2/10/07 Crazy dream, washing diapers, coping with cold weather....

Dear Daddy.... if you buy me diapers you'll be sorry!

Steff got your card and the cash! She's touched that you always remember... and she got a card from the Lewandowskis this year too. That was sweet.

We had a lovely time in Madison. Steff's car is still in the shop, they don't have all the parts yet! Poor Steff. But we took her to a Japanese place. She said... "Do you want to walk? It's only four blocks away." FOUR BLOCKS in that frigid air sounded like ten miles! And I'd come straight from work... didn't have a warm sweater or good walking shoes... so NO, we DROVE! And the meal was fantastic. Jolan wasn't able to join us... but it was still nice.

Yesterday was also my appointment with my Assyrian women, mother and daughter.... they are such wonderful people. It continues to amaze me. The daughter had baked me a cake! The mother had made me a whole potful of dolmas! That's stuffed grape leaves incase you don't know. All that work! She grew the grape leaves in her yard and oh the fragrance... it was heavenly! They were DELICIOUS, the best I ever had! And she made me a huge bowl of tabouli to take with me, too.

I was so touched. Why they love me so I can't tell you. Such beautiful people. The mother tells me all kinds of fascinating stories of her life in Europe... she's even lived in a castle! When she was making the tabouli she asked me to help and we had such a great time, there in the kitchen, chopping and slicing and squeezing lemons and tasting. It's another way of life... much more earthy and from the heart about all aspects of life.

Awwwwwww... you might have had a touch of the flu! Glad you're better! And here you were blaming my lovely furry collar on my beautiful coat!

I'm off to tai chi this morning.... and I love it. Stay warm and enjoy your day! Since you don't have heated seats in your car... I thought of another solution to keep your butt nice and warm! Diapers! Ha ha ha ha ha... hey, try it!
Love, Dottie
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dear Dottie when is this weather going to warm up , it was zero this morning , of course I go out and start up the car , clean the windows and then Bob comes out for his ride to work , something is wrong with this picture ha ha , Non of this snow has even melted , Can you imagine what those people in New York are going to have when it does start melting , Nine feet of snow wow .

Do you buy Diapers by size or by VOLUME , you should know ha ha ha ha .Remember when you were born we still had cloth Diapers and usually one or two would serve the purpose , by the time sandy arrived , the diapers were like cheese cloth , your mother would use five or six to do the job and then they came out with the disposal ones, to late , But the diapers would be put into a bucket of water And soaked till they were ready to wash , times have changed.

Glad you got together with Steff , Boy if she can walk Four Blocks her ankle must be healed , How was the traffic /By the way what happened to American Food huh , or is it all Imported like every thing else ha ha .

Boy those people must really think highly of you to treat you the way they do < count your blessings ,

Had this crazy dream last night , dreamt I had my car in the companies parking Lot and it was stollen, along with another Car , Finnally got a lift home and there was My Car in front of my house , My neighbor must of stole it and wasn't aware that it was my Car , Now how do I treat my Neighbors ha ha , weird and funny .Anyway stay warm in this weather , this is the first year that the weather made me want to stay inside , Getting Old Nah

Keep smiling love dad

2/9/07 Steff's birthday, Dad's under the weather... more diaper silliness...

Good morning, Daddy...

We'll be heading to Madison after work (about 2pm) today to take Stephanie out to dinner for her birthday. Jolan has to work this whole weekend! Steve is getting a sub for his last class of the day. We must miss rush hour. Rush hour in Schuamburg could add another hour and a half to the drive!

Monica called Stephanie and they talked an hour! Whew... that will be a big phone bill! I know they are close and miss each other. Monica's such a sweetie. Sounds like Steff was housebound on her birthday, because her car was being worked on. Poor kid... we'll make up for it tonight.

Daddy dear.... if your NOSE is running, it does NOT give you DIAPER RASH.... unless. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... were you wearing a diaper on your face to catch all the drips from your nose?

Daddio... it's the perfect NOSE WARMER for you on days like these... a diaper!!! Ha ha ha... just secure it with one of your rubberbands!

That's cute that Mark cut in to talk a bit to you... in an instant message. I'm sure he's very attentive to his job, don't worry.

