A Little of This and A Little of That

Good Morning!  It is Sunday, and it is another sunny, hot, beautiful day in Alabama.  Today is my day of rest.  I don’t plan on doing much of anything.  I have been invited to Kevin and Renea’s for supper, and plan to go.  Other than that I will probably read, do some dot-to-dots and watch the race.  Yea for me.  And, that is exactly what I did.  By the way – supper was delicious!

Yesterday I finally put all the books away that I bought in Ohio.  I dusted and ran the sweeper.  Also went to Mass, and stopped at Zaxby’s for supper.  I bought a to-go meal.  It sure tasted good.  Watched the race, and called it a day.

Looks like this week is going to be busy.  I was up bright and early (what else is new with Penny?), and after breakfast I went outside and started cleaning the flower areas.  This morning I weeded all the containers.  I lost some flowers, but they were annuals so I expected that.  Everything else looks pretty good.  Even the Franklin trees look like they may make it.  I am hoping that since I weeded the containers that the dirt will drain and dry.  Some of them were pretty wet.

I also filled my new birdfeeders.  Jana gave me new birdfeeders for my birthday.  I know it isn’t my birthday yet.  She gave them to me early.  It will be interesting to see how long it will take for the birds to start coming again.

This afternoon I started several of my Christmas projects.  Needless to say, I am running behind.  I think I have figured out a schedule that will get me caught up. 

After supper I set the chairs and tables back up on the deck.  Kevin and Renea had secured them because of the storm that came through.  After checking them I decided they all have to go.  I will get new ones later.  However, I can keep my swing.  I also watched DWTS.  They have a good group this season.  I do think the right contestant went home. It will be interesting to see who goes Tuesday night.  It was obvious that the judges have already picked their favorites.

Good Morning.  Another bright, sunny and hot “summer” day in the fall in Alabama.  I went out early this morning to work on the azalea garden.  I was able to clean the weeds out of two of the azalea bushes.  I am a little over half finished.  They look okay.  I’m not sure I can feed them this late in the year, but I wish I could. 

Next on the agenda was a quick trip to Barnes & Nobel.  Then I stopped to vote.  Today is the run off election for the person to replace Jeff Sessions here in Alabama.

Kevin came over this afternoon and put a new battery in my wall clock.  I cannot reach the clock that is on the wall in the living room.  I had him set the time for this winter when we fall back an hour.  I can live with that. He then visited with me for a while.  We talked about a lot of things we would like to do to our yard and houses.  After supper he and Renea came and got me so we could watch the ISS fly over. It was a clear night and it was easy to see.  Amazing to think there are people basically living up there.  After that I watched some television.  Went to bed before DWTS was over.  I will check in the morning to see who was cut.

It's Still Summer in Alabama!

Yes, I am back home in Alabama.  And, wow, do I have work to do.  We had some strong winds and rain from Irma.  Blew down my downspouts.  Kevin has fixed all but one.  Branches are down.  Some of the trees have been stripped of leaves.  Grass needs to be mowed (which Kevin is working on today).  I don’t know how he can handle the heat.  I went to the bank, Walmart and Walgreen’s today and the heat was miserable already.  This was early in the morning.  By the time I got home and unloaded the car it was even more miserable. 

Anyway, the weeds and grass in the flower beds are worse than ever.  It will probably take until next spring to get things back in shape.  I will not be starting on that until the weather cools down a little.  It is in the upper 90’s.  I don’t work outside when it is above 90!

Yesterday I spent the day putting everything away from my trip.  Kevin brought everything inside for me Sunday night, and I didn’t do anything except empty the coolers.  I still had a few things to do today which I worked on after running my errands.  It will probably take another day or two to get caught up.  Then I have to clean, do some paperwork and make some Christmas presents.  Wow – I’m tired already.

I checked a few of the bushes around the deck, and found that the rose of sharon that I planted in one corner is blooming.  Needless to say, I was very surprised since it is surrounded by weeds.  Also, two of the azaleas are blooming.  I need to get out on my riding mower and check the rest of the yard.  Not sure what I will find.  I do know that Kevin took down the three dead tulip poplar trees.  I plan to buy new ones. 

Got another good night’s sleep.  Today I did four loads of laundry; sheets, rugs, blankets, etc.  I also went thru the rest of my mail.  I ordered several Christmas presents online and several more out of some catalogues.  Of course, I also ordered a few things for me.  I thought I was finished with my shopping, but I keep finding more.  I rearranged a couple of my shelves to accommodate some of the items I bought in Holmes County.  One of these days I will get caught up.  I keep hoping it cools down so I can start working outside, but it doesn’t look like it is going to happen in the near future.  Oh well, we do what we can.

