Current Journal (3/29/04)
...later this same night (4/4/04) - Daynight Savings Time....ha ha It's night. I see the moon. It's going to be a full moon tomorrow night so look out. All the crazy people will be out driving fast. Today, I got a beautiful poem from my friend, Ginny. We've been friends since junior high school (okay, now it's called Middle School!). I put it on the boys' tribute page because it's very very sweet. Then, I remembered that I had a picture of us together that Bob took at the mall in Galesburg. We had gone to Galesburg for some reason or another. Ginny was living there at the time, so I called her and she came down to the mall to see us. Andrew was about 11 months old. I'm putting this picture in to prove that I can put in an old photo of myself where I'm not exactly what you'd call svelte!! Plus, I look goofy, but see, I don't care!!! Yikes!!! okie dokie. I'm done for. See ya later, djb
Ginny, Andrew and me in the Galesburg Mall and Bob is taking the picture in 1987.
Sunday - April 4, 2004 - Daylight Savings Time. The time of year when we get to SAVE daylight. It's for all of us farmers to be able to work in the fields or the yards or the golf courses!! (that is funny) I used to go into a complete and total RANT about how stupid it was to change the clocks. duh. Now, I don't care. It's kind of funny. Okay, instead of being 7 a.m. like it was yesterday, today it's 8 a.m. Will everyone go along with that?? Sure why not! lol It's very cool this morning...okay, it's downright cold (30 degrees). I don't know how to make the little degree sign. Jarrett used to show me how to do it and then he'd get mad at me when I'd forget. Or was that when he showed me how to copy something and move it. I never did figure that stuff out. But I manage anyway. I'm sure they're sitting behind me laughing at me. "Did you see what Mom did?" Ha ha very funny. This picture has been on my desk upstairs. I still remember the day I took this. A long, long time ago when we still lived in North Aurora. Just love the black and white photos!
Andrew was 3-1/2 and Jarrett was 18 months. I think they were looking at a book or a toy that made noise!
I didn't tell anyone about Hobbes getting beat up the other night. He's doing better today. FINALLY. He just slept for a day and a half. Yesterday, he finally came into the kitchen and asked me for food. I had to give him tuna - the really good stuff. Now this morning, he wants to go outside again and possibly tangle with Mr. Gray.......I don't think so! What a pea-brain!!! He thinks he's a real tiger instead of a dsh (domestic short hair). All righty, I have to go outside and get the Sunday paper. God bless you all, see ya later, djb
Saturday - April 3, 2004 - I just realized that tomorrow is 4/4/4. Or 04/04/04. I think that's very cool. I don't know why?! It is so nice today. It's supposed to get up to the 50's. Isn't that great?! That definitely means that we are totally warped because we're happy when the temperature gets to 50. There are so many things to do in the yard. Pick up sticks, cut down the old ornamental grasses, etc., etc. A lot of etc. I don't mind because this is my favorite time of year. I get to see the flowers come up. Most of them I remember but every once in a while a little plant will come up that I've completely forgotten about. That's always exciting! The Jarrett orchid opened up yesterday but it's still kind of scrunchy, so I'll take a picture of it when it opens up more. It's so gorgeous. The last orchid lasted for two months, so I'm quite thrilled that I'll have two orchids until the first of June. Let me see what picture I can find to put in here:
Jarrett with Uncle Ron giving him bunny ears and Andrew in the front and Uncle Bergy in the background.
It's time to go outside and get to work. Enough chit chatting. See ya later. bye for now, djb
Friday - April 2, 2004 - Kathy and I went to Sandwich yesterday and looked at a lot of stuff. I recognized a lot of things (antiques) from my childhood. Yikes! That means I'm OLD!! I saw a galvanized chicken feeder. Isn't that a hoot? It all seemed WAY overpriced so we decided to go to a place we knew would have something we could buy: SUPER WAL-MART in Plano!!
Here it is Wal*Mart Supercenter
Imagine our complete and total surprise as we were walking in from the parking lot through the plants and trees that they were just setting out: a Colorado blue spruce. That's what I've been looking for to put on Andrew's side of the stone. Oh boy. It took us quite a while to find the perfect tree, but eventually we did and here it is:
Andrew's Colorado blue spruce - it's about 2 feet tall..
Now, I just have to wait for the right conditions to go out and plant it. Hopefully, this little tree will make it. The other blue spruce was way too young to be transplanted that why it didn't make it. Wait a minute - when is Arbor Day? I think it's this month. (I'll have to Google.) I'm planning to spend quite a bit of time out in the yard today cleaning out the flower beds AND we can burn leaves and branches that fell during the winter. From April 1 until May 1, we can burn out here as long as it's sunny and the winds are 10 mph or below between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Don't ask me WHY I know that!! Let me just say that the "Kane County Burn Ordinance" is seared into my brain!! I hope they didn't change it while I wasn't looking!! All righty - see ya later, djb
Thursday - APRIL 1, 2004 - Happy April Fool's Day. I woke up early and realized that this coming Saturday night, we turn our clocks ahead. (Spring ahead, Fall back) or (Spring forward, Fall behind). Whatever. I always keep one clock on the old time so that I know what time it REALLY is. I think Daylight Saving's Time is perfectly silly. And when did they start saying Daylight Saving Time? Someone has been fooling around with the possessives. They made a rule that I missed. Of course, when you think about it, how many times have you seen its written as it's? I'll tell you how many - millions!!! lol There's one scientific study that I know for sure is right. That's the one where they've discovered that people are born with a spelling gene. If I look at something with one misspelled word, I see it right away. It's not something I try to do, it just happens. Isn't that weird? Jarrett was able to spell. Andrew basically didn't want to be bothered. I think he figured "Spellcheck" would take care of him!! I'm going out and about today with Kathy. Maybe I'll take my camera and get some shots of Sandwich, and try to capture the cuteness of a Sandwich. ha ha Okie dokie. Gotta go, djb
Jarrett and Andrew posing for a picture probably in 2000. I like Andrew's pose in this one.
