Wednsday

The other morning I started a blog  tried to save it and it disappeared! the second one to do that...Hummm...not sure I like that. And for the life of me cannot remember what I was writing about!! Do you think Alzheimer's has hit...lol ..hope not. Honey celebrated his 1st birthday yesterday. We met his brother, sister and brothers wife for dinner at Outback. Then I had them to come over for a few hours to talk , enjoy each others company. We need to do that more. It is too easy to stay home , do nothing and vegetate...yuck!!!!  I asked him what he wanted  a cake for his birthday, said  " I would like one of those GiGi Cupcakes"...if you have not had one then you are in for a treat. They have all kinds of flavors, with the frosting a mile high...calories, calories , calories!!!! The hit of the party was a margarita cupcake. Had a margarita flavor with lime, cream cheese and strawberry cake!!! So good. We shared 7 flavors among the 5 of us!!! The picture of honey is "Birthday Surprise" Just for the birthday boy.....he had that thing down in five seconds! I sampled them all.
Windy called in the am, then Jeff and his family sang the most wonderful rendition of "Happy Birthday"..it was wonderful. We would love to go out to Texas but fear that is near to impossible. Unless a miracle from God, we cannot go this year or next. Our traveling is about over.
Honey talked with Mara on Saturday, she sounded good. Hopefully her future will look better.
Honey had asked if I would  cook him some turnip greens, white beans, cornbread and fried squash. So today I did. He told me that before he and I married, he and Bobby Scales would go down to Martins Restaurant on Murphrefreesboro Rd and get white beans and cornbread...he loved dried beans. So his second birthday meal!
When the children were small, I would make pinto beans about once a week. they loved it. Had cornbread, fried potatoes served with it... so easy to make and with left overs. Yeah!!!

Monday

I was sitting here at the computer thinking,"I need to write on my blog". Many things came to mind, happenings as a nurse working with the public, what a trip that was, working with honey on this paper route, the children , me or honey. Then I thought about the time right after honey and I married, I had found a job at First American Bank as a  bookkeeper. I hated that job, don't know why I stayed with that job as long as I did. It was not for me, I do not like sitting for hours using the old fashion adding machine and typewriter. I am surprised they did not fire me apparently they felt sorry for me. My friend Paulette worked as a teller and she loved her job for which I am thrilled but the bookkeeper  position wasn't for me. Anyway it made for a little extra money for us, honey was working as a night auditor/desk clerk at the Alamo Plaza, he slept days and worked nights. He is not a night person so it was a hardship for him ,as it is now with this paper route, I love the working the nighttime but not him....he is a day person....anyway, we found time to go downtown walking around looking in the windows of the department stores in Nashville, Tn, As we were walking  one day, we decided to cross the street, well, honey didn't go as I did  in fact he probably stopped , me, thinking he was beside me reached out to take his hand. Well was I in for a surprise, the hand did not feel like his, I was holding another mans hand. I turned red, jerked my hand away and said" I am sorry"...he laughed and just kept walking. Honey was behind me and he liked to have died laughing at me...well I didn't do that again...just remembered that honey would stop on a dime without warning...he is a wanderer, will stop or turn without warning me. I have learned over the years that shopping with him is not fun, he just does his thing....after many times  of fussing about such actions, I have learned just to go to the car and wait! Saves on arguing....Windy would do the same thing when she was a little girl. One time when we were taking a trip across the country to West Virginia, to see my sister, we stopped at a department store as I needed to pick up something., Well, she wandered off and the next thing I heard was  " would the parents of  Windy Shirley please come to the front desk?"  Or she would go up under the clothes racks hiding from us...we learned real fast to put her in the buggy and make her stay there. She was not a happy camper but that's life!!!!
When the  boys were little I finally found an harness that kept them at bay. Didn't want any more of the wandering children problem...lol lol!

