My side of the POX

This is for those who read the handy dandy site. Right after Thanksgiving--I developed a case of Shingles---and found out that Shingles is actually an outbreak of the chicken pox virus that I had when I was very small over 40 years ago. This virus sometimes hides out in the spinal cord or brain and then makes a comeback--with a slightly different MO than the chicken pox.--Shingles is not contagious--AS SHINGLES--
but it can spread as CHICKEN POX to those who have never had it.

The good mother that I am--I couldn't remember if Linnea had had the pox when my older 3 had it or not. I was not feeling well and very busy with our Christmas Open House--so I didn't push Linnea to go get the shot (that could have saved her:) And being the "chicken" that she is (pun intended--sorry) she didn't push me to take her to get the shot.

Well, it is about 2 or 3 weeks later--and the chicken pox has struck her down--at a most tragic time of year to be struck.

It has a poignant side to it though--
Just think--The very same virus germ that I had as a wee tot--waited patiently--and is now infecting my own child about 44 years later--which is why Linnea said it was like a family heirloom that maybe one day she could pass on to her children. But alas --the virus may have struck its last blow--as there is now a vaccination you can get.

Now--I have a question that I have not researched yet--
The Aveeno bath for the pox says it is "Colloidal" oatmeal?

Does anyone know what colloidal means--and how is that different from regular oatmeal?

White Snow Bright Snow

Last night it snowed. The Fresh smell of snow in the air is unlike anything else. I thought I could smell it Sunday night--and then Monday it snowed. I don't know how long it will last out there--but it is wonderful.
I am just looking at it this morning--but last night as it began--I did go out and walk around a bit.


It was a wet snow--not crunchy--but the sound and sensation of walking on heavy wet snow has always reminded me of having a filling packed in at the dentist. sort of a heavy low squeak--I don't know how to describe it really--Does anybody out there know what I am talking about--or am I nutty?

Oh, how the years go by...

I think that is a song, isn't it?
Now I am sure that Ashley knows who this is:)

a hint--together again this week.







Little Linnea has gone to Cahleefornya to visit with her cousins, Joel and Ashley and sweet baby Jude--

for Ashley

This is probably THE grossest picture I have--I am amazed we got it and more amazed I kept it--but for such a time as this I am glad I did.

This is for Ashley--any other readers will just have to wonder:)

After reading your post--I wanted to share this with you--You can probably guess who these darlings are--and yes--this was the old days and that IS a dirty diaper soaking in the commode. These guys were caught in the act--splashing and having a good old time. ugh.

a history lesson (snooze if you must)

While in Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago--Jason and I drove up to Williamsport, PA. My family moved there from Fullerton, California around 1966 and we rented a house for one year before moving back to New York. I was in the 4th grade.

Here is the lovely Brodart factory--pretty much the same as I remember it from 39 years ago--on Memorial Avenue in Williamsport, PA

The silver car is our camry where Jason pulled over directly across from the house Candy and I lived in when we were 11 and 9 respectively. It was a rental directly across from this factory.

Another view of the street can you see the camry? the other direction was a little nicer--we walked to school every day. Often we came home for lunch and sometimes my mom's sister--Aunt Helen would take her lunch break at our house.
Here is the house--We lived next door to a little--and I mean tiny lunch cafe --doesn't show on the picture----and on the other side was a bar with an apartment over it. (Can you see it with the sign on it?) It is still a bar!
The house hasn't changed much--the fence in front is new--I remember building snowmen in the front yard.--playing in the neat walk up attic--watching the "Monkees"--the bar and diner are still there--and the monstrous factory across the street-- Brodarts.
On warm summer nights I would sleep on the porch with the blinds pulled down. We had coal heat and it would be delivered to a chute in the front of the house. It really isn't a very swanky part of town--wasn't then and is even less now. (The camry still parked in the same spot)
I remember once picking 10 pounds of dandelions out of the front yard for 10 cents a pound. My Mom was sweet to give me a job to earn some money to buy a $1 pocket knife that was for sale at the tiny neighborhood store around the block. It is still there-- It looked kind of creepy now so I didn't go in. But Candy and I made many trips there for licorice, didn't we, Candy?
I loved that pocket knife--I lost it in some marshy swamps I was playing in about a year later near our house in Sunnyside, by Chautauqua lake in NY.

(here is the store around the corner) I wanted to get closer but Jason was in the car on the corner and it was sort of a bad neighborhood and there was a car just sitting across from the store close to me with 2 guys in it not doing anything--made me want to take a pictue and scoot back to our car:)

I had a wonderful teacher--Miss Ely-- for the 4th grade at an old, small brick school about one block from our house--The Daniel Webster Elementary School. I often walked home for lunch. The School is a Daycare now-- it was like 3 stories tall with a basement (where we had art and music) and an asphalt playground. I think there may have been just one class per grade, at the most 2. My best friend was Brenda Moore--she had 6 sisters and no brothers at the time:) Later she had 7 sisters and one baby brother I think.
I did not take a picture of the Memorial Park pool--about one block further on Memorial Ave.--about 3 blocks from my house. The summer I turned 10, they finished building it--it cost 10 cents to get in--that is what I used my allowance for--I walked to the pool about every day--I loved it!

