2019 Blog Link

Happy New Year. Here's the link to Year 10:

https://onelastyearoflivinginretirement.blogspot.com

Another Year of Living in Retirement ... Ends Tonight

Free poinsettia - following the NYE Candlelight Service

I plan one more year, not yet another year, but one last year of this blog sequence. The original retiring rose will then be retiring this ten-year blog adventure and do something else. Stay tuned!

I do not want to end the last post of yet another year with fragmented thoughts and trailing dots...

And yet, as usual, I have nothing profound with which to end the year.

And even though I am a little down (mellow, sun-deprived, fat), with no party to attend to end the year …  I am OKAY.

I did attend the candlelight service at church. I asked my friend Bill to share a photo I saw him taking prior to the service:

Another year has come and gone and I have much to be grateful for!

I have some good holiday leftovers to finish for a few days before the dreaded January diet begins. I am still too thrifty/Dutch to throw food away.

There is way too much leftover cheese. Maybe I should follow a low-carb regimen, yet again!

I have a new conical burr coffee grinder. I plan to buy better beans this year. It will definitely be yet another year of coffee consumption. And I have yet another water filter pitcher, so no excuses for bad coffee.

I have plenty of new and old books to keep me entertained through the cold winter months. Book Club meets again Sunday night with Proof of Heaven. I need to distribute a new book for April. It is my turn. Six books are to be delivered Thursday. After reading reviews and some quick looks (and a quick click at Amazon by the husband), I have chosen a book! But I need to finish reading it before Sunday night to be in compliance with the rules of the club. Stay tuned!

I have a supportive husband, three great daughters and two delightful sons-in-law. (One of them does read my blog, so I had to find a suitable word, lol.)

I have a wonderful church family, a book club, a few really fun friends, a garden team, a few relatives in town and many interesting ones on Facebook.

I have lots of time in the winter.

And I have some money in my bank account!

I have (all new this year) a great smart phone, a new, big and smart television, a new blue tooth speaker that connects to my phone, a Kindle from last year with some downloaded books, and a really old laptop that is limping along, barely.

I am planning more trips to Florida and NYC for sure. Another more exotic trip is being planned for mid-year. Stay tuned!

The economy has been good, although the stock market has been extremely volatile of late. Gas prices are once again low. But none of this is of any immediate concern to me.

We sold our student rental house last summer at a fair price and are a little farther down the road to simplifying our life.

We are debt free. Here me SCREAM.

We got our last will and testament--and all end of life issues in writing and signed as of November. That was a very good thing!

The husband remains entertained by sports (mostly golf) even though his body occasionally protests the necessary twisting movements. Sometimes he twists something just rolling over in bed!

I remain nearly pain free as I do less physical work in winter. I still have all my original parts, for better or for worse, except for a few molars shaved down to accommodate crowns! My lower back is my most vulnerable body part, but I am very comfortable while horizontal on the couch!

The news from Washington D.C., the media and the current administration has kept me entertained this year. And exhausted...

Trump Derangement Syndrome is real! (TDS or PTTDS)

There have been plenty of bad news stories this year. Some remain poignant--the Parkland school shooting for one. And then there was that good news stories of the rescue of the boys trapped in a mine.

Then we watched the California fires. Hell on earth!

Sometimes the bad news (and the fake news) became overwhelming!

The death of most who passed on this year did not affect me personally.

The passing of a young nephew-in-law in Minnesota was tragic, but I barely knew him.

I bought Charles Krauthammer's posthumously published book yesterday at Costco. I do miss his thoughtful commentary.

I watched the George H.W. Bush funeral. My faith in the good and kind and eternal values that remain in our society was renewed.

Billy Graham was more than ready to enter into his eternal reward, I am sure--just short of his 100th birthday.

I hope your life has been as good as mine or even better this year, and continues so through the coming new year!

I am going to try to savor each moment more (and not savor as much good food). I will try harder to be a blessing to those in my life.

I managed to send a few Christmas cards this year ... some pretty cards with Forever Christmas stamp birds ... some to the church shut-ins. A little late...

But I didn't put up a tree! I am finally too old. That's what they say...

No one complained. I threw up some lights on the Norfolk pine...

Christmas is now basically over. 12 days is too long...

The Wise Men, traveling from (not so) afar off...

But the wise men are still wending their way to worship the manger baby ... to see the King, whose first "throne" was a manger!

Too many trailing dots...

Good night, 2018. Goodnight wise men. Goodnight all.

Creating Christmas Coziness

Midnight at the window

We did not enjoy a classic white Christmas this year, although a few flakes started falling during the morning church service, accumulating by evening to a light frosting on the grass.

However, we had plenty of Christmas cozy here without snow: a rich lasagna, fresh brioche bread, the aroma of homemade Dutch apple pie baking, a warm fire in the sun room stove and the ambiance of candles flickering everywhere we could find a safe spot. And there is a word for all that coziness: hygge.

Also, I think most of the gifts opened here and afar off could be classified under the words hygge or techy.

As far as I can determine the Danish hygge which has entered lately into the American vocabulary is pronounced with a hoo or hue beginning (but with an umlaut u sound) and an ending gah sound but not with an a but rather the schwa e. This helps me pronounce it correctly, I think! Non-Danish folks pronounce it in a wide variety of ways, including hig-ie--the worst!

However one says it, defining it seems to be the bigger challenge. I have some familiarity with the Dutch concept of gezellig, which also is not easily defined.

My NYC daughter has been trying to achieve a measure of hygge in her lovely but limited lower Manhattan apartment. For Christmas she sent me the book The Little Book of Hygge--Danish secrets to happy living, by Meik Wiking. I have always loved Danish (teak) furniture, but I'm not sure how much of the hygge lifestyle I have achieved or even aspired too. The Danes rank among the happiest people on earth, so it might be worth trying to discover why that is.

