Merry Monday and Happy April Oneth

I called my heating/ac company this morning to schedule the spring check-up.  They aren't scheduling "until we have more warm days".   She will call me in two weeks to set up a time.  And that tells you what kind of a Spring it's been in central Oklahoma!

Plan du Jour is to "do something" with the items in the ironing basket.  I've run out of things to procrastinate with.

Onward and Upward......

Good morning from the Interior where all remains the same. Altho while we have remained in the fifties for our highs and lows, this coming Wednesday is forecast with a high of 29 and a low of 13 and then back to the fifties for the remainder of the week.

Maintenance has been out raking all the leaves, and on the inside, they've been shampooing carpets and doing various bits of here and there Spring cleaning and general freshening up which is nice.

Alan and Dora will be poorer this week as they are taking all three cats in for general checkups and scheduled injections. I'm glad Farrah is done until next winter! Another friend has two West Highland terriers, and they are also going in for their yearly shots and exams. They all have pet insurance, and I'm thinking about it as everything seems to have gotten so expensive.

Here is a bit from Wordsmith, "Show this bold Prussian that praises slaughter: slaughter brings rout!

What's special about the above sentence? Remove the first letter of each word and it still makes sense."

Patricia, Timbuktu to Kalamazoo does not ring a bell, but I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo does.  In print we often abbreviate it to Kazoo.  I think your sentence made more sense after taking out the first letters.  It's amazing what some people can come up with.

After he fixes lunch, Tom is taking me to the med center for a blood draw.  Then I'll call the doctor's office to make an appointment. 

After that he's going to work on my #2 computer.  I can understand a computer not connecting to a network but I don't understand no network being available.  Tom does not like to work on PCs but he will help me with mine.  If I can't connect to a network, I will print my income tax form and send it in.  I am getting a refund this year, but it isn't enough to stand up and shout about; it just would take longer to get the refund.

Mary Ann 

Lovely sunny but chilly day. The wind makes it feel icier than it is.

I have a new neighbor. A groundhog. Hope it stays along the hedgerow and doesn't dig up my yard. It is in sad shape as it is. Soon I'll have to get out there in earnest and rake pine needles up. There are still a bunch of downed branches and prunings that need broken down and bagged for the trash.

MarsGal, I don't envy you your yard work.  Time was I did not mind it and I especially liked to mow the lawn.  I know I can't do it any more, besides, the condo hires people to do the work and they do a better job than I would!

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, I'll Google and see what I come up with. It's possible I have the name or personality wrong. I'd love to have a yard to play around with, but then I remember all the hard word I helped to put in at my parents as a child and in Kentucky, up in the "Hollers" with my second husband and I'm thankful again for my balcony.

It has two chairs, a wee table and I always plant a few flowers in the outside pots.

Mary Ann - Glenn Miller and his Orchestra,  "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo - don't wanta boast, but I know she's the toast of Kalamazoo, zoo zoo zoo zoo".  I remember singing that one, when I was a little girl in the early 1940's.  They also had another big hit song called "Chattanooga Choo-Choo", which was popular around the same time period. 

Today, April First, marks another birthday for our daughter Sandy.  She will come over later and we plan to take her out to dinner to a restaurant of her choice.

MarsGal - Yep, the ground-hogs, gophers and moles, are in full swing this time of year!  They love it when the ground is damp from the long Winter.  We had a gopher that tore up out back lawn one night last week. Piles of dirt covering most of once was a nice smooth grassy surface!  AJ set a couple of gopher traps, and did get one! 

Good morning also to Jean, Callie, Larry and Patricia.  I'll be busy most of the day, but hope to check in and post again this evening. 

Marilyn, it amused me that there was a song about Kalamazoo, but with an interesting name like that, it lends itself to be in a song. 

Are you sure it is gophers digging up your lawn?  It sounds like moles to me.  My old neighbor used to take a pitchfork an watch for movement around the holes, then stab them.  He brought one to my door one time to let me see and touch it.  It had the softest fur.  I bought mole pellets and put them down the holes in a attempt to rid my yard of moles.  They are springtime visitors.

