Volunteering - Just For Fun

Do you volunteer? I do --- not out of any sense of giving back or doing for others. I'm simply having fun and enjoying life doing what I do. First and foremost, Katie and I work in the church office once a week and I/we serve on various committees. We also have the "Therapy Dog" visits to nursing homes, extended care residences, and childrens' reading groups.

This time of year I'm involved in gathering donations and raffle prizes for our annual Animal Faire, our S.P.C.A. event coming up first of October. I'll do it again on a smaller scale next month for our church boutique in November. This "begging" is something I really enjoy. I've met shop & restaurant owners and have made a number of new friends in the process. Most of the time I walk up to people I don't know, have never met, and tell them that we're having a fundraiser for whatever and I need a gift certificate or an item that will attract people to our raffle table and it's amazing how the shopkeepers in this little town turn out ... again and again!

We're in the process of raising money for a "No Kill" shelter here in our area in addition to supporting spay & neuter and feral cat programs and it seems like we have a fundraiser of one kind or another nearly every month. These same people are there for us each and every time we ask. I try to be on hand for each event, camera charged and in hand. In addition, we do bake sales virtually every weekend and average $600 and more on any given Saturday morning; at a bake sale for Heaven's sake. The common folk here ain't too shabby either, huh! Small towns are awesome!!!

This is also the season when I find I'm living attached to my computer and my camera; designing and putting together publicity for other groups' community events. Pulling everyone and everything together to publicize these events is comparable to being a dentist ... in many instances, it's not unlike pulling teeth. However, I wouldn't give this gig up for anything! I thrive on the challenges of the work, I get to let my creative juices flow and, I gotta tell ya', seeing "my work" in the local papers and shop windows is a bit of a high and, again, I get to meet and talk with people and make new friends.

I love volunteering! It keeps Katie and me active, and I'm having a great time!

Neighbors

I have this young couple living across the road from me. They are two of the nicest kids (and they are kids - my cat is almost as old as they are). Now, having said that; when I moved here five years ago, the young man was sharing the house with 2 or 3 other young men. They were nice but they were normal barely twenty-somethings. Loud music, loud toys, loud parties. The yard made Sanford & Son look good and when the trash from their parties blew all over the neighborhood (read: into my yard) they weren't terribly concerned. Actually, they weren't concerned at all. If the trash in their yard didn't bother them, why would it bother them for it to be in my yard.

Over the last few years, I've watched these youngsters turn into men. The young man who owned the house (it had been his dad's and before that his granddad's) met and married a sweet young girl. The other boys found girls and some moved out and then back in but with a different attitude. When the kids found themselves pregnant, the act really got cleaned up. And when the baby came, Mama said, "it stops here" and it did. The yard got spiffied, the noise quit, all but one of the young men found other places to roost. I got to watch these kids grow into young adults. The kids now have two little ones - I can play grandma again.

Their house was built by his paternal grandfather and grandpa built the house I live in as well. It was built for the maternal grandmother. So maybe he feels a little history with this property. He's come over to help when something was broken and I didn't have a clue. He's helped with heavy lifting or, when I was laid up one winter, keeping me supplied with pellets for the stove. They made sure I have their phone numbers "for just in case".

At the beginning of summer, I noticed a tree just south of the house with a hollow center. Not a good thing. These are very old, very large oaks. I had visions of a bad storm and this tree breaking and landing on my roof. The guys cut their own firewood every year so I asked if he'd fell the tree and take the firewood. A couple of nights ago I came home to find him and a friend felling my tree. I asked if there was enough firewood to make it worth their while and they responded that they'd have done it if there had been no firewood at all and when the season opens, they'll come back and take care of the burn pile. "We need to be there for grandmas who live alone and don't have family to do things for them, that's why our homes are where we can watch each other."

