And the Lights Went Out

For the first time in my life I was the first one to call in a power outtage. Of course, there are not too many people here this time of year. At any rate 1 1/2 hour later the best looking guy I have seen in a long while came to my door to check out the problem. If I had been 30 years younger I would have been embarrassed to have him see me in "my just got out of bed look", of course, if I had been 30 years younger I would probably have looked pretty good regardless.

Anyway while he was checking things out and could find nothing wrong, (I am sure they are always suspicious of an only call, especially from an old lady) another call came through so he went that direction to see what was wrong.

He checked back shortly and told me there had been a fuse blow at the riser--the riser he explained was the box where the out of the ground electricity changed to under the ground electricity (which is what I have).

Anyway I greatly appreciated the service and learned two things about power outtages.

(1) Call immediately

(2) Have a land line phone you can plug in. A land line phone (as was explained to me) goes directly into the phone socket and there is not an answering machine or cordless phone attached to it. AND THE IMPORTANT THING is it will work even though your power is out. Your cordless phone will not, and eventually you will need to power your cell phone so it will not. Anyway it was explained that when living in the mountains you should definitely have a land line phone on hand!

And...

Another of life's simple pleasures for me has been completing a task. And the big task we have just completed, thanks to Mitch's help, (he traveled all the way up here twice and worked tirelessly) is getting the yard fairly clean of branches, twigs, pods and needles (a fire hazard). Mitch had to haul all the debris to the back of the yard, except for the long branches which needed to be stacked and will later be cut for kindling and... pile the twigs, also used for kindling. Next comes the breaking and chopping of the kindling to under 18 inch lengths.

This is such an important part of the yard clean up, the creation of the kindling. I will never forget the difficulty in getting a fire started in my wood stove after I first moved in. It could take me as long as a half hour to get it burning. Now I can have it blazing brightly before you have time to settle yourself in a chair. That kindling is the key (plus a chunk of fire starter). Of course, you realize a wood fire is not necessary. I do have a marvelous new furnace which was put in a few years ago with a humidifier even. But a wood fire is another of life's simple pleasures which I enjoy as often as possible, (saves a lot on the propane bill, too).

But what a joy to look out at a clean back yard. And for all of those anxious to hear how the river rock patio made it through the winter--well, it did. Still very solid, though the sand between is not quite so clean as it was. Now I just need to handle the sloaping dirt banks around it, another task for another day...ah, life is good. As President Naylor once adviced me, as long as we always have too much to do, we won't have time to get in to trouble and we will never be bored.

Life's Simple Pleasures

Life's simple pleasures--different for everyone--today I put a new cover on my ironing board and that for me has always been a pleasure. To feel that padded, taught surface, to see it so clean and unscorched... I think it was Vida, Richard's mother, who made me so aware of the importance of a well-padded ironing board. She taught me a lot about practical things, seems we are more aware of the need to learn in our early wedded life (though I did not let her know she was teaching me anything) silly me.

But as I was putting on that ironing board cover I couldn't help but reflect on how easy it is now. No pulling of the string and getting it just tight enough, no working hard at getting the bottom section pulled tight, no putting extra pad on (course I always leave the old pad on just for good measure). Anyway I became aware how badly a new cover was needed when I began working on the quilt I started the first year I moved here. Then I came to a patch where things didn't match quite perfectly and I put it away. Then working for SBA took me away from home for several months at a time, and I never sewed on the quilt again.

It actually looks quite good and I do think I will finish it this time. But you know another of life's simple pleasures? Sewing a perfect, straight seam. That simple pleasure, I believe, will never be mine again. Something to do with old age, perhaps, or maybe I am just not as careful as I once was? Anyway the ironing is such an important part of the quilt square, perhaps the new ironing board pad will overcome the not so perfect, straight seam. Let's hope...

It's Been a Wonderful Life!

Last night I was reading my Life Book--it is complete through college and I have 12 volumes of information plus a journal on my computer to go through to finish it to my current age. It may never be completed as a readable book. But I guess it does not really matter. I remember the lady who had lost all her family memory books and photos that she had spent so many, many hours on and then they were all lost in the Idaho floods. She said the important thing was not the books but the joy she had in putting them together that had made her realize what a blessed life she had. That is the way I feel today. I have had a wonderful life full of so many happy times with loving family and friends. My childhood, high school days and college time were memorable. I am so glad I had so many pictures, letters, and other memorabilia to draw on as well as my memory.

In fact, except for a couple of broken hearts along the way I didn't really have any hard times in my life until the 1979 - 1999 period. That is a 20 year period out of my life that has a lot of very unfortunate, forgettable happenings and probably has the least recorded information to draw from to write about it. But maybe that is a good thing. I have been blessed with a very bad memory and unless I have something to jog it, I don't remember at all...so maybe that period will just reflect the good things in our life like Meagan and all the other grandchildren that were born during that period.

I have so many projects indoors and outside here at my home I won't have a minute of boredom for a long, long time.

It's a good life!

Five Years Ago Today

It is so hard to believe it was five years ago today that I received that painful phone call, "He didn't make it, He didn't make it..." In remembrance just let me share again the poem John wrote, that I like so much.

Very Essence

"Is not general incivility the very essence of love," Jane Austen said.

Judging from our God's Plan of Salvation for us, I must say he has a very great love, indeed.

I hope our God is able to discern the depth of my love for Him and my brethren when I begin to giggle on Judgment Day.

Such incivility was always successful for Jane's characters.

John Hardy

Maria's Farewell Breakfast

Thursday I drove to Susanville for a Farewell Breakfast with Maria, Mitch and Matt. (Mitch had to rush off to a college class so didn't get his pix.) Matt swapped his curls for a 'heiny' as they called it in my day as opposed to a 'crewcut' which left more hair up front.

We are all happy for Maria's exciting move to work at CSU San Marcos and know she will love her new life.

I don't know how I will get along without Maria, but I always knew I could be left here alone and yet moving here was definitely the right thing to do for me, just as moving back down south is the right thing for her now. As long as I can escape for most of the winter I think I will be ok. At least there will be three down there to put up with me in the winter so no one will have to keep me for too long. Gosh, I hate this growing old business.

Kristi and Mike's Babes

Linda drove with me as far as Kristi's and I stayed overnight so I was able to enjoy the babes. They are both so cute and so sweet. Here Kate does a nice pose for her Grandma Linda.

And Grandma Linda even got a smile out of Ryan.

But it would be interesting to know what was going on in Kate's mind when we tried to get a picture of her sitting on my lap. She acts like she is my friend but she would not allow a picture without her Mom holding her. This is like the Santa Claus picture we have of Linda crying and trying to get off Santa's lap when she was about that old.

Kate wouldn't let her Grandma Linda hold her for a picture either so I don't feel so badly. Wonder what the problem is about picture taking with Grandmas? Hmmm.

At any rate we did a pictute of Kate with her Mom holding her and even a 4 generation shot on Linda's camera--at least I hope it was on Linda's camera, it isn't on mine!