Today we say good-bye to August of 2021

TERRY

Terry is awake and reading the paper.  She gets her second covid shot today.  No need to make an appointment as one can now just walk in.  We will go to the Publix grocery store that has a pharmacy as well.  That is where she got her first shot.  I am hoping she does not have any side effects from it.  I remember the day I got my last one I was just feeling like of punk and stayed in bed much of the day.  Other than that no plans for Terry today.

I have no real plans today.  I will try to get a bike ride in and get some work done in the house to clean up papers etc but that is it.  I know it is three weeks down the road but I am trying to figure out how to make things good for Terry as I go to ND over the weekend of 17-19.  I do need to talk to Heidi who lives down the street.  I did talk to her at one time but not since I made the plane reservations.

I would not say I am struggling but I may put it more mildly in saying that my life at this time is somewhat difficult.  I find that cooking, cleaning, laundry and trying to take care of Terry in a good way often seems kind of like an uphill journey.  If one were to ask me how I am doing I would say "fine".  But then I look around the house and see things that should be done and then often I sit at the computer and waste time.  I think that is not the best sign.  I try to help the time pass by looking at my investments on line.  My goal was to get my nest egg up to a million and then I would have something to be proud of.  Well a friend mentioned that one needs to start with more than a 4 figure account at my age.  So now in my quest to find something to take my time I am looking at Amazon and maybe will purchase old time games like Chinese Checkers, Connect Four or Jenga.  I will just have to figure out how to play me against I!!!

I just talked to Terry and she thinks she will be ready to get in the car and go for her shot about 10 or so.  She said she does need a shower first.  So I am guessing my morning is kind of planned.

I think I will have time to get a short bike ride in before we head out for the shot.  When I sign off here I will do that.

DAKOTA ATTITUDE

A little from the book today.

From Devils Lake

I used to go out to the hobo pit.  Judi's Dad Ed was a conductor on the railroad and they lived in Devils Lake.  I wonder if he knew about the hobos?  I would sit there and drink coffee with them.  I was just a young fella.  They slept in boxcars, and they would go there and sleep in the hay.  The wintertime we didn't seem.  They just jumped a freight train and took off for the south.  They were nice people.  We called'em hobos, but they were out lookin for work on the farms.  They had to eat, you know, so they could find work.  I remember one time when Mom had put up pickles in a big barrel.  One day she went out to see what they were like, and by damn, they had emptied the barrel.  Well, Dad says, if that's all they had to eat then I guess it's OK. God must have showed' em to get here!!!

I will sign off today with a salute to my great FP and a picture that ALL of us more mature folks will remember from days of long ago!

Wow here it is late PM of Monday

 TERRY

Once again Terry was kind of a sleepy head and woke at a bit past 10!  I can not say much as I did not wake until after 8:00 so maybe there was some strange thing in the Lee home!  Anyway she read the paper, ate some lunch and is no, late PM, watching TV.  I would say she remains the same. She does need to get her second covid shot tomorrow but that should not be a big deal.  Now, getting the shot all one has to do is go into the store and most likely there will be no line for the shot.  I think we will go in mid morning or whenever she finishes the paper.  

It is late PM and I have not done much with the day.  Well the kitchen is clean so that is good.  AND the living room and den, well they need work but maybe tomorrow!

For some reason I am tired today.  I have not been sleeping well at night and that most likely is the reason why.  No reason so I have no answer as to why good sleep seems to be hard to find.  

I have not gone any place today but may make a quick trip to the store later or even better tomorrow morning.  

Again, tennis is in the future so I have little exercise and today I did not even get on the bike, not good.  

I think I am finished for the day as my mind is kind of blank.  BUT I did have the delicious FP this morning so my day was not a total waste!

August 29, last Sunday of the month

 TERRY

Terry is reading the Sunday paper as I write.  She was awake a long time before be as I was a total sleepy head this morning.  Nothing new about Terry.  She does have her second cover shot this Tuesday and I am not sure but I am somewhat concerned about it.  Many people have had some reaction to the second one so I hope she does not.  I am guessing she will be with the paper for an hour or so and then she will enjoy the Sunday morning programs on TV.

I have decided to get away for a couple of days in September as I think I have Terry covered for that time. I will be going up to ND for a reunion of the old country schools Marboe and Wood Lake.  I have not seen most of those people for 55+ years so it could be interesting to say the least!  I have thoughts about leaving Terry alone but a friend will check in on her when I am gone.  

Back in the 50s I do believe most townships had a school. There was Marboe which was across the road from Bergen church.  Then about 6 or so miles to the west was Wood Lake.  Then another 6 or so miles to the west was another school and I do not remember the name.  The only school house that is still there is Wood Lake as the rest were either moved or taken down.

