Happy New Year!

Lew and I just got home from a New Year's Eve party at my friend Ellen's house.

Yes, I know that it isn't midnight here yet.

But other parts of the world have experienced the arrival of 2011, and that's good enough for me.

Happy New Year to all!

G'nite!

17,410 Days

A devotional reading that I did today was based on Psalm 90, verse 12:

"Teach us to number each of our days
so that we may grow in wisdom."

I realize that the point is not how many days.  But being a lover of numbers, I was intrigued by the idea of determining my age in days.

I am 17,410 days old as of today.

And if you include the day of my birth, I have been alive on 17,411 days!

What exciting information!  :)

Dad: Unedited XXV

(Dad started writing the following post yesterday.  He finished it up today.  The reader will be able to determine the pace of the action....or lack thereof!  I have done my fair share of phone-sitting, so I can relate to my father's frustration.  Enjoy his post!  -- Tracy)

Writing a day early -- will finish tomorrow.

Derf Here!  From the snowbound Northeast!  Not quite!!

Well, we got our storm Sunday night through Monday afternoon.  I heard a know-it-all weather person tell us that the storm was to be the worst blizzard we'd seen since 2005.  How wrong was he?  Terribly wrong!

We received about 10-12 inches of snow with a lot of wind (which is still blowing).  The storm was, in general, a nor'easter and not even a serious one.  Great!

However, my Chevy pickup, which is my plow truck, is currently out of commission with a serious problem with its four-wheel drive mechanism.  My eight-foot plow (V and scoop) rests in front of the third garage bay looking nice by accomplishing nothing.  I hope to get my rig back today.  It will take me probably close to one hour to attach my 'minute mount' plow when my truck returns.

Well, it was necessary to plow our driveway to get the vehicles out.  So I called our grandsons' other grandfather (Bapa) for a favor.  Glen's dad (Bapa Bob) came to the rescue and made more than enough swipes down the driveway, enabling us to attach ourselves via vehicles to the rest of the world.  Life is good!

I do not want to sound like I'm complaining about the size of our storm.  I am happy it was less than predicted.  In fact, I could go from now until April without more snow and that would suit me just fine.  Upon reading the newspaper and seeing the news on television, the storm was much more severe south of us.  In fact, I saw reports of close to thirty inches of snow in some areas of New York & Jersey.  My comment:  "Better them than me."  I do hope the ski slopes receive a great depth of snow for a long and glorious ski season.  Just keep it less along the coast.  That's my request.

I'm taking a break from finishing this blog until I get my truck back (hopefully tomorrow).  At that time I'll finish the "storm through yard clean up" story.  That is if I don't pass out from the price to resurrect my truck.

The night has passed and Wednesday has arrived.

Noon now!

I just returned from a short excursion through Saco (where I saw my truck outside -- hopefully it is repaired) and checked out with the Old Orchard Beach Police and Department of Public Works to remove an abandoned couch left at sister Deb's cottage.  It will be taken care of as they were very cooperative.  Now I wait to hear from my truck.  I'm getting anxious.

Tracy just notified me that Glen called to tell her Lew's truck is ready to go so we'll pick that up today as soon as her exercises are over.  It is a busy day!  Lew's vehicle needed brakes and various other repairs.  Glen takes care of it at Patriot Subaru.

Time for my wonderful noon salad while I wait for truck call.

Salad's gone and no call.  I still wait.

Just picked up Lew's vehicle and now I'm waiting for a call.  I must meet my deadline, so I'll have to let you know about my truck adventure in next week's post.

I'm losing patience!  Or perhaps I've already lost it!!

Until next time,

Toodle Pip!  Derf.

P.S.  Still no call!  I still wait!

P.P.S.  I just received a call.  It seems that they didn't have the time necessary to find the fault.  It seems to be computer issue (connection, program, etc.).  Oh, joy!  Sounds expensive!!!  Maybe tomorrow!

A Brand Spankin' New Blogger

Emily has started a blog!

I'd like to think that I played a small role in her decision to enter the blogosphere.  But even if that's not the case, I will allow myself that indulgent thought!  (Smile....)

So, please take the time to read Emily's efforts -- two posts so far.  Just use the link "It's just me, M.L.E." that is on the right of my page.

Keep writing, Emily!

(Postscript:  For some reason, it didn't jump out at me what "M.L.E." stands for!  I know now, but I'm usually pretty good at figuring out that stuff for myself.  How about you?  Do you know??)

Lazy Bones

I don't think we got as much snow as predicted, but the weather was bad enough that Lew's boss decided to stay closed today.

Yippee!  Lew was home with me all day!

We both read for most of the morning.  Then we watched a movie....then another one.

After that, Lew decided to get something productive done.  He cleaned off the porch a bit.  Then he made hamburgers on the new Foreman grill that Santa brought him for Christmas.

As for me, I put some new photos on my ribbon board.  I also verified that the offering from yesterday was deposited into the church bank account OK.  (It was.)

It was the perfect day to stay in PJ's, so I did!

Back to the "real world" tomorrow....

Here It Comes

The snow has started to fall!

I just checked the National Weather Service forecast for our zip code.  We will probably be getting at least a foot of snow before this ends tomorrow.  That's at least -- it could be as high as 20 inches.  Yikes.

My father usually has a plow attached to the front of his pickup truck.  The truck is stuck in 4-wheel drive, however, so it is down at the repair shop -- scheduled for repair tomorrow morning.  The plow is sitting at the end of our driveway, looking pretty but not very useful.

But please do not fret for us!  Glen's father is our "backup plow guy" and he is on call for tomorrow, if necessary.

I say "if necessary" because sometimes these big snowstorms fizzle out before they reach us.  They predict 18 inches of snow, and we end up getting 2 inches -- much to the chagrin of the local weather reporters.  They love reporting on inclement weather, and they always seem to be wearing sweaters during their "Storm Center" segments.

I will hopefully be able to post a weather update tomorrow, provided we do not lose power!

(Postscript:  We had a lovely Christmas Day.  Had breakfast at our house with Lew's side of the family.  Then my folks, Lew, and I went down to Debbie's house for a midday meal.  I know that you will be shocked to hear that I ate too much.)

Joy to the World!

The following photo is from Christmas 2004....Our wishes to you remain the same!



A Christmas Eve Surprise

Lew and I just returned from the Christmas Eve service at our church.  It is always one of my favorite services of the year.

Tonight we had a bit of a startle, though.  About half-way through the service, PD announced that one of his favorite new Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know?" and that Lew and Tracy were going to come up and sing it now.

Lew and Tracy....well, uh, that's my husband and I.

We sang this song during the morning services on the first Sunday of Advent, and we've had an opportunity to sing it at a couple choir events since then.  But tonight was an (unintended) surprise, as nobody had asked us ahead of time!

PD must have seen that we were unaware of our participation, and he looked over at Melodie.  Apparently each thought that the other had mentioned it to us.

Our church family enjoyed this spontaneous drama that was being played out right before their eyes.  It certainly added some levity to the evening!

And the happy ending....

PD still had our background music from when we sang it at the choir events.  He asked if we would come up and sing the song, despite the "on the spot" notice.  And we did.  (Smile....)

Merry Christmas!

Good News, Great Joy

Last night Lew and I went Christmas caroling with some other members of our church choir.  We visited two area nursing homes, and it was a joy to sing to these wonderful folks.  Actually, I should say sing WITH, as many of the residents sang along to the familiar tunes!

After singing in the lobby at one of the homes, we went to the dementia unit to sing a few songs.  One lady clapped practically the entire time -- in beautiful beat with the music.  Another lady assisted Melodie in directing us.

As we were leaving, I shook hands with the second lady while wishing her "Merry Christmas."  She would not let go of my arm.  I told her that I had to leave and she looked at me with her beautiful eyes and said, "Please don't go.  Stay with me."  I wish that I could have stayed with her longer, and I told her so.  A staff member eventually came over and facilitated my leaving.  As I walked out of the unit, I felt overwhelmed with emotion -- although the start of a new carol helped me overcome any tears.

I pray this lovely lady will someday live in Christ's presence, never to be lonely again.

Thank you, God, for the gift of your Son.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord...."
Luke 2 : 8-11  (NIV)

Dad: Unedited XXIV

(My father shares a funny story below.  It made my belly shake, anyway!  Enjoy! -- Tracy)

Merry Christmas!

Derf Here!

Updates!  Updates!

1.)  Josh's team still undefeated -- done until next year.

2.)  My weight reduction (300 down to 259.6) is going well -- however, I have cheated slightly in the past couple weeks.  I purchased ice cream and some Len Libby's 'peanut brittle.'  (Mmm -- good!)  Next week I'll start my exercise along with my leafy diet as I have a doctor's appointment in February.  I want to weigh 250.

