I went to the place where they have to view him going in the crematory. We just knew he was in that box for the guy had opened it and had retrieved Wills wedding ring for me which I put it on my gold bracelet that I wear all the time. It is kind of oval now for he wore it a long time. He had big hands and it didn’t fit any of my fingers ~ even my thumb and I don’t want to lose it. His has my name in it and mine has his name on it. I was so glad the folks who own the property I am on took me there and our preacher showed up so I had a good support group there for me. I am also glad that the funeral thing is over now. They will send the ashes out to my bro in law in CA to distribute them where our other family members has theirs up in the Sequoias. If when I die and my bro in laws have also my niece who is going with her father to take Will’s up there will take mine up there when the time comes. The date of the church service for him has not set yet.
Good Afternoon! For lack of a better description, the weather today is just plain CRAPPY! It's 35 degrees, feels like 23, with 25 mph winds, and rain. Gusts are to reach 45 mph later tonight and possible snow. We are on the southern edge of a snow storm coming in from the northwest. It was my morning to work in the gift shop. The buyers were there to unpack new merchandise coming in so I wrote several checks and helped price items. I didn't sell anything but kept busy all morning.
Maggie, I've always thought if anything happened to Bob I would move back to Sioux City. We lived there when we were first married and that is where Beth lives. But by the same token, it seems that the advice seems to be not to make any major moves for six months to a year. It's a hard decision for sure. I think wearing Will's ring on your bracelet is a nice idea.
Susan, I've had a dull headache for a couple days and blame is on the changing weather. My allergies have kicked up a notch too. I'm not sure which recipe you want, the beef/pickle bites? I either use dried beef or ham slices from the deli, whole dill pickles, and the ready-to-spread cream cheese. I spread the cheese on a slice of meat, then overlap the edge of another slice of meat, cream cheese, etc. I usually do four or five slices of meat depending on how thick they are. Roll up the pickle as tightly as you can. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight. Slice into bite size pieces and serve. The pickle never comes out even with the meat so I call those pieces Bob's rejects. You can make as many or as few as you like.
"Gma," we have a "free" city wide pickup for electronic equipment once a year. Our recycling center charges $25 for a large appliance or so much a pound for more than one. Needless to say, we have a lot of junk dumped out in the ditches. We also have a once a year pickup for paint and hazardous household cleaners, etc. When the garage sales get started people will put junk furniture out along the curb with a free sign and the items are picked up by you can guess who. Crazy! One of our bell ringers had a finger joint replaced. It made my finger hurt just to think about it! I hope Jack will have whichever he chooses done soon, before it gets worse.
We had lunch in the coffee shop this noon, and I brought home two pieces of home made strawberry rhubarb pie, so that will be my supper. Bob will probably want a sandwich or card club leftovers. Enjoy the rest of a wonderful Wednesday!
Quick good morning as I have to get upstairs and shower and get ready to go to the dr's today. I sure hope she doesn't get backed up as my appointment is 9:40 and the patio set is supposed to be delivered between 12 and 4. They will call before they deliver so crossing my fingers I can get back home in time.
My new sandals came yesterday and they are pretty cute. Don't know how long they will last as they were inexpensive but I will wear them as long as they hold out I guess. I got a pink pair and a white pair.
Maggie: My husband does not believe in cremation so we will both be buried. He can be buried in a national cemetery which won't cost us anything and as long as he passes first, I can be buried there too on top of him.
Jean: We are expecting big time thunderstorms today and dropping temps for a couple days. I imagine it will start pouring right around the time I leave for the doctor's. I can't carry an umbrella so will get wet. It is impossible with my cane and a handbag. Hope the really bad stuff passes you by.
Everyone have a great day and weekend. Jack is off work tomorrow and we are going to shop tomorrow early so don't know if I will get in here.
Good Morning! The sun is shining on our 8+" of new snow! The wind yesterday was awful and it continued all night blowing the snow into interesting drifts. Our street wasn't plowed until after 9 this morning but the sun has melted it down to the bare cement. The area where Beth works got 14" and where she lives got 12". Their garage is on an alley, which are last to be plowed, so she is home today. I have laundry going and need to vacuum fur bunnies.
"Gma," hope your appointment goes well and your furniture arrives this afternoon. Enjoy your new sandals! I won't be wearing mine for awhile yet. ��
I need to get busy and figure out what's for lunch. We had a "big," for us, breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast so I'm not hungry at all. Hope you all enjoy a terrific Tuesday!
Good morning to you all. This morning is commissary day so up and at 'em early. It is very chilly here this morning. The temps plummeted yesterday afternoon.