This was the year we got "Double"--a miniature German Shepherd that we had for 12+ years--He was great!!!

FIRSTS my year in PA.

My first and only smallpox innoculation (It causes dime size scab and scar that I still have)

My first Funeral--my grandfather Smedberg died that first September.

My first pocketknife

My first slumber party

My first room to myself (that I can remember)

My first Bible of my own--my grandma sent me one and I got one in SUnday School(I earned it learning the books of the Bible )

My first Good News Club

My first memory verse learned and never forgotten Colossians 1:10

My first music lessons--a few weeks of violin before we moved

My first play--I was Clara in some goofy Children's theater

My first auction--with my parents--I got a giant 3 foot tall black cat with Green jewel eyes for a dollar--a box of junk that included suntan lotion--and a great rocking chair I had for years and its a shame and a long story why I don't have it any more

My first Little League game (to watch) Some boys from my class played- Williamsport IS the Little League Capital of the World you know--The Little League world series is always played there

I may have something-----

I may post soon--as I get pictures back from our getaway to Pennsylvania.

I had a grand old time--Pennsylvania Farm Country is very beautiful. And it was fun to treasure hunt in antique/fleamarket places. My favorite find was an original watercolor.--If I can get Jared's old digital camera to work--I'll post a picture soon.

Sleep tight

Well, I was cleaning up from young adults and put something away in the cherry hutch and this picture was laying on the shelf--I love this picture--

You young ones may enjoy seeing family--

The year is somewhere in the mid to late 1920's I think
My dad (and Candy's)--William Henry Smedberg (Bill) is in the car--about 10-12 it looks like.
My Grandpa, Carl Oscar Smedberg and my Grandma Ethel Olivia Smedberg and Bill are on a picnic, it seems.
(By the way--I said I don't have time on the last blog--and I don't--as we speak there is something else somewhere that I really should be doing:)

Sleep Tight--Sweet Dreams

Stand by--sleep tight

Well, I have painted about half of my downstairs after 2 years of debating color choice---it is trickie--as we have emerald green carpet, kid of pale almost blue green gray marbled tile in kitchen, hall and dining room, dark green marbly countertops and cherry cabinets--black appliances and dark wine furniture--anyway--i did it but I am going out of town and Don't have time to take pictures--and write about it--If I remember I will write about it when I get back. Our walls were all boring white when we moved in--(all the green we inherited, and I am working with it:) I painted the dining room red 2 or 3 years ago, and one of the rooms a suede (light beige/taupe?) The color finally is a light gray green with maybe a bluish cast in some light. It is funny because I really like it but sometimes it looks GRAY--sometimes GREEN, and sometimes Blue-green. Again I forgot to take before and after shots--that would have been fun.

Sleep tight

Boring

You know--I only put this stuff here so Candy could get to it without downloading pictures--I forgot that when I comment you can get here--sooooo--Now I will have to be a better blogger if I have an audience--and good grief--Ashley is going to link me--Pressure!!! No promises how much will ever get here. I really never can think of anything interesting that the rest of you haven't covered--that is why I don't write many letters--Maybe I will change the name to BORING BLOG--and all of my loved ones can come here when they are ready to go to bed--so I can put them to sleep--
I'll be thinking about this-----
By the way this is the first day in a long time that I even looked at this blog--I had no idea I had comments.

Happy New Year!

This Sunday is the beginning of a new year --- of Sunday School. I cannot believe that this will be my 6th year teaching. There are changes this year--I have lost my partner--Donna Griffith--They have divided our class due to its growing size--Donna is getting a new partner and teaching the 3rd grade--I will be teaching the 2nd grade with my co-teacher--Lindy Hall--a very dear woman--but I will miss Donna terribly.

We have used the Desiring God ministries curriculum--I LOVE IT---
I'll be teaching--The ABC's of God--a study of the attributes of God. It's amazing how the 2nd graders learn this --yet the material could even be taught to adults--it is that meaty--I want to prepare better and pray more and do the best ever this year.

We will have about 11 or 12 in the class and I hear there are some real characters--I love those!

Zinnias

Here are my Zinnias--I couldn't talk any of the kids to let me take a picture of them standing nearby so I had to take one of myself--I thought I might as well add the hat I wear to garden and pick berries.
I needed a person to stand close so you can see how HUGE they are!!! They are way taller than me (or is it I) I forget.
Zinnias are one of those flowers that need to be cut often to keep flowering--so we have enjoyed colorful bouquets most of the summer. They make me happy.

Little Bright

Little Bright Ogburn is about 6 months old. She is a petite 13 lbs or so.