WHOA, DUDES.....!!!!!

WHOA, DUDES......
Leap'en Lizards.....
Storm of the Winter....
A Day OFF from WORK....
No School.....
The Day Park Falls Shut Down.....
Demise of Trusty Plastic Garage....
How Will PCH Get My Large Check to me.....
What to Do on a Snowed In Day....                Pick Your Title!!!!  (You can pick your friends...
                                                                                              You can pick your nose...
                                                                                              You can't pick your friend's nose...
                                                                                              Well, you shouldn't)                    


                                                                                    Cabin fever set in 10:30AM CST


Pictorial story of current weather outside my house at 10AM......enjoy......

back porch window from inside

demise of trusty plastic garage.....

Indianapolis 2/29/12   NOT FAIR

                                                                                  
       Park Falls is shut down.  They don't want anyone on the roads. (Like I can get out of my house...or into my car.)  Already an ambulance has gone by and the fire siren has gone off within 15 minutes of each other.

    I'm suppose to win the PCH BIG WIN.  Hope they can get to me!!

   Rest of the day?  Check back tonight to see how this Leap Day leaps along......
If this weren't 2/29----a day that shouldn't be---would this storm have happened?     Ponder

  "One way ticket to Vancouver, WA, please."          

Now where is my porch and steps?


   Oh, there's a little of it!



pathway for the mail person


             22 inch sides

 digging out faithful little car

proud helper with his equipment














     Now for the rest of the story.    I figured I better shovel the front steps for the mail lady and in case I had to get out for something.  I started shoveling very lightly; decided to close the door.  OOPS
Locked it.   Back door locked.  No key   No phone  Deep snow   Deep trouble   
      I walked over to the soda factory where a fellow was snowblowing.  He said to keep pressing the button until the light turned green and then hurry on in.  Someone found a key and walked back with me.  He said he drove in from Phillips this morning with a 4 wheel drive he borrowed from a friend who is gone to a convention----in Indianapolis.  The Place to be today!
      The official measurement of new snow was 17 inches.  I am glad winter is on the way out. 
Folks claim, though, that most of our snow in the past has come in March.

'God is our refuge and strength; an ever present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

What is IT?

What is IT? markers, so plows can find roads

   It's STARTING  --big stuff this evening and tonight!
How high up the marker will it go?  Nobody knows....




















This morning I sent out options for....

chicken livers and turnip greens  yum!

THE  3 SENIOR SISTERS CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP GREAT ADVENTURE!!!

.... to Betsy and Kate .  It is planned for mid August.  Check in for updates!!  We want to drive from PF to Banff National Park in Canada to Vancouver, Canada and then to Vancouver, WA.  WILL THEY DO IT?  WILL THEY SUCCEED? (WILL IT FLY?) (WILL THEY FLY?)




 3 SENIOR SISTERS 
CLASSIC CHRISTMAS





    
                 3 SENIOR SISTERS  
                CLASSIC COUNTRY
             "Back Home in Indiana"

                                                                                            Bill Monroe  Blue grass festival

When  a group of us visited Mammoth Cave National Park in the summer of 2011 a ranger told us this story--true story.  He said some elderly sisters--I don't remember if there were 2 or 3--were touring the National Parks.  It was their wish to die in a National Park.  The ranger said they treated them very kindly and sent them on to the next park as quickly as they could.  That is not OUR final wish. AND we are not elderly, yet.  Maybe the old gals have survived all the US National Parks and have found their way to Banff.  How to recognize them?  A look of frustration? of believe it or not? of excitement and anticipation--maybe this will be the one?

      Speaking of old gals....a lady friend of mine from another town surprised me with a visit at the music store.  I had left her a message on BOTH her phones.  The nice part is that she hadn't even listened to my messages. (I THINK that is the nice part---maybe not.)  We chatted for 45 minutes, while sipping hot green tea.  Thanks, Barb!!

    Weather wise, the bulk of the day was quite mild.  Some customers were anticipating a big storm and some were not.  My afternoon was quiet.  I enjoyed a lot of "studio" time, practicing new songs. Three students cancelled for various reasons.  Our local school had not cancelled for tomorrow as of 5 PM.  What a hardy bunch!  I was glad to have the day done and head home before weather got gnarly.

    And gnarly it is now at 10PM.  This is a quiet storm at the moment.  So quiet one doesn't realize we're getting dumped on big time!  Fresh photos in the morning!  

This has been a good "lets think about summer" day in the life of Grandma G.

"When it snows she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet."

(Proverbs 31:21)

A MIXED BAG....

