June 28

Sister headed home this morning early. She was going to Aldi’s and Walmart to buy groceries for the week. In the morning she’ll be up at 3:30 to get ready for work. That’s pretty good for a 78 year old woman. She’s thinking she will retire at 80.

Yesterday we had a visitor. Fleta’s son George and his sweet wife Michelle drove from southern Missouri to visit. He took us to lunch and Fleta and I had our favorite ribeye. Food was good but the visit was a treasure 🤍

Go oft to the house of thy friend, for weeds choke the unused path.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Logan ran over a big water moccasin in my drive. He had a big rat in his mouth. Nasty!

I got Fleta a gulf shores cap in Alabama. She got home safely. Said she’d try to come again end of July.

Saturday

 

Fleta brings sunshine to my life! I love my beautiful flower for my porch💛We miss Sister Helen tremendously. When she hosted us at Coin, AR, we had homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a feast for dinner! Fleta says often how much she misses Helen’s homemade banana bread! I tried to replicate the good feelings with pop the can cinnamon rolls from Kroger and Lois Rudd’s banana bread! I’ll take her out to lunch. Not my Sister but I’m trying❤️

Fleta’s son George and his wife Michelle came by to see Fleta and me. They were going to Mount Magazine. George treated us to lunch. I was so thrilled to meet Michelle. I know I yacked too much. She is really nice. And my lunch was a ribeye! Fleta will head home tomorrow. I’ll be sad, but she said last week of July she’ll come again. 

Friday

Sister surprised me with a birthday gift. She bought the flowers separately and put into the beautiful ceramic pot. I hope I don’t kill the pretty flowers or break the pot.

We went to Arby’s for dinner. Tomorrow I may treat her to a steak. 🥩 

Finished this granny ripple baby blanket! 🌸🌸🌸Completion is slowed by the warm weather .  It goes to my neighbors Jake and Maggie. They live in the house Larry built us in 1985. Their baby girl is coming in September.

 

Thursday

Fleta comes tomorrow! Yippee! I need to get the yard mowed today. It’s tall again.

Justin and Ingrid have an anniversary today. They married at the beach and now live right by the beach. Justin is a fisherman and he fishes in salt water now. We miss them being near, but it’s a beautiful place to visit to go see them!

Logans and Astrid worked behind their house making it smoother and drain friendly. Logan put the dirt in with the tractor. Astrid said they were adding gutter to keep the water flowing.

She’s deciding how she wants to fix it. She created an area with ai. She’s going to have some wood and some rock or tile I think. It’ll be her design. They do things in steps and pay as they go. 

June 24

In 2010 I bought 12 day lilies in the markdown flowers at Lowe’s. Only $1.00 a piece. I liked their name. I carried them home and Larry said he’d build me a garden around a Maple and he did. I didn’t know if they’d even live, but they did and each summer they bloomed. I took a pictures of my dreams yearly. Day lilies are like children as they grow they need more room. They need to live in a different place. First the timbers rotted and then the blooms looked sad. Not much left there now but the forgotten dreams.

Today at 10:00 I had a doctor visit. They wanted to scan all my cards. I gave them to the clerk. My drivers license expired June 14. After the visit and lab work. I thought I’d better go renew my license because really I no longer had one! You had to check in with your phone. I finally an accomplished that. I know the head of the revenue office. She asked how long I wanted it for. I said as long as I can get it for. So she gave me one that won’t expire until June 2034. I’ll be 84 if I’m still alive. But when I saw me I #@&$=+% about passed out. I look at least 76. Oh, dear, mercy me!

 

June 23

When I went to Alabama to see Ingie. Eric stayed here and did the chores. Ingrid discovered a straight flight from Fayetteville to Mobile. It cost less than the gas to drive 10 hours. Eric went last week. He stayed three nights and it was a good way to visit.

Ingrid picked him up and they they did things each day. They visited a big aquarium. Maybe near New Orleans.

Eric tried a cricket bar at the bug restaurant. Ingrid declined.

This reminded me of the time Eric told Sig he’d give her a dollar if she’d eat a worm and she didn’t even hesitate.

Butterflies love Ingie!

