Wee Hours Ruminations

What on earth am I doing up at 3 in the morning? Beats me! Can't sleep, again. I was just sitting here and looking at the wedding photos posted on my DS and DIL's website and reliving their wonderful day. It has been a very strange week with babysitting and then DD and the children coming to our house for an extended visit. Things are certainly different around here. I think it is a little much for my mom at times. She escaped to the city with my sister today for a little grownup time. My DH seems oblivious to the chaos, bless his heart. Thank goodness he doesn't mind as they really didn't have any place else to go. They will be making a trip back to
Chicago about once a week to visit my SIL.

The house is way too quiet right now. I turned off the television and the only sound I hear is pretty much no sound at all. Wait, I do hear the ticking of the clock on the wall. Not that it is keeping the correct time or anything, but DH can't let go of it. The longest it has kept the correct time lately is for about 5 hours. I hate to think of all the batteries we have gone through.

I have been in a funk lately. It is a struggle to even get dressed each day. Maybe I am missing work? Nah, I don't think so; but I do think I need to set a purpose for each day. I have so many things I want to do, and no motivation to get going on any of them. DH and I have been talking about the things I want to get accomplished here at home. I want to get my craft room sorted out, get rid of the excess furniture in there and set it up to be a really usable space. I also want to get the wall and ceiling of our bedroom repaired, new paint in there, and redecorate. So far though, not much of anything is happening because I can't get going.

DD and SIL closed on their old house Friday. That means everything should be go for the closing on the new house in a few weeks. It is nice that most of the worry about all that is taken care of. Now they just have to focus on moving into the new place. Yahoo!

If I repeat myself occasionally from one post to another, I hope you'll forgive me. When I named this blog "Ramblings" I really meant it. I would have to go back and re-read every post each time to make sure I wasn't repeating. LOL! Maybe that is why so few people come here to check out the blog? Who knows?

Maybe tomorrow I'll make more sense...or not!

TTFN
Ginny

The Wedding

Here is a photobook I created with photos from the wedding. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I DID IT!

Well, I got started anyway! I am finally going through all my clothes and getting rid of things that don't work for me or fit. What a mess it will be for a couple of days, but it will be worth it. I have a really hard time getting rid of things; especially if they are in any way sentimental. When I am done I will have only the clothes I wear most of the time and a few key pieces. I may add a couple of new things occasionally but only if they fit well and I love them. Poor DH, he will have to live in the mess for a little while. But it will be nice to have it done! Then I can redecorate my bedroom. It still has the same paint we put on the walls about 35 years ago. There is some damage to the ceiling that occurred during the four years we didn't live in this house and a little damage on the north wall as well. I want to get both of those things fixed and get the whole room repainted. I am actually getting excited. When this is done, I need to get my craft room fixed up. It may be time to switch out my craft room to the little room at the top of the stairs and use the bigger room that it is in now for a bunk room for all the grandchildren.

DD is coming with the children at the end of the month for an undetermined length of time. They still are having trouble finding a house to buy. No one wants to accept a bid with a contingency written in. They ask for it because they are afraid the sale of their house could fall through. It isn't likely, but they would like to have all bases covered. I am going down to my oldest son's home this weekend for some quality time with them. My DIL has been wanting to learn digital scrapbooking for a while now. I haven't done as much lately as I would like but when all the wedding photos from last weekend are in I will finish up the wedding album.

Well, I guess it is time to get to bed. I have "things" to do tomorrow and I have been staying up way too late. Night!

TTFN
Ginny

Post-Wedding Blues

Okay, I admit it. I have post-wedding blues. It has been a week since my DS got married and I still want to talk about it but everyone else has moved on. I stll want to revel in the beauty and sacredness of it all. I still want to re-live every detail and how wonderful it was. How do you get past this when your last one is married and you know it will be a LONG time until the next wedding in your immediate family? (I am thinking grandchildren and my oldest isn't even 8 yet!)

