Monday, July 5, 2010

Day-To-Day Livin'...

Sunday, June 27th, I visited Paris Ward. Katelyn said she wanted to go with me on this visit. We drove some Kentucky roads she had not been on to get there. There are some absolutely beautiful back roads (designated as scenic highways even) in Kentucky. We drove over on Hwy 460 to Paris. Coming home we would take Iron Works Pike which comes back in front of the Kentucky Horse Park. Either way we were going to pass beautiful horse farms and stone walls and full trees. Just a pretty drive anyway you slice it.

Katelyn enjoyed visiting a different ward (congregation) from our Georgetown Ward. Lisa was there to visit with me (my 1st Counselor). It was a great Sunday morning. All the talks and lessons were really good.

We spoke with Papa on the phone on our way back to Georgetown. He met us a Arby's for a bite of lunch together. Then we headed back to his apartment to pick songs for singing at the nursing home on Wednesday.

We left Papa and headed to the nursing home. Katelyn had not been to visit Mimi since she arrived and that was part of her motive in traveling with me. She knew I was stopping in to visit Mimi on my way home. Mimi has been vascillating between perky and trying to be chatty and just hang-your-head-down sleepy. This visit she was in a perkier mood and tried to mumble some to Katelyn.

Then Katelyn and I headed back to Sadieville to check on the patriarch of our family. He was in fine shape and we all settled in for a quiet Sunday evening.

Monday, June 28th, was a very full day. We had a little rain Sunday night. Not only is that a cooling off blessing in the south but it also loosens the ground. Time to spend a morning in the yard. Claude and Katelyn headed out to do their tractor thing. Katelyn is getting more proficient all the time on the tractor. She is enjoying the work and having time to clear her head and think things through while riding that noisy machine. She does have ear plugs to wear.

While they worked on cutting grass (the top parts of our two lots), I headed to the bottom sections of our garden spots. There were lots of gray clouds overhead and it was cooler that it had been in some time. I was sitting in the larger plot pulling the weeds that grow more prolificly than the food and I paused for a bit. I just sat there and looked down the hill at our creek and at all the trees full of birds and leaves and who knows what kind of animals living under them. I felt so very blessed and happy to be here in Sadieville. I love living in the country. There is a true peace that can come in this rush, rush world of ours when you live where nature can be heard, seen and felt. Soil in my hands, wind in my face, sweat on my brow...that is a good place to be.

I finished the garden spots and headed up the hill. We sat on the front porch in the shade and had something to drink. Katelyn brought out a sandwich she made for her lunch. We visited a bit and then Katelyn went to get ready for work. Claude would take her. I headed back down our hill to a huge flower bed that needed weeding REALLY bad.

In the early afternoon Katelyn worked at City Hall, Claude cut the flats by the creek of both lots, I sat on my hill and did battle with weeds. I got it all cleared and Claude brought the trailer down with the tractor to haul the weeds away for me. Then we both headed inside to clean up. One thing about pulling weeds out here is the poison ivy. It is a must to get in and washed up as quickly as you can. Our young Katelyn is really having a battle with poison ivy acquired her first time out this summer in the soil. It's finally healing but it is a very unpleasant experience to endure.

We got a phone call from Vernon Morris. He asked us to come to City Hall at 4pm and surprise Cindy (our City Clerk) for her birthday. I quickly entered that date in my Blackberry. Cindy is a bit like me when it comes to wanting their birthday date revealed. I don't mind anyone knowing my real age. I earned every year of it so why not enjoy it. However, I'm not good at the celebrating part of it. Just like that to be kept quiet. But Vernon knew the day and gathered Claude and me and Detta to City Hall at 4pm to surprise our dear Cindy.

Surprised she was. She began to question when Claude showed up unexpectedly. But, afterall, he is the Mayor so that could be passed off. Then I popped in with my camera and said I was going to take pictures of all the flowers donated to City Hall this year by a nursery. Okay, she could buy that. Then Detta came in behind me with a plastic bag from somewhere like WalMart and Cindy was more suspicious. Detta quickly asked me if I was ready for our 'meeting'. I assured her I was there for it. That was quick of Detta but Cindy was really getting suspicious now. Then Vernon walked in behind with a cake in hand and Cindy was pretty sure something was up.

We all paused in our day to sing happy birthday to Cindy and share in some cake and ice cream. Detta and Vernon shared stories of the history of Sadieville. I love listening to these stories. This community has a lot of history. Some of it is funny, some is tender and touching.

Claude headed off to a meeting. I waited for Katelyn to finish her shift of work by taking the pictures I really wanted to take of flowers in Sadieville. Here are a few for your enjoyment:
Cindy even put some in the plant beds around the Pavilion and in the butterfly garden we made several weeks ago:

I'm also going to post a picture of the fireman's bell that hangs in Sadieville. Claude repainted the sign under it last year. A message board has been added under it to post announcement of things happinging in Sadieville.

That brings me to Tuesday, June 29th. Katelyn works Tuesday mornings, usually. We had her at work at 9am. Then Claude and I accomplished what we could on our various 'to do' lists. Then Claude headed in to pick up Papa to go to the Family History Center to work all afternoon. I picked up Katelyn in the afternoon.

Katelyn and I each took naps in the afternoon. This was essential to our survival. We were going to the midnight opening of Eclipse. So a good nap in the afternoon meant we could stay awake throughout the movie.

In the evening Claude took us to the Scott County Farm Bureau Dinner. It was held at the Scott County Extension Office. Donzetta Hughes was the caterer. Stewart, her hubby, is out magistrate and we think a lot of these two people. They are just hard working, salt-of-the-earth people. The dinner was a rib-eye sandwich, some great potatos, beans, salad, and dessert. Judge Lusby pronounced it the best, most tender rib-eye sandwich he had ever eaten. No one disagreed.

