So many books

Reading and books are subjects that I do have something to post about! My 2007 non-fiction reading has been mostly American history, and I especially enjoyed the Dolley Madison book, also read a novel about her! I read an assortment of adult fiction, non-fiction, youth books and the occasional teen book. As of the end of April I've read 9 non-fiction books, 11 adult fiction, 12 youth books and 4 teen titles so far this year. I like to borrow the book on CD at the same time, so when I can I listen to it and get through the book faster that way. The library now subscribes to a service called "overdrive" where one can download audio books to a computer or to an MP3 player. Two problems I have with that are that 1) it doesn't work on Macs and 2) I don't have an MP3 player. So I stick with the more "traditional" books on cd.

Recommended Reading

This is the book I've been reading and I would highly recommend it whether or not you have heart health issues! When I couldn't find the book Catherine recommended at the library, I did find this and have been enjoying it. Very easy, informative reading about different issues, dietary recommendations, exercise and more.

How about a topic for next week's blog to be: Current read, all-time favorite read or both?! You could even do fiction and non-fict. in both categories if you're an avid reader like RUK!

It's Roberta who is not the oldest

I just tried to post a picture.....I love the news (meaning the old) ones that have been posted.....and your comments Serena! Especially the one of Roberta the future world traveler. Oh, that reminds me I want to check the temperatures of Ireland in November. A friend of our friend is setting up a trip there in November! Stay tuned! I am watching a new program to me......NANCY GRACE who used to be on CNN but then I lost her there. Actually, I was looking for the QVC (?) shopping channel since three came in today with the neatest sandals that they had all purchased recently there. Right now they are promoting electronics, so I switched the channel before Sid could see a new gadget he needs. ha though I am serious....always serious.

It is so windy out there, we did not want to get out on the bike today! Maybe later......we will have some of my fine leftovers tonight. Fixed some Costco pork chops in the slow cooker last night which turned out better than I would have thought! Tonight we will add corn on the cob that we got at Sprouts for 19 cents each.

Are blog postings supposed to be short? More later, TGIF! Roberta the blogger

trying to post a picture

Has old age overtaken?

No posts by Catherine or Roberta in quite awhile although they have commented....are you two sick or old age overtaken?

Walkers and Uibles

From All The back of the photo just says "Walkers & Uibles 1958-59". The adults, are easy to identify, obviously. Catherine almost has to be the dark haired one near Virginia Walker. So, the other dark-haired girl has to be either Jackie or me. I think it rather looks like I did, but doesn't really look like a 3-4 year old, so that would make her Jackie. Roberta would be either the one facing the camera, or the one we can only see the back of her head? Betty Anne and John are missing, MV, of course, wasn't born for several more years.

Ginny Crowson

Here's the beautiful Ginny Crowson, ringing handbells at church (3/28) and singing at "Art in the Park" (3/17), part of our St. Patrick's celebration.

Don's new "church"

Don got "officially" hired as the (part-time) chaplain at this local drug rehab facility this week! The D.S. gave him the choice of taking a church or Promise of Hope had approached him about serving as the chaplain. The website doesn't do the place justice but doing alot of good work. They dedicated their brand new chapel last Sunday and Don will have the first service in it tomorrow morning. http://promiseofhopega.org/index.htm Also soon to celebrate his one year anniversary at Johnson State Prison.

Alta Loma

The roof-mate right now is trimming up the grapefruit and orange trees in the backyard. I've chatted with him briefly and thanked him again. I did decide that something a little more tangible would be nice, so now have virtually no bread in the house - gave him most of what was left of the 100% whole wheat and also the mostly white plain bread. So, guess I'll be baking more bread this evening or tomorrow morning.

I've invited the Morgans and Kings over for a very simple brunch next week. Mainly breads and spreads. I may ask Morgans to bring some fruit salad and maybe the Kings some ice cream. (There is always room for ice cream. Still have Soy Delicious frozen ice-cream-like stuff.)

And then I suppose we will have to get together to celebrate Roberta's birthday (60, isn't it?). Anybody else up for Persian Garden?

Another photograph and questions

Above is the writing on the back of the photograph below. Which makes me rather wonder whether Debbie's last name really is (was?) Reynolds? Although I'm not sure what the name written there is.

