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Old 11-05-2017, 12:56 PM   #4741
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Thanks for the words of encouragement, folks.

Doug and I have stayed at Bayou Segnette many times, and it is a good park with lots of room...but I would like to stay at the FQRV Resort, just because you can walk into the Quarter a couple of times a day, if that is your choice.

I am beyond the days of being on my feet for 10 hours or more, plus Lily will be my constant companion, so very long days in there are just not in the cards.

An early morning walk in for cafe au lait and beignets, watch the night folks go to bed, the sidewalks cleaned, and the city ready itself for the day...another walk in the afternoon to listen to the street musicians, watch the artists at Jackson Square, shop a bit, find a good meal...all those French Quarter pleasures, at least those that we rather conservative folks were interested in partaking in.

I think the entire gamut of human behavior, and any kind of deviancy, can be found in the French Quarter, depending on when and where one looks.

It was a beloved place of ours, and I am looking forward to retracing those steps and seeing what may have changed. I don’t feel like it will be difficult to be there, but then again it may be...I recall my nearly falling apart, and crying for days, when I visited his memorial bench earlier this year.

We are home a short while ago from Iowa, and had a lovely visit with these good folks. Doug’s daughter and I can have some really good talks, and she was up early with me so that we could do just that.

Took some roses to the cemetery...the florist asked what color I wanted, and I replied they must be red.

There is another fresh grave near Doug’s, a local cousin two years younger than him who died just a few weeks ago...you’re getting lots of good company out here, honey.

I am sure, could he say, that he would like seeing family members join him at Grace Hill. Before his in 2014, there had not been a new burial of his family there in many years... but his parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles are there, and now a cousin.

Lily is pooped and crashed on the floor...visiting is exhausting for her, keeping other dogs away from me, monitoring any consumption of food, etc..

It was 65 in the little house, so first thing I did was start a fire.

Maggie
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Old 11-05-2017, 02:07 PM   #4742
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Oh my... Cafe du Monde, cafe au lait and beignets, usually about three of each for me. So, Maggie, I would go down to Nawlins, just to see you and of course....
while sitting and eating, enjoying the entire show at 9:00 AM....

New Orleans_08.04.2016TFL-6 by Tommie Lauer, on Flickr
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Old 11-05-2017, 02:44 PM   #4743
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Yep, thats the place.

Our favorite street musicians were Mother Tongue, and we have two of their CD’s.

I’ll be there sometime in January, Tommie...

Maggie
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Old 11-07-2017, 09:41 AM   #4744
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The red leaf maple in my front yard ...aka “Caleb’s tree”....freshly trimmed of some low hanging branches.

I got out there yesterday, trusty reciprocating saw in hand, and intended to do this myself, but my neighbor across the street would have none of it.

The saw shuts off the moment you let up pressure on the trigger, but he still feared I would seriously maim or injure myself...it is true that I must use both hands to steady and direct it, and would be working over my head.

We are having a most beautiful fall, here in central Illinois.
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Old 11-07-2017, 09:42 AM   #4745
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Don’t we all do this, many times in our lives...
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Old 11-07-2017, 10:25 AM   #4746
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That red leaf Maple is fantabulous. The picture of Autumn.
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Old 11-07-2017, 11:46 AM   #4747
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FYI... the Tornado Brass Band at Cafe du Monde.

And, Maggie, I am looking at the logistics of getting down to NOLA in January as I have planned on visiting friends in Houston at that time... maybe on the way to or way back...from Houston?
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Old 11-07-2017, 11:59 AM   #4748
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That would be great, Tommie.

Maggie
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Old 11-08-2017, 05:41 AM   #4749
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I like your tree!

We've had one early freeze here, and it's brought out the leaf color very well. Our native trees don't produce many reds, but the shades of yellow this year are awesome. I live about 15 miles from town, and driving the country roads is great right now.

I know Texas can't produce leaf color like some places up north, but this is a great year for what we have.
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Old 11-08-2017, 08:36 AM   #4750
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Hi Mimi!