Thoughts

Singing Convention

When I was a young girl, my friend, Vickie and I would go to the All Night Singing. And it lasted just about all night...her father would take us and then pick us up. He was a good man.
This week, honey and I went to the All night Singing only they call it the National Quartet Convention. It is in Louisville , Ky. at the Expo/Fair Center. All of the quartets, trios, family groups, soloists, anyone who sings Gospel Music are  there. It was like being in church for 6 hours. Yesterday we went to one of the Showcases. The Showcases are programs of different groups singing then another time there are the singers of the future. So you get your "fill" of music...we got to the convention center at 12 and left at 10 last night!!! Boy were  tired. Today we are still weary. It takes about 5 hours to drive plus our stopping at one or two places. We try to do other things while there as it is the only time we will take a vacation this year.
Other years we would leave the convention and travel to other states . We went to New England about 3 times. Went to every state in  New England from Vermont to Delaware....we are blessed. We drove to within 15 miles of Canada ; it was in 2001 and we were warned that they were checking everyone closely  taking many hours to cross and then back. So we decided not to go. We had been a couple of years before that in 1998 or 99...to Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls is something else. Water going over the falls so fast it made  you dizzy. The weather was so cold, we had to wear jackets, one morning there was frost on the ground.... Met people from other countries, then when we left traveled around in Canada in fact visited an Antique Shop. We thought we were still in America.
 After we left Canada we traveled across Pennsylvania ,saw festivals in small towns, fairs, antique stores, craft stores, you name it we stopped and enjoyed our time.
One time we went to the North West. Visiting  Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Mo.,the best of the trip was to The Mall of America. What a mall..we spent one day and did not see all of it. IT takes 3 days to cover it all but we only had a day.
The thoughts of traveling when the children were small came to mind. In 1963, my sister, Shirley, had come to our home in Shiloh, Alabama so when it was time to take her home we decided to go to Washington D C. Since she lived only  a hew hours from there we thought it would make a nice trip.  Money was not in good supply but  gas was cheap cheap...and away we went. Jeff was only 5 months old. One of the members of the church kept Windy and Vann for us. While in DC we had the most wonderful time knowing that we would be back. So we went back later on when the children were older, in 1972. They enjoyed that trip so much. OUr children love history and this was history already made and to make...we also went back in 1987 or 88.. not sure, with Vann only. Have wanted to go back many times but haven't made it yet.
Another time in 1964 at Christmas time we drove across Ohio to West Virginia again to visit my sister. On Christmas eve , Santa came and visited the children. Windy and Vann were ok but Jeff wasn't too happy. So I held him. Later on after Santa left we heard the loudest explosion two houses downs from where my sister lived. Found out a car had gas in the trunk and it exploded when they lit a cigarette. We were all so scared, sleep didn't come easy that night. But Santa arrived in fashion for the kiddies... I saw today a toy that we bought Vann, a bubble with little balls in it, when you pushed it the balls would jump around and make noise. He loved it...many of the toys that we bought our kiddies are now in the antique stores!!!! wow!!!
I know I got off the Singing Convention theme but thought kept coming of earlier times. We are excited that next year we should be attending if God permits.
Thank you grandpa for listening....love you J

