Country Grandpa

In 1988 there was a contest for country grandpas in the Country Magazine.  My daughters wanted to tell a story about Grandpa Pete, my dad, so they did with a little help from me.

The introduction to a double page of winning grandpas from all over the nation.

The girls were so excited to give Grandpa a copy of the magazine.  He received some congratulatory letters and one said how wonderful it was to have someone from Arkansas in a national magazine.

One thing wrong...they were sledding not skiing.  Those folks weren't so country after all.

The Paint Department

In some stores they have a discounted section of returned paints and stains.  Strangely, but not really for me, I check this section in every store that sells paint.  Through the years I've found some bargains.  I've acquired stains, interior and exterior latex and even Dry Lock for sometimes a quarter of the original price.

I'm not sure of the return policy for each store regarding paint. I thought if you chose it, bought it, and opened it, you were stuck.  Not so.  A stranger's dissatisfaction becomes my bargains such as the latest Rustic Red (five gallons) exterior stain for under ten dollars a gallon.

Recently I have gathered pieces of cans and mixed all the latex.  Green, lavender, and red makes this color!  Quite a pleasant color and will soon be the painted shelves in our basement...or maybe the floor.  It is a partly finished basement that was Mom's laundry room, the food storage room and the storm safe room when needed.

My oldest daughter, Melissa, is gonna hurt me for posting this photo but had to show how well the Dry Lock is going on the block walls.

Big difference!  Melissa is cleaning every thing with vinegar and a wire brush so there's a nice healthy underlay.  The walls were painted pink long ago when it was built.  We even have the original pink and gray tiles in stacks.  I think we may just paint the floor.

The ceiling is tongue and groove pine from who knows how long ago. It will be clear coated after it's deep cleaned.  The wood is too pretty to cover.

As for my waiting Rustic Red...we'll just have to see what it tells me to do.

Editing Dummy Here...

I am working on a clip so you can finally hear Andrew play.  I have no idea how to begin but just know I am trying.

I, the photographer, am fired. I have fired myself.  Andrew has practiced twice with the new 289 Band since they have changed things up.  Two old members remain four were added.  

Andrew was the only invited "special guest" with the band.  The Izard County Consolidated High School opened this act with their school band.  The entire band played well.  I'm a sucker for sax and horns...they were great.

The theme for this show was the history of rock and roll.  Chuck the writer/announcer/guitar player told the story as we traveled from the forties to the present.  We heard Beatles, Sonny and Cher, The Turtles, CCR with John Fogerty, The Carpenters, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nix, Booker T and The MGs, Janis Joplin, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lynyrd Skynyrd The Kinks and many more I can't remember...not because they weren't good but because I forgot!

Andrew played three solos I think and was on stage playing back up the entire time.  He had been there since one o'clock and the show ended at nine.  He was tired but still had energy to get phone numbers

from some fans.  A young lady wanted him to join her in a talent show.  She sings.  He plays.  That's all I know.  Andrew ain't talking!

The crowd was great.  Hoots and hollers from old gray haired people...that includes me. Many people stood up during one of Andrew's solos.  He played solos in Hey Joe, Pride and Joy, Green Onions and more that I've forgotten.  Next time I will take notes and no pictures.

"...and the crowd went wild" was true this night.  The radio station from another county was there broadcasting live.  A good friend suggested maybe the radio has a recording of the complete performance

This was the best family photo I could get not including me, Hubby, Jake (middle grandson) and Stormi, Toni's daughter.  I was happy to catch this many in one spot with SOME of them looking at the camera.

Left to right:  Zander (youngest grandson, son of Maria), Toni, (nephew), Maria (daughter, Andrew's mom), Melissa (oldest daughter, mother of Jake) and our star of the night, Andrew.

I am so proud of Andrew's God gifted, self taught talent.  I am proud of all my family.

It was just a magical night.  

Soon, I promise, I will figure out how to edit film and make it small enough to post.

May your day be filled with wonderful music.

Down and Dirty On Easter

Many know we have live water from springs.  This is pumped into the house for our convenience (I have carried many a buckets from this spring).  Our water is far better and sweeter tasting that any city water I've had.  The rock circle is where the pump sits suspended in clear spring water.  My grandpa and Dad made this years ago.  