So not much to report today.  There will be church on line, a bike ride and then what?  Maybe a trip to the grocery store but not sure about that.  I think I will just sign off and get in a short bike ride.  My FP got cold so will wait until after the bike ride to heat it up and then maybe, just maybe, I will add some more.  I am not sure but it seems like Sundays are often a bit of a struggle as I often sit and remember siblings who are not with us any more.  AND of course Mom and Dad too.  I still can feel the excitement that took place any time Dad would agree to hit fly balls to either Dave and I or just me as Dave was working on other farms the last two or three years of his HS days.  I say I still can feel the excitement as Dad would NOT often do that.  Sunday afternoons were usually reserved for an afternoon nap for Dad and when that was the case I would resort to the barn roof, throwing my knife at the board that was setup 15 feet away, sharping my knife on the big wheel near the shop or maybe  playing ball with myself against the south wall of the barn.  I promise I NEVER was idol on a Sunday PM as I knew during the week there would be manure to clean, rocks to pick etc etc!  I say that but I promise I never had to work too hard as I would call our antique farm minimum farm at best!!!

Here we are at August 28 and nearly to September 2021

 TERRY

There is nothing new about Terry.  As I got out of bed this morning at 7:15 she was awake but now she is turned over and quiet so I don't know if she is sleeping or just resting more.  Yesterday was a quiet day with no news of any kind.  Of course I have the same concerns that have been present for some time now but!

What the heck!!!  I glanced at myself in the mirror yesterday kind of sideways and was taken back as I looked like I have gained much weight.  Then I stepped on the scale which I had not visited for several days and it was NOT kind.  So this morning no sausage or hash browns but a more simple breakfast and it will stay that way for the day.  I thought to myself IF I continue this way soon I will be back at my weight that I had 20 years ago and that would not be good.  We will see!

Some thoughts "back" as I woke up this morning

Way way back in 1969 it seems like a long time ago and I guess it really is!  August 28 was a Thursday and I was in the middle of my first week of work before school started.  Little did I realize that I would be having 38 weeks kind of like this during my working career.  We were in Devils Lake and our home was on the second floor of the almost empty dorm at the School for the Deaf.  I say almost because they had made a first floor apartment for the principal.  Gail and I had a bedroom, a bathroom and a living room in what used to be a boys dorm room.  The windows were huge, the ceilings were 12 feet, the bathroom was antique at best and we had scrounged around our farm and Gail's farm for old furniture and iron single beds that we tied together and placed the 2 mattress crosswise!  Gail was 6 months pregnant and I was looking at a teaching job for the first time.  The superintendent had decided I could handle the 4th grade that had been a disaster the previous year!  Our bank account was low and at the school we got paid on the first working Monday of the month.  But in this case they considered the first day of school so we would have to wait for our first pay check until October as our checks came AFTER we had earned the money!!!  There were some lean days leading up to that check!  So this morning, as I got out of bed, I had memories of it way back then. 

Then the thoughts came to mind of my last year of teaching.  Gail and I had decided that I would retire after the 2006/2007 school year.  Her cancer seemed to be in remission but we knew that could change any time AND my teaching assignment had become very stressful with the people I was working with.  I had in the back of my mind that IF her cancer came back I wanted to be able to spent some quality time with her.  We had worked hard at paying extra on our house and felt that if we could finish paying it off by the spring of 2007 we could live on my retirement check and maybe get some extra work along the way.  So I had taken all of the months of the school year and counted them off so I knew, at any given time, how many days I had left.  It turned out that kind of saved me as that last year was difficult at best.  

I walked out of Highland Park Junior High on June 15th of 2007 feeling relief and free.  Gail and I planned a long trip for the fall and winter and life seemed great.  Gail was feeling OK but I could tell she was not her usual self in terms of energy etc.  In late summer we signed up to work the Minnesota State Fair which was a fun time.  We then packed the pick up, after putting a CD player in, and headed out for a two month trip to Canada.  We slept in the back of the pickup most of the time!!!  We arrived home in late October.  

Life seemed to be what we had wanted and hoped for but then things happened again.  In January Gail felt a lump in her chest and the test results came back cancer!!!  The next eight months were difficult to say the least.

Boy I guess I went on and on some but will sign off soon.  It seems unreal but this fall I will be starting my 14th year of retirement.  It seems that how can that be but it is.  So MANY thoughts this morning and really for the most part GOOD.  We all know that life certainly has its ups and downs and that is true for everyone.  

We got this VERY nice invitation to attend Joan/Ron's 60th anniversary dinner October 16th.  Of course that is out of the question for me but I will try to send an equally nice note back.  Sixty years, IF they share the ups and downs of married life over 60 years it could be an entertaining but long night!!!  Actually the only other couple that could make that mark is Judi/John and I am hoping they make it.  I think they can celebrate their 60th in 2029 and I will try to make that one!

Not much planned for the day.  I will take a bike ride this morning as I missed that yesterday. AND NO snacking as that scale is not up to someone who is so so over weight!  I have some things in mind that I may start today but they are no interest to anybody else.

