Quote from: larryhanna on February 27, 2017, 09:23:06 AM


MarsGal, the Longwood Gardens were very impressive.  We have something similar in Georgia called Callaway Gardens, which we visited two or three times, one time at Christmas time with a senior group.  We went in a bus and had dinner there and then after it got dark we had a bus tour of the gardens with all of the many light displays. 

Larry, we did that Callaway bus trip last year & really enjoyed it also.

Hi everyone on a beautiful, sunny and soon to be pretty warm day here in South Carolina.  We are headed up to 80 degrees today.  The men did get the house and fence pressure washed yesterday and I expect them back today to stain the back fence.  I will be gone all morning and until early afternoon.  At 10 am I have a cleaning appointment at the dentist and following that will stop at the Church for the Adult Fellowship monthly luncheon.  The speaker today will be talking about what is going on and is soon to happen in our little town.

Marilyne, thanks for the early morning greeting.  Yes, we do get the mailer with special offers as well as the monthly magazine.  My guess is that it is a national ad for all their stores.  I did see the special on the Ravioli Lasagne and would love it but Pat is trying to stay away from pasta.  She loves their frozen grade A strawberries and we use a lot of their Parmesian and Sharp Cheddar cheese.  We also think their meats really can't be topped.  The rebate checks are also a nice feature and I am saving ours until it is time to restock the meat we keep in the freezer.

ShirleyN, it has been quite a few years since we have been to Callaway Gardens and I expect they have continued to improve and add to it.  Did you get to tour the butterfly house?

At present, it is not raining, but rain seems to be in our forecast.  It is 49 degrees on my indoor/outdoor thermometer at 11:40 am.

A few days a man e-mailed me, saying he had received results from his DNA and we are predicted to be 4th cousins.  He doesn't have a full family tree and he wonders how we are related.  His last name is not in my list of family names.  I've been trying to find a connection and it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.  It's good practice for me, however, it is time consuming.  I hope I can find something.  My fourth cousins would descend from my 3rd great grandparents.

Grand Haven is a lot more calm than it was yesterday and all of the ice along the shore is gone.

Mary Ann

Pouring down here. Have to go to a appt. down town where the parking is so hard to get close to the building.  Never fails. always rains when I go there.
Not cold though so can't complain

Was always a great day for me growing up in UK. Best time for my grandmother. It is  Known as Shrove Tuesday where you had to use up all certain things like butter and lots of things such a bacon, meat. etc.  So lots of Pancakes done and my Gran. did for the whole area it seemed.  Then was Ash Wednesday. Start of Lent
So not many sweets made my her for a month. (We had to cheat and buy at the shops) My father did not follow lent. Just mums side. Dad had his own days where not to do certain things. Just growing up. He ignored them later.

Mary Ann - that's fascinating news, that you heard from a man who might be your a 4th cousin!  I hope you hear more from him, and that between the two of you, you'll be able to find out how you are related. 

About ten years ago I had a similar experience.  I heard from a woman who lived on Staten Island, NY, who thought we might be distantly related.  Like you, I had never heard her name or had heard of her at all.  It turned out that she was a 3rd or 4th cousin to my mother's father, (my grandfather), who died in 1918.  We corresponded for a short while, and exchanged pictures and information. My mother knew very little about her father, so I didn't know anything about him either, until I heard from this distant relative. Sorry to say that she died shortly after we started emailing, so I lost that family link.   

Marilyne, through DNA testing, I have almost 200 fourth cousins.  I have no idea how many people have taken the test, but I have four sets of third great-grandparents who would be the ancestors of my fourth cousins.  This man is related on my mother's side and the report shows common names.  In this case, there is only one name in common and I know who they are (brothers), great-grandsons of my mother's first cousin.  The man (Richard) doesn't know of any of that name in his tree, but he doesn't have much tree - yet.  He was adopted but knows the names of his father and grandparents. 

I think it is fascinating to find people who are your relatives, however distant.  I've probably told this more than once, but when Norm was on AOL, they had a list of all of their members.  He found two people named Tock.  One of them was a divorced wife who lived in Norway and he got no information there.  The other person lived in Hamburg, Germany and checked with his father who had a genealogy chart back to his second great-grandfather - the same man who was Norm's and my second great-grandfather.  In 1999 the entire family came from Hamburg to visit us; the man who Norm contacted, his father, both spouses and the two daughters of the younger man.  In 2000 Tom's MIL and I went to Denmark to visit a former exchange student of hers, then we went to Germany to spend a week with my German Tock relatives.  I still keep in contact with them.  Small world.

