Slumping

I have come to realize I'm in a mid-summer slump. With two quiet weeks in a row, I find I'm having trouble coming up with things I need or want to do. We had our fun week of house-sitting and exploring KC. Then we had several weeks in a row with appointments and errands that took up a lot of our time. But it's almost a month until our trip to Oregon, much too early to start making packing lists and so forth. So I'm kicking back in the a/c, watching reruns on TV. Except for the a/c part, it's almost like morphing back to summers on the farm.

By this point in summer during elementary school, Vacation Bible School would be a distant memory and our annual week in Jefferson City would be in the rearview mirror. The annual church picnic in the park would already be over with, and it was still several weeks before the annual family reunion. It was hot, the days were long..........and there was nothing to do. The exhilaration of being free for the summer had dissipated somewhere around the Fourth of July. And I was bored.

I was tired of doing my summer chores, I was tired of the heat causing the TV to not work well, and even the joy of being considered old enough to mow the yard was wearing thin. I still enjoy watching gardens grow and develop in the spring, even as I did as a kid. But by mid July the fascination turned to dust and sweat as the garden needed to be checked and vegetables picked on a daily basis. And that, in turned, morphed into snapping beans and husking corn. It was sometimes fun to help count the "pop" of jar lids after home-canned vegetables had come out of the pressure canner. Otherwise, it was a hot job when it was 90+ degrees outside.

Playing and exploring in the timber lost its appeal - not only because it was hot and prime time for snakes to be out, but I inevitably managed to get near poison ivy. The only thing worse than the heat of mid summer was having an itchy rash during that heat. Time would just crawl by until the second week of August, when it was finally time to get ready for a new school year.

As I got older, the mid-summer slump didn't last as long. By the time I got into high school, I was sewing the majority of my school clothes. That was a job that could begin in mid July - flipping through the pattern books to find versatile patterns in newer styles, cruising the aisles in the fabric section at JCPenney, and buying fabric and sewing supplies.

We had an old cabinet-style treadle machine - in fact, Mom still has it in her apartment, though I don't think it gets much use. During the late summers of my high school years, I peddled a lot of miles on that machine! Following in the footsteps of the aunt who had made a lot of my clothes during my elementary years, I tried to use different trims to switch up the pattern.......even though we all did the same thing, we all tried to not look like we had cookie-cutter clothes all made from the same pattern. It was just fiscally responsible to use the patterns multiple times.

Being a child of the 60's, I loved the fashion changes that came in the late 60's - the bright colors, combining colors that formerly was not supposed to be used together, radically different styles. Sadly, I wasn't built for most of those styles - but I loved them nevertheless. As hemlines began to rise, so did clothing discussions at our house. Mom finally put her foot down, and I was told in no uncertain terms that I was to cut the fabric for my dresses exactly off the pattern and put a narrow hem.

Now, I've not exactly been known for handling ultimatums well. In fact, the more firm the ultimatum.....the stronger my determination to figure out how to get around it. I've always figured it was my Irish genes kicking in. So after Mom gave me the ultimatum about cutting my dresses exactly by the pattern, I decided I would do just that. After I'd whacked off the bottom of the pattern so it was the length I wanted. It wasn't too difficult - all I had to do was make sure Mom was out of the house the first time I used the pattern.

I'm sure it didn't take Mom long to figure out what I was doing. But I don't think she ever brought the subject up again. Maybe she just figured I'd eventually get past wearing short dresses. At any rate, sewing my own wardrobe for school was a good way to beat that mid-summer slump.

Cheap vs. Frugal

I will freely admit that when it comes to shopping, I'm easily distracted by bright, shiny things. And the brightest, shiniest, quickest thing to catch my attention is a "Clearance" sign. Over the years, I've made some really good purchases off clearance racks, especially when it comes to clothing.

But I'm always looking for a good bargain. I was raised to be frugal. And it's been a lifestyle I've had to embrace during a good bit of my adult life. The norms for my life have been hand-me-down clothes, raising a garden to can and freeze food for the winter months, watching for major sales. It's just part of my nature to be frugal.

Today, though, I had to wonder if I'd crossed the line between being frugal and being cheap. (Here, feel free to insert audio of my kids laughing and saying "ya think??!!!") Hubby had yet another meeting with our dentist, who's fast becoming the person we see the most outside of our apartment building. While he was gone, I decided to mop our two small tile floors. What should have taken only a couple of minutes ended up taking quite a while.