Patricia, the author doesn't matter, I just had not heard of the saying.  Your balcony sounds good to me.  I have my deck and bought some deck furniture last year so the deck will look quite nice and inviting.  I gave away all my amaryllis except one and I kept a few of the other plants and I'll put them on the deck.  The plants do very well out there in the sun.

Mary Ann

Mornin all.  Sun is shining and supposed to be 69 today.  Hope so.  Nights are still cold but the sun makes up for that.

Have a great day all.

Went to our Monday afternoon at the church hall games...this is rather a new thing being started up...There is a side table laid out with various board games, I am assuming donated as some boxes look a tad on the shabby side...There was slightly a few more there today, 3 to 4 tables although two of the men were engrossed in the game of chess...We at our table dug out a new game to me and Richard called Rummikub, a game we enjoyed and I wouldn't mind playing again especially that its not taken too seriously and we all help each other out...On my MS medical side, it hasn't been a great week for me, the top of right leg electric shocks have been pretty bad, made my walking even more harder, even my trips back and forth to the loo was tough going, and it doesn't help having a cup of tea on arrival and at half break, of course I cant turn down a cuppa and a custard cream biscuit or two, can I? now that would be daft of me..

Jackie, I'm familar with Rummikub as Gin is one of my go to games with friends, that and poker.

I have spent some time looking at available houses for sale locally and certainly, wish I was still young and able as I'd move out of town quickly. There are many houses up in the hills with beautiful views of the Alaska Range and the Tanana River basin!

MaryAnn, I did find the song, and it was directed at children, it was on Billboard for 1952 and performed by Jimmy Durante. I was beginning to wonder if it was an imagination figment so was glad to see it.

https://tinyurl.com/y29y3wnb

Patricia, I found the song online and I can honestly say I never heard of the song and I had not heard it until today. 

For some reason or other, the song reminded me of a party we had at work.  The wife of one of our salesmen had a record shop.  So our salesman found records that included each of our names and put pieces of the songs on tape.  I don't throw much away, so I think I still have the tape somewhere.  My song was "All day, all night, Mary Ann, sitting by the seashore sifting sand".  Remember that one? 

I had my blood draw today and I should have the results sometime tomorrow afternoon.  I'll call the doctor's office to see about an appointment.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, one of my favourite all time calypsos, which brings back good memories of my time living in St Lucia when I was 31, and my daughter had her 13th birthday there...Lost count how many times we danced to this, local hotel BBQ on the beach.......Link...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyMJMb84mJE

Jackie, what was in my head was not calypso, however, I do remember hearing a calypso version.  I found there were several calypso versions.  Thanks for the link.

You'd laugh at where your link took me - after listening to and watching the song, I clicked on one of the boxes at the right and I spent about a half hour watching ships on the Great Lakes.  They do fascinate me!

Mary Ann

Just a quick check in tonight.

We managed to get all of our commitments done today.  Michele's Chemo treatment was very LONG.  She had to be there at 8:30 and did not finish until 3.  She was so tired afterwards and just got home and went straight to bed.  The kiddos all had cute stories to tell about April Fools Day.

YES, MARYANN, our long awaited first grandchild is 13 years old!  It is hard for me to believe too! His mom and dad will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary very soon.  I enjoyed reading about the going out to breakfast stories....that has benn going on for a good long time. 

Jackie, Happy to read you got out today to enjoy a bit of fun.  I love playing Rummmicube....

I just realized I never finished this, so best get it posted right now before I head off to bed.

Pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny 

did you know?

Rummikub was invented by Ephraim Hertzano, a Romanian-born Jew, who immigrated to Israel in the 1940s. He hand-made the first sets with his family in the backyard of his home. Hertzano sold these sets door-to-door and on a consignment basis at small shops. Over the years, the family licensed it to other countries and it became Israel's best selling export game. In 1977, it became a bestselling game in the United States.[1][2] The game was marketed as "Rummikid" during part of the 1970s

Bubble...
...interesting facts, I guess we dont think of these boxed games inventors, the brains behind them, we just play them and enjoy them...
Myself and Richard we are at the sampling stage, but this game will be amongst one of my favourites...