Tom has gone out to drive for Uber.  Early in the week is not a good time, but work on his other job is slow so this is money he wouldn't have otherwise, regardless of the small amount.

Mary Ann

Speaking of family, I have an odd tidbit. I have never met or known that much about Dolly Parton. But she is my second husband's third  cousin on his father's side which doesn't mean much within the large interconnected family members of Kentucky and Tennessee's mountains. I know his whole family knew hers when she was growing up and they are very proud of her and their familial connection.

Not too long ago, a young man from Colorado wrote my sister for information as we are somehow related on the maternal side. She emailed me to ask if she could tell him about Marie. I almost said no because I felt it trivialized Marie in some way. But I did tell her to go ahead.

Well tornado time has come early this year.  Weather men are cutting into the TV every 15 minutes.  They have hit close but so far not enough for me to worry about.  Wonder if they will keep cutting in while the Pres. doing his talking. That has taken over every station.  He sure will be ticked off if he hears that they did cut in.  I have a DVD I will be watching.

Hope Jane is home as the Tornado's are pretty much over on the South West  of us at the moment . Sure if they are on the road north they will be hearing and watch whats happening.  Pull of if they need to.

My computer radar shows a storm right here but I don't hear anything - rain or thunder.  I did hear hard rain a short time ago and there was some thunder.  It's getting to be bedtime, so soon I'll be warm under my quilt and I can listen to the rain.  Some areas south of here are under a severe weather warning.  The tape went across when I was watching "Finding Your Roots".  I'm not watching the president speak and I have almost never watched them, regardless of who is/was the president!

Tom is out driving and thinks bad weather will scare other drivers so he'll have more chances.  He is a good driver and doesn't mind bad weather, except ice which we are not having - my indoor/outdoor thermometer shows 55 degrees so no ice.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone.  It is an overcast Wednesday morning but already 64 degrees and headed up into the low 80's this afternoon.  I have an appointment fairly early this morning at the device clinic to check my pacemaker/defibrillator.  Scott and Jennifer will be here this evening for dinner as there is no dinner at the Church tonight as there is an Ash Wednesday service.  Scott is making dinner for us tonight.  My dental cleaning went well with no new cavities so am set for another six months.  We had a nice Adult Fellowship Luncheon yesterday with a good lunch and a nice program presented by out youth minister who presented a musical program of his singing and playing the guitar.   

JeanneP, our Church has an annual Shove Tuesday Pancake Supper put on by the men of the Church.  That is a nice memory of your grandmother making the pancakes and using up other items before Lent began. 

Patricia, I have always liked Dolly Parton as she is just who she is and has done a lot for the people around Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  We never made it to Dollyland as while we spent a week in Gatlinburg years ago it was during the season when the park was closed.

Good morning from a bright and sunny Interior! It is nice to see blue sky again, even a washed out blue with plenty of wind. We've had so much snow recently and everything, sky, land and air is always white then. Farrah has discovered the return of the spring flocks and while I provided her with a chair by the balcony door, she prefers to slink about and peer out from below the sill of a nearby window.

Each fall, the smaller winter birds, wrens, sparrows, redpolls, pine siskins, Juncos, nuthatches, chickadees, and waxwings, unite their species only flocks into huge multi type flocks. Then in March they seem to come to the river by my building before breaking up into individual species smaller flocks through April. It seems to be a type of protection against the hawks and owls that prey on them. Sarah used to love watching them ride the air currents and Farrah seems to also enjoy watching them. Birds have a type of natural antifreeze in their legs so they can perch on colder items in the winter.

I am still slowly going through more of my stuff after having my apartment deep cleaned early last month. I'm slow because my recent sinus infection took every bit of seeming strength I seemed to have and at times my blood pressure dipped enough to make me dizzy and need to sit a spell.

Larry, while I enjoy some country music, I tend to listen to more jazz or blues. The only music I seem to dislike is bluegrass as for some reason it sounds whiny to me. I have noticed Dolly Parton more because she seems to enjoy working with musicians of all types of genres besides just country.

I'm so glad we don't have tornadoes like you have in the Midwest! They really seem to scare me, just the idea of them! We have fires as we live in a arboreal forest and of course earthquakes due to the several local faults and the volcanoes, but I suppose a known danger is not as bad as the unknown.