When we moved, my broom and mop had seen much better days and I threw them out. I had a Swiffer handle and thought I could get by with using the dry and wet pads on the floors. By two or three weeks ago, I'd realized that really wasn't working for us. So we went to the local dollar store and I bought a broom, a dust pan, and a mop. I was pretty pleased with myself at the time for finding all three for a total of less than $5. And I might insert here that the broom and dust pan have worked well.

My bargain $1.50 mop, though, ended up in the trash room after I mopped this morning. The foam mop head absolutely refused to stay attached to the handle. It was all plastic, with pegs on the head that snapped onto the handle. The trouble was, the holes were too big - and as soon as I pushed the mop the head just flopped off. Before long, my patience was flopping around, too!

So we went back to the dollar store this afternoon and bought another mop. The price was still reasonable, but let's just say it cost more than $1.50! Mr. Clean had better treat me right, or he'll end up in the trash room as well.

When I was a kid, Mom always cut my hair (speaking of being frugal). She did - and still does - cut her own hair. There have been times over the years that I've cut my own hair - but I really enjoy having a professional do that chore, and hubby insists I treat myself to the beauty shop.

When my kids were small, I cut their hair........this was when I was cutting my own hair, there was no money for frivolities such as a beauty shop. My poor kids - I really have no hair cutting talent. I didn't do too bad on bangs, but when I cut the girls' long hair off it would always end up really short as I attempted to get it even. And the girls still tease their brother about his "cereal bowl" cuts. I might hope that they eventually forget, but unfortunately they all have school photos to remind them of my feeble, pathetic attempts.

I will continue to look for bargains. But hopefully I'll be able to keep the $1.50 mop in my brain as a reminder to use my better judgment about whether I'm being frugal or just merely cheap.

Dry Heat

Hubby and I are sitting in our comfy apartment, watching a film from the Las Vegas Strip, one of those "let it play in the background" clips that you can choose for relaxation or whatever. We had waves crashing on the rocks for awhile, then an early morning dairy farm with the cows moo-ing. And now it's the Strip, with the water show at the Bellagio........which I never got to see in person.

Eight years ago today we were all in Vegas for my baby girl's wedding. The mid-afternoon temps were hitting around 126 that weekend we were there.....the morning before the wedding, Mom and I took a walk down the Strip when it was "only" 117. She wasn't sure why I insisted on popping into the local CVS to get bottled water. Then once she started drinking, she realized how thirsty she was. For those of us from the Middle, where it's usually humid in the summer's heat, that dry heat took us by surprise.

For Hubby and me, 2006 ended up being The Year Of Vegas. We were there twice, exactly five months apart, for weddings. Couple #2 got engaged when we were all there in July for Couple #1's wedding. Couple #2 ditched their plans for a summer 2007 wedding and got married back in Vegas just before Christmas. 

For the first wedding, we all stayed at the Excalibur, where the wedding was held. The hotel/casino catered to a bit younger crowd than Hubby, Mom, and me. But the wedding chapel was absolutely beautiful. If you've seen the Excalibur, it has red and blue turrets on the building, in a Medieval theme - and just below the roofline is a statue of Merlin the Magician (anyway, it looked like Merlin to me) standing on a fake balcony. Imagine our surprise when we went into the wedding chapel and found the person officiating the wedding had flowing white hair and beard, and wore an ornate black cassock trimmed in gold - again, Merlin the Magician! 

We were lucky enough our first night in Vegas to be driven up and down the Strip at dusk. It was really something to see all the neon lights come on, lighting up the Strip. We tried to see the water show at the Bellagio that evening, but they cancelled that final show of the night because the wind had picked up too much. It was okay. Right after we arrived back home, I found an episode on The Travel Channel that showed the entire spectacle. I probably had a better view on TV than I would have on site.

The wedding itself was very beautiful. The guys looked so handsome, and the female attendants wore beautiful lavendar gowns and had identical hair-dos. And the bride - well, that was my baby - what else do you expect me to say besides "gorgeous"! They had the chapel for an hour, which was plenty of time for the ceremony and photos. The wedding buffet was later that night in a private dining room.

Several of us had booked the same flights. Mom was with Hubby and me, and the groom's grandma Marie and her friend were on the same plane. And because of that, we were taken to the hotel by limo once we landed in Vegas, because Grandma Marie's friend had a cousin in Vegas with a limo. It was nice.

