Learning Experiences

Life is full of learning experiences. Learning is necessary. With out learning there is no growth. Learning is what makes life worth living. OK, Okay, what’s my point in writing. I have one of those life questions, and that is, “WHY do so many learning experiences have to cost SO MUCH money?

Here is what I’m talking about. A friend kindly purchased a used lawnmower for the APL. It was used, so she had it overhauled. The thing ran really well all summer, but as the last mowing of the season finished the engine blew up. Why? No one put in oil. Now she is looking for a new used mower for the APL. No they can’t fix it. No the APL does not have the money to buy one.

What was the thing learned? Check the oil yourself because no one else will. Now, I ask you, couldn’t that lesson been learned more cheaply?

Here is my own example. I bought a $12,000 Inbro embroidery machine. What did I know? I went to the trade show. I shopped around. Looked at all the machines and made my decision, the wrong one, of course. Wrong because I believed the sales person that there would be training and support near by. (Near by to them was the east side of Pennsylvania.) So after 3 years and calling the service guy in I sold the machine for $1,750.00, which was $250 more that I could get for a trade in. Most companies would not even talk about taking it as a trade in. Couldn’t someone have just told me to get a Tajima in the first place?

Pop took his money out of the bank and paid off his car and bought me a Tajima machine. Now there is an expensive “Learning Experience”! I could have bought two new cars or a house in Ashtabula, Ohio with what we have spent on embroidery machines. I better get some customers and fast! Anyone out there need some creative embroidery work done? Please? Maybe?

Today so far

My life stinks today. So many thing have gone wrong I can't even remember what happened first. There is one minor deal: I can't find my original print of Sr. Anthony.
Major deal the computer went down and even though I told it to save all my files IT DID NOT when I went to recover. I lost it all in more than one way!! So if you like me and read this send me an email so I can get your address.

Thanks.

Oh! We did find the sceptic tank and put a riser on it. It makes me feel better knowing that we have one and it is functional. It was under the new deck but the end with the lid stuck out just enough to get the riser on. We needed a riser because the tank is about 5 feet down. The guy had to get his back hoe to dig it out of the hard hard clay.

Pax, Babka

Thanks Joe!

The person who got us the pictures etc. of the Log Cabin event was our neighbor Joe Misinec! That would not have been even a guess for me. What a great surprise!

Thank you again Joe!
Pax, Liz

Special Thanks

We wish to send a special thanks to the person or persons who provided a glossy, suitable for framing copy of the Star Beacon article on Pop and Log Cabin Days. We have tried to guess who left the article, along with a framed copy of Pop's news photo, between the doors of the front entrance. But, have been unable to come up with the right person even though we have asked several.

Would the sweet person or persons let themselves known so that we can give them a proper thank you? Please?

Love to you anyway! And, Thank You!

Back in Michigan

Hello All.
I'm back in Michigan watching the house, cat ant dog of my brother and sister-in-law while they are in Alaska. Having been there once, I can say that, if they relax and let God, they will have a great time. Pop and I sure did.

This time I get to watch some workmen. The house next door is to be demolished, but instead of the work crew, the fire department showed up. Now I know what your thinking and that's not it. They came to practice cutting through the roof. They have 4-5 holes all ready.

I'm going back out to take some pictures. I'll post them on my Flickr site under St. Clare shores Firemen.

Pax Christi.

Black Squirrel B and B

Well Hello!
We’ve been busy in A-town, what with garden, squirrel houses, APL dogs, Bat houses, and helping mow etc. at the Log Cabin Historic site.

We did get away for a few days the week after Father’s Day. A friend watched Sooty and we kenneled the Jacks so that we could spend some time at The Black Squirrel B&B, South Bass Island, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, just west of Cleveland. What a great breakfast! Man! Rob can cook! None of that pick your cereal or have a bagel stuff.

Just a few activities might be: fish, bike, use the gulf cart, tour old houses, view the caves, jet ski, para-sail, eat, hike, swim, tour the wineries, shop, play on that great mini-gulf course, go through the museums and monuments, party, view the butterflies in the butterfly house and sit in the hot tub. On lucky days, you can ferry over to the other island and see where the Confederate prison was.

Here is a pick of the house and the view from the pool.

You can look for yourself at the site below.

http://www.blacksquirrelbnb.com/about.htm

Michigan

Nothing like a few days alone to create in a person a need to create something to fill a hollow. With the kid/s busy and gone, and myself in St. Clair Shores dog sitting, the hollow seems a big empty crevasse. So, I fill it with TV (boring) and books and dog walks and shopping, and esp. a visit to Romeo and a visit with Christine. Christine is such an awesome friend. She listens, advises, shares and kicks my butt in the nicest possible way.

Come Saturday the 17th I may well be on my way to Hyettsville, MD. to get with Cousin Maryann to see what I can do to help her move. What a pain it is to move, esp. when you have been in a place for almost 2 decades. Actually I going to see what I can get, you know, that old stuff no one wants but a Civil War pack rat like myself.

I MISS getting to go to events. The dogs slow us down but the real problems are jobs, and gas prices, and no one to buy our house so we can move to Pebble Co., Ohio. The housing market is bad everywhere but in Ashtabula with 30% poverty, we would be lucky to get what we paid for the house, the $70,000 we spent in upgrading everything would just be lost. What a bite!
God sure must have a plan for us here, since He made the market so bad just to keep us in Ashtabula.

Pax and Love to all who reads this.
I cover you with the Blood of the Lamb.
Babka

Pop & His Knees

It has been a while since I posted. With the loss of my good friend, and the holidays, and Pop's knee, and subbing, I just did not feel like it. I'm feeling much better now.

Pop & His Knees,

As some of you know, Pop has had trouble with his knees sot a while. Some 20 years ago he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Surgery was being scheduled for the left knee when I went to a prayer service at Mary’s Farm in Falmouth, KY. I placed a little slip of paper in the request box that said “Marv’s Knee”. Along with my getting to see the miracle of the sun, the pain left Pop’s knee that day and has never come back.

Too bad I did not say “Marv’s knees” because Pop has been having some real trouble with his right knee. Last summer he had arthroscopic surgery on that knee again. It did not work, leading to partial knee replacement on Feb. 13th. He is doing very well. The Doc says that he can drive now but not more than 20 minutes. Also, Pop may work in the shop, but must get off the knee as soon as it starts to hurt. He has therapy 3 days a week for 4 more weeks, then Pop is off and running. He plans to be involved in lots of Civil War things this summer.

If you wish to see the pictures of Pop’s surgery, Check out our Flickr site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/70601876@N00/

Pax & Be God’s