Meters and Regulators

This KELOLAND news segment is about keeping gas meters and regulators clear of snow and ice. Those in my family will probably recognize someone on the video!

Sad week

This week I had three people that I have known my whole life pass away. I've heard it said that deaths come in three so I hope this is it for a long time. After mom and dad went to bed on Monday night I got on Facebook and a distant relative had written that she had just had a relative pass away. I'm not sure why I immediately thought of my dad's cousin and his wife but it turned out that it was my dad's cousin's wife-Stella Anderson. Stella was 92 and even though she was older her death was unexpected. My parents had just seen her and her husband Alvin at Golden Age club a few days before. Alvin is 98. He still drives and he and Stella had just moved into an assistant living home! They would have been married 70 years in October. Stella was a wonderful lady and she was always helping others. She adored her six children, 19 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and three great great grandchildren with all her heart. She lost her mother when she was only 17 and her dad died when she was 20. She helped raise her younger brothers and sisters as well as taking care of nieces and nephews when they needed her. I want to be like Stella when I grow up!!

Thursday night my parents good friend Bill Thompson died. He was 84. He had found out after Thanksgiving that he had terminal cancer. It's a blessing Bill passed away. Mom had stopped to see Bill and Geraldine a week before he died and she said he looked worse than anyone she had ever seen that was near death. We're happy Bill is now at peace. He was a great guy. He was married to my mom's good friend Geraldine. He was full blooded Native American and he grew up on a ranch near Havre, Montana. He fought in World War II and helped liberate the concentration camp at Nordhausen. He had been married before Geraldine and he had four children and many grandchildren. We use to get together with Geraldine's family (she has two nephews that are my brother and my ages) at Christmas time for many years. I'll miss Bill.

I called my mom after lunch today to see how my nephew Luke was doing-he has RSV but seems to be on the mend now. She told me that she had just gotten a call from her niece Joni that my aunt Harriet (my mom's sister-in-law) had just passed away. This was not unexpected. Harriet was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in late November. Harriet was my uncle Joey's wife-Joey passed away almost twelve years to the day that Harriet did. Harriet was a great person that rolled with life's hard punches. She made the best of the situation. My mom talked to Harriet Thursday night. Mom had said that she had this feeling that she should call her that night. It's so nice that she did. Harriet took a turn for the worse less than twelve hours later and was pretty much unresponsive after that. Her two daughters were with her when she died. We are really going to miss Harriet. She was such a funny lady and so positive.

Don't Be So Corny

I don't know why, but lately I've had the craving for corned beef sandwiches like my Mom used to make. So yesterday I stopped in at Wal-Mart to pick up a can of Hormel's finest.

Looks delicious! Mmm Mmm Good. Lunch preparations have begun.

You just mash together the meat and 1 cup of cream along with about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pack of dry onion soup. If you were to use a whole pack it would probably be too salty.

I suppose it depends but I had to simmer it for a while in the pan to thicken it up for the bun.

Nancy, I think the dog got on the table and threw up on my bun! Seriously though, I would recommend not putting it on so thick - the processed goop has good flavor but is fairly strong. I had another half of a bun with a thinner layer and the flavor was a lot more balanced.

I am on a canned meat kick because I also bought a can of deviled ham spread.

On a brighter and probably more appealing note, I fried pork sausage for supper tonight while Nancy made french toast. That concludes my day of consuming salty meats. Thank you.

This evening Gerrit went with one of his school friends to see Avatar. They went to the 7:30 show so they probably won't be back until at least 10:30.

Weekend Wrap-Up

We're in the middle of a four day weekend-very nice. We haven't done a whole lot though. Aleah had a birthday party she went to yesterday and Bruce took me out to Paradiso for lunch a day early for Valentine's Day-we thought it would be too busy today. We got pizza for the kids. Last night we watched this week's American Idol and we had watched Thursday's Survivor on Friday night-we do love our DVR!

Today we got ready for company. My parents arrived around four today. The kids and I were going to go up to Williston after Aleah's party got over but the weather was too bad yesterday and we would have needed to leave Monday so mom and dad came here instead. Thanks mom and dad! The kids helped mom clean up her farm on Facebook and showed her how to keep her horses and chickens from wandering all over the place. I do not play Farmville of Farm Town. I have a hard enough time keeping my real house clean and things done around here.

I'm sure we'll do some shopping tomorrow and the kids will enjoy a trip to the library at some point. We'll have to play some games besides Farmville or Wii tomorrow too. We got caught up watching the Olympics tonight.

Friday Morning Musical Interlude

San Antonio Rose:

A Goofy Picture for Thursday

I think Sadie is trying to say something like, "Will someone please help me?"

Another week gone and another baby....really

My friend Heidi had a baby boy on Friday. Bridger George weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and he joins three older sisters! I got to see and hold him yesterday-very precious. I've visited the hospital three times in three weeks-I think that's it for now!

The week flew by. Bruce was in Fargo and Grand Forks and we were are usual busy selves around here. Aleah has started her volleyball schedule again that will go through the end of March after which she'll start soccer. She's also selling Girl Scout cookies for another week.

Samantha had her post op checkup and the doctor said she's almost healed. She is eating better and is more herself-her voice sounds normal again. I also subbed a day and a half last week and Sam enjoyed herself at Tricia's house. I've got two full days scheduled this week and unless I get a Friday morning that will be it since Wednesday and Thursday I have things scheduled and Friday afternoon I'll be driving Aleah's class to the ice skating rink for their Valentine's party.

Of course the full day I subbed it was snowing and the roads weren't nice and I had to get Sam up to Tricia's and then I had to get back to the kids' school. At least it was a very good day of subbing and Bruce got home that night.

Donovan also had a doctor appointment-so I was at the clinic twice last week-so tired of going there. He's still itchy and has gotten some bad sores from itching so they doctor prescribed a few medicines, took blood, and Donovan is having an allergy test this week.

Gerrit has a cold now. Hopefully he doesn't get any worse so he won't miss anymore school and hopefully we don't get sick!!