Jenny..
...this all sounds so tough on Michelle, she should be out there enjoying life, not having chemo then having to sleep, but if this is what is done to give her a chance of making things better, this is what has to be done... But I do so feel for her, the hubby, the children, your grandchildren having to see mom like this...

Mary Ann...
...happy to be of service to you, you did at least enjoy the Great Lakes and boats...I do hope my " calypso " rendition didn't sink to the bottom, never to be seen, nor heard of again...

Patricia...
...I quite enjoy card games, my late father taught me many as a young child, we would often sit at the large dining table, he also taught me dominoes, draughts and darts...And of course if I was ever lucky to win, he would tell me " I let you win this time.." yes, of course he did...

Good Tuesday morning.  It is a pretty sunny morning, but only 28º/.

Just stopping by to say "Hello".  I didn't get here yesterday, so did read back and caught up.

Jackie  Rummikub  is one of my favorite games.  I do have a set of my own, but don't get to play much anymore.  There is a game down in our rec room, but can't find anybody who is that interested in playing.  Some of my friends, who used to get together. always enjoyed playing that.

I like all kinds of board  games, but they are not very popular here where I live.  Most the them prefer to play cards.  And, our card game is on the agenda for tonight. There are usually 2 or 3 groups that play.

Mary Ann, I still can't get into the site at the Soo locks.  Still keep getting an message that it is not active enough.  Even that link you posted, took me to the same page.

I did get to see a Canadian ship come into the canal the other day, and I was able to follow it up into the harbor.  There still was a lot of ice to break through.   But, there did seem to be a nice crowd to watch it come in.  I watched it come in from a long way off.  When I first saw it, I couldn't make out if it was coming in or one that had gone out. It took it a good while to start getting bigger, so I knew it was just coming in and I stayed around and watched it.   I am looking forward to a long summer of watching the ships in the canal.  Plus, all the activity that goes on in the canal.  I so would love to be able to go there in person. 

I have been up a while, but still need to get some breakfast.  I also need to load my dishwasher, as I have dishes from yesterday that need to go into it.  But, first I have to unload what is in there..  That is one job, I really hate to do.

I hope everyone will have a great day.

Joy

https://www.9and10news.com/weather/live-skycams/sault-st-marie-cam/

Joy, try again.  This is the link that works for me.  I felt at the time I came upon this link that it was the same as the other one, but at least I am not getting the error message.  It looks kind of hazy at the Soo but no new snow, just the dirty old snow.  I like to follow the ships in Duluth until they disappear around the corner from the harbor. 

I am not a game player and prefer crosswords, jigsaw or solitaire.  I used to buy crossword books and start at the back, working my way forward.  By the time I was half way through the Medium puzzles, I was ready for a new book and I was snobbish in that I wanted to work only Dell puzzles.  I wonder if they have those any more; I don't go to a store to find out any more.  But I have plenty on the computer!

We look to have a so-so day which could bring rain, but probably no snow.  It is 40 degrees now, overcast.

BBL

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone on a rainy, chilly but otherwise nice morning and we are to see the sunshine by mid-afternoon.  We were suppose to get up an inch or more of rain last night but have no idea whether we did or not.  I have managed to get a few things done this morning such as emptying the top rack of the dishwasher and fold up a few rags that Pat had washed that will be needed by our housekeeper when she gets here Friday.  I have several other small projects I would like to do or get started on this morning but other than fill my medicine boxes for the next two weeks they are not high priority.  Scott did make it our yesterday morning and stayed until about 2:30 when he had to go home and get ready for work.  I think when I wrote here yesterday that it was Wednesday morning and not Monday morning. He worked on his mother's computer and fixed it so she can use Chrome on it.

I have read all the postings since I posted here yesterday.  Thanks everyone for keeping this discussion going as coming here each morning is a vital part of my day.

Larry, I did not check your Soda Shoppe post but I did not find where you said yesterday was Wednesday in this folder; you're not losing it yet!