I am still going back and forth with that possible trip to ND in September.  At this time I am thinking there is a good chance I will do that.  It would be fun and would also give me some diversion from my present situation.  As I write Terry is now awake and reading the paper with the TV on.

Enough as my FP got cold as I wrote and forgot to drink.  Need to heat it up and then enjoy just a bit more.

I will close with perhaps my favorite month of 2022, all of Mom/Dad's grandchildren!!!

Here we have arrived at the LAST Friday of August 2021

 TERRY

It is 9:00 AM as I write and Terry just asked for the paper about 10 minutes ago.  I asked if she just woke up and she said she had been waking up for some time!  There is no news to give.  I went to the web site of where she got some tests done and there have no results listed as of yet.  She said she had a good nights sleep so that is wonderful.  There are no plans for the day.

I just do not have a lot to say today.  I may post several pictures and that may be it.  

I have my day kind of planned as I will get in a bike ride, get some papers cleaned up, keep the kitchen clean and make sure Terry is taken care of in terms of food.  AS I read over what I just wrote I think it sounds like I am kind of old!  What the heck, it is what it is so one may as well make the best of it.  

I actually starting thinking about a second book.  Now it may just stay at the "thinking" stage but maybe it will get farther than that.  I just don't know what direction to take IF there is a second book.  

November of 2022

Well as one writes you may as well take the good with the bad.  The pictures of the burned farm almost make me sick but life goes on and always things get better!  At one time Dave had ideas of restoring the truck but that never happened.  It was towed to Philip Freeman's farm and put in the trees.  I sent a text to Karen a few weeks ago as I thought it may be worth taking a picture of it now with trees growing up BUT it has been removed which I think is a good thing.

Well as one can see this is a FUN picture.  It was taken after Trinity won the region basketball title against a school much larger and a big time favorite.  If I could list, in order, the 100s of soccer and basketball games we watched Cynthia, Aaron, Travis and John play this game would rank way way high and perhaps #1.  Cynthia made two critical baskets in the last couple of minutes which made Dad proud for sure!

I looked at this today and decided I need to upgrade my filing system!!!

Here is Horst Winderlich who grew up on a farm 3/4 of a mile from us.  He and his mother Elsa who is in the wheel chair came over from Germany when Horst was pre teen years.  Elsa (sp) married George and they had 3 children two of whom are in the picture and Robert on the left now does the farming.  Last time we saw him I asked if he had never been married and he said, "No I was lucky"! 

Pickles often starts my day off with a chuckle.

Time to sign off and "make hay" so to speak of the day.  I do have half a cup of FP left so will heat it up and take a little more time before work!

How is that, I missed Wednesday!

 TERRY

As I write it is 2:00 PM Thursday.  Terry was awake by 9:10, she read the paper and now has had her eyes closed for some time again.  I never know if she is sleeping or just resting with eyes closed.  I would say she is pretty much the same.  I went into the portal where she got tests done a few days ago and one is supposed to get results on line but they are not up yet.  So it is, as often the case, wait and see.

It is hard to believe we are getting near the end of August.  Time flies and I am not sure where it goes!  I did call Sonia' business manger to see if I could find out what is going on.  Well the bottom line seems to be she may not be back, but I say may.  I found out that most people have care for 4 or more hours and day and we only have 2 hours and that is difficult for them to schedule.  I did not know that before.  Sonia did send a text this morning saying she is kept busy and now thinks she will be back in FL early September.  So it is up in the air IF she will be back.  

More and more I am thinking maybe I should not go to ND in mid September.  The more I think about it the more uneasy I feel leaving Terry here alone except for company some hours during the day.  I will wait and see.  I have thought about buying a plane ticket and paying $50 extra for the ability to cancel at the last minute if needed and still get my money back.  I will think about that.  I think well at this reunion there will be ALL the people there that I have NOT seen in about 55 years or so.  Is that really important???  Well it would be kind of fun but.

Not much more to say today.  AS each day passes and no tennis I feel my skills declining IF I ever had any!  Some pictures before I sign off for the day.

Here is one of the pictures of George Lee who passed away about a hear ago in his mid 90s. George purchased our best land to the west of the farm as well as the pasture land. His son Robert purchased the last of the land several years later.   By the background it looks to me that he was at Lake Tewaukon.  George was a great guy, a very good farmer and a avid hunter as well.  

Here is October of 2022.  It is a month of many events as Ronald died, Mom and Dad were born and other events as well.  

I think that is about it for today.  I may take a short nap as I think it is OK when you get kind of old!  AND yes the FP was long long gone and it certainly was good today.   

