I had to take this picture!!!

19,746 steps. I thought you all might have trouble believing me if I just reported that without the picture to prove it. One day at work I walked 19,746 steps. The day was not last week, but the week before. I'm just now getting around to posting it. A bit blurry, but readable in white you can read 10,000 steps a day. That's what one is suppose to strive for to be considered active, healthy and I almost doubled it. I've gone through many of these pedometers at work. I walk alot and just plain wear them out. So this time round I got one that doesn't convert it to miles. Thought maybe there would be less to break? Less to have something go wrong with? Anyway, according to several on line converters 5,000 steps = 2 miles. That means I walked 9.58 miles at work alone. I never put it on until I'm heading out the door, so none of my stuff at home counts.

Remember my post about being as old as dirt (a few back), well this day I can tell you I felt as old as dirt and then some.

Now, I wonder all the time I spent sitting here over the last couple of days loading pictures into the new computer (hope you enjoyed the movie in the previous post with music even), probably shoots whatever I gained with above steps. Dang it. Plus, the really frustrating thing is, I lost thousands of pictures about this time yesterday. I don't know how; but somehow I hit delete and didn't even send them to the re-cycle bin...they are gone!! Hubby even spent time looking through all the directories. Groan...all that time. I was getting super organized. Getting everything loaded here, put into files etc. Tech guy at Staples told me he could look through the actual data on the hard drive, but that it would be real costly...several hundred dollars. He also said he could redo everything if he didn't find it, but to load stuff for me would be $100.00. In addition, I would need to take my CD's, my old computer, my memory card. Heck, in order to tell him what I need, and want, I'd have to look at everything anyway. So....I started the process over again. This time though, I'm only doing things by subject...slowly one at a time.

Tomorrow, I'll on my pedometer again as it's a work day.

Sandy's New Computer

Ok, this took 5 tries. I had to find a program to edit the pictures to make them smaller which I didn't have on my computer. The speed of the new computer is great. I hope you have your sound on, it's some good music. Not sure how many pics you can add to the movie to still have it within acceptable size for what blogger allows. Anyone know?

Did you know when you get font to small to read on blogs, webpages, and sometimes even in your email you can fix it for your eyes by holding down the crtl key and clicking the + key until you get the size you like. I find this really helpful. With my new big screen, it seems everything is tiny and it doesn't fill the screen unless I do this.

Did you know you can add your blog url as a link when you type a comment on someone's blog? I didn't know that until recently. Sooooooo many people on blogger don't have their settings to allow name and url. Why? I'm not sure when you consider most people have multiple blogs and when you click on their names you do not go to the blog you know them from...you go to their profile page. Then you must decide what blog to go to. Extra time, extra clicking, and if you don't have a fast computer it's pain in the backside. Though adding your url as a link also takes time, it's better than typing your url as a cut and paste for them. Particularly if you want them to return to your blog for a visit. However, even this can't be done if they have settings set to not allow html code.

here's the method (which took me quite a while to find, and test; as many people who blogged about it didn't have it quite right.

type the name of your blog here

Happy rest of the week end to all.

To LOVE, Cherish and Obey

To love, cherish and obey; those are not the words used in today's wedding ceremonies; but those were the words taken 62 years ago today by my parents. Their story is beautiful, filled with every emotion known.

They met in high school, he was an upperclassman; she raced through the halls to get to the senior wing for a a few minutes to see him in between classes. To use her words, I chased him until he caught me. These words are powerful for me today, as she's no longer with us to celebrate this very special occasion. Most of you know, she passed a few months back. What an occasion though this is. Not many people in today's world can celebrate 62 years of marriage; 62 years of life together growing, struggling, laughing and crying together that long takes a commitment many aren't willing or able to do.

They met in high school in Chillicothe, Ohio. He went off to serve his country in the Navy, fighting Seabee's in World War II. When he returned, they got married. Though they were engaged, they decided to elope. I smile when I say that; as I find it quite romantic. No need for a big production, they just wanted to get married.

They had been to see the movie, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", when they decided to go and get married. In that day, many people crossed the border into Kentucky to get married; but they wanted to be different. They drove to Indiana.

The notice yellowed over time, and falling out of an old photoscrap book reads as follows:

Miss Barrows Is Bride of Mr. Mader

Marriage of Miss Miriam Barrows to Mr. Charles A. Mader, Jr. was solemnized on Aug 25 in the Methodist parsonage at Greenfield, Indiana, with the Rev. J. F. Stephenson officiating.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. Howard A. Barrows of East Eighth street and the late Mrs. Barrows. Mr. Mader's parents Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Mader, Sr. reside on Mill street.

The bride wore a white street length dress with white accessories. She was graduated from Chillicothe high school in 1947 and has been employed by the J. C. Penny-Co.

Mr. Mader, a graduate of Chillicothe HS class of '44' served two years in the Seabees in the South Pacific. He also attended the Chillicothe branch of Ohio university.

Mr. and Mrs. Mader are now living on Route 2, St Paris where Mr. Mader is engaged in the housing construction business with his brother-in-law.

The above picture is a dress Mom made, as is the one below. She was quite a seamstress. The photo above is my parents at a dance, perhaps her Prom from memory. The photo below maybe the dress she wore when they got married. She signed the photo, so I believe it's one she gave Daddy.

Old as Dirt

If you know what this is, if you remember this, if you used this....you are officially as old as old as me...........and as "old as dirt." Don't get me wrong now, I like old; or perhaps you prefer the nicer words like vintage or retro for you youngin's. LOL

I was sooooo surprised to see this. These mailboxes were used at University School. The University School is where my husband attended school until it closed it's doors. He was a sophomore at that time. Two weeks ago there was a reunion. They had almost everyone return, even those living far away. This was a very tight knit group of kids. Think there were maybe 30? I'd have to look at the list. We collected up for lunch at one of the class members houses, then we got to tour the school. The school began in 1937 and so there's lots of history. It was fun exploring the old building. The organizer had arranged to have someone meet us at the building, unlock it so we could explore on a Sat. It really was the perfect topper.

This group remembered fondly the school, the teachers, and even the food. They all remarked about how good the shepherds pie was. Most of the group never quite felt like they belonged when they went to various high schools around the city. They felt jipped. They wanted to graduate from this school. The school must have done lots of things right for the sentiment to be so favorable from it's former students.

The mailboxes are actually still in the office, though no longer used.

Do have fond memories of your school? Do you attend reunions? Do you stay in touch with former classmates? Did you think your cafeteria food was good?

Rise Above Plastic

This is my new water bottle. It's aluminum, and Swiss made. It wasn't cheap, $20.00 (Sigg). My daughter order one for hubby, me, and got herself one as well. I picked this because I like the saying. Everywhere you go you see people with water bottles, plastic ones. I don't like to keep buying water and so re-cycle them several times---refilling them. Apparently that's not a healthy thing to do. The plastic starts to break down and you drink chemicals. I like having a bottle always with me, drinking water is a good thing to do and many of us don't drink enough of it. I like having the bottle because you do tend to drink more, instead of having to look for a water source. I hate drinking out of a fountain...you never know who's spit in there, or put their mouth on it, or washed their hands in it etc. ICKY. I also prefer a bottle over a glass, glass breaks for one, dust gets in the glass for two, and you always have the opportunity to spill it on something. Generally something important.

So, this should be healthier for me, cheaper because I won't be buying the bottled water, and better for the environment as I won't have a mound of plastic bottles to put in the re-cycle bin. So even with the cost of $20.00, I feel like it's a good thing to do.

I'm also trying to rise above plastic with grocery shopping. I have lots of canvas bags, my problem is remembering to take them with me to the grocery. But, I will keep trying. I do reuse the plastic bags; and the ones I don't reuse I take back to have them recycled.

How bout you? Are reducing your plastic use, trying to reduce your carbon foot print?

Memory Monday

My quest to honor and remember fond things about my mother in alphabetical order continues. Today is the letter I.

Ice skating. I grew up in the little town of Marion, in the snow belt. Ice skating there was very popular. Outside on the farm ponds, city park ponds and so forth. We skated as a family usually on Sunday and when we'd get home cold and tired; Mom would make hot chocolate and pop corn. Ahhhhhhhh I can taste it now. Great fun. There was a nice old style hardware store where you could trade your skates in and get new-used ones. This was great for growing feet. I was super excited when Mom helped me clean up an old pair that were cheap, polished them nice and white...then we made purple pom pom's to decorate them. There were better than new.

Isaly's Sugar Cookies.......though most people who know of Isaly's (us mid-westerners) will immediately think of ice cream and chipped chopped ham, I think of sugar cookies. Grandma Isaly made them from a secret family recipe. They melted in your mouth much like a shortbread cookie. Mom tried to get her to give her the recipe...unsuccessfully. But, I remember her trying. Grandma was getting up in years and someone else in the family was beginning to make them; they weren't as good. Isaly's actually began in my small town of Marion; though I didn't know that at the time. I was searching for a picture to go with this post and found the history of this Swiss Immigrant Family. To this day when I have a sugar cookie I think of Mom trying to get Isaly's recipe and wishing someone out there had it. No sugar cookie since has been as good.

**The white Lilly is about 5.5 inches across, very large for a Lilly and much larger than it was last year. I transplanted these varieties and they seem to like their new location. They're tall, so hubby got me some nice plant supports for them. They're in the far corner of my back yard, visible from my kitchen window. So pretty.

H Memory Here

Walk with Me and have some Friday Fun

This is the first time I've tried this, the results aren't great; but wanted to share with you anyway...maybe next time it will work a little better. Hubby was playing around with my camera and took this, it's not as steady I would like; and I didn't know I would be able to post here. So...this is a first. Come walk with me through part of my backyard.



You can see some of the lillies against one of the fence rows.

Could you sleep in this?

**PLEASE, could you click here to vote for my travel blog, Thanks and HUGS
HERE

Isn't this the cutest bed you've ever seen? This is A Thomas The Train Bed. You've met my cute little pseudo grandchild. He LOVES trains and all things about Thomas The Train.
Look at the cute stickers for the wall. This are super nice, easy to move, don't require paste. So much more is available now for little ones' then when mine was this age.

This is what they call a youth bed and uses the mattress from the crib, is low to the ground. Perfect!

Did you see him on his Thomas The Train Bike?
Playing with his Thomas The Train Trains?

MONDAY, Monday, MONDAY

This Red Mallow measures 9.5 inches in diameter. I love these flowers. I've lost several bushes that didn't come up this year which is troublesome. I wonder if it had to do with how bad those dang Japanese Beetles were last year. They consumed these plants. These were Mom's favorite flowers, and in fact the starts came from her yard. I have this bright red and light pink ones. The red always bloom first and are generally larger than the pink for some reason. White ones also exists, though I don't have any of those.

Hubby's had an overload of maintenance that unfortunately continues today. First on Friday, the garage door wouldn't open with the opener or the inside button. The track is a mess. The part he needs to fix it is available. That's a relief cause this is an older opener and he was worried about that; but the place that has the available part wasn't opened by the time he got home on Friday after work--and they're not opened on the wkend. So, this job has been put off until today, Monday. We can open the garage door with a large 2 x 4. He moved my car outside in the drive for me. Thanks!

He changed the oil in my car, since the reminder was beeping at us. My daughter's car uses the same type of filter, and her's also needs changed. Not a big job, or so one would think. The store only had 1 filter. So, he did mine on Sat; and ventured to a different store on Sunday to get a 2nd one to do our daughters. She's been here visiting after moving from Baltimore and before moving to St. Louis.

Next up, his car won't start. Now, his car is old, 14 years old in fact; but has been a really good car. Plus, he works only 2 miles from the house, he only uses it for that. He removed the battery, took it some place to get it tested, assumed that was the problem--which would be easy to fix. Nope, that's not the problem, the battery is fine. Next he tried to remove the started, as the maintenance guy suggested that so it could be tested. Can't get it off to test it. Hum...then he successfully removes the starter relay switch and is now in the process of taking it somewhere to test it. Gees.........

Our daughter's been out of town this past wk end for a wedding, flew in late last night; and drives out today, Monday for St. Louis. This is the beginning of her move. But, she's not taking much with her; as she'll be staying with a few friends until the regular accommodations become available. Sometime down the road, we'll rent a u-haul something and cart lots of stuff out there.

Hope you all have a good start to your week.