Memorial Day 2012

We have had the nicest...not to mention hottest....Memorial Day ever.  We planned to meet with m2t2 at Pettitis but first ran to Walmart. Robert decided he wanted a bird bath.  We used to have one at 809, years ago, but he didn't much care for it. But I loved it.  When he said he wanted another, I lost no time in getting him to start looking.  Walmart had none left but the display ones and the man didn't seem too interested in helping us.  But we did find this cute container for planting that looks like a cup/saucer.  We will be planting more poppies in it.  Then M2 texted me that she was almost at Pettiti's so we drove around the corner and met them.  They shopped for veggie plants for their own square foot gardens.

We took Henry around the place with us, feeding him goldfish crackers as we went. But boy did he enjoy Pettite's waterfalls.  Right then I knew we needed more than a bird bath.  We bought a couple more sets of chicks and hens for the rock garden in the front island,

 I found this wonderful new plant (Pilea Moon Valley...well, ok, it's new to me and an indoor plant), Robert got some impatients and some Drip Roses.  M2T2 left and we did some returning at Kohl's and candle shopping at BBW. Then we decided to try out Lowes. And they had the loveliest selection of waterfalls.  We narrowed it down to 2 and ended up with this one.

Robert immediately put it in the place in the garden where we can see it from the kitchen eating area.  We hoped that it wouldn't take long for the birds to discover it.  Niko is still not sure about running water so he's been staying far away.  We also picked up some Lupine seeds and hope we get quite a garden full in future years.  Naturally Robert had to buy another hosta...this one is yellow.

Even in this horrible heat (and it's not even the end of May yet and we are past 90 degrees), Robert started working in the garden.  There was a lilac tree but it hasn't grown and what does grow, grows less each year. That was removed. There were 2 overaged, and overgrown bushes behind the house which are also now gone. And mulched in this mulch machine we own.   More pepper plants and a tomato plant, were placed.  I reworked my indoor succulents.

When the heat got to him, Robert came and in rested, watching some shows on what he calls the Nazi Channel.  That reminded me of a funny incident at our last Friends of Domonkas Library meeting. As a Friends group we donated several thousand dollars to have new modern technology installed in the conference room and now we sponsor a movie night each month.  The first one was about Nazi's and the war and our one German member threw up her hands and said in heavily German-accented English...."no more war movies.  You'd think that Germany only provided movie topics!"  She's so nice and cute.  So whoever is sponsoring the movie in June will not be showing a war movie.

While the burgers grilled (and thanx to Emril's plan, these burgers were stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon and were excellent), we picked a large bowl of strawberries that would be our dessert over angel food cake.  I kept enough berries for tomorrow and shared some with our behind-the-fence neighbors, Frank and Darlene.

After all this work and all this heat it was relaxing to chow down with these great burgers, red-skinned potato salad, and the most amazing corn on the cob. This is the 2nd time Apples has offered such sweet corn that you'd think it was right out of the field.

Suddenly I looked up and said, Robert!  There's a Robin eye-ing the waterfall.  And we watched excitedly as the Mr. Robin (Gibb) hopped all around and backed off, and back up to the waterfall.  He first drank from the lower portion. Then flew to the fence and preened himself. Suddenly he was back down and fearlessly not only took a bath in the water, he went behind and stuck his head under the falls and had himself a perfectly great shower. Can you spy him?  I had to take these pictures through the kitchen window, screen and all.  Then he flew to the top and drank from that top portion.  This is going to be so much fun.  I hope he tells his friends.

I talked with Jocelyn and Dawn and got texts from Cara who's with the kids in DC.  Saw M2T2 so that only leaves NHB not checking in. But each have honored those veterans in our families and in the world in one way or another. Connor, now a trumpeter, can now You're a Grand Ol' Flag for his family's flag raising. They have this wonderful tall flagpole in the backyard.  Perfect for any patriotic occasion.

I am grateful I have this free country to live in, kept sacred by the blood of those who worked and continue to work to keep tyranny away from us from without...now to keep it away from within.  Jill and I have talked about the fact we all have missions to perform while in mortality.  We sometimes have to guess at what we are supposed to do. Other times we know immediately.  And in each day we need to be watchful and vigilant so we can act when we need to act.

