Concert Nov. 09, 2008 Hill Auditorium U-M

Abby and Ryan after her concert

The Chip

I am so surprised that I was able to do that! I mean the slideshow from the old movies. This is such a neat site! The directions actually told me to copy and paste the code into my website, but I wasn't sure that meant a blog site. Sure enough, though, when I did it, it turned out just right. What fun!

October 13th and the zinnias and hollyhocks are still blooming. See the hollyhock in the far corner? It is the tallest I've ever seen!

Its a dreary rainy day today. I'm still thinking about the debate last night. I'm praying that Obama stays safe. There are so many nuts out there. Didn't he look so very presidential last night? What a beautiful smile the man has. I think he can turn this country around and bring the nation together again. I can't wait to vote!

Grandpa's Journal Oct. 1918 and the Spanish Flu

page 2 October 1974 Grandma's Journal

October 1974 ~ Grandma's Journal

Cute Cousins

Grandma's September days 1974

Grandma's Journal Sept. 1974

I can add more of Grandma's journal pages if you'd like to see them. Just let me know. In reading them you sure get the sense of the seasons repeating throughout the years by reading about the buying of seed, planting, plowing and harvesting and of course canning tomatoes and other vegetables.

Happy 17th Birthday to Spencer! It seems like just the other day when I flew down to Niceville, Florida for his birth, with a four year old Abby in tow. It was the first time I had flown alone but everything went smoothly.

Cider, Baby Picture, and Birthday

It turned out to be a pretty fall day. I bought groceries and did some errands, came home and put chicken in the oven to bake. Mike doesn't get home till after 8:00 p.m. so he's starved when he comes through the door. Bought some cider and doughnuts and boy were they good.
Jason and Juli went to the OB/GYN doctor today and got the first ultrasound picture! How exciting ! On Sunday, Elizabeth had her 9th birthday party at "Let's Do the Dishes". 10 little girls + Kyle. They all painted a ceramic dish or mug and they will be fired and ready to pick up in a week. I did a plate for Liz. Hope it turns out well. What a fun birthday party!

Mike has a new project... a 1952 Willys Pickup. It will be a huge undertaking but he'll do it over the course of a few years. Here's a picture of it. I think it will be real cute when its done.

I've chosen a different name for this little blog after choosing, and then discarding two others today. I've chosen " Kitchen Dreams" because this phrase has a special meaning for me. I had a very ( and I mean VERY vivid dream) a day or two before Grandma Ila passed away. It was of a new kitchen for Grandma. It had old style appliances but it was so exquisitely perfect in every way. The kitchen floor and baseboards were made of a beautiful mahogany wood. Along the side wall was a table upon which were statues of sheep and lambs. They appeared to be glazed in a very luminescent white finish and as I looked at them their eyes became real and looked back at me. The overall impression that this scene gave was one of absolute perfection. The colors in this dream were beyond anything seen in this world. They were so ultra real and vivid. The next night I had another "kitchen dream". In this one the kitchen was the one on the farm. Once again, it was so much more real than anything in this world. The kitchen was as we remember it, however, above the sink, the window looked out on the big red barn. That just made it better. I can't really convey with words just how extraordinarily vivid the kitchens were. I think that these kitchen dreams were a glimpse into the place where Grandma went on October 3, 2004. They were old but restored into absolute perfection.

Beginning

I have wanted to start a daily journal ever since reading Grandma's daily journals, which she kept faithfully over many years. Grandpa, too, kept a journal during the school year of 1918, which most of you have seen. Grandma started off each entry with a comment on the weather. Here's what she wrote on this day in 1972:

"WEDNESDAY, October 4 ..... Rainy, cloudy. Didn't do much. Cleaned refrigerator & some drawers. Hemmed a pair of slacks, typed 2 lists of members of the W.S.U.C. Called on Verba and got eggs. Neva came after tomatoes in a.m. "

I'd say she did a lot that day. Of course she didn't mention making the "noon meal" and supper for Grandpa.

Lake Michigan in November

I can't remember where I found this, but I do know I didn't take it. Its such a nice picture, though. It really captures the look of a cold November afternoon on the beach.