Friday, February 28, 2014

The Good Life


Here are the green beans that I froze like Helen said Daddy did it.  They are really good and not much trouble to put up.

Helen spoke of memories and my memory is not too good.  But I recall some things.

Fleta, Clayton and I made play houses above the road next to the old fence.  We each had a home the houses were outlined in rocks.  Our homes had more than one room.  We would visit in each others houses.  It was summer time. Daddy was working.  Clayton could not have been more than 12 or so I think for him to play these elaborate games with Fleta and I.  I remember once we had him dress up like a woman.  We all had make believe names. I always wanted some name like Roxanna or Valerie.  I thought those sounded sophisticated. We had tin cans and stuff for dishes.  Seems like this play went on for days in the summer and we had such a good time.  We imagined we had fine food and clothes and plenty of money.

Daddy started working for wages by 1962. Gilbert was born in the summer of '61.  After that he always worked out.  After he did this, each week or every couple weeks a check would come.  We had more money and we had enough to eat.  Before 1961, some of the time we almost starved to death.  I still have good memories and I know we had a family that we knew we could count on, but we were very poor.  I believe that Patsy and Richard had it even worse.  I am thinking of the years from about 1947 to when they went to Green Forest School.   I think they were really even poorer.  Probably had less then Fleta and I did when we were in grade school.  Patsy said Richard did not want to go to school at Green Forest because he wore overalls and all the boys wore jeans.   Jimmy Powell remembered it the same way.  It was town kids and country kids.  I guess Richard was a country kid and perhaps made fun of because of his clothes.  Jimmy Powell said he finally threw his books in the wood stove and got a whipping but he did not go back to school.  Patsy went to the Bible school because she did not have clothes to wear to high school.  The Bible school helped with her living expenses.

Helen was born in 1954.  By 1962, she was only 8, and Dad worked for wages most of her life that she can remember and the part before she was 6 she does have some memories but they were sheltered ones.  We sheltered Helen because we could not shelter Deb.  Helen said today that when times were tough she always thought, I want to go home.  She felt like "home" could fix it all.  I never had those feelings.  I always felt that I must make it on my own volition.  Before I married, I always felt I could call on my brother, Clayton, if I was in need.  He would always try to help.  No one else can fix things in our lives.  We have to make our own way.

Helen said she skipped school.  I loved school. I loved most of the teachers and had lots of friends.  I told Helen that I could remember in grade school being called to the teacher's desk.  She showed me the C's in the book.  It was one of those dark brown slim graders.  The c's were not grades but charges for my lunch.  When were we going to pay all those c's.  I would make up a story. Maybe next week I might say.  I don't think I ever told Mom or Dad because I knew they could not fix those c's.

Patsy, Fleta, Helen and I all have different memories some of the same times creating a different memory for each of us because we are different from each other.

I would not want any other parents than the two God gave me, but things were not perfect just as my home was not perfect for my two girls growing up.  I made Laura wear a Brownie uniform that I bought at a second hand place...right color wrong outfit.  It bothered her.  I did not even know at the time or did not care.  I did the best I could.  Mom and Dad did the best they could.  They put us first.  I tried to do that with Laura and Erin.  I hope Erin and Laura always do the best they can for their families.  I believe they do.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Pop's Girl



While Greta stayed with us, Pop won her over.  They went to Wendy's for Frosties and then later they went to the candy store and she came back with a big sack of candy.  Now, listen she is Pop's girl not Gigi's.

Birds Happy


 Birds were singing today and I was happy too. The sun sparkled all day.  Larry dug out an old tree stump in the yard.  There were some Irises and other flowers around the stump.  I added many of them to my Crystral Flower Bed or maybe Aday Flower Bed?



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Another Star

 Sigrid's basketball team won the tournament and overall best record in River Valley Basketball.  Show was better than the Olympics in Russia.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Basketball Banquet

Astrid attended the Basketball banquet tonight.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Planting Time Is Here

Larry got onions and potatoes and we may have them in the ground this week.  I want some of the green peas you can put in salads and he said he would get them for me.  Spring in not far away.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Like Brothers

Happy Birthday, Tony.  This is Tony and Gilbert today.  There is 6 months difference in their ages.  Tony the oldest.  Gilbert uncle to Tony.  They are more like brothers, I think.

Tony's day is February 27th.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Going Back To School

My friend from school turned 50 February 21.  I will put the date on here and her name and I can search and find her bday if I forget.  I walked around school and visited with several of my old comrades.  Two are retiring this year.  Laura made Kelly Young a birthday cheesecake and I delivered it to her.  She is the High School Soccer coach and will be Astrid's soccer coach next year. Kelly is from Port Angeles, Washington.
I looked the city up...it may be near Kristina.  But maybe not.  Kelly's husband came here because he is an operator at the Nuclear Plant here.  He served 6 years in the U. S. Navy and learned this skill.  He is very highly paid.
Port Angeles is the site of the "largest prehistoric Indian village and burial ground found in the United States," according to a senior archaeologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle. In August 2003, an 275 million dollar construction project [9]was started in P.A. The construction site ultimately uncovered about 300 graves and 785 pieces of human bones in addition to numerous ritual and ceremonial Indian artifacts of the former Tse-whit-zen village. Some of the unearthed remains date back between 1,700 to 2,700 years. 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Ingrid's Smiling

 Today Ingrid got her braces.  Laura brought her by before school and she and I went at 9 A.M.  Her teeth are pretty straight and she may not have to wear the braces as long as Astrid did.
 They put the bottom ones on first.  I sat right by her chair, but she was not frightened at all.