God Bless America and all people everywhere who choose freedom, if only within their own minds/hearts until that day when all people can be free.

end of May

Today marks the 40th year since I graduated from Brigham Young University. And tomorrow is our for-real 40th wedding anniversary (yes, stupid me, we got married one day after I graduated). We will celebrate today by going to DaDonna's for dinner and then to the Hannah theater in Playhouse Square, Cleveland, to see Sondheim on Sondheim. Am really looking forward to the show and having it held at the Hannah Theater is an added treat.

We have tried to think of something to do to celebrate this landmark anniversary. A cruise keeps popping up but we have no passports. But I heard today how cheap they are so that might just pan out for us. Otherwise, there's always Colonial Williamsburg. I love that place but Robert has never been. Last week at some point, Robert commented that he had always wanted a beehive for his home. I naturally thought 'decor' and began a search with my ever faithful, helpful daughter Dawn. Then just as I was going to purchase one, I gasped...and realized Robert might have meant REAL. So I asked if he ever wanted to raise bees and he said yes. But when I checked online, he needs to take a class so that might something for him to look forward to when he retires.

So until then, he get this:

It actually can hold his garden hose but it can also just be a reminder of how he's always as busy as a bee!

PS...THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL POST. As we drove out of the driveway on our anniversary morning, heading to church I saw this:

 I told Robert to stop and jumped out of the car...there, all over the north lawn were all these lovely swans filled with flowers and hearts and a huge sign reading...480 months of marital bliss...happy anniversary!  This was Robert's so very sweet gift to me.  Luckily a woman was walking her dog just at the moment and willingly snapped a picture for us.


As I looked around the garden at our lovely flowers, I realized Robert is finally realizing his dream of a yard filled with very colorful flowers and lots of fruits. We will have so many more fruits this year than vegetables. But it makes him happy. So for the record I keep and for your viewing pleasure, here's some of our plants.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see these bloom. These are Lupines. We fell in love with them when we toured Prince Edward Island. Then I noticed my Aunt Ann Tanski had quite a garden full of them. She gave me some pods or plants but somehow not many of them took and i thought they were all lost. The last 2 years, all we got were the leaves, not buds. But suddenly, I looked out and saw the buds and am ecstatic. These are so graceful and lovely and bring such memories of my aunt, as well as PEI. I am hoping they continue to multiply and one day will need to be placed elsewhere...but for now I want them safe in this huge pot. Thanx Aunt Ann......

These above are Dutch Iris. Rebecca Stay shared some with us before she left. They seem to have increased in size substantially since we moved to 3830.

This is one of our 3 clymatis. The flowers get larger each year, also

My Jacks didn't do so well this year...perhaps because we had no winter.

White clymatis with lavender in front. I have a super cookie recipe using lavender which I might need to bake this summer....soon.

These are peonies. I say PEEEanies, but Bonpapa always called them peeOOOOnies. These are generations from the ones that used to be at Carol's old farmhouse in Grafton. When they moved to Strongsville, she gave us some to keep. We just keep transplanting. From Law Road, to 809 and now to 3830. On the west side of the house there are some, too, and next to the red hot pokers and the very purple clymatis, we have quite a color treat!

Aha! Again, the corpse plant has grown. I looked it up and I think our plant falls in the category of the Dragunculus Vulgaris. But there are going to be so many stinky, magnificient flowers this year (pictures to come later). This is the plant my mom had and waited and waited years for it to produce. I remember how excited she was to call us up to see the first bloom. Then she died and Bonpapa was removing things left and right in their garden so we transferred the tuber to 809. But it moved with us up here...and in the past 4 years, it blooms every single summer and this year has multiplied crazily. I think I counted 6 so far and just today I looked and realized there's another plant growing another bloom about 2' away from the main one. Robert says he might move it to the other side of the garden in the fall. Personally, I'd rather we took out the too old, too over grown bushes behind this and allow this to be amazing!