The sun has come out and the temperature has risen so we might have a nice day after all 

I check our dishwasher at night and if there are enough dishes in it to make it worth while, I do the dishes when I go to bed.  That way we cannot open the dishwasher by mistake and forget to restart it.  Been there, done that!

Larry, you also are a vital part of our day, so check in daily, even if you don't feel like answering anyone. 

Kendrick has checked on me this morning although he did jump on my bed once during the night.  He stayed about 45 minutes, a long time for him.

Mary Ann

We had a nice rain during the night.  I could hear the rain hitting the skylight in the hall.  Today is sunny and bright in the 6os with a high of 70 this afternoon.

We are having so many grackles coming to the feeders and eating the mealworms that my husband puts out for the bluebirds.  I just hope it doesn't mean our bluebirds go elsewhere.  The bluebirds made two nests last year and a Carolina Chickadee made one.  I hope they come back again to nest.  We have three bluebird houses attached to the wooden fence in various locations in the backyard.

Joy, you should be getting some warm weather soon.  When you are enjoying a nice summer, we will be probably be sweltering in the heat.  June was always a pleasant month in Maryland and we spent many a June evening sitting on the patio in our swing,  but the weather in July and August are worse in the DC area than here.

Marilyne, I hope your daughter had a nice birthday and everyone enjoyed a dinner out.  Our oldest grandson will be 39 years old next month.  He is still cancer free but has his regular checkups as it will always be a worry.  He and his wife and two little ones are enjoying life as best they can because he knows he can't be sure of what might come next.

I have made the most delicious white bread.  I gave my daughter a loaf and they enjoyed it so much.  My son-in-law was wondering if I could make a rye bread so today I am giving it a try.  I wish I could get this enthused about the Instant Pot.  😀

It is always so good to read all the posts.  Bubble, the history of Rummikub was most interesting.  Rummikub is one of the few games my son-in-law likes.  We all enjoy it but mostly end up playing Mexican Train with dominoes.  Several years ago we took two vacations with Larry's brother and wife, and we managed to play some type of board game almost every day in spite of all the sightseeing.  We are big game players on both sides of the family.

Have a good day everyone.

Lots of messages to read here this morning! I'm usually the last one here every day, so it's fun to sit back and read something from just about everyone.  Joan and Patricia haven't checked in yet, but hope to see a message from them later.

Larry - your son Scott, is doing a good job of watching over you and Pat.  With a job to attend to every day, he always makes time to come over and do things for the two of you.  I know you said he fell asleep and didn't make it over a couple of days ago,  but I can see where he has to catch up, with all he does! 

Mary Ann - the link you posted to The Soo, works great for me, and the old original one is still blank.  I looked last night at around 10:00 o'clock here, which would be Midnight there.  No boats or people around, but it was brightly lighted, and looked again like the water was frozen?  I watched for a while, so see if I could see any movement in the water, but it seemed to be frozen into those little wavelets?    I also meant to tell you that Grand Haven has been blank/black for about a week now.  Is there any other link you would post that would work?

I remember when  "Hit Parade" version of the song Mary Ann, was by Frankie Valli, and the Four Seasons.  I think it was a big hit in the 1950's?  The popular Calypso version here, was by Harry Belafonte.   That makes me wonder, if Harry B still living?  If he is, I think he's older than I am?

Joy - You sound like me, in that you forget to eat breakfast or other meals.  Breakfast is one that I often skip, because I get involved in something, and then it's getting close to noon, before I remember that I didn't eat  I do drink lots of coffee, so I think that gives me the energy to get a lot done first thing in the morning.

Jenny - I think about Michele every day, and pray that she will survive this rigorous round of chemo, and then go into permanent remission.  She is so needed by her family, and  I can tell by the things you say, that she is very much loved by everyone.  Are she and Dave the ones who are celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary? 

Jackie - You got me very interested in playing Rummikub!  I haven't played a board game in a long time - the last one being Scrabble, which has been a couple of years now.  I wish we had a Senior meeting place near us here, where people could gather, and choose a board game to play.   That sounds like so much fun.  As I just mentioned to Mary Ann - I remember the song by Frankie Valli and the four seasons, but the Calypso Version by Harry Belafonte, was also very popular here in California.

