It is done... Labor Day 2006

Wednesday September 6, 2006 - 01:35pm (CDT

Oh, POOPIE... I "lost" my entire entry earlier- (And I had this 'feeling' that I KNOW I should always listen to- and for some reason I chose not to this morning)... And I also know I should be writing this elsewhere too...

And so, to begin again... ...elsewhere!

I first want to thank those of you that have written to ask if I am still alive. I have just checked for even an intermittent pulse, and found one, so can assure you that I am! And I have been on here- still trying to play 'catch-up' and 'keep up' with all of your own news and blogs etc etc etc...

And so; back to Sunday morning...

David was here bright and early to set up the tent- (Having had knee surgery on thursday, this was no small feat for him). Always nice to have a few minutes to chat with him too; such a kind and decent family man.

While he was here, Greg pulled in- with his John Deere on the back of his trailer- He cut down the tall weeds around the cornfield; and oops, removed only a row or so of the corn while he was at it. (Oh well, they did say the corn would be all off the fields BEFORE the end of August)- He also mowed down what was left of the garden that I didn't plant this year...

Now, while these two men were here, and working hard to make it all so very pretty, still another truck pulls in the yard! It was the painter man who had stopped early last month wanting to paint the roof on my house. Was glad that David was still here, because he knows SO very many people- Lots of connections and all. While he didn't know this guy, he did know many of the people this man had worked for... And after a little wheeling and dealing, Painter Longsine did agree to my offer. (I can be very stubborn). The roof of the house was done within the next 4 hours. All beautimous once more! I am really happy to have had this done- and before another winter would come, too.

Before all these guys had gotten here, I had been trying to get the tub and sink in the bathroom to unclog themselves. And they refused to even listen to either common sense or my desperate and urgent pleas... (Those damnable drains even completely ignored the cussing)!

For the past week I have been almost haunted by Pa's words when this had happened to us (and how many times) years ago. Back then he would say he 'would get to it when he got to it'; and in the meantime we could just either bale the water from our showers into the toilet, or go bathe in the river... He would end that speech with the ever ominous "just wait til you have a home of your own!"

(Well, I never thought it would be the SAME home for Petes sake)!

Sunday morning, before Casey had left for her shift at the station, she had asked me when I was going to work on the tub...

Ha-Ha, (MY TURN)!...

But I was so tired of baling the H2O too, so I plunged and drano'ed the darned things- over and over and over again.... YUCK....

When they finally did let loose, of course my house now smelled exactly like I had not only made baked beans, but that I had added rotting eggs to them as well.... Wanted to upchuck- (didn't). I did open all the windows- and turned on all the fans, in the hopes that even some of the obnoxious odor would move outside and dissipate. It is also one more reason I agreed to have the roof painted that day, (as I would much rather be smelling the paint fumes than the drain goos fumes)...

Back outdoors then- and to (re)move a few more weeds, to do a few last run-throughs with my own mower... Jenne and Isaiah came out once more, and we worked our backsides off too. We took Isaiah, and the cart back to the woods, and brought the picnic table up to the backyard then. Had to go real slow coming back up to the yard- as I had Isaiah on my lap, with Jenne precariously balancing the picnic table on that little cart... All the while the inside of my house being terribly neglected... as it still is...

When Casey was finished with her shift Sunday afternoon, Tim and Kelli came- They all went to Fleet Farm to get the roofing supplies that he will need to repair the leaky flat part on the addition part of the house. Jenne and I cleared out yet another spot in the garage to store those supplies. It is all metal too- and almost even matches the roof on the house! It will all look so nice when it is done. (Gee, and it won't even leak)!

Labor Day 2006

On Monday, Zoe called real early to say she had the flu- (had been up all the night, with the 'both ends' stuff that we all dread). I think this was the very 1st Labor Day picnic that she has ever missed too.

Jenne picked up My Little Miss Valerie, and they were here by 8:30. Berta came with her Little Gabriel, and I started the fire. (Such a good little Boy Scout I am, I had that wood lighted with my first match)! We set up all the tables and it finally began to look and smell like Labor Day should! The above picture attests to that- Then came the chairs-

In the meanwhile, Master Gabriel had been so happily playing in his little excersaucer thingie- Just watching all of us running this way and that, and to have him squeal every now and then to laugh at us.

Having gotten here while it was still a bit chilly, and being in the shade, we had left his little denim jacket on... (Yeah, you see it coming)... all of a sudden, he is screaming to high heaven-

I was behind the house filling the little pool- Hearing that shriek, I thought "bee"... and was right about that. He had gotten stung on the thumb, the wasp trapped by his little jacket cuff; Gabriel very very upset about it too. Much like Jenne was (28 years ago anyway), Isaiah could not stand to see his little cousin in pain and started crying too. I took Gabriel and asked Berta just to throw on a bottle for him... Of course we didn't know if he was allergic yet, so we were all worried about that too- (Oddly enough there is a bit of happiness for this grandmother to keep hearing him cry too- As long as they cry, their throats are not closing up).

And so I let him cry and just walked with him and sung off key to entertain my own self. (Oh wait, I always sing off-key)...

He didn't want that bottle- dearheart that he is, he just wanted to be held.

