Author: Rene

Never say to your daughter, ”Let’s be twins!” The response made me laugh and double over with delight. I cannot possibly reprise her dramatic response.

We were shopping for her daughter who has surpassed her designated size and needs winter attire. I was hoping to find something, too, which elicited my statement. Nearing the end of our needed search we found a super useful black top which we both acclaimed was, ”cute!” Accommodating both of our sizes, and applying to our coupon, we became twins.

Sometimes you have to make your goal known to the universe.

This year our trees have been extremely gorgeous, on cue. The flowering pear tree in the back is still green, but will succumb soon. Every moment I walk past or view this Autumn Blaze Maple I am stunned by the beauty. This photo was taken on Friday, and by Saturday the leaves were fading and falling.

Once again I quote, “The scarlet of the maples can shake me like a cry of bugles going by…” Bliss Carmen

Aside from my nose, the South side of the house has some problems we have been trying to resolve for a year. It’s come down to the final stage…hauling rock.

We’ve hired a reliable crew member to aid us – our son. (I’m hoping he reads this missive.) The weather is cooperating nicely so it’s the optimal time to achieve proper drainage. It’s also the perfect time to clean the patio furniture and haul it in along with the wood for the fireplace.

Little Home on the Prairie weekend?

Remember the good old days when you went to work or school sick? That perfect attendance record was in reach! I never had that, but I did go out in public many a time – if you call having “the common cold” being sick.

Actually, there was a time I had to show up to teach a class on a weekend because there was no one to substitute. Students came from rural areas as well as the city, so I couldn’t ”call off” the class on short notice. I gingerly pulled myself out of bed for that one and made it through three hours.

My son deserves credit for toughing it out in school with a double ear infection so that he wouldn’t miss sports that afternoon. We were on our way to the ER early morning when he told me he knew it was an ear infection and he’d just as soon go to get antibiotics after school and practice. He was in third grade.

We all have stories of slogging through the day crippled by illness. The nice thing about a cold is taking cough syrup and slathering on the Vick’s Vap-o-Rub. There’s something comforting in that little self-care ritual.

This is the kind of goofy stuff I like. It’s an interesting grocery list, for sure! See if you can decipher. Thanks to the APB for filling in today.

Years ago I ordered the small inspirational magazine, ”Guideposts,” for my mother. For some reason I receive it and have for years. I’m assuming a snafu exists somewhere?

Anyway, the August issue is my granddaughter’s favorite reading material. She puts my glasses around her neck and looks intently through the publication. We have been doing this, well, since August? We find the dogs in the photos. It is quite entertaining, mostly to watch her.

My grandfather used to read, ”National Geographic,” to us kids as we sat by him on the sofa, explaining the exotic photos. The tradition continues.

Especially during this costume-time-of-year, here is a simple answer when you are asked, ”What should I be?” “Oh, be joyful!”

It’s a simple name, and the O Be Joyful campground was just that. While dry camping the past few days, we were privy to the beauty and majesty of the self-proclaimed entry signs when driving into Colorado. “Welcome to Colorful Colorado.” We roughed it with no wifi connection, and only used our handheld camera phones to snap photos. It was a soul-filling few days.

Of course, we weren’t alone, as evidenced by this photo. ”Pristina” snapped proof of the spying going on all around us. The new header on the blog is proof of the state motto. And in honor of the campground, I shall be joyful!

Questions: Who weeds the garden in a dress? Who plays in the gravel in a dress? Who mows the property in a dress?

Answers: Daughter, Granddaughter, and Grandmother.

Well, no sense creating more laundry when you have to be glammed up first thing in the morning? It’s just our little family contribution to water conservation.

Rarely have I had to work so hard to prepare a meal. However, Friday night’s fare required more than usual.

We had purchased a prepared frozen meal from Trader Joe’s, placed it in the kitchen fridge freezer front door, and the meal decided to conform to its surroundings. We couldn’t get it out of the skinny bin. I had to defrost the entire appliance, which meant moving all of the food to the outside appliance. Thank goodness we had another option – first world opportunity, obviously.

Unfortunately, even that did not result in the thawing of our meal, which then became Saturday night’s dinner. The upside? We had Indian cuisine Friday evening, a favorite.

Luckily, we have options.

Although I am not repairing anything I am ”keeping” and conserving history.

I have a 48-star American flag which my father gave to my sister. Both are deceased, but my sister felt it imperative to give to me before she passed. I also have two certificates from my husband’s grandfather. One is for meritorious service in the war, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the second honoring services in the “War with the German Imperial Government and Austria” signed by Calvin Coolidge. The most beautiful certificate, however, is the one touting my grandmother’s eighth grade graduation. It is embellished, large, and elegantly scribed.

History is fascinating. I am now considering redecorating in that motif rather than my current travel theme in the lower level.

I’ll let the grandkids decorate with my memorabilia.