Usually, at least once a night I make a trip to the lavatory.  Sometimes, when lucky, I sleep through the night.  Last night the clock was on 3:00 a.m.  I couldn't get back to sleep as I had the following thoughts; why, I have no clue.  My next look at the clock was 5:15 a.m.  The following is the "Studebaker Saga."

Dad bought a Studebaker pickup sometime in the 1950's.  I drove it around quite a bit.  It was very light and I was able to spin the tires in second gear.  The stick shift was on the steering column.  If you don't know of a stick shift, visit a museum or a car show to see one.  The back would jump up over a bump in the road and the spring shackle would flip up so the spring would not work.  I'd jack up the rear of the truck and use a crow bar to snap the shackle back to its proper place and the spring would work properly.

The truck needed painting so we brush painted it using blue paint (probably house paint).  I believe the color was the same as I subsequently used on our Bantam, with the same sad results.

We had borrowed a flatbed truck from Carpenter's Dairy to help move sister Jean and husband Bob to Massachusetts.  I can't remember the town (city) but I think Ipswich.  They needed an apartment fairly close to college.  After spending some time in the apartment they were ready to move.  Anything would be an upgrade.  I believe this was their move to a fairly nice estate as semi-caretakers.  Well, some stuff had to be brought back to Maine.  The rest went with them.

Dad and I were the duo to go to Massachusetts to gather up the extra stuff.  Off we went one day (I think it was a Sunday).  We loaded the stuff in our brush painted Studebaker and headed home.  Why I let my dad drive is still a mystery to me.  We looked like "Fred Sanford & Son's Salvage Truck."  Perhaps we looked more like gypsies.  We were certainly dirty looking and wearing a couple of grubby-looking caps.

Then the one incident happened that I'll never forget.  We were coming to a truck weighing station.  Dad, I guess, thought this meant pickup trucks as well as those 'Big Rigs.'  Before I knew it we were on our way to be weighed.  I attempted to hide my face as we passed by the building that housed the men checking out the trucks.  I guess they just waved us through, as I refused to look at them.  I'm still surprised they didn't pull us over and check us out.  It was a memorable moment indeed.  I think this was the last time I let Dad drive when I was available.  A good move on my part for sure.

We made it back, thankfully, and emptied the truck of the stuff.  A successful trip with a laugh or two.

Until next time!

Merry Christmas!!  Toodle Pip!

Derf!

P.S.  I must mention this, showing my dad wasn't the only family member to err in driving.  We were returning from Boston with me behind the wheel and approached a construction site.  Well everyone said, "Turn here."  Well I turned and went through the construction site when the real turn was further up the road.  I don't think I drove without my glasses ever again.  Another wise decision!

A Cute Movie

Lew and I watched the movie "How to Train Your Dragon" tonight.

We watched it just for enjoyment.  We did not need to watch it for educational purposes, as the only pet in our house is Pepper the Cat.

But I must admit that, well, I kinda want a dragon now.

Lew said that there would be one in my Christmas stocking.

I can't wait!

It's Official

I just googled "first day of winter 2010" and learned that it is tomorrow, December 21.

But I'm going with TODAY!

While much of the country has already experienced significant snowfall, us folks here in Southern Maine had received none to speak of -- just a few "spitting" events.

That has changed.

The sky was clear when I left the house around 2:00 this afternoon to run a few errands.  By the time I got home around 4:20, the snow had been falling for at least a half hour or so.  I could tell it would be more than a dusting.

Lew took twice as long to get home than he normally does.  He gets on the Maine Turnpike for part of his commute, and apparently cars were only going about 35 miles per hour.  He saw lots of cars that had gone off the road.

My father was listening to his scanner and heard that a town plow couldn't even get down a certain road due to the number of cars that needed to be pulled out by wreckers.  A lot of slipping and sliding on that road, I guess.

Yep!  Old Man Winter has arrived!

A Giant Collapse

I have isolated myself in the back room upstairs while my husband recovers from the New York Giants game.  The Giants just played the Philadelphia Eagles.  It was a home game for the Giants.

Lew's team (the Giants) had a 21-point lead in the 4th quarter.  The Eagles scored 28 points within the last eight minutes to win the game in regulation.

I listened to a forlorn Lew say, "How can you not expect an onside kick?" over and over and over and over.  He also exclaimed, "The dubs!" quite a few times.

I figured it was a good time to come upstairs and do some work on the computer.

Go Patriots!

Egg vs. Chicken vs. Tuna

Lew and I went to a Christmas party tonight at the home of some church friends.  We had a wonderful time, and I ate too many sweets (as usual).

Our contribution to the party was a finger sandwich platter -- 12 tuna salad, 12 chicken salad, and 12 egg salad.

I did not make the sandwiches.  Why would I do that when I can walk into Hannaford on a Thursday and order the sandwiches for a Saturday pickup?  :)

Lew had told me to "go heavy" on the egg salad, as it is always the first to go.  That's his theory anyway.

I did not listen and ordered the same amount of each.  I like symmetry.

At the end of the evening, here's what we had left:

1 egg salad
2 chicken salad
6 tuna salad

So, I guess Lew's theory was partly correct.  He is viewing this as a complete victory, although the chicken salad was a really close second!

(Postscript:  Lew also has a pizza theory.  When ordering for a large group of people, "go heavy" on the pepperoni.  I happen to agree with him on this one!)

The Maine Mall

Today I went to the Maine Mall.  There were hardly any people there.  Ha!  Actually, I think there were hardly any people in the state that were NOT there!

I got to the Mall shortly before 1:00.  I was concerned about finding a parking space but happened to come across a pretty good one.  I even backed into it.  (I am my father's daughter.)

I didn't have a lot to purchase, but I was still there quite a while.  I'm not a great shopper when it comes to clothes, but I do enjoy poking around in bookstores, gift shops, novelty stores, and the like.

I saw Santa!  Several tracks of model trains are on display where the kids get photos taken with the big guy.  A very festive atmosphere, indeed.

I ate a late lunch at the food court.  I had a hamburger, cheese fries, and root beer.  My hamburger was FREE!

When I finally headed home, the traffic in the Mall area was outrageously busy.  I had to wait at many lights -- some more than once -- before I finally emerged from the mess.

I do not plan on going to the Maine Mall again until after Christmas!

(Postscript:  Regarding my free burger....Lew ate at the Mall early last week, and he won a hamburger. He gave the ticket to me. Kind of makes me feel slightly guilty about yesterday's fudge. Slightly. Kind of.)

Bah, Humbug!

Tonight's post is a confession of sorts.

I got a haircut early this afternoon.  My hairdresser had a tin of homemade chocolate fudge that another customer had brought in, and she offered me a piece.  She actually offered me two pieces, but I indicated that one was enough.

As I was eating the fudge, she could tell that I was enjoying it immensely.  She asked, "Are you sure you don't want another piece?"  I gave her a look that indicated I was interested in that second piece after all.

She went to get some foil to wrap it in, and she said, "Yes, take another piece.  You can share it with Lew."

What?!!

I gave her another look.  A look that made her laugh!

I did not share today.

(Postscript:  Now, really?  What was I supposed to do?!!)

Dad: Unedited XXIII

(Finally!  Dad tells a story about a monkey.  Enjoy! -- Tracy)

Derf Here!

Ten days 'til Christmas!  Where has the year gone?

A monkey story follows.  One of many!

Over the years as kids, we had a total of five monkeys as pets (not all were friendly).  We named all five Chee-Chee.  The year was late 1940's or early 1950's.  I was around 10 years old (give or take a couple years).  We were in possession of Chee-Chee number one.  Chee-Chee was a male Rhesus monkey (the breed related to the Rh factor in blood work).

It was a beautiful summer day so I thought I'd take ol' Chee-Chee for a walk on a leash.  He had a large cage/home/residence upstairs in Dad's store.  His home had a tree about 8-10 feet high in which to climb and several burlap bags which he would wrap himself in if the furnace wasn't adequately warming his place of residence.  His home had a window so he had a wonderful view of the world.  He was taken care of with all other amenities of comfort like sawdust and shavings (this made it easier to keep his home clean).

One fact of interest was that while there was a monkey in the store, there was never a sign of furry little gray pests.

Now back to the story.  Chee-Chee was on the leash and off I went up the sidewalk towards Lincoln Street.  About one-half block away, as I approached Lincoln Street, the leashed beast decided he would jump back on me.  He grabbed on to my leg and I thought he was about to bite me on the knee.  I wasn't about to let this happen, and in Chee-Chee's defense, he was, perhaps, just being friendly to me.

