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Good Morning Everyone;
At least it was for me until someone questioned my veracity...
Earlier this morning, I read an email from a group I once belonged to. The writer was not vague about WHO she spoke of; (actually she named me specifically).
Not only was this sentence there, " I can understand that, as it takes a certain strength of character to remain... [positive, compassionate, warmhearted when dealing with sick people every day]..." etc etc etc... blah blah blah.
Be that as it may, she not only questioned my inner strength, she twisted many of my words- Some (using my words as her own)- to pat herself on the back with- Others being blatant lies.
Perhaps too, being more than a little sleep deprived, I have made a mountain out of a molehill.
But when someone basically calls me a liar, it hurts my heart.
- Do I embellish a bit on describing a photo or two? Yes. I do. But otherwise my content is true.
- Did this happen on my blogs? No. It did not.
I have worn MANY hats, in my adult life, (and probably an equal number of "labels"); but at no point has anyone rightfully called me a liar. There have been those who have tried. None of them were ever right.
I have basically come to terms with all the lies told about me during childhood and teenage years- - All that growing up BS that should have been outgrown long ago by my sister, but sadly was not. (In the end this is Mary's problem, not mine).
Oh we all have stories to tell about being on the wrong side of the accusation...
My apologies, I have digressed. Mary is NOT what my feelings are of today. (But I do believe that is where my sensitivity to lies came from).
Nor have I forgotten what it feels like to have someone be untruthful.
Having been made to "prove" myself, time and time, (and time again), I learned very early on to save, file, and document things that got said and/or written about/to me.
(I still have all of my ex-husbands letters to me, as he wrote each and every time to apologize for beating the crap out of me. And we were divorced in 1980)!
Again I have digressed.
And so it goes in this wonderful computer age as well?
I still have the first real email letter I have ever received from anyone. All the way up to the present.
Lots of files there too that could blow a few fish out of the water!
Mostly though, they really are "happy" files.(No I do not save jokes and fwd's).
Save for the "little white lies" I believe it IS the principle of the matter; and that there is never an excuse for lying.
Am I wrong?
Is it too much to ask for black and white?
Or are there truly shades of gray?
What is the worst lie anyone told about/to you?
You know, the one you won't forget it ever because of how much it hurt. Please know that this is certainly NOT the worst anyone has done. In fact, ignorance can be even laughable most days.
Still, it sent me way back...
My apologies for the rant. Please let me know.
Love to all.
XOXO
Me
Anna~Anna
"Flintville Annie"
© 2006-2015
Showing posts with label mary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mary. Show all posts
Spin City. (Can of Worms).
Sisters... March 09, 2007
What a grand way to end this week.... (from my email now)...
The picture is of myself and "Sister Mary" hehehe
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| A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter. "Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them." "Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too." "You'll need other women. Women always do." What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life. After almost 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned: And, THIS SAYS IT ALL:
...Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girlfriend is never farther away than your needing her can reach. The love is never lost. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Share this with all the women who help make your life meaningful. (I just did). |
A HUGE hug, and an even bigger 'Thank You' to you all, my "Sisters" here...
...for saying it all, and for offering such friendship to me too!
XOXO
Anne
Another Share of Mary... 02-09-07
Mary Mary; Quite Contrary!!!
We have just spoken (twice) on the phone already... (Well, until your boss showed up anyway)!
The above picture was taken at Christmas two years ago... and only 3 days after Mary almost died from her cancer and her chemo. (Kinda like Berta, they seem to recover nicely from beig at Deaths Door; wouldn't you say)?
Mary received weekly chemo treatments for her Grade 3, Stage IIIC breast cancer; and I tried to get down to Appleton for each one... It didn't always work because of Mother Nature, and I couldn't make it to the treatment that was only 2 days before her birthday that year. I felt SO badly- Probably more for myself, than she did because Tom would bring her, and they would share their conversations with many of her chemo~friends too.
But that day, instead of going to Appleton, I went for a walk, and then emailed her the following...
Please bear with me... I felt so bad not being able to go...
*I had entitled my e~Mail "We Took a Walk Today"...
02-07-05
Dear Mary;
Yes the damnable precipitation quit as soon as we'd hung up-
...And so, since I couldn't be there with you, I took you for a walk with me... (We took Miss Milly too)...
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You, Miss Milly and I walked back to the woods
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and checked on Mona's grave---
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(And it was at that point that I discovered that I'd left my camera behind)---
So we walked back to the house to get it.