There's hope yet for this country and the world with young people like this coming of age. They love to play; they have their winter toys and summer toys. They ski and ride toys that need mufflers and sometimes their yard returns to Sanford & Son, but not for long. They still party, but with babies sleeping in the house, the noise level is way diminished.

I'm really lucky. The homes here are set apart but the neighbors are close. And today, I know how fortunate I am and what a blessing it is to have these young people just across the road!

Birthday Greetings to My Little Guy!

September 26, 1968... The cutest little tow-head, ever, entered this world. He was my smallest, only 8#. Where that shock of blonde hair came from was anybody's guess. No wrinkles, no redness, no splotches. A beautiful baby boy.

Jeff was an easy baby. His brother and sister had been work as infants. My older son was colicky and didn't allow for a lot of sleeping and their sister, a year younger than my oldest, was allergic and prone to projectile vomiting whenever and wherever. But, I was lucky, they were all "good" babies. This last one was overflowing with love and joy for all around him. He had a smile that lit up the block.

He was barely two months old when he went on his first real outing. We leaders took the cub scout pack to Universal Studios and I had a slew of little guys who were counting on that trip and no sitter so their mascot went along. Fortunately, one of the dad's went with us in place of his wife and he helped cart, carry, and drag all the stuff that goes when and where baby goes. The older two were just starting school so wherever I went, Jeff went along. He happily entertained himself but was equally happy to be part of a group.

He was maybe 2 years old and he had the requisite security blanket. He would sit in front of the washer & dryer in a panic while I washed and dried it. It got left at the park one afternoon and no one was going to get any sleep that night unless it was found. The search party brought it home from its hiding place under some shrubs and that one night it was allowed in his bed with dirt, twigs, pieces of leaves and all.

The older two attended day care until regular school started in the mornings and Jeff stayed through the day. He got on well, made friends, especially with one little girl whose parents were from Jamaica. One Saturday, these people who were of very dark skin, picked up my little white-skinned blond and kept him for the weekend. They were all going to Disneyland. Daddy said they really got the looks with this little tow-head hand in hand with their daughter. Talk about ebony & ivory. And this was early 70's, not common practice yet. But, he said, they had a great time!

Jeff did well in elementary school. He was a smart little guy. But he was extremely sensitive and took offense easily. Junior High school was his downfall. Like his big brother, he lost his interest in school and never regained it. He found he liked the outdoors and after high school joined the California Conservation Corp., then he went to work for a lodge just outside the southern rim of the Grand Canyon. From there, he discovered rock music. A few years back, he found he has a real talent with computers and computer graphics. If you can think it, he can design and print it - on pretty much any and everything.

It hasn't been an easy road for him. He's made some turns in less than ideal directions, is still very sensitive and easily hurt or offended. But he's plowing through and his mom reminds him that she's wishing him a really good day for his Birthday! With love!

It Could Have Been a Contender

(With apologies to Marlon Brando)---I had a wonderful idea for a blog this morning. I told myself to write it down, at least the topic, because I've gotten to the stage where, if I don't write something down, it's gone. I didn't write it down and now I have no idea what or who it might have been about. You'll never know either. My husband used to tell me, "brain dead don't count". Actually, he said, "drunk don't count" but we altered it in later years.

I'm sure this would have been the pinnacle of my blogging career. The best blog you never read. It probably would have taken the greatest blog ever award. And now it's out there; wandering in a void, lost forever, in a dead blog office like so many dead letters lost by the post office. I'll miss you, little blog, and if you come back, I don't know if I'll even recognize you.

As the saying goes, of all the many things I've lost, especially recently, I miss my mind the most!

Class Reunion - Unattended

Last weekend was my, dare I say it?, my 50th high school class reunion. How'd that happen? I can't believe it was 50 years last June since we marched onto to the field in our caps & gowns ready to take on the world. Summer of 1960 was still the early days of real rock & roll (before it disintegrated into simply rock), the Kennedy brothers and MLK, Jr. hadn't been assassinated yet ending the innocence of our era, we hadn't even gone in to space yet.

