Pots and Pans

Although G doesn't cook much, he has been very frustrated with the pans we have.  I do have a set of heavy stainless steel which cook evenly and then several "non-stick" pans.  The later are the cause of the frustration.  They are not "non-stick" and don't clean well.  A kitchen store near us is going out of business so we stopped in.  He found a small skillet, brand  Blue Diamond.  After using it a couple times he returned and purchases the last full set.  He was impressed when he fried an egg and it just slide off when he tipped the pan.

However there now is the  problem of an over crowded pan shelf.

We will use some in the camper, but still there needs to be some editing.

Lake Hope State Park

Gerry and I have left behind the unending list of projects at home.  We have embarked on an  adventure living in our camper.  At the campground there is no phone coverage and of course no WiFi.  To write this we had to go a nearby Lodge on the campground. 

Lake Hope State Park is located in the southeast part of Ohio. The campground was build in 1937.  There are about 200 camping sites but most are for very small campers or tents.  We were able to find one large enough for our large camper.  There is a shower and some flush toilets  and  we do have electricity at our site.  Since it is the end of October, there about a dozen campers.  We are at the end of a road so it feels like we are out in the woods by ourselves. Needless to say, it is quiet. 

I did some hiking by myself.  That is NOT Gerry's thing.  I hiked about four miles in the forest and did not see another person. It is not mountain terrain but sometimes I almost had to go on my hands and knees up the side of a hill. And for anyone who has hiked, the coming down is worse. Leaves are colorful and falling, covering the path. It would have been treacherous if not impossible if it were wet from rain.

I would have liked to post pictures of our camper, the trail I was on, and deer that stood at the side of the road as I passed by.  Sadly the internet here is too slow to upload the pictures. 

Joy of owning a Triumph.

Yesterday and today, Gerry and I joined nine other people from our Triumph club. A ride was scheduled for about 200 miles through great scenic and twisty roads.  I think it as a greater thrill for the drivers than the passengers. The drivers took the curves and hills like a race driver would.  Pretty much pushing themselves and the car to the limit.  I know the drivers would not agree to that but the wives would.  We did take a scenic drive.  The leaves had not turned yet, but still beautiful. 

I enjoyed having a smaller group.  It was an opportunity to get to know the people better.  Just attending club meetings does not lend itself to that. 

Travelogue 2

My last post told of my drive through Chicago.  When we were in Minnesota we stayed with G's nephew in Delft, MN. I was going to say "town" but it is an "unincorporated community".  No stores, post office or any other commercial establishment.

As I drove from Delft to Mountain Lake, a town of 2,104 I experienced this.

Travelogue

Gerry and I have started our two week trip visiting family and friends in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Illinois.

The first day of travel was on my birthday.  Gerry and I take turns driving. My turn is when he is tired and sleeping.  My luck of the draw was the route around Chicago.  For two hours I drove on a four lane highway with bumper to bumper traffic.  This time it was not stop and go traffic.  No, all traffic was travelling at least 15 mpg over the posted limit.  So at 60 we were going 75, at 65 it was 80.  I had no choice but to go as fast as the flow.  Once I counted numbers of semi trucks in my view.  Around 25. I wonder why my neck was so stiff!  It is a memorable birthday.

We spent two days with G's sister and husband in Hayward, Wisconsin and are now in Brooklyn Park
visiting another sister and husband.

 Here the two ELF owners spent the entire day discussing their common interest, the ELF. Not only discussing but repairing.

I just remembered I have never posted a picture of Gerry's ELF.  This is from several weeks ago when granddaughter was visiting.

Guns

As I am having my morning coffee and orange juice, I hear this soft thud sound. The wind is blowing gently. I look on the deck to see if something is blowing or falling down.  As I look through the trees I see a car in the back.  Oh, it is target practice again. Our neighbor's sons and his friends are having their target practice.  The shooting range fortunately is not directed toward our house.  Actually they are great neighbors. I don't mind the poof, poof sound.  But they have put together several bullets that make such a loud noise that I jump.  Men and their toys. Once a neighbor called to ask if our house had exploded. 

The only time I fired a gun was on the farm when I was a teenager.  For some reason I wanted to challenge my brother as to who had the best aim. We went out in the woods and I aimed a a squirrel  and killed it.  I still remember its cry.  I have never shot a gun since.  Don't remember if I had the better aim.  The death of the squirrel is what I recall.  I don't what that to be dramatic. just tell about an experience I had. 