I went to another family wedding yesterday. It was my husband's step-niece whom we love very much. We were very honored to be invited as they had to keep their guest list small and they chose to include us. The couple had chosen to get married outside in a local state park. Yesterday was the most gorgeous day we will probably have this fall. Warm enough for the wedding party to be comfortable in their strapless dresses (only the girls, only the girls, LOL). The sun shone warmly and there was no wind. It would have been perfect if we had been able to get there in time for the ceremony. Talk about a comedy of errors. In order to get to the park we decided to ride the free ferry across the river instead of going around the long way. Because of the perfect day the lines for the ferry were long. We didn't get on until the third trip which was making us miss the 3 pm ceremony. When we finally got across we didn't have too far to go to reach the short way to the ceremony site. Would have been wonderful and we actually could have made the ceremony because they started quite late. But, of course, it didn't work out that way. Nope, that would have been too easy. When we got to the turn off for the road into the park, it was on a section of road that was being repaved, on a Saturday. We wanted to turn on the road anyway but they made us go around the park and enter from the other side. We did miss the ceremony, but they were still taking photos when we got there. Oh, well. The dinner was wonderful but we didn't stay for the dance. DH had to get up early to milk cows and I was getting a headache. But the bride and groom were so happy and I am glad we went.

The blisters from the other day are still killing me. I sure hope they don't get infected! I really have learned a lesson that I should have already known.

I am looking forward to DS and new DIL getting back from their honeymoon and sharing their photos of it!

Let's see, what is coming up? Next weekend I am going down to Illinois to visit my oldest son and family and maybe even DD. Then it is only a little over a month until my mom, my sisters and I go on our "girls" cruise to Cozumel. I am looking forward to that!

Okay, rambling over for today. I am going to rest my feet for a while and do some laundry. Y'all have a great day!

TTFN
Ginny

Wonderful Wedding!

DS's wedding was perfect! The weather cooperated, everyone arrived pretty much on time, and there was so much love and happiness the church nearly exploded. Throughout the ceremony my son looked at his bride with so much love I nearly cried and she just beamed back at him. The minister did a lovely job; the only bobble was when he forgot to get the microphone and had to have my new DIL repeat her "I do!". That really was a blessing in disguise as everyone laughed, including DIL, and things were just so relaxed after that. The church was on the warm side and by the end of the ceremony I was so parched. But, my son's new MIL had thought of everything and provided coolers of cool water and apple cider.

And talk about a party afterward!!!!! Wowza! I don't think I have ever seen so many people have such a great time. A few even had too good a time, but we won't mention names. I know I haven't danced that much in a long time (nor felt so old the next day either). It was wonderful to see my DS's friends after so long. They all looked so nice in their tuxes and suits. Words to do the reception justice are just escaping me.

This afternoon three of us me, hubby and my mom, went over to my son's in-law's and helped them open their gifts. It was so good to see how much they love my son! We love their daughter just as much and feel that we have added her family to ours.

I am feeling very blessed today. All three of my children are married, happy, and living useful lives. I don't think a parent can ask for more. God bless you all.

TTFN
Ginny

Time is Running Out

Wow, the wedding is only four days away! This time has gone so fast. I went in today to get a fresh coat of color on my hair and have a dry run of my hairdo for Saturday. I like it! We went a little lighter on the color and I feel like it is a better look without a couple of weeks for it to soften.

My DD and her hubby are having a heck of a time buying a house. They have put bids in on three of them but ended up having their bids rejected. They are still trying to reach a satisfactory compromise on the latest house. This one is at least in move in condition. DD says it really only requires some new paint on some of the walls and the rest can wait until much later. I hope they get this one. It is right across the street from the elementary school the children will attend in a few years. It's also near a park which is wonderful as they need a place to go while my son-in-law sleeps during the day (he works nights). So, keep your fingers crossed...please?

