Tuesday,Okay let's form a plan for snowflakes!

$48.16 flour, soda, burger marked down extra lean for $2.99 I bout it all.  Pizza for dinner. Free as it was a secret shop.

     Both my doctor appointments were good.  My meds are working and inflammation is down in the normal areas.  Hub's doctor appointments not so good.  Two new meds and the doctor is having him join a weight loss group at the hospital.  He has to lose 40 lbs. poor darling.  He is insulin resistant and always hungry and everything is stored as fat, but he is having trouble bending over and he cannot get out of a chair or into a standing position without using his arms.  This is causing muscle weakness and back arthritis.  He has to lose weight off his abdomen to help this condition. Not looking forward to this, but will help him all I can.

     My Sissie's surgery went well today. I talked to her and she is fine.  Amazed at how well she can see out of the new lens.  She did not have nearly the bad eye sight I did, but was also not kept in an incubator for months.  Still to go from very bad nearsightedness to perfect distance vision is remarkable.  I am so excited for her.

     I felt like I ran like a mad fool all day yesterday and I was able to accomplish a few things.  Not as much as I wanted. Hopefully will get something done today in the shop.  I had a great deal of work come in just got nothing done.  Frustrating, perhaps I over schedule?  No I would never do that.......

     Remember how we all used to snowflake money to a certain bill?  I need to do something to make myself feel like I am making progress besides just paying the standard amount on my bills.  I need to do something a little fun.  Like make snowflake payments to a bill and get it down further.  Would any of you like to join me?  Do any of you have an annoying bill or the bill you want gone next, that you want to throw bits and pieces at?  You know, $9.00, $18.00 it all adds up.  I have extra money coming in from a show, and a royalty on a play, and a secret shop etc.  So instead of letting it all go down the big rat hole I decided to start snow flaking these extra bits.  Some of them are actually snowballs!  I am going to choose my car, because it is the next bill I want paid off.  I think doing this will be inspiring and fun.  So choose a bill, doctor, Credit card, dentist or whatever and join me.  We will see who has made the most snowflakes by the end of the month.  We can post our progress the last day of the month.

     Out My Window:  Very sunny but cold and windy.  Sprinkler men were here for a long time after water was turned on, I don't want to get the bill.

story cont:
  
     Millie awoke before the alarm clock went off and crawled quietly out of bed.   She wanted a little more time to get ready this morning.  She quickly started the stove and put the coffee on to boil, then she raced down the hall to the toilet.  It was nice to be able to have some privacy.  Well it was private but usually she had to stand in line or help one of the little ones.  Back at the flat she poured a fresh basin of wash water.  She undid her long braids and started to brush out her hair.  She had though about cutting her hair.  Short bobbed hair cuts were becoming fashionable.  She supposed she could, no one would stop her, but she had always had long hair.  Dipping her brush into the water she smoothed back the loosed hairs around her face and then pinned the long braids up on the back of her head.  She stepped into her slip and hooked fresh flesh colored knit stockings onto her garters.  She put her nightgown back on and covered it with an apron.  She did not want to get her new dress dirty or wet getting everyone ready, and out the door.


     Soon everyone was up and moving, some with haste and others were bleary eyed.  Nels was always bright in the morning, but Oskar and the two other boys moved slowly, only waking after the first cup of heavily creamed coffee. Then they started the early morning romp down the stairs for ice and water. Oat meal was eaten and Millie packed the lunch pails.  After all the dishes were put in the dish pan and the three little girls were dressed for the day, Millie finally went in and changed into her new drop waist dress.  It was a buffed blue serge with blue gingham trim.  The blue match her eyes.  She had beautiful eyes and thick light brown hair.  If only her nose was not the family nose.  It was so Swedish.  Millie hated her nose, but today she tried to overlook it and concentrate on her dress.  It was the first dress she had made in this new American style.  She hardly wanted to put her coat over it as to ruin its effect, but the weather was not to be trusted this early in the spring.  When she came out into the kitchen, her brothers all hooted and whistled.  She was embarrassed and cuffed at Wilhelm who was the biggest tease.  Nels whispered to her, "You look nice."  She was satisfied and the lot of them tramped down the stairs to school.

     Nels, did the morning dishes, drank another cup of coffee and picked up the list of things Millie had left for him to gather on his rounds.  He bundled the girls up  and started down the stairs with Audra in his arms and Ruth piggy back.  Violet was on her own.  She went before him holding onto the rail.  Nels thought about the long flights of stairs.  He was the one that usually had to figure out how to get the three little ones up and down by himself.  When the older children were home it was not so much a bother as everyone that could help,did.  As long as he was willing to be bear the burden he would rather have the top floor.  It just had too many good things to give up.  They really just needed more room, that was not an option. Nels stopped on the second floor.  Both flats had broken washers in them.