Since we were all involved with this little guy, obviously we weren't watching over anything else... A few minutes later, who should walk into the garage but Punkie- and completely soaking wet too!!! Guess the pool was just too irresistable for her to pass by; and given the fact that Gabriel had been making too much noise, she had just plunged in. So now we had 55+ pounds worth of wet puppy dog too. At least it was humor-ridden and broke the bee-sting nervousness that we had all felt.

Gabriels forearm had swollen up to his elbow- Suamico Sheriff had pulled in the yard a few minutes later, and I asked him if we could have given Gabriel a benadryl pill- He said yes, but that he sure would be sleepy. We never did give that pill to Gabriel, and he was fine anyway. I told the officer to stop back in an hour or so to have a hot dog or a hamburger- nasty to have to be on patrol on such a nice day.

I had not met this deputy before, but he was not real young either- I asked him to park at the end of the driveway anytime he wants and nail everyone that goes over the speed limit- Tired of taking my life in my hands just to get my stupid mail... And he did park at the end of the driveway then. Nice, that. And with all the old pines, the cars do not see that it is a police car until they are right in front of him- and then oops, too late, baby!

People came all day long- Some had to work later- some had been to work earlier- Brandi, Crystal and Traci had an ongoing rummage sale all weekend long- Crystal, Russ and kids had come early, and Brandi and Ashley never could get here until about 6:30 that night. But that's even nice too because then I get a little more 'one on one' time with them too, just to catch up on their own lives and what is going on. Roberta stayed all day- along with Master Gabriel too of course- And really helped to clean everything up. Jenne had also left very late, after all the tables and chairs had been put away. So much help- and I think I need to send them all some nice "Thank You" notes too. I don't know how many people made it to the woods or down to the river; but I do know that the kids were not in the least bit bothered by the fact that I had just filled that kiddie pool with well water that morning. When Isaiah had gotten out, he was completely white and actually shivering! But never mind- because HE didn't care, he just wanted to go back in!!! I had just sent all of Valeries clothing back home so she would have them all for school then, so I didn't have anything to put on her. Kathie just happened to have brought a bunch of clothing for a rummage sale, and had some things in there for her- Later I just threw on an old makeshift sundress on Miss Valerie- out of an old sleeveless top I had; pinning it just so, it looked real cute, otherwise she was too hot as Kathie didn't have any shorts in there for her. But Kathie had also brought some fresh out of the oven wonderful cookies for everyone too! And of course some of the Ryans came- It just wouldn't be right without them... And babies and grandbabies as well...

My sister Mary did not come. Her lymphedema in her right arm/shoulder was so bad she could barely move the rest of her body; let alone her arm- And she was terribly missed by us all. The doctors removed 22 lymph nodes, (21 of which were malignant)... I pray for her always; and not only that she beats this awful cancer... She is- and always has been, an amazing fighter; even my 9 year old backside will remember that forever). She will fight this too, on all levels; until it too, has passed. WHATEVER IT TAKES...

.

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THE HISTORY OF IT ALL...

57 years ago- in 1949- (the year my mom and dad got married), they began this Labor Day tradition with our neighbors, The John Ryan Family. At that point, it was just Mom and Dad, and Ginny and John- All of us kids came later... They packed a picnic basket and headed off to the back forty, sitting on a hill within view of the river and ate their little sandwiches- just enjoying the peace- and each others company, until it was time to go home and milk their cows. Each year thereafter, a new child- or children were added. New neighbors, new friends- and all of their children/grandchildren.

Since that 1st picnic, many have passed. We remember those with a little prayer each year. Many too, have gone their separate ways. Some are just MIA. And still, we are now into the 3rd generation having their own small children along- I can only hope that the Annual Yusvak Labor Day Picnic continues throughout- with/without my own presense... We used to always go back to the back forty- There was a huge sandhill that Pa would clear off every year- Us kids would take about a 25 foot running start and plunge over the edge, flying through the air... What fun that was! Just to be flying for that short while. Then there were always the inner tubes to take down the river- and all the kids would end up at Wouters Front, dripping wet, and I suppose smelling much like Punkie did on Monday Morning! But Joe never complained either... There was always Moms Poppy Seed Torte- (which when fed to small children would ensure that they would nap long enough for their parents to enjoy each others company)! And fresh Carrot Cake too! Always the REAL hot dogs from Blazei's- Homemade- in the skin- and wonderfully tasty- an old family recipe- (Pa used to slaughter for John Blazei way back when)... Mom would make hot dog buns- a huge pot of hot cocoa, and real lemonade too. Ginny Ryan would make her potato salad- And everybody else would also bring along a whole bunch of yummy food too. Nobody ever was lonely or went hungry in these parts back then; no matter how tough times got. Those were the days...

And these are the days now- Of friends I have never even met, yet feel so cherished by and friendly toward- the days of the miracle of cyberspace. Of being able to write down my thoughts and feelings, and maybe to have them run a bit parallel to what someone else might be going through in their own lives- and to be able to show them that life does go on...

Of happinesses, joys, sadnesses and tears. And I am glad that the worst tears as of late have only been shed over the indignity of the wasps and the bees.

I hope the same holds true in your own lives...

For now and for always;

XOXO
Anne

Wednesday September 6, 2006 - 01:35pm (CDT)