Safely Home

I bought a few more pansies in the mark downs at tractor supply. We had a frost last night and some of my flowers are history. I moved th porch flowers inward toward the wall. I’ll have longer to decide what to move indoors.

Justin and Ingrid are here. They walked over to visit. Eric is having an outdoor fire tonight and s’mores. Laura is making soup and Eric fixing brats. It was good to see Ing and Justin. They’re here for a wedding, but we get them part of the time. Ing had on her Bayshore shirt. She said it’s a town near where they live.her friend has nephews that play sports for the school. Now she has a shirt to wear to games. 

I’m just getting too old to cut the mustard. Have you heard that phrase…probably not as it’s old too. Last night Astrid made homemade chicken noodle soup and said I could have a bowl. Since I can’t cook now either, I wasn’t passing up the opportunity of a good meal. The sky was so beautiful driving over there on my side by side. I took a picture. Logan and Astrid’s house was accented with pretty tiny lights. I tried to take a picture and look what happened. Looks like I was on a rocket in the sky and chem trails were all around me!

Sister’s was here two days. She left early yesterday morning for Coin!  What a difference she made in my life— like the song says. She graduated 3 years before me, went to work and I shared in all her new hard earned  money. We went to movies. I got to wear her clothes…well, the ones I could fit in as she was skinny. Anything I needed, she was there to help me. Glad she comes to see me still.

Erin may come Sunday afternoon. Clayton enrolled for next semester~~ calculus. Physiology, sociology, American Government, and programming. Sounds like he’ll be busy. Plus he still works at Walmart about 5 days a week.  Greta is driving to school.  Ada is doing well in her second grade glasses. All are busy.
 

Laura’s Stitches

With three girls, if Laura makes something for a daughter, she often ends up making three. She’s been making these sweat shirts. Nurse, Baywatch, and pharmacy— I know which each is receiving. I hope I get a photo of them modeling these!

She uses these scissors to cut out the letters. She calls these scissors ✂️ duck scissors. Larry’s mother loved making quilts and embroidering. Laura inherited her love for stitching.

Fleta goes home this morning. She wanted to eat at IHOP yesterday. So that’s where I took her. I thought it was nasty but I tried to be nice. She’ll be 79 in January and has started to think about retirement. Since I retired at 61, I can’t beat her at this endeavor. She’s now worked at Tyson’s as long as I taught at Russellville….39 years,.
 

Happy Veteran’s Day

 I salute all Veterans today--especially my father.  My Dad served in the U S Navy in World War II.  He joined on 4-4-44 and served until the end of the  War.  He hit the beach on Iwo Jima as his unit was attached to the United States Marines.  He never said much about the War, but after his death I have read all I could about Iwo Jima and understand why he chose not to speak of what he endured. I recall when I took US History at Green Forest High School the picture of the "flag raising" was on the cover of my text book and Daddy said, "I was there".

Happy Veterans’ Day to all who served. 

Company

Mary Standridge has been gone a month. I placed a book in the Pope County Library in her memory. I chose this memoir by an Appalachian mountain girl. Mary was a mountain girl from Newton County. “All That’s Unseen” is a refreshingly personal account of Emilee Hackney’s experiences growing up in rural Southwest Virginia. Her ancestors labored in the coal mines, but her father had  a dogged resistance against living that life, and her mother had a reverence for literature. Most of all, her family had faith in God and that influenced her life.

Mary with her family! She’s on the back row between her parents.

Fleta is here so I’ll get back to visiting.

Barn

Andy Rooney said “A well-built barn is a thing of beauty”.  I agree with him. Logan and Astrid worked on the barn this weekend and burned two brush piled. I helped re-stack the pile by my yard, but stayed away from the work on the barn. As you age, one comes to realize usually you are just in the way.  I told Astrid that come Monday, I could not wait to see what all they did! The cedar is all in—lining the walls. They finished trimming the outside. This summer they piped the water to the barn. Come look with me!

Brown trim was secured. There’s a rain cutter. Stutterers are closed tight.

Where you enter from my yard by the Redbud tree Larry planted for me.

Storage and room for hay. More hay is under one of Pop’s sheds.

The Lamb saddle made in Green Forest, AR. Daddy bought it for me the winter I caught fire after we butchered hogs all day. …December 1963.

