Wow Lynne that's the trifecta! Hope nothing else goes. Our TV and our lawnmower died in the same week, but in the good things department, we found thru my cousin a handyman who fixed our disintegrating shed, our tripping hazard front step, and installed spiffy new counters and sink in the bathroom. We've had some very severe storms , three with tornado warnings but thank heaven, they were just storms. We did get hail damage to the cars though, golf ball sized hail. Tornado warnings are very unusual here

Hi Jim, Is your area prone to big storms?
Jane--Sounds like the Grandkids are great people--wishing them the best!

Diane--glad you got a visit from your Grand Daughter and Daughter!

We got covid but not real bad--lucky. I really really miss be able to socialize with family and friends, especially after the seasonal flu kept us home 2 weeks at the holidays.

June--what a mess! hope your luck gets better and things go smoothly from now on.

Curt

Devonia , Devonia died in 2017, she was the one who painted beautiful flowers on furniture.
aquiltmaven, Karen a lovely person
tedfred, Teddi Neveel, she knew a lot about antiques, I met her once at a BB get together

Jane so sorry about your mother, may she rest in peace and light.
Sorry to hear about JoAnne, she led a full life. I admired the way she kept on going through the ups and downs of her life.Rest in Peace.

Maynard Newville (mnewville) passed away in his sleep on July 15, 2024. I saw him a bit on Facebook for awhile, but he was getting older and losing his sight. He lived in Minnesota, and we figured out that DH and I had unknowingly been at the same auction at the same time once.

Beg pardon if I misspell or mis- identify someone.

I also have some family and non-BB friends on there, though I've kept the number fairly low . and I follow some specific topic pages that I really like. Wild Birds of Wisc (photos) Wisc. wildlife photos) Gothic Home and Garden, Teslacon, Janis Ian etc) It's easy to find pretty pictures there to re-post and I don't have to upload to a host or use html. For book talk I have the Louise Penney Book Club page, and sometimes visit other authors' pages (latest J A Jance.)

I see posts from Patsy, Diane, and Sally (salmegal) and Chris (zuni) I also sometimes hear from Virginia Rose (memories of yesteryear?) Melissa (nonamgoddess) , Karen Carruba (not sure) Michelle Schubert (unsure of ID she had the Bergamasco dogs and Babydoll sheep , I think, I know I got her wrong before, she knits the most beautiful complicated sweaters from her home grown and spun wool) Ilene (baltimoreandmore ) Connie Sabo (???) Carol Trains Meagher (?)
I saw Maynard Newville on my list (mnewville) and had not heard anything from him for quite a while--his page said he passed away in his sleep July 15 2024. May he rest in peace.

My nephew has bought a small school bus type bus and is converting it into a camper/RV type vehicle. He asked if he could do it in our driveway since he is not living where he can do it, so we said yes. Our driveway adjoins the younger neighbors but they don't mind. so far, though it is taking longer than he said-he is also working a job---but we figured that. He is being very meticulous about not having a mess, and is doing a better job on the thing than we thought he could.

I didn't watch much Olympics but the gymnastics are Amazing! Politics, my Dh is more enmeshed than I am,(look at a few stations and the computer) I tell him we know how we want to vote, and don't need to watch daily ups and downs and obnoxiousness , but of course, we get drawn in some, especially him.

Good to see you Beth-- sounds like you have a well considered and studied plan. I hope you continue to improve your mobility and are feeling well.

Thank you for all the Loving Care, and Happy Mother's Day to all you Mothers, Step-Mothers, Adopted Mothers, Foster Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunt Mothers and Friend Mothers !

Well yesterday we got a bunch of snow...but it's a degree or so above freezing so it's a heavy sloppy mess. Our lovely neighbors shoveled the walk, so kind! I cleared my car, I may be going cross town to watch a friend's new dog while she goes to an appointment--the city has been clearing the main roads, so it should be ok, but she may decide to change the appointment because it is on the far side the opposite way.

Jim, I enjoy reading about the old times too. when we read about them travelling, it shows how much more difficult it was. Even back in the thirties...I was looking at a 1930's newspaper in connection with genealogy, and found it reported "out of town" visitors from our city as notable occasions. ie Mr. and Mrs. Jones 34 first st. received a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Jon Smith of Madison. Nowadays it takes us 15 minutes to get there but it was a day trip in the past.

We continue to have lots of sunny weather, warmer than historical highs, yay! I have seen my first Robin, Sandhill Crane and Redwinged Blackbird, of Spring. Have actually been walking outside.

I miss coffee and the paper in the morning, we had a pretty good one here, now it's online, not as good, I don't subscribe.
I agree, people in their sixties and seventies look and act younger than the older people we saw when we were young.

One of those life is as strange as fiction things happened here. One of my brother's long time friends died suddenly, and had him listed as contact person. My brother had ignored some calls from an unknown number for part of a day and a night . It turned out it was the Medical Examiner notifying him of the death and seeking next of kin information and arrangements. The brother came from Alaska and started they making cremation arrangements and he and my brother began to clear out the house which was filled with the stuff accumulated in 40 + years from the family's parents who lived their lives out in it, and those things of his friend. The house was in a trust which would divide house sale proceeds among the 4 siblings. It was assumed the contents and bank accounts would go to the brother with splitting to be arranged between the others.

