Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Busy....Busy....Busy

We're doing some remodeling or rather paying someone to do some remodeling on our mail floor.  The dust and dirt are much but not as bad as the first day.  Ron is being a wonderful husband and keeping things cleaned up as best he can but some things are just going to look as bad the next day so I try to walk by without looking. 
After they finish in the afternoon we've been hopping in the truck and heading to the big box hardware stores.  Looking for flooring, trim and paint.  Last night we didn't find quite the right flooring, or so we thought so we took pictures and went to eat at Steak n Shake.  One of the places they don't have in AZ and I had coupons. 
Tonight it was back to a big box, Menards, for 13 boxes of hard wood flooring, two gallons of ceiling white, 2 gallons of primmer and one gallon each of two different colors plus some accessories.  Then home to unload in an already crammed full garage. 
Off to Costco for staples, sugar and flour, and agave nectar for Ron's coffee.  Then a stop at Jewel for Coke and half and half. 
It sure felt good to get home.  I still fixed hubby a bowl of cream of tomato soup.  Then it was get comfortable and get out the "my body is going to hurt in the morning if I don't take something" pills.
It will continue for a while longer but it's going to be worth it when it's done.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Killing Time

I know, the best way to kill time is to work it to death.  BUT, this time it's killing time till time to go to bed.  I don't know why tonight is different.  Think it has something to do with a doctor's appointment in the morning and orders of nothing by mouth till after the appointment.  It's time for the yearly physical for Ron and I both.
This week has been a busy one.  We decided to do something to the two spare bedrooms but when we got into one of the closets we discovered a leak from the bathroom upstairs.  A call to our favorite plumbers brought a gentlemen by the name of Chris.  Chris worked on the new upstairs toilet till he found the problem but didn't have the solution.  He left us with a trip downstairs every time we needed to use the facility and my knees weren't real happy about bending, especially at 7 am in the morning.  Chris came back today and still couldn't get it fixed right so he left again but returned after lunch with a new tool and as of now, it's working.  Thanks Chris for your tenacity.  Thanks PDM for taking care of us, as usual. 
I used Chris's lunch break to see my favorite hair stylist, Deb.  I got to meet the new addition and get a much needed hair cut.  I'm styling with salt and pepper spiked hair.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Friday night at the Moose and Pedicures.

First in the order of the day was a pedicure at my favorite spa.  Studio 305 in Lockport.  Gloria takes care of all my nails like the pro that she is.  Her art work is spectacular. No art work for me this time but next time is close enough to Memorial Day that I think we'll do some red, white and blue.

It's been awhile since we were at our Moose lodge in Lockport so we decided to give the new menu a try and maybe see some old friends. 
Old friends we saw, quite a few of them.  Had a great time talking to people, enjoying a couple adult beverages and just relaxing. 
The new menu was a horse of a different color.  Last fall I had tried the broasted chicken and it was delicious, to much to eat, so I ended up taking home a doggy bag which I enjoyed very much.
This time I decided to try the perch.  I love perch and was all excited.  I don't know what they served me but it wasn't fillets of perch.  It looked and tasted like they had thrown a bunch of pieces of fish in a blender and then poured it out in molds to form fish like shapes.  It was terrible and I didn't eat it.  The cold slaw had been made way to far in advance but the French fries and the bread and butter were delicious and enjoyed them while the fries were still hot. 
They had a live band starting at 8:30 so we since we were enjoying ourselves we decided to stick around for that.  The first clue should have been the amount of "stuff" they already had set up and the large sound machine.  OMG I couldn't physically take the volume so I got up and availed myself of the ear plugs they provided.  They helped but still couldn't talk to anyone.  I guess I need to learn the rules of going to a live band concert.  Shut up, sit down and play games on your smart phone. 
I think it's safe to say the next visit to the Moose will be for a social time.  No food or entertainment.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Spring?????

Well, as previously blogged, we're home.  It's a fact that it's spring.  Then tell me, how can it be spring in Illinois when 2 inches of snow fell on our yard yesterday afternoon. 

I sure glad we still had winter coats.  I had forgotten how much trouble winter ware can be.  What a pain.

We did manage to get all (or so we thought) of our stock up shopping in just as the snow started.  Glad we now have groceries so even though we aren't supposed to get more snow it's still going to be highs in the 50s the rest of the week. 

Now it's time to see the family.  Today is our daughter, son in law and grandson, Daniel.  It will be good to see them all but especial Daniel.  We haven't seen him for about eight years or so. 

