The rain today really freshened things up.  The yards are beautiful.  Summer is here!  We are still working on downsizing.  Our home is up for sale now.  We have purchased a condo and are in the process of decorating it,  painting and new carpets, etc.

I was visiting with a few friends earlier this week.  It is amazing how many people think their tastes in color, furnishings and over-all picture of the finished project is best.  How do you kindly say:”  I want it to be my way.”  I am not keen on those who decorate for a living.   Not because theylack anything, rather they have their place.  It’s just not my place.  We want our house to reflect our tastes, not theirs.

We have many boxes filled with household goodies ready to be moved to the condo.  Our children came home and helped us dispose of a lot of things and taking care of other things we want to keep.  We have been using  McDonald’s boxes.  There uniform-in size boxes can be stacked in moving and even for a time when we move in. 

The good Lord has been with us every step of the way.  We have faith in Him and faith is what we need to make a major move in life that is not easy to accept, but being Senior Citizens, we must move to smaller quarters.

You may be following in our footsteps planning your own downsizing or are making a life’s decision to change.  What ever you do, try to think, hear, and see the way the ball bounces in your behalf  You can make your goal realized by keeping a good heart, a keen mind, a warm disposition  and always thanking God for what you have.  When we count our blessings, really count them, our depressed personalities fade away and tomorrow looks promising once again!

“FAITH IS THERE,  IF WE SEEK IT, TO CLIMB UNCOMFORTABLE STAIRS, IF OUR TRUST IS UNWAVORING, IT CONQUERS OUR FEARS”

C1970, EVANELL

The sun is shining brightly this morning.  I think about so many Seniors puttering in their gardens already today.  There is nothing as heartwarming as being able to pull up a fresh carrot, clean it off, and eat it right there and then!  Do you remember succulent tomatoes   to be picked and be the start of a vegetable salad? 

My sister has some rasberry bushes in her back yard that yield rasberries for weeks.  Another Senior Citizen sister has a huge garden for give-away and to fill her freezer.  It is fun to go there and partake of all of her vegetables and fruits. 

I remember, as a little girl of 8 or 10, having my very own strawberry patch and I remember, putting up a sign and selling strawberries by the side of the road that ran by our farm.  My mother made great preserves out of strawberries and rhubarb, which thrived on the Minnesota country side.

Ray had a garden too, for years until the deer and turkeys took over.

We had a wonderful rhubarb cake recipe, I would like to share with you now.  I just made one a few days ago.  It is so good and there is no need for frosting.  Rhubarb is so great this year.  It contains alot of water and all the rain we have had this year has seen our rhubarb perk up. 

Here is the recipe for you:

RHUBARB CAKE

 2 cups of rhubarb, cut up

1!/2 cups of brown sugar

1/2 cup margerine

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tesp. soda

1 cup sour milk

Cream sugar and shortening, add egg and vanilla.  Add 2 cups flour with tsp. soda.  Add alternately, with sour milk and rhubarb. 

Topping

1/2 cup white sugar mixed with tsp. of cinnamon and 1/2 cup of nuts.  Sprinkle on top of cake which has been put into a 13×9 pan, which has been well greased.  Bake 40 minutes in 350 degree oven.

This is wonderful!  Good cooking for that next picnic!

 Your friend, Evanell

This writing I wrote 39 years ago, but is just as relevant today as when it was written.  We never know when we are an inspiration to someone.  When we give of ourselves to other through our deeds and love, we exemplify the ways of God. 

                                     INSPIRATIONS

 I write words for you, for me….and all who read them in this revolving arena called Life, to brin g forth a smile, a remembrance, a con solation and contemplation….for be you a gentle person of depth and heart, and goodness….or be you a lie, a fascade, a hypocrite…you have been my inspiration.

You are life, you out there….people passing by through life unceasing until the evening sun goes down.  You were, you are, you will be my inspiration s.

I fear not the untrod path, the entrance of the arena, in truth shall I always speak…I have watched the carnival, the circus….seen the juggler deftly toss his pins, two in hand….third breezing through the air unscathed, free until….he dropped them all in the dusty dirt of the murky ring…and they all looked alike.

I have glimpsed the tinsal, the glitter, the bright neon lights….and I write words for you, for me, for all who read them from my perch on the merry-go-round, and I write for the beautiful. 

I write with peace in my heart, He gives the words to me; as I feel His directio n….words….to make you smile, to remember, to contemplate, and perchance to recognize yourself.

You out there in the circus ring of life, you make your own comparisons, see your own reflections,

for you alone will recognize yourself if you be my inspiration….except for me…..

because you have touched me.

C1970 Evanell

Our downsizing has slowed up.  My husband, Ray has had serious health issues for the past four months.  Three issues one after another.  Two have been healing, but another looms on the horizon next week.  Doctors looking in Ray’s bladder have discovered two tumors which will be operated on Monday.  We trust in God to help us through this so that we can, indeed, enjoy our next home. 

