DUST BUSTING

It is a day of house cleaning for hubby and I. As I write he is vacuuming the living walls and floors. He has already cleaned the vaulted ceilings of dust bunnies and cobwebs with a long feather attachment. He will proceed the same in every room of the house. As he finishes each room I will then clean and wax the furniture, vacuum the upholstered pieces and mop the floors with Bona cleaner a great product for wood floors.
The cleaning job will take up most of our day. But it is so needed. As I have said before dust collects everywhere as we do not have carpeting in the house. So when the forced air furnace blows dust accumulates on the walls, ceilings, fans, baseboards,ledges and floors.

When the cleaning is done today I will set about making a batch of my chocolate chip, oatmeal, dried cherry, nut cookies. They last well, stay soft and as I mentioned before fill you like a nutrition bar. Hubby is seeing his Mother tomorrow after an appointment so I will send a dozen for her to enjoy.

We are having chili tonight with the rest of our roast. I have a jar of frozen home made roasted tomato sauce with added peppers and spices to make a batch of chili. To the side I am making corn muffins with sour cream and cheese in the mix. Very moist and yummy.

Last nights dinner or roast beef, gravy and mashed potatoes and corn was total comfort food. Though we never ate big portions we were soon snoozing on the sofa's while the telly droned on in oblivion.

It sounds as if hubby has finished his part in the living room so I will go now and do mine. It will be so nice when we are finished with this chore and the house looks all clean and no dust!
Later. 

TO BAD OREGON

I was nervous about this game several days before it played out last night.
Maybe I had good intuition. My hubby just seemed so complacent, seems everyone did.
Stanford stopped us last year and I had no reason to feel they may not do the same this season. 
My feelings last night watching the first half of the game ranged from angry to sadness. I was probably not alone in those emotions. Actually I went to the hot tub right after the second half started as not to ruin the rest of the game for my hubby as I was so discouraged at that point and my attitude was not good. Taking a hot soak mellowed me out and actually my husband came and joined me shutting off the game. So we did not know the results of the game until this morning. It appears we rallied but to late.
We read in the paper this morning. That Mariota broke down when he met up with parents after the game. He was leaving the locker room in shorts with is his knee iced. The story is he had a problem involving his knee before the game, had it wrapped but was not comfortable playing his normal running game. He was in some pain and did not want to further damage his knee. The coach did not want the news released before the game as if we lost it would look like a excuse for their bad playing. Well Stanford battered us and held us and proved they are a very worthy team. No excuses!

So where are the DUCKS now. Rose Bowl possibly if USC takes Stanford out which I seriously doubt. Also we would have to win the rest of our games. So I suppose anything is possible but probably the best scenario is the Tostada bowl.
Anyhow it is only college football right? I am not the only one coming to terms today with the results of last nights game.

It is quit quiet at our house today. My husband was on the computer this morning while I did my house chores. He is gone now on a bid to Springfield. I was going to read but felt it was a good time to post on my blog as we only have one computer, no laptops and so we sometimes compete for the use of it.

We are going to have a repeat of french dips this evening as we each had only one half of sandwich last night. We were too involved in the game. So at best we nibbled at a few fries and almost choked on our sandwiches while grumbling about the game.
Tonight I will make a healthy green salad with creamy Italian dressing to go with our french dips. So I really have no dinner to make this evening which I sometimes like. 

We are going to play games this afternoon. Hubby's idea and of course I am always up for games. So we will more than likely sip on a few drinks, I will make pop corn and we shall cozy up indoors for fun and games.
Actually the day is not a bad one. The clouds break open and the sun winks at us once in a while. There is no wind and no rain at this point.

I know I am getting a little hungry so I must go rustle something up. I am sipping on a 7-up at the moment. I rarely have a soda but it is really refreshing, I must be a little dehydrated from the hot tub last night.

