June, Pearl (with her middle name spelled Mae) graduated from our local high school and had a part in the "commencement" play as a maid in waiting. Pearl went on to take a two year Normal course at Miami University in Kent, Ohio. She came home to spend Christmas and Easter with her family. 

In September of 1915 Pearl returned to her studies at Miami University.  Again she returned home for a week at Christmas.  There is no mention of her graduation, but in July of 1916, our local school board hired Pearl for a position at the same grade school my children attended, as a fifth grade teacher. In  October she was a speaker at the Methodist Church anniversary presenting a paper "The Harvest of the Years".  She was a member of the Sunshine Class at the church and was hostess for their meetings. 

In 1917 Miss Pearl directed a large musical show at the elementary school carnival showcasing the students. She spent Easter week visiting friend at Miami University. And in May 1917,  "Scarf dancing, patriotic drills and singing comprised a program by fifth grade girls in green and white dresses at our local theater.  The result showed careful training by Miss Pearl. She continued hosting the Sunshine Class at her family's home. At the end of the school year she prepared high school students for a program of folk and interpretative dances. Pearl was rehired as a teacher for the 1917-1918 school year at a yearly salary of $550.  

In December of 1917 her cousin, the other Pearl Mae O'Dell got married which made my genealogy search of MY aunt much easier.  My Pearl spent the holidays with friends in Indiana.  In May of 1918 the school thanked Pearl for her help with dances for the Patriotic Decoration Day Celebration. In December 1918 Pearl was on the list of persons ill with the influenza.  She recovered to help with a school production with 250 students in May of 1919 and was given a bouquet of pink roses.  Her yearly salary for the 1919-1920 school year was $870. Pearl and another teacher started a dance class for high school girls in December. 

I thought I wouldn't be searching about which article was about which Pearl O'Dell after the marriage of her cousin, but oh no.  Another Pearl, living in New York state and aged 18,  married an O'Dell and they decided to horribly murder her ex-boyfriend. Now to sort through out the articles of the accused murderers who were quite the topic in all the papers, including my local paper. 

In the 1920 census they are renting on another street near Main Street and it says Daniel is a house painter, Wreatha is at home, My grandfather is a jeweler and Pearl is a teacher.  Betty is still a student.

In May 1920, Pearl was the hit of the Eastern Star entertainment as a featured dancer and bit player in the show.  Later in May she helped direct a high school performance.  In June Pearl advertised aesthetic dancing classes. She and friends danced at the Eastern Star banquet in later in June.  Her September salary would have increased by $106.25, but Pearl resigned from her teaching position on July 21, 1920 and accepted a job as a physical training teacher in the junior high school in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  It looks like a year later she is living in Cleveland, Ohio.   Pearl returned to town to "spend a week with her parents" in 1922.  By July 1924 it seems like she is living with her parents. 

In June of 1926, ANOTHER Pearl O'Dell in our county pops up.  She is 18 years old and there is a marriage announcement.  Also in June 1926 my great grandmother (Pearl's mother) and my grandmother (her sister in-law) traveled to Seattle Washington to visit MY Pearl. She changed her name when she went out west and was now going by Patricia Ann, but not in our local papers. Aunt Patty was married in King County, State of Washington in June 1927. I do not believe any family was present as they did not serve as witnesses. 

In August 1933 Aunt Patty and her husband were visiting in the area, "the first time Pearl, a former teacher, has returned in ten years."  She is mentioned as visiting again in 1936 and 1937 and 1938. They would have traveled by train from the state of Washington to the state of Ohio.

Aunt Patty died in 1961 at age 64 in the state of Washington. Her obituary states she was recently teaching classes until her illness.  

Aunt Patty never had children and I like to take the responsibility that she is remembered. 

Here is another photo I found when researching some dates for this article. I believe it is her first year at university. 

Thank You

I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and concerns after my post last week. This weather has made staying home and doing nothing pretty easy!  

I have lots of random photos and thoughts.  Here is the flower my housekeeper clipped to the board in my room. She was such a sweetie. 

My daughter the nurse Phd came up to make sure I was receiving top notch care. One of the RNs that I was assigned was a former nursing student of hers. Basically all the nurses on the floor were terrified of my daughter (who is 5' tall) but the doctors loved her questions and spent lots of time talking over me.