August 24th, 2021--Tuesday

 TERRY

We had a successful outing yesterday.  Terry got blood drawn so that should go to her doctor.  On the way home we stopped at CVS and got pictures taken for our passports.  I admit I am getting soft as 10 years ago I took the picture at home and then spent a long time getting it the right size.  Well I found out it is MUCH easier to get it done at a store.  AND yes it does cost but in my life today easy was the way to go.  So after we got home and Terry, very tired, got into bed I finished the paper work and sent our passports in with the request for new ones.  It will be interesting to see HOW long it takes.  My guess is maybe by Christmas!!!  This morning as I write Terry still has her eyes closed but I do not know if she is sleeping.  The paper, read by me, is still on the kitchen table waiting for entry into the bedroom.

A couple of pictures today

I am certain nobody would come up with the answer if I asked how are these pictures connected?  Well here is the story.  The top is of course our house on the farm.  Up until the early 50s we used the wind turbine on top of the house for electrical in the house.  There were batteries and the wind turbine (charger) would charge the batteries and then at night a light bulb in the living room and maybe a plug in for the radio would work.  As the night went on the batteries ran out of charge and it was then DARK.  You can not see on the top picture but the stand on top of the house had a wheel with blades on that worked when the wind blew.  In the spring of 1956 a storm blew it down and I know the picture was taken way after that as the car in the picture is a 1970.  Well the final words to the story and how they are connected.  I would say the blades on our turbine were maybe 3 feet long or so.  The blades on the wind turbine in England are 262 feet long.  I guess from 1956- 2021 times changed.  

Well I continue with my 2022 calendar and today is #6 of 6

AND yes Helen followed the footsteps of her older sisters and was Homecoming Queen.  Come to think of it I do not think any of the Lee boys were kings???  I say that but maybe Ronald?

Not much planned for the day.  What the heck I worked hard yesterday.  A trip to the clinic, a trip to the store and then to the postoffice to mail the passports so maybe today a day of rest.  Oh, I guess it is not Sunday so will find something to do.  I would be ready for a bike ride but Terry is still sleeping so will wait until she is awake.  

Well I started thinking I would become rich!  Pfizer is all over in the news as they have full approval now for their vaccine and that is a big deal.  I thought "I have shares of that company and now they will go up up up and I will have a lot of money to spend"!!!  Well I came down to reality and realized that I have only 40 shares and they are up to a whopping $49 so Carmen, forget the Bentley or other fancy car and continue to be happy with your 1991 pickup and your Honda!

I am going full steam ahead for a 2023 calendar.  I have not started one but I think the ideas are going to be very good.  At least in my mind they will be.  BUT before I get to a 2023 calendar I probably should be looking at getting this house clear of papers etc.  Now that is a great idea.

I had my last cup of FP out of my grinder.  I do not understand but my coffee grinder just gave up and stopped working.  It seems to me I just bought it maybe a couple of years ago.  But I can not get it to work so what did I do?  Amazon came to the rescue and will deliver a new grinder today.  Well yes, I had to pay for it!

So as I enjoy the last sip of FP from the old machine I say let's get on with the day, time is precious.

August 23, welcome to the last full week of this month in 2021

 TERRY

As I write Terry is reading the paper.  I would say she is doing about the same BUT she has this persistent clearing of her throat.  I do not know if that should be a concern or not.  We really need to get to the medical place where they do lab work as she got orders during her doctor visit for several tests and we have not taken care of that.  TODAY

With an entire week ahead of us we have no plans.  There is no tennis scheduled and no doctor appointments except we do need to take care of that lab work where no appointment is needed.  Oh, I almost forgot, we should take care of sending our passports in as they expire next month.  We are not going any place where we need them but I think even now, with a month left on them we could not use them.  If I understand things they are basically useless when they are near their expirations date.  In my world I would take pictures and use them but Terry says we should just stop at Walgreen and get the right size picture quickly.  IF I remember when we sent them in almost 10 years ago I had to use several tries to get an acceptable picture in the right size They show the picture should be 2X2 with the face 1 3/8" high!

I do have some pictures to put on today:

On the 2022 calendar the month of August is about #5 of the Lee clan.  

Daughter Cynthia and grand-daughter Faustina took part in the Ragnar race from Minneapolis to Duluth last weekend.  JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT IS RUNNING!!!  It sounded like they ran like a relay team .  Faustina ran about 14 of the miles and Cynthia ran about 20 and I think the total distance was close to 140 miles.  Sounds like fun for the young!  Well here I am saying young but really November 1 Cynthia turns 41!!!

No need to talk about these except to say way way back we had a lot of fun on them.  I do not even know if they are put on playgrounds any more.  IF not that is a shame!

This, I think, is a wonderful picture.  I can not name all of the men but Dad is on the right and next to him is his brother Halvor.  I know Olaf Olson is second from the left and playing the organ is Eldon.  It is in Bergen church.  I have no idea what year BUT Dad looks pretty young so maybe in the 40s or 50s

Here is Mom singing solo and I do not remember her ever doing that.  OR maybe she is just leading.  I see where Eldon and Mom have flowers so it must have been a special occasion.  The board on the wall behind Mom is priceless.  Sunday school attendance and amount of offering!  I would not have believed we had 46 enrolled in Sunday school.  That took in maybe a 6 mile radius BUT there was another church just maybe 3 miles away so not sure who went where??  I have NO idea what the numbers today would be IF there was still a church but I do know the #s would be very small!