Clear eyesight and slow driving

A week ago I had minor surgery on my eyes.  The surgery wasn't so bad.  What followed was a bit worse.  I was supposed to put ice packs on my eyes, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for three days.  I skipped nights when I was sleeping.  I slept in a recliner because I was not to lie flat.  Four times a day, Gerry put medicine in my eyes.  We called it "goop" because that was the texture.  My experience of  not be able to see well is only for a week. I am thankful that is not my everyday eyesight. When the "goop" was in everything was a blur.  I could not read or watch TV. 

 After we had the tiling done on our lawn it was full of deep ruts. Gerry has spent at least two days tilling it smooth so we can plant grass.  He has to drive very slowly with the tractor and tiller.  I wonder if it reminds him of working on the farm until he left at 18. 

Saying "Bon Voyage"

July 16 thru 24,G and I, along with the other grandparents, helped our son and family pack up all of their belongings and store it in a 10 x 10 x 10 foot storage unit.  They did sell or give away many items.

Building a shelf for the unit.

One strong and determined girl.

Loading the moving truck.

Packing dishes, very carefully.

Someone has to drive the truck.

A week later, they embarked on their "round the world" trip. 
You can follow them at goertzensonthego.com 

Visitors from CA

The grandchildren are visiting for a week.  One might guess as to what they might be doing here.

A tradition at our home is to make waffles.  Old waffle iron and my famous recipe.

K and B planned and served a dinner to eight adults.  G and I, their other grandparents and two couples we know.  They planned the menu, K went grocery shopping with me.  She was the chef and B the server. K made a menu that put to shame many a restaurant's.   

Then the riding of a variety of vehicles.  This is called an ELF.  It is G's newest toy.  It is a three wheeled bike (two wheels in the front and one in the back)

Getting a ride on the dirt bike.  In this case Grandpa  G was in control.

As usual driving the four wheeler. 

K riding in the Spitfire with the top down.  She was a passenger this time but soon will be driving it herself.

Wake up call

I have been fascinated by mockingbirds. I don't recall every seeing (or hearing) one when I was growing up in Minnesota.  We have several around our house this year.  It is fun to listen to their repertoire of various other bird's songs. But I  am becoming annoyed.  They sing all day long with a loud, almost screeching  sound. I cannot  sleep with the window open because they start at the break of day.

This morning I walked in one of our great county parks.  The park has both paved and natural paths.  I walked around this lake on the paved path as well as one and a half miles in the woods. The parks are truly a treasure and all are within 30 minutes driving distance from home.

Tutorial on field tiling.

Alexis asked about how this worked.  I had to do some research to understand it myself.  The tile underground is on a small decline that ends up at the ditch then into a runway. It does not take surface water, instead what is lower in the ground.

When the tile is blocked or breaks the water has nowhere to go, so the force pushes it up to the surface, taking soil with it.  That is what makes the big hole in the lawn.

This is how our lawn looked before the project started.

When the grass and soil was dug out on the area across the road where all the water would eventually run, it was so blocked up that this how much water ran out after they dug out the soil and grass. 

The above pictures show some of the areas where the tile needed to be laid.

Please note the person in the red shirt.  That is Gerry who was out there supervising for three days.  So that he did need to walk the area, he has the four-wheeler to get around.

A closer view of how it is done. 

The tile has little slits in it for the water to get in.  Could not find a picture of that.

Another before/after

I knew it would't be a pretty sight, but was not prepared for this.  Our house was built on a piece of farm land.  It was tiled with the old clay tiles which have failed. That resulted in sink holes five feet deep and many areas that remain so wet that we cannot mow there.

Lawn doesn't look too bad in the before picture.

  The tiling crew is here for the second day resulting in this. It goes across the lawn in many places. The sad part is that it will look pretty much like that for a couple of years.  It takes that long for the soil to fill in.  

FYI the man in the red shirt is Hubby supervising!

I will try to not complain since we did not have a choice unless we wanted sink holes.

 Oh, the joy of owning your own home.

Counter top

In my last post I had a picture of the "stolen" counter top.  Well the good new is it has returned and has greatly improved its looks.

The back splash was also "stolen" but has not yet returned.