In the introduction to my new book the author attempts to explain hygge with these descriptions: "the art of creating intimacy," "coziness of the soul," "absence of annoyance," "taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things," "cozy togetherness," and the author's  personal favorite, "cocoa by candlelight".

So how much hygge did we create so far this Christmas--in addition to the food, the fire, the flickering candles and the freshly baked pie? Or is hygge something that just happens when you are not trying so hard for it? I'll have to read more of the book!

We did not sit around the fire in wool sweaters ... that is for sure. Or knitted woolen socks. Some of us are too itchy to enjoy wool--and furthermore, the fire was too warm. I did gift the husband with a pair of red cashmere socks. He is able to tolerate soft wool.

And we did not sip hot chocolate by candlelight--or coffee or tea.

I did gift two daughters with cozy L.L. Bean slippers, with arch support for added comfort. The third daughter received a blue cotton weighted blanket from Dream Hug, which seems like pure hygge to me!

I sent socks to the NYC son-in-law from BOMBAS, a company which claims to make the most comfortable socks ever. The socks come with a 100% happiness guarantee. They also give away a pair of socks to the homeless for every pair sold, so a little hygge for the homeless, too!

A cozy pink ponytail beanie hat is still in transit to NYC.

Comfy pants are in transit (slow boat from China?) for E.

The other son-in-law G. received some chocolate covered fruit, which may also have some hygge value … more perhaps if enjoyed while staring into the flames of his outdoor Florida firepit.

I gifted the husband with retired-man-recliner-wear: two cozy, generously sized and budget-priced (it is also important for hygge to be thrifty) sweatshirts. He received a nicer Columbian brand top from the Floridians--potential cruise wear? Also, the traditional Hershey bars, a new car scent for his Avalon and hand warmers for his golf gloves. More hygge, am I right?

There was a mystery box here which we opened last. Some kind of mistake or errant click? From K-Mart! It was a very soft, "superminky" burgundy robe (size 4-6!). I am going to keep it as a feel-y blanket. It is amazing! The most hygge thing of all!

The rest of the gifts were more techy: Bluetooth noise cancelling headphones for S. A Go-Pro type camera for G. A bluetooth speaker for my S9 smart phone, Nintendo and Super Nintendo consoles for E. I'm not sure the techy gifts have any hygge value. They likely have a negative value, as they tend to isolate. A board game would qualify.

The husband received a book. Snuggling up with a book and a blanket is very hygge, especially in a window seat. He also received a "conversation" game much like the one he had created years ago, a game which could arguably be hygge-promoting.

And then the kitchen-y gifts which are for achieving hygee in the heart(h) of the home--a frying pan set, a water filter pitcher and a gourmet coffee bean grinder (hot brewed coffee is definitely hygge-ish when consumed in a gezellig environment) for me, a Kitchen Aid mixer for E. and a cookbook for R. These are some of the gifts that come to mind. Plus, we all got salt and spice and other things nice from the Land of Fire and Ice.

Oh, and the New Yorkers got some kind of light from E. to combat SAD. Is that techy or hygge, both or neither?

The Florida dog got a cooling mat from E, which certainly seems non-hygge. Maybe a different kind of comfort word is needed for the cooling needs of hairy creatures residing in more tropical climes.

The evening ended with just the two of us and a movie from 2018 that was based on one of my favorite books, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. Snuggled under my sherpa throw with that superminky robe brushing my (facial) cheeks, sipping from a (shared) crowler of Big Bad Baptist Quadruple Barrel Imperial Stout beer I had filled at Horrocks...

...it was totally hygge-gezelligheid!

The starring female character in the film was pretty and the male pig farmer star had some rugged hygge-handsomeness happening. (My Dad, among other things, was also a pig farmer.) It turns out he is Dutch, an actor and a musician, and even shares a birthday with me! (Except he is only 37.) My eyes were moist at the end, although it had a totally happy hygge ending!

More of Thanksgiving in Florida

Poolside in Maitland, FL - under the bamboo canopy

We spent two full weeks in Florida, 5 nights visiting with R. and G. They were busy working and focusing on their Iceland trip most of the time and we tried to stay out of the way.

One night we cooked lomo al troppo in the outdoor fire pit. It was more delicious and succulent than all the other loin-encrusted-in-a-salt-cloth experiences of previous visits, I thought.

"lomo" in the fire

The husband played some rounds of golf but I didn't go out much on my own. So I relaxed in the mostly very nice weather, occasionally sitting in the sun by the pool and doing a little picking at and watering of the garden plants. The husband went into the pool once (it was chilly!) and the hot tub once.

We didn't know how to change the AC settings, so sometimes the house got a little stuffy in the afternoons and I got more than a little hot under the collar. The nights were cooler to cold, with no bugs, allowing for the patio door to be wide open (well, not while we were sleeping).

We always try to do something a little fun while dog-sitting in Florida. Last year we went to see a SpaceX launch at Cape Canaveral. This year the husband had purchased tickets to a Black Hawks/Panthers game in Sunrise, Florida. He was able to obtain some re-sold season ticket holder seats which included parking, but no free food--like everyone else in our section, who were indulging in all sorts of gourmet things like chocolate covered strawberries. It was an exciting game in which the Hawks won in overtime after they were behind the whole game. It was the best live game the husband has ever seen. He was hyped! On the way to the parking lot I picked up a Panther scarf from the ground ... not sure what to do with it, but we still have it.