I have so many original sculptures and painting of mine and others for everyone visiting can enjoy.  Our condo will not be like others in that some will say looks like an art gallery, which is what they say about our present home.  My sculptures will each have their own message to convey to others which are thoughts of goodness and love.

I ask for your prayers.  I will have a more informative blog next week. 

Your friend,

Evanell

Our house is showing signs of disaray with  boxes everywhere.  Our daugher, Teri and son, Jim will arrive Monday, which makes me very happy.  They will be for us like balm on a sore.  Their presence and sharing of their energy and and love for their dad at this time, is truly welcomed.  Our dauaghter, Karen, has been by our sides in all of this.  God bless her.

We are also, in the process of preparing our condo we will be moving into, freshened up with new paint and carpetimg.   This surgery of Ray’s Monday will slow this process somewhat as we will all be with him through this ordeal and after. 

The living room and dining area in the new condo is large and perfect for us, once we are able to move there.  I have plans of decorating with pen and brush to brighten the decor.  Then too, I have many original sculptures and paintings that should make us feel at home.  Each of these took a piece of my heart to create.  Hopefully, when friends and relatives come to visit, they will enjoy God’s creations.

I have been dividing my time between going to doctor’s appointments with my husband and working on the house getting it ready for sale.  We also spent time picking our carpets for the condo and have that done.  This week we will look at paints and engage a painter.   I came across the following writing from midst my papers and thought you might like it this week.  I am not that old, but I enjoyed it anyway.

Today, dear Lord, I’m 80, and there’s much I haven’t done.

I hope, dear Lord, you’ll let me live until I am 81.

But then, if I haven’t finished all I want to do,

Would You please let me stay awhile, until I’m 82?

So many places I want to go, so very much to see,

Do you think that you could manage to make it 83?

The world is changing very fast, there is so much in store.

I’d like it very much to live until I”m 84.

And if by then I’m still alive, I’d like to stay till 85!

More planes will be up in the air, so I’d really like to stick

Aand see what happens to the world when I turn 86.

I know, dear Lord, it’s too much to ask,

(and it must be nice in heaven)

But I’d really like to stay, until I’m 87.

I know by then I won’t be fast, and sometimes will be late,

But it would be so pleasant to be around at 88.

I will have seen so man y things, and had a wonderful time,

So I’m sure that I’ll be willing to leave at the age of 89….mayabe.

Just one more thing I’d like to say, dear Lord, I thank you kindly,

But if it’s okay with you, I’d love to live past 90!

Author unknown

Hi, we are all involved in downsizing and making decisions about our furniture and many items we won’t be able to take with us to the condo.  The condo is a good size with a large living room and dining are a.  The smaller of the bedrooms will be called my Studio as I will use it to paint and sculpt and my computer also, will be in that room.   That room will not have carpet because doing artwork is not exactly clean to do.  Clay filters to the floor and an inlay or some other floor treatment will be necessary.  We ae having the condo painted and carpeted before we move anything in it. 

I have started to go through things and boxing them up.  I decided that I would color code them as “red” for kitchen things, black for sculptures and other decorative objects, mostly gifts from others through the years. 

Our daughter, Teri and son, Jim are coming when we need them to help.  Karen lives here and she and I will have all the jobs organized before they come so everything goes smoothly as we work.  Friends too, have offered to help so we may have some meals to prepare .  We hope to make it fun for everyone who comes.  Ray has a sense of humor that keeps others laughing and happy. 

Just today, we saw a couple who were our neighbors some time back.  As we greeted them with hugs, we realized how much we missed them here on the hill.  Now it will be our turn, to leave our neighbors.  We become nostalgic thinking about that.  Most of all, Ray and I must agree on items andd be compatible during this adventure.  If you have ever downsized, you will know it isn’t a “bed of roses”  to get it accomplished. 

My cousin, Donna, conforted me in my sadness of leaving my home that we had built to our specifications.  She said to remember this house is material.  That it isn’t the house that we should mourn.  She said just remember all the good times and then put our thoughts to the new condo and remember it would soon become “home”.

She’s right!  Thank you, Donna

With our weather taking a turn to the better, I was moved to write a poem.  I hope you like my poetry.  It is a joy to do.

Here goes:

Have you watched for spring,  watched the trees unfold,

Yawn and stretch their limbs, murmur sounds untold?

If you listen intently, you can almost hear,

Their buds unfurl, to begin a new year.

Have you watched for spring, watched the grass turn green,

And the tulips blossom, see the ripple of a stream;

Felt the raindrips fall, heard the robin return?

These things you will recall, if you watched for spring!

Have you watched for spring, watched the children play,

Build castles of sand, chase a butterfly?

With their eyes filled with awe, at all nature gives?

These things you will see,  if you watch for spring!

C 2009 Evanell

Next week, more on downsizing.  There are momentous decisions. It feels good though to let go of  ”clutter”. 

May spring bring you much joy and happiness.  Life has its moments!  Enjoy them!  God bless!

