Least Useful Skill?

(P.S. I can't do any of these things)

What’s the least useful skill you possess?

Nothing would come to me until I flipped this question to, “What is one thing I know how to do that I would not miss knowing how to do.”

Even then I had to think a bit.

And a bit more.

My aha moment was the skill to speak French. Primarily because I am not fluent and what I do recall is pathetically unhelpful. J’entre dans la salle de class means I enter the class.

Since I am not entering a French class, or any other class for that matter, it is a useless skill.

For now.

How about you? What useless skill do you possess?

Historical Day and A Neighborly Visit

A little after 4:00 pm today we got a text from one of our neighbors inviting us over to visit with them and another couple in the neighborhood. Joe had just finished working in the yard, and I was waiting for the jury to enter the Manhattan courtroom with their verdict. It only took a few minutes for the verdict and polling of each juror to take place. Having served on a criminal jury and the Yolo County Grand jury in the past, I think our jury system serves us well.

I also know how I felt as a juror in making sure I was following instructions and that I was looking only at the evidence before me. I cannot speak for others, only myself, when I say I felt an immense responsibility to make the "right decision” based on the evidence before us. In our case the defendant had five charges. We hung on two and acquitted on three charges. The prosecution’s case was poor. It did not help that the only “witness” to the crime was a drug addict and during her testimony she appeared to be on drugs. We deliberated for three and a half days. It would not have taken that long, and we ended up with the hung jury on two counts, except we had two jurors who refused to consider the evidence. They insisted that their ‘gut feeling” outweighed the evidence. One juror said, “ I know he must be guilty of something, or he would not have been arrested. They probably cannot tell us everything because then we would know he is guilty.”  This person could agree to the not guilty on three counts, but felt they needed to hold out on the other two counts. No amount of discussion, re-evaluation of facts could change her mind. The defendant was never re-tried on the two counts where we hung.

Based on my personal experience, the Manhattan jury did their job in convicting the defendant on all counts. I wish the trial could have been televised so that Americans had the opportunity to see and hear the evidence presented. I like to think that people watching would have understood our legal system better and come to understand that the facts speak for themselves. This case was never a political stunt or retaliation – it was about holding someone, who thought he was above the law, accountable. If the jury had found him not guilty, I would still support the jury’s decision. A person charged is innocent until found guilty.

Back to the neighbors! We joined them for snacks and sangria. We chatted awhile, getting to know more about each other, and then invited them over to check out our house. I did warn them that I write a daily blog and that I am a stalker (information junkie or researcher could also be used to describe my thirst for information). It seems I may not be the only 'stalker' in the neighborhood!

Joe and I enjoyed getting to know more of our neighbors today. All four of the adults have great energy!  I look forward to getting to know them better in the coming years.

High School Reunion Anxiety

Fairview High School class of 1974 has planned a 50^th class reunion at the end of June. I RSVP’d earlier in the week. It took me more than a month to make the decision. It will be the first of the reunions held that I plan to attend. I know they have held less than ten reunions over the years.

Yesterday I mailed the check for the reunion dinner. Today I booked the hotel. During my daily meditation this afternoon, my chest began feeling tight and I began to cry. It only took a moment for the word reunion to pop into my mind. I realized that I have strong feelings about the reunion.

It is not something I want to do. It is something I will do for three reasons.

One, a reason for moving to Minnesota was to be closer to Megan and also to my family in Ohio. This means I can also be close enough to attend a class reunion.

Two, I liked the people I went to school with during junior high and high school. I saw my friend Jean last year on our trip around the United States. It was the first time I had seen her in 49 years, and I enjoyed seeing her. I had wanted to see two other high school friends but one was recovering from hip surgery and another was in Florida when we were in Ohio. I have heard all three will be at the reunion and that alone makes the trip worthwhile.

The third reason is that I know I have a false narrative in my head about feeling like I am an outsider. I am not. That is a leftover feeling from high school when I believed that I did not fit in or that I wasn’t good enough. I know a small part of that comes from the school counselor telling me that I should not even think about college, that my aptitude meant I should get married and have babies.

I know that he was wrong about my aptitude. I did go to community college and get an A.S. in Business while working full-time in my twenties. I am grateful to be blessed with a good marriage and loved being a mom to Megan. In 1996, Joe encouraged me to go back to college and finish my bachelor’s degree. I graduated at forty-two years old, while carrying a full academic load, co-parenting two daughters, and working full time.

I enjoyed my career in business for the most part. I met more than a few of  my friends as a result of the jobs I worked. I had the opportunity to work with and to be encouraged by at least  fabulous business owners over the years. I taught business owners, managers, and employees about leadership qualities that helped to make their careers and workplaces better. I got to try sales with Mary Kay and kept that business active for ten years. Again, I met fabulous women I still call friends. My stints at substitute teaching over the years allowed me to learn more about the art of teaching and to be home in the afternoons with my daughter during her fourth and fifth grade school years and then during her high school years. I got to build and care for two residential libraries for Americans and Egyptians in Maadi, Egypt for one year. And now that I am retired, I  write every day!