I do love trivia and get a daily email dose. Today's question was how often are the residents of Kentucky legally required to bathe? The answer was funny but it was the latter part about women in bathing suits that really made me laugh!

"If you move to Kentucky you better be prepared to bathe at least once a year. A state law that mandates people bathe at least once in 12 months is just one of many unusual statutes that are on the books. Another state law stated that "No female shall appear in a bathing suit on any highway within this state unless she be escorted by at least two officers or unless she be armed with a club." The law was later amended with: "The provisions of this statute shall not apply to females weighing less than 90 pounds nor exceeding 200 pounds, nor shall it apply to female horses."'

Interesting;

"If you order a chicken sandwich at Subway, you're not eating exactly what you think you're eating. In an investigation, a CBC Marketplace analysis of poultry from six popular grilled chicken and sandwich wraps found that the chicken at Subway isn't entirely made of chicken. A DNA researcher at Trent University Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory tested the meat and found that the "oven-roasted chicken" was only 57 percent chicken, while the "chicken strips" contained only 43 percent chicken. The rest of the meat was made up of mostly soy.

When you buy chicken from the grocery store, you're most likely eating a product with 100 percent chicken DNA. According to the study, that percentage decreases when the meat is processed, seasoned, or marinated, making it likely that most fast food chicken contains a lower percentage of chicken DNA. However, other fast food chains' chicken offerings scored significantly higher on the tests than Subway. McDonald's Country Chicken scored 85 percent, A&W's Chicken Grill Deluxe 89 percent, Tim Horton's Chipotle Chicken Grilled Wrap 87 percent, and Wendy's Grilled Chicken sandwich 89 percent."

Patricia - Killjoy!  Just kidding as I can't remember when/if I've ordered chicken in any form from any of those places.  When I go to a fast food place, I want FAST FOOD!!!  Usually a hamburger.  I have ordered chicken when eating out, just not at those places.  I now wonder if the burgers are 100% beef???

Today Tom, Terry, Dot and I ate at Bob Evans.  I had a CHICKEN (!), dried cranberry, pecan salad with Italian vinaigrette.  I have a hard time eating anything but a sandwich in any restaurant because my shoulder problem prevents me from raising my arm high enough to clear the table.  I manage to eat some of it and bring the rest home where I can eat it in my chair in the computer room.  The plate is then lower so I can manage with my arm.  As I so often say - one of the benefits of growing older.  The salad was big and good; I'll finish it for my supper tonight as I imagine Tom will be gone. 

We're in one of those downward spirals of weather.  We were at 48 this morning and we've worked ourselves down to 34 degrees.  I feel we're on a roller coaster sometimes.

Terry's wife, Jan, is heading for California Monday to be present when their first grandchild arrives during the week.  Terry will follow in a week.  If the baby boy arrives Tuesday, it will be exactly one month after the birth of the twins.  I probably will not meet the baby until Christmas when the new parents come here. 

Mary Ann

Patricia - interesting about the chicken in the sandwiches.  they say that most of the fruits and veggies we eat are genetically altered, such as tomatoes, grapes, and most others.  That's why they're all exactly the same size and color, when you see them displayed at a store.  Most tomatoes are tasteless now, but people don't seem to notice, because we add lots of salt or mayo, or when added to a sandwich, there are other things that still have taste.  The tomato now, only adds moisture, texture and color to a salad or sandwich. The taste you enjoy comes from the condiments.  I won't go on and on about those huge grapes in the markets, but next time you taste one - notice that it has no taste.  Only a watery bland substance.

Mary Ann - Your mention of the impending arrival of the new baby boy, (and the twins), has me wondering if you are officially a great aunt, or a great-great aunt??   

Marilyne,   I agree with you..   Food does not taste as good as it used to...  I try not to eat a lot of processed food,  (except for yogurt)..   I use to make my own yogurt,  but I really like Oiko's triple zero (in the black container) now,  so I buy lots of it.

I do wonder what the future is going to bring with our food and water being harmed and altered genetically.    So I do try and watch very carefully what I eat,  but of course,  they have  pretty much taken over what is easily available to me , now that I am older and can't grow my own.

And so it goes.....
Sandy   

Marilyne, I am aunt to three nephews, great aunt to two young men and four young women, and 2x great aunt to a 13-month old girl and the 3-week old girl twins and will be to the boy to be born next week. 