My friend, Karen, was coming down from Oregon and we were going to drive down to SoCal together and attend the weekend long event - football game and cocktail party on Friday night, Dinner - and for those who can still walk, dancing, on Saturday night and a picnic on Sunday. Then we started tallying up the costs and realized that we hadn't seen any of these people in at least 10 years, some 20 or more. Did we really want to spend $80 for a piece of halibut and $150 each for a place to sleep for 2 nights? Then there are the other meals, gas (even if we were taking just one car), mmmmmhhh, maybe she'd just drive as far as here and we'd have our own reunion, just the two of us... and that's what we did. We had a great visit. A little too short, but a good time, nonetheless. And, of course, we haven't aged a bit (not since yesterday, anyway). We both have those warped mirrors that you can see your mother in and with clothing being made out of the country, the sizes have changed which takes us back to the warped mirrors.

I received an email yesterday with the pictures from the reunion. I'm thinking I'm really glad I didn't spend that money. Only two faces were familiar to me and I'm sure they must have been my classmates' parents because all the people in those pictures were old. Dang, what the heck happened? Where were all the people I went to school and graduated with and what were their parents and maybe a couple of grandparents doing at our reunion?

Those of you still in your 20's to 50's, enjoy your class reunions. They're still fun; you still 'dress to impress,' not for comfort, no canes, walkers, or other aids and everyone is still reasonably recognizable.

Meanwhile, Here's to S.P.H.S. and the S'60 Aladdins!!!

I Love Today!

This is it! My perfect day. Wonder how many I can pull out of this year? Woke up feeling God's joy this morning. Felt Arthur Itis' aches and pains too but that's an everyday thing and I just quit paying attention. Off to church, stayed part way through the 2nd service because I'm involved in a couple of community events and want others to join me so had to be there for the announcements at both.

Had a couple of errands to do in town and then Katie and I came home to a late breakfast and a glorious day. She laid out on her rug on the porch, I curled up in my porch rocker with a great book and we've spent the day just taking in the beautiful late summer, early fall weather. The sun is bright but only warm, there's an ever so slight breeze, the sky is amazingly clear. The weather in town is low 80's, here it's mid 70's. I worked up enough energy to stick some new flowers in the ground. It seems I stopped by the nursery a couple of days ago to get a new bird feeder. I came home with gerbera daisies, a flat of mums, and - oh yes, a bird feeder. Almost like a trip to the grocery store with a list. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

So, here I sit in my porch rocker enjoying the view, listening to the quiet, reading and dozing and explaining to this annoying bee that he can go find his own coffee, this is mine. My critters are all napping but the outdoor critters are busy preparing ... the squirrels are running around gathering seeds from the pine cones and picking up green acorns and scampering up the trees to pack them away. Then they run down, grab some more and find places by the pond to bury the new batch. They're extremely industrious today. I hope that's not a sign that winter is closer than we think. I've been watching the woodpeckers and they've been busily doing the same thing (well, they don't bury anything but they're rat-a-tat-tatting in the oak and pine trees and packing away their little winter treasures as well). One of the hummers just buzzed me, again, to remind me that his/their feeder needs cleaning and refilling so I guess it's time to drag myself out of my rocker and follow the critters' examples; or - maybe just another half hour?

Note: The book is "Kiss" by Dekker. It's suspense without graphic violence, a real page-turner. On a scale of one to ten, an easy 10 1/2. It's in the christian/mystery/suspense genre. If you like Peretti or King or Koontz before the last two resorted to physical rather than psychological suspense, you'll enjoy Dekker.

The Sears Saga

Do you remember way back in the olden days when there was this thing called customer service? For you young people; you could call the store, vendor, distributor, dealership ... whatever, and tell them you had a problem with their product and - are you sitting down to read this? - they actually cared.