      Mrs. Larson lived in the first flat on the second floor.  She was American born.  Her parents had immigrated before she was born.  Her Husband was Svensk from Smaland.  He spoke broken English.  They had three small children. Nels made arrangements to pick up the washer that was in her flat and invited her down to learn about the washers in the shed this afternoon.  She was more than willing.  Her husband would be home around noon for a hot lunch and he could help Nels move the washer.  As Nels was leaving the Larson doorway, the oldest daughter of the Schmidt family came out of her flat.  Margo Schmidt had a severe limp as the result of a foot that was turned sideways.  She was a beautiful girl of 24.  Her other sisters were married.  She lived with her parents in their four room flat.  Her sisters often brought over their children for Margo to watch.  Today she was on her way to the lending library. Nels told her about trying to fix the machine in the Larson flat this afternoon, then he would make some arrangement to get the one that they were storing.  "You are a go getter, Nels Bjorklund.  Where are you off to this morning?"asked Margo.

     Nels gave her a run down of his errands as they slowly made it down the last flight of stairs.  Packing the girls into the cart he offered to have Margo hold Audra and he would give her a lift.  He was passing the Library on his way to one of the jewelers.  Margo was not sure, but Ruth and Violet begged her to join them.  "Can you pull all of us," she asked. Nels nodded and lifted Audra up as Margo settled onto the seat he set Audra on her lap.  Margo let out a yelp when Nels charged forward with a jolt and the girls all laughed.

     They stopped for milk,eggs, cheese and butter.  Then they went to the green grocer and bought potatoes, onions, beets, turnips, carrots and three lbs each of rice and split peas. At the dry goods store, Nels bought 20lbs of flour and 5lbs of dark and white sugar.  His cart was getting full. As a treat Nels bought three large dill pickles.  Each was wrapped in paper.  He cut one of the pickles down the length into three prices for the girls and he and Margo each had their own.  The sun was getting warm and the sharp taste of the vinegar pickles made the sun some how brighter.  Finally they arrived at the Library and Margo waved and smiled at them from the steps.  She saluted with what remained of her pickle and the girls laughed uncontrollably. Audra kept saluting with her stub of a pickle everyone they met.  This would cause the other two fits of laughter.  It was a happy morning.

     The final stop after the Jeweler was the bread store.  Audra was still saluting anyone and everyone who would look her way, so Nels left the girls out in the wagon within his  sight.  He ordered four loaves of  bread and it came with it's customary three lumps of sugar.  The morning had gone quickly and he hurried back to the building to relieve Mr. Strom and get on with his days work.  Nels stored his milk in the Strom's icebox while Mrs. Strom fed the girls bread, milk and stewed apples.  Audra and Ruth settled down for a nap on the Strom sofa while Violet went to the window box with a picture book.  Mr. Strom came back to rest and enjoy his lunch and coffee while Nels ran the shop.  Between customers Nels stood in the doorway and discussed different set up strategies with Mr. Strom.

 " If there is one thing I know about Mr. Abram is that he is shrewd, he likes money, he is fair but he likes his money," said Strom with a mouth full of stewed apples.
      "He likes things orderly and he likes money." he repeated. "When he sees that he will be the first building in the area to offer washing machines he will be willing to talk." explained Strom.
      "But those machine do not belong to him, they are from the hard work of our Nels." objected Mrs. Strom.  "Yes, yes", this is where we have to get him to see that we can all work this out, get along, work together.  Washing is hard work and takes so much time.  If his tenants have this advantage they will be happy, rent longer.  People will talk and want to live in this building," added Strom.

"I still see no advantage for our Nels." Mrs. Strom sniffed.  "There will be, if we do this right, we will come to some kind of an agreement. Mr. Abram owns more than just this building.  You will see."  Mr. Strom went to stretch out in a chair in the parlor where all three girls were now asleep. Nels watched the shop until Mr. Larson came down from the second floor and said he was ready to move the machine. Mrs. Strom switched Nels out and he quickly joined Larson in his flat. Mrs. Larson came out of a bed room and agreed to come out back when her baby was up from his nap. Nels and Mr. Larson carefully carried the heavy machine down the stairs and out into the early spring sunshine. " My Kendra is so excited about this washer business, I wish you my luck," said Larson as he hurried off to his afternoons work.  Nels began to take the motor off the machine so he could examine it more closely. What was wrong with this one?  Nels was starting to see that most of the machine problems resulted from too much friction in the bearings.  It was the first thing he would check.

Cont:

Have a great and productive day!

Kim