Like Mother, Like Daughter

I believe the photo was labeled

"Erica 1983" 

10 years old, then. 

Front yard at the "yellow" house in Orient. 

this photo is marked

"Maddie 9/12".
9 years old, now.
Nana's living room. 

I tried to talk Maddie into 2012 gymnastic lessons.  : ) 

Easy for me to say! 

Maddie wasn't committing. 

I haven't give up.

Old Times Sake

Maddie was here yesterday and for some reason, our old Donut Maker came up in a conversation so Nana climbed up on the counter, like in the old days, and got down my 1980ish Christmas present, the Hamilton Beach 2-at-a-time donut maker.  This ol' thing has made a lot of donuts -- especially while we were in Orient and the children all at home but even here in Creston we whipped us out some donuts. 

This time, when I got it down and had a look, one of the handles had broken off.  That wouldn't have been a big deal but the handle had a latch to lock on to the other handle, while the donuts baked.  It sealed it up. 

Maddie and I tried the donut maker out, anyway, one last time for old time sakes. 

Here's  the donut maker.  It was pretty grimey and sticky when I dug it out of the cupboard.  Can't imagine me putting it away like that!  lol  Of course, I did, thinking I'd use it "next week" and then 10 years later, I drag it out again . . . 

Once Maddie and I got it hot enough and oiled up enough, it worked pretty good even if the handle was broken and it wouldn't seal. 

In the old days, we would have use sprinkles and chocolate frosting and tried all manners of things.  Maddie elected to forgot the decorator candies I had and there were absolutely zero sprinkles in the larder.  Imagine that!  No multi-colored little sprinkles so we just glazed the donuts and let it go at that.  As you can see, some were a little more "glazed" then the others. 

Oh wait.  Look at that spot on the waxed paper -- there seems to be a donut missing . . . Maddie?  Maddie!  where did that donut go, Maddie? 

Three Little Kittens, update

PaPa continues to feed the kittens and they continue to eat : )  and they also continue to be shy and skittish.  Tonight, first kit to belly up was Blondie.  She might be the boldest of all three but sometimes Dot / dotty / Polka Dot takes the lead.  



Dotty is usually second but sometimes first.  PaPa feeds them twice a day.  Now that their Mama has moved on and left them (mainly) to their own devices, they seem to be here every day.  Mama has weaned them and no longer drags them off on road trips to test their skills and break the maternal bond.  Still, Mama shows up once in a while, to supplement her diet.  I imagine she is off getting ready to start her next family.  I am sort of hoping she doesn't bring the new kits to us, when it comes time to wean them . . .

Charlie is always last.  Charlie might be a female and the others, male -- but we can't get a hold of any of them yet so may never know.  Charlie, PaPa thought, was the runt but I think Charlie has outgrown Dot now.  Still, even if larger, Charlie is the meeker. 

So, there we have it.  The update.  I don't know what can be the outcome of this story.  We can't get them corralled, to get shots.  We will be getting worm medicine, to put in their food.  I don't they we can help to avoid fleas, without being able to catch them.  So, these kittens may remain ferral and untamed.  May they not get sick or diseased.  They give PaPa his daily entertainment and is teaching him responsibility and duty.  ha ha! 

Checking In

I think about posting in here.  I do. 

I also think about a lot of other things.  One thing I'm thinking on a lot these days is do I retire? or do I not.  There's pros, both ways.  I do enjoy spending money and as long as I work, I figure I have a little more powerful vote on whether I spend money or not.  After I retire, I'll be drawing social security which will be less than my take-home pay.  I mean, I won't have to apply for food assistance but I might have to cut back a little.  Himself and I might have to discuss budgets and bills and restraint.  oh no! 

One pro . . . I usually enjoy working.  There are days when they bury us in applications or I have 5 Medically Needy w/3 months retro applications and I wonder why the H I haven't quit already.  There are other days when I'm sitting there, spinning out applications, everyone answers their phone, the kinks are out, the pistons are all hitting and I'm crusing in a cadilac convertible . . . and I think I'll just keep working 'til I'm 72 : )  I'm a having fun.  really.  I am NOT kidding. 

Then, I think . . .  I could be outside.  I was an outdoor girl from the first I can remember.  I was a tomboy.  I loved being bare legged and barefoot and running in the grass and digging in the dirt and playing ball and roller skating and shooting hoops. 

I could be outside digging in the dirt.  roller blading : ) 

I could be canning tomatos and making pickles.  I could be baking bread again.  I could get me some laying chickens and eat my own home grown eggs! 

I could get out my sewing machine and whip up a quilt or two.

I could be at every sporting, music, school event of each and every grandchild.  I could.  I would! 

I could take piano lessons. 

I could volunteer at the schools.

I could work at a coffee shop, the library, the lawn care company. 

I could!

I could work anywhere.  and would! 

One thing I'm thinking on a lot these days is do I retire? or do I not. 

There's pros, both ways.

Feel free to vote. 

Lost

Nana has been lost this summer.  Gone.  Missing in action.  I don't know why I haven't been posting here but I hope I can change that.  And soon. 

It seems like the summer has just flown by.  Here it is the middle of September and seems like we just celebrated New Years 2012.  I'm starting to sound like my father! 

Himself and I are in No Mo this week, enjoying a week's vacation.  We haven't had any reservations, any due dates or estimated time of arrivals. No deadlines or "have tos".   The only thing I had on my agenda was getting a washing machine installed at Too and attending at least one session of the Twin Lake law suit court hearing at the Mercer County Court House and that will be accomplished tomorrow @ 9 am. 

You can read about our week over at Too at Twin Lake. 

Here's what it looked like at Too this week . . .

this is why Twin Lake is going to court . . . A dumb _ _ _ .  This week he added a signed that says "audit the books" or something like that.  He has also had one about "there's a new puppet for the puppeteer" . . . because we have a new President.  oh my.  I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow.  

Hopefully, you'll read about me and Himself and our family here at Nana's View, soon.  Like next week!