Our December trip was much quieter. Only Hubby and I went to Vegas for the other wedding from his side of the family. We had our winter coats with us, but we didn't need to use them while we were in Vegas. It seemed so warm to us. We stayed off the Strip at The Orleans. It was a smaller venue, and we enjoyed hearing Christmas carols being played throughout our stay.

We've had a nice mild day - which has allowed the Anniversary Couple to jokingly comment on Facebook that it's 8 years later and 50 degrees cooler. But it was a dry heat...........face it, hot is hot, regardless!!

32 oz. of Mess

We are having absolutely glorious weather today - sunny, low humidity, and mid 70's. It was kind of brisk outside this morning when Hubby and I took our morning walk. This afternoon he thought we should go for a drive. Since the words "ice cream" were included in that sentence, it didn't take long for me to agree. We were enjoying a nice drive around town when disaster struck. Evidently the top hadn't been put securely on our 32 oz. soda, and it ended up all over when Hubby tried to pick it up for a drink.

I had a handful of napkins, so I shoved them down in the cup holder. We always carry old towels in the vehicle, so I grabbed one of them and started wiping up everything I could. We detoured a few blocks to the city park, pulled over, and continued our clean up job. Thank goodness the ice was in large chunks instead of the tiny almost crushed ice used at some fast-food places. We were able to scoop it up and get rid of it fairly easily.

We tossed the trash, then dampened the towel and continued clean up. Most of the soda ended up in the cup holders and other crevices on the console. Hubby did get fairly well christened as well. We decided we'd probably had enough of a drive, came home, and he changed clothes. It was a mess, but at least it had only cost $1!

So far, that's been about all the excitement we've had for today. And it's probably enough. Yesterday we had a day-long trip to the north part of Kansas City for a periodontal appointment. We also enjoyed lunch at Red Lobster and then shopped at Walmart in Liberty. From the sounds of things, we'll be making that trip again. Unfortunately.

Hubby and I have both commented about the noises we hear today. We've had our windows open since fairly early this morning. We've been cloistered in the apartment with the windows closed and the a/c on since May. Hearing the outside noises today seems very strange. We'll likely have to close the windows and turn the air back on when we get closer to evening. I can already feel my head trying to clog up with allergies. Since breathing is more important that fresh air, I'll take that option.

We should be settled now for a quiet week. And that's all good......I can't handle too much excitement at once!

Summer, Nickels and Dimes

Summers, though sometimes long, were such fun when I was a kid. There were so many things to look forward to. As I've said before, the highlight of my summer was the week Mom and I would spend with her parents in Jefferson City.

It wasn't just the trip itself, it was the planning and preparation. Yes, I've been a planner from way back! Especially when it comes to travel. When I was very small, it was planning what toys I could take with me for entertainment. As I got older, it was the careful planning to make sure I had enough nickels and dimes so I could enjoy one of the entertainments of the "big city" - the ice cream truck. I tried to start saving soon enough that I would have enough money to have an ice cream every day. I wish I could remember if it came by every day, or just Monday through Friday.

The ice cream truck wasn't really a truck - it was a scooter of sorts with the freezer attached to the back. The vehicle was equipped with speakers so you could hear the strains of "Bicycle Built For Two" blocks away. That gave you time to run after your money and be standing at the curb when he came down the street. It always came by their house later in the afternoon. Luckily it wasn't so late that I heard "no, you'll ruin your appetite for supper"!

Grandma and Grandad's neighborhood was full of kids that gathered in the backyard across the street. One year I had managed to save extra money - enough that one day I bought ice cream for all of us who were playing together that afternoon. I remember nervously doing the math in my head as the ice cream guy pulled up, making sure I had enough to pay for all of us! I believe an ice cream bar or popsicle cost ten cents at the time, so it was less than a dollar. It was a lot of money for me at the time, but I think I still had enough for the rest of the week.

Grandma was gone two or three days a week because she was a housekeeper for two families in town. I was okay with that, because both families has daughters who were a couple of years older than me. So I was on the receiving end of a lot of hand-me-down clothes that were all new and fresh to me. I never minded hand-me-downs. They were just a way of life when I was growing up. But it was kind of nice to get clothing that was from outside our local area and no one had seen before.

