30 june, 2022 Wandering

    Hot again.  Old news.  Humidity is low & we have a breeze.

    I went to Salina to see my financial advisor.  His office in downtown.  But all the cement in town with temps at least 95F was horrible.  Had a good meeting.  He is the best guy I know.  We talk money & many other things.  He helped me with my taxes today.  We made some decisions about my savings.  I need to see him more often.  He says things about me that just cannot be true.  Nice to hear but if they were true I would have friends.  Even family.

    I had planned to go to my grandson's place to shampoo my hair.  But I stopped at a salon in Salina.  New place to me.  Got in quickly.  But the girl I got said she has no idea how to style hair.  Huh???  So I just had a nice shampoo & she dried my hair with no style.  Not pretty but I can redo it tonite or tomorrow.  It will be fine.

    No Cinder here this morning but when I got home she was here.  I fed & watered her.  And we loved each other.  She is a special cat.

    This noon I was standing on the porch & a bluebird flew through my yard.  They are never in my yard.  The are the most striking blue.  He made my day.

    Still saw a couple of combines cutting today.  The wheat in one field was pathetic.  So sad.  And yesterday a combine near Salina caught fire & burned up.  Driver was ok.  It happens when the machine shoots a spark.  Sad.

    Photos today are from where I used to work, The Red Barn Museum & former home of artist Lester Raymer.  He built this house & all art seen in my photos are made by him.

                    

29 june, 2022 Wandering

    The heat has returned as we knew it would.  But could be much worse like next week.  Was coolish overnite but today I saw 95F.  But we had a breeze & that helped.

    I did not dare say it yesterday but Cinder had disappeared.  I cried.  Something ate a little food at noon but I never saw her.  Could have been the black cat from next door.  But around 10pm I heard her on the porch.  She acted a little skittish so her day might not have been the best.  We loved & I fed & watered her.  She was still there this morning.  But gone the rest of the day.  Too hot to be out & about.  Hope she shows up tonight.

    Today was a work day at the Old Mill.  It was a good day but hard on my back.  I did some exercises & stood up but nothing helped.  I feel in love with the school I did today.  Lots of photos that were large, not the tiny ones.  And lots of names.  I told my boss when I start adding names I want to start with this school.  They had a photo from 1900 of a fancy dinner.  The girls waiting had on black & white, sort of like the Harvey Girls wore.  The guests were in the finest clothes of the time.  It is a great photo.  I need to get a photo of it.  Next week.

    Read about the Harvey Girls.  My grandmother was one around Newton KS. https://www.xanterra.com/stories/culture-lifestyle/who-were-the-harvey-girls-and-why-do-they-matter/

    JR & PM met me for supper at Jalisco's.  They were pleasantly busy.  Lots of take out food.  JS was in a good mood.  And he joked with me often.  A good evening.

    My iPhone watch went crazy before supper.  It was over run with Twitter messages.  And the weather lady kept talking but I had not touched the weather app.  I finally did a reboot & all was quiet.

    Saw two combines cutting wheat on the way home.  Probably the last out here.  Not sure who's land it is.

    Photos are more flowers & a sign.  A sign to Salina KS.  Made in the 1920s.  It has been repainted at least once.  And we hope to have it done again soon.

                        

 

28 june, 2022 Wandering

    Had a great night last night.  The low was 55F.  Heaven.  I even got chilly & added another blanket!  The house stayed cool until mid afternoon.  Very nice.  But won't last.  Next week there are several days over 100F.  Oh, joy.

    Got up early & got groceries.  Did not need much.  Might have to run into Dollar General before the holiday.

    Monday is our 4th of July holiday.  No celebration for me.  I would rather stay home.  Will be too hot & humid for me to be out.

    Yesterday my nephew finished cutting wheat!!  Great!  They had a video of the "parade" of equipment going home!  When I went to Salina I saw one combine working.