Self preservation was on my mind and I decided that my safest and best action would be to keep a distance between my knee and Chee-Chee.  I accomplished this by spinning around while Chee-Chee was hanging on for dear life at the end of the leash.  His eyes were wide open, he was holding on the leash so as not to get choked, and he was making a noise that sounded like "Ooooh, Ooooh, Ooooh."  All the while I was yelling, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy...!"  I finally made it back to the front of the store and was rescued by Dad.

I was not damaged in any way and Chee-Chee survived his ride on the horizontal Ferris wheel.  I will admit that we got along better in future walks with no more incidents.  I have a video of another time I had him on a leash with no consequences.

It was a sight to see, a 10-year-old kid twirling a monkey around (both yelling in their own language) while both beast and child were hanging on to opposite ends of a five-foot leash.  It all is laughable now, but at the time I was not too brave at all.

More monkey stories to follow.

Until next time;

Toodle Pip!  Derf!

P.S.  Josh's baseball team won again last Friday.  Another shutout!

23 Years and Two Days Ago

I encourage you to go back to yesterday's post and read Suzy's wonderful comment!  I also got the following e-mail from her today:

"Can't resist sending you this photo so you have it if you want it for your blog! XXX Suzy"

I will be eternally grateful that Suzy and Barry decided to have the bulk of their wedding photos taken before the ceremony.  Otherwise, they would have had to Photoshop me in.  (Did that technology even exist 23 years ago?)

So, here is the photo that Suzy e-mailed to me.  I am kneeling.  And Suzy is in the white dress!

23 Years and One Day Ago

Suzy and Barry celebrated their anniversary yesterday.  (Congratulations, you two!)

I must tell my recollection of the events surrounding their wedding day.

I was the maid of honor.  (Actually, I was the matron of honor, but that's another story.)  Suzy was living in California at the time, so on the Thursday before the wedding I flew coast to coast.

I have never been a good traveller.

I was pretty exhausted by the time I rolled into bed Thursday night.  But I felt pretty good the next day.  That was fortunate, because we had lots of "day before the wedding" stuff to get accomplished -- final (and only!) bridesmaid dress fittings, brunches, luncheons, wedding rehearsal, etcetera, etcetera.  Did I mention that I sang a duet with Barry's brother at the wedding?  We had a separate practice for that, too.  :)

The morning of the wedding was filled with hair appointments, make-up application, dressing for the ceremony, etcetera, etcetera.

I started to feel pretty queasy while we were at the hairdresser.  So queasy that I was sprawled over several adjacent chairs.  I remember looking over at Suzy.  She was looking at me, too, with her hand up to her chin in a contemplative pose.  I wondered what she was thinking.  Actually, that's not true.  I knew what she was thinking!

I was flinging prayers up to God to please, please, please give me the strength to make it through the wedding.  And, HE did!  I bounced back and got through the ceremony.

Now, I wish I could say that I enjoyed the reception and the rest of the weekend's festivities.  But shortly after the wedding, I pretty much lost it.  I was violently ill for about three days.  I did manage to fly home to Maine on Sunday, but I still pity the poor passengers that had to sit next to me as I barfed all the way across the country.

I once told Suzy and Barry that they had to get married again so that I could enjoy the entire event this time.  Hmmm...I still like that idea!

A Dark and Stormy Night

We are not getting the snow that some areas of the country are currently experiencing, but we do have rain. We're supposed to be getting heavy winds later on tonight, too.

Lew and I are watching the Patriots play the Bears in snowy Chicago. Well, the game is in Chicago. We are at home in Maine. The Patriots are ahead by many, many, many points. Gee, I hope they can hold on and win.

We went to visit Lew's mom after church today. Her lunch request: a hamburger from Burger King!

Right now I feel like it's almost time for bed, but it's only about 6:30. Dark...the rain...heavy eyelids...content.

It's been a good weekend.

Our Weekend

Today is 12-11-10.  How cool is that?!

Lew and I went out to breakfast this morning with Dick and Carole, our Saturday morning breakfast buddies.  We realized that we won't be getting together again (for breakfast anyway) until January 8, 2011!  Next Saturday morning, Lew and I have a church choir gig.  And then the following two Saturdays are Christmas and New Year's Day.

The rest of our day has been taken up with errands and getting caught up on things around the house.  We are hoping to watch a movie tonight to unwind a bit.

We'll be busy tomorrow with church and a visit to Lew's mom and brother.  (I heard that Verlie did well her first night back at home.)  We'll probably watch a little Sunday football, too!

Last night we went to see Carole (an above-mentioned breakfast buddy) perform in a Christmas program.  She signed two songs.  That's not a typo by the way.  She signed -- as in sign language -- not sang!  She did a beautiful job.  She's a very expressive performer.

Carole also made four tunics for the production.  This is the same Carole of jewelry-making fame.  She can knit, sew, crochet, cook, make wedding cakes, and....well, I could go on and on.  I realized today that I am the anti-Carole!  I can't do any of those things!  :)

A Most Excellent Adventure With Verlie

Shortly after 10:00 this morning, I helped spring my mother-in-law from "the joint."

She was released from "the big house."

Yes, Verlie was discharged from the rehab center and was able to go home....Finally!

She had been in rehab for vertigo, but it turns out that she may not have had this after all.  Her condition was probably caused by a stroke.  She has been working hard in rehab the last eight weeks, with no improvement in some areas.  But she is much stronger.  Hence, the "OK" to head home.

Verlie used the walker to get to my vehicle, although she was using it mostly for security purposes.  She was toodling right along.  We probably looked like a comedy duo getting her in the car, but we did succeed.  After a quick phone call to my brother-in-law Wayne (Verlie's younger son), we were off!

Wayne and Verlie live next door to each other.  (It's actually the same property.)  When we arrived, I noticed that the newspaper was still outside, so I stopped at the edge of the driveway to get it.  After I got back in the car, I saw that Sisqo was heading straight for us.  Sisqo is Wayne's dog.  I didn't want to hit him, so I got back out of the car to grab him.  He jumped in instead.  "Well," I thought, "at least I won't run over him this way."  So I got back in again and continued down the driveway, with Verlie and now Sisqo as my passengers.

Wayne walked over and helped his mom out of the car.  I entered the house with some of Verlie's stuff, and when I turned around she was already walking in behind me!  Toodling along.  No walker.

When I left, Verlie was working on her grocery list.  I guess she and Wayne were going to reinstate their weekly trip to Hannaford Supermarket this afternoon.  She doesn't really enjoy grocery shopping, but I could tell she was looking forward to it.  Well, kind of, anyway!

There's no place like home....

THAT is the Question

Now that 2010 is almost over, I have been asking myself, "To blog daily or not to blog daily in 2011?"

I enjoy writing, but sometimes it is difficult to come up with something each and every day.  OK, so Derf helps me out on Wednesdays, but that still leaves me with six days a week.

Pros for daily:
Keeps my writing habit going.
Keeps my fans (!) in the habit of reading "Mainely Tracy."
Shorter posts are acceptable.

Cons for daily:
Motivation level hard to keep up.
Ideas are not always easy to come by.
Time constraints.
The risk of boring my many fans with too many boring posts!

I know there are additional pros/cons, but the above is what I came up with on the spur of the moment.

What to do, what to do....?

Dad: Unedited XXII

(I think my father's theory is a good one.  In fact, I've thought of it myself.  Have you?  At any rate, you should now understand why I enjoy math stuff.  I guess it's in the genes.  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf here, in the cold Northeast.  We're not supposed to have our temperature rise to the freezing level for two or three days.  I'm still quite happy as we have no snow on the ground.  The Chevy is ready, however, as the plow is attached.  I am just waiting for the storm.  Wouldn't it be nice if we got no snow all winter?  The last couple days the mountains have received over a foot of the fluffy stuff.  I hope they continue to get it for the ski business, but just keep it from the coast.  Thank you, Lord, for your cooperation.

So much for the weather.

Derf's theory of days, months, and years quickly flying by:  Even though time flies by faster than I want it to, I have a theory why this happens.  It goes as follows.  Years ago when I was two years old, one year was one-half of my life.  As I proceeded to ten years old, one year was only one-tenth of my life.  Do you get the picture of what I'm trying to say?

Now that I'm in my seventies, one year is one-seventieth of my life.  So you see that one year is such a small percentage of my total life span that it goes by much quicker than when it was one-half of my lifetime.  Does that explanation make sense to you?  It does to me!  So there!

During the year Spouse and I get a chance to watch grandsons Josh (our honor roll student) and Zack play baseball and football.  Those games are played in much warmer weather than we are now experiencing.  There are times, however, early on in the baseball season and later on in the football season when the weather is disgusting, biting, and miserable.

