She's Back!!!!

I am back but buried. By the time y'all read this, I will have been through my "human pin cushion" routine at Dr. Jody's office. Tomorrow is annual bone scan day to see if the touch of osteoporosis in my hip has become worse and "feed the A- vampire" day. The latter was interesting because the lab FedExed the kit for it to me for the lab. I hope they leave me a bit for personal use. (giggle)

Barb and I didn't do much -- partially because I would up in the ER dehydrated as hell and partially because she really didn't feel like going out which I blame on her alleged family who don't do much to help get her out. It's, for me, the ghost of Christmas yet to come. Then again, she isn't really feeling well which I am in sympathy with because I don't feel like running much either these days and prolly should have stayed home. We did join the Octogenarians for dinner at Inky's, a well-known Toledo Italian restaurant that serves great steaks as well pasta extraordinaire. It was fun and a serious yum. And the service was excellent for a very busy Friday night!!!!

The trip north was uneventful -- my new route was pretty great -- other than my usual terror of The Bridge from Hell and, I had the delight of meeting my good blog friend Gene for excellent Mexican food in Bellevue. She is always a delight to and our waiter let us yak our little hearts out.

I have to find a better way in and out of town that avoids that damned bridge. The mere thought of it set me shaking so badly that I wound up calling my ex and he and some friends came up to get me and Miss Ruby and I took us all out for dinner at my neighborhood Greek place -- a serious yum -- when we got back. Unless I find a better route, I don't think that I'll be traveling up there again. Sigh. I hate this stuff. Michelle called in the morning to see if I was okay after she saw that the ex brought me home. And when I see Dr. Maria next week, I have to talk to her about the dehydration. I think one of my meds is causing. I'm pretty sure that's the culprit.

At any rate, I made it home safely and am doing much better and will be running all week between blood work and appointments. That said, I'm going to do my best to get caught up with y'all as soon as possible!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay

Quick Note: On the Road Again

I'm off, despite misgivings to the contrary, to wander through The Great Swamp of Toledo aka my childhood home.  I'll be returning on Sunday as Dr. Jody and Dr. K. have tests scheduled.  The former has, in addition to blood work, ordered me to have an EMG which sure doesn't look like fun and is a new one on me.  The latter has my annual bone scan (a no-brainer) to see if the tiny bit of osteoporosis is getting any worse.  Sigh.

In the meantime,  I'll be meeting dear, dear Gene for lunch and heading up to Toledo to spend a few days with my stepmom which is usually fun.  Hopefully I'll return refreshed and ready to blog my little heart out and face all the challenges ahead.

Here's an two-minute oldie that fits my mood!!! Gotta love CCR!!!! Enjoy!!!!



Have a great day!!!!!!!  Happy Blogging!!!!

Kay

A Little Travelin' Music

I love this. I'm a sucker for fancy footwork -- and this sure is fun!!!!



Happy Blogging!!!!

Kay

Always an Adventure

My focus yesterday was on getting ready for my trip and the errand list was pretty much easy because it all simple: a trip to Dr. Maria for my blood work results and the rest were centered on Miss Ruby: bath, food (aka gas) and an oil change.

We started with a fill up at the gas station where they still pump your gas and wash your windshield -- I was shocked as I hadn't bought gas in over a month and teased the young man by asking if I'd just bought Dom Perignon. The good news is that Ruby gets excellent mileage.

We then headed to the oil change guy who is very reliable and usually fun. All was going smoothly until he tried to start Miss Ruby because he was done. She wouldn't start. Ruby has started every single time since the day I bought her! I was panicking as he looked at her starter and discovered that it was broken and said he could fix it for $200+. More panic and I called Dr. Maria's office to tell them I'd be late. They told me that I'd have to reschedule. Sigh. Will got the work done quickly and I ran over to the bank to get the cash and Ruby and I went home to regroup and worry a bit. My budget is tight at best and still hadn't recovered from the last assault on the exchequer and I had to decide if I really should head up north. A bit of salvation occurred and I decided that I needed to go for my sanity's sake.

So I headed out to pick up some last minute items and Ruby finally got her bath and looks pretty. I just hope she behaves until I can get some cash stashed -- or win the lottery which doesn't seem too likely since I'm told that to win, one must buy a ticket and I don't usually do that. :)

I'm posting some things that I enjoy for the days I'm away .