Today's my appointment with that wonder Assyrian mother and daughter... two houses, three rooms. They are the loveliest, warmest, sweetest people.... they treat me like a queen, like part of the family! They are making me lunch today! When the mother found out I love Mediterranean food she got all excited and offered to teach me anything and everything I want to know. It will be nice... and I hope they love my designs. I really tried to give them something very special. They live in Northbrook. I'll be putting on the miles today!

My installation at the Naperville penthouse went great yesterday. Her home is looking fabulous, it really is. And I've had a hand in every single new item of furniture, every new lamp and the rugs. I will be sad to see it come to an end... we are running out of rooms!

So have a good day, Daddio... find some diapers on sale, nose sized! Ha ha...
Love, Dottie
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Dear Dottie Now I know what to get you for your Birthday , Diapers so when you go to Madison you don't have to stop Ha ha ha , Wonder what size , Extra large should do it Ha ha ha ha .

i forgot that Steff's birthday was yesterday, I di d send her a card, your kids are starting to age a little, time to start thinking what they want to do with their Lives ..........

Got my shopping done plus Chicken soup from Joanne , still hot , ha ha Sandy was really busy the lot was filled to capacity, good sign .

My sinus is a little better today , i must of been running a fever yesterday cause i just couldn't warm up , even wore a jacket inside the house , but the Bed Buddy did warm me up and islept well , feel a liitle better , no running nose .

So have a nice visit with Steff, wish her a happy Birthday for me < its a long Trip and it's Friday , don't forget to wear you know what , Keep Smiling Love dad

2/8/07 Still allergic, diaper talk, Mark IM's...

Dear Daddio... "full of the dickens"... hmmmmmmm, where do you think I learned that! YOU! I don't think you were allergic to my fake fur coat collar... come on, it's FAKE! I think when I rubbed it on your face it tickled you and that's why you sneezed. Silly Bruno.

As for the high kicks I can do... for some reason I could always lift my leg high. Maybe I was a male dog in a past life? Ha ha ha... tai chi has helped me make kicks higher and improved my balance!

The story of the astronaut wearing a diaper to drive 900 miles, just to discourage another woman from messing with her boyfriend... it's quite a story. But it's not as weird to me as Sandy thinks... astronauts are trained to wear diapers for space. They wear them for launches, landings, and space walks. It's very odd, I know, that the woman's mind went to that extreme. But I was more alarmed that she passed psychological screening (intensive screening!) and still plotted to get rid of that other woman. Something did not get caught by the psychological screening process... that's scary! What if she carried a nuke or bomb onto a rocket? I'm sure those astronauts don't have to go through metal detectors! Ha!

Next time Sandy drives to Springfield, remind her to wear her DIAPER on the road... ha ha ha...

I have an installation this morning.... that means more $$$ for me, woo hoo. Hope the job goes well! Thank you so much for the great lunch yesterday! Enjoyed every bite of it! That place is SO GOOD!

Have a great day!
Love, Dottie
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Dear Dottie It's cold out there, minus 3 this morning , that old clunker didn't want to start the first time around, thats 11 days in a row that we have had below freezing weather , guess by the week end it should start warming up , don't fool with Mother nature ha ha ,

Don't know what happened when you left yesterday, my nose kept running and my eyesfelt funny all the way till i went to bed , now this morning i feel ok, Could it have been a Diaper rash Ha ha ha statement i meant ha ha .

Took Bob to work , told him carry money with you in case car won't start , But I have to wait a whole hour for the bus , Boy is he spoiled., ................

Mark just cut in on my typing , I can't type that fast to hold a conversation, and i think he is getting Paid for the time he spends with me ha ha So stay warm , hope you can make a few Bucks I want to see you smile

love dad

2/6/07 Allergic to my coat, written after our visit...

Dear Daddy....

Yes, we got at least three or four inches yesterday. It was a crazy day... my appointment canceled and I had all sorts of free time! I ran next door to ask my neighbor if she needed anything from Whole Foods. Turns out she'd been sick for a week and not able to get out. This is my "crazy" neighbor, but she's a nice person and means well. She was very grateful for the trip to the store. She gave me a list. I shoveled her sidewalk on my way out.

