Overworkedjanet

 Well.. I do have two photos. I think I've been spending a lot of time living the moments that feel wonderful and not capturing them, as they feel routine. Make sense? I also think using my phone is great for those candid shots, but when I have my camera, it feels more intentional to take pictures. Maybe I should start lugging around thing I can't fit in my pocket.  I don't even have Christmas day photos this year! I have one lonely one of my completed tree that I sent to DD2 as a joke; she sent her photo back of her naked tree. As for the kids, they engage me so much that pictures are forgotten...except when Little Miss takes over Mom's phone and texts me selfies. I will NOT post the ones I send her, LOL! My honey got me flowers for our 47th. The colors in the picture are off, they have a bit of a whiter interior and more dark purple than what appears brown. Two weeks and they still look good! Little Miss is the drummer in the hot pink jacket.  There you go!

 Hello, peeps. I've been in shutdown for a while. Nothing much and everything.  The current 'climate' has been most of my angst. I'm powerless to do anything about it except write my congressman and senator, who seem to be hog-tied. I defiantly check my retirement funds and question the possibility of resuming mattress storage of said funds.  Back to the Future. The unelected second in command has possibly ensnared every iota of data on every person and project in the USA and it is now at his disposal. The elected in command looks as though he's attempting to start power grabs of other counties and remove us from all things stabile. Any moment I expect to see camps of youths starting up across the country in support of die fuhrer. I almost expect a knock at my door after I post. Sigh. Drugs hit my extended family this week in a hard way. A beautiful woman, so beautiful she was on a TV show about models, friend with my child for 20+ years got in trouble. She'd sp...

 Yes, ladies (and gents), I'm alive, I haven't felt very bloggy. All is well in our household. The new sewer and water lines are doing what they should; in and out! My garden is quietly compacting during this season of rains and now snow. I'll be busy digging and turning the earth in a few months and adding nutrients to the soil in preparation for the new season.  The holidays have been well-peopled and yet quiet. Almost everyone was at my in-laws home gathering, minus two college students and a someone working. Not having our family party in the cabin has changed how we interact and the younger set spent a lot of time in small groups or gaming on their phones.  Here are the patriarchs and matriarchs of the households The "game room" was the garage stuffed with usual garage items, 4 folding tables and enough chairs to fit us all.  We still had a good time and were well-fed! I'm busy planning our next trip, trying to knock off the last few states of the 8 left ...

 I've been absent for no other reasons than life happens. There seems to be so much to do when retired. My DH has had some other medical issues to deal with, and delt, they have been. Me, too. Nothing worthy of documentation, yet keeping us busy. I didn't post more about our vacation to the mid-west. I might pull out a photo or two before I sign off today. Last weekend we took a quick jaunt to the last of the East Coast states we hadn't visited, so Rhode Island is now off the table! We've nine states to go.  Custer State Park always delivers bison. You might recognize the guys in the background. A look into Badlands, Including my favorite big horn sheep. Outside of the Corn Palace. And finally, the Big Spoon with Cherry in Minneapolis.

 I figured it was about time to show your what I've been up to again. We took another long road trip, this time flying to Minneapolis, MN, creating a circle through six states with our travel companions. Our goal is to visit all 50 states. I've nine to go. Whew! So, for your viewing pleasure, here is the first installment of vacation opportunities. We arrived via Minneapolis to stop in the town of St. Peter to see if we could get into the renowned pearly gates. Alas, my name is not yet on St Peter's list although my DH thinks he's good to go! We stayed in the lovely town of Mankato. Our first stop was Kasota. DH and his brother were completing a bucket list of DH's to drive army tanks! I was the plus one so I got to ride not once, but three times! I followed policy and did not take any pictures during the ride as they would have shut down and carted me away had I done so. Safety first. Besides, holding on in the turret was a requirement of two hands. Bumped bruised ...

 Things continue to improve in the house of OJ. My DH feels a better, although he can't explain how. He has a bit of pep, doesn't feel blah, and is interested in doing things. It's amazing how you improve when your heart gets it's own circulation going! This week is a light flurry of activity as we are going on one of our wandering vacations next week, doctor approved. Flying to the mid-west with our ever-present siblings, we will be hitting 5 states in a road trip to add to our respective maps. Once this trip is done, I've got 8 states to go, then I've done something in all 50 states! Our pinky-sworn requirement is that we've got to do something touristy in each state. I started this attempt by insisting on National or State parks, but sometimes they weren't accessible to our trip. I settled on something less lofty but interesting in each state. This trip we'll pass through a small park in Illinois to a Native American burial mound, one of many I...