Claude treated us to ice cream after dinner at Dairy Queen. The guy knows how to show the girls a good evening.

We headed home for a quiet evening until time to leave to get in line for the movie. Claude did not join us for this adventure. Far to girly for that farm boy. Katelyn and I arrrived to a little bit of a line but we still had a good position for entering the theater. Our tickets were purchased the Thursday before when we headed to La Grange but not for a specific seat. Being close to the front of the line meant a better chance of being in the first wave of people looking for the best seat to watch this movie. The nice man in front of us in the line took a picture of happy Katelyn and Gramma Sandi waiting, waiting, waiting.
I had a game on my Blackberry Katelyn and I both like and a Sudoku book so we had plenty to keep us entertained.

Eventually they opened the theater and we managed to get closer to the front when they 'tried' to make two lines. I held the place in line and Katelyn hit the snack bar for us. She made it back to the line just before they opened the door.

We did find good seats close to the middle and center of the theater. We saw friends from Church. LeeAnn's youngest daughter, Allie, had on a T-shirt that said, "Team Edward". Her older daughter, Maggie, had on a T-shirt that said, "Team Jacob". LeeAnn, the mom, was wearing a T-Shirt that said, "I don't care, either will do." Very cute.

I finished reading Eclipse Sunday evening so I was ready for the movie. I did find the movie good. They stayed very close to the story in the book. It was a lot of fun to be in that theater with all those girls cheering for one or the other. We made it home and were in bed by 3am. We didn't have to call Claude to come bail us out of jail or anything. He was very proud of us for that!

Wednesday, June 30th, Claude had an early morning meeting in Georgetown. Katelyn and I were in the car and ready to go at 7:30am. That is not much sleep folks. Not much sleep at all. But that was why we took the nap the afternoon before. We carried our scriptures and read in the car while we waited for Claude to finish his meeting.

Then we were off to Burger King to grab a to go bite of something and head to the Church for a missionary discussion in the Relief Society room for Katelyn.

Grocery shopping needed to be done and this was a great time to quickly get it accomplished. Lunch was eaten at the Subway inside WalMart. Groceries were then purchased and we headed back to Sadieville.

Thursday Katelyn had to work all day. Because of the 4th of July weekend her hours were changed. She called me when it was time for her lunch break. I picked her up and suggested we eat at home or make a run to Waffle House for lunch. Katelyn picked Waffle House. We zipped down I-75 and enjoyed a nice lunch and some great conversation.

Friday morning had an appointment with the eye doctor. I was craving Dairy Queen's biscuits and gravy.  Claude treated us to breakfast and then we headed to the eye doctor. When we got to the front door, the sign said they were closed. Hmm...that's just not right. We perused the printed copies of eMails and realized I lead us to the wrong eye doctor. Claude drove us across Georgetown and I called the correct doctors office and told them we were running a bit late because of my error. Yike!

They were very nice. Katelyn did the exam and visited with the doctor to pick out glasses. Then she came and got us to see what she had done. She was very careful and happy with her choice. We concurred and the order was placed. She'll get them in a couple of weeks.

After this we headed to Lowe's. Katelyn and I were sitting on the porch swing on the patio one night and we heard a big CRACK sound. We both jumped up as quickly as we could and found the front slat on the swing had a big crack in it. Now...maybe we were just TOO HEAVY for the swing... OR...maybe the swing is very old (it was my mother's parents and hung on their porch for all my life, then my parents home, now my home). Whatever, Lowe's was needed to procure the right piece of wood so that Claude can give a go at fixing the porch swing. I managed to find among the discounted plants $20 worth of flowers for my front flower bed and the flower bed under my mailbox.

In the evening, Claude showed Katelyn the proper way to water his garden and veggies on the deck. I planted all my treasures in the flower beds and Claude watered those beds. Then we nestled in for the evening.

Saturday, July 3rd we would cook our 4th of July feast. Claude taught Katelyn how to smoke the brisket. I taught Katelyn how to make Mimi's banana pudding recipe from scratch. Claude made potato salad & moonshine corn. I made a tossed salad and heated the rolls. It was a real team effort on our meal.

Papa fed Mimi and then brought Tiny out for the afternoon and evening. He was able to stretch out on the sofa and have a bit of a nap. I got some crocheting completed. Katelyn and Claude watched 'Gettysburg'. Papa woke up and we practiced songs for Wednesday's singing at the nursing home. During the day I managed to get my laundry and ironing done and Papa's laundry done.

In the evening we set a buffet out on the island and enjoyed the feast. Here is a picture of Katelyn posing as Vana White with her banana pudding. We had already dished up the servings before I remembered I wanted the picture. Silly Gramma...
This was a fun project for me. We used my mother's recipe, cut the banana's with her paring knife and put the banana pudding in a dish she used to use. This is a 'from scratch' recipe so Katelyn made her own custard. Good experience for both of us. Papa was very happy to get 'nanner puddin'.

Sunday, July 4th was a really good day. We had fast and testimony meeting at Church. The men were the ones standing and bearing their testimonies. There were lots of thoughts about the blessings of this great country, the honor and respect due our armed forces, some thoughts about Pioneer Day coming in a few weeks and the great blessing of religious freedom. These were all strong, powerful testimonies by adult men. It was a really good meeting.

Sunday evening we had tickets to go to the Lexington Legends game. They were to have fireworks after the game. The Legends won. Good food was eaten. The fireworks were great. I started my next crochet project. Such a good night. I tried to take some pictures of the fireworks with my camera. I'll post the one I like best mostly because it has purple in the coloring. I'm a sucker for purple. No apology, just fact.
So that brings me to today, Monday, July 5th. A pajama day, a day to catch up the blog, get some to do's done, and just enjoy life a bit.

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