We have lows in the teens coming later this week, so I look for color to be short lived as they all hit the ground....but, it is spectacular for now.

Maggie
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Old 11-09-2017, 05:13 AM   #4751
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The leaf color never lasts very long. All we can do is enjoy it while it lasts.

We'll probably get more freezing weather around the end of this month. Down into the teens has to wait for mid-winter (usually) this far south. The old saying is that only fools and newcomers predict the weather in Texas. I can't qualify as a newcomer, so I'd better stay silent where forecasting is concerned.
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Old 11-09-2017, 10:07 AM   #4752
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My tree is an even deeper red-orange today, Mimi...so gorgeous.

I made another batch of firestarters the other day... learning from last years firsts and using just enough paraffin to hold the cedar shavings together.

Too much, and you have a puddle of ash imbued paraffin in your ash pan when you go to empty it...which doesn’t dump out, but must be removed.

One package of melted paraffin is just enough for a muffin pan full of fire-starters.


I’ve begun working on my garage, still containing many Doug things of various genres, and one of the first items I laid my hands on last week was his 1977-and-later Chevy repair manual.

The car Doug had had for many years, and which was his vehicle the first 10 or so years we were together, was a ‘77 Camaro.

Doug loved that car, and did most of the maintenance on it himself. I took the manual to his daughter last weekend, the first I feel certain of a number of additions from that garage to her and her surviving brothers memories of their Dad.


My grands will be over Saturday for the annual leaf play, bonfire and hot dog roast we have had each fall for years, and during which in recent years I have enlisted a small bit of help from them while they are here...getting a supply of firewood into the garage, creating some order and tidiness in the shed, etc.

This year my son is also bringing his shop vac for me to borrow, and I’m going to use it on the garage...and help them use it in the shed.

Said shed is their fort and play place when they are here, and it seriously needs cleaned out of debris tracked in by them and occasionally me.

They will find using the shop vac “fun”, and then we will get down to bonfire business...Grandma has laid in a supply of hot dogs, buns, chips, beans and the making of s’mores. It’s what Grandmas do.


There are a couple of stray cats in the area that I’ve mentioned, that make their way to my front porch periodically and which enjoy using the beds around my house as their very own outdoor litter boxes...they send Lily absolutely into orbit, and require that I spray the beds to keep them out.

The cats are obviously domesticated, and show no fear of me, and I sprayed one of them that was just staring smugly at me a few weeks ago with the garlic based spray I use on the beds.

That particular cat has not been seen again, but another was back this morning and ignored my attempts to drive it off. Let me just say they are also completely unphased by Lily’s furious barking from within.

So...I opened the front door, and let Lily out. That was the end of the cat.

Lily doesn’t try to catch cats, deer, etc., but chases them off. Exactly what I wanted.

If it works, she will become my go-to cat deterrent.


Watching the Today show this morning...my favorite am and pm news program...there was mention of the “resiliency” of the folks in Texas, who are dealing with the aftermath of that horrific church shooting.

I thought to myself... thats exactly what it is ...that which brings us through and out the other side of terribly difficult times...we muster our innate sense of resilience, a survival skill man has certainly used since before we stood fully upright.

Finding strength, self care, problem solving, completing the tasks of daily living, getting up each day and going on, striving for perspective, etc., all fall under the emotional/behavioral umbrella of resilience...our instinctive, driven efforts to right our ship, and go on.

So that we can live and not just exist.

We draw on inner and outer resources during times of whatever adversity, sharpen our skills to draw upon the next time, and can and should teach these skills to others...our children, our friends, family and those who cross our paths who are overwhelmed and struggling with where life has taken them.

As a child welfare caseworker, we didn’t call this “resiliency training” but a “strengths based approach” to resolving problems for the long term...we taught these life skills to clients, their families, and to our wards experiencing horrific, emotionally devastating life events...some at the hands of their parents, some inflicted by the system entrusted with their care.

Personally, being strengths based and glass-half-full focused makes the difference between looking at the past and future thru the lens of loss vs. accepting what cannot be changed and carving out a new life...existing and suffering vs striving for peace, contentment and enjoyment in what remains of my life.