Jean - I'm glad that you mentioned your grandson, and that he is doing well. It just makes me sick that so many young people in their 30's are getting cancer. When we were young, we didn't know anyone who was diagnosed with it.  It was always older people in their 60's, on up. I wonder if there is an explanation for that?
Thanks for asking about our daughter's birthday dinner.  Yes, we did have a nice meal at the fish restaurant here in town.  She is still very depressed over the sudden death of her best friend. She attended three separate services over this past weekend, and she spoke at the main church funeral service.

Good morning from an also chilly Interior! We received Wednesday's forecast today along with a high wind advisory for both days.

 We've dropped from plus fifties highs and lows to a 26 degree low and a 39 degree high. I hope this is not a harbinger of what's ahead for the week and weekend or further as I was enjoying the increasingly warmer days.

Farrah has thrown me for a loop. For some time I have been playing a type of peekaboo with her from behind my laptop or from around the hallway upon occasion. This morning she was watching the door and listening to hallway traffic when I stuck my head around and back. She would alternate looking at me then back at the door.

Feeling upstaged by hall traffic, I went back to the computer. I happened to glance at her, and she looked back once before turning away. The next time I looked, she had moved closer but turned her head away each time I looked. 

This back and forth continued until she was under the small tray table and her last move was to jump up beside the table and thump her paws both on the keyboard before sitting back down and looking away! She was playing!! I was amazed by my little ex-feral!

Larry, it is so good to see your posts! I enjoy seeing them each morning!

Jackie, we always played cards or cribbage as I was growing up and when I was married. I miss those games as they've become irregular. Most of the time spent out with friends is either shopping or a meal out or a lunch or dinner where everyone sits around afterward and visits.

 I know the guys have a regular low stakes poker night, but I think it is more a men's gossip setting where they talk about "manly" topics and not gossip as we do. Sometimes we women will get together and play poker for Oreos where we don't attempt to solve the world's ills but do make our feelings known about it!

Here, at the apartments, they have a Wednesday game night for Bunko, Uno and similar games and there is Friday night Bingo and Saturday movie nights but I think in the five years I've been here, I've gone to each perhaps once. I miss going down in the mornings and seeing all the guys who've all passed.

They used to sit at the table closet to the coffee and donuts while getting away from their wives or empty apartments. Now its usually empty except for the lunch times when people willing to pay $35.00 weekly, (for a styrofoam container with a few pieces); hangout.

Bubble, that is interesting about the game's origins. I always understood it to be derived from Gin Rummy. Jackie you know you can play it online along with many other games?

MaryAnn, they still have those Dell books. I usually pick up two or three when I'm at the market to toss in an end table. Then I put one in the bathroom under the sink and one by my computer table.

 I used to put one out in the bathroom until one day I picked it up and found someone had attempted a puzzle before scribbling it out with the pen! I remember being so angry that someone would do that. I have never left a magazine out since. It leaves a bad taste that someone invited to my home would do that!

Jean, in the late nineties and early 2000s, my Dad and my sisters and I all had colon cancer which we all survived. My Dad died in 1995 of strokes and bad health unrelated to his cancer and in the eighties my Mom had breast cancer and died in 2000 from Alzheimer's and not cancer. All of that was before today's advances. I was told back then that after seven years I was in the clear. I think if your grandson follows doctor's orders and takes care, he will also do well.

Jenny, I hope Michele does as well. I believe attitude plays as much a part as the doctors in cancer treatment and she seems to be a strong woman.

Interesting that I just received a call asking me to lunch and cards at Dora's on Wednesday. I told her we had just been discussing cards online and she said she hopes she has a good review on Thursday!    We all look forward to her lunches as she enjoys trying out new dishes on us guinea pigs and we are always grateful.

Marilyne, we posted at the same time. I looked up Harry Belafonte, and he is still living at 92. I also loved his songs, and I went back yesterday to Jackie's link and listened to the young man's song again, it was so upbeat.

I also loved Frankie Valli! I believe I wore out my record of "Sherry" and "Walk like a man." It was the first record I purchased on my own.