    Today was a "mixed bag".  I  spent too much time this morning trying to reconcile a confusing credit card/computer glitch.  Sometime technology is marvelous, other times it is a royal pain.
    I received a confirmation from a studio 2 1/2 hour drive from here that I can stop next Tuesday on my way to Milwaukee so he can "mix" my new CD.  Exciting!
    Also bought a one way ticket from Milwaukee to Vancouver, WA for Sissy's high school graduation in mid June.  At that time I need to find a house to rent.  I will travel with the Millers to South Dakota and then on back to Milwaukee with Angie or Chuck and drive back up to PF.  Whew!  Tiring, but FUN.
    I spent a little time this afternoon calling about rentals for our South Dakota family get together.  Planning and scheduling is always the biggest hurdle.
    One young drum student came in the store with his mom.  They promptly went over to a snare drum set, picked it up and bought it.  Just the way I like it.


    When I got home I was elated to see the copyright for Grandma G's Bag of Surprises finally arrived!  I applied for it and one other in Sept.  One came before Christmas, but not this one. The check had been cashed 6-8 weeks ago.  I was starting to think someone had stolen the check and was able to cash it. Now I can get on with production!  Yeah.
   

RUMORS MUST BE TRUE!

   It's actually a little exciting....as long as I can be tucked in cozy at home.  There will be a sign on the store window tomorrow night, "Closed on Wed if weather is bad".  "Winter storm WATCH" is no longer in effect because it is now a "winter storm WARNING".  The local school kids are thrilled in anticipation of a "snow day".  They haven't had any yet and 3 are built into the yearly schdule.  Thurs, Fri and Monday are spring (?), winter(?) break.

      (It must have been a long day when you realize your slippers are on the wrong feet.  Not someone else's feet, but wrongly located on one's own feet.  I thought they felt a little strange, but figured my socks were bunched up. Such problems.)

This has been a good "let's get on with it" day in the life of  Grandma G.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God." (Phillipians 4:6)

Organizing Day!

     Today was a blustery day.  It would have been a great kite flying day except that the kite would have turned into a flying icicle.  For me this was a pink long johns and 3 layer top day!

     After a good church service I stayed around to chat a while.  One lady asked if I am still planning to move.  I said, yes, this summer.  She said she will miss me.  That is always nice to hear.
    I stopped at our one and only grocery store on the way home.  A fellow I know asked if it were true that I am leaving and I said, yes.   He said he would miss me and "it" just won't be the same without me.  Again, I am appreciative that folks will miss me.

    The afternoon was nicely busy with calls from Angie, Chuck and Deb.  Angie and I discussed our upcoming trip to San Diego, March 7 thru the 13th.  I was there over Thanksgiving, but Angie invited me along, and how can a mom say no to her daughter.  We will have 5 full days to cram in lots of visiting and touristing!

 Chuck and I talked at length about our family get together trip to South Dakota in late June.  It is time to find lodging for all of us.  Hopefully everyone will go.  If so there will be 7 family units plus Lou and me--33 people in all.  We haven't ever had a time when EVERYONE was present.  (Planning family events and trips is theraputic for me during these 5 or so winter months.)

  I talked with Deb.  It is always special when she actually answers her phone and we have time to chat.  Today she was out shopping and sat down in the furniture department to rest and talk.  She has been sick with the sinus virus that seems to be everywhere.  Her family just had a weekend at the Oregon coast.  The last 2 years she was out there about this time there were tsunami warnings out.

     I took a little rest later in the afternoon and watched Lion king--most of it.  I did the grandma thing and dozed a bit.  I'm kind of tight today.  I think it is from "extending" myself a few minutes more and farther on the treadmill yesterday.  I want to keep building up my strength and endurance.

  I cooked up some stir fry for dinner and for the week.  Didn't have any flavor packets so had to improvise.  The entree was ok but nothing a cookbook would want.

      This late evening the wind is howling and snow is falling.  We are to get a couple inches tonight and into tomorrow.  Tuesday thru Wednesday, though, a major storm is forecast.  Hopefully it will be gnarly enough on Wed. that I can just stay home--snow day!

   This has been a good organizing day in the life of Grandma G.

"I have come that they (us) may have life, and have it to the full."  (John 10:10)

IT"S ALL ABOUT THE WWW.

     It is a sun-shinny day!  Which means its a bit chilly out---low 20s.  I'm a little bummed today.  I have been talking to Burt about driving me across the Lake Superior Ice Road.  It is on my "want to accomplish" list before moving from Wisconsin.  There was a possibility of doing that today, but with the "warmer" weather here up north the ice road condition has been questionable.  The road report is showing "cars and light trucks only".  Anyway I guess I opted for not planning it today. (Bummer)  I am, however, going to call Burt and see if this dream ride can be taken next Saturday. 

