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My gosh. I was so great at doing my posts for the A to Z Challenge and I just knew that I was going to stick with it, but as with all things: If I don't have to do it, chances are I'm not going to.
In my defense, we've had some major changes happening at work (for the good, at least for me) and I've been spending a lot more time in the field. We're re-arranging the office (again), so I'm moving back to the back hallway today. It's quieter back there and I don't have every Tom, Dick and Harry looking in my office when they walk through the front door.
One of the things I like about being in the field is the people that I get to meet and the various things I get to see.
Yesterday, I was talking to a gentleman whose whole job is to watch our crews work while we're under 115,000 volt power lines. That's it. He knows how close we can get and he can shut us down any time he wants if we're too close. After chatting for a bit, it turns out he used to work with my Dad! Small world.
I also met an Archaeologist. She is there in case we find anything of "cultural significance". It's a big pit of clay. There is nothing of significance in there, but she enjoys watching the construction so its a win-win for her.
One of our jobs is in an older part of Portland where they still have the rings in the sidewalk to tie up your horse. Which, of course, someone has done:
He falls over a lot but someone keeps setting him back up.
We have another project where there is a beautiful old house that was recently bought by the City. They are going to tear it down and make that area into more of a park. I think it's a way to try to appease the neighbors who arent' happy about the expansion of a wastewater treatment plant right next to it.
Anyhoo, the house was owned for many years by a lady named Mary and everyone loved her and she kept a beautiful garden. Now, it's all overgrown and full of weeds while they wait to raze her house. I love to walk through there and see what's blooming. This arch of roses smells wonderful.
Brown Eyed Man and I are planning a trip to see The Boy! We're taking the train...
More on that later.
Happy Wednesday!
j
Disclaimer: I meant to post this yesterday but I got busy, drove halfway across the state and forgot.
Yesterday I was on one of my 252 phone calls with the Brown Eyed Man. Seriously, he calls me constantly to tell me things I don't really care to know, but he thinks are important.
Anyhoo, I said I needed to go buy some cards for Mother's Day, Anniversary, etc. "Anniversary?" he said? "Yes, we have one coming up", I replied. "How long has it been? 99 years? What do they give for that? Coal?". He's so romantic.
We were married at Silver Falls State Park Youth Camp. For $200/night you got the whole place with enough cabins for 250 people to spend the night. We got it for two nights. Only about 6 people stayed. They were primitive cabins for summer camping and this was early May in Oregon.
The Boy was our Best Man and The Girl was the Maid of Honor. Daisy was Flower dog, but she spent most of the time in my parent's trailer because I didn't want her getting anyone muddy. This photo was taken from the side while the official photographer guy was taking the "real" pictures.
This is the little "Chapel" where we had the ceremony. My cousin came from Montana to do the flowers for our wedding and she made these cool tiki torches that lined the path from the chapel to the reception hall.
I made those pinecone letters above the door. They're hard to see in this photo.
The interior of the chapel. Brown Eyed Man's Best friend married us. We had a small bluegrass band play. They played "Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine" as I walked down the aisle. I still listen to it on my iPod.
We didn't light fires in the fireplaces. Instead my Father-in-Law made these stands that held about 30 candles in three different sizes.
I wrote our vows. It was short and sweet. The kids had to say they approved. When we walked out of the chapel, Brown Eyed Man, The Boy and The Girl and I hugged. The Boy cried. It was so sweet.
Everyone told us what a great wedding it was because the ceremony was so short.
My nephew was a ring bearer and Brown Eyed Man's nephew rang a big church bell outside as we walked out.
I would do it all over again today and only change a couple of things.
Love him. Love our life.
j
I've been working in the Brown Eyed Man's sweatshop for about three weeks. Every night when I get home, I eat supper (the evening meal) and head upstairs. I usually work up there until about 9 and then come down and go to bed.
Monday night I finished his most recent order of shotgun cleaning rod bags and was thrilled to be able to do something else with my time. I wandered through the yard and pulled some weeds. I planted some hops that I'm hoping will grow up and over Clover's kennel to provide some shade this summer. I've tried clematis. It died. I tried a climbing rose and it never climbed anywhere. It just sat there. It was a sitting rose. Yesterday I re-planted it in the front yard, hoping it will climb up one of the pillars out there.