The bad part about all this is we have to clean and flush the spring at least twice a year according to conditions.  Well we missed last year (Hubby's and Marcy's illness).  Our water remained clear and sweet but this day of work was long over due. 

This is not a one man job.  So we invited family with the lure of Marcy's cooking and they went to work.

First you make a plan.  The culvert for over flow was removed to flush out the area removing moss and two years of natural deposits in the bottom of the holding pond.

Then you jump in and start moving the mud.  The more mud moving out the better.  The blanket moss goes out with the current.

Basically it is like making wine.  You squish the mud and work it down stream with your feet.  Andrew kept us hydrated.

Second grandson Jake ran to get whatever we needed, sometimes driving the Ranger or running as fast as he could go.  Andrew and Jake played some foot ball

and then they deserted us.

Shoveling muck is fun.  Now maybe we won't have to clean it again till next spring...hopefully!

We scrubbed everything, dug muck and pushed water.  We've done this since childhood but it was all done by hand then.  We would dig grass from this branch all the way to the creek.  It was an all day job for four generations.

 We rescued critters

and moved them to a safer place.  Our plan was to bleach the main spring to kill the blanket moss but not the live things.  The bleach will do its job and it will dissipate before it reaches the pond or creek.

Boots were no good.  

All was work was done barefooted.

Melissa, my oldest daughter,

captured a mother/daughter portrait.

The work continues and the water level lowered.  Melissa said she never saw any pictures on my blog of her.  I wonder if she will be proud of this one!  Bev, my sister, is working that mud so it can move on out.

Marcy, my oldest sister, came over to tell us she had cooked a feast.  Toni, my nephew, did work although I have few pictures of it.

We chlorinated while Hubby dammed the creek.  We ate a mouth watering belly filling delicious dinner at Marcy's and returned to the spring.

Busting the dam.

Replacing the culvert with Toni looking like a Highway Department employee we are nearing completion.

Now we are back in the pure water business again.

As the world celebrated the Resurrection

we resurrected our water source.

Possum Story...

Many of you seemed interested that we were dropper feeding baby 'possums.  It's not the first time.  When my girls were oh say about eight and ten the dogs killed a 'possum and Marcy saved one then too.

Melissa adopted him and called him Herman.  She dropper fed him.  He was even smaller than these I pictured yesterday.  Melissa kept Herman in a aquarium when she was not carrying him around.  He outgrew that and we moved on to bigger boxes. 

Herman would sit on Melissa's shoulder and wrap his tail around her neck and loved hiding in her hair.  As he was weaned, his favorite food became bananas and moist cat food. Melissa became his mom.

Marcy, my daughters and I decided to go to Branson for a week.  No problem.  Hubby would care for the animals until we returned.

Midweek, we got a call.  Herman wouldn't eat.  We told Hubby to take him outside and talk to him.  Hubby said, "I'm not doing that!  Someone will drive by and see me talking to a 'possum!"  We said, go buy bananas.  He grumbled but he tried.

Two more days passed.  Hubby calls and says, "Don't think Herman is gonna make it.  I've tried everything.  I've bought strawberries and bananas.  I've taken him in the BACK yard to play and I even talked to the #@*# 'possum.  He won't eat."

Returning home we feared the worst.  We walked into Melissa's room and there lay Herman stretched out, skinny and almost lifeless.  Melissa said, "Ohhhhhhh, Herman!"  He struggled to his feet and began to eat as Melissa handed him food.

Herman grew BIG and we talked to the vet about neutering him since he was a boar 'possum.  The vet said he'll always be a wild animal so it's best to let him go.

We just couldn't do it yet.  Our Herman was an unusual one.  Instead of the normal black and grey he was brown and white...beautiful.  We would let him in and out the back sliding glass door and he never messed in the house after he was older.

Herman was a good house keeper.  He would sniff the floor and find even the tiniest bit of food the girls had dropped and eat it.  Herman was also a good watch dog.  He was fine with the four of us but when someone else came that big 'possum mouth would open and he was hiss as loud as he could.

Eventually, he became accustomed to being outside most of the time.  One night he got confused and went to the neighbors sliding glass door and tried to get in.  Thank goodness they knew the girls had a possum. 