A few years back they discontinued this. Oh, they still had a department that they called customer service but that was in name only. I found on occasion that I could get resolution by calling "customer relations". That didn't last long, most companies discovered that someone within their ranks was helping the customer and they did away with that department.

And remember when, if you wanted a product that would work properly and last forever, you bought from Sears? The names Craftsman and Kenmore were names you could count on. That time in history too is a vague memory.

Now on to the saga of the Sears Freezer ... I have this stupid chest freezer. It's a regular chest freezer on top but has a bottom drawer for items that don't need to be frozen for long periods of time. It's for frozen dinners, ice cream, leftovers, etc. It's also a very poor concept and one of the worst investments I've made. Oh, I'm energy efficient so it's not frost free. Stupid, stupid, stupid - but that's another issue. About a month and a half ago, having just defrosted the freezer maybe a month earlier, I discovered it seriously needed it again and after completing this two day project, found that the drawer wouldn't close completely which was causing the ice buildup. I have a maintenance agreement (one of my smarter decisions, of which there seem to be very few anymore) so I made the phone call. A tech' could be out in two weeks. He came and wouldn't you know, it needed defrosting again, he couldn't do anything, be back in two weeks. OK! My bad, should have checked.

He was back in two weeks and I needed new parts. He ordered them, "they'll be delivered next week, I'll be back in two weeks." The first parts came the following week, a couple more parts the week after that. I started making phone calls, to the point that I received a call and was given a case manager and a case number. Are we all of us impressed with me? Last week the final part arrived and, as instructed, I called Distribution only to be told, No - the part that I was looking at hadn't arrived yet. They would call and tell me when it did. And then they would make an appointment for the tech to come. He was here today. I won't go into the conversation that made that happen.

Now I have friends who have a pool going as to when I'll have a working freezer again. They'll have to add new dates. Two of the major parts are malformed. Seems whatever country they're made in, those people don't understand how to operate a jig and these parts are n/g. My new best friend, the freezer tech, has reordered the parts. With any luck they may be here in another two to three weeks. We have him tentatively scheduled for a return visit on the 28th. Want in on the pool? And, yes, I put in a call to the case manager who is monitoring the "service." She was unavailable. Want to start a new pool? Anybody want a freezer? The top half works really well.

More Company

My girlfriend, Karen, was here this week. She's the one I posted about a couple of months back with the breast cancer scare. It's been a couple of years since she's been down; she was here for Thanksgiving in 2008. She drove down from Oregon Monday, got caught up in a jam caused by an accident just a few miles from home, made it the rest of the way without incident until she took a really wrong turn and got very lost and not in an area to get lost in during the daylight let alone dark. Fortunately she was already down this far (actually the wrong turn took her past me by almost 50 miles) but it was an area I'm familiar with and we got her back on track via cell phone. She got here Monday night, only a couple of hours later than expected but that meant she had to navigate the mountain roads after dark and she'd been hoping to make it to the house while it was still light. We had a late dinner & a glass of wine, not necessarily in that order, unwound and hit the sack.

We just hung around and visited yesterday. We'd planned on going to the lake or the park but her butt said it was having nothing to do with sitting in a car for more than 10 minutes at a time, so we went into town, had lunch, came home and continued running through 50 years of memories and tried to see into the future and where we go from here. Whatever and wherever, we'll do it together even if by long distance ... or, maybe one of these days, one of us will relocate (probably me) and we'll finish together.

We had a great visit. She, too, lives in an area surrounded by woods and critters, so she's comfortable with my little house in the woods. We've known each other long enough that we don't necessarily have to talk to communicate. We raised kids together and can share those results without guilt or regrets. We tried so hard not to be our mothers that maybe we went too far the other way. But they all have grown kids of their own now and their days will come when their kids are just "too busy". Was it Harry Chapin that sang "The Cat's in the Cradle?"