I told how we went to lunch today.  At the time we left, the temperature was 44 degrees.  I went to the mailbox before we left, wearing a sweater as topcoat but intending to go back in the house for a lightweight coat.  Tom came out of the house before I got back, so I got in the car, we picked up Dot and went to the restaurant.  Coming out it was chilly but Tom picked us up at the door and we got into the car right away.  We left about 12:30 and it is now 8:15, nearly eight hours later.  The present temperature is 28 degrees, a drop of nearly 20 degrees.  When we got back it was dry but in a couple of hours we had snow which is still on the ground. 

In contrast to what the SE part of the country is having, I'm not complaining, and they sure have had it - tornados, hail storms etc.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone on a much cooler morning.  We had a thunderstorm during the evening hours but it is sunny this morning and will get into the lower 60's this afternoon. The schedule is light today as only have coffee this morning with the men as the minister had to cancel our Wisdom group for today.  Late this afternoon Pat has an appointment for a haircut.  Beyond that I plan on just taking things easy. 

I did get my pacemaker checked yesterday and still have about 3 years of battery life left before it will have to be replaced.  The plans for dinner were changed as Scott filled in for someone last night who was having car trouble.  He came out around 12:30 and spent 90 minutes or so with us.  Then after his daughter had taken him to work we came out and spent the evening with us helping grandma get the enchiladas put together and made a nice lettuce salad.  We had a nice visit with her.  I did retire early last night as hadn't felt up to par yesterday and had to take nitro a couple of times, which always wipes me out. 

Carol, the classes Don is participating in sound like something I would really enjoy.  I also have loved to play cribbage since I was a young lad as my grandfather and father liked to play.  I have the cribbage board that my grandfather had that has ivory pegs in inlaid wood. 

Patricia, nice to read that the blue sky had finally found you all yesterday.  The information you provided on the birds and chicken was very interesting.  I had read the one about the Kentucky law as well as other strange laws from various States that are still on the books. I also like most types of music except have never liked Jazz. 

Mary Ann, I don't think you can ever go wrong with food selections at Bob Evans.  IT is an exciting time for Terry and  Jan with the approaching birth of the first grandchild. 

Marilyne, I am sure we have little idea of how the foods we eat have been modified. 

Sandy, the only type of yogurt I care for is in frozen form like I can get at COSTCO as a soft serve from the luncheon counter they have. 

Good morning, it is 6:28 AM here and many of you are halfway through your days. We have gained three hours of daylight since the Winter Solstice so that it will be light soon. Farrah was up earlier and is now napping, but she will be up again with daylight.

That clearing sky didn't do so well for us as we are back to minus 32 at night and only reach a high again of minus 2 to minus 4. That is the arctic difference, the sunshine and clear skies mean colder weather and cloudy skies keep the heat from escaping. It is the exact opposite of summer weather. However, with the 6 to 7 daily minutes of daylight gained since that winter solstice, the cold alleviates faster and doesn't come as often. New years, months and other human-made calculations really don't mean much in the Arctic as the Solstices do.

I grew up with an interest in jazz and blues because my mother played so many instruments by ear, including piano, organ, sax and accordion while my father played mouth harp, spoons and a comb which southerners should remember. So we had more jazz, blues, and folk with some country thrown in.

Regarding food, yes that beef you eat has been altered the same way as chicken has in fast food and other commercial establishments. Since my allergies, I stay completely away from fast or convenience food and wash all my fruits and vegetables in apple cider vinegar. But I can sometimes still get caught when I buy from the grocery store fruit bin. Spending a little over 4000.00 & several hours in the emergency room plus part of your paycheck due to a 3.00 Homel microwavable spaghetti lunch is not something you want to make a habit of!

Now I eat the way my grandparents did and eat as they say, "clean." I don't eat commercial tomatoes so to speak. In the summer I have a purchased monthly allotment from a local farm and in the winter I purchase from a co-op that grows heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables in hydroponics. This way I can still eat well and also stay out of the emergency room. My body doesn't do well with chemicals.

If you get the Consumer Reports magazine, they also have one about food and nutrition that might really put you off your food. Or you can just Google. Some things to check are honey, vinegar, olive oils and wine. Now some folks are using fillers in vegetable oils! Those of you with pets would be shocked at the almost daily pet food recalls due to chemicals and inadequate production supervision in foods.

