Make your Monday Memorable!!

[CathyS]

Are you remembering someone special today? Are you doing something today to honour someone's memory? Are you making memories today?

[CathyS]

Today we are getting the wood delivered for at least 125 feet of fencing, plus the supports and posts. Equipment is also going to be delivered. Someone mentioned a skid steer with forks... I think I know what it is, but I would like to see it in action. The posts will be 8 feet long, and the boards will be 6 feet long. This is what we will be remembering on this non-holiday Monday for us.

There are a number of errands I need to do as well. At least one bank, a food bank/thrift store drop off, possibly picking up some dirt for the garden (which can be postponed until tomorrow) and I might pop over to a nearby winery to ask about empty barrels.

I've put away 2 loads of laundry from the dryer, with another load still going in the washer. I've filled the dishwasher and it's already finished. There is more to go in when I've emptied it. I spent most of Saturday and Sunday outside watching the fire, so inside was ignored.

Dh is heading for coffee, so I'm going to vacuum under the kitchen table and get started on washing some floors.

I really want spaghetti and meat sauce for supper. I don't think dh is going to be able to steer me away from this decision.

Later...

Company owner showed up with an employee around 7:30 (we told them they could come early). Holes are all dug and the truck with the post hole digger has left. Now they are waiting for the wood to be delivered. Numerous pick up trucks are slowing down as they drive along the 2 roads for a look to see what's going on here. Dh recognizes some of them and who is driving. Various comments are occurring, which is funny because dh always slows to see what's going on around here as well.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Thoughts of ancestors were in my mind this weekend and again this morning. Over the weekend it was during a discussion on Oak Island. Then this morning, the Nova Scotia fires had me doing a mental check and I don't have any family living in that area now.

Wow, it took until now for me to remember the fires one year when I was down there on holiday. In that case, they were not too far from where they are now, but in those days it was well away from the city and the new highway served as a fire break so it was just heavy smoke and for a very small distance. The fires must have been much smaller than these ones because I don't recall smoke over the city like the photos I've seen show. Halifax has expanded well out into areas that used to be just rural forest and along with that has come subdivisions tucked into the forests hence the evacuations.

Dfs' family live so far away (and over a hill) from the downtown that I doubt they are seeing any heavy smoke but dfs will when he goes to the base for work. Given I'm getting haze some days from the Alberta fires, I'm willing to bet they'll have haze and can probably smell something too unless the wind patterns aren't the way I imagine them.

I got going fairly well this morning. The wind was due to change from the north to coming from the east and pick up at 2 a.m. and it did, pulling me from bed to close one bedroom window and adjust the other so the blinds wouldn't rattle. The bedroom was 23*C when I was making the bed but opening the windows fully dropped it to 21* in just 20 minutes. The rest of the apartment is 23 or warmer and I have every window open, trying to draw the cool air (it is still just 16, or 61F out) through from the bedroom wing to the west side. Even with an east and north window open in the living room it is 23 at my desk so I'm thinking 23 (73.5F) will be the coolest this room will be all day. I expect I'll shut windows and blinds around 10.

Fans are out and ready to go wherever they are needed but it would be a good idea for me to get as much heavy housework done as possible as early as possible.

I'm just finishing up my tea now. No external errands today except for getting out for a walk and getting the car washed. The bugs on the highway on Saturday night have encrusted it.

[Harriet]

Wishing a meaningful Memorial Day.

The interview with the Whitmer family today (3 daughters in service, one died in Humvee ambush) about their lives in the last 2 decades since the event, was very sobering this morning. The father, who has written a book and started another about his family, was asked why he continues to frame it in such black-and-white terms. He said because others go through this and should know they're not alone. I found that inspiring.

I certainly think of all my relatives who served, plus my time with my late dh on 2 of our military bases. The venue where dd and the young man will likely marry is the old home of my ddad's best friend who was killed WWII. I was surprised to tear up a little explaining to the young man - I never saw my ddad cry about it, but it was profound for the community and he and my dmother used to say it affected all households here, not just one.

Found new exercise helps last evening and will post in H and F about that.

I've been making a big push for cleaning and decluttering in the kitchen this a.m. Getting ready to make brunch for us now.

[DeeClutter]

May you all have a blessed Memorial Day (at least in the US). It's quiet here for us and especially for a Memorial Day weekend. Our outing yesterday consisted of dinner (on the camp owner) which was a beef bar-b-q. Definitely have to get the bar-b-q recipe. That's the best I've ever tasted. Then we took a short drive around the park.

Dfriend brought me another hanging plant for my birthday so now we have 3 hanging on our deck. Makes my heart happy to see them. Then same friend brought over 3 small packs of petunias. Think maybe I'll have them planted out in our wagon out front. Our dneighbors are coming out today and she might plant them for me I'm thinking.

Dh spent some time sitting on our landing yesterday and then I MADE him go through his exercises. Decided that has to be my job EVERY DAY. If it were up to him at this point he'd spend a good share of his time sleeping. Have to remember to tell the Dr Tuesday how short of breath he is.