Times certainly have changed since we were young, as we now get a chance to watch Josh play baseball during the winter months.  Josh and Zack no longer play basketball, so winter baseball is it.  Every Friday night at 7:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. Josh has an indoor baseball game for one and one-half hours.  It takes place at "Frozen Ropes," an indoor facility that can handle two games at the same time.  So far Josh's team has won all their games, but the kids just have fun and are improving their skills.  There is not a whole lot of pressure.  The kids enjoy the experience and are coached by the local high school coach who has a son on the team.  When Coach is not available, Josh's dad (Glen) takes over.

Spouse and I attended last week's game and I plan on going to all the rest of the games, weather permitting.  I hope this update keeps you up-to-date.

Not a great job on this post, but as one philosopher said:  "A bird in the hand gathers no moss!"

Until next week,

Toodle Pip!  Derf!

Comfort Food

Lew and his friend Dick have an annual tradition.  They take a day off from work to go Christmas shopping together.  (Doesn't that sound like something that women would do?  Ha ha!)

Yesterday was their shopping day.  Subsequently, Lew was quite busy at work today.

When he arrived home, he came upstairs to where I was working at my computer and announced that dinner was going to be "comfort food."

Now "comfort food" could mean several things -- pizza, spaghetti, sloppy joes, Kentucky Fried chicken, Chinese food (for me, anyway), chocolate, ice cream, cookies.....Oops, I'm straying a bit!

But tonight, Lew introduced something new.  He has made them before, but this was the first time I recall him including them in the "comfort food" category.

BLT's.

With a side of fries.

Yummy!

Festival of Trees

Tonight our church choir sang at the "Festival of Trees" at a church in a nearby town.  This is on the choir schedule every year.  Last year (our first year in the choir) we didn't go because of a blizzard.  And we learned tonight that there is a pattern...good weather one year, bad the next, then good again.  So, I guess we will have a blizzard approximately one year from tonight!

I can't remember the exact number, but the "Festival of Trees" is just that -- a bunch of Christmas trees decorated by different groups, organizations, businesses, etc.  Each tree had a label so that you would know who sponsored it.  But some of them were pretty easy to identify based on the decorations alone.

I think the "Festival of Trees" is a nice idea, although I would call it the "Festival of Christmas Trees!"

A Celebrity Sighting

I haven't been feeling 100% today, but I didn't want to miss church nor our town's Christmas Tree lighting this afternoon. Our church choir was asked to sing at the lighting. We had four special numbers prepared, plus some carols.

I made it to church this morning, then I spent the early part of the afternoon preserving my energy. I ate a salad for lunch, did some reading, and watched some football.

At the appropriate time, Lew and I bundled up and headed off to the tree lighting.

Did I mention it was outside? We weren't freezing, but we weren't exactly warm either.

We sang and sang until a town emergency vehicle arrived with a special guest. He waved to us. The kids in attendance were SO excited.

And I do believe the grownups were pretty excited, too....

Yes! I saw Santa, today!

Let There Be Lights

It's been a pretty nice day here so far, despite the blizzard we had last night.

OK, so we didn't have a blizzard -- but it was the first snow that we've had this year (other than the spitting kind).  It was not a whole lot of snow.  In fact, I just looked out the window to see how much was still on the ground.  The answer?  None.

Lew decided to take advantage of the nice weather and put some white icicle lights out on the porch.  We haven't had outdoor lights for Christmas for several years, so he really wanted to attempt it this season.

He tested all of the strands of lights first, and then he strung them around and about on the porch.  Then he turned them on, and....Ta Da!

One strand didn't work.

Lew was almost as upset as Clark Griswold was in "Christmas Vacation."

The bad strand was removed and unceremoniously thrown in the trash.  Lew has since been to the store to purchase additional lights.  I just checked on his progress.

He's done.

Well, almost.....

(Postscript:  We're going to meet our friends Bill and Stacey for dinner tonight.  Then we're all coming back to our house for our sometimes annual viewing of the above-mentioned movie, "Christmas Vacation."  One of Lew's favorite lines is when Eddie says to Clark:  "That there's an RV."  Reminds Lew of our own yard, I guess!)

Jessica Simpson Meets Oswald Chambers

One of the three devotionals that I have been using this year is Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest.

Yesterday's devotion, titled "Christian Perfection," was based on Philippians 3:12.  OC (my shorthand for Oswald Chambers) wrote that Christian perfection is "the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life."  Here's the sentence that I really zeroed in on as I continued reading OC's words:

"I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself."

As I was thinking about this again today, it reminded me of the DIRECTV commercial that Jessica Simpson did a few years ago.  After she states that the HD broadcast is in 1080i, she goes on to say, "I totally don't know what that means, but I want it."

I believe that everyone has an innate "want" for God, despite the fact that they may not "totally" know what that means.  Does my life encourage others to discover their longing for Him?  And am I diligently asking God the following three questions:  Where are YOU?  What are YOU doing?  How can I help?

(Postscript:  The somewhat odd connection that I made with the commercial may be a result of my fuzzy head.  Have been fighting a cold.)

(Post-postscript:  The perfect lunch for a cold sufferer  -- Chinese food!  Mom's idea; Dad's drive.  Yummy.)

I Am Resident

Several days ago the "Resident" at my address got a very official letter from the U.S. Census Bureau.  This letter informed the Resident that our household would be receiving a questionnaire in the mail for a "very important national survey, the American Community Survey."

The letter also informed the Resident that "your address" was randomly selected for this survey, and "not you personally."

Apparently this survey is going to be used "to meet the needs of communities across America."  For example, the survey will be used "to develop programs to reduce traffic congestion," among other things.

I have since received the survey.  I filled it out today.  It was 28 pages long.  After about an hour -- and three phone calls to my parents for information -- I had it done.  (You may be wondering why I called my parents instead of just walking over to their side of the house.  I'm wondering that, too.)

I really didn't want to take the time to complete this survey.  And it asked all sorts of nosy questions.  But U.S. law requires that I respond to it, so I obliged.  Fortunately, U.S. law also requires the Census Bureau to keep my answers confidential.  Thank you, U.S. law.

So the next time you are driving in reduced traffic congestion, please think of me.  I have, after all, been instrumental in meeting the needs of your community.

I humbly accept your gratitude.

Dad: Unedited XXI

(I learned something about my mother from this post!  Ha ha!  Oh, and don't count this introduction as a paragraph....Enjoy!  -- Tracy)

Derf here after a very enjoyable and satisfying Thanksgiving day.  There were a minimum of fifteen relatives (extended family included) here to celebrate the day.  It was a very, very good day and the food and desserts were quite delicious.

In my last couple of posts I wrote of attending a gospel concert at the Portland Exposition Building and watching wrestling when television was in its infancy.  Combining these two events will be the main theme of this post.

Question:  "Has anyone out there been to an event where you didn't want to be recognized?"  Mind you, I'm talking about a legal and proper event.  Nothing shady at all.

I must point out that I am not a fan of professional wrestling.  I do know that the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) had to change its name to WWE (Entertainment) because the first WWF (World Wildlife Federation) forced the change.  I also know that the former CEO (Linda McMahon) of WWE ran for office in elections past in Connecticut.  She was defeated.  I would have voted for her had I lived in that state.

The Event:  I believe the year was the late 1970's.  Sister Jean and her family were spending their summer vacation at their cottage in Old Orchard Beach.  During these summers we would attend various programs and events.  We (brother-in-law Pastor Bob, his son Robert, and I) decided to attend a wrestling match.  So the Baptist preacher, his son, and I were off to the wrestling extravaganza.

Wrestling of this era consisted of midgets (male and female).  They were fun to watch and would run around very quickly and even would run under the ring and appear on the other side.  They were very entertaining.  The women's champion (The Fabulous Moolah) was quite a draw working into her 70's and, I believe, even her 80's.  Some of the well-known men were Haystacks Calhoun, Bruno Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon, Captain Lou Albano, and George (The Animal) Steele.  "The Animal" would stand around like an animal chewing and slobbering on the ring ropes.  I heard that he was very intellectual, had a PhD and was a university professor.  He sure fooled a lot of people.  But not me!!

The headliner at our show was a massive tag team called "The Mongols."  They, I believe, wrestled at a later date under a different name.  I remember little about the matches we saw and can remember no winners/losers.  I do recall the following, however.  I had played, coached, and even refereed games in the EXPO prior to our appearance at the wrestling show.  Probably every other trip I made to the EXPO I would meet several people that I was familiar with.  I must admit, however, that I did not want to be recognized by anyone on wrestling night out.  I'm not sure if my companions cared if they were identified or not.  Fortunately my prayers were answered.  Not identified.  If ever I attend another wrestling show, I'll go in disguise!  Very good idea!