After Steve left for his night class in Deerfield (poor Steve!) I went out to shovel. A neighbor had come through with his snow blower and did the sidewalk. So sweet! I did the rest... it was light, mild, and neighbors home from work (mostly men) were outside talking, shoveling, laughing, shoveling..... it was more fun than work.

Yes, I love that picture with Flip... my sweet sweet bird! And how Flip loved YOU~!! You dipped corn flakes in milk and handed them to him every morning, such a special treat! Flip and Jo Krause... now THAT was the funniest.... reeeee eeee eeee eeee eeee circling around the room when he heard her voice, then landing in her hair, pulling on it! She's the only one he did that with. Birds are such characters.

You had one of these second floor clotheslines with the pulley? How cool. Why did you dry clothes in freezing weather? Was there anyplace inside to hang them.... basement maybe? Did your mom do other people's laundry? Was this when she had the boarders? I'm trying to picture it............

Chinese today with Sandy? If I catch up with work around here I might see if I could tag along! Too soon to tell...

So enjoy your day... such a pretty one, the day after a snow!
Love, Dottie
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(His letter came AFTER I was able to join him and Sandy for lunch at Chi Tung. I had worn my winter coat with the fake fur collar and teased him with it by rubbing the collar on his cheek.)

Dear Dottie Your on your way home , still full of the dickens, Must be the food you ate because Sandy and I were OK ha ha , But it was nice that you drove all the way out here just to share time with US.

I really think i was alergic to that coat of yours , all of the sudden I got all congested, weird, maybe it was that cat's collar on the coat ha ha anyway it's better now .

How can Sandy keep going the way she does , after running around with you and then taking off to Ikea to shop some more. but i was gladto stay home and let the two of you have some fun together, she and you need a good laugh to break up the stress .

The Diaper story , well it will make many more miles before it is put to rest < a story on the go ha ha .Hope the traveling home is not to bad Should of washed your car windows before you left, never thought of it , so happy traveling , Keep smiling you High Kicker

love Dad

2/6/07 Remembering the shed he built and washing clothes in the old days....

Dear Daddio... Funny isn't it? Sometimes you just get in those moods, where you do like to sit back and REMEMBER things. Hey, I better do it while I still have a brain cell that works!...............

Yes, we should do something with those old pictures you have, to keep them safe. I'm so upset by what happened to my albums! The pictures from our honeymoon are really bad.

Here are two that will make you chuckle... (or groan!)... ha ha ha, I will never forget that day!

Pfft.. who says these "kits" are EASY? In theory, sure... wood is all pre-measured, but nothing fits as well as wood cut on site. I remember our changing the foundation minutes before the cement truck pulled up! You were amazing, Dad... and that shed really held up well. I wonder if it's still there!

So your mother had to go shopping every day for food? That's how it is in London. No one has room for lots of food storage. They walk to the bakery and grocery in the neighborhood for what they need. Or they eat out! Monica said her new place of work has no lunch room or employee lounge or any kind, no refrigerator, no kitchen!

Did your mother have a garden in the back yard where she grew her own things? I remember Mary Jotkus' garden, it was fabulous... really vigorous and healthy. She had some kind of pot or crock sunk in the ground with something fermenting in there. Pickles? Sourkraut? Who knows! I also remember her beautiful flowers along the fence. Hollyhocks and much more. She had a pantry in her kitchen. Pantries are a great idea for storage. Hers had a window. Pantries were popular. You knocked ours on Rockwell out when you installed all those metal cabinets. Even Auntie Raine's little kitchen had a pantry. And she had those ruffled edges along all the shelves. Do you remember those? I never liked those ruffles, but I remember them in the store, all kinds, all colors, in packages. If I recall, they were put on with thumb tacks of a matching color.

Oh my.. see? It happened again! Remembering is fun, but yikes! Time to get to work! ...........

Have a great day... careful in that snow!
Love, Dottie

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Dear Dottie just got home from shopping , Bitter cold out and snowing , they say 1 to 3 inches by night fall , and it's slick , came to a corner and started to slide , WOW, slow down ha ha , Car has been acting up , don't stop on me now ha ha . .........

Got the garbage out early , looks like it's going to be another bad week but warmer This cold has just lasted to long , wait we gett the heating Bill Ha ha .