I am busy these days tending to the necessary things of downsizing and moving to smaller quarters.  Do I want to keep this or that.  ?  Do I have room for it?  No, this has to go and that can remain!  Many of our friends have gone through without a hitch.  Have you ever gone through every drawer in a chest and realize you can get along without everything in that chest.  I don’t like to admit it , but there are things there that belong to our children who have left the “nest” years ago.

So what do we do?  We have three children, two girls and a guy.  They are coming home the first part of June to help us.  That is so kind of of them.   In the meantime there are things we can do.  We do something every day.  Ray, my husband,  has to add his humor to a daunting task.  He having one! 

We are both, nostalgic about leaving our home,>  We had it built to our specifications and we have loved living here in our setting.  Locations like this ae hard to find.  Ray and I are both “social” people and have shared with many friends and relatives, for gatherings, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, children’s parties, for fun times with sorority and Chili Pepper friends,  and the like.I think by the time we become grandparents, we gather things called “clutter”.We think these things will be used at a later date and that doesn’t happen.   I think the hoarding is a result of being born in the 30’s and 40’s when everyone saved. 

When we downsize, we have everything from furniture to bedding, to dishes and silerware.  Much to sell or to give away.  We will let the children and grandchildren take what they want first, then get rid of the remainder we don’t want by auction, possibly.

We will probably. As we become more and more involved in this adventure, I will give you thoughts about downsizing.  Some of our good friends have given us some good tips. 

Ray and I have both, been somewhat out of sorts over little things.  We have exhorted each other to find some joy in every step needed to achieve our change and enjoy the new condo.

I will write more about this as time goes along.  Perhaps, you are

doing the same, give me some hints that are helpful.  Keep happy!

We never know what life will bring from day to day.  A few months ago, my husband, Ray, received a Pace Maker.  We almost lost him in the process.  His Pace Maker is working exactly as it is suppose to, but in January, he started having severe back pain.  For three months, many procedures were used to no avail.  His excru

iating pain in his lower back was a daily companion.  Sometimes, he wouldl double up in pain until pain pills were prescribed for him.  Even then there was an amount of pain he had to endure.

D. Seljeskog was contacted and  an appointment made.  Through tests, the doctor determined that Ray had scar tissue and arthritis in the same proximity of spinal discs.  Crowded nerves were causing the pain. 

Dr. Seljeskog operated on Ray two days ago and he found not one, but two bulging discs, much scar tissue from a previous surgery and arthritis.  This doctor is considered the best we have.  He proved this when he operated on Ray.  Ray no longer has the nerve pain shooting pain in the spine area.  He will be as good as new, when the incision is healed and Ray is himself again. 

The old happy storyteller had been gone and a crusty old man took his place for a few months.  Pain can cause a person to have a changed personality. He lost 15 pounds during this time.  Nothing tasted good to him.  Fortunately, the last couple days brought back his want of food.

During this time, we have been working on downsizing.  Our large home and larger yard is just too much to care for.  We have many membrances of this home.  We both like to entertain and entertain we did.   Thre bishops have been guests at our table through the years.  They blessed our home, so we think this edifice is special.  More about downsizing in a future blog as we continue to do what wew must do here and at the condo we have selected. 

Do you have any tips on making this a smooth transition?  We have to look to the future, no matter how long or short it may be.   Our family tells us that we will have fun decorating the condo.  Ray says when we drive away from here for the last time, we will both have tears, but we will pick ourselves up and think of the condo as a new adventure, and then it will become “home”!

During this month of April, nationally, there have been efforts to get out information to the public about  this project.

This year, my sorority chapter and all 80 other sorority chapters in the state are passing out information through brochures and registering forms.  There are over 60,000 people in our country waiting for an organ.  Ten people pass away every day because no organ was forthcoming.  Hopefully, more donors will come forward because of this sorority effort in South Dakota, and will make known to their families their wish to donate when they pass on. 

A young father, friend of ours, died recently and donated several of his organs to people in need.  The pastor at the funeral, stated that this young man’s heart was already beating in another person’s chest.  What comfort this was for his wife and family.

Beta Sigma Phi sororities in South Dakota have given thousands of dollars since 1963 to kidney dialysis, transplants, and research.  This was started when one of their own needed a kidney.  Her sister was the donoir for her.

I am chairman for this effort this year and my committee worked together to get 2500 brochures out to the public.  I am very proud of all of these ladies for opening their hearts to doing this effort to help.  There are 17 chapters in my town and all are participating. 

If you feel that you want to donate some or all of your organs for transplant, please let your family know your wishes.  When you get your driver’s license renewed have your wishes put on your driver’s license. 

If you have questions, contact me, Evanell Janousek, 4511 Lookout Mtn. Rap[id City, South Dakota. Phone: 605-343-0782  Also, Doris Werlinger, phone 605-348-6311.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.  I will be writing an article for a number of newspapers, shortly, in which I will go into more detail.

Please consider this very giving offer.  You can save lives.

Thank you. Evanell