Please re-read the question of paragraph III.  I have!!

Before closing I must insert this story.  I was not going to add this tidbit but was coerced by spouse to do so.

While in attendance at the wrestling show, Pastor Bob told his son that son's Aunt Lou (Mary Lou - spouse) had been a professional wrestler.  Son Robert believed his dad until told the truth.  Was son impressed?  Probably!  It was all in fun.  They were good times.

Until next week,

Toodle Pip!  Derf.

An Adventure With Verlie

My big project for today was to accompany my mother-in-law to her appointment with an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) specialist.

Verlie is still at the rehab center, so they arranged for her transportation to the appointment.  I got to ride along.

The van we rode in has a driver's seat (of course) and the front passenger seat.  The rest of the van is designed for transporting a person in a wheelchair.  The wheelchair --with the patient sitting in it -- is lifted into the van by a special lift that is on the side of the van.  Once the wheelchair is secure in the van, the lift itself is folded up inside the van so that the door can be shut.

The lift rattles around a bit while the van is moving.  Somewhat noisy.  And if you're on the outside looking in, the patient appears to be behind bars.  (Verlie joked with the driver about taking her back to jail instead of to the rehab center.)

The van is equipped with a somewhat sarcastic GPS.  It has a computerized lady's voice, and she sometimes mocks you.  I got a kick out of her.  She tried to send us on a route that no local would have used, and the van driver went my way instead.  The GPS lady had to "think" a bit after that.  Ha ha!

The ENT office is undergoing some renovation.  Verlie's appointment ran into the late afternoon, and it was already dark outside by the time we were heading to the last phase of her appointment.  There was a big L-shaped room that we had to go through that had no working lights.  It was dark.  But fortunately there was no furniture in the room for us to bump into.  And the lights on either side of the room were working, so we could kind of see despite the L-shape.  Verlie was in the wheelchair, I was steering her, and the audiologist was with us.  We were never in any danger.  :)

Between the van ride and the dark room, Verlie and I had quite the adventure today!

Our Dinner Guest

We had a guest for dinner tonight.

I ate the leftover spaghetti from yesterday, and Lew made himself a tuna fish sandwich.

Our dinner guest smelled the tuna and came out of her "hiding spot."  Lew left some in the can for her, she ate it, and then she promptly returned to her hiding spot.

Who was our dinner guest?  And where was she hiding?  The photo below has the answers!

Post-Dinner Musings

After an afternoon obligation at church, Lew made spaghetti for supper.  It was quite tasty.  I have eaten way too much these past few days.  But what American hasn't?

Lew is jumping on the trampoline right now.  The trampoline is one of those small bouncy things you use in your house -- not a full-size trampoline that you would use in your yard.  So, Lew is being good -- getting some exercise -- while I sit here on the couch and play on my laptop.  I will put in some time on the elliptical machine tomorrow.

Pepper came over to our side of the house a little earlier today.  She is quite fascinated with the Christmas tree.  I had to scold her, as it appeared that she was trying to climb into it at one point.  I suspect that she will do some napping under the tree over the next month.

I have enjoyed Lew's long weekend.  (He has, too!)  He goes back to work tomorrow.  As for me, I haven't started looking for a new job yet.  Still, I have managed to keep quite busy these past few weeks.  Makes me wonder how I would have gotten everything done if I had been working.

The rest of my evening will be filled with football on TV and the book I've been reading.

An early "g'nite" to all!

Oh, Artificial Christmas Tree

Oh, Christmas Tree,
What's that I see?
You're missing half your branches!

Oh, Christmas Tree,
Oh, now I see
Why you have half your branches....

The corner is not big enough
For you, your ornaments and stuff!

So Lew left off
Your whole back side.
Still lovely are your branches!

The Day After....

I had to work on the day after Thanksgiving for the past couple years. But not this year. I really like not working....

I especially love days when I can stay in my pajamas.  :)

I did have to get dressed eventually, because we went out for a few hours this afternoon.

Turkey sandwich tonight.  Also a piece of Emily's apple pie.  Moxie.

Relaxation for the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow we decorate for Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey has been cooked and eaten.  The leftovers are in the fridge.  The card table and folding chairs have been returned to the attic.  The dishes are done and put away.

I ate too much, and my feet ache.  But it was a GREAT day!

We ate earlier than we had planned because everything was ready early -- and all at the same time.  (We have Emily to thank for that.  That girl is something in the kitchen!!)

Before we said grace, we had a Moxie toast to Nana.  She loved Moxie!

The Patriots beat the Lions, so our family members headed home in good spirits.

We are so thankful for the good Lord and His many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And now it's time to go put my feet up....

Dad: Unedited XX

(Three big days in a row.  Yesterday was Nana's memorial service, which Dad comments on in today's post.  I wrote about Nana on November 5th and included a photo.  Today is my sister Debbie's birthday.  I wish her a "Happy Birthday" and I'm sure that Derf and "spouse" do, too -- she is their daughter, after all!  And then tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I pray that you have a blessed day.  Enjoy Dad's post.  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!

Yesterday we said "See you later" to 'Nana' Reed.  Nana was 92 and was Glen's grandmother and Josh's & Zack's great-grandmother.

I had the honor of singing at her "life celebration service."  It was an uplifting time as stories were told of her long life.  There were laughs, tears, and all sorts of emotions.

Interesting to me was I arrived home and my new "Singing News" came in the mail.  "Singing News" is the printed voice of Southern Gospel music.  As I flipped through the pages I was challenged to finish this line: "What a day that will be...".  Well, one of my songs for Nana finished the line:  "...when my Jesus I shall see."  I thought this a strange coincidence (perhaps not) that I had sung this song which was written over 50 years ago by a veteran of the Korean War after returning home to a mother-in-law who was very ill.

Jim Hill said that he held the pen while the words came to his mind faster than he could write them down.  Jim wrote:

There'll be no sorrow there,
no more burdens to bear.
No more sickness, no more pain,
no more parting over there.

Jim Hill said, "God wrote the song -- I just held the pen."  I believe it!

Several years ago I saw Jim Hill as he sang tenor with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet.  A third singer in that group was Jimmie Blackwood (James' son) and the piano player was Tony Brown as I recall.  They appeared in concert at the Portland, Maine Exposition Building.  An incident at that concert made an impression on me.  J.D. Sumner was considered the lowest bass singer in the world.  He and the Stamps Quartet travelled with Elvis Presley as a backup group for several years.  Elvis even gave J.D. a new bus.  I could write another blog naming several well-known gospel singers associated with Elvis.  The stories are endless.  Elvis was a fan of gospel performers.

Back to my J.D. story.  While we were listening to the Stamps there was a small child running around in the bleachers and he was making much noise.  J.D. stopped in the middle of a song and admonished the boy and the parents.  "People paid good money to hear me sing and it would help if you controlled your child."  Back to the song without interruptions.  I believe sister Deborah was at this concert but I could be mistaken.

Gospel songs are important to me.  I have a series of gospel songs I sing while in the shower (Standing in the Shadows You'll Find Jesus; He Holds My Hands; I Know the Lord Will Make a Way for Me).  None of these have the message that "What a Day" has, in my humble opinion.  I was privileged to sing this (along with "The Old Rugged Cross") for Nana.

Nana -- We'll see you later!

To the rest of you -- Happy Thanksgiving!

Toodle Pip!  Derf!

It's That Time Again

Today, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, is the day on which I usually start to ask myself, "What was I thinking?!"

Lew and I host the family Thanksgiving dinner, which we really are delighted to do.

But, if you've been a regular reader of my blog, then you know that I don't COOK!

So, right about now, I start to very slightly panic.  But only very slightly, because I have figured out the secret of hosting Thanksgiving dinner:  Get everyone else to bring the food!

Lew takes care of the turkey, and I do make a sweet potato casserole.  The sweet potato casserole is quite good, but it takes me forever to make -- my lack of cooking experience is probably to blame.

Emily is coming over early Thursday morning, and she wants to be put to work.  I will be more than happy to oblige her.  (I think it's time she learned how to make sweet potato casserole....)

If prior years are any indication, I know that we will have a wonderful time together.  And in the long run, "So what?!" if something doesn't come out of the oven just quite right.

We are very blessed.

A Far Greater Milestone

In today's post, I intended to write mainly about a milestone that I reached today...I finally broke down and got out my winter coat.  It is really getting to be quite cold here.

