A Different Life II

[FLCoast]

Good morning Maggie. I read your posts about the Dad/ son visit and yard work… and the crocheting. They brought back some memories. We lived in Chicago for awhile before my wife retired and I used to tag along ( much as I have most of my life) when she visited her customer in Bloomington/Normal. I started volunteering with the local retired crew at Habitat and, besides having a great time doing it, got exposed to what it’s like working in a cold climate (born/raised Floridian). The mention of yard work and the chilly weather got me laughing remembering the time we had to extend the hole for a post footer a couple of feet, and I volunteered. About killed me trying to dig in that frozen soil. If it rained you might as well be walking on ice. I provided entertainment at least… when I was in the Navy one of my shipmates was a crunchy granola creative guy that could do anything. One day he started crocheting. Not something you often see at sea. Of course some of us were curious and soon he had a group crocheting hats and undefined creations. His name was Gino and I can still see the smile on his face when the Chief came in and saw his sailors crocheting… Enjoy your posts. Give Lily a pat for me. Safe Travels

[Lily&Me]

Hi there!

Thanks for the kind words and for dropping in here.

Aside from small carpentry things always needing done, it is good for the grands to practice a skill under their Dad’s guidance, and to do something helpful for their Grandma who lives alone.

Teaches them compassion, kindness, to prioritize others needs over their own, do the right thing, etc.

They are great kids, and my son one of the best Dads I have ever known, but these are life skills they are practicing with me.

I am their only surviving Grandparent, and kid them about driving me around when I can no longer drive myself.

We have Uber here, so I don’t expect that to be a need for me for a very long time, but I am still planting the seed.


If you haven’t been to Bloomington/Normal in a number of years, it has grown by leaps and bounds, expanding in all directions.

I have known a few men who crochet and/or knit, can just envision a bunch of burly sailors with crochet hooks and yarn in hand.

I didn’t begin to crochet until I started having grandchildren, but it is addictive and has become a part of me.

Take care,

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I loooooove my little wood stove.

[Mollysdad]

Since you love reading have you tried "Bookbub"?
They send me an e-mail every day with suggestions from my bookseller.
Amazon has over a million free or $0.99 books for the reader and since I like mysteries I tailor My Bookbub feed to those. As far as I can tell, I get no spam and there's no advertising on the e-mail, just a list of maybe ten books of the day.

[Lily&Me]

Yes!

Someone here sent me a link to BookBub several years ago, and I now get a list of discounted ebooks once a week.

I rarely purchase any other way, but only get the list weekly or I would be buying books every day.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Spent Easter Sunday with my son/his, and left the Toyota at the storage unit to drive the Interstate over there.

Lily was excited to be in the RV, thought maybe we were going bye-bye for awhile.

He is much taller than me, also safer on a ladder , so he got up and checked the roof out thoroughly for me.

All looks good, a couple little spots touched up with “Universal Silver” paint, and that is a nagging concern I can now dismiss from my brain.


Yesterday morning I picked up 20 bags of shredded cedar mulch, my preferred top dressing for the beds around the house, and this morning got 10 of them spread...before I decided I had done enough for one morning.

The rest are on their way to the back yard via my trusty Gorilla Cart…purchased a couple of months after Doug died and put together in my living room by then-7-year-old Camden and his Dad.

Camden is a LEGO wizard, and they had that cart together in about 45 minutes, as I recall…which would have taken me by myself at least a week.

Those grands are 19, 17 and 15 this year.

Yikes. Where have the years gone.


The yard was mowed for the first time this morning, before rain sets in tomorrow for the rest of the week, and I will get the remainder of the mulch down in the morning.

Still some Miracle Gro to douse over flowering plants, a little more trimming in the far back, and yard work will settle into maintenance mode.

Always a job in the spring, but I remind myself that particularly the hauling of mulch, etc., is good for my aging bones.


I finished up the dark brown cowl/shrug/infinity shawl last week, it washed up nicely and will live in the Interstate for chilly mornings and evenings.

It is heavier than I originally wanted, but I think will do just fine.

I did not take a selfie.

Been working on this shawl for a family member, and it is the most gorgeous shade of purple.

[rmkrum]

My daughter, affectionately known as “The purple kid” would love that color. She knits and crochets all kinds of things…

[Lily&Me]

It is really beautiful, a cross between purple and periwinkle blue.

Tell her I found this yarn at Hobby Lobby.

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

That's a beautiful stitch pattern!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Mimi, and thanks!

I modified it from a more complex pattern that I just couldn’t get to come out right.

It’s just alternate rows of these two stitches, going to be 18” wide, and lovely, I do believe.

Pivot, punt, and keep on going, right?


I thought I would get the rest of my mulch down this morning, but rain came about 5 hours earlier than predicted when I went to bed last night, so I have an excuse to put it off a couple of days.

But, the yard was mowed just in time.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I finished “The Secret Messenger”, by Mandy Robotham last night, and it was very good.

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Messen.../dp/0008384622

Set in Nazi-occupied Venice during WWII, about the Resistance and an underground newspaper, with some unusual plot lines, twists and turns.


Rain has paused, going to get the rest of the mulch spread this morning.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

After having to turn the AC on the other day to combat humidity, last night I turned on the heat because temps were going to be close to freezing and will be again tonight.

April in Central Illinois.


Mulch is spread, plants fed, beds looking neat and tidy, and the excess 5 bags of cedar mulch I purchased have been stored in the shed for next year.

My wild geranium plants that I have been nurturing on the west facing side of the house the past few years are doing very well, filling out the bed more each year and with abundant, lovely, lavender blossoms on them.