I admire the friends I will see at the end of June. I know they are all living their best lives as well. I am hoping by the end of the month I will have replaced my “fear” with excitement. I long to let the excitement overcome my anxiety at seeing people I have not seen in fifty years and to feel happy at seeing the handful of people I have stayed in touch with throughout the years. 

Seventy-Fourth Turn Around the Sun

 We are celebrating Joe’s seventy-fourth birthday in Joe style.

 

Pruning trees, shoveling and raking stone, and watching YouTube videos about machining. Which is what Joe is doing most days when the weather is good. For him, birthdays are no big deal. He appreciates the birthday wishes and the notes that friends and family posted on Facebook. He appreciates that Megan brought lasagna over for dinner, so he won’t have to cook or clean up the mess.

When I asked him three separate times what he would like for a birthday gift, his response was “the trees.” This translates to a tree trimmer coming to remove a large Ash tree that is diseased, and about six other smaller trees on our property that are either dying or taking up room where fruit trees can be planted. We are hoping “the trees” can be removed in the next few weeks.

Joe started his morning with a trip to the grocery store. While I was entering the receipt into our budget system, I noted that the seedless watermelon he purchased was $15.72. I called the grocery store as the watermelon was advertised at $4.99 each. This is still a bit pricier than we are used to in California BUT it is his birthday. I called the store, and they explained that the clerk hit the wrong key. Joe took the receipt back and they credited us with the difference. We learned it was the clerk’s first week in the job and he was relieved to discover she was not in trouble for a mistake.

The New York Times published an article today, “Why Gardening Is So Good for You,” about the positive physical and mental health benefits of gardening. Learning about the research made Joe’s day as he loves working in the yard. He enjoys getting his hands in the dirt, he enjoys pulling weeds, he enjoys climbing into trees and pruning or picking fruit.

Right now, he is outside cutting the dead tree branches into smaller pieces so they will fit in the Subaru. His hope is to get a trip into the Saint Michael Compost Yard. If you asked him, he’d say he is experiencing the ideal birthday.

P.S. We have a family rule that when Joe is on a ladder he has to have a spotter in case of an accident. While spotting, I used the opportunity to shoot photos from my vantage point. I think they show how beautiful our neighborhood looks.

North side of the neighborhood

South side of the neighborhood.

What's the Dumbest Way You've Injured Yourself?

The dumbest way I injured myself occurred while cleaning a small fishbowl. Joe was at work and Megan was in high school when I decided to clean our small round fishbowl one afternoon. I had emptied the rock out of the bottom and was running warm water into the bowl, over the sink, when it shattered.

I did not get my hands out of the way, just as it shattered our home phone rang. I remember wrapping my right hand in a towel and grabbing the phone. It was Megan's school. They asked me to come pick her up as she had fainted during class. I knew I couldn't drive the twenty minutes to Natomas so I called Joe and explained that I had cut my fingers and would need stitches, I asked if he could come home so we could drive to Natomas, pick-up Megan, and then go to the Woodland Clinic so I could get sewn up. 

While I waited for Joe to drive the ten minutes from work to home, I called the Woodland Clinic Family Medicine and asked about seeing someone for stitches. They put me on hold for about five minutes. When the receptionist came back on the phone, she said they had found one doctor willing to do stitches, but it would be an hour’s wait. I was happy as it would fit into our schedule, and I would not have to pay $100 to use the emergency room, which was the other option.

We never figured out why Megan passed out at school. She went back to school the next day. I had five stitches in my right ring finger to reattach the pad that had sliced off. I did not recall picking the pad up and sticking it on my finger but apparently, I had before I wrapped my hand with the towel. My middle right finger, the pad hanging by a thread, only needed four stitches. The doctor I saw said she was glad she had the opportunity to practice her stitching. A senior doctor came in at the end of the job and reviewed the other doctor's handiwork. The senior doctor told me that they rarely have the chance to stitch people up since most people prefer to go to the Emergency Room. I was happy because I saved $90.00, my co-pay for a doctor's visit was only $10.00 and I knew I would have had to wait hours at the hospital.

I have not cleaned a fishbowl since.

What Do You Treat Yourself to Now, That You Couldn’t Have As A Kid?

What do you treat yourself to now, that you couldn’t have as a kid?

Unlimited reading time. Reading as often and as long as I want to read. My parents would send me out to play so that I wouldn’t sit with my nose in a book all day long. My teachers in fourth and fifth grade had a program where we could read booklets and answer questions during any time all of our other subject work was finished. Each box represented a different level. I think I had finished all of the levels by the middle of each school year.

Weekly visits to aunts, uncles, and cousins often meant a new supply of books to read. I usually was permitted a little time with books and then sent out to play. I often re-read books when the supply was limited. I loved words and the stories that could be told with words. I enjoyed spelling and grammar. I would read cereal boxes, magazines, albums with the lyrics, cookbooks, and anything else I could get my hands on.

The opportunity to read whenever I want is one of the best parts of retirement. It helps that Joe loves to read as well. On our 2023 trip around part of America we both enjoyed libraries as an escape from bad weather and on days when we wanted to rest.