Room with a view on Pompano Beach

It was a bit of a trek to and from the BB&T Center to our hotel on Pompano Beach where we had a nice room with a balcony/view of the ocean. On Sunday morning the husband sat and read under an umbrella on the beach and floated in the ocean, which he quite enjoyed, while I putzed around and ate brunch at the outdoor bar. The bartender was from Port Huron, Michigan and had some time to chat. I think he got $7 for his efforts, which was primarily making me one Bloody Mary. We ate dinner and breakfast at the hotel for convenience. After all, valet parking was $30 a day plus tips. It turns out they don't have much selection in dark beer in south Florida. Too heavy, I guess, but we found a Havana Amber brewed in Miami that was malty/nice.

We were back in Winter Park by 4:15 PM to pick up Toffee from Val's house (yes, we needed some overnight doggie care). Val had gifted us with a couple of donuts from a local shop:

Yum. Treat after hockey game.

Later we picked up R. & G. from their Icelandic Air flight. They had a bad flight and were starving. A hamburger and fries at Five Guys on the way home helped.

As is our tradition, we found a Netflix series for the week, which I cannot recommend and will not name! It was someone's concept of life in heaven, which somehow takes place in an abandoned community with perfect mid-century-styled houses. It all made about as much sense as a long dream sequence on a sleep-challenged night.

We also had a dinner and a movie night, intending to see "The Girl in the Spider's Web" with Claire Foy, but one of us got a coffee headache and had to walk out! A dinner at Cheesecake Factory was postponed until after the service at FPCO on Sunday. I had the Monte Cristo, the best version I have had so far, although it did not photograph well. I am on a quest, searching for the best ever marriage of ham and jam!

One day we spent a couple of hours shopping for Thanksgiving food and one day I spent preparing it. One day we went shoe shopping for golf shoes and I bought some plastic "Birks" which I didn't even know existed. R. says Birks are not cool in Florida. We lunched at Tijuana Flats.

Me: NOT cool, even in leather...

And another day I browsed the local Whole Foods, and ate lunch at the The Glass Knife, a recent addition to Winter Park. I brought home a tabletop balsam fir with stand included from Whole Foods, from North Carolina, for $30.

Can't get away from the popular Founders brews! - At Whole Foods, Winter Park

We also made our annual pilgrimage to The Coop in  downtown Winter Park for an inexpensive meal of fried chicken and southern fare.

On the last night in Florida we viewed Iceland photos on the big screen--a fresh Icelandic travelogue. Now I don't have to go!

So I learned a few things about the land of "fire and ice" that has become such a hot tourist spot in recent years. I didn't realize that the whole island is heated with geyser steam--not just a few spas. The landscape is varied and surreal, with black sand, high cliffs, clear streams, and waterfalls everywhere. Very few trees grow on the island, and limited species of animals thrive there. Greenhouses are used to grow food. And they DRINK.

The kids brought back "spirits" from Iceland, Arctic Char, delicious herring in a jar, chocolate, thyme, salts and a cookbook. I was gifted with a bottle of birch liqueur and found out that the Icelanders use birch bark and angelica archangel as unique botanicals in their distilling process. I think I grew that plant once in my aunt's garden. but we didn't use the seed pods for flavoring. Or distilling! R. and G. ate lamb, fish and reindeer, and even sampled fermented shark, a thing you apparently must do as an authentic tourist. When in Asia, stinky tofu and 100-year-old eggs. When in Iceland, fermented shark!

 After watching the video they shared on Facebook, I almost threw up myself, imagining the taste of this aged, ammonia-imbued. disgusting stuff. And I've eaten some pretty odd stuff: sea slugs, Colombian ants, peacock breast.

R. made a board of Icelandic herring and things left over in the refrigerator for us:

And then we returned home to enjoy that horrible Icelandic Horse Flu which they, so generously, also shared with us...

Turkey for Two

My turkey dinner (plus pie and ice cream!)

Once again, we spent Thanksgiving in central Florida. We did get a last minute invitation to join some of the husband's older golfing buddies from our denomination who winter in a gated community in the Orlando area. I did not know any of them and asked him to decline. They had some other unexpected guests who maxed out their table, so it was all good.

Except that I had to (or rather decided to) cook a qualifying turkey dinner for two.

At Costco on Wednesday afternoon the fresh turkeys all looked way too large, but we selected a generous pumpkin pie, which tastes good for several days (unlike turkey leftovers)--especially good topped with Publix premium vanilla ice cream! Later that day at Publix I found a Li'l Butterball that looked perfect:

All the buzz seemed to be about spatchcocking this year, so I asked the husband to google it to see if he thought he could manage the process. He first googled cock spatch. I don't know what he learned but it made me laugh just thinking about it!

Ready to spatchcock! Notice the photo-bombing dog.

I also bought two sweet potatoes, a bag of cranberries, haricot verts (thin French green beans), mushroom soup, portabellas, and on sudden inspiration, a jar of Smucker's orange marmalade with Splenda, which, along with a little added sugar and cinnamon made an easy, tasty cranberry sauce. The other total shortcut was purchasing a container of prepared potatoes. I did cook the giblets and used them for a tiny blob of stuffing which I tucked under the spatchcocked bird. I  pre-cooked the beans and sauteed the mushrooms. I smeared a washed sweet potato with Land O'Lakes butter and wrapped it in foil to cook alongside the turkey. I made a little gravy from the pan juices.

I had nothing else to do for the day except feed the dog, empty the pool filter and vac and water 5 plants, so it was just enough cooking to make me feel good about myself.

Do not tell the parent/owners, who never feed the dog people food (and he does not beg), but I snuck a small bit of hot turkey broth into his food and sliced up the inedible parts of the cooked gizzard into tiny pieces. Such a subtle and harmless thing to do, and sooo delicious! Who heard of eating deer on Thanksgiving! Even if you are in Iceland and eating reindeer! This was the dog's can:

That's about it for Thanksgiving Day this year. No church. Just a laid-back day, with enough good food to satisfy!