Grandad had what I always thought was a terrific job. He worked for the State of Missouri as a security guard at the Governor's Mansion. His shift was, I believe, 3pm - 11pm. It might've been a little later than that. But that meant he slept in somewhat later than the rest of us. Most years there wasn't a problem with my keeping quiet, because as soon as the rest of the neighborhood kids were out playing I would join them.

One year, though, we made our trek to Jefferson City shortly after I was on summer break. And that meant the neighborhood kids were still in school - their summer break didn't begin until around the first of June. I remember Mom and me taking a lot of walks in the mornings. It seemed to me that an awful lot of people in that Jefferson City neighborhood not only took the daily paper but picked it up and flipped off the rubber band before going into the house. We started noticing all the rubber bands in peoples' driveways and front yards - so we started picking them up. We had different streets, and I had quite a collection of rubber bands when we went home after that week.

Central Dairy still delivered milk door-to-door, and that insulated milk box on the front porch always fascinated me. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Central Dairy. There was a mimosa tree just off the front porch. I'd never seen a mimosa before, and I fell in love with its feathery pink blossoms during my summer visits to Jefferson City.

But the very best part of the visit, even above visiting the Governor's Mansion grounds and the State Capitol, was the yard across the street. That was the neighborhood kid gathering spot - the house was a duplex, and the kids that lived there were double cousins (Norman Sanning married Martha Lookinough, and Nordell Sanning married Al Lookinough). Sannings had three children and the Lookinoughs' had five. There was a large fenced-in back yard with playground equipment and toys, a few shrubs along the back side of the yard (great for hide and seek), and really no grass. It was a wonderful place to play.

A week of kids to play with, the ice cream truck, and yearly visits to the Capitol - what great memories!

Back to the Olden Days

One of the few things I miss about our house is the satellite TV. It was always frustrating when we would lose our TV signal whenever a storm came through - or when the satellite was covered with snow - but at least we had TV except in extreme weather.

One of Hubby's first times of being truly frustrated with me when he came back home full time after working in northern Iowa for over five years (we had a weekend-commuter marriage) was because of that satellite. It had snowed quite a bit and he was out in the cold shoveling and cleaning off the vehicles. I mentioned to him that if he wasn't totally frozen when he finished, he might want to see if he could sweep the snow off the satellite so we could check the weather for the region on TV.

Hubby is 6'3". I'm not - by over a foot. So working from his knee-jerk reaction of what "normal" is, he wondered why I didn't just go out the back door and sweep off the satellite myself if I wanted the TV to work. After all, he was doing the shoveling. Did I mention that the satellite was on our roof? Hubby mushed around in the snow to the satellite, looked up, and immediately realized the reason I didn't do it myself. He was laughing when he came inside and told me about the incident.

It was nice when the first few storms of the spring came through and we were just fine with our TV - because the apartment has cable. The sad reality is that the cable isn't quite top-notch in our town, and we randomly don't have TV. Like now. It's the time of day when we enjoy watching the local and national news, to catch up on what's going on in the big wide wonderful world. But today, just about 4:55, Judge Judy was in the middle of some grand proclamation on our TV when she froze, pointer finger in the air. And then, poof!, she was gone. Over an hour later, we still have no cable.

So we're sitting here far from anyone who cares if we have cable service or not, in the calm and quiet of our apartment. Okay, so we're not really reliving the "olden days".......we're both on our computers, the lights are on, and the air conditioner is keeping us quite comfortable. But it just could get to be a long evening if we have no other entertainment......I'm somewhat addicted to that TV.

I've talked about it before, but it was somewhat tough on me as a kid to not have television. We had one until I was 3 or 4, then it quit. And it didn't get replaced until about halfway through my 5th grade year. I looked forward to that week Mom and I spent every summer with my grandparents in Jefferson City - it was fun to get to see Captain Kangaroo for that brief period of time.

By 5th grade, though, TV wasn't just entertainment, it was part of the social makeup of my age group. That happened to be the year The Beverly Hillbillies started. And it would be the topic of conversation on the bus the morning after, everyone rehashing the episode and laughing about it. All except me. I couldn't share in the experience because we had no TV.

I'm not quite sure what prompted Mom and Dad to get another one, but I was so glad they did! With an antenna on the roof we were able to pick up channels 4, 5, and 9 - NBC, CBS, and ABC out of Kansas City. So I was once again a part of the school bus discussions.