Retirement means I can read as often and as long as I like. I like!

From BKK to MSP

Last night our Minnesota family members held their monthly international dinner at Naviya’s Thai Kitchen in the Linden Hills neighborhood of  Minneapolis.

The food was amazing. They make all of  their own sauces from scratch, and I could tell. I have eaten Thai before, and nothing has come close to the Naviya sauces. A peanut sauce was served with our appetizer of fresh shrimp and chicken spring rolls. Joe and I were eating the leftover peanut sauce with our spoons.

Our goal at the monthly dinner is to try as many different foods as possible so we each order a main course and share. The server last night was one of  the best we have had since starting the dinners this year. Understanding that we were sharing, he brought small soup cups with a ladle and extra plates to share a Thai salad. He was especially attentive to Caleb and Charlotte. Not all of the restaurants we have been to have been as gracious about children. We always try to make sure there is a children’s menu as it is one indicator of whether children are welcome.

The food can be ordered at the desired level of spiciness to satisfy each individual’s palate. Joe,  Jeremy, and Caleb like hotter ranges than Charlotte and me. Megan is unable to eat anything with any kind of peppers in it as she has an allergic reaction. We appreciated that the waiter, as he delivered the food, told Megan which foods to avoid because pepper had been used in the sauce or as a main ingredient.

The spice levels chart on the menu:

* Minnesota Spice (mild)

** A Kick

*** Medium

**** Spicy

***** Really Spicy

 

This was Jeremy and the children’s first Thai food. They have eaten in local Sushi places and the children opted for the “known” of cheese wontons and fried chicken wings as their main meals. They did try a bite of two or three other items ordered. Joe and I are happy about this as it is really the cultural exposure and “trying new experiences” that we are excited about for them. Caleb and Charlotte are champions at going with the flow.

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Pad Thai with Beef

Pho Soup with Tofu

Spicy Lemongrass Soup with Shrimp

Wontons's (Also called Cheese Puffs on Kid's Menu

Mango Sticky Rice (Dessert)

After dinner we came back to the house to eat our YUM snack box and rate the items. This month our scoreboard was filled out by Caleb. The x’d out items under Megan are for items that she could not try as the ingredients listed peppers. One of the snacks, Tasto Devil Emperor Chili Potato Chips were too spicy for all of us. When Jeremy and Joe think something is too hot – it IS too hot. Everybody liked the Sour Punk Spaghetti which are gummy strings in flavors of strawberry, apple, lemon, and blue raspberry. The QQ Green Tea Matcha Crème Coated Cocoa Biscuit Sticks were a hit with everyone except Jeremy.

This month’s trivia train winner was unclear to me. I believe Jeremy, Joe, and Charlotte tied with three of  the eight possible answers. My favorite trivia question for the month was:

In Thailand, it’s considered good luck to give two ______ as a wedding gift.

A)    Pink Orchids

B)    Elephants

C)    Bowls of Rice

D)    Siamese Cats

The answer Siamese cats!

After snacks Jeremy, Charlotte, and Caleb played pool. I could hear the kids getting coaching from Jeremy. Caleb won!

P.S. BKK are the call letters for Suvarnabhumi Airport which is Bangkok, Thailand's International airport. MSP are the call letters for Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport. The title 'From BKK to MSP' is used on Naviya's webiste and also as a sign in the interior of the restaurant.

Farmer Joe Making Pretty

Joe and I ran errands this morning during the rain. Leaving the afternoon free for Joe to do yard work. A trip to the local nursery to purchase a Meyer Lemon tree for the sunroom, and flowers, basil, and Italian parsley for the planter boxes on our front porch.

Close up of Calibrachoa - an annual we planted in porch planter box

The planter box with colors like Tik Tok Apricot, Pumpkin Spice, 

Butter, Blood Orange, and Chameleon Tart Deco

Basil and Italian Parsley

Hosta planted in new retaining wall on south side of our property. The partial fence is

the next door neighbor's house, they only have the one wall in front to

block off their side patio from the street.

Then we went to Menard’s in Buffalo to purchase a four-foot ladder, potting soil, and a larger pot and rolling plant stand for the lemon tree. I was the chauffeur. We left the house at 9:00 am and finished around 12:30 pm. We stopped at Culvers for a bit of lunch to eat in the car on the way home. I like their drive-thru set-up. You order, pay for your food at the window, receive a sticker and then move to an available waiting slot in the parking lot. Your food is brought to your car window when the order is ready. This means smaller orders aren’t sitting in a line waiting for someone parked at the window with a big order.

Culver’s sticker made me smile:

Mosquitos

Today I researched and ordered mulch and decorative rock for the areas around the retaining wall to be delivered next week. The top of the wall is an exposed area that needs to be filled in. Right now, it has small pools of water and is attracting mosquitos. I had to kill two of them that got into the house today. They were huge mosquitos. I don’t recall Ohio or California mosquitos being as large as the ones in our house.

Joe worked in the yard cutting dead underbrush and low tree limbs most of the afternoon. We went to ACE hardware and bought a wheelbarrow, brooms to sweep the driveway and street, and potting soil. It made Joe feel happy. I like to see him happy.