So, Thursday was another busy day.  Did all my laundry.  Finished going thru my mail.  Took three bags of trash up to the trash cans.  I actually drove them up there.  Had mail for the mailbox and picked up the mail from the day before.  I have cleaned about half of my house.  Finished up quite a bit of my paperwork.  I rearranged some items on my shelves.  I have been a busy bee.  It is still too hot to get outside to do any work.  It has been in the upper 90’s to 100 around here.  I know the weather reports are saying 90’s, but they haven’t seen my thermometer 😊.  I hung a couple of things I purchased in Holmes County.  I am going to move one of them, just not sure where.  They just don’t go together.  Was in bed by 9:00 last night.  I was exhausted.

Friday (today) is going to be an odds and ends kind of day.  The rest of the work can wait.  It will still be there tomorrow!

Ohio in a Nutshell

I know.  Shame on me.  I have not posted a blog since Jana and I returned from Holmes County, OH.  So, I decided I will give you just a short overview of what we have been doing these last few weeks.  By the way, I am now home in Alabama.  Kevin came to Ohio and brought me back along with Jana’s camper.  That is another story.  Her camper is now parked in my yard on my concrete pad.

The first item on the agenda when we returned was a meeting with the CPA.  He amended my Federal, Ohio State and Alabama State taxes.  After everything was done I basically broke even.  I do not owe the IRS any money.  Most of the problem goes back to when I had a person do my taxes after I moved here and Jim died.  She gave me a lot of incorrect information.  Now I know better.  I have decided that the CPA that helped me through this will be doing my taxes.

I am not going to give a day by day accounting of what we did; just an overview.  Every Monday afternoon we went to Barnes and Noble.  Jana and I got hooked on Dot-to-Dot books.  So, we bought a few of them along with our favorite books.  We met Ginger again for lunch.  This time it was at Friday’s. 

We went to St. Mary’s Cemetery to check out where I will be buried and to get some information since Jim’s ashes will be placed in the casket with me.  Found out that there is a charge for that.  If I want his name on the headstone and a record of his death and burial that is a necessary charge.  I filled out the paperwork, ordered and designed the headstone (which they will hold until I die), and paid all the necessary fees.  One less things for the boys to worry about.  I also met with Kurt Rosenacker and Mihovk/Rosenacker Funeral Home on Cheviot Road.  My funeral is all planned.  I wasn’t sure how to handle my body being transported from Alabama to Ohio.  I have made those arrangements also.  Kevin just has to make a phone call.  Of course, he will have to bring Jim’s ashes to Ohio.

Jana and I went camping at Lively Lady for five days over Labor Day Weekend.  We had a great time.  I boarded Penny since we weren’t sure how it would go with her and Mattie in the camper for those five days. Brian and Tracy came to visit and spent one night with us.  We had a great time.  We played numerous games of Sorry since the weather was not too good and we couldn’t have a campfire.  Lots of laughter.  This was Jana’s last camping trip there.  It was kind of sad, but she felt it was something she needed to do.  With David having died and most of her friends giving up camping, she felt it was time.  So the camper is here in Alabama.  She will stay in it when she comes to visit.

Jana and I met Leslie Knapp for lunch one day.  It was great seeing and visiting with her.  We also met Arlene, Sharon and Jim for supper one day.  It was a lot of fun seeing them also.  Jana’s stepdaughter, Chris, and her husband, Greg, were in Cincinnati visiting Chris’ mom.  They called and we met them for supper and they came to Jana’s for the evening afterward.  It was great seeing them also.  We had lunch at Cracker Barrel one day with Jana’s friend Peggy.  Peggy lives across the street from Jana.  We met Deborah, Bob and Ruby for supper.  Deborah was David’s sister, Bob is her husband and Ruby is Bob’s mother.  They have remained very good friends with Jana and get together quite often.  We had a really nice time. 

We normally went to Saturday Mass at St. Al’s.  However, I wanted to go to Sacred Heart for Mass while I was there.  I had not been there since Jim and I were married.  So, we went on a Sunday morning.  There have been a few changed to the church, but it is basically the same as we remembered.  It is a beautiful old church.  In fact, they still give communion at the communion rail.  I have not seen that done is many years. 

The day Kevin drove up from Alabama to Cincinnati, we all met at LaRosa’s for supper.  By all this included me and Jana, Kevin, Brian, Tracy and Samantha.  Rita and Bob were in town so they also joined us.  My nephew, Robbie, Rita’s brother, was married a couple of weeks ago and on Saturday they had a party at his house so everyone could meet Becky (his new wife).  Jana and I did not go, but I understand everyone had a really nice time.

I guess that’s about it.  Kevin spent Saturday night at Jana’s and he and I headed for the campground to get Jana’s camper and head for Alabama.  We left Jana’s about 5:45 a.m. and arrived home about twelve hours later.  We were worn out.  Penny is a good traveler.  She just rode in her little crate and didn’t make any meows all the way home.  However, she sure was glad to get out of her crate when we arrived.