I was told in 2002 that many of the cancers are due to the increased chemicals in our food and lives. That was 17 years ago, and it has gotten worse! They affect both human and animal health. Roundup, for example, is a known carcinogenic and has also been blamed for killing many birds and other wildlife.

There is a strong movement to get it banned and the company, Monsanto is fighting back hard. There are three lawsuits I'm aware of blaming Monsanto for cancer and other related deaths.

Joy, Marilyne, I usually only eat one meal daily in the late afternoon. I worked the late schedule or evenings for so much of my life that it is what I'm used to and lately I've done more snacking than actually eating a meal.

EarthCam has teamed up with affiliate, Surf Grand Haven, to deliver uninterrupted live views of Lake Michigan. See the activities taking place near Grand Haven Pier and Lighthouse.

LIVE NOW! Lake Michigan Cam - https://www.earthcam.com/usa/michigan/grandhaven/lakemichigan/?cam=lakemichigan

I found the link above about Grand Haven.  My first impression is not good because when I click on the word LIVE, I get the message that the camera is not available.  Maybe - some day. 

I always enjoy reading the long messages from everyone, makes me feel not so guilty when I write a book.  Patricia, I'm glad to see Farrah is really becoming a "house" cat and not so feral any more.  I know Kendrick would like more attention but I can't give him the type of attention he needs.  I do go in the living room and sit on the couch to be near him.  Sometimes he gets on the towel beside me and other times he lies on the floor.  He frequently goes to the drawer where I keep the catnip and would love it if I gave him some.  Sometimes i oblige. 

Patricia, remember when there was such a hullabaloo about DDT?  It was blamed for many of the same things that Roundup is and I think no longer is on the market.  I have my own opinion about reasons for climate change and won't express them, but I feel humans are responsible for much of it.

Marilyn, I hope the link above works for you.  Maybe if Earthcam gets its act together, we might see it live. 

I think the version of Mary Ann I liked best was Harry Belafonte's and I believe he is still alive, but more involved in civil rights agendas.  Without looking up his age, I think he is older than I am, but not by much.  When I think to, I'll look it up.  If you look at the Soo map, you can often see when ships are in the vicinity and where they are headed.  If you don't have the map, tell me and I'll send a link. I see Patricia furnished the information about Harry Belafonte.

When he went to the doctor last week, Tom was told to lose weight and he was sent to a weight loss program at the hospital.  I told Tom I wanted a list of foods when he gets one so I would know what not to order - at least for both of us.  I even took the cookies which are especially for me and put them in this room.  He has a lot of weight to lose.  In the past, he's had a good start on losing weight, but has gained it all back again - and this time I think he gained more than he had lost.  He'll be 62 in July and he's going to have to work at it; I will try to help by not ordering things he shouldn't have.  But he's done a good enough job of that!

I had to go back to retrieve the link to Grand Haven and in my e-mail I noticed an ad "to restore my manhood"! 

Mary Ann

Good Afternoon, Bait and Tacklers,
Big item on the To Do list this morning was to get what my kids used to call "Big Groceries" (meaning a lot of...). While I was "working the aisles, there were several announcements that the fire alarm system would be tested "but this is only a test. We apologize for the inconvenience". I was SO glad it hadn't happened by the time I left the store. Those things almost give me a panic attack - warning or no warning.

Patricia, do you think your carpet cleaners would come South and do mine? (Didn't think so!!!!)
Been meaning to ask if you would give me the link to the webcam in Africa you watch. I used to watch Pete's Pond all the time but haven't had any success since National Geographic gave up sponsoring the webcam.
So cute about Farrah playing her own game of Peek-A-Boo. J

I was in college when I first heard Harry Belafonte. He opened for a Marge & Gower Champion concert with a short set of songs so was probably just beginning. Must have been l955 or 1956. I remember how tiny Marge Champion was in person.

My family - and extended in-law family - love board games, a well as card games that several can play. The Grands learned to play "Sorry" and other children's games at an early age. Now that they're grown, the 8 of us have very rowdy games of Mexican Train every Christmas.
Hubby and I used to play Skip-Bo, Uno and Farkle (with dice) with several other couples. We also played Tripoli with about 6 other couples on New Year's Eve. One year, we were so busy playing that we forgot to watch the time and missed midnight.