Both daughters were bored by day two and went to the grocery store. They went to my house and threw out what was in my refrigerator and made me about 30 meals. These included raw green pepper, raw vegetables, fake eggs with raw green pepper, overnight oatmeal (I detest oatmeal), brown rice etc. All in cute little meal containers. Snacks were apples and nuts. This was incredibly nice of them. 

Unfortunately I have GERD like every fat old lady and also can have bouts of IBS (too much information) and I cannot eat nuts or that many raw vegetables, etc and I was very sick. I did lose almost ten pounds which is worrying to my nurse who is calling me every other day to make sure I don't gain over two pounds which could signal the congestive heart failure.  

So I switched to some of the food, like eating the yogurt and berries on top and leaving the oatmeal on the bottom, and egg whites from my farm eggs for lunch. And lean meat and cooked veggie with no salt for supper.  She keeps sending me goofy recipes though, the last one is soaking chicken in almond milk, then  .  . . well I didn't read the rest. 

Anyway, not sure that I mentioned I wore my oldest, most ratty, ugly, gramma nightgown to the hospital. When I got home, one of the first thing I did was order new pjs, some to wear at home and some to pack in a bag by the door in case this ever happens again. 

I got a couple pairs of these. Black so they don't show fluids, short sleeves for IVs, button front for chest stickers, and crop length so they hit my ankles!  I was so embarrassed to show up like I did. Thank you Walmart. 

Further embarrassing my children were my actions in the hospital. Our 50th wedding anniversary is coming up and I was on several fan sites, etc, that had codes for early bird purchases. I had set alarms in my phone. The original plan was to purchase them on my laptop so I could see what was doing. I was receiving alarms every time they were going to do a medical procedure and having to let them time out.  The first day was a total flop.  I actually was able to purchase the tickets and all the extras, like the big bucks parking so I don't have to walk far and tickets to a special bar/deck area which has a private restroom for those patrons (you see where my mind is) right before I went down for the heart cath. Success! And as silly as this seems, this concert at the end of July is goal one. 

In more disappointing news I had signed up for a Bridge Brigade which is a group of protesters who show up on an overhead bridge over the highway, each holding a letter to spell out a message. I received my first alert and had to contact the coordinator and explain I am out due to health reasons. And today the local party called me and I told them the situation before we got started on the ask. 

I notified the charity that I won't be around for several weeks at the very least, until I get my act together.  They actually wrote a prayer for me.

"Loving Lord, We ask Your healing grace for (Miss Merry). Bless her for her faithful service with the Saint Vincent de Paul ministry. Restore her strength, grant her peace and hold her in Your loving care."  (and this made me cry.)

I think this was the Friday snow? Saturday? Anyway the base layer. I have no idea how much we have at this point. So glad I am stuck indoors. Tomorrow schools are cancelled again for both snow and super super low temperatures. 

I am not in this picture. 

My arms are now black, blue, green and orange from all the needles and whatevers at the hospital. My husband is afraid I am turning into the president. 

The events of the weekend have left me sad and angry and devastated and crushed.  I recently saw the videos of the VA nurse reading at the bedside of a deceased veteran and the honor walk that the VA center performed for Alex.  I was present when these rituals were performed for my own father and it was one of the most meaningful things of my life. Watching them with this young hero left me crying for hours. 

Memory Monday

My grampa was a jeweler in our small town. His dad had an alcohol problem and left the family (or they left him) about the time my grandfather finished 8th grade. He apprenticed to the town's jeweler, Mr. Mayle. 

My grampa is on the right. This should be late teens or early 1920's.

Our city built a large building with several stories called The Glass Block. Retailers, such as jewelers, could rent floors or spaces.  The jewelry store, which I think might have changed to Mayle O'Dell Jewelers moved in. 

Here is the Glass Block with the Dinky going down the street. The Dinky ran from one edge of town to the other along Main Street. The town is in the midst of digging up Main Street to the center of the earth and removing the tracks. They removed the tracks at the end of my street last year, dashing my hopes of a Dinky revival. 

And here is the Glass Block in August 1923 after a huge explosion.  The top floors of the building were removed and the current building is one and a half stories. This was a Sunday and the only two men in the building were killed.  A woman waiting on the street car was tossed into the building and died a day later. 

Mr. Mayle decided to retire and my grandfather moved about 3 buildings down on the right of the Glass Block. Most of the furnishings were moved to the new building. 