Happy Blogging!!!!

Kay

A Truly Excellent Day!

Yesterday was one of the nicest days I've had in a long time.
And quite welcome after a less than stellar (read: lousy) weekend but that's another blog and the results aren't in yet.

Miss Ruby and I put our worries on hold and headed west. She seemed ready and eager -- despite a bit of rain -- to get out and about to Wooster,
Ohio a lovely farming community and home to Rubbermaid and the College of Wooster, an excellent liberal arts institution.

Our intent in our visit was nothing to do with any of of the above. Our mission was to meet my good friend, as well as one of my favorite commenters here, Gene from Bellevue, OH for lunch! I also got to meet her nice husband and they presented me with a dozen organic, lo-cholesterol, healthy eggs laid by their hens. Great, huh? Her nice hubby headed down to Charm, OH (where I hope to take y'all sometime this summer) and Gene and I sat down, ordered lunch at an the excellent restaurant, and talked like we'd known each other for decades. Time just flew by as we talked and talked over our excellent meal. Y'all can holler at me because I completely forgot that I had my camera with me! (blush)

We will see each other again next month when I head to Toledo as Bellevue -- a very pretty little town --- is on my way. Hopefully, I'll remember to take photos!!!!

Y'all gotta know I'm going to be eating some serious omelets this week courtesy of their kindness. And I truly look forward to seeing Gene again -- she is really a terrific and interesting person. Meeting her was just what I needed to chase (what Hemingway called) the Black Dog from my doorstep and I feel very blessed that I met her and can count her as a friend as I do all y'all who I visit and who visit me.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Update

I am here. I finally went to see my doctor yesterday because I still feel like death and she ordered a throat culture. She called later to tell me that I don't have strep and probably just have a virus and that I should just let it run its course. Sooooo I'm here feeling like death, guzzling Theraflu, coughing like crazy, praying that it goes away and sleeping a lot. If I'm not better by Monday, I'm calling again.
Tomorrow it will be a week with this you-know-what.

Here's a video of 280 North to I-75 which I have to drive to get to Barb's:
They don't really drive that fast but it's still an adventure and y'all will 'get' why I'm not nuts about this part of my journey north. (I exit at Alexis just before the Ohio-Michigan border).



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!

Kay

Home Again

I have returned from the The Great Swamp of Toledo as it was once known and given the political climate there right now, it still is. A Teabagger is attempting to challenge Marci Kaptur but she's holding her own last I heard. Barb thinks the world of her and woe to anyone who says a bad word about her!

It was an uneventful visit. I had a nice drive up via a slightly different route and wound up in Wellington, Ohio which I remember as an average little burg. Now they've restored their tiny downtown and a lot of the homes and it's on the list of Historic Places. I stopped for lunch at a restaurant/bakery on the square and had a turkey club sandwich on a croissant that was absolutely wonderful and excellent cappuccino. Serious yum!

Barb wasn't feeling too well so we didn't run around too much except to go out to eat, a little shopping, and of course, a visit to the cemetery to see Dad's grave. I'm not much into the latter -- mostly because, if I believe what I was taught, he's not there. Mostly we played cards with her buddies, watched the World Series, and talked a lot. I had a bit of a problem with the latter because of her tendency to use ethnic/racial slurs and refuse to accept the excuse that's she's old but I decided that I didn't want to argue and ignored a lot. I choose my fights and that one can't be won. I didn't take pictures because I kept forgetting my camera. I planned to come back on Saturday but Barb decided that she wanted to keep me another day so I acquiesced and called Michelle so she wouldn't worry and asked her to get my mail on Saturday and told her that I'd be home Sunday afernoon.

I woke on Sunday morning with a sore throat and decided that the sooner I got on the road the better. I got out my trusty map and looked for an alternate route that kept me off the Interstates (except for the bridge from hell). It takes a bit longer on the byways but I wasn't feeling well and didn't feel like driving really fast. It was interesting as always and I marvelled at the beauty of the countryside. Central Ohio puts on a grand show in autumn with the many trees sporting glorious shades of orange and gold.

I was exhausted, felt like death and put myself to bed when I got home. The next morning I got up and felt worse and had a cough and a fever of 101 and dragged myself to the drug store for some Theraflu. The latter has helped somewhat but I think I have to call the doc because it isn't getting better. I'm still not unpacked and haven't been on the computer much and I apologize for not visiting or posting. I hope to get around and visit y'all later today but it seems to be time for my nap.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

On the Road Again . . .