NOT an important picture but just wanted people to know that I do, sometimes, do some work as the kitchen yesterday was all clean!!!

So here it is now about 8:45 and time to sip the last of the FP and maybe take a bike ride before I TRY to get some things done.  I will sing off today with a saying that I think is pretty cute and important!

Here we are on the second to last Sunday of August 2021

 TERRY

It is around 10 AM as I write and Terry is busy with the Sunday Paper as she is in bed.  She woke up somewhat earlier than most days so has been since around 7.  She does enjoy the programs on Sunday so it will be a good day I think.  I would say her health is same same so no news there.  Really I need to get her into the lab tomorrow as the doctor ordered some yearly tests that we actually forgot about so that does need to happen.  Also I need to call the doctor office as she did have some things done quite some time ago and we did not get any news about them.  I would assume no news is good news but I would like to confirm that.

Not a whole lot to say today.  For some strange reason I have begun to have headaches which I have not had in a long time.  I used to end up in bed some weekends with them but have had none for many years.  So I don't know why but have had some over the last week and as I write I am thinking I need to lie down and see if I can get rid of it.

Even tho I do not have a lot going it seems like I am busy to some degree.  Yesterday and today I have had thoughts about a 2023 calendar and what the heck that is 16 months away!  But I am thinking that IF the thoughts are there now maybe I should work on them before I lose them!  I guess there is nothing wrong in getting something done a year in advance!

I have mentioned to Terry about the Wood Lake/Marboe School reunion next month and she thinks I could go.  She would have to have someone come check on her a couple times a day but she thinks it could be a go.  I will have to see IF there is someone who would do that and then take it from there.  I think, if I go, I would be gone September 16-20 coming back on that day.  Of course it would be fun but as anyone knows Terry's health is far far more important than a school reunion!  I will see how things unfold in the few weeks ahead of us.

OK, back to Dakota Attitude

Grandma Saylor had the store.  I called her Grandma, but she was not my grandma.  Everybody called her Grandma.  A lot of times I didn't like her.  She gave me more hell than a little bit.  I quit school in the sixth grade.  Oh, did she ever chew me out.  I went back to school.  But I went back because Grandma chewed me out.  I owe a lot of things to her.

It is humbling to read many of the stories in this book.  Many many people had almost nothing growing up on mostly farms.  When I read that I am thankful for what we had.  I know my family did NOT have a lot but really we had a lot more than many families.  I say that but realize that most of the stories in the book go back to the 20s, 30s etc so that is somewhat different than the 50s, 60s etc.  I do remember that I so wanted Dad to say yes if Rollof or cousin Russel asked me to help with baling.  Well that was the only way I could earn ANY money when on the farm.  I would say in any given summer I may have earned $40-50 in a summer.  MAYBE!!!  However Dad was always good for a nickel or dime so I could buy gum before a basketball game!

That is about it for this Sunday.  I am going to go on a bike ride after I watch a church service on the computer.  Here it is almost 11:00 so it is getting somewhat warm outside.  The FP is long gone.

Before I sign off I will post a picture of Henry with his birthday shirt we sent him.  He is pretty funny.  He was born in 2003 and the front say  "Awesome since 2003".  I tease him about his hair but he says he is good with it!!!

Keep in mind I think this is a 6' 4" gentle giant!!!

 TERRY

As I sit down to write it is almost 9:30 and Terry is still quiet in the bedroom.  She must need the sleep as that is past her usual wake up time.  I would say she is about the same so no news.  She really should have gone in to get some test done yesterday but she said she wanted to wait until Monday so I think I had better insist come Monday that we get it done.  She continues to not be very hungry.  I made a meat loaf yesterday that I would not give a 5 star rating to BUT I felt it was good.  She did not like the glaze on top to now I have two pounds of meat loaf in the fridge and really I need not eat all of it so???

I fixed a bagel with ham, egg and cheese this morning for breakfast.  As I enjoyed my FP and bagel I read the Naples paper and the WSJ at the kitchen table.  As I got up I looked at the kitchen, threw up my hands and headed to the den to write and to avoid the kitchen!  How one person can in so little time make such a big mess is way way beyond me so I give up.  I may HAVE to venture back into the kitchen later to clean up but for the time being I am going to write and avoid the mess.  Really, what is a guy to do???

It is a big day in more ways than one today.  My oldest grandchild is 18 and I say "big" in the sense that his 6' 4" frame makes grandpa look small.  I do have one thing over him, I have a bigger waist!  BUT I am working on that.  Anyway it just does not seem like he should be 18 as I remember and it seems a short time ago that Gail and I walked down to Mary/John's house and took Henry out for a stroll.  Well as we all know time flies when you are having fun so to speak.