During the summer, the TV didn't like to work in hot weather. So we would watch the evening Kansas City news, then turn it off. If we were lucky, it might cool down enough to catch the nine o'clock show. But with the summer's heat and humidity, that wasn't always the case.

Since we've moved into the apartment, we're gradually becoming used to the foibles of cable TV again, after 14 years of satellite. The cable company, in all its infinite wisdom, has switched the channels around at least twice since we moved in mid-March. So instead of a nicely printed list of channels, we have one that I did after painstakingly flipping through all the existing channels and logging down what they are. And that's been marked through and corrected two or three times. The worst day was when without notice and with a flip of a switch they changed up the channels and everyone's favorite stations were MIA. It took some time to find the Weather Channel for the fellow across the hall. Some digital channels that everyone had been watching disappeared for those with older TV's.

That happened a couple of months ago, and we still have to refer to our "cheat sheet" to find a lot of the channels. There's no sense in trying to remember them when they'll most likely just change again in the near future!

Live, Laugh, Love

It was a dark and stormy night......and it got even darker when the power went off just after ten last night. The wind was pretty ferocious, and we got over 2" of rain. The power was off around half an hour - we were more than ready for the fan to come back on. We snuggled down and went to sleep. We've seen several limbs down around town today.

After the storm, the weather is a little milder today. Yesterday was hot. It was so hot that the 5-year-old Whirlwind, recently home from their Caribbean cruise, told her mama that it was "Jamaica hot" yesterday! That girl misses nothing. With the milder weather today, we enjoyed a walk uptown this morning.

Today we enjoyed one of the perks of living in a retirement apartment. One of the local nursing homes' staff brought lunch for the residents. Twenty-three of us gathered in the dining room at 11 and enjoyed croissant and ham salad or chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad, potato chips,soda, and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Yummm!!

They also fixed some plates and delivered to residents who weren't able to come to the dining room - and still there was food left. They had styrofoam take-home boxes, and all of us who wanted brought home another serving of everything for another meal. I'd already told Hubby that he might as well take everything they offered him, including the take-home box, and I would "handle" anything he didn't eat! And that, dear friends, means I have two cupcakes currently in the fridge. :)

Early this afternoon, we decided to make a run to the local Dollar store. After our move, I'd attempted to use the Swiffer to handle the two small floors. I finally realized it just wasn't going to work - getting out the Swiffer and installing a sweeping pad or mopping pad on it just wasn't as handy as having a broom and dustpan. So I splurged on all of that - less than $5 and I now have a small broom, dustpan, and mop. Now I have no excuse for my floors not being clean!

I had a few other odds and ends to grab there, and Hubby reminded me that we wanted a new wall clock. We have one in the eating area, and it works well for Hubby any time he's ensconced on the sofa watching TV. However, both of the chairs I tend to inhabit sit with their backs to the eating area. So I'm always doing a good imitation of an owl trying to check the time. The only time I don't have to do that is late in the evening. Once it's completely dark outside, I have a good reflection of that clock in the window behind Hubby.

We had talked about getting a new clock before our week in Grain Valley and planned to look for one up there. We remembered that after we got home. So we checked out the clocks while at the store. They had the perfunctory "plain Jane" wall clocks......then I saw The One. It's an antique-y style, more ornate hands, and it looks like old metal. Around the frame are the words "Live, Laugh, Love" - one of my favorite sayings.

When we got home, Hubby installed the clock in the living room. And at the risk of sounding really cheesy, it really seems to complete the room. Amazing for one little wall clock.

Our new laundry room is functioning fairly well. All the washers seem to be working, in spite of the one that didn't seem to want my money this morning. I have one dryer that I'm going to avoid because my clothes didn't dry well, but I could have overloaded it a bit too much. Today the construction guys are back, transforming the two former laundry rooms into a beauty shop on third floor and an exercise area on second floor. They must be in the process of capping off the water lines on the second floor, because we've been without water for about an hour. Hopefully it won't be much longer.

A Pretty Smile

Today was my six-month checkup with the dentist. Only it wasn't - it was my first regular visit with the new dentist. It's always interesting to change providers, whether health care or otherwise (i.e., hair stylists), and see the difference in what each person emphasizes.

This new dentist is of the young, pro-active variety. And I don't say that with a negative connotation. I hope twenty years from now he holds this same approach with his patients. He has a young, newly-trained assistant and also something we haven't seen in town regularly - a Registered Dental Hygienist.