Looking out one of the sunroom windows, as I write, I see that the back neighbors are sitting around their firepit and visiting. We have a firepit and the sellers left wood. Once we get the mosquitoes under control, we can sit at our firepit!

I am getting excited that in a month Jeff, Kathy, Renee, and Jami are going to stay for a couple of nights on their way to Yellowstone and other sites. Guess I better get back on my lake research. Earlier this week we went to Buffalo and WAZE took us a different route back to Saint Michael. The route took us right by Pulaski Lake which happens to be on my list already. I had not realized it was in the town of Buffalo. We drove right by a public area with a boat ramp. Part of the route was right along the shoreline which made for a beautiful drive. In the past, we drove around Buffalo Lake. I did not realize they had two lakes within the city limits.

Lake Pulaski, Buffalo, MN

Yesterday I wrote about the upcoming demolition of the family home in Ney, Ohio. Three of my cousins wrote (on Facebook) letting me know the house had good memories for them and that they feel saddened by the news. We get to keep the memories  though.

One Door Opens

On occasion I will sit down to write and nothing ‘feels’ right. It is not so much writer’s block as the thought, “what do people want to read today?” I then go through the process of convincing myself that it is not the purpose of the blog to please other people. That sets me back a few minutes as I try to remember what my purpose is and ask myself if I need to re-evaluate my purpose.

I am not sure if it has changed over time. Somedays it feels like a daily journal. I like to think my style is that of a lifestyle essayist. On the order of Erma Bombeck. Only she wrote about her children and family life. I am writing about retirement, grandmotherhood, and daily life in Minnesota.

Today is one of the days when I start to write and after about five paragraphs end up trashing what I wrote. It felt forced. I was trying to share why I wanted to buy this beautiful custom built home instead of something simpler and less expensive. The piece felt repetitious and whiney. I really, really, really hate when I sound or feel whiney. It also felt as if I was trying to justify why we bought this house and I do not feel the need to justify.

The truth is that the moment I walked into the house I loved it. I felt it in my bones. This was THE house. Yes, it was far more elegant than I would have pictured in the past. Yes, it is much bigger than what we have lived in in the past. It is perfect for us in this moment in time. I feel happy in this house.

Last Thursday, my niece, Courtney, sent me a message that our family home in Ney, Ohio is scheduled to be demolished. After my mom sold it, the house went downhill. The house built in 1900 is a 2-story with 1657 square feet. of living space. We moved into the house in 1968 when I was twelve years old. It was owned by a family in Defiance Ohio who agreed to rent it to my folks with an option to purchase. I believe after I left home in 1974, they were in a position to buy it. Within a couple of years of my leaving, my grandmother Hudkins (my mom’s mom) moved into the house as well. The house was set-up in a way that allowed her to have her own kitchen/dining area, living room, and bedroom/bathroom combination.

When Courtney wrote and told me about the scheduled demolition, she noted that she had told her dad, my youngest brother Todd, and that he didn’t seem phased by the news. I texted my other two brothers, Kenny and Jeff, and they responded that it was a blessing the house is being torn down as it had gone downhill in the ten years since mom sold it. I feel sad that the house I loved so much will no longer exist. Rumor has it that the property will be used for a parking lot for the Ney Park next door.

I remember the first day we moved into the Ney  house. The five of us, children, had not seen the house prior to moving day. We were moving from an old farmhouse in Jewell, Ohio to what felt like a mansion. The house in Jewell did not have indoor plumbing. At night we had a bucket we used if we needed to go to the bathroom and during the day we used an outhouse. We pumped the water we needed for cooking, washing dishes, and sponge bathing. Once a week we would drive to Defiance to my grandparents to take a bath.

The first thing we did in the Ney house was to run from each of the three bathrooms and flush the toilets and run water in the sinks. The Ney house was luxury! We could take baths every day!

A photo of  the house in 2018 (after mom had sold it),

A more recent photo from Google Street Views.

Our house in Woodland was perfect. I loved it. I did not pick that house though; I picked its owner. Joe purchased the house as a single dad. The house in Woodland served us well with our children and friends.

This house, though, brings me more joy because Joe and I picked it out together. When I compare the Ney house with the Saint Michael house, I feel the same excitement that I felt at twelve years old moving to the Ney house.

One door closes and another door opens.

 

Fictional Characters as Influencers?

We had our first dinner guests this evening. Anne, our real estate agent, and her husband, Derrick. We enjoyed spending time with them.

The construction company came in this morning, in the rain, to finish the wall work. Our yard no longer exists. We now have mostly mud and bare earth. Joe has quite a bit of work to do to get the yard we want. You can bet it will be minimal grass.

A few storms moved through today. The last one while we were eating dinner, was particularly ‘stormy.’ At one point the entire dining room seemed full of lightning. It was pretty but also a bit scary. It was soft lightning, not a bolt.

My friend, Marjorie, wrote a piece today on fictional characters that influenced her. She had ten. I really wish she hadn’t used a picture that reminded me of Pippi Longstocking with the blog. I expected to see Pippi on her list. Nope.