Icelandic Horse Flu Update

Clouds and sunshine - dump view

I managed to get out of the house yesterday! I blew the deck and driveway clean and raked up a few piles of honey locust pods, and along with 3 bags I had left out on the driveway back on the 13th, took a full load to the yard waste facility. I also dumped the one pumpkin the squirrels had not yet demolished.

It was a sunny day, with beautiful clouds. It was a busy day at the dump--a small window of good weather. More snow has now once again refreshed the landscape overnight.

Returning late in the day as the gray clouds were tingeing pink. I was thankful to be out in the world again.

But I am not better! And nobody wants to be around a cougher, I woke up this morning with a stuffed head, a productive cough, still clinging to a roll of Cottonelle--this one retrieved from the husband, whose "Icelandic virus" never really progressed, like mine, to full-blown, so to speak.

It is a week now since that first raw patch in my throat appeared. If things weren't bad enough I now have developed a (tiny) cold sore on my upper lip! I found a tube of Abreva (that only expired two years ago) and applied it liberally.

I am not a happy camper! I am not yet ready for this kind of forced hibernation, but frankly, haven't missed that much. I did waste a ticket I bought myself to a comedy show at 20 Monroe Live, but it was a nasty night to be out. I should feel well enough for our book club Christmas party Sunday night. I even finished the *book!

*The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

From Coast to Cottonelle

In the distance: the husband, floating in the Atlantic

Three days lost.

Three rolls of Ultra Comfort Care Cottenelle gone.

(Have you noticed? That stuff is getting pricey! I can see why it is scarce in some countries).

It was a tough transition from sunny Florida to a barren brown and white Michigan.

One of us had recently been floating happily in the ocean near the Pompano Beach Marriot. One of us had been sipping a Sunday brunch Bloody Mary at the pool-side bar.

The transition might have been tolerable if the sore spot on one side of my throat (first noticed on the flight home) had not developed overnight into a full-blown raw and painful cough. And then into a raging cold.

Yes, we have just returned from (once again) dog-sitting the "royal" red golden for a couple of weeks.

When the children are young, they sometimes bring home nasty viruses shared by sick classmates. Well, our 40-something "kids" brought home with them a particularly virulent virus from Iceland, of all places. One would think the germs would all remain frozen there...

We stayed with them a few days following their trip, finishing off a few turkey dinner leftovers--just enough time for them to share their fresh Icelandic germs with us!

G. became so ill after taking us to the airport that he took to his bed for three days. I don't know how many rolls of Cottonelle he needed, but I had purchased a fresh pack while we were living there.

He dubbed this one the Icelandic Horse Flu, which gave it a certain exotic gravitas. A significant fever accompanied his version and I'm sure it felt like flu. Whatever it was, we won't get that one again, thankfully. Even if we travel to Iceland! I will never forget this Horse Flu thing, though!

You see, the highlight (really!) of their Icelandic adventure had been when R. made friends with a small cadre of free-roaming horses. She managed to get up close and personal and even reach out and touch one.

Tonight I think that I have finally turned the corner on this thing and offered the last soft roll to the husband, who seems to be sniffling and coughing a little himself.

I had enough energy to tap this post out on my smart phone while lounging on the sofa. I will document a few more things from the trip later, when I catch up a bit around here ... and get all that snotty toilet paper trash-bagged!

Tomorrow I hope to shower and wear real clothes and maybe even put on a bra.

The weather outside has been frightful (now dark and rainy), but I would not have chosen to stay inside for over 3 days!

 I hope the Subaru starts after its long rest in the driveway.

More Snow!

Front yard - more than frost on the pumpkin!

I don't know why I was shocked when I looked out the window this morning. I knew flakes were in the forecast ... but a major blanket of snow fell overnight. So much for leaf cleanup. The rest of the leaves are falling on top of the snow.

Back yard - doesn't the deck table look bleak. even with its beautiful white and gold table covering?

Side yard - this will be the last photo of the red maple. This year. I promise.

And the brilliant red maple is almost totally barren this morning. The weight of the snow was too much for the remaining leaves. It seems winter has arrived. Too soon!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

A few red leaves (becoming even more red) hangin' on (11/9)

Earlier this week on a bright and sunny day with gorgeous leaves all around town, I flipped on the radio to hear Christmas music ("the weather outside is frightful"). It seemed so wrong!

Today, I was almost ready for it.

The last couple of days have been a mad scramble to get ready for winter, even as snowflakes are prominent in the 10-day forecast. At my uncle's house I finally put away the 4 big potted cordylines, into the heated carriage house for the winter--fortuitously running into Ken, who helped.

At our house we actually found a spot in the garage for the patio chairs to nest, and packed up the umbrella in a bag for basement storage. The snowblower was started and put into position.

I blew and raked and bagged and hauled. I went to the yard waste dump and filled my big yard waste can. I washed the car after the muddy dump. A final mowing with the John Deere by the husband tidied the remainder of the lawn. More leaves will fall, but we are as ready as we can be, and way ahead of most of our neighbors.

And then I successfully blew off the roof! I checked out the new skylights up there for the first time. The husband held the ladder and handed up the hand blower. Then I squirted off the debris from the front of the house, before winding up the hose and detaching it from the house. I leave the hoses outside for the winter.

And today when I woke up, snow had indeed fallen. And sleety precipitation continued through most of the afternoon. I picked up two prescriptions and then, braving the weather (truly frightful) I went downtown to pick up symphony tickets and 20 Monroe Live tickets. I found out that the free ticket voucher from R&G was good for the pop concert this weekend, and so we have "Frank Sinatra" tickets for tomorrow evening! After all that yard work, I am going to scrub my nails and have a proper weekend!