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The wind, much chillier on the way back- We got the camera- and walked back to the woods...
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We saw the ice flows left behind by the rare February thaw...
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And took a picture of the house 1/2way to the campsite-
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Took a picture of an old tree, felled by the winds of the storm last summer- (That they swore was NOT a twister... I beg to differ)...
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Getting to the campsite, and looking down at the ground, we saw tons of footprints- huge for any bird- figured it was the wild turkeys-
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And then we checked out the grill- Flooded by a puddle...
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Turning around, we saw a brand new tributary of the Suamico River- Down in the ravine... And a pretty swift flow to it too...
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Took another picture of the house; this time across the cut firewood.
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Coming out of the campsite, we almost fell in the lake-
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Gee Mary, was this another new body of water... Or maybe you just wanted to push me in??? (A month early)??? Tee-Hee!
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And walking back- (still with the chilly NE wind in our faces), we stopped in the middle of the river that now runs through the field.
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Closer to home, Milly spotted an old furry, rotten corn cob- left behind by the equipment; and further ignored by the deer too, but not by Milly. She even let me take a picture of it before she tried to attack it...
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We stopped at the fire-pit up here too, and we got hungry for some of Blazeis weiners, (and real hungry for the 4th of July too).
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Then around the house, & out to the front yard to check on the colors there-
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High bush cranberries- (I really don't think the birds actually eat them); but Mom was right about one thing, they sure are pretty to look at in the middle of a drab winter too.
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We enjoyed our walk Mary-
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And so did Miss Milly!
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We had fun, you and I ... We spoke of Mom and Dad~ and Miss Mona...
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We even talked about ourselves... and about whatever dreams the future may hold- (I had to tell you yet again that I am not going on that cruise)...
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When we finally got back on the inside here, we had to take off our pants, because they were soaked right along with our boots-
But we weren't 'cold', Sweet Sister of Mine, we had each other... And always will.
I love you, foreverlonger,
Anne
Happy Birthday, Oh Elder One!!!
hehehe
***Note: Mary is just now learning the emails and such on her computer,so if you would like to leave her a wish I will make sure that she gets it!
XOXO
Anne
Happy Birthday, Marizchka!!!
And of all of the above, she hated "Mary Jane" the worst!!!
So, with the love afforded only by 'sisters' I shall address this blog as follows...
Dearest Sweet Mary Jane
Happy Birthday to You.
Happy Birthday to You.
Happy Birthday, Dear Mary Jane
Happy Birthday to You!
May the Dear Lord Bless You!
May the Dear Lord Bless You!
May the Dear Lord Bless MJ
May the Dear Lord Bless You!
***************
I wrote that in blue because blue is Marys most favorite color... (But I am thinking PURPLE is getting to be more in fashion for a girl of her now advanced years)!!! hehehe
Oh what memories the pictures inspire~ Since I have only a few old albums downstairs, I have only a few pictures of us together right now...
I am thinking she would hunt me down and kill me if I posted yearbook pictures... so I won't. ...(Not today anyway)!
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Mary and I; on Grandma Yusvaks old chaisse lounge...
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The caption that Mom had written on the back of the photo reads as follows: "Big Joke- Anne has doll hair in her mouth-"
Yes, I had ripped the doll hair off its head for Petes sake... I am wondering why I did that? (Maybe it might have been all the screeching behind me)!?!? hehehe
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Myself and Mary; on the old swingset... On my 2nd Birthday
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Moms caption: " "OUTSIDE"- Anne's most popular word- 2 years old today- Bees out. She likes to swing; but gets dizzy on this one!"
We had the swingset- SO COOL we were, with that contraption in the back yard. The swings, the teeter~totter, and the slide! And yes, Mom and Dad put out the $$ for the swingset before they ever thought of buying a TV...
Oh yes, we surely had the bestest Mom and Dad in the Whole World!
We were always playing outside. We thought we had it made in the shade! (Oh wait, we DID)! That slide was the greatest one ever made; except in the sunshine, (and when a body went off the side instead of down the darned thing)! And yeah, Mary and I did that LOTS of times...
The swingset pipes were made of a hollow metal; (tin?), and through our littler years, the legs would come out of the ground as we pumped on the swings~ And the whole set would threaten to completely tip over on us... And little by little the metal kinda fell apart too... I remember Pa took it down right before we each got our own treehouses in our own apple trees! I think we were about 6 and 8 then, (give or take a year or so)... How many little kids can say they have their own apple trees anyway???