The irony is Pippi would definitely be on my list. Pippi didn’t care what people thought of her actions or her words. She dressed outrageously as if to say either she did not care about fashion or that she deeply cared about not taking fashion too seriously. Pippi was fiercely independent. She had adventures without much adult supervision. She lived with a monkey and a horse and loved to tell stories. I wanted to be just like her. I have the fashion sense and the love of story telling down. Thank you, Pippi.

I am not sure I can produce nine other fictional characters. I read a lot of books and loved many of the characters and yet to say one influenced me is difficult. I will sleep on it for a few days or weeks to say if others begin to pop into my brain.

Meanwhile, here is a link to Marjorie’s piece on Substack. ten-influential-fictional-characters-who-shaped-me

Can you name ten fictional characters who have influenced you?

The View From Our Dining Room This Morning

I was awakened at 6:30am by the sounds of heavy equipment in the neighborhood. We had received a text last night that block would be delivered this morning. When I first heard the sounds, I thought it was a truck delivering the block for the replacement of two of our retaining walls. We were surprised to discover that construction equipment was also delivered.

By the time I got my lazy bones out of bed, dressed, and down the stairs for a cup of coffee the work was in full mode outside our dining room window. I took photos throughout the day of what I could see from our dining room and sunroom windows. The two-man crew has been working all day in the hopes they can get it done today. It is now 7:00pm and they either took a break for dinner or have finished as it is noticeably quiet.

The crew removing retaining wall #1

Joe digging up plants for transplanting while the crew works on the other side

of the house to remove one of the two retaining walls to be replaced.

Digging out the old wall foundation.

Tearing out the wall.

All done with the demolition part.

Installing new wall in the back. To keep from harming

trees, the new wall at the back of the property is installed in front of the old wall.

The white is the new wall material.

The wall in the foreground of the photo will not be redone as it

is still in good shape. 

We were able to get the address changed on our drivers’ licenses and car registration today. We had been waiting for at least two documents with both our names at the new address. It only took thirty days.

I wanted to share a cute text I got today from my friend Sabrina. A definite laugh out loud moment in my day.

It Didn't Stop Me

I do not know what to write today.

I looked up prompts and none of them inspired me. I tried this one, “Write about an item you have that isn’t expensive but means a lot to you.” All I could think of was our Cutco cheese knife. I decided it did not qualify as inexpensive.

I didn’t think you really wanted to read about a darn cheese knife.

I didn’t think you wanted to read that I am baking cheesy scalloped potatoes with pork chops for dinner. Well, my foodie friends might. I should probably admit that I found a recipe online and then I modified it. This is huge for me as my friends who know me well can attest. I always stick to the recipe on the first try. Then if I like it, I stick to the recipe pretty much forever. I will take risks in other areas of my life, just not with my cooking.

I could tell you for the umpteenth time how I love our new house, our neighbors, the quietness of the neighborhood. Who needs repetition?

I could tell you that the blocks for our retaining wall are supposed to be delivered tomorrow. The construction people have been telling us the wall could not be built sooner because it was too wet. It rained over the past few days so not sure how that will all work. Now they have scheduled the blocks to be delivered so they must know what they are doing. Right?

I could tell you that Caleb will celebrate his tenth birthday next week on Wednesday and that Joe’s birthday is the week after on the 28^th. Joe will be seventy-four for those keeping track.

I could tell you that sitting in the sunroom to write each day feels like I am on a perpetual vacation. I don’t think I have quite accepted this as my space. I am not staying at someone else’s house and borrowing the space for a brief stay. On the other hand, I feel like I should be taking my writing more seriously. Whatever THAT means or looks like. I mean come on, now I have a space that feels like my dream writing room. A dream I’ve carried in my heart and head since the age of ten.

I could tell you that I am happy writing about life as it happens or on topics, I find interesting.

One of my friends called today to ask me about grant writing. I had forgotten I even know anything about grants. She had remembered I worked for a grant writing firm (two different firms, actually) and so in her world I was the expert among her acquaintances. I surprised myself with what I recalled about the process. I did not write the grants, by the way. I did the bookkeeping and administrative functions along with proofreading and data processing. My friend wants to look into obtaining grants for her business. My background was education and non-profit grants.

I could tell you Joe is playing pool by himself. I hear the tap-tap-tap of the balls as he makes shots.

I could tell you that dinner smells amazing.

I may not have known what to write today, it didn’t stop me from writing.

Neighbor Visits (Open House)

We had an amazing visit with a family in our neighborhood last evening. They came with their four daughters ranging in age from fourteen years old to ten months old. We ate ice cream at the kitchen island and visited for a little bit. Then Joe took mom and dad off for a tour of the house while the girls and I talked and sorted through our rock and stone collection.

Mom has a terrific energy and engaging manner about her. When I asked what she enjoys doing when she is not taking care of her family, she laughed. She does like shopping as do all three of the older girls. They enjoy Mall of America (MOA). I teased them that I may have them take my nieces to the MOA when they visit in June! Maybe I can get Megan to drive all of them to Minneapolis and she can find a quiet spot and let them all shop till they drop! I will be out touring lake sites with my Jeff and Kathy.

