HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Getting in the mood for the holiday here. Halloween was

always a favorite of mine in school. We would have

a whole school party in grade school and have cake

walks and fishing booths and a parade through the whole school.

I think they still do some of those things now too. As things got scary

out there in the real world, schools decided to have parties

like we did in the “olden” days and all the kids now either

have parties at school during hours or after and even

churches have parties here. The parties consist of cars in the

parking lot and each party has goodies in the trunk of their

car. YEP, almost like tailgating. Kids go to each car and pick up

their treats and when they are done maybe have a game or two

indoors or out depending on the weather.

Here in Michigan it is often cold, rainy, or snowing.This year it will be pretty chilly, some parts of the state may even have snow flurries..YES I said it!!

It amazes me at the talent and creativity that people have when carving a pumpkin for Halloween. This particular one just blew my mind. Such a neat design. The most creative I ever got was drilling holes in one and putting lights inside. This year I am still getting settled in my new place but have my fall decoration hung up in a place of honor in my apt. In our old home we had it on the front door of our house. It still looks pretty good despite being packed away for 4 years. I managed to buy some candy in case I get a trick or treaters here, I am not quite sure what our complex does for the holiday, but there are several families and quite a few children here. 

Did I keep some for me?? Uhh YES I did.. candy corn...my favorite, but those PEEPS ghosts and pumpkins are running a close second. However you celebrate, if you do, have a fun,safe holiday! 

REMEMBER WHEN

I smiled the biggest  watching a neighbor teach his daughter how to ride a small two-wheeler. The bike never had training wheels and a small boy neighbor could ride it easily. She could not. So dad got his chance to run around holding the back of the bike and running along beside her. They did all this on the GRASS..no cement or paved street, smart dad. I remember falling on that street. OUCH…oh how I wish I had a video of that moment. There is no feeling in the world like the wind rushing through your hair as you ride as fast as you can and feel like you have wings for the first time. Wife came out and filmed a lot of her riding attempts. She just had to keep peddling. She tried another part of the complex that was flatter. MUCH better results. In less than two hours she was riding like a pro. BIG smile on her face. Neighbors came outside and applauded her efforts. I yelled..”Good JOB..DAD too!” I swear his face lit up like a Christmas tree all twinkly. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon at the end of September 2014. I had to think, I hope she remembers where and when she was when she learned, I remember where and how but not WHEN.  I hope her mom NEVER loses that video. A whole new world is ahead of her. Today she went to school, no doubt, with stories of her success. Can’t wait to see if she still rides well after school.. Stay tuned. 

OH DEAR Blog Readers….the smells from my kitchen this morning brought tears to my eyes. I used my oven to bake my mother’s recipe for BANANA BREAD.. OH how the whole place smells like home and MOM making  it over and over again. She loved it so. She never needed the recipe almost up to the day she left. She made it so many times it was in her memory bank.  ALWAYS the end piece with lots of butter on it, that was her favorite. HOT HOT out of the oven would make her just ooooh and ahhhh.  Making it this time for my sister’s birthday. I omitted the pineapple this time and made it plain. Can you smell it??? YUMMM!! Haven’t had this in ages. Last time I made bread it was in the microwave for lack of an oven. Well it was edible, but just not the same. It cracked on top just like MOM made it. So happy it came out good. Recipe link is above.

Got to say the fall here in Michigan this past week has been spectacular. The leaves changing very quick but the temps have been mild and cool at night. NO rain, just nice..it does feel like October instead of September though. I fear the winter will be early this year again. Still looking for the wooly worm and his prediction but the black squirrels here are  busy storing nuts from the nearby trees like crazy. That alone is scary. I shudder thinking about last winter, but at least know this year there will be way way less shoveling for me here in my new place. 

APARTMENT LIFE

Nothing like moving into a new place to live and having to learn a whole new way to do things. I sure don't mind, but I just never know when I am breaking a rule or two..

... DON'T FLUSH at night! Around my building I have NEVER heard a person flush a toilet at night. IS that weird?? Granted I have only been here a short while, but so far the rule has stuck. Everyone has their own schedules and lives to lead, but common courtesy is NOT to flush in the middle of the night. I have heard showers run in the middle of the night but NO FLUSHING...just plain strange.

...ALWAYS ASK before you make changes in your apartment walls. Some places, I have been told, do not allow nails or any type of puncturing of their wall surfaces. I got lucky.. it was pretty lax here but I haven't pushed my luck just yet. Starting over I don't have a whole lot to add to the walls. I made a trip to the local GOODWILL store and bought some small snack plates I thought were charming. Very appropriate for the season. I thought how neat to look at them all the time. So I hung them up. Tiny nails and plate hangers. Guess that didn't break any rules. As you can see the walls are WHITE and boring and I have no earthly idea how I am going to decorate them so far. I guess I will know when the time comes though. (The plates, by the way, were collectibles and ended up being worth at least 10 times what I paid for them. I was very happy when I looked them up on EBay. I love a bargain!)

Sure miss all the stuff Mom had at our house that I could not keep. We decorated for every holiday. It's fun though finding all the things that make a place your own. Looking forward to the holidays and already got my turkey.. well not edible anyway. This bird was handmade by a local artisan in 1979. I will be using it as a centerpiece this year on my table. 

Next will be finding new things for Christmas, stores already have their decorations up, should be easy to do. Apartment life is a work in progress right now. Never know what you will do or find next. I also hung this up on my wall so I could see it every day..it says what I think about where I am right now. It's something I do every day.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY WEEK!!

LIFESAVERS

Crazy week so far, busy and strange...

Every single thing here I have used this past week. They truly are

lifesavers. All this moving has made the old body pop and snap and so

I am using any and everything I can to get by.  I bought a new grocery cart that 

surely will come in handy this winter getting groceries inside my place. The less

trips the better I say.. NO lifting either. Wonderful idea! 

Kept hearing banging and thought someone was fixing a roof to the building.

When I went outside I saw that the balcony on the other side was being torn down.

TERMITES! Oh that made me feel creepy. I mean what about the rest of the building?

Needless to say, they are inspecting the whole building. Erected back in the early 70's

these places need updating anyway. Having a balcony patio that gives way is very scary indeed. As I stood and watched them working a neighbor came and introduced herself to me. She said that I was the LUCKY ONE.. I guess they nicknamed me

that. I was the one with an almost NEW apt. All new carpets, floors, bathroom etc. It

wasn't because of me.. it was because the older lady lived here sooo long. She was here for 24 years!!! She said that EVERYONE wanted the apartment that I was in. Well, I guess I am lucky then, because I got it instead of someone else being re-located.

LUCKY ME.. This is the one and only plant I have in my apartment so far, it has traveled FAR..for many years to get to this place. The only plant left that my mother had. I placed it in the East windows and it seems happy there. The hula girl was a present, she shakes when the sun hits her.. very entertaining!!

HEARTBROKEN

MY prayers to his family who must be heartbroken over his death. The world mourns the loss of his great heart and loving gentleness. We will laugh for years to come with a sense of sadness. Rest in the Peace you find out there among the stars in heaven. WE WILL MISS YOU

EVEN ANIMALS LOVED HIM.......