These are family snapshots from the Christmas season in the 40's or 50's. 

At some point my grandfather scaled back into more jewelry repair and the music store next door cut an opening and expanded into this space. He was still working part-time doing repair work in this area in the back when 1972 he suffered a heart attack and died. My mom and I, along with one the ladies pictured above, inventoried and closed the store. 

The beauty of a small town is that whenever the town historian is contacted by someone wanting to sell memorabilia, he calls me.  I have quite a collection. 

I also have some of the store window display pieces. These are in the best condition. 

And I have a ridiculous amount of jewelry.  And I am a person who does not wear jewelry. I have a codicil leaving it all to my daughters. 

Well, That Came Out of Nowhere

Saturday I was dancing on a street corner with a frog at the Ice Out protest.  We had a normal weekend and Monday would have been another snow day for the children if it was a school day.  I have been tired all month after the influenza I contracted the first of December and was just chilling.  

Monday evening I was watching some high-brow television, Snapped, which features women murdering their husbands. Mr Merry went to bed. At 11 I checked talk show listings and realized they were all reruns because of the holiday.  I stood up, walked to the hall and felt my throat tighten, like I couldn't cough. I thought, I really should call the doctor tomorrow. Then I took about five steps and thought I think I should wake Mr Merry to take me to the ER. Then I got to the bedroom, shook his leg and collapsed.  

He called 911 and they sent 2 adorable little firemen within 3 minutes. I could not breathe and my oxygen level was 83, I could see their faces and assumed I would never come back home.  EMS arrived shortly after and raced to get me on the gurney. We had to take a long route to the hospital due to most roads near me being drifted shut. They gave me either breathing treatments or cpap in the ambulance. 

Then we got to the ER which only had one other patient.  I had five medical people in my room.  Anyway, lots of stabbing, lots of tests, lots of treatments. I did not realize that, right after I arrived, I suffered a NStemi heart attack.  Mr Merry arrived and did not bring anything like my phone or a coat (I was wearing my rattiest nightgown only) or shoes.  I assumed they would give me a shot and send me home.  The first concern was a pulmonary embolism but the cat scan ruled that out. 

They put me in a room and spent Tuesday doing all kinds of poking and prodding and testing.  My veins were not having it and I was blowing ivs and it would take 2-3 pokes for bloodwork.  In addition to normal labs I was having something tested every two hours and something else every three hours, all day and all night.   They were trying to squeeze me into an echocardiogram and heart ultrasound appointment before the end of the day.  And they made it. 

I was the first heart cath on Wednesday morning.  The long story short (and this is from me, a non health professional) is that the flu virus in December got into my heart and started killing muscle. My heart has not been beating properly and fluid had collected (and completely filled) my lungs. Then the torturous aorta in my heart (that I was born with) twisted and leaked blood into my heart.  The final diagnosis is Hypoxia/COPD, Acute systolic heart failure, hypertension and hyperglycemia and congestive heart failure.  I really had zero symptoms until I almost stopped breathing. 

My daughter who has a phd in nursing traveled in on Tuesday and was appointed boss of me. She listened to the doctors reports while I breathed and translated the information.  This is life changing and scary and makes me really really angry so I guess I feel better today. 

I passed the test of walking the hallway and was able to come home without oxygen.  My daughters went shopping and made us about 20 individual heart healthy meals in our fridge and freezer. I have appointments with every specialist in the system.  I have a person whose job title I didn't catch calling me every other day for 30 days to check up on me. My whole world is changing to focus on me and my health. And I don't like it. 

I know I am feeling better today because I am angry.  I have no trouble sitting in a chair because I have both arms in ice from all the bruising. I think I am permitted to shower tonight.  

So how was your weekend?

I want to apologize in advance because I am not thinking I will be sharing light posts for a while.  Actually, I do have some funny goofy hospital stories.  I will share those next time.  Right now it is all kind of a blur. 

Memory Mondays

For this edition of Memory Mondays I have decided to answer some genealogy questions. 

I want to start with how I began my research because it is something I recommend. I was afraid of the internet and sharing too much. When I started researching I used the Ancestry dot com subscription at our local library as well as the website Family Search. I also researched in collections of local libraries and the courthouse. 