I cropped out Spotty (the Dalmation) because one could hardly tell it was indeed him lying there on the floor and helped the faces come into closer focus. Also, cropped out the swing which was faced to swing out away from what was Dad's office and eventually John's bedroom. I don't really remember when there wasn't railing clear across the front of the porch (excluding the steps, of course).

Roberta and Wendy Jean

Roberta back in her babushka phase

Books for Health

I haven't read this particular book, The McDougall program for a healthy heart : a life-saving approach to preventing and treating heart disease by John A. McDougall ; recipes by Mary McDougall, but have found his other books helpful and interesting. It's call # at Glendale is 616.123 so look under that number for information about heart health. Published in 1996, this book will not have the most recent information, but he presents a strong case for nutrition being the most essential part of healthy living. And if you don't have much time to cook try his cookbook, The McDougall quick & easy cookbook : over 300 delicious low-fat recipes you can prepare in fifteen minutes or less. The cookbook is cataloged with the low fat diet books at this number, 641.5638.

Left Anterior Descending blah blah blah

I have doubled the amount of medical terminology I've learned in the last week or so! My heart cath came out fine and everything looked good and "within normal limits" except for a "^" in my left anterior descending (see #2 at right)....cardiologist Rx a hypertension medication to lower the BP (normal had inched up to 150/100ish) and lower the heart rate that stayed about 90-100 bpm resting. I started that on Thursday and by Saturday could tell a difference. I actually got up from a short nap and felt rested! As HH would say, it is a vicious cycle to not exercise because you don't feel well and then you don't feel well because you don't exercise!!
The cardiac rehab center through the hospital does have a medical evaluation and then will work with you for 3 months while you exercise in their lab which I plan to see about tomorrow.....Follow up with Dr. is Friday when he lowers the boom on diet, cholesterol, etc. It will be more fun than I can stand!

Things I've seen lately

I saw a set of encyclopedias at Goodwill the last time I was there. They were $1.99 per volume which wouldn't be a bad price, but the set was 25 years old which certainly makes the price less reasonable. I didn't check to see if there were any missing volumes.

I spotted Soy Delicious (the soy equivalent of ice cream) the other day. There were about 8-10 different flavors - including Chocolate Obsession. I was in the local Basha's grocery store (a little over .5 miles from the Alta Loma place)! So, next time we go for Soy Delicious for Mother, we'll skip Trader Joe's and just go to Basha's.

Plans and battery operated stuff

I'm getting ready to go on the SCW bike riders ride this morning. I chatted with a couple of people from the group yesterday at the New Residents meet and greet yesterday. The bike ride is not at 8:00, but 7:30 now. Don't know if it gets earlier as the summer gets deeper.

I've already ruined the free pedometer I got yesterday from Sun Health. Who would have guessed that a battery operated thing wouldn't do well going through the wash this morning? I do seem to be having a sudden problem with water and battery operated things - yesterday my "water-proof" watch gave up the ghost after being fogged up for 36+ hours (strangely it did work while the water was still condensed inside the watch). Who would have guessed that a $6 Wal-Mart watch would be so temporary?(It lasted 8 months, I think).

The plan for tomorrow is that R and I (and Sid?) are going to the Peoria Goodwill in the afternoon - it is 50% off day. Then, I'll bike on to the library, or Morgans, depending on the time.

Well, need to get going.

New additions

Serena, thanks for the news now on the left side of the blog......I just discovered it this morning! I would love to have one of the more recent pictures of the family taken down in Florida at the head of the blog. BUT.....I don't know how to paste it there! I am off for a morning breakfast meeting, I hope there is going to be some good food there! More later, the clock is ticking. Roberta the poster

up-close and personal

From All

Bill Sanker's obituary

SANKER William Curtis (85) of Terrace Park. Beloved husband of Jeanne. Devoted father of Lynn, Lowell, and Bruce. Loving grandfather of Ben, Amy, Eric, Diana, and Cindy. Memorial Service to be held Thursday April 5, 2007 at 10 A.M. at Hyde Park Community Methodist Church, 1345 Grace Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45208. Memorials to Hyde Park Community Methodist Church.

