List of Flowers

I believe I will list the flowers outside. The weather has turned beautiful, and everyday something new opens up.

1. The dogwoods are suddenly begining to look spectacular. Oh, how I love them. There's a lovely one in the grounds of the office building with the leaking roof that was in the Gazette Times, between Jackson and Van Buren on 7th. I'm worried about it because it's building is in trouble.

2. Rhododendron. My red one abruptly burst forth. So bright and gay.

3. Azalea. I have two that are orchid color, one that is pale pink and white that I brought back from my Mom's funeral in 2000, one that is red, and not doing so well, and one that is hot pink. My yard looks great when they bloom.

4. Tulips. Mine are in various stages of develpement. I think my favorite is the pink and green one.

5. Geranium. A tiny one I just planted already is blooming. Yea!

6. I have to go now.

Memory Care

Yesterday after much phone searching by discharge placement specialist Kathy at the hospital, she found this place in Salem, and after a tour and much much much paperwork, (Did I say MUCH?) and Kathy setting up transportation, and Mom writing his name on a lot of clothes, the car is all loaded and we're ready to head off this morning to see her S.O. on his way. Mom's neighbor said her friends all call their life partners S.O.'s, for Significant Other. After we got home from Salem yesterday the neighbor came over and we had a tea and hen party. It helped Mom to talk, and like us, she has good neighbors.

Rental Cars and Good Sam Hospital

Yesterday my mother-in-law's significant other was hospitalized after a prolonged, progressive, incurable illness, and everyone says he can't go home again for his and her good. She and I were there when they moved him from emergency to a room upstairs, and while the doctor visited him, and while he had his dinner. HHusband was busy selling a motorcycle. That makes him down to what? I lose track. The sold motorcycle was the one that wasn't his. The one from New Zealand isn't here yet. This morning I took the tree crashing car to the repair shop, and they dropped me off at John and Phil's Toyota where I rented a Prius until Thursday morning. If I need a car after that, I'll have to get something else. I went back up to the hospital and Mom's Sweetie didn't recognize me. Well, heck. Everyone there was really nice. HHusband is out working on the new motorcycle. Something about the gas tank. Gotta go now. See ya.

An Earth Day Night at the Musical

Last night Darling Daughter and I saw the high school production of Music Man. We had a very good time and lots of laughs. It was surprising how many of the actors and musicians (because they had a real orchestra in the orchestra pit, which was just the floor in front of the stage) I recognised, as well as members of the audience, like Golda from Fiddler on the Roof, and Frank Butler from Annie Get Your Gun, both community theater productions, and several people from the last year's high school production of Oklahoma! That's a sense of community when you recognize people you don't even know. Everyone loved the opening scene of The Music Man, where a bunch of salesmen reading newpapers on the train were talking about cash, and whadayatalk whadayatalk whadayatalk and knowing the territory and Harold Hill. Oh, and speaking of celebrities in the audience, I also spotted Michael Charles Smith, the tuba player who's running for US President in 2008. I saw on a list of things at the Earth Day doings downtown, which I wish I could have memorized, but it was too long for me, that attending local events is a way to build community, and building community is also a good thing to do on Earth Day, so going to The Music Man was good for our Earth.

Broke a Rose, Hit a Tree

Well, this isn't exactly how it looked. I was able to drive home, after all. I took Darling Daughter to a string quartet rehearsal way out in the hills above Philomath, put the car in neutral and got out to try to shove it back up the hill, because it doesn't reverse up grades, when gravity laughed at me and told me I'd better get out of the way or get run over. The car knocked over a rose bush and several daffodils on the way down to the tree. AAA pulled me out. HHusband thinks maybe he shouldn't have let me loose so long with a faulty transmission. I didn't recognize the hill as a hill. Do you know how sometimes those things can be decieving? He says we'll have to have it repaired, and maybe get the transmission fixed, too. Hello Freebird. I give you way more buisness than I'd like. Twice, with two different cars, someone or another of us backed out of the garage with a right side door open, hitting a post and causing a crunch. Then there were other times, but lets not go over those. I did that get-out-and-push thing once before with a Karman Ghia. It hit a telephone pole. I think it was l978. Guess my old brain forgot a lesson only half-learned. I hope it's all-learned now.

On another matter, HHusband says he has too many motorcycle jackets. Why shouldn't he? He has about 11 motorcycles. He just told me about one he sold many many years ago that had a twin sold for $60,000 in Florida. A Speed Twin, that is. That's nothing, compared to the Astin Martin we didn't buy for $11000 because we didn't have garage room, and it sold a few months later at auction for over $100,000. We got out of doing old cars, and now just do motorcycles. I don't think he even has ten motorcycle jackets, so I don't guess he has too many, do you? He can't pass up a deal on E-Bay, and there are so many different attributes the different jackets have.

