Fried Brain And Applesauce

Yesterday morning Fran offered to do all the wrapping of Christmas gifts. Since M.S. really affects the stooping, I readily told him how wonderful he was. Come to think of it, Fran wrapped a lot last year too.

M.S. also affects my memory, makes me unsteady on my feet, and I could go on and on. Most often any more I feel like a normal person, almost. Fran was putting the stocking stuffers in the socks this morning, you know eat one, put one in the sock type thing. All of a sudden I said, “Where did you put the -------? He said, “ I didn’t do anything with them, you must have.” I had bought four gifts that were the same, two for my friends and one for my daughter and one for me. Well, I liked them so I knew the only way I would get one was to buy one for me because they were quite rare, not expensive rare, but not easily found.

This whole morning found both Fran and I looking under beds, in dresser drawers, cleaning out closets (which was a good thing) I even went out to the trash because I have been known to throw good things away. Ouch!

Fran had wrapped all my daughter’s gifts and their gifts were all in a big bag. I gave up and started through their gifts. I saw one to my daughter from Fran so I asked him what he got her. He said of course, “I don’t know.” I said,

“I am going to open this.” Of course, it was one of the four similar things that we had been looking for. I, yes I had put them in boxes, you know the decorative ones, then Fran wrapped them. There was no way that you could tell what was in them. So much ado in our home this morning, but oh my goodness I am so glad we found those. Oh yes, the title? I even went through the food pantry. I do some really strange things sometimes.!

Christmas In 1954

I grew up in Iowa from the time I was born until I was in my early twenties. I love to tell stories and today Fran and I went on a road trip with some friends of ours. I started telling stories about the Christmas’s that I could remember. Fran and the other folks added their two cents worth in and we decided that having an orange for Christmas just didn’t hurt us at all. In today’s world there are millions of children that don’t get toys for Christmas. I am sure if they were asked if they would have a choice would they like some fruit or a doll they would choose food especially if they were hungry.

On my tenth Christmas we lived in a very cold and drafty farm house. We were cold not chilly and had a heater in the dining room and the cook stove in the kitchen. The dining room was used as a clothes dryer since the heat stove was in there. Dad would string clothes line for mom to hang her washed clothes to dry in the winter.

On Christmas Eve, Mom would let us hang our stockings on this clothes line. She was a careful mom almost to the point of ruining Christmas magic, by telling us “it was fun to believe in Santa, but you do know a fat man could not get down a chimney and besides we don’t have a chimney.” Then she would tell us stories about St. Nick and how Santa originated. But for a lady that put down Santa she loved Christmas, she just didn’t like not having money for gifts. I was telling my friends that I don’t remember having a Christmas tree at that age. But I do remember that this particular Christmas I had two presents. We were going to church that Christmas Eve. Mom said, “now remember, often good things come in small packages.” I kept navigating to the big package, really not paying attention to her warning. The thing was that we could only open one present before church and then the other one on Christmas morning and could see what was in our socks.

I finally gave in and opened up the small package. It was a Timex watch. Amazing isn’t it, fifty five years ago Timex was in business, however, it did not always tick. My watch didn’t work. I think mom was close to tears. It was ok with me, I was a strange child, I wanted a new book.  I forgot to tell you what was in the big package.Mom had made me the cutest flannel clown pajamas. Not only were they cute, but warm and cuddly in that cold house.
 I didn’t have a wonderful Christmas that year except for the food. My mom was a wonderful cook and an excellent baker. We always had cookies and popcorn balls for Christmas. She made the gooey stuff that made the popcorn balls stick together red and green. Yum.

Christmas morning this very same Christmas there were peanuts and mixed nuts and an orange in the toe of my sock. I used my dad’s sock so I could get more good stuff. It was very good and I do remember sharing my orange maybe with my brother, maybe with my parents. It was big and delicious. Christmas was the only time we ever had oranges. My dad loved oranges and he loved Christmas too. More stories to be told about Christmas past in Christmas present for Christmas future.

The Scale Of Justice

How many versions of "I feel like such a jerk "have you heard? You may have been the target, or you may have told someone that you felt like a jerk or you may have silently thought that you were a jerk. You also have silently thought other people were jerks. You may have even told God that you feel like a jerk for hurting someone.

Isn’t it interesting how many different ways that your heart and others hearts can be broken ?

Personally, if someone prefaces a statement to me with, “I feel like such a jerk” I suddenly freeze, my heart starts beating like a trip hammer, and I feel like running away.

About four years ago, my husband and I were sitting in the living room. He acted like he was troubled. I asked him what the problem was. He said, “I feel like such a jerk.” He left that day.

I guess after twenty years I was a tad bit surprised to say the least. However, there was a good part to that story. I met my present husband about a year and half later. He is a good guy and we have a lots of fun. IF he ever says quietly to me he feels like such a jerk, I will weigh the pros and cons on my scale of justice and approach the situation like any good judge of character would and I won't be a jerk about it!

The Ball

The other day when we went shopping for the gifts I was trying to buy for my three little grandchildren. Fran and I stopped at a place called a Bargain Barn. In this building they house an assortment of items that were warehouse dent and bents, and food, both canned and frozen. They even have little bins of tools, bolts of yard goods, and seasonal things, of course this time of year there were tables and tables of Christmas things.