The Kay has been busy with assorted nonsense -- my days have been consumed with bureaucratic baloney, trying to organize some things, politics, and packing. I am heading up to Toledo on Tuesday to visit my stepmother. I always enjoy my trips to the city I call home. I play cards with Barb and her buddies and take her shopping, etc. because she doesn't drive anymore. One thing she always wants to do is visit my dad's grave. I'm not into that much because I think Dad is somewhere else -- only his bones are there. Still, I say a prayer and I think he knows we're there and glad to see us.

The best part is wandering the neighborhood where I grew up. I don't think I appreciated how extraordinary it was in my youth. I did enjoy being able to ride my bike anywhere safely and visit my friends safely. It's weird because it still feels like home despite my being away from there for decades. What really strikes me as weird is driving by our house. There were probably a dozen and a half houses on our block and living in those homes were probably 75 kids -- most of whom were always outside playing whatever the season -- often in the street. Today that doesn't appear to happen and I rarely see a soul when I visit and that makes me sad. We lived in the middle of the block and our house was often the site of games like tag or hide and seek after dark in which my dad often participated along with 20 or 30 kids. We mostly got along because we were taught to play well with others and bullying was huge no-no. It was a nice place to grow up and I appreciate that I had that blessing.

Here's a prayer that I think is very timely for our world today. A tip of my Thinking Cap to Blue Gal for reminding me of it.

A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen

I'm going to put up a few things I've gathered so I won't be totally absent here. I'll be back on Friday or Saturday. Here's the song for this week!!!!



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!! AND don't forget that you can go to your local Board of Elections and vote early if you wish.

Happy Blogging!!!!!

Kay

Wandering with Kay

With all the "sturm and drang" that's been occurring of late, last weekend I decided that I needed to get away from the you-know-what that I was experiencing and go a-wandering to see some of the wonders of flyover country. And I loaded up Miss Ruby and headed northeast. I don't like freeways much because I like seeing the little towns with their shops and that I can just ramble along at a leisurely pace. My days as Mario Andretti are long gone. Heck! Sometimes there are still Burma Shave signs which were a godsend as in playing what we called barnyard poker 'cause you got the 'u' and the 'v' and there are still a few barns displaying Mail Pouch logos.

As I headed north, my first stop was in a tiny village called New Baltimore -- don't blink -- for an cone of homemade ice cream. Serious yum. The challenge, as always was deciding what flavor I wanted but I'm a sucker for their fresh strawberry. It's one of those places that Miss Ruby goes into auto-pilot mode and always stops.

I continued through the little towns that dot the route north enjoying the scenery provided by the farms and other little towns. Our next stop was the village of Hiram, Ohio -- home of one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the country and my daughter's alma mater, Hiram College. It's most famous alumni is President James A. Garfield who also served as its president. Poet Vachel Lindsay also attended Hiram. I have a soft spot for this excellent school because it was a godsend for Kate. After not fitting in well in high school, Hiram was the pond where my little girl found a home with the other nerds. I practically had to kidnap her to come home because she loved her life -- both socially and academically -- there so much. This building is typical of the architecture of the buildings on the campus which was founded in 1850.



Here's a not very good shot (sigh) of the central campus:



The college is surrounded by a village wonderful old houses that have been maintained beautifully. It's really a picture postcard town and campus.

I headed north to Burton, Ohio home to a an Amish community so it isn't strange to see buggies along the highway. It's also where a lot of antique shows and flea markets are held. I was glad that it wasn't one of those days because the traffic would have been insane. One of it's interesting points is that the center of town is a traffic circle and in the center of the circle is a lovely park with big log cabin mandated by the city fathers for making maple syrup. Sugar maples abound in the area and maple syrup and candy and other local products as well. I bought a half pint of syrup ($9 -- yikes!), some candy, and a pint jar of fresh apple butter. Below is a photo of the inside of the log cabin and the nice Amish lady who was a font of it's history. (I swear I took an exterior shot but I guess not -- LOL)



The homes around the traffic circle are fabulous examples of Victorian architecture and this one was my favorite:



I'm definitely going back there to check out more of the area -- prolly next summer.

