Reflections of My Life

[katlupe]

@katlupe , can you take some ear plugs to help deaden the noise?

Northwest PA weather is damp today.
Is it that way up there?

I think its 2-3 hours to reach your area from here.

Ear plugs in my purse!

I am going to make the best of it and many times I feel this way about doing something or going somewhere and it turns out to be a very nice day anyway. So I am going to make myself look forward to seeing my brother and his VERY loud show. I will take pictures and Sonny will probably not want to stay till the fireworks due to his toes. Plus yesterday when he took me shopping his ankle had swelled up. We are quite the couple.............both having to keep our feet up in hot weather!

 

[Aneeda72]

Thank you Aneeda! My hope since the day I moved out, was that I could help other women in my situation see that their lives could be better. I had so many of my friends on fb contact me about how they were in miserable marriages but could not leave. I gave many hope but not sure they followed through.

Yes, a lot of people do not understand that many women are trapped in “miserable marriages” with no prospect of improvement or ability, for many reasons, to leave. Even the acknowledgment by others, as yourself, is important in knowing that “they” are not alone.

Again, thank you.

 

[katlupe]

Today I will be in Harpursville for their 200th year celebration and my brother's wild west show (The Spirit of the Old West). It is my hometown. My parents owned and ran a gas station right outside of the town on the main highway (Rt.7) at that time. We knew everyone. It was a great place to live and I was pretty sad the day we moved to FL in 1962. My grandmother lived about 8 miles away and I spent a lot of time with her. Spent the night at her house often. She was my person if you know what I mean.

I am friends with a lot of the people on fakebook but have not seen them in person since I was ten years old. My family moved back here from FL in 1969. At that time, I was pregnant and my family did not know. I won't go into the details but I hid it for a long time. I ran away with my boyfriend (he came up from FL and got a job here) to Georgia where his father lived. Big mess after that.

I ended up coming back to NY on a bus because he ended up in jail. And that led him to being in for 10 years. In that time my son was born and I was an unwed mother in a small town. Eventually I got an apartment in Binghamton and started my life. Where was I going with this story???? Oh yes, my grandmother. If my parents had not moved us to FL, I always felt I would not have ended up as an unwed mother at 16. She was a big influence on me and I think she would have made a difference in my life.

So I will take pictures today and share them with you here. I think I will have a good day. Sonny bought food (sandwich stuff and seltzer for our drinks) like he does when he goes to races with his grandson and friends. He will bring an ice chest and chairs for us. So do not have to buy food and I can sit in the air conditioned car when I get too hot. (He paid $3.13 a gallon for gas yesterday but he uses it freely and does not complain). If it rains............I can stay home!

 

[Sliverfox]

Hope your day is great.
Too many times I have been drug to events I didn't care to go to,, .
Only to have a better time then I expected.

 

[RadishRose]

Oh I hope you have a good time at the show, what is it you said it was, a Western show? I'm so curious.

I'm looking forward to seeing some pics too if you do go. It sounds like you're all set-you have food you have drink you have shelter in the car. I think you're gonna have a great time.

 

[Sliverfox]

I pulled up map of Harpursville, NY.
Learned that I am further from katlupe than I thought.

 

[katlupe]

I enjoyed myself very much yesterday at my brother's show. I met new people and was outside the whole day. Sonny parked his car right up close to Mickey's tents so when we wanted a drink or something to eat it was easy to get to. It was not too hot so I was comfortable and my feet did not swell up like they do in hot weather. Mickey was introducing to me to everyone so I think he was glad I came. We did not leave till after the fireworks. On the way home, we stopped at Sonny's house to check on his dogs and parrot. I have a feeling his dog, Spud, is not long for this world. I hadn't seen him since January and it made me sad but I did not mention it to Sonny since he is still not over French Fry dying.

 

[RadishRose]

So glad you had a good time Kat and your brother was proud to introduce you around. Are you glad that you went?

I love the picture; they look so authentic, like the Old West!

 

[katlupe]

So glad you had a good time Kat and your brother was proud to introduce you around. Are you glad that you went?

I love the picture; they look so authentic, like the Old West!

I had a great time! It was not too hot and the sun was behind the clouds so it was very comfortable.

Sonny's aide, PJ, and her husband sat with us part of the day. She is going to be working for me as my aide as soon as her paperwork is finished and she is in their system. So it was good to get to know her a little better.

I volunteered to my brother to set up a fakebook page for his group and be the administrator for it. They have tried to do it before but they don't know how. I know exactly how to do this. I had one for each of my four blogs at one time. So this week I will get to working on it.

Two of the cowboys in the show.