MaryAnn, that is so wonderful about your growing family! Mine seems to be static. One relative, getting married this summer has put up a "Go fund me" site for the honeymoon. I seem to be the only one who thinks that is tacky.

Larry, watching the Weather Channel yesterday, I thought of you, but the maps they showed did not show your area or if they did, the various storm colors blotted it out, so I am glad to hear that you are OK.  We went out for our usual Wednesday lunch and all was clear when we got home, but in mid-afternoon we had snow and there still is snow on the ground, not much, but it is all white anyway.  It is only about 30 degrees now.  Tom told me that he would get the mail today as it is slippery out.  If we wait until things warm up, I'll be able to get the mail.

Patricia, we have the same thing here with a clear sky at night - colder temperatures. 

I'm getting a bad habit.  After I get up, I sit here in my robe and compute and read news on the computer.  I don't get dressed until nearly noon.  Of course, when I have an appointment, like I will next week, I do get dressed as soon as I get up, but it's a nice feeling to relax in my night clothes.

I notice the Grand Haven water temperature has increased from 32 degrees to 34 degrees. 

Mary Ann

Patricia - Your mention of Hormel products, made me shudder.  I've heard so many scary things over the years about that company.  Still, my husband likes to have Spam on hand, and says it makes a great sandwich! Yuck!  I wouldn't know.   People don't seem to care about the "Frankenfruit" and veggies that are what we have to choose from in the major supermarkets.  That's why I'm willing to pay more at Whole Foods, and I'm fortunate to live near one. I've also heard sad stories about honey, which used to be a pure, natural product. No longer is. 

I also agree with you on "Go Fund Me"!  Thousands of sob stories and requests for money added every day.  Do these people actually receive money from total strangers, or maybe just relatives??  I don't know much about it, but I do know of a couple of people (friends of my daughter) who are listed on the site.

Marilyne, unfortunately, it isn't only Hormel, it is now the majority rather than a few companies that doctor their food, especially for longer shelf life. I am lucky to live in an area wth many farms and a farmer's winter co-op as well as an area where all of the schools except for a couple of conservative religious ones, all have garden plots for children sponsored by the local farms and that the schools also incorporate selling their produce into the lesson plan.

A local hospital also has small garden plots for relatives of patients who stay in their long-term housing and the homeless shelters and two of the restaurants either for or employing homeless folks also maintain garden plots.

Just checking in.  All is well here and ground is no longer white, I like that.  Temps for day is in the 50's and we are headed into Spring soon.

Joan, we are at 30 degrees and I think that is as high as it will go.  The snow does not cover everything now, but there is still some on the ground.  I noticed the pond is clear of ice so the water is warmer than the air.

Patricia, what we hear about food these days makes one almost afraid to eat.  I've made it this far so I'll keep on doing what I've been doing.  I am in no condition to start a garden.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, there are four things I do and no I couldn't handle a garden now either. One is that local farms often offer a monthly food allotment either for a price, or some field work or other labor or for barter. I pay for a monthly food allotment in the summer from a local farm. Two, the farms got together some years back and developed an indoor all year farmer's market in addition to the outdoor, summertime ones.

Three I purchase using a summer, state supplied, senor allotments,(for 65 and over); food from the classroom gardens and from Stone Soup, a resturant slash garden for homeless or marginalized folks. It arguments their bottom line. Four I shop at Ethnic groceries and at the Loose Moose, an Alaskan products only Resturant, and store.

When you shop regularly you get special assistance and deals and the food is not made over with chemicals and is usually fresh and so delicious as well as an experiment, an education, and a delight! Plus I save money, spending between 125.00 and 200.00 monthly or for a month and a half.

Mary Ann - I don't stick with the healthy stuff all the time, by a long shot, because I don't cook much anymore at all. However, I do buy organic fruits and veggies and good quality bread, yogurt, juice, eggs, etc.   But, as I mentioned a earlier this week, I bought a large ready to eat Ravioli Lasagne from Costco, which we consumed in two days!  Now that I know that Costco sends out the same mailer across the entire country, and this particular casserole is the special for March - I can imagine that they make literally thousands of these casseroles all month long.  I wonder, where are the kitchens that prepare this massive amount of food?  Where do the ingredients come from?  This particular one contains ground beef and pork, and the raviolis are filled with ricotta.