Obituary of Beverly Gooding

GOODING, Beverly (Erisman) Age 75, Died April 7, at home after a long illness which she faced with cheerfulness and courage befitting her faith and character. Survived by her husband of 54 years, Robert, who was her primary caregiver in her last years; daughter Lisa of Dayton, son James of Cincinnati, James Malone who was like a son to her and John Greer, Jr. who was like a grandson to her., as well as "adopted family" Helena Strauch and Robert Nyerges. She is also survived by her sister Eleanor (James) Woolley and brother Stewart (Betty) Erisman, as well as cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends. Preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Lela Erisman. Beverly was known for her kindness, gentle spirit, good humor and commitment to serving others, and for inviting many to share the food she prepared. A Fairview H.S. graduate, she attended Ohio University. While dedicated to her entire family, she also had a career in the workplace, beginning as assistant to the DP&L VP of Personnel in the early 1950s. Once her children were in school, she worked for Kenneth D. Arn, MD, as his assistant and office manager for 20 years, then worked for many years as Mrs. Virginia Kettering's personal assistant until shortly before Mrs. Kettering's death. Beverly's interests were many, from children, reading and antiques to travel and white water rafting. She gave many hours to community needs. Among them, she founded and led Bellbrook's first Child Conservation League in the 1950s and was an active member long after her children were grown and until her illness. She was a Girl Scout leader, served her church in many capacities including treasurer, co-founded with her husband and others the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Historical Society, serving it in leadership roles in her quiet steadfast way. Viewing, Wed, Apr. 11, 4-8 p.m. at Conner & Koch Funeral Home, 92 W. Franklin St., Bellbrook, OH. Funeral service, Thurs, Apr 12, 2 p.m. Grace United Methodist Church, Harvard & Salem Aves., Dayton, OH. Rev. Teri Heck of Bellbrook UMC and Rev. Marla Brown, Grace UMC, co-officiating. Burial Bellbrook Cemetery. Condolences and fond memories of Beverly may be emailed to the family at lagooding@cs.com. Should you wish, gifts in Beverly's memory can be made to children's charities or the Greene County Council on Aging. The Gooding Family especially thanks Jeannie Adkins of the Council for the loving care she gave Beverly and Bob. We also thank dear friends Roberta Uible-King, Jerry Wright, and Ada Rife for their continuous help and Glenn Kwiat, MD, for his care.




Note: directions to church may be found: here on the church's web site.

Tossed in Palm Beach Gardens

Just before Catherine, Gerry and I went to the airport we went Marianne and Larry to a really nice place called Tossed. Catherine had a Summer Salad and I had a Winter Salad - they were about $6.95 each. They had some "set" salads and then you could choose a basic salad for $3.95 and then all kinds of add-ins (at varying prices depending on the item). The food was excellent. The link for the set salads is here and the general link for the restaurants is here. Again, lunch was delicious, although not quite as filling as the Italian feast. And, of course, the company was interesting.

More Florida photographs

Sunday night

We have just finished unpacking the last of the bags (wires mostly toward the end!) and I was looking over the Uible blog and discovered the picture posted of Beverly Gooding.....what a wonderful way to remember her! I have played around with the idea of trying to come back to Ohio, but with one staff person gone this week out of three, it really is impossible.

Trust everyone had a great Easter. We did attend an excellent Easter music program at the Church on the Green last night. There was no food served. Ask the folks about that comment! More later, the sheets are calling.....

Welcome Home, One and All

By this time tomorrow night, all of us should be back home. Interesting the AZ contingent will reach their destination first, but that is certainly the joys of modern technology/aviation! We had an enjoyable day at St. Augustine and the kids left happy. We did find some shorts at The Avenues Mall (Julie---we took the others back! Hopefully it is a lesson learned for Ginny) and had dinner at Seven Bridges Brewery and Grille, thanks to JBs AAA book. Evidently it is part of the Gordon Biersch Restaurant group...but the food was excellent and service quick and attentive. I think I've been reading too many tour books and starting to sound like one. At any rate, we will head out in the morning and glad to hear from Julie via cell phone that they had already progressed to Charlotte, NC at suppertime tonight and planned to go further. It was wonderful to see everyone and appreciate not only the folks generous hospitality but the Horton warm welcome and tolerance of the boys splashing in their pool everyday!