My next destination was to find a little known sight in NE Ohio. It's located on a farm northeast of Burton and I had scanty directions. It's a fifty foot tall statue
of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is one of my favorite saints and I really wanted to see this wonder and much of the work was done by volunteers. The story is here. And yes, I do believe in miracles. I have to because I am one. I never did find it so I swiped the photo below from the 'net. I did stop and ask for directions but after well over an hour looking for it, I gave it up as a bad job. I do plan to try again another time but it was getting late and I wanted to get up to the lake and find a place to stay overnight.



I headed further north and stopped in a little town called Orwell because I was starving and grabbed a sandwich and coffee and a downpour began. I talked to my waitress and she told me rain was in the forecast for the next couple days from there up to the lake. Yikes!!!! My plan was to go to the beach up at Geneva-on-the-Lake to revisit scenes of my misspent youth's crimes and misdemeanors!!! I bought a newspaper and checked the weather and found my information was correct. I was disappointed and I decided that I would head home. So I did. Sigh. There's always next year.

All in all, it was a nice trip and I enjoyed it immensely. I love trips that don't have a fixed destination or itinerary. I'm going to do some more.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay

Ohio History: Fort Laurens

I went a-wandering again on Thursday with my new toy (camera) and visited Fort Laurens -- Ohio's only Revolutionary War Fort -- about twenty miles south of me just outside Bolivar. You can learn more about it here.

For now there's the museum and the cemetery as well as markers of the fort's dimensions and reproductions of its excavation. And yes, the re-enactment people use
the grounds now and again.

Do remember that clicking on any of the photos will enlarge them.

Here's the museum: It's not very large but every time I go they've added new displays and great videos on the Fort and its inhabitants.



This map shows the layout of the original Fort.



Here's a reproduction of the living quarters at the fort when construction began in the fall of 1778:



I found the mannequins (is that the right word?) fascinating because they're so lifelike. Here are photos of an American soldier and his enemies: the British and the Native Americans. (Please note that not all the tribes sided with the British and many Native Americans were decorated for their heroism in supporting the Patriots' cause.) And yes, the uniforms are authentic.





I got a chuckle out of these two plaques in the museum. I'm glad to know that these brave men and women kept their sense of humor through an Ohio winter.

Questions:



Answers:



Hope you enjoyed the first leg of my road trip. Tomorrow we'll be heading a few miles down the road from the fort to a lovely and fascinating restored village founded in 1817.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Random Cranky Tuesday Thoughts

[NOTE: If any of y'all are having trouble posting comments here, please try using 'ANONYMOUS' and leaving your name with your message until Blogger decides to fix it.]

Yeah, things are still complicated, to put it mildly at best with a few more wrinkles in the fabric of my life thrown in for good measure. Don't worry -- the fabric is that ugly, indestructible stuff so I will survive one way or another. Survival seems to be what I do best but it makes me cranky and I have to vent or take heavier meds. I'd rather vent and wait for the days of wine and roses to return.

Here are the highlights:

* I am delighted that y'all enjoyed the glimpses of Schoenbrunn. And there's a lot more to see and I'm going back soon as well as visiting some other places nearby and not so near. I've pretty much decided to buy a membership in the Ohio Historical Society which runs many sites (including Schoennbrunn) as it allows me free admission to a lot of these places and could save me money in the long run. Cool, huh? And yeah, I'm tentatively planning another trip this week!!!

* Alec stopped by this afternoon after golf and offered to take me out for supper.
I had been working around here and was in no condition to be seen in public. I think he wanted to talk about Jeff and I can't help him as I don't understand anything either and no one is getting any answers. If we were, it would be nice -- or at least honest. Sigh.

* Alec also told me that I'm too thin. I thought about it after he left and got on the scales. I've dropped about 20 lbs. and two jeans sizes and a dress size this spring/summer. That is not good unless they want me for Project Runway which I doubt highly. I really need to go buy some jeans that fit which is difficult at 5'10". Sigh. I have a feeling Dr. Maria may not be too happy with me next month.

* We're still on 'baby alert' and poor Michelle is sooooo miserable which leaves me on standby and worrying with her mom.

* My nephew called to tell me he's going to tell me he's going to be a daddy and I can't decide why unless he couldn't think of anyone else to call. I was properly excited for him and asked him to keep me posted -- like he will. Uh-huh.

