Friday feelings…

It is 37 degrees this morning and still drizzly and dreary out.  Everything has greened up nicely because of all of the rain.  I saw tulip trees and  forsythia bushes in full bloom yesterday.  The trees are budded out and I saw crocus and daffodil in bloom.  The tulips and iris are well above the ground but not anywhere near ready to bloom yet. YES! even though it is cold and drizzly out, spring has finally arrived in central Illinois.

I was really engrossed in the Arias trial yesterday.  Alyce Laviolette was answering jury questions,  There were really some zingers.  To be quite honest I am getting tired of looking at her and I will be glad when she gets to go back to California.  I think that I will write a book about battered trial watchers and become famous.  I will then be qualified to be an expert witness in some kind of kangaroo court.

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Slang of U.S. origin.] An unfair, biased, or hasty judicial proceeding that ends in a harsh punishment; an unauthorized trial conducted by individuals who have taken the law into their own hands, such as those put on by vigilantes or prison inmates; a proceeding and its leaders who are considered sham, corrupt, and without regard for the law.

The concept of kangaroo court dates to the early nineteenth century. Scholars trace its origin to the historical practice of itinerant judges on the U.S. frontier. These roving judges were paid on the basis of how many trials they conducted, and in some instances their salary depended on the fines from the defendants they convicted. The term kangaroo court comes from the image of these judges hopping from place to place, guided less by concern for justice than by the desire to wrap up as many trials as the day allowed.

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And this the extent of my words of wisdom for you all on Friday.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Oh What a Beautiful Morning…

“Oh what a beautiful day.  I’ve got a wonderful feeling, everything’s going my way.”

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Music by Richard Rodgers, lyric by Oscar Hammerstein II
Copyright © 1943 by Williamson Music
Copyright Renewed.
International Copyright Secured
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

And it truly is a beautiful morning.  I have been out early this morning, a quick trip to Kroger for a few things I needed.  It is 46 degrees and the sun was warm on my face again.  I do believe that spring is making an appearance.  Well, I know for a fact it is because I saw some nice green weeds shooting up by the house foundation this morning.  I keep those pulled because they would soon be gigantic if I didn’t.  Maintenance has the yard treated and mowed and that is the extent of that.

I noticed that there are Easter eggs scattered all through the front yard.  My neighbor has a young boy and I think I will be in for a treat this afternoon, watching the gathering of the eggs.  This surely brings back memories.  We always fixed a nice Easter basket filled with treats for our kids.  

“Time is a river that flows ‘round the bend, never to return to the places it’s been.”  And no matter how much we might wish it, we can never go back in time.

I hope you all have a truly Blessed Easter!  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Another Monday Morning…

and we escaped the ice, just getting pretty steady rain all day yesterday.  This morning it is foggy with 48 degrees.  Tomorrow is to be mid 60s with thunderstorms and then another cold front comes through. 

I am so glad the days are inching closer to spring.  Friday will be the 1st day of February.  I have always thought that January was the hardest winter month to get through.   Actually pretty depressing.

I am still looking at old photos.  This is a photo of my mom’s family.  That is my grandfather and grandmother in the front row.  My mother is standing on the far right.  My mother had 7 siblings.  One of them is missing from this picture.  If my cousin Audrey in Michigan is reading this will you please let me know who is missing from the picture.

I need to get off here and get busy, also go check my car out.  It made some funny noise when I started it yesterday.  I am tired of putting money in my car but I only have 85,000 miles on it and I have to leave my car sit outside in the elements.  For that reason I hate to buy a new car.

Have a good week all of you!  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

It is so cold…

and even though I put on 2 pairs of gloves today my fingers still felt frozen.   I went out about 8 this morning to get an early start on stock up grocery shopping.  My next door neighbor came out about the same time and we stood in the bitter cold and chatted for a bit.  She told me that her husband had a heart event at work yesterday and was taken by ambulance to a Peoria hospital.  Heart attack and blocked arteries were ruled out.  He is having a pacemaker implanted today.  I listened carefully because a pacemaker will be the next step for me if my meds don’t start working together.