Tonight--a warm and wonderful dinner at Bonefish Grill is planned with cousin V. and the hubbs--my reward for working hard to be ready for winter, well before Thanksgiving this year! Or, just because.

Later--
I really celebrated! A few bang bang shrimp, of course. Shrimp and lobster gnocchi. Two featured, (specially priced) cocktails: A pumpkin spice martini and their famous winter white cosmo with frozen cranberries! I am getting into the holiday spirit(s)!

After the Midterms...

Red maple leaves on ivy ... Christmassy!

Well, it's the morning after and the blue wave dwindled into something more like a trickling brook. Lots of red seats did turn blue, but not at the level predicted or at the  numbers of other controversial administrations at the midterms. And a few important Senate seats turned from blue to red (still counting, however) giving that body a stronger vote for confirming judges, for one thing.

So all in all, it was not a terrible night for conservatives. Important states will have Republican governors; looking to 2020: Ohio, Florida, Iowa and New Hampshire.

And even as the little blue wave was happening, the little red maple outside my sun room lost most of its leaves in the rain and wind. 

I raked up and stuffed bushels full of perfect red leaves into several black contractor bags today. The bright red leaves falling on the green ivy (above), with a few stray golden leaves mixed in was a little foretaste of Christmas. Looking forward to a little Christmas joy this year!

But wintry weather is in the forecast, with snowflakes predicted by tomorrow evening.

And, unfortunately, it is likely to continue to be frosty in all parts of red and blue state America, especially in and around the White House.

Fall - "Firing In" with a Final Blaze of Glory

Watching the 'Bloodgood' acer palmatum grow redder every day!

Every fall I photograph (opening the slider door--this morning 11-5-18) the Japanese maple tree just outside the sun room. I just can't believe how red it gets as early November days pass. Snowflakes are predicted again by this weekend and I hope that the red lasts a few more days and develops into a full blood-red. And then if the sun shines down through the canopy.........heavenly!

The ginko tree in my street-side yard is still green. All the leaves tend to fall off in one day in a big heap under the tree. Often they fall while they are still green. Ginko yellow is also gorgeous, and I am watching.

I have previously referenced how poets (and novelists, etc.) wax eloquent on what strikes them as beautiful in the natural world.

I don't know anyone who thinks that peak fall color is not worthy of awe and accolades--or a poem!

Sometimes, in a flash of memory, I recall ways that others have put their feelings into words and images.

One very memorable image I have is one where God is described as a "flasher," with brief and transitory moments of glory revealed. However, when I was in college we "enjoyed" (with giggles and disgust) a personal flasher doing his thing in front of a tree, white hanky handy, just outside our senior housing picture window. Since then the word flasher will forever have a particularly distasteful connotation for me!

Another word image from long ago came to mind the other day ... an image I much prefer to fall (or God) as a flasher.

Decades ago we watched the old German artist William Alexander on PBS, with his show "The Magic of Painting." He was an incredible painter, finishing a full canvas during a half-hour show. (Of course, now episodes can still be seen on YouTube). He was always "firing in" some color on his canvas with big strokes from his "almighty" brush, forming multiple trees in minutes.

I do like the idea of God "firing in" fall color (with his Almighty brush!)--especially the fiery reds of the *dwarf burning bush and the Bloodgood maples. At least the processes--which depend on rain, waning light, cooling temperatures, diminishing chlorophyll, and even a  protective cover forming before the leaves fall--are all pretty amazing. And God-designed!

*if you recall, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush--in a flashing blaze of glory!

Breakfast at "The Bakkerij"

"The De Zwaan"

One day soon I hope to have breakfast in the "old country" of Holland--in Amsterdam, or perhaps Rotterdam--the birthplace of my mother.

But today we traveled along country roads, past cornfields, churches and colorful groves of trees, all the way to Holland, Michigan to have breakfast at the Dutch Brothers restaurant and "Bakkerij."

We all enjoyed our selections, although my tomato slices did nothing to enhance this version (above) of a Monte Cristo, which came with maple syrup instead of the more usual jam and powdered sugar. I purchased a couple of sticks of banket (for Christmas) and some coffee beans at the bakery while resisting the other breads and sweets.

Deserted lake front on Halloween

It was dark when I got up (early for me) and that is my excuse for putting on my black yoga pants inside out. I discovered it after breakfast (much to my horror) while we were at the lake ... and before shopping at the huge Walmart superstore, where we were headed next. Perhaps I would have fit right in (you know the bad stereotypes of Walmart shoppers), but I quickly reversed my pants in the front seat of O's car while parked at the deserted beach.

For some reason my friends J. and O. thought the whole episode was hysterically funny. We laughed so hard I thought I might have to purchase some new underwear at Walmart!

GOP Rally at the Delta Plex

Fire in an overhead light!

Several times we were asked "are you fired up"? Just as John James (running for US Senate) was finishing up his speech, an overhead lamp fired up and started dropping bits of flaming debris. A Walker fireman soon put it out with a poof or two from a fire extinguisher.

Yes, J. and I attended our second rally at the Delta Plex. It was a place I could wear my (blue) MAGA hat (purchased at the last rally) without being booed! And it was a very fired up crowd of deplorables. No need to be quiet about being a conservative in this crowd.

Vice President Mike Pence was the final speaker of the three hour event. He said "I keep hearing about this blue wave coming; lets make sure it hits a red wall!

It was a very small rally compared to a Trump event. And Kent County GOP people seem to be a very white crowd. I didn't say old white. We claimed infirmity and were allowed to sit on the bleachers, but half the crowd stood for the entire rally.

The only other thing that surprised me was that the rally opened with a prayer. Frequent mentions of God received loud applause ... which was a good thing!