Dr. appointment went fine even though she wasn't there I had to see someone else. I kept trying to tell them if they would take my bp at the end of the appointment instead of when I have to walk through the building carrying all my stuff, that it would be normal. They did as I ask yesterday and it dropped 30 points at the end of the appointment when I had just been sitting. So they left me on the med, removed another one and did a combo on the one so I am now only taking 1 pill instead of three.
We got the patio set and just have to put the chairs around the table and put the umbrella up. They were late so we didn't mess with it because we were hungry.
Jean: Hope you liked your pie. I love rhubarb and you can't get anything with it in it down here. My grandma used to can it every year and I always loved it. I saw the snow coming through on the weather channel. Did you get more? Looked like Jay and Alicia were going to possibly get lake effect, which is always a lot and nasty wet heavy stuff.
I got my hair cut very short and I can keep it that way now because I have some stuff to do it with. I am pleased that they paid for me though. They are such good people whose property I am parked on. Seems like they are doing it all for me and I just sign some papers now and then. We parked at the church building and he said to stay in the truck and he would have that gal in the office to come out with the papers for me to sign. Same thing at the mortuary ~ just had papers to sign. At the church they still haven’t set a date for his service that they are going to have for him.
There are sure a lot of things to be taken care of when someone dies. I had no idea all this was coming my way but am very grateful for those helping me so much.
Just a quick note before I head off to bed. We went to see my step family today. My mom is being released from skilled care to assisted living next week. She will have to give up her independent apartment but is ok with that. All of the therapy she has been receiving has helped so much and we are thankful for that. My sister and her husband were also there, and the guys went for a carry out chicken lunch for all of us. I braved their WM because our's was out of two items I went there for yesterday. Bob circled the parking lot while I braved the crowd. I couldn't believe the people who had over flowing carts of groceries. Luckily the express lane was open and everyone in line only had a couple items like I did.
"Gma," our local radio nd newspaper both said we only had 4.5" of snow. I don't know where they measured but our yard had more than that. A lot melted today.
Maggie, I'm glad you have such good friends taking care of you!
We are leaving early tomorrow for Easter at Jason's. Needless to say I was surprised when they offered to host the day. I had suggested getting together on Saturday so everyone could attend their own church on Easter. Hope you all enjoy a nice weekend!
Good morning to you all. It is again chilly this morning and not going to warm up too much until it will start tomorrow.
Got the grocery shopping done and like Jean will brave WM today to get things the commissary doesn't carry.
I was 6 lbs down at the dr office on Thursday so will certainly take that. I just need to get some exercise to round it out. I did get 4 capri outfits yesterday so that will give me stuff to wear over the summer that isn't too big. I also bought a pair of capri jeans which will go with anything so I am pretty set for summer as I have 6 sets of the capris and the jeans and a couple things that aren't too big.
Maggie: Hope your day is going well.
Jean: Have a nice time with the family. We are going to WM super early this morning so I hope I can get in and out. I bought a ham for Easter, but it is huge so I hope I can take slices and freeze them for us.
My dog and I are left alone for our hosts went to a birthday party of someone I don’t know. I am glad they went and can go places without me. I certainly want them to have a “life of their own.” They are so good to me.
It is a bright and sunny day here. The host hunted in the little building with my stuff in it and couldn’t find any curling iron but did find my hair dryer but Will had borrowed it for some of his work to dry it out and it was with some of his things. They said they will buy me some curling irons today. Even though I have natural curling hair it is nice to use the curling iron which makes it all even and look nice.
I know I am getting better about missing Will for I didn’t wake up any time during the night and didn’t wake up crying at all. I do still miss him but it is getting easier as time passes. The date for his good by sermon isn’t set yet. I am letting the preacher pick the time and date when he is best suited to do it. My host here said he wants to give a talk at it also for he has known us for years and years and Will confided “stuff” to him. I told them to go ahead and plan it and I didn’t want to get involved for I probably break down.
Sounds like you Magnolias are living a nice life and are having a good time of it.
Happy Easter! We have sunshine and the usual wind which makes it feel colder outside. We had 141 at early service today which was nice. The substitute organist can make the organ sound so much better than the usual ho-hum organist so it was a nice service. We cut our time at Jason's short yesterday. It started to snow after dinner and an hour later we couldn't see across the yard. Drove home in blizzard conditions, wind and heavy snow, slushy interstate, etc., until Sioux City when it turned to rain the rest of the way home.
"Gma," on another loss! Amanda fixed a spiral, bone-in ham in her crock pot yesterday. It was so good, and especially since I didn't have to make it. Enjoy your new clothes!