Here is a map of our place with it circled in black.  I post it because in peak season which is October-April pretty much all of the units in the circle are full most of the time.  NOW, in the middle of summer I am aware of SIX that are being used.  Now a few, maybe 3 or 4 are year round rental but must are used by the owners.  AND as you see a unit what looks like one is two.  Each unit has three bedroom with one, most of the units, being used as a den.  Terry's unit is 1600 sq feet with a pool.  I would say 46 units maybe six or so have pools.  There is a common pool that everyone can use.  You can also see the six tennis courts, a club house, a restaurant and an exercise room.  On the property there are 6 different housing complex.  They range form two bedroom small units that perhaps are valued at $250,000 to the towers with each having two penthouse units and they are valued at maybe $900,000 + or -.  BUT now in the summer things areVERY quiet but something tells me people may be coming down early this year but then who knows.   We are about 12 miles from downtown Naples and about 2 miles south of Bonita Beach and about 4 miles from the gulf coast.  Enough

Here it is past 10 AM and I hear nothing from Terry.  I think I had better take a sip of FP, sign off and just peek in on her.

Happy 18th Henry

 

Now I challenge you to find a kid with more grit, more determination and more focus than this kid!!!  I know, it was several years ago BUT I do not think he has not changed a bit!  Happy 18th Henry from Grandpa and Terry.  We hope this coming year as you finish your HS soccer and basketball AND studies AND then enroll in college that you have continued success all the while being the super young man that you are.  Perhaps I should add that it looks like that Eagle Scout badge is almost in you pocket so congrats on that as well.  We love you.

We are down to the second to last Thursday of August, September around the corner!

 TERRY

I got out of bed at 5:30 and it was not all that long after that Terry woke up.  She now has the paper all read and is watching TV.  She needs to get some blood work done and soon.  She said she is not up to it this morning so will ask if she is up for it early PM.  Hopefully she will be.  She did have a coughing spell this morning so the concern goes on and on.  We need to get that figured out but not sure how at this point.

I do not have plans for the day.  Well there will be more paper work done but other than that not much.  So will put Joan on the blog for the day and that may be it.

I think that picture of Joan as a little girl is about as cute as it can be.  Joan is a gal on the go as she and Ron lived in Fargo much of their life and then moved to Salt Lake City to support son Bryan.  She is retired from working on a job but oh my goodness she seems to keep busy busy with community, family etc.  Well IF any of us had great grandchildren in the form of quads well we may be almost as busy.  Joan is now the eldest of the Lee family which had 8.  I might add that if I were in an argument or conflict I certainly would want Joan on my side!  I say that with affection.

No here it is almost 9:30 and time to sit at the dining room table and get some more of those papers sorted and filed.  Also there are a few items in the kitchen that need to be taken care of.  Actually I have this problem in the kitchen.  Terry does not eat all that much so anything I make comes out in too big quantities and then sometimes food goes to waste.  Well I do admit some of the things I make do not come out so good and then that is waste as well.  I have come to the point of thinking I needn't go to the grocery story for a month and see if that helps.  Something to ponder for sure.  I actually could do that as I have enough coffee beans for FP into late fall I think!!!

Enough for now and I am sipping the last cup of FP as I had to heat it up.

I have way too much time to think these days.  Often my mind goes back to the farm, to grade school, to high school and all that went on in relationships during those days.  I think about the bullying in grade school that had to stop.  I was big and strong for me age so it only took me couple of wrestling matches to put an end to that.  I mean, really, jumping a boy as he was getting on the bus to go home! (I was the one who was jumped). I think about actually starting to date as a freshman and no details but I would strongly advise against that to young people.  Well there was nothing wrong that went on in that but still not a good thing.  I have thoughts about the two guys who did not good things to the teacher in 5/6 grade.  What did I do?  Nothing but I went along when they had to make apologies.  I am sure my being there made me seem guilty and I was not.    Just so that I could be one of the guys.  Now how stupid is that?  Well I do not wan  you to answer that!!!  I often think of HS days and what could/should have been done differently.  Well as I think about it I was as green behind the ears as anybody could be and really came out of it without damage to speak of so I guess I should be thankful.  One thing that has stuck with me all these years was what surrounded Ronalds death.  As much as I was hurting there was NO support in school and of course one could not have expected Mom or Dad to have talked about to me as they were hurting as well.  The same was true when Janet died but for some reason the fact that I was still in high school when Ronald died sometimes has be reflecting on the kind of support kids in HS today.  It may have been how things were done way back in the 60s but I do not remember ONE time being asked where I was going, what time I would be home or who I would be with!  I guess I am thankful that I actually had blinders on so to speak as some one coming from a rural farm 25 miles from school is pretty pretty clueless.  I say pretty clueless but I was a growing boy so!

Time to sign off FOR SURE!!!