My trip to the ophthalmologist office yesterday was very interesting.  While I was still sitting in the waiting room a couple came out of the back to leave.  As I looked up I recognized the woman instantly.  She was my high school social studies teacher.  Believe me she hadn't changed much in the 50 + years since I'd had her for a teacher.  The unusual part is when she looked at me she stated she knew me too. She remembered me as one of her students.  She didn't remember my name just that I had been her student.

 
BTW, Gerry C.  My diagnosis was dry eyes.  Wish I had listened to you and taken you offer of help.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

We're Home, Illinois that is.

We made it to our Illinois home safe and sound including beautiful weather all the way.  Northern Illinois got hit pretty bad with hail (golf ball size) and rain and southeastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee) is 20 degrees colder than us.  We lucked out, the Chicago area didn't get hit like the northern part of the state.  We enjoyed setting on the front porch this morning from 6 am to 9 am drinking coffee and waiting for the Trib to be delivered.  We miss our AZ Star paper delivery at 5 am.  Oh well, there's more comics in the Trib. 
Did some basic grocery shopping yesterday afternoon and started another list of groceries we still need to buy local.  We also have a Sam's Club list for stocking up.  We like to let things run down before we leave so now it's time to replenish.  Putting away stuff that came back with us and cleaning up the front yard were our major projects.  Got home in time to cut the clematis back.  The jonquils are getting ready to flower.  One of our neighbor's came over declaring it must be spring, we were back.
I sure miss the quiet of our end of the park.  The neighbor kids have a new hobby.  Tiny motorized bikes that they race up and down the street with their friends doing wheelies.  The "rice rockets", "organ donor" bikes racing up and down Thornton doesn't add to the quiet of our neighborhood either. 
But we're here for at least 6 months.  If you're in the area, stop in for a visit.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Four Days on the Road

We're four days out of Tucson and one day from Illinois.  It's been an interesting journey.  The first night in Socorro was exactly like it always is.  Quiet bordering on boring.  Dinner next to the motel, McDonald's.  Wednesday night at Colorado Springs.
The journey was as good as the stay.  If Ron said "Look at that mountain" one more time,  it would have been one hundred times.  The San Cristobals tops were covered with beautiful white snow.  All the way to Colorado Springs.  We stayed in the same Best Western when we went up Pikes Peak and lucked out getting another beautiful room.  Dinner was at Village Inn right in the motel parking lot.  I had their "smash burger" and since it was Wednesday, pie.  Free slice of apple pie.
We've been fortunate to have beautiful weather the entire trip and looking forward to one more day tomorrow.
We even made a quick stop this afternoon at I -80 Truck Stop.  It is huge.  There is two semis and a decked out 85 foot long trailer inside and if you don't go to that section of the truck stop, you'll never see them.  If you're ever driving down I 80 , stop and check it out.

Monday, April 7, 2014

We're on a Wakeup !

Tomorrow morning starts the traveling back to IL adventure.  This morning we saw the next door neighbors load up their van for two hours and then a half hour after they left they were home again.  He forgot to turn off the water so they came back.  We told them if there was anything else they forgot to do outside, give us a call.
A couple morning walkers stopped by to give us their best wishes for a safe trip.  But mostly Ron just packed the truck bed with "stuff" we won't need till we get home.  He did go fill the gas tank and wash the outside of the truck this morning so we won't have to worry about that till Lordsburg, NM.  That's about as far as we go till we fill up.  We could go farther but there is a few hundred miles with no gas stations and then the next one is in Hatch, NM.  They are the hot pepper capital of the world, or so they say, and driving thru the town is an experience to the senses.  They have peppers lying on roof tops drying and the smell is in the air.  AND the one and only gas station just before we cross the Rio Grande for the first time has the highest priced gas on the route.  After that it's 25 north till we're almost in Denver, CO and then east and a little north toward IL. 
I'm sure we'll forget something but it probably can be replaced or taken care of by someone in the park.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Four Days and A Wake Up

Time is getting closer and my stomach is getting queasier.  A lot of it went away this morning when I started empting out the refrigerator.  It had way to much good fresh vegetables still on it's shelves and in it's drawers.  I won't even try to give it away.  Most of our neighbors are within a few short days of leaving so they're in the same boat.  The ones who spend the summer here probably wouldn't appreciate our left overs.  The one thing that hurt the most was the asparagus.  It was so young and fresh.  I tried a new way of fixing it and Ron really loved it but there was just to much. 

BTW, the new way was lay the clean spears on a baking sheet and drizzle oil over them and then sprinkle sea salt.  Roast them in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes and when they come out springle with parmesan cheese.  Yummy.

The picking up things and putting them aside continues.