Top right are the raspberries, the front are 2 beds of strawberries, and along the fence line is boysenberries (not to mention huckleberries, black berries, blueberries and 2 other kinds of berries)

This is the newest...hydrangeas. Lovely!

Here is one of our old irises from 809. We didn't get so many last summer but they are settled down and are growing nicely this year.

Heucheras
And I should mention than many of these new ones came from Pettiti gift cards Robert received from his birthday from Jocelyn and Marissa and families...he was thrilled with this gift!

Another surprise this spring...the poppies decided to grow this year. I am becoming a fan of container gardening...that way I know what's where.

The west side of the house. Not such a good pix of the colors and the red hot pokers are pretty well spent...guess that comes from no winter, early early spring!

Heartleaf Bucheras

And finally I told Robert it was time he stop the Saturday gardening/yard fixin' up and come in and get ready for our big night on the town. He just came behind me, saw the picture below and commented, "just like Daddy Frank"...his father...and then out comes this story:

I remember when I was about 10 and had a one speed, hand-me-down junker bike. So I road it for several years and got over that phase. I was about 15 and we were cleaning out the back of the house. There sat that bike, totally unrideable. I said, "Dad, let's just get rid of this piece of junk." And he said, "No, when you've been through the depression you don't through anything away. You might need it some day. It's still good." And a few days ago, it reminded me of the Motobecane (French bicycle, of course) that Susan bought me at Jaime's flea market for my birthday decades ago, which is no longer in rideable condition but I am still saving it. "Some Day, Alice! Why I oughta!"

Here's my muscle man...my Sexiest Man of my Life...posing with the lawn vac Jordan found for him.

Women's Conference 2012

Saturday, 19 May, our stake held the yearly Women's Conference.  As a presidency we (or Marina and I) struggled with it.  There's plenty of fluff and stuff in the world and in our women's lives.  And we live in such perilous times and all too often we wander through our days, when they are nice and easy, and give no thought to various problems.  We could have gone with  a carnival and games idea but opted for something much more serious and important.  We were taught about addiction and abuse, the difference between bad habits and addiction, about forgiveness which is often a new impossible thing to do when we have suffered at the hands of one who is addicted to something and of one who is abusive.  I came away learning that an abusive nature is in itself an addiction.  We received so many comments from sisters who initially wondered why in the world they were having to listen to this when suddenly the message had its intended impact and they awoke from their 'slumber' and realized they were in need of such lessons.  The pictures above come from the stage display.  It shows the 3fold mission of RS and the center is the family, which is what we concentrated on for the conference.   Wonder Gail Smith arranged all of this and created the various vinyl clad posters, framed pieces.  It was very hard to see it dismantled.  The large temple was created by Annette Fascnacht who created these pieces which were glued on boxes for a previous Primary Presentation.  As each child spoke his part, he added a block to the temple was complete.

Strangest Day

I started out for the mall to get my glasses tightened.  For the first time ever, the mill gave us optical.  Sadly we can only go to a select few places.  It's good that it's pretty much free but I hate the place I went to. Will never return to Eye Masters for updates, even when they change their name.  Then I went in search of a candle.

For whatever reason, Robert has started to light candles.  The bad thing is he's brought up candles from the basement where we store the candles for emergency lighting.  My mom had a few, $1 ones that say they are scented but they are so not!  And those are what he brings up. So I opted to head to Bath and Body Works even tho the candles are not on sale.  But so many fragrances to choose from. It took forever.  I was also looking for a scent that I thought was verbena which they had only as I walked into the store I realized I didn't want verbena...I wanted viburnum scent.  Which they did not have.  I settled for Honeysuckle for Robert. It's burning right now and the scent is almost to me.  Very nice. But when I went up to pay, their electric whatever wasn't working and I could not pay with my card and she apologetically asked me to come back.  Which I eventually did and she was SO surprised.  So I was also gifted with whatever Signature item I wanted.  I opted for a full size bubble bath...And that meant more time sniffing.  Almost went with Sweet Pea cuz it's so light and fun but opted instead for another.