I'm hoping that one day soon, Igor the Ogre, will let me throw Katie in the back of the car and I'll make the drive north to her place. It's about an 8 hour drive if you drive straight through. With any luck my step son will go up to see his uncle and my niece and he can come by here and we can make the trip together. I'm not holding my breath, but a gal can dream. Note to self: add to bucket list, towards the top.

And now I think it's time to replace my revolving door with a regular front door again. The visitors are just about done. My stepson may make a stop here late this month or early next month, it would make my whole year, but again, I'm not holding my breath.

It's a bit nippy this morning. We ran the heater long enough to take the chill out of the house. It'll hit low to mid 80's up here and be another beautiful day, but my bones are telling me that a chilly fall and a cold winter are just around the corner.
Time to clear the flower beds and put in some fall planting and start preparing for year end. This is my second favorite time of year; Spring being my favorite. I like the flowers and the greens of spring and the multi-colors of fall. And I love, love the moderate weather and non-hot sunshine.

Think I'll do a little straightening up now that we're alone again and then I have a rocking chair calling my name and a book to finish. Have a great day!! Hugs & puppy kisses everyone.

The Revolving Door

This being my busiest time of year, this is also the time of year that people like to come up and visit ... before the chill of late fall and winter. Personally, I recommend late April, early May when the Falls are at their best but I also love winter with snow on the trees and ground. Every season has its own special draw.

I have a long-time girlfriend (since 1957) coming late this afternoon for a couple of days. After an 8 - 9 hour drive today, we may or may not do the park tomorrow. She really wants to see it but her butt may revolt at getting back in a car that soon. This is the year of our 50th high school reunion. The economy being what it is, we've decided that the two of us can reunite and talk about everyone else. Besides, we'll be able to remember them as they looked 10 - 20 years ago or more and not as they look today.

I love having family and friends come to visit. My stepson tells me I can look for him toward the end of the month. Then in another couple of months the mountain road will be dark early, the weather will be rainy and/or snowy and no flatlander will remember me until the sun comes out and brings longer, warmer days again in May/June.

Dinner's in the crockpot, errands were run yesterday. Today I'll go out and make sure Katie hasn't left any unwanted surprises for either of us to step in and take the blower to the deck & front drive, 'cause the oak leaves have carpeted everything, and then I'll sit in my porch rocker enjoying my view and waiting for Karen's car to turn in to the drive. Hugs & puppy kisses to you all.

It Was A Great Week!!!

It was a great week!!! My niece and her fella came down from Oregon last Sunday and we had a wonderful visit. They stayed 'til Monday (Labor Day) afternoon and then we went to visit my husband's gravesite and they went on to Yosemite and Katie and I came home.

Justine is my husband's niece. She was raised by my father & mother-in-law. She's the same age as my daughter and another niece. She's one of the sweetest, most gentle people I know. This visit was extra special because we've only seen each other twice in the last 8 to 10 years; when my father-in-law passed away and when my husband passed away. Not optimum visiting conditions. Unlike the rest of the family who've never really forgiven me for selling our house, she understands my reasons and ... being the "outdoor" type, loved my little house and its surroundings in the woods, so did Jay, her fella. Sunday night we sat outside on the deck, under the trees, and enjoyed dinner, wine, memories and more memories. Talk about your 'blast from the past'.

The kids were planning to climb Half Dome on Tuesday so, since I live maybe 20 - 30 minutes south of Yosemite, Wednesday morning Katie and I drove to their campsite and spent the day with them. We hung out at the site for awhile and then drove to 'the valley'. We stopped at the viewing area outside the tunnel and at Bridal Veil Falls and they took pictures and we went on in to the valley for a late lunch/early dinner. It was jacket weather and a little overcast. At the tunnel, as we looked up at Half Dome we could see a shaft of sunlight work its way through the rocks and the mist. El Capitan was at its best, sharp and clear, and there was still some water falling at Bridal Veil. We drove back to the site and Kate & I headed out so we could get home before dark.