Life is full compromises

HAPPY 59th ANNIVERSARY

Sorry, this year there is no big multi-tiered cake.


Sorry, this year the honeymoon suite is already rented.



Sorry, this year you're not near Williamsburg, Virginia.


Sorry, this year there is no champagne.


Sorry, this year there is no fancy feast.


Sorry, this year, there is no music for dancing long into the night.

HOWEVER

This year . . .

This year there is plenty of room for fresh fruit and vegetables in the motel room mini-fridge.

This year, actually, there is a honeymoon suite - Andrew and Christian are particularly enjoying it.

This year you're close to the nursing home.

This year there is plenty of tap water.

This year, we can ask your grandchildren to dance as your daughter sings.

This year, we'll have dinner at the nursing home.


Life is full of compromises, as you know after 59 years of wedded bliss. Your five children, three in-laws, four grandchildren, a niece and husband, a nephew and wife and child, plus a sister are here to wish you a


VERY HAPPY 59th ANNIVERSARY!!

So, even though you don't have all the trimmings of 59 years ago, we're sure you'll enjoy this year's celebration with all the compromises. Next year, we have votes for Key West (complete with someone screaming that she will NOT go and if she does she will NOT have a good time), Hillsboro, Stacy's in Wilmington, an all day outing to IKEA, beans with hot sauce at a Mexican restaurant, nature hikes complete with sampling of unripe persimmons . . . So, enjoy the good times THIS year.

With love from your children

Catherine
John
Mary Virginia
Roberta
Serena

Mary Virgnia's birthday

Isn't this a great photograph of Mary Virginia . . . she was always such a ham.

Mary Uible Horton - alone and with various relatives

 

 

 

 

KC in his walker

Printing off some pictures today to bring to Florida with us. This one was taken about an hour ago. KC spent the night at our house last night and we are meeting his parents in a couple of hours for an early supper. Looking forward to seeing the Uible clan in Florida soon.

Eagle has landed

Folks arrived fine about 4PM EST. ETD 0900 03.31.07

The Eggery and the weather in West Palm Beach

I had a very nice breakfast with Catherine, Gerry, Wendy Jean, Ken, Sarah (one of Ken's sisters), Katie (Sarah and Ken's niece) and KC this morning a The Eggery. The food was good and it is a very nice place - we went to the one at Camelback and Central. By the way, there was mention there that there is now (or coming soon) an Egg and I restaurant at 83rd and Union Hills. Both Katie and KC were very quiet.

Catherine and I discussed that they will be picking me up about 6:00 a.m. Monday to leave for Florida. That way I can clean out the kitty litter one last time before I leave (since the next change won't be until Wednesday mid-day).

The weather here is quite nice and looks like West Palm Beach will also be very nice next week - the link for the weather site that I use is here.

Anyone talk to Mom and Dad?

They called tonight and sounds like Dad is feeling better--has walked AND ridden his bike to the office and today worked in the yard he said.

Does she look like the Crowsons or the Uibles?

Top picture, taken after the concert when we went to Charlotte, NC.

Which side of the family does she look like? Can she touch her nose with her tongue like her Aunt's Roberta and Serena?

New User--Don

Hello, All!
I'm posting finally (via my brilliant wife) as I had trouble logging on before. I know I'm late with my vote for favorite reunion, but it was at Glacier National Park, in spite of the fact it was COLD when we were there. It sure was beautiful!

Car

I assume this is what Dad discussed
---Honda four door sedan with 34 mpg. I'm sure they are glad to be back home for awhile!

Who would have known?

PAINTED STREETS

Step into this South Florida town, and watch an art gallery appear beneath your feet.

On a sunny Saturday morning, the streets of Lake Worth, Florida, blossom in colors as bright as a garden. Hundreds of artists kneel with chalk in hand, sketching their entries for the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival in February. Artists come from as far away as California to draw more than 240 paintings that are reproductions of classics that hang in museums. Many artists attend Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.

How long the art lasts depends on nature. Traffic takes its toll when the streets reopen--tires act like big erasers.