1964-95

In 1964 we were living in Kirksey Ky. I have spoken of that  era many times, how we moved there in the hot Plymouth, no  air conditioning in car, with the ironing board on the passengers side of the car, me with my baby Jeffrey. He was a good baby didn't give me any problem at all except when he wanted a bottle of milk!!! He loved milk, good and cold. How when we got to the parsonage the people had a spread of food like you had never seen before. How I took Jeff inside the parsonage , which did have an air conditioner and cried while sitting on the floor with  my baby. It was a very low time, Jeff was hot, teething , wanting a bottle and a nap. So we sat on the floor ( our furniture had not arrived.) , I rocked him, gave him his bottle and he then napped.  We enjoyed our first few days there, Windy went to Head Start, Vann lost his baby tooth  playing  football with Jeff...of course you know honey was the instigator of this! We  had a small garden, carrot peppers,tomatoes, green beans  .....teaching the children how things grew...kind of a lesson in life.
We also had lessons on how to run for cover in case of a tornado. Honey would take Jeff with a blanket, I would take Vann .... Windy would grab her pillow then we would run to the ditch and lay down...Kirksey had a tornado a few years earlier, killing alot of people. The people of the church suggested that we practice a way of getting out of the house in case of an emergency.  We didn't have a basement or an tornado shelter, so this was the best way we knew , thank the good Lord we never had to use this escape.!!!  Later on in the years to come...the best way to find shelter in a tornado, was to go to the interior of the home. Oh well, we had fun and the children laughed , thinking we were playing!
Another time honey threw the Christmas  tree in the field behind us then deciding a year later to set fire to it!!!  OH BOY!!! That was mistake! the whole field caught  fire bringing out the volunteer fire department!!! Honey had  to live that down for  a long time...
While we were living in Kirksey, there was a retreat for the ladies of the district. I had not been away from my children not for even one hour since Vann was born. When Windy was small she went to visit my parents ... then another time to Decatur to visit with honeys' parents...we really missed her. So while  in Kirksey, the church wanted me to go, so I went. I went over things with honey  about the children their likes and dislikes, what to do..when he said" don't you worry, I can handle everything" Famous last words....when I got home after 3 days and 2 nights, honey  kissed me walked out of the house and left!!! He was gone for 3 hours!! Now we didn't have cell phones in those days and only one car....I didn't know what had happened to him. When he got home , he said" i just had to get away" "I don't know how you do it" "After the first day, it went all down hill"!!!!lol lol...after that he would let me go out for a little bit without the children...what a joy.
In 1965, honey was to be ordained in the ministry, getting his credentials to pastor and hold office in the church. He was a licensed minister but being ordained was the high light of his life. In August of that year, he was ordained by the same District Superintendent as his father, Dr  Hardy Powers. Ironic in later years, his granddaughter was my best friend...
I made  a black eyelet dress to wear to the the ordination . Someone in the church had given me a treadle sewing machine, I would put the children to bed about 7:30 , then to the sewing machine I would go. I learned to make some of the kids clothes. I loved it! So I was proud of the dress I made, held my head high as honey and I knelt at the altar. I pledged my life to my husband and the the ministry  that he had assumed. My life was to be with his. So it is today...we do things together, now I am not saying that we don't butt heads sometimes but we are still together....51 years....WOW! Honeys' mother and father came to the ordination to celebrate this occasion. The children were there but of course they don't remember. So it is here for their memory of life in Ky. I think that Windy remembers some things. Of course  that is where my Uncle Alan and his family came to visit , all of us going to the Ky Dam, having a picnic and swimming in the lake..Such fun!!! We grilled hamburgers,  potato chips, drinks and cookies...hummmmm.... Incidently I believe there is film of this outing and hoping to see it soon. Our kids didn't have a bathing suit so they went  into the lake in their clothes...they didn't know the difference.

One wednesday night while at church , Jeff  was running with a pen in his hand ( how he got that who knows), fell and jabbed his inner jaw with the pen. We rushed him to the ER , him bleeding, crying, me so afraid of what damage could have been done. But it was all blood....nothing real serious. Some of the tissue was torn from the inside of the jaw...he was sore for awhile until it healed..thank the good Lord for his healing. Jeff said later he wondered how he got that small knot inside his jaw.

At Christmas in 1965, we took the children to Paducah Ky to Sears to see Santa..Windy and Vann just walked up to him, sat on his lap and told him what they wanted. Not Jeff!!! He cried and cried...I held him, comforted him, walked away to settle him down. I don't think he liked Santa!!! But he did like his toys that Santa brought him...one of his toys was a caterpillar that was segmented, making a noise when you pulled it.  Vann got a wagon, Windy a doll but I don't remember what Santa brought me or honey!!! Probably nothing...we didn't get gifts for years due to some financial shortages ( get my drift!).

One of the women of the church decided that she wanted us to give her Jeff!!! I think she had some problems that were deeper than what was on the surface... she was a trip. She actually confronted us one Wednesday night at church, trying to take him away from us. We took Jeff home, locked the door, then called our DS..we got another assignment and left within 2 weeks!!!!lol boy that was something else...we actually believe that she was possessed of the devil , with the devil  knowing that Jeff was to be a blessing in his adult life to others. Wanting control of his life. But Jeff is a follower of God giving back to others, we thank God for His gift to us that day in 1963. We love you Jeff.