So the weekend is upon us. You know what we are doing with it?
We will be ridding our house of dust. Floors, walls, furniture etc. Hubby will get his big commercial vac out and take care of the floors and high walls ridding them of cobwebs. I will vacuum area rugs and wax furniture. May not sound like a fun time but it is a sorely needed.
Later. 

ONE MORE

One more just cannot help myself. That little turned up nose is so cute, he mommy and daddy both have the same nose. 
Such a happy little baby she is smiling big already! There is much to smile about as she is totally loved and adored.

The leaves keep falling and the sidewalks and streets are ankle deep. Hubby was out for a while earlier and raked our sidewalks clean and now I look out and they are covered once again.
As I walked today I avoided the leaves as I do not any surprise fouling my shoe if you get my drift. Luckily my husband checked his shoes before entering the house and good thing too as there was doggy poo. Not our fave.
The crows are working the nut trees diligently on Beacon Rd as they always do this time of year. They were cawing and flapping those black glossy wings as they dropped nuts to the pavement hoping to crack them. I talk to them when I go by in my crow talk. No one can hear me as I am in the country but still, who talks to crows?

My husband just left on a bid west into the country. I surely hope he gets this job. It is a referral so he more than likely will. 

We are looking forward to another RV trip before to long, Lincoln City will be our destination if we have four days in a row without work. We need to spend at least three nights as it is more of a drive for us than Florence.

Much on the agenda as far as TV viewing. Tonight is the CMA Awards. If you are not into country music it will not matter to you. We of course are into new country. My husband was never a country fan EVER! But something has changed in him and it is at this point one of his favorite genre's. I am thankful for that as we are music folks and I like all kinds of music, well almost all. That show will be three hours long tonight. It starts at eight so we will eat first. After having steak taco's and refried beans last night I decided a easy dinner to make tonight is veggie tostado's as I have everything to make them and we still have half a pot of refried beans left. There is no problem having that fare as far as hubby is concerned, his favorite food as you know.

Tomorrow night is the OREGON/STANFORD game. I am biting my nails already in preparation. We not only need to win we need to look good according to the analysts. It does make me nervous as STANFORD will be our toughest competitor to date this year. Hopefully the ducks will not get off to a sloppy start. It should be quite a game. Please DUCKS win!!!!
For game fare I putting a rub on a beautiful boneless beef roast, browning in the black iron skillet and tucking it into the slow cooker. After it is all tender I will slice it thin for French dips. I bought some soft small buns to warm and will make au jus sauce from the drippings and horseradish dunk. Homemade shoestring fries to the side and we are set. We can eat on the sammies all evening long.

I have accomplished much today. My day started early, a toasted muffin with my blackberry jam and two cups of java and out the door to grocery shop. Completed that in short order and back home to put all away and clean house. I just put my third load of laundry in the washer, have taken my water fountain apart and cleaned it and brought the bedding in from the trailer to store in the house. I went for a long walk well a little longer than usual. It is very warm out today 60 degree's and I over dressed for my walk.
My hubby is home today and he has also been busy all day doing chores outdoors. The air outside smells of chimney smoke and wet leaves. I like that.

I must go now and finish what little I have left to do and then I am going to call my brother and then if time allows read some more of my current book COLD MOUNTAIN. It is a in depth book and if you do not care for prose you would not like it. On and on it goes very slowly but so moving in it's descriptiveness. This type of writing really slows me down and mellows me out. I sometimes nod off.
Later. 

OLIVIA MARIE JARVI

Here she is! What a sweet adorable little great granddaughter I have. 
The photo's top to bottom are: with me top and middle photo and on great aunt Gina's lap bottom.
We spent almost three hours enjoying and holding this little one just a month old. What a joy.
I looked at this tiny being in my arms and can only imagine what lies ahead for her in life. Having a great grand baby is different as you are in the last years of your own life and the new little one is the beginning years of their life. You wonder how many years you will have to spend with them, ten or more? But I just know I am blessed to have whatever there is, to see her as much as possible and be involved as much as I can in her life.
Olivia is surrounded by so much love. Her parents attending to her every little need in such a loving and tender manner, they are in awe of her. Her grandma and grandpa on her mommy's side live just a few blocks away and walk to see her daily. Their hearts are so full of love for her. There are so many that feel so blessed that this little one is here for us all to love. She will have a life laced with love and caring.