Our guests also brought us a lovely card, a bottle of wine, and a bottle of champagne. Now they will have to visit again to help us drink it!

Today we had an Open House for our neighbors to drop by and have a tour of the house. While many in the neighborhood were out of town or had prior commitments, we enjoyed meeting and visiting with the people who dropped by.

We served cookies, made by Megan, and strawberry-lemonade punch. The cookies were delicious as well as beautiful.

Cookies and flowers.

Close up of the cookies

One neighbor dropped flowers off on our porch last night, another brought a beautiful plant, and still another gifted us kitchen/bar towels and an aromatherapy hand wash. The cards we received welcoming us to the neighborhood were equally sweet. When I invited people to the Open House, I did not even think about gifts. The thoughtfulness of our neighbors was very touching to Joe and me. The gift we wanted most was getting to meet the neighbors and sharing our home with them.

Kitchen set-up for the Open House

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (a succulent) with Joe in the dining room

We appreciated the energy our neighbors brought to our house today. We are richly blessed.

 

Stormy

Having a sunroom with windows on three sides gives us a window onto thunderstorms as well. The past three days the weather has been in the low seventies, so we have kept the front door and two or three of the ten sunroom windows open to let a cool breeze pass through the house.

I love the sound of thunder. It is one of my favorite soundscapes to listen to in the evenings. Tonight, Mother Nature is providing thunder. No lightening within sight as of yet. I am not a fan of lightning. While it is pretty, it can also be destructive.

Two more neighbors texted us that they will not be able to come to the Open House as they have other plans. One of the neighbors left a bouquet of flowers on our doorstep in a jar of water. They are lovely!

Oops! The lightning has started! I will stop writing and shut down my computer. The lightning was overhead and close.

Sanctuary

 I spent hours of the day laying on our bed unwinding from life. I was up and down taking care of things and then found myself gravitating to our bedroom where it was even quieter than the rest of the house. I did not think it was possible and then realized it’s a heavier kind of quiet, almost as if I were snuggled under an old quilt. Our room feels cozy to me even though it is a good-sized room.

I listened to Calm sleep stories, even though I did not sleep the stories were soothing. I also played a coloring game on my phone for a bit. Today ended up being a day I just checked out of the world around me. At first, I felt guilty until I realized that other people find their own ways to unwind and relax and I do not think they should feel guilty. I needed to give myself some grace.

I finally got with the program and kicked guilt to the curb and wallowed in the beauty of not dusting or preparing for our Open House on Saturday. I can dust tomorrow! I did figure out the punch we will serve. I also planned our meals for the next five days and prepared a grocery list. I kind of fail at being a total slacker… I got close to the goal though.

Tomorrow will be a good day to return to the hustle and bustle of home care. I am already feeling a twinge of “Oh, just go dust this evening. It will not take long at all.” Another voice says, “Well if you wait until tomorrow then the house will not have time to collect much dust for Saturday.”

Another voice is asking me, “How important is it to even dust? Have YOU ever gone to someone’s house and noticed if they have dust on their furniture.” My response is, “No. Maybe they had dusted and that is why I did not notice.”

If I were in Woodland, I would have these conversations with Kim or Ginger. It is most likely their voices I hear anyway.

This morning, we made another trip to the Wright County Recycling Center to get rid of the last of our cardboard from all of the unpacking and deliveries we have received. We are regulars there. Bartenders may know a favorite drink, but you know you’ve really arrived when the recycle attendant automatically directs you to the cardboard section.

We sure do know how to have a fun time.

Joe's Incredible Day!

Joe has been working in the yard and neighbors have been quickly visiting to tell him whether they will be able to make it to the open house on Saturday.

One neighbor that came by is temporarily living in the neighborhood. He and his girlfriend are house sitting for the owner. Another neighbor will not be able to make it as he leaves for Arizona before the weekend. Still another neighbor, directly across from us, said she will be over, and she is looking forward to seeing the inside. Joe met a backyard neighbor over the fence today while he was walking the property line. A small corner of our yard backs up to their white picket fence.

Today was my monthly virtual visit with my cousin Eleanor. Today we chatted for close to 2 hours! I shared with her the videos of three of our four levels. Joe’s level is waiting to be videotaped until after his bookshelves arrive next week.

My visit with Eleanor is one I look forward to each month. I hope she gets out to see me in the next year or so.

Last night I dreamt of my sister, Jeni. I cannot remember the dream itself. I remember that I was incredibly happy to see her, and she was happy to see me. In my dream she was very slender. I remember thinking how wonderful it was that she no longer had to struggle with weight issues. When I first woke up, I still felt excited about seeing her. Then I remembered she died in September 2019 and my happy feelings dissolved and I felt sad that she is gone. I did enjoy the dream while it lasted.

Joe attended a tradeshow at a tool distributor in Minneapolis this morning for two hours. He came home excited as the salespeople said they would set up an account for him to will-call tools once he has his home shop set-up. They also gave him one of their catalogs. Now, a tool catalog is a treasure chest for Joe. Tool catalogs have educational materials like speeds and feeds. His visit put a smile on his face.