Well will close for now, I love you grandpa and thanks for listening.J

Little Red Wagon

When I was growing up my parents always had some kind of sayings for different situations. When we would ask dad for advice ,the first thing he would say is  "lets pray about it" . I don't know how many times he would pray but never seemed to find the answer! Then another saying was "its your little red wagon and you have to pull it"....can you imagine why he would say that? Mother would always say.."everything has a  place and a place for everything." then we would know what we had taken needed to go back right where we got it from! I remember trying to teach my children that quote....don't now if it worked or not...
Life was pretty strict as I have spoken of before but it was good. We did not need clocks growing up, when it was 6 am , got up, dressed, breakfast at 7 and school at 8. Lunch at 12, dinner at 5:30 then bed at 8! An every circle cycle!!!! No dessert after dinner. You had your dessert at the table when dinner was gone. My mom made the best desserts, Cakes, pies, cookies. I think that is what ingrained in me the need for dessert when I had my family...Mrs Shirley was the same way, she could absolutely  make the best pecan pie... fresh coconut cake, Italian Cream Cake and fried apple pies!!! Vann watched her many times and later made them almost matching hers accurately. When he passed away the making of the fried pies  passed with him. I don't know how to make then like her or Vann. So that is one thing that is gone forever.  When we go to the Williams reunion and this is the first year that we missed, Elaine Rice who is 97 years old comes and brings those old fashion fried pies. But in the last 5 years or so, she had baked them telling us that she didn't fry much anymore. I don't believe that she came this year so I heard. She still lives by herself up in the country in Winston County, the home place of my honey, refuses to move in with her daughter, who told me  she has a place built just for her. I kind of know how Elaine feels. It isn't the same. Elaine still grows a small garden, had the most wonderful strawberries...I know as we visited her several times and we always got some strawberries. So honey started us a patch of strawberries. They did pretty good the first year and hope for more next year.
We also planted some green beans which had thousands of blooms and 4 green beans!!! I said 4! Found out many other s had the same problem, no bees to pollinate. Our tomatoes were very sparse, just a few and the birds got most of those!   Had a good bit of green peppers! Lots of sunflowers, and the wildflowers were ok. Bloomed for awhile and then died! Guess that is the way life is, bloom awhile, then die. Am planning to clean out wildflower garden and replanting. Already have my seeds.
Well I am still pulling my little red wagon....thanks grandpa for listening..love you J

Thoughts today

I am so distressed that a blog was deleted yesterday accidentally. I was putting a picture on the page called "History" , clicked on the picture and the blog disappeared~~~oh well, will try and remember what I wrote...lol. But not now!!! I was reminded the other day about when I was about 16years old and had gotten my drivers license. Dad bought me a car...it was a Crowsley!. You won't know what  a Crowsley   looks like. Imagine a box with 4 tires!!! lol it was  like a box , small ,square and light.  One afternoon  I got out of class and looked for my car! Where was it?  Could not find it! Saw the football players snickering and laughing at me , pointed to another spot and there she was! They had litterly picked it up, four of them,  and moved it! I was so surprised and shocked. I laughed at them! they waved at me and off I went!!!
I certainly enjoyed that car until I went to college,  then my sister Shirley drove it until dad made it into a "swamp buggy"..What is that? Well it is a kind of a vehicle that has huge wheels/tires...that keeps it up off the ground! High! High HIgh!!!!  Honey tells me of a story that my dad told him one day. He and my brothers went hunting out in the Everglades, you talk about wild, it is wild!!!! They used "my Crowlsey" to travel out there, hung hammocks to sleep in way off the ground. Dad always liked to make "swamp Stew" for the boys , then to bed early. Dad said that during the night something ran  under them and bumped them...it was a bear...he didn't hurt them which was their lucky day! Another time, they used tents , William said to dad" something just knocked me out of my bunk!" dad just laughed, said"get back in son" , when he did, it knocked him out again...a bear..no problems this time either!!! Now if William  reads this blog, he will correct me of the way it was..I am repeating for what I think I heard years ago!!!!lol! Those were exciting times for the boys.
When dad and mother bought their place in North Georgia, hiking up the mountain was always so much fun. He also had a jeep that we would all get in and up the mountain we would go. I was so unhappy when the place was sold after dad passed away....My desire was to own that place, but it wasn't to be.
There was some of the most beautiful country, green grass, wildflowers blowing  softly in the wind, cold water in the creeks,  deer, some bears moving about in the wild. There was an old cemetery way up behind the house, old roads, old home places with  some remains of fireplaces...to name a few. The water that we had coming to the house was an artesian creek that flowed and flowed , providing water for at least 3 families...some times  the water wasn't as strong when the weather was dry and no rain. But there was always water, so we used sparingly when the rains didn't come...Dad put in an elevator to go up and down between the 2  floors. Mom had the bad knee as I wrote about in an earlier blog. We had some great times, playing games at night, walking after dinner down Cooper Creek Road. Oh such memories. That is where I was when I went into labor with our daughter. Brought the boys over to play with his little aunts, Kathy and Carol,,,,who thought they were his/their mothers!!!!lol... That is where Vann got his first haircut!!! His hair was so wiry, so white, stood up like he had stuck his finger into a light switch....I worked and worked at that hair to lay it down and up it would go!!!!! It didn't matter later on in their lives, as we could not afford barbers so honey would cut their hair!!! He would get done....notice gaps then cut some more!!! Until there was NO MORE HAIR!!!lol lol I was so unhappy and let honey know! But what to do!!!! Those were the times....oh well..glad I can laugh now! Love those kids.