So, I got that done. I perused my flower beds trying to determine whether some of the things growing in there were weeds or something I planted last year. Sometimes you have to wait and see. It usually turns out to be a weed.
I did some other little crafty thing I had been putting off and then...nothing. I had nothing to do. I kept finding myself drifting toward the stairs like I might want to go get ahead a little bit on some bags, but for Pete's sake! I had a break! I'd been dying for a break. I read the magazine that comes with your AAA membership. That was riveting.
Brown Eyed Man offered to go for a walk with me and that NEVER happens so I took him up on it. All in all it was nice-ish, but I need to be doing something. I actually have another sewing project I would like to start tonight so I think I'm in good shape there. Plus there is always a Jillian Michaels is trying to kill you video I could do.
Are you able to just sit? I'm terrible at it, but I want to get better.
j
My third cousin died last week. I've only ever known her as Auntie Violet though. I asked my Mom why we called her "Auntie" when she was a cousin and it's because her Mother died when she was very young and she spent a lot of time with my Grandfather's family so she was like a sister to him.
She lived her entire life within 20 acres of where she was born. Now she's buried there too.
My Great-great Grandfather donated the land for the cemetery in Ball Bluff, MN. He and my Great-Grandfather and Grandfather and certainly some other men, helped to build the church and the altar. The Carmel Lutheran Church.
Isn't it beautiful? Inside it's so tiny and there are short wood pews and each one has a plaque on it saying who donated the money for it. My great-grandparents are on there as well as great aunts and uncles and other distant relatives.
We've had relatives married there and baptized there and many funerals. The latest was Violet's funeral yesterday. It was standing room only. There were cars lined up all down the road.
If I remember correctly, we are facing west in this photo and the cemetery is behind us and the church is in front of us, both on the right.
Since my Great -Great Grandpa donated the land for the cemetery, we are allowed to be buried there for free. I think there is a limit of people per family that are allowed otherwise that place might be over-loaded by now. My Grandma and Grandpa have two prime spots right inside the gate. I doubt any of us will go clear to MN to be buried.
The last time I was there, the only time I can remember, was when my Grandma died. She hadn't lived in Minnesota for many years as she and two of my aunts had moved to Florida. When she died in January I thought we would have a nice trip to Florida. She wanted to be buried next to my Grandpa though so we went to Northern Minnesota...in January. The cemetery is near Grand Rapids, MN. The Florida funeral home shipped her to Grand Rapids, MI. She was almost late for her own funeral. Fortunately it was winter so she stayed "chilled".
After the service, we drove 1/4 mile down to the cemetery and had a grave-side service and then went back to the church for dinner (noon-time meal, remember?). Oh boy, if you haven't had a Lutheran Church funeral dinner, you are missing out. Swedish meatballs, egg salad sandwiches, jello salad, kool-aid, bars, all kinds of good food.
After we got back to the church I walked back to the cemetery to watch her casket go into the ground. It actually goes into a concrete vault in the ground and is then covered. I spoke with the grave-digger and found that he was one of only two grave-diggers in the state who still hand-dig every grave. He had to set up a tent and run a propane heater inside to thaw the ground. He would dig a foot or so and then repeat the process until he was deep enough. He started a week prior to the funeral. It was very interesting. He asked how I knew this lady and I told him she was my Grandma and he felt terrible. I told him not to. I was just interested in the process. She had already died. I was over that. I just wanted to see how things worked in the world of burying dead people.
Anyhoo, what does this post have to do with zinnias? It's quite a stretch. I saw Violet at my Grandma's funeral. The previous time I saw her was in 1992 when my Mom and I had gone back to MN for Mom's 30 year High School reunion. We visited everyone we were related to on that trip, including Violet. She had a cute little farm house and a gorgeous flower and vegetable garden. A flower garden with zinnias! See? See how I worked that z-word into this? Whew!
A to Z Challenge complete! Thank you for visiting. Please come back for more of the riveting tales of Jen and her family.
j
Yesterday, after my fun-filled trip the the sewing and vacuum center (Side note: why are sewing machines and vacuum cleaners sold in the same store?), I stopped at the fabric shop and, while in line, actually spoke to the four other women around me.