     I had a brilliant discovery this morning.  After checking through some www.s  like the "weather", "Lake Superior Ice Road", "San Diego Zoo", etc I realized they are merely BLOGS that know what they are doing!  I can scroll down through them and say (silently) "I know how they do that".  Computer pro, Chuck, will be SO proud of me when he discovers my discovery!  Someday I will be a BLOG that knows what she is doing.  Do Blogs REALLY have more fun?
     For now, though, this is all a learning experience. (A learning experience is anything that goes wrong, costs too much money, takes way too long to do, causes one to cuss.)  Last evening I searched for over 2 hours to find the picture of young Grandma G.  I KNEW it was somewhere on file; but where and how to get it.  It probably doesn't help to have  thousands of unorganized pictures on one's hard drive and web galleries. (I sound cyber smart already.) Officially, this is online education.

    I ran across something else while trying to find that picture--mug shots of 2,189 unnamed faces in 288 groups!  Weird. (No idea of what a "group" is.)  Most of the faces were familiar, 8 I didn't know (somehow they resemble bikers on the Santa Rampage in Milwaukee), one was a statue face, one was painted picture face,  two were the before and after face lift lady and one was the smiling sun face of my wall plaque.    REMEMBER!   I have YOUR mug shot.

     Early afternoon I called and talked with Burt about trying for the ice road next Sat., closing down the store, the family get together in South Dakota in late June, what he thought of a 3 senior sister cross country road trip ( "absolutely"), and how I am going to move my "stuff".  Other than that this has been a "loner" Saturday.

    Which means I didn't get much done other than puttering. I did get laundry done, washed my cozy flannel sheets and typed out the words to my new song.  Now I won't have to think so hard to remember them.  And.... I did walk a 25 minute 1.25 mile on the treadmill and stretched 1/2 hour afterwards.  All the while dreaming of  the green grass of VC. 

This has been a good "plan ahead" day in the life of Grandma G.

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles."
(Isaiah 40:31)

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

THE HIGHLIGHT OF FEBRUARY.....

still looking good!

    
     To start with I took a shower in my Birthday suit.  I do that every year on my Birthday.  Angie was the first to call and wish me Happy B-day.  It was NOT a Skype moment since I was still wet in my B-day suit. (Gosh, I think I showed up in this world the same way.)  Didn't want to miss any B-day calls!



     To celebrate I went for a perm.  That is always an enjoyable time for me.  Mary and I chat about many things, but mostly about my recent or upcoming trips.  While my perm was setting I "happened"  to hear Mary talking to a younger man getting a haircut.  He was saying that he just lost his job here in town but that he is heading to North Dakota to work on the oil rigs.  They say it is the new gold rush.  I didn't know they were drilling for oil in North Dakota.  It's exciting to know something like that is happening in the north Midwest.



There were big fluffy snow flakes falling.  B-day snow is always special, even if one is not fond of it anymore.

I met Jeff at the music store.  He had the master for my new CD so I can contact Richie and get going on production. Yeah!  He remembered to wish me Happy B-day.

I had an extra surprise.  My brother, Fred, brought me a package of Jelly donuts.  That might not seem a BIGGIE, but it was a BIGGIE because he's not in the habit of giving me things.  I thought it was kind of him.

Grandma G in her younger, innocent years
Kate, Fred, Pete, John, Georgia at St. Vincent's orphanage in southern Indiana

I actually kept forgetting it was my B-day.  Must be the age.  Upside down I am 99.   I hope to live another 33 years so upside down I can be 66 again.
I was born close to George Washington's Birthday, so mom named me Georgia.  My dad opted to call me Alabama.


     Lou, Al, Deanna, Autumn, Eddy and I had dinner together in the evening.  Lou gave me a nice card and a small heart shaped box of candy.   

                            inflation or deflation?


Thanks to everyone for cards, calls, FB greetings! 

nice perm!

This was a good 66th B-day in the life of Grandma G.



"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  (Psalm 139:13,14,16)

Lots of Fun Surprises!

     I had a lot of "out and about" things to do today.  The sun came out just as I was getting about. Yeah! The first task was renewing my driver's license.  They let you do that here in Wisconsin every 8 years.  That's so if you didn't like your last photo you can get it retaken.

    I also needed to stop back at the optical office to pick out new frames.  SO many to choose from!

scholarly?

sophisticated alien?

Area 51 alien?

classy?