We 'helped' Mom immensely I am sure... and I wish she was still here and could relate all of her stories to you. She would be the best blogger around too. The lady could write so very well...
Here we are, Mary and I after "helping" Mom with a little harvest! This photo is dated October 1960... Mom always used to ell me that if I had been dressed in orange that no one would have known I was even there! (I think she was calling me 'pudge' in her own very nice way)!
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Mary and I... (even in this photo you can see the determination on her face. That same fierce determination that makes her a breast cancer survivor today)!
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Moms caption for the above photo reads: hehehe "Our two cherubs- Soaking up Oct.'s sunshine- and our harvest. The pumpkins have been shared all around and getting to be a much smaller pile." ...Awwww see, we WERE angels! (I KNEW it all along)!
I think I shall do a bit more reminiscing throughout a few coming blogs. It is so cold outside and doing so will keep us all warm!
Have a wonderful day!!!
And Mary, I hope you have the very bestest birthday ever!
XOXO
Anne
The Day My Big Sister Lost Her Mind!
First of all, I MUST caution you all-
(The blog ahead, and the pictures enclosed, should carry a Parental Warning)!!!
Good Morning!
I have been up for so very long already and am only now getting to my own blog here- And I haven't even gotten in the shower yet- just reading and reading and reading...
(You guys are all too very interesting for me to have to put the proverbial book down)!
And so I shall begin speaking of the weather... hehehe... But it is noteworthy (yesterday and today)... Not enough sun, but was almost 70 degrees outside- Punk, Milly and I 'played' for quite a while. (OK OK, so the dogs played while I dug out my flower bed).
Jenne and Isaiah came out last night, and if I would have planned ahead, I would have made some supper for them. (But there is little cooking when I am outside too)... But such a wonderful evening out there as we sat and talked a bit. My Little Man Isaiah played with the dogs, and then took to showing his mama and myself how to do exercises.
First, you put your right foot in... you put your right foot out, you put your right foot in...
...(Because yes, the hokey-pokey IS what it's all about)!...
Then there are the push-ups...
UGH~ (I had all I could do to lift the darned camera)!
Later, you must be able to reach for the moon and the stars...
...(with your feet)!
And you always, always have to be ready and able to pick Mama up when she gets stuck...
(and that's a LOT)!!!
It made my day to romp around a bit after dark...
...And you have yet NOT even been enlightened as to how my day began...
CLOSE YOUR EYES NOW IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH!!!
(This IS where the CAUTION FLAG goes up)...
This is how my day began!
hehehe
Going down to the basement a few days ago, and KNOWING I had 'company' of some sort; I opted to put the mousetrap out again. I put Peanut Butter in it. (Since this is Punkies most favorite treat in the whole world, I have to put that trap out of her reach)... And so, I chose one of the two crawlspaces/shelves.
Being overly concerned about the pup, never for one minute did I think about "what if I trap one?"
And even MORE importantly "Where WILL that trap, and its contents, BE in direct proportion to my face???"
As I went downstairs yesterday morning- (having forgotten ALL about the trap), I came almost face-to-face with the above picture- A mere 9" away... And I am not afraid of mice, and most especially NOT afraid of a little old dead one...
...But they startle me, (most especially when there is a dead one IN MY FACE)!
Dead mice--- Hmmmmmmmmm
Gets me to thinking back...
(Oh no, here I go again)!!!
When we were kids, Mary and I did NOT get along one teeny tiny bit, (unless there was some real juicy blackmail involved)...
And another thing that I had neglected to write about yesterday was that 'on the side' Dad had sold new and used machinery-
The machinery field was behind the barn, about the size of a football field.
Now you are really going to have to stay with me on this...
One morning I was particularly mad at Mary (I think just for being here and all- Who knows)? And I went about my chores at the speed of sound... While pitching the hay down, I had 'company' in the hay mow too- A cat, owned by Jim Peters, would always come around in search of mice- (and female cats). He was a very skittish cat- We called him "Blackie" ...(Guess why).
I turned and saw Blackie behind me, having caught a mouse, and he tortured it while I was doing my work. When I was done, I closed the door to the barn- This scared Blackie off, and he left his mouse behind- (it was, for the most part, UN-eaten)... Devious little hellraiser that I might have been in those days, I got to thinking, and when my chores were done I collected that mouse and deposited it right into the pocket of Marys barn coat...
What else may/may not have happened that day escapes me now. I only know that, by the time our evening chores rolled around I had plum forgot all about that little bitty deceased mouse in the pocket of the snippy elder sister...
