Happy Memorial Day Weekend to those here in the States, and happy Sunday to all! I'm still running into connection problems, but my thoughts are with you all.

Party on in the comments!

For winter's rains and ruins are over
And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins
- Algernon Charles Swinburne.

Decision Time.

I have a box of journals that I've saved over the last 20 years. Keep or dump, and why?

You Were a Lizard

You are able to bounce back from adversity and regenerate what was lost. Facing your fears and controlling your dreams comes easily for you.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

From Roscoe, who was a cat?

TV Test from the November 21, 1967 Grand Ledge Reminder:

1. Poet-beggar of "Kismet". Tony Curtis, Lee J. Cobb, Jose Ferrer

2. Star of "Critic's Choice". Bob Hope, Henry Fonda, James Stewart

3. Sergeant Friday of Dragnet. Bill Ladd, Jack Webb, Doug McClure

4. Ann Marie, "That Girl". Ann Margaret, Betty Leeds, Marlo Thomas

5. Louis the Lilac in "Batman". Burgess Meredith, Milton Berle, Jack Paar.

Eek!

Bad phone lines. Introducing cats to each other. Missing my blogging, but what can you do?

Sierra came home Monday night. She was groggy from her surgery, so Snuzzles and I left her in the back two rooms. Last night was introduction time. I think they did well, though Snuzzles kept pinning her. She didn't look distressed, and he let her up when I caught them, so . . . But they're back to their own rooms when there is no supervision available.

Any suggestions on hastening the intro phase?

See ya!

A little Unconscious Muttering, eh?

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Yours :: Mine, Ours
2. Charcoal :: Grille. Just got the new one put together.
3. Platitude :: Life without confetti is only an existence.
4. Graduation :: Day
5. Hungry :: Howie. (a pizza joint)
6. Somewhere :: In Time. Come to Mackinac.
7. Nurse :: Nancy
8. Freak :: Show
9. Unbelievable :: Incredible!
10. Walk :: The Line

I have never owned a washer and a dryer. I do now. They are on the first floor. I am in love!!! (Doing a load right now!)

The game: Hanky Panky. (Okay, quit chortling, you two!)

And copying directly from the script:

The staff of Collegiate Quiz here presents fifty of its most popular Hanky-Pankies as featured on the broadcasts from the campus of the University of Michigan.

How to Play

The quizzer gives the contestant a definition containing an adjective and a noun. The contestant must answer with a two-word phrase similar in meaning to the original definition, in which the two words ryhme. And that's Hanky-Panky!

On to round 4!

31. tiny finger
32. baby octopus
33. dark red animal
34. golden dessert
35. large tropical fruit
36. gratuitous binge
37. indisposed fowl
38. wedding vehicle
39. rancid brew
40. twisted penny

Have at it!

Patience. I must learn patience.

I have dial-up. This wasn't a big issue in town, where the lines were heavy-duty, with fast connection speeds and clean lines. It may turn into a problem out here in the country, where the lines are noisy and S - L - O - W.

But that's what this is all about, learning. Learning patience, learning I may have to spend a little more to fuel my internet addiction!

Love ya all, and thanks for all the positive energy!

Well hello there, from the west side of Lansing! Wow! I have been so far out of my comfort zone for the last week, it seems just so good to be typing a blog entry.

Thank you all for your well-wishes on the move. For those of you just stopping by, I moved this weekend. This was the first move I've made in 24 years. According to my brother and brother-in-law, it will be another 24 years before they will move me again. Gah! I have too much stuff!

The big move was accomplished Saturday. My family can work wonders. They had the majority of my stuff moved and the big stuff set up at the farm in five hours. Wow.

Sunday was Mothers Day! Happy belated Mothers Day to all the moms and mom-figures out there. Normally I cook a "Grandma" meal for the family, but this year I took them all to Ponderosa. Now I have to brag on Ponderosa. They put sirloin on their buffet: wasn't that just grand of them? Fifteen of us gathered. It was great.

I hired my nephew to help me afternoons for this moving week. (He worked as family Saturday, but to tie him up all week is a whole different matter.) Monday he went with me to buy a desk, chair, grille, and wheelbarrow. He also went with me to the humane society to pick out cats. I could bring Snuzzles home, but Siera will come home next week after she has an operation.

Monday night my mom and my friend Deb came over. Those two get along SO well, as they are both only children. They ironed and hung my kitchen curtains. Aren't they sweeties?

Tuesday my sister and brother-in-law and nephew all came out, and put together the desk and chair, helped me hang drapes, opened a window that had been stuck, and added a lock to the back door. Wow. (That's all I can say anymore. Wow!) I love my desk. It has a hutch top, three drawers, a windowed set of shelves. I hope it will help me keep more organized. (I bet all my relatives hope the same thing.)

Wednesday was one thing after the other. The Culligan man came at 9:00. Country water needs softening and purification. I am immensely impressed with the professionalism of the sales and installation of that company. My mom came out at 10:00 a.m. for a visit (and more curtain ironing, Wow!). The yardman was out, but couldn't mow as things are very wet. (Of course, we ALWAYS want to move in cold, wet weather, right?) Then a guy from work stopped by, he's going to make me some steps for an old unused porch off the north end of the house. And THEN . . . Smith Floral came with a giant bouquet from my boss and his wife. Guess I'll have to go back to work on Monday now. *grin*



More coming . . .

Ladybug,
Ladybug

Fly Away Home

As always, code ripped off from Mandarin Design. Thanks, meg!

Signing off now from the East side of Lansing. Catch up with you sometime next week, on the other side of town! Love ya!

at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow I unplug the computer. The move is on!

Game on! Cindy and Susan finished off round two of Hanky Panky, just like that. Great! And Tilly, please come back and help us with your quiz in the comments. Please?