Better  go to bed...I love grandpa and thanks for listening!!!J

morning talks

Honey opened up this am and spoke of his father .His father told him onetime that as a young boy, he and some of the other boys his age, put a wagon on top of a house  on Halloween!!!   I asked him if he said  anything about being caught. Honey said "I don't think they got caught" They laughed about it later he claimed. The place where they lived was as far back as one could go without going  to the end of the world!!!  Honey took me to his place of birth as he like me was born at home. We drove the 2 lane paved road until we hit the gravel road ...which then turned into a  dirt road.  Back back into the woods we went.! Nothing was there but some trees, undergrowth and some faint print of where someone had lived at one time.    Honey's father told him that one time as a very young boy he and his father were going somewhere in the horse and buggy (yes horse and buggy) and it became so dark. Honey's father said he got so scared but then his father put his arms around him and comforted him.." its alright son, I'm here" Granddaddy said it made him feel so good and safe. No worries for him that night!
I remember honeys father speaking often of things that happened in Fall City Alabama. He spoke of being on the high school football team, doing exercises every day as if he was playing football through his 80"s . Stopping only the last month or two before he died. He would show us sometimes how he got on the floor and doing sit ups among other things. It kept him young at heart! Plus his health benefiting.
He loved music, learning the shape note music and then teaching the shape note music  to others at schools and churches.   . That is how he met his lovely wife Miss Ada Mary Williams. He was teaching the music  at the Hickory Grove Church of the Nazarene , becoming smitten with her. She was a beautiful young  widow whose first husband was killed on a logging job. She was so young. They hit it off and became married some time later. Honey was born the next year ...1939...a good year!