Went on to Macy's to get Robert another white shirt.  I called him from the car to see if he wanted anything, of course he didn't.  I suggested a white shirt altho he laughed.  I reminded him I am the one who washes/irons the white shirts and some were getting a little less church white.  So he agreed to take a white shirt.  Plus it was 50% off plus I had another coupon for 20% off.  Geoffrey Beane, here I come.

The problem with not weighing 120 pounds anymore is that no sizes are good for me.  The Misses sizes don't go high enough and the Women's sizes are too wide.  I still have a waist.  Plus, I am long torso'd and hae problems finding a long top that doesn't look like a mini skirt worn over jeans/slacks/capris.  But I found one nearly perfect top, went to pay for it and it came up $12 instead of about $55 (who pays $55 for a knit top?).  So I put the lady on hold and grabbed another one in a different color.

And then there's Lancome. Now do I need Lancome?  Of course not.  I can use Maybelline or CoverGirl or even Kohls. But today,  cute Diane was there. She's been there forever and is very much the persusive sales woman.  Plus she always gives me a facial.  And today was altho the lure of the FREEBIE.  And it was a huge one. So I am set to look beautiful on days I need to look finished.

I finished off the trip with Chicken Terriyaki.  Robert doesn't like eating at the mall, nor does he like that dish.  So I had a good, private lunch...while enjoying watching a big screen TV.  At chose that particular seat because in the tables behind me were about 6 delicious young men, professionally dressed, watching the  screen so I figured it must be good. It was...Turns out the Paces romped all over the Heat last night.  That made me more than happy. I came home and plan to turn on ESPN and see what Wade did in his fracas with the young coach.Spoelstra.  And the Heat cancels a practice they obviously need just so they didn't have to talk to the press?  Wow....I can only hope the Pacers put them away, but as mean as that is, I am going to guess the Heat will rally on Sunday.  Grrrrrr.

Along the way in and out of that section of the mall, I noticed someone I knew at Malley's Chocolate.  Susie Rice Minnich. So both ways in and out I stopped to chat...long chats.  It was great.  Had a super time talking with her.

So my day was pretty good...only now, not hungry, I have to get dinner for my man..... Oh well.

Sometimes You Just Gotta Yell and Scream

We had a real treat last night that actually turned into several highlights for me.  Marissa texted me and asked if the family could come over after Henry woke up and make us some Browned Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. ***NATURALLY, the answer was yes!


And we ate her delicious cookies and then managed to eat our way through whatever we had quickly available.  We sat outside (yes, I sat outside), we walked about the garden, some chives were dug up for Hank to plant.  Robert enjoyed talking with Hank (and later he was able to spend quite some time skyping with Jordan and Hillary).

But at one point, Marissa brought up the Safety Kids. This was a great cassette tape by Janeen Brady who had quite a few series out during the time my kids were wee ones.  Marissa remembered how I went into her kindergarten class and taught them about safety and I taught them the song, Yell and Scream.  At that time I was part of the Adam Walsh program that taught such things to elementary age children.  I did do this in several of the early grades.  I asked if she had a copy of that cassette which I had originally transferred to CDs (and later Dawn found CDs online).  She didn't so I went and got mine and made her a copy.  I've been listening to these sweet songs ever since last night and loved the memories I have of those songs.  And I realize that those messages are still really important ones to be taught to children today.   So if you have wee ones, find this program out there, this CD and enjoy memories a quarter century later!

Sometimes you just gotta yell and scream.
Sometimes it's the only thing to do
Noisy as a firetruck
You just gotta open up
and get the crowd's attention turned to you.

Then Marissa recalled how I taught classes how to make bread when she was a bit older (maybe 1st grade) and how special she felt that HER mom was coming to teach bread baking and how she was my assistant, how important she felt.  Boy did I feel important last night, sort of like a pat on the back years later for being the kind of mom I had hoped to be.  Those were good years.  Really Good Years. Busy years with so many schedules, very little money, but lots of silliness.  And what better way to start the week leading up to Mother's Day!

