News from Abbott Avenue

Hi there Mary,

We went to a Bernard Shaw play at TRP today. It was the only one he wrote about the United States. It was set during the revolution. If I keep typing long enough maybe I will remember the name of it. Did you know he petitioned the crown to remove George from his name? Hmmm still haven't remembered.

It is raining out now. Earlier it was lovely and warm and sunny. A really nice day.

Yesterday I took the 'rents to get a hair (and beard) cut. Mom was a little testy because she had picked up what she thought was her jacket but it wasn't and we all decided it belonged to E or Jon because it said New Balance on the front.

However when they turned up a little later they repudiated it. So I am having Mom hold it up to show you a picture of it. Maybe you will recognise it. And you get a look at Mom's new haircut as well. If it is yours, shall I mail it back to you? It is just about the time of year it might be useful.

Mom is reading Donald Westlake's book "What's The Worst That Could Happen?" right now. I ordered most of the Dortmunder ones when we heard of his death. They are old and have been coming in in dribs and drabs from the Library for the blind. She sits in her chair chuckling away. It makes me feel good.

Still haven't remembered the name of the play. I think I will go to put in a link and 'remember' it that way. Ahhhh yes. The Devils Disciple. How could I forget?

Here is a picture of the moon over Abbott Ave from earlier this week. About 8 a.m. in the morning on Thursday. Lots of different trees from when we were kids here. This is looking up towards 45th Street.

Happy Equinox,

Love,

Nancy

I think it is finally Spring

Hi there Mary,

Well winter made it's last gasp this week. The snowstorm that on Tuesday dumped 12 inches on Fargo tried it here and could only rain for most of the day. On Tuesday evening when we were trying to get to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers it turned to snow. It was a nasty drive but we made it and when we went out there was only about 1 inch on the ground.

This is what I saw out the upstairs window the next morning just before the sun came up.

However today, Sunday the 15th, it is beautiful and sunny and about 60 degrees out. Everthing is melting and wet and muddy and it is just wonderful out.

I haven't seen any trees budding but by the end of the week it should be really nice. Hard to believe it was 3 below four days ago. With a wind chill of -24.

Even the people at Sunnyside Gardens have been out unpacking pots and birdbaths.

Here is a picture of Alice watching sports on TV with Jim. She looked so happy I had to take the picture.

That's all for now.

Love you,

Nancy

A Year Ago Today

Hello Mary,

I was doing some math this morning. It is that or laundry...

A year ago today Mom had just gone into the hospital. My how far we have come. I am sure glad it is 2009 and not 2008. Tomorrow we are going to Pirates of Penzance for Dad's 85th Birthday. We are also forcing him to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Chanhassen Dinner Theater on Tuesday for the same reason. Jim and I will be married 20 years if we make it to the 17th of March, Mom and Dad will have been married 61 years on the 25th and Mom will be 90 if she makes it through to May 17th.

Whew!

This picture is not from last year. I found I did not want to look at them. This one is from 2005.

By the way, Jeni check your email. Deb is trying to get in touch with you.

Love,

Nancy

What's new with me

Hi Nancy,

First off, I think that sweater looks wonderful on you. Although I don't know what stealing a sweater has to do with being the oldest. However, you might have made a point about that which I forgot by the time I got to the end of reading the post. I find that I often do that, which is why I have disgustingly detailed notes on what I read for school.

Anyway, you ask what's new. Well, one thing that is new is that I can download from my camera again. So I now have pictures of the mystery birds. I had to post-hole my way through the snow on the side yard to get them.

But, drat. Who could tell what kind of bird that was from that little bitty picture? Wait, maybe I have a better one....

Okay, there he is. The female has a rusty cap on her head. I had not seen a crest on their heads, which is why I denied Brian when he said they were waxwings. But later on, I saw one of the females more closely, and she might have had a crest on her head. It's much more fun to have mystery birds, however. These ones are really very red looking, more so than the picture shows. And, oh yeah, they are not red all over as I claimed - they sort of have a red hood - it goes down their back a little ways, and down their chest a little ways - kind of like those dickies that boys wore when we were in high school. Dickie. What a funny word. Soon it will cease to exist, although I saw a dickie in the second hand store a few weeks ago. I can't imagine seeing anyone wear one anymore. How the hell did I get to dickies? It must be time to go to bed.

Love, Mary

The Oldest Sister

Hi Mary,

You know I am the oldest sister. We all know that. You are the youngest and Jeni is in the middle. When I was much younger than I am now my sister Jeni must have once borrowed clothes of mine. Not that I can remember that far back.

However Jeni left a sweater here last fall. She may have left it on purpose since it is way too big for her. However it fits me perfectly. It even has pockets for the cell phone I am supposed to carry in case the doctors find me the perfect kidney. So I have borrowed it. I thought I should document this thievery so I stood in the upstairs spare bedroom in front of the mirror and attempted to take a photo.

Alice helped.

In fact she was so helpful I resorted to bribery.

Luckily Jim had recently gone to the store with a handful of coupons and came back with an assortment of cat treats.

They were quite useful.

Once I was done I attempted to move them to a safer place where little kitty teeth could not open them.

Hmmmmm.

On second thought I might wait for a while.

What's new with you? Got your taxes done yet?

Love,

Nancy

Speaking of food...(and we do, often)...

I ate this the other day:

I'll leave it to you to find out what it is.