I move slowly and I travel with my dog. Not everyone's choice for favored aunt; but they were wonderful. If (when) we were a drag, they never let it show. To the contrary, they both seemed to enjoy her and gave this old lady 'warm & fuzzies' that she hasn't experienced in a good while. I miss the visits from family and this was a real heart-warmer for me. A really GOOD week! Thanks Justine & Jay!! We'll do it again, meanwhile - see you on F/B.

Oops!

I was wandering through some of my earlier posts and find that this one never was posted. The draft has been waiting since the 6th of this month for me to hit the publish button (today's the 24th). This was written right after Justine & Jay visited here before going on to Yosemite for camping Labor Day week. Well, better late than never, I guess. *****

It's been a busy, busy week. Getting ready for a visit from my niece and her feller. I have been so excited and really, really looking forward to this visit. She lives in Washington and I haven't seen her since Larry died in 2004. She's one of the nicest and most gentle people I know. I hadn't met her boyfriend except through posts on facebook.

They arrived yesterday afternoon. We took the 50 cent tour of the house and yard and proceeded down memory lane. Things we haven't thought about in years came to the front. Actually, I've been getting hit with memories ever since she said they were coming. Camping trips, visits to Oregon, hanging out in Gramma & Grampa's kitchen, Christmases, Gramma's tortillas, Grampa's tamales.

We remembered summer vacations at the house in Fresno. All the babies in the swimming pool with Grandpa Larry, an assembly line of little ones on the carpet having diapers changed or being fed, the trip Justine was making to L.A. from up north when she was in a traffic accident and Uncle Larry went to get her and the kids and Gramma & Grampa drove up from L.A. to make sure everyone was okay. She had this gargantuan bandage on her forehead. The cut was from a piece of flying glass and wasn't a half inch long with virtually no blood. The whole evening was filled with, "remember?" and then explaining the memory to Jay.

We went to Campo Santo to visit Larry's grave and then they went on to Yosemite. Katie and I are going to spend the day with them mid-week at the park. That'll be a brand new memory maker... and I have a new ticket in the drawer.

It's September - Already?

How did it get to be September already? Eight months ... poof! The first quarter could have been left off my calendar but the remaining five months have been "interesting". Considering Igor the ogre sometimes comes for visits and has to be forcibly removed, Katie and I have managed to keep busy and out and about. Good friends came and helped get me and mine ready for summer and others have taken a risk and have walked with me outside my box/comfort zone and gone on a road trip for a day or attended an evening event and more. In retrospect, the last five months have been a very good though very fast period of time. I'm so blessed to be where I am and among those I am with.

Back to September: Last week we were in triple digit weather. After all, it's summer. So why have I gotten up the last three mornings and kicked the heater on? It's only for 20 minutes or so, just to take the chill out of the house but it's end August/beginning September ... summer! Having said that, it's ideal weather for Katie and me to go walking mornings. The weather guessers tell us we'll be back to summer weather yet this week (we're half way there, hello!) with triple digits in the valley so we can expect upper 90's and then it's supposed to drop down again. We had a church picnic Sunday, specifically planned for 3pm so there would be shade from the hot summer sun. It was in the upper 60's. Swim suits and towels were traded for light jackets.


Personally, I love from mid to upper 70's to low to mid 80's. A week or two of that and I could get my fall flowers in and prepare the yard and pond for the coming, dare I say it, winter. I need more time to be able to enjoy the view from my porch rocker (without jacket, lap robe, etc.)

My friend Arthur Itis aside, winter here is a beautiful season. I'm just not ready to go there yet. Those few brave friends that venture up the mountain during the rest of the year, remove this area from their maps from late fall until late spring. They don't know what they're missing.

Meanwhile, could whoever's in charge please slow the clock and calendar down and stretch out the next couple of months? Let's all enjoy late summer and fall, but let's take our time and do it slowly.