FlaJean, the grackles discovered the mealy worm suet I put out and almost ate the whole square at one sitting. Grrrr! Haven't seen any bluebirds but have seen a pair of Carolina Wrens and quite a few Rosy and Yellow Finches. The four pair of cardinals are still around, too. We don't put hummingbird feeders out until mid-April.

I've watched several ships come and go at Duluth. Ones leaving have looked as if they had to "grind" the ice after they came around the corner and headed for the bridge.
If you click on Home, you can see videos of various ships coming and going and spectacular videos of sunrises.

This has turned into a book - and I hear my housekeeper approaching. Better get out of her way.....

Special hugs to those who are - or whose family members are - dealing with health issues. 

A good Tuesday HELLO.

BUBBLE, how interesting to read the info about the man who invented Rummikube.  How interesting also that he sold it as Rnmmikid in the 70's.

JEAN, I am sorry to read that your family also has a loved one with cancer experience.  I certainly hope your son can stay in remission.  It is so stressful having that hanging over your head.  Anxious to hear how the rye bread turned out! 

JACKIE, I thank you for your kind words.....yes, Michele should be enjoying this very busy and important time of her life rather than dealing with this nasty cancer.  I have to admit that I worr6 most about my son as he is the one carrying the heavy burden of this whole thing.  He wants to be there for everyone and yet still hold down a very demanding schedule at work AND is studying to get his Masters in Business Administration.  This is a needed part of his overall career, and sadly had already started it before Michele was diagnosed again.  Michele was feeling a bit better this morning after her LONG day of Chemo yesterday.  Unfortunately though, she is fine one second and then she is whiped out the next.  Bless her heart.

I must get a few things done before we have to head out the door to tend to grand kiddos after school activities.  Today we take Matt to tennis lessons......it is not near their home so Bob will have to figure out where we are going. 

Had to say HI to you CALLIE.  We play all,of the games you mentioned with our grands and their family also.....I just love it.  Mexican Train is a favorite.
Have a great day.

Jenn

Jenny, I feel so sad that your family must go through the stress that you all have at this time.  Jackie is right that this is the time of her life that Michele should be able to enjoy her family and their activities. 

I imagine it is Dave and Michele who will celebrate 25 years of marriage soon.  In today's world, that is a long time. 

Callie, when my mother was alive, she, Norm and I used to play a 3-handed card game called Clubs.  I would have no idea how to play it today as I've completely forgotten how.  Dad wasn't much of a board game or card game player except he did belong to a bridge club with church members.  As a result, it's been almost 50 years since I have been in a game of any sort with anyone, so I am content with crossword and jigsaw puzzles.  And I play a card game (Klondike) on the computer.

Mary Ann
 

Callie, I'll mention it to our building maintenance and see what they think! 

Callie, here is one that includes Pete's Pond, the one in Botswana;

https://africafreak.com/live-african-wildlife-webcams

Here is the one I watch  https://explore.org/livecams/african-wildlife/african-watering-hole-animal-camera  I saw in the highlights reel here a couple of hippos engaging in very frisky behavior! I had never realized altho I should have; that hippos are like horses in that regard.

And here is a Google page of African cams;  https://www.google.com/search?q=Africian+cams&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS840US840&oq=Africian+cams&aqs=chrome..69i57.10025j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Botswana is 6 hours ahead of DC so 7 or 8 hours ahead of Oklahoma?

Also, the Decorah Eagles, if you follow that cam have two new eaglets. 

https://explore.org/livecams/bald-eagles/decorah-eagles-north-nest

Also, for what I originally cam to post, "Turkey halts traffic on New Hampshire road so other turkeys can pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCPwOKvwugc&utm_source=CNN+Five+Things&utm_campaign=8858eeab95-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_04_02_02_32&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6da287d761-8858eeab95-87090417

MaryAnn, it's banned here, but the company just went to India and other similar countries and sold DDT there. No conscience over products is there?