 This is Dr. V.   There were 3 girls in this room getting braces of which one was pretty young and did not really want braces.  Dr. V is very good with children.  One of the 3 was an adult who was tired of teeth protruding is my guess.   Laura and Erin both had braces.  I never had anyone to help me with my kids.  I do believe...I dropped them off and picked them up afterwards and they were at the office alone.  Erin will correct me if I am wrong.
 After Ingrid finished getting the braces on, I took her for a chocolate shake and she had some yogurt for lunch.  She took some ibuprofen so she was be set for the afternoon at school.  She picked metal braces and they were less expensive than clear.  Still expensive though, but her smile will be worth it all.  Insurance pays some.


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Scientist

 Sigrid is in a gifted program and on Mondays she goes to a different school.  She loves science and her gifted teacher loves her.  She is not cut from a pattern.  Her own person!  I always loved teaching kids that were different.  It makes the day go faster and you can learn something too.  Sigrid is doing science experiments I think in these pictures with some of the high school students. I know she loved it.  Her friend Marlie is sitting by Sigrid.   Marlie is a really nice friend.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Company Today

Erin is at a workshop in LR today and I am hanging with one of my best girlfriends. Well, here is a picture from our activity today.  You can see I can't fix Greta's hair....but she does not care.

Astrid is in love

with soccer, thank goodness!  She played with ODP (Olympic development program) at Fort Smith and scored in the last minutes of the game to win it for her team.  She floated all the way home.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

April 1966

I am standing by Richard and now I can see I have my hair in brush rollers.  Helen is behind Barb by Clayton and Fleta don't you think you are taking the picture?  Daddy would have been 50 turning 51 that July!  Clayton was not married yet.  I think this is the table I sat on and broke!  Daddy has on brown boots.  His foot was small.  I remember him wearing an 8 and a half but later maybe he wore a 9.  Remember how Momma would invite Grandma and she would say....well, I am not sure if I can come.  What she did was wait to see if she got another invite.  She always came at the last minute so no one else invited her.  Momma was always really good to Grandma Powell even though they were total opposites.  Debbie was almost 10 in this picture.  Gilbert was 5.  Looks like Momma has fixed a nice meal for us!  Fleta, this was after we sheet rocked the house.  When did we do that?  Notice the naked light bulb.  I bet we bounced a ball in the kitcher and broke the globe.  We were so rowdy.

Today

 Clayton and Greta came today.  It was good to see them. Pop gave them valentine candy and Clayton took his afghan home.  They were pooped when they left here.

 Ingrid is playing in a volleyball tournament in Conway or near there.  She is serving above. One game they were behind 24 - 16 and she served 10 points to win the game.  All I can think is--I wish I could have seen that game!

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day

Violets for Valentines Day.  Hope you had a good day.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Pucker Up Buttercup! Here Piggie!

 Kiss the pig!


Today

 Astrid will kiss the pig at today's basketball pep rally.
Astrid says "don't give up because of what someone says.  Try harder and prove them wrong!"

Sunshine Today

Daffodils around the corner.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Thinking Today

Have you noticed that when someone dies...lots of folks think of them as hero or angel.  Once you die the life you left behind has a final chapter but all the chapters between 1 and then remain the same.  So I guess, if someone wants to leave a good record...it is best to start before the last chapter!  Chapter one's Title "birth", Chapter Two "childhood", now after Chapter Two we write our story.  Once one gets to an age of accountability each gets to choose what is in each Chapter.  My book is not ended!  Hope I can put some good stuff in these last Chapters!

Astrid's BB Picture



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Clayton's Throw

Still working on Clayton's throw.  Greta's will be next.

A Little Like Her Gigi

 Pop and I took Sigrid to her basketball game.  Her team won and I would say she "gets it".  She knows to run the floor.  She gets to her position and does what the coach tells her to.
 Her shot form is really good.  See the break over of her wrist.
 She understands guarding. She also already knows to stand straight up when guarding a shot.
Here is her team photo.  You may have to click on it to see but Sigrid made a pucker face in the photo.  She told me the photographer said to make a funny face.  I told Siggie it was funny that only she was doing it and she messed up everyone's group picture.  Sigrid told her Mom that Gigi did not like her picture.  Deep inside I kept thinking...this is just like something I would have done!  I love my Sigrid!

Same Stance

Laura used to do her feet just like Hannah is doing here.  I think she still does.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Today's Hi Lights

 Clayton is learning a lot going to school on Saturday.  He loves books and here he is reading one.
 Ingrid had a dance with her manner's class and she is stepping high with Dad.
 Greta has worked puzzles all day.  Most of the ones she does are from 24 to 100 pieces.  She is a good puzzle solver.
 Ingrid and her friends at her last formal dance.  Today's was called a tea I believe.
 I stole this photo from Patsy.  We went to MO to see our dear, previous Aunt.  She was so happy to see us.
Astrid is hitting the volleyball in this video.  She was working out at AR Tech today!