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.

Last night we went to the last Christmas part of the season.  The normal driving time is 45 minutes.  It took us two hours.  That should have a clue that it would have been better staying home.  But no, G always tells everyone he is from Minnesota and can handle all winter weather. 

Note the smile on his face.  I had the good sense to stay inside the car and be the photographer.

It was a miracle we got home.  There were drifts a couple feet high on the country roads.  Well, maybe only one and a half.

We only had to walk only the length of the driveway.  Who knows when we will get the van out.

This car is hibernating.  

We are grateful that the electricity  has not gone out and we are toasty warm.

One of 54 million

I really should make a statement about how we spend our day yesterday.  We had spent the Thanksgiving days,  Tuesday through Sunday on our (almost) last trip to finish the bathroom.  I will let RM give a report on the progress there.

We left Maryland at noon on Sunday.  We then journeyed toward Ohio, sometimes at speeds of 5 mph for a few hours.  I then Googled it and found out that we were one of the 54 million people in the US who had traveled more that 50 miles from their home for this holiday.  As far as one could see, there were the white lights in three lanes coming toward us on one side and red tail lights in the three lanes ahead of us on our side.  All moving at about 5 mph, or not at all. Words cannot describe what it was like, but if I had taken pictures it would be very artistic. 

Ramblings

All I can say, is "rain, rain,and more rain".  Thank goodness I was able to mow the lawn before it started.  We have had a frost so it is not growing much.  We have become homebodies because or the rain.

I frequently say I am so happy I don't have to drive in the buggy like the Amish around here.  Sometimes you see them driving holding a big (black of course) umbrella in front of them. They are trusting the horse knows the way.

In my quest to get rid of my stuff, I have contacted several historical societies to find a home for this stove.  I would love to donate this to them. So far no takers.  This stove was in the basement of the house in Mountain Lake, Minnesota where my grandparents, then my parents, and now my brother live.  My brother did not want it.  I thought I would put it in the walkout basement of a house we were planning to build. I drove 900 miles (one way) with a trailer and brought it to Ohio.

We did not build the house were were planning to. Instead we bought the one we now live in.  So it has been in the wood room of our basement.  I really don't want to just scrap it so will keep trying. 

Loss and Grief

Today I am writing sympathy cards to two of my friends who lost their mothers .  To say I understand what they are going through is very true.  It is sobering when I realize this is another stage of  my  life.  To those who know our friends, it is Denise L and Lynn B. 

In the same vein, last night G and saw the movie "Summer 1993".  It is a Spanish movie about a six year old girl who looses her mother and goes to live with an aunt and uncle.  The acting by the six year old is great.  Much of the time she looks on in silence as things are happening, but shows emotion in her face and body.  It shows here healing in a slow way.  I would recommend the movie. 

I don't want this post to be overly sad.  In each situation there are good memories that heal.

Alabama

Gerry and recently took a trip with our new (to us) camper.  The goal was the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham.  This is the largest motorcycle museum in the world.  Pictures fail to get the feel, but I will try. This is looking out of the five story elevator. These are not models, they are the real thing.  

Truth be said, it was a bit of overload for me, but of course not for Gerry.

The next two were placards on the tables where we had lunch.