As we were doing chores that night, Dad had a customer that had come to check out a plow... Mary agreed to do the milking while he was in the upper field with that man- and I went up to the haymow. Mom was in the kitchen still doing the supper dishes...
ALL OF A DAMNED SUDDEN, I hear the biggest, loudest most desperate scream/screech that I have EVER heard in my life (before and since), coming from the barn under my feet. I ran across the hay mow, to peek out between the barn boards... At this point, I see my sister, dancing around the yard, still screeching... (Even at that point it still hadn't jogged my memory)...
When she became a bit more coherent, (still dancing around the yard, trying desperately to remove all of her clothing without undoing any of the zippers and buttons)...
I could not know what she was shrieking- The fearful word(s) spewing from her piehole, consisted of a two-syllable word...
"MOW-ISS" "MOW-ISS" "MOW-ISS" "MOW-ISS"
(C'mon, what the heck is "mow-iss" anyway)????
On and on and on she danced and shrieked...
Meanwhile the awful moment of truth strikes me when I decipher her noise...
...to be a ONE-SYLLABLE WORD = 'mouse'.
...And just to cover my 10 year old butt, I go running down to the yard-
Just as Mom is trying to comfort Mary- (and just as Pa is rounding the corner of the machinery field, with that perspective customer right on his heels)!!!
Everyone is bewildered as Mary still is attempting to strip naked in front of God, her family, the customer, the cats, the dog, the cows etc etc etc...
She does NOT stop this dance until the coat is physically removed from herself, and from her sight...
Taking a breath as her eyeballs are now almost popped out opf her head, matching the artery in her neck, she threatens my life about 10 times in as many seconds..
And she is so overwrought that she is allowed to be dismissed from the barn as soon as the customer left- (Which wasn't very long after that display of "WACKY" Mary behavior)!!!
...Oooh, Pa was MAD!
And then they ALL had the nerve to try to blame ME!!!! ???
(I even got 'swored at')...
And so I said the only thing I could say at that moment in time...
"Yeah right- I know that stupid mouse just must have crawled in there, realized it was Marys coat, (because SHE stinks), and then he died from it."
That was my story and I stuck to it!!!
Up until about 10 years ago anyway, when I could no longer keep my secret.... (It was simply burning a hole in my halo and I couldn't take it anymore)!
For some strange reason, Mary still doesn't 'feel the love' or see the humor in that situation...
(KillJoy)!!!
Even Mom laughed then...
Yes, Mom was still alive at that point- (If she laughed NOW, I would be a little freaked)...
hehehe ... And I would just have to get going on that deja vu, and paranormal entry I have promised to you all...
I will get to it SOON...
XOXO
Anne
PS~ to Miss Splurk6K... No need for that danged snowdancing- we will have 3-4" of new snow by tomorrow night...
If I Could Turn Back Time...
Good Morning!
You had better grab a cup of coffee- (it's a windy one)!
I thought I would, at the suggestion of a very good friend, go back to when times were harder-( yet so simpler and easier)- for everyone. Just to go back to my childhood, if only for a few minutes here...
the sign hangs in my entrance... (A gift from my sister, Barbara)
Having been adopted so young, the memories I have of my childhood are only of this place I now call home...
XOXO
...We had a dairy farm.
That said, here is a sidenote for anybody that has no idea of the work involved... That meant there were no other involvements. Not even a vacation; as cows need to be milked twice a day, and it is not something you can just hire somebody else for.
We didn't travel far from home on any given day- Even a trip to my mothers homeplace in Sidnaw, Michigan meant rising way early to get the 'bossies' milked and fed, and get the barns cleaned so we could get away... We then came back later in the afternoon to do the chores all over again. Tired, but having spent a beautiful day in 'Copper Country' too.
Upon rising in the early morning, the first thing we did was to change into our 'barn clothes'- Usually quite a casual attire, and not the warmest- (When you are working in a barn with about 100 head +/- of cattle, you do not need any extra body heat)...
We wore these same barn clothes for our work in the barn, until Saturday- At that point Mary and I would go into town with Mom and do the laundry for the week. Getting those old pinstripe overalls off of Dad to wash them was kind of tough sometimes- (After all, he had just gotten them comfortable once again)!
He was a deservedly proud man. Once he had been offered $50.00 for his very worn denim jacket... He always had the dark blue jackets- ($10.00 apiece at Kmart). But HIS had a few tears, patched elbows, and were worn in places that there was no blue left. When this offer came up, he declined the money, telling the guy, "I 'earned' this jacket- Go buy one and EARN your own."