Not yet in full bloom, I will snap a picture in a couple of days.

I like perennials that return each spring.


The Interstate is at Peterbilt since early yesterday morning, getting a little facelift via Rock Guard on the side bumpers and running boards.

Going to replace the tires a bit early, next month, but then will hopefully have a worry free travel summer.

Pretty much have things planned out, and a month from now will be close to being on the road.

It is a privilege, and I am grateful.


My new checks for the new financial institution have arrived…with a rose to the left of my name/address.

Once the transition to the new bank is complete, direct deposits and automatic debits fully transferred over, I will close out the old accounts.

And it will be the first time in almost 40 years that I have not had bank accounts shared with Douglas Dwight.

Closing another bit of the before, carrying a small piece with me in the rose on every check.

[Lily&Me]

Inside windows have been cleaned, leather furniture conditioned, AC serviced for the season, and my to-do list continues to shrink.

Going to do the outside windows and wash the walls of the main part of the little house before carpet steamers come here in a few weeks, and all of the big things will be done.

The AC guy here this morning was admiring my little wood stove, and talked of growing up in a big house on a lake in New York State that had electric heat…but a large woodburner installed in the fireplace, which helped keep the family warm and heating costs down.

It was his job as a teenager to keep a supply of firewood split, the wood box inside filled, empty ashes each day after school and have a good fire going by the time his parents got home from work.

Yep, it’s a good thing.


My wild geraniums are full of buds, tho not fully in bloom they are very, very happy with the cool temps and plentiful rain we have had lately.

[Lily&Me]

Finished this book last night, one of the best I have read in awhile…

“Good Girl, Bad Girl”, by Michael Robotham

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...SAAEgKM_PD_BwE

Interesting and somewhat unusual plot line, written in a manner that makes the book hard to put down…have placed it’s Completed self onto my Read Again shelf.


Picked the Interstate up at JX/Peterbilt a bit ago, and the Rock Guard applied to the side running boards and bumpers is gorgeous.

I’m very happy with it.

New tires next week , a road check by my trusted mechanic, and we will be travel ready for the summer.

Lily is watching the Interstate come and go… looking at me expectantly, and wagging her tail.

[BigAl]

Looks good.
Al

[FLCoast]

Just got caught up with your posts and I’ve got to tell you, I’m feeling pretty lazy after reading of your spring exploits. Enjoy those grandkids. Our nephew came into town and spent a few days with us. Always a good time. He’s full of energy and goodwill. That said, continue with your yard work and running because you’ll need to keep in shape when the ‘young ones’ come to visit. We fished two days, made our requisite trip to HD for a paver project, troubleshot boat systems, spent a few hours rigging fishing tackle… he left yesterday and we were beat. But happy we got to visit.

The shawl’s color and stitching are beautiful. My grandmother made me a couple of throws that I kept in the car when I was single and would travel home on the weekends, pulling over to sleep for a few hours on the way. Still have them.

Nice looking running boards. We’ve been on the fence about getting some for the truck (we tow an AS 19). Of course it becomes forefront whenever we pick my 5’, 92 year old mom up for a ride. She says it’s good for building upper body strength. I agree (as I push from behind!).

Your home sounds wonderful. It reminds me of how great spring was after the brown of winter. It was really noticeable by this florida boy. You live in a wonderful town.

Give Lily a pat for us.

[Lily&Me]

Good morning, and thanks for dropping in here. 😊

It’s a good community to live in, here, right about the center of the country, so good especially if you like to travel.

Aside from the creative outlet, there is something centering about crocheting.,.It’s a good thing. 😊

Settled down with crochet while I wait for the Interstate to get new tires and a road check.

It has been an expensive spring. 🙄

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

New tires on, aligned and balanced, and the Interstate is back in storage for a few weeks.

I am as prepared as I can be to head out the end of the month.

One small task I am going to try to tackle…the freezer door to my frig has “sprung”, for lack of a better phrase…the door snaps shut but does not close all the way.

Not good for keeping anything frozen.

I bought new springs, in case once I get the door off I find I need one or both, also little plastic pieces for the end connections.

And, I found a YouTube video that shows how to take the freezer door off and fix it…seems pretty simple, so I’m going to give it a try and see if I can add this to my repertoire of things-I-have-fixed-myself.

If anyone has any pointers, please feel free to share.


I found this gorgeous Caron funnelcakes cotton yarn 60% off at Michaels a few days ago, so as has happened before I bought yarn first and then figured out what to do with it.

I found this free, very simple, triangular shaped shawl pattern online, so am going to make it up and will either use it myself this summer or find it a good home.

https://wilmade.com/never-ending-shawl/

The Edisto colors Afghan is done and washed up, and I needed a new project as I am not quite ready to go to my usual summer dishcloths and potholders.

So, it is underway, and I think will be quite nice when done.

It was good hand work while spending the entire morning at Don Owen Tire.

[rosewoodtx]

Maggie - I just bought me a 2012 Interstate. What kind of tires did you put on yours? I'll need some also.

[Lily&Me]

Hi, Rose, and good for you!

Welcome to Interstate ownership.

I have Firestone Transforce tires, which is what the dealer in AZ had put on for me before I picked this rig up nearly 4 years ago, and what my tire guys recommended I replace with.

They are “truck tires”, “light” and “commercial” I believe is their category, and I have had no problems with them whatsoever, driving on all manner of road surfaces and every kind of inclement weather.

A friend of mine in BC also went to a class B after her husband died a couple of years ago.

They are a great way to travel.

Post a picture, maybe?

Maggie