Good Saturday to you from a crisp Fall day in Iowa. It has been really windy the past two days so the ground is scattered with leaves that continue to rain down. The temp. has gone from the high 80's to 50 yesterday. It smells like Fall. I have always loved this season best. Not only for colors and smells, but that first frost that kills off the gnats, mosquitoes, and ticks. We hardly saw a mosquito here this year while porch sitting. Too dry I expect.
Speaking of Fall, Joel is off to Rendezvous Days in Southern MN today. The one day a year he puts aside for himself. He'll be home later tonight and smell like woodsmoke and grilled pork on a stick! He managed one bike ride this week ~ yesterday, even with winds in the 20's. He has been in the office more as he prepares for two services tomorrow.
Last weekend we were in northern Minnesota spending time with three of our grands and their folks. We were able to pick one grand up from college, and see another from yet a differennt family. who goes to the same school. After arriving at the farm, nother grand came home from yet another school so we were able to see the whole family. Visiting was the only thing on my agenda, while Joel went to see his oldest brother in a nursing home Sat. and then attended his home church and his middle brother's 80th birthday Sunday. I rested and visited with kids while the parents took one back to school Sunday. A grandson made Joel and him homemade pizza for supper and we did some porch sitting. Nothing like a good view of the country to enjoy on a warm evening. We left for home Monday.
My energy was fair on our trip, and remains a mystery to solve. I have been walking daily though except when gone. The chiro is still working on my knee and wants me walking on it.
This past Tuesday as I went up to bed I turned on the bedroom light switch. As I went over to the bed I heard a strange popping/scratching noise. At first I thouht it could be a bat. Terrifed of bats. I headed over to the bedroom door and the noise got louder. I bent down to look at the light switch and listen closer. Just then sparks shot out of the light switch and I let out a short scream.....which in turn brought Joel running upstairs, I told him what happened, he turned off the switch and we monitored awhile for heat in the wall. Nothing. The next day he drove to Menards and bought a new switch. He was able to find the cause and replace it. It has been working perfectly since. It is nice to live with a handyman! He has fixed our old clothes dryer many time before it completely gave out. He fixed the garage door into the house just a while ago. He made steps for the back deck this summer. Like I said, it is good to be married to a handyman.
Speaking of bats, in 1976 we bought a big old house in St. Paul, MN while Joel was attending Luther Seminary. This house had an apartment upstairs which brought in some extra income. We soon came to realize that the house attic held over 200 bats as the inspector told us. They were protected and we did not exterminate them......so over the 2 years we lived there Joel killed 25 bats that came into the house through cracks and the basement. Joel sat down the basement a few evenings with a BB gun and shot them as they came out of the walls. Seriously. When he figured where they were coming out he stuffed the areas with insulation. One in our bedroom was as big as a squirrel and Joel said wen he killed it with a tennis racket his knees buckled. When we decided to take an Internship in Montana we sold that house and I walked out of there never looking back. No regrets at leaving~
True story: our niece was visiting us one time. We had 4 kids ages 2-6 and one day a bat swooped down into the living room and I screamed BAT and ran out the front door....leaving all my kids behind! She was so upset with me and scolded me for leaving my kids behind. Nothing I was proud of......just a gut reaction!
Speaking of kids, adults now with kids of their own.....Our granddaughter A. had a birthday this week. She is all grown up, has her college teaching degree, and is now teaching children with special education needs. She has been volunteering with kids for many years so it was not a surprise to us she wanted to be a teacher. She will be amazing.
So ending this Scribbles today with all things Fall that I am grateful for....the colors, the smells, the sounds, the cooler weather. All so nice! Grateful for a trip up "North" into Minnesota to see family. And grateful Joel could see his brothers and other family. Grateful for my knee getting better. Grateful for meds when needed. Grateful for houses without bats! Grateful for phone calls with family, grateful for Joel's day to step back into the past of fur traders, muzzle loading, outdoor cooking, and more. Grateful for the family farm porch sitting and visiting, seeing 4 of our grands last week. Grateful for photos, texts, and emails.....and so much more...
Enjoy your weekend!
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