When I found documents related to my family, like a census record or draft card, etc, I printed them on paper and put them in folders. I talked a friend into day trips to a Presidential library that specializes in genealogy where we researched newspapers in our state, first on microfilm and then computers when they digalitized them. These holdings include many newspapers not available on line and we are able to make copies of articles.  I made so many copies that it was worth buying a membership to get a reduced rate on copying, lol. 

I also made a spreadsheet for every generation so I could chart when I had copies of birth certificates, death certificates, census and military records so I knew what I was looking for. 

Having everything on paper was good for me as a visual person. And with my family traditions - very necessary. We like to name babies after relatives and, for example, in the case of my maternal great grandfather, he and two cousins who were all born in the same township in the same year shared the same first and last name. Having the paper copies I could compare all the information to make sure the documents I had belonged to the correct person.  

I developed my family tree for about a year before I joined Ancestry and put my tree online.  I have found lots of misinformation about my past relatives on line and people don't seem to respond to messages about it.  

Another example. One census lists my great grandmother Maud as Mary. Most people's family trees list Mary as a sister. There is no Mary. 

Same family, Maud's mother Isabell raised my grandfather after her death. People confuse his Isabell for my grandfather's mother even though she is listed as grandmother on most census records. After he married, Isabell lived with them and is listed on census records as "mother-in-law". This has lead people to assume she is my grandmother's (his wife's) mother.  You can imagine the mess this makes with the wrong family attached to the maternal side. 

I knew these people and know I'm right (lol) but people will disagree with me and keep sharing the wrong information. 

How do I store this information.   

I have files of all the information I find on paper copies. I try to attach it all to the tree on Ancestry. And I purchased Roots Web so I can have a copy on my laptop not attached to the internet.  I am a total failure at Roots Web and haven't updated it in a decade. I bought a newer version thinking that would inspire me. It didn't. 

So yes, I have a room of papers. Original documents are kept in acid free boxes I purchase from library supply vendor Gaylord. 

How do I share information or do I share information.  

Oh, lots of ways. First, I send portraits and pictures to Walgreens and print 4x6 copies which I attach to my china cabinets. I test the little grandchildren on who is who.  They are pretty good at it. 

Several years ago I made picture books from Shutterfly for all the grandkids. The first page has photos of them, then the next two pages are parents, then grandparents, etc. It goes back maybe 4 -5 generations.  I did do captions, especially with military information which the boys are particularly interested in.

I created a private facebook group for each side of my family where I share information, finds and photos.  I try to encourage other relatives to share too but it is mostly me. All my children are members of the groups, too. 

I have done a little research on my husband's tree which is challenging because he was born in another state and most of his grandparents and great-grandparents are first generation. Once I found a family picture on Facebook from his mother's side showing her father and his eight siblings as young adults. I thought this was so amazing that I made copies for all his siblings and his mother. The siblings loved it (except one) and his mother called me and informed me that this is NOT my family and I have no right to have this photo (that I found on Facebook). So that is one experience. 

On my mom's side there is a line that I had no information. I started with her grandfather's name, a family legend that wasn't true and all records in a small rural community in another state and not available on line.  I contacted a relative through DNA and we compared what we could find. Now move forward to a genealogy conference last spring and a course I took on using the new feature on Family Search that reads text of old court documents.  

My great grandmother was Lavantia and I wasn't even sure of her maiden name. Census records said she was born in New York or New Jersey.  I put in her first name and married last name and up popped about 12 pages.  

It was a lawsuit brought in the 1850's by Lavantia's mother Catherine which listed her husband's name AND all seven of her children listed with their spouses first and last names.  This was completely new information to my family. I printed all the papers because they are scans of handwritten pages from the 1850's and difficult to read. I got into messages on Ancestry and offered to mail copies to relatives I had identified who were THRILLED.  No one had figured out how to get past these walls and here it was! 

I also commented on a facebook post in my town which put me in touch with someone whose great grandmother was my great grandmother's sister.  And she was the keeper of the family photos! She came to my house one day and let me scan a rubbermaid tube of papers and photos. We later located the great granddaughter of one of their brothers and all met for coffee and discussion.  

I love to share resources and finds especially in person! 

The last question is where all this stuff will go. 

I sincerely doubt any of my five children will want to take custody of all the paperwork. Or even the original photos.  I am hoping to eventually convince one of my grandchildren to take over.  We do have a very active local genealogy chapter who would house some original items in their research library along with a self published book.  I would just need to put that together. In my spare time. 