Here we are at August 19th, 2021

 TERRY

It is 8:00 as I write and Terry is sleeping as I closed the door to almost shut.  She has been sleeping later in the last couple of weeks.  I think she slept well last night but it seems she needs more sleep now.  I have big time concerns for her health.  There really is nothing new there is just a sense in my being that is bothering me.  I so so hope that I am wrong and it goes away.  

I am going to post several pictures today and just so you know the pictures caused me great harm!  For pretty much each one I scratched my head so much my bald spot is now larger!!!  I said to myself: "Is the world getting crazier or am I getting older and out of touch.  Now IF there is anyone who reads this of course the first thing you will say is, "No doubt, Carmen is older and somewhat out of touch".   BUT wait with that thought until you read and then you can think anything you want!

FIRST

This is our South Bend Guy who is now a big person in Washington DC and as you can see he and his husband have become parents.  What the heck, everything I thought I knew about becoming a parent is now thrown out the window!

Then I come to this!  I scratched my head and thought where in the world did September, October and November go???  Then I looked at my phone and sure enough it showed August 19th!  Go figure.

AND so I saw this double lot for sale near downtown Naples.  I thought well it is not even on the water so maybe I could purchase it and construct a nice smallish house on it.  Wow, then I saw that it is being sold for 18.5 million and the article said the owner is going to have a 20,000 square foot home built.  Well I guess I missed on that one!

And this was the one that crushed me for the day.  Not the 15 M bonus for the winner of the playoff but the guy who will get $101,000 for coming in last out of 120 players.  Once again, I missed the boat and may be, at this time, in danger of drowning!

I now have decided that I need to make a change.  I need to stop reading the paper or stop scratching my head (for fear of losing all my hair) or maybe just facing reality that life is what it is and others have a different way of living.  AND I can be OK with that, I think!

I am here today to let people know that I DID get much of the paper mess taken care of yesterday.  A bit more to do but success is in the wind. 

I did get a surprise in the mail yesterday.

Yes, for sure, another HUGE royalty check came in the mail.  I figured things out that IF I continue to get these every 3 months ( some could be larger and some smaller) my printing and publishing costs may be met by the time I have great great grandchildren.  They could use the last check to put some nice flowers on my grave site!  Now a serious tone.  I would say maybe every other month or so I get an e-mail from a publisher that insists my book has sale value and they would like to have me go with them to sell more books.  When I say go with them I mean to contract with them.  This latest one seems pretty serious and it is tempting.  Well of course there is a cost involved.  In this case the lowest cost would be $400 and the top end goes up to $5000.  I am tempted to try the lower one but then I do not know if it is a scam just to get my money.  I did not write the book for money BUT if I could earn some off of it why not?  If anyone has any suggestions let me know!  It is fun to get these checks and I would say they go out every quarter but I probably get one three times a year.  The book was published in 2015 so no doubt there will come a time when there are no more surprises.  As for this check it will not go very far towards buying the lot near the water!!!

Today the 2022 calendar is Janet

Time to sign off.  Terry is now awake and with the paper.  Nothing planned for the day except a short bike ride and more paper work.

Here we are at hump day in week three of August

 TERRY

Terry slept in a bit this morning as she just opened her eyes about 15 minutes ago.  She is now reading the paper and says she feels fine.  So no news there.

I know it is early in the summer, kind of, but I am feeling a bit HOT in SW Florida.  I know, we have some hot days or months left but this hot humid weather and temps mostly in the low 90s has me sweating just on a simple bike ride in the morning!  BUT I think of Ronald, Janet and Dave and then I have no complaints.

Guess what?  I actually made good progress on papers yesterday!!!  Way to go Carmen.  BUT more today and maybe by the end of the week this place will not look like a mess.  If that happens I am going to have to reward myself with something but I have no idea what???  

I am thinking there is somewhat of a disconnect in our world today.  This guy just signed an extension for FOUR years and look what his salary will be.  If my math is correct that is 49M a year just to put the ball through the hoop!!!   My math shows me that this guy makes as much in a days work as the average teacher makes in 9 months of work!!!   WOW

I received a hand written note from cousin Arlene yesterday.  Four pages long and as one can see writing is difficult for her but she did it and I was so pleased to get it.  At the age of 95, I think, she is doing fine.  I think Arlene has been a model of how one should live and change with the times.  Her husband, Loren, died in his 50s and Arlene kept the farm with Philip working the land and milking the cows.  Then when Philip married in his 40s, I think, Arlene moved to town and remained the same happy Arlene as Philip and Karen moved into the farm house.  Today she is in a nursing home in Lidgerwood and whenever one visits she just seems so happy.  If only all of us would age so gracefully!

Here is the 2022 month of May and the beginning of us six kids.  To this day I am sure that there is never a week that goes by without me thinking of Ronald.  From the toy cars he brought me to the gun he gave me to the shower he built with Dave and I to painting his wagon only to have the paint covered with black bugs the next day AND the memories do not stop there.

So here we are it is 9:40 and time to get some things done but not before a quick bike ride.