My little sister in Seabrook, Texas is back at her home now. What a mess! They didn't get the food out of their fridge before they left. They had to go searching for some bleach but the grocery stores (no power so the stores are operating on generators). Finally, some was found at Walgreens and they were able to get their fridge cleaned and re-stocked. For some reason my sister has power at her house. They just don't have phone service. Thank goodness for cell phones! It looks as though they will probably have to have their wallboards replaced as well as their furniture, drapes, and carpeting. She says it all so depressing; the neighborhood is full of debris from the flooding. The most predominant sound is that of chainsaws as people try to cut up the trees that were downed by Ike.

I want to know how my DS and his wife-to-be are staying so calm. When you call to ask a question they don't get upset or anything! I asked if he was nervous; he said, "No, not at all. I am just so ready for this." Amazing! The adorable, funny little boy that I think of sometimes has grown into a wonderful young man. One thing that has stayed the same is his very dry sense of humor. I usually realize he has made a joke about something after it is long past. There is an old saying that goes "A daughter is a daughter all of her life; but a son is a son until he takes a wife." There is some truth in that. You are no longer the most important woman in their lives. Of course, that's the way it SHOULD be! But, it is a really strange feeling for a mother when that youngest one takes the big step.

Okay, I'm done rambling for tonight. Sleep well, all! I may not return until next week.

TTFN
Ginny

Procrastination

Well, I still haven't accomplished a whole lot. I find myself avoiding certain things and I'm not sure why. I hope my motivation kicks in soon.

Yesterday I went to the restaurant where we are hosting our son's rehearsal dinner. I hadn't been there before and I was really surprised at how lovely it is. It is an Italian themed restaurant and I was pleased with the decor. We are having our dinner in an area set apart from the main dining room by a half-wall made of rocks. The set apart area is decorated like an old fashioned Italian street; complete with apartment windows above the storefronts. A clothesline is stretched across the upper part of the space reaching from one window to the other side and is hung with actual clothes. The restaurant calls it the "laundry" room. LOL! The wedding is less than a month away now and things are starting to get exciting. I am looking forward to seeing all my son's high school buddies. They hung out here at our house quite a lot in the summers, working on Mike's black van, "Stella".

I am going to try quilting for the first time since very early in my marriage. Way back then I made my parents a quilt out of fabric I had used to make clothes when I still lived at home. It wasn't very well made but they used it so much. My mother still has it and it is starting to fall apart, but we put it on our living room floor for the babies to crawl around on. I bought some diecut fabric shapes to make each grandchild a quilt and I plan to applique them. It is starting to look a bit daunting as the first quilt shape is a scottie dog and there are so many shart points. I am not sure how to do this but I am going to try to use fusible webbing and then machine applique them on. If anyone has any tips, I would really appreciate them.

Today I went to the cow chip art fair. What do I mean by cow chip? It is a dried cow patty, yes it is manure, that people throw for distance. The one who throws the furthest wins. The annual labor day weekend Cow Chip Throw is the biggest thing to happen all year in our 2 small towns. There is a parade, the art fair (great shopping), lots of food, bands, demonstrations and, of course, the cow chip throwing contest. I live near Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin. There are actually two towns that are divided by a street; Sauk City and Prairie du Sac. I used to love to watch the throwing, but it is exceptionally hot this year and there are definitely hazards to the spectators. Seating is either in the covered small bleachers on trailers or lawn chairs in the open. The throwers are not always able to keep their throw inside the boundries and they can fly off to hit spectators. A wet cow pie is soft and smooshie but a dried one is hard and lethal. You really don't want to get hit!

Well, I will close for now. Have a great holiday weekend!

Where do I go from here?

Hi, everyone! My name is Ginny and I recently retired. I decided to establish a blog to reach out to new friends and get advice on how to spend my retirement. This first month has been spent getting ready for my youngest son's wedding on September 27th. He is the last one to get married and I think I'm really glad. When the wedding is over I have a list of things I want to accomplish. I think the first thing I will do is empty out my craft room (also known in the family as the "crap" room). There is way too much furniture and other stuff and I don't use it at all the way it is. I have spent too much time collecting supplies and not much time using them. Well, it time for all that to change. I hope you will keep me company on my journey.