He also wore brown leather boots- The kind that lace up and then tied over in a criss-cross pattern. When they got old and needed fixin' he would bring them in to the shoe repair man; it was too expensive to go out and buy a new pair (again, he had 'just gotten them broken in')... They didn't have lined boots in those days- That was a 'do-it-yourself' job. In winter he would wear sometimes TWO pair of wool socks. When summer came, no matter the heat, he would still wear those boots each day...
ANYWAY... After Mary and I woke up and changed into our barn clothes, we would then go out to the barn. (Mom and Dad rose earlier by about an hour, and so the cattle were already in the barn, and the milkers were already going). We did not have a pipeline, and so carried the two buckets that we had, to the milkhouse, dump the milk in the strainer to the bulk tank, clean the teatcups and put them on another pair of cows.. (Having only two milkers, the milking took nearly 3 hours morning and night). During the milk time, the hay and straw was pitched down from the mow, cows were fed, the barn cleaner run, the calves fed- Mary did the grain, and I usually pitched from the mows... For practical reasons there was no electricity in the haymow, and so for half a year, I did this by flashlight. (Brave, huh)?!
Dad always pitched the silage down too, saying it was too dangerous for anyone else to do so- We were allowed to do this only when the silo had been emptied of about 3/4 of its contents. We would not have to climb so far then- (or maybe would not have so far to fall if we missed a rung on the way down)!
In the mornings after the chores were done, Mary and I would take fast showers, get redressed and head out to catch the bus for school. In the evenings we did our homework BEFORE watching any television, and still had to be in bed by 9 or 10, depending upon the night of the week, and whether we had school the next day.
We didn't get summers off as so many of our classmates did- There was moms garden (about 1/4 of an acre) that needed hoeing and weeding. There was 3/4 acre of pickles to be picked and sorted each day for the pickle company-
Earlier in the summer there were strawberries that needed picking. People would buy them a case at a time for their own freezers, and every now and then a few of moms friends would come help pick the darned things. (This was never true of the cucumbers; we were on our own)...
In mid-summer came the raspberries- Both the raspberries and the strawberries were everbearing, and we didn't like much when they would produce the smaller berries at the end of the season because it took too long to pick. (As if we really had any other stuff to do)? Um yeah, we did...
...Near the end of June there was haying- Usually we chopped it, but in later years, Pa had bought a baler. (Truth be told, I wasn't impressed with either one). When it was chopped, it was my job to run the tractor that was attached to the blower, and Dad and Mary would remove the hay from the wagon into the blower. I watched for clogs, and even got hit by a broken belt once. (While it hurt like heck and left a huge welt, it was NOT a good enough reason to retire for the day). Again, in later years, dad had purchased a self-unloading wagon- they didn't have to remove it then, but I still had to man the blower! (Not fair)! Oh we were SO abused! ...Not.
There were the quiet days of summer too when Mary and I would jack a few inner tubes from the garage and take them down the river. REAL inner tubes, patched by Pa, (and we had to look out for the valves too or they would embed themselves in our backs). We also had to look out for the bloodsuckers- Mary wound up with more than a few each summer, I never did get one. Lucky me!
Maybe on a rare occasion, we would go fishing at the little lake on County C- Only dad and I ever went, (and that was only if I would dig the worms)! But it was so nice to just sit there for a couple hours, shoot the bull, and catch the bullfish just to throw 'em back.
There was an old man that lived in a house not too far away. His name was George Weslosky. His home had neither electricity, nor indoor plumbing; and he would make the rounds in Flintville to those families that would offer him supper and a night of television every now and then.
George would come to our home on Saturday nights, and after the chores were done it was an evening of Mannix and Mission Impossible. (Remember those)? Sometimes we would fall asleep on the couch, and in those days that was a big 'no-no' ...Mom would wake us, seemingly abruptly, and send us straight upstairs.
We said our prayers every night as a family too. On our knees and with the family rosary. Most nights we would only get through the 1st Decade- Usually Mom 'led' the prayers and the rest of us responded. Then it was up to bed.
Winter always brought more than its share of problems due to the weather. As soon as time permitted during chores, Dad would plow the yard out after the snows came. This had to be done to allow the milk truck to get in/out each day. Our milk was sold to Fairmont in those days, and the drivers name was Bernard Young. A funny man too.