A Weekend at Lake Palmer

You say, "where the heck is Lake Palmer"? It is near the little village of Colon. Does that help?

Anyway, it was the second annual sibling weekend for the husband and his 4 siblings.

We all brought food, picked a bedroom on one of three levels of the lovely new (or completely renovated) VRBO lakeside home and made ourselves comfortable. The short weekend commenced at 4:00 on Friday and ended at noon Sunday. After everyone packed up their coolers and luggage it took only minutes to get the place back to almost perfect. We would have been charged extra if any of the furniture was moved. For my part, I wiped the main bathroom sinks clean and dry with a washcloth before tossing it on the bathroom floor, as per instruction. It looked perfect. I did not scrub the toilet. We pay a hefty fee for cleaning, after all. I also loaded a last load of dishes and wiped down the refrigerator. Someone swept the leaves up in the entry.

There was a lot of talking, reminiscing and looking at old photos and videos. There will probably be less of that as P. runs out of old photos and movie clips to archive and digitize ... or if memories fade so much that nobody cares!

K. and I managed to stave off a session of old camp songs. We said just let us know, and we will go for a walk. That kind of stifled it, I think. Those old trite, insipid and repetitive songs from the 50's grate on my ears. They must conjure up good memories of family times or car trips or something. I have heard them all. Many times. I am just old enough and grouchy enough now to leave the room when they happen to erupt!

Grandma (from 1988) on video!

I brought some snacks for arrival time, as did others. We had meat and cheese and grapes and olives, but a fancy charcuterie presentation never materialized! Everyone brought cookies, and someone even made rice krispie bars. And adult beverages. It was too much.

But the pizza from Five Star Pizza in Colon was a hit, and not that expensive. Two large and loaded pizzas seemed to satisfy. (That was our offering--so easy that I almost felt guilty). Some had ice cream later--3 flavor choices of Hudsonville. I was going to buy some, but Ruth beat me to it!

A trip of 20 miles or so to an old cottage owned by the parents near Nottawa for three years, back in the day was the only excursion. It looked very much the same. The back porch had been improved with sliders. We knocked and peeked through the windows. A sibling photo was taken by Sand Lake. No one expressed regret for not keeping the tiny cottage in the family.

The husband's older brother gave him an early birthday gift--a framed poster of a challenging golf hole.

We did a re-creation of an old photo from the 50's of the three eldest siblings on the sofa in an oddly posed Sunday-best photo. P. showed old movies and RM showed slides of a recent trip to Amsterdam.

Ruth made a huge Saturday night meal: seven layer salad, beef stroganoff, steamed broccoli, homemade rolls, apple pie and ice cream. And the wine flowed freely.

Also, we roasted marshmallows for s'mores by the fire pit. I enjoyed wine and music rather than more food. P. played "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" for me on his Bose speaker and I requested "The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich." P. is into Andrea Bocelli and played his popular duet with Ed Sheeran. Check it out on YouTube!

It was a successful weekend. A little sunshine would have made it more cheery, but we had a (gas) fire going and a fall-scented candle flickering at all times (and plenty of wine). The place has already been booked for next year!

Falling Leaves and Fleeting Time

"There is a season
And a time to every purpose, under heaven"

Time...

So precious. So often squandered.

Today the husband's Mom would have turned 100 years old. She is not so long gone (just 3 years) that the family does not still feel the loss of her presence. The siblings are gathering again this weekend for what is planned to be an annual fall event of fun and remembrances. One of the activities this year will be re-creating an old childhood photo. That should be good for a laugh! (No bathtub scenes, lol.)

We are the elder generation now, and even as time marches on, we are marching onward and forward (sometimes lurching, slouching couching, lazy-boying?) through our last year in our sixties--and after that any claims to youthfulness will deny reality.

(Something very special is already planned between our Big Birthdays next year. But I am not going to let the cat out of the bag just yet.) Hint: dieting and wardrobe shopping must commence now, according to our organizers!

Yesterday and today have been gorgeous, sunny days--a welcome treat after last weekend delivered a variety of unpleasant weather--hail, wind, rain and near-freezing nights. But I didn't notice that any white flakes made it across to our side of the lake. It was good to spend a few hours snuggled in, on the couch, with the current book club selection about the species invasions that have occurred in the Great Lakes since the St. Lawrence Seaway was opened. I almost made it through the book, which evolved (rather, devolved) into a boggy biology course. The detailed description of the ugly sea lamprey's sexual habits was the highlight, lol.

Poets have long been comparing the seasonal changes in the natural world--the dying leaves, the falling white snow, etc. with various aspects of aging. People tend to die in the fall, too. I'm not sure why, but it happens. Both of the husband's parent's died then--latter October and late November.

I am not so inclined to write poetry, even when a perfect fall day speaks to something deep inside me.

My mother (who would have turned 111 this November), often expressed herself in "poetry" of the old-fashioned kind--the effort of someone who ended formal schooling at age 12, in 1919. Are any of those masterpieces buried somewhere in my vast basement archives? They were terrible poems, really--loaded with emotion, tortured pentameter and forced rhymes. But I would actually love to come across one now. Time to start digging.

Time moves too quickly sometimes, and I fall way behind. But the cooler weather and impending winter stimulate a new sense of urgency.

Yesterday I finally managed to write (and fill with a few crisp bills) a graduation card (due last June!). But I also mailed both of our ballots (71 cents each) at the post office. That felt good. No October surprise is going to change my vote or party!

After errands today, I drove through two parks, looking for October clouds and color. The sunshine, blue skies and gorgeous white clouds renewed my spirit. I sensed nothing of impending fall death! And the photos provide something more for this post than my rambling thoughts!

A Big Blue Wave?

