Roy's Toastmaster Club finished their International Speech Contest this week and to say that Roy is relieved is quite the understatement. He did significant behind the scenes work and sounds like he is ready to get back to the regular routine of writing, practicing, evaluating and giving speeches. I will forever be thankful for Toastmasters because Roy has learned a better way to communicate than what previously served him well back in the day. Law school made a dramatic change in how he formulated thoughts and years later Toastmasters built on that foundation. I am so proud of him and all the work he has accomplished.
Several months ago I joined a Facebook group from the city where I was born. It is a then and now kind of pictorial group. I have found it so interesting because the photographers present such beautiful work and the memories, while faint for me, are solid for those who grew up there. My experience came from visiting almost every year and then spending many a summer with my Grandma B and with my grandparents. My Grandma B lived out in the country back then but now her property is a major part of the city. My brother once stated that our father's side of the family pretty much kept to themselves and didn't have many outside friends, other than church friends for my grandparents. I thought he made such an insightful statement and one I had never really thought about. Other than picnicking with family in the larger parks or going to Joyland, every once in awhile eating at a restaurant that was called a smorgasbord rather than a buffet. and church, we didn't see much else of the sights in the city. Most probably it was because with my parents growing up there, it was familiar to them. Kind of like when I think about Houston, I think well, there is nothing to see or do there because it is so matter of fact to me. Several posts in the group have reminded me of things I had long ago filed away. Driving by the Sunbeam Bakery and the fragrance of bread baking filled the car. Sledding in Nelson Park, but I think we only did this once because there wasn't snow at every Christmas while visiting. Someone posted a pool picture, where memberships were sold for the summer. My cousins on my mother's side took me there several times a week. Afterwards, we would get ice cream cones from Dairy Queen. The city where I was born has beautiful architecture for a medium size city and from what I have read, the past forty or fifty years the once so beautiful city is in disrepair. Some say it is leadership of the city that brought this on, not being forward thinking or growth oriented. Years ago, several shopping malls had wanted to build there but the refusal of the leaders meant those malls just went to other places. Of course now, empty malls are a problem but back then they were a sign of a robust economy. Several large industries left the area and so began the decline with intermittent sprouts of growth here and there. I haven't been back there since I was 24 years old when I made a trip with my mom.
For once in my math life, which isn't much of a life to be honest, I bought the right amount of wire edging fence to go around the Lisa P Honorary Tulip and Daffodil flowerbed. She gave me a gardening gift card for my birthday and that's what I used it for. Thankfully, the squirrels didn't get all the bulbs planted. Kind did in the middle but more are coming up each day. They are at the stem stage but a couple looked to have blooms, daffodils. HP came out to help me but gave up and went inside the garage for a nap.
I trimmed the apple trees and some roses out front. One of the apple trees is staked to stand straight so the unwieldy side got extra attention. Once I got the roses trimmed, I sat down on the swing and just took in the beautiful day. Sitting there in thought and true enjoyment, from my right side came a huge brown dog but it was so stealth and quiet, the first blur of brown made me think it was something other than a huge dog. The collar on that dog was heavy with tags, so you know it is a dog that has gotten out. He didn't stop or even look at me, he just continued down the yard to the neighbors where their dogs went nuts. I thought of the Feral Fam and rushed up to the garage. HP and Biggio were asleep in the corner, Junior and one of the Boos were in the back playing. Of all times to just pull the gate to and not lock it...it was yesterday. From the look of things, the dog was interested in cleaning out the food bowls and had scooted a huge bag of cat food around, looking for an opening.
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It was a dark and restless night. Buddy could not settle and I was feeling just a bit off kilter. So sleep came in fitful bits and pieces. I am thankful for the two good nights of sleep I got on Wednesday and Thursday.
Got all the Feral Fam fed this morning. Frankie was here. He is warming up a bit but still hisses at me when I have bowls of food to put down for them. He and Punky have a tiff almost every morning and sets everyone on edge. Frankie is the most muscular cat I have ever seen. It's like he works out. He is the least pickiest of eaters and he and Punky eat like there may never be another meal come their way. Guess that is true is some days.
Made a quick trip to Lowe's yesterday afternoon. Got some flower seeds and dahlia roots. Getting in the ready position for spring. Really, you don't plant too much until after Mother's Day. I always sell out and buy geraniums at some point because I am ready for flowers and for some color. I hang them on the front deck so I can bring them inside the front porch when we have the remaining frosts or cold temps.
This week I realized that my hands aren't as strong as they used to be. There have been several jar lids that have never been a problem, that were problematic opening. Made me feel a little old.
Got some Easter decorations out by the gate and also moved the address plaque to a better place to be seen. I might try and do some more outdoor work if it warms up a bit. We are having cooler temps again, mainly at night but it looks as if we are going to warm up at the beginning of the week.
Two books arrived yesterday and one seems to be the next read, but I'll let you know.
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