Those Random Thoughts or Half Thoughts

Let's see.., do I have anything to say today?

Last night I finished Willa Cather's "My Antonia". I loved it. LOVED it. A favorite line, one of many, is this one: "The only thing very noticeable about Nebraska was that it was still, all day long, Nebraska." Does that not sum up so many things in life? I thought so. One could easily change it to suit. Say for instance, The only thing very noticeable about Judy was that she was still, all day long, Judy.

I'd like to buy a vineyard please. I've been admiring this arbor for four years now. It's marvelously untamed. Two years ago, when Kado was the baby, Jonge and I would stand here and eat the grapes by the fistfuls. This year Famke learned to like them, and knowing what an expert spitter Kado is, it didn't take long for him to join in too. So, we search out the best clusters, I double check for bugs and bird pooh, and I'm left fairly free to snap away with my camera while they pop, suck, and spit to their hearts content! I doubt that I will EVER want to eat a grocery store grape again.

Our kitchen is in a disarray of sorts. Although that isn't news, this time it is for a reason other than fatigue and neglect. THGGM has done some painting. Slowly and painfully we need to replace some major appliances. The cupboards are original to this mid-fifties kitchen, but THGGM is hoping to paint them. At least the top cupboards. The best thing about all this is that a month ago while shopping at a flea market we searched out options for a small kitchen 'island'. The cheapest we could find was an industrial piece selling for $90.00. Too big and too pricey to follow us home, THGGM continued to shop around for something suitable. For about a year we had an old enamel 'mangler', which was the right height but every time I banged into it it made a horrible sound. As did I. It's working MUCH better in my basement workroom . So, after a month of pondering I actually walked right into the PERFECT find - and in my own home! YEARS ago we bought an old oak three drawer dresser. It's lovely. The height is perfect and it has three drawers for storage. It's on wheels so it could be moved, although it is sturdy enough to hold it's own. One plus is that the back of it is very nicely finished. Presently it's topped with a broken - yet gorgeous - piece of marble that THGGM found at a thrift store years ago. He didn't like it as much as I did, until he called around to find a non-broken-piece. Those start at $200. Soooo glad I've learned to like 'broken' things.

Last night we caught a mouse. In the drawer under the oven. Who coined the phrase 'quiet as a mouse'? I first knew of its location by the banging around it was doing in the drawer under our oven. It sounded like when a large set of keys is in the dryer (what? you don't do that?). But THGGM assured me that he was not drying anything. Not even his keys. Neither was I. Before he went to bed he set the traps. Somewhere around 1:00 I heard it snap. One down.

Colds are making there way through our family. It started with Jonge. No one is surprised, as he is venturing into the world of kindergarten germs. Famke and Kado were next. Then Pake. Two uncles and an aunt also. I'm hoping Feintsje is spared And me. I've gotten in my exercise chasing Kado around with a Kleenex, as he turns back holding out his hand yelling "No! You stop! Go away Beppe!". It's all rather sweet in a snot-covered kind of way.

I'm sooo not liking the news about a Diabetes/Alzheimer's connection. The thought of snorting insulin isn't appealing to me either. Two of my grandparent's died before anyone would have known whether their diabetes could have led to dementia. My grandmother that had diabetes for as long as I can remember didn't seem to have dementia. For my mother the diabetes showed up AFTER the dementia. For me? I already can't remember anything. Anything important that is. I could give you the first and last names of all of my kindergarten classmates, but after five years of owning the same car, I'm still not sure which button unlocks the door and which one puts down the window.

Anybody reading here also on Facebook? Do you like the new changes? I did not at first, but by this morning everything seemed to make sense again. Well not everything, just everything on Facebook. There's just so much in life that doesn't make sense to me.

Now I'm off to find something else interesting to read next (oh. and i'm sure if you've read THIS far, so are you!). I shall miss Antonia, and Jim (although he was a burden).

Oh, and stay tuned. I DID take a lot more pictures of grapes, and a grasshopper too. And if you have Facebook, many of them are already posted there.