Happy Quiet Halloween

Here's a cute picture of the neighbor kids, a fireman and a fairy. I didn't get many trick or treaters tonight. I bought the large bag of candy at Costco with 150 pieces. First I picked out all the ones with peanuts to be sure I gave all those out. I like peanuts, but they make me very sick.
All the kids were very polite this year, better than usual. One trick or treater was kind of a big guy with a very scary mask. I almost didn't want to open the screen door. haha.
So, I have lots of candy left over.
Here's a picture of the kids' Mom. She was a Vampire. When my daughter was visiting, she bought some Reese's Peanut Butter cups to take back to the Netherlands. They don't really celebrate Halloween, but they do celebrate a holiday which involves children going out and ringing doorbells for sweets and little gifts sometime in November. It's a Sint Maarten celebration with children going out in the neighborhood in their regular clothes, not costumes asking for treats. My daughter said they don't have Reese's Peanut Butter candy there, so the kids will be in for a surprise at their house.
I love the Reese's candy, sure wish I could eat it, but it's not worth getting so terribly sick over it.
I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween.

Big Shopping Day

I had a big shopping day at Costco today. First there was the appointment at the Hearing Center. That took about an hour and a half by the time she checked my hearing in both ears, programed a hearing aid for my particular needs and all the other details.

I ordered the "open" type where most of the hearing aid is behind the ear. It's so small and light-weight that I forgot I had it on. That's a very positive thing. I was sure the other type would be hard to get used to. So, now I wait a few days for the hearing aid to come in.

I only ordered one and I'm hoping that will be enough. Really can't afford two. Neither Medicare or the Blue Cross insurance program that I have cover hearing aids.
They don't cover eye glasses either, but I ordered two pair today.

I got a new prescription from the doctor Tuesday. I haven't had new glasses for several years, so I am ready for new frames. I liked the ones I found at Costco. I hope I still like them when I can really see them on me. One pair is for the computer and reading.

So, I spent a lot of money today, but that's o.k., I'm worth it. (grin)

I hope everyone has their "Trick or Treat" candy ready for tomorrow night!

Company's Gone

Enjoyed the visit with Sandy and Dol, but all good things must come to an end. They are now back home in the Netherlands. Sandy finished a knitting project on the flight back home and started another one. Here is a picture of her, knitting in my back yard.




















Dol mowed the grass for me. It was getting a bit tall and shaggy looking.
They showed me how to run the DVD player. I was afraid to mess with it and then not be able to get it back to the TV. So, that was a major accomplistment.
Friday I have an appointment at the Hearing Center at Costco. I told Sandy a hearing aid will be life-changing for me. I might even start watching movies again.
Sandy and Dol were here to attend Mandy and John's wedding on the 17th.
They will come back for a visit next year. I wish they lived closer, but I'm grateful I get to see them once a year. It could be worse.

Mandy & John's Wedding

My granddaughter, Mandy and John were married in Chico on October 17. It was a nice relaxed day. They were lucky with the weather, considering it was the middle of October and a storm had just blown through the area dumping 2 inches of rain.
Mandy and John made it a fun day for their guests and themselves.
First they rode in on a bicycle, laughing as John peddled over to the "aisle."

This was an outdoor wedding at the Patrick Ranch, just outside of Chico. The wedding vows were exchanged on the steps leading up to the big old farmhouse.
Here John is walking beside the woman who married them, with Mandy close behind.You can see more of the pictures here or see them ALL here.

Playing Catch-up

It's been more than 3 weeks since my last post. What's happened since the Winton Old Timers? Well, for one thing,there was the George Dirks family reunion in Twain Harte. Everyone had a very nice time visiting with cousins and our aunt.
The time went by very quickly and too soon I noticed it was time to leave for home.
Twain Harte is a lovely place, but getting there and back was more tiring this year than last. I rested up all day Sunday. Maybe I'm getting too old to drive there and back. Too bad it's not here in Merced. (grin) The above picture taken at the reunion is of my sisters and myself. Thanks to cousin Jackie.
Jackie and her sisters displayed the family albums they made recently. They were very well done and everyone enjoyed looking at them.
We look forward to this family reunion every year. This year, unfortunately, two couples decided the trip would be too much for them and so wasn't able to attend.
I guess we are all getting older. sigh.
The next big event on my calendar was Mandy and John's wedding.

Winton Old Timers reunion

The Winton Old Timers reunion was Sunday, Sept. 27. The weather was great, the turn-out good, even though some of our regulars couldn't make it this year. The ticket count was for 229, but when the money was counted, there were 241 adults attending. Everyone said they had a good time. The food was tasty and the people happy to see old friends.
The oldest man and woman were brother and sister this year. Leona Eason was back at age 98 this year and her brother, Curtis Jantz at 91 was the oldest man in attendance.
Yvonne Schmidt was again the person who traveled the farthest, coming from Alabama to be with her Winton family.
To see pictures of this year's reunion go to flickr. Click on 2009 Winton Old Timers. Sets for prior years are also there. You can click on each individual picture to bring up a larger view and see if anything else is written, or you can click on "Detail" and view it that way. If you find a picture you would like to save to your computer, click on that picture, then click on "all sizes" choose the size they recommend and decide where on your computer you want to save it. Our photographer this year was Norm Giesbrecht.
We collected 75 recipes that day. We now have 497 recipes. More will be coming in. Is this going to be a great cookbook or what?
The Winton Old Timers is always the last Sunday in September, so keep that in mind for next year.
The September / October newsletter has a story, "Growing Up In Winton," by Nancy Gregory, a local girl who grew up to be a professional writer. Regretfully she died of Cancer in December of 2007.
The Winton Hometown News is published every other month. For $10.00 per year dues to the Winton Historical Society, you get 6 issues of stories and articles of bygone days in Winton. The annual dues are due on October 1 of each year. Many people pay their dues at the Old Timers. The September / October newsletter which was just mailed out is the first one of our 2009-2010 year. People who sign up late will be sent back issues. Address for the Winton Historical Society is PO Box 554, Winton, CA 95388.