A big blue dark and stormy Michigan wave

Will there be a blue wave (or even a tsunami) in November ... or is there a red tide rising? I don't know what color will surface, but if I'm not seeing some red by the end of the night, I will be blue!

Another important election day is just 19 days away. Do we trust the polls? Will we be as surprised (delighted? demoralized?) as we were just two years ago?

Historically, the political party in power loses seats in the midterm.

I will be home watching--whatever the winning color may be ...

Perhaps there will be  a bit of purple on the electoral map.

If Michigan can avoid the blues, I may have my *first US Senator in place, a wonderful West Point grad, vet and business man, with slave cred by the name of John James. Also he would be Michigan's first black senator. Then I can abandon John Thune, whom I have long claimed to represent me from my state of birth.

There will be some red wine available--for celebration (or for drowning my sorrows in a wave of the wrong color.)

Meanwhile, the color white is imminent. My phone today keeps flashing a warning that "sloppy, wet snowflakes are possible in parts of W. Michigan this weekend."

It is still October--but I can handle a few white snowflakes of the sort that fall from the sky ... even if sloppy and wet!

Let's hear it for the red, white and not-blue!

Edit:
*I forgot about Spencer Abraham who was voted into office in the year of the "Gingrich Revolution" (1994), and voted out after voting for the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

Art Prize 10 - And Other Thoughts on a Monday Morning in Michigan

Art Prize finalist - beautiful Michigan "Mitten" at night

I didn't sleep well Saturday night after being out for the evening, even though I usually sleep better than most people that I know who are my age!

I am learning that as one ages, sleep (and staying asleep) becomes a precious commodity. Some of my friends wake up in the wee hours almost every night. And after snoozing through the news, I often get sleepy about the time they are waking up!

So, anyway, after church and a 4-burner meal plus oven (fried hamburger, spaghetti sauce, pasta noodles, steamed broccoli--plus spaghetti squash cooked for an hour in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper and no water--my latest prep method, if there is time) there was a mess of pans in the kitchen and a mess of dirty bowls and leftovers. I cleared the table, ran one load of dishes and then immediately retreated to the couch, happy to have the luxury of an extended nap on a dreary Sunday afternoon.

After getting all my machines "up and running" this morning I am sitting here, waiting for the day to brighten--and it is!

All three of my big trash bins need to be filled and put out on the street later today--which means emptying all the indoor trash, raking up the honey locust pods in the front lawn in order to finish filling the large yard waste container (which costs a $6 tag to empty), and breaking down a few Amazon boxes for the recycling bin (which is a free service). And if that's all I get done today, it's okay!

Incredibly, the highs for the next two days are predicted to be in the 80's--and humid (84 degrees for Tuesday). I am so thankful to have that new AC working efficiently! We have had a few spectacular fall days, but enough already of this hot and humid weather. And the rain. All summer I begged the heavens to rain down on me and lately, it has done almost nothing but rain!

Saturday afternoon I attended the wedding ceremony of young church friends. A hired cellist was the star of the wedding music but a foot-washing ceremony by the new couple (accompanied by an interesting solo from the pastor which featured a new-to-me song that demanded a few high tenor A's) was the most remarkable feature of the wedding. A dessert reception followed, before the invited guests traveled out of town for pasta and dancing at a barn venue.

Everyone I talked with after the wedding was experiencing extra aches and pains. I think the oppressive weather was causing some arthritis spikes. One 70-something man (BVT) admitted that his whole body hurt. But he was still smiling.

Around 6:30 PM I was picked up by J. (and J.) for a night on the town, the last night of Art Prize 10.  It was gloomy and the temperature was at 61 degrees--which suited me just fine. After exploring one indoor church venue, we walked ... along the Grand River to the Grand Rapids Public Museum and through the city streets. Cities and lighted art pieces take on a little night magic!

The winners have all been picked and yesterday was the last day for viewing. Next year, after 10 straight years, Art Prize will take a break. The quality of the art, and the enthusiasm is beginning to wane, I hear.

Wooden "Champions"--Arnold, Ali and more - at the JW Marriott, shipped all the way from New Jersey.

We ended the night at a new (City Built Brewing Co.) brewery, enjoying some good stout and porter samples, an amazing pork belly taco and some other south of the border fare. That's probably why I couldn't sleep--too much good food and drink still in process!

A pretty good weekend, really.

(And yes, there was that Saturday morning vote to confirm a new SCOTUS nominee!)

I still have work to do this fall, including putting the gardens "to bed" for the winter. I went to a fall garden lecture series event last week on the subject and was reminded it is time to get the job done. I am ready this year to pull out all those gorgeous blooming begonias and Sunpatiens ... now! October 25 is the actual date for the church garden pull-out and pizza party, but enough already. The time for all (vegetation) to die is nigh!

I'm sure there will be many perfect fall days yet this October ... crisp mornings (and crisp apples to pick), sunny afternoons, gorgeous leaves, and azure blue skies populated with fluffy white clouds.

An October sky is to die for! Please let the rain stop for a few days!

Quantum Meditation - early evening in front of the Public Museum

A September Day at our Great Lake

A calm late September "wine o'clock" lake

I arrived at the lake in time to leave for dinner at Clementine's in downtown South Haven. I was ready for a casual low maintenance night with the girls (K. and M.) at the cottage, but I threw on a little lipstick and was good to go for a late Monday night in South Haven. I succumbed to my default choice--a burger and a draft beer. It was a little loaded (the burger) and not-so-little delicious:

After returning home, I persuaded the girls to watch the movie Book Club. It is well done, but not nearly as laugh-out-loud funny as I had remembered, having previously seen it in a theater with J.

After the movie, everyone was still sated, and sleepy. It was very quiet at the lake house and we all slept long and well.