Of course, I couldn’t find what I wanted. As a matter of fact, I was looking for two things. As I was rounding the corner, I found a tiny little section of “dog toys.” Our little princess almost always gets a little toy when we come home from our travels.

That day was no different except she was with us. I took it out to the car and she pretty much lifted her head in the air and snubbed me. I was very sarcastic to her and she just calmly ignored me and laid down and went to sleep.

When we got home Fran threw the ball down on the ground and she just grabbed it in her mouth and carried it in the house. That was the beginning of the end of our marriage as it once was.

The ball is nonstop squeak. It squeaks for long periods of time. When Maggie has it in her mouth you can almost see her smile. She kind of chews it in her mouth so it will make short squeaky sounds and then she bites it really hard and it continues to squeal long after she lets it go.

I told Fran that the ball would last about fifteen minutes. Maggie has a history of toys;  they  generally last between fifteen minutes and two or three days. The only things that last are softballs and hunks of rope. You have to remember that she is just a little shitzuh and poodle. She is the chewing maniac of the world. However, this ball has survived Maggie’s chewing for five days. She loves the ball. Fran does not like the ball. He is always saying, “SHE bought you the ball, take it to her.” Twice a day as if on a schedule, Maggie gets her ball and drops it at Fran’s feet; they play, and play, and play. Then she drops it, and gets herself a drink, and flops on the floor and goes sound asleep.  I know that Fran still loves me, but I also know that Fran will probably go with me when I shop for a new toy for Maggie!

Who says you can’t have fun on a budget, the ball was $.89.

Grandma Lu's Story Corner

I manage three blogs. Lu’s Place is the biggest, Marie’s Memories is a blog with my mother-in-law’s stories, but probably my favorite is Grandma Lu’s Story Corner.

Most of the stories are aimed at nursery school to seven years old. Some teach a lesson, and many of them are about the animals in the woods across from my house. The stories usually start about Grandma Lu watching the animals and writing about them. I think my favorite is about the Wise Old Owl Holds Protest Meeting that I wrote in February.

I would love it if those of you whom have small children would read some or all of these to your children to see if they like them. If they do, please leave a comment and I will keep on plugging away. Thanks alot. 

Grandma Lu

Salvation Army Thrift Shop

Today Fran and I had to go into town and do some errands. He asked me if there was anything else I wanted to do in town before we went home. I said, “Yes, I want to go to the flea market and get a magazine rack.” The last time we went there they had at least four of them. I love magazines and have asked for subscriptions in the past and this year for Christmas and birthday presents. I love them because my gift lasts all year long, and I can read them in short spurts if I want to. Well, needless to say, the magazines start to build up because I don’t get them completely read, I don’t get the recipes cut out and I could go on and on. This is the deal, the magazines are quite small to large. I try to stack and organize. The stacks slip and slide. I put them into my “nest.” My nest is the area around my chair for easy access. Fran makes fun of my nest on a weekly basis. I have two to four pairs of shoes and slippers in front of me and a circle of magazines beside me and my laptop on a end table also in front of me. To my right is my phone or phones as it may be and something to drink. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

All of the nest had to disappear when Fran’s little grandson visited, but things are easing back into my nest little by little. I need a magazine rack. They didn’t have one.

I guess, I will either have to read faster, or live with the feathering of my nest.

Today which is a week later than the last “today.” Again we went to another flea market looking for a magazine rack. Again I didn’t find one, but I found a beautiful coffee table that has a double tier that will hold all my magazines both big and small! Ah the joy of being on a tight budget with lots of time to shop and help out a charity at the same time.

I always think of the Salvation Army when I need something, but especially

this time of year.

While Supplies Last

       

I am a fairly easy going person. I pretty much go with the flow as the kids say, however, there are some things that really irritate me.  Yesterday my husband and I went Christmas shopping. It was a beautiful crisp sunny day. Just the kind of day to put you in the mood for being merry.
I have nine grandchildren, but yesterday was the day to buy little gifts for the youngest three. My finances are very limited so I really have to watch what I spend.
There is a store about twenty five miles away that has a fifteen per cent discount for senior citizens the first Thursday of the month; another reason to feel really merry. My husband wandered off when we got to the store and I went directly to where I thought the items would be. I asked the clerk where they were. She said, “Oh we were out of those Saturday morning.” I didn’t get the ad until Tuesday. When we got out to the car I looked at the ad and there was the tiniest finest print that the sale started on November 29th and ended December 4th. It also stated that there would be rain checks at their discretion, it said that while supplies lasted meant just that, no rain checks. The print was so fine it made my eyes hurt. I have twenty twenty vision with my glasses. I have had cataract surgery, but I still needed a magnifying glass. I was furious, I am still furious. I was telling my youngest son about it. He just grinned and said, "get them something else." I would write a letter, but the print is so fine I could not see an address to do so!
My husband had a thought. He said that in this economy, that people buy what they see that is in their budget and don’t wait for the sale. I think that he is right. I still would have been too late by the time I got the ad though.
They should have allowed for mailing time and should have stocked according to what they thought would be a “gotcha.” Ok, now I am done venting. Talk to you soon!