Since this was my first "regular" appointment, I got to make the acquaintance of the RDH. Hubby had seen her about a month ago. He was gone so long that I began to worry about him. The RDH told Hubby during his appointment that people sometimes complain about how long she takes to clean their teeth. So I went in prepared.

She chatted a bit to get acquainted with me, changed the water in her irrigation machine to lukewarm at my request, and then started by taking a full set of x-rays. Finally she gave me the protective glasses and got to work in my mouth. I wasn't sure what exactly she was doing, but she was very carefully going around each tooth individually. Once she was done, she told me she was measuring each tooth. Hmm. I didn't know that was done - or why, for that matter. We finally got to the cleaning part. It took awhile, and that didn't surprise me. I liked our old dentist, but I had the distinct feeling he was at the point of his career where he was mostly complacent.

 There have been a couple of times the newer office procedures/equipment have surprised me:  1) Finding out that x-rays no longer involve film and developing, but the x-rays now are transmitted directly to the computer and into my patient chart; 2) realizing that the newer offices don't have a spit cup. Yes, no spit cup. Instead they just use the little suction rod to suction everything, including when they're irrigating your mouth with squirting water. It's a concept my body rebelled against a bit - having all that water and knowing I needed to do SOMEthing with it! But the little suction rod was there, and the RDH told me to close my mouth. Instantly all the water was gone and I started to feel like my tongue would be sucked in next.

My cleaning was finally done, she gave me back my glasses and got the dentist. I like the professionalism here - both the RDH and the dentist shook hands with me. The dentist has done that at every visit. My x-rays were pulled up on a screen and I was struck again at how unattractive teeth are in the x-rays, regardless of how pretty your smile might be.

A term I have recently become acquainted with is "periodontal disease". I was somewhat familiar with the disease and thought there was a good chance from the description that I might have it. I know a cousin had been treated for it several years ago.....and I know that Mom has an issue going on that's never been termed "periodontal disease" but probably is. The dentist brought it up again today and suggested it would be a good idea for me to have an appointment with a specialist in North Kansas City. I told him I would talk with Hubby and see what he said. And Hubby, always trying to take care of me, said I should do it.

I have come to realize in the past few months that I've reached a certain point in my life - that point where the little voice in your head says to you, "at your age, does it really matter?". And I find myself taking that into consideration when I weigh the pros and cons. I seem to be hearing it more and more. I find that thought factors in when I weigh the pros and cons of decisions. And so I need to call the dentist and have them make that appointment for me. At my age, what can it hurt?

Wanderings

The outdoor thermometer says 70, and that's actually dropped in the past few minutes. I knew today was to be cooler, but didn't realize it would be this much cooler. It was bright, sunny, and beautiful this morning. But now it's clouded over out there. It's been nice enough that we took two outdoor walks today. I stopped by the Library this afternoon on our walk and picked up a fresh book.

We've really enjoyed having the Library so close. When we first moved over here, I was concentrating on one particular author - catching up on the books I hadn't read. Then I realized I needed to branch out. I moved away from the romance novels (yes, I admit that I like romance novels!) to other authors I've enjoyed in the past. I've found Dr. Kay Scarpetta books that I hadn't read previously, I've caught up on a few of Margaret Truman's mystery novels set in and around Washington, D.C., and I just finished a Michael Critchton thriller.

Occasionally I get a twinge of conscious that I should be reading more for edification than for entertainment. So I checked the Library and brought home a book by Tom Brokaw. It was interesting. And I was glad to take it back and get another mystery. After enjoying the return of Rizzoli & Isles on TV, I realized I should check out the books by their creator, Tess Gerritsen. It's been maybe an hour since we got back from our walk/Library stop and I've already read four chapters. It's going to be good.

When I was on Facebook last night, suddenly there was a photo of the 5-year-old Whirlwind - showing clearly where she had just pulled her first tooth. She was very proud, and I was glad she couldn't read the Facebook discussion about the "going rate" for the Tooth Fairy. Later, though, I felt kind of sad. My youngest grandbaby is growing up. I told Hubby that I needed to inform all the kids that somebody needs to help me out since I no longer have a baby to play with.

Life has been pretty quiet this week. We made a shopping trip to Marshall Monday, which included a stop at Aldi to stock up on things. I love that store every time I go in. We enjoyed lunch at Long John Silver.....when they brought our food, they told Hubby they would bring him some fresh fries. We never did find out why they did that - the fries he had tasted great when we tested them. But indeed we got a fresh serving. And it was in a take-out box, so we were able to bring home all the leftover fries. They heated up very well in the oven today.  Thanks for great customer service!