The weather tomorrow is to be snow developing tonight.  On Sunday  we may have freezing rain again.  I am really tired of winter and I am longing for spring.

This picture is from the internet.  Last winter it was so mild that the robin stayed with us all winter.  Not so this winter.  They are in a warmer climate right now trying to decide if they will ever come back to Illinois. 

I have visited most of you and I am on my way to catch the rest.  Have a good weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Lovely, Sunny…

chilly day in central Illinois.  It is 53 degrees.  Gorgeous spring day.  The wind has stopped blowing (finally) and I am home from Michael’s Moods (the name of the shop where I get my hair cut).  For today, right this minute, on this very day, I am having a good hair day.  I was surprised to notice that my beautician had on jeans  with the cuff rolled up to mid calf.  This was the style when I was young.



That is me on the right and my friend Shirley on the left when we were both  in high school.
Some of you may remember last year when my front yard was all torn up and new driveways were being poured.  I had to park in the street for several weeks.  The grass in my front yard now is beautiful.  Take a look though at the shrubs that were planted in the front yard this morning.  they look half dead to me.

 

Oh well, perhaps they will look better after they grow a little bit. 

I have an appointment tomorrow.  I hope the weather is decent for it.

Stay safe and be happy!

Beth

And the countdown continues…

Only 71 days till Spring.  I am eagerly awaiting the budding trees, the daffodils  pushing up through the ground and all of that good stuff.  Granted, there are no daffodils to poke their pretty heads up through the ground here, but we are scheduled to have all kinds of things planted around here since they pulled up the dying shrubs.

Some of my flowers from home.

It is still quite chilly here this morning at 23 degrees.  There is a heavy fog that is not burning off very quickly.  As soon as it is clear I am going to the store  as I am out of eggs.  I had my daughter and SIL over for lunch after church yesterday and I have a lot of mashed potatoes left over.  I am going to make Potato Cakes out of them, cool and freeze them.

Fried Potato Cakes:

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup of flour

Stir the beaten egg and flour into the mashed potatoes.  Form into patties and dip each patty into flour again.  Brown in 2 tablespoons of oil.

These are so good.  My mom used to make them when I was a child.  Isn’t it amazing the memories we retain from our childhood?  I have what would be called a selective memory.  I remember the things I want to remember and the rest goes  in what I call the trash pile section of my brain.  lol

I have already done laundry.  After I get home from the store I will tackle a little bit of cleaning.  My first doctor appointment of the new year is on Wednesday.  Can’t wait (said in sarcastic tone).

I hope this is a good week for us all.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Friday and 74 days till Spring…

It is another gorgeous day here in central Illinois.  The sun is shining and it is 35 degrees.  Supposed to get to the mid 50s today.  So far this winter we have had only 6 tenths of an inch of snow.  Last winter we had almost 56 inches of snow.  I am so loving this.

I have been asked what kind of tree was in the photo I took.  Arlene thought it might be a lime tree.  I checked Google and found that in America they are called linden or basswood trees.  The shape appears to be the same but I don’t believe they are the same tree.  I will keep a close watch on it as Spring approaches.

     

American Basswood tree                                       My tree

My daughter and niece are coming to have lunch with me today.  It will be soup and sandwiches, something easy.  So I guess that means no housecleaning for me today. 

I hope you are all gearing up for a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Bright sunshiny Thursday…

and the countdown to spring is in place at 75 days. It is 45 degrees right now heading up to mid 50s.

I have been to the post office and Walmart and finished off the outing eating lunch at 8th Street Station aka Grumpy Pete’s. I felt very safe eating there today as two of the fuzz were eating there also. The walleye was delicious!!! The food there is always good in the buffet.

Have any of you noticed how fast the ink is used up in the HP Printers? I wish now I had bough an Epson. It costs a fortune too!

Not much news, just checking in with you all. I hope you are having a great day and you have the bright sunshine I am having today. Stay safe and be happy!

Beth

Walking in the cemetery…

I am just home from a walk in the cemetery behind my house.  It is just beautiful there today, so peaceful, well except for a little dog that was being walked.  He yapped at me,  Reminded me of the mini pins I left when I moved here.

