Memorial Day Weekend

Himself and I had a nice long holiday weekend.

He left home Thursday after work and went to Too and set to mowing.

I felt I had to work Friday, as we have been so busy -- thought I should work at least half of the day, anyway. I ended up working until 12:30, to help the office through the noon hour. Then I had errands to run and places to go, before I took off for Two.

I also felt at liberty to stop at every garage sale and junk shop that I could find, between home and Too. And did! Himself doesn't like to stop, when he's driving, so I take advantage of the times when I drive down alone. We didn't come home until Tuesday and went back to work on Wednesday. So we did have a long weekend.


But we didn't spend much time here -- here at III.

Himself has sort of cut ties with this place. I think ever since the blankety *&^^%$#@%^ blank electric company went through and chewed up the "Top", Himself has sort of backed away. He has turned his back.

I think Himself thought when we purchased this acreage that this was THE PLACE. The Place where Corporate America , Big Brother and/or Government would not come calling. But, darn it, they did. They came calling, crawling, chawing and chewing. And spitting. It wasn't/isn't pretty.


They brought the big machine in and even though Himself had tended, mowed and cared for an electrical right away, it wasn't good enough (or they were just contrary enough) that they marched that huge tree eating machine down the right-away and chewed up every tree, limb, bush and shrub -- within chawing distance -- then spewed the remnants out on the ground like a honking chaw of tobaccy.

There is no way in Heaven Himself could begin to mow The Top now without one of us first taking a garden rake and spending 15 -20 hours up there raking and clearing.

I think Himself is heart sick.

We are talking about selling out.

But look!

Look at the cabin clearing! Isn't it just so pretty? Just like a park.

How can we give this up?

Blast from the Past 2004

Our very first visit after signing the "to buy" contract! January 2004.

That almost looks like a hockey stick in Joey's chubby baby hands. Gabby has a stick too -- well, okay, more like a log! Traci is sure good to let them try things, to experiment and they were (and are) curious little creatures. Fun! Makes me miss chubby little baby hands, cheeks and legs!

Oh, hey! We'll soon get to meet Miss Isabella and we'll have more chubby little baby cheeks and elbows! Can't wait!

Oriental umbrella?

They are pretty and fragile looking when the leaves first start to sprout.

They might be Hickory trees, a Shagbark Hickory.

We see these at III.
What do you think?

'bout time

We have been to Too several times in the last couple of months but it has been awhile since we've gotten to III. For one thing, we are busy. Just busy and it is hard to find a good weekend to go. For two, it has been a very wet spring. That lane does not get any better, week after week. It stays wet. The Missouri clay stays slick and the ruts remain because how could we even attempt to grade the lane (if we were so inclined) until it drys out a little.


Finally, Thursday, I said let's go. Let's take Friday off and we'll go mow Too. Take Friday and get a head start. We'll need to be home Sunday morning. We have a dinner date at the Freys.


'bout time, we got there.

We did head out Friday and got to Too where there had just been a soaker of a rain. The lawn was saturated and the ditch was running. I dumped Himself out and went to town on the assumption that he would not be able to mow until afternoon or possibly, even the next morning. In fact, I went more than to town, I went to Jamesport. I had been needing some Amish herbs and spices and other things. I need a day to bebop. A day to stop at garage sales if I found one, to turn around and go back the way I came, to take back roads and byways. Himself was content to stay at Too and putter, he said.


I went, guiltless. Carefree. Joyful in the knowledge that Himself wasn't working his fingers to the bones while I galivanted. Himself wasn't out there slaving away doing all the mowing by Himself while I was out spending money.


I would be back in time to help mow and I would have adventure and enjoy sights and do a little shopping.

Sometime shortly afternoon, I called Himself to let him know I was okay, still in Jamesport and after one more country store, I would head home. "I'm almost done mowing" he said. What? you weren't going to start until after Noon? Well, there went some of my lightheartedness but I was 50 miles away and had one more stop at Jamesport and several stops yet between Jamesport and Too so what could I do?

I made my way back home although it took me about three hours as I was an hour a way, I had to stop at the Mercer grocery store as I had a grocery list, needed to fill the Jeep up with gas as Himself had requested and had another errand or two.

I dragged in to find the lot half mowed. I thought you were "about" done mowing 3 hours ago? Well, he just told me that, he said. He had saved half the mowing so I could practice on the new zero turn mower. Okay. I got at it, got on the new mower, refreshed my memory and mowed the rest of it. I WILL get used to the new mower. Sometime.

Jamesport

life is complex, especially at my age. Time flies! I can't keep up. I work 5 days and am off two days and there are not enough "off" days to keep up with all I want to do. This weekend, I want to:



Have dinner for all my children and grandchildren

Borrow grandchildren
Have "sleepovers" with grandchildren

Go to Too
Go to Three

Go to the Austin cousin reunion at St. Charles
Plant flowers and work in the gardens
Clean house
Write blogs

Search my family tree

Build a windmill (small or large, doesn't matter)
Make scrapbooks

Order photos

Make cream puffs
Bake bread

Sleep 'til noon


No wonder some people, after they retire from working, say "I don't know how I had time to work!"



Friend Vi and her son tried to Mushroom hunt at III last weekend. They were hampered. They were hamstrung. They were tormented by Himself's defense and Mother nature.



The lane was muddy and slick. Himself has a "head chopper" strung across the lane. The neighbor's have an annoying barking dog. Vi and son did not find a single, solitary mushroom. I think the neighbor, south, gets them. Vi has vibes that the neighbor, north, gets them. It is probably whoever finds them first! Some year, one year, it will be me that finds them. It will be me that finds them first. Read 2007's mushroom search by clicking Here