  While you choose for me I will be off to the local discount store to take advantage of the 10% senior discount EVERY Thurs. While I was engrossed in picking out a green leprechaun hat I heard familiar voices behind me.  I was relieved to see there were people to go  with the voices. My grandson had just stumbled (literally) in with his dad, my son.  While Eddy was picking himself up off the floor Al complimented me on the choice of green hats. (There were one choices to make.)


     Eddy had been a patient boy while they were doing some work at Grandma Rosie's house so Papa Lou gave him $5 to spend.  Is there anything else in this world other than HOT RODS?

   Who would have thought that after several unsuccessful calls to my trusty recording studio man, he was also at the discount store the very same time I was?  Was he there for the senior citizen 10% discount?  Not honestly because he is not old enough.  Was he there to see me?  Not intentionally because he didn't know I was going to be there at the very same time he was.  Was he there to buy equipment for his recording studio?  He says he wasn't. What was he doing in the toy department looking at toy drum machines?  He claims he was buying a toy for his nephew.  All I know is that his recording equipment needs repairs.  That all I know.
     We did have a nice business chat and he is setting me up.  I think that means he is setting me up with a fellow recording studio.  I am suppose to meet him at my store in the morning.
     The afternoon at the store was quiet.  I finished the words to my new song.  I kept on "keeping on".

     There was a mystery I still haven't solved. Seems my dandruff has turned to glitter.  Really.  I was sitting on the couch at the store and I noticed the back of my right hand was sparkling.  Then I noticed a little on my left hand.  Hmm.  A little later I was scratching my head and this stuff starts floating down onto my corduroys.  I purposely scratch some more and more sparkly stuff comes floating down.  The more I scratched my head the more sparkly stuff came floating down. 
     I was telling this to my granddaughter, Autumn, when she came for her lesson.  She said I have glitter on my nose.  I asked her if it looked weird and she said yes. 
(Actually it is now 11PM and I think I just solved the mystery.  You remember that green leprechaun hat I was looking at? When I heard the voices behind me?   I had the hat ON my head at that moment.  It was not only green, but sparkly.)  Darn leprechauns.

     There were other fun surprises for the day, but I will save them for some other time.

     IT'S COMING, FOLKS, THE HIGHLIGHT OF FEBRUARY.  ONE, YES, ONE DAY LEFT!!

     On a serious note, there is one young fellow I have been thinking about and praying for all day.  Diego, 14, had brain surgery in Milwaukee today.  He was born with a disease that causes tumors to grow throughout his body.  At birth the doctors told his mom to take the baby home; he would only live a few months. The whole family has been heroic in managing this challenge. Diego took piano and guitar lessons form me while he was able. He has been confined to a wheel chair most of the past year.  They are hoping this surgery will enable him to get on his legs and regain some strength.  He is a hero to me.

    This has been a "lots of fun surprises" day in the life of Grandma G.

   "May the God of  hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him."  (Romans 15:13)  

An Enjoyable Day!

    Today passed quite quickly.  This morning was mostly working on the computer. Actually, quite literally.  My laptop keeps disconnecting from WIFI and I don't know why.  Guru Chuck called just as I was about to call him.  He put me back in line, I mean on line.
     At the music store this afternoon I spent time playing piano.  Jamie came in to put new strings on a guitar.  I cleaned up a used wooden clarinet to put out for sale.  I had 4 lessons and it was time to go home--in the daylight!
    There was an odd telephone event when I first arrived at the store.  The answer machine was showing one call so I pressed the button.  There was no speaking, but about a 30 second noise like traffic passing. I was starting to delete the message as the phone rang.  I thought it was connected to the message.  It was a lady I knew.  I pressed the answer machine again to listen to the message--just traffic noise.  As I press the button to delete the message the phone rang again.  A completely unrelated call.  Just was an odd phone event.

Mount Hood and the Columbia River

    A dad of a student asked me, as he was dropping off his son, "So, what are we going to do after May?"  OH.  "Have you heard rumors," I asked?  Someone at the store told him I was moving out west.  "Portland," he inquired?  "Can't blame you" was his response.  I guess it is time to officially go public with my plans.  It is still psychologically difficult for me to own up to my decision to "retire" and move away.  I am in denial that it is actually suppose to happen this summer.  Notice, the "suppose to happen".   Do I sound indecisive?  It is plain scary.  I am working on making it adventuresome instead.  Hasn't worked yet.  I feel regretful to "abandon" my students. I do enjoy being at the store.  But I hear the call of green grass and distant mountain peaks.


IT'S COMING, FOLKS, THE HIGHLIGHT OF FEBRUARY!   IN 2, YES, 2 DAYS!

This was a good "changing seasons" day in the life of Grandma G.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:"
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)