Anyway, Dad had finally broken down one year and bought a brand new Leyland tractor with all the necessities- a front end loader to plow the snow- with chains and weights on it to make it safer. We still shoveled out the barn and the house, doorways and such. During the winter, the cows were stanchioned in the barn, and so the barn cleaner was run morning and night. When pulling a heavy load, it would undoubtedly break a link and the only way to repair it then was outside on the slide. Dad worked many, many times in subzero temps to repair that darned thing. And had to do so without gloves because he needed to be able to grasp things...
He retired in 1973- After chores were done that morning, we had an auction to sell the cattle and the leftover machinery... While I do not remember too much of the auction itself, I do remember that cars were parked up and down the road as far as we could see- and further too.
I remember having the snack stand parked in the yard- and the burgers were like 30 cents!
I remember the following day though- rising at the same time as I always did, coming downstairs and finding Mom in the kitchen- (In my 'still-asleep' mode, the events of the day before were not on my mind, and I was still of a "chore" mind).
Seeing her in the kitchen, looking out the window with tears in her eyes, I chose to stand with her for a time...
... As I saw what she had been focused on, I too began fighting the lump in my throat. Looking out, my father was walking in the yard, hands in the pockets of his overalls; kicking a little stone around... and looking much like a little boy whose puppy had just died...
The farm was all he ever knew...
But it didn't end there for him- He would still rise early, and either go down to Vickery's Store in Suamico for a cup of coffee with the guys (by the old pot-belly stove), or he would go fishing- either at Kewaunee or Shawano Lake too.
Come to think of it, I haven't been fishin' since Pa died in '84.
Maybe someday again I will.
My apologies as I have rambled and rambled on here- Mom, Dad, Mary and I. And while we were NOT abused like we wanted to believe in those days, we learned how to work, how to sweat, how to deal with the living and the dying-
We WERE, oh SO LOVED...
And in the end, that is all that matters, isn't it?
XOXO
Anne
Thank You 05/08/06
Good Monday Morning to All;
First and foremost to thank those of you who have already picked up their pups, and who will also be picking them up today. This you have done this out of care and concern for Milly; putting your own schedules and plans on hold to safeguard the health of my own dog. I thank you for your compassion- And realize too that you have your hands full with only one dog! Milly sure had her paws full with the 10 of them- and I am sure that if she could speak, she would thank you too.
Mary and Michael came to pick up their new puppy on Saturday- And are so happy with the little one!
She called me to tell me he went wee-wee outside!
Poo'ed too!! YAY!!
They are not exactly sure what his name will be- She likes "Buddy" - Will see what the kids decide then! Fun to get to go through this all for them. They bought a ton of toys and such for the pup. He will surely not get too bored!
She wrapped him up tight in a blanket on the way home. She drove so Michael could do a little puppy-lovin'. Michael had to go to work last night- and miss out on all the initial "getting to know you" ...Am sure he made up for that yesterday while Mary had to work; he even gave the little one his first bath! Rita had the job to set up the kennel- A bit confusing at first, but sure didn't take her long to get it set up right either!
As far as Miss MillyMom goes, after a pup leaves, she does look around a bit- Satisfied then that her little one is not "lost" somewhere she seems to understand somehow.
My friend Kelli called Saturday night- and offered to take the time off and go to Milwaukee with Casey and I when we go to Froedtert. I think this is so kind; (and that it would be very cool to have her along too). Love to laugh with her! Perhaps she will prove to be our little good luck charm!
I began pulling every little weed from the barngrade- am about one third done with that; I will be planting my Devils Claw seeds there this year. I imagine it will be much like The Briar Patch fo' de wabbits...
I'd better keep this shorter for today- my connection here doesn't seem to be too stable this morning, and it keep flickering- Hope it posts anyway-
I thank you again,
Anne
Monday May 8, 2006 - 07:30am (CDT)Crisis Averted- Another pup goes home!
Although I do definitely have those times where I am a complete idiot, I am trying to remember that everything happens for a reason... Puppy found a great new home, with patient, kind and loving people.
The dad came to check everything out, sending the daughter and friends to come pick up the 'leftover' girl puppies. All were gone then about 4 hours- and upon their return, they said they had a hard time deciding; yet all in all seemed very happy with their new choice too! The little pup will be named "Maddie" (short for Madeline?). Cute and very soft, she is the 2nd smallest of the crew; and the very most unassuming pup.
The "kids" are finally getting to where some are bigger and some are a bit smaller- Not by much though. Weird that they all turned out such little matches as far as weight, colors etc... My cousin wrote that I shouldn't get so upset with myself with this latest screw up- that this kind of fiasco, (the mix-up), happens even to human babies. (She is right of course, but it still remains a bit unsettling for me).
Lots of running to do yesterday- and stopped at an out-of-the-way rummage sale on the way home... Found a cage for Mary- (tee-hee-hee)- (actually for her new little pup), and very reasonable too- She will be picking her new little guy up this afternoon; having already scheduled a vet appointment for Wednesday, and buying a ton of chewie things for him too! (Hopefully this will keep him from eating her furniture- But they do have sprays for that now too). I am very excited for her to have him. She has never been able to have a pup/dog/pet, except for when we were young-(er)! She has even registered him for puppy classes! How very cool!
Went to the animal clinic yesterday morning to pick up Amos' special food- While there, of course we chatted about the pups too. The doctor indicated that at this point in time I am only 'babysitting' these pups- That they are more than ready to be adopted and sent home. He said as long as they are on solid food (puppy chow since 2 and 1/2 weeks), and that Miss Milly is trying to wean them, it is time that they go. I figured that, but am glad to hear it straight from him too! Now everyone can take their bundles home. Hopefully, can and will. This last week has been a huge strain on Milly; and ultimately she comes first.
KC left last night to visit her friend Rachel down at college- Nice that they are almost as sisters- and nice to have that shared closeness between them. Good kids- And I have always been proud of the friends she has chosen. Not a deadbeat in the bunch!
I'd better close for this morning- (The dryer is insistent that I remove my laundry)...
Have a great weekend!
XOXO,
"Anna-Anna"
HURRAY, HOORAY! 05/01/06
the 1st of May... ... and you know the 'rest of the story'!
Pups have all received their 1st vaccinations. All were very accepting of this, except the biggest one! (What a wimp). To have had so very much help with the dewormer, weighing and injections I am so grateful- Mary, Michael and his girl, Laura, came up from Appleton just in time to help out. Casey was out running errands for me, with Jenne and Isaiah, and also pulled in the yard within a few moments of my sister.
We had all the pups inside while they got their shots and meds; bringing them back out to the kennel as soon as they were done being treated. We also had absolutely NO little accidents either. (How rare would that be)? Happy for that too... The picture above shows a few of the little ones trying to get up the front entrance stairs... Some even made it. Miss Milly, and even Amos, get treated as a precaution too. Amos was not at all thrilled by this. And Milly didn't bat an eye.
Mary has her CAT Scan today, so I will be going down there to go with her. Please keep her in your hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Have a good one...
XOXO
Anne
Monday May 1, 2006 - 04:17am (CDT)
Frost on the pumpkins?
- Frost on the pumpkins?
-
Yes, Miss Milly really IS under that pile! (Hungry puppies!, what more can I say)?
CaseyAnne is hanging in there too. She had a pretty good day yesterday- this phantom pain that comes/goes for her- Unpredictable, and it does not seem to actually relate to what she eats- or not. (Good grief, has anyone even HEARD OF this pancreatic divisum)???
Have the 'kids' back in the garage once again- have the heat lamp on too as it is only 33 degrees with a bit of a NE wind- A nasty cleanup job awaits me I am sure- But it is something you do because you know they just do not know any better yet. (But I did find if I fold up their blanket, then they will do their pee/poo NOT on it)! Signs that they are ready to be paper trained, and that is a very good omen. Have been washing (bleaching) these blankets on a daily basis. And am redoing their big old pillow too, so they have something a bit cleaner, softer and comfier to lie down on. Will finish that up this morning.
I need to use the gentamycin (sp?) each day for Millys scratched up udder- feel badly for that- it burns and cools- kind of at the same time.
Had a bit of shopping to do after my appointments yesterday, and one of the adoptive couples called, asking if they could come see their little "Jessie" Happy that they come and spend time together with their new little dog- And still another couple has emailed and asked to come also. I am so happy with all of these people! And still have 3 people to return phone calls to. Will do that when I am done on here.
And YAY! My strawberry plants are coming today! Will have to get out early and finish the tilling... (that is, if the tractor will start)! The fields were done just the other day- ready for corn now. Had soybeans in last year, and like when the crops are in, the deer pretty much leave my garden alone- (although they much prefer the soybeans)! The marigolds I plant around the garden keeps the little buggers from decimating the whole thing on me. (Stinky but worthwhile too, as I get to fill my freezer instead of their bellies)!