Boy you sure dug up some old memories with those pictures you sent , I like the one in your wedding gown, with Flip and that big Smile , you sure made a pretty Bride ha ha .

Our old yard was all Cinders , glass and what have you , but we did manage to grow stuff , Corn , tomatoes and such , , because we had two houses on one lot , the yard was not very big, but we did have two clothes lines ha ha , ist floor and second floor , nobody could compare with us , and when you hung stuff out in the winter you would bring it into the house stiff as a board ha ha , All was was done with the scrubbing Board and a ringer that i usually got the job of turning and be careful so you don't pop any Buttons ha ha .

That Pantry that i took out on Rockwell became our eating area until the family out grew it , that was a nice house , i could have stayed there the rest of my life , but it changed and for our on good we had to move, look what they are getting for those houses now , un believable.

Yes I remember the fun of trying to build that storage shed , but it all turned out , wish we still had the plans ha ha ,you have one just like it now in back of your house and at Woodsmoke.Anyway time to eat ..... , i want to see you Smile

Love dad

2/5/07 Bears, childhood memories, family photos...

Dear Daddio....

Boo hoo, our Bears did not win. And we were all really rooting for them! But they sure gave us a great season, didn't they! I like what that coach stands for... treating the players with respect, never yelling, never swearing, staying focused on positive, constructive messages. Ah well, there's always next year?

How nice that you went to visit Mom at the cemetery. You had one of the coldest days for it! I realized that I don't have any pictures on the computer of Mom! So I asked Steve to bring in the box of old albums so I could find one and scan it! Some animal... mouse, raccoon, or other... had shredded and chewed the edges and spines off all the albums and made a nest! Plus, we had those "magnetic" photo albums (the same kind you have) and the photos were FUSED to the page, almost impossible to remove! Page after page, the same thing! I became alarmed and started taking all the photos out of the albums. Some came out with no trouble. Some really were badly stuck and some of the backing ripped off. These are our family photos!

Steve said "We shouldn't have kept these in the garage." I guess he's right... the temperature extremes and critters that get in there make it unsafe. I spent hours yesterday prying photo after photo OUT of the old albums, got maybe a third of them done. I put all the photos in large envelopes with the dates marked on them.

Anyway.... my efforts were rewarded, I found one of my favorite photos of you and Mom!

Scanned pictures are not as crisp as digital, they lose something in the scanning. But I do love this picture! You both look happy and relaxed, this was how Mom always looked to me.

Anyway, you have that shelf packed solid with photo albums. Are yours sticking like mine? I noticed some of the colors really have faded or yellowed, too. Maybe the photos should have been in an acid-free archival environment? We used to buy those photo albums from the dollar bin. Luckily, if I remember right, Mom used to cram as many photos on a page as possible, edges overlapping. That will help actually... the edges will lift up easier. It's the edges I found to be stuck the worst in my albums.

I enjoyed your memories of staying warm. Did each family member get a brick to heat up for bed warming? Did you use CURTAINS to insulate against the cold (with no storms)? How did your mother store things like potatoes and cabbage? I keep mine in the fridge! What did you drink at meals?

So Mike was the one who liked to start fights? Ha ha ha... I remember some fights with my siblings. I didn't hit or slap much, but could wrestle any of them to the ground and sit on them, victorious! I was the oldest and bigger than they were. Nice advantage. Kathy's best defense was a shrill, ear splitting SCREAM! Do you remember those? Yikes.... she'd clear a room. Kathy Whitcomb would say... "I heard Kathy screaming again today." Ha ha ha... I think they could hear her a mile away!

It was rough housing that led to my breaking Sue's foot that time though... that wasn't good, and I felt bad about that. Ha ha, I just remembered those STILTS that you made for me! I was really good on them until I fell and chipped my elbow bone and had to be in a sling for awhile. You took my stilts away!!! I remember someone had cans they put on their feet with strings they held to lift the can and walk. Pretty funny. Stilts were better!

What childhood games did you have? Kids today don't play with stones and cans and jacks and little balls and jump rope like we did.