All the lower cabinets had to be emptied. A new sink, faucet and garbage disposal needed to be installed.  This task fell to dear husband. He is smiling in the picture, but was not always as he crawled into the space under the sink.

I also want to comment on the blue tape on the kitchen window.  For some unknown reason birds repeatedly fly against the windows on all sides of our house.  And make a mess, I would add.  The tape solved the problem.  Guess it doesn't look like an open window, or maybe where they can see their refection.  

Returning home

Every year it seems that we are gone when my favorite flowers are in bloom. They had just started so I took a picture of the best one to take with me.

On my next posting I will show what they looked like when I returned.

The flight from Albuquerque to Cleveland was tiring, especially since we arrived at home at 1:00am.

I fell into bed and apparently slept soundly because this is what I saw when I walked into the kitchen in the morning.

Someone had stolen the counter tops.  And later in the day they all  were gone.  Actually it has been quite a job for Gerry to remove them, plus the sink.  Next week the new top will be installed.

Bernice's Adventure Day 3

I have always enjoyed the Franklin Park Conservatory.  I recall going their years ago when they incorporated  Chihuly  glass among the plants. They had one on display now. But the plants are what I love the best.

This "tree" was about five inches tall. 

And of course tropical flowers.

In the evening I attended a production of a play "Waiting To Be Invited". The props were just folding chairs.  It is a true story of three black women who tested the decision of the Supreme Court on integration by having lunch at an all white lunch counter. It never showed them at the counter, instead we were told of their fears of going there as well as what has happened in their lives which motivated them to do this. Very powerful.

Bernice's Adventure Day two

On Friday evening I had dinner at the Sycamore. It is a "gastropub" in the heart of German Village. Being a Friday evening I had my meal by the bar watching the Kentucky Oaks horse race.

But the highlight of my adventure was attending the Columbus Symphony Orchestra perform Mahler's Fifth.  I copied this description of the concert.

The orchestra brimmed with jubilation through Mahler’s big-hearted finale, which brought more distinguished playing in the horns and trumpets and an exuberant rush to the symphony’s euphoric end.

That describes it better than I can.  The theater was beautiful in it self. 

Bernice's adventure - Day 1

When I learned that G was going on the dirt riding trip with his riding group to the Hatfield McCoy trails in West Virginia, I planned what I called on our calendar, "Bernice's Adventure".  I had no idea where it would take me, but finally chose Columbus,Ohio.  That is about one and a half hours drive from home.  I reserved a room at an Air B & B.  On the way down I stopped at Otterbein  University in Westerville, Ohio to see an exhibition by the Brazilian artist, Vitor Mizael.   What was displayed there was one wall of stuffed birds hanging from the ceiling by strings.  His work is hard to understand unless you read about what he is trying to say from his works.  Google "Vitor Mizael" to see images of his works. I was unable to see online the exhibition that I saw, so no pictures.

After settling in at the B&B I had dinner at an Italian restaurant, sitting outdoors.  Just like in Europe.  Only problem it was not looking over the beautiful country side, just a street with lots of traffic.  I had to use my imagination. 

Slept with the windows open:  a cool breeze and gentle rain. For me that was  heaven. 

Life is too short to ...

Drink bad wine.  For me, who is not an expert on wine, this is a big deal.  Somewhere last summer I bought a bottle of rhubarb and strawberry wine.  ( I know some of you are gagging).  I opened it last night.  After tasting it, the rest was poured down the drain.  I think when I first started drinking wine the sweet fruity kind was fine.  But no more. This was awful.

Eat bad pizza.  Once recently, when G and I were traveling the the toll road we stopped at a rest stop.  These have very limited food selections.  We ordered pizza.  We looked at each other and said it was like eating cardboard. But, being frugal or German (I don't know which) since we had paid for it we ate it.  But this experience now has become a key phrase for us.  When we are eating or doing something that is not so good, but continue to do it, we remind ourselves by saying, "We don't have to eat cardboard pizza".

Spamalot

We attended a play that K was in.  It was a shortened version of Spamalot.  What fun.  She was in a "chorus line".  I have never seen the Monty Python's Spamalot but will now.  We saw it twice which was good as I understood a lot more the second time.  As an aside, when we visited the SPAM museum in Austin, MN they had  this play running on a TV.  Ha.