While I was chatting with Eleanor, Joe met with a landscape designer from Minneapolis. Joe had told them upfront he only wanted advice. The man who came walked our property and advised Joe on the best way to manage certain areas of the yard to get to Joe’s objectives. Joe offered to pay for his time; however, the man insisted it was okay and gave Joe his card. Yesterday a company Joe had also contacted told him they were too busy to come out. About ten minutes later the woman called back to get Joe’s email and then she sent him links to ethe University of Minnesota’s (UMN) horticulture extension program. They have online free sessions where people can ask questions and get answers from the UMN local extension educator team. They list nine people on the team who are experts on Minnesota growing from small farms to agricultural production systems and general horticulture. I thought it was wonderful that even though her firm did not make onsite visits she wanted to find answers for Joe.

Joe was particularly happy this evening as he had taken two loads of yard waste to the compost site late this afternoon. He had all kinds of wins today from starting his day with the tool distributor open house and meeting people who speak his “tool” language, to working in the yard and clearing undergrowth, to talking to a landscaper, to making two trips to the compost site. There was a beauty to the rhythm of this day. Seeing Joe happy like this reminds me of how he loved his yard and career in California. Yet, he wanted to take the risk/chance and move to Minnesota as he thought it would be better for our future. Today I saw that it can and will be good for us.

Lakes and Rabbit Holes

A busy day  researching nearby lakes and rivers. I started a spreadsheet and vowed I will not research every lake in the state. Wanted to set that boundary with myself right up front. That proud moment reminded me of the last large boundary I set for myself in 2002 when we visited the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The museum houses and displays (they have more in their basement that is not open to the public) artifacts covering over five thousand years. During our visit, there was truly little logical organization of  many of the pieces. My first thought was, “This place needs someone to organize it.” My second thought five  minutes later, I needed time to process, was, “Not me!”

I am quite sure the lake system in our region will be something I can knock out easier than organizing 120,000 artifacts in the Egyptian Museum. That is as long as I control my urge to go down rabbit holes. Like one earlier today when I discovered there was (maybe still is) the abandoned Berning Mill which is mentioned in Pinterest entries for 2009 and 2014 and described as “the haunting beauty of the abandoned Berning Mill in Saint Michael, MN. This hidden gem is nestled along Mill Creek and the Crow River.” It happens to be located 2.4 miles from our house! We will go check it out within the next week or two.

Finding out about Berning Mill  reminded me of our back road tour in Michigan with my cousins Joan and Gary. Then I started reminiscing about the North Carolina roads we explored with our friends in Davidson, NC. Which reminded me of the fun my cousin Tammy and I had when her GPS sent us on a wild Goose chase in Alabama. Not sure Kent found it as funny as we did! My mind didn’t stop though, I remembered the drive to the lake near Lufkin, Texas with cousins Teresa and Johnny. So yes, maybe organizing a museum would be simpler…

I also putzed around the house dusting furniture here and there, cleaning the iRobot vacuum trays out. How odd to have only fine dust and no animal hair in the tray.

For my meditation time I went upstairs to our room. As my meditation time ended, I could hear a neighbor mowing their lawn. I began to focus on the sound and next thing I knew I was waking up from a nap! I haven’t seen a lawn mower listed as a soundscape. Also, there are few things as sweet smelling to me as a freshly mowed lawn.

The temperatures have been in the low seventies for the past two days, so we have been opening up the house during the day. When we open the front door and then the windows in the sunroom, there is a wonderful cross breeze. Today’s neighborhood sounds are of woodpeckers and lawnmowers.

Now to get back to researching Minnesota lakes.

Monday, Monday, So Good to Me

This morning Joe drove me around the lane to deliver invitations for our open house next Saturday. I left the flyer on our neighbors’ front porches. A little later in the day, two of our neighbors sent welcoming texts. While Saturday afternoon may not be the perfect day, both indicated they would drop in for a bit as they have other obligations.

I appreciated that both of the texts included a bit of information about them and their families. It is nice to know the names and ages of their children. There is at least one boy Caleb’s age so far and one girl Charlotte’s age.

Joe and I decided to get errands done today. We left at noon and got back to the house around 3:30pm. Today we hit up Walgreens, ACE Hardware, Megan’s house in Rockford, a furniture and appliance store, a glass place to pick up a piece of plexiglass Joe had ordered in Buffalo, and Cub Foods. As I was driving, and Joe was sleeping, I realized that I look forward to our errand days since it gets me out of the house. These days the drives are soothing. The landscapes display various shades of greenery alongside blossoming trees. Somedays it takes my breath away at the beauty of this area of Minnesota.

I spent an hour with Joe in his basement area looking at the layout he has planned for all of his “stuff.” We discovered there is an electric dart game in the room inside of a built-in cabinet. The darts are plastic tipped so the game will be safe for Caleb and Charlotte to play. I ordered three bookshelves for his area that will come in next week at which time he can finish organizing his area. Until then he has his laptop stationed in our dining room.

