Happy November

Barb says:: I can't believe  it's been so long since I have written anything.  We have been busy.  Retirement is great!!   Still a year of changes for me.  My hair is almost to its natural color which  is no color, just gray.  Also trying to get chloresterol under control without medicine, so no more sweet tea, red meat only once in a great while, no more fried foods.  Not much besides salad, fruit and veggies.  I even voluntarily submitted to a blood draw which was a disaster.  Just trying to get healthy without taking meds.  Also had a crown and a root canal.

We went to an Elderhostel in September held in. Ripley, West Virginia.  Eldon took a class on his dulcimer. And I took a quilting class.  We both really enjoyed being there.    We are still doing volunteer work at Busy Hands which takes a lot of time. We still make short excursions to find yarn and quilt shops.  Eldon is always ready to drive where I want to go.  I go to Wolcottville to a knit group  and to New Carlisle to a crochet group.  Never too old to learn something new.

We had just one young man tonight for Halloween who refused the candy Eldon offered.  He was lucky to get here between the raindrops.  Warm weather but hard rain.

Happy November to all.

Barb says,  
Now that we no longer go to BH 4 days a week, I have time to do other things that have been put off for a long time.  This wall hanging for one.  The hanging it replaced had been on the wall for over a year.  It was a snowman and you can imagine how out of place it looked in June and July.  I got the pattern for this one when we were on our travels out of state with a tour group.  There are 3 patterns in one and it can be purchased at  your LYS (here in Mishawaka)  or quilt store.   In fact I think there is even a  fabric kit you can purchase if you don't have a fabric stash.  There are 4 different patterns to cover the year.   I am working on a different hanging for Easter. 
Another plus has been that I am able to have lunch with my daughter.  We have gone  twice now to two different resturaunts and it has been nice to spend time with her.
I can get more done at home for volunteer while still doing laundry, cleaning etc.  I have hot tea when I want, my own potty in a warm house.  I can make a snack, have hot water, and go on errands when I need to.  The best of both worlds.   I can even take a class if I want. 

Barb and I watched the Notre Dame-Alabama game Monday night until the Crimson Tide overtook Notre Dame throughout the first half.  It was like watching a high school team play against a Pro team.
Enough of that.  On a different subject, actually, it is on all subjects or news stories the TV commentator's and interviewer's have in common SENSATIONALISM.  I GET DISGUSTED with the questioning which tries to provote emotional responses or HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN THAT HAPPENED.  HUH....  (lets see if get them to cry or show other facial emotion while I have them on camera.,,that has to increase our NETWORK RATINGS....)  I is bad enough that bad things happen. It does not need to be exploited.

Barb's Post:   Eldon and I went for hair cuts today, a week past our regular time.  ANOTHER BIG CHANGE:   I have decided to let my hair grow to the natural color,  which is gray, ulgy gray.  My hair has been colored for years.  When I was growing up Mother worked for a beauty supply company, so all types of make up, and coloring was available to us.  There were three of us girls and we all played with what was brought home.  I think my youngest sister is the only one who hasn't kept up with hair color, while my other sister has gone blond and shades thereof.  My shade has always been dark, close to the natural color when I was young.  However, since getting OLDER and by eyebrows are beginning to gray, it is time to let my hair
SLOWLY  go natural.  I can't stand the line of demarkcation between color and gray, so it is going lighter over time.  How much time is up to my hairdresser.   She has done a good job for almost 20 years and I trust her decision.   Plus it gives my time to get used to the idea of looking into the mirror and seeing a different face.  I hate gray!!!   My paternal grandmother had beautiful white hair.  My mother and maternal grandmother didn't turn gray until late in life, and mother still had some dark hair when she left us.  But mine is ugly.  Maybe I should do the purple or peach hair.   But on second thought, not a good idea.  That is as fake as a 70 year old with black hair.  You know it is not real.  I guess I put on by big girl panties and deal with it.

1/7/13  Posted by Barb:   Since Eldon and I share the blog this is the only way for you to know who is writing.  It is our first experience with a blog so we'll see how it goes.  This is a new year and time for changes.  We have made some this week and will be making more  changes in our lives in the coming year (nothing bad) that make sense to us.   We changed churches last year and found it a good change.  Though our new church is much bigger than I like, everyone is very friendly, and there is a lot going on each week.  Pastor is not afraid to say it like it is even if toes are in the way.  Good for him!!! 

We have cut back on our volunteer time at BH and are able to accomplish more at home.  I can sew more for BH, but also finish many things started and put on the back burner.  I have neglected cross stitch projects, quilting, and scrapbook pages.  Years of projects packed away in boxes.  I turned 70 last September and it is time to get organized again.   Last week changes were made in laundry room and dining room curtains that I hated for years.   The rooms look so much better now.   Today I wrote to a friend I haven't written to in years and plan to contact another friend for lunch this week.   I've started making lists to I can have fun crossing off projects.  I'd better stop for now and post in case I lose this I can still remember what I have typed. 

Eldon and Barb Nifong's Blog

1/7/13 Post by Eldon.
Barb and I have completed visits with our two sons and their families.
We spent time with our younger son, Mark and his Wife, Diane who live on Maui, Hi. for my birthday and Thanksgiving. While there we all made a needed vacation trip to the big Island for a long weekend. We also had a great Thanksgiving meal at Diane's daughter Lori and husband Andrew. We will always relish hugging their Little Guy son, Owen and spending time with him.
We had Christmas eve here with Shannon, Rick, and Anthony, our daughter and her family.  Anthony is 17 and at least 6-2. I am not sure he is through growing.  I would not be surprised if in the future you play a computer game, created by him.
Christmas day we packed up and drove to League City, Texas to spend a delayed Christmas with our older son Craig, and his wife Wendy and our three grand daughters. Liz was on Christmas break from her second year at T.C.U., Jessica  is in 9th grade, and Katie is in 7th.  Jess is the tennis champ attending tournaments weekends and Katie is really into basketball, playing all positions when needed.
Barb and I  are fair weather Notre Dame fans and have followed them throughout their games this season.  We are waiting for the playoff with the Crimson Tide tonight at 8:30.  We had afternoon coffee to keep us alert since we will be up past our turn in time watching the events and rooting for the final Notre Dame win.