He tells of seeing a picture of a baby on the wall of their home and asking his mother" who is that pitiful looking baby?"  "Why my  son.... that is you!" "Boy was I surprised !" Actually it is a beautiful picture of a baby boy! I am prejudiced I am sure!!! Honey tells that he remembers crawling on the floor and seeing holes in the wood floor. His mother said that if something was missing that is where she would go..to the knot holes!!! They didn't believe him that he remembered such trivia, but he often mentions of things that only he would know.
There wasn't a bathroom or running water in that first home in Fall City. Can you imagine having to go outside to a bathroom? No running water? Only a well!!  Night time can be dark!!!
I remember when we lived in Shiloh , being invited out to the Clouds home after church on Sunday, having the most wonderful food.  I asked directions to the bathroom and to my surprise was pointed to a path!!! lol  My first knowledge of an outdoor bathroom as an adult. One time as a child as I have already mentioned that I used one in Swannee Camp. I visited a friend of the church who had babies just about the same age as ours, while there I asked where the bathroom was and she laughed and pointed again to the path..We don't have an inside one yet but maybe one day! We also laugh about that now. When we see one another at church functions now we laugh about those days....they were absolutely good people.
I was pregnant most of the time in Shiloh.... so the bathroom was an important piece of  mind!!! lol thank goodness we had a bathroom inside  our parsonage even though we endured the rats and unwanted vistors!!!! Again  while we lived in Shiloh, we had gone to visit honeys uncle and aunt in Albertville Alabama, when we returned noticed that some things were missing. My white sweater, an old gun that Mr Cloud had let honey use when he went hunting with some of the men of the church, some bullets and baby clothes...I have never felt so violated as that time!!!!!  That is a strange feeling.
One time when we were visiting  the same uncle and aunt, it was cold  and they used fireplaces for heat. Vann was a baby, Windy was just a little over  3, so when we went ot bed, Windy was put on the sofa in the living room near the fireplace and we put Vann in bed with us. He needed a diaper change, so I put the cover over my head and straddled over  him...went to remove the diaper and guess what happened!!! of course you mothers know what happened!! Don't ever expose a boy baby...he just let go with , got me square in the face!!! I hollered then realizing where we were and got quiet!!!! We laughed and laughed !!!!!
We take things for granted as adults or even while we are growing up. That bathroom was an important part of my life. Being raised in Miami Florida in a nice home which had only ONE  bathroom but it was inside!!! lol lol  But as a young mother of 3, trying to be the best pastors wife, trying not to complain,   hoping to instill some good  values in my children.
Living in Shiloh..... Honey being a young minister , trained at Trevecca College and following his fathers  steps, thought that a suit  or white shirt and tie was the dress of the day. Now in Shiloh the dress of the day was overalls and work boots. He went out visiting one day in his white shirt and tie,  only coming home soon with  a very puzzled and surprised look on his face!!! I asked him what the  problem was.....said he was walking up the path to the house with a wide front porch, saw a barn off the left and a man scurrying to the house. As he approached the house  he heard clanking of glass along with other sounds of haste. He stepped up on the porch, the door opened and a man said" who are you?" Honey said, " I am the pastor of the Shiloh church of the Nazarene,( stated his name) , I am inviting you to come and worship with us" not sure what the man said, but honey said he left quickly. Some of the church members laughed later when he recounted his story, saying" they are know bootleggers! " They thought you were a revenuer!!! ( A government man looking for stills!).  We laughed about it but wondered what else was behind that door!!!! lol lol
At one time while there we had a very large congregation  who loved to sing, using guitars along with the piano to help with the singing. I did not like playing the piano as I did not know the shape note music that my father in law knew and taught. Maybe if he had taught me I would have survived better...I really  dreaded  doing that music!!!  While I played the piano one of the ladies would hold whichever child was the baby at the time and Windy would sit on the front pew...she was such a good little girl, the trouble was with her brothers!!!  Boys boys boys!!! What can I say...boys are so different! Pick, poke, punch...anything to stir up something!!! lol. I could most of the time make them stop with my eyes but other times honey would have to come down and do a little straightening out of those boys!!!lol Oh those days!!!!!! That was our lives when they were small....They were the best dressed and best behaved children in church..They did their parents proud...oh how I love those children....I miss them.
Oh well, better close and get on with life...honey has given me some suggestions about many things, will write later....my first car, honey as a boy...etc!!!!
Thanks grandpa for listening...I love you J

Movings

When ever we moved to a new city to pastor another church...we always the first day after our furniture was placed into the parsonage, got into our car and rode around, looking at the schools, grocery stores, ways to the church (unless we lived next door which I hated !) shopping centers, just checking things out. Well one time in Las Cruses NM we were driving around  and honey saw an A & W Root Beer Drive Inn. He pulled in quickly into the slot,pushed the button to get service then asked for " 5 rootbeers in the muuuggg!" which quickly came a .... "What?" " 5 root beers in the muuuuggg?" honey drawling out the mugg....after about 3 times of saying "5 root beer in the muuggggs?" she got the message....the children started laughing , snickering to which Windy said later" I never realized how southern we sounded"!!!! She later said her teachers always made her read alot...finally stating that they  just loved to hear Windy read!!!
We don't realize how "southern" we sound until we go to another place in America. Thankful for our  "southern" heritage...even though I was born and raised in Florida I consider myself a "southern".!

I always hated the idea of moving every 2 years or so..but got used to it after awhile.  Vann always had trouble with our moving and we had to pep talk him long and hard to get him ready for the move. I later thought how ironic it was that he joined the Marines!! Talk about moving!!!  lol..although he only moved 3 times that I know of with the remainder of his stint in the Marines was in Hawaii...honey and I never could find the money to go see him...how we regretted not finding that money to go.
While he was stationed in Hawaii he got to having so much fun that he forgot to call or write his mother and dad...well, I called the local Marine office and found out a phone # to where he was stationed. I called there and talked with someone and it wasn't but an hour or two that I got a call from Vann...he said he was in deep trouble !!!  He had to call once a week and write 2 times a week with  his superior watching! this lasted for a few weeks then he got into a regular routine and all was well...guess he was having to much fun!!!! I made a doll for one of his friends little girl , a type of the Cabbage Patch Doll. I thought it was ugly but they loved it!!!! When Vann passed away, these same people who are Vanns best friends called us and they keep in touch with us. They  call us their family in ALabama!!!  We call them family in New Jersey!!! How proud I am of Vann and his committment to the service for our country. I miss you Vann....