The same neighbor had a yard sale and left her stuff out over night.  The next morning a box of clothes was moving.  She carefully lifted the first piece and saw it was a 'possum and almost ran through herself getting away from it.  She called Maria as asked if we still had a 'possum.  Maria went down and said, "Ohhhh, Herman!" and swept him up in her arms.  The neighbor asked me how in the world Maria could tell one 'possum from another.  She also asked Maria to watch the yard sale while she drove to town to get something.  A customer came while Maria sat there with Herman in her arms.  Herman bowed up and hissed at the customer and she left.  Maria never told the neighbor.

Herman got married and moved away.  When we would see a 'possum that unusual color we like to think it was Herman's get.

So next time you see a 'possum know underneath that pointed ugly naked tailed body beats a heart of gold...if you get them young enough. 

Now, I've just confirmed for every one, I really am crazy.

Sweet Child of Mine...

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything was as fresh

 as the bright blue sky.

 

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

and if I stare too long,

 I'd probably break down and cry.

 

She's got eyes of the bluest skies

 as if they thought of rain

I'd hate to look into those eyes

 and see an ounce of pain.

 

Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

and pray for the thunder and the rain

to quietly pass me by.

Well, her eyes aren't blue but they're beautiful...

this sweet child of mine!!!

Her heart is as big as the universe.

I wish all the words above were mine but, alas,

Guns N Roses sang them first.

Happy Birthday, Melissa!!!

May this be the best year ever.

I love you.

Just A Twinkle In Her Daddy's Eyes...

only thirty-nine years ago.

Now, that twinkle has grown

into a wonderful, beautiful young woman.

Today begins her thirty-eighth year.

Melissa, my oldest daughter,  is a very warm and loving young lady.  She is  a wonderful mother to Jake.  A very talented lady, but she won't admit that...she's a tad like me...don't tell her.

I am very proud of my daughter, who makes a lot of lemonaide because life has served her lemons now and then. 

To my loving, wonderful daughter, Happy Birthday!!!  I love you, always have, always will...and may the new year be the best you ever had!!!

Martin and Melissa

Melissa, all grown up with her child, Jake.

I learned of MartinLuther King Jr through newspapers, television and books.

I learned of Melissa DeAnne first hand. She is our first child.

Thirty-six years ago my water broke. I had always laughed that a husband would grab the suitcase and forget the wife. Well....he forgot me, but only for a moment or two and tried to cover by saying he was just putting the suitcase in the car.

This was a new experience and no matter who has told you what, it never is that way. I think my best piece of advice came from my mother. She said the baby will know when it's time, then just push like you need to poop.

I arrived to find I was not in labor. After twelve pills and one shot to start the labor, a shot to stop it(I needed to rest) and another shot to start it again, I am in labor.

These were the times when the mother should be medicated, the child birthed quietly with no input by anyone but the doctors. Some form of gas canister was strapped to my wrist and I was forced to inhale this stuff. It made me sick. My husband tried to come to my aid, the nurses would not listen. I took over!

This THING on my wrist became a weapon. Trying to force any nurse or doctor to remove it, I cursed! Now I knew better but what a wonderful opportunity to be able to use those horrible words I learned through my life time! I could be forgiven because I was in labor AND drugged. I also discovered I was quite good at it.

The labor progressed too slowly for me. At this point I had been in and out of labor for three days. Their solution was more drugs!!!!

Being the farm girl that I was and am, I asked the nurses for a toe sack. But, why, honey, do you need a toe sack( a burlap sack held potatoes, just my guess, thus the name). I said wrap it around that baby's legs and pull it out. This was a common method used in pulling calves.

I had the pleasure of drawing a large foreboding commanding nurse of recent German descent, still had the accent. The doctor was not there (of course) when things got ready to happen. She told me don't push, don't push, the doctor's not here. Well, MZ German Tank, this baby is coming anyway!!! She was trying to hold my legs together!!! I found out later, she had never had a child.

I awoke in the delivery room to be told we had a healthy daughter weighing eight pounds and nine ounces. I also awoke to an entire class of student nurses watching the doctor tying knots...down there.

Okay, you who laugh! This was thirty six years ago and we have come along way, Thank God.

Today I say Happy Birthday to Martin and Melissa.
May all your dreams come true.
Love ya, kid!!!!