Monday

 

Saturday Astrid and Laura went on a 5 mile walk. Afterwards they craved ice cream. They brought me a bowl with bananas, orange juice, and pineapple. It had toasted oats and coconut. It’s not ice cream but sorbet. Me and the others loved the treat.

Laura had painted the end table that her Dad made for her. Painted was in style and she had a coffee table that was painted. This week she removed all the paint and stained them. She hasn’t finished the cedar drawer yet. I like to see wood grain and don’t like painted furniture and cabinets but I know lots like it. I love the way these turned out. It was a lot of hard labor doing it.

This week my old fashioned Tiger Lilies started blooming. I like them because they are an old flower. They fall over and almost need a cage when they are fully mature.  Tiger lilies are called ditch lilies because they grow wild in ditches. Often spread by road grading. The bulbs are edible and taste like potatoes. Tiger lilies are toxic to cats. They represent wealth and prosperity in folk lore. Everyone should know smelling a Tiger Lily bloom will give you freckles.

Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads who love their children!

I was blessed with a good Dad who loved me. He always supported me in times of need and of elation. He offered guidance but never demanded. I tried to do the right thing often because I did not want him to be ashamed. 

Daddy had dreams for me. He hoped his children would own a home and be able to care for family. He helped Larry and I buy our first house. He taught me about the Lord but felt most churches were not houses of God. He had false teeth in his older years. He carried them in his pocket only putting them in his mouth to eat. He loved little children. When Erin was so sick I thought she might die, he called Children’s Hospital and cried. He said he wished he could carry her pain. 

After Helen moved to Arkansas, Fleta was going through stuff in a "shed".  She found some of Daddy's old shirts.  Dad passed in 1988--almost 40 years ago.  Helen was a seamstress and she recognized 3 shirts she sewed for Dad.  She asked me if I made this one.  "No", I said...but then I started remembering it.  I did make one.  I bet she could tell by the poor workmanship!  Daddy loved it and nearly wore it out.  Momma must have loved it too as it was packed away.  Daddy has it on in the photo holding Laura September 1, 1974. Sister Helen made me an apron from that old shirt Dad cherished. Why did Daddy love the one I made so much and wear it out!  Helen was a much better seamstress.  I don't know why but will say--that is just how he was.  He knew I had "worked" really hard trying to make him a shirt!  

 

Wash Day

My new dryer Laura gave me for my birthday worked really well. I waited until I got new clothes pins to use it. The bow tie quilt was gifted to Larry by his Grandmother Gladys Houston Garrison.

Growing up at Coin, AR, wash day was an all day job. Momma washed clothes on the back porch. The water was heated on the kitchen stove. Bluing was used in the rinse. We had a wringer washer. We funneled the clothes through the wringer squeezing the water out. Our family was large. The clothes filled the clothes line and then the extras were hung on the fence around the yard. Momma mopped the floors that day after we washed the clothes using the rinse water. She used a rag mop. It was a contraption that slid open and an old towel could be clamped in it. The next day we ironed. The clothes were sprinkled with water and rolled in a basket🧺 then ironed.  I really don’t miss any of this except the smell of clean sheets on the bed.

The Library got the Judy Blume book for me. She was a little crazy but I am too. I enjoyed reading about her life. 

 

Friday

Clayton and two friends attended a concert in Springfield, MO. by Weird Al. I supposed it was a rock band, but no. He’s more of a comedian and old. Clayton and his friend Tyson are both majoring in computer engineering. Their friend Victor came from Wisconsin to meet them. They’ve known him a while but just on the computer. Clayton is still loading groceries at Walmart. He saves most of his money and is really frugal. Below is Weird Al. He looks like Tiny Tim to me.

My Forgotten Dreams are blooming.  I have many forgotten dreams.   I always wanted to write a book.   No, write lots of books.  I never have written even a short story!  Dreams forgotten are replaced by new ones.  All those old forgotten ones were about ME and all my new dreams are about my grandchildren.  I dream so much for them.  Please, Lord, do not forsake me as I ask for Your blessings to go to each one of them and for you to protect and prosper them.   

Astrid’s Penny is 8. She is her sweetest Corgi. Pop went with her to pick her up from her birth parents. She has one blue eye. Astrid gets each of her dog’s a treat when they have a birthday. 

Today Eric and Laura have been married 27 years. The days are long the years are short.