I'll try not to think about it , because I probably wouldn't like the answers to those and other questions about Costco's fresh ready to eat food . . . but I have to say, it sure tastes good!    

Patricia and Marilyne, I do not do the shopping.  Tom shops nothing like I would shop.  I quit shopping when it became too much to walk around the store.  I know I could use a go-cart, but I let Tom do the shopping.  For one thing, Tom likes spicier foods than I do.  I will put "small salad' on the list and if the small size isn't available, he gets the larger size.  I can't eat enough green stuff in a week to get away with the larger package.  I have no idea where there are any farmer's markets around here.  Regardless of the fact I've lived in this area all of my life, we are not near any farms.  I no longer have a car and that is one reason Tom does the shopping:  he shops when he has time.  Tom's spicier foods include chili and salsa (mild).  I like casseroles and he is so-so about them.  As usual I put on weight from Thanksgiving until now and I think I've reached the top and I may be on the way down again.  I may get to where I can shop again, but not soon.  I know if I really wanted to buy "clean" I'd find a way, but I have no ambition and I never have.  I've operated at one speed and I did get things done, but not now.  And remember that I probably am 20 years older than you.

Tom does other things for me that compensate for our differences in foods.  He is my transportation to and from any appointments and when/if I go to Indps.  He has to take time from his work, although he does take a computer with him so he can do some work.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, Tom is a great benefit for you. I have no local family, haven't for probably 40 years,  and most friends are in the same boat I am. I need to shop and eat clean to stay healthy and out of the hospital. I still will sometimes have acute attacks and have to play detective for two or three days back to find the source. That is how I learned never again to eat raisins. I am disabled and unable to drive so the bus is a great benefit to me as is finding friends to take me places such as dropping off a couple of large bags of Salvation Army donations.

You have so many benefits, you and Marilyne with close family.

Hi everyone.  It looks like this is going to be another very pleasant clear day and get into the 60's this afternoon.  We do have a potential for a freeze after midnight although our local TV station weather app shows it getting only to 34 degrees so perhaps it won't get to freezing.  Nothing much on the schedule for today and hope to stay home all day.  I do need to make another batch of sausage muffins for Pat's breakfast and change the furnace filter.  I also need to reconcile a couple of bank statements.  Yesterday Pat did get her hair cut and we came home for awhile and then went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner.  I was so tired yesterday evening that I went to bed at 8 pm. 

Patricia, reading about your fallen temperatures again make me say BRRR!!  Your mother must have been very musically talented to play all of those instruments by ear. I don't understand why people would contribute money to someone's honeymoon.  You are fortunate to live where there are many farms. 

Marilyne, my wife likes Spam and has been using it for lunches.  I am taking a pass however as don't need the grease and fat in it.  However, I sure had plenty of it growing up and thought it was good.  Our Whole Foods store closed a couple of weeks ago.  Two or three weeks ago while in COSTCO at the meat counter I watched one of the workers preparing the lasagna pans layer by layer.  I think they do prepare the food in the stores as they do with the bakery items.  Since Pat is trying to avoid carbs using prepared meals from COSTCO or other places isn't an option for us at this time.  I have also seen the butchers grinding the meat and cutting up beef and pork.   

Joan, you have had enough winter for one year. 

Mary Ann, if something were to happen that disrupted our food supply we would be in a bad way very quickly as there is really no way for Pat or I either one to plant and tend a garden.  Our son has two lots where he lives and could put out a garden. 

Patricia, I realize that Tom is a big help to me and that's why I tried to minimize things that he doesn't do, such as my kind of grocery shopping.  Because of his health, Norm was not much help to me and he was in Florida six months of the year.  Especially after my dad died and I lived alone, Tom and his brothers helped me and he and Terry still do; Tim died two years ago.  Besides, Tim lived across the state.  It is Terry's wife who now is helping me sort boxes of things I have stored so some things stay and other go to Goodwill.  And some goes in the trash! 

I think some of Fairbank's cold weather made its way to Michigan as the temperature when I got up at 6 am was 17 degrees.  I can't say that is too unusual for this time of year, but it is not what we usually get.  I remember one year on Feb 23 (was my dad's birthday) where we had minus 20 degrees.  That also is not usual.  I guess it evens out.

I just got out of bed for the second time and I'm not awake yet.  We evidently had a dusting of snow overnight because Tom's car has a coating on it.  He left it out last night, probably expecting to drive for Uber last night, then did not.

Mary Ann