I had a lovely weekend with my dear daughter. We two did whatever we liked and we never lifted a finger in the kitchen. We were going to make Italian food together and then thought.......why? We always need to cook for others so let's eat out or get take out. So we did both! Of course we went to Oregon City to meet Olivia and Mike my son came for coffee to his sisters and the three of us had a nice visit for several hours. It was very nice indeed for the three of us to be together, sharing stories and love.

I came home to my sweet hubby yesterday. The house was cozy and warm and we shared Chinese food I had brought from my daughters(take out).
We spent a nice day together catching up. Of course I was only gone three days but still we always miss one another.
Last night after a delicious meal of baked potatoes and flat iron steak we took a soak in the hot tub and sleep like babes.

Today I have much to do so I suppose I had better get to it.
It is a dreary day here but the bright orange leaves still clinging to the trees outside our windows bring some cheer.

Have a nice Tuesday.  

OLIVIA WITH HER MOMMY, AUNTS AND COUSINS

So here is Olivia the smallest on the right hand side of the photo with her mommy Lindsey with her aunties McKenzie in the center and Courtney on the left. And they are each holding their babies, Olivia's cousins, Roman and Berkley. Berkley Courtney's little boy just turned one the other day and Olivia one month. Roman is going on four months. Just look how close they are going to be. What a life they will have growing up together. The babes are dressed in Halloween costumes, including little Olivia who appears to be a pea pod.

The tiny dress has arrived for Olivia and I really am thinking it is to small even though a 6-9 months size. Oh it is so small. It is totally impractical also. But oh well, what can I say I wanted to buy her the prettiest well made dress I could afford. But why did I not buy a size that perhaps would have fit her this summer after all it is sleeveless. If I need to send it back I will get a larger size two sizes larger at least.
I am packing today for my weekend trip to my daughters. I will leave early tomorrow and come home Monday.

I have been very busy since returning from our little coast trip. But now this afternoon I can relax somewhat.
There is a good game tonight. USC and OREGON STATE. The game is in Corvallis. It should be a good game and OREGON state needs to win.

I still have a couple things to do so best get to it!
I will write after my trip to see my family.
Ciao.

CHILDHOOD HALLOWEEN

I thought it would be fun for me to relate my childhood Halloweens. Living fairly isolated in the country was not conducive for going door to door tricker-treating. So this is an account of how my Halloweens played out.

My first remembrances of Halloween was when I was in elementary school. The school was approximately a mile from where I lived on the old farm. I walked to and from school most days unless the weather was so foul and I needed to be driven. So I knew the country road well as well as all the neighbors of which there were about eight or so on that mile trek.

On Halloween Mother let me have a girlfriend stay over and we would walk that road as far as the school tricker-treating. My parents felt it was safe enough you have to remember this was the fifties.
So with flashlights and self decorated bags for treats and adorned in our homemade costumes we started out.

Now most folks in the "olden days' gave you a treat for your bag as well as inviting you in for a goodie or two. Usually this consisted of home made doughnuts warm just out of the pot, apple cider, popcorn balls, well you get the idea. It was fun for the folks and fun for us. No matter what costume I wore they knew who I was and would ask about my parents etc making small talk. Then on we'd trudge to the next place a ways down the road.