I am enjoying the last few sipes of Kenya coffee and really am wondering how expensive a trip to Kenya is!!!

 

HAPPEY BIRTHDAY JUDE

 

Jude Adkins turns 12 today.  He is one super young man.  Good in school.  Good in sports.  Good as a big brother.  AND I would get tired listing ALL the things he can and does do.  Jude, happy birthday and may your journey towards the teen years be full of great experiences, sports, fun, learning and family time.  Just remember that those darn South Bend Lee boys are taller than Grandpa which makes me unset so PLEASE do not get any taller than Grandpa!!!  I used to be 5' 11" so if you get to be 5' 10 3/4" I can live with that!!!!  Have a great day.  Love Grandpa Lee and Terry

Here we are at August 17 of 2021

 TERRY

Every once in a while Terry sleeps late and today it that once in a while.  As I write it is 9:00 AM and she is still sleeping.  Her health seems to be same same so no news there.  I have said in the past I am concerned about her cough but in talking to her yesterday she said she is not and does not want to see a doctor at this point so we will wait for a time to see if it gets better.  So that is it for Terry today.

I try to highlight birthdays in the family so today we have Judi--HAPPY BIRTHDAY.  No need to say how old Judi is as age is just a number BUT I will add I am younger than Judi!

This is Judi, notice the "I" and not a "y"!! This was at Dave and Marlys' place in Jamestown in 2018.  

I should add that this was the last time family got together with Dave as less than two years later we all gathered again for Dave's funeral.

So here I am this morning trying to decide what to do.  I know NO tennis.  Maybe a short trip to Costco.  I I had my hash browns, eggs and ham so I am good there.  MAYBE some paper works as it has become evident that it does not take care of itself!  

The bug guy just came as here in SW Florida one needs to keep on top of bugs OR they will take over the house.  Seldom do I find bugs and our service comes every 4 months BUT I did find a bug in the shower that was NOT supposed to be there so I called yesterday.  A note, the bug was dead but it was a big dead.

Terry kind of woke up when the bug guy was here but now she is quiet so don't know if she is sleeping again or just trying to wake up.

I received a call from Washington DC yesterday but did not answer it.  I just assumed Biden was calling to get my input on what he should do.  Now I wish I had answered as I think I could have helped him make better decisions!!!   Just so you know that was intended as a joke so take no offense BUT as I watched the news yesterday my heart just ached as I am sure there will be a lot of suffering there.

Just to let people know how wonderful our local Naples Newspaper is there was NO mention of Afghanistan on the front page this morning.  I know, hard to imagine for sure.  I did not count but in the WSJ I am guessing there was at least several PAGES about Afghanistan and what took place there yesterday.  I am about as far from a political person as possible but my guess is Biden will find that he will have a very hard time with how he handled this as so far it seems both parties are up in arms.  AND I am not even talking about party lines, just people who find it difficult to understand what and how things occurred yesterday--enough said.

Calendar time for the day

Elspeth sent

 me a homemade card of my victory on the tennis court when she was here.

I had to hang it in the office where I can see it as it reminds me of how good I am!!!!  I know it is accurate as she even has me in my favorite green shirt.  AND yes if you believe that I have------------------- if you would like to buy!

No it probably is time for me to sign off today.  Today, as it sometimes happens, emotions get the best of me as I write and think about those in our family who are not with us anymore.  Darn it, I thought real men were not supposed to cry!

I am having that Kenya coffee again this morning and am wondering how much Heidi had to pay for that trip to Africa!  Darn good coffee for sure.  Enough

Here we are looking DOWN towards the end of August as time flies by rapidly

 TERRY

Terry is fine today.  As I write she is reading the paper.  I thought I would just try to keep my eyes closed for a bit longer at about 7:15 when I hear a "Good morning dear".  So it was UP and get the paper for her and then read the WSJ as I enjoyed my FP.  The sports in the Naples paper is about the worst anywhere and it takes me maybe 5 minutes to read it.  There are never any scores from the day before as they must put the sports section together mid day for the next.  So if I want scores I look at the phone.

This is what I saw as I stood in the living room looking out towards the pool area!  I think that says it all in terms of what is the weather like this morning.  Over the last 36 hours we have gotten about 2" of rain and with warm temps that is what you get!

I will have to take a bike ride today as NO tennis for a long time.  I will probably do that sooner than later as no need to get sweaty on a ride.

REALLY I am going to get serious about doing some work with papers today.  I should take a before and after picture to be sure but I promise tomorrow at this time things will look differently.

There is a lime tree near the club house and it is loaded with limes.  I picked 4 the other day and may pick some more today.  I do not think anybody counts on them so usually they just go to waste.

Here is my calendar for the day!

Here is the month of February for 2022.  I think Mom was a pretty darn cool looking gal!

So I am finished for the day and I THINK it is on to cleaning up papers!  AND finishing my FP of course!