* It's Football Hall of Fame Week and it sure doesn't look like much fun so the gang is limiting participation. They aren't bringing anyone good in for the Rib Burnoff's entertainment so we're voting with our feet and staying home. The parade party still is on so I'm hosting brekky and barbecue since I'm the one who lives just off the route.

* I'm planning a run up north to Toledo in October and hope to fit in an event at the home of President Rutherford B. Hayes in Fremont. It looks like fun and includes an old time baseball game and assorted other activities. I love Indian summer in Ohio so it should be a great trip.

* I'm trying mightily to get (and stay) caught up with y'all despite assorted distractions. Keep good thoughts, okay?

* Here's a video of a song that's been rattling around my brain. I love Billy Joel and this song rings rather true this week. Sigh. Don't worry -- I'm really okay.



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Ohio History: Schoenbrunn

Last week I took some time to take my new camera for a "tryout" and where better to do it than one of the many historic sites in my neck of the woods? One of my favorite such destinations is a mere 45 minutes south of me -- or less if you don't drive like an old lady -- (grin)! Schoenbrunn was founded as a mission to the Delaware Indians.

I've watched it grow over the years to its current state of reconsruction and restoration. I'm only showing a couple pictures because I wasn't used to the camera and software yet. In fact, I was wandering about the village snapping my little heart out and suddenly message appeared: Out of Memory. I hadn't bothered to look at the card and later discovered that it really didn't have very much memory on it. That is being remedied as I type but it did cut my photographing short.

Here's a typical cabin that the Native Americans built -- quite rustic with a fire pit in the center. That changed as the missionaries introduced them to the tools they used.



Here's a cabin (and interior) typical of the missionaries living quarters:





I had the good fortune to meet the candlemaker. She's one of the many volunteers who give their time to the village and was a font of information about the village and its history. (I also learned that weekends and Thursdays are the best days to see the artisans.) Alas!!! It was Friday.



The schoolhouse is one of the few buildings that almost totally restored. The missionaries not only taught their converts religion -- they educated them.



I'm going back again soon and I'm also planning to visit some other favorite sites so watch this space. LOL

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!

Kay

Random Cranky (and Otherwise) Thoughts in Recovery

I decided to take some 'me' time yesterday to get some stuff done here before we head south so I left Jeff to his own time. The upshot of it is that I contracted a bit of food poisoning from an 'on the run' fast food supper. Ugh! I am better today but Jeff has ruled that I rest and we will postpone our departure until Monday so I'm at home catching up on my email and what y'all have been up to in the blogosphere as well as my favorite political sites. God knows, with the hectic schedule that man has set for us, when I have time again!!!!

* I got a bit worried about my beach time because of the oil spill and was delighted when checking a realtor's site that there is no oil within 300 miles of Sanibel Island!!!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!! (And I was seriously shocked at the price of real estate there. Jeff says not to worry -- that the prices are actually down -- and that also astounds me.)

* My Media Matters newsletter included this video. The only issue I have with Jon Stewart's analysis is the 'blonde thing'. I started out as a blonde (and some say a brassy one at that) and contend that blondes aren't the only ones who have blonde moments. However, I'm with Jon that Gretchen Carlson's take is what my young friend, Latasha, would call "off the hook" and my reaction was pretty much the same as
Jon's.



* Keith Olbermann weighed in on Sarah's continuing Twitter addiction and her talent for not getting anything right by not checking her facts. BTW, her popularity rating is falling into the the dumper and you can read it here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

* Please stop by and wish my dear, dear friend Naomi of Here in the Hills tomorrow as she celebrates her 79th Birthday. She is a doll and her blog is a wonderful read!!!

* When I was out on errands yesterday I drove by what was an empty storefront a few blocks from my home. It is now the campaign headquarters for my nice young Congressman, John Boccieri (D-Ohio). I pulled into their parking lot, went into the office and offered my assistance for the November election and met a friendly, enthusiastic group of younguns who welcomed me very kindly!!! This video explains why I'm supporting him along with all the great, much-needed infrastructure projects I saw while travelling last week:



* My dear friends Rain and Hal wrote the best commentary I've read on the McChrystal debacle here and here respectively. Fox news could take a page on "fair and balanced" from both.

