My iron test showed I was headed toward anemic again. So I’m taking iron again. It absorbs best with vitamin C so I drink 4 ounces of orange juice with it when I take it. Well, Dr. Called today and said add 1000 mg of B12. So I went and got a bottle. It says don’t take with vitamin C. That’ll be a pain. Take one wait 2 hours take B12. Fleta and I leave Sunday for our trip across the top of Tennessee. I’ll have her car loaded down with pills.
Today was a day I will never forget! On 9/11, 2001, I was with a class of 12 year old children. I went into the bathroom and knelt on the concrete floor and prayed for guidance in what to say and do for the children. Tonight at Ross Pendergraft Library I listened to Deena Burnett describe her 9/11! Her husband called her from Flight 93 , the hi-jacked plane, and told her to report to the authorities what had happened. She got the phone book and thought—who do I call!
I am so glad I took time today to listen to Deena tell about those events and what came afterwards in her life. When bad things happen we can be stuck forever in that sorrow and live with bitterness or turn to our Lord for strength and guidance. Deena had 3 little girls to care for and she pushed forward to create a good life for them. Deena is an Arkansas girl and she still lives in our state. I was inspired to be a better person just by hearing her story.
Had the best company today!
We are three sisters.
Three sisters are we.
I love each of them,
And I know they love me.
And…I did not kill the old red rooster but we did have a sliced peppered chicken sandwich!
Sigrid is in a study group for biology class. About 8 meet at Tech Library and study. She made this peanut butter pie for dessert for them. Oh, it does look good.
And...Ada may be a seamstress like Sister Helen. She loves school and all the people there. Sometimes she does not want to leave. Erin told me that almost daily she says "I miss my Gigi". I miss her too! If I lived near, I'd see her everyday.
Our house was heated by a wood stove. This was another chore for Fleta and I. We gathered kindling each night to help get the fire going the next morning. When it wasn’t the dead of winter, we had to find wood enough to take the chill off our house. This was more than kindling. We took an ax and chopped wood. We carried it in our arms to the porch.
Most of the time we helped milk cows. If we had a herd we assisted. When we were not selling milk to Kraft we still had to milk a cow or two morning and night. During school I milked at night and Fleta in the morning.
We were poor. There was never enough money. Dad often borrowed money to pay his taxes and paid it back over the next year. Then the next year, he had to repeat this. We were always in the hole. In 1962, he took a job at the Feed Mill in town. Each week he got a check. I think he made $62.00 a week take home. Now, this may be wrong, but I seem to recall this. After this we had cash each week. Mom could wash clothes at the Laundromat in town on Saturday and buy groceries at a store in Green Forest. She did not have a drivers license ever, but she drove there and parked behind the store. She drove just on the back streets. Thankfully, she never had an accident. In 1969, Dad drilled the well. He retired in 1977 from the Mill.
Our lives were laborious but we always had hope of a brighter day. We never felt below others. Our home was one of encouragement and love. I’m not regretful of my childhood, but it wasn’t an easy life.
Astrid found someone to gift five of my older hens to. They wanted to pay me, but I think old hens should be gifted. Astrid is going to give me 5 pullets. I’m excited!