Maggie, I'm sure your friends and minister will have a nice service for Will. Do you think any of your Kansas friends will come?
I need to write some birthday cards for church so better get that done. I've added a couple days to when I send them because our service is so bad. Hope you all have had a nice day so far!
Good morning to you all. I hope you all had a nice Easter. It is cool this morning but is going to be in the 70's by this afternoon.
We shampooed carpets over the weekend, I cleaned the computer desk completely and made files and such and I cleaned the downstairs except for dusting and mopping and I will go that today. I have to get upstairs and put away clothes first though. Jack just laid them on the bed for me to hang up and put away and I never got around to it.
Jack has an appointment this afternoon so he will be home around 11 or so as he is going to work just half day today. He will have Monday off so this next weekend we will be getting some more of the garage cleaned off and they are going to pick up the old car. It will be nice for Jack to be able to park the Mariner in the garage and not out on the street.
Maggie: I use a blow dryer that is it since I have her cut my hair so short. It is just to dry my hair, which takes about 30 seconds as I have very fine hair. I use product to style my hair by itself.
Jean: The ham turned out great, but like a dope I set the stove to clean and it takes 3 hours then half an hour or so to cool down. That put it so that we had dinner about an hour later than usual but that was ok. I made scalloped potatoes with it. I don't think this ham would have fit in my crockpot as it was pretty tall. I cut off all the leftovers and vacuum sealed them for another time. Glad you got home safe and sound. That storm is coming at us in the form of a bad rain again. We were just drying out from the last bad one.
Good Afternoon! We have sunshine, 55 degrees, and wind again today. We had lots of money to count this morning so it was almost noon by the time I was home again. I did stop to pick up the gift shop money on my way home, and now have that ready to deposit first thing tomorrow. I have laundry in both the washer and dryer, a pile to iron, and another pile to get ready for the Good Will. I sometimes wonder if anyone ever gets everything done that they want, I know I don't.
"Gma," I've never cooked a ham in the crock pot. I keep mine in a lower cupboard and have to practically stand on my head to get it out so don't use it often. I should find a new place to keep it. We both like ham.
I need to put my gift shop books away and clear off the table. Bob has a board meeting at 5 and will get fed there so no cooking tonight. Hope all is well with everyone. Enjoy the rest of the day!
Good morning to you all. It is a bit cool this morning but going to be a beautiful day. The deck looks so nice with the patio set and my azaleas all in bloom. Looks like spring. I have a waxing appointment this afternoon so I am hoping it warms right up because by hook or by crook I am wearing capris and sandals today.
After breakfast I am going upstairs and dust and straighten up some of the mess up there. I am leaving bathroom cleaning until tomorrow because I have to shower this morning and I take up the bathmat in the tub and am always afraid I will slip getting into it until Jack showers and pats it down in place again. I will then have a clean house for about 2 minutes.
Jean: I used to have my crockpot and electric skillet in a bottom cabinet and they were so heavy to get out. When we put the shelving in, I put all my small appliances on it so now it is easy to get to and use. I am gradually cleaning and rearranging stuff and as soon as I get two more racks for the pantry area it will be even more organized.
I guess I better get breakfast and get going. You all have a great day today.
I am one sad person missing my husband. He was such a good fun guy but I do know where he went so that is a concealment. His services aren’t until Friday but it will be a good one.
These people around me are so good to me it is incredible. Good Christians all of them for sure. When they go away for a week or so they said they will have others come and check on me to see that I am alright since I decided to stay here instead of going out of state for a “visit.” I really can’t afford that anyway for I don’t know how much money I have and I don’t expect them to pay for everything. The bank statements haven’t come here yet that is why I don’t know about the money and I may or may not get part of Wills security payment from Social Security. My money goes for the car payment and the storage shed but we are going to empty that shed and send it back.
After the Viewing
It's a hard decision for sure. I think wearing Will's ring on your bracelet is a nice idea.
You can make as many or as few as you like. 
We also have a once a year pickup for paint and hazardous household cleaners, etc. When the garage sales get started people will put junk furniture out along the curb with a free sign and the items are picked up by you can guess who. Crazy! One of our bell ringers had a finger joint replaced. It made my finger hurt just to think about it! I hope Jack will have whichever he chooses done soon, before it gets worse.
so that will be my supper. Bob will probably want a sandwich or card club leftovers. Enjoy the rest of a wonderful Wednesday! 
on another loss! Amanda fixed a spiral, bone-in ham in her crock pot yesterday. It was so good, and especially since I didn't have to make it. Enjoy your new clothes! 
Do you think any of your Kansas friends will come?
Hope all is well with everyone. Enjoy the rest of the day! 