Jarrett and Andrew posing once again (same session) in 2000, but I like Jarrett's picture in this one.
Now, you can see why I always had to use an entire roll of film to get one picture where they were both smiling in a manner to suit me. That's pretty funny. But now I have many, many extra pictures of them, so I guess it did work out for me after all. See ya, djb
Wednesday - March 31, 2004 - I spent all afternoon out in my front flower garden pruning the grasses and leaves and stuff (lots of stuff). In a few weeks, I want it to look like this picture I took a couple years ago:
Spring flowers a few years ago - this is what I'm striving for this year!
As time has gone on, this flower bed has gotten more crowded, which isn't necessarily bad because when the wind blows, the flowers don't fall over. It's a good plan....until their little roots get all intertwined. So, I'm just out there checking things out early on. I know every plant out there personally. Isn't that a hoot? Maybe I'm just a little too obsessed with plants. But they're so pretty. We have word (and photographic evidence) that Grandma Berg actually grew a calla lily. I have it somewhere. Let me go and find it. We're so proud of her. I think it's one of the first plants (bulbs) that she's ever grown.
Isn't it gorgeous!!! You go, Granny!
I have to go back outside and finish my cleaning. There's long grasses and roots and "stuff" all over the driveway. Spring has sprung! Whoopee. See ya later, djb
...later this very same day (3/30) - Last week, I think I mentioned seeing the DVD from Andrew and Jarrett's funeral. Yes, I did on March 25th. Anyway, after watching it on of the days, Gary Augustine called late in the afternoon and I said to him, "I've been watching you all day!" I could imagine him saying to himself, "What is SHE talking about?" Then, I told him that we had gotten the DVD and I spent all day trying to get it past Ryan. Then the next day, I spent all day trying to get it past the part where Gary talks about Narnia. I think that's the day I talked to him. Anyway, he was calling to ask me if I could give him the names of Andrew and Jarrett's friends who would be interested in attending the Easter service at Kaneland High School that Gary's church is planning to present. WOW! That was amazing because after seeing him speak at the funeral again, it was kind of awesome that he called. So, Bob and I are definitely planning to go the High School on Easter to hear what Gary has to say about Jesus. I know it will be great! So, I'm including his ad that he's putting in the Elburn paper with his letter to Andrew and Jarrett's friends. I think that their deaths have always been about God's love and God's forgiveness and the whole reason that Jesus came to earth. If you know me very well, I'm NOT a preachy person, but I feel very strongly that this is something important. I won't ever be able to watch the Mel Gibson movie because I already know what Mary went through when she watched her son die. But I do know this. One of the last things that Jesus said was the he was leaving us with the most important commandment, Love one another as I have loved you. For some reason, that just keeps coming back into my brain. IF we did what Jesus told us to do, no one would fight, no one would be mean to anyone else. Like the golden rule, you know, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Why do those sayings always have UNTO in them? But you know what I'm talking about. luv ya all, djb
Andrew and Jarrett saying Hallelujah!
Tuesday - March 30, 2004 - Finally feeling better this morning. Still kind of achy but not sniffy. What's worse hearing about my cold or hearing about the weather!?!? ha. yukky weather. cloudy, cold, cruddy. Today's my half birthday. Isn't that exciting? Yes, it is. Late yesterday afternoon, Hobbes caught a mouse and left it outside in front of the door for me. What a good kitty!! Let me see. I think I might have a picture of meow Hobbes (recall Mr. Rogers neighborhood) with meow Jarrett:
Hobbes and Jarrett playing keep-away probably in 2000.
Okay, it's time to get this show on the road. I'm planning to actually do something today. I don't know what yet but it will involve me moving around. At least, until I start feeling feeble. Oh, excuse me. No one wants to hear how someone REALLY feels. haaaaaa See ya later, djb I think I might get out the shredder and shred some paper! (This is almost TOO exciting.)
...later this day (3/29/04) - I'm still sickly. sniff sniff. I made chicken noodle soup from a package. That was really good. I tried the saline nose spray (say no more - please!). I'm sure I'll be better sooner or later. Right now, I feel not good. So, to make me feel better, I'm going to put a picture of the flower Sadie gave me for Christmas on here. It bloomed once and now it's bloomed AGAIN! It's just unbelievably gorgeous!! Thanks again, Sadie! Oops, you're not supposed to thank people for flowers. Well, thanks for the flower pot, then! see ya later, djb
Doesn't it look cool with the black background? Yes, it does. Very, very cool. Do the youngsters still use that word??
Monday - March 29, 2004 - When I woke up this morning, I didn't know what day it was! That's pretty funny. Of course, it was 4 a.m. I spent all of yesterday with my nose running. I won't go into the details as they are quite disgusting and only a doctor or a mother would be interested in them. Anyway, today I'm better which means not that great but still not as bad as yesterday. I haven't had a head cold in years. It's quite annoying. Plus, when I get up in the mornings, I sound like Talullah Bankhead. She was on the "I Love Lucy" show. If she were alive, I think she'd be 100 years old. Anyway, excuse me for my archaic reference. I'm sick, gimme break. lol. HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY TO RYAN!!
Ryan is now 16 years old!
Give him a call and wish him a happy birthday. If you don't know his number, then I guess you can't call him! ha ha Must go drink coffee....it helps my throat. See ya later, gators. Bye, djb