Still have a ton of things to do yet- and Berta comes early to do my hair- Getting tired of looking so windblown and frumpy all the time- (So nice to have a cosmetologist in the family)! But I do think perhaps I should just shave it off- (am waiting for that to be 'in style' for women too)!
Mary has a CAT Scan for next Monday and of course I will go with her for that- Scared, but finally to get an answer to what she is going through- All her pain- seemingly everywhere- and she has had a terrible headache for over a week now too. Please keep her in your prayers.
And think ALL positive thoughts for all!
Blessings to all- Have a grand weekend if I do not get back to you before it is over.
XOXO,
Anna-Anna -
Friday April 28, 2006 - 05:10am (CDT)
04/25/2006
Ain't he cute? This is Isaiah, my 3rd grandchild- smiling at his mama... with a face full of pizza!
I must have spoken too soon about Casey's pain- She called from school yesterday- late morning- and ended up coming home early, as her little pain pills were not working too well for her at that point. Am glad she has that appointment today to get her surgery scheduled. Please offer up a little prayer for her that all goes well.
I was out cutting lawn when she got home; and instead of going in, she sat in the sunshine by Miss Milly, and read one of her books for school. Yesterday was a beautiful 75 degrees! The sunshine always helps- (unless it's a migraine). One of her friends stopped in- and by that time, I had cut as much as I cared to for then. (And that shower sure felt great)! A lady called about the pups- and another also- (Why is it that the ratio here is about 50/50 for the good/bad prospective pet owners)? And I think some people are either genuinely stupid, or simply illiterate. The ad says to "call with personal and vet references"- (I didn't think it would be that hard to understand)? Seemingly it is.
And still another lady called, looking to get a dog as a gift for someone. A dog/puppy/animal is not a gift. (Unless you are the dad or mom to a kid that is receiving it). Too many wind up only at a shelter then only to be put to death.
The puppies- and Milly- all came in the garage last night... I have to close the door now that these "kids' are so leggy and climbing- running around. I am sure too, that I will be having quite the mess to clean up... But even as I write, it is only 34 degrees-
(Weather. Wisconsin. Wait... as they say).
Mary called last night too- Still pretty sick- And I feel so impotent as I talk with her- wish I could take it all away for her- (whatever it is at his point)- And wish she wasn't so "allergic" to doctors too... Time... Hopefully when she does finally see this new oncologist, he/she can put all our fears to rest.
Laughed more than a few times- out loud- at my little chipmunks while I was mowing. And if they weren't so darned destructive I would actually enjoy having them around. Lots of antics, (and I swear there was one that was actually playing "chicken" with the lawnmower). Not to mention how they will tease Milly too.
Better close for now- Have a good one...
XOXO
Anne
Tuesday April 25, 2006 - 05:20am (CDT)
Good Monday Morning! 04/24/06
And I trust that you all had a wonderful weekend! I sure did. CaseyAnne is not having as much pain lately- A good thing, and a great relief to her as well. She has an appointment tomorrow with her regular doctor- They will schedule the surgery at Froedtert for us.
We sure had lots of company this past weekend, and people wanting to look into buying a dog. A few that I remain very impressed with, and a few that were less than honest too. Such variety--- the spice of life!
Mary called last night- and sounded quite sick- and getting a bit depressed too, given that fact that she has wanted to rule out any further cancer. Quite often, a Grade 3, Stage IIIC breast cancer will metastacize and cause further problems. We had gone in last month to her oncologist, and he didn't think it was necessary to redo any CAT Scans or MRI's to recheck the spots on her liver and all... But her insurance no longer covers this oncologist, and perhaps now with having to drive up to Green Bay, her new doctor will think it more appropriate to redo these tests. (And besides that, Mary will feel much better knowing there is nothing to be worried about)! And she is SO looking forward to getting her own little "Satchmo" home- (I call him Oscar)... either way, they have picked out a very loving and lovable dog! Aw heck, they ALL are loving and lovable!!!
Have to cut lawns again today- Greg was here and cut back by the woods on Saturday- They are such a nice family- and their son said he would like a puppy... Don't think that is going to happen- as they have just recently gotten a dog from the Humane Society. But he played in the kennel for about an hour too- just loving up all the pups. Nice to see that he was so nice to them too. This little interaction speaks volumes about character. A good kid- Happy for that!
Not too much other news- (Guess that is why some people think I have a boring life, eh)?
Ah, all are entitled to their own opinions-
Tell it to my face... (the door is thataway --->)!
You all have a great Monday!
XOXO,
Anne
Monday April 24, 2006 - 05:50am (CDT)
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