Well, That didn't Work

I tried something new, and I don't know what happened, but it wasn't what I wanted. Did you see that, Mrs. Hippy? Mrs. Staggs? I'm not staying long, just enough to say goodnight.

We just rehearsed in a swimming pool, and at the end of the rehearsal, we found out there are a lot of people who want us to play for them. That's always nice. It's good to be wanted. I tried out a new horn today, and I love the horn, it's wonderful, but the reason I have it makes me sad, because the magician who owned it before isn't well enough to play it anymore. So I'm glad he wanted me to have it, but sad that I do.

Goodnight.

what's this: I Should be in the Shower

what's this: I Should be in the Shower
http://www.heirloomroses.com/index.htm

I Should be in the Shower

I had a little time before 8:45, when my Dad will call me, or I'll call him, and I wanted to be showered first, but I said to myself, "Oh, I'll just post this little blog thing and be on my way, it won't take any time." Could I have been wrong? Maybe so. My coffee gets cold between each sip, so time must be passing here while I'm not paying attention. I have a lot lot lot to do today, so while there are still a few minutes, I'm going to jump into that no-clawfoot tub, with the obnoxious shower doors (it is hard to wash large brass instruments with shower doors in the way), in the room where I need to strip wallpaper, and take a rushed but nice-smelling shower. I have a candle burning in there all ready for me. I would like to hear what the "You Knit What?" people would say about my current wallpaper. They are funny, if not particularly kind. I just like roses.

Fading

People get older. After a while they can't do everything themselves. My mother-in-law's live-in-boyfriend has faded a lot, and is getting too much, and she has had to face the hard decision that she has faded a little and he's faded even more, and she can't take care of him anymore. Now she has to find a place for him.

Sunny Morning

The cats have their pick of sunny spots to sleep in. HHusband is out thinking with his motorcycle collection. Darling daughter is still abed, but I'm hoping she'll get up soon. The coffee this morning was a little weak, but it was nice and hot. I got some delicious local cheese from the Farmer's Market yesterday, and am looking forward to sampling it with some wine later. I'd like a nice Tyee Pinot Noir, but don't have any. The vender said the cheese was made in Albany, but the label says Sublimity, so maybe that's where the cows are. The band enjoyed playing in the Merrysville gazebo this morning at the Easter Fete. Thank you for having us. It was lovely. I especially liked Ulla's transport. Besides cheese at the market, Michael Charles Smith was there, running for president. My friends are going to show me how to do links, but we all have to find the time. Until then I can't send you to his web site. He rails against religious intolerance. Yay for Michael. Lighten up, zealots! There's a lot more, but you'd have to read his blog, which I also don't know how to send you to. You can read about the fete at A Happy miscellany, but you'll have to type that in yourselves and search, and hope it works.

Top Ten Hobby Supplies

My friend Mrs. Staggs at A Happy Miscellainy says it's List Day on Friday, and the list this Friday is your top ten hobby supplies. Can I come up with ten?

1. Trombone. Mine's from 1949. Same age as HHusband.
2. Mouthpiece. I would like to get a new one.
3. Squirt bottle. This was given to me. Thank you.
4. Distilled water. I have a well, and the water is full of minerals. Tastes good. Bad for slide.
5. Slide-O-Mix. Makes slide move easily when used in conjunction with squirt bottle.
6. Music stand.
7. Trombone stand.
8. Wright's silver polish. Recommended by Mrs. Staggs.
9. Gun cleaning rod to clean slide inside.
10. Polishing rags in several sizes. Mostly I use cut up old cotton t-shirts of HHusband's.

Should I have mentioned music? I guess that would move rags to off the list, and squirt bottle to 4th.

Spring Despair

When I'm sad, a beautiful day with blue sky, bright colorful flowers, trees blooming, sun shining, and birds singing, it all intensifies the feelings of gloom and despair. Yes, that's what I'm feeling. Despair. That must mean things will get better. I wish they'd start soon.

Fun in Downtown Corvallis

Tonight HHusband and I were delighted to hear the Oregon State University trombone choir give a concert at the First United Methodist Church. Oh, my. They were everything you would want to hear in a trombone choir. I hope to hear more of them, and the rhythm section that accompanied them on The Pink Panther. Their rendition of Let There be Peace on Earth was inspiring. I would like to hear that played regularly everywhere. They ended with the theme song for double oh seven. Their bass trombonist was quite amusing. Such an powerful concert. I think the leader's name is Henry, and he said they would soon, as in maybe a couple of weeks, have a web site, and it would have some sound bits to listen to.

Before the choir, we were at The Darkside Theater watching the new Neil Young movie. A very good movie and a good concert. When Neil Young found out he had to have brain surgery, he put on this concert before hand, and recorded it, then afterwards, when the operation was a success, he added some more bits. We always see people we know there. We are so lucky to have this theater in Corvallis. It is locally owned, and going there is always a pleasure.