Yikes... a long letter. Better stop before you fall asleep at the computer! Ha ha ha...
Have a great day... stay WARM with bed buddy on hand!
Love, Dottie

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Dear Dottie Arn't you full of questions today , what are you trying to do , re live your Child hood ha ha , minus 9 this morning , it hits you as you walk out the door , the old clunker started , grumbled a bit and took off , even the inside blowers and such made all kind of noises, see what it's like and that car is only 17 ha ha , not long for this world . ............

Ca,me home took Bob to work . he is still under the weather Hacking away , don't know if I will have to take him to the doctor later this afternoon , will see .

that Bear game was not the best weather for playing , they culdn't hold on to the ball , anyway one had to win and one had to lose and all is over now and we can get back to our daily lives and not have to read all thoes articles on the Bears , there is always Next year .

Yes I did take a lot of Picture over the years and some are fading a way, i must have about 40 albums , whats going to happen to them when i am gone , who knows but they should be preserved for the grand children, That was a nice picture of the two of us in our happier days , by the way I still have taht chair that your Mother is sitting on , S and H stamps ha ha

History , how did we store food , we ate what we bought , only had ice boxes, Curtains were washed and starched and streched on curtain frames to dry , as far as drinks , Milk with te cream on the top , Coffee, no Pop, water ., lemon ade. Anyway life was simple . no radio ,TV , people enjoyed each other's company and usally marry some one from right in there block and stayed married a life time ...........

Keep smiling Love Dad

2/4/07 Mom's 80th b-day, Super Bowl, childhood memories of winter...

Dear Daddio....

Mom would love having her birthday on Superbowl Sunday, don't you think ? She always loved a big, LOUD party! I miss Mom... but I know she's still with us. She'll be hootin' and hollerin' in her one-of-a-kind way today... I know it.................

Yes, I remember that "overnight stay" at the hospital. Wow, a year has passed already. It was a good decision... you're back to your ornery, active self now, managing quite well!

Do you snore? Mom did, if I recall.

So when you were a kid, and it was cold outside like this, how did you keep warm? How'd you dress? How'd you heat the house? What did your mother cook? I'm curious... I must know! Ha ha ha... Did you and your brothers ever fight? Wrestle on the floor, get in trouble in school? I think you've been in a few fights in your life, just a hunch... I remember you being all too willing to pick a fight with the kids across the street on Morrill's steps!

Glad you got Steff's address!

I got carried away writing... better let you go! Enjoy the game! Maybe order pizza and sit with Bob and celebrate!!! GO BEARS!!!!!
Love, Dottie
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Dear Dottie guess whats resting on my neck while i am writing to you , the old Bed Buddy

Ha ha , went to church this morning the old clunker sounded like an old washing machine when it started , every thing in that car groaned today , including me ha ha , I don't think there were a 100 people on church for the 7.30 mass , I dressed warm drove to the cemetary, if there is one place that is cold it's there Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

stopped by Your Mothers grave and wished her a happy Birthday saw Lorraine going out of the cemetary , followed her home , she said I was going to call you to tell you it was Helens Birthday, It was 4 above this morning but a wsw wind that cuts right through you , Got home and out came the bed Buddy , still haven't warmed up , guess i'll make a bowl of soup for lunch .

Sandy called last night , no heat in her place , the Thermostat didn't seem to be working , she ,was worried about the birds, anyway after digging out the instructions , she changed the batteries and it seem to be working now , oh happy day , in this weather you always need a back up plan , spare heaters and such, told her she could wheel them out into the hall way thats heated and put a blanket over them in a pince . see I am always thinking ha ha .

She may comeover with Pizza tonight
Anyway it's cold out there , stay warm , watch the Bears tonight and hope they win so all of us can SMILE

love Dad

when i was a kid your choice of Clothes was what you had on your back , or hand me downs , i even got the old shoes that my brothers grew out of , think about it , A pot belly stove that you would put a brick on to heat it up , wrap it in a towel and put it in bed with you to keep warm , Old fashion bed buddy , ha ha , no storm windows , Half an inch of frost on the inside of the windows,, food was usually soup with lots of Potatoes, cabbage, and some meat if you were lucky , of course Rye Bread with lard spread on it with salt for flavor . I never faught with my older brother , but with Mike he fought with every body , so do you think times have changed , you bet enjoy .