Sunday June 13, 2010

Good Morning to all!

Another week has pased by with a bit of summer weather and early spring.

To-day, it is dark, gloomy with a chill in the air. A good day for reading, TV, or writing. I chose to write this morning as it is quite and cozy on the 14th floor.

Last week has been good to Doris and I. Summer vacation has become a realty for Doris after the school season has ended. She has been busy as a bee cleaning closets and riding us of the squirrel's habit of filling corners with things we really don't need, but seem to become (must keep) items we can't dipose of. I am thankful I personally have not been catogorized as one of those don't need items.

Last week we had a call from a friend in Iowa who reads our blog. It's always a surprise and also a happy reward that we receive for keeping our mailing list current. B-C or before personal computers this was a chore most folks unable to accomplish. It was not that they could'nt they just did'nt have a convenient way of keeping one if they were not trained. I can remember Mother's list of freinds, written by hand, in pencil, on 3 by 5 cards in her unique hand writng. Many of them were her long time time freinds that I remember from summer picnics, in our back yard or those special Sunday dinners my mother was so proud to serve.

The cards are gone as no one would ever put any value to this list of names of those who are now forgotten. My brother John is 5 years my junior. He does not have many of these memories. It does'nt seem as though a mere 5 years would make much difference in our lives, but when a sibling is 5 years younger, these years seem make a difference in our growing up young years. I am fortunate to have my "Apple", I am sure I would be reading Dagwood from the Sunday newspaper.

As much as I would like not to, I must comment on the oil spill.

Doris and I traveled via our RV in past years to many points of this great span of clean water and wonderful beaches. I did not swim in the gulf very much as I was never a good atswiming. I was a "just got by" swimmer. Doris is a good swimmer who used to swim laps in younger days where we had an indoor pool. Doris did not like the salt water but she did enjoy those sugar white beaches. I can't imagine how those who live on or near the gulf are feeling. They must be devistated.

We here in Minnesota, "The land of 10,000 Lakes" would also be devistated if our lakes suffered a fate equal to theirs. We will always remember meeting the shrimp boats comming in from the beds with their fresh load. Buying the fresh and biggest and boiling them in beer was an event never to be forgotten.

My tomatoes are growing like wild fire. I have them tied and have trimed the non-producing portions. The yellow flowers are beginning to appear. I, like the Chinese people must pollinate the plants as bees do not exist in China. Growing tomatoes in an industrial park does not lend itself to attracting birds and bees for this task. I just get in there with my hands, and gently shake the top blossoms, the wonderful pollen then falls below and just like magic, those little green nubbins begin to appear. I have one plant, purchased from Home Depot, that is of Austrailian plant breeding. It has leaves that resemble potato plants. It is supposed to produce wonderful pink tomatoes. I will keep you posted.

Jane has survived her knee surgery this last week. She is experiencing therapy and the healing process. She will be back at Eide Saw as soon as possible. This surgery is suposed to prevent knee replacement for an unknown period. We shall see.

I joined a health club last year.

Spent about $400 bucks.

Haven't lost a pound.

Apparaently you have to go there!

The advantage of exercising each day, is so when you die,

they'll say,

"Well, she sure looks great, doesn't she!

Thanks agian for listening in!

Keep in touch.

Jim and Doris