My brother was calling around to various friends of the deceased to let them know of the death, when one of them, a woman said to him; "You do know we were married don't you?" NO he did not, it changed almost every thing with her supposed to get house contents and accounts, not the brother. They had already filled one dumpster. She said their marriage papers were at the house in a paper grocery bag--there were dozens of bags of paper and some had already been thrown out,and they could not find them, so she had to send to Chicago for replacements. She had to prove the marriage, and get a lawyer and start probate, and arrange for the house to be emptied. She lived separately although they were still friendly and visited each other . She has two children, (not by the friend) and a full time job.
So my brother continued to help empty the house, and to find a couple other people to help move, and or buy some of it. He will be paid by the estate. There were nine heavy duty tools, such as table saws, and drill presses packed into a garage. There were 7 or so looms from floor size to table size to lap size , because the mother had been into weaving. A room full of so- so books. and tons of other stuff. 3 dumpsters going on four. He had known various girl friends during their forty years or so friendship but had never heard of this one. Amazing!
This is the third friend that died in the last three years that he was listed as contact for and he ended up helping families with final arrangements and estates. They were all single (except for the surprise wife!) men with out of town relatives. Be careful what you sign up for 🙂

Lying, yes it happens way too much, Rudy Giuliani being found guilty because of massive evidence of his lies about Georgia election workers and fined $ 150 million, Fox admitting deliberately and knowingly lying about the 2020 election and the 2020 Dominion election system and having to pay 787 million...Still lots of people and media lying about the election and other things. Good thing courts look at actual evidence and don't give much weight to political speeches, editorials, and false news broadcasts.

Barely going out, there are a lot of very rutted icy streets in the city, Thankful many drivers do the smart thing, slow down and keep their distance--but of course there are still some of those reckless people who drive faster and cut in and out. In the few times we have gone out we have seen a number of two and three car accidents and some cars off the road.

Jim, you two are gone on cruises so much, you must barely use your stuff 🙂 We have about two and half rooms of stuff that at the very least could go down to one.

Hi Jane, we continue to have late fall weather instead of winter...I'll take it. Makes driving easier and we're even still walking outside on some days. DH saw 6 deer at the conservancy one day--they know where to hide from the hunters.

Diane--your tree looks wonderful! I got my little one out, I leave the lights and ornaments on it, they are all unbreakable because of the C-A-T. so I just straighten it out a bit, and maybe switch out a couple ornaments. Some are little vintage Sun pins, I like them to represent the solstice, when days will be growing longer.
June, how are your cats? Vinnie has a few problems, lost weight...but the Vet gave an anti-nausea med and he is eating much better.

Hi to Lynne and Gail and Patsy!

Jim, nice on the doors. I am finally re-doing our vintage/antique inner front door--I an touching up the stain, adding a fancy old doorknob and plate that I spray painted back to brassy, and going to put some stained glass decals on.

Lynne--sorry to hear about the shingles--hope it's done for good.

Jude--I hear ya. I am in the shot parade too. Shingles, Covid, and Dtapp down . Flu, second shingles and possible RSV to go. I did not want to get them all at once or too close together. Have not ad bad reactions before and I think multiples can cause them. A couple at a time is enough.

Diane--glad the wedding trip went smoothly and that you had a good time. Sound like lovely families. People are fortunate who have that. We are lucky that way, though there are fewer of us these days.

We went to lunch today with Richard's sisters and his brother and brother's SO, at Erin's Snug, an elegant Irish pub style restaurant. It had been a while, and it was fun getting together and hearing news.
Jim--yeah, we're getting up there-- doing pretty well but you never know what is around the corner. A couple of DH's cousins have passed away, they were younger than we are. Glad to hear you and your lovely wife are still able to travel. Hopefully the Covid won't be that big an issue. A few people I know have had a really bad--tons of coughing and fatigue--Flu that is not Covid but that knocked them out for a week.
Patsy I hope you and Sis have a fantastic trip.

Diane--Hope the trip goes ok and that you meet someone fun to chat with. I don't know What I'd wear to a wedding these days. Luckily the last one I attended was at an outdoor venue and quite informal.

Beth-- I know what you mean about stuff taking longer. We're trying to get bids on our roof and other projects--only one gave us an estimate quite high . Another one gave a big presentation but did not impress ( they wanted to talk to my husband not to me, and I am the one who mainly interviews and decides),we did not ask for the estimate. And another one never called back. I guess it will wait till next year--a couple did tell us it looked ok for a while yet, and we have no leaking.
On the brighter side, I called an electrician from the neighborhood and he made an appointment right away and came on time and and did a good job changing out the light over the front door (which we really need at night) and the living room ceiling fan, which hadn't worked in years. The old one was brass with dark wood blades, and the new one is small and white, blends with the ceiling. The room seems larger and airier with it there. We will be having him back soon, because he told me he can convert the kitchen in-the-ceiling fluorescents to LED for a trouble free future for less than 200 dollars . Half of them were not working and needing new ballasts and we did not want DH going up on a ladder. New set up won't need ballasts and will be easier changing bulbs.

The neighbor got three black chickens, so elegant, and very cute pecking around and dust bathing when they let them out. They are named Axl, Slash, and Izzy after members of Guns n Roses rock band. I watered neighbor's small garden while they were in Italy (before the chickens)--they saw Guns n Roses while they were there.

Good to here from Laurie (wellingtonct) , sad about the passing of Elaine, may she rest in peace. Hope your move works out well Beth, I sympathize on having to only keep some of the treasures you have. (and on all the work!) Hope Patsy has a great trip with her sister. June--I may give Cussler a try again we need some variety in our reading.
Jim--I gave Edge Bing AI a try on finding some info on products I was interested in. It was a better response (shorter and more focussed) than google's big page of ads, info from ads and sometime completely irrelevant items
Diane--hope it's a good trip. Hi to Gail, Jane, and Lynne!