Pantry filled with horse and donkey hay.

I love the horse shoe hangers.

Going out to the stables.

Stable entry with fresh water piped in. Two stables are smaller and one large.

Stable

Stable

Stable 

Logan is a master plumber. The water stays fresh and clean.

 

Sunday

Erin sent me a picture of Ada before church. She loves going to church. Greta has a game tomorrow and had practice this afternoon. She drove herself. Life is changing.

Logan and Astrid worked on cutting up and stacking the maple tree yesterday. It blew over in a storm. Today I have restacked it  and I think it’ll all burn up. This morning it was very foggy. Greg left at 6:30 for his gun show because of the fog.  

This is the kind of stuff you see in my state. Just shake my head.

Laura has been sewing. Ingie asked that she make a makeup bag for her friend. Lots of work, but a special gift.

It was cool this morning…about 44. I turned the heat on as Greg was going to take a shower and I knew it’d be cold in the bathroom. His mother is very sick. She got the stomach virus like me but then staph in the lungs and spinal cord. He is very concerned for her. 

The sun came out and I noticed the donkeys all laying in the warm sunshine just soaking up the rays.

My mum is starting to open up blooms. I give it a drink everyday. We are 18 inches behind in rainfall.

Fleta bought this for Ada’s dress up trunk Erin’s fixing her for Christmas. She’ll be pretending getting married. Fleta said I had to iron it and I will. Cost 1.00.

I think Mom bought this magazine rack for Larry and I one Christmas before 1974…Laura’s birth year. Ingie has it in her house now. She’s putting her records in it. Blesses my heart.

Weekend

Laura made taco soup and asked if I’d make Mexican corn bread. It was good. I use green chilis in mine not jalapeños. Not so hot.

For another month plus, I have a never ending chore. I pick up the walnuts and then the wind blows and more fall. Astrid says I should have them cut. I do not eat any of them. They are small. If I don’t pick them up they’re tripping stones. Larry’s Momma planted them. I hate to destroy her work. I’m so silly.

Greg is here. He has a gun show in Hot Springs. I’m a half way house. He’s no trouble. He’ll be back tonight. I hope he does well. 

It’s cooler here, but I’m still not using heat. Greta has a basketball game next week. I’m praying she can have a great season. 

Siggie is happy as Logan E. Is home from drill. Her Logan is the nicest person. Sort a like Astrid would be if she were male.

Happy Saturday.
 

Going to Hagarville, AR

 Kay and I went north yesterday and ate at Hagarville Grocery. They make smash sandwiches. The sandwiches reminded me of subway. I thought we’d get to see the fall color of the leaves. I guess it was a little early. I enjoyed the afternoon out and tried to not say negative things about the sandwiches, but here I’ll tell you they were not very good. We’re going to try again in 2 weeks. Jasper, AR will be our destination. Maybe the leaves will be pretty. We’re going to try the Low Gap Cafe in Jasper.

Kay was quite depressed over the election. I think I just will focus on things closer to me. I can’t do much to change things farther away. Kay said she was “done with voting”. I will continue to cast my ballot. But the things I will concentrate on changing will be nearer to me. Myself is the big thing I can change. There’s a lot of work right there. I want to keep an open mind. Care about others. Do the little things I can do. If I get filled up thinking of what I don’t like, I’ll be pretty miserable. Go for the good!

Sigrid

Sad Sack Sig

Sigrid doesn’t like staying by herself. Well, it’s more hate than dislike. Panic. Logan E. Had drill. Astrid stayed with her one night and Wednesday night Laura went down. They had mom and baby girl time. Sigrid selected me two new scents at Ulta. I can’t wait to try them. 

Sig cooked chicken for Laura in the air fryer and ff in the oven. Laura picked up a salad for herself at Kroger. I doubt Laura ate ff. I bet the two enjoyed the stay together.

My new scents….

Sigrid tries to keep a puzzle out to work on. She graduates in December from ATU. She’s not going to walk, but she’ll have earned a bachelors degree. 

I loved zooming in at this pic Laura sent me of Sigrid’s fridge. It’s what Sigrid and Logan think are important. I wondered about the note-2 qts water and 1/2 t poison! Oh, dear.