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.