In the morning, after scrambled eggs and coffee, we hiked on the beach (which is currently missing sand) to a new public access point and then through the forest back to the cottage. Just to be sure, I washed my ankles with soap upon returning, even though I didn't spot any poison ivy on our trek through the woods.

A flight of  samples at "Three Blondes Brewing"--the  Dutch owner has three blonde daughters!

Then we went back into town. We bought Honey Crisp apples and other goodies at the Dutch Farm Market. I shared a beer flight and an appetizer with K. on the patio of the brand new South Haven Brewery. And then we topped it off with a dip of ice cream at the historic (1916) Sherman's Ice Cream, which I have somehow never before had a chance to enjoy, even though it has always been a favorite stop for those travelling between Grand Rapids and Chicago.

We returned home via the scenic route and settled in for a view of a very placid lake (above and below), abundant sunshine, and a few bottles of wine! I brought along and shared a Joel Gott 2015 Pinot Noir which was left over (gifted to me) from the Tennessee trip. It was smooth and delicious and made me wish I hadn't shared! A review referenced strawberry, cherry jam and herbs with a scent of barnyard (oh no!) but I didn't distinguish all that!

Another shot of lake "placid"

Finally the predicted bad weather rolled over the lake, dampened our fire and forced us indoors for the night. I decided to stay another night and watch another movie. We viewed Something the Lord Made, from 2004, which was compelling. It was based on the true story of the first heart surgeon and his uneducated black assistant who performed a successful, ground-breaking surgery on a "blue" baby at Johns Hopkins in 1944.

In the morning the sun was returning, but the lake was still violent with crashing, angry waves. I took a short movie (which I won't include) just before I left, which captured the sound perfectly.

View from the newly constructed "perch"

It was good to see our Michigan Great Lake again ... both calm and wavy.

Our book club is reading The Death And Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan this month. It is well written so far, with very descriptive language, which I love. If it gets too preachy/environmental I will not be as happy with it, but those 5 Great Lakes are indeed a treasure, holding 20% (I just learned) of all the fresh water in the world!

Morning waves - crashing and violent!

SCOTUS Update

I did not check the schedule for the hearings between accuser Ford and defendant SCOTUS nominee Kavanaugh on Thursday morning, but I did set a recording before leaving the house.

It was church garden morning. Five of us cleared 6 bags of debris from the gardens on a gorgeous, sunny and cool day. J. rode along to the dump (city yard waste facility after we packing about 10 bags total into the Subaru. After dumping we treated ourselves to a light lunch of tacos and salad (and a small draft) on the way home, again enjoying the spectacular fall weather at an outdoor venue.

I did not enjoy the rest of the day...

Without hearing more than a few snippets of the morning testimony on the radio, in which Dr. Ford apparently appeared credible, sympathetic and 100% sure that she had been assaulted by a 17-year-old Brett Kavanaugh 35 (or 36?) years ago (with no old or new corroborating evidence being presented), I turned on the TV just in time to hear Judge Kavanaugh's opening statement. After that I was transfixed ... riveted to the end of this live drama that was unfolding.

Today I hear that Judge Kavanaugh has been voted out of committee, with the questionable vote of retiring Senator Jeff Flake now in the yes column. It appears that the Judge will also still be voted into office by the Senate with another narrow, partisan vote.

I have never heard anything like this!

In these very divided times politically in the nation, there is little consensus and rare compromise. But the borking, the high-tech lynching of past Republican Scotus nominees was nothing compared to this attempt by the democrats on the judiciary committee, along with their media supporters, to completely destroy a good man's character and threaten his family.

I'm sure there have been other equally dramatic moments of conflict at the highest levels of government, but not on live TV. None that I can recall.

Senator Lindsay Graham gave voice to all the pent up frustration, with a blazing indictment of the Senate democrats with their rhetoric and their tactics as well as articulating an impassioned defense of Judge Kavanaugh.

I have never seen anything like it!

Judge Kavanaugh came out swinging--angry and emotional, defending his good name and years of unblemished service, and the honor of his family, who have been smeared and threatened, especially in the last 10 days--by the media and the democrats. He has been called evil by a US senator and a gang rapist by a cable news pundit. He denied it all--with passion, righteous indignation and tears--choking on his words, especially when he referenced his family and the dozens of colleagues, friends and classmates who testified and wrote letters in his defense.

And later they said this angry man was not of a suitable temperament to be a Supreme Court Justice.

This is about destroying a conservative Catholic candidate at any cost.

Central to what many have been led to believe is that his vote on the court might be the one which could overturn Roe v. Wade.

Save abortion at any cost! It is like a sacrament to those on the far left! (Of course, this fight is about much more than just abortion, but the issue, along with birth control, is used in a powerful way in partisan politics.)

So Judge Kavanaugh has been declared guilty until proven innocent!

What a sad and ugly day in the US Senate ... and in the country!

The Check is in the Bank

It is finished. The day before the closing of our student rental house I did a final tidy and inspection. Found a key to the back door and left it there. Moved the trash receptacles and swept underneath. Cleaned some mud off the patio and raked up some sticks. The backyard pile of sticks was reduced, but not eliminated. I just couldn't seem to get to the bottom of it! I thought they could use the old dry sticks in their Chimenea. That's what I told myself! And some said it really didn't matter.The house was sold! On the previous Saturday I did a final weedwacking, swept out the grass from the shed and picked up the nails from the shed door repair, which was demanded after the inspection. I was glad to find the owner's manual for the John Deere lawn tractor (now in our garage) still on the shelf.

But now that we have received and deposited the check, it is finally over. I hope the new owner will care for the house and try to be nice to the (nice) neighbors. And I hope he will give the white star magnolia a drink of water during the next long hot summer. We didn't do much new landscaping during all those years, but the magnolia, I think, was a nice addition to the front yard.

 Spring of 2017