And now I see my children with busy lives, busy schedules, involved grandchildren and they are just as involved in their lives.  I think they have more money than we ever did but the silliness and joy exists when you put first things first.  It's a joy.  A Joy I am happy to possess.

***Marissa's recipe
Butter is a beautiful thing, but when it's browned, it turns into an intoxicating caramely, nutty substance, with a fragrance that's equally bewitching. When you combine this elixir with chocolate chip cookie dough, silly things such as unsuccessful attempts at phyllo dough, or knowing that you'll probably never meet your celebrity crush, are not that big a deal. Cookies fix everything. :D


Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine) 

ingredients
1 3/4 cups of unbleached, all purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon of baking Soda
14 Tablespoons of butter ( that's 1 and 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup of packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon of table salt ( I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups of semi sweet chips or chunks (I used Ghirardelli's bittersweet chips)
3/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking Soda. Set is aside.


Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.


Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. 


Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.


 Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

*Even though it wasn't in the recipe,I refrigerated my dough overnight. The dough is a little bit greasy, and chilling it seemed to help them bake-up into a fatter cookie*

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.


Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). 


Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)


Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Makes 16 cookies

Hearth Kit

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon and Robert was happy, in fact suggested, to help me set up the new hearth insert into our oven.  It's always fun to have something new and some new things to look forward to baking.
It was the easiest thing to set up...less than a minute.  The rack comes out until needed because normally I'll be baking right on the stone base.

My 'plans' for now is to bake some epi tomorrow.  Pictures later.  Hank assures me that a friend of his swears by his insert so now I am on a hunt for recipes.  If you have any you think I need, please send them on.  Happy 479th to us!

this last week....FUN

This has been a super week.  Not full of anything spectacular but when you have fun, it's all spectacular.

Monday night was our Bookclub this month.  Ken was on vacation so we hit the Moosehead Grill and Restaurant in Amherst. The men sat at one table and we bookies sat at another.  The night began as a Pinning Ceremony between Linda Stafford and me.  A couple Sundays ago, in RS a sweet sister turned around and referred to us as the Muppet Geezers.  Linda and I loved it.  We finally decided that I will be Waldorf and she will be Statler.  At first I said I would find us tee shirt with these old curmudgeons and we would wear them under a suit jacket on a Sunday but really, neither of us was going to do this.  So I started a hunt.  Found these:

They originally came as pierced earrings on those wirey things...but neither of us have holes in our heads nor ears.  But I bought them, went in search of findings so I could alter them.  These findings were perfect...still for pierced ears but thanx to the lovely round backings my mom left scads of they will be lapel pins with the muppets hang down.

We each got one and will wear it as a pin.  I hope you know these geezers. They have the perfect humor, and as the friend said, always get the best seats, best lines.  Linda and I love our new monikers.  Plus we loved the food and the discussion on Jane Eyre.  It is Linda who drew the comparison with her name EYRE and how altho she started as a pauper ended up as an HEIR.

Today (Wednesday) I started the day seeing my wonderful podiatrist.  I was able to get another cortisone shot, promised that if I keep up the exercises of stretching 3x day and rolling my food against the frozen water bottle I would once again be able to wear heels, sandals, and flats.  CANNOT WAIT.  I see him again in 3 weeks and he thinks I'll be done.  Yay!

This is the day my mom died 8 years ago and Bonpapa had his brain aneurism explode 4 years ago (altho he officiall breathed his last on the next day, he had already moved along).  So I took a trip to the cemetery and brought flowers from our yard since some of them were mom's.  I had considered buying a bouquet but knew how much these 2 great people loved their yard.

I was going to stop in at Stitch Cleveland in Lakewood so I stopped in first to see Marissa and Henry, who were outside eating lunch and chalk drawing.  We walked to the Elmwood Bakery and I bought a bunch of desserts for Robert.  I bought one of each and we shared, not all...at least not yet.  Best of all, they  have butter rings in the mornings at 7am.  I am going to be there one morning and get me one!