But just now I saw that Barry's quite recent entry on "Update on Suzy" is titled "Journey Milestones."  They found out today that Suzy will not have to undergo any more chemotherapy treatments.  Hooray!  And the September MRI showed no signs of a tumor.  Hooray!

Thanks be to God for all that He's done and for all that He IS!

So, my milestone pales in comparison to Suzy's milestone.  I wonder if she and Barry could hear me cheering here in Maine?!

Please continue to pray for complete healing for Suzy.

(Postscript:  I have a link to Suzy's blog on the righthand-side of this page.  Be sure to read Barry's encouraging words for yourself!)

31-28...Phew!

I have been quite busy recently with various projects, and I was ready for a break late this afternoon.  So I watched the New England Patriots football game on TV.

They were playing at home against the Indianapolis Colts -- two of the best quartebacks in the league going head to head.  But our quarterback has better hair than their quarteback.  (Nah nah nah Nah nah nah....)

Well, if you watched the game, you know that the Patriots had a fairly nice lead going into the 4th quarter.  But then it took an ugly turn.

With about half a minute to go in the game, I fully expected a Colts victory....or a tie at the very least.  But then Peyton Manning threw that beautiful interception and the Patriots had squeaked out another one.

I would write more wonderful things about this victory, but I do have relatives that live in the Indianapolis area.  I would not want them to feel that I was gloating at all.  There is no sense in rubbing it in.

Oh, sweet victory!

(Postscript:  But to be completely fair, I do think that Tom Brady should get a haircut.)

Cultural Literacy

Several years ago (like, maybe 20!) I took a class where the subject of "cultural literacy" came up.  This refers to our assumption that most people will be familiar with certain cultural references.

For example, many months ago I wrote a post in which I referred to my parents and Kaelen as "The Three Stooges."  Without reading back, you may or may not remember the story I told in that post.  But just from my reference, you know that something zany must have happened!

In the interest of becoming even more culturally literate, Lew and I decided that we would watch the Harry Potter movies.  Part 1 (of 2) based on the final 7th book just came out in the theater.  We won't pay to see it on the big screen, but it did make us finally watch the movie based on the 6th book.  This movie had been on our DVR for about five or six months.  (Apparently our commitment to cultural literacy is questionable.)

So we watched the movie.  Didn't understand a lot of it.  But we did come away with the knowledge that Hermione likes Ron, Ron subconsciously likes Hermione, and Harry and Ginny like each other (a fully conscious liking on both of their parts).  Also, Harry needs to find five more of something-or-other-things in order to destroy Voldemort.

We think it's five, anyway.

We'll find out for sure when we watch the next movie in about a year or so.

A Full Day!

This has been (and will continue to be) quite the day!

First of all, it is my niece Kelsey's 17th birthday.  I'm still in a little bit of shock about how old she is getting to be.  She has no gray hairs yet, but still....where have the years gone?

Happy Birthday, Kelsey!

Another big thing that happened today was Verlie's "home visit" with the physical therapist from the rehab center.  I picked them both up around 9:30 this morning.  We drove over to Verlie's house so that the therapist could see Verlie in her own environment.  She asked Verlie lots of questions and will write up some recommendations about the space.  There are a few more hurdles to clear, but we are praying that Verlie will eventually be able to return to her very own home.

While we were at Verlie's house, we saw something out the window that shocked us all.  It was SNOW!  OK, so it was just a very, very light flurry, but still....

I could get along quite well without snow.

As for the rest of the day....well, I am writing my blog a little earlier than usual.  When Lew gets home from work, we are going to go out and grab a quick bite to eat.  And then we will go and complete our biggest grocery trip of the year -- our Thanksgiving Dinner shopping list.  There will be a few things to pick up next week, but just a few.  Tonight's the night.  I am always a little frazzled after this annual event, so that's why I'm posting beforehand.

I fully expect to be staring blankly at the TV later this evening!

The Deserted Island: People

I've been putting off this particular post about my deserted island.  I knew that I wanted to write about the people I would have with me, but I've had trouble deciding.

Lew is definitely one of the people.  I can't think of anyone that I'd rather be stranded with.  :)

But what about an additional four people?  I decided not to name any family or friends, as that could get a little touchy!  So, it would have to be four people that I don't know.  A celebrity?  A famous athlete?  A politician?

There definitely are people that I would enjoy meeting, but I'm not sure that I would want to be with them all of the time.  And truth be known, that would probably work both ways....

So, I've decided that Lew is the only person that will be stuck with me!  (Thanks, Sweetie.)

But in the spirit of the exercise, here are a few people that I would like to meet, in no particular order:

Sarah Palin
Simon Cowell
The Fox & Friends anchors
Kristin Chenowith
David Phelps
Carrie Underwood
Rush Limbaugh
George W. Bush
Billy Graham
Josh Hamilton
Tim Wakefield
Tony Dungy
Patricia Heaton
Terry Francona
Marvin Olasky
Kay Arthur

.... and I could go on, but I need to give Pepper her "nite-nite" goodies!

Dad: Unedited XIX

(I remember visiting my great-grandmother at the farm when I was just a little tyke!  Enjoy my father's post....  -- Tracy)

Rainy and windy morning!  Derf here!

Last week's blog was followed by an e-mail reply from sister Jean.  She reminded me of another story about early television.

Dad grew up on a farm with four brothers and one sister (a couple of children were lost at birth or shortly thereafter).  My Grandpa (Chester) and Grammy (Idelle) lived in the same home the rest of their time on this earth.

Early on in the television years Dad thought maybe it would be good to set up the farm with a television.  I can't honestly say that Grandpa and Grammy were real receptive of the idea.  Their attitude didn't faze Dad one bit.  Not much did!!

As I recall it was late fall when we put up an antenna on a piece of one-inch galvanized pipe.  I believe it was a twenty-one foot pole so it barely cleared the porch roof.  The television was an Arvin console that had cabinet doors, etc.  Quite fancy back then!

Well, it didn't take too long for my grandparents (especially Grandpa) to become enamored with TV.  Grandpa really looked forward to Arthur Godfrey and his friends' show.  I think it was on Wednesday evenings.  (Arthur Godfrey also had a talent show.  This show introduced the Blackwood Brothers Quartet and Patsy Cline.  Eventually he had a daily show with his good old ukulele.)

A few weeks into the project Grandpa mentioned to Dad that perhaps we could move the antenna back a bit and run it up the side of the house a little higher.  So by coupling another piece of galvanized pipe we raised the antenna to about forty feet and Boston channels came in quite a bit better.  It was great to see my grandparents enjoy the fruits of our labors.

Occasionally we would watch Arthur Godfrey with the grandparents and spent most Sunday afternoons visiting with them.  I must admit that I miss those days when family members spent time on the farm.  Our family was fortunate that the grandparents were with us in Old Orchard Beach as Dad moved a small building to OOB for their summer home.  More about the grandparents' cottage later.

As I grew older and watched Dad so involved with his parents, this was a lesson that I learned.  I attempted to do as much for my parents as they grew older.  I was taught well and hope I succeeded somewhat in watching out for my parents.  What a lesson I learned from Dad with not only his parents but his care for my grandparents on my mom's side.  You can see from this writing that Dad had a soft, generous side and was not always killing animals with baseball bats and coke bottles.  Memories were made that will never leave our generation.  That is good!!

RIP - Grandpa & Grammy, Mom & Dad!  Thanks for the memories.

Until next time,

Toodle Pip!  Derf!

Grammy Idelle and Grandpa Chester Gowen

A Double Digit Day

Ten years ago today my sister Debbie gave birth to her second child.  If I recall correctly, Zachary weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces right out of the chute.  (Ooohh....perhaps I should have come up with a better way to word that!  Sorry, Debbie!  Ha ha!)

Because Zack was born in the year 2000, it will always be easy to calculate his age.  Lew and I got married that year, too.  I like easy calculations.  Very clean.  :)

We celebrated Zack's birthday last night, and he probably is asleep already tonight.  But I still am going to end tonight's post with a big shout out to a sweet nephew:

Happy 10th Birthday, Zack!  Lots and lots of "Aunt Tracy hugs" to you!

(Postscript:  I know that both of my nephews love their "Aunt Tracy hugs."  Well, they do, don't they?  That is what I believe, and I'm sticking with it!)

Lew and I both held Zack on the day he was born.

A Family Member's Achievement

As I was finishing my blog post last night, Lew yelled up to me.  He said to come downstairs "NOW."

Debbie, Glen, and Josh had stopped by to see us.  They had just been at Josh's football banquet, and there was some exciting news.

Each year the "Marty Merrill C.I.A. Award" is given to one player on the Varsity Middle School football team and one player on the Junior Varsity Middle School football team.