A neighbor, two doors down from us on our side of the street, was having a tree service trim one of their trees this morning. We had left messages last week for a service to come out and give us a quote and had not heard back. Joe went down and talked to one of the tree trimming people. He also met the neighbor and visited for five minutes. This neighbor was one of the two who texted me later in the day.

We hung four more pieces of art today in the family room area and upstairs (top floor) in the hallways near the guest bedrooms.

Each day I am challenging myself to climb more stairs in the house. I am doing better. I can walk pain-free; however, I get tired after about 5 minutes of walking and need a quick rest before the next leg. Being pain free is the important part, now I have to build my stamina back up. One day at a time. One step at a time. I am still getting in more steps each day than in 2023 and 2023 steps were an improvement over 2022 when I was still working full-time.

Since we moved into the house, I have been volunteering to cook our dinner. I am trying new recipes and rotating between chicken, fish, beef, and pork dishes. Tonight was chicken thighs roasted in the air fryer, served with butter egg noodles and broccoli. I also do the kitchen clean-up. For years we had a rule that the person who cooked did not do cleanup; however, Joe has so many small projects in the yard and house that I insist the new rule is that Beth will take care of both chores. Cooking and cleaning up the kitchen also help to build my stamina.

My joyful moment today occurred while we were driving along the river road from Saint Michael to Hanover. The river with the lush greenery on the banks was breathtaking. I simply took it all in and felt at peace. I also had a sense of  deep gratitude that I have the opportunity to be in this time and place to experience the environment and the people we are meeting along the way.

Mother's Day and My First Loaf of Saint MIchael, Minnesota Sourdough

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms, bonus moms, and people raising their grandchildren. If I missed someone – it is not intentional.

My day was celebrated with a breakfast brunch at The Hog and Hen in Albertville. Megan’s treat! She also gave me Mother’s Day cookies she baked and decorated. Spending time with her was a lovely start to the day.

Jeremy came by this afternoon and helped Joe move a heavy cabinet and put up one of my favorite pieces of art. The art is a decorated door we purchased at a Yolo Arts Education Fundraiser approximately eleven years ago. The door is now mounted to the stairway wall facing our home’s entryway. Jeremy also showed us how the thermostats work in our house. We seem to only understand California thermostats.

Today I designed and printed an open house flyer, inviting our neighbors to stop by this coming Saturday. I know it is short notice. My hope is that even if only one or two people stop by, that works. On the invite I wrote four paragraphs about Joe and me being excited to be a part of the neighborhood and they are always welcome to visit us. I know if I had a new neighbor, I’d be curious. I know, I know, NOT everyone is as curious about the people around them as I am. In my younger years I wanted to be an investigative reporter. Obviously, who, what, when, where, and why are ingrained in my genetic makeup. I assume everyone has the curiosity gene.

The day was also filled with laundry, straightening up around the house, and baking my first loaf of sourdough bread from the starter I began about two weeks ago. I did the starter from scratch so that I would have authentic Saint Michael, Minnesota starter. I started the first loaf process on Friday night. I had no idea of what the mixed dough should look like. When I woke up Saturday morning to begin the next step, the loaf had not risen.

At that point I realized I had used a half-cup measuring cup as the cup would not fit inside the glass jar, we keep the flour in. I did not want to start over and waste the flour and starter I had used in the original batch, so I tossed in the rest of the flour needed and added a little bit more starter because… Well, there did not seem to be any good reason not to add more. This morning after breakfast I did the next steps which included baking.

IT TURNED OUT! It definitely tastes like and has the consistency of sourdough. I am excited to see how  the next loaf, when I measure the ingredients correctly, turns out!

 

Meeting a Neighbor and Joe's Surprise

 Joe and I were headed to ACE Hardware in Albertville to pick up “a surprise.” I had asked him on Friday about a larger transaction than usual from his personal bank account and he told me it was a surprise. Well, since Sunday is Mother’s Day, I figured it must be quite a surprise.

As we were pulling out of the driveway a neighbor stopped to introduce himself. He talked with us for about thirty minutes. His family ( wife and six children) lives in the only ranch style home on our street. They live in the cul-de-sac portion of our lane. He gave Joe enough information that I could go to the internet and discover more about the non-profit regional theater program he and his wife founded and run. Meanwhile he shared with us that they have five boys and one daughter. The daughter is second from the youngest at aged seven or eight. Our neighbor described his youngest child, “He looks about two, but he is six years old. He has Down syndrome.” He is also excited as his oldest son and daughter-in-law are about to have their first child.

The neighbor we met today (let’s call him Tee for now) told us a little about the neighborhood. The people, he said, are nice. The neighborhood is quiet. Listening to Tee talk, I realized we could have an open house and invite our neighbors. A get to know them party. And an opportunity for the neighbors who have never been inside the house, but saw the real estate photos online, to check it out. That is now our plan. Joe asked me about food already. I think I will have Joe make a bunch of his favorite dips.

Megan is taking me to brunch tomorrow morning at The Hog and Hen.

The surprise at ACE? A lawnmower.

Joe mowed our yard for the very first time with our new mower. Then he had to go buy another surprise – a trimmer for the weeds.

I am plumb surprised out!