Not only did we have a wonderful evening of conerts and movies, but the day started off with beautiful weather perfect for admiring the new blooms on the gravenstein apple tree.

Corvallis Orchestra Concert

Tonight the Camerata String Orchestra gave a concert at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library in the Corvallis Main Meeting Room at the invitation of Friends of the Library in celebration of National Library Week. I felt so lucky to get to hear them play in that small room. I could hear all the soloists, and the balance seemed perfect. I imagined myself as a guest at the large country estate of someone living in the late 1800's, with French doors leading onto a lawn and gardens just behind the orchestra. The music was that euphonious. Afterwards everyone, musicians and audience alike, was excited and happy at having either performed so well, or been privy to such a fine performance. Mr. Charles Creighton, their conductor, treated the entire orchestra to gelato at Roberto's afterwards, which offer was met with eager enthusiasm by the young musicians.

Dentist Wednesday Ramblings

There I am at the dentists, bright and early, and the first buisness question he has for me is do I want novicain? Do I? Well, yes, thank you for asking. I also got a blanket because it was hot in my house when I left, so I forgot to wear a sweater or coat or sweatshirt, and it was reasonably cool in his office. The topics of discussion other than dental had to do with horses, barns, stalls, rabbit manure, and flowers. Apparently his children give him stuffed animals to take to work with him so he won't get lonely or bored, then they give him care instructions for them. He said he had to separate them once because they were getting rowdy. Anyway, drinking coffee today is quite an adventure, because my face is numb up to my eyeballs. My new fillings feel nice, though. The old ones were wearing out and getting rough.

I'm expecting friends from across the country to come visiting in a month, and one of them makes great coffee. My darling HHusband likes his coffee a bit on the weak side, and he makes better coffee than I do, so I sometimes have to break down and go out with friends to coffee kiosks to get great coffee. Corvallis is lucky, because we have several places that sell coffee from Allann Bros. My favorite is the Creekside. I can't wait to go there again. Maybe Darling Her Highness Daughter and I will get to stop at a hole-in-the-wall coffee store that sells Allann Bros. Coffee between her lessons today. Wednesday is lesson day, and they're back-to-back.

HHusband has a couple things posted on Craig's List, and the last two days, I spent waiting for people to come buy stuff who said they would come at a certain time, but they ended up not showing up. There's another one today. Let's see if they show up. Waiting for people to not come is not my idea of fun.

Wonderful Day, Plenty of Coffee

Oh, how delightful it was this morning to wake up and smell delicious coffee and then get to drink it, too. I don't know for sure, but I think the coffee I made yesterday was from beans that had not roasted long enough. Another one of my wonderful neighbors roasts coffee beans in his home roaster, designed and sold by another Corvallis resident, or so I've heard. Usually his beans are oh! So good, but I think he must have messed up the batch I brewed up yesterday. Either that, or I messed up brewing it. Today, everything was great.

Now, I see by the clock that I have to take off, but I just wanted you to know how happy and well caffeinated I am.

A cup of coffee, please.

Yesterday was OK. It was Daylight Savings Time, but it was also Sunday. I thought I got up at 6:30, but it turns out to have been 7:30 DST. That's OK. Plenty of sleep. This morning was different. HHusband (who gets up at 4:30, and my alarm goes off at 5:30) must have been feeling coffee-esk, because he drank it all, and when I went to the pot, two drops dribbled into my cup. I repeatedly started to make more, but in the rush of making lunches for everyone, kept forgetting to follow-through. The upshot is, here I am, but I've still had no coffee. At least I remembered to turn on my alarm, so it would wake me up this morning. It starts off with the I Love Lucy theme, and I think it was up to playing the theme from Green Acres with Eddy Arnold and Zsa Zsa Gabor, or her sister, I've forgotten now, before I finally drug myself out of bed. It's OK, except I was too late to get any coffee.

Fun with Family

Darling Her Highness Daughter and I went on a road trip this week. She brought her CD's because Her Friend borrowed her i-Pod to take on a different trip, and I got to listen on the car's machine to music I don't normally listen to, and she actually talked to me. Sometimes she talks, and sometimes she doesn't. Sometimes when she talks, you start looking for the OFF button, but she wasn't like that this time. We had a lovely time, or at least I did, and she didn't complain. We saw Grandfather, an aunt, an uncle, and lots of beautiful scenery. She slept in my old bedroom at my dad's house, and thought it was a great room, even if it is being mostly used for storage now. Dad went to SO MUCH WORK tidying up his house for our visit. He even planned a wonderful meal, and he planned for help preparing it, and everything went according to his plan. This was all so flattering, that he went to so much trouble to make our visit as delightful as possible.