"C" is for Confidence.
"I" is for Intensity.
"A" is for Attitude.

And the recipient of the 2010 J.V. award is none other than my nephew Joshua!

Congratulations, Josh!  We are all proud of you.

Josh and his C.I.A. Award

Published!

When talking with friends about what I want to do when I grow up, I have been responding that I would really like to write a book.  PROBLEM:  What should I write about?  (I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.)

I was looking through some stuff tonight, and I came across a book in which I actually am cited as an author!

Granted, I am one of three authors.

Granted, the three of us authored only one chapter of the book.  (Chapter 22.)

Do you want to know what the book is?  I am sure you would find it fascinating.  It is a collection of professional articles about water utility management.  I collaborated on our article when I was a graduate student.  The article was also published in a professional journal.

I just found reference to this article online.  And there is my (maiden) name right there as one of the authors!  Pretty scary, as I don't recollect anything at all about the research and calculations we did for this project.  So if any water industry professional were to track me down somehow and ask a question I would be clueless.  But in my defense, the article was published back in November of 1999.  I have not really kept up with this field since then -- despite its fascination.

I do not believe that any of my readers are water industry professionals.  But, just in case, I have decided not to reveal the name of the article nor the book.

And if you happen to be curious enough to search and come across the reference to the article online, I will deny any involvement.  I know nothing.  :)

But hey!  At least I am published!

Look, Ma! No Coat!

Quick post tonight.  Sleepy.  I got up at 4:50 a.m. to go on a shopping trip with three gals from my church, and my body is quite confused now.

Today was gorgeous here.  When I stopped at the gas station today, I actually got out of the car without my coat on.  It was that nice!  In mid-November!  In Maine!

No, I am not commenting on the global warming debate....

But I am loving this unseasonably warm weather!

Another Career Option Eliminated

Lew and I enjoy watching the country music award programs when they are on television.

The CMA Awards show was on a couple nights ago.  We DVR'd it for viewing at our own leisure.  We watched about half of the program last night.

I think that I could have been a somewhat decent country music singer, but watching these awards shows always reminds me of why I never would have made it.

You have to be able to write your own songs, but I might have been able to do that.  Just pick a topic, write about it, and you have a country music song.  (Don't believe that?  There's a song about a "Big Green Tractor.")  So, no, it's not the song-writing.

It would be helpful to be able to play the guitar.  I can't.  But as I said, it would be "helpful" -- not a deal-breaker.

OK, I guess you have to be able to sing somewhat.  But I can sing as well as a certain teenage country music star, who shall go nameless here.  (She's a lovely, likeable girl....but I don't understand her musical appeal.  She is a mediocre vocalist, at best.  And all of her songs sound the same to me!)

So...finally...the real reason I could never be a country music star:

I refuse to wear those high-heeled boots.  I would fall flat on my face....

Not Just Another Holiday

On this Veteran's Day, I say "Thank You" to all that have served in our nation's military.

My husband is included in this number.  He was "invited" to be in the army and got an all-expenses paid trip to Vietnam in the late 1960's.  He served as a medic -- something that makes his mother very proud to this day.  (Thank you for your service, Sweetie.)

I am always humbled when I hear the Armed Services Medley of the official songs of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force.  What is extra-special about this medley is that former and current members of each branch are asked to stand when their song is being played.  It gives the rest of us in attendance a chance to express our gratitude.  (And it gives me a chance to poke Lew in the arm when it's time for him to stand up!)

Before we fall asleep tonight, we'll pray for the safety of our troops -- a prayer not just for this holiday, but for every day.

God Bless America!

Dad: Unedited XVIII

(Although this was a bit of a typing job for me, I think it was worth it!  Dad asked me to include a couple photos, which I've inserted in the appropriate spots.  But, hey, I want to hear more about the monkeys!  Enjoy! -- Tracy)

La Blog de Derf!  Derf here once again.

In past writings by me I've mentioned that my dad had a store.  His slogan was "If it sells, we have it."  It was a 'super market' that he eventually called 'Gowen's Master Market."  Dad had some 'hand fans' made up which could be found in area churches and the tabernacle in Old Orchard Beach.  I'm sitting here looking at a fan with 'Gowen Master Market' on it and reminding people to 'leave where found."  Obviously I swiped a few that are now in my possession.


The fan also has John 3:16 and Matthew 22:37 printed on it.

The store had departments for meat (western beef as Dad was a good butcher), produce (complete with fancy showcases), and a complete line of groceries in various types of packaging.  He carried everything available in today's super markets.  There was also a paint department, hardware department, and even toys and bicycles.  It was a 'General Store' at its finest.  Every day there were products out front which were taken in at closing.  Hopefully 'Mainely Tracy' will post a picture of this.

However, a main attraction at the store in the late 1940's/early 1950's was a television.  At the time I recall Dad having one of the first televisions in Sanford, Maine.  There was an antenna on the store that had twenty-two guy wires.  It was similar to radio towers of today (not as tall), as one could climb up on the ladder tower.  I climbed it a few times for easy repairs.  The only channels were from Boston, Massachusetts, approximately 80-100 miles away.  Airplanes would cause the picture to fade in and out and occasionally it looked like a blizzard.  However it was quite an attraction.

Friday night fights, Saturday night wrestling, and Tuesday night 'Uncle Miltie' were all times that would draw a crowd.  Dad had built a set of bleachers for spectators and we would be in the store for the aforementioned shows.  It was a great time in our lives.  We shouldn't forget to mention 'It's Howdy Doody Time' with all the characters (Clarabell, Buffalo Bob, Phineas T. Bluster, Princess Summerfall Winterspring, etc).

As most of you know from previous blogs my dad became well-known for killing a wild porcupine with a bat.  Dad also had a fairly good throwing arm.  In a store with all the goods around, every now and then there would be an infiltration of unwanted species of creatures.  However, there were never any creatures in the store once we had "Chee Chee" the monkeys.  More about the monkeys later.

One night as we were watching the wrestling matches a gray furry creature came down from the attic and was strolling along a pipe about twenty feet from the TV watchers.  Dad was seated close to a Coke case and there were several empty bottles in the rack.  Dad grabbed a coke bottle and let it fly.  The rat never had a chance.  The throw would have impressed any scout involved in signing pitchers for Major League Baseball.  The furry little creature went kerplunk.  Of course now we had to find the creature and clean up the glass.  Another animal had met his Maker at the hands of the killer of Main Street....

Then back to the matches with such wrestlers as Gorgeous George, Ivan Rasputin, Verne Gagne, Ronnie Etchison, and a host of others including women and 'midget' wrestlers of both sexes.  These were exciting times for us.  I wonder what some of the folks who watched TV with us in its infancy would think if they were with me now on my couch watching our 42" LED High Definition TV.  A change indeed!  For better or worse?

Until next time.

Toodle Pip!  Derf

Grammy and I Watch TV

Lew's mom is still in rehab for her dizziness.  I try to visit her around lunch time on the weekdays, as she usually has some type of therapy session in the mornings and afternoons.

Yesterday afternoon's schedule was a little different, so Verlie got to watch her soap opera at 1:00.  I actually watched the whole hour with her.  I had not watched an entire episode of a soap opera in years.

Verlie quickly got me up to speed on who the characters were and which ones were "good" and which ones were "bad" and which ones were trying to kill each other and which ones had been married several times and, like I said, it didn't take very long to get all caught up.

I feel culturally literate now!

"Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."

Power Up, Cable Down

I am writing and sending this post to my blog with my iPhone. We have no Internet service right now because our cable is not working.

We had a very windy night last night. We lost power around 11:45 pm and it came back on around 5:45 am this morning. Although the cable service is not back up in our area, we are thankful to have power. There are still several homes that don't.

I do have a recommendation regarding the advice we are given every six months when the clocks change. The advice is to put new batteries in smoke alarms and other such devices....My recommendation is to follow this advice!

Last night, Lew and I were awakened at 2:30 am by the "low battery" warning beep on our carbon monoxide detector. The battery is only a backup. So after the power had been out for a few hours, I guess the battery used up whatever juice it had left. Poor, old battery.

Our carbon monoxide level was at the "safe air" level, but our opportunity for a good night's sleep had been disturbed.

I replaced the battery with a fresh one.

Ooh...We just heard a large vehicle go by the house. A cable company truck, perhaps?

Thanks for checking in!

Food, Glorious Food!

The first Cracker Barrel in the state of Maine opened this past week.  Lew and I went to it today with some church friends.  I had only been to a Cracker Barrel once before (when I lived in Kansas), and Lew had never been to one.