Golly gee whiz!!! I have to get moving on other projects -- like packing and other assorted nonsense before Jeff arrives with supper. I'm taking my lil' netbook with me and will try mightily to keep y'all posted. I know y'all are wondering what the future holds for us and I will update you after our sojourn in Sanibel.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Just a Quick Sunday Post

I'm still tired from my road trip so I'm slobbing around the house in sweatpants and my nightshirt -- definitely a fashion statement on my attitude toward the world today. My good friend and very dear blogging buddy who has been with me almost since the beginning of this blog, Joy, called and we yakked about life, the universe and everything as usual on the occasions when we talk.

I'm going to get in the shower soon and go get the newspaper and maybe pop by to see Lynda and Mike before I get to work on another project or two. Then again. I might just vegetate.

On my trip I alternated radio stations between oldies and country music stations -- whichever came in clearest out in the boonies -- and one song seemed to keep coming up on the country stations. I thought it fun and liked the sentiment because it fits with my philosophy well and checked for a video when I got home. I even found one with the lyrics and that's when I realized why it's so popular here in Buckeye country. I hope you enjoy it!!!!



This old man and me,
Were at the bar and we
Were having us some beers
And swapping 'I don't cares'

Talking politics,
Blonde and red-head chicks
Old dogs and new tricks
And habits we ain't kicked

We talked about God's grace
And all the hell we raised
Then I heard the ol' man say:
God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy

He said "I fought two wars,
Been married and divorced"
What brings you to Ohio?
He said "Damned if I know"

We talked an hour or two
About every girl we knew
What all we put them through
Like two old boys will do.

We pondered life and death.
He light a cigarette.
He said "These damn things will kill me yet
But God is great, beer is good and people are crazy"

Last call,
It's 2 AM.
I said goodbye to him.
I never talked to him again.

Then one sunny day,
I saw the old mans face
Front page obituary,
He was a millionaree

He left his fortune to
Some guy he barely knew,
His kids were mad as hell
But me, I'm doing well

And I drop by today,
To just say thanks and pray,
I left a six-pack right there
On his grave and I said:

God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.
God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.
God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Update: She's Baaaaaaaaaaaacccccckkk!!!!

I am back home, I always love getting out of town for a few days and I always love coming home. I suppose that makes sense if you want it to and I do.

I had an excellent trip to Toledo. I skipped the Ohio Turnpike this time because I simply couldn't cope with driving eighty miles per hour surrounded by trucks too close for comfort. It's draining and I was driving during daylight instead of in the wee hours as I did when I used to head to Motown for weekends. This was better although it took a bit longer.

It was raining fairly heavily when I began my journey and that continued as I made my way to Greenwich, Ohio (don't blink) where my parents and grandparents lived when I was born.
I drove about town and it seems the house where our apartment was is gone. I didn't take many pictures as a result of the rain. As I left town, the rain finally stopped and I headed north to Route 20 to keep a promise I made to an old friend and make sure I got to Toledo at a time when the traffic was manageable. (The huge, very high new bridge over the Maumee River scares the bejaysus outta me! Can you say acrophobia?)

Route 20 is a nice drive through the northwestern farming communities. I call it the flatlands because it so flat. It was once The Great Swamp of Toledo and home to the Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape) and Ottawa Indians and where General "Mad Anthony" Wayne met the great Chief Blue Jacket at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in Maumee and claimed the Ohio Country for the United States. The road is dotted with farms and pretty small towns. When I got to Bellevue, I stopped and had supper with a sorority sister who lives in one of the fabulous Victorian homes on Main Street. These homes are really gorgeous and some of the owners have taken to using the "painted lady" color schemes popular in San Francisco instead of the white or greys I remembered from my childhood when we drove south to visit my grandparents. Again, I didn't take pictures because we yakked too much getting caught up and I needed to get back on the road. I promised Ellie I would come back and stay for a couple days later this summer.

As I drove in on Route 280 and glimpsed the skyline of Toledo, tears welled in my eyes and I got a lump in my throat. I haven't lived there since I was twelve but it will always be home. I got off the expressway at the exit for Ottawa River Road and in a few minutes I was wandering around my old neighborhood recalling the days when life was simpler and I rode my bicycle all over our hood. It's changed a lot. A lot of the landmarks as are many favorite places are gone -- like the Sugar Bowl and Kunkel's where we bought penny candy after school. And I drove by the house where I grew up. No one was home so I didn't get to see what had changed inside. Funny thing though -- the exterior still is painted the same way fifty years later. The big thing I noticed is how small everything seemed. It felt like everything had shrunk: the streets, the houses. the shops -- only the bay and the rivers seemed to feel the same. I guess God's creations have more stability than man's. And yeah, I took pictures a lot but I haven't uploaded them yet. They'll be in future posts after I've gone through them.