Excerpted from Southern Living Magazine.

Snow Hill ~ 1920 Postcard

$26.00 somebody paid for this! Landscaping looks a bit different then.

KC & his Great-Granddad

Here's KC and his great-grandfather at the folks new place in SCW, taken Saturday, March 10.

Jacks and ball

The picture of the ball and jacks caught my eye! Here is part of what the article with the picture said, "Get out the wooden tops, jacks and marbles - classic toys are finding new life as rehabilitation tools for seniors. In various nursing homes and senior centers on the East Coast, a new program, administered by the Teacher Place & Parent Resources in Burlington, Vermont, uses classic toys to improve memory and hand-eye coordination."

World as Cloverleaf strange map

From Strange Maps Blog 030807
Heinrich Bunting (1545-1606) knew the world didn’t really look like this. There are enough maps in his works (such as Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae) to indicate he knew the continents had an irregular, and not a symbolic shape.
This particular map is a tribute to Buntings hometown Hanover, as the text above the map indicates: Die ganze Welt in einem Kleberblatt welches ist der Stadt Hannover meines lieben Vaterlandes Wapen (‘The Whole World in a Cloverleaf, Which Is The Coat of Arms of Hannover, My Dear Fatherland’).
The map shows a world divided into three parts (Europe, Asia and Africa), connected at a single central point: Jerusalem. This is essentially still the same symbolic map of the world as the one first devised by Saint Isidore in the seventh century. Isidore’s ’T and O’-shaped map, itself inspired by Scripture, influenced Christian European mapmaking up until the age of discovery.
That age would be the one Bunting grew up in. He and his contemporaries were among the first generations of Europeans to know Isidore was wrong – but it’s almost impossible to resist imagining how this centuries-old archetype of a map took a while to be erased out of the common memory of cartographers.
Bunting’s map is nice in that it combine symbolism with realism: in the bottom left corner a piece of land is named America. Strange is that a similar detached piece of territory at the top of the map is labelled Denmark and Sweden. Bunting must have known that Denmark was contiguous with the European Continent…
Some named countries and places (not all are easily readable) on the three continents are, left to right:
Europe: Hispanien (Spain), Mailand (Milan), Welschland (Welsh? Walloon? Country), Frankreich (France), Lothringen (Lorraine), Roma (Rome), Deutschland (Germany), Ungarn (Hungary), Polen (Poland), Preussen (Prussia), Griechenland (Greece), Türken (Turks)
Africa: Lybia, Egypten, Morenland (Land of the Moors), Königreich Melinde (Kingdom of Melinde) , Caput Bonae Spes (Cape of Good Hope)
Asia: Siria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Chaldea, Persia, India

Runs in the Family?

Returned to the allergist MD yesterday with Christian and think we have the answer to the nosebleeds that have plagued him for probably 7-8 years. They seem to ebb and flow (no pun intended) but are the worst in the winter/early Spring and in the heat of summer. Seasonal allergies combined with extremes in weather (which dry out the sinus cavities) seem to be the problem.

Brings to mind that I remember having alot of nosebleeds as a child but don't remember any rhyme or reason to them. Further, it might be helpful in our family history to track medical challenges that might be inherited whether nosebleeds or breast cancer or even heart related to be proactive and preventive for ourselves and future generations. I know we have discussed this before in passing but I did not keep a record of it. I would be glad to track this for future reference if family would like to email me (private--not blog related, necessarily).

With Mom and Dad both having blockages, etc., we need to be especially vigilant now with heart disease as well as cancer check-ups.

On a lighter note, Christian had baseball try-outs last night and we're looking forward to the beginning of little league in a few weeks. AND it is not too late if anyone would like to visit next week for the big St. Patrick's celebration in Dublin. The whole town turns out for the Pancake Dinner on Thursday night sponsored by the Exchange Club (similiar to Lions, etc) and then Saturday is the parade, crafts festival and many more activities. What airport would you like to utilize???
Did the picture CDs arrive in Phx yet?

State Quiz

For those interested in US geography; try this quiz - State Quiz. Rather simplistic though.

WENDY JEAN HAS NEWS!

Have you read Wendy Jean's big news?

Here is the link for her comment which has the actual news