So lovely, nothing but peace here.

Everything is budding out and the shrubs are green.  The lilac bushes aren’t blooming yet but my Twin took a lovely picture of one for me.

Beautiful.

A wonderful day for a walk.
I loved this one, not sure if the nickname was Spud or Smitty.  I am sure he knows. 

This one is great, OLT as if to say, I had one life to live and I lived it the best way I knew how.

Click on the photos to make them larger.  I will be exploring a different part of the cemetery on my next walk
.
I also had my hair cut today, so for today, I am having a good hair day.  I hope you all are having one too.  The floor is all yours Boston.

  Beth

Gone with the wind…

or I guess I should say with the leaf blowers.

Taken through my back screen door.  Click to make larger.


Taken through my front door window. 

At one time there were a half dozen guys in the front yard with blowers.  My front yard looks really good now except that the heavy layer of leaves killed the grass in many spots.
My daughter came over this morning and we started with the windows, curtains, etc.  The curtains are all clean and rehung now and the windows are washed inside and out.

The bathroom has been thoroughly cleaned including walls and I hung a new shower curtain.  One year is long enough to look at the same shower curtain.  Now all I have left to do is a thorough vacuuming and furniture dusting.  That will have to wait until tomorrow as my back is killing me right now.

It is Thursday already.  I  have never been able to figure out why time passed so slow when I was young and it is barreling by me now at 90 miles an hour down a one way street. 

Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Hooray!! Spring is finally here…

Not many signs of spring around here yet.  I took this pic today of the hen and chickens that I carried from home when I moved.  They appear to have overwintered well.

You can see signs of grass and weeds underneath all of the oak leaves that ground maintenance did not clean up last fall.    I have seen robins and cardinals the last few days.  I love getting up in the morning and listening to the birds singing.  I miss my back porch in the spring.
I was out this morning to the store and to pay a bill.  Then my niece came over to have lunch with me and watch the one soap that I am hooked on.  That about sums my morning up.  Tomorrow is a doctor visit.
I spent half an hour on the phone with the cable company.  No fun, no luck.  LOL
I hope this is a good week for us all. Stay safe and be happy!!
  Beth

Spring has sprung!!

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris’,
I wonder where the birdie is?

There he is up in the sky,
He dropped some whitewash in my eye!

I‘m alright, I won't cry,
I'm just glad that cows can't fly!

  Beth

And…

the countdown to Spring as I am typing this is 11 days, 8 hours, 58 minutes and 7 seconds.  But, who is counting?  Well I am as I am tired of snow, ice, rain and cold.  It poured rain here last night and this morning it is cloudy and drizzly at 45 degrees.

Yesterday my daughter  came over and helped me start some spring cleaning.  We took everything out of the utility room, mopped the floor and starting looking through containers to see what could be pitched.  I found Jim’s letter sweater from high school with letters for football, basketball, speech and band.  Also my wedding dress which looks a lot worse and a lot skinnier that it did the night I wore it.  Then I topped the scales at 100 lbs.  Anyway the utility room looks great now.  Needless to say the letter sweater and the dress were not pitched.  Also the hallway closet has been cleaned out too.  That takes care of the closets  except for the bedrooms.  More  spring cleaning to be done in a couple of weeks.

My son is coming to see me the first week in April and he has requested the lemon cream cheese bars.  I definitely know not to use fat free cream cheese again.

Tomorrow morning is my appointment with my doctor.  I will be glad to get that over and done with.  I think I will celebrate afterwards by splurging on something.  LOL  Maybe some new books for my Nook.  I have 46 books on there now.  About half of them are free books.  I even have the Bible downloaded to my Nook and I have started reading it again.  That is my credit charge each month, books for my Nook.  Hey Pen, I made a rhyme without even knowing it. 

I do need to get off here and get busy.  I need to figure out what is for lunch and supper.  I definitely do not eat right.  It is no fun cooking for one.  YES!!! I know what I am going to splurge on after my doctor visit.  Homemade mac and cheese baked in the oven.  You can’t get any better than that!!

You all be good.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth