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.