The best place was the Bardell's. They really went all out for Halloween. It was the scariest place but that is what made it memorable. Sheet ghost hung from the trees in the yard, skeletons stuck on sticks lined the pathway like sentry's and sitting on the porch in a rocker was a wicked witch. There were also tombstones made from piled rocks scattered about the yard and lots of spiders hanging everywhere. But what scared us the most was the music, you could hear it coming down the road before you even saw the house. It was eerie and you would hear screaming and the cackle of a witch and owls screeching. Oh it was so frightening. I recall being so afraid to walk up those steps to the door with that black witch sitting there. But with shaking hands and beating hearts we would knock on the door and it would open and all would be OK after all. Happy faces welcomed us. Sometimes they had small sandwiches and always apple cider doughnuts and homemade root beer. Then also lots of candy for our bags and I mean regular size candy bars or homemade fudge! We also got to bob for apples from a big washtub sitting right in the middle of their kitchen.It was a splendid place.
We would spend a great deal of time at the Bardell's.
When we had finally stopped at all the houses along the way to the school we would turn around and go as fast as our legs could carry us back to my house. As we ran by houses their windows like yellow eyes, past cougar gulch (we were sure many cougar's lived there)back past the Bardell's scary music and up the hill to my house we would be out of breath. We'd tear through the door screaming and giggling like wild heathens.
As I got older the scenario stayed the same only the characters changed from year to year. Tween and early teen years we walked the road as groups of boys and girls. The boys were more into making mischief and the girls into looking cute in their costumes. I still enjoyed it all but there was a difference, boys chasing girls pretending to steal their candy when they probably wanted to hold hands or get a quick kiss. I was growing up and things would change.

Well they did as I went into high school there was usually a party somewhere or a dance to go to or something more grown up. So the days of the Bardell's and others along the road I had to give up to a younger group of kids. But I am thankful for that old road and those folks that lived along it that made that time in my life so memorable.
With fun memories still rolling through my head I will close this blog, hmm I am in the mood now for an apple cider doughnut. 

SIUSLAW RV MARINA TRIP....FLORENCE OR.

We just returned this morning from our little mini trip(2 nights) in our little mini trailer. We made this little trip to see if everything in the trailer was working properly and it is except we had a small toilet leak once but no more. So hubby will check it out again and if it occurs we will take it in to have it fixed at no charge to us.
Over all everything went well. The truck pulled the little trailer effortlessly. Took us a while to set up the trailer as we are newbies. Having had motor homes it is different you just pull in and hit your electric leveling system and plug in! But in no time we will be experts. My husband is much happier driving the truck and hauling the small trailer than driving a big motor coach bopping down the highway.

Both days we had beautiful weather. You know those deep intense blue skies at the coast when it is cold? And it was brisk when the wind came at times but overall we sat out at the table both days and enjoyed the warmth of the sun.
We walked to Old Town both days as you are right adjacent to the boardwalk that takes you to that sweet little town. We had lunch both days at two different places. Our fave to have chowder, is the old Beachfront Bar and Grill. Good pub grub. I do wish that place was close by us. The second day we went for clam strips and drinks at a restaurant on the river. So we walked the boardwalk and looked at the boats in the Marina and popped into shops to browse. We also watched a tugboat sitting right in front of our RV spot hook onto an old barge and haul it up river this event took two days to get it ready. Then when they did leave they almost smashed their pilot boat between the dock and tugboat, there was much hollering. We watched a pair of seals each day also right in front of our picnic table as they frolicked and fished. If I was not leaving for my daughters Saturday morning we would have stayed another night. But I feel I would have felt to pushed to get all needs done before going if we extended.
Anyone that knows us well knows about extending........We never go for how long we say. We always extend the stay sometimes by two days but most always by one.
My son Michael called me while we were there and before hanging up he said, so are you extending? See they all know.
I will see Mike when I go to my daughters this coming weekend. He will join us Sunday morning at Gina's house for coffee. So I will have the lovely privilege of being in the company of my dear children. 

We were home early as it is only a little over an hour drive home. So I took out our clothing and emptied the fridge and cleaned. Quick and easy. Then we had lunch and I sat in my chair and dropped off to sleep while reading the paper. I was so tired even though we slept well the bed was comfy. However I guess the fresh air and being busy all day took it's toll.

I will end this now as I must make us some sort of fare for dinner. I will say this it will not be gourmet it is going to be easy and quick as we will not last long this evening.

Have a nice evening.