Be Good Protest and Recipe Reviews

 

Hey, it's the Abominable Snowman at the local Be Good protest. Wait, that's Miss Merry with three layers, her insulated boots, new hat and freezing fingers and toes. Beside me is my portable speaker where I play 1960's protest songs.  

We didn't start planning until early in the week and were hoping for 20 and willing to settle for 10 with the 17 degree temperatures. FIFTY brave souls attended! 

I was at one end down by the frog with my speaker. My friend Kate who has the same speaker was at the opposite end playing 1990's music.  I know because people my age were gravitating toward me to sing along and I guess the younger people moved toward Kate. 

We started at the park across from the library and then moved up to the courthouse where there is an intersection of two highways. 

At the beginning. I was shocked so many attended. 

Photos screenshot from our local newspaper.  My speaker operates from my Spotify playlist on my phone and I am not smart enough to be able to play music and take pictures. 

Recipe Reviews:

If you see this reel about a quick and easy breakfast quiche in your air fryer, don't fall for it. 

You put a tortilla in a foil pie pan, mix eggs, cottage cheese, some peppers, I added sausage and top with cheese.  I baked it the allotted time and the eggs were raw. I believe I cooked it for the 3 times at the recommended time and temperature and then I gave up, cut it into wedges and put them the microwave with the raw middle toward the outside edge of the plate.  

It took almost an hour to cook two of the quiches. My husband's review "They didn't taste bad by the end".  

As I seem to be on a quiche kick, someone asked how the Hellmann's Mayonnaise quiches tasted.  

They were fabulous. Very light and creamy. They would be better with the recommended Swiss cheese but were delicious with the cheddar I had on hand. As good as I remembered them. My husband who ate them once a week the first year we were married (I had a limited repertoire) had no memory of ever eating them before but was crazy about them.  

We took the ten year challenge. Since we had our anniversary pictures taken in 2016, it's that time again!  

For our 40th Anniversary we traveled to Kentucky to see Miss Loretta Lynn, a long time dream of mine. We stayed in a little motel and ate at a home-cooking diner on a mountain. 

For the Big 50, we are going all out. World travelers that we are, we are going 78 miles to a concert I don't want to mention yet since I am hoping to snag really really really good (expensive) seats when they go on early sale this week.  I checked hotels and the very nicest one that isn't a Hilton (because I am boycotting Hilton) had limited rooms already so we went ahead and booked four nights.  We are going to have a wild time leading up to the concert visiting a few museums, doing a driving tour through a national park (not sure if I mentioned this is the end of July and hot. The car is air-conditioned). I am making a list of antique stores and thrift stores and restaurants.  We are very excited. And I have my fingers crossed on the tickets. I joined several groups that promise early release of tickets and I have alarms set on my phone.  

I'll keep you posted! 

Snow Day!

 Snow.  We got 7" inches overnight and it was still snowing this morning. Mr Merry waited until 11 am to start up his snow blower. He will be happily plowing and blowing driveways and sidewalks for his chosen few. 

He actually loves to be outside in freezing temperatures gently pushing his self-propelled snow blower.  His chosen few are anyone who is retired and single mothers (unless they have teenagers home from school) and people who had to leave early for work, do not have children over 12 years of age, and don't have political signs he disagrees with.  

He refuses any payment and is must mortified if he gets a thank you note with, heaven forbid, a gift card. 

I only take photos through dirty windows or a crack in the door. This photo means nothing if you don't know how many inches are under the bush, lol. 

And I realized I forgot this photo on my last miscellaneous post.  My middle son and daughter-in-law bought a house near me this fall. And they have adopted a new family member.

Winnie is the most spoiled cat in the world and knew what she was doing when she charmed them at the shelter.  She has works of art hung on the wall at her height by her food station so that she can enjoy them at dinner.  

Yes, 20 photos of my grandcat cuddling in blankets. 

Are We Getting A Snow Storm and More

The television weather professionals are forecasting 2" to 8" of snow tonight.  And then more snow tomorrow afternoon and all day Friday.  2" and 8" are a lot farther apart than 6".  Two inches is something to barely sneeze at. Eight inches of snow will close country roads (especially with wind) and that will cancel schools.  