B is up before any of us in the morning.  It us fun listening to him talk with the other players in the game.  It sounds like he is coach.  "Go, go, get the purple one, Good job"  

When I visit here, I am aware of how much I miss with us being so far away from each other.

I am so happy that I can be here now.

Beautiful snake

We went with grandson to his scout meeting.  The program was on reptiles.  They learned about four types, where they lived, looked like, AND were able to touch them.

I did not get a picture of B touching one.  

We are basking in the sun here.  The temp is in the 70s.  G and I are here with the other grandparents.  It is a perfect week with family. 

Shopping for clothes or not.

I desperately need new clothes and shoes.  I would be embarrassed to acknowledge how many years I have worn the ones I currently have.  So today I went to the mall.  I walked the aisles of many stores.  The current styles are not for me!  Finally I said I would not even look at the price, if I just found something I liked I would buy it.  But still no purchases.   The only thing I found was a beautiful pair of earrings that cost $800.  Even though it was on sale, I did not want to give Gerry a heart attack.  To be truthful I have never had a piece of jewelry that cost that much so am not going to start now.  A $20 pair would be just fine.

I will admit that I had a great dinner at a fine restaurant, including wine and a decadent dessert.

Gelato  with caramel, ganache , and something else crunchy.  

 My next post will tell the story of why Gerry was not with me.  I need a picture for that post.

A Difficult posting

Yesterday my brother, Harry, died.  He had an aneurysm couple days ago.  He was airlifted to a great hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  They did surgery and he was put on life support.  Yesterday his siblings met and we made the decision to remove him from the ventilator. It was horribly difficult but the damage to his body was too much.  Three of us were at his side, holding his hands so he was not alone. 

Today I am planning the memorial service.  I am the coordinator, but all siblings are very involved.
There are legal, practical and emotional issues everywhere.  But it will come together.  I wanted to post a photo but am finding it difficult just using my Chromebook. 

Weather update

Yesterday we had wind gusts up to 65 mph.  We could hear noise on the south side of the house at night.  This was the cause of the banging noise.  It could have been much worse.  Now the challenge is to keep Gerry off the ladder until the wind dies down.

But I will not complain at all.  Southern Minnesota where many of our brothers and sisters live people were not even allowed on the roads due to the terrible conditions. The Governor declared a state of emergency.  There were reports of snow banks six feet tall.  But their  worst problem was the high winds. And people who were out on the roads against all advice not to. 

Our day

Today was a busy day for Gerry and me.   After exercise class I picked him up from the dentist where he had a root canal.  All is going well with that.  Then we attended the autobiography class, follow by a quick lunch, and then a movie.

We don't go very many movies, but today saw "The Green Book"  Sure was a reminder what life was like in the South in the 1960s for African-Americans.  Back then it was called the " The Negro Motorist Green-Book" .  We had never heard of the Green Book. It was a book which listed accommodations, restaurants  and businesses that were safe to go to for African-American when traveling in the US.  It does have it critics who say it missed an opportunity to tell it as it really was but we enjoyed it.

Telling my story

I have again joined Gerry in the autobiography class he is currently taking.  These are two hour classes once a week for ten weeks.  I am not as passionate or dedicated as he is.  He has been writing for a couple years now and attended many sessions and has written literally  hundreds of pages.

For our first class we were to write about a "branching point" in our life.  That is something that happened that caused you to go a different direction. There are no  parameters other than that.
I actually spoke of a tree and its branches.  The tree trunk was when I met Gerry.  The branches were various things he introduced me to or that happened because I had married him.

After telling how we met, the branches were 1) How folk music was part of our life when we first met and how it still is.  We have heard Arlo Guthrie several times. 2) Motorcycles. That is not surprise of course. Told of trips including one were it rained 5 inches that night  3) The many places we have lived. 

The snow has melted here and it was only in the 20s today so I was able to walk and sit in my woods today.  No pictures as it looks quite gray and bleak. 

House Beautiful

I may have told you of the Amish woman who does house cleaning for me.  In addition to everything sparkling when she leaves, she has a knack for arranging  everything so it looks like out of a magazine.

Even a book shelf with little on it.  Two comments on that.  When we had our new flooring installed, we had to remove everything from shelves.  They were packed away and somehow have not found their way back to the shelves.

The second thing I would like to bring to your notice are the silhouette pictures of our grandchildren.

These were a Christmas gift for Gerry and me.