Sooner or Later…

We finished our funeral leave and arrived home late Friday night. Visitation (wake for those not Southern) was long for the younger crew, for the last hour I took them for ice cream while Daddy stayed to finished greeting. The local McD’s is slooooow & I hadn’t been to the hometown for years so a trip was just the thing.

My hometown can brag that it is on old route 66 of Cars fame. A quick drive past the Gemini Giant to impress. The restaurant is a favorite stop on 66.  Counter girl was one of my first jobs - I can twist a cone or make almost any favorite ice cream treat from the 50’s thanks to the Launching Pad.

Gemini Giant

Things have changed so much since Chicago discovered the local small towns. As Stephen King wrote ‘it is inevitable’ - why drive 1 hour plus to a home with a small, small yard & bad neighborhood when an hours drive or train ride leads to a small town with good prices & safe neighborhoods? Inevitable that newbies bring change. Inevitable that the changes result in new places looking like those left behind. Inevitable that safe becomes an elusive dream and parents no longer allow children to wander about without supervision.  Inevitable that those small towns are now classified as suburbs.

Backhome is trying to be overwhelming. We are STILL trying to get the new place in presentable shape. We have decided to paint where it is already painted, meaning the unpainted paneling will get a good washing and left to later. The girls room was painted yesterday as was the kitchen ceiling. Both need a second coat but look so much better. Davo spent the afternoon cleaning the disgusting carpet in the family room so the litterbox smell isn’t as overwhelming. Still plenty of scrubbing & painting to go though.

On the purchasing side (not repair stuff) checking into a handpump for the well and ventless heaters. At a previous ranch style home we began using a five burner and loved it. Not only was the house heated better the propane use was about half of the furnace use. More importantly the place was heated during an ice storm power outage.

Yikes! The prices on those pumps! And ours isn’t even an overly deep well. Gotta do some more internet searching. 

Must get going on the fall aspects of the garden. Need to get a bed ready for garlic and one to move the rhubarb into. Where is the time going to?

And the beat goes on…la dee da dee dee….

Other photos & the Gemini Giant