I did go to Aldi yesterday so I would be prepared with my loaf of bread and gallon of milk.  I learned that Tuesday is the day before they stock the aisle of shame (if you know, you know). 

Husband had a doctor appointment this morning and we went to the Amish farm to stock up on eggs since some of those roads are dirt roads and we can't drive through eight inches of snow on top of dirt. 

And speaking of this morning, I got a call on our church phone chain. A family was asking for birthday cards for a card party for their dad who is turning 70.  SEVENTY?  He is a baby! I understand 80. And 90. And , God Bless her, a friend's grandmother-in-law is turning 100 this weekend.  But 70? So I spent a lot of the morning grousing about being considered elderly and mailed his card after the doctor appointment.  

In political news my kindergarten grandson was chosen to recite the pledge of allegiance over the loud speaker in the principal's office yesterday.  He was so proud and we recited the pledge as a group at home after school several times, too.  I was going to attend an ICE protest in a neighboring city on Saturday and was whining because it is four hours long. And it might be a lot of snow and will be really cold.  Now my Indivisible has organized a two hour protest in my town on Saturday so I can attend that one. And I guess now that I realize I am an elderly, I can better tolerate a two hour protest. 

Our Townhall last Saturday. 

I did want to briefly talk about our Indivisible. In November 2015 I thought I was the only person in my town that did not vote for the despicable person. My niece put me in touch with a private group called Pantsuit Nation who planned the Women's March in Washington DC in January 2017. I actually purchased a ticket on a bus 68 miles away that was leaving at 2 am. I had never ever done anything like this in my life. I had never been to Washington DC. I was a registered independent voter!  I knew no one in the group, but made friends on the bus. Our bus actually broke down in some state outside of Washington and we had to cage rides on other buses. My new friend Daisy and some college girls in the seats behind us boarded a bus with a random driver who got lost in the streets of Washington and started yelling at us. My new friend Daisy and some college girls from my bus tried to get off on a corner but only Daisy, me and one girl made it. It was an interesting neighborhood but everyone was so kind, helped us find our way to the march and we eventually met up with the other college girls. It was a day I will never ever forget and we all made it home safely.  

Photo from my camera. 

The Pantsuit put us in touch with people near us and I found out that a bunch of people from my town attended! We all met at a meeting in a living room a month later. The next month we formed a group in a borrowed store front and by spring had joined with the Indivisible organization.  We became very active with local candidates and issues, had petition booths at area festivals, marched in parades and held postcard parties weekly at my house.  We learned how to phone bank and printed matching t-shirts.  Then Covid.  

I had themed dinners for my postcard parties but do you think I could find a picture with a menu or people filling out postcards? 
 Of course not. 

And then I severely broke my arm and, as you read above, I became elderly.  I do help with promotion and phone calls and help with the facebook page.  I attend whatever someone else plans but I can't do set up and take down (remember the fall as a poll worker where I broke my nose?)  Locally they want to appoint me to a precinct chair position but I read the job duties and they include canvassing. And I can't do that and risk another fall.   So the end of this meandering is that I am too elderly to be as involved as I was. 

I guess I only take photos of food at postcard parties?

Can I make clear I am 69 and I personally think I am at least eleven years away from even mouthing elderly.  And this makes me feel like I am being a big sissy baby.  

2018 postcard party at my friend Kim's house, she is in the upper left, I am in the lower right. Kim and I were friends in the 70's & 80's and reconnected in the Indivisible. She was an outstanding art teacher and wonderful person. She had a breast cancer recurrence during covid and passed away. 

ANYWAY - I will finish this after dinner. For no reason a friend and I were talking about cooking when we were first married and I remembered a dish. I got a subscription to Good Housekeeping as a bridal shower gift and there was an advertisement for Hellmann's Mayonnaise. It included recipes and one was for Mini Shrimp Quiche.  I wanted this recipe. I searched online. I emailed Hellmann's who deny it's existence.  I then went to Ebay and looked through listings from the early 70's and advertisements for Hellmann's (yes you can buy a page out of a magazine from the 1970's) AND I found it.  Here is the recipe: 

And here they are! 

At first I was worried when they looked different than what I remembered. Then I remembered I had used cheddar cheese instead of Swiss cheese. 

And leaving you with another Miss Merry method of resistance I had by my front sidewalk.