    I totally forgot. Sunday night I texted with 2 special people in my life.  A young man, MD, who lives in Bangladesh.  He calls me Mom.  He has a real mother but he still calls me Mom.  I like it.  We need to talk more often.  We have video chatted but it has been a while.  He had a hard time just texting as he was at work & very busy.  He asked me how far I am from Atlanta Georgia.  His brothers wife is from there.  It is almost 1000 miles & a 14 hour drive.  Too far.

    I also chatted with AB who lives in Morocco.  He is trying to get a touring business going.  But with Covid, etc. he has had a rough time.  I wish I could visit him.  Morocco is just awesome.  Love the architecture.  He is a Berber & his parents live in an oasis & farm.  Wow!  Berbers were nomads long ago.  We talk often but when I am in bed, it is day time there.  He is good to answer any questions I have about being a Muslim.  I have learned a lot.  He is not my only Muslim friend.

    Photos are more summer flowers.  All photos taken by me except the flowers on a chair.

                        

27 june, 2022 Wandering

    Another nice day.  Never got over 81F.  And cloudy all day.  But too many flies.  They are everywhere --- inside & out.  The flyswatter comes out tonight.

    Nico & I went to Salina to get his nails clipped.  Short trip.

    The vet hospital Nico goes to is nice.  When you call & are put on hold they have all sorts of messages.  One is to please be nice to our workers as they have been so busy.  Please be kind & thankful.  I always am but today we had a girl get Nico & I had never seen her before.  She did not greet me or smile.  I tried to make a small joke when she returned.  Nada.  If she had smiled her face would have cracked.  I smiled & thanked her & more nada.  Sorry she must be having a bad day.

    I did a lot of soul searching last night in bed.  I am not religious but I do have my own beliefs.  After meditating I came to the decision that no more whining.  It does no one any good.  If I must I will write how I feel in private.  And I now know for me that alone is the best.  I then do not answer to anyone & live my own life my own way.  Things are good.

    Not sure what is going on outside.  I have noticed outside there are a lot of little birds around my porch & car.  Wonder why?

    No nap today.  Nico is finally asleep & not bothering me.  Kisse was here but returned to the bedroom.  She likes to be there alone & she can have the bed to herself.  But if I nap out here then she sleeps near my head.

    Photos tonight are just flowers.  The first photo is the flowers between my drive & my neighbours.  All photos taken by me.

                        

26 june, 2022 Wandering

    What a gorgeous day!!  Last night it got down to 64F.  ----64----  Hard to imagine!!  Today the high was 74F.  Perfect.  If only the summer was always like this, but unfortunately this is Kansas.  No chance for nice summer weather.  Late this afternoon I swear I heard a combine far to the east of me.  Hopeful sound.

    JR & I had lunch at the White Peacock.  I need to give them more business.  Good place!  Missed Jalisco's but they know I love them!  The Peacock was really busy!! The front was full & the patio was too.  Good to see.  I actually saw one person I knew.  He is super nice & I wish we were friends but doubt that will ever happen.  We run in different circles.  Well, he runs in circles.  I run alone with no circles.  My fate or karma in life.

    I had a toasted ham sandwich with mayo, cheese, & lingonberries.  Awesome.  They also serve breakfast all day.  And they have Swedish pancakes.  My fave.  I make really good Swedish pancakes but now with my cooking stove turned off I don't.  I sort have thought of a way that I could fix them.  Will have to try.  I should go buy 3 at the Peacock & have nothing put on them just to bring home to heat & put what I like on them.  I grew up with doing butter & sugar.  Like my dad.  I think it is a regional thing in Sweden.  I do have butter & lingon when eating them out.  Mmmm.  When I had Swedish pancakes in Sweden I almost cried.  Being there is very emotional for me.  Feel at home & love it there.  Would give anything to go back but I would need someone to go with & help me.  There is no one.