Today was only the 7th day of business for the Maine location, so the place was pretty crowded when we arrived around 1:40 pm.  When we heard that it was going to be a 70-minute wait, I thought my husband was going to faint right then from hunger!  But it turned out that we waited for only about half an hour.

My Grandma Whisler would have turned over in her grave if she saw what my meal looked like.  I ordered Chicken with Dumplings, Corn, Fried Apples, Macaroni and Cheese, and the Corn Muffin.  Grandma would have insisted that I order something green so that my plate would have some color.  :)

Despite the yellowishness of my meal, it was delicious!  I ate every bit of it.

Lew and I both wanted the same dessert.  Ordinarily, we share a dessert when we go out to eat.  But neither one of us wanted to share today.  The dessert was the Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake.  (I hear they take all of the calories out before serving it.)

I ate every bit of this highly-recommended dessert, and I would have licked the plate if I had not been out in public.

Happy, happy tummy.....

Today is November 1+2+3

Matt just celebrated his birthday this past Tuesday (Election Day).  He doesn't like to celebrate his own birthday, but we make him do it anyway.  (Actually, the family celebrated last Saturday, so we were a few days early.)

I like to express numbers in different ways, and I particularly enjoyed texting Matt the following message on Tuesday:  "Happy 2-to-the-5th-power Birthday!"

I can't remember if I've mentioned my license plate habit.  If I'm stopped behind another vehicle at a red light, I look at its license plate and try to combine the numbers so that they'll equal a number that I pick, say 10.  For example, if the license plate is "491 232".....(4+9-1-2) x (3-2) = 10.

Do you think I'm odd?

(Postscript:  Don't even answer that....!)

(Post-postscript:  Hope you had a great 32nd birthday, Matt!)

See You Later, Nana!

My brother-in-law Glen's paternal grandmother passed away on Monday of this week.  She was a spunky 92 years old.  Her name was Gert (short for Gertrude), but we all called her "Nana."

Nana was in the long-term-care wing at the same facility where Lew's mom is currently in rehab.  So I've dropped in on Nana a few times recently.  The last time I saw her was late last week.  She recognized me, but I could tell she still wasn't exactly sure who I was.  Her nurse was in the room, so I loudly explained to the nurse my connection to Nana.  When I mentioned Glen's name, Nana pointed to the photos of Josh and Zack that were displayed in her room.  Her eyes lit up and she smiled.

On her 80th birthday, Nana held a new-born Joshua.  Yes, her first great-grandson had been born on her birthday.  (And interestingly enough, Zachary was born on his mother's paternal grandmother's birthday -- that is, on Derf's mother's birthday -- although my Grandma Gowen never got to meet her great-grandsons.)

Nana was a greeter at her church for many years.  She handed out the bulletins as people arrived.  Josh and Zack explained to people that "Nana guards the door at church!"

Nana and my father (the aforementioned Derf) had an interesting relationship.  It was just over a year-and-a-half ago (on Valentine's Day) that she and Dad, both tired of waiting for a birthday cake to be cut into, decided to start eating it on their own.  Nana walked over to the cake and carried it back to where she and my father had been sitting.  They both had forks and they started to dig directly into the cake!  This was not as malicious as it may sound.  Josh and Zack had decided that their new dog, Sadie, was born on Valentine's Day.  So, my sister Debbie threw a birthday party for the dog and invited the whole family.  Nana and Dad figured that Sadie would not be too upset about the lack of pomp and circumstance surrounding the consumption of her cake.

Have a wonderful time in Heaven, Nana!  And as Debbie wrote on Facebook:

We won't say good-bye because as her great-grandsons Josh and Zack learned you never say good-bye you always leave her by saying "See you later." So, "We love you and we'll see you later Nana!"

Nana and "her boys" on Mothers Day 2004
(son Bob, grandson Glen, and great-grandsons Josh & Zack)

Variety: The Spice of Life?

I had lunch today with a former work colleague that I had not seen in about a year.  It is always fun to catch up with "old" friends!  We went out for pizza during her lunch break.  The pizza was yummy, with lots of meat and cheese.  I would get this kind of pizza again if I could remember the name of it.

When Lew arrived home tonight, I told him that I had been out for most of the afternoon, and therefore, I had not made dinner.  This made him laugh for some reason.

As he contemplated what to make for dinner, he said, "How about....Oh, you already ate pizza for lunch."

And my response to that.....?

Well, isn't it said that you are what you eat?  I hope this is not true, because I would be round, flat and covered with pepperoni!  :)

(Postscript:  The package of Newman-O's that we bought for Lew a couple weeks ago was finished off tonight.  Lew even offered a few of these scrumptious cookies to me....which I accepted, of course!)

Dad: Unedited XVII

(I think my entire family is obsessed with our pets.  Our furry friends have been mentioned quite a lot lately, and Dad's post tonight continues the trend.  Dad apologizes for a "bad blog" tonight, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway!  --  Tracy)

Is it really Wednesday already?

Back home in Maine.  Derf here!

Spouse and I arrived home on Saturday, October 30th, just in time for Halloween and the last two baseball games of the year.  The San Francisco Giants completed their domination of the Texas Rangers.  My dog in the fight was eliminated at regular season's end.  Boston!  Wait 'til next year!  (I've use this line many times in the past).  Spring training will be here before you know it.  Yippee!

Upon entering our home, Pepper wasn't sure if I belonged in her house and started to go hide under the bed.  She suddenly realized her buddies were back from afar and is back to her routine of sleeping all day (most of the time in Mary Lou's lap on the couch).  While away, Tracy cut Pepper's treats by one-third.  I will try to comply with the cutback.  Pepper is not obese but is in fine physical shape for a cat turning 14 years old next May.  I must admit that Pepper doesn't need as much care as Cocoa does.  Her age also assures us that she is much more mature than Cocoa.  On the cuteness scale, Pepper and Cocoa are at the top.  Fine specimens they are.

As I look over what I've written today, I am unimpressed with my results.  Perhaps I'm suffering for staying up so late watching election returns.  Not a bad way to spend an evening.

I'll do a better job writing next week, so please don't abandon me for one bad blog.

Until next time.

Toodle Pip!  Derf

P.S.  I am ashamed of this post!

Election Day

I am sporting a round sticker that says "I Voted Today!"

In the days leading up to an election, I look at the sample ballots online and determine how I'm going to vote.  If there's something that I'm unsure of, I try to find more information -- newspaper articles, websites, campaign pieces, mailings, etc.  Lew and I then review the ballots together the night before the election, and we make what we call our "cheat sheets."

When we were looking over the ballots last night, there was still one item that we were questioning.  So Lew called a very knowledgeable buddy to get his input.  Input was received, and we were ready for today.

On my way into the voting site, I shook hands with two of the folks on the ballot.  I told both of them that they would be receiving my vote.  (I should probably mention that they were running for different offices!)

When I texted Lew about the shaking of hands, he texted back that I should "wash up."  I then called him and said that these were the people that we wanted, remember?!  And then he reminded me that they had been shaking hands with people all day, so his advice to me was health-related -- not politics-related.

Oh.

Now that I have voted, I am looking forward to watching the election coverage tonight.  I am going to stay up until my eyes slam shut!

A Sweet Observation

When I was working, I got home after Lew did about 99% of the time.  But due to my current unemployment, I am able to greet him when he arrives home from work.

Lew commented tonight how nice it is to come home to me.

Awwwww....so sweet!

(Note to self:  Next job must get me home before husband....)

It's Halloween! BOO!!

Trick or Treat!
Smell my feet!
Give me something good to eat!

The most trick-or-treaters I ever had was when I lived on Main Street in Sterling, Kansas (mid-1990's).  I believe that I had between 110 and 120 kids.  Some of these "kids" were college students, but I counted them anyway because they wore costumes and I did give them some candy.

I didn't want to keep a manual count that night, so I came up with a counting mechanism.  I purchased those little lollipops that are packaged in a long strip.  I counted the lollipops ahead of time, and then I gave one lollipop to each trick-or-treater (in addition to the candy that I really wanted to give out).  And, voila!  At the end of the night, I just had to count the remaining lollipops to determine how many kids had come knocking at my door.  (Brilliant, I know.)

When Lew and I lived in Portland, we experienced a decreasing trick-or-treating crowd as the neighborhood kids got older.  Still, I think we had at least 40 the last Halloween that we lived there.

And the number of trick-or-treaters we received tonight?  Take your pick:

Zero.
Nada.
Zilch.
None.

But this was expected.  We purchased one bag of candy -- little boxes of Junior Mints -- and I had to practically force Zack to take some this afternoon when he, Debbie, and Glen stopped by the house for a completely different reason.  (I gave them some for Josh, too.)

My parents purchased four bags of candy.  I will probably end up eating most of it.