Round three:
21. amusing rabbit
22. amorous pigeon
23. canine garments
24. wet flirt
25. lackadaisical flower
26. rich-toned stringed instrument
27. no-good percussion instrument
28. silent woodwind instrument
29. Satan's chimes
30. dark charlatan

I do believe the spring has truly sprung. There's a house in there somewhere.

added, 10:57 p.m. Now the rains are coming down. I'm glad I snapped this one when I did!

Game time again. Tilly got the first ten correct, just like that.

11. bloody narrative
12. courageous rogue
13. literary thief
14. calm jester
15. good polish
16. remember it was 1940: queer fish
17. dangerous liquor
18. pussy's gloves
19. underfed colt
20. self-satisfied insect

Have at it!

Game time again. This is from a 1940 radio script Grandma Bea sent away for back in 1940. The station was WJR, and it was a broadcasting service of . . . gulp . . . University of Michigan! Grandma! What were you thinking???

The game: Hanky Panky. (Okay, quit chortling, you two!)

And copying directly from the script:

The staff of Collegiate Quiz here presents fifty of its most popular Hanky-Pankies as featured on the broadcasts from the campus of the University of Michigan.

How to Play

The quizzer gives the contestant a definition containing an adjective and a noun. The contestant must answer with a two-word phrase similar in meaning to the original definition, in which the two words ryhme. And that's Hanky-Panky!

We'll start with the first ten:

1. inebriated polecat
2. naked rabbit
3. fleshy rodent
4. tall pastry
5. crazy fashion
6. happy boy
7. steaming kettle
8. colored writing-fluid
9. unruly youngster
and 10: loyal color.

Have at it!

I am now the proud owner of my first washing machine and dryer. This is a hoot, having all these firsts so late in the game of life. The sales person at Sears was excellent; she was very knowledgeable, didn't try to upsale me, and gave me some good pointers.

Mandarin meg has been quiet for three days, and her last post in her comments (you always have to read her comments, you never know what you'll find in there) sounded like she might be discouraged. How about going over and giving some love to this lady who has given us so much? Thank you.

I have a Culligan man too! Well water definitely needs softening and a filter for drinking.

oh, and all older kids (over here on the other side of fifty or so) . . . go check out SusanJayne's quizzie. A great walk down memory lane!

Otto starts us off with her Monday Madness!

Good Monday to you all! Have a great week, and thanks so much for playing! =)

1. List three words that describe YOU. Curious, Quirky, Eclectic
2. List three words that describe YOUR HOME. my new home is old, farmhouse, memory-filled
3. List three words that describe YOUR TOWN. my new town is old, on-the-river, small
4. List three words that describe YOUR STATE. beautiful, water, trees

F A R M E R

Please join tryke, diamonds and me in watching Grand River Bridge coming down. (Man-watcher alert.)

Up for the 3 a.m. wanderings, so let's do some Unconscious Mutterings.

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Represent :: ative
2. Mumbling :: Bumbling
3. Meetup :: Internet
4. Tantalizing :: Teasing
5. Fake :: Facade
6. Dale :: Evans
7. Deny :: Admit
8. Calories :: Fat
9. Roll :: Sweet
10. 44 :: 33, 55

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh--at yourself."

~~Ethel Barrymore

Ladybug,
Ladybug

Fly Away Home

As always, code ripped off from Mandarin Design. Thanks, meg!

Today marks the end of the preliminary cleaning out at the farm. Next Saturday: the big move! Yay!

My mother's garden. Be back tomorrow night! Have fun!

"Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine."
~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Show of hands: Raise 'em if you're going to see MII3 this weekend?

Gail at Crossing the Rubicon is a regular read because she's one of my favorite words: eclectic. She posts on a wide variety of topics, from international to cultural to familial to the links where you can write your name in crackers. Thanks, Gail!

My friends on the phone.

I had to get a new phone provider out at the farm, so I went ahead and got my new number. Saturday, I plugged an old phone in, and got a dial tone! Yay. I went about my cleaning chores. I happened to glance at the phone about twenty minutes later. I had had a call! Cool! I figured Mom or my sister had called to see if I was working hard.

Not. The caller ID said that it was my good friends at Digital Cable that had called. How did they find me so fast? And remind me to call the do-not-call-number.

Remnants from another day are throughout the horse barn.

Father Time is not always a hard parent, and, though he tarries for none of his children, often lays his hand lightly upon those who have used him well; making them old men and women inexorably enough, but leaving their hearts and spirits young and in full vigour. With such people the grey head is but the impression of the old fellow’s hand in giving them his blessing, and every wrinkle but a notch in the quiet calendar of a well- spent life.

Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge

Kathryn, remember when we used to turtle? It appears the turtles are on the move.

More around the blogosphere:

Claude was born in 1944, at the end of World War II. Her story is remarkable and her picture is adorable.

susan has gone to the dogs. If you live in the Sydney, Oz, area, please think about doing the doggie-rescue thing.

Cassie-B's winter picture was featured in her newspaper! Woohoo! Beautiful picture, but let's not go back to winter for awhile. *smile*
Quantum Ali is a writer, a knitter, and a spinner. And her picture is on the web!

The answers are all in on the tree quiz:

1. What is the social tree. poplar
2. The tree which is nearest the sea. beech
3. The dandiest tree. spruce
4. The kissable tree. tulip
5. The tree which is warmest clad. fir
6. The languishing tree. pine
7. The Egytian plague tree. locust
8. The tree which you see in your hand. palm
9. The straightest tree. drumroll please . . . plum(b)
10. The tree which is not I. yew

Thanks to Susan and Cindy and Julie for finishing it up!
more . . .