It was getting late so I went and found my hotel and crashed for the night after I called Barbara, my step-mother, to let her know I had arrived in town safely and she said that she and Anne (my step-sister) were looking forward to our spending the next day together.

After breakfast provided by my hotel, I checked out and headed to Barb's apartment in a nice senior citizens complex. (I think the apartments are too damned small --I'd die of claustrophobia -- and took issue with that what was supposed to be a computer lab was sitting empty.) My step-sister, Anne, age 63, is a hoot. She lives in Alamogordo, New Mexico and we hit it off just fine and exchanged addresses, etc., so we can keep in touch. I have a standing invitation to visit there. Barb's friend Dolly is simply that -- a doll -- and she was my hostess for the night as there wasn't room for Anne and I both to sleep at Barb's place. We spent the day talking and getting acquainted mostly and wandering around Toledo so Anne could see her memories. One of the reasons, I went a day early was so I could do my exploring on my own with as much time as I wanted as well as adding the stop in Bellevue.

Thursday night, we celebrated Barbara's eightieth birthday at the Amvets post with all her nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews and their spouses in attendance. Barb is the last of her generation in her family and it was nice to see such a good turnout. Again, I took pictures and told Barb that my birthday gift to her was going to be photos of the party and that I was going to have one of the cousins take a photo of her, Anne and I and have it enlarged and framed. I promised to send prints to Anne, too. One of the cousin's wives took a lot of pictures, too and she's emailing them to me and I'm emailing mine to her. Cool, huh? It was really a fun party and I have a boatload of new cousins with standing invites to visit.

Friday Dolly took us out for brunch and I headed south after we talked some more. The best part of my visit was when Barb gave me a 12" by 12" cardboard box. It was filled to the brim with pictures that belonged to my dad. It had pictures from my grandma of his childhood and even some of Grandpa and Grandma's childhood! It also had my parents' wedding pictures, his high school picture and mine, and more. I have to make a trip up north to Cleveland to see one of my uncles who might be able to tell me who some of the people in them are. And that. my friends, reminds me that I have to go through my own box of photos and write what/where/who on the back of them in case anyone is interested somewhere down the road. If y'all haven't done so, I recommend y'all do the same. I am going to have all these photos copied to CDs and will share many of them with y'all.

When I got home, I was supposed to meet Marcia downtown for First Friday and see the
Budweiser Clydesdales. I was soooooooooo tired that I simply couldn't so I unloaded the car and crashed. It was a good trip but it truly drained me so I'm going to rest and recuperate.

I hope y'all have been having fun and feeling fine and I am sooooo glad you enjoyed Nancy's excellent grooooaaannn on Friday!!!!!!!!!!! I thought it a truly great one.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Some Good Advice for Elders

In case no one noticed, May is Senior Citizens month (while I'd like that changed to Elders Month, I'm not going to war . . . yet.) so I'm going to do a few posts on aging now and then.

I receive a newsletter via email twice each month from the Ohio Department of Aging called "Aging Issues". It always is interesting and informative and relevant for elders and it keeps me informed of programs and services available to Ohio elders. They also have an excellent website. I enjoy both so much that I wonder if other states do something similar or if they even have a Department of Aging like we do. What does your state do for elders?

I think that most of us find driving a bigger hassle as we get older. Our days of playing Mario Andretti are over. "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena" that Jan & Dean made famous in our youth is a rarity. Heck! I bet Jan & Dean have slowed down a lot, too. I think I'm happier in little Miss Ruby than I ever was in the 383 4-barrel convertible of my misspent youth and I'd rather dawdle along city streets or country roads than join the terrors of the Ohio Turnpike or the Interstate highway system. I swear they try to eat Miss Ruby and I alive.

In fact, I'm exploring an alternate route for my trip to Toledo to avoid the latter. I like seeing the little burgs and stopping at Mom & Pop restaurants for coffee or lunch. I don't think that faster is always better. Getting there is half the fun for me. And not having a big fat semi on my bumper lowers the stress. 'Sides all you see on the Turnpike are signs about the next service plaza while you're doing what I call the "orange barrel polka". Unfortunately, I haven't figured out a way around the huge new bridge across the Maumee River so it will be "white knuckle" time.