 

[Aneeda72]

I had a great time! It was not too hot and the sun was behind the clouds so it was very comfortable.

Sonny's aide, PJ, and her husband sat with us part of the day. She is going to be working for me as my aide as soon as her paperwork is finished and she is in their system. So it was good to get to know her a little better.

I volunteered to my brother to set up a fakebook page for his group and be the administrator for it. They have tried to do it before but they don't know how. I know exactly how to do this. I had one for each of my four blogs at one time. So this week I will get to working on it.

Two of the cowboys in the show.

View attachment 173345

Are they cowboys or mountain men? Or is the title meanless?

 

[katlupe]

Are they cowboys or mountain men? Or is the title meanless?

Cowboys. 1870 period. My brother has had this show since before 1997. I was in his show back then and was a Indian woman who always got thrown off the train and shot in the back. Till children started complaining about me being killed. So we had to change that. It was fun, but back then I could run.

 

[katlupe]

My brother Saturday at the show.

 

[katlupe]

He also goes to Mountain men as well as Revolutionary War re-enactments, but not with his wild west group. They are exclusive to the shows. He has a cabin on his property where he and a group of his friends hunt during hunting season with flintlocks and dress in buckskins. He makes all his own buckskins and the flintlocks also.

These were on display at the show on Saturday and he made them all.



Wearing his buckskins. I believe this photo I took in 2016 when he came to my house.

 

[RadishRose]

Your brother is so talented. Fascinating!

 

[katlupe]

Your brother is so talented. Fascinating!

He has been quite a character to grow up with.

 

[katlupe]

So when I moved here I said all my online selling and promoting was history. Not going to do it anymore! I even shut down 3 of my blogs and only kept the one I have on Blogger. Then a couple of months ago, I thought I'd set up my blog on my own website. Started to do it but then decided, "nope! Not doing it." So took it right back down. Now I have not written a new post on my blog in months. I am still writing..........in my journal but nothing I want to share with the world. And of course, the bits of things I write here. That is enough for me really.

I think I like not having a time frame that I HAVE to or MUST do something. One of the reasons I hate making appointments. Especially far in advance. Even though........I told my brother and his group I would do their fakebook page. So I started it yesterday. It will take a bit of time to get it going good. Once it is, it won't take much time from me. A few posts a day and some interactions with others. I hope it will get more people coming to his shows. But it means, I will have to go to his shows more than I have. Maybe it will be good for me. I will see.

Today I was hoping to make a quick trip to Tops to get some blackberries for Rabbit but it looks like it might rain soon. If so, I guess he will have to eat bananas at bedtime instead. That is really my only complaint about not having a car. I really need to do a bus trip to get the hang of it sometime soon. Not in July when it is so hot though.

 

[katlupe]

This is a picture I took of Sonny, my boyfriend on Saturday. He is wearing the shirt I told you all that I bought for him in remembrance of his dog, French Fry.

 

[Keesha]

Yeah. That ‘not having a schedule thing’ I think is called retirement and well worth the investment.

I love not having a set schedule. We don’t even walk our dogs at the same time everyday. Winging it is so underrated.

What a nice looking gentle man and how thoughtful of you to get such a lovely gift. That was perfect for the occasional.
Nice photo too. It looks like you had a lot of fun at the show.

 

[katlupe]

Yeah. That ‘not having a schedule thing’ I think is called retirement and well worth the investment.

I love not having a set schedule. We don’t even walk our dogs at the same time everyday. Winging it is so underrated.

What a nice looking gentle man and how thoughtful of you to get such a lovely gift. That was perfect for the occasional.
Nice photo too. It looks like you had a lot of fun at the show.

I did have a good time. Next time I will not worry about it before I go.

 

[Jules]

Sometimes you have the best times at events when you feel you don’t really want to go.

Sonny looks very pleased with his shirt. A very sweet gesture by you.

 

[katlupe]

A few of the new threads lately have caused me to think about the way I lived before moving here in 2018. Not having running water for twenty years is one of those things. It was the hardest thing I think, about the whole 20 years. Running water is taken for granted by most people. At least here in the US. I remember I'd be out front pumping the pitcher pump to fill a bucket and someone would drive by.......real slow. I'd think to myself, "what's the matter, haven't you ever seen someone get water before?" No, they probably hadn't.

In fact, if anyone with children or dogs ever came to our house, that was all they wanted to do. Play with the pump or the dogs (males) peeing on the pump. My husband or myself had to stand guard over it till they left. We could not take that chance of someone breaking the pump.

And what about those horrible NY winters you ask?