I started giving dh Vitamin D3 again today. At one point the Dr had him stop because his D3 level was quite high. But it's dawned on me that he's gotten very little sun (contrary to his usual pattern) in the last 9 months or so. Also make sure he takes his B12 each morning.

Have to take dh for blood draw as early as possible tomorrow morning. He has Dr appointment at 11. Really doubt he'll have results by then but maybe.

Dh wants a shower today so will see if DS-R might be able to help him with one at the bathhouse here or will check to see if DS-A can help him with one at their house this evening. I know they're camping about 50 miles from here this weekend.

I've managed to make my 'list' for today and gotten ready for the day and got us two breakfast.

See our dneighbors just pulled in for the day.

[Harmony]

Hello. I find this holiday more subdued, focused on those who didn't make it back from serving. Ones serving now, etc. are talked about more on Veterans day. I don't think there's an official difference in the holidays, though. My father-in-law (late) served in WWII. He was in the Battle of the Bulge. He got a medal for something which we never knew about until his 2 wife (my step-mother-in-law D that I talk about sometimes) told us. He was sitting right there when she told us...and she said he wouldn't say what it was all about...and he just sat there all stoic and quiet. So we have no idea. He's gone now and no way to find out unless D gives us his military number...and we'd sure like to know. I mentioned it to one veteran who was helping us when we were getting ready for his funeral at the military cemetery nearby and he said doing that might bring up stories we'd be happier not knowing about. Anyway, lots to think about today. A couple of us wonder if his time in service added to some problems he had over the years.

I've been working on paperwork at my desk. Though the letter I'm answering and the statement I just figured out can't go out until tomorrow. No bank or postal service today.

Kathryn, I must look up your fires and see where they are. I watch the Oak Island programs here every Tuesday, but what they are showing are done for that season.

Ok, back to work. Oh, cathy, they're a version of a fork lift. Mostly what they're called here.

[Nancy]

I slept in then worked on processing some paperwork old planner pages.
Sorted them, some purged, some in a folder and I gleaned off the info. I wanted for other projects. Some are in a "keep planner", other still to decide on. Down to one smaller pile, and a medium one. Got the cover and disks out that is good.

Had breakfast.
qt done
Regular journaling has not been touched.

Mowing in a bit is up.

Lfil did not talk about war stuff with us finally he opened up to his youngest son and finally got some info. that trickled out.

Waving to everyone.

[DeeClutter]

The hospital just called to see if we'd be available tomorrow for them to bring some equipment out. I have all of it: scales (good ones), BP machine, oximeter, etc. So we'll be using ours. Have to record everything each morning before meds and call them by 10am with results. Also have to include any info on ankles, dizziness, more short of breath, etc. If I don't call by 10 they will call me. So tomorrow will be a busy day, at least in the morning.

DD woke up from another nap just a while ago and wanted to go to the bathroom. It took many minutes before he was ready to go in there. At first he thought I might need help getting him there. Keep hoping we don't reach that point. Not sure if we'd be able to have an aide coming in here each day or 3 times a week. Just keep sayin': "One day at a time".

Had just finished cleaning out the bottom of my closet and over our water heater. Now I'm going in and clean out the first drawer under our closet. Think I'll put all our extra meds in there. Then I have the "disgusting job" of cleaning the next 2 drawers. Dear little field mice had a field day in those I discovered the other day. Will have gloves on and garbage bag handy for those. Sure I'll be getting rid of several things.

Earlier I got some things out of here that I want to add to our yard sale pile (June 17th). Hoping to get rid of a lot that day. Hopefully it'll be a good day for dh. Keep trying to provide him more room for his walker. We 'think' about removing our bathroom door as it's along the hallway between the kitchen and our bedroom. If he's in the bedroom the door has to be closed until he passes it, opened behind him and then he backs up to get in the bathroom. It's pretty cumbersome. Still in the thinking process.

[Lady Maverick]

I was up early this morning to set up the Birthday decoration and Pop-tarts before DD12 woke up.

DD12 still hadn't decided what kind of birthday meal and cake she wanted so we went to the city to get something. We went to bakery where she finally ruled out everything except Pecan Pie and Banana Nut Muffins, so those desserts are her birthday cake replacements. She wants to make pepperoni dumplings but didn't have the recipe with her so we bought the ingredients that she could remember and brought those home. I knew there were at least 3 males at the house and they would be hungry, so I went through a Chinese drive through on the way home to get something for lunch. It was easy to get everyone fed by setting up a buffet type serving line on our kitchen counters - Sweet & Sour Chicken, Pepper Beef, Orange Chicken, Hot & spicy chicken, and Chicken Lo Mein.

[DeeClutter]

Been wanting Chinese myself, LadyM. Maybe when dh feels like it.

Plan to take dh to DS-A's about 4:30 to have him help dh with a shower. He's really having a hard time today. So I'm not 100% sure we'll make it.