We had a little road trip Wednesday

I wasn't really wanting to go anywhere, but Cliff wanted to go to Ridgeway, Missouri, to look at an old tractor like the first one he ever had, one he bought from my parents for $50.  That was back in 1967 when we had just bought a 20 acre place with a four room house, and we had very little money for anything.  I think we gave my folks $5 weekly until we had it paid off.  

A cousin of mine lives in Bethany that we hadn't seen in years, and Bethany is just a hop, skip, and jump from Ridgeway, so I called to make sure she'd be home.  

I made sandwiches and grabbed some potato chips and some tomatoes from the garden; yes, we still have tomatoes in the garden!  We each had a bottle of pop and took some store-bought cookies along for dessert.

I gave Gabe his breakfast, let him out for his morning business, and put him in his cage.  I shut the two cats in the porch and left them food and water.  I was a little worried about Gabe, because he had a tummy problem and I had taken him outside twice overnight, but he did fine through the day.  We were gone from 9 to 4.  The dogs and cats were happy to have their freedom when we returned.

We enjoyed the time with my cousin Kathleen, too.  She's ten years older than I am (doesn't look it) but is still the same jolly person I remembered. 

When Cliff started that Minneapolis Moline tractor and rode it, I was almost sure he was going to buy it.  It ran like a dream for a 1939 tractor, and the price was right.  It had been restored several years ago but still looks good.  Honestly though, unless he just wanted something to use in tractor shows and parades, it would sit around here in the barn.  And we don't do too many shows and parades these days.

 That's all, folks.

I'm enjoying the outdoors

Two weeks or more ago, I was wishing to walk in the timber.  Leaves were changing, and the dry leaves of the trees have a wonderful smell in autumn.  I have had to stop walking at various times over the years because of my knees, but once in a while I'll try again.  For some reason, it worked this time.  I don't know why old age pains sometimes get better for a while, but it happens.  Even from day to day, the pain can be more or less.  I've learned to do what I can when I can, knowing the changes aren't permanent.

I intended that first walk to be about ten minutes that day, which would get me to the nearest part of our timber.  When I got there I noticed that my knees weren't hurting yet, so I walked on about ten or twelve minutes more before I turned and came back.  Now mind you, I was walking slowly... but I was walking.

I've continued walking, probably five days weekly.  I'm going much farther now, still walking slowly without real pain, although when I wake up next day, sometimes my knees do hurt; usually it's the replacement knee, on the left leg.  On those days I don't do my walk in the pasture.

Walking like this won't last, it never does.  But I'm making the best of it right now, and it is truly a gift.  Gabe is glad to be back to walking with me, too.  I told him to sit for a portrait, which he did; but I don't think he wanted to.