First thing you do is make sure you shovel it out. Then pour about a cup of warm water down it to prime it and it will work. But most important thing of all, the night before, make sure the pump is emptied out and the handle is up and stays up till morning. If it freezes it may not thaw out by the time you need it. With 3 horses...........water was most important in the morning.

 

[Aneeda72]

A few of the new threads lately have caused me to think about the way I lived before moving here in 2018. Not having running water for twenty years is one of those things. It was the hardest thing I think, about the whole 20 years. Running water is taken for granted by most people. At least here in the US. I remember I'd be out front pumping the pitcher pump to fill a bucket and someone would drive by.......real slow. I'd think to myself, "what's the matter, haven't you ever seen someone get water before?" No, they probably hadn't.

In fact, if anyone with children or dogs ever came to our house, that was all they wanted to do. Play with the pump or the dogs (males) peeing on the pump. My husband or myself had to stand guard over it till they left. We could not take that chance of someone breaking the pump.

And what about those horrible NY winters you ask?

View attachment 174035

First thing you do is make sure you shovel it out. Then pour about a cup of warm water down it to prime it and it will work. But most important thing of all, the night before, make sure the pump is emptied out and the handle is up and stays up till morning. If it freezes it may not thaw out by the time you need it. With 3 horses...........water was most important in the morning.

I have never been without water, but I have had to wash my families clothes in the bathtub cause I did not have a quarter to put in a machine. I was in my twenties so it didn’t bother me that much as life was always hard and I just accepted it. But I have never wanted to live off grid. It never occurred to me to do that

 

[katlupe]

I have never been without water, but I have had to wash my families clothes in the bathtub cause I did not have a quarter to put in a machine. I was in my twenties so it didn’t bother me that much as life was always hard and I just accepted it. But I have never wanted to live off grid. It never occurred to me to do that

I got into the whole "modern homesteading" movement back in 1996 or around that time. But one thing I didn't think about was that as I got older that I would have trouble walking or doing things. I did hard jobs that involved heavy lifting and moving things around so never thought my body would let me down this way. Sometimes I just want to sit and cry. But I cannot let myself get depressed.

 

[katlupe]

Seven years ago today, my father had a stroke. He was working outside in his garage, fixing a carburetor. My son had called him over and over on the phone and there was no answer. It seems like it was unhooked or something. So he called my aunt who lives nearby and she went over to check. Daddy came out of the garage and sat with her. She said he was hot and got them cold drinks. So she was the last person to have a normal conversation with him.

There is a lot more to this story involving my niece and her boyfriend but I won't think about that today. Anyway Daddy ended up in the hospital and dying on August 11th. He was the best father ever. Taught me how to do so many things. Took care of my mother without ever a complaint. Everyone who knew him loved him.

He lived to be 93, by himself except for the times my niece and her family moved in on him. He drove his car, fixed small motor type things like rototillers, snowblowers, lawnmowers, etc. And had a huge garden. Every year he would tell me this was his last garden. Finally, it was.

Here he is walking me down the aisle in 1979. That is my mother in the picture too.

 

[katlupe]

Yesterday, Sonny and I went to the potluck supper downstairs in the community room. Only a handful of us were there. Two people who usually come were not there. One was busy at the fair showing rabbits. The other had hurt her back but her husband was there. A new lady who will be coming to these had gone away for the week with her nephew who she has joint custody of and is living with her presently. So including Sonny and myself, there were 7 of us there. It was a nice meal and good to talk with each other rather then just bumping into each other in the hall.

One of the ladies who lives upstairs is 96 and she is sharp as a tack (so the saying goes, lol). She made two desserts, blueberry cobbler (the best!) and brownies. She has lived here for more than 28 years. She laughed at us talking about being 70 next year, calling us "youngsters". Her daughter and her husband live down the hall from me. They all save their newspapers for me to use in Rabbit's cage.

Sonny told me the doctor recommended he start using a walker since he is unsteady on his feet at times. I said that is great because I think it would help him. I watch him walk from my building to his car and worry that he will fall. But I think it is a matter of pride for him, maybe all men? That using a walker in front of others makes him look weak or fragile? He was a truck driver, a mechanic and race car driver and all his friends are a mixture of those people. He has lots of friends that he has known for years. They are all like him so I think he worries about appearing less of a man.

I had been using a cane for years by the time I moved here and got my rolling walker. Never was an issue with me. I still felt the same. In fact, I love my rolling walker and if I didn't really need it, I'd still use it. It is handy. When I am shopping it keeps my purse safe from someone stealing it or putting their hand inside and taking my wallet. I use it for a table (I put a tray on top) among other things, like when I am coloring I use it like a tv tray table. I do what I have to do so I don't chance falling. I have never fallen and I am very careful about that.