We really enjoyed our walk this morning. We walk uptown, make a loop around the Courthouse, and come back home. It had slipped my mind that it was Wednesday - until I looked up and saw a line of prisoners in orange jumpsuits being taken to the Courthouse. Wednesday is the local Court Day. I was glad we were still about a block away.

As we continued our walk, we discussed whether or not it would be embarrassing and humiliating to be led through the middle of town in an orange jumpsuit and shackles toward the Courthouse. Hubby thought it would be - I told him I didn't think it phased the prisoners.....having been in the court room with my Mom while the little twit who robbed her was being tried, I didn't observe an ounce of shame or remorse. In fact, I had the feeling the girl was somewhat amused by the whole process.

Anyway, rant over. After yesterday's blog, we've talked about maybe going out Friday night to watch the fireworks. It would be fun. And we could decide Friday evening that we'd rather not do it. But it's always fun to have choices.

The Fourth

So, today is July 1, and Friday is the Fourth. Hard to believe it's already here. I doubt we do anything out of the ordinary on Friday. There is the big music show in the park, but we haven't been since they started charging admission. We haven't watched the fireworks for several years........so I guess we're just Fourth of July duds!

The Fourth was such a big deal when I was a kid. It was always fun to get some of the smaller fireworks to have at home. I always liked the brightly-colored balls that you threw on a rock to make a "pop". The "snakes" were also a favorite.......the little black disks that you could light with a match, and they put out a "snake" of black ash as it burned.

Sometimes I could make those things last a few days, since there was only me to set them off. I'm sure the farm critters and the neighbors really appreciated that. There were usually some sparklers, which were burned after dark for full effect. I loved the sight and the smell......not so much the little sparks that could shoot off and singe my arms. And we usually had firecrackers, though I had to enjoy those from a distance. Dad was always afraid I'd hurt myself, so I wasn't allowed to light those fuses.

I remember a year or two we splurged on some bigger fireworks - there were a few Roman candles, and maybe a few other things. Money was usually an obstacle when it came to unnecessary items.

Most years, we would make the drive to Carrollton, find a parking spot along one of the City Park roads, and wait for the big fireworks show. Even then, with only the fireworks to draw people, the park would be filled. The roads would be lined, the parking lot by the high school/football field would be filled,  and the surrounding streets were full. All the shelter houses and picnic benches would be in use. Some people would be doing fireworks in the park, but it was pretty well controlled.

The fireworks were shot off on the senior league baseball diamond. Some people would sit in the bleachers surrounding the field, but most who were actually inside the park would stay in their cars. Once it was dark, the fun would truly begin, after a good time of walking around and visiting.

The fireworks would alter between aerial flashes and booms and things at ground level. I love the high-in-the-sky colorful showers - I didn't, though, care so much for the ones that had the large "boom!" accompanying it. Before long the light sulfur cloud would envelope the entire park, which served to drive away the mosquitoes and other bugs.

It always seemed like the fireworks show lasted a long, long time. Reality says it was probably around 45 - 60 minutes.....I was, after all, a kid with little concept of time. But all too soon it was time to start the car, turn on the headlights, and begin the slow exit of the park. City police would be at the main exits to the park, assisting the merging and melding of the traffic.

Dad always drove home through the country on gravel roads, which would get us away from other vehicles fairly soon. Often I would lay down in the back seat - not to go to sleep, but to replay all the beautiful fireworks in my mind.

I think having a musical show in the park has been a nice addition to the town's Fourth of July festivities for the last several years. It's nice to have an artist you're familiar with come to your little home town. We still have the fireworks following the show. But after a couple of unfortunate incidents with toppled aerial fireworks that shot across the park grounds instead of in the air, the fireworks are now done in a large area behind the fire station.

Many people who have attended the concert stay in the park to watch the fireworks. The fire station is on a high hill, so there's good visibility for the display. When we were still in our house, we could take our lawn chairs out to the back corner of our lawn and watch from there. We won't be able to see them from here because of heavy foliage on the trees, but that's probably okay. The past few years the Fourth has been just another day, and we've gone to bed abut the time the fireworks start. Oh, yeah, we're definitely duds!!