The first lady had an app on her phone for coupons from the store, so did the third lady and so did I. The second lady was beside herself with envy and she asked each of us if we were going to use our coupons. We all were. I could see her sizing up each of our purchases to determine whether they were coupon-worthy. I don't care if I'm spending $ 1.29, I'm using my 50% off coupon.
The third lady was buying fabric to line a purse that she had knitted for her daughter. It was beautiful. Nothing that I would carry, but very pretty. I always want to ask people what they're making at the craft store. The ladies at the cutting counter always ask and I always have to say "shotgun cleaning rod bags..." and then I have to explain that whole thing and no one is impressed. I want to say "Oh - I'm re-covering my ottoman, I do it every Spring", or "Oh this? It's just a three piece suit I'm throwing together for my husband".
The three of us with smart phones were explaining to the second lady that there are all kinds of apps for coupons. She has just recently started using a smart phone. Later, the second lady thanked us for the information and the third lady wished me luck on my drive home. For some reason people think the trip from Portland back down into the Willamette Valley is pretty treacherous. It can be slow at times, but since I do it several times each week, I don't really notice unless there is a 32 car pile-up.
I will talk to anyone and everyone. I meet all kinds of interesting people and sometimes I meet people who wonder why I'm talking to them. I always want to ask questions and Brown Eyed Man just about dies when he's with me and I start talking to strangers. You can find out a lot of people, or places just by talking with strangers. Sometimes it takes them a while to warm up to you. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes you look like a kook. Over all people like to talk about themselves so as long as you're asking questions about them, they are happy to talk.
I know you came here today to learn the art of getting to know people.
j
Kind of a stretch, I know but I'm not going to write about X-rays, X marks the spot, Xenophobia, or Xavier. Although I really do love the Saints, even though I'm not Catholic.
A while back I wrote about living life. I feel like I really need to experience everything that is offered to me while I can. You never know what's going to happen so you might as well live it up.
That's why I have:
- Eaten both calf and bull testicles. They really aren't bad.
- I've bungee jumped and sky dived. (Dived or dove?)
- I've ridden a horse to the top of the Continental Divide. I didn't have a choice in this one, I was only 16.
- I went swimming in the Bermuda Triangle. It's hard to make yourself get into the water when you know it's miles to the bottom.
- I visit every museum and attraction that I see when I'm traveling.
- I've made it my goal to visit all 50 states. I think I have 22 of them done.
- I try to take a different route home from a place that I've visited so I can see something new on the way.
- I ate raw conch out of a bucket in the Dominican Republic.
- I stepped over the boarder into Haiti just so I could say I had been there. Didn't really want to stay long...disease, crime, drugs, etc.
- I probably 753 other things I can write here, but it's Monday morning and I have to go try out a new sewing machine to see if I want to buy it and, boy will that be an experience...
Einstein said "The only source for knowledge is experience". I believe that and try to live that and try to teach our kids the same. Now the Brown Eyed Man on the other hand, he's a little averse to trying new things, but he's getting better. He really is trying.
j
This weekend I was honored to officate the wedding of some friends. They are relatively new friends but I felt like we had known them forever.
This couple was married in 1998. Since then, they had three kids and a wonderful life and then due to some unfortunate mistakes, they got a divorce a few years ago.
With a lot of hard work and committment, they have come back together and I knew they were considering getting re-married so I told them I would gladly officiate if they wanted a quicky wedding. I thought it was going to be just a thing in their living room or something, but they decided to go to a place where they had each spent time as kids and a place that meant a lot to them personally.
We all went up to the Metolius River, one of my favorite places in Oregon and had the ceremony there. We stayed at the Metolius River Lodges. Our cabin was about 6 feet from the river and we slept with the windows open all night. I loved it.
To protect their privacy, as not all of their family, and most of our co-workers do not know that they were getting re-married (or that they were ever divorced), I'm not including their pictures. Even though they were all beautiful. Here is one of the Brown Eyed Man and me to hold you over:
It was just them, their three children and the two of us. I felt so honored to be a part of their family coming back together. What a great day.
j