Well it is time for bed, am tired...I love you grandpa and thanks for listening..J

Football Sept 4 2010

Today is the first day of college football....honey has 2 tvs on and the radio will be on in a few hours. His favorite college team is of course ALABAMA...ROLL TIDE!!!!

I remember one time in Shiloh Alabama,  January1964, Windy was 3 1/2, Vann was 1 1/2 and Jeff was just born in December 1963. It was depressing time in Shiloh, winter cold, dark, mother  had left to go home after hurting herself helping honey get our dryer fixed.

We had 3 babies with a washer but no dryer. She had given us one but it didn't work   and she decided ( you don't know my mother)  to help honey to take it out of the house and into the trunk of our old Plymouth! Let me tell you that was not easy!!!! Like I said it was cold, rainy, wet dark, dreary and if I could find another adjective I would use it also, and they were trying to put the dryer in the car. Her knee went one way and the dryer the other...she screamed held her knee then  honey helping her inside. She cried for a few minutes and decided to go to the Dr.... Well, when they got there (honey and mother) Dr. Hutchinson was an old fashion Dr who at one time made house calls , decided that her leg needed straightening! MOTHER IS BOW LEGGED!!!! Finally after a few minutes honey quietly said " Doc, she is bowlegged" and smiled...Dr Hutchinson just straightened up and said "Well"  He said her knee was probably messed up and the tibia was fractured...she said that she would wait until she got home and let her Dr look at it. Mother suffered all of her life with that knee and I would not hesitate to say that was one of the reasons that lead to her being in the nursing home and eventually death. She really suffered with that knee and leg. I have felt so bad for her , nothing could I do to help her.

Back to the story...when she had arrived for Jeff's birth the people that brought her up to Alabama, their children  broke out with chicken pox!!! Oh boy, here I was stuck in this old house, with 3 babies. You know the rest of the story, Windy and Vann broke out with the pox but as far as I know Jeff didn't break out , he could have had some pox as Dr Hutchinson said  but we would never know. Jeff was only 5 days old and I was not happy!!!!  The children did well , Vann had one scar on his forehead for which he was lucky as he was only 1 and that is not an easy time for a child. You had to watch them to keep them from scratching them and removing the scab... it was tough but I did it!!!!

Well, 2 weeks later she went home very much in pain and I was left with a houseful of people! It was the end of the season for football, the radio was blaring every Saturday with Alabama Football, and Alabama went to the Orange Bowl! I remember listening to that game that day, with the children down for naps, honey and I sat on the couch and listened as Alabama lost  at the last few minutes of the game. I looked at honey and cried and cried! Honey was so mad , he didn't cry but just got up and went to the church!  There I was left  by myself to cry. It was a low time for me. Children getting over the chicken pox, cold, dreary,...oh well you get the picture.! lol.

When the boys were young honey signed them up for football, they played in their grade school years and Jeff played in his hight school. Jeff was a center  and a nose guard for the Davidson High School in Mobile Alabama. It was an exciting time at Davidson, toward the last of the season we had scheduled a revival at the church not realizing that Jeff would be playing football and they would be going to the finals...well we asked the evangelist if he could kind of hurry through and then go to the game! He did and all of us piled into the car and went to the best football game of the season...the evangelist talked later on in years about what a wonderful time they had and it was one of  the highlight of the life...I was so glad they were understanding and cooperated with our family...YEAH!!!  They also talked about the chocolate milkshakes I made them every night after the services....we had some good times with them... the Beattys..we  had a wonderful revival that week.

Today honey is so excited along with his children who are the biggest Alabama fans (guess where they got that from!) awaiting for the game to start tonight...and he cannot watch the game as it is on PPV and we don't have the $40 to watch. So we will listen on the radio as we did in the olden days! Thats ok...we won't suffer....next week it will be on TV.! I made him some potato salad, he has chicken thighs marinating and will grill later. So we are not suffering!

Football season brings excitement awaiting for the best to unfold.  Life brings excitement if we let it,,,awaiting for the best to unfold.  I need to be reminded often of those words. Lord help me...

Well we shall see if Alabama can continue with their #1 season!!! ROLL TIDE!!!!

Thank you grandpa for listening , I love you J