    I took a nice nap.  Then my grandson CF called.  We had a nice visit.  Since I have no hot water here, shampooing is a challenge.  He is living in a motel now until he can find an apartment.  But I can borrow his shower if I need.  Yay!!  I had thought of that but did not want to be a bother.

    Nico & I sat out tonight.  So nice.  Cinder sat on the bench with me.  She & Nico bonded.  I took lots of photos.  Will share one.

    My photos tonight are from today.  I found a new flower in the ditch.  A very cool one.  Had to see if I could find out what it is called.  It is a White Prairie Clover.  New to me!!

                    

25 june, 2022 Wandering

    Not a great night for sleeping but then slept good this morning.  Sort of cooler last night & today.  Our high was in the 80s with a nice breeze.  But far too many flies outside.  They can drive you nuts!  And then they come in the house with me.

    There are rain clouds here & there but no rain here.  JR just texted that it was raining there.  Nico & I were outside.  Dry.  Needs to stay dry so wheat harvest can get finished.

    This morning my 3 cows were near my backyard in the pasture.  Nice to see them.  Then later this afternoon they returned to just near my porch, in the pasture.  They have been there quite a while but I notice they are restless.  Flies or weather?  Nico was restless also around supper.

    The 2 of us sat out for a while.  He sort of kept busy running around.  I took some photos & played with them.  Now we are back in on the sofa.  Nico is going to have a breakdown.  He keeps feeling bugs on him.  Not a fly so probably a gnat.  He cannot see it but he can give it an evil eye!!!  Poor baby!  Makes him jump.  Now he has left.  Left the flies here with me!!

    I finally --- FINALLY --- passed my Spanish lesson.  I was getting tired of the same old stuff.  You have to be in the top 10 people to pass.  There are people who can do 4-5 lessons a day.  I do not do that.  I get too nervous.  Now I am learning travel words.  So far not too hard.  So far.  My last set had all these short words that meant like 2-3 words.  I finally had to write down a list of just those.  I will never remember them.  I do ok when I am reading Spanish but for me to use them is doubtful.

    I tried to nap this afternoon but I never fell asleep.  I was thinking of past things & people.  Not bad memories but good & fun ones.  I miss those times & people.  I always wonder what I did to push people away from being friends with me.  I can probably name at least 10 things about me that would do it but was it all or just 1-2 things.  Does not matter I guess.

    I was the president of a Swedish group for 11 years.  And retired 2 years ago.  I am not happy with how it is now.  But yesterday was the absolute end for me.  We are a Swedish group with no politics. Well the new president is awful.  Yesterday he sent an email to the entire club praising the Supreme Court for their decision.  I do not care which side he approved of that email was in bad taste.  And considering he is beyond conservative made it worse.  I will never ever return.  I may block his emails yet.  I made sure his wife can no longer see my FB.  If I had done something like that praising something that I approve of but not him, he would have had a fit!  Its only ok if they do it, not all people.

    My photos today are from my time in Sweden.  I think I took most of them.  I will explain a few.

                    

This sign is on Marstrand Sweden in front of a cafe.  I ate there daily.  The painting was done by a friend of mine.

Church in Järvsö Sweden.  My cousins go there.  It is the largest rock church in a small town in Sweden.  I got to go behind the altar to see many ancient things.  Like the awesome robes the Catholic priests wore.  Several hundred years ago.  I got to touch one with one finger,  And there were bridal crowns in a case.  This church is on a river.  I attended church there on a sunday.  Ministers in Sweden are still called priests but they are now Lutheran & live normal lives.

Church in Sunnemo Sweden.  My church in Lindsborg was formed by people & the minister from there around the 1860s.

Marstrand Sweden.  An island with no cars or trucks.  Streets & sidewalks are all cobblestones.  I stayed on the island.  Photo taken from the island.

A very nice restaurant on Marstrand I ate there often.  They made awesome pizza!

Kitchen window in cousin Bengt's home.  It overlooked a meadow in a forest.  Just further beyond here was a river.  I love staying there.  Heaven on earth!