And for dinner?  Page 100 in the latest Food Network Magazine.  These are TriTip Steaks (thanx to Kathy Trefethen's introduction almost 2 years ago) grilled as well as grilled zucchini and red skinned potatoes.  But do you see the Epi?  On my way home from Cleveland Stitch, I passed the Blackbird Bakery which is actually a French bakery...with incredible breads.  I knew Robert would enjoy bread and the herbed dipping oils.  I had protect my portion of the Epi but got to thinking.  What I need is a hearth oven insert.  I started looking and have found one...now i need Hank to give me his real opinion.  Hank will make a hearth oven for his backyard one day or probably even own his own pizzaria which will be famous as he will be.   But for now, I just depend on him for helpful hints.

I had taken a book out of the library...The Italian Baker Revised by Carol Field.  It held such promise that I ordered one.  My first attempt at ciabatta was a total failure, we gnawed at some and then I tossed the rest.  The book and Hank and Marissa reminded me that it all takes practice.  So practice I will do.

What's left of the week?  I don't know for sure but I hope it will still be fun.    I know that Friday night Robert and I will join Jill for a dinner at Don Tequilla's and then will watch Mary Beth's city-wide musical production of Willy Wonka.  Saturday...maybe Michigan, maybe Columbus, maybe just Sheffield Lake.  But life is good and holds such promise.  Not to mention a promise of eternal life...but I hope that time is a bit later.

14th How I feel today..HAPPY

Robert started Mudding the family room wall where Dawn and Hillary removed the wallpaper.  Plus we had breakfast at Athena's (and decided New York Deli in Lorain has better), and tonight we see another Broadway Series offering....The Addam's Family.  It's a great day!  ( but I need a separate person to take pictures!)

Today in Lorain County is the Mudder's Race ... some stupid Colosseum type event drawing 10,000 people. Includes mud, ice cold water, electrical shocks.  I mean really? this makes for a unity  experience? We have about 4 runners from our ward so I am certain that come Fast Meeting, their testimonies will not be about Jesus Christ...but about Mudders.  Inane! So anyway to get back to my happiness...we have a great mudder's day ourselves.

FOUND on April 13

Yesterday during dinner, I announced to Robert to tomorrow we would be cleaning out the garage.  He replied, YAY! and we started immediately after we ate.  There's no holding down my man.  In fact, I told him when he retires, he's gonna have a problem cuz he will NOT sit still.  So the garage got a good trashing and we are happy that Monday is the 3rd Monday when the trashmen will take extra bags.

 I was working on the top of the freezer and the shelf way up high along the wall. I had taken down a couple things when I took down this box.

Carefully I looked inside and found this.  A box filled with old photo albums, this reel to reel audio tape from my grandfather's funeral, what appears to be 8mm home movies but I'm not sure about what's on those.  Somehow I have to find out.  But the treasuretrove of pictures took my breath away.  I'll post these here but know that tomorrow I start to scan them all, highest resolution possible.  And fortunately they will be added the to digital scrapbook I am compiling for my mom, then to be made into a hardback book.  That was my only 2012 goal.

I have no idea why these treasures were in the garage or who put them there. I could have been the one to do this but I truly doubt it.  I know better than that!  But I must say I am grateful we cleaned the garage.

 My grandfather Richard James Holman is in this picture, wearing what appears to be his rugby scarf around his neck

 My mother's graduating class...she's on the right end, front row.  She was Salutatorian

 My grandfather again...the concert pianist (whose piano I posses and treasure) and opera singer.

This is my mother's younger brother, Junior, who died by falling into a cystern.  He looks so much like my cousin Richard did.

I am almost CERTAIN there is one picture of my mother's birth father, the creep, drunk, abusive man, the one we 'hate and wouldn't want to date (thanx XFiles for that quote that I use all the time)', Joseph Morley Thomas. The one we lay no claim to.  You know if you click on the pictures you can see them enlarged.  A camera taking a picture of a photo isn't the best way to see them but it'll do for this entry.

This find just made me happy, so very happy.  Again, I say...I have no recollection of putting these pix in the garage but I am only so happy that I have them today.  To look at.  To wonder about.  To touch.  To remember and to pretend.