And, to those who intentionally do us harm... the best revenge is to take firm hold, right our ship, and live to speak and fight another day.


I found a couple of really good articles on the subject, so thought I would share them...

https://www.resiliency.com/free-arti...o-bounce-back/

http://trauma-recovery.ca/resiliency...is-resiliency/


Maggie
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Old 11-10-2017, 05:28 AM   #4753
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Finding strength, self care, problem solving, completing the tasks of daily living, getting up each day and going on, striving for perspective, etc., all fall under the emotional/behavioral umbrella of resilience...our instinctive, driven efforts to right our ship, and go on.

So that we can live and not just exist.


Good thoughts, Maggie. It works.

I think I adopted that lifestyle long ago, during and after my strange combination of a tough and also a privileged childhood. No training and no name for it then, but just a consequence of my personality. I don't give up easily, never have.
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Old 11-10-2017, 06:12 AM   #4754
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Me, too, Mimi...tho I can’t pinpoint exactly the when and the where that this began for me.

I suspect it was post divorce, with a toddler and an infant...thankfully taught to me by someone.

It becomes a chosen lifestyle response to devastation, I believe, and improves greatly one’s quality of life in the long run.

Maggie
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Old 11-11-2017, 05:08 AM   #4755
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I say I had no training, but thinking back on it, my Mom probably trained me in that as well as a couple zillion other life skills.
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Old 11-14-2017, 05:58 AM   #4756
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Been busy here with doctors appointments and yard work, most of the leaves now down in the back yard and from my most gorgeous red leaf maple in the front.

The latter have carpeted everything with deep red-orange, and I almost hate to clean them up because they are so very beautiful to look at on the dark green of the grass and shrubs.

I am even more enamored these days with my new rock border, the contrast of the varied stone colors with the grass and the fall leaves is stunning...it was a good decision, and is exactly what I wanted.

My grands and I got a lot done in the back on Saturday, and had a great bonfire and hot dog roast...perfect weather for it, 40 degrees and sunny.

The yard guys will haul the mass of leaves in the back to the curb, while I with trusty rake and leaf blower handle the front and side yards myself...good for my aging bones and muscles, keeping everything strong so that I can continue to go and do.

I am looking forward next to a nice layer of fresh snow, and sipping tea while looking out onto my back yard from my new sitting area...small pleasures.


I have had a few emails from a cousin in Copenhagen, tho related thru DNA he hasn’t yet figured out where the family tree connection is.

I know nothing of these grandparents but their names, birthdates, and that they were from Denmark...it would be wonderful to have more information, also a cousin who could show me around were I to make a trip there.

I’ve thought of it, tho learned with my trip to Greece that although the language barrier is not insurmountable it does present some obstacle.

I know that at least my grandmother had siblings, as I have a set of cups and saucers hand painted by her sister as a wedding gift...we’ll see where this goes.

Just checking in...this is my favorite time of year, the air cool and crisp with fall color everywhere.

Maggie
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Old 11-14-2017, 06:10 AM   #4757
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DNA relatives are fun to find. How awesome that yours is in Denmark!

John and I corresponded with a few from this country, including one who could trace his family back to some of the first settlers in Rhode Island. My dad's side traces to a family who came from Northern Ireland in the mid 1700's. I guess that's enough time for any overseas cousins to be so distant we can't find them.
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Old 11-16-2017, 11:51 AM   #4758
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I am in serious winter hat-making mode.

Michaels has all of their yarns on sale this week @ buy 2, get one free, so I indulged in some of the pricier thick yarns the other day...which make up quickly into very warm hats.

In and amongst everything else, I’m cranking out 2-3 a day.

Plan is to have about two dozen ready to donate early next week...
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Old 11-16-2017, 03:21 PM   #4759
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That's does it! We're just going to have to meet up some day so I can get a "sit around the campsite tutorial" on hats.

They look wonderful.
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Old 11-16-2017, 03:33 PM   #4760
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I’d be glad to teach you.

Maggie
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