This trip I plan to take pictures of the house where I grew up -- I might even knock on the door and talk to the people who live there now -- and I'm going to stop in Greenwich (pronounced 'green-witch' not 'grenitch') where we lived when I was born and look around and take photos. I'll probably also wander around the Point and see what's changed. I've promised Barb that we will go visit my dad's grave and take flowers -- she doesn't drive anymore. I'm going to have to be stoic -- I didn't cry through the whole thing when Dad died until the honor guard fired their salute at the cemetery -- and then I fell apart and sobbed uncontrollably. On another level, I think I know why that happened but I'm not going to go there.

All that said, I'm looking forward to my 'sentimental journey' and here's Doris Day with her first #1 hit when she sang with Les Brown and his Band of Renown. Enjoy!!!! My dad used to sing this song to me.



Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Road Trip to History

I, as I told y'all Sunday, decided to go a-wandering so I fed Miss Ruby and headed northeast up by Lake Erie. I met old friends at a pub from our college days when summer holidays were celebrated at Geneva-on-the-Lake and shared a wee pint and lunch before heading south to Rock Creek to spend the rest of the day at The Great Lakes Medieval Faire and Marketplace. My daughter, a long-time member of The Society for Creative Anachronism, introduced me to the Faire about a decade ago and while I try to work in a visit each summer, it's been a few years since my last visit so it was fun to see how it's grown. My friends had never been there before and enjoyed it immensely.

Johnny Phoenix, whose specialty is "dangerous comedy", is of the many artists who entertain throughout the day. He is, in addition to being really funny, a fire eater and a fire walker and he walked that beam in his bare feet while making jokes! I never lose my awe and wonder for such feats.

Above Sir Gawain chats with the crowd after the human chess game. My camera was giving me fits so my attempt to show y'all how handsome he is failed.

The Faire, aka The Village of Avaloch, features all manner of medieval entertainment: jousting, rides, the human chess game, troubadors, fooles, pipers, musicians and food -- lots of food! It's set in a beautiful woods so it was a perfect refuge on a 90 degree day! The staff dresses in costume and they appear to enjoy their work. I giggled a lot as I was greeted by knights and princes with a deep bow, "Good day, fair lady!!!"

The Marketplace features all sorts of things Medieval and one can even rent costumes to really get in the spirit of the faire! My favorite was The Alchemist -- a charming little man from London who makes beautiful hand painted porcelain talismans for everything one can think of and provides you with a printed explanation of its powers. I chose Joy. It denotes happiness, success and creative expression. I hope it works!

I was delighted when I and my tired legs found a lovely young artisan who makes excellent quarterstaffs of all types of wood. Below is a picture (in which I think I look fat -- so what else is new? Just remember that I dressed to be cool and comfortable not stylish!) of moi with my brand new quarterstaff! It's a beauty crafted from hickory and topped with a crystal ornament. I told him about the Quarterstaff Revolution and he thought it wonderful. When I mentioned that canes signified infirmity, he interjected, . . . "but quarterstaffs denote power." What a great young man!!! And yes, I sent the photo to Ronni for posting on the site!

My favorite of the fooles and jesters is Axel the Sot. His PG-rated songs are bawdy and fun and his shows are always standing room only. I took pictures of him but decided that, in Axel's case, a picture isn't enough so I went to YouTube and found a videos to share with y'all!

It was a fun and interesting day and y'all can believe that I got my exercise in -- I swear we walked a couple miles which I needed badly! The good news is that my ElderExercise program is paying off -- I wasn't aching all over yesterday!!! Come join us -- we're a friendly, very supportive support group!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!

Kay

Sunday Excursion

'Twas a busy Saturday with a lot going on at the office -- we're preparing our clients for the annual visit of the Mexican Consul who comes in with her staff and renews passports, visas, etc. and now we're pre-registering everyone and making sure their paperwork is in order. Last year we won effusive praise for making her job easier and plan to do the same this year. It makes our work easier, too.

I have a case of wanderlust again and will be off on a road trip today. If it goes as well as I hope, I will have pictures and tales of a great day! I just put my camera's batteries in the charger so I'll be ready to go in the morning. I've been vegging at home since I got back from Motown and working around the house a lot so it's time for some fun!

Hope y'all have a great Sunday, too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kay